“The Oprah Winfrey Show,” will end its run in 2011, Tim Bennett, the President of Harpo, announced in a letter released to ABC affiliates on Thursday.

“Tomorrow, Oprah will announce live on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ that she has decided to end what is arguably one of the most popular, influential and enduring programs in television history,” he wrote in the letter, obtained by Access Hollywood. ” The sun will set on the ‘Oprah’ show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011.”

Winfrey’s 24th season opened earlier this year with a bang, as she drew more than 20,000 fans to the city’s Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue for a Chicago block party with the Black Eyed Peas.

Full story :Yahoo

Here are some of the reviews rom nationwide movie critics for the “Twilight New Moon”:

The worst thing about New Moon the book is the best thing about New Moon the movie. As Edward, Pattinson is all pale passion and tortured restraint; his eyebrows, like muskrats determined to mate, hunch together in the middle of his sunken face; the few times he smiles, it looks as if it hurts, and he still seems reluctant to move his mouth when he talks. If you had not read the series, in which Edward is infinitely more appealing and dimensional, you’d wonder what Bella was doing staring off into space in deep mope over this guy for weeks on end.

Read more: Time

The big tease turns into the long goodbye in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” the juiceless, near bloodless sequel about a teenage girl and the sparkly vampire she, like, totally loves. When last we saw Bella (Kristen Stewart) and her pretty dead guy, Edward (Robert Pattinson), in “Twilight” — the series hadn’t been saga-fied yet — the two had pledged their troth, a chaste commitment solidified during moody walks in the woods, some exhilarating treetop scrambling and a knockdown fight with a pack of vamping vampires.

Read More: Nytimes

An ultrapurist wouldn’t let on in this review that Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), the Quileute Indian tribesman and childhood pal of vampire-smitten high school senior Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), reveals himself as a werewolf in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. (He also reveals himself as one tasty chunk of vealcake.) But I’m trusting that between the millions of Twilighters who have already read all four books in Stephenie Meyer’s blockbuster series, and the additional billions who have seen the movie trailer, the beast is already out of the bag.

The excellent news for fans is that this sequel to 2008’s Twilight is a durable, recognizably faithful movie adaptation of New Moon. That, of course, is the second installment, in which Bella, a dazed, confused, moody, and otherwise identifiable teen-y girl, and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a smoldering, inscrutable, broody, and otherwise identifiable teen-throb vampire, swear true and chaste love while trying to keep their hands off each other.

Read More :EW

“New Moon” is supposed to be an exciting love story plus monster action. So where’s the excitement? Where’s the action? Bella (Kristen Stewart) and vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) stare longingly past each other (Pattinson, who keeps entering in hilarious slo-mo, is so intent on smoldering at the camera that he seems to forget there’s another person around) and swap excruciating love-chat: “You can’t (long pause) protect me (longer pause) from everything.”

Source: Blogoncherry

Here’s the full speech by President Barack Obama at Fort Hood Memorial Service November 10, 2009:

We come together filled with sorrow for the thirteen Americans that we have lost; with gratitude for the lives that they led; and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on.

This is a time of war. And yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great American community. It is this fact that makes the tragedy even more painful and even more incomprehensible.

For those families who have lost a loved one, no words can fill the void that has been left. We knew these men and women as soldiers and caregivers. You knew them as mothers and fathers; sons and daughters; sisters and brothers.

But here is what you must also know: your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life’s work is our security, and the freedom that we too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – that is their legacy.

Neither this country – nor the values that we were founded upon – could exist without men and women like these thirteen Americans. And that is why we must pay tribute to their stories.

Chief Warrant Officer Michael Cahill had served in the National Guard and worked as a physician’s assistant for decades. A husband and father of three, he was so committed to his patients that on the day he died, he was back at work just weeks after having a heart attack.

Major Libardo Eduardo Caraveo spoke little English when he came to America as a teenager. But he put himself through college, earned a PhD, and was helping combat units cope with the stress of deployment. He is survived by his wife, sons and step-daughters.

Staff Sergeant Justin DeCrow joined the Army right after high school, married his high school sweetheart, and had served as a light wheeled mechanic and Satellite Communications Operator. He was known as an optimist, a mentor, and a loving husband and father.

After retiring from the Army as a Major, John Gaffaney cared for society’s most vulnerable during two decades as a psychiatric nurse. He spent three years trying to return to active duty in this time of war, and he was preparing to deploy to Iraq as a Captain. He leaves behind a wife and son.

Specialist Frederick Greene was a Tennessean who wanted to join the Army for a long time, and did so in 2008 with the support of his family. As a combat engineer he was a natural leader, and he is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Specialist Jason Hunt was also recently married, with three children to care for. He joined the Army after high school. He did a tour in Iraq, and it was there that he re-enlisted for six more years on his 21st birthday so that he could continue to serve.

Staff Sergeant Amy Krueger was an athlete in high school, joined the Army shortly after 9/11, and had since returned home to speak to students about her experience. When her mother told her she couldn’t take on Osama bin Laden by herself, Amy replied: “Watch me.”

Private First Class Aaron Nemelka was an Eagle Scout who just recently signed up to do one of the most dangerous jobs in the service – diffuse bombs – so that he could help save lives. He was proudly carrying on a tradition of military service that runs deep within his family.

Private First Class Michael Pearson loved his family and loved his music, and his goal was to be a music teacher. He excelled at playing the guitar, and could create songs on the spot and show others how to play. He joined the military a year ago, and was preparing for his first deployment.

Captain Russell Seager worked as a nurse for the VA, helping veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress. He had great respect for the military, and signed up to serve so that he could help soldiers cope with the stress of combat and return to civilian life. He leaves behind a wife and son.

Private Francheska Velez, the daughter of a father from Colombia and a Puerto Rican mother, had recently served in Korea and in Iraq, and was pursuing a career in the Army. When she was killed, she was pregnant with her first child, and was excited about becoming a mother.

Lieutenant Colonel Juanita Warman was the daughter and granddaughter of Army veterans. She was a single mother who put herself through college and graduate school, and served as a nurse practitioner while raising her two daughters. She also left behind a loving husband.

Private First Class Kham Xiong came to America from Thailand as a small child. He was a husband and father who followed his brother into the military because his family had a strong history of service. He was preparing for his first deployment to Afghanistan.

These men and women came from all parts of the country. Some had long careers in the military. Some had signed up to serve in the shadow of 9/11. Some had known intense combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and some cared for those did. Their lives speak to the strength, the dignity and the decency of those who serve, and that is how they will be remembered.

That same spirit is embodied in the community here at Fort Hood, and in the many wounded who are still recovering. In those terrible minutes during the attack, soldiers made makeshift tourniquets out of their clothes. They braved gunfire to reach the wounded, and ferried them to safety in the backs of cars and a pick-up truck.

One young soldier, Amber Bahr, was so intent on helping others that she did not realize for some time that she, herself, had been shot in the back. Two police officers – Mark Todd and Kim Munley – saved countless lives by risking their own. One medic – Francisco de la Serna – treated both Officer Munley and the gunman who shot her.

It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy. But this much we do know – no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts; no just and loving God looks upon them with favor. And for what he has done, we know that the killer will be met with justice – in this world, and the next.

These are trying times for our country. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the same extremists who killed nearly 3,000 Americans continue to endanger America, our allies, and innocent Afghans and Pakistanis. In Iraq, we are working to bring a war to a successful end, as there are still those who would deny the Iraqi people the future that Americans and Iraqis have sacrificed so much for.

As we face these challenges, the stories of those at Fort Hood reaffirm the core values that we are fighting for, and the strength that we must draw upon. Theirs are tales of American men and women answering an extraordinary call – the call to serve their comrades, their communities, and their country. In an age of selfishness, they embody responsibility. In an era of division, they call upon us to come together. In a time of cynicism, they remind us of who we are as Americans.

We are a nation that endures because of the courage of those who defend it. We saw that valor in those who braved bullets here at Fort Hood, just as surely as we see it in those who signed up knowing that they would serve in harm’s way.

We are a nation of laws whose commitment to justice is so enduring that we would treat a gunman and give him due process, just as surely as we will see that he pays for his crimes.

We are a nation that guarantees the freedom to worship as one chooses. And instead of claiming God for our side, we remember Lincoln’s words, and always pray to be on the side of God.

We are a nation that is dedicated to the proposition that all men and women are created equal. We live that truth within our military, and see it in the varied backgrounds of those we lay to rest today. We defend that truth at home and abroad, and we know that Americans will always be found on the side of liberty and equality. That is who we are as a people.

Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It is a chance to pause, and to pay tribute – for students to learn of the struggles that preceded them; for families to honor the service of parents and grandparents; for citizens to reflect upon the sacrifices that have been made in pursuit of a more perfect union.

For history is filled with heroes. You may remember the stories of a grandfather who marched across Europe; an uncle who fought in Vietnam; a sister who served in the Gulf. But as we honor the many generations who have served, I think all of us – every single American – must acknowledge that this generation has more than proved itself the equal of those who have come before.

We need not look to the past for greatness, because it is before our very eyes.

This generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have volunteered in a time of certain danger. They are part of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known. They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different and difficult places. They have stood watch in blinding deserts and on snowy mountains. They have extended the opportunity of self-government to peoples that have suffered tyranny and war. They are man and woman; white, black, and brown; of all faiths and stations – all Americans, serving together to protect our people, while giving others half a world away the chance to lead a better life.

In today’s wars, there is not always a simple ceremony that signals our troops’ success – no surrender papers to be signed, or capital to be claimed. But the measure of their impact is no less great – in a world of threats that no know borders, it will be marked in the safety of our cities and towns, and the security and opportunity that is extended abroad. And it will serve as testimony to the character of those who serve, and the example that you set for America and for the world.

Here, at Fort Hood, we pay tribute to thirteen men and women who were not able to escape the horror of war, even in the comfort of home. Later today, at Fort Lewis, one community will gather to remember so many in one Stryker Brigade who have fallen in Afghanistan.

Long after they are laid to rest – when the fighting has finished, and our nation has endured; when today’s servicemen and women are veterans, and their children have grown – it will be said of this generation that they believed under the most trying of tests; that they persevered not just when it was easy, but when it was hard; and that they paid the price and bore the burden to secure this nation, and stood up for the values that live in the hearts of all free peoples.

So we say goodbye to those who now belong to eternity. We press ahead in pursuit of the peace that guided their service. May God bless the memory of those we lost. And may God bless the United States of America.

The HTC Droid Eris is the second Android 2.0 phone that Verizon has launched this fall. This simplified Droid is basically the little brother of the Motorola Droid and is being marketed as such. Get HTC Droid Eris Phone (Verizon Wireless) for $99 and is so far the cheapest Android phone available.

Here is a quick feature rundown:
Android 1.5
5mp camera w/ autofocus
3.2in display
528MHz processor
288mb of RAM
512mb of ROM
8gb microSD card (class 2)
CDMA Rev A
Wi-Fi
GPS
Bluetooth
Magnetometer (compass)
3.5mm headphone jack

Applications
Pre loaded applications include:
Amazon MP3 store, Verizon Visual Voice Mail,Google Maps, Calendar, Talk, Gmail, Youtube,Quickoffice, PDF Viewer, Peep Stocks, Weather

I’m disappointed that this phone doesn’t come with Android 2.0. The phone has 1.5 (for the time being) Because of this there are many things missing when compared to the Moto Droid. The biggest things is are combined email inbox’s, universal search, and the Google Maps Navigation. Lame.

Another thing that I found weird: When taking a picture there’s an option to send to Facebook, and it works, but the facebook app is nowhere to be found. Maybe I’m missing something here?

I do like that HTC took some time to customize the home screen with their clock and weather apps. This adds a nice touch to the phone out of the box

Keyboard
Here’s a big reason you may or may not want this phone – there is no slide out keyboard, only on-screen. This is fine for some people, especially if you’re used to typing on a screen. The haptic feedback is really useful here.

Missing from the keyboard? Multi-touch. I just want to press shift and alt and then a letter at the same time. I hate that shift and alt are toggles. There’s no reason they couldn’t use multi-touch here. The hardware supports it. Also, keep in mind that the screen is smaller than the Moto Droid, so if you have fat fingers, you may have a hard time typing.

I should also point out that HTC programmed this keyboard and not Google. What does this mean? The keys are spaced out a little more, there’s a white background. There’s also, imo, a better predictive text layout. This makes it a little easier to type on than other Android phones with on-screen only keyboards.

Calling & Sound Quality
Calling quality is what you’d expect. It’s good and I didn’t have any problems. I like the proximity sensor that turns off the screen when the phone is up to your face. I’ve used phones in the past that don’t have this and I’ve ended up ending the call or muting it by mistake.

The external speaker isn’t as big as the Moto Droid. As a result it doesn’t reproduce sound as well.

Battery Life
The 1300mAh battery on the Eris is average. It is rated for 3.5 hours of talk time, and 15.5 days of standby. When compared with the Moto Droid, that’s a whole 2.9 hours less talk time, but a whole 4.25 days more standby. I’m going to assume that more things shut down when the phone is not in use.

Web Browser
Humm. I’m a bit contradicted here. The Moto Droid has a newer browser that appears to render pages faster, but the Eris has pinch-zoom and has Flash Lite support. I can’t decide which one I like better.

I like that with the Moto Droid, you have more options, like setting a default zoom, and turning off javascript & plug-ins. I also don’t mind that it doesn’t have pinch-zoom. I also like that when you select a form it zooms in on the form instead of giving you a text field to type in.

On the Eris, I like that I can view Flash (adobe will probably release a flash plugin for Android 2.0 soon anyway), and the pinch-zoom is kinda neat.

Media Player
There’s really nothing special here. The media players on the Moto Droid and Eris are basically the same. Out of the box there is no way to automatically sync your music with your computer. If you want to get music on the phone you have to connect the phone via USB cable and drag/drop the music files you want ‘into’ the phone. The other method is to buy songs from the included Amazon MP3 application. As I said with the Moto Droid, I’m surprised Verizon didn’t put Rhapsody on the phone.

The 3.5mm headphone jack is useful, but I did notice that due to the contour of the phone a 3.5mm plug won’t seat flush with the casing. No biggie.

YouTube comes pre-loaded on the phone, which is also nice. I appreciate that the whole screen is used.

Camera
The camera is 5mp and includes an auto-focus feature. Unfortunately there is no flash. However, I can say with confidence that the pictures look better on this phone when compared with the Moto Droid’s camera. Although, it’s missing some of the options like color effects, scene & night modes, I think the quality of the camera makes up for it. There’s also a setting for 3:2 aspect ratio.

The Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple reported out of the 10 Fort Hood shooting victims, six patients were currently in intensive care and four were in regular care. All patients had been stablized, he said during a news conference this morning. Of the 30 people wounded in the attack, 28 are hospitalized and in stable condition.

“Some of these are extremely serious injuries,” Smythe said. “We would hope that all would survive, but it’s too early to say.”

The shooting Thursday at Ft. Hood resulted in the deaths of 13 people. All but two of the 30 injured remained hospitalized, according to military officials. The death toll from an Army psychiatrist who opened fire at the Fort Hood Army post rose to 13 on Friday, and Army officials said the suspected shooter was hospitalized and on a ventilator.

Suspected gunman Major Nidal Malik Hasan went on a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army post on Thursday, in one of the worst killing sprees ever reported on a U.S. military base, army officials said.

A woman died overnight from gunshot wounds, raising the toll to 13 dead and 30 wounded, said Colonel John Rossi, a deputy commanding general at Fort Hood, speaking with reporters. Of those killed, one was a civilian and 12 were soldiers, Rossi said.

The majority of patients at Scott & White had gunshot wounds to all areas of body: head, neck, chest, abdomen and extremities.

One soldier who had been shot and brought to the emergency room was “obviously quite distraught,” Smythe recalled. The soldier told him that “an individual jumped on a desk and started shooting weapons,” he said.

Within an hour of the shooting, patients started arriving at the hospital about 30 minutes north of base. The hospital mobilized its trauma team, including 20 surgeons, and many worked until late last evening, he said.

From the Associated Press here’s some initial list of the victim’s name: (we’ll update once we get the full list)

Matthew Cook, son-in-law of Jamie and Scotty Casteel. Cook is from New York State and has been home from Iraq for about a year. “He’s been shot in the abdomen and that’s all we know,” Jamie Casteel told The Associated Press.

Amber Bahr, 19, was shot in the stomach but was in stable condition, said her mother, Lisa Pfund of Random Lake, Wis.

Ashley Saucedo told WOOD-TV in Michigan that her husband was shot in the arm, but she couldn’t discuss specifics.

Francheska Velez

Velez, 21, of Chicago, was pregnant and preparing to return home. A friend of Velez’s, Sasha Ramos, described her as a fun-loving person who wrote poetry and loved dancing.

“She was like my sister,” Ramos, 21, said. “She was the most fun and happy person you could know. She never did anything wrong to anybody.”

Pfc. Aaron Thomas Nemelka

Nemelka, 19, of the Salt Lake City suburb of West Jordan, Utah, chose to join the Army instead of going on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his uncle Christopher Nemelka said.

“As a person, Aaron was as soft and kind and as gentle as they come, a sweetheart,” his uncle said. “What I loved about the kid was his independence of thought.”

Pfc. Michael Pearson

Pearson, 21, of the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, Ill., quit what he figured was a dead-end furniture company job to join the military about a year ago.

Spc. Jason Dean Hunt

Hunt, 22, of Frederick, Okla., went into the military after graduating from Tipton High School in 2005 and had gotten married just two months ago, his mother, Gale Hunt, said. He had served 3 1/2 years in the Army, including a stint in Iraq.

Sgt. Amy Krueger

Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wis., joined the Army after the 2001 terrorist attacks and had vowed to take on Osama bin Laden, her mother, Jeri Krueger said.

Amy Krueger arrived at Fort Hood on Tuesday and was scheduled to be sent to Afghanistan in December, the mother told the Herald Times Reporter of Manitowoc.

Fort Hood is home to about 50,000 troops, although Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison said only about 35,000 were on base at the time. The fort, established in 1942, stretches across 339 square miles (878 square km) in central Texas and is the state’s largest single employer.

Source:Blogoncherry

So, you got the Verizon Droid phone now. What applications are you going to install?

When it comes to applications, the Android ecosystem is pretty different from that other far more controlled alternative. Sure, the Android Market may not have 100,000 options just yet. But it does offer plenty of powerful programs — somewhere around 10,000 total — and, in a refreshing twist, it lets you decide what apps you want, instead of frequently censoring selections for you.

We’ve compiled a list of 10 top-notch Android apps to help get you going with your Android experience. These are all highly ranked programs that’ll be strong starting points as you work to make the most of your new Droid device. After all, the much-discussed turn-by-turn GPS navigation system isn’t the only thing out there.

Remember: This is only the beginning of the conversation. The Android Market is expanding every day, and there’s no end to the interesting options it holds. If you have a favorite we didn’t include, add it onto our list in the comments section below. Your recommendation will help other Droid users find even more cool ways to enjoy their new phones, too.

1. Twidroid

If you’re a Twitter user and used to the iPhone, the first thing you might notice is that Tweetie isn’t in the Android Market. Not to worry, though: Twidroid has your back. The Android-based Twitter app is available in a free and a pro (paid) version.

Both of Twidroid’s offerings provide most every Twitter function you might need, from the basic — viewing and sending tweets, following and unfollowing users, viewing profiles — to the more advanced: saved searches, URL shortening, photo posting, and geo-location support. The pro version adds support for multiple accounts, bit.ly integration, video posting, and a handful of other options. It runs about $5.

2. Meebo for Android

Twitter? Check. Instant messaging? Check. Our second featured app will keep you connected to all of your IM accounts while you’re roaming around with your new Droid. Meebo links multiple IM protocols into a single app that you can always keep running on your phone. AIM, MSN, Yahoo, MySpace IM, Google Talk, Jabber and ICQ are all supported — and, if you create a Meebo account, you can save a collective log of all your chats that’ll be accessible online.

The Meebo for Android app is free.

3. Pandora on Android

Crank up the tunes on your new Droid immediately by installing Pandora’s Android app, available for free in the Android Market. Like its online and on-the-iPhone counterpart, the Pandora Android app lets you listen to personalized radio stations based on your favorite artists or songs. Thanks to Android’s multitasking capabilities, you’ll be able to rock out while running other apps — something the iPhone can’t handle.

4. Google Voice for Mobile

File this one under “outlawed on iPhone,” too. The official Google Voice for Mobile app fully integrates Google Voice functionality into your new Droid phone. Once installed, you can make outgoing calls from your Google Voice number with the touch of a button, right from your contacts list. You also gain easy access to voicemail and Google Voice-based SMS messaging.

The Google Voice for Mobile app is free to install and use. You do need to have an existing Google Voice account, however, for it to work.

5. Locale

Take control of your phone with Locale, one of the coolest apps available for Android. Locale lets you customize your phone’s settings based on your location. You could program the app to set your phone to vibrate every time you’re at your office, or set it to go silent when you enter the perimeter of your local movie theater. You can get advanced and make exceptions for VIP callers, too.

6. ActionComplete

Another handy location-aware app for Android is ActionComplete. ActionComplete is a high-tech to-do list for your Droid phone. It makes it easy to organize your tasks and appointments, using a system developed by “GTD” (Getting Things Done”) guru David Allen. You can even set reminders that’ll pop up based on where you are, allowing you to remind yourself of certain tasks at the office, others at the home, and so on.

ActionComplete is free.

7. Google Sky Map

Stare at the stars with Google Sky Map, the “mobile planetarium” for Android phones. The Google Sky Map app, free, actually overlays information about the night sky onto your Droid display. It uses a combination of GPS data, compass data, and date and time information to help you identify planets, stars, and constellations.

8. KeyRing

Get rid of all those annoying membership cards with KeyRing, an Android app that puts your barcodes into your Motorola Droid. Simply scan your various cards — anything from gym memberships to drug store discount clubs — and Key Ring will categorize them into a drop-down menu.

The next time you need a card, you just pull it up on your phone — no need to actually carry the physical piece of plastic.

9. Compare Everywhere

While we’re on the topic of barcodes, you may want to grab Compare Everywhere. With the program installed, you can scan a barcode in any store to get instant information about any product. Compare Everywhere will connect you to reviews and pricing details to make your shopping simpler.

Compare Everywhere is a free download.

10. Sherpa

Ready to explore? Check out Sherpa, an Android application that helps you find new places based on your own personal preferences. Sherpa “learns” your likes and dislikes, then uses your location information to suggest restaurants, stores, and attractions in your area that might float your boat.

The best part? Sherpa won’t cost you a dime to download.

Source:Blogoncherry

A good wine choice can mean a lot of difference to your food. Wine connoisseurs know that there are wines that compliment certain kinds of foods. Knowing which wine goes with what dish is a great skill. If you have seen a wine menu or a wine list, you would know that ordering wine can be daunting especially if a restaurant offers a wide selection of wines. You can’t be blamed if you’d end up confused.

If you have no idea at all what to get, you should always seek assistance. It’s always better to admit ignorance then to commit mistake by pretending that you know what you are doing.

A good wine menu has all kinds of information about every wine listed. You would find the name, manufacturer, country of origin, wine description, vintage and meal suggestions. If you have guests, it is a good idea to get their wine preference. Courtesy dictates that you should let your guests choose their meal and wine combination. There are people who have particular taste for wines. Their choice may not suit a particular dish but let them enjoy their wine and meal.

These four questions will help you choose the right wine.

1. What is the main dish? Is it fish, chicken or beef?
2. How will it be cooked? Will it be grilled, baked, lightly fried, or pan-fried?
3. Is the main dish accompanied by a sauce and if so, what kind of sauce and what are its flavors?
4. Will there be any side dishes and how will their flavors impact your wine choice?

There are many different types of wine choices available today, so the basic wine rules may not always apply, but generally speaking these rules remain for the most part, still accurate for helping you make the right wine choice: white wines with poultry and fish, and red wines with beef.

When choosing your wines “think wine power”.

Generally speaking, red wines will work best with dishes that are rich, heavy and have a big flavor. When choosing a beef dish, you should consider the powerful strength of beef and choose a wine that has equal power. This rule also is effective for dishes that are served in rich, thick, heavy, full-of-herbs types of sauces. The reason why red wines and beef goes well together is that red wines contains tannins which mixes with proteins, allowing the flavors to blend well together. White wines do not contain tannins and therefore generally do not work well with red meats.

White wines works best with light foods, such as chicken, turkey or fish. Color and the aromatic smells of the flavors influence taste buds and wines that are lighter, such as white wines, will complement the meal and not overpower the flavors of the foods. Even in light types of foods, the type of sauce that is paired with the dish can influence the taste of the wine with the food. This changes the definition of light, and now that dish might be better paired with a red wine or Rose or a wine that has a bit more spice.

When you are having a multiple course meal, you should have more than one wine choice. To make one wine work for an multiple course meal would be difficult because of the multiple of flavors. If possible, choose a wine that is appropriate for the appetizer or first course, and then change the wine for the main dish, and then change the wine again for the dessert choice.

Start off with a lighter wine (usually white, or light tasting wines) and then move to the more full-bodied types of wine (red wines and burgundy’s) and then move to the dessert wines (ports & muscats.) Wines that have low acid can often be overwhelmed even with foods that are light in taste. Acidic wines that you would not drink alone can be quite wonderful when paired with the right food choice. The following examples of going from light to more full-bodied wines are: White Zinfandel, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewrztraminer and Chardonnay. In the red wines, go from the lighter tasting red wines to red wines that are more full-bodied: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

You can’t go wrong, when you choose a wine that you know you like.

Source:Blogoncherry

“Payless ShoeSource is excited to offer Oprah Show viewers 50% off their entire purchase at Payless stores in the United States, Canada, Guam and Saipan. This in store offer is good from now through the close of business on Friday October 30.”

Siriano tells Oprah how winning Project Runway changed his life at age 21. Christian was the youngest winner ever of the hit reality show. By all accounts, he is now also the show’s most famous winner. Later Siriano mentions his new collection that featured his Payless shows. Finally, after all the Oprah segments, Siriano returned with Orpah to announce the exciting news….

And you heard right – 50% off coupons! The deal ends in just 24 hours, so hurry.

To print the Payless Coupon CLICK HERE or you canclick here for online code.

IMAX Corporation and Sony Pictures Releasing today announced that the highly-anticipated motion picture Michael Jackson’s THIS IS IT will be released for a special run in select digital IMAX(R) theatres worldwide during the film’s limited two-week engagement in thousands of theatres globally starting on October 28, 2009. The film’s domestic run at select digital IMAX theatres will be for evening showtimes starting at approximately 9 PM Pacific Standard Time, beginning Tuesday, October 27, 2009. Tickets for the worldwide release go on sale for most locations this Sunday, September 27th at 12:01 AM.

Michael Jackson’s This Is It tickets on sale now!

THIS IS IT will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) with proprietary IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

“The combination of the never seen before rehearsal footage of Michael Jackson preparing for his sold-out London concerts, more than 25 world premieres and special IMAX engagements makes this a once-in-a-lifetime event for moviegoers, music lovers and Michael Jackson fans,” said Rory Bruer, President, Worldwide Distribution for Sony Pictures Releasing.

“The rollout of our new digital IMAX locations is expanding the range and frequency of IMAX content available to moviegoers worldwide,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “Our partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment is growing with our theatre network, and we’re looking forward to continued success with them as we open more theatres and release more films.”

“We’re very excited to participate in this special event, where IMAX audiences and fans of Michael Jackson will feel the energy of his talents,” added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Sony Pictures Entertainment knows how to create an event on a global scale, and their use of our new digital IMAX locations internationally demonstrates how major studios can take advantage of our network in new and exciting ways.”

The movie will be released worldwide for a limited, two-week-only engagement beginning October 28, having been moved up two days early by Sony Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment. Tickets go on sale beginning September 27 in most cities.

Drawn from more than 100 hours of rehearsal footage shot from April through June, fans will get a rare portrait and behind-the-scenes look at Jackson, who died on June 25 just three weeks before the start of his sold-out 50-show run at O2 Arena in London, ENG.

October 28th is National Chocolate Day so satisfy your guilty pleasure by grabbing a bar of chocolate or if you are a chocolate ice cream lover then have a cone of chocolate ice cream to celebrate this National Chocolate Day.

According to the Smithsonian Institute, the first modern chocolate bar is credited to a man named Joseph Fry, who created a moldable chocolate paste in 1847.

In 1868, Cadbury began selling boxes of chocolates. A few years later, milk chocolate hit the market, made by a company called Nestle.

The rest is delicious history.

October 28th is National Chocolate Day so satisfy your guilty pleasure by grabbing a bar of chocolate or if you are a chocolate ice cream lover then have a cone of chocolate ice cream to celebrate this National Chocolate Day.

According to the Smithsonian Institute, the first modern chocolate bar is credited to a man named Joseph Fry, who created a moldable chocolate paste in 1847.

In 1868, Cadbury began selling boxes of chocolates. A few years later, milk chocolate hit the market, made by a company called Nestle.

The rest is delicious history.