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Pregnant in Heels Offers a Look into Extreme Baby Planning

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 08:20:12 PDT

Oh the trials and tribulations of wealthy moms-to-be! Last night's series premiere of Pregnant in Heels introduced us to the world of Rosie Pope – a baby concierge who helps rich New York women design their nurseries, hire nannies, improve relationships with husbands, and, apparently, select baby names. Mitch and Samantha are about to welcome their third child and are seeking help naming their baby-to-be. Rather than pore through books and websites, they have Rosie put together a focus group of academics (a poet, a magazine writer, a linguist, and a branding expert) to aid them in choosing a name that will "scream success." I won't spoil it with the name that is ultimately agreed upon, but let's just say it is – unexpected. The show definitely shines a light on extreme baby planning, but as a "been there, done that" mom, I found it to be a fun indulgence. Did you tune in? Dish with me in the comments below!

Zach Braff Is Rollin' In It ... Maybe

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 12:28:31 PST

"Scrubs" star Zach Braff just cut a sweet one-year deal by which the actor will receive about $350,000 per episode - think about that for a minute - for 2007-2008, provided NBC renews "Scrubs" for its seventh season.

This new salary would put Braff in the ranks with Charlie Sheen of "Two and a Half Men" as one of TV's highest-paid male actors right now. Actually, make that highest-paid actors, period, since the highest-paid female actor is Mariska Hargitay of "Law and Order," pulling in approximately $330,000 per episode. (That's nothing, of course, compared to what the "Friends" were raking in.)

Here's hoping the new massive paychecks will be an incentive to Braff and the "Scrubs" team to do better work than the crappy cop-out episode they stooped to last week.

Source

Hey, "Scrubs": WTF?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 13:30:46 PST

Okay, "Scrubs" has been on TV for a long time, and I've been a consistent fan. It must be challenging to sustain a half-hour comedy for six seasons, but they seem to have done a pretty great job, even pulling off kitschy episodes like a musical and one that used a laugh track to mimic traditional sitcoms. For the most part, they've managed to keep things fresh and fun.

So WTF happened last night?! Using an outrageously weak "plot line" in which a patient has amnesia after attempting suicide, the main characters mull the importance of memory. They go through a series of "memory" montages, throwing together a bunch of clips from previous episodes. For all the lame details,

read more The segues between each montage were lame to say the least: Apropos of nothing, Janitor says he wants to dance, turns on his radio, and suddenly we're taken to a montage of previous dance moments. JD even calls it out at one point, saying something like, "If I can remember some more moments, that will use up at least a few more minutes," before cutting to another montage. I've watched my share of YouTube "Scrubs" montages, so I know they can be funny, but in this episode it came across as lazy and insulting. If NBC doesn't care about making any more quality episodes, why should we? If we wanted to see old "Scrubs" episodes, we'd turn on TBS. What do you think? Were you as disappointed in the "Scrubs" team last night as I was? Source

Tonight's "Scrubs" Parodies "House"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 12:06:09 PST

Earlier today, I told you about the brand-new episodes of "Ugly Betty," "The Office" and "The O.C." - all of which are airing tonight. It gets better: New episodes of "Scrubs" return tonight, too! This first episode after the hiatus is titled "My House," and it features Dr. Cox channeling the doctor on "House" in order to solve three mysteries at the hospital. He attempts to figure out the cause of one man's orange skin, a woman's heart trouble, and why Elliot takes out her anger toward Dr. Kelso on Turk. Meanwhile, Carla feels down in the dumps after the birth of her baby, and J.D. tries to give Kim no reason to take the new job in St. Louis.

I can see the similarities between Dr. Cox and Dr. House, and I look forward to the spoof. Mostly, though, I'm just excited for more new "Scrubs"!

Uh Oh! Watch Out For These 12 IRS Audit Red Flags

Kiplinger — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:06:09 PST

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

The IRS audits only slightly more than 1% of all individual tax returns annually. The agency doesn't have enough personnel and resources to examine each and every tax return filed during a year. So the odds are pretty low that your return will be picked for review. And, of course, the only reason filers should worry about an audit is if they are fudging on their taxes.

However, the chances of being audited or otherwise hearing from the IRS increase depending upon various factors, including your income level, whether you omitted income, the types of deductions or losses you claimed, the business in which you're engaged and whether you own foreign assets. Math errors may draw IRS inquiry, but they'll rarely lead to a full-blown exam. Although there's no sure way to avoid an IRS audit, you should be aware of red flags that could increase your chances of drawing unwanted attention from the IRS.

1. Making too much money

Although the overall individual audit rate is about 1.11%, the odds increase dramatically for higher-income filers. IRS statistics show that people with incomes of $200,000 or higher had an audit rate of 3.93%, or one out of slightly more than every 25 returns. Report $1 million or more of income? There's a one-in-eight chance your return will be audited. The audit rate drops significantly for filers making less than $200,000: Only 1.02% of such returns were audited during 2011, and the vast majority of these exams were conducted by mail. We're not saying you should try to make less money - everyone wants to be a millionaire. Just understand that the more income shown on your return, the more likely it is that you'll be hearing from the IRS.

Read on for more red flags.

Week in Review: Golden Globes Beauty, Winged Eyeliner, and Eco-Friendly Products

BellaSugar — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:25:34 PST

Check out our latest BellaTV episode and some of our favorite stories from the week:

The top 10 makeup looks from the Golden Globes.
Red-carpet hair secrets worth copying.
See birthday girl Betty White through the years.
All about The Hunger Games nail polish collection, Colours of the Capitol.
How to avoid three ways you may be damaging your hair.
Cute and convenient solid perfumes.
Find out the best way to apply winged eyeliner.
Learn how to create Zooey Deschanel's tuxedo manicure from the Golden Globes.
5 must-have eco-friendly beauty products.

The Latest Fashion Stars of Winter TV - Revenge, Pretty Little Liars, Hart of Dixie, and More

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:33:10 PST

Our primetime Winter TV playlist - which has come to include everything from CW classic Gossip Girl to network newcomer The Secret Circle - not only provides addictive storylines week after week, it boasts a covet-worthy lineup of wardrobes and fashion know-how. Whether it's Leighton Meester showing off her newfound '50s ladylike chic, or Rachel Bilson's edgier feminine style in the likes of Alexander Wang and Chanel, we've come to expect our nights to be filled with ultra-inspired television fashion. In addition, we've scoped out a couple more shows to add to our ever-growing must-watch list, including Revenge's Emily VanCamp exhibiting her Hamptons-perfect wardrobe and the Pretty Little Liars cast wearing cool leather jackets and and sweet separates. To catch up on the latest Winter TV fashion, click the slideshow to see the closets we're coveting the most.

4 Reasons Strong Women Should Watch The Iron Lady

Annie Scudder — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 02:00:00 PST

Love or hate Margaret Thatcher's conservative politics, you can't deny her life story is intriguing. Meryl Streep's performance as the UK's only female prime minister in The Iron Lady has rightfully garnered award season buzz. Through flashbacks and scenes in the present day, Meryl brings to life a woman at the height of power and in the depths of grief. Here are four reasons any strong woman should watch the film about the lady with an iron will.

It's honest about aging. I thought The Iron Lady would spend most of its time back in the 1980s. So I was surprised to see how much of the film focused on modern-day Margaret Thatcher, who is dealing with what appears to be dementia, grief, and irrelevance in modern society. Juxtaposing Margaret at her prime and then in her older age demonstrates that she's lived a full life with many highs. But it also makes you reflect on the inevitability of aging. Our lives can be filled with success and a great romance, but The Iron Lady offers young women an insightful peek at the melancholic chapter of life that comes after that. It gives the audience an elderly woman we can empathize with, not just a grandma caricature.
There's an unusual love story. Unlike the typical relationship dynamic we see in movies or TV, in The Iron Lady the woman is the power player in the relationship. Margaret Thatcher's husband takes backseat to her career, and during her prime minster days we see her struggle to make time for her relationship and give her devoted husband more attention. When the film flashes forward to present day, it deals with Margaret Thatcher's horrifying grief and denial over her husband's passing. Meryl Streep's performance as an older woman longing for her beloved husband will help you relate to a grandparent, parent, or anyone else who has lost a partner.
Femininity is an asset. In The Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher breaks down gender barriers to become Britain's first woman prime minister. But while she take lessons to make her voice sound more authoritative, she insists that keeping her pearls is non-negotiable. It seems Margaret Thatcher knew women had assets men don't posses. For example, in one scene she uses shared motherhood to connect with mothers who had lost their sons at war. As Margaret writes a letter, she notes she is the only PM in history who is a mother with a son, assuring the grieving mother that she can truly imagine her pain.
It's an important moment in history. Margaret Thatcher witnessed views about a woman's role broaden dramatically in her lifetime and helped changed perceptions, too. Starting with a fresh-faced Maggie eager to go to Oxford, The Iron Lady tells the story of a woman with ambitious goals, and the entrenched and sexiest biases she must overcome to accomplish them. In the film, Margaret says "one's life must matter" - and she means that for both men and women.

Pilot Scoop: Alcatraz

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:05:23 PST

We're at the onset of midseason's brand-new shows, and if you're feeling like you need some fresh TV to shake things up, there's probably a series for you in the new lineup. On the mystery side, Fox and executive producer J.J. Abrams (a showrunner with quite the sci-fi pedigree) are bringing Alcatraz to primetime. The drama, which kicks off Jan. 16, follows a team of people investigating the mysterious reappearance of prisoners from The Rock.

What it's about: Sarah Jones plays San Francisco homicide detective Rebecca Madsen as she tracks a murder suspect who was imprisoned on Alcatraz over 50 years ago. As she tries to determine how he has returned (and hasn't aged a day), she uncovers a shocking secret: Alcatraz never closed and transferred its prisoners, everyone just disappeared one night without a trace. Soon, she and a local expert on Alcatraz's history (Jorge Garcia) are recruited by a strange government agent (Sam Neill) to solve the mystery and capture each prisoner.

Where it works: The procedural-style show follows one prisoner from the past as he gets captured in the future, and the pilot's inaugural tale of an inmate out for revenge is enthralling. If every story is as interesting as his, Alcatraz will be must-see TV.

Where it doesn't: I found myself feeling more sympathy for the escaped prisoner in the pilot than I did toward most of the team tracking down the old inmates (except for Garcia, whom I have a soft spot for due to his Lost past). Jones and Neill come off a bit wooden in the premiere, so I hope their characters both become more compelling.

You might like this show if: You want a new mystery series with a bit of fascinating historical flair.

When it's on: Mondays at 8 p.m. on Fox.

See a preview and some pictures from Alcatraz after the jump.

OnSugar Blog: Raising Kids Can Be Mind-Numbing, but Take This Advice

OnSugar Blog — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:04:25 PST

Lots of moms like to think out loud and marybabysteps is one of them. Here is an excerpt from one of her recent posts to Every Day Baby Steps.

Whew! Christmas is over. What takes such a big toll on your budget, you sanity and your time is blown away in a matter of minutes while the kids rip open their presents, scurry around searching madly for batteries and try to figure out their new toys without bothering to look at the damn book. All this with barely a "Thanks, Santa." But you know what? It's worth it. We had a very nice, small Christmas at home. The kids got what they wanted (Thank you, Grandma!), and I loved watching their faces light up and spending the morning just watching their excitement as they played with their new stuff.

That being said, I must confess that for the last couple months that I've been trying to work from home without the help of part-time daycare, I've nearly pulled my hair out on a daily basis. I gave up my two day a week sitter in an attempt to save money, and I'm beginning to wonder if I gave up my sanity with that decision. Playing blocks, watching endless pre-school TV and begging Brady to, "Please, go potty." have just about sent me over the edge.

But just the other day, I saw a post on Facebook that led me to a blog I had never visited before, Girl on Saturday. The post was about how poor Karen is now known as "Penis Mom" by the parents and teachers at her kids' school, but that it's okay because she took a stand against ridiculous gender stereotypes and was a role model for her kids. Karen is pretty cool. So cool, in fact, that I took a look at her other posts. Each one spoke to me and conveyed a lesson that I needed to learn or to be reminded of. I was especially moved by this post that gave life-changing advice on surviving the first few years of raising kids. Karen reminded me that, though parenting can certainly be mind-numbing, it can also be some of the best moments of your life. She emphasized what's important, and I intend to keep those things in mind when I'm thisclose to having my next breakdown. If you feel like you just can't take one more second of the mind-numbing routine that has become your life, please head over to read Karen's advice. I guarantee it will help you out.

Want to see more? Start following Every Day Baby Steps or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just may feature your content on our site!