Tiger Wood’s Nike Commercial After the News Hit the Fan

When news of Tiger Woods’ scandalous affairs hit the media, he had held the position of highest-paid athlete worldwide for several years running.  Much of this income was derived from multi-million dollar sponsorships from large corporate conglomerates such as Nike, Buick, and AT&T.  After his wholesome, role-model personal and professional image was tarnished as the news hit the fan, there were those who thought that it wouldn’t have an effect on his endorsements.  Unfortunately that wasn’t the case.

The Impact of Infidelity: Tiger Woods

Despite the public apology for his infidelity, celebrity endorsement deals with Gatorate, AT&T, and Accenture fell through.  While he retained his endorsement contracts with Gillette, Tag Heuer, and Louis Vuitton, he was taken out of the limelight in their campaigns.  Woods’ infidelity cost him his marriage and $12 billion worth of endorsements.

The Impact of Infidelity: Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was accused of sexual assault in 2003 in an adulterous encounter with another woman, leading to trouble with the law and the loss of two endorsement deals.  In spite of a public apology and settling the case, both Nutella and McDonald’s allowed their multi-million dollar contracts with Bryant to expire.

Considering the tremendous loss that infidelity can have both personally and professionally, investing in marriage therapy can be worth its weight in gold.  Therapy can help partners work through issues, learn to communicate and clearly express their needs, and resolve conflict, potentially preventing embarrassing public scandals, lost celebrity endorsements, and divorce.

Nintendo Video Game Designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Photo c/o Lawrence K. Ho / LA Times

Shigeru Miyamoto is Nintendo’s chief video game designer and the creative genius behind their best-selling games including Mario, Donkey Kong, and Zelda.  He’s also the legend video game designers aspire to be.

A natural innovator, Miyamoto received his formal education from the Kanazawa College of Industrial Arts in Japan and finds inspiration from real life experiences for video games.  Wii Fit came about as a result of his family’s efforts to get healthier, hit the gym regularly, and track their weight.  “It made me think that perhaps health could be a subject for a game,” Miyamoto told The Sunday Times.  And thus Wii Fit was born.

When Miyamoto got a puppy, the dog training class with his sheltie inspired him to create the video game Nintendogs.  When asked about Nintendogs’ popularity, he reports, “rather than trying to follow industry trends, it’s based on things that people find appealing in general. Not just what they find appealing in a video game.”

Video game design and development is a popular field that relates not only to fictitious worlds, but as Miyamoto shows us, the one we know and love.

Michael Phelps and Kelloggs

During the Summer 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Michael Phelps set a world record by winning eight Olympic gold medals, and became one of the most decorated Olympians in history with a total of 14 medals.  When Phelps was pictured in a British tabloid in 2009 smoking a marijuana pipe, it sparked controversy and debate the world over.  As a result, Kellogg’s endorsement with Phelps was not renewed.  Additionally, Phelps was not allowed to compete for three months or receive financial support from USA Swimming because of his drug-related actions that led the organization to think he was a less than worthy role model.

Kate Moss and Chanel, Burberry, and H&M

Kate Moss is a renown supermodel from the UK whose face has graced hundreds of magazine covers worldwide.  When the Daily Mirror publicized photos of Moss snorting cocaine with her boyfriend in 2005, it had a big impact on several key endorsements.  Chanel chose not to renew her contract, Burberry cancelled a campaign featuring Moss, and H&M, an organization actively involved with drug prevention, later ended the relationship with her out of concerns for damaging their reputation.

Floyd Landis and Pohonak

Winner of the 2006 Tour de France, American cyclist Floyd Landis was on the top of the world.  Shortly after his victory, it was discovered that Landis had used a performance enhancing steroid called synthetic testosterone during the competition which led to the revoking of his title, $3 million from a terminated sponsorship with Phonak, another $2 million in lost endorsements, and $4 of prospective endorsements from various manufacturers and products.

How these celebrities’ lives and endorsements may have been different from the influence of an addictions counsel.  Addictions counselors work with people who have drug addictions and help them through counseling and rehab programs.  To become an addictions counselor, prospective students can receive their necessary education through online degrees and prepare for a rewarding career.  With an average of 12.8 million Americans that have indulged in drug use, the demand for addictions counselors is increasing.

Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green Wedding Photos

And the Bride Wore Armani

Since Fox signed on as Armani’s newest underwear model in 2009, the couple both donned Armani for the occasion.  The bride wore a white Armani Prive gown and Green wore a white Emporio Armani outfit.  A form of inadvertent advertising, celebrity spokespeople associate their name with a brand or service, creating awareness and recognition with the product.

Megan Fox was working on her wedding day and didn’t even break a sweat.  Impressive.

Hats as an accessory have a myriad of benefits.  In addition to being a status symbol, hats protect the wearer from the glare of the sun and can make one appear taller.  Hats also draw attention to the face for improved communication.

Not one to shy away from color, each memorable hat Queen Elizabeth II wore on her Canada 2010 Tour matched her outfit perfectly.  Even the bouquets bestowed upon her managed to match the color scheme!

Hat design is an extension of fashion design and involves creativity, design, and working with materials of many kinds, and the delight that one day a hat you design may end up being worn by the Queen of England!

Constance Marie with daughter Luna Marie

Actress and celebrity blogger Constance Marie opened up this week about her struggles with fertility and how acupuncture made all the difference in finally conceiving her baby.  After two miscarriages from trying to become pregnant naturally, a bout with Artificial Insemination, and In Vitro Fertilization, Constance and fiance Kent found themselves still unable to conceive.  After their long fight with fertility, Constance went through short detox process then tried In Vitro once more, following it up with acupuncture.  “To ensure implantation, I literally laid down on the couch for two days,” she reports.  Nine months later, her baby Luna Marie was born.

Constance says they incorporated acupuncture during their efforts to conceive “because it has been reported to increase the ability of the embryo to implant into the wall of the uterus.”

So is there any proof that acupuncture helps with infertility?

A Reproductive Health Services study was conducted in Germany by Dr. Wolfgang Paulus, his associates, and the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture in improving In Vitro Fertilization success rates.  In the study, 160 patients were divided into two groups, one that received acupuncture treatments before and after the embryo transfer, and one that had relaxation sessions before and after without any acupuncture treatment.  The acupuncture was intended to “positively influence blood flow and energy to the uterus and to provide a sedative effect” and “influence the uterus and stabilize the endocrine system.”

Their findings indicated the women in the acupuncture group were far more likely to conceive then the other group, with 42.5% of the acupuncture group experiencing success in becoming pregnant, versus 26.3% in the other group.

The battle with infertility is an emotional and often surpassable journey.  Many patients have been able to overcome infertility, conceive, and begin families thanks to acupuncture treatments.

For individuals who would like to begin an acupuncture career and help treat infertility, My Colleges and Careers will help them find an acupuncture program in their area and make a lasting difference in the world.

Bella’s Wedding Dress #1: Christian Siriano

Bella’s Wedding Dress #2: Lela Rose

Bella’s Wedding Dress #3: Monique Lhuillier

Bella’s Wedding Dress #4: Erin Fetherston

Bella’s Wedding Dress #5: Prabal Gurung

Bella’s Wedding Dress #6: Max Azria

Which of these wedding dresses for Bella can you see her wearing?

If you would love to design wedding dresses, check out My Colleges and Careers for a fashion design program!

This weekend, Prince of Persia joins the ranks of video games turned Hollywood blockbusters along with the likes of Tombraider, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and Mortal Combat.  Since video games typically lack any significant plot or character development, films based off of video games give room for lots of flexibility in the story development, but often fall short.

Prince of Persia film critics had this to say:

“It’s sort of pointless,” says Amy Biancolli with the Houston Chronicle. “Along with The Mummy, Aladdin, Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Book of Exodus, Lawrence of Arabia gets ripped off, I mean referenced, quite a bit.”

“Stop the presses,” says Dean Obeidallah with the Huffington Post, “because apparently we have all missed one big thing: The Prince of Persia was a white guy!  I have a dream … that there will be a day when Hollywood makes a movie about the Middle East and actually casts Middle Eastern people in the starring roles. There are some great Middle Eastern actors out there who would bring a realism and depth to these characters that a non-Middle Eastern actor could never do.”

Did you see Prince of Persia this weekend?  What is your review of Jerry Bruckheimer’s latest film?  Was it worth the price of admission and popcorn?

Gemma Arterton, the female lead in Disney’s Prince of Persia movie, dazzled on the red carpet in a nude crepe georgette number from Elie Saab’s Spring 2010 collection.  Known for his elegant and dreamlike evening wear utilizing soft edges and beading, this dress is right in line with Saab’s characteristic style.

If you have a knack for color, line, and design and would love to create red carpet gowns like this one, find a fashion design program in your area on My Colleges and Careers!

Lindsay Lohan recently participated in a controversial “artistic” photo shoot with Tyler Shields and Tweeted a photo of herself with a gun to her mouth this week.

Lohan could learn a thing or two about gun handling.  Three safety rules about firearms include the following:

1. Always point a gun in a safe direction
2. Keep your finger off the trigger unless you’re ready to pull it
3. Always treat a gun as though it is loaded

As you may notice, Lohan’s photo shoot violates every single one of these gun handling rules.

Through a criminal justice program, you’ll learn these critical gun safety rules and more.  It sure seems like Lindsay Lohan could benefit from these gun handling rules as well as a good dose of common sense…

Family Photo

Bruce Beresford-Redman, former producer of the reality TV show Survivor, is suspected in the murder investigation of his wife, who was reported missing on Tuesday in Cancun, Mexico.

On Thursday, Monica Beresford-Redman’s body was found in the sewer of the Moon Palace resort where their family was vacationing.  According to a coroner’s report, the cause of death was a blow to the head.

Bruce was temporarily detained as a suspect.  While he is not authorized to speak to the media at this time, he reported to the police that Monica left the hotel Monday but did not return.

With friends reporting that Bruce Beresford-Redman had recently had an affair, rumors of marital problems, and a police statement laden with contractions, Bruce Beresdord-Redman has found himself in the middle of a real-life reality show.

Investigations will continue in Mexico to determine the murderer of Monica Beresford-Redman.

For people who have been glued to their computer reading the latest reports as the investigation unfolds, maybe you need to look into a career in criminal justice.

Jamie Oliver, UK chef and TV personality, is stirring up awareness about nutrition and health in America with his Food Revolution USA campaign.  Jamie’s goal is to improve the quality of food the Americans consume, make better food available in schools, and save America’s cooking skills.  On his show, Food Revolution, Jamie is focusing efforts in Huntington, West Virginia, the most obese city in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Jamie Oliver isn’t the only one who thinks American nutrition needs a turnaround.  The First Lady, Michelle Obama is at the helm of the initiative “Let’s Move”, whose purpose it is to eradicate childhood obesity in America.  There are four main components in the “Let’s Move” initiative:

1. Help parents make healthier choices for their families
2. Healthier foods in the schools
3. Access and affordability of healthy foods
4. Increased physical activity for our kids

For people passionate about facilitating a healthier tomorrow for America, there are ways to participate on a grass roots level.

Mrs. O has suggested small changes that Americans can instigate: smaller portion sizes, saving desserts for the weekend, and replacing sugar-laden drinks with water, milk, and fresh-squeezed juice.  “The point is that small changes can make a difference,” Obama told Larry King.

Jamie Oliver encourages those who want to engage in the Food Revolution to sign his petition, learn to cook and share your skills with family and fiends, while becoming aware of what’s in your food.  “We need to start cooking again,” says Oliver, “to make sure our children don’t grow up on a diet of processed food, at school or at home, and so they won’t have to battle obesity and diet-related illnesses when they grow up.”

You can make a difference as well.  Programs in Nutrition, Cooking and Culinary Arts, Exercise, and Health and Wellness can give you additional education and resources to make a professional impact on the health of the nation.  For more information on educational programs available, visit www.mycollegesandcareers.com.

Together we can bring about a healthier America!

Heidi Klum wearing Project Runway contestant Anthony Williams' design on the cover of Marie Claire, April 2010

If you’ve seen April’s Marie Claire magazine cover, you’ve beheld Heidi Klum modeling the winning design of Project Runway contestant Anthony Williams.  Called the biggest payoff in Project Runway history, the designers were given the challenge to design a cover-worthy look, on a $150 budget, in a color other than black, that emphasized the upper body.  Williams’ design embodied each piece of criteria and led him to the coveted prize cover!

Anthony Williams' winning design

If you are a budding fashion designer and the thought of having your designs in a national magazine makes you drool, why not enroll in a fashion design program?  Take the first step to following your dream and check out the fashion programs at My Colleges and Careers!  Even if you have no sewing or design experience whatsoever, MyCollegesandCareers.com will help you find the perfect program to get you on your way to your dream career in the fashion industry!

Professor: Ms. Sarah Jessica Parker.  she also responds to Carrie Bradshaw.

Class Rules: Only those who speak Prada or are wearing stilettos will be admitted to class. No exceptions.

Class substitute: Kim Cattrall. Watch out, freshmen boys.

Brown Nosing Technique of Choice:  Designer gifts. A pair of Manahlo Blahniks is a guaranteed A.

Multimedia Aide: Season 6 of Sex and the City.

Professor: Joe Jonas

Class Rules: Never use the straightener without first applying a heat protecting product!

Class substitute:  Rocker Sebastian Bach.

Brown Nosing Technique of Choice: Ask him how he gets his hair so shiny.

Multimedia Aide: menwithlonghair.blogspot.com

Professor: John Mayer.

Class Rules: Failing to update your twitter with annoying updates about your hair, last meal, etc. will result in a punishment of 17 blog posts.

Class substitute: Diablo Cody.

Brown Nosing Technique of Choice:  Clicking on his fan page over and over again to boost his Google Analytics numbers.

Multimedia Aide: Facebook. Hello.

Professor: Simon Cowell

Class Rules: Unless you are a classically trained vocalis, DO NOT attempt to sing a Celine Dion song. Please.

Class substitute: Anyone but Paula.

Brown Nosing Technique of Choice: Being hot is a plus.

Multimedia Aide: American Idol reruns. With Paula’s speaking parts fast-forwarded.

Professor: Jennifer Aniston

Class Rules: No mentioning you-know-who.

Class substitute: Christie Brinkley.

Brown-Nosing Technique of Choice: Boycotting Brad Pitt’s movies.

Multimedia Aide: Mr. and Mrs Smith.

Professor: Paris Hilton

Class Rules: No getting a real job or making significantcontributions to society.

Class substitute: Kristen Callavari.

Brown Nosing Technique of Choice: Purchasing her crappy single “Stars are Blind” on iTunes.

Multimedia Aide: The Simple Life Seasons 1 -4.

Professor: Micheal Scott.

Class Rules: Preface his name with “Our fearless leader…”

Class Substitute: Dwight Shrute. He might even be worse of a professor than Micheal.

Brown Nosing Technique of Choice: Making inappropriate comments about other coworkers. Or making fun of Toby in general.

Multimedia Aide: The lyrics to “My Humps.”

If you are more into real professors try My Colleges and Careers.

An artist’s intelligence shines through in their work.   Smart lyrics laced within literary illusions and metaphors make for some, well, to use a regional dialect, “ril good listenin.”  Check out our list below.

I wanna rock and roll all night, and party every day.  Right after I finish this paper.

Rivers Cuomo: Weezer frontman has that bookish college boy look that thousands of wannabes imitate with their oxford sweaters and black-rimmed glasses every fall.  Cuomo is no poser though. In 2006 he became a Harvard graduate at 35. After years of musical success he decided he wanted to finish school and lived in a modest 14-by-9-foot dorm room. He didn’t mind at all. In a NY Times article Cuomo said: “What I am best at is reading a book and then writing a critical essay.”

Greg Gaffin: Gaffin, a member of Bad Religion,  double majored in anthropology and geology at UCLA and later earned his PHD in Zoology from Cornell. In 2006 he penned a book titled, “Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant? A Professor and Punk Rocker Discuss Science, Religion, Naturalism & Christianity.”

Tom Morello: Before Morello was shredding guitars for Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, he a made a name for himself  as a Harvard grad.  He graduated in 1986 with a BA degree (with honors) in political science.

Singer-Songwriters who can wield an adjective or two.

Art Garfunkel:  Garfunkel has mad scientist hair but he actually studied art history and math in college, graduating with a masters degree in both from Columbia University. Garfunkel met his musical soul mate, Paul Simon at Columbia where they were both members Alpha Epsilon Pi.

Sting: I know you are wondering why Sting is in the rocker category, but allow me a brief parenthetical to remind you a certain hit song called, “Roxanne.” That is besides the point.  After Sting graduated high school he worked as a bus conductor, a construction laborer, and in a tax office. Eventually he attended Northern Counties College of Education and graduated with a teaching degree, where he got the inspiration for, “Don’t Stand So Close to Me.”

Sam Beam: Sam Beam is best known as folk-rock virtuoso, “Iron and Wine,” but he was once known as Professor Beam. Beam earned a Masters of Fine Arts from Florida State and worked as a professor of cinematography at the University of Miami for several years.

Kings and Queens of Country

Garth Brooks: Garth is one of country’s most revered men and believe or not he can throw a javelin pretty good too.  Brooks attended Oklahoma State University on a track scholarship and earned a degree in Journalism back in 1984.

Sheryl Crow: We know Sheryl Crow for her extentive catalog of feel-good music but what you might not know is that she received a B.A degree in Music Composition, Performance and Education. She was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta social sorority and Sigma Alpha Iota, a womens music fraternity.  Crow actually worked as an elementary school music teacher in a suburb of St. Louis for awhile and sang in bands on the weekends.

A soulful man who can perform mathematical equations on demand?

Lionel Richie: Lionel Richie once pretended to be a college professor in one of his music videos, but it wasn’t that far of stretch after all.  He attended Joliet on a tennis scholarship and eventually graduated with an economics degree from Tuskegee.

For more information about college classes check out www.mycollegesandcareers.com

Carrie Underwood

Before this blue-eyed blonde took the American Idol circuit by storm, she took writing classes.  After graduating from Checotah High School she went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with an emphasis on Journalism. It wasn’t all work and no play though, she was also a member of the Alpha Iota sorority.

Tina Fey

Fey has earned her way into the hearts and Tivo queues of millions of many Americans with her deadpan comedic delivery and nice-girl appeal.  She sharpened her acting chops at the University of Virginia where she studied drama.

Eva Longoria

She might play one on TV but Eva Longoria is no desperate housewife.  This Texas A&M grad earned a bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology, the study of body movement.  After  college, she entered a talent contest that brought her to Los Angeles, and she has been acting ever since.

Rahm Emmanuel

Mr. Emmanuel was one of the first people appointed to Barack Obama’s administration and he has the educational pedigree to back it up.  He is known for a take-no-prisoners attitude and is often referred to as Rahmbo but we learn that he has a softer side from his ballet studies as an adolescent.   He was offered a ballet scholarship to Joffrey Ballet school but turned it down to attend Sarah Lawrence College. He then went on to earn his master’s degree in Speech and Communication from Northwestern University.

Michelle Obama

Mrs. Obama may answer to “first lady,” but she has what it takes to hold her own in the male-dominated world of US government.  Michelle studied at Princeton before obtaining her Juris Doctrorate from Harvard in 1988.  Mrs. Obama is one select few first ladies with a post-graduate degree alongside Hillary Rodham Clinton and Laura Bush.

Rashida Jones

Office fans know Rashida Jones as Jim’s old girlfriend, but Harvard’s class of 1997 knew her as just another classmate.  Jones had a penchant for reading from a young age and her father, musician Quincy Jones, recalls finding her reading books by flashlight under the covers at age 5.  At Harvard, Rashida toyed with the idea of becoming an attorney but later settled on a degree in religion and philosophy.

Jimmy Fallon

SNL veteran Jimmy Fallon is a proponent of the 17 year bachelor plan.  Fallon attended the College of St. Rose in in New York and left one semester short of graduating with a degree in communications.  He felt the need to finish what he started and presented his final portfolio last month and deemed worthy to receive a bachelors degree in communications.  “Finally, I convinced them that I’ve done enough communicating to get my communications degree — and it only took me 17 years do to it. All I can say is, Thank God I didn’t want to be a doctor. That would have taken 65 years,” said Jimmy.