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Showing posts from December 12, 2010

Parents, Don't Be Conned by Sugary Kids' Cereals

Kids will actually eat breakfast cereal that isn't super sugary—and they'll like it, too. That's heartening news for parents who feel like they've been conned by the food industry into serving breakfast with almost no nutritional value, in the belief that their kids would otherwise skip the most important meal of the day. Take that, Froot Loops! Many of the breakfast cereals aggressively marketed to children contain huge amounts of sugar: Froot Loops, Cocoa Pebbles, and Frosted Flakes, three of the cereals used in a new study, have 11 or 12 grams of sugar per serving. For Froot Loops, 42 percent of a serving's 118 calories come from sugar. Other cereals fare even worse; a study of sugary cereals done in 2008 by Consumer Reports found that a bowl of some varieties, like Kellogg's Honey Smacks, had as much sugar as a glazed donut—hardly a healthy start to the day. But parents all too often listen to the marketers, and to their own kids, in thinking that's

12 Biggest Remodeling Trends for 2011

New year, new list of remodeling projects to start around the house. At least that's what remodelers and contractors are hoping. So, what remodeling projects are on top of everyone's list? More from CBS MoneyWatch.com »   World's Most Expensive Home »   Housing Rebound? 11 Spots Where Prices Are Rising »   Tea Party: Don’t Let Renters Vote The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) conducted an exclusive poll of their top builders and developers for us and found that while most people are not starting major renovation projects due to the economy, now is the time to take care of the smaller jobs around your home. Call it the over-arching remodeling trend for 2011: Tackling small projects while you wait to do the really big remodeling project that's on your list. Here are 12 top remodeling trends to welcome in the "aught teens": 1. Save Money : Remodel Your Bathroom. Old tile getting a little grungy? It looks like 2011 is t

Leighton Meester Goes Country With 'Summer Girl'

Ready for Gossip Girl to go country? The Gossip Girl star and aspiring pop princess unleashes her inner Carrie Underwood as beauty queen-turned-country singer Chiles Stanton alongside Gwyneth Paltrow in the new film Country Strong . Her signature tune? A cover of country singer Jessica Andrews' 2005 single "Summer Girl." Leighton Meester: I'm leaving Gossip Girl in two years Meester has been launching a music career on the side when not scheming as Blair Waldorf. She signed a record deal with Universal last year and has recorded three songs for her debut album, she told MTV . Two of them - "Somebody to Love" and "Your Love's A Drug" - have hit the airwaves already. But does she excel at country as she does at pop? Check out Meester performing "Summer Girl" below and weigh in: Movie Trailers - Movies Blog Related Articles on TVGuide.com Leighton Meester: I'm leaving Gossip Girl in two years See More TV

Can these wacky anti-aging products possibly work?

Instant facelifts! Slimmer necklines! If you’re up late, and in the market for the fountain of youth, infomercials about anti-aging 'miracles' can be downright  hypnotizing. While the words ‘paid spokesperson’ should snap you out of the spell, those before and after photos are pretty convincing. They're cheaper than Botox, yes, but do as-seen-on-TV products work as well? Here’s a look at some of small-screen anti-aging stars and their off-screen reputations. Product : Neckline Slimmer Price : $20 Targets : waddle How it works : It's basically a pogo stick for your neck muscles, the jaw workout comes with three different taut springs and an "accelerator" cream. The good : ConsumerSearch writer Sage McHugh points to at least one happy customer, who used the product for 30 days and noticed a definite difference. The bad : A running list of online complaints about results, hidden charges

Kanye, Diddy, Lil Wayne, Pharrell's Multi-Million-Dollar Homes

If you had a $14 million budget for a real estate purchase, how would you spend it? If you live a hip-hop lifestyle, you might first consider how rap luminaries Pharrell Williams, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West have spent their riches. This week's photos of Williams' Miami high-rise prompted Curbed National to do a wrap-up of some of the year's news making hip-hop cribs.  IT PAYS TO BE A N.E.R.D. Considering N.E.R.D. frontman Pharrell Williams is known for his colorful Ice Cream brand outfits, it makes sense that his Miami penthouse also has a playful decor. He has a painting of "Family Guy" character Stewie, as well as oversized cartoon figures and a Perspective chair (which he designed) with human-like legs , toes, and all. But these are just the accessories. The massive $14 million abode, photographed by Todd Selby, has an arrowhead-shaped pool, spiral staircase, and view of the coastal shore. It is definitely fit for the head of a

Even the Costumes in 'TRON: Legacy' Are High-Tech

by: Matt McDaniel Jeff Bridges in 'TRON' Walt Disney Pictures/Everett Collection One of the most memorable aspects of the original " TRON " from 1982 was the glowing, high-tech costumes the characters inside the computer world all wore. The good guys wore blue, the bad guys wore red, and the style was so striking it earned the movie an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design. But as impressive as the costumes looked on screen, in reality there wasn't much to them. They were basically white Spandex bodysuits with lines painted on them. The scenes were filmed in black and white, and the distinct glows were produced after the fact by visual effects. See photos from the original 'TRON' >>  For the sequel, " TRON: Legacy ," everything that was memorable about the first movie has been updated for the modern era, and that includes the costumes. Director Joseph Kosinski decided that he wanted

Tolbert sprints down field to make tackle without helmet

What's tougher than having your helmet pop off and running 60 yards downfield to try and make a tackle anyway? Getting drilled after having your helmet pop off and running 60 yards downfield to try and make a tackle. Hats off to you, Mike Tolbert (notes) . Literally. [ Rewind: Football player forced to borrow oversized helmet ] Tolbert isn't a rookie trying to impress coaches on special teams, he's a running back with over 750 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season. I don't think anyone on the San Diego Chargers coaching staff was going to call Tolbert out in film session if he stayed back in coverage to protect against a long return instead of sprinting 60 yards downfield, helmet-less, to pursue a tackle at full speed. (Especially considering that Ted Ginn Jr. (notes) had already leveled a Chargers player earlier in the game.) [ Related: NFL star's anti-concussion helmet ] But he did anyway and forever endeared himself to NFL fans who remember a

Wild Weather Roundup: Buzz Week in Review

Whenever someone wants to chat about the weather, it's usually a sign you're in for a boring conversation. Not this week. Extreme weather was all the rage. From a sports dome collapsing to a lonely lighthouse frozen solid, this was a week when talking about the weather was anything but dull. Snow 1, Metrodome 0 Last Sunday, Minneapolis was feeling the weight of a big snowfall. And the city's Metrodome stadium, which houses the Minnesota Vikings, just couldn't take the pressure. After putting up a valiant fight, the inflated roof of the Metrodome collapsed , letting in a slew of snow and reinforcing the point that roof panels are no match for Mother Nature. The implosion happened when the stadium was empty, so nobody was hurt. However, video cameras were rolling and captured the sudden stream of snow. Web searches on "metrodome roof collapse" avalanched into breakout status. Below you can watch the video that has to be seen to be believed. A fro

Faster Than 200 MPH

Whether you're behind the wheel of an outrageous sports car this holiday season or, like most of us, find yourself sprinting to find the shortest check-out aisle, chances are good you'll come to appreciate the importance of having the quickest top speed. Like little kids drawn to a toy store's display window, car enthusiasts of all ages are always drawn to the sparkling sheet metal and snarling engines of the world's fastest cars. For this first round of flat-out speed demons, we've drawn up a list of the six fastest cars sold in North America. The rules are few, which seems only right when discussing cars built to breach 200 mph. All have to be street-legal, sold in the U.S., and available from a mainstream manufacturer. This meant excluding some pretty amazing vehicles, like the Hennessey Venom GT and Callaway SC606, along with exciting upstarts like the German-built Gumpert Apollo supercar. We'll get to these, and more, in a future story. Cho

Stores push gimmicks for Super Saturday

Many stores are pushing discounts and other gimmicks for the last weekend before Christmas. Research firm ShopperTrak predicts Saturday will be the second or third busiest shopping day of the year. Here are some incentives planned for this weekend: Wal-Mart Stores Inc.: From 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday, a variety of toys, home goods and electronics will be discounted while supplies last. Deals include Cepia LLC's Kung Zhu Hamster for $15; a 32-inch Samsung LCD HDTV TV, including a $50 Walmart gift card for $348; and up to 50 percent off on selected cookware. J.C. Penney Co.: From 3 p.m. to midnight Friday and 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, hair styling and finishing products will be 50 percent off; blankets and throws, 60 percent off; and gold and sterling jewelry, 70 percent off. Toys R Us Inc.: Open from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, the chain is selling Yamaha 61-key keyboards for $99 ($100 off) and the Fisher-Price Imaginext Motorized Dinosaur for $12.50 (5

Video: Watch 23,096 stuffed Animals bombard a Hockey Rink

While tossing hats onto the ice when a player scores three goals might be hockey's most famous tossing tradition, it simply doesn't compare to the Technicolor grandeur of 23,096 teddy bears and other stuffed animals blanketing the rink as they did at the Calgary Hitmen game on Sunday: For 16 years the Hitmen, who were co-owned by and named after former WWF champion Bret Hart, have held a Teddy Bear Toss to benefit over 50 charities in Alberta that work with children. On Monday, after the 23,000-strong toss, the players hand-delivered teddy bears to the Alberta Children's Hospital. [ Rewind: Fans protest by making it rain tennis balls ] The fans bring the stuffed animals to the game and then wait for the first goal to be scored. For the 16,844 fans at the Scotiabank Saddledome watching the Hitmen take on the Red Deer Rebels on Sunday, the honor went to Cody Sylvester at 3:49 of the first period. He scored, and the mayhem started and continued for 40 minutes wh

Romo gets engaged to 24-year-old former Miss Missouri

Tony Romo (notes) doesn't do much that isn't high-profile, but his relationship with 24-year-old sports reporter Candice Crawford has been decidedly low-key in the public. Perhaps it's because Crawford isn't famous in her own right like Romo's former flames Carrie Underwood and Jessica Simpson, or maybe it's because Romo has been hurt for the past two months, so there hasn't been opportunity for television cameras to focus on a worried blond looking on from a luxury box. [ Photos: Jessica Simpson and more celebs who date athletes ] Regardless, that's all about to change. Romo, 30, got engaged to the former Miss Missouri on Thursday night, proposing with a massive ring at what had been a celebration of Crawford's 24th birthday. The two have been dating since last fall, but have managed to keep their relationship off the gossip pages. That's a change from earlier Romo romances , in which every vacation and night out on the town was

Finally, Mark Cuban has a plan to put the BCS out of its misery

Here's how the world works when you're as filthy, stinking rich as dot-com billionaire Mark Cuban: 1) You buy a basketball team; 2) You get a little bored after a few years; 3) You try to buy a baseball team; 4) You fail in your attempt to buy a baseball team; 5) You start reading a book about how terrible the Bowl Championship Series is . [ Rewind: Mark Cuban's awkward spot on 'Entourage' ] And if you're as ambitious and impulsive as Cuban, 6) You take it upon yourself to use your fortune to personally fund a playoff system that will render the BCS obsolete. From ESPN Dallas: Cuban, the outspoken owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks , told ESPNDallas.com on Wednesday that he is "actively interested but in the exploratory stage" of creating and funding a playoff system to crown a champion for major college football. "The more I think about it, the more sense it makes as opposed to buying a baseball team," said Cuban, who tri

Florida school fined a massive $142,500 for violations By Cameron Smith

In one of the most caustic penalties in high school sports history, a Florida private school, Mandarin Christian, was fined a massive $142,500 by the Florida High School Activities Association , a penalty so severe they may imperil the school's very participation in the FHSAA itself. The penalty stems from some 25 recruiting violations and also includes legal fees and a hefty $10,000 fine against the school's football coach, as well. According to the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union, the fines were levied Tuesday, with the most severe restrictions coming in connection with 16 violations tied with illegal tuition assistance to six student-athletes . The school's football coach at the time of the violations, Denny Thompson, and athletic director Eleanor Perry were also cited in the FHSAA findings. [ Related: Assistant coach's big fine for tripping player ] A seventh student-athlete was also cited in the FHSAA investigation and was ruled ineligible for partici

Christmas With the Kardashians

Christmas portraits are a holiday tradition for many families, including the Kardashians. All 11 members of the reality-TV clan gathered at Bruce and Kris Jenner's house for their 2010 shoot. This year's card was particularly special since it was the first with baby Mason, Kourtney Kardashian's son with Scott Disick. Most of the women donned couture gowns, while Kourtney rocked a chic Alexander McQueen tuxedo "since Mason and Scott were wearing suits," she wrote on her blog. 2010 has been a year full of ups and downs for the family. The fourth season finale of " Keeping Up With the Kardashians ," which aired in February and featured the birth of Mason, was the most-watched show in E! history. In the spring, Kourtney, Kim, and Kourtney released a clothing line for Bebe, but their success was short lived. The retailer recently announced it is ending the partnership because they "want to be first in the fashion world with everybody else

Dwayne Johnson Joins Vin Diesel in the 'Fast Five' Trailer

It seemed like " The Fast and Furious " movie franchise had run out of gas, but then 2009's " Fast & Furious " was a surprise hit, becoming the highest-grossing film of the series with a gross of $359 million worldwide. Since bringing Vin Diesel and Paul Walker from the original worked so well for the fourth movie, it was only natural that they'd team up again for the fifth. They're back in the next installment called " Fast Five ," and this time, they will be joined by cast members from each of the previous movies. But if one muscle-bound bruiser with a shaved head wasn't enough for you, "Fast Five" ups the ante with the addition of Dwayne Johnson . Watch the brand new trailer, and read on to find out who is returning and how the artist formerly known as "The Rock" fits in. (Viewer discretion advised: contains violent content) Diesel and Walker, along with costar Jordana Brewster , reunited after eight

10 Things Party Guests Won't Tell You

The holidays are here, and chances are you have your fair share of parties to attend. You know the rules: Bring a bottle of wine and follow up with a thank-you note. But what if you're the one throwing the bash? We talked to partygoers from around the country and found out what they have to say about hosting dos and don'ts. If you're planning to open up your home this season, read on to learn everything your guests are too polite to tell you. 1. Put some thought into the food you serve—and how you serve it. Any holiday party guest will appreciate being served a full meal, but if there's nowhere to sit and eat, it can be more trouble than it's worth. If you're planning to serve a buffet meal, your party guests need enough surfaces to eat on. "How can you cut meat without putting down your plate?!" asks Doug from Atlanta. Maghan from Gainesville, Florida, seconds that: "Not planning the wineglass-p