BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Shortly after announcing a telepic based on the life of Whitney Houston, Lifetime cable channel has unveiled plans for a bio-film on 1990s R&B singer Aaliyah (Haughton). Stepping into the late singer’s shoes is 17-year-old Disney Channel star Zendaya Coleman (“Shake It Up!”), who recently gained widespread recognition on “Dancing With the Stars”. Aaliyah died in a small-plane crash in 2001 at just 22 years of age. The film will be based on the Christopher Farley biography “Aaliyah: More Than a Woman”.
– “Hollywood Reporter”
★ An obsessed Miley Cyrus fan has been ordered to keep his distance for the next 3 years. Devon Meek is currently in psychiatric care following his arrest near Cyrus’ home May 16th, when he told cops they might as well shoot him if he couldn’t meet his idol. In court this week Miley’s lawyers were granted a permanent restraining order against Meek. As a result, he must stay at least 100 yards away from Miley and is banned from the venues where she performs. According to police reports, Meek claims he hears Miley talking to him … through the radio.
– WENN.com
★ US president Obama’s oldest daughter has been spotted working as a guest production assistant on the upcoming CBS-TV program “Extant”, which stars Halle Berry. Malia Obama, who turns 16 on July 4th, will be in the 11th Grade come September. It’s previously been noted that she’s an aspiring filmmaker, which may explain why she spent a day on the TV set, running the clapboard to mark the start of a scene. The sci-fi series is due to begin airing in July.
– TheWrap.com
★ And 78-year-old former Washington DC mayor Marion Barry, whose conviction for cocaine possession overshadowed his legacy as a civil rights crusader, is out with an autobiography this week entitled “Mayor For Life: The Incredible Story of Marion Barry Jr”. The title refers to how some critics described his 4 tumultuous terms in office. The 336-page memoir follows the ups-and-downs of his scandal-tainted career, most notoriously his 1990 arrest for smoking crack cocaine in a downtown hotel.
– “Washington Post”

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Chelsea Lately” (E!) – Ludacris (“Ludaversal”, due this Fall).
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – Aimee Mann & Ted Leo (“The Both”).
• “Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated/CTV2) – Josh Groban (“All That Echoes”). Rerun.
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – Night Terrors of 1927 (“Guilty Pleas”). Rerun.
• “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC/CTV2) – Tove Lo (“Truth Serum”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/Omni1) – Sam Smith (“In The Lonely Hour”).
• “Live With Kelly & Michael” (syndicated/CTV) – John Legend (“Love In the Future”).
• “So You Think You Can Dance” (FOX/CTV2) – Hopefuls perform for the judges; guest judges Jenna Dewan-Tatum (dancer-wife of actor Channing Tatum) and Los Angeles-based dancer Charles ‘Lil Buck’ Riley.
• “The Talk” (CBS) – Toni Braxton (“Love, Marriage & Divorce”).
• “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/CTV2) – fun. (“Some Nights”).
• “The View” (ABC/CTV) – Mary J Blige (“My Life II: The Journey Continues”).
• “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo) – 50 Cent (“Animal Ambition: An Untamed Desire to Win”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Chris Brown – The ex-con and teen heartthrob Justin Bieber are apparently recording a song together. They hit the studio over the weekend and Justin has since posted candid studio snaps on Instagram. Another dumb decision by the Biebs?
• Justin Bieber – Finally he gets some good news. He’s been cleared of wrongdoing in an attempted robbery investigation in which he was accused of trying to take a woman’s mobile phone in Los Angeles. Prosecutors have rejected the allegations due to insufficient evidence.
• Miley Cyrus – She’s bringing her “Bangerz” tour Down Under in mid-October, with 5 shows announced for Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
• Robin Thicke – He wants to get back together with estranged wife Paula Patton, so much so that he’s naming his new recording after her. Thicke’s new album, set for release on July 1st, will be titled “Paula”. Cute of creepy?
• Sara Evans – A judge has issued an arrest warrant for the country singer’s ex-husband over allegations he has failed to keep up with child support payments. She divorced Craig Schelske in 2007 and they have been locked in a custody battle over their 3 kids since 2011.
• Smashing Pumpkins – Billy Corgan has revealed to “Music Radar” that drummer Mike Byrne is no longer in the band after joining up 4 years ago. The news is not surprising, as Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee has been in the studio with the Pumpkins recording their next album.

LIFE BY THE NUMBERS:
A BS breakdown of who we are and what we do …
• 44% of us re-use aluminum foil.
• 40% of men think a woman should never have to mow the lawn.
• 22% of dads are the main cook in their family.
• 20% of employees are uncomfortable with having a younger boss.
• 19% of pet-owners dream about their critters on a regular basis.
• 17% of balding men would trade their cars for more hair.

A-DAY:
Is this the day we finally see Amazon’s 3-D smartphone? Amazon has been teasing the launch of an ‘amazing’ new product for some time and today CEO Jeff Bezos is scheduled to unveil whatever it is at an event in Seattle WA. Video of people’s amazed reactions to the gizmo has been running online, but without showing the device itself. The phone can reportedly be controlled by tilting it. Tilting it in one direction, for instance, might make more info about something you’re looking at appear onscreen. If it is indeed a 3-D phone, it will be Amazon’s first shot at a smartphone. (Is 3-D something you’ve really been wanting from your phone?)
– TheVerge.com

BS BUZZWORDS:
New cutting-edge vocab …
• ‘Paralpinism’  [paragliding + alpinism] – A new sport that involves climbing a mountain and then descending using a paraglider or similar craft.
• ‘Tabata’ – A form of workout which alternates short periods of high-intensity exercise with brief rests. Proponents suggest you can get fit with only 4 minutes of exercise 4 times a week.
• ‘Tweetstorm’ – A flurry of Twitter posts from a particular person or about a particular topic. They often start with a profound thought or open-ended question of some sort.

IS SMART BLING THE NEXT THING?
The latest in wearable technology is Ringly, a new cocktail ring that alerts you to messages and notifications from your phone. This bluetooth-enabled bling is from eBay alum Christina Mercando, whose goal was to fit technology into an item that’s actually stylish. An app lets you choose which notifications you want to receive and how you want to receive them. There are 4 different vibration patterns and lights that can be customized to signal specific senders … a flashing red for a message from your significant other, for instance. The idea is to be able to put your phone away, but still get the alerts you think are important. The rings will retail for $195-to-$260. (Isn’t the whole point of stashing your phone to get away from all this stuff?)
NET: https://ringly.com
– Sourced from BuzzFeed.com

MODERN-DAY ETIQUETTE:
A few tips on proper behavior from Amy Alkon, author of “Good Manners for Nice People Who Sometimes Say F*ck” …
• Think twice about throwing a birthday party in a pricey restaurant, unless you’re picking up the entire tab … or all your friends are kazillionaires.
• It’s bad form to break up via text. Once you’ve spent more than a few naked hours with somebody, you can text them to tell them you’re late … but not that you’re never coming back.
• First dates should be cheap, short, and local. Meet for coffee or happy-hour drinks for an hour or two at most. This keeps things from going too fast, and puts a limit to a bad-date nightmare.
• At a business function, introduce yourself with both your first and last name. “Hi, I’m Amanda” sounds like it should be followed by “and I’ll be your cocktail waitress”.
• RSVP. All it takes to keep your host from feeling you don’t give a bent crap about them is 20 seconds of your time to respond right away or mark your calendar to respond in a few days.
• Send thank-you notes. It’s simply good form after a job interview, after a party, anytime someone has gone out of their way for you. You can do it via email, but snail-mail is classier.
• Friends don’t post photos that make friends look like crap. Even if the main focus of a photo is you looking radiant, resist publishing it if it also captures your pal in an awkward moment.
– HuffingtonPost.com

SMOKED BACON?
Yep, that’s just one of the new e-cigarette flavors. Vaping has become the method many smokers use to try to beat the habit, and now e-cigarettes are available online in a bewildering – and odd – choice of flavors. In fact, at least 7,700 variations are now available on offer online, according to a new study. ‘Tobacco’ and ‘methanol’ are the most popular tastes, followed by flavors inspired by alcohol, fruits, sweets and other foods. While older brands claimed they were healthier and cheaper than cigarettes, the newer brands are more likely to focus on choice. A study by Harvard School Of Public Health shows that most of the users who’ve tried the tobacco substitutes are young smokers trying to quit real cigarettes. (So how come there’s still no definitive assessment of e-cigs’ potential harm or benefits?)
– “Metro”

AND NOW THE WORKDAY OUTLOOK:
Hot and muggy weather over the past few decades has led to a 10% drop in the physiological capacity of people to do their work safely, and a recent study from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration suggest that drop will be even greater as the climate continues to warm. While people will continue to work in hot and muggy conditions, researchers say their misery will increase as they attempt to continue to be productive. It’s predicted the impact of rising humidity associated with global warming will affect most workers, whether they are toiling in agricultural fields or crunching numbers at a desk. (Especially now that the office thermostat has been surreptitiously disconnected!)
– NBCNews.com

DID YOU KNOW?
• The oldest piece of string dates back 90,000 years.
– “New Scientist”
• It’s puzzling but true that in any group of 23 people there is a 50% chance that 2 of them share the same birthday, seemingly defying the odds. This is known as the ‘birthday paradox’.
– BBC Radio 4
• South Koreans drink an average of 13.7 shots of liquor a week, the most in the world and almost twice as much as the noted tippler Russians.
– “Quartz”

BS CHRONOMETER 06.18.14

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1942 [72] (Sir) Paul McCartney, Liverpool UK, rock billionaire (Wings-“Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey”, Beatles-“Let it Be”)/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1999)

1971 [43] Nathan Morris, Philadelphia PA, oldies singer (Boyz II Men-“I’ll Make Love to You”, “End Of the Road”)

1973 [41] Ray LaMontagne, Nashua NH, folk-rock singer-songwriter (“Beg, Steal, or Borrow”, “Trouble”)

1976 [38] Blake Shelton, Ada OK, country singer (“My Eyes”, “Sure Be Cool If You Did”)/TV personality (“The Voice” since 2011)/wed to country singer Miranda Lambert (2011)

1978 [36] Steven Chen, LA CA, indie rock guitarist (Airborne Toxic Event-“”Timeless”, “Changing”)

1980 [34] David Giuntoli, Milwaukee WI, TV actor (‘Nick Burkhardt’ on “Grimm” since 2011)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Autistic Pride Day”, an annual celebration of the ‘neuro-diversity’ of people on the autism spectrum that’s designed to shift views of autism from ‘disease’ to ‘difference’.

• “Go Fishing Day” which, if you can pull it off, would allow you to post a sign on your door saying ‘Gone Fishing’. Work, after all, is for people who don’t know how to fish.

• “International Picnic Day” a great time to enjoy a meal ‘alfresco’, or if you don’t know him … anyone else you choose. It’s a pseudo-holiday for humans but a regular working day for ants.

• “International Sushi Day”, the 5th annual observance conceived originally as a Facebook page. Any food worth its salt, or umami, has its own holiday. But if you’re looking for an excuse to eat sushi, this seems as good a day as any.
NET: http://bit.ly/10Xizp

• “Splurge Day”, when we’re encouraged to go out and do something indulgent. If funds or guilt were no problem, what would you blow bucks on? $40-a-lb Comté cheese … mmm!

TODAY’S FIRST . . .
1905 [109] The wooden chair that’s become a symbol of Summer, the ‘Adirondack Chair’, is patented by Harry Bunnell of Westport NY (in Canada, it’s known as the ‘Muskoka Chair’)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENT . . .
2004 [10] Ray Charles’ funeral is held in Los Angeles CA at the First AME Church, featuring performances by BB King, Stevie Wonder, Willie Nelson, and Wynton Marsalis

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2000 [14] Tiger Woods wins the US Open Golf Championship by a record 15 strokes

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Thurs] Garfield the Cat Day
[Thurs] World Sauntering Day
[Fri] Flip Flop Day
[Fri] Ugliest Dog Day
[Sat] Summer begins
[Sun] Stupid Guy Thing Day
This Week Is … Hermit Week
This Month Is … International Men’s Month

BULL’S BITS

TINY CHANGES THAT MAKE LIFE BETTER:
• Have a few go-to outfits prearranged, so picking clothes isn’t a problem on stressful days.
• Mix things up. Switch up your daily commute by just one block or one different turn.
• Take a chill pill when things go wrong. There’s nothing you can do afterward, so try to relax.
• Simplify. Order the $2 plain coffee instead of the $5 latte.
• Rest up. Go to bed 10 minutes earlier every night.
• Pay it forward. When things are going well, be helpful to someone else.
• Branch out. Say ‘yes’ to a new experience even though it’s totally unfamiliar to you.
• Find the lesson. Next time something crappy happens, focus on what it has taught you.
• Be kind. Give people compliments every chance you get.
• Cut yourself some slack. When you mess up, acknowledge you made a mistake and move on.
– Adapted from TheFrisky.com

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ What now-defunct store do you miss most?

BS RANDOM JOKE:
I accidentally swallowed some Scrabble tiles. My next crap could spell disaster.

BS U-PICK TRIVIA:
The longest began in 2001 and is scheduled to continue until 2640. Which is it?
a. The longest space flight.
b. The longest musical performance. [CORRECT. A recital of John Cage’s “Organ²/ASLSP (As Slow As Possible)” is taking place at St Burchardi Church in Halberstadt, Germany.]
c. The longest construction project.

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Question: More than a quarter of women admit to doing THIS while at the beach.
Answer: Wearing makeup.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
A marriage certificate is just another name for a work permit.