Lose weight,follow 10 simple steps

When it comes to losing weight, tried-and-true strategies work, period. Obese adults who were given a pamphlet with 10 basic rules were motivated enough to lose 4 pounds in 8 weeks. Follow them all, and you could shave off up to 900 calories a day, study authors say—enough to lose nearly 15 pounds in the same amount of time.
1. Eat your meals on a regular schedule.
2. Choose low-fat foods.
3. Wear a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day.
4. Pack healthy snacks.
5. Check the fat and sugar content on food labels.
6. Portion wisely and skip seconds (except vegetables).
7. Stand for 10 minutes every hour.
8. Avoid sugary drinks.
9. Turn off the television while you eat.
10. Eat at least five servings of fruits and veggies daily.

Colin Powell endorses Obama, breaks ranks with the GOP

Powell served three Republican presidents and was once seen as the party's likely presidential candidate. Some critics, including Rush Limbaugh, say race is a factor.
WASHINGTON -- In 1996, the political world was buzzing about the intentions of a possible presidential contender -- one who could make history.In the end, Colin L. Powell, four-star American icon, proclaimed that he would not run after all, disappointing millions of supporters but generating sighs of relief at the Clinton White House.

Powell showed over the weekend that he could still affect presidential politics, declaring his support for Democrat Barack Obama.The prospect of Obama becoming the first African American president, Powell said, would "electrify the world," and the endorsement is already reverberating.Given his decades as a professional soldier and high-ranking official in three Republican administrations, Powell carries weight with the military and moderate voters. Now, more of them could swing to Obama.
Even before Obama was first elected to public office as a state senator in Illinois, Powell was considered the odds-on favorite to become the first African American to head a major-party presidential ticket.He looked to be a formidable candidate in the 1996 race: a black centrist, long an independent, who had led the victorious U.S. military during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. But he declined to run, citing concerns about his privacy and a lack of passion for political combat. There were also reports that his wife, Alma, feared for his safety.Instead, Powell said, he would join the Republican Party, hoping that his involvement would broaden the GOP's appeal and humanize its attempts to reform social welfare programs."I believe I can help the party of Lincoln move once again close to the spirit of Lincoln," he said.With his embrace of Obama, Powell, 71, has broken ranks.The decision led to debate over his motives. Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh suggested Powell's endorsement was rooted in race and the hope that Obama would become the first black president."I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed," Limbaugh said in an e-mail. "I'll let you know what I come up with."Powell, in his appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," denied that race was the motivating factor. He said he had pondered a decision for months, and that he had told Obama, "I'll give you all the advice I can, but I'm not going to vote for you just because you're black."Powell's decision to cross party lines, former associates said, is far more complicated than black and white."It was a painful thing for him to do, for sure," Larry Wilkerson, a retired Army colonel who was Powell's chief of staff at the State Department, said in an interview Sunday. "One of the principal parts of his character is defined by loyalty."The Republican Party and Republican presidents "have done a lot for his career," Wilkerson said. Powell was President Reagan's national security advisor, then served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush before he became President George W. Bush's first secretary of State.Wilkerson said that Powell ultimately was distressed over what he saw as growing divisiveness in the country and a return to "the vitriol and bigotry and prejudice" of the 1960s.Adm. Henry Ulrich, the former commander of U.S. naval forces in Europe, said he thought Powell's decision was not easy."Colin Powell is a very, very, very bright, thoughtful person, and I can assure you that he did not enter into this endorsement without giving it lots and lots of thought and give it all the due process it deserved," Ulrich said. "I think it is remarkable that he has endorsed a Democrat, and so I am sure he didn't do it lightly."Sen. Obama is quite lucky and fortunate," he added. "It should have made his Sunday."

Every passing day spells danger for Barack Obama

Tonight, US presidential candidate Barack Obama squares off against his Republican opponent John McCain in the last presidential debate before Americans vote on November 4. There are 19 days left before the historic US election that could see an African-American elected to the highest office in America or the first woman vice-president in American history. Yet, each day spells increasing personal danger to Senator Obama who polls show has opened a 10-point lead over Senator McCain. To those responsible for protecting Obama from harm, the threat is real that some crazy fellows will take a shot at the candidate, wounding him or killing him altogether. Such an event, God forbid, would be an unimaginable tragedy of global proportion. Sadly enough, should this unthinkable tragedy occur, it will be just another addition to the dark side of America’s political life. Americans, after all, are no strangers to political violence and assassinations which date back more than a century. Nine American presidents including Andrew Jackson in 1835, Abraham Lincoln in 1865, James Garfield in 1881, William McKinley in 1901, Harry S. Truman in 1950, John F. Kennedy in 1963, Richard Nixon in 1974, Gerald Ford twice in September 1975, and Ronald Reagan in 1981 were the targets of assassination. Four—Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy—were killed by the assassins. The attempted assassinations of Gerald Ford within the span of a mere two weeks in September 1975 were made by would-be female assassins. In the first attempt, the gun failed to go off and the woman was arrested, while in the second attempt, a former serviceman may have saved Ford’s life by knocking the gun off target when the assassin fired the shot that whistled above Ford’s head. Assassination attempts were also made on the lives of president-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 and three presidential candidates—Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, and George Wallace in 1972. While Roosevelt and Wallace survived, Robert Kennedy died from shots fired by an Arab-American Sirhan Sirhan in a Los Angeles hotel. Other high profile assassinations include the murders of black Muslim preacher Malcolm X in February 1965 and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. No doubt, Obama’s security detail, already one of the tightest ever around a presidential candidate was likely beefed up over the last two weeks, and for good reasons. Senator McCain trailing in the polls has opted for the nuclear option—launch blistering attacks on the character of Barack Obama. The opening salvo in this new attack strategy was fired by McCain’s vice-presidential running mate Sarah Palin. She accused Obama of “palling around with terrorists who would target their own country.” Governor Palin was referring to Obama’s relationship with distinguished Professor Bill Ayers of the University of Illinois at Chicago who was linked to the radical anti-war group the Weather Underground that bombed US Federal buildings including Capitol Hill and the Pentagon in the late 1960s and early 1970s. At the time Prof. Ayers committed the crime, Obama was just eight years old, and Ayers was an anti-war activist angry with US war in Vietnam. By the time Obama met Ayers, the latter was fully rehabilitated and was a respected professor of education, a job he holds to date. In other words, Governor Palin’s accusation that Obama was “palling around with terrorists” was not only false because the two men hardly know each other, it was also a blatant lie to give the impression that beside Ayers, Obama retains ongoing connections to other terrorists, say, Osama bin Laden. Now, Governor Palin may have been trolling for political points in order to win the elections in November. Unfortunately for her and the McCain campaign, the attack on Obama was the opening hate-mongers were waiting for and, within days, several were heard openly calling for Obama’s head with shouts such as “terrorist”, “kill him”. Last week, during a town hall meeting, a white woman told Senator McCain: “I don’t trust Obama, he is an Arab.” A startled McCain took the microphone from the woman and blurted: “I have to tell you, Senator Obama is a decent person and a person you don’t have to be scared of as president of the United States.” McCain’s defence of Obama comes too late after the Arizona senator himself set the hound-dogs after Obama. Just this past Monday, a supporter of McCain in Virginia Beach was seen holding the sign “Obama Bin Lyin”, a clear attempt to connect Obama to Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. In the mind-eyes of some angry racist Americans, McCain has reinforced the view that Obama is America’s Enemy Number One who must be taken out at all cost. Though few, these fringe elements may now see it as a ‘patriotic’ duty to stop Obama from becoming president of America. While millions of Americans will use the ballot to try to stop Obama from becoming president next month, the increasing strength of Obama’s campaign coupled with desperation on the part of the handful of hateful individuals could inspire someone to try to silence the African-American candidate. That is the permanent threat Obama assumed when he began his quest for highest office in America, but one which the Secret Service must work hard to eliminate. Whether he wins or loses next month, Obama has brought fresh hope to millions—and nobody wants to see this hope snuffed away by an assassin’s bullet. Certainly, nobody with a straight thinking mind.

Jennifer Aniston loves wearing bikinis

Whoever cast Jennifer Aniston in Marley & Me is my new Jesus. The film is shooting in Miami where Jennifer is guaranteed to be sporting a bikini at least once a week. This time around she's got a friend with her (red bikini) who I'm 90% positive is John Mayer. In the meantime, some of these pics aren't focused very well, but with boobs, quantity is always better than quality. I mean, who cares if they're in-focus, out-of-focus, sepiatoned, or attached to a trucker named Ralph you met last night at Arby's hundreds of women you meet every day while racing Lamborghinis in a ninja suit.
Thanks to Karl who could find breasts in the lost city of Atlantis.

lonely Jennifer Anniston by herself on the beach

Jennifer Aniston continues her vacation in Los Cabos, Mexico, and she should probably start posing for the paparazzi because, damn, are they getting some unflattering shots. It's almost as if the majority of Jennifer's body is defying age except her stomach. Which obviously gave up and said "Hey, I wanna look like your grandpa."
NOTE: Jennifer Aniston completely making my words a moot point here, and I'm pretty sure that's the entrance to Narnia.

sarah palin is a bitch lady

Last night the Vice Presidential Debate took place between Republican Governor Sarah Palin and Democratic Senator Joe Biden. If you don't know who these people are, please engage in activities with a high risk of infertility. Anyway, consider this post an open thread/romper room to get your politics on and sound off about the debate. In the meantime, I'll be trying to salvage my eardrums which feel like they've been raped by Marge Gunderson from Fargo.
Oh, and who do I think won? How about I answer a completely different question instead? Waffles.*
*Didn't get the joke? Don't worry; I'll post about Britney soon.

Samantha Ronson on the beach with lover babe Lindsay Lohan

Samantha Ronson dropped a bombshell today when she admitted she doesn't work out. Apparently, the folks at People couldn't get enough of Sam's "svelte" figure in a bikini this week. Which leads me to believe they get wet in the pants at the sight of Amy Winehouse - another 12-lines-a-day diet success story:
When asked about the secrets to her slim physique, Ronson, 30, told PEOPLE that less – a lot less – is more: "No gym – well, not in the last five years. All the credit goes to Mom and Dad and their genes!"Not that she doesn't indulge in the occasional cardio activity: "Sprinting through airports to catch flights," Ronson added about her workout "regiment."The deejay even jokes about one of her only vices: Marlboro Reds. "I get winded just reaching for my cigarettes!" she said.
She gets winded reaching for her smokes. God, why are all the good ones gay?