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  1. Mark Zuckerberg Gets Married Day After FB IPO

    May 20, 2012 by editor

    Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has had one heck of a week. On Friday, the booming social network went public with an IPO, and the very next day, Mark married his longtime sweetheart, Priscilla Chan, in his backyard. According to sources, the lovebirds were waiting for Chan to graduate from med school. The pair reportedly threw a party to celebrate Chan’s graduation, and low and behold surprised all the guests in attendance with a wedding. Classy, Mark. That’s how it’s done. Marcus Wohlsen of the Associated Press reported,

    “For Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, it was quite a week — from birthday, to IPO, to I DO.

    A day after the historic Facebook stock offering, Zuckerberg on Saturday wed 27-year-old Priscilla Chan, his girlfriend of nearly a decade, according to a guest authorized to speak for the couple. The person spoke only on the condition of anonymity.

    Zuckerberg gave his new bride a ring he had designed with a “very simple ruby” to end an incredibly eventful week, according to the guest.

    The couple married at his Palo Alto, Calif. home in front of fewer than 100 stunned guests who thought they would be attending a party to celebrate Chan’s graduation from medical school.

    On Monday, Zuckerberg turned 28 and Chan graduated from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, where she’d studied pediatrics.

    Then on Friday, Zuckerberg took his blue-and-white web behemoth public in one of the most anticipated IPOs in Wall Street history.

    The seemingly well-coordinated timing was largely a coincidence, the guest said. The wedding had been planned for months and the couple was waiting for Chan to finish medical school, but the date of the IPO was a “moving target” not known when the wedding was set.”

    To read about how Zuckerberg and Chan met, as well as quotes from one of the wedding guests, click here.

    Mark’s gotta be on top of the world right now. Though Friday’s IPO was a bit underwhelming, I don’t think that anyone would say that the social network giant is in a bad position. Now that that’s over and done with, and Mark’s sweetheart is finished with medical school, I imagine that those two must be basking in the “newlywed” glow. I wish them every happiness, and congrats to Mark for his constant persistence and hard work. I hope they go somewhere really sweet for their honeymoon and relax for a bit!

    Category heros | Tags: | No Comments

  2. Review: Sprinkles Cupcake ATM

    May 19, 2012 by editor

    Sprinkles Cupcake ATM
    9635 South Santa Monica Boulevard
    Beverly Hills, California 90210

    between Bedford & Camden
    2 blocks west of Rodeo drive
    Open 24 hours

    Shannon’s daughter loves loves, loves, loves, loves, loves chocolate.  So, I made her do the chocolate dance to direct us how to get to the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM.   When we got there we waited in line behind about 10 people and ended up getting a couple chocolate cupcakes.

    Sprinkles Cupcake ATM Line

    It is really fun because they have a camera on the end of the “chocolate cupcake getter” that you can watch pull your actual cupcake.

    Gimme My Cupcake!

    We got a marshmallow stuffed chocolate cupcake and a chocolate sprinkles milk chocolate cupcake.  Honestly I thought the milk chocolate sprinkles cupcake was one of the best ones I’d ever had.

    Cupcake_Selections

    I don’t know if the cupcakes contain all healthy ingredients, but it didn’t taste chemically at all.  Shannon’s daughter absolutely loved, loved the marshmallow cupcake as well.

    Here is a video of how the ATM works!

    Category Food | Tags: | No Comments

  3. Review: Xiomara on Melrose

    May 19, 2012 by editor

    Took the girlfriend and the girlfriend’s daughter to a phenomenal dinner at Xiomara.

    Xiomara on Melrose
    6101 Melrose Avenue
    Los Angeles, CA 90038
    Phone: 323.461.0601
    Fax: 323.461.0131

    It is a Spanish influenced place.  As you drive up on Melrose it still has that old dumpy Melrose feel, but once you actually got into the restaurant it was beautiful and the view out the window was beautiful as well.  They picked a particularly nice spot on the drive to put the restaurant.

    They gave us some bread, which was very decent, and then we got the first dish, which was their ceviche.  I ate a lot of ceviche and I’m a real picky ceviche eater.  The ceviche was quite good.  It had lots of good scallops and shrimp in it.  And they didn’t just put cooked shrimp in it.  It was actually raw shrimp that was “ceviched“ as well as the scallops.  It wasn’t too spicy; even the girlfriend’s daughter liked it.

    Ceviche

    They got a tomato soup, which was a drop spicy.  It was made with tomatillos and was extremely good.

     

    Tomatillo Soup

    For our main entree we got a seafood paella.  It was only the 2nd paella I’d ever had.  And it was the girlfriend’s 2nd paella as well.  It was absolutely to die for, super, super buttery.   The mussels were really plump and just fell apart in your mouth when you ate them.  The calamari fell apart when you ate it also.  There was some type of fish inside that was so good I could barely stand it.  It was light on the tomato sauce, which was really good.  You could really taste the fish.  The fish taste really came through well.  We both enjoyed it tremendously.

    Seafood Paella

    Category Restaurants | Tags: | No Comments

  4. Rising UK Mortgage Rates Threaten Home Loss

    May 18, 2012 by editor

    Just as mortgage rates hit an all-time low in the US, our friends across the pond are suffering a huge jump in their own rates. UK’s the Daily Mail even reports that the increase in mortgage rates could be the straw that broke the camel’s back in causing more than 100,000 Brits to lose their homes due to financial hardship. I absolutely hate to see stories like this. It seems to me that the US is on its way out of the recession, but the UK is stuck right in the middle of it. The Eurozone crisis is ongoing, and apparently not letting up just yet. Tammy Hughes of the Daily Mail reports,

    “As the Eurozone crisis deepens more than 100,000 people could lose their homes if mortgage repayments rise by just £20 a month – a leading charity has revealed today.

    The Bank of England has warned that as UK lenders are hit by higher borrowing costs families should prepare to pay more as the increase is passed down to consumers.

    This could lead to thousands losing their homes if the hike results in mortgage rises of £20 a month because people are already struggling with overdue bills and cards.

    The Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) say that many already struggling with overdue bills and cards were just about coping with house repayments and that any more expense could tip them over the edge.”

    To read what the experts have to say on the UK mortgage issues and Eurozone crisis, click here.

    I am sincerely hoping that any future, further jumps in UK mortgage rates is pure speculation, and will not actually materialize. And to my British friends, I’d urge you to buckle up just in case a bumpy ride lies ahead.

    Category Finance | Tags: | No Comments

  5. Memorial Day BBQ Tips

    May 17, 2012 by editor

    Alright, fellas. Memorial Day is right around the corner, and you know what that means: friends, family, sunshine, and some serious barbecuing! I’ve taken the liberty of putting together several pieces of advice for making a kick-ass Memorial Day meal on the BBQ (read to the bottom for my tips.) But first, you need a grill to get the party started. Consumer Reports gives some advice on purchasing the best gas grill for your Memorial Day and year-round needs:

    “The weather has been perfect for those of us who like to barbecue. Maybe you need a new grill for the long outdoor cooking season ahead?

    You can burn up some big bucks on a new gas grill, but do you have to spend a lot in order to get a grill that delivers delicious results?

    The testers at Consumer Reports went to great lengths to get you the answer just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

    “Everybody loves a barbecue” — that’s the slogan for Gina Hegarty’s catering company.

    “It just reminds you of your childhood, and it just reminds you of being together, and parties and fun,” she said.

    Hegarty’s company cooks on gas grills. Consumer Reports has tested nearly a hundred gas grills ranging in price from $100 all the way up to $2,500. With some, you need to factor in plenty of space. One $1,200 grill was almost 7 feet long!”

    To get the full scoop on how to test and pick the perfect gas grill, click here.

    Now onto my best tips: first, make your bash a potluck. You provide the main dish (aka the protein) and ask friends and family to bring chips, salsa, potato salad, etc. It’s more fun this way, and everybody gets involved. Second, go to Costco for your meat. Seriously! Buying in bulk is the smartest option for a big crowd, and with their 6-pack of 7 oz Applewood Bacon-wrapped Beef filets, how can you go wrong? If you don’t buy bulk, buy somewhere like Whole Foods. I promise you can taste the difference. And last but not least, if you are doing some sides yourself, pick sides that you can stick on the grill with the rest of the meal. Corn on the cob is a great option, and it looks especially impressive if you throw the whole ear on the grill, husk and all. (Just be sure to soak the ears in water prior to grilling to prevent Smoky the Bear from showing up when your husks ignite over the flame.) Another great grill-able and delicious side is asparagus. Too expensive, you say? Nonsense! Costco sells huge, gorgeous bunches of asparagus that would easily feed 7-10 people for $5. Happy barbecuing!

    Category Food | Tags: | No Comments

  6. Credit Card Holders Making Better Payments in 2012

    May 16, 2012 by editor

    Could this be a sign of the turning tides? A light at the end of the dark recession tunnel? The Associated Press reported that for the first quarter of 2012, overdue credit card payments are less than they were at this time last year, and far less than they were at the end of 2011. It could be seen as a sign of folks trying very hard to dig themselves out of debt, and will surely reward them with a higher credit score for their timely payments. I think it’s a smart financial decision and applaud the many borrowers who have made such a concerted effort to repay their debts. Alex Veiga of the Associated Press reported today,

    “U.S. credit card users are getting better about making more timely payments, even as banks are increasingly issuing cards to borrowers with less-than-stellar credit.

    The rate of payments at least 90 days overdue dipped in the first three months of the year to 0.73 percent, credit reporting agency TransUnion said Thursday.

    That’s down from 0.78 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011 and 0.74 percent in the first quarter of last year.

    While the rate increased in the second half of last year, the broader trend has seen delinquency rates decline steadily since the last recession started toward the end of 2007, said Charlie Wise, TransUnion’s director of research and consulting.

    “We are now seeing that, when given a choice, consumers are overwhelmingly paying their bankcards before they’re paying their mortgages,” Wise said.”

    To read more about the factors that influence credit card payments, click here.

    To credit card holders as a collective, great job on staying on top of your finances! Chipping away at debt is a good feeling, and the BEST feeling is becoming debt-free altogether. Give yourself a pat on the back if you’ve been extra-good about making credit card payments, and keep up the good work :)

    Category Finance | Tags: | No Comments

  7. Howard Stern Debuts on National Television

    May 15, 2012 by editor

    Holy moly. Never thought I’d live to see this day come! Last night, “shock jock” Howard Stern appeared for the first time on national primetime broadcast television as a new judge for “America’s Got Talent.” I’ve gotta say, I don’t know if NBC is insane or genius. This could easily backfire for them, as I can count on one hand the amount of times Stern has been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars by the FCC for his foul-mouth or derogatory statements. But on the other hand, it almost guarantees a bigger audience, since I’m sure everyone is just waiting to see–and hear–what Howard Stern is going to do. Surprisingly, the night of his debut, he was reportedly fairly low-key. The Los Angeles Times reports,

    “”America, are you ready for the revolution?” “America’s Got Talent” host Nick Cannon asked, standing on what appeared to be a rocky mountaintop, as the NBC talent show kicked off its seventh season Monday night.

    “The show is about to go to a level it has never gone before,” Howie Mandel said in the montage that followed, which included a clip of someone taking a hammer to a concrete block on someone else’s crotch.

    Oh, “America’s Got Talent,” you wonder of hyperbole and cheese, you master evoker of the cringe, welcome back!

    The “revolution” to which Cannon was referring was presumably the show’s extremely well paid, highly controversial (before he even had a chance to do anything) new judge, Howard Stern.

    Of course, the self-dubbed King of All Media is no stranger himself to cheesy hyperbole and making America cringe. But it’s safe to say a lot of people – fans of “America’s Got Talent,” fans of Stern, the parenting group that’s called for an ad boycott – didn’t see how the boundary-pushing radio personality would be suitable for a family-friendly talent show: Would he, metaphorically speaking, take a hammer to “America’s Got Talent’s” delicate parts, they may have wondered?”

    To read the rest of the article and see what Stern said and did on his first night, click here.

    Howard, Howard, Howard… I hope for the contestants’ sakes, you can behave and not piss anybody off, hurt anyone’s feelings, or cause a riot on the stage. If he behaves like he did last night though, I think that the season will go by, to everyone’s great surprise, without an issue. Has Howard turned over a new leaf? Only time will tell.

    Category adventures | Tags: | No Comments

  8. Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh out “Indefinitely”

    May 14, 2012 by editor

    The Miami Heat defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 on Sunday, but there’s no telling how the Heat will fare in the remainder of the playoff series against the Pacers without forward Chris Bosh. True, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade are regarded as the superstars of the team, but it’s not without some serious backup from Bosh. Fox Sports reported that an MRI exam on Monday confirmed that Bosh did in fact strain a lower abdominal muscle on Sunday night, and will be out “indefinitely,” meaning at the very least that he won’t be playing in Tuesday night’s Game 2. Fox Sports reported,

    “Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat were relieved by the diagnosis. It’s the prognosis – or lack of one – that’s a source of worry now.

    And suddenly, the Indiana Pacers may be even more of a threat.

    Bosh strained a lower abdominal muscle in Game 1 of the teams’ Eastern Conference semifinal series, that original diagnosis confirmed Monday after an MRI exam. The team said Bosh is out ”indefinitely,” though coach Erik Spoelstra and others say the injury could have been worse.

    Either way, Bosh is out for Game 2 on Tuesday, and sounds like he probably won’t play again in this series.

    ”This season has to be extended for me to play again,” Bosh said. ”So that’s what’s on my mind.”

    Bosh was hurt late in the first half as he drove for a dunk and got fouled by Indiana’s Roy Hibbert. The foul almost certainly played no role in the injury, as Bosh fell forward to his hands and knees after landing and stayed down for a few seconds. He got up and made his free throw, but dropped to the court again on the ensuing possession, leaving the game for evaluation.”

    To read about what Heat teammates and the Pacers competition has to say about Bosh’s injury, click here.

    I hate to see any player go down for the count in the middle of the Playoffs. For right now, it seems that only time will tell how severe Bosh’s injury is, and whether or not he’ll be back during this Playoff series as the Heat continue to battle the Pacers.

    Category Sports | Tags: | No Comments

  9. Facebook Co-Founder Gives up US Citizenship before IPO

    May 14, 2012 by editor

    The big Facebook initial public offering is coming up this week. For years, FB has remained a private company, and on Friday it will take a big-boy step out into the public world to tap into what could be some serious bucks. The IPO price is currently set to $28-$35 per share, which puts Facebook’s value to as high as $96 billion. No small number. And the week before the IPO rolls out and Facebook is prepared to smash on the world of stocks, co-founder Eduardo Saverin renounces his U.S. citizenship. Why on earth would he do that, you ask? Easy. Taxes. Read what Danielle Kucera, Sanat Vallikappen, and Christine Harper for Bloomberg.com have to say about it: 

    “Eduardo Saverin, the billionaire co- founder of Facebook Inc. (FB), renounced his U.S. citizenship before an initial public offering that values the social network at as much as $96 billion, a move that may reduce his tax bill.

    Facebook plans to raise as much as $11.8 billion through the IPO, the biggest in history for an Internet company. Saverin’s stake is about 4 percent, according to the website whoownsfacebook.com. At the high end of the proposed IPO market capitalization, that would be worth about $3.84 billion. His holdings aren’t listed in Facebook’s regulatory filings.

    Saverin, 30, joins a growing number of people giving up U.S. citizenship ahead of a possible increase in tax rates for top earners. The Brazilian-born resident of Singapore is one of several people who helped Mark Zuckerberg start Facebook in a Harvard University dormitory and stand to reap billions of dollars after the world’s largest social network holds its IPO.

    “Eduardo recently found it more practical to become a resident of Singapore since he plans to live there for an indefinite period of time,” said Tom Goodman, a spokesman for Saverin, in an e-mailed statement.”

    To read more about the Facebook IPO, and what it means for tax purposes to give up a US citizenship, click here.

    Smart move, Saverin. Smart move. Now if you all are like me, you’ll be staying tuned to see the reality of what happens when the Facebook IPO hits on Friday. Will Facebook hit the $100 billion value mark like some predict? Only time will tell.

    Category Finance | Tags: | No Comments

  10. The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift this year is Good Karma

    May 13, 2012 by editor

    Hey Guys,

    One of our junior staff writers had an awesome idea for Mother’s Day.
    Check out her cool suggestions!
    _______________________________

    On May 13, 2012, families all across America will be celebrating Mother’s Day.  This year, I’ve already come up with a list of D.I. Y., or Do It Yourself, items to create for my mom in addition to a few store-bought items that are both Earth-friendly and decadent.  But I’ve come up with one more pretty cool idea for the perfect Mother’s Day gift!

    Karma!  It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

    You’re probably wondering, How in the world is she going to give Karma to her mother as a gift?  You can’t even touch Karma!

    The answer to your question is all in the details, my friend.

    I am going to donate twenty-five dollars to charity on my mother’s behalf!

    If your mom is anything like my mom, she’s super rad and never asks for anything except for your undivided attention when she’s talking to you on the phone and for you to succeed in life.  I figure the best way to give back to her is by doing something meaningful in her name.  Not only will it make her feel good but she will be a part of the larger global community through her child’s effort.  Win-Win!

    So keep your credit score intact and post-pone that outrageous week-long trip to Europe for you and mom until next year!  Here are four charities of note for Mother’s Day 2012 that I encourage you to donate to on the behalf of your mom this go ‘round!

    Four Charities of Note for Mother’s Day 2012

    Women For Women – I have been donating to Women for Women for about two years now because they support those that are ambitious enough to face adversity head on in their homelands.  On the website, there is an option for you to donate on your mother’s behalf.  In return, she will receive a beautifully rendered e-card in her email inbox for Mother’s Day.

    Kids In Need Foundation – Even Whitney Houston knew that the children are our future!  This particular charity is a part of the Bing.com Reward Program, and I have already been able to raise a $1 for the organization based on my heavy use of the search engine.  It makes me very happy to be able to support our nation’s youth and their educational advancement through school supplies.

    Charity Water – We all need water to live.  This should go without saying.  Well, there are many people in developing countries that cannot afford the luxury of clean water and have little to no resources to help get their drinking water clean.  By donating to Charity Water, you can put an end to this and you will also be able to download a card image and print it out to send your mom!

    The Humane Society – All creatures, big and small deserve humane treatment.  The Humane Society is a perfect donation-based gift for your mom, who finds those adorable kitteh memes irresistible.

    Make your Mother’s Day gift memorable this year by donating to one of these four charities of note for Mother’s Day 2012, or find a cause that resonates with your mother’s unique personality.  No matter what the charity, you will make momma proud!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments

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