BuzzSugar

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:48:17 PDT

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue.

Blood Diamond
Nominated for five Academy Awards, Blood Diamond stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Danny Archer, a white African involved in the illegal diamond trade that funds African warfare. When he learns that native fisherman Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) has a rare pink diamond in hiding, he agrees to help Solomon rescue his son, who has been forced into military service. The film chronicles a brutal time in Africa's political history, along with bringing to light the controversial business of selling "conflict diamonds."

To see another recommendation,

read more Come Early Morning Written and directed by Joey Lauren Adams (who played Amy in Chasing Amy, along with small parts in Big Daddy and The Break-Up), Come Early Morning is an indie film with a strong female protagonist. Ashley Judd plays Lucille, a tough construction worker in a small Southern town who spends her free time drinking at the bar and enjoying one-night stands. When a new man (Jeffrey Donovan) wants something more, she struggles with commitment issues, perhaps stemming from the strained relationship she has with her emotionally distant father (Scott Wilson). I like the "making of" story: Joey Lauren Adams got tired of the limited roles for women in Hollywood, so she made a film that appeals to women but wouldn't be lumped into the "chick flick" category.

Fresh Start Resolution: Cut Yourself Some Slack

SavvySugar — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:23:53 PST

It's a New Year and a new you! We're offering 12 tips to start off the year right. We've already given you advice on mastering time management and improving your public speaking, so here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Make this the year that you finally give yourself a break. It's easy to get caught up in stress and to be hard on yourself when it comes to work, finance, and relationships, but the best way to stay happy and healthy is to lighten up a little bit. Here are four ways to cut yourself some slack in the upcoming year:

Schedule time for yourself. In between work commitments and everyday errands, it can be tough to find time for the things that fulfill you. Still, it's crucial to step back and let yourself indulge. Whether it's exercise, spa treatments, lunch dates, or just 10 minutes to sit and breathe, give yourself the gift of leisure. Even tiny moments of joy will have an impact on your mind-set.
Use your vacation days. Companies want eager, enthusiastic employees, so take advantage of your benefits package and schedule a vacation early in the year. With a trip to look forward to, you'll find yourself energized and more satisfied with your workplace. After your break, you'll return to the office with a calmer spirit and the drive to do better - especially since greater success usually means extra days off.

Read on for more stay-sane tips

How to Catch the Quadrantids Meteor Shower Wednesday Morning (Even If It's Cloudy)

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:14:09 PST

If the new year's fireworks weren't enough for you this weekend, fear not - a big meteor shower, called the Quadrantids, will be producing up to 100 falling stars an hour tomorrow morning, essentially creating a natural fireworks show the entire country can see. The light show kicks off in the Northern hemisphere on Wednesday morning at 3 a.m. local time, with meteors coming from the North sky and radiating out from below the handle of the Big Dipper. You should be able to see at least one shooting star per minute until 5 a.m. local time.

The good news is that the National Weather Center is predicting clear skies for most of the country, but if you do have clouds or fog above your head in the early morning hours (or, if it's too cold to hang outside for two hours), there are a few ways you might still be able to see the show with a few live cams. Check them out below!

Oak Grove Observatory - Take a peek into the skies with this camera from Louisiana.
Twin Pines Observatory - This California cam activates when the sun goes down.
Sandia Sentinel Fireball Camera Network - It's a bit of a blurry cam, but you'll be able to catch some of the brightest meteors on this live stream from Texas.

4 Don'ts For Your Next Breakfast

Leta Shy — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:16:35 PST

When it comes to meals, breakfast is the champ. Instead of grabbing a muffin at the coffee shop to fuel your day, give the mealtime the attention it deserves. Here are four don'ts for the most important meal of the day.

Don't skip it: Eating breakfast helps jump-start your metabolism after it slows down during your sleep. Not only that, but eating breakfast is an important tool in maintaining weight loss. So don't wait until lunch to nosh; eat a filling, healthy meal early in the day to keep your energy up, brain on, and weight loss goals in check.

Don't delay: The best time to eat breakfast is within an hour of waking up, so don't delay! Unless, of course, you are working out first, in which case you should make sure you fuel up with a pre-workout snack before you go (read our tips for choosing a pre-workout snack here). Afterward, be sure to eat a protein- and carbohydrate-filled breakfast 30 minutes to two hours after a workout in order to fuel your body the right way.

Read on for more breakfast don'ts.

5 Top Myths About Saving Money on Black Friday

Bundle — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:00:24 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Bundle story here on Savvy!

As one of the most talked about shopping days of the year, it’s no wonder thousands and thousands of people wake up early and make the trek to their favorite department store in search of great deals. But, will it really save you a lot of money?

In a word, yes. But only if you’re properly prepared. Just as you can find great deals on Black Friday, you can also get sucked into deals that aren’t as great - and probably not worth the stress you’ll go through fighting the crowds.

Below, we’ve put together some of the top myths about saving money on Black Friday - and why you shouldn’t believe them.

Myth #1: All Of The Best Sales are In the Wee Hours of the Morning

While many times this is true, you can also find some pretty great deals late on Thanksgiving night or later in the day on Friday – without waking up early to stand in line with thousands of other shoppers. Check your local paper and it’s likely you’ll find some great deals that are happening later in the day.

Read on for more Black Friday myths.

Robert, Kristen, and Taylor Put Their Prints in Cement!

Allie Merriam — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:03:57 PDT

It's a big day for Twilight fans - Robert, Kristen, and Taylor's handprints were laid down in cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre this morning! While Rob and Taylor were in suits, Kristen sparkled in a Marios Schwab dress. The heat was a little much for Rob, who joked that he wished he'd remembered the LA temperatures and picked a different outfit. Jimmy Kimmel introduced the trio, getting some hopes up by saying Taylor would also put his abs into the cement! Along with plenty of fans in the crowd, Rob's parents were on hand to witness the ceremony as well.

It was a major milestone for the three leads in the franchise, who will all be busy in the coming weeks in the run-up to Breaking Dawn Part 1's release on Nov. 18. Robert and Taylor have already started making the late night talk show rounds, with Robert visiting Jimmy Kimmel Live and Taylor doing The Tonight Show just yesterday. Robert also linked up with Ashley Greene for a couple of early premieres in Europe last week.

Now that Robert, Kristen, and Taylor have reunited for their final press push, all eyes will be on Mr. Pattinson and Ms. Stewart for any signs of affection. Kristen finally admitted to their relationship in an interview in GQ UK, saying, "So much of my life is so easily Googled. I mean, it’s like, come on guys, it’s so obvious . . . It’s just one of those things. I’m selfish. I’m like, 'That’s mine!' And I like to keep whatever is mine remaining that way." With only one more movie to come in the franchise, these will be among the last photocalls and screenings Robert, Kristen, and Taylor do with their many cast mates.

5 Reasons to Love the Nokia Lumia 800

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:36:15 PDT

The Nokia Lumia 800 was announced in the wee hours of yesterday morning, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Not only is this device a spitting image of the drool-worthy N9, but this one is US bound in "early 2012" with a rumored price tag of $600 off contract. You've got your preferred Android, BlackBerry, or iPhone device already, so why should you even bother giving this phone a second glance? I've got five reasons for you right here.

It's beautiful - Say what you want about colorful phones, but the cyan and magenta tones of this device are pretty stunning. Nokia eliminated any unnecessary ports to keep the sleek polycarbonate shell as smooth as possible. This, of course, means that there is no external SD card support, but with 16GB of onboard storage, it shouldn't be a problem for the average user. Plus, the slightly curved AMOLED 3.7-inch display is crisp, clear, and the perfect size for storing in your clutch or handbag.
It's a Windows Phone - The Nokia 800 fits the style and feel of Mango like a glove - the sleek look and brightly colored tiles make these two a match made in heaven. Plus, Mango 7.5 comes with some amazing features - like Kinect and Xbox support, Handsfree, and Threads - that are built right into the software.
It's got a great camera - The Lumia 800 comes stocked with an 8MP camera with f/2.2 lens, which stands up to the iPhone 4S, but comes with extra features like manual exposure and white balance, a dual LED flash, red-eye reduction, and Carl Zeiss optics.
It can be your navigation device - Nokia is stocking the Lumia 800 with a free voice-powered turn-by-turn navigation system, allowing you to ditch all your other GPS devices and apps.
It's a break from the norm - If you're craving something different, I urge you to check out the Mango OS. You might find it counter-intuitive to move from app icons to tiles and threads, but the user experience is quite pleasant once you get used to it. Plus, it's simply beautiful. The live tiles, colors, threads, and fonts all make for a unique device. Adding in the look and feel of the Lumia 800? That's just icing on the cake.

What do you think of the new Nokia Lumia 800 Mango phone? Get a look at it in action in the demo video after the break.

Leonardo DiCaprio Spends the Weekend With Another Lovely Lady

Katie Henry — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:57:50 PDT

Leonardo DiCaprio spent the weekend in Sydney hanging with friends and yesterday enjoyed the company of another beautiful woman. Leo and the mystery brunette were spotted early in the morning on the balcony of his Australian hotel and later in the day grabbing lunch outside a Sydney beach cafe. Leo's been in Oz for the past two months filming The Great Gatsby with Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, while back in the States his ex Blake Lively is also moving on with a new romance. Blake spent the weekend with Ryan Reynolds in Boston and celebrated his 35th birthday by surprising him on the set of R.I.P.D. with an elaborate balloon bouquet. Leo's time Down Under may be coming to an end as he's expected to return to LA for the Nov. 3 AFI Fest premiere of his historical biopic J. Edgar.

Guerrilla Guide to the Holidays: A Perfect, Price-Tag-Free Gift List

LearnVest — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:15:18 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Don’t look now, but here come the holidays (really, they’re just 10 weeks away!). This year, we’re going to make planning and budgeting for them a snap.

That’s why we’re starting early to help you tackle the season step by step - and save time, money and stress. If you follow our Guerrilla Guide each week, we promise that by the end of December, you’ll be outside on the skating rink instead of stressing inside the shopping mall.

According to our Facebook poll, 78% of LearnVesters were already thinking about holiday gifts as early as last week. So, for this issue of the Guerrilla Guide, we bring you the newest way to sort out your holiday gift list.

WEEK 2: YOUR CREATIVE, BUDGET-FRIENDLY GIFT LIST

As you make your list this year, we want you to think about holiday giving a little differently.

Before you start assigning dollar amounts to everyone and hunting around for products to buy and wrap, first consider whether the best gift for them is a thing with a price tag. According to the Five Love Languages, defined by marriage counselor Dr. Gary Chapman, people receive messages of love very differently, and only one of these categories involves actual physical gifts. Some people would rather receive acts of service or quality time instead.

Read on to find out more.

Are Hair Extensions Causing Too Many Hairy Situations?

Jaime Richards — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:02:57 PDT

Countless women use extensions to get a little boost in length and volume, but in reality, are these hairy additions causing all sorts of hairy situations? New York City dermatologist Dr. Eric Schweiger seems to think so. "We have patients in their early 20s who come in after having having hair extensions for six months or a year, and they actually have bald areas of scalp," he told Good Morning America.

And while there are definitely people who experience hair loss as a direct result of extensions, many have no difficulties at all. "Everybody can wear hair extensions," explained Angelo David, owner of the Angelo David Salon in NYC, adding, "the formula is getting them to the right extension." To see more, just read on.