DANCING WITH THE STARS
Macho Madness" was the theme of the night as the men took the floor for the first round of Dancing with the Stars. After the pros twirled, kicked and swayed with perfection in the opening number, it was time for celebrity men to show what they were made of.
First up was magician Penn Jillette and his partner Kym Johnson dancing the cha-cha. Penn, who claims to have the most stage experience of his competition, had some decent moves for a big guy, but judges Len Goodman and Carrie Ann Inaba noted that Penn had problems with his monstrous feet, while Bruno Tonioli said his hip action looked more like "hip-replacement action." The treacherous trio gave him a total score of 15.
Miami Dolphin's defensive end Jason Taylor looked like a dapper Mr. Clean, teaming with Edyta Sliwinska for an impressive foxtrot. Len told Jason, "You are a good looking guy. When I look at you it's like I'm looking in the mirror," to which quick-witted host Tom Bergeron asked where he could buy one of his delusional mirrors. Carrie Ann told Jason that he had beautiful hand detail, while Bruno said his posture was fantastic. The football player and his partner finished the night with a score of 22.
In his pre-dance feature, actor Christian de la Fuente said that because he is Latino, everybody expects him to be a good dancer. Paired with two-time champ Cheryl Burke, the pair cha-cha'd their way to a score of 21, with most of the judge's criticism focusing on Christian's posture.
T-V and radio host Adam Carolla said that he would probably ruin his partner Julianne Hough's two-time winning streak, and according to the judges' scores, he's probably right. The couple's foxtrot earned them a score of 15 -- tying with Penn Jillette for the night's lowest score.
R and B star Mario and partner Karina Smirnoff had an instant connection when they met, and that electricity carried through their cha-cha. Carrie Ann gushed to Mario, "Dang, you can dance." Len and Bruno were equally impressed -- the pair ended up with a score of 24, the highest of the night.
Last up was actor Steve Guttenberg and his partner Anna Trebunskaya with their foxtrot. Steve, who was the most upbeat of the group, won high praise for his enthusiasm. Len commented that he looked as though was enjoying himself. Carrie-Ann thought Steve was charming, while Bruno said he looked like he was a graduate of the Billy Ray Cyrus Academy of Dance. Ouch! Steve grabbed a score of 18.
There will be no eliminations this week, so the men will have a chance to step up their game next week. Tonight the women take the stage for the first time in their pursuit of the coveted mirror-ball trophy.
MORE EXPENSIVE GROCERIES
If you've been to the grocery store recently, you've probably noticed how expensive your bill has gotten. That's because prices on some of the products we buy the most have risen substantially in the past year.
On Friday, the government said that the overall costs of groceries went up 5.1% in the last year. Here's a list of the some of the foods you're paying more for: (--Since prices vary across the country, we'll tell you how much more you're paying percentage-wise.)
BREAD. 12% increase in price.
PASTA AND RICE. 13% price increase.
CHEESE. 15% increase in price.
DRIED BEANS AND PEAS. 17% price increase.
MILK. 17% increase in price.
EGGS. Eggs had a 25% increase, which was the highest price increase among any food item. The cost of eggs is actually 62% higher than it was two years ago.
One of the biggest reasons why you're paying more for groceries is because the price of CORN has gone up. Farmers use corn to feed animals that supply us with milk and eggs.
But the government demands that some corn should be used make ethanol, which is an alternative fuel source that cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions. When corn is used for GAS, there's less corn to EAT. And YOU feel the pain at the grocery store.
MISTAKES PEOPLE HAVE MADE AT JOB INTERVIEWS
In a recent survey, hiring managers and human resource professionals were asked to list the BIGGEST mistakes people made in job interviews over the last year. Here are the TEN WORST MISTAKES they came up with...
1) A man sniffed his armpits on the way into the interview room.
2) A man asked the interviewer for a ride home after his interview was finished.
3) A man told the interviewer he probably wouldn't stay on the job very long because he stood to inherit a lot of money when his uncle died... and his uncle, quote, "wasn't looking too good."
4) A woman said she couldn't provide a writing sample, because her last job had been for the CIA... and all her writing was, quote, "classified."
5) A man who was doing an interview over the phone actually flushed the toilet in the middle of his interview.
6) A woman started brushing her hair in the middle of her interview.
7) A man was offered a bite to eat before his interview started, but he turned it down, saying he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out to get hammered.
8) A woman applying for an accounting position told the interviewer she was, quote, "a people person, not a numbers person."
9) A woman answered her cell phone in the middle of an interview, and asked the interviewer to leave HER OWN office because it was, quote, "a private conversation."
10) A man admitted he was fired from his last job for beating up his boss.
HAVE A VOICELESS PHONE CONVERSATION
It seems like everywhere I go, there's always someone talking loudly on his cell phone. But now, that person can have his phone conversation without ever speaking a word.
That's because Michael Callahan of the Ambient Corporation has invented a device which translates THOUGHTS into SPEECH. It's called the Audeo, and here's how it works...
The user wears a neckband that detects the nerve signals sent from our brains. When the person wearing the band THINKS about saying something, the neckband picks up the signals and sends them to a computer.
The computer translates the nerve signals into words, and actually SAYS what you were thinking... OUT LOUD.
It sounds crazy, I know. But apparently, the same nerve signal technology is already being used by quadriplegics to control their wheelchairs.
And in case you're worried that your deepest, inner thoughts will be broadcast by this thing... Michael says that's not a problem. The Audeo only deciphers signals which are, quote, "a level above thinking."
That means you have to specifically think about saying something for the Audeo to translate it.
Right now, the Audeo's vocabulary is limited to 150 words and phrases... but Ambient hopes to have an improved version completed by the end of the year. That next version will be based on individual sounds, and should have a limitless vocabulary.
Michael says the Audeo will be marketed at people who've lost the ability to speak due to neurological diseases such as LOU GEHRIG'S Disease... but eventually, we could all be using one.
