America welcomes 2012: One MILLION revellers gather in Times Square for star-studded night as they celebrate a hopeful and peaceful new year

An astounding one million revellers erupted in cheers amid a confetti-filled celebration in New York's Times Square to welcome in the new year, part of star-studded celebrations and glittering fireworks displays around the world to usher in 2012.

From New Zealand to New York, the world eagerly welcomed a new year Sunday and hoped for a better future, saying goodbye to a year of hurricanes, tsunamis and economic turmoil that many would rather forget.

In New York, hundreds of thousands gathered at the crossroads of the world to witness a crystal ball with more than 30,000 lights descended at midnight. Lady Gaga and Mayor Michael Bloomberg led the crowd in the final-minute countdown of the famed crystal-paneled ball drop.

Looking glittery as the orb itself, Lady Gaga was invited by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to press the crystal button at 11.59pm that triggered the decent of the 2012 New Year’s Eve Ball – a dazzling sphere 12 feet in diameter that weighs 11,875 pounds.

More than one ton of confetti – some of it inscribed with wishes for the New Year written by people across the globe –descended on the revellers in New York, who enjoyed an unseasonably warm New Year's.Dick Clark – who has hosted his New Year’s Eve special since the 1970s – is again being helped this year by his protege Ryan Seacrest for the 40th anniversary of the show. The ABC special has been expanded and now begins at 8pm, making the six-hour broadcast the longest ever.

The 82-year-old television personality suffered a stroke in 2004 and has stepped back in hosting duties in recent years. There has been wild speculation throughout the years if this year will be his last on Rockin’ Eve, though a spokesperson said he hopes that’s not the case.

More than 1,500 New York Police Department officers were patrolling the massive 17-block party to ensure everyone’s safety. They ensured security through the use of over 3,000 cameras and numerous check-points with bag inspections. Alcohol was also banned.

While the celebration officially kicked off at 6pm, many celebrators were there hours earlier to secure a prime spot. One California man was in his spot at 7am this morning.

‘It’s my first time and I want to have a good view,’ Peter Lin, a San Francisco State college student told the New York Daily News. ‘I didn’t want to be blocked by anybody.'

Many Americans across the nation will usher in the new year thinking that 2011 is a year they would rather forget. But as the country prepared for the celebration, glum wasn't on the agenda for many, even those that had a sour year.

May the new year bring these wishes

May the new year

Bring these wishes to all of you

Warmth of love, comfort of home

Joy for your children,

Company and support of family n friends

A caring heart that accepts

N treats all human beings equally

Enrichment of knowledge n

Richness of diversity

Courage to seek n speak the truth

Even if it means standing alone

Hopes n dreams of a just world n

The desire to make it happen

A light to guide your path

Helping hands to strengthen unity

Serenity n peace within your mind,

Heart n soul

Food for thought n soul

A hand to hold

Happy New Year 2012.

New Year, old outfit: Lady Gaga recycles her style stepping out in 1980's inspired gold outfit and retro shades

The 31st of December is usually a time to look to the future.
But it appears that Lady Gaga is taking her style inspiration from the past and was seen stepping out in a gold 1980’s style outfit earlier today. The shiny, bejeweled number was teamed with a pair of retro sunglasses and a side ponytail, with the 25-year-old singer appearing to recycle a look from earlier in December.

The Born This Way singer stepped out in the shades and a eccentric gold ensemble in Tokyo just before Christmas. Wearing similar looks more than once is not typical of the kooky singer, who prides herself on putting on a show at all times for her 'little monster' fans.

Gaga is performing in New York tonight and the singer was seen making her way to rehearsals

The singer was seen practicing her set for fans in Times Square

   Putting on a show: The singer looked every inch her star as she performed her set

Russell Brand files for divorce from Katy Perry after 14 months of marriage

Rumors have been a swirlin’ that Katy Perry and Russell Brand were on the rocks. Seems there is truth to those rumors. Brand has filed for divorce from Perry. 

They were married in October 2010 and have no children.

I knew things were not good when they spent Christmas apart, but in my heart of hearts, I refused to believe that these two crazy kids couldn’t make it work. They always seemed so genuinely fond of each other.

Let’s hope this is the final break-up for 2011. I don’t think my heart could take another split.

Shontelle - Say Hello To Goodbye

The Hot New Color for 2012 in Interior Design

The hot new color for 2012 is already on everyone’s lips and will be presented in future collections in fashion and interior design. Tangerine Tango, a “dramatic” combination of red and orange, was chosen as the defining shade for 2012 in a report released in December 8 by Pantone Color Institute.

It is well-known that Pantone Color Institute forecasts annualy the color for the upcoming year based on indicators of the current year related to socio-economic and global influences from fashion to art, music to film and interior design. If last year’s color was the pink-ish Honeysuckle Rose, this vibrant reddish orange shade will make a splash and will inspire people in creating modern homes, on runaways or even on the streets in 2012. Described as “vivacious” and “enticing”, Tangerine Tango is a bold and vivid color that uplifts people’s moods. By choosing to decorate using Tangerine Tango color scheme, you will create sofisticated but seductive interiors. Although many of you think it’s bold color, Tangerine can be easily “matching” with lots of other colors or can be introduced into the background without striking, even when it comes to classic style.

In addition, it is an optimistic color, welcoming, full of energy. Those who will use this color, will show more courage and personality. Depending on your preference there are more intense or less intense shades that you can play as you wish. If you will choose to decorate the everything in Tangerine, you can soften its intensity with accents of khaki, brown or black. You can get a look exciting and vibrant space using several shades of Tangerine in the same room. For creating a fresh look, combinations of tangerine and neutral colors like white will be just perfect.

Choose having accents like pillows, bedspreads and tabletop accessories in this high-impact hue to add spice to any room, if you don’t want to stress too much with painting walls and ceiling. You’ll be surprised how many decorations you will find in this contagious color. Whether you paint walls, have doors or furniture in this gourgeous color, you can have your home out of the crowd by that will be modern and trendy.

SHOES - Nautical Courts Ahoy

The nautical trend is adapted every season and never seems to disappear entirely. That is why nautical shoes are a great option. Think 'Christina Aguilera' in her Candy Man video and you have the look spot on. Look for red, blue and white (very patriotic) and work cute details like hearts, anchors and bows for the ultimate in kitsch. If casual is your thing, then navy pumps and practical espadrilles will be ideal for spring and summer.Her are some nautical shoes I have found on my web travels.

THE 10 MOST FOLLOWED CELEBRITIES ON TWITTER

1.LadyGaga                                                                                                                                      Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, and to some, the “mother mons†er,” made it to the number 1 spot on Twitter this year with 17 million followers. She began performing in the rock music scene of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and by the end of 2007, was signed with Streamline Records. Employed as a songwriter for the record company, her vocal abilities captured the attention of recording artist Akon, who signed her to his label Kon Live Distribution. Plenty of people want to find her, and presumably follow her, on Twitter (at @ladygaga). At 74,000 searches per month, “lady gaga twitter” ties her for top on the most searched list as well.

  2.JustinBeiber                                                                                                                               This Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor popped onto the scene only 3 short years ago. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber’s videos on YouTube and later became his manager. Bieber’s fan base mostly consists of pre-teen and teenage girls, but obviously covers more than that since his Twitter account, @justinbeiber, is currently followed by 15.5 million fans

3. Katy Perry

Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. Her gospel music was not successful, so she tried another route. In 2008 she rose to fame with the release of her second single “I Kissed a Girl,” which went on to top international charts. With a current status of “i kissed a girl AND diddled her skittle” Katy Perry (@KatyPerry) holds the number 2 spots of most followed celebrities with 13 million followers.

 4.KimKardashian                                                                                                                               An American socialite, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman, Kim Kardashian is one busy lady. She is known for the E! reality series that she shares with her family, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and its spin-offs including Kourtney and Kim Take New York. @KimKardashian, who calls herself a “business woman, exec producer, fashion designer, perfumista” on her Twitter account, takes the number 4 spot with 12 million followers.

5.BarackObama                                                                                                                                      Our president Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, is at 5th position in the list with 11.5 million followers. He is the first African American to hold the office and previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election. With the duties of the county on his shoulder, Obama has still made the time to connect with his fans. His account, however, is openly run by his committee and has occasional posts from the head honcho himself. “This account is run by #Obama2012 campaign staff. Tweets from the President are signed -BO.”

  6. Britney Spears

Yup, “It’s Britney Bitch!” Now on an upswing after years of negative attention, Britney is currently on tour and seems to have figured out how to live successfully, and healthy again. Her loyal fans never left her side, and 12 million of them are currently following her every move on Twitter. Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album, Baby One More Time in 1999 that shot this little girl into the limelight. Since then, the spotlight has captured her every move, good or bad.

  7.Shakira                                                                                                                                               This Latina siren has stayed in the spotlight and constantly receives love from all around the world on her Twitter account, @Shakira, by 11.5 million followers. Shakira is a Colombian singer-songwriter who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s who has since won two Grammy Awards, eight LatinGrammy Awards, twelve Billboard Latin Music Awards and has been Golden Globe-nominated.

8.Rihanna                                                                                                                                        This Barbados native has certainly had her ups and downs over the years. RiRi is enjoying her single life and also has a new album, Talk That Talk, in stores now! @Rihanna takes the number 8 spot with almost 11 million followers. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers. She subsequently signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning for then-label head Jay-Z.

9.TaylorSwift                                                                                                                                  This county pop singer, who burst onto the scene following her debut single “Tim McGraw” that she released in 2006. Then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America skyrocketed her to stardom. At just 22-years-old, this singer/songwriter has stolen the hearts of millions of fans, with almost 10 million of them following her on Twitter @TaylorSwift13.

10.AshtonKutcher                                                                                                                             With 8.8 Million Followers, the former Mrs. Moore, Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) suffered from a major case of foot-in-mouth disease when he threw his support for Penn St.’s Joe Paterno onto Twitter before actually looking at the news. Since his comments were anything but accepted by the public, he’s turning over his Twitter account to his management team to make sure he doesn’t flub up again. “Up until today, I have posted virtually every one of my tweets on my own, but clearly the platform has become too big to be managed by a single individual,” Kutcher wrote on his blog.

HOW LONG IS TOO LONG TO WAIT FOR MR. RIGHT?

There comes a point in every romantic journey when it may be time to make some serious decisions. Decisions about whether you’re ready to get serious and settle down, or whether or not you need to move on to someone new after feeling like a relationship has run its course. You may have realized that the woman you once were is not the woman you are today. No matter where you are in your relationship pathway, the question of time always comes into play. How many dates do you go on before you realize there is no chemistry? How many chances do you give someone until you feel a spark? How long do you wait for your dream guy until you settle for someone else? When it comes to matters of the heart, timing really is everything.

Black women have been given a bad name when it comes to anything involving marriage and relationships. Depending on what you read you will get a different answer concerning this topic. One source may tell you to be open to dating outside your race because it’s statistically impossible to find a black man in this day and age. And Steve Harvey, the self-proclaimed know-it-all about black women and dating, might tell you something entirely different altogether. We’ve been accused of having unrealistically high standards, but what exactly constitutes a high standard? Are your standards too high if you want someone who is financially secure, emotionally available and stable? I say no.

However, the reality of the situation is that it’s getting harder and harder for black women to find their match among black men. So how long do you wait for love the old-fashioned way until you take it into your own hands? How long do you hold out and wait for Mr. Right? Two months? Six months? One year? It may come to a point when it’s time to take love by the reigns. This particular subject is definitely difficult for me. I like to consider myself traditional in many ways. In a perfect world, I would like to think that my dream man will find me in the most unexpected but romantic way and we can start a beautiful life together. This requires no initial work on my part. But in this day and age, I may have to join Match.com and find him there. Or I may have to attend a mixer when I would rather be relaxing and run into him that way. Basically, like many women today, I may need to tap into my dating resources to find someone for me.

It may not be as easy as bumping into Mr. Sweepmeoffmyfeet while I am out with my girls, à la black romantic comedy style. Finding love takes work and time. Of course there are relationships that are the classic rendition of boy meets girl, girl likes boy, boy and girl fall in love. But with statistics looking as high as they do, maybe we should stop sitting back and waiting and start having control over who we allow in our lives and how we love. Nothing works for every woman, but at least you can say that you tried something new.

FOOTBALL PLAYER LOSES WIFE TO CANCER ONE MONTH AFTER SAYING ‘I DO’

Using a wheelchair to meet her groom at the end of the aisle, Keasha (Rutledge) Draft married the love of her life, 35-year-old football player Chris Draft, in a ceremony Nov. 27 in Atlanta. Sadly, just one month later to the date, Keasha lost her battle to cancer and passed away Dec. 27.                                            

Video of the couple’s ceremony and reception shows what an emotional and loving celebration their wedding day was as the bride shares a first dance with her husband, cuts the cake, and tosses the bouquet to guests who hope to find a love as strong as hers.                                                                              

Chris Draft last played for the Washington Redskins in 2010 but dedicated much of his life to giving back to kids by participating in different service projects including his own Chris Draft Family Foundation, which empowers families to live healthy lifestyles. His friends have asked everyone to send prayers to the families as they grieve during this difficult time.

‘Mob Wives’ – Karen Gravano’s New Book ‘Mob Daughter’

Mob Wives star Karen Gravano dishes tell-all about growing up in the shadow of her father, Sammy “The Bull” Gravan in her new book Mob Daughter.

Count Down to NYE: Emmy Rossum's Sexy Sapphire Statement

We're in full count down to NYE mode, which translates to sequins, metallics, and festive attire. For our final countdown look, cull inspiration from Emmy Rossum's sexy Naven sapphire look. Sparkle in a bold blue sequin minidress, but keep your admirers guessing with a deep V back, zipper details, and long sleeves. A sophisticated updo will draw the right amount of attention to those flashes of skin; statement diamond earrings will lend a classic touch; and, sleek patent leather black T-strap heels will tie the entire ensemble together. We suggest you err on the side of understated accessories via a soft pink lip and silver-tinged fingertips — let the dress do all the work. Just click below and shop your favorite pieces.

Twitter: Chris Brown & Rihanna Subtweeting

Going through my timeline on twitter, and I seen Chris Brown sends out a tweet, and 5 minutes later later, Rihanna sends out what could go with his as a response.
       

                                                  Check out the tweets below:

                                            I like these two, I hope they can work it out!

TOP 8 CELEBRITIES WHO SHED POUNDS AND ARE KEEPING IT OFF

1.Tyra Banks 

Being a model can be something of a poisoned chalice. If the model figure alters, everybody takes notice. Which may explain why Tyra Banks, 38, hit the headlines a few years ago after gaining 30 lbs, ballooning to a size 14-16. After famously defending her fuller figure on national TV, she had a change of heart. The model gushed over her new, smaller size, which at one point hit around a size 8: “I might be doing a little TMI (too much information) – I always feel great when I don’t have clothes on.” But it seems Tyra has now chucked out the bacon bits and ice cream for a healthier diet and what is sure to be a rigorous workout regime, and as we have seen, the results are incredible!

2. Marie Osmond

“Doing Dancing With the Stars rehearsals, I was out of breath,” says the singer, who estimates she gained 40 lbs. during the last five years, as she cared for her parents, each of whom battled heart disease at the end of their lives, and struggled in her marriage. Osmond signed up for NutriSystem in August, and paired with DWTS, she dropped allegedly dropped 27 pounds by the November 27 finale. (She lost another 13 lbs. by mid-January.) “I was a size 14 and I cut it down to a size 4!” she boasted.