Tuesday - June 23, 2009 -

Welcome to the Blog -

Whether we know it or not, each of us lives a life governed by an internalized code of conduct. Some call it morality, others call it religion. I call it “The Bro Code”. It’s my hope that, with a better understanding of the Code, Bros the world over can put aside their differences and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood. It is then, and only then, that we might work together as one to accomplish perhaps the most important challenge society faces – getting laid.

- Barney Stinson – The Bro Code –

THE BRO CODE – Article # 23

“A Bro should not watch Oxygen, Women’s Entertainment, or Lifetime.”


ON THIS DAY

Napolean's wife, Josephine, was born on this date back in 1763. She managed the family finances, which always left him a little short.

On this date in 1836, Congress approved the "Deposit Act," which contained a provision for turning over surplus federal revenue to the states. Whew! Glad they solved that problem.

In 1868, a patent was granted for the invention of the typewriter. Amazingly enough, at that very moment, a quick brown fox jumped over a lazy dog.

The first-ever National Lip-Reading Tournament was held in Philadelphia on this date in 1926. The winner was either Lorie Stootson or Larry Stetson.

On this date in 1938, Marineland opened up in Florida. They never have opened a Navy-land, Armyland or Air Force Land.

On this date in 1970, Chubby Checker was arrested for possession of marijuana. That explains how he got so chubby.


TODAY IS

Singer Chico Debarge, who's biggest claim to fame so far has been us mentioning him on the radio, turns 39 today.

Frances McDormand celebrates her 52nd birthday today. I still remember her most from "Fargo". "Oh, yah, sure, uh-huh, yah."

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas celebrates his 61st birthday today. Probably not with a Coke and a smile.


THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tom Cruise spent Father's Day with son Connor at a NASCAR race in Sonoma, California.

Chris Brown has pleaded guilty to felony assault on Rhianna.

Matthew McConaughey and girlfriend Camila Alves are expecting baby #2.

Once again, Sienna Miller was photographed making out with married "Brothers & Sisters" actor Balthazar Getty. He's gotta be running out of explanations.

TLC's Jon and Kate Gosselin say they're divorcing.

The world's first commercially successful color film, Kodachrome, is being retired by Eastman Kodak because of declining customer demand in an increasingly digital age.

Ryan Seacrest and Lindsay Lohan teaming up for a reality show? More to come.

It's now official: T.R. Knight won't be returning to "Grey's Anatomy" in the fall.

They've been living together all these years. Now Ryan O'Neil says he plans to marry the dying Farrah Fawcett.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's planewas forced to make an emergency landing on Saturday because of smoke in the cockpit. The governor called it "a little adventure" on Twitter.

An album of songs recorded by Adam Lambert before his "American Idol" days is going to come out this summer.

Academy Award winner Linda Hunt is going to join the cast of "N.C.I.S.: Los Angeles"

T-Mobile will start offering the new Google phone -- their take on the iphone next month.

Susan Boyle got one standing ovation after another at her London concert Sunday night.

The plastic surgery drama "Nip/Tuck" has been cancelled after 100 episodes.

Only days before Brad Pitt's new movie, the $50 million-plus baseball drama "Moneyball" was due to start filming, producers pulled the plug. They were getting worried about the many script revisions.

Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen are said to be close to marriage.

That photo of Albert Einstein sticking out his tongue at a camera just sold at an auction for $74,000.



Do you need some extra cash? Do you have have any ideas on how to make some extra money? We have a few? We got these from WalletPop.com.

Take a Part-Time Job - With most part-time jobs, it's probably going to be two weeks, at best, before you receive that first paycheck. When you need cash sooner than that, look for jobs that offer immediate money in your pocket, like one that includes tips. Tending bar and waiting tables are two tried-and-true examples.

Seek Emergency Assistance - Many charities provide services and items that you would otherwise spend money on, freeing up some dollars to apply to your most pressing needs. Among the most common of these are food banks and open-dining opportunities, help or waiver of utility costs, and clothing and other household essentials.

Make Stuff to Sell - Think of the proverbial lemonade stand, but all grown up. When one WalletPop blogger is entirely broke, she'll get out her sewing machine and make her favorite quick project: stuffed geese (made out of thrifted fabric). They sell like crazy on Etsy, an online shop devoted to crafty vendors, and is her go-to plan when the well runs dry and she needs to bring in some quick cash.

Rent Out Your 'Spot' - If you own some prime parking real estate, you could put cash in your pocket and get more exercise by renting out your spot and parking further away. If access to your car is less convenient, perhaps you'll even drive less, saving money on gas, too.

Sell Stuff on Craigslist - A good alternative to the yard sale is to make use of Craigslist, a great internet site for buying and selling almost anything legal -- furniture, bicycles, musical equipment, housewares, art, and whatever. Over 40 million people use it every month. It's free and localized, so there is typically no shipping involved.

Do Odd Jobs - Babysitters earn upwards of $10 an hour these days. Offer to sit for friends' kids on Friday or Saturday night. The parents will be only too happy to hand you cash when they return! One complaint of young males is that nobody is likely to hire them to watch their kids. An alternative is to offer to wash cars, mow lawns, weed backyards or haul crap out of the garage, instead.

Find an Online Gig - One valid work-at-home program is Amazon Mechanical Turk, where companies post tasks that machines cannot easily do, but that are relatively simple for humans. You choose an assignment, and, on completion, are credited with payment to your Amazon account. This money can be withdrawn once you accumulate $10.



WEIRD NEWS

Easter Eviction? - In Boulder, Colorado, Easter 2009 is still haunting 59-year-old Carol Burdick. She's suing her landlord and claims she was wrongly evicted from her apartment because she kept her Easter decorations on her door for two weeks after the holiday. She says her landlord unjustly told her to remove a display of Easter stickers, plastic grass, and Peeps marshmallow candies from her door a few days after the April 12 holiday. Her attorney, John Pineua said, "An Easter decoration is a religious statement and should be protected -- even if it is just bunnies." Burdick is not asking for monetary damages but wants jurors to find that she's not liable for more than $2,000 in rent and late fees that she refused to pay. When Burdick refused to remove her display, apartment managers posted a notice saying she was violating her lease, which says balconies, patios and other areas must be kept "in a clean sanitary condition." After the landlord removed the display, Burdick stopped paying rent, and she was evicted in May. (Daily Camera)

National Spelling Champ: 51 Years in the Making! - You might say Michael Petrina of Cheyenne, Wyoming, has been training for his new national spelling bee title for 51 years! The Arlington, Virginia, man beat out 45 other spellers older than 50 to win the AARP's annual National Spelling Bee Saturday in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The winning word was "woad," a plant whose leaves yield a blue dye. Funny, I thought that was just Elmer Fudd saying "road." Petrina, who's now 64, entered his very first spelling bee 51 years ago at the age of 13. He won $500, a trophy and a dictionary kit for his new title. The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) bee started back in 1996. (myway.com)

This Can't Be Good For Business - Attorney Larry Wilder of Jeffersonville, Indiana, might be a little hard up for clients after he made headlines in his hometown. Wilder was found asleep headfirst in a neighbor's trash can after a night of drinking. Even worse -- he's the Jeffersonville City Council's attorney! He's apologized and admitted he's quite embarrassed. Wilder had dinner and drinks with friends in nearby Louisville, Kentucky, and was driven home in a client's limousine, but remembers little that happened after that. Jeffersonville Police Chief Tim Deeringer said technically no crime was committed and that Wilder was cooperative and not a threat to anyone. But the City Council president has called a special meeting next week to discuss whether the council wants to get a new attorney. (myway.com)

Time To Change Your Facebook Photo - Might be a good idea for Boston Herald crime reporter O'Ryan Johnson to change his Facebook photo. Johnson has been charged with kicking a 74-year-old man with emphysema in the chest at a Laundromat! The 33-year-old newsman said, "I am not commenting on advice of counsel." But you might like to know that his Facebook profile picture shows him in boxing gear punching another man in the face. (Poynter News)

But Oprah Said You Would! - The folks at KFC are in a pickle after several customers have complained about a free meal that they never got. Talk show queen Oprah is too blame -- or maybe the folks at KFC just didn't realize how much power that daytime diva has. Back in May KFC promoted a giveaway of two pieces of grilled chicken, two individual side dishes and a biscuit on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." But demand was so high that the company had to scale back the offer, asking customers who had printed the online coupons to visit stores for an IOU voucher that included a free Pepsi. But this didn't sit right with James Asanuma and Veronica Mora who have now filed suit against KFC and its parent company, Yum Brands Inc., in Los Angeles County Superior Court and they are seeking class-action status. They claim false advertising, fraud and unfair business practices, among other things. KFC spokesman Rick Maynard said he couldn't comment on the lawsuit but said, "we apologize to any customers who were inconvenienced, and we remain committed to providing a free Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal plus a medium soft drink to those who submitted valid coupons for replacement coupons." (Chicago Tribune)

Pen Pals Finally Meet After Nearly 60 Years! - 68-year-old Carol Goudy and 69-year-old Joy Hood have been friends for nearly 60 years. But they never met each other until just last week. It all started when Goudy was 10 and answered a Wisconsin newspaper ad seeking pen pals. She wrote to a girl in England, who turned out to be Hood's twin sister, Iris. Since Iris already had a pen pal, Joy wrote back asking Goudy to be her pen pal instead. Over the years the two have talked intimately about life milestones such as graduations, getting married and having children. Both have shed tears as they discussed what it was like to lose a loved one. In between they've offered each other encouragement, hope and advice as they have chatted about everything from going on vacation to surviving snowstorms to changing jobs. But their first face-to-face meeting happened in a British airport this past week. Goudy said, "This is a miracle. I can't believe it. I've had a dream to see her in England. My dream has come true. I'm shocked." Goudy's daughter-in-law, Lina, who accompanied Goudy on the trip said, "They really lived through each others' lives. They put a lot into what they wrote and it comes from the heart. This really could be a screenplay." (Star Tribune)

Let's Go Fishing -- In My Kitchen! - Chinese farmer Li Huiyan of Chongqing, hired 30 villagers who worked for six months digging a 50-foot hole in his kitchen so he could go fishing! Li was searching for an underground river which he suspected was full of fish. Legend had it that the river had once been above ground but disappeared 30 years ago when local authorities bombed part of a mountain to pave a road. Turns out he was right. After digging his pit down to the river, Li installed a fishing net across it and regularly hauls out fish, so far earning his family nearly $2,500. Li built a ladder from his kitchen down to the river and each day he has to go down to check the harvest. (Ananova)

Money Not So Well Spent - It's nice to know that other countries are just as guilty of wasting tax-payer's dollars as we are. Two scientists from Britain's University of Oxford spent the equivalent of $500,000 on a three-year-study to discover -- are you ready for this -- that ducks may be even more comfortable standing under a sprinkler than paddling around in a pond! Lead researcher Marian Stamp Dawkins made the astounding conclusion that ducks basically just like water. (The Guardian)


TOP FIVE SIGNS A BASEBALL PLAYER PROBABLY ISN'T GOING TO BE AN ALL-STAR

1. Already bought his tickets for the game
2. Religious objection to running past first base
3. Number of times he strikes out greater than number of at bats
4. He asks, "What's a bunt?"
5. Steps up to plate holding wrong end of bat


HUNTER'S HUMOR by Tim Hunter

Apple founder Steven Jobs underwent a transplant operation. Yep, he now has his very own I-liver.

41-year-old skateboarder Tony Hawk visited the White House last Friday. He gave the most dangerous yet impressive display on wheels since that day President Bush had his training wheels taken off.

Sunday was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year except for season ticket holders of the Washington Nationals. They have 162 of them every season.


MEDICAL MYTHS

Here are seven medical myths identified by the British Medical Journal that will no doubt stun you. You'll probably think at least one of these is true. Here are the seven medical myths that are all false:

1. You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day -- This advice, often found in the popular press, probably originated from advice given in 1945 stating that a suitable allowance of water per day for adults is 2.5 liters (which is 10.14 cups). Drinking too much water can actually be harmful, resulting in water intoxication, hyponatraemia and even death.

2. We use only 10% of our brains -- Erroneously credited to Albert Einstein, MRI and PET scans show that there are no dormant, inactive areas of the brain. Detailed probing of the brain has never revealed the non-functioning 90 percent.

3. Fingernails and hair grow after death -- Johnny Carson even perpetuated this myth, but forensic anthropologist William Maples says no such thing occurs. However, there is a biological basis for the myth. After death, the skin around the hair or nails can retract, giving the impression that the nails or hair have grown when in fact the contrasting soft tissues just shrink.

4. Shaved hair grows back faster, coarser and darker -- Clinical trials conducted as long as 80 years ago show that shaving has no effect on hair growth. More recent research proves that shaving doesn't affect the thickness or rate of hair growth. Because shaved hair lacks the fine taper seen on the ends of unshaven hair, it can appear to be more coarse.

5. Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight -- Moms have long maintained that children who try to postpone bedtime by reading under the covers with a flashlight will need glasses. That's not true. Poor lighting can make it seem as if your eyes can't focus and it makes them feel dryer, but in fact such light won't permanently harm your eyesight.

6. Eating turkey makes you drowsy -- Scientific studies do show that tryptophan, which is an amino acid present in turkey, is involved in sleep and mood control and can cause drowsiness. However, turkey doesn't contain enough tryptophan to knock you out.

7. Mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals -- Hospitals may be plastered with warning signs against using cell phones, but not a single death can be attributed to such use. However, less serious incidents causing false alarms on monitors, malfunctions in infusion pumps, and incorrect readings on cardiac monitors, have occasionally been reported.


AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR -

- Perez Hilton claims he was assaulted by Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas at an awards show. Silly, Perez! Will.i.am slugging you in the face is just his way of making you an official black-eyed member of the Peas.

- The Nestle Company is recalling its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough because some batches are infected with the E. coli bacteria. Apparently, those brown chips weren't chocolate.

- Billy Joel and his 27-year-old wife are divorcing. Maybe he didn't love her just the way she was.

- In Illinois, a couple went on with their wedding even though they both had the H1N1 swine flu virus. First the bride tossed her bouquet, and then she tossed her lunch.


On to ROCK NEWS –


METALLICA SELLING OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY OF CLIFF BURTON…Metallica is now selling the only official biography of late bassist Cliff Burton, called To Live Is To Die: The Life And Death Of Metallica's Cliff Burton, at its website, Metallica.com. The book, written by U.K.-based author Joel McIver, includes a foreword from Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett. Others interviewed in the book include Burton's bass teacher Steve Doherty, Burton's girlfriend during the last year of his life, metal journalists and other musicians who knew the bassist. Burton joined Metallica in early 1983 and was killed in a bus crash in September 1986.


NICKELBACK WINS BEST VIDEO AT MUCHMUSIC VIDEO AWARDS…Nickelback swept Canada's MuchMusic Video Awards on Sunday night (June 21st), with their single "Gotta Be Somebody" winning best video, best rock video and best postproduction. The Canadian quartet were nominated for a total of five prizes, tied only with R&B artist Danny Fernandes. The show was also notable for Lady GaGa's "flaming boobies" effect and a post-event scuffle involving gossip blogger Perez Hilton and will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas.


DAUGHTRY PLOTS TV APPEARANCES AND PLANS TOUR…Daughtry has lined up several TV appearances next month, just in time for the release of the band's second album, Leave This Town, which arrives July 14th. The group will pay a visit to NBC's Today show on the day album comes out. That will be followed up by a visit to The View on July 15th and The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien on July 16th. Also scheduled is a performance on Live With Jimmy Kimmel. Then Daughtry will tour the country, according to Billboard.com, playing 15 shows this summer for fan club members and contest winners. A 100-stop North American tour will kick off at the end of September. Chris Daughtry says the group's fans vary in age, adding, "We did one of the unofficial balls for the inauguration that was attended by 7,000 juniors and seniors in high school. I literally felt like I was looking out at a high school dance with no chaperones. Daughtry played an acoustic set -- and the kids were singing every lyric back."

Chris finished in fourth place on the fifth season of American Idol.

The group's self-titled album came out in 2006.

The new album's lead single, "No Surprise," was co-written by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback. The ballad, "Life After You," is expected to be the second single.


BEATLES NEWS ROUNDUP…Ensuring that there's little chance of the opening act for Paul McCartney's Citi Field concerts upstaging him next month, the former Beatle has picked the largely unknown Irish band the Script to open his three New York City gigs. Examiner.com reported that after their trio of shows with McCartney on July 17th, 18th and 21st at Citi Field, the Script will return home to Ireland to open up for the country's favorite sons, U2.

McCartney is reportedly looking for an opening act for his July 11th Halifax gig.

Throughout the years, McCartney has shied away from utilizing any opening act for his tours. The three exceptions were Brinsley Schwartz, led by Nick Lowe, who warmed the crowds up during Wings' 1973 UK tour, Earl Okin for Wings' final UK tour in 1979, and poet Adrian Mitchell who opened McCartney's mini-unplugged 1991 European dates.

Although die-hard fans are still scoffing at the predictable tracklisting, the new George Harrison compilation Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison is ranked #1 in Music at Amazon.com. Highlights on the set include such Harrison solo classics as "My Sweet Lord," "Isn't It A Pity," "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)," "All Those Years Ago," and "Got My Mind Set On You."

Also featured are Harrison's live versions of the Beatles' "Here Comes The Sun," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," and "Something" from 1971's legendary Concert For Bangla Desh.

Making it's first appearance on CD is Harrison's 1984 cover of Bob Dylan's rarity "I Don't Want To Do It," which was originally featured on the soundtrack to Porky's Revenge.

Cynthia Lennon is disappointed with Yoko Ono's use of a bloody bag containing John Lennon's clothes at the New York City Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame annex. Cynthia, who was with Lennon for a solid decade before their 1968 split, told bbc.co.uk, "I can't even comment on that because that would never cross my mind. Any exhibition that shows blood-stained glasses and blood-stained clothes has nothing to do with me and I think it's offensive so that's all I can say. I don't understand that, I really don't."

She along with son Julian Lennon has recently launched a Liverpool exhibition White Feather: The Spirit Of Lennon which will run until December 31st. When asked about her former husband's personality, she explained, "He was not to be confronted, let's put it that way. You either loved him or you hated him, and that's still the same now, even though he's not here. You either loved him or you hated him, but you could not ignore him."

Today (June 23rd) marks what would have been the 59th birthday of the Beatles' original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe was in the Beatles between May and December 1960. Although he was an amateur bassist, at best, he was considered on his way to a successful career as a painter at the time of his death. Several archival recordings of Sutcliffe playing with the group can be found on 1995's The Beatles Anthology 1. Sutcliffe is often credited for naming the band.

His short stint in the group, along with his personal relationship with John Lennon, was dramatized in the 1979 made-for-TV film The Birth Of The Beatles and the 1994 feature, Backbeat.

Sutcliffe died on April 10th, 1962 in Hamburg, Germany, at the age of 21 from a cerebral hemorrhage.

Cynthia Lennon says that even while still in her teens, she was able to recognize Sutcliffe's brilliance as a painter: "Stuart was special. He was in art college with us. He was the most brilliant student. He was awesome, the stuff that he did. And he was a gentle, gentle young man."


QUICK TAKES…NME.com reports that Elton John's hometown of Pinner, England is gearing up to name a road after "Captain Fantastic" himself. The town's local council is considering honoring him sometime this year. Elton still has such a soft spot for the town that he allowed local rapper Ironik to sample a portion from his classic "Tiny Dancer." Ironk explained to Harrow Council's publication Harrow People, "We approached Elton and management after we worked on it and they loved the idea and cleared the sample, which is one of only three samples in the hip-hop scene to be cleared. The other two were for Tupac (Shakur) and Kanye West."

Pete Townshend is hoping that the new UK stage version of Quadrophenia reflects the Who's original album better than the 1979 film version. Townshend, who is one of the musical's executive producers, told clicklancashire.com, "We are hoping for a new kind of musical. That is probably dangerous, but that is what we want. It will not resemble the film, except that I believe the girl will be more important in this play than she was on the album and more pivotal than in the film."

He added: "On the album we only observed the girl from Jimmy's screwed-up point of view. In the film, and more so in our play, we see her as real person, with her own story to tell and her own frustrations about what Mods did and did not achieve."

Despite straying from his original vision of the piece, Townshend was a fan of Franc Roddam 1979 film version: "I loved all the technological innovation, there was a lot of fascinating research involved. The film was different because it happened in the final years of punk. We actually tried to cast Johnny Rotten as Jimmy at one point and he and I became friends.

There's been no date set for a U.S. stage premiere of the new Quadrophenia musical.

David Bowie's filmmaker son Duncan Jones told BBC News that he's up for teaming up with his famous dad. Jones' directorial debut called Moon will be released in the UK on July 17th. He said that he would like to have a few films under his belt before shooting his iconic dad, explaining, "I would have to feel absolutely confident I was a capable director, as I wouldn't want to put any pressure on our valuable relationship. I'd also want people to know he was in my film because I want him in it, not because I need him to be."


That’s it for now, as always, if you can’t be good, be good at it and don’t get caught!

Jonathan