UCN Written Prep

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

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Today’s One-Liners
Celebrity News
Music News
Water Cooler Talk
Our Weird World
Lifestyles
Who Am I?
Impossible Question
Mars vs. Venus
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Top DVD Sales and Rentals
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Today’s One-Liners

LOOKING FORWARD TO THERAPY PATIENT #2
On this week’s “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” Kim Kardashian visited a fertility expert who said Kim could get pregnant again in spite of some health problems.***

***Kim had some surgery on her uterus. Not only did the doctor fix everything, he also found half a dozen Super Bowl rings.

***Kim’s looking forward to giving birth again, although Lamar and Scott would probably fight over stealing her epidural.

THAT’S HOW ONE DIRECTION GOT RID OF ZAYN
TMZ is reporting that Justin Bieber was placed in a chokehold by security and booted out of Coachella during Drake’s set; the singer is threatening legal action.***

***Bieber had trouble making his way through security at the start. Madonna patting him down took about an hour.

***This left a bad taste in Bieber’s mouth. But Drake said, hey, at least you didn’t kiss some old white lady.

***Bieber was ticked. And fans were really angry that they missed the best performance of the night.

HIS PITCHING COACH, 50 CENT, WAS DISAPPOINTED
Tom Brady tossed out a terrible first pitch at Fenway Park in Boston on Monday.***

***Because there’s really no way to underinflate a baseball.

THEN HE HAD SOME COMMONERS EXECUTED
People magazine says that Britain’s Prince George, after being told that his daddy Prince William was visiting China, looked for him in the China cabinet.***

***And when you mention Prince Harry, George looks in the liquor cabinet.

THE RESTAURANT PUT UP A PINATA WEARING A PANTSUIT
Hillary Clinton, now campaigning for president, ate lunch at a Chipotle restaurant in Ohio Monday with longtime aide Huma Abedin; Hillary is on her way by van to Iowa.***

***At Chipotle, you bring your own food to your table. Which is good because Hillary might delete her server.

***Huma’s husband is Anthony Weiner. She’s getting Hillary ready for 2016, he was home texting pictures to a 20 and a 16 year old.

***Bill decided not to go with Hillary on the drive even though he was in another car’s backseat until about 2 a.m. last night.

IT’S SOME CLOTHES AND 600 EMPTY VODKA BOTTLES
TMZ says Lindsay Lohan is trying to stop mom Dina from selling off her belongings in an attempt to make money.

***Lindsay says she may even call the cops. Which is strange because they stop by the Lohan place every day as it is.

***Dina needs to make room in her garage because she’s not going to be taking her car out any time soon.

HE SHOCKED HIMSELF BY NOT WALKING ON WATER
Kanye West performed a free concert in the capital of Armenia, wrapping up the show by jumping in a nearby lake; the singer is there with Kim Kardashian who’s shooting scenes for her reality show.***

***Kanye jumped in the water and the crowd was cheering like crazy. But then he came back up to the surface.

THE CROWD THOUGHT BETTY WHITE HAD GONE NUTS
Madonna joined Drake on stage at Coachella, with Madge giving the young singer a lap dance and kissing him.***

***Drake was ready for it because he kissed his grandma over Easter.

***After, Drake put his hand over his mouth didn’t seem happy…probably because Madonna stole 20 years of his life force.

DTF WITH RZA AND GZA? SHE SAID THAT’S BS
On a recent episode of syndicated show “Divorce Court,” a man accused his wife of sleeping with the entire Wu-Tang Clan.***

***In her defense, she wanted a concert souvenir and those T-shirt prices are just ridiculous.

Celebrity News

Suzanne Somers Gets The Boot On ‘Dancing With The Stars’
Suzanne Somers was eliminated from “Dancing with the Stars” last night. “I just want to say something about Tony Dovolani: he is a gentleman and he gave me everything he had,” the 68-year-old star said of her professional dance partner upon learning their fate. Still in the running for the coveted mirror-ball trophy, along with their partners, are Noah Galloway, Robert Herjavec, Patti LaBelle, Nastia Liukin, Riker Lynch, Willow Shields, Chris Soules and Rumer Willis. The scores from last night:

Ryan Reynolds Hit By A Car
Ryan Reynolds was the victim of a hit-and-run in a hotel parking lot, but he wasn’t hurt. That’s according to his publicist and police in Vancouver, British Columbia. Publicist Leslie Sloane says Reynolds was struck by a paparazzi driving a car through an underground garage. Reynolds, who was born in Vancouver, is in the Canadian city shooting his new film, “Deadpool.”

Lou Holtz To Leave ESPN
ESPN reporter Lou Holtz is leaving the network, ending his time as an analyst for college football. Holtz announced last May he would retire after the 2014 season, but his retirement was not confirmed. Holtz was a head football coach at William & Mary, N.C. State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina. He also briefly led the Jets in 1976. His retirement will end his long-standing broadcast with Rece Davis and analyst Mark May.

Ireland Baldwin Checks Into Treatment Facility For ‘Intensive Therapy’
Model Ireland Baldwin announced via Twitter that she has checked herself into a Malibu rehab center to “take a breather” and work on some personal issues. Baldwin is the 19-year-old daughter of celebrity exes Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin, who divorced in 2002 after nine years of marriage. “I checked myself into Soba for two weeks to just get away for a little bit,” Ireland tweeted. “I’m not much a party cat but I am here deal with some emotional trauma and getting the intensive therapy I needed in order to recover. Someday I’ll feel ready to share my story openly without feeling the way I do. Right now I just needed a breather. I needed a chance to work on myself and gather all the tools I need to overcome everything that I had been through and rid myself of all the pain I locked away in unreachable places.”

Letterman’s Last ‘Late Show’ Guests
George Clooney, Julia Roberts, John Travolta and Oprah Winfrey are among the stars slated to appear on the final episodes of “Late Show with David Letterman,” CBS announced. Also booked as guests during the last six weeks of Letterman’s tenure are Robert Downey, Jr., Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Tom Hanks, Jack Hanna, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Keaton, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Sarah Jessica Parker, Don Rickles, Ray Romano, Paul Rudd, Jerry Seinfeld, Martin Short, Howard Stern, Bruce Willis, The Avett Brothers and Brandi Carlile, Elvis Costello, Dave Matthews Band, Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, Mumford and Sons, Ralph Stanley and Amos Lee. Others are to be announced in the coming weeks. Letterman, 68, is the longest-running host in U.S. late-night history, with a combined 33 years as star of NBC’s “Late Night,” then CBS’ “Late Show.” His final edition of “Late Show” air May 20th. Stephen Colbert will take over as host of the program.

Tina Knowles Marries Richard Lawson On Yacht
Tina Knowles married actor Richard Lawson in an all-white wedding Sunday on a yacht off the coast of Newport Beach, California. Beyoncé attended the wedding with husband Jay Z and 3-year-old daughter Blue Ivy. Beyoncé’s sister, Solange, was also in attendance as well. The wedding comes five months after Solange’s wedding. Knowles is a businesswoman and fashion designer. Lawson has appeared in “Poltergeist” and “Dynasty.” The couple began dating in 2013 after Knowles divorced Beyoncé’s father, Mathew Knowles, in 2011. This is the second marriage for both Lawson and Knowles.

Sarah Paulson Checks Into ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’
Sarah Paulson has booked an “American Horror Story: Hotel” stay. The actress is the latest addition to the cast for the upcoming fifth installment of the FX hit series, joining other returning stars including Kathy Bates, Wes Bentley and Chloe Sevigny. Series co-creator Ryan Murphy announced Paulson’s casting on his Twitter, writing, “Sarah Paulson is checking into ‘Hotel.’ And this season, she’s the baddest bad girl of them all. #AHSSeason5.” Murphy previously hinted at Bates’ role, tweeting, “Kathy Bates is running the Hotel. #AHSSeason5.” Lady Gaga and Matthew Bomer are also going to star on “Hotel,” but their roles are still kept under wraps. The 13-episode new season of “AHS” is expected to debut in October.

Lindsay Lohan Threatens to Call Police On Mom
Lindsay Lohan is threatening to shut down an online flea market selling her stuff set up by her mother Dina Lohan. According to TMZ, LiLo asked her friends for help but failed, and she is now trying to get help from police. The actress recently learned of her mother’s “scheme” of selling off her stuff including clothing, furniture and artwork online and directly to some friends without her knowledge. The items on sale are allegedly worth millions, and were moved to Dina’s house during the filming of Oprah Winfrey’s docuseries. A rep for Dina Lohan says Dina has denied selling any of Lindsay’s stuff.

Music News

Madonna To Appear Nude In Playboy Again
Playboy is once again going to publish nude photos of Madonna from before she was a star. The May issue will feature photos of the singer taken in 1979 by Martin H. M. Schreiber. The photos also will be included in Schreiber’s upcoming book, “A Retrospective 1966-2014.” In 1985, both Playboy and Penthouse published nude photos of Madonna from 1978, taken when she was broke and just starting out.

Willie Nelson Not Dead
The internet was buzzing yesterday with news that Willie Nelson had died, the victim of another celebrity death hoax. Willie may be 81-years-old, but he’s still alive and kicking. The false news site MSMBC posted an article that Willie Nelson was “found dead today in his Maui home.” It goes on to give details to state that rumors of his death first circulated early on February 21st by social media outlets, and that the police later confirmed the news. There were even quotes from the “police.” Not only is Nelson is alive and well, he just announced the lineup for his 4th of July picnic this summer and the release of another studio album with Merle Haggard.

Sons Of John Mellencamp Sentenced
The sons of John Mellencamp have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery charges. Speck Mellencamp, 19, will spend four days in jail and 20-year-old Hud Mellencamp will serve 50 hours of community service. They were charged with punching and kicking a 19-year-old man in Bloomington that they believed hit Speck Mellencamp in July 2013.

Justin Bieber Kicked Out Of Coachella
Justin Bieber was kicked out of Coachella Sunday night by the event’s security after being put in a chokehold. Bieber was at Coachella with his entourage to see Drake’s performance. When he was about to enter the concert hall through artist’s entrance, security refused to let him in, saying the area was at capacity. Bieber then showed his wristband and claimed he had got personal invitation from Drake himself. Despite the invitation, the security insisted that Bieber leave. Bieber reportedly refused and said that he couldn’t wait in line since fans would mob him. Finally, a festival staff member came and agreed to escort Bieber and his entourage into the artist’s section. However, the event’s security suddenly approached the singer and reportedly put him in a chokehold. An argument between the entourage and the security ensued and Bieber was allegedly thrown out. Several sources close to Bieber, however, said that the singer left the venue by his own choice. Bieber and his entourage are considering taking legal action against the Coachella security.

Justin Moore Plans To Go Home
Justin Moore could be coming to a home near you soon. Moore said he would do a home concert for one lucky fan through a contest on his website – depending on sales of his “Off the Beaten Path” CD. In a recent announcement to his fan club email subscribers, he said that each time a new album sales milestone is reached, prizes like autographed CDs, meet and greets, personal phone calls and more will be unlocked. If more than 150,000 albums are sold, Moore said he would play a private, acoustic concert at one lucky fan’s home. The “Gold Record Challenge” fan contest also promises 25 personalized gold plaques, 25 exclusive meet and greet and additional prizes upon reaching the 150,000 sales mark.

J. Cole Finally Gets His Degree
J. Cole graduated from St. John’s University summa cum laude in communications yet never had the paper to prove it – until now. Several St. John’s faculty members stopped by Cole’s backstage area last week to present him with his degree, which he earned in 2007. Cole admits sheepishly he never got it because he had an outstanding library book, and any outstanding fee means the school would hold the degree. Cole says apparently St. John’s is going to let him slide and he’s going to send his certificate to his mom. By the way, he doesn’t remember what the book was.

Suge Knight’s Hit and Run Victim Says He Won’t Snitch
Cle “Bone” Sloan, the man who survived Suge Knight’s fatal hit and run, appeared in court for Suge’s preliminary hearing yesterday. Cle tearfully testified that he couldn’t remember the fatal accident and would not snitch. “I don’t want it to get misconstrued that I told on this man,” Cle said, pointing at the former Death Row Records CEO. “I’m no snitch. I will not be used to send Suge Knight to prison.” When Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Barnes asked Cle if he recognized Suge at the burger stand that day, he replied, “No ma’am.” He also refused to identify Suge as the man behind the wheel of the truck which struck him. Cle agreed when Suge’s lawyer said he attacked the music mogul prior to the crash but he denied carrying gun. The hearing was recessed and will resume on Thursday, when the judge will rule whether the case should go to trial. Local businessman Terry Carter was killed in the incident.

Darius Rucker Plays Receiver For Gamecocks
Darius Rucker got to live his dream: he caught a pass from the Gamecocks quarterback. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier holds an annual spring football game, and each year he calls on a guest receiver to come off the sideline and catch a long ball. This year, it was Rucker, who is a South Carolina alumnus. He caught the ball from quarterback Connor Mitch during Saturday’s game.

Kelsea Ballerini, Lee Brice Among Additions To ACM Charity Concert Lineup
With the 50th Annual ACM Awards right around the corner, details are being finalized for both the ceremony and subsequent special events. On April 18th, Dierks Bentley will be hosting a motorcycle ride and charity concert to raise money for charities including ACM Lifting Lives, a non-profit that seeks to better individuals’ lives through music. Thompson Square and Montgomery Gentry, among others will be performing at the event, in addition to the just-announced Kelsea Ballerini, Lee Brice and Brooke Eden. Each artist will perform a special set of songs during the day, and all proceeds raised from the concert will benefit the ACM Lifting Lives charity, local child abuse advocacy groups and military non-profits. The actual 2015 ACM Awards will take place on April 19th, in Arlington, Texas.

A&M Records Sues Over Temple Of The Dog Master Tapes
A&M Records is suing the co-founder of a Seattle studio to make him turn over the master recording tapes from Temple Of The Dog, which featured Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. The lawyer for Rajan Parashar said his client has the master tapes and they are his. A&M’s lawsuit says Parashar’s late brother Rick had agreed to turn over the tapes to the musicians for $35,000. Parashar says he was not part of the deal with his brother and A&M. Temple Of The Dog had a hit with “Hunger Strike” in 1992.

Mariah Carey Announces New Number Ones Collection
Mariah Carey is planning on releasing new music soon – although not a lot of it. Carey recently announced “#1 To Infinity,” a new collection of her No. 1 hits to be released in mid May. The album will feature all 18 of her chart-toppers, placed in chronological order of when they hit number one. The hits compilation will feature one new track, “Infinity.” “Infinity” is Mariah’s first release with Epic Records, her new home since leaving Island Def Jam last year. Her Epic signing sees her working with industry leader L.A. Reid again. In addition to her latest greatest hits collection, a new single, and work on a future album of original material, Carey is wasting no time in kicking off her Las Vegas residency. The first 18 dates of her “#1’s” show have already been announced and are for sale, with dates beginning as early as May 6th.

Dallas Considers Art Piece Devoted To Stevie Ray And Jimmie Vaughan
A park that’s blocks from where Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan grew up may be the site of an art piece in their honor. Documentary filmmaker Kirby Warnock is leading the project. The city has set aside money for the piece of public art in Kiest Park, but Warnock still needs to raise $68,000 for the rest of the cost and for 20 years’ worth of maintenance. The park board will vote Thursday on an agreement with a foundation regarding the project. What the piece will look like has not been determined. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble will be among the inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Jon Bon Jovi To Produce Reality TV Show
Jon Bon Jovi will put his support behind a show that takes famous musicians back to their hometowns to find out what would have happened had they never left. Bon Jovi will be an executive producer for a reality show called “If I Wasn’t A Rock Star.” Bon Jovi calls it “a celebration of the working men and women of this country,” who he says are “the real rock stars.” Details of where and when it will air or which rock stars will be involved have not been given.

Providence To Give Darlene Love Honorary Doctorate
Darlene Love will bestow her wisdom upon the graduates at Providence College. Love will give the commencement address at Providence’s commencement on May 17th. Love will also be given an honorary doctorate of music.

Water Cooler Talk

Space Station Getting Italian Espresso Maker
The next space station grocery run will carry caffeine to a whole new level. There’s an authentic espresso machine straight from Italy aboard the SpaceX supply ship. It was scheduled for launch yesterday with 4,000 pounds of food, science research and other equipment. The launch was delayed by bad weather. SpaceX will try gain to launch today. The experimental espresso machine is intended for International Space Station astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy. It was supposed to arrive in January, shortly after her arrival, so she could get some relief from the station’s instant coffee. But it ended up on the back burner after a station shipment from Virginia was lost in a launch explosion.

Ramp Agent Discovered In Cargo Hold Of Alaska Airlines Plane
A ramp agent was somehow locked into the cargo hold of an Alaska Airlines plane headed for Los Angeles yesterday. The pilot of Flight 448 heard banging coming from underneath the plane right after takeoff, and immediately turned the plane around to return to Seattle. “The aircraft was in the air for 14 minutes,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement. “After landing, the ramp agent was found inside the front cargo hold, which is pressurized and temperature controlled. The ramp agent appeared OK, and was transported to the hospital as a precaution.” The company is investigating the incident.

Sen. Marco Rubio Announces Presidential Campaign
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) announced his presidential campaign last night at Miami’s Freedom Tower, saying, “now the time has come for our generation to lead the way toward a new American Century.” In a speech lasting about 20 minutes, the 43-year-old told his supporters, “I live in an exceptional country where the son of a bartender and a maid can have the same dreams and the same future as those who come from power and privilege.” Earlier in his speech, Rubio referenced Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid, saying she was a leader from “yesterday,” and called out people who think he should “wait his turn” to run. “I cannot,” he said, “because I believe our very identity as an exceptional nation is at stake, and I can make a difference as president.” Rubio joins Senators Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Ky.) as the only major Republicans in the race to date.

Our Weird World

Prepper Expo
A new “preppers” expo wants to get attention with a zombie costume contest. The PrepperCon is scheduled for April 24-25 in a Salt Lake City suburb. Organizers are taking a cue from the Comic Con shows, and are calling for people to come in costume, either as a zombie or a post apocalyptic survivor. Scott Stallings, one of the show’s founders, says they view zombies as a metaphor. He says preppers are learning how to protect themselves and their families no matter what the threat.

Premature Celebration Costs Runner His Victory
A University of Oregon runner discovered the dangers of hubris when his premature celebration allowed a rival sprinter to pass him just before the finish line. Tanguy Pepiot said he thought the race was pretty much over during the steeplechase at The Pepsi Team Invitational during the weekend in Eugene, Oregon, so he waved for the crowd to cheer louder. However, the crowd’s roars turned out to be warning rather than celebration, as Pepiot’s celebratory waves slowed him down enough for the University of Washington’s Meron Simon to take the lead just before the finish line and win the race by a 10th of a second. Pepiot said he learned his lesson from the experience. “I think it was the first time it happened to me,” Pepiot said. “I’ll make sure it’s the last time.”

Microwave Wallet Arsonist
Authorities in Tampa, Florida, are charging a man with arson after they say he put a neighbor’s wallet in a microwave and turned it on. Tampa Fire Rescue officials say Mohammed Almarri illegally entered his neighbor’s apartment and threatened the owner. It’s not clear what sparked the confrontation. Firefighters say there was the smell of smoke in the apartment but no active fire. Almarri now faces a number of charges including first degree arson.

‘Divorce Court’ Guest Accuses Girlfriend Of Sleeping With Wu-Tang Clan
An episode of “Divorce Court” took a turn for the bizarre when a man splitting from his girlfriend accused her of sleeping with the entire Wu-Tang Clan. The song says “Wu-Tang Clan ain’t nothing to [expletive] with,” but Nathan Sellers, who appeared on a recent episode of “Divorce Court,” accused his girlfriend, Lia Palmquist, of doing just that – or, as he said, “gave Wu some Tang.” Palmquist admitted to hanging out with Wu-Tang after a show, but she said “nothing inappropriate happened.” “Let me put on the record that the Wu-Tang is nothing but gentlemen,” she said. “They treated me highly respectful, I would never cheat on him. Also, don’t know if this is appropriate to say, but I would never be like a bust-down or a groupie in that type of situation. I kept my lady points together.” Palmquist, who said she suffered bed bugs during her relationship with Sellers, was ultimately denied any monetary compensation by Toler.

Restaurant Offers Free Meal To Dumpster Diver
An Oklahoma restaurant owner posted a sign offering a free meal to whoever has been foraging for food in the eatery’s dumpster. Ashley Jiron, owner of P.B. Jams in Warr Acres, said she discovered earlier this month someone had gone through the eatery’s dumpster and taken food. Jiron posted a sign in the eatery’s window offering fresher food to the person who searched through the trash. The note reads: “To the person going through our trash for their next meal, you’re a human being and worth more than a meal from the dumpster. Please come in during business hours for a classic Pb&j, fresh veggies, and a cup of water at no charge. No questions asked. – your friend, the owner.” Jiron said the sign will stay up until someone comes in to claim the free meal. Jiron said she also posted signs in the back of the restaurant, in case the person returns to the dumpster.

Robber On Bicycle Taken Down By Female Victim
A would-be bandit on a bike didn’t get far. And he lost his bike in the process. A Juneau, Alaska, woman had her bag snatched by a man on a bicycle. Police say the woman had the receipts and money from the Little Hong Kong restaurant in her bag. The woman chased the crook and knocked him off the bike. She even kept the bike as the guy ran away. Police suspect the bike was stolen too.

‘French Spiderman’ Scales 75-Story Cayan Tower In Dubai
The daredevil known as “French Spiderman” took less than 70 minutes to scale a 75-story twisted tower in Dubai with no equipment other than sticky tape and chalk. Alain Robert, 52, climbed 1,007 feet to the top of the twisted Cayan Tower in Dubai Sunday without the use of a rope or harness. “An old dream of mine has finally come true,” Robert saidafter his climb. The daredevil said he had been “anxious” prior to the feat and had wondered, “would it be my last climb?” Robert previously climbed Dubai’s 2,717-foot Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, in 2011. During that attempt he used a rope and harness to comply with the requirements of organizers.

Jail Garden
Orange is the new green. At least at one Kentucky jail, where inmates will be giving their green thumbs a workout. A new garden is sprouting next to the Franklin County Regional Jail. Jailer Rick Rogers says the garden will help reduce food costs and give the inmates a skill they can use on the outside. Low-risk inmates will do all the work in the garden, from planting to freezing the harvested veggies.

Lifestyles

Lotto Vs. Love
A new survey, sponsored by online lottery pool LottoLishus, asked adults what they would do with their lottery winnings and what, or whom, they would be willing to live without. The survey found that:

– 58.37% said they would want to win the lottery over being famous (3.35%) or find the love of their life (38.28%).

– 3.9% of people would give up their spouse for a lottery winning of less than $10,000, while 9.33% would give them up for $100 million or more. Fortunately, 77.99% said they wouldn’t give up their spouse for any amount.

– 6.94% would give up a pet for a winning $10,000 ticket; it would take $100 million or more for 6.7% to give up Fido or Fluffy. And 66.51% would not give up their pet for any jackpot.

– 70% said that money can’t buy happiness, but 30% said it can get you pretty darn close.

– While the survey asks standard “what would you do?” questions, it also asks some not-so-standard questions like which sports team would be purchased, (the Dallas Cowboys were highest at 30.38%) or what band they would have play a party (Rolling Stones at 44.02%).

– 62.68% of people, despite disliking their in-laws, would not give up their mother in law for any type of lottery winning. 13.64% said they would give her up for less than $10,000.

– When asked what they would do first if they hit $100 million lottery jackpot, respondents said:

– If they found a winning lottery ticket on the street, people said they would:

Amazon To Offer HDR Programming
HDTV is becoming yesterday’s technology. Amazon will start offering videos in High Dynamic Range streams. That’s even a notch above 4K Ultra HD. Amazon says HDR shows and movies will arrive later this year, including its original programming available to Amazon Prime customers. According to Amazon, HDR makes colors look richer, brighter and more lifelike. HDR capable TV’s have yet to hit the stores, but several manufacturers have announced plans to market them this year.

Tax Day Freebies And Deals
This year’s tax season will officially end tomorrow. There’s another reason to celebrate Tax Day besides the end of tax season; many businesses offer special Tax Day freebies and deals. Here are just a few of them:

- Beef’O’Brady’s: Get 15% off your purchase on April 15th.

- Bonefish Grill: $10 off your purchase, valid through April 20th. (Coupon at link)

- Boston Market: Diners who purchase one meal will get a second free on April 15th.

- Bruegger’s Bagels: Get a Bagel Bundle that includes 13 bagels and two cream cheese tubs for just $10.40 from now April 15 with a coupon sent to members of Bruegger’s Bagels’ eClub.

- Burger King: Use this coupon to claim a buy one, get one free offer on Whoppers through April 19th. (Coupon at link)

– California Tortilla: Chips and queso are free on April 15th for all California Tortilla diners who say “Taxes Shmaxes” at checkout.

- Great American Cookie: Each visitor to this cookie seller’s locations will receive a free sugar cookie on April 15th.

– Hard Rock Cafe: On April 15th, Hard Rock customers can sing live with the Hard Rock band to earn a free meal. Hours and availability might be limited and vary by location, so check with your city’s Hard Rock Cafe location.

- Kona Ice: Kona Ice trucks will be handing out free shaved ices and Hawaiian leis while parked at post office, tax preparation centers and other businesses.

- McDonald’s: Big Macs and Quarter Pounders are buy one, get one for just $0.01 on April 15th at select McDonald’s locations.

- Olive Garden: A buy one, take one deal gets customers two entrées from a select menu starting at just $12.99. Or you can claim a coupon good for $6 off a dinner for two at the website.

– Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt: Customers can get a frozen yogurt up to 16 ounces for just $4.15 on April 15th. Customers can “like” the Orange Leaf Facebook page to claim the offer, and provide proof of claim via smartphone for redemption.

– Outback Steakhouse: Celebrate the end of taxes with a steak dinner, and use a coupon to get 15% off at checkout through May 3th. (Coupon at link)

– Sonny’s BBQ: The restaurant’s IRS: Irresistible Ribs Special is offering ribs dinners for half price on April 15th.

Apple Watch Is Hot
Roughly one million people ordered an Apple Watch on the first day of preorders. Slice, a digital commerce measurement company, claims about 957,000 people ordered the watch on Friday. About 62% purchased the cheapest option, the Apple Watch Sport. The average price per watch sold was just over $508. Preorders for Apple’s new Macbook also began on Friday, and the data shows roughly 48,000 people ordered the computer. About 43% of people who purchased the computer bought an Apple Watch on the same day. Reports have claimed all the watches Apple was prepared to sell on Friday were sold in just a few hours. The watches are expected to appear in stores starting on April 24th.

The Census Says…
Assigned Seating

The distribution of political representation under the Constitution was authorized on this date in 1792. Based on the results of the 1790 Census, the House of Representatives was to be apportioned according to population, coming as near to equal populations in the districts as could be determined. That first census counted a resident population of over 3.9 million people in the soon to be 15 states. There were then 105 seats in the House of Representatives, and the Apportionment Act raised to 33,000 from the Constitution’s specified 30,000 the population target for each representative’s district. In today’s House, 435 representatives serve some 319 million resident Americans, an average of almost 733,000 each, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

No! Really? Wow!

Muscles Matter In Baseball Injuries
A study at Northwestern University found that elbow muscles play a significant role in pitching-related injuries. “Muscles matter in baseball. We showed that a pitcher could be at a really high risk or a really low risk of elbow injury, depending on how strong and capable his muscles are,” the researchers said. “Pitchers are literally throwing so hard that the motion itself acts to tear the elbow joint apart. But why doesn’t it?” they continued before explaining: “The answer is the strength of the muscles and the ligaments. That’s what keeps the bones together.”

For audio elements to use with this obvious news story, click here.

Who Am I?

1. In 1984, I became the first $100,000 grand champion winner in the comedy category of “Star Search”
2. I have opened for Frank Sinatra, Dina Ross and Sammy Davis Jr.
3. My first TV series was the short-lived 1988 sitcom “First Impressions” in which I played a divorced impressionist raising a 9-year-old daughter.
4. I voiced a host of characters in animated movies, including A “Bug’s Life” (1998), “Finding Nemo” (2003) and “Ratatouille” (2007).
5. I am 6 feet 8-1/2 inches tall and my real last name is Gerstenfeld.

Brad Garrett

Impossible Question

What makes up a third of all garbage tossed in the U.S. according to National Geographic? (Packaging)

__________________

America has roughly half these in the world. What? (Golf courses and golfers)

__________________

15% of Americans say they have used their vacation days to do this. What? (Visit the DMV)

Mars Vs. Venus

Questions For Men:

1. What author has set several of his stories in the fictional town of Derry, Maine? (Stephen King)
2. Who is the host of “Good Eats” on the Food Network? (Alton Brown)

Questions For Women:

1. On what apparatus would a male gymnast traditionally perform a move called the “scissors?” (Pommel horse)
2. The winner of what tournament is presented with a distinctive green jacket? (The Masters Golf tournament)

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www.7billionones.org

Over the years, professional photographer and filmmaker Randy Bacon has encountered countless subjects who tell him, “Oh, I’ll break your camera,” or “My story is no big deal.” “People are just so hard on themselves,” he says. “They don’t really see that they – one in this world of 7 billion – are important. We wanted to dispel that. Everyone has a story that counts.” Bacon and his wife, Shannon, have launched the “7 Billion Ones” project, a website with still portraits, videos and subjects’ stories. The Bacons say they hope to spread the message that every person counts and every story is important. Visit 7BillionOnes.org and read other’s stories – then get involved by telling your own story. Bacon plans to continue adding photographs, videos and stories to 7 Billion Ones. He hopes people continually visit the website and share stories and photos on social media.

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Timeline For Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Today: Ex Spouse Day – International Moment of Laughter Day – Look up at the Sky Day – National Pecan Day – Reach as High as You Can Day – Children with Alopecia Day – Dictionary Day – Equal Pay Day – International Moment of Laughter Day – National Be Kind To Lawyers Day – National Dolphin Day – National Library Workers Day – National Library Day– Pan American Day – Pathologists’ Assistant Day

- Tie-In Trivia: What play was Abraham Lincoln watching when he was assassinated? (Our American Cousin)

- Tie-In Trivia: Who was the first president to throw out a ceremonial first pitch? It was on this date in 1910. (William Howard Taft)

- Tie-In One-Liner: On this day in the year 2000, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich filed a lawsuit against the file sharing site Napster. There’s a lot of anger in Metallica’s music and Lars had even more anger when he saw what his lawyers were charging him.

CeleBirthdays For Tuesday, April 14, 2015

- Tie-In Trivia: Brian Forster is the great-great-great-grandson of what famous author? (Charles Dickens)

- Tie-In Trivia: On what daytime soap did Sarah Michelle Gellar play “Flower girl at Kurt and Mindy’s wedding?” (“The Guiding Light”)

- Tie-In One-Liner: Abigail Breslin is 19 today. Her film “Maggie” is out later this year. Her father Arnold Schwarzenegger stays by her side as she turns into a zombie. In real life, Arnold’s son Patrick is pretty much a zombie after a night of partying with Miley Cyrus.