TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL RUN COULD KILL THE APPRENTICE

If Donald Trump decides to run for president, NBC plans to tell him he’s fired. The network hasn’t renewed The Apprentice yet, or done any serious planning about the next season, because it’s holding its breath to see if Trump will formally jump into the 2012 fray, the New York Times reports. If he does, the network will likely put off a new season of the show because it’s afraid other candidates could request equal airtime. But speaking anonymously, two executives say they highly doubt Trump will actually run. “This is just Donald being Donald,” said one executive involved with the show, adding that “any decision is still weeks away.” But if Trump does run, the network has discussed several contingencies, like taping the season but holding off on airing it, or replacing Trump as the boss, either with his children, who already appear on the show, or with some new billionaire.


ELTON JOHN RETURNING TO LAS VEGAS

Elton John is returning to Las Vegas for an all new show called The Million Dollar Piano. So far only 16 shows have been announced but this marks just the beginning of a three year residency. If the demand is anything like his last show, The Red Piano (which went from a 75 show, three year run, to a 241 show, five year run), you can guarantee that there will be many more performances. Elton said: "Caesars Palace is just a perfect, idyllic place to play, and the show will be a gargantuan feast of music and imagery," said Elton. "I'm going to have a fabulous piano that Yamaha has been working on for four years, and that's the reason why the show is called 'The Million Dollar Piano.'" Tickets go on-sale April 25th.


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SIMON COWELL LEAVES BRITISH X-FACTOR

Simon Cowell will not split his time between the U.K. and the new U.S. versions of The X-Factor. Cowell will lead the judges on the American version, though the rest of the panels for both versions of the show have yet to be announced. The U.S competition is due to start screening in September, while the U.K. show usually begins in August. Cowell will continue to be "an enormous presence backstage" in England.


CHARLIE SHEEN ANGERS 9/11 QUACKS

has managed to irk a group of 9/11 truthers, which is now threatening to protest in front of his live shows. Members of the 9/11 Truth Movement, who believe 9/11 was a conspiracy, feel Sheen has betrayed them. Sheen was once very vocal about his belief in the truther movement (he said the World Trade Center collapse looked like a "controlled demolition"), but instead of "asking hard questions about what happened on 9/11 and the resulting wars," a member tells TMZ, Sheen has been "bragging about smoking crack and sleeping with hookers." In other Sheen-related news from TMZ, ex Brooke Mueller is back in rehab after a weeklong binge, having refused a drug test and engaged in some other strange behavior—click here for more.


KRISTIN STEWART & ROBERT PATTINSON SNAPPED KISSING

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have kept silent about their relationship for years now, but finally, there's definitive proof. Following the premiere of Pattinson's latest film, 'Water for Elephants,' they were snapped kissing in the back of their chauffeured car. This is one of the first times the pair have been caught by cameras. Despite past rumors that Pattinson was sowing his wild oats, the actor recently revealed that he's not afraid to commit. "Life is not black and white ... [but] there is one thing I never understood: why people cheat," Pattinson told Vanity Fair Italy. "My parents met when my mom was 17 and my father 25, they are still together and seem very happy. I grew up believing that you can be together all of your life."


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TIDBITS
PARENTS FAVOR GENE TESTS

Tests that reveal children’s genetic risks for common diseases may soon become a popular choice among parents, even though the usefulness of the tests remains in question, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. The increasingly popular tests are often marketed as a means to motivate people to make lifestyle changes to prevent the onset of diseases for which the tests show they are at risk. But there’s no evidence to back such claims. The tests are available over the counter and on the Internet. “This is a new frontier for health care providers and for families,” says study author Kenneth P. Tercyak, PhD, associate professor of oncology and pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. “It’s an open question on how they will be incorporated into a primary care setting.” But as the popularity and proliferation of the tests continue to grow, the study authors predict more pediatricians will be called upon to interpret the results of such tests, informing parents of their child’s risks for diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and different types of cancer.


HUNGOVER SURGEONS MAKE MORE MISTAKES

Surgeons who drink to excess the night before they operate are more likely to make errors the next day, even as late as four in the afternoon, according to a novel experiment described in a recent Irish study. The error rate in the operating room due to a hangover seemed to peak around lunchtime, according to the research, published in the April issue of Archives of Surgery. Unlike airline pilots, who have had to follow a "bottle-to-throttle" mandate restricting drinking before flights since 1971, surgeons have no "bottle-to-scalpel" rule. In the medical profession, "doctors are expected to be substance-free all the time on the job, but there's no real rule of [drinking alcohol outside of work hours]," said Dr. Albert Wu, professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. "If their findings are replicated, it would reasonable to [restrict] alcohol consumption 'x' hours before assuming duty."


SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY REDUCES TEEN SUICIDES

Gay teens are much less likely to attempt suicide when they live in a supportive social environment — such as having gay and lesbian groups at school — compared with those who do not, a U.S. study suggests. Several international studies have found higher attempted suicide rates among lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youth compared with heterosexuals. Overall, suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth aged 15 to 24, researchers say. The study in Monday's issue of the journal Pediatrics found LBG youth living in a social environment more supportive of gays and lesbians were 20 per cent less likely to attempt suicide than LGB youth living in environments that were less supportive. A supportive environment was associated with a nine per cent lower rate of attempted suicide among heterosexual students.


TEN THINGS THAT TURN WOMEN OFF

Overt drunkenness

In the right setting, it's OK to get a little out of control -- say, at a buddy's bachelor party or in the privacy of your own home. But if you are hoping to find a woman, stick to a beer or two. There's a reason why women don't run to you at the bar after hearing "chug, chug, chug" or "Hooter shooters!" Stumbling, slurring and falling are not the qualities that women look for in a man, and this is why it makes our list of the top 10 turnoffs for women.

Dirty dancing

You've probably heard this before, but let me remind you: You are no Patrick Swayze. Grinding up on a girl will get her attention, but probably not the kind you're hoping for. One of the saddest spectacles to see in a bar is the dirty dancer who approaches a girl, gets shot down, and then moves on to the next girl. The process just goes on and on. This tells a woman that you have no real interest in her and that you're just looking for someone to grind up on.

Bluetooth in ear

Want to look like a douchebag? It's simple: Appear to be talking to yourself in public places. If you are constantly plugged into a Bluetooth, it means that you are overestimating your importance in the world or you are work-obsessed. Neither of these personality types is attractive to the average girl and, therefore, makes our list of the top 10 turnoffs for women.

Negativity

A good-natured joke or innocent teasing can come off as cute and flirtatious. But it's very easy to cross the line. When you first meet a woman, steer clear of playful insults (and legit insults), and just be sweet and charming. Avoid critiquing others as well, even if it is to compliment her (for example: "Did you see that girl's fake boobs? Ew. Yours are nicer because they're real"). Negative comments, even in passing, can show that you are picky, snobby, mean, or just plain stupid.

Bad pickup lines

No matter how many times guys are told not to use cheesy pickup lines, they still do. Pulling a "come here often?" or a "where have you been all my life, baby?" only shows your lack of imagination, creativity and romance. And women know you just used the same line five minutes ago on the blonde at the bar and will use it again in five minutes on the redhead on the dance floor. The best way to approach a woman is to be real and interested, otherwise your bad pickup lines will serve as another turnoff.

Excessive cologne

Men should smell good. A nice-smelling cologne, after-shave or deodorant can really entice a female, but one spritz too much can have a woman holding her nose. Consider this when getting ready to head out on the town: Use one less spray of cologne than you normally would. Don't pull a body-spray commercial and douse your body in it.

Swearing

A dirty trucker mouth doesn't make a great first impression. While it's true that most women can also let the expletives fly, it doesn't give you permission to do so. At the beginning of a relationship, being a gentleman is important. A dirty mouth could be a sign of a guy with bad manners -- and that isn't someone to bring home to Mom.

Douchebag friends

Alarm bells tend to go off if a guy is surrounded by drunken buddies who are wearing Bluetooths and drenched in cologne (even if he is not). A turnoff for women? You bet. If this is the company he decides to keep, then what does that say about him? He could be in "pickup" mode, playing the role of a white knight, when, really, he'll be drinking from a beer bong and hitting on the bartender when you walk away. Birds of a feather flock together. Just saying.

Bad breath

If the dirty dancing didn't scare her off and the pickup line worked, it could be the luckiest night of your life. But you can make it all disappear with bad breath. Oral hygiene is very important. Furry teeth, chapped lips and a bad case of halitosis will send her packing. If your mouth isn't clean, she'll be wondering what else is dirty. Carry gum, mints or breath spray with you at all times.

A kid

Using your child to get attention from women often backfires. This isn't true of everyone, but a single dad can mean a world of trouble: commitment issues, baggage, immaturity, or an angry ex. Plus, not all women are the motherly type. Break the daddy news to her after a few dates, because surprising her with a kid is a huge turnoff.



Tuesday, April 19, 2011

GRAPEFRUIT AS BUG REPELLENT

A chemical called nootkatone found in citrus fruit and certain Alaskan trees works wonders against mosquitos, ticks, and probably bedbugs—and it’s likely safe enough to drink, NPR reports. “If you've had a grapefruit, you've consumed some nootkatone,” says a scientist. In a demonstration, the researcher stuck a ootkatone-coated hand into a jar full of mosquitos for five minutes, and didn’t get a single bite. Instead, the mosquitos flew in the opposite direction. Indeed, the substance can actually destroy them: “It kills very, very quickly, usually within a matter of about 15 seconds,” says the scientist. The Centers for Disease Control are working hard to get the product on the market; trouble is, it currently costs some $4,000 per kilogram.


NEW SPORT: EXTREME IRONING

To get their kicks and get things done, some are turning to extreme ironing, a bizarre new "sport" in which thrillseekers smooth out their wrinkled clothes in exotic locations. The sport made UK headlines after a TV camera caught a man and his ironing board in the middle of the M1 motorway (it happened to be closed at the time). He was wearing nothing but a bathrobe and slippers, the Daily Mail reports. It’s “the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt,” says the official extreme ironing website (which seems to be down). Check out Gadling's list of the 10 best extreme ironing moments, which include a kayak and skydiving.


LAST SUPPER ON WRONG DAY

Christians have been marking Jesus's Last Supper on the wrong day, according to a Cambridge professor. Rather than being held on Maundy Thursday, the day before Friday's crucifixion, the Last Supper actually occurred on a Wednesday, scientist Colin Humphreys says. And he believes his finding could allow Easter to finally be given a fixed date: April 5. Humphreys' theory, detailed in his new book The Mystery of the Last Supper, explains apparent date-related contradictions in the Gospels, the Telegraph reports. Three of the Gospels claim the Last Supper coincided with the start of Passover, while the fourth disagrees. Humphreys concludes that may be because the authors were using two different calendars, one Jewish, one lunar. In inserting an extra day between the Last Supper and the crucifixion, his theory also explains how there could have been time for so many different activities to take place between those two events.


TODDLER CRASHES VAN

Oregon State Police say a 6-year-old told authorities after he crashed his mother's minivan that he had left his home hungry and wanted to go buy food. State troopers say the van the boy was driving crashed into several mailboxes in the Klamath Falls area on Sunday, and then swerved into an opposite lane before hitting a Dodge pickup. The boy, who was alone in the van, did not suffer any injuries. He told authorities he had taken a roll of pennies from his family's apartment to get some food. Troopers say the woman driving the pickup received minor injuries. The boy's name has not been released. State police and the Department of Human Services were continuing to investigate the crash.


MAILMAN POOPS IN YARD

The U.S. Postal Service said a mail carrier photographed defecating in an Oregon yard has been suspended without pay. Don Derfler of Portland said he was home with his son Wednesday when he looked out his living room window and spotted the mail carrier. "He started pulling his pants down and started defecating, and at that point I grabbed my camera and started to take pictures," Derfler said. The Postal Service apologized for the incident and said the mail carrier has been suspended without pay. "We're taking this very seriously, and I really want to apologize to our customers and to the public. I've worked for the Postal Service for many years and have never heard of an incident like this, and I hope I never do again," said Ron Anderson with the U.S. Postal Service. Neighbors said the mess was cleaned up by men who identified themselves as postal inspectors.


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