We're updating this popular post because there's a terrific new online article titled EIGHT WAYS TO LOOK BETTER IN PHOTOS. There's MUST READ info re: looking younger, less shiny & blemishy in photos -- it's all about the lighting & they've got super savvy ways to rig it, including using a flash in daylight, a white napkin over the flash (news to me!) and using the brush icon on most photo programs to virtually brush over age-revealing wrinkles. Never knew what that icon was for. Consider it my new favorite:)

And there's more .... Here's great collection of some of the best tips have ever seen on this all-important topic: looking-thin-in-photos. And, THIS CAMERA MAKES YOU LOOK TEN POUNDS THINNER.

At some point, nothing works, but a professional Photographer said something once that stuck with me .... "Strike the Princess Di pose." At first had no idea what he meant, but then got image in head of the head-tilted-down-look-up-slightly signature pose she always gave. She must have done it a million times & she did it with such grace. So, instead of trying to remember the mechanics (many of which are included in the switched.com list), maybe we should just remember HER ... particularly as she was photographed by Mario Testino in this edition of Vanity Fair.

Here's some behind the scenes shots from the CBS Early Show this weekend. They've got the segment on the front screen of their site right now. Am flattered:) Here it is: WATCH HERE. Here's what you DIDN'T see ... Maggie grabbed the camera & we had little fun with it ... Chris & the camera guys got into it as well: )

The real behind-the-scenes action was in the green room with The Cheetah Girls & their entourage. They performed in the show's Second Cup Cafe which I always try to stick around for if there's time before my flight back to DC. Man, those girls have moves. My parents were kind enough to watch my kids overnight & mom was back by noon with a signed CD;)

Maggie Rodriguez & Regina

Chris Wragge

We're having fun with this on the radio .... You heard it hear first. Looks like "real" men are making a comeback. Move over metro-sexual men & make room for the real fellas. There's a new term for this trend toward masculinity -- "menergy." It's men & energy contraction describing hyper-masculine vigor. Personally, am thrilled the national testosterone count in rising. You can see it in George Clooney's face:)

Here's the definition according the NY Times. READ HERE.

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Here's a related NY DAILY NEWS STORY: "A burst of Menergy ... The new, supermasculine men."

Searching for color? If you're trying to time a fall getaway to match peak leaf spotting conditions, the key info is only a click away on sites like FoliageNetwork.com. The Foliage Network's stable of more than 550 volunteer leaf-spotters provide twice weekly foliage reports from Maine all the way down through North Carolina and throughout the Midwest. They report on color conditions in their area, which are compiled and plotted onto color maps.

They've got folks on the ground, so you're getting firsthand information. If you're inclined, sign up to be a leaf spotter. You may not need to look further than your front yard;)

Online foliage reports and foliage maps can also be found on official state sites for Vermont, Maine & New Hampshire.


Fall Tourism is Big Business
Many volunteer leaf-spotters actually work in the tourism industry ... They own hotels or bed & breakfasts, so they're using the web to get the word out about the best time to visit. And while the latest foliage reports indicate peak color only in Northern Maine, low and moderate color is being seen throughout the Northeast. So, if you're planning a trip, don't wait until the last minute or you could get shut out. In New Hampshire – the heartland of New England leaf peeping – they're expecting more than 7.8 million tourists this fall to spend in excess of $1 billion (Source: New Hampshire Division of Travel & Tourism).

A lot of people think you have to use iTunes if you have an iPod. Not true. This "player" is celebrating its 10th Anniversary & is compatible with the iPod & widely considered to be a more sophisticated version of iTunes. Perhaps little too sophisticated for your average music listener (including me), but worth letting the music buff in your life know about ...

It's enormously popular outside the US where 90% of its users are based. It'll soon be released in 15 different languages. There's few things this tech-wonder doesn't do/won't soon do according to their spokesperson whom I just got off the phone with ...

Whether you or someone you know ultimately uses this music player, watch for some of these trends to hold:

SHARE & DISCOVER: In my family, my little brother has us covered on the music front. He listens to anything & everything, finds the best of the best & narrows it down. He spends hours doing it. My sister & don't have hours, so we're always curious to see what he's listening to. From there, we decide if we want to download (purchase) it. In business terms, it's called "music discovery" (the word-of-mouth marketing every product in the world is after).

BUILD IT FOR ME: The novelty of building playlists wears off. Now, sometimes, you just want to get it done quickly. i always draw on "most popular" lists, cause figure that many people can't be wrong, but you can also build playlists by requesting "songs that sound like this" & even by word choice. So, if you type in "Christmas" you'll get all the songs with that word in it. Clever.

PULL IT FROM EVERYWHERE: At this point, most of us probably draw on several sources for music and may even have it saved several different ways on our computer. Real music aficionados (the winamp crowd) certainly do & the rest of us don't mind when it's all pulled together in one place for us. So, aggregating & packaging will continue to be the name of the game.

PLAY IT ANYWHERE: Downloadable web-based players mean you can tap into the "command center" at any time. Literally, with a player like winamp you can access your music files from your cellphone and your entire music library from any PC in the world. Think about that in relations to needing the iTunes download on your desktop in order to expand your playlist or update your iPod.

PLAY IT ON ANYTHING: You can actually access your media from your Nintendo Wii. Santa brought the Wii to our playroom this year. I guess if had teenagers, this would mean the big screen TV would double as a high-fidelity music & music video player.

SKIN IT: You can make your player look any way you want. What is a skin? Here's great little overview. Browse the staggering number -- 2,655 & counting -- of options here. This is enormously popular trend, particularly with young people who want to change their look continuously.

PLUG-INS: There are more of them every minute of every day. Your college students is probably working on one as we speak. They are essentially "add-ons" to core products. This'll give you a sense -- Featured Plug-ins.

SING ALONG: Singing along is still fun. Some things never change;) Now you can synchronize the lyrics real-time for next-generation karaoke.

Reportedly, online ticket sales for the upcoming U.S. tour of Hannah Montana are through the roof. I need these tickets, so it caught my eye;) Prices for the sold-out shows are rising quickly, blowing right past rock legends Bruce Springsteen & The Police. That stings ... I was hoping for those tickets too. So, how do you safely get your hands on these sought-after seats? We did the legwork to score some of the hottest ticket in town ... WE'VE CRACKED THE CODE. Read On ...

Hannah Montana is a character played by 14-year old Miley Cyrus, daughter of singer Billy Ray Cyrus of Achy Breaky Heart fame. She's kind of a two-for-one ... brunette by day in her "normal" down-to-earth life & transformed into a "blonde" to rock the night away for adoring fans. Ah, best of both worlds ... What's not to like?

An online search for Hannah Montana tickets yields nearly 200,000 results. If you decide to buy online, be careful who & how you're working with. Stick with reputable sites like AOL Tickets/Ticketmaster's "TicketExchange" a scenario in which you "Buy From Fans" via credit card through the service without "bidding."
Here's how it works.

Brace yourself for limited options & high prices. Don't get thrown off by low prices & lots of availability ... that's for PARKING;) Always read the fine print, so you know what (if any) guarantees/refunds are in place if there are cancellations. Imagine telling your kids, "Even Hannah gets sick."

I've had a lot of luck with StubHub and usually pick up the tickets at one of their offices. In fact, in the next few minutes I've go to decide whether to bite the bullet on four Hannah tickets for me & my kids who are big fans. So, to be clear, there are tickets available. This is doable despite what you may hear on the radio.

If you're after something other than Hannah, you can, of course, gets Springsteen & Police tickets here too along with theater & sporting events. Great resource, especially if you don't hit the timing right in scoring tickets online when they are first-released on Ticketmaster. If Hannah opens up more tour dates, Ticketmaster is a good starting point & you can sign up for their newsletter or alerts, so you'll be notified in advance of the date & time. Trust me, I watched my main man time it down to the second to see Springsteen.

If you're searching for seats on eBay, study the seller's prior ratings and feedback very carefully. Pay with a credit card, so you'll have some built-in protections should any sort of fraud arise. If a seller asks you to wire money or send a cashier's check ... DON'T.

It's everything you say to your kids in a 24 hour period, condensed into 2 minutes & 55 seconds and it's sure to make you smile. Written & performed by comedian & mom Anita Renfroe, the clip has become a HUGE hit online. A bunch of you have emailed it to us. Thanks for that. I was lucky to see her perform it live. Was terrific. Apparently, others agree. She's got over a million views & counting on YouTube ... Good for her. Dads you'll get a kick out of this too ... Enjoy:) ***************


"William Tell Momism" titled after the overture is part of her Anita Renfroe's "Total Momsense" DVD. Learn more on anitarenfroe.com.

Did you know there's a subset of Baby Boomers called Generation Jones? Demographic segmentation continues ... This generation is thought to be a little different than the Boomer -- "more wide-eyed than tie-dyed." At BOOMj, the two generations come together & enjoy this social networking and lifestyle channel. Connect with other generations to discuss & debate everything from your favorite "Brady Bunch" episode (loved em all;) to the state oof social security ... They've got a little bit of everything & you just might find a place where soon "everybody knows your name" (think "Cheers.").

I get breaking news alerts from several news organizations. You can easily get them too. See links from top sources + Google below. It's always interesting to see what crosses the threshold to warrant sending out an alert. This one from CNN made me sad:

-- A court has ordered pop singer Britney Spears to give up custody of her children effective Wednesday at noon, according to court papers.

More here from -- of course -- TMZ. Am glad the tide is turning on the Britney bashing. Let's hope/pray for a happy ending. Bring in Dr Drew ASAP ....

Subscribe to CNN email alerts HERE.



Monitor stories via Google Alerts. Create HERE.

Every since I started blogging about the upcoming Pumpkin Carving Party, we're getting a lot of email tips re: carving methods & tools. Am telling you, there's something about giving out trophies that gets competitive juices flowing. Here are some fancy & not-so-fancy Pumping Carving tools you can find online, at your local hardware store & in the garage ...

This drill (pictured above) is clever .... They use something similar at the nail salon;)

These tools look sturdy (will get & report back):

These look great & I generally find Crate & Barrel to have decent value. We have this outlet nearby too. Can't get there fast enough & am going to order a few online as well in case they sell out which has happened with a few of the things we've featured lately (sorry).

A guy named Walt, seems to have cracked the code. Read his thoughtful & thorough tips here, including how to make this adorable "squinting pumpkin."

The clock is winding down ... Time to make the call. Act now & you'll feel like the single person who is in the game, the significant other or spouse who cares, &/or the parent who is actually on top of things ... Over 100 costumes here + top sellers & about-to-be-sold-out looks ...

This "Halloween Haven" -- Indoor Decor, Outdoor Decor, Halloween Party Decorations & Costumes, Masks & Accessories. It's is as good as it gets:

More Halloween info here ... From Pumpkin Carving Party concept to Best Halloween Decorating items & ideas.

The Internet is already playing a big role in the 2008 Presidential election. Political junkies are gathering on large social-networking sites MySpace and Facebook, as well as video sharing sites like YouTube. This is creating real-time indicators of popularity. Whether being popular translates into votes remains to be seen. But, having friends never hurts. Unless maybe you're Hillary & OJ is giving you the nod ...

Nearly all presidential candidates have pages on MySpace and Facebook. It's giving them the ability to reach people who may not otherwise be interested in voting. may not watch the evening news or read the front page. Potential voters can interact with and learn about candidates in the same way they're used to learning about and meeting new friends.

Not long ago, the most important hire for any campaign was a seasoned campaign manager. Now, with candidates touting their grass-roots support by pointing to the number of "friends" or site visitors they have, the hot hire is the "New Media" or blog out- reach consultant ... The person who can maximize a candidate's influence and exposure online.



Campaigns are spreading virally online, as Web surfers add favorite candidates to their friends list and their friends add them, too. And while the Internet is a powerful tool for rallying support, it can also be a double-edge sword for candidates who sometimes lose control over their message. It's not easy to curtail negative comments or the skewing of facts ... and the Web is a bit like the Wild West when it comes to rabid rants from political bloggers. Frequently, these rants are coming by way of user generated video. YouTube's Citizen Tube provides a forum for its users to sound off on political issues. YouTube, in partnership with CNN, is also taking questions for the presidential debates.

Drumming up support, swaying public opinion and ultimately winning votes is the focus of any online campaign strategy, but fundraising – the ability for potential voters to donate money with the click of a mouse – may be the biggest advantage of an effective Web presence. Political fundraising online has leveled the playing field ... The Internet enables large numbers of small donations from everyday people ... you don't have to be a power-player to chip in $20.00. In 2004, Howard Dean was a break-out success in online fundraising. His supporters clicked in over $50 million in donations. Unfortunately, Dean also felt the wrath of the Internet when his famously dubbed I have a scream speech made huge waves online.

Related story from CNN.com - The social networking election

A lot of sites are highlighting their favorite costumes. Here are some of my favorite costumes. Am particularly fond of the family outfits and mother & daughter ensembles. Yep, have sported both.

I've had a lot of luck with www.LillianVernon.com. I see this one & love it every year. Dorothy Costume. Plus, the shoes can be worn all year round;)

Two of the Internet's favorite activities – shopping and social-networking – together in one place. It's the idea behind new social-shopping communities like StyleHive, ThisNext and Lemonade. Little time on these sites & you'll feel like a cross between being + having a personal shopper & an InStyle Magazine editor ...

The most active, trend-setting and stylish shoppers have networks of "followers." If you're the person everyone asks, "Where did you get that?" You'll have "followers" in no time ... My mother is particularly stylish. Everywhere we go, people ask her where & how she put together her outfit. It is a gift. If she made the picks & I posted them, bet we'd be onto something .... :)

Stylehive.com

ThisNext.com
If you want to see what's hot or what's spiking in the ThisNext community, all it takes is a quick glance at the site's front page, where you'll find top member picks and recommendations. ThisNext also boasts a cool mash-up feature which using Google Mapping technology to literally show you what the world is shopping for right now.


Lemonade.com lets users earn commission.
Some sites have taken the social-shopping experience a step further by enabling you to earn a commission when someone buys one of the products you've recommended.

On Lemonade.com, registered users create online kiosks (or virtual "Lemonade Stands"), by browsing through and selecting from the roughly 2 million products featured on the site. The next step is to post or link your Lemonade stand to your MySpace or Facebook page – all you have to do is type in the Web address.

As for how much commission you're likely to earn ... don't quit your day job, just yet. Commissions vary by participating retailer, but as an example, you may net in the neighborhood $5.00 or 5% on a $100.00 sale. Retailers participating on Lemonade.com include big names like Walmart, Macys, Netflix and iTunes, to name a few. THIS COULD BE A GREAT NEW WAY TO EARN CASH FROM HOME.

Related story: Social-networking sites for Moms