December 2008 - Posts

Cancel Your Credit Cards Before You Die
31 December 08 12:00 PM | Zach | 2 comment(s)

This is a friendly Dish Post reminder to cancel your Credit Cards before you die. Read on!!

 Cancel Your Credit-Card
Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die. This is so priceless, and so, so easy to see happening, customer service being what it is today.!!!
Now some people are really stupid!!!!
A lady died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card, and added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00, now somewhere around $60.00. A family member placed a call to Citibank. Here is the exchange:
Family Member: 'I am calling to tell you she died in January.'
Citibank: 'The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply.'
Family Member: 'Maybe, you should turn it over to collections.'
Citibank: 'Since it is two months past due, it already has been.'
Family Member: So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?'
Citibank: 'Either report her account to frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!'
Family Member: 'Do you think God will be mad at her?' (I really liked this part!!!!)
Citibank: 'Excuse me?'
Family Member: 'Did you just get what I was telling you - the part about her being dead?'
Citibank: 'Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor.' (Duh!)
Supervisor gets on the phone:
Family Member: 'I'm calling to tell you, she died in January.'
Citibank : 'The account was never closed and late fees and charges still apply.' (This must be a phrase taught by the bank!)
Family Member: 'You mean you want to collect from her estate?'
Citibank: (Stammer) 'Are you her lawyer?'
Family Member: 'No, I'm her great nephew.' (Lawyer info given)
Citibank: 'Could you fax us a certificate of death?'
Family Member: 'Sure.' (Fax number is given )
After they get the fax:
Citibank: 'Our system just isn't setup for death. I don't know what more I can do to help.'
Family Member: 'Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. I don't think she will care.'
Citibank: 'Well, the late fees and charges do still apply.'(What is wrong with these people?!?)
Family Member: 'Would you like her new billing address?'
Citibank: 'That might help.'
Family Member: ' Odessa Memorial Cemetery , Highway 129, Plot Number 69.'
Citibank: 'Sir, that's a cemetery!'
Family Member: 'What do you do with dead people on your planet???
(Priceless!!)

BREAKING NEWS: Attention all Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks Cable!
31 December 08 03:10 AM | Zach | 2 comment(s)

Well it's the middle of winter break, late at night and I couldn't sleep. I was watching Weekend At Bernie's II and I saw the following scroll across the screen:

"Attention Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks customers, starting tonight, you will lose this channel and 18 other channels from your TV including Nickelodeon, Noggin, MTV, VH1, Spike, Comedy Central, and TV Land. Don't miss out on your favorite shows. You can stop this! Time Warner Cable Customers call 1-800-762-3786, Brignt House Networks customers call 1-866-309-3279 and DEMAND THEY KEEP THESE CAHNNELS! MUST BE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD TO CALL."

I personally dont have TWC or BHN but I know a lot do! I thought I would post that for you!!

Also did some research...

This affects all U.S. Time Warner cable subscribers including those in New York and Los Angeles. Alex Dudley, a vice president at Time Warner Cable, the nation's second-largest cable operator, is telling reporters that the dispute with Viacom "is that they have asked for an exorbitant increase in their carriage fees and their network ratings are sagging."  However, Nickelodeon is 2008’s No. 1 basic cable network, drawing the largest audience in its history. MTV, on the other hand, has seen ratings slide. Time Warner Cable claims it's "trying to hold the line on fees for our customer" -- but it's really worried that if Viacom gets its raises, then every cable programmer will want them.

And a nice Ad someone made...

This is Viacom's just issued statement:

This move by Time Warner Cable to force such channels as Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and MTV off the air is another example of a cable company overreaching for profit at the expense of its viewers. 

The renewal we are seeking is reasonable and modest relative to the profits TWC enjoys from our networks. We have asked for an increase of less than 25 cents per month, per subscriber, which adds up to less than a penny per day for all 19 of MTV Networks’ channels. We make this request because TWC has so greatly undervalued our channels for so long. Americans spend more than 20% of their TV viewing time watching our networks, yet our fees amount to less than 2.5% of what Time Warner generates from their average customer.

Throughout the country, we have negotiated equitable license agreement renewals, or are in the final stages of renewals, with virtually every cable and satellite carrier. Nevertheless, Time Warner Cable has dismissed our efforts at a fair compromise and has effectively chosen to deny its customers some of the most popular TV shows on the air.

As a result, we are sorry to say that for Time Warner Cable customers our networks will go dark as of 12:01 on January 1st, denying Time Warner customers shows like Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, and The Hills.

Ultimately, however, if Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and the rest of our programming is discontinued – over less than a penny per day - we believe viewers will see this behavior by their cable company as outrageous. 

Time Warner Cable subscribers who are being handed a January 1st $3 monthly increase in Raleigh, Orange County, Los Angeles, and New York City are simultaneously facing the removal of beloved shows across 19 channels.

We find it a shame that Time Warner Cable remains unreasonable at this time. We hope its leadership will have a change of heart and will seek to negotiate a fair renewal agreement.

I will post more information as it is available to me! But for now Call Time Warner and tell them NO.

 

A New Meaning to Being Pissed Off
18 December 08 10:00 AM | Zach | 3 comment(s)

 If you didn't see this on the Tonight show, I hope you're sitting down when you read it. This is probably the funniest date story ever, first date or not! We have all had bad dates but this takes the cake.

Jay Leno went into the audience to find the most embarrassing first date that a woman ever had. The winner described her worst first date experience. There was absolutely no question as to why her tale took the prize!

She said it was midwinter...Snowing and quite cold ... and the guy had taken her skiing in the mountains outside Salt Lake City, Utah.

It was a day trip (no overnight). They were strangers, after all, and had never met before. The outing was fun but relatively uneventful until they were headed home late that afternoon.

They were driving back down the mountain, when she gradually began to realize that she should not have had that extra latte.

They were about an hour away from anywhere with a rest room and in the middle of nowhere! Her companion suggested she try to hold it, which she did for a while. Unfortunately, because of the heavy snow and slow going, there came a point where she told him that he had better stop and let her go beside the road, or it would be the front seat of his car.

They stopped and she quickly crawled out beside the car, yanked her pants down and started. In the deep snow she didn't have good footing, so she let her butt rest against the rear fender to steady herself.

Her companion stood on the side of the car watching for traffic and indeed was a real gentleman and refrained from peeking. All she could think about was the relief she felt despite the rather embarrassing nature of the situation.

Upon finishing however, she soon became aware of another sensation. As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady discovered her buttocks were firmly glued against the car's fender. Thoughts of tongues frozen to poles immediately came to mind as she attempted to disengage her flesh from the icy metal. It was quickly apparent that she had a brand new problem, due to the extreme cold.

Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor of the moment, she answered her date's concerns about' what is taking so long' with a reply that indeed, she was 'freezing her butt off' and in need of some assistance! He came around the car as she tried to cover herself with her sweater and then, as she looked imploringly into his eyes, he burst out laughing. She too, got the giggles and when they finally managed to compose themselves, they assessed her dilemma. Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was, they also were faced with a real problem.

Both agreed it would take something hot to free her chilly cheeks from the grip of the icy metal!

Thinking about what had gotten her into the predicament in the first place, both quickly realized that there was only one way to get her free. So, as she looked the other way, her first time date proceeded to unzip his pants and pee her butt off the fender.

As the audience screamed in laughter, she took the Tonight Show prize hands down. Or perhaps that should be 'pants down. 'And you thought your first date was embarrassing.

Jay Leno's comment, 'This gives a whole new meaning to being pissed off.'

Oh and how did the first date turn out? He became her husband and was sitting next to her on the Leno show.

How to Feel More Manly (Part 2)
17 December 08 10:00 AM | Zach | with no comments

 

12. KICKING A FOOTY AGAINST A GARAGE DOOR - Clang-g-g-g-g-g-! "How about that Stewy? I kick so hard I set off car alarms."

13. ARRIVING IN A PUB LATE… and everyone cheers you. It doesn't mean you're popular, it just means your mates are pissed. However, the rest of the pub doesn't know that.

14. NOT WATCHING YOUR WEIGHT - fat is a feminist issue, apparently. Brilliant. Pass the pork crackling.

15. CARVING THE ROAST - and saying "are you a leg or breast man" to the blokes and "do you want stuffing" to the women. Congratulations, you are now your dad.

16. WINKING - turns women to putty. Doesn't it?

17. TEST SWINGING HAMMERS - ideally, Mitre 10 would have little changing rooms with mirrors so you could see how rugged you look with any DIY item. Until then, we'll make do with the aisles.

18. TAKING OUT $500 FROM AN ATM - okay, so it's for paying the plumber later but with that much cash you feel like a mafia don. The only thing better is peeling notes off the roll later.

19. PHONE CALLS THAT LAST LESS THAN A MINUTE - unlike birds, we get straight to the point. "Alright? Yep. Drink? Royal Oak it is then. Seven. See ya."

20. PARALLEL PARKING - Straight in. First time. Can Schumacher do that? No, because his car's got no reverse gear which, technically, makes you the world's best driver.

21. HAVING EARNED THAT PINT - Since the dawn of time, men have toiled in the fields in blistering heat. Why? So, when it's over we can stand there in silence, surveying our work with one hand resting on the beer gut while the other nurses a foaming jug of ale. Aaaah.

22. HAVING SOMETHING PROPERLY WRONG WITH YOU - especially if you didn't make a fuss. "Why was I off? Oh nothing much, just a brain hemorrhage".

23. KNOWING WHICH SCREWDRIVER IS WHICH - "A Phillips? That? Are you mad, woman?"

BREAKING NEWS: Drifter Killed Adam Walsh
16 December 08 04:10 PM | Zach | 1 comment(s)

From Rich Phillips
CNN Senior Producer

HOLLYWOOD, Florida (CNN) -- A deceased drifter long suspected in the abduction, murder and beheading of 6-year-old Adam Walsh committed the crime that put missing children on the national agenda, police said Tuesday. Adam Walsh 6, disappeared from a mall in August, 1981. His head was found two weeks later, 120 miles away.

"If Ottis Toole was alive today, he would be arrested for the abduction and murder of Adam Walsh on July 27, 1981," Hollywood Police Chief Chad Wagner said at an afternoon news conference announcing the end of the 27-year investigation.

The chief apologized to the boy's parents, John and Reve Walsh, for what he called "lapses" in the initial investigation. He added that there was no "magic" piece of evidence that led investigators to officially name a suspect now.

"This case could have been closed, and should have been closed years ago," Wagner said.

When he took over last year as police, Wagner vowed to close the Walsh case. He reviewed the entire case file and assigned a retired detective, Joe Matthews, to conduct an independent review.

John Walsh's voice shook and his eyes brimmed with tears as he thanked the chief for closing the case. Walsh is best known as host of the television show "America's Most Wanted." Watch Walsh's reaction

"For 27 years, we have been asking ourselves, 'Who would take a 6-year-old boy and murder him and decapitate him?' " Walsh said. "We needed to know. The not knowing has been a torture but now that journey is over. It is only fitting that it ends here at this police department. "

Toole, a convicted pedophile and killer who associated with notorious serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, died in prison in 1996. Wagner said investigators were able to place Toole in Hollywood at the time Adam disappeared.

Toole twice confessed to killing the boy -- and twice recanted his story, saying he made it up. It could not be learned what, if any, new evidence exists.

Adam disappeared from a Sears store across from the Hollywood police station in July 1981. Two weeks later, his severed head was found in a canal 120 miles away. The boy's body was never recovered, and no one was ever charged in the case.

Walsh turned his grief into action, becoming an early advocate for for missing children and crime victims. Three presidents -- Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton -- have honored John Walsh for his efforts to safeguard children.

His efforts led to the passage of the federal Missing Children's Assistance Act of 1984, which established the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

His fierce loathing of fugitives, convicts and predators launched a new career as host of the television show "America's Most Wanted."

Walsh has long believed Toole killed Adam, and on Tuesday, Chief Wagner said there never any other suspect. Toole died in prison in 1996 while serving a life sentence on unrelated charges.

Toole's confessions in the Walsh case were questioned by police because Toole confessed to other murders that police knew he did not commit.

Although the details of his story changed, Toole did lead police to the Sears store and pointed out the spot where Adam was last seen. He also led police to the canal where the boy's head was found.

But investigators could not find Adam's body where Toole said he left it.

A bloody piece of carpet removed from Toole's car was lost by police many years ago, before DNA testing became available.

Police believe a 17-year-old security guard asked a handful of rowdy kids who were playing video games in the toy department to leave the store. Investigators believe Adam was grouped in with those kids, who left him alone outside the store. That was the last time he was seen.

How to Feel More Manly (Part 1)
16 December 08 10:00 AM | Zach | with no comments

1. OPENING JARS - nnng, she's struggling. You take it from her hands, open it effortlessly and pretend she loosened it for you. She didn't. Jars are men's work.

2. CALLING SOMEONE 'SON' - Especially policeman, but even saying it to kids makes you the man.

3. DOING A PROPER TACKLE - Another free kick for Scott West? A Barry Hall tackle is the pinnacle of the game, simultaneously winning the ball and crippling the man. Magic. (This is European Football we're talking about here!)

4. SHARPENING A PENCIL WITH A STANLEY KNIFE - Blunt, is it? Hand it here love. No, I don't need a sharpener, you think I can't whittle?

5. GOING TO THE TIP - A manly act which combines driving and lifting as you thrillingly drop your rubbish into another huge pile of other rubbish.

6. DRINKING UP - Specifically, rising from the table, slinging your coat on and downing two thirds of a pint in one fluid movement. Then nodding towards the door, saying, "Let's go," and striding out while everyone else struggles to catch up with you. Gosh, you're hard.

7. HAVING A THIN BIT OF WOOD - in the shed, solely to stir paint with.

8. HAVING A SCAR - Ideally it'll be a facial knife wound, but even an iron burn on the wrist is good. "Ooh, did it hurt??" "Nahhhh."

9. HAVING A HANGOVER AND THICK STUBBLE - When birds have been partying they just whinge. You, on the other hand have physical evidence Of your hardness, sprouting from your face. "Big night?" "Grrrrr, what does It look like?"

10. NODDING AT COPPERS - A moments eye contact is all it takes for you to share the unspoken bond. "We've not seen eye to eye in the past," it says, "but someone's got to keep the little guys in line".

11. USING POWER TOOLS - especially ones slightly more powerful than you need or can safely handle. Pneumatic drilling while smoking a cigarette? Superb.

 

Humanity
15 December 08 11:15 AM | Zach | with no comments

Here's another feel good story...

 What  would you do?.....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there  isn't one.. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same  choice?                                                             
                                                                           
 At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:                                   
                                                                           
 'When not interfered  with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with  perfection.                                                 
                                                                           
 Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do.  He cannot understand things as other children do.                                   
                                                                           
 Where is the natural order of things in my son?'                         
                                                                           
 The audience was stilled by the query.                                   
                                            
 The father continued... 'I believe  that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled  comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents  itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'                                                 
                                                                           
 Then he told the following story:                                        
                                                                            
 Shay and I had walked past a park where  some boys Shay knew were playing baseball... Shay asked, 'Do you think  they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone  like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if  my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of  belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his  handicaps.                            
                                                                           
 I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and  said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the  ninth inning.'  
                                                               
 Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a  broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye  and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being  accepted.                            
                                                                           
 In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few  runs but was still behind by three.                                                    
                                                         
 In the top of the ninth inning,  Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits  came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.                                             
                                                                           
 In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.             
                                                                           
 Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.                           
                                                                           
 At this juncture, do they let Shay  bat and give away their chance to win  the game?                                                                 
                                                                           
 Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with  the ball.                               
                                                                           
 However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher,  recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment  in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay  could at least make contact.                      
                                                                        
 The first pitch came and Shay swung  clumsily and missed.                 
                                                                           
 The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss  the ball softly towards Shay.                                                             
                                                                           
 As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the  ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.                                                
                                                                           
 The game  would now be over.                                              
                                                                           
 The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could  have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.                                                 
                                                                           
 Shay would have been  out and that would have been the end of the game.   
                                                                           
 Instead, the  pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach  of all team mates.                                          
                                                                           
 Everyone from the stands and both teams started  yelling, 'Shay, run to first!                                                                    
                                                                           
 Run to first!'                                                            
                                                                           
 Never in his life had  Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.
                                                                           
 He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.                  
                                                                           
 Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'                         
                                                          
 Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.                                        
                                                                           
 B y the time  Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.                                                   
                                                          
 He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the  tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally  threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.                          
                                                                           
 Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.                                           
                                                                           
 All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'     
                                                                           
 Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop  ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and  shouted, 'Run to third!  
                                                                           
 Shay, run to third!'                                                      
                                                                           
 As Shay rounded  third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'                     
                                                                           
 Shay ran to home, stepped on the  plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game  for his team                         
                                                                           
 'That day', said the father softly with tears now  rolling down his face,  'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of  true love and humanity into this world'.                                                          
                                                                           
 Shay didn't make it to  another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero  and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!          
                                                                          

Till death do us part
12 December 08 04:16 PM | Zach | with no comments

Enice and Earl Lookabaugh

This is an "awwwwww"  I wanted to share with you. 

Till death do us part
December 11, 2008 at 12:08 pm
By EMILY MASTERS

Theirs is a story that began in 1942 with young love, after 66 years of marriage turned to seasoned love, and ended with a forever that both took to heart when they said their wedding vows.
Enice Lookabaugh, 82, of Raymond, died Saturday at Heartland of Marysville just shortly after her husband, Earl Lookabaugh, 88, also residing at Heartland, tearfully mumbled “I love you.”
Although Earl was suffering from Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer’s, family members said he knew his loving wife was entering into her last hours. Once she was gone, family members said it was peace, a peace of knowing Enice was OK, that allowed Earl to go as well. He died on Tuesday at Heartland.
“He was waiting on her to go, because he knew she couldn't handle him going,” said granddaughter Kim Bowen. “They were just that close, and I think God took care of them by it happening this way.”
Bowen believes her grandfather held onto life as best as he could after a heart attack a few years back which ended up landing him in Heartland.
“He stopped breathing and was given CPR to bring him back to life,” she said. “He could have died then, but he wanted to be with grandma.”
Enice was a breast cancer survivor who family members said lived for Earl, always visiting him at Heartland after his heart attack.
“The family made sure she always got to Heartland, to see grandpa,” said Bowen. “She would be anxiously waiting by the door with her hat, coat and scarf on ready to go see him.”
In their younger years, the two enjoyed fishing in Michigan.
“I remember one year he went fishing, and she didn't go with him,” said Bowen. “When he pulled into the driveway, she ran out hugging and kissing on him, there was so much love between them.”
Both Enice and Earl were happiest whenever their grandchildren were around.
“They would race to the door to see which one could grab the grandchild first,” said grandson Chad Davis. “I loved staying all night at their house, they were such an influence in my life.”
Earl was a longtime farmer who was employed by Champaign Landmark for more than 17 years. Enice was a homemaker, later employed by Chenille Products for 23 1/2 years.
The couple had five children, 21 grandchildren, and 33 great-grandchildren.
Bowen said her grandfather turned ornery whenever the grandchildren came over.
“Grandma would tell grandpa to do something, and grandpa would pretend he didn't hear her,” she remembered. “Then grandpa would chuckle and give us a wink.”
“The two loved to gripe at each other in a very tongue and cheek kind of way,” said Davis. “Grandma would say, 'That's enough, Earl!' while lovingly wiping the chewing tobacco off his chin.”
Usually at home together in Raymond, Enice baked while Earl worked in his woodshed.
Bowen said her grandmother confided that even if she and Earl got mad at one another, it was still a requirement to spoon, or cuddle, at night.
As her health continued to decline, Enice told staff at Heartland she was going to take Earl to heaven with her. Family members say she did just that.
Theirs, according to family members, is the kind of love story everyone can learn from.
Both stood true to the wedding vows: To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'till death do us part.
Enice and Earl, together in life, will remain together today as their family and friends gather to say good-bye.
Services for Enice and Earl Lookabaugh were held today at 11 a.m. at Mannasmith Funeral Home. Pastor Keith Daniels officiated and burial took place at Broadway Cemetery.

 

Golden Globe Nominations!
12 December 08 01:05 PM | Zach | with no comments

 If you were looking for them, here they are!!

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures
b. FROST/NIXON
Imagine Entertainment, Working Title, Studio Canal; Universal Pictures
c. THE READER
Mirage Enterprises; The Weinstein Company
d. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
An Evamere Entertainment BBC Films Neal Street Production; DreamWorks Pictures in Association with BBC Films and Paramount Vantage
e. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.; Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.

2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. ANNE HATHAWAY – RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
b. ANGELINA JOLIE – CHANGELING
c. MERYL STREEP – DOUBT
d. KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS – I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
e. KATE WINSLET – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. LEONARDO DICAPRIO – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
b. FRANK LANGELLA – FROST/NIXON
c. SEAN PENN – MILK
d. BRAD PITT – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
e. MICKEY ROURKE – THE WRESTLER

4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. BURN AFTER READING
Working Title/Releasing Company; Focus Features in association with Studio Canal
b. HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Summit Entertainment, Film4, Ingenious Film Partners, Miramax Films; Miramax Films
c. IN BRUGES
Blueprint Pictures; Focus Features
d. MAMMA MIA!
Relativity Media, Playtone, Littlestar; Universal Pictures
e. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Mediapro; The Weinstein Company

5.BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. REBECCA HALL – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
b. SALLY HAWKINS – HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
c. FRANCES MCDORMAND – BURN AFTER READING
d. MERYL STREEP – MAMMA MIA!
e. EMMA THOMPSON – LAST CHANCE HARVEY

6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. JAVIER BARDEM – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
b. COLIN FARRELL – IN BRUGES
c. JAMES FRANCO – PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
d. BRENDAN GLEESON – IN BRUGES
e. DUSTIN HOFFMAN – LAST CHANCE HARVEY

7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

a. BOLT
Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
b. KUNG FU PANDA
DreamWorks Animation SKG; Paramount Pictures
c. WALL-E
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

a. THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (GERMANY)
(DER BAADER MEINHOF KOMPLEX)
Constantin Film Produktion GmbH; Summit Entertainment, LLC
b. EVERLASTING MOMENTS (SWEDEN/DENMARK)
(MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA ÖGONBLICK)
Final Cut Productions Aps; IFC Films
c. GOMORRAH (ITALY)
(GOMORRA)
Fandango; IFC Films
d. I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (FRANCE)
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
UGC YM/UGC Images/France 3 Cinema/Integral Film; Sony Pictures Classics
e. WALTZ WITH BASHIR (ISRAEL)
Bridgit Folman Film Gang/Les Films D'Ici/Razor Films/Arte France/ITVS International; Sony Pictures Classics

9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. AMY ADAMS – DOUBT
b. PENELOPE CRUZ – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
c. VIOLA DAVIS –DOUBT
d. MARISA TOMEI – THE WRESTLER
e. KATE WINSLET – THE READER

10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. TOM CRUISE – TROPIC THUNDER
b. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. –TROPIC THUNDER
c. RALPH FIENNES – THE DUCHESS
d. PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – DOUBT
e. HEATH LEDGER – THE DARK KNIGHT

11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

a. DANNY BOYLE – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
b. STEPHEN DALDRY – THE READER
c. DAVID FINCHER – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
d. RON HOWARD – FROST/NIXON
e. SAM MENDES – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

a. SIMON BEAUFOY – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
b. DAVID HARE – THE READER
c. PETER MORGAN – FROST/NIXON
d. ERIC ROTH – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
e. JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY – DOUBT

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

a. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT –THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
b. CLINT EASTWOOD – CHANGELING
c. JAMES NEWTON HOWARD – DEFIANCE
d. A. R. RAHMAN – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
e. HANS ZIMMER – FROST/NIXON

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

a. “DOWN TO EARTH” — WALL-E
Music by: Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman
Lyrics by: Peter Gabriel
b. “GRAN TORINO” — GRAN TORINO
Music by: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
Lyrics by: Jamie Cullum
c. “I THOUGHT I LOST YOU” — BOLT
Music & Lyrics by: Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele
d. “ONCE IN A LIFETIME” — CADILLAC RECORDS
Music & Lyrics by: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street
e. “THE WRESTLER” — THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by: Bruce Springsteen

15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
Showtime/John Goldwyn Productions/The Colleton Company/Clyde Phillips Productions
b. HOUSE (FOX)
Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions
c. IN TREATMENT (HBO)
Sheleg, Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
d. MAD MEN (AMC)
Lionsgate Television
e. TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Your Face Goes Here Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. SALLY FIELD – BROTHERS AND SISTERS
b. MARISKA HARGITAY –LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
c. JANUARY JONES – MAD MEN
d. ANNA PAQUIN – TRUE BLOOD
e. KYRA SEDGWICK – THE CLOSER

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. GABRIEL BYRNE – IN TREATMENT
b. MICHAEL C. HALL – DEXTER
c. JON HAMM – MAD MEN
d. HUGH LAURIE – HOUSE
e. JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS – THE TUDORS

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. 30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little Stranger Inc.
b. CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
Showtime Presents in association with Aggressive Mediocrity, And Then...
c. ENTOURAGE (HBO)
Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
d. THE OFFICE (NBC)
Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC, Universal Media Studios
e. WEEDS (SHOWTIME)
Lionsgate Television

19.BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. CHRISTINA APPLEGATE – SAMANTHA WHO?
b. AMERICA FERRERA – UGLY BETTY
c. TINA FEY – 30 ROCK
d. DEBRA MESSING – THE STARTER WIFE
e. MARY-LOUISE PARKER – WEEDS

20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. ALEC BALDWIN – 30 ROCK
b. STEVE CARELL – THE OFFICE
c. KEVIN CONNOLLY – ENTOURAGE
d. DAVID DUCHOVNY – CALIFORNICATION
e. TONY SHALHOUB – MONK

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. A RAISIN IN THE SUN (ABC)
Sony Pictures Television, Storyline Entertainment, and Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment
b. BERNARD AND DORIS (HBO
Trigger Street Independent Productions in association with Little Bird and Chicago Films and HBO Films
c. CRANFORD (PBS)
A Co-Production of BBC and WGBH Boston.
d. JOHN ADAMS (HBO)
Playtone in association with HBO Films
e. RECOUNT (HBO)
Spring Creek/Mirage Productions in association with Trigger Street Productions, Everyman Pictures and HBO Films

22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. JUDI DENCH – CRANFORD
b. CATHERINE KEENER – AN AMERICAN CRIME
c. LAURA LINNEY – JOHN ADAMS
d. SHIRLEY MACLAINE – COCO CHANEL
e. SUSAN SARANDON – BERNARD AND DORIS

23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. RALPH FIENNES – BERNARD AND DORIS
b. PAUL GIAMATTI – JOHN ADAMS
c. KEVIN SPACEY – RECOUNT
d. KIEFER SUTHERLAND – 24: REDEMPTION
e. TOM WILKINSON – RECOUNT

24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. EILEEN ATKINS – CRANFORD
b. LAURA DERN – RECOUNT
c. MELISSA GEORGE – IN TREATMENT
d. RACHEL GRIFFITHS – BROTHERS AND SISTERS
e. DIANNE WIEST – IN TREATMENT

25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS – HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
b. DENIS LEARY – RECOUNT
c. JEREMY PIVEN – ENTOURAGE
d. BLAIR UNDERWOOD – IN TREATMENT
e. TOM WILKINSON – JOHN ADAMS

NOMINATIONS BY MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS AND TELEVISION NETWORKS

MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS
Warner Bros. Pictures – 11
Universal Pictures – 9
The Weinstein Company – 8
Fox Searchlight Pictures – 7
Miramax Films – 7
DreamWorks Pictures – 6
Focus Features – 6
Paramount Pictures – 6
Paramount Vantage – 6
BBC Films – 5
Sony Pictures Classics – 4
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures – 4
IFC Films – 2
Overture Films – 2
Sony Pictures Releasing – 2
Studio Canal – 2
Pathe – 1
Summit Entertainment, LLC – 1
Village Roadshow – 1

TELEVISION NETWORKS
HBO – 22
SHOWTIME – 8
NBC – 6
ABC – 5
AMC – 5
FOX – 3
PBS – 3
USA NETWORK – 2
CBS – 1
LIFETIME TELEVISION – 1
TNT – 1

NOMINATIONS BY MOTION PICTURE
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – 5
DOUBT – 5
FROST/NIXON – 5
THE READER – 4
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – 4
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – 4
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA – 4
IN BRUGES – 3
THE WRESTLER – 3
BOLT – 2
BURN AFTER READING – 2
CHANGELING – 2
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY – 2
I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T'AIME) – 2
LAST CHANCE HARVEY – 2
MAMMA MIA! – 2
TROPIC THUNDER – 2
WALL-E – 2
BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (DER BAADER MEINHOF KOMPLEX) – 1
CADILLAC RECORDS – 1
THE DARK KNIGHT – 1
DEFIANCE – 1
THE DUCHESS – 1
EVERLASTING MOMENTS (MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA ÖGONBLICK) – 1
GOMORRAH (GOMORRA) – 1
GRAN TORINO – 1
KUNG FU PANDA – 1
MILK – 1
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS – 1
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED – 1
WALTZ WITH BASHIR – 1

NOMINATIONS BY TELEVISION SERIES OR PROGRAM
IN TREATMENT – 5
RECOUNT – 5
JOHN ADAMS – 4
30 ROCK – 3
BERNARD AND DORIS – 3
CRANFORD – 3
ENTOURAGE – 3
MAD MEN – 3
BROTHERS AND SISTERS – 2
CALIFORNICATION – 2
DEXTER – 2
HOUSE – 2
THE OFFICE – 2
TRUE BLOOD – 2
WEEDS – 2
24: REDEMPTION – 1
A RAISIN IN THE SUN – 1
AN AMERICAN CRIME – 1
CLOSER, THE – 1
COCO CHANEL – 1
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER – 1
LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT – 1
MONK – 1
SAMANTHA WHO? – 1
THE STARTER WIFE – 1
UGLY BETTY – 1

12-12 Dish: I Found The Next American Idol
12 December 08 12:30 PM | Zach | 1 comment(s)

 

 Finals are OVER!! That means I need a job so I'm going to be on the job hunt for the next few days. Also, as I get back in the swing of things, I'm going to add a Saturday post! Yep, calling it "Weekend Update." I like doing that because it gives me a place to talk about some of the things that I didnt have the space for during the week.

And oh yeah! The announcement!  I know you've all been waiting to hear about it (or just a few of you). Sometime in the next few weeks (I'll post an exact date here) I will turn the music on and play it via the internet. So that means, I'm going to be starting an internet radio station! It wont be on air (eerrr waves?) for the entire day, I do need a life and wont want to broadcast at school, but from 6:00 AM ET to 11:00 PM ET during the week, the radio will be kicking loud and proud just for you! I will put a "Listen Live" button to the right of the blog, so you can listen to the show whenever you want

Also, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 8 PM ET, I wil be hosting an On-Air with Zach show. we'll see how that goes, I dont have much information about that right now lol.  AND you will be able to listen to The Dish daily as I will have the audio of the Dish playing throughout the day (probably once every other hour or so)

Want to see the page? www.z-toc.com/radio.htm is the link. There is a space called "Show Blurbs" I'll post things there that I talked about during my show. There's also a request page! Send in your requests and I will get them on ASAP. Like I said, the radio station will be running on its own most of the time so when I am home, I can play some of your favs and such.

Stay tuned for updates on that one!! Now, on with The Dish!!

I FOUND THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOL...
Wow, just wow.

Report: New 'Twilight' Director Chosen...
Chris Weitz is reportedly the next sucker, um, director for Full Moon, the second installment of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling series, Twilight EW.com is reporting.
Weitz and his brother Paul directed and produced American Pie and were nominated for an Academy Award for About a Boy. Weitz's first directing gig was Golden Compass.

Speaking of Idol, Changes Await Season 8...
With the new season of American Idol quickly approaching (season begins Jan. 13) rumors are flying about the changes that viewers can expect.
Among the rumors:
"Idol Gives Back" will be canceled. Mjsbigblog.com reported that due to the recession, Idol producers felt it was inappropriate to ask people for donations. The charitable campaign raised over $130 million in seasons 6 and 7.
Big Brother? TMZ.com is reporting that this season of Idol will feature more behind-the-scenes footage of the contestants.

Diddy Excited for Obama Inauguration...
Diddy can't wait to attend President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony, insisting it'll be "cool" to be at the historic event.
Combs was a vocal supporter of Obama leading up to his election victory last month and is delighted to be attending his swearing in, which will take place in Washington D.C. on January 20, 2009.
And the rapper, infamous for demanding the best, doesn't even mind if he's at the back for the ceremony - because he is just happy for the invite.

Harry To Begin Army Air Corps Training...
Britain's Prince Harry is to start a 2 1/2 year course with the Army Air Corps in January as part of his plan to be a military helicopter pilot.
CNN said the 24-year-old royal, who is the son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, has passed the first stage of his training and is scheduled to start the new course next month, following in the footsteps of his elder brother, Prince William.
"If Prince Harry qualifies as an Army Air Corps pilot, he will, like any officer, be available for operational service wherever the AAC flies," said a statement issued by Clarence House to CNN.

Lil' Wayne Records Motivational Music for Phelps...
Olympic swimming hero Michael Phelps was stunned after meeting his favorite rapper Lil' Wayne - because the star had recorded a personal song for him.
After winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Games this summer, the athlete told the press he had listened to the hip-hop star's track "I'm Me" to pump him up before the races.
And Phelps was overwhelmed when he met the rapper for the first time at the MTV Video Music Awards in September.
Phelps recalls, "Lil' Wayne presented me with this iPod which contained 40 unreleased songs he had recorded - and one was called Michael Phelps.
"In that song he just keeps rapping 'Michael Phelps, Michael Phelps, swimming through the water ...' I like all the songs he gave me but obviously that means the most."

Ex-Idol Producer Takes on Paula...

(UPI) -- Former American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe says he wouldn't have let Paula Goodspeed audition if he thought she was a danger to herself or others.
Goodspeed was found dead of a suspected suicide outside American Idol judge Paula Abdul's Los Angeles house last month.
Abdul has since described Goodspeed as a stalker. Abdul has also claimed she was nervous and told Idol producers three years ago when Goodspeed arrived to audition that she had had trouble with Goodspeed in the past.
But Lythgoe told "Access Hollywood" in an interview to air Friday that he and the show's other producers weren't worried about Goodspeed auditioning.
"The producers had seen her, we'd seen her, she was an absolute fan of Paula's, so she's going to go in there to say, 'I am your biggest fan,'" Lythgoe said. "Now that gives Simon Cowell great material, which if you saw it was all things like: 'Do you sing as well as Paula?' and 'Do you copy Paula?' If we had known that she was in any way, shape or form, a danger to herself or Paula, there is no way we would have allowed that."
Lythgoe also said he doesn't think it's fair for the media to connect Goodspeed's apparent suicide with her failed bid to compete on the show three years ago.
"To sort of tie that to an audition on American Idol I find ... upsetting, and for it to continually to be raked over, I find upsetting for her family," he told Access Hollywood.

Full House Remake Reportedly Scrapped...
Actor John Stamos' plans to reunite the cast of 90s U.S. sitcom Full House for a modern remake have reportedly been scrapped.
Former child star Candace Cameron Bure told OK! magazine this month of Stamos' plan to update the hit family sitcom for new audiences, much like the recently revived shows Bionic Woman, Knight Rider and Beverly Hills, 90210.
The "semi-remake" would center around Cameron Bure and co-star Jodie Sweetin's characters - who were the older sisters of Michelle Tanner, a role shared by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
But a TV insider has told E! news Stamos is "no longer pitching" the idea - because he couldn't drum up enough interest without the Olsen twins' involvement.
The source says, "We couldn't make the deal. It's completely dead right now."

Pin-up Icon Page Dies...
Legendary pin-up Bettie Page died on Thursday. She was 85.
Page suffered a heart attack last week in Los Angeles and never regained consciousness. She had been hospitalized for three weeks with pneumonia before the heart attack, according to her agent Mark Roesler.
Roesler said in a statement: "With deep personal sadness I must announce that my dear friend and client Bettie Page passed away at 6.41pm PST this evening in a Los Angeles hospital.
"She died peacefully but had never regained consciousness after suffering a heart attack nine days ago."

Kate Walsh's Husband Files For Divorce...
Alex Young, the husband of Private Practice actress Kate Walsh, has filed for divorce, Entertainment Tonight reports.
The couple married in September 2007 after dating a few months.
Young cited irreconcilable differences and filed on November 22.

Celebrity Birthdays...

These stars were all born on Dec. 12:
Game show host Bob Barker is 85.
Singer Connie Francis is 70.
Singer Dionne Warwick is 68.
Singer-guitarist Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers) is 65.
Actor Wings Hauser is 61.
Actor Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean) is 59.
Actress Sheree J. Wilson (Walker, Texas Ranger, Dallas) is 50.
Singer-percussionist Sheila E. is 51.
Guitarist Eric Schenkman of Spin Doctors is 45.
Bassist Nicholas Dimichino of Nine Days is 41.
Actress Jennifer Connelly is 38.
Actress Mayim Bialik (Blossom) is 33.

And That's The Dish!

Little Zachary
10 December 08 09:47 AM | Zach | 2 comment(s)

 Alright, I know, yell at me now. I've been missing!! No, the announcement wasnt that I was going poof for a few days. Two words for ya my friends: Final Exams. I'll be back in the swing of things tomorrow (with that announcement!). Just wanted to pop in and say hi, I'm not missing.

Here's a little something to keep ya good til tomorrow

Little Zachary was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything... Tutors, Mentors, flash cards, Special learning centers. In short, everything they could think of to help his math. 

Finally, in a last ditch effort, they took Zachary down and enrolled him in the local Catholic school.  After the first day, little Zachary came home with a very serious look on his face.  He didn't even kiss his mother Hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Zachary was hard at work.  His mother was amazed.  She called him down to dinner. 

To her shock, the minute he was done, he marched back to his room without a word, and in no time, he was back hitting the books as hard as before.  This went on for some time, day after day, while the mother tried to understand what made all the difference. 

Finally, little Zachary brought home his report Card. He quietly laid it on the table, went up to his room and hit the books. With great trepidation, His Mom looked at it and to her great surprise, Little Zachary got an 'A' in math. She could no Longer hold her curiosity. 

She went to his room and said, 'Son, what was it? Was it the nuns?' Little Zachary looked at her and shook his head, no. 'Well, then,' she replied, Was it the books, the discipline, the structure, the uniforms? 'WHAT WAS IT ALREADY?' 

Little Zachary looked at her and said, 'Well, on the first day of school when I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they weren't fooling around.'

12-4 Dish: ABC: March Premiere Set for DWTS...
04 December 08 11:39 AM | Zach | 5 comment(s)

This week, Campus decided that its time to do all their HUGE tech updates. So the servers have been UNGODLY slow. I sat here yesterday for 20 minutes, and only got half the dish post done. So I said heck with it and wanted to post. Apparently the internet kicked out totally then so I couldnt get online for another hour or two... So thats why there hasn't been a Dish since Monday

Today I can get online again (for the time being) but I cant get to my graphics host! So celeb pics and my pics are not going to be in the post

Stay tuned tomorrow for a huge-ish announcement!!

Aniston: 'Let Me Announce My Own Pregnancy'...
Jennifer Aniston is ready to become a mother, but she fears the tabloids have ruined her big reveal.
The actress, who is currently dating rocker John Mayer, is begging gossips and columnists to stop prematurely announcing her pregnancy - because she wants the happy news to be a big deal when she eventually does become a mum-to-be.
She tells Entertainment Weekly magazine, "It's almost going to take away the fun from actually being able to say one day, 'I'm pregnant!'
"Everyone will be like, 'Yeah, right.' It's the boy who cried wolf. Stop stealing my thunder!'
"I feel like that's (pregnancy) in my future and I'm on the verge of it in some way."

Oprah to tape show in D.C. during week of inauguration...
(UPI) - Oprah Winfrey has confirmed to "Access Hollywood" she will be taping her TV talk show in Washington during the week of the presidential inauguration.
"The Oprah Winfrey Show" has its headquarters in Chicago.
"I'm going to break that right here; that's where I'm going to be," Winfrey exclusively told "Access Hollywood" of her temporary move to the nation's capital. "See you there ... that's the place to be."
Winfrey, who is a vocal supporter of President-elect Barack Obama, also confirmed she has rented out the Opera House at the Kennedy Center to film the show in January.

Jamie Lynn has tummy trimming treatment - reports...
Oh brother...
Jamie Lynn Spears has undergone a secret fat-reducing cosmetic procedure, according to U.S. tabloid reports.
Both Star magazine and the National Enquirer allege 17-year-old Spears has had her tummy trimmed by soy-based injections that dissolve fat.
The Enquirer claims the former star of Zooey 101 underwent the procedure recently, at a clinic in Nevada; but Star claims Spears was actually treated in October 2007, shortly before she discovered she was pregnant with her daughter Maddie.

 

Heche pregnant with second child...
Anne Heche's publicist has confirmed the U.S. actress is pregnant with her second child.
The baby will be the first for Heche and her boyfriend James Tupper, whom she met on the set of the now-defunct series "Men in Trees" when both were still married to other people.

 

NBC Universal Cutting 500 Jobs...
By Paul Westcott
National Correspondent
In the latest round of layoffs at NBC Universal, 500 jobs are being cut starting at NBC News.

 

According to TVNewser, NBC News bureaus in Dallas and Los Angeles are already experiencing cuts, with the insider saying Dallas will experience more layoffs than in Burbank. Among those losing their jobs, NBC News correspondent Don Teague who has been with the network since 2002.
It's been a perfect storm for broadcasters specifically in their network news arms. Many network news divisions have been just keeping their head above water with ratings tanking for their once prosperous morning shows and evening news casts. That in additional to a general economic slump effecting ad dollars and their parent companies it seems little can be done to stop the impending slide into extinction.
Broadcast is not the only target of the cuts. CNBC the networks cable business network is expected to cut almost 80 staffers even with new competition from the Fox Business Network.
In the October memo, Mr. Zucker tasked executives with reducing costs by 3% by cutting promotion expenses, discretionary spending and the use of consultants—as well as staff costs.
“This kind of message is never easy, but it is the right step to make, and the right time to make it,” Mr. Zucker said in the memo. “We have no choice but to respond quickly to the external economic forces that are affecting the entire world economy.”

 

Kardashian: 'I will pose for Playboy again'...
Kim Kardashian wants Playboy boss Hugh Hefner to ignore reports she'll never pose nude in his magazine again - because she'd love to strip for him again someday.
The party girl-turned-reality TV star peeled off for a special 12-page pictorial in December 2007, but has since been quoted stating the photoshoot was a one off.
However, 28-year-old is desperate not to burn bridges between herself and Hefner - and wants him to keep her phone number on speed-dial for another spread in the future.

 

The Hills Newlyweds to Try for Baby...
The Hills stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt plan to start a family - just weeks after they married in a secret ceremony in Mexico.
The pair, who have been dating since 2006, exchanged vows while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas.
And the reality TV couple insist the next logical stage is to try for children.
Asked by website TMZ.com whether they plan on having a child, Montag says: "We are going to start it!". And Pratt adds, "(It's the) next step!"

 

ABC: March Premiere Set for DWTS...
Season 8 of Dancing with the Stars is scheduled to begin in March, ABC announced Wednesday.
The two-hour season premiere is to air March 9 with a cast of yet-to-be-announced celebrities.
"As with Season 5, each couple will have the opportunity to perform for two weeks prior to the first elimination, with every couple performing on both March 9 and March 16," ABC said in a news release.

 

Mark Ruffalo's Brother Shot in the Head...
Actor Mark Ruffalo's hairstylist brother is clinging to life after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in Beverly Hills, Entertainment Tonight reported.
The entertainment news program said Wednesday on its Web site that Ruffalo's brother Scott was discovered with the head wound this week and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the injury is being conducted.
Mark Ruffalo's film credits include Reservation Road, You Can Count on Me, Zodiac, 13 Going on 30 and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

 

This story interested me a bit!

 

Almost half of college-age people have psychiatric illness...

(UPI) - Almost half of those 18 to 24 years old meet the criteria for a mental health condition, U.S. researchers said.

The study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, found 45.8 percent of those attending college and 47.7 of those not attending college met these criteria.

The analysis of 2,188 U.S. college students between the ages of 19-25 years and 2,904 of that age not attending college found 20.4 percent of college students most frequently met the criteria for alcohol use disorders and 17.7 met those for personality disorders. Those not in college most frequently met criteria for personality disorders -- 21.6 percent -- and nicotine dependence -- 20.7 percent.

"For many, young adulthood is characterized by the pursuit of greater educational opportunities and employment prospects, development of personal relationships and, for some, parenthood," study authors Dr. Carlos Blanco of the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University in the city of New York and colleagues said in a statement.

"While all of these circumstances offer opportunities for growth, they may also result in stress that precipitates the onset or recurrence of psychiatric disorders."

They suggest "early treatment could reduce the persistence of these disorders and their associated functional impairment, loss of productivity and increased health care costs."

12-1 Dish: Kate Hudson 'Stalked a Man" (and she liked it)
01 December 08 12:41 PM | Zach | with no comments

So if you are a regular here at The Dish, you've been through some tough times with me... Now we have the ATTACK OF THE PING-BACK!! Over the past few posts, there have been numerous comments that arent really comments. Here's a warning

DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK! THESE ARE SPAM AND MAY HARM YOUR PC. 

I am working on removing them as fast as possible. 

Also, just received an email from CNN

-- The U.S. entered a recession in December 2007, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Ummm, why have we been told for the longest time that "we're not in a recession, dont worry about it"?

Finally, before we begin, check back later this week for a really cool announcement

Kate Hudson: 'I Stalked a Man'...
Kate Hudson once stalked a man she was desperate to date, and even recruited her friends to help her track the unwitting suitor down.
The single star confesses she was so obsessed with an unnamed bachelor, she tried to manipulate meetings in the hope he would ask her out.
She doesn't reveal if her tactics worked, but admits, "I did go through this stalker phase. I was completely crazy about this one guy and used to drive by his house and get my friends to call me up if they saw him in a restaurant so I could show up."

Britney Opens Up...
Britney Spears is still chopping out those people she can't trust in her life - because she fears they'll destroy her.
In a candid MTV documentary, which aired commercial free on Sunday night, the pop superstar revealed the events of the past few years have left her mistrusting many of those who have made up her entourage for years - and she's still learning who to trust.
She said, "I've been through a lot this year, actually the last two or three years and my trust has really been battered. I've definitely grown up, big time. I'm very weary of a lot of things. Very protective of myself.
"You are guarded, you have to be that way, otherwise you get taken advantage of and get in situations like I did.
"I had certain people in my life who were just bad people and I was very guarded at first but then I went to a point where I ended up letting them in, because I was lonely... and I really paid the consequences for that."
Spears concluded the often emotionally-charged documentary, which chronicled 60 days in her crazy life from the eve of her 2008 MTV Video Music Awards appearance to the middle of November, by warning those from her past who plan to ruin her future.
Half-joking she snarled, "Now I try to avoid situations from the past that may threaten me... I go through life like a karate kid."
The hour-long TV special, Britney: For The Record, featured Spears in dance rehearsals, chatting with Madonna backstage at the Material Girl's Dodgers Stadium show in Los Angeles, visiting New York for record label and fragrance meetings, and trying to avoid scary paparazzi encounters.

M.I.A. Convinced Baby is a Boy...
Pop star M.I.A. is convinced she'll give birth to a baby boy in February - because she's full of male energy.
The rapper/singer, who is pregnant with indie rocker Benjamin Brewer's baby, has visited a clairvoyant for information about her unborn child.

 

Beyonce Moved to Tears by Rehab Research Visit...
Beyonce Knowles was so moved by the plight of the recovering drug addicts she met while researching her new film Cadillac Records, she broke down in tears.
In the upcoming movie, the clean-cut "Bootylicious" beauty portrays soul legend Etta James, who battled numerous drug issues throughout her life. And to get into character, Knowles visited a rehabilitation clinic - so she could better understand the struggle faced by addicts.
The singer/actress contacted a New York-based substance abuse charity to arrange a meeting with six African-American women whose lives had been turned upside down by heroin.

 

Rosie O'Donnell Variety Show Pulled...
Actress/TV host Rosie O'Donnell has had her variety show "Rosie Live" scrapped after its preview on Wednesday received poor ratings.
The program was aired by TV network NBC to determine whether there was a market for the show.
But Rosie Live pulled in just 5 million viewers and garnered scathing reviews - prompting O'Donnell to admit her show was a failure.
She writes on her blog, "there will be no more. no ratings. bad reviews. yet still - a thrill 4 me."

 

Nicole Richie 'Stopping Madden Moving On From Hilton'...
Paris Hilton's best pal Nicole Richie is so upset by the socialite's split from Benji Madden, she's preventing him from meeting any potential new girlfriends.
The hotel heiress confirmed her break-up from Good Charlotte rocker Madden on November 21 , when she admitted the couple was "taking a break" after nine months together.
According to Madden's twin and bandmate Joel - who is also Richie's fiance - Benji has been coping well with the split.

 

Celeb Chef Gordon Ramsey Denies Affair...
Scottish celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is denying author Sarah Symonds' claims that he had a longstanding extramarital affair with her.
Usmagazine.com said Symonds penned "Having an Affair: A Handbook for the Other Woman" and publicly stated she had a seven-year affair with Ramsay, who has been married to wife Tana for 12 years and is the father of her four children.
"What a week I have had," the Daily Telegraph quoted Ramsay as telling the audience Friday for BBC's "Good Food Show." "I want to give you a big thank you for coming -- it's been a tough week."

 

Baldwin Brothers' Thanksgiving Football Game...
Hollywood's First Family the Baldwins celebrate Thanksgiving each year with a high-spirited game of American football at the clan's New York home.
After tucking into their turkey on Thursday, actor brothers Alec, William, Daniel and Stephen will head outside to battle it out on the football field.
And youngest brother Stephen Baldwin reveals the siblings are ultra-competitive.

 

And did you hear about the Wal*Mart Stampede! WOW! 

 

First up is a Cell phone video of after the stampede and when the ambulance arrived.


This is the actual stampede below


This is a FAIL video of an ice sculpture. Looked like it hurt!

And here's a story called Sentenced to Manilow!
Some noisy teens and young adults in Colorado got an earful after getting ticketed for loud music.
Judge Paul Sacco of Colorado has come up with a creative new way to punish these offenders...forcing them to listen to Barry Manilow, among other artists.
Sacco says he's tired of fining these young drivers for playing their music too loud. He says parents just pay the fine and the drivers learn nothing.

What do you think about THAT?

That's The Dish!