Strictly Come Dancing 2012: show three review

"Welcome to Strictly Come Dancing," said Sir Bruce Forsyth at the start of last night's show. "The only place where Lycra, fake tan and sequins can turn you into a real man."

That must have come as a relief to Johnny Ball, 74, the television presenter, who had been gussied up in a pink-spotted black shirt embellished with a shiny pink satin tie.

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney prepare to go head to head in the first debate

US President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney at last meet face-to-face tonight to duel for the White House in the first of three debates, just 33 days before American voters decide their fates. Obama heads into the showdown in Denver with a narrow lead in his bid to become only the second Democrat since World War II to win a second term.

Left: US President Barack Obama listens to the national anthem during the Joplin High School Commencement Ceremony at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri, on May 21, 2012. Right: US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney sings the national anthem at a debate sponsored by CNN and the Republican Party of Arizona at the Mesa Arts Centre in Mesa, Arizona, on February 22, 2012.

How to brighten up your home this winter

After a cold, rain-soaked summer, brightened only by the gleam of Olympic gold, one might be forgiven for groaning at autumn chills and winter gloom.

But stifle that grumbling. It turns out that we’ve merely had to wait for things to brighten up. Interiors this autumn and winter are not the cocoons of previous years; dark places in which to hibernate until spring arrives. Instead the look is bright, even dazzling. The textures popular in previous seasons are all there: velvets to stroke, woollen or linen/silk throws to snuggle into, cushions to laze back on, but the colours are very different.

Should You Accept the Job Offer or Walk Away?

The hiring manager calls with great news: the job is yours. Phew, the hard part is over, right? Maybe not. Determining whether to take a job offer can—and should—be a difficult decision. In a bad economy or if you're eager to get out of your current job, it can be tempting to accept any offer. But before you take on a job, you need to evaluate the situation carefully.

"Over the last 40 years we've transitioned from an economy where you work for 30 years and retire with a gold watch to something that is much more transactional," says Boris Groysberg, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School and author of Chasing Stars: The Myth of Talent and the Portability of Performance. People switch jobs on average every three to four years, says Groysberg, which means that being able to evaluate a job offer is a critical skill for today's professional. And yet, most people do it poorly. "People spend more time thinking about their investments or even where to go on holiday," says John Lees, a UK-based career strategist and author of How to Get a Job You'll Love.

Goodbye Phonies: This App Will Automatically Detect Photoshopped Images

Scientists have created a new software program that will automatically detect any image that has been modified in Photoshop. The software is now tuned to faces, but it will be able to flag any type of image, they say.

The application—created by Hany Farid and Eric Kee of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire—uses eight statistical parameters to detect real changes on the model, not general modifications like cropping or color adjustments. It can sniff geometric modifications like reshaped face features or body parts used to make models appear thinner. It will also detect texture changes, like smoothed skin.

How to Manipulate People

There are times in life where people don't give you what you want, but you don't have to settle for disappointment. When life gives you lemons, manipulate the lemon salesman. Here's how.

Photo by byronv2

Disclaimer

It's worth noting that manipulating people is generally a bad thing to do. Please do not take this advice. Instead, use it as a guide to spot manipulation in your day-to-day interactions and protect yourself from manipulative people. Such is the goal of Evil Week.

Relationship Advice—From Men

When it comes to figuring out the opposite sex, sometimes it pays to go straight to the source. We got real men to answer the question, "What the eff is he thinking?!" on matters of dating, relationships, sex, and everything in between. Check out their awesome relationship advice for women."Don't get upset if it takes us a while to text you back. Sometimes we just have other things going on at the time, or we don't want to seem too overeager. Sometimes I'll text before I jump on a subway home and am stuck underground for an hour." —Alex S."It's really attractive when a girl takes initiative in bed; a guy won't think any less of you. It doesn't always need to be a tit for tat thing with giving and receiving. The norm of so many of my relationships has been doing 80 percent of the work and taking 80 percent of the initiative in the bedroom. I can't explain how refreshing it is when it feels like it's 50-50." —Greg G.

"Am I in Love?" Maybe…

You're Invested
in His Happiness

We're not just talking about rooting for his fave football team on Sunday. You're really in love when you're willing to put his happiness above your own, like skipping a concert that you really wanted to see to stay home and help him get over a bad day

You Want Him to Branch Out

That means you want him to find his own challenges and grow as a person. If you just want him to stay the same and not have any cool adventures (that might not involve you), it's not love

You're Cool With
Your Differences

Sure, if he's a horrible dresser or could use some kissing tips, obviously you'll want to tweak that. But if you're okay knowing that he's obsessed with Jay-Z's music and you're more indie, or that you have different political views and can look beyond it, that's love.

You Can Admit
Your Shortcomings...

8 Signs You Know You’re Ready To Become Exclusive

Congrats to you, king/queen of dating. You’ve gotten past a few dates with a new special someone and now you’re in that weird in between point of “What the hell are we?” Quit your Googling on “how to have the talk” and instead, read our list of the 8 ways to know you’re ready to become exclusive. We’re expecting our wedding invite any day now.

Plus: 6 Unexpected Perks Of Long Term Relationships

1. You’ve had at least one talk about the future.

Future can refer to anything from how many kids you want to have or how you’re gonna get to that concert you bought tickets for in three months. As long as you’ve mentioned something about what’s to come in the relationship, exclusivity is almost always the natural next step.

2. You’ve dated around a lot.

Or not. Basically. You need to have enough experience to know that the current relationship you’re in feels different. And if it’s your first? Clearly nothing wrong with that either. You’ll just know when you know.

4 Romantic Things It’s Okay to Let Slide When You’re Married

Can I say this? I mean, just to make myself feel better. I’ve not completely let myself go. I’ve yet to wear hole-y underwear, I shave my underarms on a regular basis, and I don’t use the toilet with the door open…yet.

 

Plus: 15 Sex Positions You Can Look Forward To When You're Old And Married 

 

1. Bed Cuddling

One of the best things about finding the person that doesn’t want to make you want to poke your eyes out is the comfortable cuddle. I especially love watching a particularly dysfunctional episode of Real Housewives and having a good old-fashioned cuddling session. Or ordering take-out and cuddling. Or watching Matlock and cuddling. But I’ve resigned cuddling to the sofa. The post-roll in the hay cuddle has long since dissipated. Sure, there was once a time when my husband (then boyfriend) and I were good sports about the whole post-coitis spooning—but I like my sleep, and I like to sprawl, and I prefer a shag sans a long sweat-induced body hug.

Favorite Celebrity Engagement Ring

Engagement rings are one of the most important elements in beginning a marriage. They signify the bond you have with your partner, their commitment to you and the security of your relationship. Of course, there’s also the glamour and luxury that comes with a gorgeous diamond on your hand. Here are some celebrity engagement rings that perfectly represent both the strength and extravagance ofcelebrity marriage:

1. Kate Hudson: Kate Hudson’s engagement ring from Muse rocker Matt Bellamy is an outstanding statement in such a private relationship. The $200,000 platinum ring is a nine carat emerald-cut diamond with tapered baguettes on the side. The two have been engaged for a year. Although they have no wedding date set, they do have a son together, Bingham.

15 Reasons to Date a Politician

‘Tis the season to think about voting. Not sure if you should say yes to the dinner-date offer from your cute local representative? Here are 15 reasons why you should date a politician.

1. They make great first impressions. From the firm handshakes to the clean-cut haircuts, politicians present themselves with class and confidence. They’re dream dates when it comes to meet-the-parents dinners and office parties — assuming your parents’ political views don’t clash with his/hers completely.

2. Suit up! Your date will be well-dressed. You won’t have to beg him to iron his shirt. And you might be able to use your new dating life as an excuse to buy a slightly more polished wardrobe, too.

Ski Jump Bathroom

A Japanese coffee company, Goeorgia Max Coffee, modified the bathrooms of ski areas around Japan to promote their coffee energy drinks. This is probably the most exciting bathroom I've ever seen! 

Color Psychology: Express Your Color Mood

Colors often have different meanings in various cultures. The meanings of various colors have changed over the years. Color, without our realizing it, can have a profound effect on how we feel both mentally and physically. Sometimes we get an uneasy feeling in certain place or very relaxed in another, but we call this a mood. Different colors represent particular emotional associations in human’s mind. These feelings are important to keep in mind in order to create the mood you are seeking.

White

White is a sacred and pure color. It’s what we see when all colors come together in perfect balance. It's the color of angels and gods, as the color reflects that which is sacred and pure. White represents light and is considered a summer color. Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility. The ancient Greeks wore white to bed to ensure pleasant dreams. This color brings feelings of peace and comfort while it dispels shock and despair. White can be used to give you a feeling of freedom and uncluttered openness. Too much white can give feelings of separation and can be cold and isolation.

Adding white to your life gives you:

• clearing clutter and obstacles away
• starting a fresh beginning
• bringing about mental clarity
• purification of thoughts or actions

Why Men Love Women

So, why do men love women? Here is a list of opinions and ideas taken from Paolo Coelho Newsletter.

Men love women because they walk down the street erect, always looking straight ahead, never turning round to say thanks or return the smile or compliment we make when they pass by.

Because they don’t complain about the sacrifices they make for the sake of the ideal of beauty, facing up to waxers, Botox injections and menacing machines in gyms.

Because if they want to know something about their own appearance, they ask other women and don’t bother us with this type of question.

10 Precious Quotes about Women

"If women didn't exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning."

~ Aristotle Onassis

"Women are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their weakness."

~ Marie de Vichy-Chamrond, Marquise du Deffand, Letters to Voltaire

The Most Amazing Islands in the World

One in every ten people in the world lives on an island! There is even a word for a "craze or a strong attraction to islands" - islomania! Here are listed the most amazing, most wonderful, most unusual, most beautiful, most attractive and the scariest islands in the world! Whether you have islomania or not - you will find this list really amazing! Welcome to the world of islands!

1. Easter Island - The Most Mysterious Island


It is one of the most isolated islands in the world but 1200 years ago a double-hulled canoe filled with seafarers from a distant culture landed upon its shores. One of the world's most famous yet least visited archaeological sites, Easter Island is a small, hilly, now treeless island of volcanic origin. Located in the Pacific Ocean at 27 degrees south of the equator and some 2200 miles (3600 kilometers) off the coast of Chile. Sixty-three square miles in size and with three extinct volcanoes (the tallest rising to 1674 feet), the island is, technically speaking, a single massive volcano rising over ten thousand feet from the Pacific Ocean floor. The oldest known traditional name of the island is Te Pito o Te Henua, meaning "The Center of the World". Over the centuries that followed a remarkable society developed in isolation on the island. For reasons still unknown they began carving giant statues out of volcanic rock. These monuments, known, as "moai" are some of the most incredible ancient relics ever discovered. The people of Easter Island called themselves the Rapa Nui. Where did they come from and why did they disappear? Science has learned much about the enigma of Easter Islandand has put to rest some of the more bizarre theories, but questions and controversies remain.

Top 20 Most Romantic Movies Ever!

One day love knocks on your door. When you least expect it. And you understand that there is no way back. Things will never be the same again.Love changes you and all your life for the better. These movies are about love that changes everything. They are the best love stories ever filmed. They arethe most romantic movies ever.

1. Moulin Rouge (2001)

The year is 1899, and Christian, a young English writer, has come to Paris to follow the Bohemian revolution taking hold of the city's drug and prostitute infested underworld. And nowhere is the thrill of the underworld more alive than at the Moulin Rouge, a night club where the rich and poor men alike come to be entertained by the dancers, but things take a wicked turn for Christian as he starts a deadly love affair with the star courtesan of the club, Satine. But her affections are also coveted by the club's patron: the Duke. A dangerous love triangle ensues as Satine and Christian attempt to fight all odds to stay together but a force that not even love can conquer is taking its toll on Satine...

20 Crazy Things We All Do

When walking down the street, entering a house, picking up a book or even just surfing through the web using your laptop or your personal computer, there are so many things we do without even thinking of them. In this article, I have pointed some of the funniest and oddest human behaviour that even you do.

1) Why does the glue in a tube not stick to the tube itself?

2) Academic research has detailed reports stating that from a group of four men or women one will most certainly have a mental ailment of some kind or the other. Think about this calculation: if you have three normal friends, then you unfortunately are the fourth one out. In other words, the fourth person with a mental illness is none other than you.

3) Why do we press down hard on the remote control even though we know that the batteries are weak?

4) Watched old (and even newer descriptions in film) about Tarzan. If he is supposed to be living in the wild, what happened to his beard?


5) Switched those bulbs that are enclosed in tight plastic shutters? Have you noticed that whenever you go to do that there are always dead bugs inside? How did they manage to get there?

6) Why can't we ever manage to open a plastic bag on the first attempt?

7) Why do they use sterilized needles when injecting a convict on death role?

8) Why does a bank take interest on money when your account is overdrawn? From where do they think you are going to pay them? If you had the cash you would have used it, wouldn't you?

9) Why don't we ever hear jokes about father-in-laws?

10) When statistics claim that the sum of all the stars in the sky is about four billion, people believe it. But, when someone sees a sign on a park bench or board stating "wet paint", they must verify this?


11) How many times will be keep coming back and opening the door to the fridge when we are hungry? Do we really think that food will appear there miraculously?

12) Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest but ducks if after the bullets are over the gun is thrown at him?

13) I'm sure you've heard of the evolutionary claim that mankind has evolved from monkeys. Before I am to believe this, I want to know that if this is so why are monkeys still roaming earth?


14) If you are sitting by a table and something is accidentally falling off, don't try and prevent its fall. Why? Every time you try, you will accidentally hit and break something else.

15) Why did the Japanese pilots who were planning to crash into American ships wear helmets?

16) Why do people move a vacuum cleaner over a small piece of thread again and again? Why do we pick it up, examine it and then place it back down and move the vacuum cleaner over it to give it a second chance?

17) How come soap bubbles are always white no matter what the colour of the soap?

18) Is it winter or summer wherever you are right now? Have you noticed that if it is summer we try and make the house as cold as it would be during winter, and if it is winter, we try and make the house as hot as it would during summer?

19) Why is it that whenever you walk past a mattress dealership, they have large signs advertising a big price reduction?

20) Isn't it silly that when if wandering through one of the large shopping malls someone doesn't pay attention and the cart they are pushing smacks into your toes, and then they say sorry, all we can think of saying is that no harm was done while your toe is aching.

Before I End:

Above you have run into about twenty or so intriguing incidents on life that I or some friend of mine has come across. Most will be familiar to you. Some might not. But, I hope that each one of them will if not make you at least laugh, bring a smile to your face and to your heart.

Top 20 Most Famous Love Stories in History and Literature

1. Romeo and Juliet

This is probably the most famous lovers ever. This couple has become a synonym for love itself. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Their love story is very tragic. The tale of two teenagers from two feuding families who fall in love at first sight and then marry, become true lovers and then risk it all for their love. To take your own life for your husband or wife is definitely a sign of true love. Their "untimely deaths" ultimately unite their feuding households.