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Move over Twilight; the equally popular book-turned-film, The Hunger Games, is out now and it's got every teeny-bopper in a frenzy. With all this post-apocalyptic talk buzzing around, we can't help but wonder what would really happen if people had to fight to the death in a televised battle with the last person alive bringing home food to their impoverished families. Well, let's hope that day never comes, but in the meantime, there's no harm in pretending. And why not start with celebrities? Here are nine contestants we'd kill to see in real-life Hunger Games. (Photo source: Wikipedia; qualifies as fair use under the United States copyright law)

1. Kim Kardashian

   Considering her utter lack of skills and talent, Kim Kardashian would probably be one of the first contestants to go down in a real-life Hunger Games battle. Not to mention, her famous derriere would be an easy target for Katniss' bow and arrows. Kim's best defense would be to do what she does best – just sit and look pretty. That might get her extra air time, like she really needs it.

2. Justin Bieber

   Watch out Hunger Games, The Biebs is in the building, er, outdoor arena! Considering how many times the pop singer been swarmed by crazy teeny-bopper fans, there's no doubt it would happen again in a real-life Hunger Games battle. But something tells us all it would take is for him to sing "Baby" or one of his other ear-piercing songs to scare his opponents away.

3. Snookie

   Snookie might be small and, well, stupid, but she'd be pretty entertaining in a real-life Hunger Games battle. The self-proclaimed guidette has no real mob skills to offer in a gruesome duel, but she could definitely use her sky-high poof to nest deadly jabberjays and tracker jackers and use them on her opponents.

4. Kanye West

   Kanye West would be too busy interrupting President Snow to actually make it to a real-life Hunger Games battle, but if he were to get picked, he would have a hard time getting anyone to send him weapons, food, or medicine. And we all know Kanye can't take it when he isn't the center of attention.

5. Lindsay Lohan

   Lindsay Lohan would be even more disastrous in the Hunger Games than she is in real life, but she would definitely keep things interesting with her never-ending drama. Let's just hope the Cornucopia is stocked with cigarettes and booze to keep this prima donna going, or she'll end up being the wolf mutts' next dinner.

6. Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino

   Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino might have a chiseled six pack and a mean fist pump, but these things don't mean diddly in a real-life Hunger Games battle. Just a few more hours in the sun and The Sitch might be able to camouflage himself from tracker jackers and other tributes, but let's face it: his best option would be to forfeit by banging his head into a cement wall like he famously did on Jersey Shore.

7. Paris Hilton

   Who wouldn't love to see Paris Hilton get knocked off in a gruesome Hunger Games battle? Not only does the hotel heiress know nothing about roughing it (oh, except for that time she got paid to do farm work and clean on The Simple Life), but she also has no skills to bring to the table. She might draw a few laughs for the wrong reasons, but in the end she'd probably die from eating poisonous berries that she thought were, you know, gum.

8. Speidi

   We already know that Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt (aka "Speidi") suck at competing in reality TV game shows, as per their failed attempt on I'm a Celebrity…Get Me out of Here! But, there's no shame in admitting that you'd get a kick out of watching the married couple's ridiculous meltdowns and bickering before they both get clobbered by rocks or attacked by wolf mutts.

9. Chris Brown

   Let's be honest; most people would love to see Chris Brown get his butt kicked in a real-life Hunger Games. Chances are audience members would even go to the trouble of sending him food and weapons just to see him continue to flip out on live TV. But it wouldn't be long before karma comes back to bite him, and hopefully it's a pack of carnivorous golden squirrels who get to do it.

There's enough drama in professional sports to script a thousand melodramatic films, with retiring in your prime possibly being the most dramatic. Sports fans never want to see their heroes, be they male or female, age and lose their game and drive. With that in mind, many athletes have retired at the just the right time, and gone on to enjoy successful careers outside of professional sports. Still others have retired in their prime, only to experience unexpected surprises and setbacks. The reasons for retiring can be complex. Consider these 8 athletes and their stories.

1. Michael Jordan

   Now former professional basketball player Michael Jordan holds the distinction of retiring not once, not twice, but three times over the course of his career. Each time, fans were surprised. Jordan first retired in 1993, after the murder of his father, with whom he was close, earlier that year. He returned to the Chicago Bulls, leading them to three championships. But with teammates Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman preparing to depart, Jordan chose to retire again in 1999. He returned to the game in 2001 to play with the Wizards, with the intention of donating his salary as a player to victims of the September 11 attacks. He retired for a final time in 2003. At his final game on his old home court in Chicago, Jordan received a four-minute standing ovation.

2. Rocky Marciano

   Legendary boxer Rocky Marciano is the only heavyweight champion to hold his title and remain untied and undefeated for his entire career. In fact, 43 of his 49 victories came from knocking out his opponent. Marciano retired at the age of 32 in 1955, and only briefly considered returning to the sport. He was able to avoid chronic and debilitating injuries as a result of bowing out of the sport when he did.

3. Jim Brown

   Hall of Fame member Jim Brown played from 1957-1965 for the Cleveland Browns before retiring, and enjoying a second career as an actor. Brown helped pave the way for other African-American athletes who faced discrimination and rejection in the 1950s era of professional sports. He is considered the best running back ever to play football, and his retirement took fans by surprise. Brown went on to break new ground in the movies, filming the first interracial sex scene with Raquel Welch in 100 Rifles.

4. Barry Sanders

   Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders retired, not without some controversy, in 1998, healthy and having come extremely close to Walter Payton's career rushing mark of 16,726 yards, second only to Emmit Smith's record. After news of his retirement reached his hometown newspaper, The Wichita Eagle, Sanders was later quoted as saying he left the Lions because he felt the front office wasn't committed to building a winning team. Sanders entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

5. Pat Tillman

   Pat Tillman was a linebacker for Arizona State University before debuting with the Arizona Cardinals in 1998. He distinguished himself with the Cardinals, with a record totaling 238 tackles, 2.8 sacks, and three interceptions. In 2001, after the September 11 attacks, Tillman turned down a $3.6 million dollar contract to instead enlist in the U.S. army and fight the war in Afghanistan. He was killed by what the Pentagon ultimately ruled as "friendly fire" in 2004.

6. Annika Sorenstam

   Annika Sorenstam is one of the most successful golfers in history, having won 72 official LPGA tournaments, including 10 majors and 18 other international tournaments. She retired in 2008, choosing to focus on her family and her own ANNIKA brand, which combines her passions for golf, fitness, and charitable work into ventures that include designing golf courses, and partnering with other businesses to produce a clothing line, wine label, and fragrance.

7. Lorena Ochoa

   Mexico-born Lorena Ochoa took up golf as the age of five, and left college in her sophomore year to pursue a career as a professional golfer. Over the course of eight years, she finished in the top-10 in her 2003 rookie season, and eventually surpassed fellow golfer Annika Sorenstam as the No. 1 female golfer. By then, Ochoa had compiled 27 wins and two majors in seven seasons on tour, and was earning more than $4 million in a season. In 2010, she retired in her prime.

8. Bjorn Borg

   Disregarding a brief and unsuccessful post-retirement comeback, tennis rock star and fashion label owner Bjorn Borg left the sport at the age of 26, mentally and physically exhausted from annexing 11 Grand Slam singles, six French and five Wimbledon, in the space of just eight years. After spinning out of control shortly after his retirement, Borg somehow got it together and debuted his own fashion label that has gone on to outsell Calvin Klein in Borg's home country of Sweden.

Let's face it: most celebrity marriages are a joke. Half of them will never make it to their second wedding anniversary, while others (ahem, Kim Kardashian) won't survive the first 72 days. Despite the reputation for short marriages, there are several celebrity couples who have defied all odds and have managed to maintain long and meaningful marriages, some of which we actually look up to. Check out these 8 celebrity marriages that actually worked out.

1. Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks

   Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks have one of the longest and most admired marriages in Hollywood. The pair first met on the set of the television sitcom Bosom Buddies, but did not start dating until they appeared on the film Volunteers together. Rita and Tom have been married for 23 years and they have two children together. Their strong sense of family and genuine understanding of one another's careers has clearly helped them build a strong and loving marriage.

2. Christopher Plummer and Elaine Taylor

   Long-time actor Christopher Plummer and his wife Elaine Taylor have defied the odds of Hollywood marriages with their 43-year union of love. When the couple met in the '60s, Plummer was known for his wild drinking, but it didn't take long for the successful actor to clean up his act with the help of his leading lady. Plummer seems eternally grateful for his wife and isn't afraid to say so during interviews and award acceptance speeches. At the 2012 Golden Globes, Plummer accepted his award and paid tribute to his wife, saying her "bravery and beauty haunts [him] still."

3. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick

   Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick are known for being one of the most private couples in Hollywood, but maybe it's that element of secrecy that makes their 14-year marriage so strong. The few times that they have opened up about their private lives, the more normal and relatable the couple seems. On top of their busy work schedules, Parker and Broderick are also parents to a 9-year-old son and toddler twin daughters, which Parker has admittedly said can complicate marriage for good and for bad.

4. Meryl Streep and Don Gummer

   Meryl Streep has had a long and fruitful acting career for which she has credited much of her success to her husband of 34 years, Don Gummer. The key to their long-standing relationship, she says, is the deep understanding they have for the important things in life, including her "compulsion to create things." Don understands this need because he also works in the arts as a professional sculptor. This common bond and respect for one's craft seems to have helped Meryl balance work and family life quite nicely through the years.

5. Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas

   Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas' marriage is far from perfect. The pair has had their fair share of problems, specifically Melanie's drug and alcohol addiction, but no matter the issue, they've continued to stick by one another for 15 years. And by the looks of Melanie's 'Antonio in a heart' tattoo on her shoulder, their love is skin deep.

6. John Travolta and Kelly Preston

   John Travolta and Kelly Preston have defied the odds in more ways than one. Not only have they been married for 20 years, but this couple has also overcome a great loss. In 2009, the couple's 16-year-old son died after suffering a seizure while on vacation with the family. The tragic loss spurred many rumors about whether or not Travolta and Preston would make it, but their strength and commitment to one another proved otherwise. In 2010, the couple welcomed a new baby boy to the family and it seems as if they couldn't be happier.

7. Annette Bening and Warren Beatty

   When the infamous ladies' man, Warren Beatty, decided to settle down and marry his Bugsy costar Annette Bening in 1992, few thought it would last. Well, the naysayers couldn't have been more wrong. Annette and Warren have been married for 20 years, and they have four children together. If that's still not enough proof that these two are in it for the long haul, then consider this statement made by Beatty in a 2007 story in The Independent: "For me, the highest level of sexual excitement is in a monogamous relationship. I would hate myself if I failed to live up to it."

8. Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick

   After 23 years of marriage, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are the perfect example of a Hollywood power couple making it work. Bacon and Sedgwick have two children together, and because of their demanding careers, they have to balance work and family life between New York City and Los Angeles. Despite the distance and time constraints, this pair still knows how to make each other happy.

Young workers are known for their energy, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn, but many times their lack of experience and professionalism comes back to bite them when they want a raise, promotion, or just to be taken seriously. If you're a young worker and you want to stand out from the other baby-faced rookies in the office, check out these eight etiquette tips: (Photo source: Corbis Images; royalty free, creative image)

1. Save social networking for home

   There's a time and a place to get on Facebook and tweet about your day, but it's not at your work desk. Sure, everyone needs a mental break here and there, but signing on to social networks may not be the best way to clear your mind and stay on track at work. Even if your company does not restrict use of these sites, you shouldn't abuse this privilege by signing on every hour or Facebook-ing when you should be working.

2. Refrain from gossiping

   If you're trying to make a good impression on your boss and co-workers and develop meaningful, trusting relationships with them, then steer clear of office gossip. Getting caught up in petty gossip makes you look unprofessional and two-faced. Even if everyone is gossiping around you and it seems like you're in good company, take the high road and walk away from gossipers or change the subject altogether.

3. Never, ever talk about salary

   Salary is a taboo topic that shouldn't be discussed with anyone but your supervisor. Even if you work for the most laid-back company, it's never really appropriate to talk about or compare salary wages with your co-workers. If you have questions or concerns about your salary, bring it to your boss and work it out in private.

4. Act professional

   Young workers have a tendency to let their professionalism slide when their boss isn't around or when their guard is down during happy hours or company-sponsored parties, for example. It's important to be professional at work, work functions, and, well, just about any time you're representing your company. This even includes cyber professionalism. Never, ever Facebook or tweet negative things about work or anyone from work if you want to keep your job.

5. Don't abuse your privileges

   If you work at a place that does not require you to punch in your hours, provides free parking, or allows casual Fridays, then consider yourself lucky. Many companies do not give their employees such perks because they've been abused one too many times. Don't ruin it for everyone by taking two-hour lunches or running personal errands every day during work.

6. Mind your manners

   Minding your manners at work goes beyond saying please and thank you, it also includes giving your undivided attention during meetings, answering e-mails promptly, showing appreciation to those who help you, and respecting others' time. Also, don't forget to clean up after yourself and ask before taking things from work, including pens and other supplies that belongs to your company.

7. Come early, stay late

   Young workers have a lot to prove, but one of the quickest ways to earn respect and present yourself as a reliable, hardworking employee is to come early to work and stay late. Punctuality is very important, but coming early to work shows even more that you care and it may earn you credit when it comes to getting honorable assignments and perhaps being considered for a raise or promotion.

8. Look neat and clean

   The days of rolling out of bed and throwing on a wrinkled T-shirt and jeans to face the day are long gone. You're in the real world now, and that means you have to dress for success. Whether or not your workplace has enforced a dress code, you should always strive to smell clean and look tidy. Get familiar with the iron, find a good dry cleaner, and for goodness sake, take out that tongue ring!

Leave it to 2012 to make the drinkin'-est holiday of the year fall on a Saturday. St. Patrick's Day is upon us, and there's no doubt you'll be going out for a few green beers. You probably haven't let loose since New Year's, and now's your time to pick up the slack. From fiction to film to freaks, check out these nine nutty Irishmen who will put your raucous behavior to shame.

1. Colin Farrell

   Even though these days he's cleaned up his act, former late-night playboy and A-list Irish actor Colin Farrell once quipped, "The closest thing I have to a nutritionist is the Carslberg Beer Co." Even though he's now a dad who's nuttier about his children than his social life, Colin Farrell's past antics are a great model for the serious St. Patty's Day enthusiast.

2. Bono

   Famed U2 front man and activist Bono is definitely worth celebrating on St. Patty's Day. While he's not busy fighting AIDS and saving the planet, the crazy Irishman does things like buy plane tickets for his hats, film music videos on rooftops that get shut down by police, and get razzed by Irish cops when he's busking on Christmas (for charity, of course).

3. Denis Leary

   If you'll be overindulging on St. Patty's Day, consider nursing your hangover with some classic comedy. The crass and calamitous Irish-American has funny songs, movies, and books — or you could just go for a Rescue Me marathon. If you need inspiration while you're out on the town, Leary would recommend shouting póg mo thóin to any St. Patrick's day revelry haters. It means "kiss my a–" in Gaelic, and, according to Leary, it's "fun to say."

4. Mickey O'Neil

   This fictitious Irish gypsy from the 2000 Guy Ritchie film Snatch is played perfectly by Brad Pitt. O'Neil comes across as a degenerate punk, getting blackout drunk at his mother's wake, causing trouble, and starting fights — professional or otherwise.

5. Conan O'Brien

   St. Patrick's Day is the perfect time to join Team Coco. You can theme your party after Conan Vs. Bear, or be just like the funnyman and get blitzed off of Irish Rickey's with your chick friend that has the cutest apartment, plays on Pinterest all day, and knows how to make a perfect souflee. For Coco, that friend is Martha Stewart.

6. Graham Norton

   If you're planning on taking some E and going to a St. Patty's Day rave, you've either really jumped the shark in your life, or you're taking after Graham Norton. The celebrated BBC talk show host and Irishman caused an uproar in 2006, when he mentioned that MDMA (street name: ecstasy) is "fantastic."

7. Vivian Campbell

   This Irishman has rocked his way around the world, playing for Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and being the original guitarist for the epic band Dio. If you're out and about this St. Patty's Day, make sure to celebrate this crazy awesome shredder by rocking "Rainbow in the Dark" on every jukebox you see during your pub crawls. Give the people what they want this March 17th. And what they want is face-rocking metal.

8. Samuel Beckett

   "You're on Earth. There's no cure for that."
   "The end is in the beginning and yet you go on."
   "Nothing is funnier than unhappiness."
   "People are bloody ignorant apes."
   "I pause to record that I feel in extraordinary form. Delirium perhaps."

   Be you an existentialist or a mere insane person, try spending this St. Patrick's Day downing Irish Car Bombs and quoting the absurdist playwright's works, which include the bleak classic Endgame (recently and near-brilliantly interpreted by the Houston avant-garde Catastrophic Theatre) and perennial favorite Waiting for Godot.

9. Oscar Wilde

   And if you're really getting literary this St. Patrick's Day, try to emulate the life of Irish writer Oscar Wilde. Certainly a wild one, the 19th century dandy brought the world such greats as The Importance of Being Earnest and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Living far beyond his means and known as a life-long party animal, Oscar Wilde could out-drink, out-wit, and out-class even the most hardy of the St. Patrick's Day revelers.

The life story of a musician is best told by the musicians themselves in the first person. That doesn't mean their story will be accurate, unbiased, or humble, but nine times out of 10 it will be pretty entertaining. Biographers are prone to spin a musician's story for the sake of sensationalism and book sales, so that it reads more like the script for a Lifetime movie than a historical record of a creative individual. Here are eight autobiographies by musicians each with their own unique perspective on their life and their place in the history of music. (Neville Brothers photo courtesy of www.nevilles.com)

1. The Brothers by Art, Aaron, Charles, and Cyril Neville and David Ritz

   In this excellent autobiography, the four famous New Orleans-born and reared Neville brothers, Art, Aaron, Charles, and Cyril, take turns telling their story in the first person, with disarming candor, beginning with their earliest days in the music industry, to opening for the Rolling Stones, to their current and justified status as a New Orleans musical institution. Drug abuse, prison, and street violence are all a part of the brothers' story, with music ultimately offering a salvation from addiction and self-destruction. The Brothers is a truly American story, and a great introduction to the history and culture of one of our country's most unique cities.

2. Straight Life by Art and Laurie Pepper

   Alto saxophonist Art Pepper was one of the most well-respected saxophonists of his time and one of the few who managed to develop a sound and approach unique to the then-overwhelming influence of the great Charlie Parker. Straight Life is his narrative, tape recorded, transcribed, and edited by Pepper's third wife Laurie. Throughout the book, Pepper describes in great detail his heroin addiction, arrests, and time spent in prison. Life on the road with Stan Kenton's big band among others is recounted as well, offering some respite from the book's grimmer passages. But by the end of the book, you're left to wonder how, between shooting smack and serving time in prison, Pepper was even able to practice, let alone leave this world with such a rich legacy of music.

3. Get In The Van: On the Road with Black Flag by Henry Rollins

   In 1981, at the tender age of 20, Henry Rollins quit his job managing an ice cream store to join the seminal punk rock band Black Flag on tour as their lead vocalist. Right off the bat, Rollins began a diary of life of the road as a member of the most confrontational and musically formidable bands of the post-punk era. Get in the Van is a compilation of almost six years of those first-person writings. Every musician should read this, no matter what type of music they play, if only to take comfort in the fact that they are never alone when it comes to dealing with negative criticism or outright hostility. The book includes an incredible number of photographs of the band, in performance and in less intense situations, like toasting the camera with coffee just bought at a Dunkin' Donuts, just before once again getting in the van.

4. Life by Keith Richards

   Unrepentant and bitchy, funny and sublime, tough but not mean-spirited except when it comes to dealing with his long-time friend Mick Jagger: all of this and more describes Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards as he presents himself in his recent autobiography, Life. This is not a book that will make the Narcotics Anonymous reading list, nor did Richards, known for an almost superhuman constitution, set out to write anything resembling a "cautionary tale." The most interesting, and provocative passages however, have to do with Richards' musical development, guitar technique, and idiomatic analysis of rural blues and early rock 'n' roll. More than once in the book, Richards expresses a true reverence for and sense of wonder regarding the creative process. He even has some kind words for Jagger, although you might miss them over the course of the book's 576 pages.

5. I Put a Spell On You: The Autobiography of Nina Simone by Nina Simone

   Trained as a classical pianist, singer Nina Simone became a nightclub entertainer after being rejected by the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, a decision Simone believed was based on the color of her skin. Her repertoire included songs by Jacques Brel, Kurt Weill, George and Ira Gershwin, and of course, the song that gives her autobiography its title, Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell On You." Beginning with her childhood, Simone's book goes on to describe her role in and strong feelings for the civil rights movement, and her later, self-imposed exile in Africa and Europe.

6. A Call to Assembly by Willie Ruff

   Born in Sheffield, Ala., horn player, bassist, author, and educator Willie Ruff's career includes recording with jazz legends Miles Davis, Les McCann, and Dizzy Gillespie. His memoir Call to Assembly, which was awarded the Deems Taylor ASCAP award, includes details of Ruff's fascination with the history of the role of black soldiers in American history. Ruff, a former serviceman who was stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, near Columbus, Ohio, writes of a statement he discovered written in 1902 by an Alabama ex-Confederate general, commending the bravery of black soldiers fighting in the Spanish-American War. It was, Ruff writes, as if the general had "laid a hand on me from the grave, and gave me pride and understanding."

7. I Never Walked Alone: The Autobiography of an American Singer by Shirley Verrett

   After World War II, African-American women were among the new generation of American opera singers storming stages in the U.S. and across the globe. Shirley Verrett was one of those singers, and one of the first African-American singers to become a major opera star. Her autobiography is a book opera lovers will eat up, but the precedent Verrett and her colleagues set is a topic that should appeal to anyone interested in American history.

8. See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody by Bob Mould

   Singer, songwriter, guitarist Bob Mould's recent autobiography continues to receive well deserved attention and critical acclaim. See a Little Light is a frank account of, among many other things, growing up gay in the '80s hardcore music scene. Mould didn't publicly "come out" as a gay man until 1994, although his sexuality was common knowledge among those in the music industry. Music, as it is in all of the autobiographies listed above, was Mould's key to realizing his potential as a human being. He describes early on in the book what it was like to hear the Ramones for the first time, stating simply: "That was when the light went on."

More now than ever, adults are going back to school to achieve their educational and career goals. For some, it's their first degree or master's degree, and for others it's just the desire to keep learning that brings them back to college. Despite the rise in enrollment of students aged 25 and older, many adults still have their reservations about being an older college student. As nerve-racking as it can be to go back to school, there are many advantages to being the oldest (and wisest) student in class. If you've considered going back to school, but need more convincing, check out these 10 advantages of being an older college student to help you make up your mind.

1. Life experience

   Older students have years of experience and a wealth of knowledge that they can draw upon and use for succeeding in school. These important life experiences make a big difference in the way older students value education and handle the challenges that come their way while in school. And in some cases, you might be able to receive college credit for the knowledge you've gained through work, prior coursework, independent study, and internships.

2. Fewer distractions

   When you go back to college as an adult, you don't have to worry about the same distractions that younger students are faced with, such as social obligations, extracurricular activities, and sporting events. Older students typically have family, jobs, and an already established social life that keep them pretty busy. When you take out the fun, yet time-consuming distractions that are associated with college, you'll have much more time to devote to your studies.

3. More specific career goals

   Older students typically go back to school with a solid goal in mind. Whether they're trying to change careers, get certified in a specialty, or take classes out of intellectual curiosity, older students come back to school to achieve their goals and interests one way or another. Younger students often go to college because it's expected of them and it's the next natural step. Without clear-cut goals, undergraduates tend to flail in college and take more time than is necessary to graduate.

4. Maturity

   One of the biggest advantages older students have over traditional students is their maturity level. Research shows that adult students are more successful than younger students because they are more mature and serious about school. Adult learners have worked in the real world and know the importance of responsibility, organization, and time management. They have a better understanding of what it takes to succeed and are more willing to put in the time and effort to make it happen.

5. Less intimidated by challenges

   For the most part, older students have had to face more challenges and obstacles than most young students. Sure, many students have dealt with financial issues and the challenges of working and going to school, but most don't have children to think about or mortgages to pay. Therefore, older adults are less intimidated by the challenges of school because they've dealt with equally, if not more difficult, life and work challenges.

1. You have more contacts/networking opportunities

   Older students, who have been or are still in the workforce, have years of contacts under their belt. Those who are looking to switch careers or advance in their current line of work can utilize these contacts to find new work opportunities. All in all, having contacts and good networking skills will give adult students a leg up in the job market.

2. More tuition reimbursement opportunities

   Older students who work may be eligible to receive tuition reimbursement through their employers. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement and financial support to students who want to go back to school to pursue an advanced degree or certification within the field. Older students also have more time to pay down their previous college debt and get back on their feet before beginning a new educational experience.

3. You know your worth

   Most older college students have been out of the school setting for years, and chances are they've worked a couple different jobs in the meantime. During this time, adults acquire new responsibilities and positions and learn their worth in the working world. Those who know their worth can better achieve their goals of making a higher salary or getting a promotion with the help of a continued education.

4. More incentives to succeed

   Unlike traditional college students, adult students typically have a spouse or family to support. Although some might see this as a disadvantage, it actually serves as an excellent incentive for adult students to do well in school. When you have a spouse and family depending on your success in school to better your financial state, then you may be more motivated to succeed and make them proud.

5.  Get more out of the experience

   When you haven't been in a classroom in five, 10, or 20 years, going back to school is pretty exciting. Young, full-time students tend to grow tired of school and don't always appreciate the experience and challenges of learning. Adult students have had the opportunity to take a break from school and enter the real world, so when they return to school, they tend to be more enthusiastic about learning and enjoy engaging in class discussions.

Have you ever shown up to a really fun party you didn't want to be at for a few minutes with the intention of being "seen," only to leave and immediately wonder if you were ridiculously awkward or endearingly charming? That's what it's like to do a celebrity TV cameo — but instead of hesitancy and internal crippling social anxiety, the entire world Internet gets to let you know which one it was. It's always fun when a rock star (or nerd star) shows up on your favorite TV show, and it's even more fun when that cameo is ridiculously awkward. Here are nine of our faves.

1. Tom Morello on Star Trek Voyager

   If you love both Rage Against the Machine and flashing the Vulcan salute … you still probably thought this cameo was super awkward. Though the bald guitarist did have a funny line (and also appeared uncredited in Star Trek: Insurrection), here's hoping he doesn't ditch his current art form for the dramatic arts.

2. John Hodgman on Battlestar Galactica

   It's tough to find this clip on the Internet, but if you're a general geek, a BSG fan, or just a PC, you well know the few seconds where Hodgman played a brain surgeon in the episode "No Exit", and you probably have an opinion about it. This cameo wasn't awkward as in awkwardly bad, but what else can you call a bit spot by a professional geek in a show for sci-fi nerds?

3. Michael Stipe on Pete and Pete

   With a bit role as a sludgesicle vendor, you just can't help but ask: "What's the frequency, Captain Scrummy?" Although this quirky show is wrought with equally odd guest stars, in "What We Did On Our Summer Vacation," Michael Stipe strikes an awkward chord. Captain Scrummy's sludgesicles sound like they'd make, um, everybody hurt — or at least their tummies. In the video below, check out lots of the Nickelodeon classic's guest stars, including the REM frontman.

4. David Bowie on Extras

   Did you ever wish David Bowie would inspire an entire pub full of people to sing about how you should commit suicide? If you answered yes, then you're Ricky Gervais. Or incredibly weird, and perhaps in need of some professional help. Check out the hilariously heartbreaking song below.

5. Danny DeVito in Friends

   It's called "The One Where The Stripper Cries," but it's going to make you cry — unless you're into seeing Danny DeVito do a striptease to "Tainted Love." And just so you don't have to watch the trollish actor's sexy dance, here's a funny deleted scene from the episode.

6. Boy George on The A Team

   Pity the fool who thought this cameo would be a good idea. In a groan-worthy episode called "Cowboy George," Boy George plays himself — much to the chagrin of the rednecks in the episode and, unfortunately, to the viewers. While The A-Team is always a campy good time, this episode is less than the best.

7. President Obama on WWE

   Can you smell what Barack is cooking?
   Oh, dear. Before President Barack Obama, there was Senator Barack Obama. And that Obama did a super awkward short spot on WWE for some campaign PR. Watch here as the brainy nerd with veto power tries to relate to the agro-hungry wrestling crowd.

8. Ken Griffey Jr. on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

   Although Griffey does his best to hold his own, he's definitely no actor. At the beginning of his hot streak as a baseball superstar, the kid looks really out of place as he walks into the frame, and generally carries himself uncomfortably until he gets his laugh. Check out the one-minute clip below.

9. Kevin Smith on Law & Order

   In an unnamed bit part, popular director and funnyman Kevin Smith has a cameo where he's questioned by a detective. He's sans full beard and only scruffy, making him awkwardly hard to recognize. How could you make it an epic cameo? If only Jerry Orbach muttered, "You're dead, Mallrat!"

Ever since Apple revealed that they'd be making a special announcement on March 7, the geek world has been buzzing with what the good news will be. Most signs point to the release of the iPad 3 (or potentially the iPad 2S), but the updated features that most tech blogs are talking about are still just rumors. The most likely upgrades to the tablet are a higher resolution Retina screen, like that of the iPhone, and 4G compatibility. Several other possible upgrades and new features are roaming the Internet right now. We don't know which of these are going to happen, but there are some features we can definitely rule out. Don't count on these eight features being part of the upcoming announcement.

1. Anti-gravity

   A proven technology for anti-gravity doesn't actually exist yet, but that's probably the only way that the newer iPad would weigh less than the iPad 2. Alleged photos of the upgrade show that the newer version might be about .81 mm thicker than the previous one, not a huge difference but an unexpected one in a world where technology tends to slim down as time wears on. Bloggers are anticipating a longer-lasting battery and a larger camera, which may contribute to the increase in size. While the weight may not change significantly, you have to admit a weightless tablet would be pretty awesome.

2. Hologram technology

   Sure, you can use Face Time or a Skype app to look at someone while you talk to them from across the country, but with all the 3-D hype lately, it can't be too far off in the future when we can see a real-time 3-D hologram of our loved ones. Unfortunately, that time hasn't come yet. Researchers said in 2010, it would be at least another seven to 10 years before the technology would be viable for consumers, so maybe this will be a feature of the iPad 11. You'll just want to avoid using it on days when you feel fat; holograms probably aren't very flattering.

3. An alternative energy source

   Apple fanatics are crossing their fingers for batteries that last longer between charging or at least increase the power, but the improved batteries will most likely still be the same lithium-ion type batteries Apple uses for all of its cordless devices. Many mobile device companies are researching possible ways to go greener when users power up. In the future, we might be using tablets powered by solar energy, radio frequency, or even soda or alcohol. At least with lithium-based power, we aren't tempted to gulp down the energy source.

4. Air bags

   If you've ever dropped an iPhone or iPad and had the screen shatter, you might be disappointed that there isn't some kind of airbag like you find in your car to protect your precious device from your clumsiness. While traditional airbags won't ever find their way onto the sleek Apple products, Apple did acquire a patent in November 2011 for a shock mount that would help keep glass screens safe. The patent allows for several different solutions, including a tiny bladder that would expand when it sensed a fall or glass that would retract partially. These innovations are probably not fleshed out enough to be included in the new iPad judging from the variety of ideas in the patents, but you never know.

5. A teleporter

   It's 2012. Why don't we have a teleporter yet?! Even though the company will not be adding a teleporter to the iPad 3, we have a feeling Apple has probably developed it and is keeping it under wraps since the consequences would be too far-reaching. Kids who get to use iPads in school would constantly teleport themselves out of class to the movies or candy stores. Instead of breaking in, thieves would just teleport into your house. Teenagers would be able to sneak into bars much more easily. On second thought, we're thankful this technology hasn't been added quite yet.

6. Mind-reading capability

   After adding the ever-helpful Siri to iPhones in 2011, the next venture for Apple to pursue is, obviously, mind reading. Someday we'll look back on the iPad 3 and think, "What was the big deal? It couldn't even write a text directly from my brain!" For now, let's just be thankful we still have the chance for the hilarious mistakes that come from the flawed Auto Correct feature.

7. A Weird Science program

   Ever since 1985 when the dream movie of every geek came out, tech wizards have been using their free time to try to figure out how to create a program like the one in Weird Science. Or at least that's what we assume. In the classic John Hughes film, two teenage guys feed a bunch of information and images relating to their dream girl into a computer, hook a Barbie up to the machine, and create the perfect woman. Even with the potentially larger battery of the new iPad, it's unlikely that you could power a transformation of this kind. Plus, Apple probably chose a headphone jack over installing a Barbie outlet.

8. A reasonable price

   Break open your piggy bank and scour the couches for loose change. The new iPad is definitely going to cost a pretty penny. Educated guesses put the starting price at $579, a jump above the current $499 price of the Wi-Fi-only 16GB iPad 2. Though it'll be easier to argue whether the price hike is worth it or not after the specific upgraded features are announced, the average American would agree that's more than chump change. If you thought the iPads would get cheaper as their novelty wore off, you forgot the incredible appeal of Apple products to those who have to have the latest and greatest. If you're not one of those, you'll probably just want to wait until the next version comes out and the iPad 3 is discounted.

America is known for being culturally diverse and tolerant. This not only means that people can continue the traditions of their ancestors from other countries, it means that new subcultures are popping up all the time. Some are worldwide phenomena, and others are exclusively home-grown. While there are plenty of subcultures that you've heard of (think hipsters and gamers), there are many that remain relatively obscure. Look hard enough around you and you might find some of these communities outside of the mainstream.

1. Survivalists

   This group of Americans takes the Boy Scout idea of being prepared to extremes. Also known as preppers, they spend their time readying for the end of the world, which they have a variety of reasons for believing is coming. Some are afraid of terrorism, others environmental destruction, while many just point to the stupidity of mankind as a sure sign of impending doom. Survivalists normally build their own little survival centers, not too different from the nuclear fallout shelters of the Cold War, stocked with generators, water, food, and often weapons. For some reason, many members of this subculture move to Idaho, which may seem random, but if Armageddon comes, we know where we're headed.

2. Furries

   If you've ever longed to be an athletic team's mascot, but more for the chance to be an animal than for the stunts and publicity, you could be a furry fan in waiting. Furries are interested in animals with human characteristics, like walking on two legs, talking, and wearing clothes. And there are more of them than you think. Furry conventions take place around the world every year, and fans meet to show off their fursuits, or costumes, furry arts, music, and literature. The attention furries often get is focused on the sexual aspect of the subculture, since the majority of furry fans report at least a minor sexual interest in the furry culture.

3. Otherkin

   Unlike furries who wish they were a different creature, the community of otherkin actually believe they are something other than humans. Members of this subculture normally felt out of place as a child and come to believe it's because they are reincarnated or evolved elves, dragons in human bodies, or possibly even vampires. Many claim to have supernatural powers such as the ability to heal more quickly than humans or to shapeshift (even if others can't physically see the change in their form). If you feel like you belong to this group, a quick Internet search will turn up a variety of forums and sites that will help you relate to other otherkin.

4. Pro-ana

   We've all seen weight-loss blogs online that we would probably consider inspirational, but there's a subculture of people, mostly girls, who find their identity in extreme weight-loss communities. Many of the members keep their online pro-ana (or pro-anorexia) lives secret from family and friends that don't understand it, but may wear red bracelets to be identifiable to other members. Most go through and post "thinspiration," or thinspo for short, involving photos and quotes, sometimes spending hours each day on the Internet for this purpose. The photos are often of emaciated women with ribs, shoulder bones, and hips sticking out, and they share with each other how to stave off hunger and hide the eating disorders most undoubtedly have.

5. Steampunk

   You've probably gotten some glimpses of the steampunk culture — jewelry made of gears, modern technologies that look like they were made in Victorian England, anyone wearing driving goggles and carrying a pocket watch. Steampunk fans are a sect of the general sci-fi/fantasy community and they like to imagine a world that still relies on steam power but adds in the elements of science fiction. Those who are really into the subculture will often dress in a style that looks as though they came from the time and modify their cell phones or iPods to look as a Wild West-era person would've imagined them. Though it's arguable what exactly qualifies, there is also a steampunk style of music that fans enjoy.

6. Hardline

   We use this term a lot when speaking about politics and someone who is uncompromising in their position, but the subculture isn't related. Hardline is an extreme offshoot of the straight edge hardcore scene, whose members abstain from alcohol and drugs, but hardline takes the idea even farther, emphasizing a respect for innocent life and the natural order. They're vegan, pro-life, and often don't consume caffeine (meaning no coffee or chocolate) or any third-world cash crops (we're talking sugar and tropical fruits). Though they are related to the hardcore subculture, their militant stance on abortion and sex often alienates them from other hardcore members.

7. Bronies

   If you're not watching My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, you might be missing out. At least, that's what the population of bronies would have you believe. A brony is an adult who is a fan of the kid's show. The term can refer to a man or woman, but some women prefer to be called pegasisters. The majority of bronies are males, which has caused them to attract a lot of ridicule and negative media attention, but you shouldn't think they're dumb: most have a college degree or higher. This community of Friendship is Magic lovers often creates their own fan fiction and takes part in conventions like Comic-Con.

8. Deaf culture

   While most of the other subcultures on this list are joined by choice, Deaf (the capitalized version of the word referring to the culture rather than the condition) culture chooses a person, more or less. While not all deaf and hard-of-hearing people are part of the culture, choosing instead to be a part of the hearing culture, many prefer the community they've created for themselves. Besides the obvious use of sign language, Deaf people differ from the hearing community because they don't consider their deafness a disability and often oppose technologies like cochlear implants. They are also typically much more open about their personal lives, from why they're running late to their sexual orientation, communicate more bluntly, and have their own arts and literature.