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How the Cookie Diet Crumbles

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Eat cookies whenever you want to—and still lose weight!

That pitch may conjure up visions of unlimited sugar cookies with sprinkles and gingerbread men.

But the "cookie diets" being heavily promoted on TV, in magazines and on the Internet these days don't give you those options. Instead, you eat prepackaged cookies (infused with things like glycerine and protein powder) throughout the day in place of breakfast and lunch, then eat a "sensible dinner" of lean protein and vegetables for 800 to 1,200 calories per day, which the purveyors promise will make you lose weight.

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Obama - Nobel Peace Prize

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President Obama said Friday that he was "surprised and deeply humbled" by the decision of the Norwegian Nobel Committee to award him the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
President Obama, speaking Friday, said the award was "an affirmation of American leadership."
1 of 3 The committee said it honored Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."
Obama said he viewed the decision less as a recognition of his own accomplishments and more as "a call to action."

The decision appeared to catch most observers by surprise. Nominations for the prize had to be postmarked by February 1, only 12 days after Obama took office. The committee sent out its solicitation for nominations last September, two months before Obama was elected president.
Obama had not been mentioned as among front-runners for the prize, and the roomful of reporters gasped when Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Nobel committee, announced that the president was the winner.

The Nobel committee recognized Obama's efforts at dialogue to solve complex global problems, including working toward a world free of nuclear weapons. Watch CNN's Christiane Amanpour's analysis »

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said.

Jagland said the decision was "unanimous" and came with ease. Watch the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize announcement »

He rejected the notion that Obama had been recognized prematurely for his efforts and said the committee wanted to promote the president just it had Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 for his efforts to open up the Soviet Union. Ed Rollins: Obama now must earn it

"His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population," the committee said of Obama. Listen to Jagland explain why Obama was this year's choice »
Choosing a winnerThe Nobel Peace Prize winner is chosen by a five-member committee of lawmakers elected by the Norwegian parliament. Specially appointed advisers weigh in.
More than a year before the prize is awarded, the Nobel committee seeks nominations from members of governments and international courts, heads of universities, academics and previous Nobel laureates. Self-nominations are not allowed. The nomination deadline is in February.

The committee makes its final vote in October. The winner is determined by a simple majority vote. Obama said he did not feel he deserved "to be in the company" of past Peace Prize winners, but would accept the prize while pushing for a broad range of international objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation, a reversal of the global economic downturn and a resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

He also acknowledged the ongoing U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, noting that he is the "commander in chief of a country that is responsible for ending a war and working in another theater to confront a ruthless adversary that directly threatens the American people" and U.S. allies.

"This award is not simply about my administration," he said. It "must be shared" with everyone who strives for "justice and dignity." Watch Obama react to receiving the prize »
It was just before 6 a.m. that the president learned he had won the award, said Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary. The announcement by the committee caught the White House off guard. One senior administration official said that "we were quite surprised."

Some analysts have speculated that the prize could give Obama additional clout as he forms a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan and attempts to engage Iran and North Korea. Another senior administration official told CNN he hopes the White House can "use it for the positive."
The domestic political consequences are unclear. Obama's supporters hope the prestige associated with the prize will strengthen the president's hand in the health care reform debate. A top Republican from George W. Bush's administration, however, argued that "this will backfire on them for a while" and asserted it was "a gift to the right." Zakaria: Nobel honors Obama's 'bold gambit'

Obama, the first African-American to win the White House, is the fourth U.S. president to win the prestigious prize and the third sitting president to do so.
Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, last year's laureate, said it was clear the Nobel committee wanted to encourage Obama on the issues he has been discussing on the world stage.
"I see this as an important encouragement," Ahtisaari said.

The committee wanted to be "far more daring" than in recent times and make an impact on global politics, said Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the International Peace Research Institute. Praise, skepticism greet Nobel announcement
Don't MissObama win polarizes Web TIME.com: Nobel is last thing Obama needs In Depth: Obama Awarded Peace Prize iReport.com: Does Obama deserve it? While most Nobel prizes are awarded by committees based in Sweden, the Peace Prize is determined by a five-member panel appointed by the Norwegian parliament.

Wangari Muta Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist who won the 2004 Peace Prize, said the win for Obama, whose father was Kenyan, will help Africa move forward.
"I think it is extraordinary," she said. "It will be even greater inspiration for the world. He has shown how we can probably come together, work together in a cooperative way."
Mohamed ElBaradei, who won the 2005 Peace Prize for his efforts to prevent nuclear energy being used for military means, said Obama deserved to win for his efforts to bring Iran to the table for direct nuclear talks with the United States.

"I could not think of anybody who is more deserving," said ElBaradei, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Listen to ElBaradei react to the announcement »
The award comes at a crucial time for Obama, who has multiple administration officials dispatched on global peace missions.

Obama's envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, has returned to the region to advocate for peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Mitchell met Thursday with Israeli President Shimon Peres. He plans to meet Friday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before talking with Palestinian leaders in the West Bank. A view from Egypt: Obama honor premature

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was starting a six-day trip to Russia and Europe on Friday. On the trip, the secretary will discuss the next steps on Iran and North Korea, and international efforts to have the two countries end their nuclear programs.
The centerpiece of the trip will be her visit to Moscow, where she will work toward an agreement to take the place of the Start II arms control pact, which expires December 5. She also will address the new bilateral presidential commission that is working on a broad range of issues, from arms control to health.

"This is an encouragement to this president to continue to follow through on those commitments when, inevitably, he hits the bump in the road," said John King, CNN chief national correspondent .

"The committee is essentially saying, 'Stay at it, Mr. President. You have our prestige behind you now.' " Laureates to Nobel winners: Prepare for 'lightning bolt'
King noted that the Nobel Committee pushes "multilateralism around the world [and] very much disliked the prior U.S. president [George W. Bush]. ... This is in part a reflection of that as well."

Bush was heavily criticized during his presidency for what some observers said was an excessive reliance on unilateral action and U.S. military power.
In a statement announcing its decision, the committee said that multilateral diplomacy "has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts." Obama unique among presidential Nobel winners

The decision of the international committee to award Obama the prize highlights the sharp contrast in views toward the president at home and abroad. Watch how online community reacted »

Obama remains extraordinarily popular overseas, particularly in Western Europe. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that more than three-quarters of respondents in Britain, Germany, France and Spain approve of Obama's foreign policy.

In the United States, however, Obama's overall approval ratings have declined. An October 1-5 Associated Press poll showed that 56 percent of Americans approved of Obama's job performance. A September 17-20 NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that only half of all Americans backed his handling of foreign policy.

The split perception was illustrated earlier this year by a U.S. university's decision to deny Obama an honorary degree when he delivered a commencement address at the school. While the Nobel Committee on Friday praised Obama for his "extraordinary effort," a spokesman for Arizona State University said last spring that Obama's "body of work is yet to come. That's why we're not recognizing him with a degree at the beginning of his presidency." Watch John McCain's reaction to Obama being awarded prize »

The last sitting U.S. president to win the peace prize was Woodrow Wilson in 1919. The other was Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. Jimmy Carter had been out of office for more than two decades when he won in 2002.

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Biggest Loser Finale Pictures

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We're always amazed when we look at Biggest Loser before and after pictures.

The transformations are simply inspiring! Here's a gallery of before and after pictures from the show's eighth season, which ended Tuesday night.

Winner Danny Cahill turned out to be quite the hottie. Don't you think? And at-home winner Rebecca Meyer was working that mini-dress!

Visit the Before and After Gallery to see pictures of the transformed Biggest Loser contestants.

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Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day 2009

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If you’ve noticed flags flying at half-mast today, you may have wondered why. Well if you glance at a calendar you will see that today is the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day and the flags are flying at half-mast to honor those who died in the attack.

On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, the American Army and Navy base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The attack came as a surprise to the American Army and Navy and lead to great losses of life and equipment. More than 2000 American citizens were killed and more than 1000 were injured. Following the attack, the United States declared a war on Japan.

Veterans and other related organizations throughout the nation will hold ceremonies today commemorating the date with the biggest ceremony taking place in Hawaii. The United States National Parks Service and the United States Navy will host joint memorial ceremony commemorating the 68th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on Monday, December 7, 2009 on the Naval Station Pearl Harbor’s Kilo Pier, from 7:40 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The ceremony will include music by the Pacific Fleet Band, morning colors, a Hawaiian blessing, a rifle salute by members of the U.S. Marine Corps, wreath presentations, echo taps and recognition of the men and women who survived that December 7, 1941, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

At 7:55 a.m. - the exact moment the Japanese attack began 68 years ago - a moment of silence will be observed. The USS LAKE ERIE (CG 70) will render honors to the USS Arizona. Military aircraft will fly over the memorial in a "missing man" formation. The event is free of charge and the general public is invited to attend. The general public will be transported to the event on U.S. Navy shuttle boats on a first come first served basis, between 6:20 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. the visitors center will open at 5:30 a.m.

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Nissan Nismo 370Z Built for speed

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Built for speed, the Nissan Nismo 370Z ($TBA) is a turnkey tuner's dream.

This faster, sportier version of the Z features a 350hp 3.7-liter V6, a unique racing-inspired body kit, ultra-lightweight 19-inch Rays forged alloy wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan Sport rubber, 14-inch front and 13.8-inch rear Nismo sport brakes, a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission with Nissan's new SynchroRev Match functionality that automatically controls and adjusts engine speed when shifting, HID xenon headlights, Nissan Intelligent Key push-button start, and more.

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You might be rich! Here's how to find out for unclaimed money

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Search state databases for unclaimed money owed to you.

In a rough economic time like this one, who couldn't use some extra cash?

There's billions of dollars of unclaimed cash out there.

Welcome to the wonderful little secret called unclaimed property: It could be an old paycheck, stock note, or inheritance that’s owed to you.

When no one claims these valuables, they’re eventually turned over to a state— where they may languish for years. On “Dateline,” we showed people who were happy to discover they had forgotten treasure.

Most states don’t have the staff come out and find you. But if it’s there, you can find it on your own.

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2009 Earth Day Games and Activities

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Today is Wednesday, April 22, 2009, which means that it is Earth Day 2009.

This is a day where we should find the time to learn about our planet and also how we can take care of it. You have to remember that our Earth is a living thing and anything we do has a huge affect on it.

There are a number of games and activities that we can all join in with, for us and our kids. Remember our kids learn from us so we need to set a good example. Here are just a few of the games and activities that we can all join in with today, read more here.

2009 Pulitzer Prize Winners

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Driving rain couldn't keep about 50 reporters and bloggers away from from Columbia University, where the 2009 Pulitzer Prizewinners and Finalists were announced.

Coffee, tea and cookies were served on third floor of the Columbia Journalism School as the winners' names were presented. It was noted that this was the first year online-only reports were eligible, but none of them won.

Among those who won journalism's top honors were The New York Times' David Barstow for Investigative Reporting, The Times' Staff for Breaking News Reporting, and Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post for Commentary.

Read more here for more information.