ABC

With so many amazing contenders in the ‘Dancing with the Stars‘ semifinals, it was really anyone’s guess who’d leave after Tuesday night’s elimination show.

So which three couples will move on to next week’s big finale?

Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet, who was nice enough to introduce first-time viewers to her cleavage, kicked off the show by letting the judges choose an encore dance from performance night.

Len announced the honors would go to William and Cheryl’s samba, so the bronzed pair again took to the stage to showcase William’s bouncy backside to a grateful nation.

Then we got a backstage look at what exactly happened to Katherine after she flubbed the end of her second routine on Monday. Apparently a twinge in her back chose to make itself known at an inopportune time, and she was devastated — although it seemed she was more concerned about possibly costing Mark a spot in the finals than she was about herself.

Brooke’s cleavage called Katherine and Mark to the stage to learn their fate, and after they were told they were the first to make it to the finals, they jumped so high it honestly looked like they’d both been launched from ejector seats. Much rejoicing ensued, and we have to say we’re pleased we’ll get to see them next week.

Next up: Derek and Maria, who had a helluva night on Monday. But even though they were at the top of the judges’ leaderboard, they must have fallen short on audience votes because they were the first couple in jeopardy.

Then we got a peek at the upcoming ‘Rock of Ages‘ movie, only live on stage, featuring ‘DWTS’ vet Julianne Hough and the always-amazing Mary J. Blige. It was … well, see for yourself:

Donald and Peta were the next to be told they were in jeopardy, which course meant William and Cheryl moved on to the finals.

And in what many people will probably feel was a really shocking result, Maria and Derek were eliminated, even after getting one perfect score and one near-perfect score on Monday. Yeah, those audience votes do matter. (Is this a good time to say we predicted they’d come in fourth?)

But if Maria was surprised, she sure didn’t let it show. “I learned so many things,” she said about her time on the show. “I learned how strong I was. I learned to persevere.” Classy lady — and as we said, it really could’ve been anyone who went home.

See you next week, when we’ll finally find out who wins the coveted mirror ball trophy.

Source: ScreenCrush.com

americanuniversity, YouTube

Usually when a person is graduating from college, she’s thinking about what kind of job she’ll get after school. This woman gets a surprise offer during graduation and suddenly has a different job to think about — the new and unexpected job of planning her wedding.

Graduation is definitely time for thinking about the future. Clearly, no one knows this better than the boyfriend of Sarah Cooper, a very recent graduate of American University’s School of Public Affairs. Sam Miller decided that Cooper’s walk across the stage as she gets her diploma was the perfect time to pop the question.

It didn’t take long for everyone in the auditorium to understand exactly what was going on, despite the fact that they probably couldn’t hear it.

Cooper and Miller now have way more to celebrate than her accomplishments at university. They also have way more to prepare for than a post-college job hunt. Double congrats, Sarah!

Source: TheFW.com

ABC

Last week saw two couples eliminated from the ‘Dancing with the Stars‘ competition, leaving us with what may be the best semifinal group yet. And on Monday night, they all danced their perfectly-toned backsides off — so who’s got the best shot at moving on to next week’s finale extravaganza?

Let’s find out … LIIIIIIIVE!

Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet, who was clad in a life-sized Slinky, said everyone would be doing two dances for our entertainment. Oh, and it was also Sob Story Night, so we all learned a little more about the contestants’ hardships early in life. Good times.

And away we go.

William Levy and Cheryl Burke
First dance score: 28 out of 30 (9/9/10)
Second dance score: 30 out of 30 (10/10/10)

William also told us about his impoverished Cuban upbringing, saying when he was a kid, his dream was just to have a fridge with food in it. As he mentioned earlier in the season, his father was a political prisoner who brought the family to the US for asylum when William was 14. His modeling agents recalled seeing him for the first time and how he was gorgeous but had so few clothes that they actually had to go shopping for him. His modeling gigs led to acting gigs, and now he’s one of the biggest stars in Latin America.

On to the dancing … there’s a reason Cheryl’s won this thing twice, and getting fantastic partners is only part of it. She’s a terrific choreographer, and her first dance with William, a tango set to the Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),’ was sexy and sharp and fit the music perfectly. Len said he hadn’t “been this excited since my mother put me in long trousers,” which we’re guessing is Brit-speak for “dude, awesome,” Bruno said it was “full of animal magnetism,” and Carrie Ann had only the tiniest of constructive criticisms.

His second dance, a samba, featured him in tight white pants shaking his ass a lot (see, we told you Cheryl knows what she’s doing). Bruno called the dance “the pleasure zone” and said he had “bum envy,” Carrie Ann called it “freaking amazing,” and Len dubbed William “the hunk with the junk in his trunk.”

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas
First dance score: 29 out of 30 (10/9/10)
Second dance score: 27 out of 30 (9/9/9)

Katherine was accepted to the Royal Academy of Music at 17, and rocketed to fame after being signed to a recording deal shortly thereafter. (It’s still so weird to see that booming operatic voice coming out of such a tiny chick.) Last December she apparently suffered an Adele-style breakup with her fiance and it left her in shreds. She credits ‘DWTS’ for helping to put a smile back on her face and for giving her something else to focus on.

Kind of surprised she didn’t mention her father’s death as she did earlier in the season when we got some contestant backstory, but maybe she felt it would’ve been exploitative. So props to her for that.

On to the dancing … Katherine said she’s come a long way in the competition — from demurely asking the costume designers to add more fabric to her dresses all the way to her currently provocative dance moves. Her quick-step looked like it had a few small errors to us, but if it did, most of the judges didn’t notice. Bruno called it “outstanding” with “amazing technique,” Carrie Ann said it may have been the best dance ever on ‘DWTS,’ and although Len did catch the mistakes, he deemed the performance “fabulous.”

Kat’s second dance, a salsa, was hawt and showed she’s clearly gotten more comfortable showing some skin. All was going swimmingly until the very last couple beats of the song when her back suddenly went out — she was horrified and in pain all at the same time, and she couldn’t stop apologizing to Mark. So awful. Regardless, Carrie Ann called the rest of the dance “fabulous,” Len called her “Katherine the Great,” and Bruno said she “unleashed the harlot” within.

At the end of the show, she was stoic but looked like she was in agonizing pain, and Tom said doctors were en route. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious and she picks up some audience votes, because it would be an absolute shame for her to go out like that.

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatoyd
First dance score: 28 out of 30 (9/9/10)
Second dance score: 29 out of 30 (10/9/10)

Donald grew up in rough ‘hood in Houston, with a father in prison and a single mother raising five kids. The family wound up living under a bridge, and Donald’s mom eventually sent him and his brother to stay with their grandparents. Trouble — drugs, car thefts, etc — followed, even during his early athletic years. Meeting his wife in college was the turning point because she gave him an ultimatum: he could have her or the bad-boy lifestyle, but not both. He kept her and focused on football instead, eventually being drafted by the Green Bay Packers and going on to become a star wide-receiver with a Super Bowl championship under his belt.

On to the dancing … his first dance, a waltz, was simply gorgeous — fluid and lyrical and lovely. Carrie Ann complimented the emotion he displayed and called the performance “mesmerizing,” Len said Donald is a “big tough cream puff,” and Bruno loved his lines and arm extensions.

The samba he did next was sassy and fun (prediction: Peta has quite a future on this show). Len said it was “a bit careful” but he liked it, Bruno said it “worked beautifully,” and Carrie Ann said it was Donald’s “A+ game.”

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough
First dance score: 30 out of 30 (10/10/10)
Second dance score: 29 out of 30 (10/9/10)

Maria’s parents were Greek immigrants (as she’s often reminded us) who worked as janitors, and she was moved by how much they wanted to give her family a better life. She put herself through college, got a journalism degree, and covered earthquakes and wars for Channel One news — she even interviewed President Bush when she was all of 20. Damned impressive. She credits her parents for her work ethic, and wants to succeed to make them proud.

On to the dancing … while it’s usually the celebs who buckle under the pressure, Derek’s rehearsal footage seemed to show him in the midst of a panic-attack — something that’s especially odd for the show’s only three-time champ. Regardless, he soldiered on, and Maria’s Argentine tango had some amazing moves, ending with a pretty emotional moment between her and Derek. Len said he was “completely caught up in it,” Bruno gave it his usual bombastic praise, and Carrie Ann was in the throes of complimental (it’s a word because I say it is) ecstasy.

Her second dance seemed a bit muted for a jive, and Derek looked like he was doing most of the tricks, but overall it was a fresh interpretation. Bruno liked its “quirkiness,” Carrie Ann said it was a “stunner,” and Len called out a tiny stumble but enjoyed the “rhythm” of the performance.

There you have it. Tuesday night’s elimination will reveal who’s in the finale — see you then.

Source: ScreenCrush.com

YouTube

Get your tissues out for this one. Although originally posted two months ago on GodTube, Lacey Buchanan’s video about her son Christian went viral over this past Mother’s Day weekend. Recorded on her iPhone, and with her baby boy in her arms, Buchanan uses note cards to tell her inspiring story.

With songs praising Jesus playing in the background, Buchanan begins her story of how she was excited on hearing of her pregnancy. But as months passed, doctors informed the parents there was something wrong with her baby. When Christian was born, things got worse. The boy was born with an extremely rare condition called Tessier clefts, which meant that Christian was unable to fully close his mouth — and even more saddening, his eyes never even formed.

Blind from birth, Buchanan was used to stares and whispers behind her back about her baby whenever they took Christian out. In one of the flashcards, Buchanan mentions one girl even told her to abort the baby. Buchanan refused. And now, a year later, Buchanan is only proud of her son, and despite his ‘condition,’ this mother is only happy to give him the unconditional love he deserves.

Watch the inspiring video below.

Source: TheFW.com

YouTube

There have only been 15 unassisted triple plays in Major League history. This makes the instant inning killer the rarest play in all of baseball.

Although they don’t keep track of such things, it stands to reason there have been more unassisted triple plays than that on the Little League level — just given the sheer number of games played.

Nevertheless, you could watch a lot of Little League and never see a triple play, let alone an unassisted one. But we’re showing you one right here.

That heads-up shortstop is six-year-old Ross Bernath of Sandy Springs, GA. The recording was actually shot by the father of opposing player “James,” who couldn’t make it back to third base in time to prevent the rare play.

The clip went viral pretty quickly and was featured as ESPN SportsCenter’s number one play of the day on Wednesday. This thrilled little Ross, who watches SportsCenter regularly.

“He saw it this morning on ESPN and he’s been smiling ear to ear,” Ross’ dad told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He’s pretty pumped.”

Source: TheFW.com

Ian Gavan, Getty Images

This morning, legendary hairstylist Vidal Sassoon passed away in his home at the age of 84, according to a Los Angeles police department spokesperson. The renowned salon kingpin died of “apparent natural causes.”

At 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, police were called to Sassoon’s home in Bel Air. “When officers arrived, there were family members at the residence,” said spokesperson Kevin Maiberger. Word is Sassoon also suffered from leukemia.

An icon of the hair industry, Sassoon led an incredible life. As a child, the British native spent several years in a London orphanage after his father left and his mother couldn’t afford to take care of him. Later, his mother apprenticed him to a local barber to fulfill her dream of her son working in a barber shop.

Those humble beginnings led to the nearly unrivaled career of a man who created the classic bob hairstyle during the 1960s, a very popular line of hair care products, a range of hair care tools and a chain of chic salons. Sassoon made styling hair an art form.

We’ll also remember Vidal for his hair care product ads from the ’80s which gave us the classic slogan, “If you don’t look good, we don’t look good.” Remember the hairstyling legend with some classic ads below.

Classic Vidal Sassoon Ads

Trailer for the 2010 documentary ‘Vidal Sassoon: The Movie’

Source: TheFW.com

YouTube

Coleman Shannon was born without a right hand and forearm, due to a medical condition called Amelia, but that hasn’t slowed him down from chasing his baseball dreams. In fact, the 14-year-old left-handed pitcher recently threw a no-hitter in a Johnsonville, SC little league game.

Don’t believe us? Watch the footage for yourself.

“The other night, when he pitched the no-hitter, that was a tearful moment,” Kyle Daniel, one of Shannon’s proud coaches, said. “When you think about what he’s been through and how much it’s taken him just to get to this point, when he went out and threw the no-hitter, it was just a cheerful time for everyone.”

Shannon does way more than pitch and field — he’s an accomplished hitter who went 2-for-2 and delivered the game-winning hit in another little league matchup last week.

Oh, and did we mention he also knows how to play the guitar and hunt? When he was 2, he rejected his prosthetic arm and has since proved he never needed it to begin with.

[via The Huffington Post]

Source: TheFW.com

YouTube

Dan Savage, known for creating the anti-bullying series ‘It Gets Better,’ sparked a controversy with a speech he gave recently at a high school journalism conference. While discussing the Bible, he reportedly so offended the Christian teens in attendance that many of them simply walked out.

Savage was invited as a keynote speaker to the National High School Journalism Conference in Seattle. While trying to make a point about bullying in association with the Bible, he said, “We can learn to ignore the bull***t in the Bible about gay people.” He then went on to refer to the religious text as a “radically pro-slavery document.”

When students proceeded to exit the auditorium in response to these aggressive statements, Savage continued by saying, “It’s funny, as someone who’s on the receiving end of beatings that are justified by the bible, how pansy-assed some people react when you push back.”

What he probably didn’t expect from his comments, however, was a backlash from a gay organization. Jimmy LaSalvia, executive director of the gay conservative group GOProud, called what transpired “outrageous.”

“It is ironic that someone whose claim to fame is fighting bullying would resort to bullying tactics in attacking high school students who were offended by his outrageous remarks,” said LaSalvia. “There is nothing incompatible between being a Christian and believing that all people should be treated equally, and Dan Savage’s attacks on Christianity only fuel those on the extremist fringe who oppose gay rights.”

Savage reportedly apologized for hurting anyone’s feelings, but is refusing to apologize for what he said.

Watch Students Walk Out During Dan Savage’s Speech [Semi-NSFW Language]

[via FOX Radio]

CSPAN

Traditionally, the White House Correspondents Dinner is an opportunity for the President of the United States to let his guard down and become an entertainer for evening, performing a comedy routine for the crowd before taking his seat and being playfully roasted by a comedian. This year, President Barack Obama was joined by late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. Since this is the internet, both of their routines are online for you to see!

Neither of the routines are particularly brief, so you better grab a can of soda and a bag of chips. First up is President Obama’s routine, which opens with him offstage, his mic “left on,” letting the entire audience listen to him complain about being forced to entertain a Kardashian and the cast of ‘Glee‘ while pondering whether or not he needs to dye the gray ouf of his hair. If Obama has one thing in abundance, it’s charisma and his willingness to be humorously self-deprecating leads to plenty of funny bits.

When the President finished, Jimmy Kimmel took the stage to roast the commander-in-chief, finding just as many opportunities to poke fun at recent, er, problems with the Secret Service as he did Obama. He opens with some easy jokes (Obama’s ears are big! Some people still think he’s a Muslim!), but he also gets plenty of political jabs in, particularly at Obama’s frequent clashing and failed compromises with the Republican party.

What do you think? Did the President and Kimmel perform well? Did you laugh? Most importantly, what was your favorite part? Yes, reaction shots of hilariously solemn, disapproving faces in the crowd does count as an answer!

Source: ScreenCrush.com

In this clip, Ethan tickles the ivories in a terrific (and fitting) rendition of Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man.’ If there ever was a natural-born piano man, it’s this kid.

For Ethan, music is a form of therapy and his YouTube channel is filled with covers of songs by Paul McCartney to Coldplay. But, for our money, his version of ‘Dear Prudence’ by the Beatles is the absolute best. Check it out below.

So, what inspired Ethan to take up music in the first place? Part of this can likely be traced to his father, who sang ‘I Will’ by The Beatles to his son every night. At the age of four, Ethan was able to play the tune by ear.

But despite his skill on the piano, Ethan struggles with normal social interaction and often has problems focusing. Still, he displays remarkable proficiency at such a young age and has even impressed his piano instructor, Chris Robison.

“He’s a great kid and it’s some kind of a miracle,” said Robison. “I tell people but you can’t really see unless you’re there.”

Check out more of Ethan’s covers, including a recent take on A-ha’s ‘Take on Me,’ below.

Source: TheFW.com

YouTube / HarperCollins

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than 20 years since the brutal beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers was videotaped and horrified a nation. Now, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the riots incited by his case, King looks back on the ordeal and his life since then in a new memoir, ‘The Riot Within: My Journey From Rebellion to Redemption.’

On March 3, 1991, King was driving under the influence and initially didn’t stop when he saw the blue lights of the LAPD in his rearview mirror. When he eventually did pull over, four officers hit him more than 50 times with their batons, kicked him and shot him with stun guns, with the whole incident caught on tape by an onlooker.

Those officers went to trial and were acquitted by an all-white jury on April 29, 1992, sparking a three-day riot in LA that left 55 people dead and caused billions in property damage. As the riots raged on, King issued a public plea for peace, uttering the now-famous line, “Can we all get along?”

In a civil suit, King was later awarded almost $4 million from the city, but thanks to bad investments, that money is gone. King still suffers physical problems from the beating and alcoholism has also resulted in several more arrests. Even after all this time, though, he’s not bitter.

“America’s been good to me after I paid the price and stayed alive through it all,” he says. “This part of my life is the easy part now.”

Asked for comment about the Trayvon Martin case in which a young unarmed black man was recently shot and killed, King told TMZ, “I’m hoping he gets justice for his family…’cause he’s no longer here, so for his family,” adding, “Luckily I got [my attack] seen on tape.”

Watch him talk about his own traumatic ordeal below.

[NPR]

YouTube

While Google Drive sounds like it has something to do with the search company’s much buzzed about driverless car project, it’s actually a completely different direction in Google’s quest for world domination.

The 5GB cloud-storage service, which launched this week, allows users to access information from any of their computing devices. It also includes the functionality of Google docs, which means you can use it to collaborate with colleagues in real time on documents, spreadsheets and presentations. (Learn more in the video below.)

Google Drive installs as an app on Windows, OS X and Android. Among other features is a tagging system, which allows quick access to all your information, including PDF files and photos.

“Keep everything, share anything,” is Google’s motto for the system. Of course, you will also be sharing all your information with Google. (Bur, really, you are probably already sharing much more personal stuff with the folks over at Facebook.)

While the service’s first 5GB of storage is free, you can chose to upgrade to 25GB for $2.49 a month, 100GB for $4.99 a month or 1TB for $49.99 per month.

So, is Google Drive something you’re planning on downloading?

Source: TheFW.com

ABC

The music of Motown swept the ‘Dancing with the Stars‘ ballroom on Monday night. So — and please pardon the awful play on words — who cried the tears of a clown after Tuesday’s elimination?

Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet didn’t waste any time announcing the first safe couples: William and Cheryl and Jaleel and Kym. No surprise on the first one, but since Jaleel was in the dance duel last week and thisclose to being eliminated, that’s one helluva comeback on his part.

The first two couples in jeopardy were Melissa and Maks and, in a surprise, Maria and Derek.

Next two safe couples were pretty obvious: Katherine and Mark, and Donald and Peta.

Gladys and Tristan and Roshon and Cheslie were announced as being in jeopardy — and wound up being the bottom two couples who had to participate in the dance duel.

That wasn’t good news for Gladys. Despite weak judges’ scores, she’s stayed out of trouble because of the audience vote. A worst-case scenario for her was winding up in a one-on-one competition with the judges determining who goes home based solely on that dance.

Honestly, it was rough to watch. Not because she was bad (she wasn’t) but because competing with a kid a third of her age just seemed … undignified somehow. Blech. We’d rather have just seen her voted out by the audience without that.

Then the judges had their say. Carrie Ann voted to keep Gladys, Len voted to keep Roshon, and Bruno cast the deciding vote — for Roshon. Which not only meant Gladys was out, it completely screwed up our prediction about Roshon coming in 8th place (although we did say Gladys would be in trouble in a dance duel).

No one looked happy about the outcome, but of course Gladys saw it coming and handled it like the classy lady she is.

See you next week.

Source: ScreenCrush.com

youtube

There is a lot of construction going on in Texarkana these days. It started with the improvements on the interstate. More construction continues with the convention centers on both side of Texarkana, and new businesses coming to the Arkansas! So, calling all construction workers! Here’s a challenge for you! Can you do a coin toss like the one in the video below? Can you do tricks with a fork lift? We want to know!!  Email me at lisalindsey@townsquaremedia.com

YouTube

Nature videos are usually narrated by a stuffy sounding English fellow. In fact, whenever we hear a British accent, we half expect a lion to attack a gazelle, which makes watching Hugh Grant movies weird.

But what if instead your favorite nature videos were narrated by little kids from good ole’ U.S of A? ‘Planet Earth’ recently gave some of their younger fans a chance to get in the sound studio and do a little voice-over work. Check out what happened.

Animals plus kids equals adorable. But you probably already knew that.

And what about Aiden? That kid’s no joke. Between him and fourteen-year old Jack Foushee, who can do a spot-on imitation of movie trailer guy Don LaFontaine, the future of narration is looking bright.

Source: TheFW.com

YouTube/Thinkstock (2)

With Earth Day arriving this weekend, the focus is on the environment and how we can save it.

While politicians and community leaders are leading an ongoing charge to make large changes to how to get and use energy, everyone can do his or her part with some small steps around the house or in your daily routine.

Here’s a look at 10 things you can do right now that will have you doing your part:

RIDE A BIKE

Even a child could tell you that cars are bad for the environment, yet we are so reliant on them to get around that we ignore the environmental concerns at play. Well, let’s change that. Fetch that old bike from your garage and give it the old spin. Choose it as a form of transportation to shuttle you locally, or even to work. You’ll feel better, too, since it’s a great form of exercise. You’ll feel good about yourself and, with the rising gas costs, save yourself some significant money, too.

USE RESEALABLE CONTAINERS

It’s a small cost, but well worth it to invest in some strong containers that will last you for years. And cut down your costs on items like plastic bags or other non-green containers. If you have a durable container, you might even find yourself trying out new dishes or soups that you wouldn’t have considered making before. Worrying about how we store and keep our food is the first step toward advancing past it.

SHUT THE FAUCET

It’s not something we stop to think about too often, but how much water do you waste every day? Well, cut it out. It’s easy, and it’ll save you money in the long run. When you are brushing your teeth, do you turn off the faucet? Do you run the shower for a while before stepping in? Are you doing unnecessary loads of laundry? Get serious about water and only use what you need. You’ll be thankful you did when the water bill arrives.

SHOP SMARTER

Wasting food is so common that we don’t really factor in the costs — monetary or environmental — when we shop. But we should. If you make a list and don’t purchase unnecessary items, you’ll be more likely to stick with a diet and game plan for meals. Buy enough for yourself and your family, but cut down on the rest. And for heaven’s sake, if you do have leftovers that you won’t get to, share it with someone who needs it. Don’t throw anything out unless it’s spoiled; someone could benefit from it.

CANCEL JUNK MAIL

It comes without warning. However, all that unwanted junk mail takes its toll on more than just your sanity. The paper it’s printed on is worth something, even if it only amounts to pennies. For the sake of the environment, get yourself removed from mailing lists that you don’t wish to send you materials. And you might find your peeks into your mailbox a bit more pleasant for it.

LET IN THE BREEZE

As temperatures rise and spring sets in, houses can get super hot. Fight your instinct to turn on the AC. Instead, open windows and let in the cool breeze. Americans spend far too much on heat and air conditioning every year, and it takes its toll. Next time trust the air to cool you down. It may even calm you, as well.

PICK UP LITTER

There’s so much litter around that you hardly even notice it when you pass by. Let’s change that right away. When you pass a stray wrapper on the ground, stop to pick it up. Once you start looking for litter, you’ll find it practically everywhere. If everyone paid more attention, the world would look cleaner and stave off unnecessary deterioration. And doing your part here comes with an additional benefit: personal pride of knowing you’ve performed a civic good.

WATCH WHAT YOU USE TO CLEAN

What you use to clean could actually be hurting the earth. Many cleaning supplies are hazardous to your health and should be avoided if possible. Using homemade solutions like salt, water and baking soda go a long way to solve many spills and spots.

EAT LESS MEAT

Yes, what you eat matters. Why? Well, meat doesn’t come easy, and there is pollution involved in getting it from the fields to your dining room table. Challenge yourself to at least cut back on the amount of meat you’re eating, and try to gravitate more toward healthier options. Meat can be good for you, too, but in moderation. And we’ll all benefit from this small personal sacrifice.

BUY LOCAL

Where you shop matters. All those vegetables, cereals and meats start somewhere far away from your home, and they travel via truck to get to stores. By shopping local, though, you can cut the costs involved. Find out where the food you enjoy is grown and prepared. By keeping it local, even if it’s the same product you always have, you will be doing your part.

Mimi McDaniel/Townsquare Media

Star is a beautiful, young husky. She is only about one year old. Poor girl doesn’t look like she has ever been bathed or brushed.

Star is playful. She likes to romp. If you adopt Star, you will receive a free starter wellness exam from Pleasant Grove Animal Hospital. They will thoroughly check her over and test her for parasites as well as heartworms. The exam is an $80 value!

Check out Star’s romp around the yard at the shelter:

Star really needs a good brushing. Mimi McDaniel/Townsquare Media

Star is a very sweet, beautiful dog. Mimi McDaniel/Townsquare Media

Mimi McDaniel/Townsquare Media

Here are the dogs, puppies, cats and kittens at the shelter:

Texarkana Animal Care and Adoption Center located at 203 Harrison, Texarkana, Arkansas. The shelter is open to the public Monday through Saturday, 10AM to 5PM. Their phone number is 870-773-6388.

Dog Bathers , dog walkers and volunteers are needed at the Texarkana, Arkansas Animal Care and Adoption Center located at 203 Harrison. Anyone can help! Ages 16 and up are welcome. Call for more information 870-773-6388.

You can make a difference by giving a dog a bath or helping a potential adopter walk a dog. Please remember to SPAY AND NEUTER your pets. Our local shelter is always over-crowded with homeless dogs and cats. Don’t ask for gifts on your birthday this year, have an animal spayed or neutered instead.

The shelter needs dog and puppy food donations PLEASE! They have so many strays and owner give-ups coming in daily that the food demand is high and the supply is low.

ABC

On Monday night, Latin and the ballroom came together in one big explosion of fringe and ruffles and male shirtlessness. But who didn’t share their respective bon-bons quite hard enough?

Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet, whose silver dress made her look like a baked potato ready for the oven, first announced that Maria and Derek had been chosen by the judges for the honorary encore dance.

On performance night, judge Carrie Ann chided them for a kiss they staged in their salsa, calling it a “sell-out” move. So during their encore, Derek replaced the smooch by running over and surprising Carrie Ann with a liplock instead. (Funny thing — she didn’t seem to mind that one at all.)

Then it was time to announce the first three safe couples: Maria and Derek, Melissa and Maks, and Gladys and Tristan.

Melissa was so relieved that she let forth a string of expletives that had to be bleeped (Pa Ingalls would’ve washed her mouth out with soap for that):

Even though Gladys hasn’t been getting great judges’ scores, we’re glad she got enough audience votes to survive for next week’s Motown theme. It seems only right.

Then the new elimination method was explained. Citing previous contestants who went home midway through the competition even though they were very good, the judges will have the bottom two couples dance side-by-side to determine who should actually leave, with the judges making the final decision themselves. We like it — this way no one stays in on pity votes alone.

Next three safe couples:
William and Cheryl, Katherine and Mark, and Donald and Peta. Duh.

That left only one more safe couple: Roshon and Chelsie.

So the bottom two were Jaleel and Kym and Gavin and Karina. Tough break for Jaleel, but as cute and pleasant as Gavin is, he’s been a consistent bottom-two dweller and could probably sense his good luck was running out.

Then it was Dance Dual time — one cha-cha, danced simultaneously by both couples. Since the choreography for each one was so different, it was kinda hard to contrast and compare, but it was pretty clear that Jaleel and Kym looked better.

And the judges agreed — in a unanimous decision, they sent Gavin and Karina home.

Gavin expected it and took the news with his characteristic good humor and grace, but we’re kinda bummed because now we’ll never know what’s under that hat.

See you next week.

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Canada has been making some interesting changes to its currency from ditching its penny to pushing pretty, plastic pesos. The latest may become one of the coolest forms of cash on the continent.

The Royal Canadian Mint announced the development of “MintChip,” a possible alternative to traditional, tangible money that’s totally digital.

The new currency basically works as an electronic transfer of virtual funds from portable devices such as smartphones, tablets and even USB drives or laptop and desktop computers over the Internet. The new currency works through a secure microchip that transfers small amounts of money for smaller purchases and transactions, such as books, songs and news articles. It also doesn’t transfer personal information through these transfers and purchases to reduce the risk of identity theft.

So far, it’s only in the development stages and far from bringing us into the high-tech age that we’ve only seen in science-fiction movies and ‘Jetsons’ reruns. In fact, the project is holding a contest to find a software developer who can create an equally impressive application to manage MintChip’s monies. The winner gets $50,000 in gold. All 500 available candidate spots for the contest have already been filled.

[Gawker]