doug kramer live

The Worst Baby Names Last Year … At Least Five Kids Each Were Named Swayze, Dierra, Cougar, Latina, Tron, Eh, Tequila, and Peniel:

The website KidCrave.com analyzed the Social Security Administration’s full list of baby names from 2011.  They weren’t looking for the most popular names … they were looking for the OBSCURE names.  Here are some highlights:

—Alcohol.  There were five girls named Tequila last year, and five boys named Patron.  There were also nine girls named Chardonnay and 12 named Abeer.

—Criminal.  There were 12 boys named Juvenal … six named Corleone … and five each for the names Capone, Gotti, Innocent, Bates, and Notorious.

—Sexual?  There were five girls named Peniel, and 116 named Analee.  There were six boys each for the names Manases, Penisimani, and Asser. 

—Celebrities.  There were five boys named Swayze, as in PATRICK SWAYZE.  Six girls were named Brees, as in DREW BREES.  Five boys were named Draper, like DON DRAPER.  And six girls were named Tiger … possibly after their father.

—Random.  Five girls were named Moo, six girls were named Latina, six girls were named Tomorrow, six boys were named Cougar, seven boys were named Tron, and seven girls were named Eh.  (KidCrave)

Four Not-So-Obvious Things That Are Stressing You Out:

A lot of things are obviously stressing you out … your job, dealing with your relatives.  But here’s a list of four things that might be stressing you out without you even REALIZING IT.

#1.)  The Lack of Cubicles at Your Office.  A lot of offices have open floor plans now, so you can see the whole way across the room.

—It seems like a good thing, but it can actually be more stressful than sitting in a cubicle, because your brain is constantly being distracted.  Even if you don’t notice all the extra activity, your BRAIN is working overtime.

#2.)  Sleeping with a Night-Light On.  It might even make you DEPRESSED.  Researchers at Ohio State made one group of hamsters sleep in complete darkness, and made the other group sleep with a night-light on.

—After eight weeks, the ones that used the night-light weren’t as active, and also started eating less.  Which are both symptoms of depression.

—According to the researchers, it mostly had to do with the sleep hormone melatonin, which your body produces when your brain thinks it’s dark outside.  When you sleep with a night-light on, sometimes your brain gets confused.

#3.)  Background Noises.  Even a buzzing fluorescent light or the hum of traffic adds to your stress level.  You just don’t notice it.

—In fact, studies have found that kids who live close to loud things like highways and airports tend to have higher blood pressure, and score lower on reading tests.  Their language skills take longer to develop too.

#4.)  Your Smartphone.  You can do basically anything on it now.  And when you bought it, you probably thought it would make your life LESS stressful, right?

—The problem is, when you have a smartphone everyone expects you to be available all the time.  And research has shown that your stress level goes up the more you check your email and text messages.

(Cracked.com)

The Top 40 Boy Band Members of the ’90s, Ranked By “Current Hotness”:   

There’s a new list of The Top 40 Boy Band Members from the ’90s, Ranked By Current Hotness online.  And that’s hot as in “attractive,” not hot as in “still having a career.”  Of course.

1.)  Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block

2.)  Justin Timberlake from ‘N Sync

3.)  Dan Miller from O-Town

4.)  Christian Burns from BBMak

5.)  Jeff Timmons from 98 Degrees

6.)  Nick Lachey from 98 Degrees

7.)  Erik-Michael Estrada from O-Town

8.)  Howie Dorough from Backstreet Boys

9.)  Stephen McNally from BBMak

10.)  Evan Farmer from 2Gether

7 Ways Of Saying Sorry That Are Actually Worse Than Saying Nothing At All

(Thefrisky.com)

1. “I’m Sorry You Feel That Way.” I’m sorry you feel that way is the Nellie Olson of apologies — superior, and snotty with small teeth and blonde braids and oh my god, Jesus Christ. “I’m sorry you feel that way” manages to express the word “sorry” without actually taking any responsibility. Instead, it puts it all back on the other person for feeling bad. In effect, it’s saying, “We wouldn’t be having this problem if you could get your own feelings under control.”

2. “Can’t We Move Past This?” What this actually means is “Can’t you move past this” because you’re the one holding up resolving this problem.

3. “I’m Sorry If I Hurt Your Feelings.” This apology doesn’t actually apologize for the transgressive act, it only seeks single you out for having your feelings hurt. Because you’re a total Sensitive Sally and big pussy. And you’re always taking things too seriously and why can’t you just take a friggin’ joke?

4. “Okay, I’m Sorry.” This says, “You’ve frustrated me to the point that I will acquiesce and give you an apology I don’t think you really deserve.”

5. “I’m Sorry If You Think I Was Being Insensitive.” It says, “I know I wasn’t really being insensitive, you just took it that way. Because you’re too sensitive.”

6. “Sorry, I Thought You’d Understand.” But you’re too jealous/insecure/oversensitive/silly/stupid for that.

7. “Sorry I Said Anything.” This apology turns the transgressor into the victim. They thought they were going to get extra points for being real. Now they’re the ones who are being victimized by you. All they were doing was trying to be honest. Why can’t you appreciate that?

Britney Spears’ “X Factor” Demands Include a Ton of Diet Coke and Doritos:

The not-always-reliable British tabloids claim BRITNEY SPEARS is demanding a boatload of diet coke and Doritos in her “X Factor” rider.

—Here’s a rundown of what she wants:

—12 Snickers bars … six cases of Diet Coke containing 24 cans, which must be replenished every week … 10 bags of Doritos for her and her team a day … 12 vases of magnolia blossoms in her dressing room … 

—And 10 pieces of chicken and four pints of potato salad every week.  She also requested a “beauty team,” which includes a personal manicurist, a facialist and a massage therapist.

Four Things You Might Be Doing Wrong on Facebook:

Even if you use Facebook every day, you still might not be doing it right.  The website Lifehacker.com has a list of things a lot of Facebook users do wrong.  Here are the top four.

#1.)  You Haven’t Messed with Your Privacy Settings.  According to a new study by “Consumer Reports”, 13 million Facebook members in the U.S. haven’t.  That’s just under 10% of us.

—But it’s really simple.  Just visit your “privacy settings” page, which you can access in the top right corner of your homepage.

—The easiest thing to do is change your default privacy from “public” to “friends,” so only your FRIENDS can see what you post.  Or you can choose “custom, and block certain people from seeing what you write … like your parents.

#2.)  You Let Facebook Spam Your Email Inbox with Notifications.  Changing your email settings is really easy.  Just go to your account settings in the top right-hand corner of your Facebook page, then click “Notifications” on the left.

—On the next page, just scroll down and uncheck the boxes next to anything you don’t want to get emailed about … like when someone “pokes” you, or comments on a picture you were tagged in.

#3.)  You Don’t Filter Your News Feed.  If you haven’t messed with the settings, chances are your news feed is packed with stuff you don’t care about … like baby pictures your ex posted.

—Facebook DOES automatically filter it a little bit, but they don’t know exactly what to filter unless you tell them.

—So the next time you see something in your news feed that you don’t care about, hover over the message, and click the downward-facing triangle in the upper right-hand corner of it.

—It gives you the option to receive ALL of the person’s updates, MOST of them, or only the most IMPORTANT ones.  Or you can cut them out of your news feed completely, without unfriending them.

#4.)  You Complain About Features You Hate, but Don’t Fix Them.  A lot of people do this.  But there’s a Facebook extension called SocialFixer that can get rid of just about anything you don’t like, including your chat bar and your timeline.

—It also lets you filter your news feed even MORE.

(Lifehacker.com)

Bar Refaeli Tops the “Maxim” Hot 100 List:  

“Maxim” magazine released its annual Hot 100 list yesterday … and LEONARDO DICAPRIO’S ex-girlfriend BAR REFAELI tops it.  

—Speaking of ladies Leo’s been all up in, BLAKE LIVELY made it to #13, but GISELE BUNDCHEN failed to make the cut.

—This year’s list was voted on by readers, which is how STEPHEN COLBERT managed to get to #69.  And Lois Griffin, a cartoon character from “Family Guy”, is #85.

—KIM KARDASHIAN also didn’t make the list … but Britain’s “Zoo” magazine just named her the Hottest Woman in the World.  (—You can read more about that here.)

—Here’s the “Maxim” Top 20 … 

#1.)  Bar Refaeli

#2.)  Olivia Munn

#3.)  Mila Kunis

#4.)  Katy Perry

#5.)  Olivia Wilde

#6.)  ”Hunger Games” minx Jennifer Lawrence

#7.)  Emma Stone

#8.)  Megan Fox

#9.)  Malin Akerman

#10.)  Adrianne Palicki

#11.)  Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

#12.)  Kate Beckinsale

#13.)  Blake Lively

#14.)  Lea Michele

#15.)  Kristen Stewart

#16.)  Charlize Theron

#17.)  Scarlett Johansson

#18.)  Katrina Bowden

#19.)  Victoria Justice

#20.)  Jennifer Love Hewitt

11 Signs He’s An d-bagg

(Collegecandy.com)

Treats Waiters Like Crap

In my poll, this was THE common denominator for determining if a guy’s an a-hole. If he can’t treat anyone in the service industry with respect, decency, patience, or kindness, he’s DEFINITELY an asshole.

Texts Instead of Talks…On Your Date!

Why are you even out together if he pays more attention to his phone than you?

Cites The Guy Code

BIG RED FLAG. Do you want to be dating Barney Stinson? NO! Or The Situation? NO! The “Guy Code” is BS speak for a-holes who try to get away with anything including cheating on you and any hit and runs they may be involved in on their way to the self-tanning salon. If he quotes it, throw a drink in his face and walk away.

He’s All About His Benjamin’s

Does he try to impress you by guessing what you’d go for at auction? Does he quote his yearly income, monthly salary, and is tighter with a nickel than Lindsay’s ass muling back from Mexico? If all he’s got is his mind on his money and his money on his mind, odds are he’s not the soundest investment…”don’t judge a man by the size of his WALLET!”

Mistreats His Mother

If a man treats his mom like crapola, and his mother’s not an abusive alcoholic, junkie, or anything of the sort, then he’s probably an a-hole. Look, no parents are perfect, and it sounds a bit cliché to say but it’s true: boys have a special bond with their moms. Kind of like “Daddy’s Little Girl” in reverse. Was Freud right? Not about wanting to sleep with them. But he did hit on the fact that even bad men love their mommas.

Cares More About How He Looks Than How You Look

Ah, the narcissist afflicted with a mild case of neurotically enforced body dysmorphia. If he checks himself out more than he checks you out, just put him in front of a mirror and walk away. He won’t notice for like, an hour.

Thinks He’s Holden Caulfield

Pulls double duty as an A-hole/Tool.

Treats Your Friends Like Fembots

This is why the friend’s seal of approval is a sacred and time-honored custom.

He Tells You To Lose 20 Pounds

What more proof do you need? Even if it’s true, you don’t say it unless it’s for extremely dire and immediate health concerns…and she’s on tranquilizers so she won’t remember it was said in the first place.

Hates Marvel’s The Avengers

He has no soul. Or he’s just an intellectual snob. And might be a critic for The New York Times who’s completely out of touch with the mainstream audience.

Believes Women Shouldn’t Get Free Contraception

You’re dating Mitt Romney.

A Bar Owner Told Underage Drinkers to Pretend to Be Cooks … But the Cops Busted Them When They Couldn’t Turn on the Grill:

On Saturday, police raided a bar in Indiana looking for underage drinkers.  They didn’t find any at first, because of the bar owner’s GENIUS PLAN.  When the cops were approaching, he told three girls, ages 15, 19, and 20, to go into the kitchen and pretend to be COOKS.  Only they didn’t know how to turn on the GRILL.  The cops found them cooking on the cold grill, and busted them and the bar.

Beastie Boys MCA was honored yesterday in New York…and State Senator Daniel Squadron said….”Whereas, the music and message of the Beastie Boys evolved over the years, but they can’t, they don’t, they won’t stop changing the face of hip-hop, of music, and of our culture …

#classic #ifyouknowthenyouKNOW

Jennifer Lopez Tops the Forbes Celebrity 100 List:  

JENNIFER LOPEZ tops this year’s Forbes Celebrity 100 List.  That’s the magazine’s annual list of the top stars, based on their income, visibility, social media presence and other factors.

—J-Lo earned $52 million over the past year, which is nowhere near the biggest haul for a celebrity.  But she’s all over the place … especially thanks to “American Idol”.

—OPRAH WINFREY finished second, even though her income over the past year was $165 million … more than TRIPLE J-Lo’s.

—JUSTIN BIEBER finished third, with an income of $55 million and a face that’s been pretty hard to avoid.  Here’s the rest of the Top 10 … 

#4.)  Rihanna

#5.)  Lady Gaga

#6.)  Britney Spears

#7.)  Kim Kardashian

#8.)  Katy Perry

#9.)  Tom Cruise

#10.)  Steven Spielberg

—KHLOE KARDASHIAN finished 73rd, but that other Kardashian sister, KOURTNEY, didn’t make the list.

—ASHTON KUTCHER made the list for the FIRST time this year.  He’s 51st.  And MELISSA MCCARTHY made her debut at #99.

—TIGER WOODS is the highest-ranking athlete on the list, at #12 … and RUSH LIMBAUGH is the top political figure.  He came in 19th.  (—Check out the entire list in annoyingly slow slideshow format at Forbes.com.)

Top 10 Ways To Become An Evolved Man

(Advice.eharmony.com)

By David DeAngelo, author of the best-selling eBook and free “Dating Secrets” newsletter

1. Stop Apologizing

Most guys who have challenges with women and dating feel they need to apologize for everything they do that other people don’t like. But if you make it a rule to simply stop apologizing for everything, over time you’ll build a stronger self-image, take more responsibility in your life, and let other people have their judgments without affecting you. Then you’ll be able to see when it’s truly appropriate to apologize. You’ll enjoy a nice boost to your personal power – and your ability to attract quality women.

2. Stop Seeking Approval

People who seek approval are constantly doing things so that other people will accept them. They’re looking for cues to see if people approve of them, and they continually change their behavior to what they think other people will like. They end up wearing out their welcome and being needy – which absolutely KILLS attraction. Most guys do this and they don’t even know it. Looking for the approval of women is like a drug – the more you get, the more you want, the worse it gets…and the less attractive you become. When you catch yourself seeking approval, shift gears and do something else.

3. Stop Giving Approval To Get It

Almost all of us guys do this one. If we find a woman we really like, we think if we let her do whatever she wants and get away with anything, she’ll love us and stay with us. In other words, we give approval in order to get it. There’s just one problem – it’s manipulative and will almost always backfire. If you’re not successful with women, you’re probably doing a LOT of manipulative things you’re not aware of. Just because you’re sweet and nice doesn’t obligate her to be sweet and nice back. Dating doesn’t work that way.

4. Surround Yourself With Successful Models

If you want to be successful, surround yourself with successful models. One of the miracles of technology is we can buy an audio or video recording, put on headphones, and hear or watch the teachings of experts around the world…both living and dead. Take 30 minutes a day to listen or watch a master of success, like Brian Tracy or Napoleon Hill, and your life will be transformed in a year. Try it.

5. Know Your Purpose In Life

The incredible number of choices we have nowadays is a blessing – but it’s also a boat anchor tied around our neck and we’re trying to swim. Confucius said, “Man who chases two rabbits catches none.” Exactly. We have so many options that most of us are confused about what path to take. We haven’t taken the time to sit down, block out all distractions, and figure out what our own life purpose is. I believe you CAN find your purpose for your life, and clarify it over time. The more you act on it, the clearer it will become…and the BIGGER it’ll become. If you don’t know your purpose, go lock yourself in a room with a pad of paper and a pen and don’t do anything until you figure it out. Eventually it’ll come to you. 

6. Travel

If you’re not regularly getting outside the little bubble you live in, you’re limiting yourself and your perspective. When you expose yourself to new places, people, and ideas, it’ll expand your mind and your view on things. I personally believe if everyone in the world could travel twice a year to far away countries, sit down with the people there and share a few meals, it would do a world of good. The more you travel and expand your mind, the more interesting a person you become and the more attractive you become to women.

7. Focus On Your Inner Game

Because we are so instant-gratification-minded as humans, we think techniques with women are where it’s at. But the truth is this – when you work on your inner game and learn the deeper principles at work, you’ll pick up the techniques along the way. If you learn from someone who just knows the tricks, when you get into real-world situations you won’t know when or how to use them when the situation changes. 

8. Accept Anxiety

Anxiety happens whenever we’re taking on something new and need to become a beginner again. But when you’re willing to try new things – and even look silly for awhile - you’ll be able to see things with new eyes and it’ll bring tremendous benefit to your life. 

9. Enjoy The Process Of Learning

I think it’s a tragedy that many people think school is so boring. We have so much pain attached to the learning process, that as soon as we get out of school we never want to learn anything again. But if you learn how to love the process of learning even more than WHAT you’re learning, you’ll spend the rest of your life learning new things and growing as a man. Continually look for new things to learn – and in the process you’ll meet women who love learning too.

10. Teach Others What You Learn Immediately

If you learn something great, the first order of business is to go teach it to as many people as you can. There’s something about teaching that makes the learning “stick.” If someone teaches you something and then you go teach it so someone else, it gets internalized deep within you. You’ll “get it” much faster. Teach others every great thing you learn, immediately. Then when you need it in the future, it will pop up for you automatically. Women will notice, believe me.

Five Annoying Twitter Habits You Should Break:

In March, Twitter announced they had 140 million users, who send a total of 340 million tweets a day.  If you’re one of the people who’s obsessed with it, here are five annoying Twitter habits that you should break.

#1.)  Constantly Asking Things You Could Easily Look Up.  If you’re on an eight-hour layover and want a recommendation for a good restaurant, that’s fine.

—Just don’t do it every time you go out for dinner.  As a general rule, if you can Google something, try that first. 

#2.)  Tweeting Too Many Photos of Food.  Everyone has a camera on their phone now, but it’s still surprising how many people post pictures of their lunch.

—Again, every now and then is okay.  But if you’re doing it more than once a week, you’re annoying people. 

#3.)  Ignoring Your Followers.  Obviously not every message deserves a reply.  But when someone tweets you and says they like one of your posts, it’s kind of rude if you don’t respond.

—CELEBRITIES can’t respond to every single message on Twitter.  But if you only have a hundred followers, you probably have time.

11 Times Not To Use Your Phone

(Collegecandy.com)

When White Girl Wasted

I’ve committed every phone crime in the book while white girl wasted. From texting the ex, making a booty call or thinking it’s a good idea to gush to mom that she is the greatest mom ever, I’ve done it all. I’m still waiting for a full proof breathalyzer phone app. Because when I’m drunk, I’m dumb enough to make the wrong decision, but not too dumb to execute that bad decision. It’s a problem.

While Driving

I’m not super coordinated. Period. I have no business texting while driving, riding a bike or even walking down the sidewalk. A perfect stranger once saved me from walking into an oncoming taxi while texting. Wish I could say it was Ryan Gosling.

After A Break Up

It’s so tempting to call or text an ex right after a break up. Don’t do it! I promise nothing he says will be good enough or what you need to hear.

When Pissed At The Roommate

Living with people is never easy. Even the best situations have a tendency to get tense now and again. Sometimes it’s tempting to send a text about something that’s bothering you, but no matter how hard you try to avoid it, the text is going to read ‘passive aggressive bitch.’ It’s always best to discuss roommate stuff face to face.

When Pissed Period

It’s maybe a good idea to avoid your phone any time your pissed…unless you’re a pro at containing the sass!

While In Class

I’m sure I would have to cram way less if I paid more attention to the professor and less to my phone while in class. Take notes? Is there an app for that?

While On The Pot, In The Shower, At The Pool

This goes back to my general lack of coordination. I shouldn’t allowed to handle my phone next to any bodies of water.

After Randomly Running Into The Ex

While it’s enticing to send a ‘Hey, good to see you. You looked great’ text…what good can really come of it? Let him think you’re really over him and say nothing!

While On A Date

It’s just rude.

During Finals

It’s hard enough to focus as it is. Why add further temptation and distraction?

NBC Has Announced Their New Shows for the 2012-2013 Season:  

All the major networks are unveiling their schedules for next season this week, and NBC is up first. 

—The biggest news is that they’re doing TWO seasons of “The Voice” next year … one in the fall and one in the spring.  All four judges will be back for the fall season, but an NBC suit said they might get different judges for the spring season. 

—“The Voice” is the first singing competition show to attempt two seasons in one year.  The question is:  Will it help boost “The Voice” above “X Factor” and “American Idol” … or is it overkill?  Apparently, NBC is “not worried about it running out of steam.”

—For the third year in a row, they’re launching a TON of new shows.  It seems like they’re still recovering from clearing one-third of their primetime schedule for the short-lived “Jay Leno Show” three years ago.

—Here’s a quick summary of the 16 new shows:

—“Go On”:  A sitcom starring Matthew Perry as a “miserable sportscaster” who returns to work after losing his wife in a car accident.

—“The New Normal”:  A sitcom about a gay male couple and their surrogate.  The woman is a “Midwestern waitress and single mother with a checkered past.”  Justin Bartha from “The Hangover” plays one of the gay dudes … and it was created by Ryan Murphy, the guy behind “Glee”.

—“Animal Practice”:  A comedy about a male veterinarian in New York, whose ex-girlfriend is put in charge of the animal hospital he works at.  It stars Justin Kirk from “Weeds”.

—“Guys with Kids”:  A sitcom about three men in their 30s who just became fathers, but are still desperately “trying to hold on to their youth.”  Jimmy Fallon created the show, and it stars Jesse Bradford from “The West Wing”, Anthony Anderson from “Law & Order”, Jamie Lynn Sigler from “The Sopranos” and Tempestt Bledsoe from “The Cosby Show”.

—“Save Me”:  A comedy starring Anne Heche as a woman who almost dies after choking on a sandwich.  When she’s revived, she realizes she now has “a direct line to God.”

—“1600 Penn”:  A comedy about a U.S. President and his family, starring Bill Pullman as the President, and Jenna Elfman as the First Lady.  NBC describes it as, quote, “‘Modern Family’ meets ‘The West Wing’.”

(—Bill also played the President in “Independence Day”.)

—“Next Caller”:  A sitcom starring Dane Cook as a foul-mouthed satellite radio DJ, who “is forced to share his show with a chipper NPR feminist.”

—“Revolution”:  A drama from “Lost” creator J.J. Abrams about a post-apocalyptic world where there’s no modern technology.

—“Chicago Fire”:  A drama about the firefighters and paramedics of a Chicago firehouse.  It was created by Dick Wolf, the guy behind “Law & Order”, and the cast includes Jesse Spencer from “House”, and David Eigenberg from “Sex and the City”.

—“Do No Harm”:  A drama that’s a play on the “Dr. Jeykll and Mr. Hyde” story.  It stars Steven Pasquale from “Rescue Me” as “a gifted neurosurgeon who has an alter ego with a dark side.”

—“Infamous”:  A drama about an FBI agent who investigates the death of a “wealthy socialite and notorious party girl.”  Everyone thinks it was an overdose, but he thinks it’s a homicide.

—“Hannibal”:  A drama inspired by Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter books … “Silence of the Lambs”, “Red Dragon”, “Hannibal”, and “Hannibal Rising”.  It’s about an FBI agent who teams up with Hannibal to solve crimes … not realizing that he’s a killer.

—“Stars Earn Stripes”:  A reality show like “Dancing with the Stars”, where celebrities compete in “real military exercises.”  There’s no word on a cast yet.

—“Howie Mandel’s White Elephant”:  It is what it sounds like … a game show inspired by White Elephant, the holiday gift-swapping game.

—“Ready for Love”:  A dating competition that takes “three impossibly handsome grooms,” and puts three matchmakers in charge of scouring America to find wives for them.  It sounds a little like a cross between “The Bachelor” and “American Idol”.

—“Surprise with Jenny McCarthy”:  A variety show hosted by Jenny McCarthy, where she “gives people surprises of a lifetime.”

“The Office” Will Be Back … Plus, NBC’s Other Cancellations and Renewals:

The shows NBC is NOT bringing back next season include:  ”Are You There, Chelsea?”, “Awake”, “Bent”, “Best Friends Forever”, “Harry’s Law” and “The Firm”.

—The shows they ARE bringing back include:  ”The Biggest Loser”, “30 Rock”, “Community”, “Grimm”, “Law & Order:  Special Victims Unit”, “Parenthood”, “Parks and Recreation”, “Smash”, “Up All Night”, “The Voice”, “Whitney”, “The Office” and “Celebrity Apprentice”.

CBS Has Canceled “CSI: Miami”:  

After 10 seasons, CBS has canceled “CSI: Miami” … the most ridiculous of the “CSI” shows.  The original “CSI” and “CSI: New York” have been renewed.

—Of course, the BEST part of “CSI: Miami” was DAVID CARUSO’S hilarious portrayal of Lieutenant Horatio Caine, which spawned all kinds of jokes, parodies and drinking games.

It’s Official:  ”Two and a Half Men” Is Returning Next Season:  

It’s official:  CBS is bringing “Two and a Half Men” back for another season.

—Earlier this month, we heard ASHTON KUTCHER, JON CRYER and ANGUS T. JONES had signed on for another season … but CBS didn’t officially renew the show until now.  This will be its 10th season.

—This isn’t a surprise.  The show averaged around 15 million viewers this season.

11 Signs You’re A Happy Man

(Mademan.com)

1. You Make a Lot of Eye Contact

According to a study in the British Journal of Psychology, happy people actively seek eye contact. Whereas sad people avoid the eyes. So if you’re “checking in” with everybody you see, you might be happy. (Or you could just be Jeff Goldblum.)

2. You’re 95 Years Old

Happy people live longer, according to a study from the University of Illinois. The Midwest researchers essentially showed that happiness causes better health and longevity. So if Willard Scott announces your birthday every year, you’re in good shape. Provided someone is around to change your diaper.

3. You’re Kind, Selfless and Empathetic

“Happier people tend to be more interested in the problems of other people,” says Gretchen Rubin, author of the book and blog The Happiness Project. “If you’re less happy, you’re going to be more self-absorbed and preoccupied with your own problems. Happier people don’t think of themselves as much. And they’re more likely to intervene to help other people.” So if you help ladies cross the street, you’re probably doing so with a smile on your face.

4. You’re Distracted

Happiness causes increased distractibility, according to a study at the Dresden University of Technology. So if you’re always saying, “Where was I again?” it might actually be because you’re happy. Or it could just be because you’re trying to have a conversation with someone while texting. In which case, stop doing that, jerk.

5. You’re Generous… and Laid Back

“Happy people give away more money,” says Rubin. “They volunteer more. It’s a very nice aspect of human nature. In fact, one of the reasons I started my Happiness Project is because I figured if I were happier, I would behave myself better. And it’s definitely true. I’m way more patient, more lighthearted, and I don’t take offense as easily. That’s another good sign that you’re happy—you’re not as prickly.”

6. You’re Healthy

Research shows that happiness correlates with a variety of health benefits, such as increased longevity (see Sign No. 2), less experience of pain, lower incidence of stroke and even fewer symptoms of the common cold. (That last one’s courtesy of Cohen, Doyle, Turner, Alper & Skoner, FYI.) Happy people are able to cope more effectively with stressful events and don’t get sick from them. Which explains why Paul Pfeiffer in The Wonder Years always seemed miserable… and sneezy.

7. You’re Not Addicted to Anything

“If you’re happy, you’re probably doing less self-medication,” says Rubin. “Through food, retail therapy, drinking, smoking, playing video games, reading celebrity gossip, whatever.” But these behaviors depend heavily on the context. So you should frequently ask yourself if you’re happy—and why you’re doing what you’re doing. “Are you buying a bunch of stuff because you’re going to have a party and that’s great, or are you buying a bunch of stuff because that’s the only thing that can make you feel better?” Ideally it’s the former.

8. You’re Successful

There’s a strong link between success and happiness. And according to a study at the University of California-Riverside, success doesn’t just make people happy. Happiness actually leads to success. So if you’ve got an awesome wife, great friends, cool hobbies and a dream job, you’re probably happy. And vice versa.

9. You’re Excited About the Future

“If you’re unhappy, there’s really nothing that you look forward to,” says Rubin. “Like, if you look at your calendar and it’s just a bunch of things that you dread, that’s a sign of unhappiness. Happy people look forward to things. They anticipate pleasure.”

10. Your Trust “Radar” Is Sharp

Here’s a quirky one. According to a study at The Ohio State University, happy people are better at trusting people who deserve to be trusted, and better at distrusting people who shouldn’t be trusted. In other words, if you’re loving life, you’re more likely to lend cash to a friend who’s good for it, and less likely to buy “magazine subscriptions” from some dude who’s just going to use the money to score blow.

11. You’re Breathing

“It turns out, most people all around the world say they’re either pretty happy or very happy,” says Rubin. And like we said at the top, if you’re not, try some of this stuff out. Seriously. You might be amazed at how much better you’ll feel. Like the poet once said: fake it till you make it.

The Best Beastie Boys Songs of All Time … According to “Rolling Stone” Readers:  

To pay tribute to the late ADAM YAUCH, “Rolling Stone” polled their readers to compile a list of The Best Beastie Boys Songs of All Time.  They released the results yesterday.  Here’s the list:

1.)  ”Sabotage” … from “Ill Communication”

2.)  ”Paul Revere” … from “Licensed to Ill”

3.)  ”So What’cha Want” … from “Check Your Head”

4.)  ”(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)” … from “Licensed to Ill”

5.)  ”No Sleep ‘Till Brooklyn” … from “Licensed to Ill”

6.)  ”Intergalactic” … from “Hello Nasty”

7.)  ”Brass Monkey” … from “Licensed to Ill”

8.)  ”Sure Shot” … from “Ill Communication”

9.)  ”Shake Your Rump” … from “Paul’s Boutique”

10.)  ”Get It Together” … from “Ill Communication”

(—You can read brief write-ups on each song at RollingStone.com.)

It’s also a fun time to watch those great high school movies that feature memorable prom scenes.

Here are 10 movies with the most memorable prom scenes …

10. Twilight
9. Prom Night
8. Never Been Kissed
7. 10 Things I Hate About You
6. Napoleon Dynamite
5. Footloose
4. She’s All That
3. Pretty in Pink
2. Carrie
1. American Pie (NowPublic)

Check Out the Strangest Places People Fall Asleep … Including Church, Concerts, and the Toilet:

According to a new survey, 67% of Americans admit they fall asleep somewhere other than their bed at least once every few weeks.  10% say it happens daily.  So where are we randomly passing out?  Check it out …

—12% have fallen asleep at work.

—10% have fallen asleep at school or in class.

—7% have fallen asleep at church.

—5% have fallen asleep in a car … and 2% have fallen asleep WHILE DRIVING.

—4% have fallen asleep ON THE TOILET.

—3% have fallen asleep in meetings.

—And 1% have fallen asleep either at a bar … a party … the doctor’s office … STANDING UP … during a conversation … AT A CONCERT … in a court room … in the bathtub or shower … or DURING SEX.  

7 Mistakes People Make On Facebook

(Consumer Reports.org)

Here are 7 Mistakes People make when using the social networking site Facebook.

Using a Weak Password

Avoid simple names or words you can find in a dictionary, even with numbers tacked on the end. Instead, mix upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. A password should have at least eight characters. One good technique is to insert numbers or symbols in the middle of a word, such as this variant on the word “houses”: hO27usEs!

Leaving Your Full Birth Date in Your Profile

It’s an ideal target for identity thieves, who could use it to obtain more information about you and potentially gain access to your bank or credit card account. If you’ve already entered a birth date, go to your profile page and click on the Info tab, then on Edit Information. Under the Basic Information section, choose to show only the month and day or no birthday at all.

Overlooking Useful Privacy Controls

For almost everything in your Facebook profile, you can limit access to only your friends, friends of friends, or yourself. Restrict access to photos, birth date, religious views, and family information, among other things. You can give only certain people or groups access to items such as photos, or block particular people from seeing them. Consider leaving out contact info, such as phone number and address, since you probably don’t want anyone to have access to that information anyway.

Posting Your Child’s Name in a Caption

Don’t use a child’s name in photo tags or captions. If someone else does, delete it by clicking on Remove Tag. If your child isn’t on Facebook and someone includes his or her name in a caption, ask that person to remove the name.

Mentioning That You’ll Be Away From Home

That’s like putting a “no one’s home” sign on your door. Wait until you get home to tell everyone how awesome your vacation was and be vague about the date of any trip.

Letting Search Engines Find You

To help prevent strangers from accessing your page, go to the Search section of Facebook’s privacy controls and select Only Friends for Facebook search results. Be sure the box for public search results isn’t checked.

Permitting Youngsters to Use Facebook Unsupervised

Facebook limits its members to ages 13 and over, but children younger than that do use it. If you have a young child or teenager on Facebook, the best way to provide oversight is to become one of their online friends.

Joe Jonas, Carmen Electra and The Situation Are Among the Celebrities Participating in Fox’s Dating Show “The Choice”:  

Fox actually landed some decent single celebrities to participate in their upcoming dating show, “The Choice”.  (—We heard about this last week.  It’s a total rip-off of “The Voice” … with the spinning chairs and everything.)

—On each episode, four celebrities will choose a non-famous bachelor or bachelorette to go on a date with.  Initially, the stars will have their backs turned to the contestants, so they won’t be able to judge based on appearance.

—The participating celebrities are:

—Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers

—Dean Cain, who played Superman on “Lois & Clark”

—Fashion model Tyson Beckford

—Season Five “American Idol” winner Taylor Hicks

—“Jersey Shore” stars Pauly D and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino

—Rob Kardashian

—Rapper Romeo

—Chef Rocco DiSpirito

—Radio personality Michael Catherwood, a.k.a. Psycho Mike

—Former NFL star Warren Sapp, and current NFL players Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions and Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots.

—Former “Saturday Night Live” star Finesse Mitchell

—Olympic skier Jeremy Bloom, Olympic snowboarder Seth Wescott and Olympic Taekwondo gold medalist Steven Lopez

—Soap opera actor Jason Cook, who’s on “General Hospital”

—Parker Young, who’s on the ABC sitcom “Suburgatory”

—And cosmetic surgeon Dr. Robert Nettles  (???)

—There will be one episode featuring female stars.  They will be:

—Carmen Electra

—“Playboy” model Hope Dworaczyk, who was on “Celebrity Apprentice”

—Former Miss USA Rima Fakih

—Australian actress Sophie Monk, who was in “Date Movie” and “Click”

—“The Choice” premieres on June 7th.  CAT DEELEY is the host.

—By the way, Fox is now ADMITTING the obvious:  That ‘The Choice” was initially a spoof of “The Voice”.

—Fox suit Mike Darnell says, quote, “What started out as a goof ended up being a ridiculously good format.  It really feels like a hit.  It was charming and funny … [the show] works beautifully.  It’s going to sell all over the world.”

—The show is more about the CHOICES than the actual DATES … but nonetheless it’ll be interesting to see what happens there.

—Darnell says, quote, “The [female contestants] took it ridiculously seriously … like they were getting married.  A couple of the setups really had chemistry.” 

Six Warning Signs You’re Addicted to Facebook: 

Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway have developed a way to tell whether you’re becoming addicted to Facebook.  Check it out … 

—Women, introverts, and people who are disorganized are more likely to develop a problem.  The researchers also came up with six questions that will help determine whether you’re addicted.  

—Using a scale of one to five, rate how closely each question relates to you.  If you give yourself a four or a five on at least four of the questions, you might be an addict.          

#1.)  Do you spend a lot of time thinking about Facebook, or planning HOW you’ll use it?  

#2.)  Do you feel an urge to use Facebook more and more?

#3.)  Do you use Facebook to forget about personal problems? 

#4.)  Have you tried unsuccessfully to quit or cut down?

#5.)  Do you become restless or troubled if you’re prohibited from using Facebook?

#6.)  Has using Facebook had a negative impact on your job or studies?  (MedicalXpress)

Three Ways to Be Luckier in Your Career:

According to a recent LinkedIn survey, almost 70% of workers say the most important factor when it comes to being “lucky” in your career is having a strong worth ethic.

—The big misconception about “luck” is that you don’t have to work for it.  The truth is, you have to be proactive.  And you have to take advantage of opportunities whenever you can.  Here are three ways to be luckier in your career. 

#1.)  Network with Everyone.  Not just people you meet through your job.  Talk to anyone you can, whenever you can.  Even if it’s the person standing next to you in line for coffee.

—The more people you meet and connect with, the better your chances are of finding someone who can do something for your career.  They might not even work in the same industry as you do.  They might just know someone.

#2.)  Break Out of Your Routine.  You won’t be lucky in your career unless you give yourself a CHANCE to be lucky.  And if you have the exact same routine every day, your chances of meeting new people aren’t very good.

—Try going to lunch with someone new from your office.  Or maybe just try a different bar for happy hour this week.

—The bottom line is, any time you surround yourself with new people, you give yourself a better chance of meeting someone who can help you out.  

#3.)  Don’t Be Shy About What You Want.  You don’t want to seem like you’re just USING the person.  But if you speak up, your chances of getting what you want will skyrocket.  (Investors.com)

Words Women Use

(Facebook)

This has been on the Internet forever. But it’s wisdom is as true as the day it was when it was first an email forward on America Online back in 1995.

Nine Words Women Use

1. Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

2. Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the football before helping around the house.

3. Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don’t Do It!

4. A Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer quickly to No 9 for the meaning of nothing.)

5. That’s Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That’s okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

6. Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you’re welcome. (I want to add a clause here - This is true, unless she says ‘Thanks a lot’, which is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say ‘you’re welcome’ - that will bring on No. 7).

7. Whatever: Is a woman’s way of saying, “F— YOU!”

8. Don’t worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking ‘What’s wrong?’ For the woman’s response refer to No. 4.

9. Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in “Fine”.

……………………….that is all