WOMEN YOU SHOULD NEVER DATE

Certain ladies shouldn't be touched with a 10-foot pole, no matter how hot they are. Instead of giving in to temptation, distract yourself from the desire. Take a class, help kids or take in a ballgame, but whatever you do, stay away from these women you can never date. Generally, the reason to avoid these ladies has nothing to do with the woman herself, but it has everything to do with her context in your life.

Read on for a list of 7 women you can never date, and save your reputation, your bank account, your job, and your friendships.

1- Your best friend's sister
The woman you know the best will often appeal to you the most. But if she is your best friend's sister, getting lucky can mean two months of fun followed by the need to move to another part of the city. She makes the “7 women you can never date” list because as soon as sis becomes sweetheart, you'll be walking on eggshells with your buddy. Gone are the days of complaining to your friend about your women troubles because the conflict of interest ruins the good times, and the first time you make a mess of things, he will likely want to beat your ass.

2- Your secretary
There are plenty of reasons to keep your mitts off the help. It can get you into all kinds of trouble -- legal and otherwise -- should the relationship go south. But even if the fling goes well, you have problems. You'll soon be tempted to push the limits of what you can get away with at work, perhaps in the janitor's closet. Love at the office is an enormous distraction from your work, especially if you are in charge of her. Others are always watching what you are doing. Worst of all, once the relationship ends, she will enjoy leverage over you, and may use it simply by gossiping about what happened in the aforementioned closet.

3- The ex-girlfriend
Ex-girlfriends are one of the 7 women you can never date. Yet, the ex-girlfriend becomes increasingly seductive as loneliness sets in. After several years of eating the only three meals you know how to prepare, you can easily get blown away when she follows up chicken parmesan one night with chicken marsala the next. She might clean your apartment one day while you were getting loaded at happy hour, and you'll want her there permanently. The loneliness will make you forget the reason the two of you broke up in the first place, but should you jump back into the relationship, those reasons will resurface in no time.

4- The hot trailer girl
Have you seen Maury Povich? Let that show be a warning to you if you are smitten by the hooker with a heart of gold. It's fool's gold -- the hot trailer girl is definitely one of the 7 girls you can never date. The scenario goes something like this: You were in the club enjoying the company of a young woman whose breasts were rubbing against you like two sea lions on a beach, and then you got confused. Enjoy the one-nighter, but the next time you see her at bar time, you would be wise to end up at Denny's eating a Grand Slam breakfast.

5- Your friend's ex
When you witness the breakup of your buddy and his hot girlfriend, your mind will invariably wander to a place better left untouched. Since you’ve spent lots of time around her, you already have an established relationship -- albeit a non-sexual one. Chances are you already imagined what it would be like while she was still dating your pal, and her new freedom may pique your interest, but be forewarned: She is one of the 7 women you can never date. If you value your friendship, avoid her at all costs. What men forget to consider is the aftermath of hooking up with a friend’s ex. The word will spread to everyone else in your circle about what type of friend you are, and you’ll kill your own reputation. It doesn’t matter how long ago they broke up, whether they’re friends now or not, if your buddy’s replaced her with a new girlfriend, the answer is always no. Unless, of course, you enjoy getting your ass kicked.
6- The high-maintenance piranha
If you value your money and your manhood, the high-maintenance chick is also one of the 7 women you can never date. She will love you for your increased earnings at first, but then will consider you to be a soulless workaholic incapable of intimacy. Once you've built up a nest egg, her divorced friends will start directing her on how to devour that nest egg whole, just like a snake. She will give you the screw of a lifetime, but not the kind you’re seeking.
7- The stripper
Of the women you can never date, the stripper is worse than the hot trailer girl. No, she is not stripping to pay for school. Yes, she might be a hard-luck case, but sooner or later you will be acting like a body guard, thinking you can protect her honor from a rowdy bachelor party. If you think jealousy is beneath you, wait until you observe a private dance from afar when the john offers an extra C-note for a happy ending.
bad news babes
The longer you've been single, the more prone you are to date off-limit women. But we've clearly outlined the 7 women you can never date. Remember: Do not follow your instinct and dive directly into the hive. Take care of the temptation in one of two ways: through manual relief or through reverting to an old fling who now reminds you of a broken-in catcher's mitt.

THUNDER BIKE FOR YOU

Do you love Bikes?

Then check out this bikes: T H U N D E R B I K E

WHAT IS YOUR NEW YEAR RESOLUTION?

2008 is knocking on the door. Which means that aside from making New Year's Eve plans, you must start thinking about next year's changes -- especially in your professional life. Instead of settling for the status quo, take a proactive approach to the New Year and give yourself a kick in the pants by setting up some professional resolutions.

Here are some ways to ring in 2008 in true professional style.
Join a professional organization
Are you lacking industry contacts? Taking on some volunteer duties outside of work can earn you some new friends in the right places and serve as a good use of your time. Study your industry and hook up with a professional organization that has the existing credibility and contacts to benefit you. Not only will your extracurricular participation help your industry grow, but it will give you increased access to inside tips and job postings.

If you need some tips on where to go, look at the leaders in your industry and find out which organizations they spend time with. Many high-ranking corporate officials work at the top of professional organizations also. Depending on your sector, there are usually a variety of groups to choose from, like The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Public Relations Society of America and the Society for Technical Communication.
Cut work out of your personal life
Your work might be important, but so is your personal time. That's why you need an adequate amount of "me time" every day. Kick-start this 2008 professional resolution by practicing smart professional habits and planning your workweek in advance. Make it a goal to cut down overtime hours so you won't burn out by taking on too many tasks.

Your home needs you, especially if you have other people who value your time. So cut work out further by not using your laptop or home computer for work and finding daily activities to do in your leisure time, preferably outside. Reading, working out and sports are all relaxing things to do. Give yourself something different to look forward to at the end of every workday. In the long run, your quality of work and your business relationships will improve from increased personal time.
Respond to clients promptly
Business is built on impatience. People want things done well and done now. If you can't do that, they'll find someone else who can. If you're contracting or acting as a first point of contact for clients, your 2008 professional resolution should be to keep in touch.

Besides delivering a high quality of work, it's important not to leave anyone hanging. Work always has to be prioritized, but it should also be consistently completed. Keep up to speed on the progress and expected delivery for any active client projects. This way, when called upon, you can offer a quick and accurate answer at a moment's notice. You can also stick to a simple rule like e-mailing or calling them back within two hours of initial contact. Not only does this keep clients happy, it also builds loyalty and keeps you organized.

Network online
You may not be looking to leave your job or put your career on the fast-track just yet, but you should still be aware of what other opportunities are out there. If you can't dedicate a lot of time to network in person, make your 2008 professional resolution to find the time to do it online.

One of the most rewarding places to network is through LinkedIn.com. With a member profile, you can join in on industry chatter and make new contacts through your friends. Because you're gaining industry exposure and meeting others through people you already know, trust has already been established and you might eventually reap the rewards. Alternately, you can use sites like Monster.com to stay in the loop for job postings or use a more social-friendly site like Facebook.com to make contacts. The key is to get networked if you aren't already.
Attend industry events
An important 2008 professional resolution is: Don't be a stranger within your industry. People need to know who you are and what you're doing. Sure, they might absorb a few quotes from a press release or see your name in an industry magazine, but your peers need to see you in the flesh.

Check out your industry and see what's going on. Make a point of going to at least one industry event per month -- whether it's a dinner banquet, an afternoon golf event or a weekend seminar. If you don't have time to network through volunteering at an organization, you owe it to yourself to do it through your job. It's also a great way to plug your company. If you like what you see, make it a goal to organize your own industry event by 2009.
Let others know they're appreciated
You want to be recognized for your work and so does everyone else. If you do your part, so will they. If they don't, it's their loss, and you'll still come out looking respectable. A small appreciation here and there around the office will win you more friends and give you a solid reputation… or make your great rep even better.

'Tis the season for cards, so you can start with holiday cards for your coworkers and for your valued clients. As your 2008 professional resolution, make it part of your routine to send thank-you notes, e-mails or make calls to business clients and coworkers when the occasion calls for them. Sincerity counts for a lot in business. You can also take charge of your professional chatter by spreading positive encouragement and compliments to your coworkers instead of getting caught up in gossip. Letting people know you value their work lets them know you value them and it keeps your relationship and the office as a whole that much stronger and energetic.
Pursue a professional project
If your job is getting stagnant, make it your 2008 professional resolution to give yourself some new work. Not extra work, just new work. Think about a project that you've wanted to work on, but haven't had a moment to properly outline and discuss with the boss. Maybe there's an anniversary press kit that you'd like to design or a website addition that could attract new business. Either way, it's something worthwhile for everyone involved.

Make sure you run it by the boss first so it can be properly mandated, but also let it be known that you'd like to work on it independently. It shows assertiveness and initiative on your part to be the leader instead of following one. If you can deliver on your promises, you'll be rewarded by your superiors and proud of yourself for pulling it off.
making changes
Don't let 2008 be a year of coasting. Instead, map out your professional goals and balance them alongside your personal ambitions for the New Year. Not only will you watch as new achievements come your way, but you'll be enjoying every step of the journey.

I AM LEGEND

Plot
It’s been three years since a killer virus struck Manhattan. Those who aren’t dead have mutated into vampire-like beasts. All except Robert Neville (Smith), a military scientist desperately looking for a cure.

Review

In the novel on which this moody blockbuster is based, Richard Matheson offered a neat sci-fi twist on the vampire mythos, imagining a world-destroying spore which would turn everyday folk into blood-lusting creatures of midnight. Yet, despite retaining the tweaked-vamp threat, Akiva Goldsman and Mark ‘Poseidon’ Protosevich’s script, as realised by MTV alumnus Francis Lawrence, better resembles a werewolf or Dr. Jekyll. By day, it’s a limber, thoughtful and supremely effective drama. By night, it’s a drooling, lurching, crushingly stupid and clumsily executed VFX disaster.

Sunrise. Smartly employing the sharp eye of Lord Of The Rings lenser Andrew Lesnie, Lawrence presents to us a New York free of all human presence. Shoulder-height grass wafts lazily in Times Square, disturbed only by the occasional herd of deer. Skyscrapers still shout of the glories of mankind’s achievements, but with no-one to hear them they serve only to cast long shadows.

In one sense it’s terrifying -the Mary Celeste as an entire conurbation. Yet it’s also oddly beautiful - a city where nature has regained her hold and the tiniest animal sounds are no longer smothered by the deafening cough of engines.

When we’re introduced to this landscape’s only human inhabitant - one Robert Neville (Will Smith), who is conveniently both highly militarily trained and a brilliant virologist - he’s seemingly enjoying his desolate environment, redlining a sports car through town, his faithful canine companion Sam (best animal performance of the decade, say us) gazing happily out of the passenger window. It’s a great opening sequence, especially when it transpires that Neville’s actually on the hunt, rifle in lap, seeking some venison to supplement his tinned provisions.

For a big studio genre film, I Am Legend goes a surprisingly long way to explore psychology, and Smith fearlessly dives headfirst into the mind of an individual who’s had no human contact for almost 40 months.

The little details ring true, such as when Neville chides his dog for not eating her vegetables - he’s anthropomorphised her so completely that he’s forgotten she’s a carnivore. Ignore the predictably dodgy science and plot-fissures, and you have a tentpole picture that doesn’t, for once, insult its audience’s intelligence. Until…

Sunset. Before we sink our teeth in, let’s make one thing clear: having cut his incisors on infernal comic-book adaptation Constantine, Lawrence knows how to crank tension and apply a shock. So, in its earlier moments, I Am Legend plays on our primal fear of the dark like a maestro. But when it comes to the blood-lapping “dark seekers”, Lawrence’s inadequacies come crashing through. A more experienced director would likely have taken a more clever, less profligate approach to this movie’s monsters. As would a filmmaker who was - like Danny Boyle, helming the superior 28 Days Later - forced to operate on a considerably more limited budget.



After all, what are the dark seekers? Skinny, pale, hairless people with a supernaturally advanced metabolism. So why on Earth did Lawrence choose to make them pure-CG conjurations? And what dismally dire CG it is, too. Lawrence’s ‘vampires’ are cartoonish phantoms, evaporators of fear who mercilessly inhale all the atmosphere so ingeniously woven during the daylight hours. Going full CG was the worst artistic decision Lawrence could have made - short of having the populace of New York suddenly jump out from behind the Empire State and shout “April foo-ool!” at Neville before cutting to the credits.

Verdict
While the sun shines, it’s a four-star thriller with a superb turn from Smith. When the moon rises, it’s a two-star horror cartoon with some of the worst FX we’ve seen all year. So, really, it has to average out at…


Reviewer: Dan Jolin

MAN OF THE YEAR 2007

Global soccer icon David Beckham became the $250-million man when he (and wife Victoria) moved to Beverly Hills to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS. Between his tremendous talent, English charm, stylish wardrobe, and slick haircuts, Becks is single-handedly making soccer relevant stateside. Because of his achievements, he's been a consecutive AskMen.com list-topper, and has shown his appreciation by saying, “I am honored to be recognized once again by the AskMen.com community. I would like to thank everyone for their support.”

2007 Resume
• Won the 2007 Primera Division championship with Real Madrid.
• Voted Britain’s Greatest Ambassador at the 2007 Greatest Britons awards.
• Was named No. 15 on Forbes’ 2007 list of most influential celebrities.
• Began his own weekly TV series, entitled David Beckham’s Soccer USA, on the FOX Soccer Channel.
• Held the David Beckham Academy in the UK and the U.S., which encourages youth to play soccer.
• Rejoined the English National Football squad.
• Became the spokesman for the nonprofit organization Malaria No More.
• Continued to serve as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
• Launched the fragrance David Beckham Instinct in the U.S. for a reported $13.7 million.
• Received the Outstanding Contribution to British Sport accolade at the 2007 Sport Industry Awards.
• Scored a goal and an assist in his first MLS game, the SuperLiga semifinal.
• Lectured a master's class at USC on soccer as a forum for global diplomacy.
Behind the Scenes
A UNICEF supporter since his days at Manchester United, Beckham is now the Goodwill Ambassador with UNICEF's Sports for Development program. He also became a spokesman for the New York non-profit Malaria No More, and participated in a youth soccer clinic in Harlem to support the MLS W.O.R.K.S. (the league’s charitable arm) prior to a game at Giants Stadium in New York.

2007 Manly Moment
Beckham bounced back from being benched at the beginning of the season to lead Real Madrid to their first Primera Division championship in three years.

SEAN CONNERY WANTS TO QUIT!!!!!!



Sir Sean Connery has insisted he has definitely quit acting.

The Scottish actor - who has starred in films including 'Goldfinger', 'Entrapment' 'Dr. No' - is happy living with his wife Micheline in their New York apartment, and says nothing could make him return to the big screen.

Connery said: "There is nothing that will persuade me to get back into acting. It's over - I will never, ever do another film."

However, Micheline - who has been married to the actor for 22 years - doesn't believe the 77-year-old Hollywood star will manage to stick to his pledge.

She laughed: "He has said that twice before and then ended up doing another one!"

Connery recently revealed he was forced to stop writing his autobiography because it was giving him nightmares.

The screen legend was planning on setting the record straight with his own memoirs, after being left fuming by the "lies" written about him in previous unauthorised biographies.

However, he decided not to put pen to paper after a series of sleepless nights and terrifying dreams caused by the stress of writing.

He said: "It was giving me really bad nightmares and I wasn't sleeping. I don't think I am cut out for introspection!"



FERGIE ENGAGED




Fergie has got engaged to her actor boyfriend Josh Duhamel.

The couple, who have been dating for three years, announced their happy news yesterday (26.12.07) but refused to reveal if 'Las Vegas' star Josh popped the question on Christmas Day.

A representative for the actor has confirmed the pair got engaged "recently", but as yet no other details are available.

Since getting betrothed, Fergie, 32, has been calling all her friends and family to tell them about the engagement.

A source said: "She has called a lot of her girlfriends to tell them about the engagement. Fergie said she and Josh don't know what kind of wedding they want yet, but insists she is the happiest girl on earth."

Earlier this month, Fergie claimed she was in no rush to get engaged because she already felt married to Josh.

The Black Eyed Peas singer, who has been dating the 35-year-old actor since 2004, said: "We're practically married. I'm madly in love with him. He understands how to treat a woman and gives me respect."




MICHEELLE RODRIQUEZ JAILED




Michelle Rodriguez began her six-month prison sentence yesterday afternoon (23.12.07).

The former 'Lost' star reported to California's Lynwood County Jail at 4.33pm to start her sentence for violating the terms of her probation after she was found guilty of DUI (driving under theinfluence of alcohol).

Superior Court Judge Daviann L. Mitchell ruled the 29-year-old actress could not be given early release, but due to prison over-crowding the county sheriff may have no choice but to let her out before she has served her full sentence.

State law also permits that Rodriguez be released early for good behaviour.

The 29-year-old actress was sentenced on October 10 after she "admitted violating her probation by failing to provide proof of completion of her community service and for consuming alcohol three times while wearing an alcohol-monitoring device."

Rodriguez - who played Ana-Lucia in hit TV show 'Lost' - was serving an extended probation term for several driving offences.

In May 2006, she served just four hours and 20 minutes of a two-month sentence at Lynwood for violating probation terms of a DUI arrest in Hawaii in December 2005.

She was released early due to prison over-crowding, and served just over two days in a Honolulu jail for the same offence.

In June 2004, Rodriguez was placed on three years probation after pleading no contest to DUI and driving with a suspended licence following two separate incidents in Hollywood dating back to 2003.

JESSICA ALBA PREGNANTS
Gossip pages are all aflutter with news of Jessica Alba’s pregnancy. The star announced she will be expecting her first child with her boyfriend Cash Warren in late spring. The two reportedly broke up earlier this year, but were spotted canoodling around town by the end of the summer. Their on-again/off-again status pretty much sums up the general status of this pregnancy: a mistake.

ANGELINA JOLIE HATES SHILOH
Angelina Jolie thinks Shiloh is an outcast… such sweet words for her biological child, don’t you think? She says her blond-haired, blue-eyed baby looks so different from the rest of her multicultural children that she’s the outcast of the family. The mother of four has also revealed that she doesn’t feel as much of a connection with Shiloh because she’s more privileged than the other tykes.

GET THE CREDIT YOU DESERVE

While you’re watching ESPN’s SportsCenter tonight, take a close look at who’s getting all the attention in the top 10 highlight reel. It’s the guy who dunked on Kobe and the guy who nailed a slap shot from the red line. Basically, the spotlight is on the person who took all the credit for the passes and blocks that led up to that shot.

When it comes time for a promotion at your office, your manager is going through a highlight reel in his head. He’s thinking about all of the great moments when his team participated and had great success. The only problem: You’re not on that highlight reel and, therefore, not getting credit for your work.

You’re the poor sap who was blocking and passing while someone else was making the shots and taking all the credit.

So, how do you put yourself on the highlight reel without looking like a ball hog? Here are six tips to get the cameras pointing at you for a change and help you get credit for your work.
Give presentations when possible
People don’t just remember great presentations and ideas; they remember the people who delivered the message. If someone else is delivering your message, even if they give you credit, they are stealing the spotlight from you.

Instead of handing the work off to someone else, take every opportunity to present your ideas to upper management yourself. People remember good ideas based on where they came from, so you need to make sure when they recall your good idea, they remember that it came from your mouth. This is a real easy tactic to help you get credit for your work.
Send status reports frequently
When it comes to increasing your visibility, the name of the game is repetition. Your manager is busy thinking about a million priorities, and you’re just one of them. In order to get a piece of his mind share, you need to occupy it more often.

Managers want to know that their staff members are getting the job done. Sending regular status reports -- even when you don’t have anything incredibly compelling to say -- will allow you to stay on your manager's mind as someone who is getting the job done. It may seem futile or mundane, but in the long run, you'll get credit for your work.
Get favorable testimonials
Nothing reminds people of how brilliant your last idea was than a third-party testimonial from a customer or colleague who brags on your behalf. Think about the last movie trailer you saw: The studios brag endlessly about what other people say about their film, which helps build its credibility.

A testimonial will not only redirect the spotlight back onto you, it will also endorse the fact that you must be a pretty smart guy for making that person so happy. If you really want to add some icing to the cake, have your testimonial-writing comrade send it straight to your boss. At that point, you’re practically guaranteed a slap on the back and a bump in your salary.

sk for similar successful projects
Your manager isn’t going to remember every last thing you’ve ever done; he’s going to go back to that highlight reel of your sweetest victories. So if you’re going to build a highlight reel, you better make sure you’re loaded up on big victories.

Focusing on projects that you know you’ll succeed in will help build your manager’s confidence in you. That confidence will help shape you into the go-to guy for bigger, more important projects with even more visibility and credit.
Load up on projects around review time
When review time comes, think of your manager like the lead character in the movie Memento: He can barely remember anything that’s happened just a few minutes prior. Your manager is so preoccupied with important things like getting his own raise that he’s too busy to remember everything you’ve ever done.

The time to really work on getting your due credit is right before review time. That’s the time to load up on every visible project you can get your hands on. Don’t worry, you can go back to playing on your PSP in your cubicle after your review, but right now you need to be completely overworked. It’s your job to paint the picture that you want in your manager’s mind.
Stay visibly busy
It’s not enough to just take on projects, you need to go a step further and actually look busy. When writing your review, your manager is going to grab the most vivid memories he has of your performance, which will of course be the most recent memories.

You want these memories to be filled with you coming in early, leaving late and looking stressed and busy as hell. This is the time to eat at your desk, cover your office with papers, and constantly remind people how overloaded you are. Looking busy is just as important as being busy.
it’s showtime
Every project and every initiative you see coming across your desk is another opportunity to build your highlight reel. If you want to get noticed, you need to step up and put yourself in a position to make big plays that everyone can see. You don’t get voted Best Player of the Game for passing the ball, but only for shooting it.