The 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade finds anti-abortion legal efforts in the ascendancy in many states. As reported in The New York Times on Saturday, the Republican blowout in the November elections has brought anti-abortion governors and legislators to power in large numbers. Legislation under consideration would continue shredding the old Roe trimester model by pushing back the deadline for a legal abortion as early as 20 weeks. And the permission granted by the Supreme Court in recent decades for states to impose their versions of informed consent is now being exploited by proposed legislation that would require women to watch an ultrasound before going ahead with an abortion.

Our legal stalemate about abortion is like a football game, with the two rival teams pushing each other back and forth across the 50-yard line and neither team able to win -- especially if winning is defined by either the total banning of abortion on the one side or its unhindered legalization and funding as a routine health care practice on the other. The pro-life and pro-choice establishments appear committed to the continuation of this game of smash-mouth abortion football until the end of time.

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On Wednesday, it was reported that over 700 dead birds had fallen from the sky in Italy. The countless turtle doves were scattered about the town of Faenza, many with strange blue marks in their beaks that some officials suggested may have been signs of hypoxia. With the incident occurring in the wake of similar mass animal deaths that were recently reported across the world, the Internet lit up with theories ranging from the rational to the outlandish. But in the case of Italy's dead birds, it doesn't seem aliens or secret government weapons testing were to blame, but instead just... a bad stomach ache?

"We are fairly confident the birds died as a result of massive indigestion brought on by over-eating," Rodolfo Ridolfi, a director at the regional zoological institute, told The Daily Mail.

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It's that time of year when we reflect on the past and plan for the future, and that means resolving to change those habits or circumstances that we've been unhappy with. For many of us, it also means making the same resolutions we've made -- and haven't fulfilled -- year after year. Even though we all desire, or even need, to make changes in our lives, whether we are aware of it or not, many of us are resistant to letting go of old habits. When we make New Year's resolutions we often have unrealistic ideas of how to overcome and stop these resistances from sabotaging our resolve to change. Then, once again, we find ourselves frustrated and unable to move forward. Instead of fighting and struggling with resistance, learn to embrace and work with it so that you can finally break its hold on you. Here are a couple of steps to help you achieve success in 2011 with your resolutions, from my book "Wise Mind, Open Mind":

Step One: Acknowledge and Understand Your Resistance

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Anderson Cooper is certainly capable of doing good journalism, but in many cases he simply can't overcome the clichéd convention of what passes for news reporting on television. Here's the scenario that nearly every news show on TV uses -- get two talking heads that are supposedly on different sides of an issue and let them duke it out like Rock Em' Sock Em' Robots.

A recent example of this was Cooper's embarrassing but typical-for-TV piece about the recent passage of billions to settle more claims in the Pigford v. Glickman settlement. Pigford is about black farmers who were discriminated against by the USDA in the 1980s and 1990s. There was a consent decree on the case years ago and over a billion dollars in claims were paid, most for a straight settlement of $50,000 that required a lower standard of proof than the average civil case. Many black farmers claimed that $50,000 was chump change while some, mainly on the right, claimed that many of the claims were fraudulent.

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Stomach-punched into depression by that bruising Republican primary for Delaware's open U.S. Senate seat, Rep. Mike Castle (R) chewed on an independent write-in bid for the general election. The name-brand Delaware politician - who also served two years as Governor - refused to endorse the new school Tea Party upstart-turned-GOP-nominee Christine O'Donnell after his embarrassing defeat to her.

For a minute, before he self-punked himself this past week by dropping out, the First State's Castle political machine appeared poised for a knuckle-up against both O'Donnell and the equally popular New Castle County Executive Chris Coons (D). Old school in-the-box conventionalism probably stepped in because some felt Castle has a good shot. For one, his name was easy to spell in a state of three counties familiar with the strong name ID. And, there is skepticism that, regardless of all this talk about O'Donnell as an injection of fresh and new, it's abundantly tough for a rabble-rousing conservative firebrand to get elected in a place like Delaware. The upsets we've witnessed thus far on the political landscape might be dramatic and a sign of voter discontent, but they are no clear indication of outcomes in the general election.

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Historian and author William Rosen spoke to Jon Stewart last night about his new book, "The Most Powerful Idea in the World." In the book, Rosen says that the most powerful invention is the steam engine, and not just because the steam engine has actually been around since the 1st century AD. The steam engine marked both the birth of the industrial revolution in England, as well as the beginning of an "era of sustained technological innovation." The steam engine didn't actually function in 1st century Egypt; it took a series of small improvements to get the engine to function.

The steam engine, and the industrial revolution as a whole, sparked the concept that "ideas can be yours," which "opened the floodgates," Rosen said. Ownership of ideas (and the highly-publicized fights for ownership in today's world) all started in the 18th century, according to Rosen, and "The Most Powerful Idea in the World" traces how the concept started. Stewart quipped that readers should pick up the book "if you like reading about... industrialization." According to Rosen, however, you should read the book if you want to learn about the birth of invention and how it has shaped our society.

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LOS ANGELES--Political junkies might have heard recently that the Tea Party Nation had to cancel its July convention in Las Vegas because it was too hot. Perhaps Beverly Hills might do as an alternative venue. Next week, on Beverly Boulevard, the right-wing group will have a chance to coalesce around what may be the most, shall we say, revealing image of their de facto leader to date. As part of the "Porn in the U.S.A." exhibition at the London-based Lazarides Gallery's L.A. pop-up space, British artist Jonathan Yeo -- who rose to international attention after making a collage of George W. Bush out of clippings of pornography in 2007 -- will unveil another series of provocative collages next Friday. Among them you'll find Tiger Woods, Sigmund Freud, a wizened image of Sean Connery as James Bond, and the piece de resistance, Sarah Palin, wrapped in a moose head frame, no less. Instead of oil, the former Alaskan governor's face is rendered with images of pubic hair, lace panties, and engorged reproductive organs of both sexes. "They're not insults, per se," Yeo told ARTINFO. "They're just comments on people who trade off their morality and sexuality.



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Via LA Times: Katy Perry and Russell Brand's Los Feliz home has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms and is on the market for $3.395 million. The 1922 property is 4,706 square feet on a .36 acre lot, and it has a Mediterranean sensibility, contemporary interiors, and a romanesque outdoor pool (the LA Times called the home "stately"). Other features include an updated kitchen, stone and tile flooring, and french doors that lead to a veranda.

The super classy realtor photos leave us wondering -- where's any trace of bubblegum popstar Katy Perry or her delightfully deviant husband, actor Russell Brand? The historic home, with absolutely no trace of its current owners, makes us long for the garish gorgeousness of Christina Aguilera's manse or the cold, sleek unattainability of Jennifer Aniston bachelorette pad. The LA Times reports that Brand's 25-foot love teepee is still in the yard and Perry's pink vintage fridge is in the kitchen, but neither come with the house.

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At seven years old, Waldo Hernandez was mesmerized by the palm trees when he first came to Los Angeles. Years later, pursuing a career in dancing drew him back--only to discover his calling for hospitality. Since then, he has worked at The Four Seasons and Shutters on the Beach, and he is now the chef concierge for the SLS Hotel (an SBE property). He also serves as President of the Los Angeles Concierge Association, which he describes as "a true family working daily to have the most updated and in-the-know information."

Because of the SLS Hotel's proximity to Hollywood, a lot of what Hernandez does as a concierge is nightlife-focused, like fielding requests for tables at SBE's The Colony or The Hyde Lounge at the Staples Center. But he can also turn on the romance when requested: he often arranges romantic "proposal" weekends for guests who want to pop the question at his hotel.

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Egyptian protesters are being asked to choose between revolution and democracy, and if this is the only choice they are allowed to have, then I say go for revolution. Here's the dilemma they face: a hectoring set of self-interested leaders including Egypt's Mubarak surrogate Vice President Suleiman, the Egyptian Army, Egypt's neighbors in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Emirates and Israel, and the entire Obama administration are instructing the brave women and men of Tahrir Square in the nuances of democratic theory, saying in one voice "Slow down! Democracy takes time!" Why? "Because the ground must be prepared for an orderly transition to democracy." And if the protesters won't listen? "Then they will undermine stability and reap the whirlwind -- breed a chaos that can only lead to a renewal of tyranny."

These seemingly wise cautionary remarks are well grounded in history and political philosophy and seem compelling. In the absence of a bottom-up civil society including independent NGOs and well organized political parties, and without citizens educated into the responsibilities and complexities of democratic governance, today's ardent but orderly advocates of change can morph into (or be taken over by) tomorrow's desperate and disorderly mob. All true, too true.

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On Nov. 6 and 7, I will be a speaker amongst many inspirational speakers in a conference called "Leaders Causing Leaders." Would you join us? Click here for more information.

When I spoke to the organizer Kenneth Schwenker, he told me that the mission of the conference is to activate the leader in each one of us, to inspire us to produce at least 10 specific projects and actions that will make a difference in some of the issues that the we are all dealing with in this world. A large part of the conference will be inspiring teenagers to make a difference in their communities and to be leaders in their own way. People are already posting visions of what their individual projects will be, as well as the support they will need to realize them. You can also post your own project or vision. This conference on leadership got me thinking about how I define a true leader, what inspires me, and what leadership means in my life.

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I initially engaged around the issue of trafficking and slavery when I was shocked and spurred into action by reports of sex trafficking. Nothing seemed to me more heinous than the repeated rape and violence its victims endured. Although the first victims that I met were California-based, other travels around the world, to Russia, Ghana, Thailand, Cambodia, India and Europe, painted a wider perspective of how slavery pervades my own life. People often ask me, "Where is it worst?" My answer is, "in my home." In other words, products tainted by slave labor are present in the supply chains of the goods that we purchase, consume, and rely on every day.

The United States Office on Trafficking in Persons most recent report states that the majority of slaves in the world today are engaged in agriculture and mining. The International Labor Organization has recently stated that for every one person around the world forced into the sex trade, nine people are forced to work. Although it is a tip of the iceberg figure, the TIP office recognizes 12.3 million people enslaved globally; more than ever before in history. You can purchase an agricultural worker on American soil today for around $300.

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In 1975, Harvard biologist E. O. Wilson created a firestorm when, in his book Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, he argued that human nature might be explainable in evolutionary terms. Centuries earlier, however, a leading Christian scholar was already applying many key evolutionary principles to the understanding of man.

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was the foremost Christian scholar of the High Middle Ages and is today regarded as a "doctor" of the Catholic Church. Working six centuries before Darwin, he obviously was not an evolutionist. His major project was the Christianizing of Aristotelian philosophy. As an ardent Aristotelian (enough so that some of his teachings were condemned by the Bishop of Paris in 1277), Aquinas assumed that species were fixed and unchangeable, an idea incompatible with evolution. But Aquinas was the star student of Albert the Great, an enthusiastic Medieval naturalist. Albert assiduously observed the Dominican Order's policy of walking, not riding, when traveling. Ostensibly this was to emphasize the Order's commitment to poverty, but for Albert it was an opportunity to more closely observe nature's minutiae. Under Albert and Aristotle's mentorship, Aquinas acquired a deep appreciation for nature's continuity, which he understood as reflecting purposeful design rather than common descent.

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No more direct news of Sakineh. Since her so-called confession, broadcast on television in mid-August, she has been in solitary confinement, in secret, with no contact with the outside world, no contact with her attorney, without visits from her family.

Threatened with stoning--and alone. The sentence hanging over her head, to be executed at any moment--and alone. Happy are those who, calm and filled with the confidence of strong minds, feel capable of telling us that the threat is past, that the Iranians will no longer dare, that there will be no execution. Her former attorney, Mostafaei, knows no such thing. Nor does her new attorney, Houtan Khian. Armin Arefi and I, at Le Règle du Jeu, are in the dark as well. Only one thing, in fact, is sure. The stoning has been suspended, not canceled. And our friends, the Iranian bloggers and human rights activists with whom we are in contact in Tehran, with whom we exchange information, all agree on one point: the evening of Friday, September 10th, the hour of the end of Ramadan, will be the hour of all dangers--starting at that hour, the worst will be, at any instant, possible.

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This morning I went to the local store for my newspaper. While chatting, my friend the manager mentioned that her 20-year-old son was having a down spell, mildly depressed but mainly pondering why each day seemed the same -- off to work, back home, off to work etc. -- same old grind each day with nothing on the horizon to perk him up. He was asking, "what is life for, what's it all about, why am I here, Is this all there is?"

I told the mother that Zen, one of the highest mystical paths for seekers of wisdom, held in high regard the phrase,"Before enlightenment, Zen is chopping wood, carrying water; after enlightment, Zen is chopping wood, carrying water." So, if our life is this way -- just work each day, no wonder we get depressed. But the Zen saying also has in it a secret, which is that the attitude you have, your spiritual state, can transform profoundly the everyday mundane action into the transcendent. An ancient Hindu phrase says it well,"The walk of an enlightened man is as different from the walk of an unenlightened man as that of a giraffe from an elephant."

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The phrase has been repeated until it has lost all meaning except to the honest intellectual: 'the unexamined life is not worth living.' Thus spoke Socrates before the city that would decide shortly, and as all know too well, terminally, on the question of his life. His sentence was death, but his words have gained more life after his bodily expiration than he could have perhaps ever hoped. Socrates, the teacher, is far more immortal than nearly any human has ever been. He is certainly ahead of the world's dead dictators who etched their mark into stone and ground in futile rage against the fragility of life and slow release of aging. It seems plain that some intellectual power transcends time. Thus Socrates lives on while the dictators are lost to all, except the most erudite historian.

Hitchens himself said something to a similar effect. When confronted with the lack of perhaps a strong historicity of Socrates in a spirited debate, and thus with the possibility of Socrates' non-existence, Christopher said strongly (and I condense) "I do not care if he never lived, it is in his ideas that he was strong. The man is the conveyance." Indeed.

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The HBO series Treme, set in post-Katrina New Orleans, is the most realistic portrait of that troublesome time that I've seen in the almost five years since it occurred. As a New Orleans resident and former evacuee, I've seen my own experiences played out on the screen. The story is my story, our story, the story of my city and everyone I know.

The script doesn't say so, but Treme is also the story of the ACLU. Within the first few weeks after the levees broke on that fateful date of August 29, 2005, the ACLU of Louisiana, displaced from New Orleans, set up a temporary office in Baton Rouge. I didn't work here then, but I know that on a temporary visit back to New Orleans, the staff climbed nine flights of stairs in a condemned building to rescue office equipment and files, so that even from a distance they could fight for those caught in the chaos of suspended civil liberties. Such was life in a ruined city, and such is the work of the ACLU.

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I am the Afghanistan Blogging Fellow for The Seminal and Brave New Foundation. You can read my work on The Seminal or at Rethink Afghanistan. The views expressed below are my own.

By now everyone has just about lost their damn minds about this New York Times article detailing Afghanistan's "discovery" of vast amounts of mineral wealth. Yes, it's way crazy old information (like the 70's old). Yes, it's Soviet Pentagon propaganda. If you've been reading us here, you already know ISAF's counter-insurgency strategy is a flaming wreck, and you already know what they're going to do about that. Propaganda and misinformation are all part of it.

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• Outgoing Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation chair Sheila Bair appears before the House Financial Services committee to discuss the agency's role during and after the financial crisis. Bair calls on regulators to show political courage to do their work effectively and take on weak practices and excessive risk-taking. Key quote:

"The history of the crisis shows many examples when regulators acted too late, or with too little conviction, when they failed to use authorities they already had or failed to ask for the authorities they needed to fulfill their mission. As the crisis developed, too many in the regulatory community were too slow to acknowledge the danger, and were too slow to act in addressing it. The fact is, regulators are never going to be popular or glamorous figures, whether they act in a timely manner to forestall a crisis or if they fail to act and allow it to take place. The best they can hope to achieve is the knowledge that they exercised the statutory authority entrusted to them in good faith and to its fullest effect in the interest of financial stability, without regard to the political consequences." [WATCH LIVE]

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NEW YORK -- Last Friday, hula hoops, Cholula hot sauce, a rescue kitten named Montana and "cake at work" were making people happy. On East 10th Street, an email from an old friend was making one young woman happy, while over on Astor Place, someone else was happy about the David Barton gym. This data -- what was making people happy, and when and where -- was all to be found on a new iPhone application launched last week called, (appropriately), “Hapify.”

Hapify is the first product from Red Scout Ventures, a business incubator/venture firm launched by branding and marketing agency Red Scout -- owned by industry powerhouse MDC Partners, the world's 10th largest advertising holding company. The goal, according to the Hapify website, is to allow users to “really savor the things that make you feel good by building a personal profile to help learn about your own happiness.”

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By now, you're probably asking yourself: is there going to be a government shutdown? And the answer is: I don't know! Maybe? Probably? It's impossible to know right now if all the lines drawn in the sand are part of some grand base-building performance art project or if they're actually serious. This could all get pushed to the last minute and then everyone ends up taking the deal on the table. Or not! Maybe the best thing you can do right now is check to see where your home sits in relation to various levees.

Yesterday, those on both sides of the debate seemed coalesced around the idea that $73 billion in cuts needed to be made. The question was: whose cuts should be made, Democrats or Republicans? And which "policy riders" -- by which we mean H.R. 1 stuff like defunding Planned Parenthood that's not going to make it through the Senate anyway, let alone be signed into law by the President -- will remain part of the deal? (Yesterday, House Speaker John Boehner said that those riders had to remain "on the table.")

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Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's Malibu home has been on and off the market for years as a rental while they waited out the recession, but LA Times reports that the cautious couple have just put the property on the market for $10 million. RealEstalker notes that the home was first put up for sale (unsuccessfully) in 2006 for $14 million and "plummeted" down to $10.95 million. Since then, it has been up for rental at prices from $25,000/month to $40,000/month.

From our post on the home when it was up for lease:

"The oceanfront property has three stories, five bedrooms and five bathrooms, a huge gourmet kitchen, a hot tub on the terrace of the third floor, and a large master suite with walk-in closets and a marble bath. The clean white-on-white decor and shabby chic furnishings don't look like they belong to the Godfather of Heavy Metal - but maybe we're seeing his softer side."

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I am the producer/director of a new PBS documentary on Alexander Hamilton. A sequel to our acclaimed film on George Washington, this film is the story of the "bastard brat of a Scotch peddler," in John Adams words, who went on to shape America's financial and legal system before being shot in a duel by the sitting Vice President, Aaron Burr.

Back when we started working on the film, in 2007, no one cared about finance or knew the name of the current Treasury Secretary, let alone the name of the first one. One year changed all that. After America went through a financial meltdown in 2008, the man who created our financial system and dealt with its first crisis suddenly seemed relevant. Today, in 2011, I look around and see the Arab world in revolution, one step away from having to figure out how to create stable democracies. They would do well to consult the legacy of Alexander Hamilton, who helped shape our constitution and then wrote (along with James Madison and John Jay) the definitive explanation of how it works -- The Federalist Papers. Viewers should tune in to PBS on April 11 at 10PM (check your local listings).

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Last week I attended the festive opening of the Guibord Center at St. John's Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles. Founded by the Rev. Dr. Gwynne Guibord, former Officer of Ecumenical and Interreligious Concerns for The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the center's mission is "to bring people together, to challenge assumptions, unleash The Holy and affirm the faith that transforms the world."

Now, I have been to lots of interfaith programs that brought people together, challenged assumptions and affirmed faith. What got my attention was "unleash The Holy." That and the tag line that follows the center's name in its literature: "Religion Inside Out." These were hints that an aspect of religion that had been virtually absent in interfaith gatherings -- in Western religion in general, truth be told -- was being affirmed. I refer to the inner experience of the Divine that has, historically, been associated with mysticism but is really the beating heart of every spiritual tradition.

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I think everyone, both men and women, struggle with understanding and appreciating the value of themselves when it comes to their careers or their relationships. However, I feel women struggle with this at a much deeper level.

I remember at the beginning of 2010, The Economist had on the cover a picture of Rosie the Riveter. It was symbolizing the fact that, for the first time ever, women had surpassed the 50% threshold becoming the majority of the workforce in the US. Was that something to celebrate? Absolutely. However, it really is only significant with regards to numbers and percentages, but not for equality in terms of salary or numerous other issues such as maternity leave, women in top leadership positions, and the like. I feel what we need to work on, not just on a societal level, but on an individual level as well, is understanding, acknowledging, appreciating, and educating women about the value of themselves in every society and community worldwide.

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From a pair of vino enthusiasts who fell in love with the wine-making experience but couldn't stand the hassle of constantly heading out of the city to partake in it, BK's a true oenophile's wet dream -- a massive former nightclub that's being stocked with wine making equipment & a head winemaker to assist amateurs who want to stick their nose in the process of making something they can stick their nose in to. From "crushing the grapes to bottling the wine," customers'll be lead through the whole shebang, starting with a pre-harvest tasting of the upcoming seasons varietals, including "complex, robust" Cali/NY Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay, which can produce everything from a bright & crisp profile that "tips its hat to the old world", to the "butter and oak" flavors typical of the California style, whose other bouquet notes include budget crises and obnoxiously consistent weather. Clients will do everything from sort, de-stem and crush their fruit, to barrel their mixture in oak, to fill/cork/cap the bottles and slap 'em with a label, which, after all the time you've spent with your wine, better be more than "it's complicated."

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If anything should convince us that judicial elections should be ended, it is the current attempt in several states to oust judges for unpopular decisions. (NY Times 9/25/10) In Iowa the executive director of the National Organization of Marriage, which spent $230,000 on television advertising to oust three judges who allowed same-sex marriages, said "he hoped the judges' ouster would help prevent similar rulings elsewhere by making judges around the nation aware that their jobs are on the line". It is difficult to imagine a more chilling threat to the existence of an independent judiciary. It is a blatant attempt to intimidate judges.

Judges, even those who are elected, are not representatives of the people who have elected them. Their duty and oath is to follow existing state law and state and federal constitutions even when to do so runs contrary to the will of the majority. The judiciary is not American Idol; and judges should not be treated as contestants. Nor should they be ousted for rendering decisions that some segment of the public opposes. Every decision will have its supporters and detractors. The appellate process, not the election process, is meant to correct errors in judgment.

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When my phone rang and it was Gwen from Bruce Weber asking if I was free the 15th and 16th of July to shoot with Bruce. My answer was, of course, yes yes yes! Working with Bruce is one of life's great pleasures. He is one of the loveliest creatures in the world and I just adore him. His lovely other half, Nan Bush, has such incredible style and between Bruce, their dogs and friends has her hands full and runs their company Little Bear with incredible ease. The fact that they both have such incredible love for all creatures great and small is an added bonus!

The shoot, to celebrate 20 years of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, was shot in East Hampton, NY. I had met Bobbi years ago with Frederic Fekkai and have adored her and loved what she's done with cosmetics ever since. I recently saw her on The Today Show where she completely transformed a girl's face with just a bit of bronzer. Not only is she a master of beautiful natural makeup but she makes women look even more beautiful... as does Bruce, so they make a great team. A dream come true!

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At first blush Argentina's Eva Perón and Sarah Palin appear as extreme opposites. Evita is synonymous with the welfare state and big labor. She was and continues to be the face of the populist left. Sarah is synonymous with the Tea Party and the evangelical base. She is the face of the populist right. Their ascension to power was, to say the least also very different, the tango rooms of Buenos Aires vs. the city council of Wasilla.

While Peron and Palin's political rise and ideological persuasions are as different as the North and South Poles, their similarities as leaders are striking. Eva Perón had, as Sarah Palin now has a mass appeal like no other female counterpart. Their styles are populist, plain and simple. Masses would gather to hear Eva Perón speak from the balcony of La Casa Rosada, paralyzing the streets of Buenos Aires. Masses gather to hear Sarah Palin from every corner of the United States. Whether the throngs of people are los descamisados ("the shirtless ones", referring to laborers) or Mama Grizzlies there is no difference in the veneration toward their respective Saints -- Santa Evita or Saint Sarah.

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Every morning after I raise my 49-year-old body out of bed, I kiss my daughter's forehead and croon a little morning lullaby to coax her to start her day. I take her hands and sing, "Will You Dance with Me?" from the King & I. If I'm lucky, Grace will rise to the occasion, climb onto my back and catch a ride to the kitchen. Then, if there's no school, we like to ride our bikes through the neighborhood, swim, draw silly faces or bake our favorite cookies.

I color an idyllic picture of a mother and daughter under a rainbow in happy communion. But trust me, our life together hasn't all ways been a festival of song and dance and crayons. In fact, in some ways, it wasn't even that much fun. Becoming a mother later in life has sometimes been a struggle -- not only on the physical front but on an emotional and practical level as well. I was 40 when I gave birth to my daughter, and the CEO of philosophy, a multimillion-dollar skincare company with hundreds of employees. Having spent almost two decades in a boardroom, I had lost touch with my ability to play.

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NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and The Active Network, Inc.'s flagship website Active.com today announced the launch of The Biggest Loser Event Challenge, powered by Active.com, a series of nationwide 5K and one mile events designed to inspire Americans of all fitness levels to get moving with others. The first Biggest Loser Event Challenge will take place in Myrtle Beach, SC on September 25, 2010 with 16 more events to be announced for 2011. The Biggest Loser Event Challenge series is an extension of "The Biggest Loser" brand through NBC Universal Television Consumer Products Group, Reveille LLC, the company behind "The Biggest Loser" and 3 Ball Productions, producers of "The Biggest Loser."

"Millions of Americans watch 'The Biggest Loser' from their homes each week and come away with a desire to be more active," explained Bob Harper, professional trainer and coach on "The Biggest Loser." "The Biggest Loser Event Challenge is about transforming lives by taking the first step towards getting a friend, family member, co-worker or yourself on the path to a healthier lifestyle. Even if you've never run a step in your life, we want you to come and do something you never thought possible. Our theme, Don't Compete...Just Complete!"

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