BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
✶ 44-year-old actress Jennifer Aniston has dismissed rumors she has been forced to postpone her nuptials to fiancé Justin Theroux on numerous occasions, insisting they have yet to decide on a wedding date. The couple became engaged last Summer and reports have suggested there have been several wedding delays. Aniston says they are happy to simply enjoy their engagement period. Quote: “We just want to do it when it’s perfect, and we’re not rushed.”
– AP
✶ Former “King of Queens” star Leah Remini has broken her silence about her defection from Scientology after more than 30 years and is now vowing that she will not ‘shut up’. She reveals the rift began when she began persistently questioning the whereabouts of church head David Miscavige’s wife Shelly, who’s been seen in public just once in 7 years. Leah’s questions led to A-list Scientologists writing so-called ‘knowledge reports’ about her activities, including Kirstie Alley and (escaped automaton) Katie Holmes.
– RadarOnline.com
✶ Is Johnny Depp considering leaving acting behind for good? The 50-year-old star of Disney’s latest big-budget flop, “The Lone Ranger”, tells the “BBC Breakfast” program that he has begun seriously considering moving away from movies in the not-too-distant future so that he can concentrate on his other passions and prepare himself for old age.
– IBTimes.co.uk
✶ Britain’s Prince William is set to rejoin the army. The 31-year-old new dad’s tour of duty as an RAF search-and-rescue pilot in Wales ends in September and he’s planning to return to his former regiment so his family can be based in London. As a captain in the Household Cavalry’s Mounted Regiment his duties will include ceremonial parades and inspecting soldiers before duty. The division, which is based in Knightsbridge, does not get sent on tours abroad.
– “Daily Express”
✶ And 23-year-old Sydney Leathers made headlines last week when it came to light that she and NYC mayoralty candidate Anthony Weiner have been sending nudie pics back and forth since he quit US Congress in shame. Now Leathers has become an advocate, urging New Yorkers to vote for Christine Quinn – Weiner’s openly gay opponent – because she believes Weiner is unfit to run the Big Apple. Quote: “He should pull out.”
– TMZ.com
TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “America’s Got Talent” (NBC/CityTV) – 12 more acts perform.
• “George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight” (CBC) – Steve Earle (“The Low Highway”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – Backstreet Boys (“In a World Like This”, released today, their first album to include all 5 original members since Kevin Richardson left in 2006.)
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Milo Greene (“Milo Greene”). Rerun.
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – Brad Paisley (“Wheelhouse”); soul music legend Booker T Jones.
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/NTV/Omni1) – Michael Franti & Spearhead (“All People”, out today).
• “Live With Kelly & Michael” (ABC/CTV) – Robert Randolph & The Family Band (“Lickety Split”).
• “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX/CTV2) – The dancers perform and face elimination.
BS MUSIC NOTES:
• The Eurythmics – They were one of the biggest acts of the 1980s but Dave Stewart has just disclosed he now rarely talks to his former Eurythmics partner Annie Lennox, and was not even invited to her wedding last year.
• Five Finger Death Punch – The 1st volume of the band’s new 4th studio album, “The Wrong Side Of Heaven & The Righteous Side Of Hell”, is out today. The deluxe edition features the bonus live CD, “Purgatory [Tales From The Pit]”. “Volume 2” is coming in the Fall.
• John Lennon – A Neumann microphone he purportedly used to record his 1971 album “Imagine” is up for sale on Craigslist. The London-based seller, who is asking £1,500 ($2,250), claims it was taken from Ascot Sound Studios on the grounds of Lennon’s Berkshire estate and gifted to him by his brother. The validity of the claim is unconfirmed.
• Michael Jackson – Dr Conrad Murray is likely to be released from prison in October, after serving just 2 years of his 4-year sentence for involuntary manslaughter. MJ’s mother Katherine is said to be furious.
• Pearl Jam – They’ve released a free app called ‘Pearl Jam Official’, that features music, news, ‘Ten Club’ membership, specialty merch, activism updates, and mobile connectivity to the band’s social media networks.
• Robin Thicke – His new album “Blurred Lines” is out today, highlighted by the mega-hit title track that’s become the song of the Summer (2013’s longest-reign at #1 on the ‘Hot 100’ chart at 7 weeks). Producers Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, and Will.i.am collaborated on the project.
TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “Filly Brown” ( R-Rated Music Drama ): Gina Rodriguez plays a promising hip-hop street poet from Los Angeles who cuts her first demo under the guidance of a small-time hustler who’s more interested in promoting her sexuality than her lyrics. Co-stars Jenni Rivera, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Edward James Olmos.
• “GI Joe: Retaliation” ( PG-13 Action Thriller ): In this follow-up to the 2009 film, the GI Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy ‘Cobra’, they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. Stars Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, DJ Cotrona, Channing Tatum, and aging action man Bruce Willis.
• Also released today: “Banshee: The Complete 1st Season” (TV); “Fernando Di Leo: The Italian Crime Collection – Volume 2” (Compilation); “Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox” (Animation); “Orphan Black: Season 1” (TV); and “Power Rangers: Seasons 4-7” (TV).
CAN YOU HEAR THE HUM?
1-in-50 people are affected by a low droning noise which scientists can not explain. Since the 1970s ‘The Hum’ has been heard in isolated places around-the-world from Leeds, England to Taos, New Mexico to Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Those who hear it can experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, nosebleeds, and sleep disturbances. A few facts …
• It’s only heard indoors and only by about 2% of the population in ‘Hum’-prone locations.
• It’s described as a low, rumbling noise that is louder at night and more common in rural areas.
• Most of those who hear the sound are aged 55-to-70.
• Suspected sources are industrial equipment, gas lines, power lines, and wireless communication, despite few cases being directly linked to any of those.
• Some suggest the noise is in fact tinnitus, a condition that makes the sufferer hear noise that isn’t there. But multiple reports in specific locales make this unlikely. (Creepy! Is it alien?)
– HuffingtonPost.com
MEMORY MANIPULATION:
In a landmark study that will likely lead to a better understand of how memories are formed and just might inspire a rodent version of Christopher Nolan’s movie “Inception”, researchers at MIT have successfully implanted false memories in the brains of mice. The scientists were able to manipulate neurons associated with memory formation and retention so that they are activated with a flash of light. By doing so, they were able to convince mice they had been electrically shocked, even though they hadn’t. Researchers say they hope the study helps legal experts understand how memories can be unreliable. (Even if you go blank, your wife will ALWAYS remember.)
– “Science”
WORST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR SO FAR:
A new listing of the most terrible and/or regrettable music releases of 2013 …
✗ Adam Ant (“Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner’s Daughter”).
✗ Bob Marley & The Wailers (“Legend Remixed”).
✗ John Fogerty (“Wrote a Song for Everyone”).
✗ Snoop Lion (“Reincarnation”).
✗ will.i.am (“#willpower”).
(What did they miss?)
– QMI Agency
STUDYING ‘STICK’:
Ford’s new ‘OpenXC Vibrating Shifter’ teaches simpletons how to drive a manual transmission. Let’s face it, using a ‘stick shift’ is a skill, and it’s one that’s increasingly being lost as automatics and CVTs have become the norm. So a Ford engineer decided to rip the haptic feedback motor out of an Xbox 360 controller and embed it in a custom shifter he invented. Using info on RPMs and accelerator position, the shift knob can be programmed to vibrate as the engine approaches its most efficient shift point, thereby telling even an absolute beginner when it’s time to shift. (The real pros do it the old-fashioned way … by sound.)
– Wired.com
FOR THE RECORD:
Guinness World Records has anointed 112-year-old Salustiano Sanchez Blazquez of Grand Island NY with the ‘Oldest Man in the World’ title following the death of Japan’s Jiroemon Kimura, who was 116. Blazquez was born in Spain on June 8, 1901. His tips for living long: Eat 1 banana and take 1 Aspirin each day. He also keeps his mind sharp with crossword puzzles and games of gin rummy with friends. In addition to 2 sons, Blazquez now has 7 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren.
– CTV News
BS AMAZING FACT:
Researchers claim that 40% of people are allergic to … work. Symptoms of these work-related allergies include headaches, lethargy, breathing problems, and itchy skin. But this isn’t anything to do with actual effort expended on-the-job. All of the symptoms can be traced to problems with air-conditioning, computers, carpets, and other factors in the work environment.
– AustinAllergies.com
BS CHRONOMETER 07.30.13
TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1947 [66] Arnold Schwarzenegger, Thal, Austria, movie actor (“The Expendables” films, “Terminator” movies)/38th California governor 2003-11/5-time ‘Mr Universe’
1961 [52] Laurence Fishburne, Augusta GA, movie actor (“Man of Steel”, “Matrix” trilogy)/TV actor (“CSI” 2008-11)
1963 [50] Lisa Kudrow, Encino CA, TV actress (“Friends” 1994-2004)/TV producer (“Who Do You Think You Are?” since 2010)/movie actress (“Easy A”, “PS I Love You”)
1970 [43] Christopher Nolan, London UK, movie director-producer-screenwriter (“Man of Steel”, “The Dark Knight Rises”)
1971 [42] Brad Hargreaves, Marin County CA, alt-rock drummer-vocalist (Third Eye Blind-“Never Let You Go”, “Jumper”)
1974 [39] Hilary Swank, Lincoln NE, movie actress (Oscars-“Million Dollar Baby”, “Boys Don’t Cry”)
1977 [36] Jaime Pressly, Kinston NC, TV actress (“I Hate My Teenage Daughter 2011-13, “My Name Is Earl” 2005-09)/movie actress (“I Love You, Man”, “Not Another Teen Movie”)
1980 [33] Seth Avett, Charlotte NC, indie folk-rock singer-guitarist (Avett Bros-“Live & Die”, “I and Love and You”)
TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Cheesecake Day”, a day to indulge yourself in one of the most decadent of all desserts.
• “Father-In-Law Day”, honoring the spousal parent that’s never been all that impressed with you … so why bother with a card?
• “Kiss Your Car Day”, observed annually on the 1863 birth date of Henry Ford. It’s a day to show your vehicle how much you really, really love her. But don’t forget this month’s payment or you can kiss your car … goodbye.
• “Paperback Book Day”, marking the start of the paperback book revolution with publication of Penguin #1, “Ariel, The Life of Shelley” by Andre Maurois in London this date in 1935. Books had been published with soft covers in Leipzig, Germany as early as 1841 but never really caught on. (If nothing else, paperbacks have made reading less dangerous … when you nod off and the book falls on your face.)
THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1999 [14] Low-budget horror flick “The Blair Witch Project” opens in movie theaters (with a meagre $60,000 budget, it grosses over $248 million worldwide to become the most profitable movie of all-time)
TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2003 [10] ‘SARStock Concert’ in Toronto, Ontario draws circa 450,000 to see AC/DC, Justin Timberlake , the Rolling Stones, Rush and many others in a bid to prove the city’s safety after an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
TODAY’S FIRST . . .
2003 [10] Felix Baumgartner becomes 1st to cross the English Channel in an unpowered flight (jumps from a plane 30,000 ft above Dover UK, then glides 22 miles at speeds up to 220 mph in a 10-minute flight before landing by parachute near Calais, France)
TODAY’S RECORD . . .
1988 [25] Ronald Dossenbach begins record ‘Bike Ride Across Canada’, Vancouver to Halifax (6,142 km or 3,816 miles) in 13 days
COMING UP . . .
[Wed] “The Smurfs 2” opens in movie theaters
[Wed] “The Hunt” debuts (CW)
[Wed] Uncommon Instruments Awareness Day
[Thurs] Girlfriends Day
[Thurs] Respect for Parents Day
[Fri] Lollapalooza begins (Chicago IL)
This Week Is … Single Working Women’s Week
This Month Is … Bereaved Parents Awareness Month
BULL’S BITS
BS METHODS FOR SHORTENING CHILDREN’S BOOKS:
Reading to your child is one of life’s greatest gifts, right? But sometimes you are just … too … tired (or have read your child’s favorite book a hundred times) and wish you could turn that 36-page story into a 12-page story. Here’s how …
✓ ‘The 2-Page Turn’ – Children are extremely susceptible to sleight-of-hand. Make use of it! While pointing to a picture on the left page, grasp 2 (or more) upcoming pages to flip over.
✓ ‘Clearing the Memorization Hurdle’ – If your kid has that favorite book committed to memory, ask him or her to read it to you. Most kids don’t like this, and will ask for a different book.
✓ ‘Word Skipping’ – About half of the words in kids’ books are modifiers. Skipping needless terms like ‘very’, ‘quickly’, and ‘super’ will get you out in a little over half your usual time.
✓ ‘Covering a Mistake’ – If you fumble any of the aforementioned techniques, have a pre-planned excuse: “Oh, the pages are sticky!” or “You’re right, I missed that line. Good going!”
– Adapted from JasonGood.net
BS RANDOM JOKE:
When you get right down to it what is Tuesday anyway? It’s just Monday without the attitude.
BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
In cooking, how many drops to a teaspoon?
a. 6
b. 16
c. 60 [CORRECT]
– “Totally Trivial”
BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What sequel film would you like to see that hasn’t been announced?
BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: According to a recent study, people in THIS profession take the most steps per day.
Answer: Postal carrier, at 18,904 steps.
BS DEEP THOUGHT:
When arguing with a stupid person, make sure he isn’t doing the same.
