American Apparel's D.I.Y Halloween: Hipster Tested & Approved

If you've procrastinated deciding on your Halloween costume, well, American Apparel, the largest clothing manufacturer in the United States, has done the work for you. There are many easy-to-create costumes featured on their website. Each costume is accompanied by a step-by-step video. (I suggest turning the volume off. The sound on all of the videos is pretty annoying.)

The costumes range from the tongue-in-cheek ("Gold Digger", "Nudist Colony," and "90s Preggers") to the cleverly cute ("Rainbow," "Grapes," and "Black- eyed 'P'").

American Apparel is known for their racy ads, so expect the same from their Halloween costumes. (Dov Charney, the mastermind behind American Apparel's advertisements and a 1970s aficionado, was spoofed on Saturday Night Live recently. Watch it. It'll explain a lot.)

My favorite costume, hands down, is the laundry basket. There are only three steps. Tie a sock in your hair, get in a laundry basket and add dirty laundry. Of course, that explanation isn't quite enough, so watch the step-by-step video.

Hey Colt, Do the Heisman

The Heisman Trophy is the most prestigous trophy a collegiate athlete can hold in any sport. Every year NCAA Division I-A's biggest football superstar is awarded this trophy. This year's winner will be the 74th.

In 1935 Jay Berwanger was awarded the first Heisman trophy and since then the trophy has been given to notable stars such as O.J. Simpson, Earl Cambpell, Vinny Testaverde, Barry Sanders, Reggie Bush and many more.

This year in 2008, there isn't a reason to think there is going to be too many surprises when it comes time to hand out the beautifully bronzed trophy. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy is a huge favorite. Predicting Colt McCoy is going to win the Heisman Trophy this year is like saying, "well you know, I think the sun is going to come up tomorrow." McCoy has played exceptional football all season and has led the Texas Longhorns to the top of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings.

McCoy is a threat to run and pass when he has the ball, just ask his opponents. Those who have had the unfortunate pleasure of dealing with Colt, have surrendered 21 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns this season. Some have handled him better than others, but they all have one thing in common, they all lost. McCoy and the Longhorns have victories over highly ranked conference opponents such as Oklahoma, Missouri and Oklahoma State this season; and head across Texas to take on their in-state, No. 8 ranked rivals, Texas Tech.

In past years it has been hard to determine who the best team and player are in College Football, but this year is quite different. With one of the hardest schedules of any team across the country and convincing wins over three Top-10 teams, its clear that Colt McCoy and the Longhorns are no long-shot to take home all the hardware this season.

Calories for Exercising

Exercising is essential for staying healthy and maintaining a healthy weight. It is important to remember to eat properly while exercising.

Glycogen is used by your muscles during your exercise routine...both anaerobic and aerobic. If you do not have enough glycogen in your body, you will feel more tired and your performance will drop. A lack of glycogen can also make you more susceptible to injury.
Marathon runners experience fatigue to the point where they can barely walk around 20 miles. This is due to a lack of glucose. The body can only store up to 2,000 kilocalorie of glycogen at a time.

So how do you get enough glycogen? Now, I am far from a biologist or chemist, but from what I understand, glycogen comes from carbohydrates breaking down into glucose. Glycogen is a form of glucose.

There are specific ways to find out exactly how many calories you should be intaking for exercise. To find out how many calories you should be consuming, use the Calorie Calculator.

Getting tired toward the end of the day, or week, may be a result of not getting enough calories:



A common question is if you should eat before or after exercise. Either way, you will burn the same amount of calories:

Save Gas, Save Money

One of my biggest expenses, besides bills and tuition, is gas. This summer was torture, with gas prices hurtling up past the $4 mark. Half my paycheck from my minimum wage, part time job went straight to the gas tank. Luckily my parents are members at a wholesale club, which sells gas at a cheaper price than most other gas stations, but the dent in my wallet was still quite large. Thankfully, gas prices have begun to decrease recently, and now in my area, gas is below $3. Although me and my wallet breathed a collective sigh of relief, the cost of filling up my gas tank still outweighs the cost of pretty much everything else I spend money on.
So how can you save on your gas mileage, while still maintaining your social calendar? I've recently learned of a thing called "hypermiling" Wayne Gerdes, of CleanMPG coined the phrase. He and his team currently hold the record for most mileage on one tank of gas — a whopping 2,250 miles in a single tank. That works out to a staggering 165 miles per gallon. How does he do it?
According to an article by CBS, Gerdes has some key advice:

• Don't break or accelerate as heavily or frequently
• Don't idle excessively
• Cold weather and taking a lot of short trips reduce fuel economy
• Remove cargo and take off cargo racks
• Don't tow anything unless it is absolutely necessary
• Cut down on using mechanical and electrical accessories (such as air conditioning)
• Try to avoid driving on hilly or mountainous terrain if possible
• Don't use four wheel drive unless necessary
• Maintain vehicle
• Maintain correct tire pressure

...and many more.
Gerdes was even featured on the CBS Morning Show:


Another good thing to do is to check which local gas stations have the lowest prices. Gas prices generally vary from county to county and depends on the gas station. The Gas Buddy Web site is the best I've found for this purpose. All you have to do is type in your town or zip code, and the site will show you the prices at gas stations in your area, starting with the lowest price. You can also look at a map of the entire U.S. to see which states have the highest and lowest gas prices.
By utilizing these simple tips, hopefully you can cut down on your gas expenses and save some money.

Music Music Bo Byoozic

Well, folks, there's some pretty down news out there this week, so I'll get right into that and we can move on.

Merl Saunders, keyboardist for the Grateful Dead, died this week from complications resulting from a stroke six years ago. Heaven just got a little more trippy.

American Idol star and actress Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother were found murdered in their home Friday morning. Her 7-year old nephew was taken from the scene, and a hefty reward was offered for his safe return. Unfortunately, his body was found in an abandoned SUV this morning.

Now that we got through that, let's talk about something happier.

Now that the new Guns n' Roses album, Chinese Democracy, is actually officially and definitely coming out (Nov. 23), Dr Pepper is making good on its claim that it would give every person in America a free can of Dr Pepper. You see, way back when it looked like Axl was never going to get his crud together, the soda's vp of marketing (jokingly) promised to give everyone in America free Dr Pepper if the album was ready by the end of 2008.

In related news, Slash is coming out with a solo album. I'm not very optimistic. Slash is a guitarist, not a songwriter. This'll just end up being an album of collaborations, and I hate those.

Now for some ridiculous stuff. Beyonce is leaving Madonna and Cher in the one-name-person club in favor of two names. Crazily enough, she now wants to be called Sasha Fierce.
Sasha...
Fierce...

And Bono, who has just been tapped to write a column for the New York Times, was caught, via facebook, flirting with a couple of 19-year old girls. They posted pictures and told all their friends and probably giggled about it, too. Good job, Bono.


I'll leave you on a lighter note. Here's Louis Armstrong performing his great American classic, Cheesecake. Don't watch unless you want it stuck in your head forever.

"It's like Facebook only more stylish"

There is definitely a market for books that teach you how to have style. In the past few years alone, Rachel Zoe, Tim Gunn, Victoria Beckham, and Nina Garcia have written style guides. All of the guides claim to teach the reader how to have confidence, how to make the most of and personalize your wardrobe and how to cultivate good taste. That is a lot of cover in 200-300 pages.

Isaac Mizrahi, who has a ready-to-wear line at Target, decided to tack his name to the list of style guide authors even though the competition is stiff. How to Have Style is much like the other style guides, but there is one key difference: Mizrahi attempts to create a community. In the book, he helps 12 real women with wardrobe problems. He offers tips and solutions. He also shows you how to make an inspiration board. (My inspiration board is shown at left.) The guide tells readers to visit his website, Isaac Mizrahi NY. Mizrahi thinks it's important for women to interact with others about their wardrobes. At the website, you can look at Mizrahi's inspiration board, fellow member's boards or create your own. Mizrahi encourages members to "share ideas about style, inspiration, and fashion."

Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables!

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I always get tired of people telling me, “eat your fruits and vegetables. They’re good for you.” Well, okay, so they are good for me…but why? I’ll definitely be more likely to eat them if I know what kind of “good” they are for me.

I went on a search and found out that fruits actually help with your bone density. So getting your three servings of dairy a day, along with eating your fruits will help your bones and prevent osteoporosis which affects both men and women. To lower your cardiovascular disease risk, drink red grape juice and eat blueberries. Blue and purple fruits contribute to thwarting cancer.

The above link provides numerous articles about what exactly fruit does for your body. This site also has information about a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Another incredibly useful site I just found today allows you to type in anything and the search engine will pull up the nutrition facts for you!

Ageless Wonders

Alright, before we get into this week's post I just want to keep you posted on some prior news. The Breeder's Cup is this weekend, Lee Corso fired a musket in the air during College Gameday last week, and the Bills are 5-1, maybe they are that good. Hopefully not though.

I'm sure you think I'm weird enough already for watching horse racing, but that's alright, because I regularly watch boxing as well. Well this past weekend the 43-year-old Bernard Hopkins thoroughly dominated the 26-year-old, middleweight champion, Kelly Pavlik. Hopkins was a huge underdog and was expected to be pummeled into retirement by the younger more athletic Pavlik. The fight just further cemented his place in history as one of the most crafty boxers in the history of the sport. I guess the old saying with age comes wisdom applies because, Hopkins is now being referred to as the ageless wonder of boxing. That got me thinking of other ageless wonders who just won't seem to go quietly into the night.


Here are some of the more recent aging phenoms:

Jamie Moyer: Moyer has been pitching in Major League Baseball (MLB) since before I was born. The man won 16 games this season and is appearing in the World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies this season. Just promise me Jamie, that if you win, you'll retire! Your 46 years old for gods sake.

Vinny Testaverde: Testaverde became the oldest man ever to complete a touchdown pass in the National Football League (NFL) last season at the age of 43. Vinny please don't break your own record, you have had a memorable career, and anything you do now just tarnishes it. You weren't just a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, you were the first Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback in 1987 when you were drafted. So this year when the Kansas City Chiefs call you, do what you tell your kids to do to drugs, just say no.

Joe Paterno: Paterno has been the coach of Penn State's football team and a legend throughout college football for the last 43 years. And he hasn't lost his magic, at the of age 82, Paterno apparently has visited the Fountain of Youth, becuase he has led his No. 3 ranked Nittany Lions to an undefeated record that they are taking with them to Ohio State this weekend. I'm rooting for you Joe, but seriously take the same advice I game Mr. Moyer, if you win it this year, retire. You were born in 1926, take some time for yourself. We'll even arrange some sort of deal with Bobby Bowden and you guys can share the all-time win record, you both deserve it.

The college student's guide to tipping

Last week a friend and I decided to go out to dinner, to reward ourselves for all the hard work we'd been doing. We went to a local resteraunt, where we both knew we'd find something we liked. The food was great, but the problem was the server. It was by far the worst service I have ever gotten. She barely came to check up on us, didn't offer to refill our drinks, and it took her almost 20 minutes to bring us back our change, even though her section of the resteraunt was mostly empty. As we were leaving, my friend and I got into an argument about whether or not to tip this horrible waitress. I said no, she didn't do anything to deserve it, but my friend was adamant about leaving her something nonetheless. So what do you do in this situation?

This got me thinking. I've had numerous experiences when I'm unsure whether to tip a person or not. I always feel guilty at those food stands in the mall with their tip jars right on the counter. And what about at a full service gas station? Searching the web, I think I've found some pretty good guidelines for all your tipping confusion. All these tips were found on The Original Tipping Page:

• Waiter/Waitress - The general standard is 15-20% of the bill. Many servers are underpaid, usually making under minimum wage, and split their tips with bus boys and other staff. This percentage can vary, depending on the quality of service you experience. Check out more information on the Waitressing Gripes page here.
  




• Gas station attendant - According to the Web site, no tip necessary. But if you happen to be feeling extra generous, or the attendent was especially friendly, the site suggests a $1-$2 tip.



• Hair Salon - The site suggests 15% of the total. There has been some disagreements over whether or not to tip the owner of a salon, but the site suggests only tipping the owner if he or she cuts your hair.




• Cab driver - 15%, and absolutely no less than 25 cents.

There are many categories and suggestions on the Web site. Always be aware of whether or not a gratuity has already been added to the bill, and use your best judgement. Find a guide to tipping during the holiday season here.

Here's a helpful video about tipping as well:


Watch CBS Videos Online

Music News for Cool People!

That's right, cool people. Unfortunately, a lot of tabloidey stuff happened this past week, so I'll get that out of the way quick and we'll all acknowledge that none of it matters and I'm only posting it because everyone else is. Those of you with brains, skip everything in the lines.

-----------------------------------------------------

Britney Spears released a crummy song this week called "Womanizer". Everyone loves it. In fact, it's made a record setting 96-1 jump on the billboard charts recently. Woo hoo. She hasn't been number 1 since "...Baby One More Time" in January of 1999. I can't really decide whether this is good or bad for America.

Meanwhile she's dealing with that driver's license issue from last year. Apparently she crashed into someone while the paparazzi chased her, then didn't have a California license. It's all dumb, really.

Then, of course, is the whole Madonna getting divorced thing. Raise your hand if you haven't heard this already. Well here's some news for you: The divorce settlement with Guy Ritchie hasn't been settled yet. That's right...something NOT HAPPENING that WILL HAPPEN is news now.

Thank the gods that's over.

------------------------------------------------

Now for some really real music information.

We'll start with an update on the Travis Barker/DJAM plane crash. As you remember, they were the only survivors of a horrible accident and were holed up in the burn ward for quite some time now. Well, Barker was finally released from the hospital on Friday. And DJAM? He's back on stage already, performing for two hours with Jay-Z. Glad those guys made it.

In unrelated news, The Chinese Democracy track list has been officially released, meaning the long-awaited Guns n' Roses album just may be coming out for real after all. Apparently, the first thing you hear on the album is Axl Rose screaming, which could be a great thing or a horrible thing. Only time will tell, but I'm looking forward to it.

In Music-That-You-May-Not-Know-But-Is-Awesome news, Ween has been going through their material archives to put together a cd/dvd set, due Nov. 11, that will include live material and other great stuff. Oh yeah, and they're commissioning a coloring book. An official band coloring book. Yup...They're great.



Pay attention now, because I've saved the best for last. I hadn't heard about him until very recently, but a blind Aboriginal man named Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is an absolutely mind blowing singer/guitarist who stole the show at the Australian Music Awards on Sunday. I can't even describe how amazing he is, so I'm going to put up a video and implore you to watch it.




People, this is music. Not that crap you see on MTV. I dare you to put Lil' Wayne or Miley Cyrus on stage next to this man. Want to learn about humility? Yunupingu uses his music awards to open clams on his home island.

See you next week ladies.

Fashion industry not only interested in hem-lines and draping.

Election Day is looming. Everyone is talking about the debates, the issues. You were even reminded to register to vote every time you tuned in to MTV. This is an important race and college students need to get involved. And because this election is so critical, everyone wants to know who you're voting for. And that's a personal question that you might not want to answer.

Well, now, if you're an Obama supporter you can wear your answer. Fashionably, too.

The Obama campaign has enlisted top designers to design t-shirts, hats, tote bags and other goods for the Runway to Change section of Obama's official shop.

Juicy Couture, Tory Burch, Russell Simmons, Pharrell Williams, Vera Wang, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Zac Posen, Rag and Bone, Issac Mizrahi, Derek Lam, Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, and Proenza Schouler have all showed their support for Obama.

The tank top at the left is designed by Alexander Wang and costs $45.

McCain may not have fashion designers backing his online store, but his t-shirts do seem to be made with the average Joe Six-pack or Joe Plumber in mind.

And whoever's name, or slogan, you wear across your chest or on your bag, just remember to get out there and vote on November 4th.

Exercise Routines should be fun!

Having fun is definitely the key to being able to stick to an exercise program. You have to develop one that is good for you...one which you enjoy, is effective, and can evolve over time as your needs change. It can be very difficult to find a routine and get into the groove of things--Here's a site which gives some pointers and things to consider when designing a program specifically for yourself.



Charting your exercise plan is always a good idea. This link is a great example of a healthy exercise plan and how to keep organized and on track.

Flexibility, strength and Cardiovascular training (aerobic activity) are the three main components to an exercise routine. By working to increase your fitness in all three areas you will gain maximum results.

But doing all three only once a week probably won't get you far. Starting with twice a week for about 10 minutes is a good idea. Steadily working your way up to 30-40 minute workouts 4 times a week should be the goal.

It's easy to overstretch or under stretch and both can cause serious injury. Here's a video detailing 6 main stretches good for any workout.

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Have a great Columbus Day everyone!

Should you wear a knock-off?

"Fast fashion" is important to college students. We want to be on trend. We want the little leather motorcycle jacket, the bandage skirt and the perfectly sheer white tee that we saw come down the runway. But we have little money to spend. This is why stores like Forever 21 exist. Their clothes have quick-turnover and they're cheap.

When I'm reading a fashion magazine with my boyfriend at my side and I ooh and aah over dresses and shoes, he always asks "how much?" I used to say "a lot." And then he would challenge me. "Well, how much is a lot? It can't be that much." I would slide the magazine over to him, look away from his face and point at the price. (If there even was a price. Sometimes the price was SO ridiculous that it was only available upon request to those people who don't think any price is ridiculous.) He gasped every time. Forever 21 tries to stop this conversation from happening.

We covet Alexander Wang's bandage skirt which is currently priced around $400 and Rick Owens' leather bomber jacket which will deplete your bank account of two grand and even the sheer white tee, a wardrobe staple, which will cost you $300 if you want the re-invented, of-the-moment version included in Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's clothing line the Row. I can walk into Forever 21, however, and buy a faux leather jacket, a white burnout tee and a simple black skirt for under $70. And Forever 21 makes versions of these trends that aren't too bad and they'll last you at least a few wears.

But we're dreamers. We know that we will probably never wear an article of clothing that costs two grand, but we can still pretend. Stores like Forever 21, though, tend to rip off these designers that we covet. They know what we want and they know we can't afford it. And, really, it doesn't matter much when they rip off designs from Alexander Wang or Rick Owens or the Row. Those labels are established; their names are well-known and they will continue to make money. But it does matter when they steal designs from young, fledgling designers. To those designers, every article sold counts. One expensive dress or coat could decide whether or not they can continue to do business.

Fashionista devotes many posts to Adventures in Copyright. They put an image of the original design next to an image of the knock-off. And you can usually tell which one cost more and which one was better crafted. Price is somewhat indicative of quality. And sometimes it isn't. But the decision to buy or not-to-buy isn't economical, it's ethical.

And we're not saying to buy strictly designer. I personally can't afford ONE designer piece. But make conscious decisions. And think about why stores can offer clothes at low, low prices. Is it because the clothes are made in sweatshops? Is it because the fabric is cheap and will fall apart after two wears?

Pepparoni Pizza and Pelvic Pain

Who would have thought that a slice of pizza could cause pelvic pain? I know I wouldn't have guessed it. Apparently, spicy foods can cause women's bladder to become very irritated, resulting in "painful bladder syndrome."
How bizarre!
























Now something that can apply to the men out there as well, hot fudge can actually do your heart good! So load up! Extremely high levels of flavanol antioxidants have been found in natural cocoa powder which serve as antioxidants.




For other bizarre health or nutrition tips and incites about anything from sperm and fat injections, to hormones and plastic surgery and everything in between, check out newkerala health news!

Thank You Lee Corso

I wanted to write this entry a few weeks ago but I decided to wait a few weeks to see if it was worth the time, it definitely is.

Every Saturday morning, my roommate and I drag ourselves out of bed at 11:45 a.m. for one reason and one reason only. Not work, not because we want to do something with our day, but to see Lee Corso's animated college football predictions on ESPN's College Gameday.

For anyone who hasn't seen it Lee Corso's infamous mascot impersonations you are really missing out. The crazy old man (who's sobriety is very questionable) makes his prediction on one of the major college football games of the day and then dresses himself as the mascot of the team he supports. I know what your saying, "sounds kind of corny to me." But you really have no idea, watch this. Trust me its worth the click.

After that, can anyone seriously tell me that Lee Corso doesn't have one of the best 2 minutes on television? He has to be the coolest 73-year old man on the planet. Let's be serious, what other 70-year old man has a myspace besides John McCain? Imagine that, John McCain in a Trojan costume, now that would be a site to see. Anyways I'd like to send out a personal thank you to you, Lee Corso, for entertaining us all, giving me a reason to get out of bed on Saturday's and most of all being a TV celebrity who can put his ego aside and let the joke be on him every now and then.

If you find this as funny as I do, ESPN College Gameday airs every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. ET to 12:00 p.m. ET so tune in. Or you can go here, and see a number of Lee Corso's hilarious antics from the past.

Tips abound for saving your hard earned money

As I was scanning the net this week I came across an amazing Web site, listing a whopping 118 ways to save money while in college. 118 tips! I don't expect you to head over the the site and read all 118 posts, lucky for you, I picked the ones I thought were most important. To view the whole list, click here. The list is broken down into 13 categories.

Managing the Money You Have:

Keep track of your banking/checking account -- Taking out too much money can end up costing you a lot of money through overdraft fees. If you use a debit card, be sure to know how much is in your account, you can continue using your card, and continue down into the red, without your card even being declined. Make sure you know your bank's policy on overdrawing and the fees they charge.

Pay credit card bills on time -- Another way banking companies can charge you is through late fees, sometimes as much as $50 a month. It's also important to pay your bills on time so you don't lower your credit score. Also, make sure you don't go over your credit limit each month.

Alcohol:

Buy in bulk -- Instead of buying just a six pack, buy a 24 or 30 pack of the cheap stuff. It'll last you longer and cost you less money. If you're into liquor rather than beer, a cheap 5th of vodka might cost you the same as just one or two drinks at a bar.

Drink where there are specials -- Find out what bars are having specials on drinks you like, and go there. A lot of bars, especially in college towns, offer specials each night of the week.

Make your own -- If you're more of a wine connoisseur and you have extra time some weekend, you can make your own wine. Learn how here. This can also be a great, inexpensive gift idea for the holidays.

Textbooks:

Borrow -- If you know someone who already took the class you're in, see if you can borrow their book for the semester, if they haven't sold it back already. You can also check to see if your college's library has it available, or if you can get an inter-library loan from another local library. If you know someone in your class, another option is to share the book, and split the cost.

Buy Used -- Buy used textbooks whenever possible. Sites like Amazon and Half.com offer used books for cheap. As an English minor, I've bought books from Amazon for less than $5. You can't beat that!

Food:
Take advantage of your meal plan -- If you live on campus and have a meal plan, use it! Try to use up all the meals you have each week. You're paying for it on your student bill, so be sure to use it.

Skip the coffee shop -- If you have a caffeine addiction like I do, and you're going to Starbucks or the coffee shop on campus every day, you are wasting a TON of money! Buy your own coffee maker instead, and you will save a lot of money in the long run.

Clip Coupons -- I know this seems like something only your mom does, but if you cut out coupons every week, you could get some really great deals. Also keep an eye on ads in the local paper for weekly specials at your local grocery store.

There are way more tips on the Web site, in categories such as art and entertainment, off-campus living, shopping, and transportation. Be sure to check it out for more easy ways to save your money.

Just another Manic Monday Oooo Wee Oh

Bangles anyone? No? Well Prince wrote it so give me a break. Forget it, I'll just give you your music news and go...

PHISH IS REUNITING AND MAY BE TOURING AGAIN THIS SUMMER! Three gigs in March have been confirmed so far, but they plan on announcing more 2009 dates early next year. This is exciting news, people. It's funny how I feel about this one. When Brett Favre pulled the old retire-unretire, I though he was kind of a jerk. Phish is doing it now though, and I'm psyched. I never got a chance to see a Phish show before, but I've already gotten a group of people together to go this summer. If you get the chance to go, don't miss it. I'm serious.

And another quick little concert update: Coachella has been moved up two weeks this year. Anyone planning on going or interested in the event should be aware that it's going to be held April 17-19 now. It'll still be at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California though.

Oasis has a new record out! I haven't heard it yet but I'll post a link to the New York Times review; just because I love Oasis and they seem to as well. The album's called Dig Out Your Soul. Go purchase it. With money. Because Oasis is good enough for your money.

Oh yeah, and Carlos Santana is planning on starting his own church in Hawaii someday. I gotta admit, Hawaii would be a great place to live, and starting your own church sounds like a great way to pay for it. I wonder if he plans on playing his guitar at the altar. That would be cool.

If you've been watching the Red Sox play at Fenway this week, you may have noticed the smooth sounds of Neil Diamond pumping out of the stadium speakers in the 8th inning of every game. Noone is sure why that is. My theory: It cant be coincidence that baseball is played on a diamond....

Also, Clay Aiken is gay. This came as a shock to his millions of fans, known as Claymates. Apparently, however, there may have been clues in his latest album. Really? There may have been clues? I never would have guessed it.

I saved the worst news for last. Music is dead. It was found on the ground in a dark alleyway this past week. A Paris Hilton-shaped entry wound in music's left temple was the only clue found at the scene. Let's all spend the next week mourning the brutal murder of sweet, sweet music.


Well, that's it for this week in music news. I'll leave you with the new James Bond theme, done by Jack White and Alicia Keys. It's called Another Way to Die, but it's much cooler than the title suggests. Plus, Jack White only barely looks like Michael Jackson in this one.
Just kidding. I love Jack White.
But not really. He does.
But I do love him and everything he does.


<3

See more funny videos and Music Videos at Today's Big Thing.

What "Big" Brown Can Do For You

Football season has just started, the World Series is almost here, and the Breeder's Cup is about to be upon us; what a great time of year for sports fans. Now I know most of you are saying, "woh woh woh, wait a second, Breeder's Cup? what's that?" So before you get too skeptical, hear me out. The Breeder's Cup is the Super Bowl or the World Series of horse racing.

Every year in October the best thoroughbred's from around the world assemble at one of the many tracks that scatter the United States to compete. This year's Breeder's Cup is being hosted by Santa Anita Racetrack in Southern California. For the complete schedule you can visit the Official Breeder's Cup website.

This year's Breeder's Cup is a little bit different than most though, it's biggest race, The Breeder's Cup Classic, features two of the best horses this sport has seen in years. I'm sure most of you have heard of the UPS sponsored horse named Big Brown that flirted with horse racing immortality in the Belmont Stakes this year. Big Brown failed in his attempt to win the Triple Crown this May, but has still had a phenomenal year for a thoroughbred. His counterpart, Curlin is the defending Horse of the Year, and won the Breeder's Cup Classic last year. Last week he became the richest horse in the history of the sport, by eclipsing the $10 million mark in career earnings. The two horses have made over $11 million dollars this year, and have won most all but one of their races each.

So instead of tuning into another college football blowout this year, turn on the Breeder's Cup Classic, and witness a sport that dates back to the Roman Empire, but still provides the same thrill. If you are looking to watch horse racing this weekend, you can check out the schedule on the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) website.

If Dracula Bit Devastee in the Neck, He'd Get a Bloody Mary.

Paris Fashion Week is the place to show couture. Paris is home to fashion's favorite artists. Ann Demeulemeester, Balenciaga, Comme Des Garcons and Gareth Pugh choose to show there year after year. But this year, I wasn't really interested in the experimental pieces in Paris. I was more interested in pieces that would last the day, the season, the year...


That's where Devastee comes in. Devastee is a macabre fashion line that usually focuses on the darker sides of life. (Their latest collection was called 'Embalming Party.') But this season they mixed their darker side with a WASP-y side. The models wore their hair straight and parted down the middle. Prep school patches popped up on blazers and bathing suits. Striped shirts, low-slung pants, linen boyfriend blazers paired with vintage Ray-Bans and wedges were the ultimate in cool. I'd wear every single piece.

The show may not have been fashion forward, but in these economic times maybe that's not the end-all be-all of a good fashion show.

One soda won't hurt? Guess again.

As a former New York State Dairy Princess, I am always telling friends about the benefits of drinking milk. Just to name a few: osteoporosis prevention, reduced risks of heart disease and lowers blood pressure as well as reduced chances of certain kinds of cancer (breast and prostate being the main two).

However, one fact that comes into my almost daily conversation, is that soda is not only unhealthy for you, but actually reverses the good effects milk is having on your body. One 8-oz serving of soda will deplete the amount of calcium you had in two servings of dairy today. That means, if you were to have one soda today, you would have to have at least five servings of dairy, as opposed to the recommended three servings of dairy a day just to make up for the damage you've just done to your bones and to ensure the continued safe growth and strengthening of them.

Now, if you are thinking, "well then I'll just take some calcium supplement pills," think again. This won't help. It is the combination of the nine essential nutrients in milk which help to make your body healthy in so many ways.

I was shocked when I found this video on youtube. Apparently soda does numerous things to your body which will have huge, negative impacts on your life.




So next time you reach for a soda to help you get through studying for that huge biology midterm, think about grabbing some iced tea, or better yet, milk, instead.