This is the strangest story I’ve heard all week.

Meghan McCain’s got a nice rack.

Usher’s ex wife is out to get him.

Bad romantic comedies teach bad dating habits.

What are Lady Gaga and Beyonce planning?

You go, Taylor Swift!

Scientists these days must be bored out of their minds, because many of the health studies that have been cropping up lately are painfully uninteresting. The results are so obvious that they might as well skip the experiment and just use their common sense. These “duh” stories really make you question the direction in which science is headed. Don’t these scientists have more important (and more shocking) discoveries to make?

Obese Americans Spend Far More on Health Care
The New York Times
According to a recent study, obese Americans spend 42% more on health care than Americans of normal weight. Although this is a serious issue, did we really need a formal study to tell us this? Who needs one to see that obesity (and the many health problems that result from it) is costly?

As Speed Limits Rise, So Do Death Tolls
The New York Times
A study of highway fatality rates has found that road deaths increased 3% after 1995, following the federal government’s repeal of the 55 mile-per-hour speed limit. Higher speed limits = more highway fatalities? I never would’ve imagined that. Read More »

I turned on the television this morning and I was flipping through the channels when I found something scathing to watch. A headline-making Chicago scandal. Money. Corruption. Politics.

I thought I was watching Chicago, but instead I was tuned in to MSNBC. It’s a story that journalists are calling “jaw-dropping,” “shocking,” and “appalling.”

Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevic was arrested this morning by federal authorities on charges of corruption. He has allegedly been attempting to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated US Senate seat to the highest bidder. The US Attorney’s office in Illinois released an affadavit this morning claiming that Gov. Blagojevic was overheard on wiretaps attempting to “sell or trade” the former senator’s seat in Congress for “personal” benefits. Both he and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, were indicted this morning and are expected back in federal court later this afternoon.

In addition to allegedly trying to sell Obama’s former Senate seat, Blagojevic is accused of witholding state aid from The Tribune Company (which filed for bankruptcy yesterday), until the Chicago Tribune agreed to fire staff members who had been critical of him in the past. Sha-dy.

Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald announced at a press conference that Gov. Blagojevic’s actions have begotten “a new low” in politics, and “[His] conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave.” Yeowza!

The allegations come on the heels of the aforementioned bankruptcy of one of the premeire media companies in the United States. As an ironic twist of fate, running against the famously corrupt image of Illinois politics was a prominent platform issue of Blagojevic when he was running for governor. If convicted, Blagojevic would be the second Illinois governor in two years (and fourth all-time) to be imprisoned for a crime, after former Governor George Ryan was sent to jail in 2006 for racketeering. In the meantime, several prominent Illinois politicians and authorities are calling for a special election to fill Obama’s Senate seat, so as to minimize the corruption of the position.

Bankruptcy, corruption, press, courts, Chicago, and all that jazz.

How could this happen, you ask?

Explanation after the jump. Read More »

As promised, I want to continue this series on why I find Jessica and Ashlee to be so insidious. As another esteemed blogger pointed out today, Papa Joe is up to something bad (again) with Ashlee and her overly eye-lined lover, Pete Wentz.

[On a side note: Pete, what, what, darling are you thinking? Didn’t you see what happened to Nick? I know you got a new deal with Nordstrom, and I guess that’s cool, but what’s making you so delusional? I mean, couldn’t you find another plasticized gal to replace Ashlee? I mean, it’s not Ashlee, it’s the fact that you’re marrying her dad, too! The guy is a creep, a class-A creep. Didn’t you watch the Newlyweds, or did the clan make you sign some contract, in which you agreed to NEVER pop it into your DVD machine?]

Let’s get back to the juicy stuff, and let Pete learn his own lesson. (I’ll be the first to express my sympathies to you, Mr. Wentz).

So, rumors abound in Hollyweird. Yes, there’s a whole lot of concern about Ashlee’s “bump.” (Hold on, I gotta go vomit. That overly used words makes me sick. Bump sightings here, there, everywhere – even guys have bumps these days!) There are so many friggin’ pregnancy rumors about Ashlee, you’d think the “rumor machine” would explode. If that’s the case, however, and Ashlee is pregnant, then let’s have a moment of silence. Why? Cuz’ Papa Joe is gonna appear at his vilest. Read More »

“Things are very confusing, looks like we are heading for a civil war and total destruction, its a ticking time bomb, any thing can happen any time”

That quote comes from Raj, in Harare, Zimbabwe on the BBC’s comment page.

Zimbabwe’s election (held March 29th) still has no clear winner. The opposition, led by Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC) accused incumbent Robert Mugabe of “preparing for poll war”.

The opposition petitioned Zimbabwe’s High Court to demand the immediate release of the poll results.

The Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC) countered by questioning the courts jurisdiction over the issue.

On Saturday, moreover, police prevented the opposition lawyers from entering the court to give their arguments. Luckily they made it into the court on Sunday.

On Monday the High Court ruled that it does have jurisdiction. The judge heard the case Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party said it wanted to re-check the election results because it feared discrepancies…. Right. Read More »

• As if popping and squatting isn’t awkward enough, now we have — the Shenis! Impressive, no? (Jezebel)

• For 3 hours this Saturday there are going to be a lot of angry fat kids. We should probably be a little nervous. (MSNBC)

• Who needs a masculine jock-y boyfriend when you can just drink man-flavored sweat soda? Mmmm. (Business Week)

• Penn State is bullying little kids out of using their logo. Cause you know, using a dangerous looking animal as a mascot is an original PSU idea. (Fredericksburg.com)

• Going to attempt to cram 50 dressed-up classmates into your dorm this Halloween? Of course you are! Here, we did a little shopping for you! (NerdApproved.com)

We all fall in love with the dorky character. Usually the Hollywood “dorks” are along the looks line of Adam Brody or Penn Badgley (who, FYI, is playing another nerdy persona as Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl this fall).

If all the nerdy guys looked like that, you’d be hard pressed to find a dork without a leading lady.

Although the “unlikely” character always gets the girl in the movies, its usually not so in real life. And it’s these unlikely Hollywood celebs that have made an unlikely impression on the general public: people think they’re sexy.

Seth Rogen is the one on the list that is really a no-brainer. He was the chubby awkward pothead in Knocked Up that made Katherine Heigl, and America, love him. So of course he would make the Most Unlikely to Be Sexy list.

And if you saw him in Judd Apatow’s two other films, 40 year Old Virgin and Superbad, then you loved him before Knocked Up and you certainly love him after.

The other on the list is Tina Fey—smart, funny and HOT. Come to think of it, shouldn’t she be on the most likely sex symbol list?? Read More »

You’re not the only one sick of Paris Hilton.

An MSNBC News anchor recently refused to lead with a Paris Hilton story, going so far as to try to light the story on fire, and when that didn’t work, walking over and putting it through a paper shredder.

News presenter Mika Brzezinski refused to report on the blond heiress’s release last week, declaring “I’m done with the Paris Hilton story. I won’t do it” and explaining that the second story, criticism of George Bush’s Iraq policy from a senior Republican, was much more news worthy.

Brzezinski was chastised by her two co-anchors, but their laughter and teasing did nothing to stop her. She refused to talk about Paris. “”I just don’t believe in covering that story” she resolutely stated to the camera, “especially not as the lead story in a newscast when you have a day like today.”

Bloggers have claimed the incident was a stunt pulled by MSNBC to gain viewers, but I like to believe it was a small step for humanity. Finally, someone had the courage and intelligence to deem Paris Hilton unworthy of the national news.

Mika, wherever you are tonight, I salute you.

Watching television and cramming for tests are the two times when I know that I have the tendency to mindlessly consume food. But now, I will be paying closer attention to just how much I am eating due to a recent article published on msnbc.

The article discusses a study where a free chicken wing buffet was offered to 52 graduate students while they watched the Super Bowl at a sports bar. Hey now, who could pass up free chicken wings? As part of the study, the waitresses were told to clear the dishes at only half of the tables. If people had their tables continually cleared, they continually ate. Each of these people ate an average of seven chicken wings apiece. The students who did not have their table bused ate less and had eaten an average of two fewer chicken wings per person, which is 28 percent less than those whose tables had been bused.

Read More »