BuzzSugar

Buzz News Roundup, 12/8

BuzzSugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:30:30 PST

Heath Ledger was posthumously given the Australian Film Institute's international award for best actor for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight. - AP
Reflecting on Boston Legal, which will air its final episode tonight. - USA Today
The award-winning comic book series Fables is being developed into a TV pilot for ABC. - Zap2it
Leona Lewis went straight to the top of the British pop singles charts, taking the number-one slot with her latest single "Run." - Reuters
Bravo has renewed four of its "docu-series," including The Rachel Zoe Project and Flipping Out. - The Futon Critic
Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers have joined the guest list for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. - TV Guide
Lauren Holly and Luke Perry will star in the apocalyptic thriller The Storm, which will be directed by Uwe Boll. - Reuters

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Boating Safety: Things to Know Before You Go Afloat

Jenny Sugar — Sat, 26 May 2012 19:27:32 PDT

It seems like boating season unofficially begins on Memorial Day weekend with everyone headed to their lake houses, weekend river residences, or the beach. In different parts of the nation, boating accidents, injuries, and unfortunately fatalities are on the rise. Now that I've captured your attention, let's review a few tips on boating safety.

Boater's fatigue is real, and it can wear you down. The US Coast Guard warns people about this condition, created by the combination of wind, noise, heat, and vibration of the boat. All these elements can mentally and physically fatigue boaters and subsequently impair their judgment.
Personal flotation devices, otherwise known as life jackets, are vitally important for everyone on board the boat, be it a canoe or a speed boat. Some states even require children under a certain age to wear life jackets, so if the little ones complain about wearing the big orange life vest, tell them it's the law.
Boating and alcohol don't mix. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, and coordination, affects your swimming and diving skills, and reduces your body's ability to stay warm. Coupled with boater's fatigue, folks on a boat will feel the effects of alcohol faster than they would on land. Plus, driving a boat while intoxicated is illegal.
The wind can keep you cool and make you forget you're in the sun, but don't forget to reapply sunscreen every two hours and always after swimming. Lube up even if it's overcast since UV rays can still damage your skin through clouds.
Watch the weather to keep an eye on local weather conditions, and be prepared for electrical storms. Water conducts electricity, so you don't want to find yourself on the open water during a lightning storm.

22 Actors Who Could Play Christian in Fifty Shades of Grey

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:10:07 PDT

Fifty Shades of Grey has been taking the world by storm, and fans of the sexy book trilogy are now dying to see who will be cast in the film. The story revolves around a 21-year-old woman who takes up an S&M relationship with a hot, mysterious billionaire, and, naturally, readers have different ideas about who should play the smoldering leading man, Christian Grey. Based on your comments and suggestions, we've rounded up the top 22 contenders to play Christian. Check 'em out.

Game of Thrones "The Prince of Winterfell": What We're Still Talking About

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:39:38 PDT

It's hard to believe that there are only two episodes of Game of Thrones left, and this week feels like the calm before the storm. As Robb, Theon, Tyrion, and Stannis prepare for some serious battles, the ladies in all of their lives start making some moves of their own.

Catelyn takes family matters into her own hands, Talisa finally seals the deal with Robb, and Osha's keeping a secret. As the tease for next week's episode reminds us, war is on the horizon, but let's get into this week's biggest moments when you

Catelyn sets Jaime free. Catelyn makes a decision of the heart and sends Jaime back to King's Landing under Brienne's watch. Naturally, Robb is none too pleased to hear about this, and calls his mom a traitor for negotiating with the Lannisters. So even if Jaime makes it all the way home (which I'm doubtful of, since he's weaseled his way out of the Starks' grip before), what's going to happen when Arya is nowhere to be found?
Robb and Talisa sitting in a tree. Robb's got a lot on his plate right now, what with Theon leading Occupy Winterfell and his mother freeing Jaime and all, but he's still got his flirtation with Talisa to keep him going. Their relationship gets taken to the next level after a deep conversation about life and death, and Robb adorably admits that he doesn't want to marry the Frey girl he's betrothed to. Talisa returns the sentiment and - after what feels like many minutes of trying to unlace Robb's shirt - they get busy on the floor tent. I love seeing Robb as the vulnerable teenager he really is under his kingly demeanor, but I have a bad feeling that his relationship with Talisa is not long for this world.
Bran and Rickon live (of course)! I wasn't really expecting Bran and Rickon to be the poor charred bodies that Theon proudly displays in the center of Winterfell, but I still breathed a sigh of relief when we see that they're safe. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the local farm boys who ultimately suffered Theon's wrath. Theon gets an earful from Yara, who essentially calls him a moron for killing the Stark boys, and he doesn't fight back - so does this mean he doesn't know who he actually ordered to death?
Arya and Jaqen go full alliance. With only one death order left under her belt, Arya starts getting clever with her pact with Jaqen. To get even more help from him, she asks that he help her escape - if not, she'll order his suicide. Since Jaqen knows that he's beat, he agrees and takes down the guards so that Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie can flee Harrenhal. But where will they go from here? And is this the last we'll see of Jaqen?
Cersei gets the upper hand (and then immediately loses it). During a standard round of sibling banter with Cersei and Tyrion, Cersei starts acting obviously smug about something. Tyrion bites and she tells him that she's learned about the whore he's been hiding, and she threatens to kill her if anything should happen to Joffrey in battle. Tyrion starts to sweat, but then - twist! - Cersei's apprehended the wrong woman, and Shae is still safe.

What'd you think of the episode? And with war brewing, who do you think will make it through the rest of the season?

Photo courtesy of HBO

5 Tips For Keeping Your Hair Safe From Rainy Weather

BellaSugar — Fri, 18 May 2012 03:35:00 PDT

Spring is a time for sunshine and bright skies, but it's also a time where seasonal storms can wreak havoc on your hair. Between the increasing warmth in the atmosphere, the humidity, and wind, stormy weather is definitely more fun to look at than it is to go out in. If you do need to leave the house, though, there are some uncomplicated ways to keep you from winding up with a bird's nest on top of your head. To find out how, just read on.

Geek Tips For Extreme Weather Conditions

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 03:10:00 PDT

Harsh Winter weather may be a thing of the past for many of us, but Spring ushers in the start of "tornado season" in the central US. Of course, your tech may be the last thing on your mind when a twister strikes, but what about when a severe thunder, electrical, or rainstorm hits? The savvy geeks at DriveSavers Data Recovery shared a few tips on how to keep your gadgets safe during extreme weather. Check them out below!

Unplug your hardware during an electrical storm - Make sure that your laptops, hard drives, gaming consoles, and other electronic equipment are unplugged during severe weather. If lightning does strike, you could experience a power surge that could knock out and/or fry your gadgets from the inside out.
Use surge protectors, and replace them every few years - Don't just plug your expensive equipment into any ol' power brick! Make sure your extension cords and power adapters have surge protection to ensure that any power spikes won't destroy your machines.

Get one more important tip after the break.

Glee-ful Highlights From Episodes "Props" and "Nationals"

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:00:18 PDT

It's a Glee double whammy this week as the New Directions prep for, and then head to Nationals! As we've seen at the end of each season, emotions are running high, as the kids get ready to take on Vocal Adrenaline. The stakes are even higher this year since a lot of the seniors are graduating, and there's one gleek in particular who's feeling a little left out.

Season three has not been my favorite, but both of this week's episodes won me over in a big way. The first hour is both funny and poignant, while the second is very sweet and sentimental, as we get ready to say goodbye to some of the core cast members. The night definitely brings back memories from the first season when the show took the world by storm, and reminded me why I fell in love with it in the first place. Let's break down the highlights when you

I'm glad Tina finally gets a little time to shine, though it's a bit awkward that the opening voice-over is all about how the show has essentially ignored her for the first three seasons. Still, it's a nice break, and the sweet moments between Rachel and Tina feel authentic and are fun to watch, particularly when Tina offers to take Rachel on a road trip to see Carmen Thibedeau. And though it's not my favorite number of the night, I love that Rachel gives Tina her wish to duet on "What a Feeling."
Just because it needs to be mentioned: Kurt and Blaine's Halloween costumes as Snooki and the Situation. Amazing.
OK, the switcheroo moment was everything I hoped it would be and more. Though the sneak peek pictures gave away who would become who during Tina's dream, it's still amazing to see the kids all mixed up: particularly Artie as Santana. Genius. My head continued exploding throughout the entire sequence, especially seeing the reaction shots to Tina's rendition of "Because You Loved Me" (Mr. Schue's impression of Sue is spot-on). Speaking of which, Tina totally kills the song: are we getting a preview of what Glee might be like next season?
Coach Beiste has had to do some emotional heavy lifting lately, but this is one of the few times we see Puck truly vulnerable. His feelings of inadequacy about his future come to a head when one of the bullies at school challenges him to a fight in the schoolyard. After Beiste breaks it up, Puck breaks down in tears about feeling like garbage, and he and Beiste comfort each other in a truly touching moment. What's even better is that Beiste proceeds to dump Cooter, and she and Puck sing a sweet duet of Taylor Swift's "Mean." (Honestly I'm surprised it's taken Glee this long to get that song).
I love all the throwbacks to the first season in this episode; there's talk of Tina's first audition, some reminiscing about Puck's days tossing kids in dumpsters, and even an utterance of the Glee-patented insult "lima loser." Those were the days.
How is it possible that the New Directions are, yet again, about to perform at Nationals and they're still trying to slap together the routine just hours beforehand? It's no wonder they're all on edge, but at least they aren't trying to write their own songs this time around.
I can't even talk about how much I loved every one of the New Directions' performances at Nationals; this is by far and away my favorite performance episode. I had chills during "The Edge of Glory," which turned into goose bumps for "It's All Coming Back to Me Now." But the real kicker is "Paradise By the Dashboard Light" - the number is mesmerizing, and I felt proud of how far they've come. I can't remember the last time I was so caught up the performances of this show. They absolutely nailed it.
As for Vocal Adrenaline, well, they certainly bring the theatrics. I'm a fan of Unique's, but something about their numbers lacked energy. But maybe that's because the dudes were so tired from picking up the girls repeatedly and pushing those heavy-looking pinball machines around?
Giving Unique the suddenly existent MVP award is a nice consolation when the New Directions win the grand prize. I do kind of wish they'd give up the celebrity judges' shtick though. No offense to Lindsay Lohan, but getting a peek inside the self-involved judges' room used to be funny but now it just feels stale.
The scene where we get to watch the New Directions celebrating their victory feels like three years coming, and it actually could have been a very fitting end to the series as a whole. The kids are about to graduate and move away, and now they've finally got the biggest trophy in all the land. Hell, they even let Will and Emma finally do it (though did that really need to be shoehorned in with the confetti?). The icing on the cake, of course, is Mr. Schuester's Teacher of the Year award and the performance of "We Are the Champions." A perfect end to a great episode.

With only one more episode to go, it all culminates with next week's graduation episode. Were you touched by this episode like I was? What'd you think of the New Directions' showing at Nationals?

Photo courtesy of Fox

8 Things You Think Are Good for Your Money . . . That Aren't

LearnVest — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:03:23 PDT

You may be wasting money when you think you're saving. LearnVest shares eight of the biggest money misconceptions.

Frugalista. Recessionista. In the past few years, people have coined a lot of silly words describing women and their approach to money, but the thought behind each of them is the same: You care about your hard-earned dollars and want to make them stretch.

That's true of most of us: We scrimp, we pinch, we try to feed our proverbial piggy bank as much as possible. Yet sometimes, in our excitement to be financial overachievers, we overreach.

It turns out there are a number of things that sound like they'd be doing good things for your money, and make you feel like you're saving more . . . when, actually, they're having the opposite effect.

Paying Every Debt Equally

When you have multiple debts to pay off (a credit card here, a student loan there) you might feel like a rock star simply for keeping up with them all and dividing your attention in a lot of different directions. Which, in a sense, you are! After all, you should always pay at least the minimums on all your loans.

But, if you have extra money to pay down your debts, you’re doing yourself a disservice by dividing it equally. The debts with the highest interest rates grow the fastest, so you should focus your muscle on the most toxic debts first.

Read on for more.

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode "Prom-asaurus"

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:00:30 PDT

It's prom time again on Glee, and this year's festivities contain just as much drama as last year's, plus infinitely more dinosaurs. That's right - Brittany decides to exercise her presidential rights in order to celebrate the peace that apparently once existed between cavemen and dinos. It doesn't make much sense, but it does give Brittany the opportunity to prance around in a Flintstones-esque getup to Ke$ha's "Dinosaur."

It wouldn't be prom without a heated race for king and queen, and the usual suspects have their eyes on the prize: Quinn, Santana, Kurt, and Brittany. Only Quinn uses questionable methods in hopes of winning the crown, but once again, there's a shocker when the envelopes are finally read. It really feels like we're inching closer to that bittersweet Glee graduation, so let's recap the episode when you

Can I just say how much I loved all of the performances this week? OK, "Dinosaur" isn't about to be added to my iPod, but the slate of pop songs is otherwise wonderful. Rachel, Kurt, and Blaine harmonize beautifully on "Big Girls Don't Cry," while "Love You Like a Love Song" and "What Makes You Beautiful" are perfect current choices for the prom. The clincher of course is "Take My Breath Away," which serves nicely as the prom king and queen dance. Overall, I was feeling it.
With NYADA no longer in the picture, Rachel decides to shift her focus away from her shattered dreams and on to her prom and her wedding. That is, until she learns that Finn and Quinn are campaigning together for prom. It's easy to see both sides of the equation: Rachel doesn't want her prom night ruined by another girl, but Finn wants to help his friend who's had a rough year. Rachel doesn't give in though, and decides to throw her very own anti-prom party. It might have been a good idea if anyone besides Kurt, Blaine, Puck, and Becky showed up.
Quinn starts making major strides at therapy with Joe's support, and decides to show off her walking skills at the prom. In the meantime, she shamelessly uses her condition to sway voters, much to Finn's chagrin. He's sent over the edge when he catches her on two legs during the prom, and is particularly mad at himself for putting Quinn's feelings first. Finn nearly gets into a brawl with Joe after aggressively demanding that Quinn come clean to all the people that voted for her, but ultimately storms off instead.
Finn sets out to bring Rachel and co. back to the prom, which is well timed since Rachel just so happens to be showing off her perfect prom dress at that very moment. It seems like everyone's happy, until Santana learns that Brittany won't win prom king and is bitter about the whole prom court situation. Quinn has earned the most votes anyway, but she takes no pleasure in the victory - and tells Principal Figgins that Rachel was a write-in winner. It's a very sappy, very Glee moment, but it's a refreshing change of pace after Kurt winning prom queen last year as a cruel joke. Rachel's genuinely shocked, and once she realizes she's not in her own version of Carrie, she enjoys her moment in the sun.
There are major strides for the rest of the kids as well: Becky finally gets her crown, Puck fulfills his lifelong dream of spiking the prom punch, and Blaine conquers his fear of going gel-free. Like I said, big accomplishments.

How did you feel about the second helping of prom - and which prom episode do you prefer?

Photo courtesy of Fox

All Angles: Karolina Kurkova Gets Gilded and Gorgeous in Rachel Zoe at the Met Gala

Hannah Weil — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:12:26 PDT

We're filing this Met Gala look under legendary: Karolina Kurkova is a vision in Rachel Zoe's custom-made gold-sequined gown. The supermodel took the red carpet by storm with the bold and beautiful confection, topped with a coordinating turban and finished with a jaw-dropping display of diamond bangles and rings. With confidence and glamour, she carries the '20s-inspired outfit perfectly, making it one of the most dramatic looks on tonight's red carpet - and with Karolina's playful poses, one of the most fun to watch. Click on to see every stunning angle and find out exactly why we're so smitten.