July 4, 2016

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Monday, July 4, 2016 – Edition: #5766

Thanks For Being a Bull Market!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Meet Professor McConaughey. The University of Texas has announced that actor Matthew McConaughey will team with Gary Ross, the director of his new film “Free State of Jones”, to help teach a film class this Fall. His instruction, however, will be mainly via recorded videos, with plans for at least one on-campus visit. It’s McConaughey’s 2nd stint at his alma matter for this class.
– “Us Weekly”
★ Saturday the documentary-style play “Privacy” opened at NYC’s Public Theater, starring Daniel Radcliffe and … Edward Snowden. Yes, that Edward Snowden, the whistleblower and fugitive forced to take asylum in Russia. Snowden has a 1-minute cameo appearance (pre-recorded and transmitted from Moscow) during which he and Radcliffe quote snippets from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and talk about privacy in the digital age.
– “New York Times”
★ The latest is the greatest … except in music. In a bizarre development, largely ignored by the music press, old songs are now outselling new ones. Nielsen reports that 123 million catalogue albums (more than 18-months-old) were sold last year, versus 119 million new releases. The same trend is evident in the purchase of digital tracks: 485 million old songs vs 480 million new ones.
– TheDailyBeast.com
★ And a new “Ghostbusters” Lego set has hit store shelves ahead of the film’s release (July 15th). The 556-piece set includes mini-figure versions of Melissa McCarthy’s ‘Abby Yates’, Kristen Wiig’s ‘Erin Gilbert’, Kate McKinnon’s ‘Jillian Holtzmann’, Leslie Jones’ ‘Patty Tolan’, Chris Hemsworth’s secretary ‘Kevin’, the iconic ‘Ecto-1’, the new ‘Ecto-2’ motorbike, and a ‘Mayhem’ ghost for them to bust. It’s now up for grabs for $59.99 at the online LEGO store.
– Newser.com

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular” (CBS) – Demi Lovato, Little Big Town, and Nick Jonas perform at the 43rd edition of the fireworks show on the Charles River featuring the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra.
• “A Capitol Fourth” (PBS) – Tonight Tom Bergeron hosts 4th of July celebrations in Washington DC, with performances by Gavin DeGraw, Kenny Loggins, Smokey Robinson.
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – BJ The Chicago Kid (“In My Mind”). Rerun.
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Mike Posner (“At Night, Alone”). Rerun.
• “iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party” (CW) – Performers at the Fontainebleu Miami Beach include DNCE, Flo Rida, Hailee Stanfield. Rerun.
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Snoop Dogg (“Bush”). Rerun.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Plague Vendor (“Bloodsweat”). Rerun.
• “Late Late Show With James Corden” (CBS/M3) – Chris Martin (Coldplay). Rerun. BS FACTOID: James Corden’s talk show is coming to the UK on Sky TV.
• “Live With Kelly” (syndicated/CTV) – Blake Shelton (“If I’m Honest”).
• “Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular” (NBC) – Tonight starbursts blaze above NYC; performances by 5 Seconds of Summer, Kenny Chesney, Meghan Trainor.
• “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX/CTV) – The judges reveal the top 10.
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Anderson Paak & The Free Nationals f/TI (“Malibu”). Rerun.
• “Wendy Williams” (syndicated) – Usher (“Flawed”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Drake – Word has it he & Rihanna are back together after his recent brief fling with model Hailey Baldwin. They were first linked as a couple in 2009. The pair have been spotted partying together in London UK over the past week.
• Fall Out Boy – PopBitch.com reports that their theme for the upcoming movie reboot “Ghostbusters” is – quote – “dreadful”.
• Katy Perry – She’s reached 90 million followers on Twitter, making her the most followed person ever. Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift click in at the 2nd and 3rd-most followed.
• Lady Gaga – The 30-year-old has finally acquired a driving license after years of driving with a learners permit that required an ‘adult’ to be present. She’s posted photos on Instagram of her Driver’s Ed class as well as the moment she passed her driver’s test.
• Ludacris – Today he’s playing a special 4th of July concert at the controversial US Navy base on Guantanamo Bay in Cuba for the families of US Department Of Defense contractors who live on the base. 89 suspected terrorists are still incarcerated there.
• One Direction – Cheryl Cole is getting a ring from Liam Payne which is, reportedly, “inspired by her famous rose bum tattoo”.
• Pearl Jam – They’re set to release a live album featuring Jack White recorded during a secret show at White’s Third Man Records in Nashville TN before the Bonnaroo festival last month. The release is being pressed on black-and-gold vinyl.
• Spice Girls – Their much-talked-about reunion is said to be off again, after final talks to get Mel C onboard broke down last week. According to “The Mirror”, the former ‘Sporty Spice’ is just not interested … not for the group’s 20th anniversary, nor for next year as was offered.

DISORDER OF THE DAY?
The term ‘drunkorexia’ refers to university students who skip meals or exercise intensely before drinking, or deliberately purge during or afterward. Generally, the idea is to cut down on calories consumed or to increase the buzz, and sometimes a little of both. A new University of Houston study suggests that the practice is more common that thought. A poll of students who had at least 1 bout of heavy drinking in the previous month reveals that 80% engaged in at least one behavior linked to drunkorexia, including induced vomiting, consuming laxatives, or skipping food entirely before drinking. That backs up a previous Australian study which found that nearly 60% of female students have used drunkorexia methods. (aka Alcoholism.)
– “Inside Higher Ed”

SCIENTISTS SAY:
A BS compendium of recent ‘discoveries’ …
• Scientists say … perfectionism can kill you. Research published in the “Journal of Health Psychology” has found that people who expressed a strong motivation to be perfect were over 50% more likely to die over the course of the study. (They know that’s accurate because they went back and double-checked the numbers … 15 times.)
– “Curious Times”
• Scientists say … watching screens can affect your kids’ sleep. It somehow blocks the sleep hormone melatonin. Conversely, the study at Italy’s University of Florence found a 30% increase in levels of the sleep-regulating hormone in kids who abstained from watching TV, videogames, and other electronic screens for a week. (Unfortunately, they all died of boredom.)
– “The Independent”
• Scientists say … making your bed is bad. Researchers at Kingston University in England found that mites thrive in the cool moistness underneath sheets and blankets of a properly made bed. They’re far less likely to live through the day in the warm, dry conditions of an unmade bed. (There’s your excuse, kids. You’re welcome.)
– Slate.com

JUMPING JUPITER:
Today NASA’s Juno probe is scheduled to enter Jupiter’s orbit. It’s the culmination of a 5-year, $1.1 billion mission covering nearly 2 billion miles. Over the next 20 months, Juno will orbit Jupiter 37 times, getting as close as 3,000 miles above its clouds. It’s the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter in more than a decade and it will get closer to the largest planet in the solar system than any probe before it. Juno will slow down by 1,200 mph in just 35 minutes to get into the orbit. A 3-second radio beep expected at 11:53 pm EDT will let NASA know that’s happened. (If it crashes, the first Martians will be toys – 3 Lego figures made of ‘spacecraft-grade’ aluminum are aboard.)
– ABC News

PARENTING HACKS TO HELP KEEP PARENTS SANE:
✓ Use a disposable coffee cup lid to keep Popsicles from turning into a huge mess. Simply turn the lid upside down and insert the Popsicle stick through the hole. As it melts, the lid catches the drippings.
✓ Mix yogurt and food coloring to make baby-safe paint, and you won’t have to worry about your baby’s ‘art’ since it will also be edible.
✓ Buying shoes with a tearful child is never easy, so why not stamp his/her footprint on a piece of paper to take with you as an accurate measure of shoe size?
✓ Cut a sticker in half and put the left half on the left shoe and the right half on the right shoe. When your kid makes the sticker line up, the shoes will be on the correct feet.
✓ Old baby wipe containers make great storage containers for small toys and baby items when you travel.
✓ To help alleviate a nighttime cough, put vapor rub on your baby’s feet then cover it with socks.
✓ Soak a washcloth in chamomile tea for a teething baby. It will relieve their pain, which means less crying.
– Condensed from List25.com

BETTY’S BIT OF BUTTER’S BETTER:
Warnings about the dangers of butter have been around since the 1970s, but a new Tufts University study finds no connection between eating butter and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. On the contrary, researchers have found that eating a daily serving of butter might actually make people slightly healthier by reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes by 4%. For the purposes of the study, a daily serving is 1 tablespoon. The Tufts researchers say that while butter may actually be healthier than sugars and starches, it’s probably still not as healthy as olive oil or some margarines. (Eventually everything that’s bad for you will be good for you.)
– “Live Science”

DID YOU KNOW?
• 10% of the total population of Iceland (330,000) has traveled to France for the Euro Cup soccer tournament.
• Technology is being developed to block concert-goers from filming live gigs on their smartphones.
– “BBC Magazine”

BS CHRONOMETER 07.04.16

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1971 [45] Al Madrigal, San Francisco CA, TV actor (“About a Boy” 2014)/comedian (regular correspondent on “The Daily Show” since 2011)

1983 [33] Melanie Fiona (Hallim), Toronto ON, R&B singer (w/Cee Lo Green-“Fool for You”, “It Kills Me”)

1998 [18] Malia Obama, Chicago IL, US presidential daughter/first offspring of Barack & Michelle Obama

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Barbecue Day”, celebrating the time-honored tradition of roasting flesh over an open flame.

• “Country Music Day”, celebrating the roots music movement that began in America over 80 years ago with the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers. Country is actually a mishmash of several other styles, including folk, Celtic, blues, gospel, hokum, and old-time music.

• “US Independence Day”, celebrating the country’s declaration of nationhood in 1776. Among the more unusual 4th of July festivals: “Sidewalk Egg-Frying Challenge” in Oatman AZ; “World’s Greatest Lizard Race” in Lovington NM; and the vegan-inspired “Independence from Meat Day”.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1982 [34] Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne marries Sharon Arden, his manager (with her numerous TV shows, Sharon Osborne might now be the bigger star)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2015 [01] Blur’s Damon Albarn is removed from stage at the Roskilde festival in Denmark after a mammoth 5-hour set (the stage manager lifts him off)

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2009 [07] The Statue of Liberty’s crown reopens to the public in NYC’s harbor after 8 years of closure due to security concerns following the 9/11 attacks

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2015 [01] Matt Stonie ends the 8-year winning streak of Joey Chestnut at the annual ‘Nathan’s 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest’ at NYC’s Coney Island, by eating 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes to Joey’s 60

COMING UP . . .
[Tues] Bikini Day
[Wed] Eid-Al-Fitr [Muslim)
[Wed] Fried Chicken Day
[Wed] Beer Pong Day
[Thurs] Ottawa Bluesfest begins (Ottawa ON)

THIS WEEK IS . . .
Be Nice to New Jersey Week / Nude Recreation Week / Unassisted Homebirth Week

BULL’S BITS

BEST OF BS:
Highlight bits culled from 23 years of “Bull Sheet” back issues …
A CLOSE SHAVE:
• The average man spends 3,350 hours (about 140 days) of his life shaving.
• Your beard would be approximately 30 feet long if you never shaved.
• You would put on an extra pound (in hair) every 16 years if you never shaved.
• Dry beard hair is as tough as copper wire of the same thickness.
• A whisker is 70% easier to cut after being soaked 2 minutes in warm water.
– First published in “BS” 2002.

STRANGEST BS THINGS USED AS CURRENCY:
✓ Beaver Pelts – Used to facilitate trade between Europeans and Native Americans beginning in the late 16th century. One of the few things that both sides found to be highly valuable.
✓ Buckskins – Along with beaver pelts one of the most popular currencies in the New World. In fact, the slang term for the American dollar, the ‘buck’, can be traced back to this practice.
✓ Candy – When Argentina ran out of coins in 2008, people used Tootsie Rolls or other small candies instead.
✓ Cocaine – In the mountains of Colombia there are places where coke is actually more convenient to use as currency than actual money.
✓ Phone Credits – In parts of Africa where inflation is rampant and local currency has lost its value, mobile phone credit has become the currency of choice.
✓ Salt – In Roman times this was a very precious commodity. Even our word ‘salary’ is derived from the Latin word for salt, ‘salarium’.
✓ Tide Detergent – Known as ‘liquid gold’, the criminal underworld has resorted to using Tide as an alternative currency, perhaps because it appears harmless when transported in quantity.
– First published in “BS” 2014.

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ If you could acquire any skill that you don’t have, what would you choose?

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
What were ‘bathing caps’ initially invented to prevent?
a. Hair-loss.
b. Water in the inner ear.
c. Clogged drains. [CORRECT]

BS WEB GOODIE:
It’s “Country Music Day”. Why beat your brains out trying to write a country hit? You can instantly create clever lyrics for a new country song with the online ‘Country Song Machine’ …
NET: http://www.outofservice.com/country

BS RANDOM JOKE:
Fairy tales are just horror stories for children to get them used to reality.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: The average person gets 17 of THESE each year.
Answer: Bug bites.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
When you don’t know where you’re going every road will take you there.

WELCOME NEWBIES:
Brad West @ 94.9 Bob FM Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Barney Saayman @ Jacaranda FM Johannesburg, South Africa; Garry Richards @ 107.5 Dave Rocks [CJDV] Kitchener-Waterloo ON; Hermina Campbell @ BFBS [British Forces Broadcasting Service] Brize Norton UK; Shamir Peermohamed @ Pure FM Victoria, Seychelles; and Kellie Payne @ 106.3 Smooth FM [WEIB] Springfield MA.

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