Lonelygirl15 proved a concept … an ongoing video series on YouTube could attract viewers and build a huge fan base.

So start filming your own tv show now!!

The third most popular “director” of all time on YouTube is lonelygirl15, AKA Bree, AKA an actress by the name of Jessica Rose. Rose, together with filmakers Ramesh Flinders and Miles Beckett posted a series of short films about a fictional, but seemingly real person named Bree. In 5 months, their videos have been viewed over 20 million times.

The filmmakers were finally found out and unmasked, but they showed that the internet is ready to deliver televised content. Even network television is beginning to embrace the internet rather than trying to compete against it - you can now watch episodes of ABC’s Lost (and other shows) online.

Can Google go head-to-head against the major networks and cable tv providers with YouTube?

Absolutely. All they have to do to attract serious talent is enable YouTube users to monetize their efforts with AdSense. Then anyone who can produce great videos and attract large numbers of viewers can earn a living by producing their own tv show. Network execs will keep their eyes on this and jump in to capitalize on it, but anyone can do this. Groups of people, banding together, could create whole channels of content.

For years, tech and internet gurus have been saying that one day, the internet will interconnect all of our communications and entertainment needs. Here are some realities:

• Using Skype, users can call each other long distance for free over the internet
• You can access radio and podcasts or read your favorite newspapers and magazines online
• Want music or movies? Download them right to your computer at iTunes
• Need to send a letter or note to someone? There’s email, IM, or chat. Stamps are for stamp collectors
• To all encyclopedia salesmen - sorry about that Wikipedia thing
• PC’s and all of today’s game consoles support online multiplayer gaming

The only thing missing on that list is television. So is anyone still asking why Google paid $1.6 billion for YouTube?

Fanpop is one of the most unique social networking sites on the web right now.

It’s a site where users can find their interests organized into group spots. Each spot features links that users can rate, headlines, forums, a soapbox for rants and raves, and the fan page where you can see the people who share your passion. Whether you are a huge Lost fan or a peanut butter fanatic, fanpop has a place for you and other people who share your passion. Can’t find anything about Marvin the Martian on fanpop? No problem - you can create a spot for it on fanpop.

Fanpop is all about passion, community, sharing, and discovery. They really brings something different to social networking; where most social networks are built around the idea of having your own personal space or some form of popularity democracy, fanpop is a platform of mini-sites created by users, each with its own passion for a particular subject.

Fans are rewarded for contributing and participating with fanpop medals. And these medals are not just badges of service. They come with real rewards; as your medal levels increase you gain access to more and more functions, allowing you to edit the different features on fan sites. Check it out and find your passion, contribute links and comments, or create a destination for your fellow fans on fanpop.

The test: Are all your friends saying the same thing?

What does someone do when everyone is telling them that their new crush is completely wrong for them? Usually … they ignore everyone. And then when the relationship goes bad, they kick themselves for not seeing it coming. There’s a reason this happens and it’s called chemistry.

Sometimes there’s no easy way to describe why we really like someone or fall in love except to call it chemistry. When it just just clicks and feels right, that’s the chemistry talking. And our brains do a little dance thanks to things like pheromones, oxytocin, vasopressin, and endorphins. Scientists are always striving to understand this more. As much as we do understand, it’s difficult to say how much of love is a conscious choice, and how much is chemistry that just happens and is somehow beyond our control.

So, there’s a good reason that you might not listen to friends and family when it comes to matters of the heart - because your heart (actually your brain) is saying everything is great, and it speaks louder than words. How do you trust that you’re making the right decisions? When should you listen to what other people are saying?

Ask your friends what they think of this new person you’re dating. Ask a lot of friends. Sometimes you’re friends won’t want to say anything bad because they don’t want to hurt your feelings, so ask some of them what they think others are thinking. If you find that a couple of people don’t really like this new person, ask them why. Maybe there’s a real concern there and maybe not. But if a lot of your friends are getting a bad vibe, then it’s time to question the chemistry. It’s time to listen to your friends and put a lot of thought into what you’re doing and whether or not this is a relationship that is going to be good for you.

Everyone has good days and bad days. Wherever you go though, you will find people who stand out in the crowd. They have the ability to bring people together and make every moment a great time. If you’re kind of shy and want to break out of your shell, or if you’re already the center of the social universe and want to understand just how it is you do it …

These are the 5 rules for standing out in a crowd:

1. Look different. Do a complete style-over on yourself - or get your friends to help push you into uncharted style territory. Like Dr Phil says - if you do what you’ve always done, you get what you’ve always got. Change things up. Get some new clothes or change your hair - and don’t be afraid to try something a little daring and different. People will notice that something is different.
2. Talk different. If you’re the wallflower at parties and gatherings, it’s most likely because you don’t know what to say. Plan ahead. Put together a whole list of conversation topics. Better yet, put together a list of personal experiences that are great stories. When you find a conversation going on and you have a relevant story to tell it’s easy to jump right in. People love trading funny and exciting stories about their experiences, or those of someone they know.
3. Do different. Sometimes it’s better to not follow the crowd. Venture out every once in awhile and try something completely different. Lead the way, and even if you have no followers, you’ll meet new people and learn new things. This is how great stories are born.
4. The Cheers effect. If you remember the hit sitcom Cheers, remember this line from the theme song ‘… where everybody knows your name …’. Now, you don’t have to hang out at a pub everyday, but always have a number of regular haunts that you frequent. Get to know the people there. When you walk in, the friends that tag along with you and everyone else in the place will know just how famous you are because everybody there knows who you are.
5. Relax. Never try TOO hard to be the life of the party. This has a way of blowing up in your face. It’s important to listen as much as you talk if not more so. The key is to have fun and make whatever you’re doing fun for everyone.

Loree Rodkin has been to The Grammys, The Academy Awards, and The Golden Globes. She’s been on the cover of Elle with Shakira, and the cover of Vanity Fair with Johnny Depp. She can be seen with Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton, Elton John, Steven Tyler … the list goes on. Alright, who is this? What’s the catch?

Here’s a hint - Loree Rodkin is one of the hottest jewelry designers around.

Somewhere in between medieval and modern, she makes some of the coolest bling you’ll find anywhere. And everywhere. Her designs have an elegance and an edge that allow you to wear them anywhere, from the ritziest ballroom to the most intense goth club. She takes some of the most timeless elements of jewelry design and blends in a unique vision that is bold, sensuous, exotic and always stunning. You can find her classy baubbles at Nieman Marcus, specialty boutiques, and her own signature boutiques which are scattered around the world in Japan, France, Italy, Russia, and elsewhere.

Before she was designing jewelry, Loree was an interior decorator and an entertainment manager, managing the early-year careers of Brad Pitt, Robert Downey Jr., and Sarah Jessica Parker. Since mastering the art of design through the inspirations she has found through her travels around the world, she has taken her creativity into new territory - creating handbags, shades, candles and perfume. And all with the same unique style that you can find in her jewelry.

So the next time you’re looking for something extra special, check out Loree Rodkin. You won’t be disappointed.

Remember how Wile E. Coyote always hatched the perfect scheme to capture the Roadrunner and it always backfired. Now imagine two Wile Es facing off against each other. That’s what Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice do on their show Kenny vs Spenny every week.

For each show, they dream up some kind of a competition and set the rules for it. While Spencer believes he can outsmart Kenny and keep his integrity intact by devising strategies that follow the rules, Kenny has been known to bend the rules - and not to give himself the winning edge, but just for the sheer enjoyment of torturing Spencer.

The competitions for season 3 come in all shapes and sizes:

• The basic: First to laugh loses
• The fear factorish: Who can wear a dead octopus on their head the longest?
• The weird: Who can lift more weight with their genitals?

Always funny as these two best friends lock in comedic combat each week to outdo each other. Similar to Kenny vs Spenny, Mad magazine, and now Mad TV have had a cartoon series called Spy vs Spy for decades. Occasionally Mad would bring in a third character, a female spy, and call it Spy vs Spy vs Spy. Maybe one day we’ll see Kenny vs Spenny vs … Jenny?

It’s almost time to update your Christmas album collection. Once every few years a really good Christmas album comes along. This time it’s Sarah McLachlan with Wintersong. If you’re already a fan of her music, you can guess that her talent to create just the right atmosphere with her music is what will make Wintersong work so well. You guessed right.

Wintersong has holiday classics like John Lennon’s peace anthem, Happy Xmas (War Is Over), I’ll Be Home For Christmas, and O Little Town Of Bethlehem. It also features songs with a more contemporary feel such as River, Wintersong, and Song for a Winter’s Night that give it a great balance of old and new. Everyone will find their own favorite songs on the album, but the steady tone and atmosphere will let you easily play it all from start to finish.

Sarah McLachlan has created the perfect soft atmosphere for the holiday season. Put another log on the fire, and wrap your hands around a hot cup of cocoa - Wintersong will be spinning in CD players at holiday gatherings everywhere this season, and for years to come.

Find out more at Amazon: Wintersong by Sarah McLachlan

In the spring of 2004, I had a idea.  I wanted to create an all-girl stand-up comedy show.  I am not a comedian; I am an accountant. I had never produced a comedy show, but I knew how to throw a fun party! Armed with an idea and a love of comedy, I took steps to create my show.

To find comedians, I took a  unconventional approach–I placed an ad on Craigslist.  Within a few hours of posting my ad, I received about four email from female comedians eager to do my show.  At that time, I didn’t even have a name for the show or a venue. One of my friends told me about a new comedy club downtown called the Laugh Lounge.  I met with the manager, and they agreed to let me do my show here.  I remember thinking that I had to “fake until I make it”. I appeared  to be really professional  and savvy about the comedy world even though up until then I was mostly an audience member.

Once I had the venue, the comedians, and the support of friends; there was only one thing missing–a name for the show. I asked an ex-boyfriend for suggestions, but all of them were awful.  I was starting to worry because I knew how important a good name is.  The desire to go ahead was more than any fear of failure. I had to plow though.  Fortunately, one night while I was out at a happy hour, I was talking to a perfect stranger about my show and through that conversation, I came up with the name “Chicks and Giggles“.  The first Chicks and Giggles show was May 11, 2004 and since then it has gone from a monthly show to a weekly show at Mo Pitkins. In the process, I have a wonderful co-producer and host Carolyn Castiglia, and in two years the show has featured a talented community of over 80 performers including female comedians, musicians, humor essayists and a ventriloquist.  Next year, we plan to book Chicks and Giggles for more college shows.

Chicks and Giggles is every Tuesday at 8PM at Mo Pitkins (34 Avenue A) in New York, NY. It’s Free!

Submitted by Nichelle Stephens

Potpourri adds color and aroma to a room. A small bowl of potpourri works great on the bathroom counter, in the living room as a coffee table centerpiece, or on your kitchen island to help tame the harsh smells of a cooking experiment gone wrong. Not only is it easy to make, but potpourri is a great way to put old flowers to use without just throwing them out.

Here’s what you need

• Flower petals. Roses, tulips, marigolds and any mix of flowers that have vibrant colors and rich aroma. You can also use other things such as peelings from oranges and lemons, or pine cones
• Essential oils. These oils are concentrated mixtures of the natural oils that found in flowers and plants that give them their aroma. Dried flowers have a very limited aroma and adding essential oils to your mix is what gives potpourri its rich and vibrant aroma. There are dozens of different essential oils and blended mixtures that include scents such as lavender, jasmine, citrus, and vanilla. You can also use spices such as cinnamon or mint to perk up the scent of your creation.
• Orris root. This root, in powder form, acts as a fixative. It will keep the aroma of your potpourri strong because it prevents the rich scented oils from evaporating away. Orris root should be handled with care - it can cause allergic reactions in some people, and is poisonous if ingested. Always wash your hands after handling it.

Putting it all together

The first thing to do is too dry out your flowers. Tie them together in small bunches and hang them upside down by the stems in a dark, warm room. It should take about 1 to 2 weeks to dry them out thoroughly.

Once your flowers are dried, put about 2 or 3 cups of the petals and any other dried things into a plastic sealable container. Mix in about a teaspoon of Orris root and then sprinkle in a half dozen drops of essential oil (you don’t need much; essential oils are very powerful and can be a little expensive). Mix everything up very gently and then seal up the container.

You can dispense potpourri from your sealed container into an open bowl as needed. Just top up or refill the bowl as the scent diminishes or before you invite guests over for a party.

Men and women look at money in different ways. Kim Kiyosaki is a successful businesswoman, and the wife of Robert Kiyaski; the bestselling author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Kim knows money and she knows how to teach women about their finances.

Kim Kiyosaki started her business career in advertising and then launched her own clothing company. She later partnered with Robert to teach aspiring entrepreneurs about business. And she didn’t stop there - next she created real estate investment company that manages millions of dollars worth of property. Her latest venture is to bring her knowledge and experience to the Rich Dad franchise started by her husband Robert, but to present it in a way that’s accessible to women.

Rich Woman gives you the same principles of money and investing as the Rich Dad series, but it also tackles the very real issues that women face when it comes to finance. Women often have less time than men, and often earn less money doing the same jobs that men do. Kim walks you through all these issues, but she doesn’t let women be gender victims. She’s all about overcoming obstacles and teaching women the fine art of analyzing deals, and picking the right people to work with. And as the subtitle “Because I Hate Being Told What To Do” suggests, she does it all with a sense of community and spirit.

Find out more at Amazon: Rich Woman by Kim Kiyosaki