Grapefruit Diet Program – It Performs Only If You Follow This Trick

The grapefruit diet has come and the gone as a fad weight loss program numerous times throughout the years. The reality is that it does do the job to lose weight if you make a few significant changes to how you do it…and if you don’t the fat you lose not only comes back, but often adds even more weight than prior to starting! Let’s consider the alterations you need to make to have the grapefruit diet work to lose inches completely.

Grapefruit Diet Program – It Works Only If You Stick To This Hint

The grapefruit diet was initially introduced to the world by well known Italian actress Sophia Loren, all the way back in the 1960s. Loren said that grapefruit helped her maintain her youth and energy, as well as her bombshell figure.

The reality is that the grapefruit diet can not only stop you from weight loss, but can have you end up even heavier than before if you don’t go about it the right way. Ignore the hype and endless advertising, so many times we buy in to false claims and rubbish when it comes to diet programs that we should all be wary of anything promising amazing results from just eating or drinking one single food.

The Asian Way to Becoming Skinny and Keeping Weight Off Permanently

Grapefruit can assist with weight reduction only if it’s added to an already sound diet program, which is founded on principles that have helped women shed fat and decrease inches over the ages.

The common skinny Asian woman’s eating plan is heavy on healthy and organic foods, especially those with a protein base (tofu, soy, chicken, fish, lean meat, etc). This is the main reason why they’re able to get their flat belly back so rapidly after having a baby, and how they manage to never go hungry at a meal while still dropping pounds.

I do suggest that my clients add half a grapefruit to a serious breakfast meal that includes a protein base, as the enzymes in grapefruit help level our healthy blood sugar levels, as well as promote a solid profile of vitamins and nutrients in our system. I do not recommend they eat only grapefruit every day along with a few other add-ons as the normal grapefruit diet requires.

Any kind of diet regime where you’re required to eat primarily a single food or ingredient is normally doomed to fail, just because the weight loss is nearly always non permanent. Also it’s hard to eat the same thing again and again for weeks, our brain eventually fights back and makes our cravings even worse!

New Year Home Decor Tips

It is obvious that your friends will come to your new year party even if there are the same old decorations but why not go for a unique and a different set up this year ?. Get rid of those boring balloon decorations and look out for these new year home decor tips on how to decorate and make your home atttractive for this new year 2011.

1.Change your living room into a cool dance floor. Make a disco ball by buying a plain hand made paper (ball shaped) lamp shade and stick the old compact CD bits on the lamp shade. Place it at the centre of your dance floor and dance with your own disco set up.

2.Another cool way of decorating home for this new year would be showcasing the events that happened in 2010. Make a collage of photographs relating to top news stories or personal events mentioning the time and date the events took place.

3.According to the Chinese calender the year 2011 is the year of the Rabbit so decorate your home with the Rabbit theme and ask your guests to dress up with the funny theme.

4.Khaki is the fashion trend of 2011 so decorate your home decor with the Khaki color theme and ask your friends to dress up in Khaki and create a fashion trend in your neighbourhood.

5.Zodiac signs can also be the theme for your new year home decor. Mention the predictions of 2011 of every zodiac sign and decorate it all around the living room.

6.Instead of those old and boring paper streamers replace with colorful ribbons or satins and wrap around from corners to the center of the ceiling.

7.To get the party effect, decorate your living room with Christmas tree lights and scented candles. The tiny lights will set the ambience to dance.

Use these new year home decor tips listed above and surprise your guests with these unique new year home decor themes.

Lose 2 stone and the wobbly bit around my middle. Get fit and maybe even run a marathon (how you would laugh at that one if you knew me better). Learn to speak Spanish. Save more or make more (preferably both). Spring-clean my cupboards, house, finances and… life in general. Be a better wife, mother, daughter, relative and friend. Re-write my will and review my pension. Put my photos in albums (not done since I was 19). Take up ironing, read better books, play more golf and visit art galleries. Be more organised (especially with my filing) and become a much more patient, kind, lovely and charitable person.

All of the above have appeared on my New Year’s resolution lists at some time or other. Some, I admit, appear year after year. Most are broken by day three and discarded by day seven.

I’m not the only one. Researchers reckon that fewer than a quarter of us will keep our resolutions, which makes me wonder why we bother? I believe it has something to do with the optimism of a fresh start. It is the chance to change, to improve and to become the best possible version of ourselves. Midnight on New Year’s Eve is like a line drawn in the sand: we leave behind any mistakes and failings from the past and we step into the future, with all its limitless potential.

It reminds me of being a child and the feeling that everything was possible on the first day of school after the summer holidays. I would open the pristine, blank exercise book, get out my new pen and resolve to make a real effort to do my best. The first few days, I would use my neatest handwriting, lay everything out beautifully and concentrate like mad so that I didn’t make any mistakes. By week two (if not before), the handwriting would slip and the usual corrections from my teacher would be scrawled across the page. Reality would kick in, old habits would return and I would promise myself it would be different next time.

Why do so many of us fail with our January resolutions… and some of us even before the Christmas decorations have come down? I believe that we put too much pressure on ourselves; we set goals only because we think we “should” or “ought to”; we aren’t specific enough about our objectives; we don’t plan to succeed; or we just feel too lazy, stressed, busy, tired, hungry, ill, upset, bored, or demotivated to make it happen today and then, by tomorrow, it’s too late – our desire has beaten our will, yet again.

I recently came across a formula for successful change: D + V + F > R. For any change to work, our D (dissatisfaction with the status quo), V (vision for a better future) and F (first steps that are doable) have to be greater than R (our resistance). Apply that to our New Year resolutions and for us to succeed, we need to be clear with ourselves as to “why” we want the change to happen, we need to envisage “what” will be different and we need to plan the “how” (with small, measurable steps).

I would add an S for support to the formula. It is a great help to have someone (whether it is a friend, spouse or coach) to give us encouragement, accountability and the odd kick up the backside when needed.

I also think we need to cut ourselves some slack and not give up at the first sign of failure. Too many of us take the “all or nothing” approach to resolutions and we therefore surrender at the first bite of forbidden chocolate cake, a missed gym appointment or a budget overspend. It is good to remember that change is a process and it is OK to mess up. The important thing is to give yourself another chance until the change you want to make becomes a habit.

So I’ll let you into a secret. I don’t make resolutions any more. Instead, I use the whole of January to take stock. My husband David and I go into a form of hibernation. We decline invitations (not that there are many in January), don’t entertain and we quit watching DVDs. With the spare time that we gain, we focus on getting our house in order, thinking through our priorities and deciding what we want the year ahead to be about.

We also use the time to give ourselves a quick relationship MOT. We check on how we are doing as a couple and also reflect on whether we are giving enough time to the most important people in our lives.

Perhaps as 2010 draws to a close, you, too, may want to reflect on your relationships. If you haven’t read it, my book, Authentic: Relationships from the Inside Out, is a good way to give your relationships a general check-up. But if you want to get started now, here are 10 points you could do to make a positive investment in your relationships. Try one or all 10, and I’m certain you will see healthy returns from all your efforts.

1. Take time to work out your priorities. Too often we spend time on the urgent at the expense of the important and we find our loved ones are left with the dregs of our time, energy and focus. Why not decide who or what is most important to you and make sure that they are getting the attention they need? It may sound contrived, but booking in time in your diary with your favourite people is the only way to make sure that the days or weeks don’t pass without you spending quality time together.

2. Increase your amount of “face-to-face” time. Next time you are tempted to email your work colleague at the next desk or text your friend who lives around the corner, resolve to talk to them in person.

3. Limit your criticisms. If you have something negative to say to someone, make sure you match it with at least five positive points. Negative comments stick much longer than nice ones, so you need to input a lot more positive ones if you don’t want the balance of your relationship to go into the red.

4. Learn from your anger. Anger is like an alarm system: it is telling you something is wrong. Pay attention to it and ask yourself what is the cause. Is it something someone has done to you or is it indicating a problem within yourself that you need to look at? Sometimes our anger tells us more about ourselves than the apparent target of our wrath.

5. Practise being a good listener. When we really listen to another person, we offer them a great gift. It demonstrates that we want to understand them better. If someone tells you something important, try to refrain from interrupting, giving advice or bringing the topic back to “you”.

6. Take responsibility for your actions. When relationships go wrong, it can be tempting to blame the other person and to focus on all the ways that they need to change. The truth is we cannot make another person change, but we can alter our own reactions and behaviour. It only takes one to change the dynamic in a relationship.

7. Be prepared to say, “I’m sorry” – and mean it. It can be a hard to admit when we’re wrong or when we’ve messed up, but when we do – it opens the door to healing in relationships and also to greater depth.

8. Show your appreciation. No ones likes to be taken for granted and most people can’t mind-read, so if you are thankful that someone is in your life or for the things they have done for you, tell them. Even better write them a proper letter – one with a pen – so that they can keep it and re-read it.

9. Take the initiative. Whatever change you want to see in your relationships, start by taking the initiative. If you want your partner to love you better, then show them love in the way they would like to receive it. If you are single and want to go on a date, ask someone out. If you are lonely, reach out to someone else who also might be feeling lonely. In other words, treat others, as you would like to be treated.

10. Let your “no” be “no” and your “yes” be “yes”. If you say, “yes” to something – to helping out, to keeping a confidence or to taking the rubbish out – keep your word. And if you are someone who says “yes” when you really mean “no”, then don’t give an answer under pressure. Tell the person that you’ll think about it and then get back to them. Too many relationships suffer and too many people get stressed because they cannot say “no”. If that is you, saying “no” more often could be this year’s resolution.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support, questions and letters and also to let you know that, sadly, this will be the final InsideOut column in the paper. From the new year, it will be moving online. I do hope you will join me there and that you will continue to contribute with your questions, comments and advice.

Wishing you all a very happy New Year.

Blizzard expected to set North Jersey snowfall records for the Dec. 27
Snowfall totals in the region are expected to surpass record levels, Bob Ziff, a spokesman for the North Jersey Weather Observers, said Monday morning.

The record for Dec. 27 had been 7 inches, which was set in 1984.

In Hawthorne, the record for the date had been 6.3 inches, also in 1984.

“That’s totally blown out,” Ziff said even with the final number yet to be tabulated.

The heaviest snowfall came between 9 p.m. and 3:30 a.m. 11 inches fell in Ramsey during that time.

The snow largely stopped in North Jersey about 3:45 a.m., Ziff said. However, high winds and unplowed roads and highway ramps made getting to work difficult, even for the veteran weather observer.

He said passed a burned out shell of a bus on northbound Route 17 near Racetrack Road in Ho-Ho-Kus and several abandoned cars.

“If I didn’t have to go to work this morning, I definitely would not have been on the road,” he said.

 People lucky enough to be home instead of at work may not enjoy the snow as much as they would like. It’s light and powdery, and while it cleans off cars easily, it does not clump together well.

If Jim Tressel Leaves, Gambling On The Ohio State May Never Be The Same

Jim Tressel has been the steady leader of the Ohio State Buckeyes football program for a long time now, and nobody expected that his reign at 1 of the top programs in the nation would be ending anytime soon. That was before rumors started to circulate on Christmas Day that the Sugar Bowl would be the last game Tressel coaches at Ohio State.

Gamblers and Buckeye fans were stunned on the Saturday when reports indicated that several sources close to the Ohio State program claimed that Tressel would no longer be the Buckeyes head coach after the Sugar Bowl. The sources also claimed that recruits have been notified and given the chance to look elsewhere if they wish.

For gamblers, Tressel's disappearance from the Ohio State sideline would be devastating. The Buckeyes have been a magnet for bettors, especially when playing against inferior teams over the past decade. The majority of Ohio State's losses have come to top 25 teams, and the Buckeyes have handled their lighter opponents for the most part with ease.

If Tressel walks away, or is fired, neither of which has been confirmed as of yet, he would leave behind a legacy of getting to the championship game and then falling flat. The Buckeyes did win a national title over Miami, but many suggest that was a product of a phantom pass interference call on the Hurricanes.

This year, Ohio State rocked the Hurricanes at home and looked like they were prepared to make a run at the national title. A mid-season loss ended those hopes, but the Buckeyes did manage to still get into a BCS bowl. Ohio State will fave Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.

The Buckeyes will be without quarterback Terrelle Pryor for the first 5 games of next season. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, one of those match ups will be against the Hurricanes in Miami. Even should Tressel return next season, without Pryor gamblers may have a hard time committing money to the Buckeyes in the 1st half of next year.

Secret Santa: NORAD mum on how it tracks St. Nick

Lots of military secrets are hidden behind the gleaming walls of NORAD'S headquarters building, including this one: Just how do they get Santa's flight path onto their computer screens every Christmas Eve?

Tracking Santa's travels is a celebrated tradition at the North American Aerospace Command, and it unfolds Friday for the 55th year.

NORAD insiders drop hints about how they do it — "ultra-cool, high-tech, high-speed digital cameras," radar, satellites and Canadian Forces fighter jets. They happily release a flurry of facts: They answered 74,000 phone calls and 3,500 e-mails from around the world last year, all asking for Santa's location.

But any inquiry into the technological particulars is met with a polite rebuff and a cryptic explanation involving the magic of Christmas. NORAD Tracks Santa, the official name of the exercise, began in 1955 when a Colorado Springs newspaper ad invited kids to talk to Santa on a hotline. The phone number had a typo, and dozens of kids wound up dialing the Continental Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado Springs, the predecessor to NORAD.

The officers on duty played along and began passing along reports on Santa's progress. It's now a cherished ritual at NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canada command that monitors the North American skies and seas from a control center at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.

"It's really ingrained in the NORAD psyche and culture," said Canadian Forces Lt. Gen. Marcel Duval, the deputy commander of NORAD, who pitches in to field French-language calls on Christmas Eve. "It's a goodwill gesture from all of us, on our time off, to all the kids on the planet."

It's also one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa Claus story that have stuck, said Gerry Bowler, a history professor at the University of Manitoba and the author of "Santa Claus: A Biography."

Most embellishments never capture the public's imagination because they tend to be ad campaigns or movies that try to "kidnap" Santa for commercial purposes, Bowler said.

NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of the Santa Claus story — his travels on Christmas Eve — and looks at it through a technological lens, Bower said.

"It brought Santa into the 20th century," he said.

And into the 21st century. Santa Tracks NORAD now has a Twitter account, a Facebook page, a Youtube channel and apps for mobile phones, along with a website, www.noradsanta.org, and the phone line, 877-HI NORAD.

More than 13 million unique visitors went to the website last December. NORAD Tracks Santa has more than 470,000 "likes" on Facebook this year and more than 30,000 followers on Twitter.

It takes four months of planning to marshal the 1,200 volunteers, 100 telephones, 30 laptops and two big projection TV screens the exercise requires, NORAD spokeswoman Joyce Frankovis said. All the labor is volunteer. Google, Verizon, Air Canada, defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton and others chip in.

The phone line is still at the core of NORAD Tracks Santa. Volunteers answer calls in two-hour shifts from 2 a.m. Mountain Time on Christmas Eve until 3 a.m. Christmas Day.

"It is tremendously fun," said Jim Jenista, NORAD's deputy chief for joint training exercises who has volunteered to answer the phones for nearly a decade.

Sometimes the line is silent until a parent's voice encourages a shy child to speak up, Jenista said.

"Or sometimes they'll put us on speaker phone. Sometimes it's an overnight and all the cousins are there. They get so excited," he said.

The phone volunteers don't get specific about Santa's ETA, Jenista said, but they do encourage kids to get to bed soon.

"We get e-mails from parents thanking us," said Mike Wilkerson, a network engineer responsible for setting up the phones and computers and keeping them running.

NORAD's brass, including Duval and the commander, U.S. Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., do live radio and TV interviews throughout Christmas Eve. Duval has at least seven on his schedule, starting at 4:15 a.m.

Duval is careful to say that tracking Santa doesn't interfere with NORAD's other job, watching out for enemy threats to the North American continent.

And neither he nor others think it's out of character for one of the world's most technologically sophisticated military commands to make time and space available for a venerable folk hero.

"It's a magic season," said Bowler, the Santa historian. "It makes people silly, it makes people childlike, which is wonderful."

Million Dollar Money Drop has Texaco, Alamo Rent A Car as answers

Tonight Million Dollar Money Drop took to the tough questions and this included some seriously amazing American history. The couple looking to make good money, Steve and Jennifer took to the questions like professionals but as we watched tonight, the anxiety of putting the cash on the correct drop can be difficult.

The 5th question of the night reminds us all why a little healthy pop culture is essential to keep the brain cells going. The question had everything to do with Texas and the products America uses. The question was 'Which of these brands was founded in the State of Texas? The 3 choices were quite misleading and the couple lost some cash in the process of elimination. The possible answers were Old El Paso, Alamo Rent a Car and Texaco.

The correct answer for the evening was Texaco. You might be asking yourself where was Texaco founded? According to the Internet, the Texas Fuel Company, founded in 1901 in Beaumont, Texas, by Joseph S. Cullinan, Thomas J. Donoghue, Walter Benona Sharp, and Arnold Schlaet upon discovery of oil at Spindletop. The company sold gas in all 50 states and was independent until it merged in 2001.

The 'Cheat Sheet' for the Million Dollar Money Drop question number 5 is:

Where was Texaco founded? Beaumont Texas in 1901.

Where was Old El Paso founded? New Mexico.

Where was Alamo Rent a Car founded? Florida.

The couple playing tonight definitely lost money on this question, but at the end of the game walked away a winner with some serious cash! We enjoyed playing and will be watching again tomorrow night with more 'cheat sheets' to answer the questions.

If your only reference point for the song “Mele Kalikimaka” is “Christmas Vacation,” here’s a treat: “Glee’s” Matthew Morrison singing “Mele Kalikimaka”(Hawiaan for “Merry Christmas) during “Christmas in Washington,” which aired recently on TNT. Yes, the teacher you wished you had in high school has a dreamy voice (and did we mention dreamy pecs – sadly not on display here), but he’s also playful, strumming along to the song as he sings. 

Click on for the Matthew Morrison “Mele Kalikimaka” video.

He starts off with a beautiful version of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” that’s equally enjoyable. Which Matthew Morrison song did you like better?

Lunar Eclipse 2010 Live Scene Details with Photos-I got out of work right at 11:00 pm and decided to head home and quickly grab the dog and my camera bag and head out east to try to photograph the lunar eclipse tonight.  I met Dann and Skinner out at the I-70 and Airpark exit where our view was unobstructed save for a few cirrus clouds.  My photography results were not that great which I expected because my night time photography skills are terrible.  Anyway, here are a few of the better ones.

Once the eclipse became full, the moon turned to a reddish color which was pretty amazing to see.  Unfortunately, the settings I tried on my camera just couldn’t handle the night time.  I used my telephoto lens which was great when there was still some light left, but after that I just couldn’t dial it in to get the red moon.  Super bummed about that but maybe one day I’ll actually read the manual on my camera.  Still fun as hell being out I-70 at 1AM with friends!

Columbia President: DADT Repeal "Effectively Ends" Our Problem with ROTC

Ben Smith reports that schools that currently ban ROTC from campus are moving toward ending their discriminatory practice now that Congress has repealed the law banning openly gay people from serving in the military:
 

The vote, said Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, provides "the opportunity for a new era in the relationship between universities and our military services."

"This is an historic development for a nation dedicated to fulfilling its core principle of equal rights. It also effectively ends what has been a vexing problem for higher education, including at Columbia -- given our desire to be open to our military, but not wanting to violate our own core principle against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation," he said in a statement through a spokesman.

No specifics yet on a timeline, but Harvard's president Drew Faust says, "I look forward to pursuing discussions with military officials and others to achieve Harvard's full and formal recognition of ROTC." And a Yale spokesman tells Smith: ""We are aware of the vote and have plans in consideration."

Allison Dubois, a crass, opinionated and apparently psychic.  She was a guest at Camille Grammer’s dinner party which aired on Thursday night’s episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. And if the name sounds familiar, it should. Not only is she a world famous psychic but she's the inspiration and name sake of Patricia Arquette’s character on Medium.  A show that's produced by Kelsey and Camille. So what happened…

While dragging on her electronic cigarette, she spewed venom about the other dinner guest the housewives of Beverly Hills. And that was after swinging back several of Camille hardcore cocktails. For some reason, Allison really had it in for Housewife Kyle Richards and after upsetting her to an extent that she fled the party, Alison relished the fact that she knew when and how Kyle would die saying “I love that about me.”

Many people have never heard of the Kate O’Brien. At least that was the case up until last night, when Amy Adams made an appearance on Conan, and the 2 chatted about the host’s sister.

Kate O’Brien is Conan’s sister who is breaking into the acting scene. She makes her acting debut in the upcoming film “The Fighter,” which stars Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams. O’Brien plays Phyllis ‘Beaver’ Ecklund – the sister of Wahlberg’s character Mickey.

A Conan O’Brien sister in The Fighter? Yes, it is true – Conan O’Brien of late night fame has an actress sister who appears in the new film The Fighter, starring Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg.

Amy Adams talks about Conan O’Brien’s sister, Kate, appearing in The Fighter, and he says “she did an amazing job and she loved the experience.”

Adams told Conan that to get the real local character, they did the movie with the real people.

Kate, Conan O’Brien’s younger sister, makes her film debut in The Fighter, playing the character Beaver, sister to Mark Wahlberg’s character.

Conan’s sister said there was a lot of physical fighting that they needed to do in the movie – Amy Adams talks more about having to fake fight and her fear of fake punches.

WikiLeaks' Assange to learn bail fate on the Thursday

Julian Assange will find out on Thursday if he will be granted bail, court officials said, as his lawyer complained about lack of access to the founder of the WikiLeaks website.

A hearing at the High Court in London will determine if Assange will be allowed to leave Wandsworth prison after lawyers acting for Sweden challenged a British judge's order that he be freed under stringent conditions.

Sweden wants Britain to hand over Assange for questioning over allegations he sexually assaulted two women in Stockholm in Aug, but the 39-year-old Australian's supporters insist the process is politically motivated.

As Assange woke up to spend another day in prison, WikiLeaks continued to release United States diplomatic cables, with one showing a former Thai prime minister accusing Queen Sirikit of being behind a 2006 coup that ousted his predecessor Thaksin Shinawatra.

In a highly charged court hearing on Tues, Assange was granted bail on condition he pays a security of £200,000 with an additional £40,000 guaranteed in sureties.

A collection of celebrity supporters including maverick United States film director Michael Moore, British director Ken Loach, campaigning socialite Bianca Jagger and journalist John Pilger have helped put up the money. Assange's lawyer Mark Stephens said half of the cash required by the court had been collected.

Stephens dismissed suggestions that Assange would try to flee the country if released on bail.

"The suggestion that he's a flight risk is faintly ludicrous," he told BBC TV. "I can't get access to him," he said. "I will not be able to take instructions from him."

He said the bail condition that Assange will have to wear an electronic tag would allow British authorities to locate him at all times.

But he complained that the prison continued to make it difficult for lawyers to meet Assange and prepare his legal case.

He accused Sweden of failing to "abide by the umpire's decision" in appealing against the bail verdict.

Sweden will pursue its demand for extradition in court hearings next year.

If Assange is released on bail, he will have to reside at the country estate of Vaughan Smith, a former army officer who founded the Frontline Club, a media club where WikiLeaks has based part of its operations.

Smith told BBC Radio that Assange was "very committed and courageous", but had been portrayed by some as "a Machiavellian, cold, string-puller". "I have obviously taken a very public position to say I support him as an individual -- that's not to say that I agree with everything that is being leaked," he said.

"But certainly, as a person, I think it's very important he receives proper justice."

While Assange remains in prison, his organisation released more classified information which is believed to have been obtained from a US soldier who has since been arrested.

The newest cables Wednesday showed Samak Sundaravej, who was Thailand's prime minister for seven months in 2008, alleged that Queen Sirikit had been the driving force behind a 2006 military coup which ousted Thaksin.

Another cable revealed Washington's fears about the failure of west African governments to tackle increased drug trafficking.

Much of the concern focuses on Ghana, which sits at the centre of a new cocaine transit zone, according to cables published in The Guardian.

The release of the cables has enraged Washington, where some Republicans have called for Assange to be indicted for espionage.

'The Biggest Loser' Season 10 Finale -- And the Winner Is

Well, it has been a long road on 'The Biggest Loser' (Tue., 9PM ET on NBC). But the season came to an end tonight. 4 contestants remained: Ada, Elizabeth, Frado and Patrick. But only one could take home the $250,000 grand prize.

"This is it," host Alison Sweeney said. "We're all down to this final weigh-in." And so, your winner of 'The Biggest Loser,' Season 10 was ...

... Patrick House! The 28-year-old father lost 181 pounds, a whopping 45.25 percent of his starting body weight. Confetti fell from the ceiling, as his family member in the audience embraced. Patrick started the show at four hundred pounds and he leaves weighing 219 -- and with a quarter of a million dollars lining his pockets. He beat out Alfrado "Frado" Dinten, who came in second after losing 162 pounds.

Ada Wong came in 3rd, losing 99 pounds. Elizabeth Ruiz lost 77 pounds and was eliminated by the viewers before the final weigh-in. Meanwhile, back at his house in New Jersey, bartender and recruiter Mark Pinkhasovich won the $100,000 stay-at-home price. Though he was eliminated just before the finale, Mark dropped 213 pounds -- over half of his original starting weight.

Patrick is currently a stay-at-home kind of guy himself. He's an unemployed former salesperson who lives in Vicksburg, Mississippi. "2010 was a rough year for me," he told Alison Sweeney. "Winning this gives me freedom." And Patrick may not be a stay-at-home dad for much longer. He's been offered a job at the Mindstream Academy in South Carolina, a school that specializes in helping overweight teens.

Congrats to Patrick, and congratulations to all the other players! 'The Biggest Loser' returns on Jan. 4, and the theme for the next season is "Couples."

 In signing with Phillies, Cliff Lee chases memory of the World Series run, but he may regret decision
Cliff Lee yawned and chewed gum while his glove, a basket hanging near his chest, snagged the Johnny Damon popup. It was Game 1 of the 2009 World Series at Yankee Stadium, and Lee was in the 6th inning of a masterpiece sublime enough to include that iconic moment. In the outfield and dugout, his teammates laughed and marveled at Lee's nonchalance.

That catch represented the peak of an otherworldly postseason for the lefty, and defined Lee for the Philadelphia public as a Phillie forever. It had the same effect on the pitcher, whose hurt was raw when the Phils traded him to Seattle in December to make room in the payroll for Roy Halladay. 12 months later, clearly still pulled by the memory of a heightened experience, Lee did what professional athletes almost never do: He prioritized desire over dollars.

Of course, the approximately $100 millions that the Phillies will pay Lee over the next 5 years is more than almost anyone would make in 5 lifetimes, but that's almost irrelevant in baseball. Athletes are among the most competitive people in this competitive country, and in their business, contracts indicate status and success nearly as much as titles do. Lee could have become one of the highest-paid athletes in the world had he signed with the Yankees. No matter how much he will make, it could not have been easy to turn down so much more.

Instead of doing that, he will try to recreate his favorite memory. It's a nice narrative, even a noble impulse, but it is fraught with risk and potential disappointment. The Phillies are already altered from the team Lee joined in July 2009, when he was traded from Cleveland.

The Phils' lineup is reduced, due to age and attrition. Jayson Werth, Lee's good friend and the team's only righthanded power hitter, is gone, having decided to accept a Publishers Clearing House check for $126 million from the Washington Nationals. Infielders Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins are aging, and could not make it through last season without suffering serious and nagging injuries. This month, centerfielder Shane Victorino turned 30, the last Phils starter to cross the precarious boundary. Decline awaits in a few years, if not sooner.

Derek Jeter can't play shortstop in a year or 2? Move him somewhere else, and sign an All-Star replacement. CC's arm is dead after all those innings? Well, when is King Felix a free agent?

Unlike the Yankees, the Phils will not be able to buy their way out of a rebuilding phase. Had Lee signed with New York, he would have received the implicit promise of $200 million payrolls every season, enough to purchase playoff contention despite an abundance of aging regulars.

The Yankees would have given Lee not just more money, but the security of knowing he wouldn't ever be stuck for long on an irrelevant team. The Phillies might be great next year, and a rotation beginning with Halladay, Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt sounds like one of the best ever. But what if it doesn't immediately click, due to injuries or inconsistency or other human frailty (remember, that group without Lee was supposed to win a World Series this year)?

This Phils team has a one-year window before it sees sweeping change. Oswalt, Jimmy Rollins, Raul Ibanez, Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson have potentially expiring deals, and could follow Werth out of town in eleven months. Halladay, Hamels and Victorino might follow in the ensuing years. And Cliff Lee might be stuck chasing the ghosts of an elusive memory, and wishing he had just taken the money.

The 'Blade' broke? Snipes will find low pay in prison

When actor Wesley Snipes enters prison Thursday, he will leave behind his wife, young children and celebrity neighbors in the wealthy Florida enclave made infamous by next-door neighbor Tiger Woods.

The prison camp in Lewis Run in northwestern Pennsylvania pales by comparison, but is still worlds away from the harsh prison fortresses depicted in the Snipes films "Undisputed" and "Brooklyn's Finest." Federal Correctional Institution McKean, a minimum-security camp, does not have fences around its perimeter. The 300 nonviolent inmates live in barracks that feature two-man rooms, daily showers and double-feature movie showings Friday through Sunday. Alas, no NC-17, R or X ratings allowed, which knocks out much of Snipes' action-heavy repertoire.

The most jarring aspect of the celebrity's stay might be the 5 daily head counts, 3 during the overnight hours. And Snipes, who earned a reported $13 millions for the "Blade: Trinity" sequel, will have to adjust to earning just pennies an hour handling kitchen, laundry or other campus chores. And, he can spend just $290 a month at the prison commissary.

Snipes has appeared in dozens of studio films, from "White Men Can't Jump" and "Demolition Man" in the early 1990s to the blockbuster Blade trilogy.

None of which will score him any points at McKean, officials insist.

"We recognize that he's high profile, but we treat all our inmates the same," spokeswoman Shirley White told The Associated Press last week.

"I'm an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance," said Snipes, who had pursued theater and dance from an early age, attending the vaunted High School for the Performing Arts in New York City.

According to United States. prosecutors, the actor failed to file any tax returns for at least a decade, and owed $2.7 millions in taxes on $13.8 millions in income from 1999 to 2001 alone. Snipes, a dues-paying member of a tax-protest group that challenges the government's right to collect taxes, described himself at his 2008 sentencing as a naive truth-seeker.

Tuesday night, he told CNN's "Larry King Live" that he wasn't nervous about reporting to prison.

On Wed, he made a last-minute request for a new trial. In the emergency motion, Snipes said that the judge erred by not allowing defense attorneys to interview jurors about misconduct allegations. At McKean, if he reports as scheduled, he can pursue his spirituality at weekly meetings of nearly any religious group imaginable, from Wiccans to Jehovah's Witnesses to Spanish-speaking Evangelical Catholics.

The martial-arts enthusiast can get his exercise playing sand volleyball or indoor basketball, or work out on an elliptical machine or stair climber. And he can tap into his fun side through badminton, bocci or bridge.

Should he pull a muscle in a pickup game, the payment required at the infirmary is just $2.

But it is not all fun and games.

The daily wake-up call is at 6:35 a.m. The mundane jobs run 7 hours a day. There's little fashion flair to the prison-issued khakis. And contact in the visitors room is limited to "a kiss," according to the prison handbook. Snipes has tried to delay his arrival while he takes his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. But the trial judge said he had gotten a fair trial.

U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges saw in Snipes "a history of contempt" for U.S. tax laws, the judge said at sentencing. Never mind that the actor, changing course, had delivered $5 million in checks to the IRS that day. Hodges imposed consecutive one-year terms for the 3 misdemeanor convictions.

"Someday, every fighter loses," says the prison boxer Monroe Hutchens, played by Snipes, in 2002's "Undisputed." ''In the end, everybody gets beaten. The most you can hope for is that you stay on top a while."

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson announce engagement

After a string of toxic relationships and love life highs and lows, Jessica Simpson has finally settled down with NFL player Eric Johnson.
A rep for the couple has confirmed the pair’s engagement over the weekend, saying they were excited over the news. The blonde bombshell and her beau begun dating back in May and have been serious ever since.

Jessica stepped out to promote her clothing line at Dillard’s department store in Kansas City on Saturday sporting a gorgeous Neil Lane three-stone engagement ring featuring a central ruby flanked by 2 diamonds. The singer was absolutely glowing and smiling ear to ear, it’s obvious she's in a really good place.

This news comes less than two weeks after Jessica’s ex-husband Nick Lachey and co-star of reality show ‘Newlyweds’ announced his engagement to Vanessa Minnillo at which Jessica insisted she “could not be more happy for Nick.”

Beyonce is 'used to' the pregnancy rumors

"At this point, they say that I have been pregnant like 8 times, so I am kind of used to it," the 29-year-old singer said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I just hope that one day when I decide to be pregnant that people are happy for me. ... One day hopefully I'll be. It is part of being a celebrity, I guess."

Beyonce is delivering something else -- a concert DVD titled, "I AM ... WORLD TOUR," which goes on sale Friday. Footage from the DVD will air Thursday, the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., in her second prime-time television special on ABC, "Beyonce's I'm ... World Tour," but this time, she shows a more personal side.

"I felt like I have done so many different things, it's time for me to show a bit of who I'm. The hardest thing was showing that, because a lot of things that I filmed, I filmed in my computer, and I'd never have gotten so open if someone else was in the room," she explained at her DVD premiere Sunday.

Beyonce produced, directed and edited "I AM," which follows the singer on her world tour, which started in March 2009 and ended in February.

Recently Miley Cyrus caught on tape smoking Salivia Herb and passing the bong to a friend. We're not sure if the girl in those nude leaked pics is actually Miley Cyrus, but we do know for sure that the girl smoking salvia herb in the video before passing it to a friend is for sure Miley Cyrus.

Once again the famous celebrity gossip website TMZ has done it, when they obtained a video showing Muley Cyrus inhaling Salvia Herb from a bong.

Now most of you may not know what Salvia herb actually is…Salvia herb is a plant that cause hallucinogenic effects.

According to reports the video was shoot on Nov 23, 2010 shortly after Miley Cyrus turned 18, during a party at her home in LA where Salvia herb is legal.

Miley Cyrus smoking Salvia Herb video shows the famous singing sensation inhaling from a bong pipe, while someone lighting the bowl for her and then passing it to a friend.

In the video Miley Cyrus could be heard clearly saying, ‘OKAY I'm about to lose it now’, right after coughing and letting out a big laugh.

Christina Aguilera Racy Photos creating stir over internet

Christina Aguilera Racy Picture are creating stir over the internet. Christina Aguilera Racy Photos which surfed over the internet yesterday on Wednesday Dec 8, 2010 shows the 29-year-old actress/singer bisexual semi-nude.

It appears that the Christina Aguilera Racy Photos were taken in a wardrobe room.

Would it be correct to say that Christina Aguilera became the latest and greatest celebrity to share her walk-in-closet racy photos with the world? If yes then that’s what they're.

In one photo Christina Aguilera Racy Photos could be seen wearing a white see-through t-shirt with jeans,
while in another she could be seen wearing a white robe in which she could be seen naked from her waist down, wearing small panties.

However one of Christina Aguilera Racy Photos which is creating buzz over the internet shows the sexy siren wearing rhinestone chains and pasties while sitting on a Lucite stool and touching herself provocatively.

Time goes by in the blink of an eye, and one of the best John Lennon Quotes rings a similar tone "Living is easy with eyes closed". It is been almost 3 decades since the death of John Lennon and it seems like yesterday he was making history with his music and free spirit.

Lennon was the father of two children and husband of Yoko Ono. He brought a message of peace to all and is remembered as one of the most influential musicians of all time.

Check out a few of our favorite John Lennon quotes below. We are sure you've a bunch of your own.

“Living is easy with eyes closed.”

“One thing you can’t hide – is when you’re crippled inside.”

“God is a concept by which we measure our pain.”

“War is over … If you want it.”

“I get by with a little help from my friends.”

John Lennon will continue to bring his message of peace through his music for all to hear.

There may be no official ceremonies in Mobile today to mark the 69th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, but at least one survivor already has his eyes on big events expected in 2011. Ret. U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Howard Bakeman, 92, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, was stationed in Pearl Harbor when Japanese bombers attacked by air on December 7, 1941.

“Tomorrow is going to be a routine day,” Bakeman said Monday. “I am not disappointed. I know what it's. I have got a Pearl Harbor survivor badge. I’m looking forward to next year.”

Bakeman said he was in the cafeteria at “0800 hours” when a cook came in and warned they were being fired on. He and others initially thought that the approaching planes were a bomber squad arriving from California.

At 11 a.m. today on the USS Alabama, a brief announcement of the anniversary will be made and a “moment of remembrance” will be observed, said Bill Tunnell, executive director of Battleship Memorial Park.

“Next year,” Tunnell said, for the 70th anniversary, “we'll have a full ceremony honoring the surviving Alabama members. Most of the Pearl Harbor survivors are older than 85 and not all mobile.”

Bakeman, however, still drives his Cadillac to places such as the post office and to eat at a favorite Chinese restaurant on Airport Boulevard.

A Boston native and Mobile resident for 40 years, his sedan features United States. Army flag decal, as well as others identifying him as a war veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor. Bakeman said that he attends every military funeral he can, regardless of whether he knows the deceased or the family. “There Is not a lot you can do,” he said. “You do what’s proper. I figure I owe it to these guys.”

The attack on Pearl Harbor caused more than 2,300 American military deaths, according to the National Park Service. Of those, 1,177 were crewmembers on the USS Arizona.

The Sunday morning attack plunged the US into World War II.

Bakeman said that strangers still stop him to offer appreciation for his military service:

“They embarrass me sometimes. When you sign (up) there’s no fine print or guarantee you're not going to get into a firefight. When you come from a military family, maybe you've a different concept. I had a mission to accomplish.”

Good PR Could Help Revive Bushkill Park

Things did not look that rosy for Bushkill Park this Summer, when owners Sammy Baurkot and the Neal Fehnel had to put on hold their project of reviving the park because of lack of funds.

In 2004, when , Hurricane Ivan struck, the old amusement park in Forks Township was flooded. Its iconic Haunted Pretzel ride has been completely destroyed, and many of its other rides suffered irreparable damages. So the park closed, and ulterior attempts to reopen it were unsuccessful: poor management being one of the main reasons.

When Walt Reis and Frank Clever reopened the park in 2006, without its Haunted Pretzel, Bumper Cars and The Whip rides, the number of visitors during the season was way below expectations. Debt closed the park down completely, and vandalism destroyed its remaining attractions, including “Bar’l of Fun” one of America’s oldest fun-houses.

But things could take a better turn for Bushkill Park. The venue was recently visited by Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, the stars of American Pickers, a documentary reality television series on History Channel, that focuses more on antiques and collectibles. Wolfe and Fritz explore people’s homes, barns, sheds, and other outbuildings in search for other peoples’ “junk” – in many cases valuable collectibles. The two run a home-business, Antique Archaeology, in Le Claire, Iowa. The show on History Channel, which debuted January 18, 2010, has made a huge difference in their business, making Antique Archaeology an internationally recognized brand. Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are also synonymous with their business. Their interest for any random venue in the world can instantly capture media and public attention. This is what happened yesterday, after the third season of American Pickers debuted with A Banner Pick, featuring the Bushkill Park in Easton, and some of its vintage sideshow banners.

Fritz and Wolfe paid $700 for these, a sweet bargain, if you consider their real value. The banners, made by the O. Henry Tent & Awning Co., were appraised at $5,000 to $6,000 each. The appraiser said that they were the work of sideshow sign artist Fred Johnson, and to Fritz and Wolfe’s delight, the signs sold for $10,000 at an online auction. The two pickers went back to Bushkill Park and gave Neal Fehnel $5000 from the win. You can only imagine the park owner’s joy – a hope for the park’s future:

Brad Pitt Has Been Visiting A Psychic

Just recently reports came in that Brad Pitt has been seeing a psychic and that he has been getting some guidance about his the relationship with Angelina Jole. He's getting some help from a spiritual adviser and the adviser confirmed that he was going to her for readings.

The adviser went on to further say that he knows him personally and thinks that he's a very spiritual person. Some people said that they're worried about the relationship that he's with Jolie but the adviser said that he can't talk about the relationship nor what is going on because it would break his confidentiality and that he doesn't want that. Brad feels that the adviser is a source of inspiration, and comfort during very hard times and that he's really helped him.

People hope that this adviser is able to help the relationship with Angelina and Brad because they've kids and they need to learn how to stay together through everything regardless of what all happens. They need to be strong and loving parents which can only be truly accomplished if they love each other deeply but if they do divorce they still need to learn how to get along together for the kids.

A RUSSIAN working in the House of Commons is to be deported from Britain after security services arrested her on suspicion of espionage.

Katia Zatuliveter, who works for the Mike Hancock, a Liberal Democrat member of the Commons defence select committee, is to be expelled after MI5 decided the 25-years-old was secretly working for the Russian intelligence service as a "sleeper". MI5 believes she was deliberately targeting Mr Hancock, 64, who's strong Russian interests and a reputation as a womaniser.

Her arrest is believed to be the first time since the end of the Cold War that someone working in parliament has been accused of spying for the Russians.

Ms Zatuliveter, who was vetted before taking up her post, was arrested by police and Border Agency officials last week and is being held at a secure facility awaiting deportation to Russia. It's believed she was working for the SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence service.

A source said: "Her presence here is not considered to be conducive to national security. There was unhappiness about what she could have access to. The intention is to show her the door."

Questions on defence have been issued to government departments from Mr Hancock's office in recent weeks, including requests for an inventory of Britain's nuclear weapons arsenal, details of nuclear material outside international safeguards and the locations of all submarine bases worldwide. Ministers declined to answer some of the questions. Mr Hancock said last night that Ms Zatuliveter wasn't a spy and would be appealing against the deportation order. He said she had done nothing wrong and was sure she would be vindicated.

The Russian was stopped while re-entering Britain at Gatwick airport in August. Before releasing her, security officials questioned her extensively about her activities for Mr Hancock. Sources said the MP first employed Ms Zatuliveter after meeting her in Strasbourg, where he often travels on business related to his position on the Council of Europe.

"She would walk around in very short skirts and high heels with Hancock and they would be seen having lunch together," said one Westminster source.

"Certainly, some thought she was charming and intelligent."

Mr Hancock, who also sits on the Western European Union assembly on security and defence, is vice-chairman of the parliamentary all-party group on Russia.

Other members have noted his pro-Putin stance, but the MP denies he's any undue bias towards Russia. There is no suggestion that he has been deliberately acting contrary to Britain's interests. The MP is on police bail after being arrested over an alleged indecent assault on a female constituent.

The case of Ms Zatuliveter confirms fears by MI5 that Russian spies are actively campaigning to target individuals in Whitehall and Westminster.

"There are now dozens of Russian agents in Britain, either living here or working here," said Oleg Gordievsky, a former KGB officer who defected to Britain in 1985. "They've people in parliament and in important companies. They're targeting MPs, particularly those in sensitive positions. It's scandalous that the security service would allow a Russian to work for somebody on the defence committee."

Do you remember “Bobby’s World,” the early 1990s cartoon from the mind of Howie Mandel, known back then as that actor who used to be on “St. Elsewhere” (and known now as the bald guy who hosts “Deal or No Deal”). The ‘toon followed Bobby Generic, whose active imagination led him to imagine some fun and the crazy stuff. Click on to watch the show and learn more about it – do you think your kids would like it?

Edie McClurg, aka the secretary on “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” and “Saturday Night Live” vet Christine Ebersole also provided voices for the show, which ran from 1990 to 1998 on Fox Kids.

Below is a clip, and here are some links to full-length “Bobby’s World” episodes. Enjoy!

MTV Movie Awards Biggest Badass Star, Angelina Jolie or Ninja Assassin Rain

Angelina Jolie, is the only chick to be nominated for the “Biggest Badass Star” at the MTV Movie Awards.  Our Gemini girl, is up against Channing Tatum, Chris Pine , Rain and Sam Worthington.

Which one will grab the ultimate prize? Most likely, it will be between Angelina Jolie for her role in Salt and Rain for his role in Ninja Assassin .

Personally, my vote is for Angelina Jolie. Pretty much everything about Angelina Jolie is badass. She plays action heroes, heartbroken and devastated women, not to mention an assassin who kills all of her adversaries, and herself, with a single curved bullet in ‘Wanted.’ Angelina is a force to be reckoned with. Plus, she’s a pretty badass mom to her 6 kids and a badass girlfriend to Brad Pitt.

Don’t count out Rain though. Our Korean hunk is born under the sign of Cancer, he’s a ‘Ninja Assassin’ who overcame childhood adversity to become a worldwide cultural phenomenon. He’s also a triple threat – actor, dancer, and singer with a devoted following. And he goes by one name; Is not that the very definition of a serious badass?  Well maybe Cher and Madonna could be considered badass, they go by one name as well. But their not nominated.

The MTV Movie Awards is going to be some serious fun, probably one of their best shows yet. Check it out tomorrow night, June 6th, at 9pm ET/PT on MTV.

 Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kim Zolciak Townhouse For Sale Photos

Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kim Zolciak, has been a very busy girl. First Kim announces she is pregnant by baby daddy Kroy Biermann . Next it's reported that Kim and Kroy are engaged and the planning a spring wedding.  NOW, Kim Zolciak has put her Atlanta townhouse up for sale.  Too many Big Poppa memories or does she need the cash?

According to Real Estalker, Kim Zolciak’s townhouse in Duluth, Georgia has been put on the market for $499k. Wow, I guess she’s not a very rich housewive. I wonder if Kroy Biermann is going to buy her a bigger home? What’s surprising, is Kim purchased the 3 story townhouse in 2006 for $486,000, after real estate commissions, she’s actually going to lose money on the deal. Why has she put her home up for sale?

Kim Zolciak’s townhome boasts three bedrooms, three bathrooms and has over 3,396 square feet of living space. It has been professionally decorated and her real estate agent  is using her “celebrity status” to help sell the home. I wonder if Big Poppa bought the house for her?

Unfortunately for Kim Zolciak, there are 2 other similar townhouses in her community listed for under $450k. Which means our Real Housewives of Atlanta girl may have to drop the price of her home AGAIN.  Now that Kroy Biermann and Kim are getting married, they probably want to trade up to a much larger home. You check out photos of our Taurus girls home here. Heck, maybe NeNe will buy it. Stay tuned.