Today Is February 29th, Ladies; It's Your Day to Pop the Question!

Ladies, for hundreds of years there's been a tiny window of matrimonial opportunity when all engagement traditions were turned upside down. For on February 29th, Leap Day, it's been perfectly acceptable for a woman to pop the question to her significant other. And here's the good part: He was obligated to say, "yes," lest he be required to pay severe restitution – a silk gown or a dozen pairs of silk gloves.

Of course, this is not the United Kingdom at the turn of the 20th century, and proposing on Leap Day is no longer a gasp-inducing notion. Women today are free to express their marital intentions any day of the year. In Hollywood, you could look to Monica proposing to Chandler in "Friends" or Miranda proposing to Steve in "Sex in the City." In real life, Britney Spears and Halle Berry famously proposed to their beaus.

With that said, wouldn't it be neat, ladies, to go retro on February 29th – as Amy Adams did in her 2010 movie, "Leap Year" – and revisit this tradition of yesteryear? You can even take it to the next level by actually getting down on one knee and presenting your guy with a man-gagement ring. (A new survey conducted by TheKnot.com and Men’s Health magazine reported a new trend: That at least 17% of U.S. men would wear one). We have some great styles from which to choose.

Adele Is Having a Fantasy Month of Music Awards, Platinum Sales and Engagement Buzz

Hot on the heels of her six Grammy awards and two Brit Awards, the 23-year-old Adele made music history yesterday by being the first artist ever to go double platinum (2 million downloads) on Apple's iTunes Store in the U.S., according to The Loop.

What's more, the soulful singing phenomenon has been the focus of engagement rumors, as she was recently photographed wearing what seemed to be a large yellow diamond on her ring finger. Adele put the rumors to rest yesterday, telling The Mirror that the ring was simply a fashion accessory and joking that she wanted boyfriend Simon Konecki to buy her an engagement ring so big “you can see it from space.”

Colombia Records also announced this week that Adele's album, 21, has been No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for 21 weeks, making it the longest running No. 1 album by a woman in Billboard history. The record had been held since 1992 by the late Whitney Houston's soundtrack album, The Bodyguard.

In honor of Adele's sweep of six major Grammy categories, including "Record of the Year," "Album of the Year" and "Best Performance," we present her rousing rendition of the 2012 Grammy "Song of the Year."

Performing live on the Late Show With David Letterman from this past Tuesday, here's Adele singing "Rolling in the Deep."

Two of Four Remaining Pairs of Iconic Ruby Slippers Are in the News

Who could have predicted that two of the four remaining pairs of iconic ruby slippers from the 1939 film, "The Wizard of Oz," would be making headlines in the same week 73 years later. One pair will be heading west to the future site of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, and the other has been removed from its long-running display at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, for a well-deserved five-week makeover before returning in early April. 

Fans of Hollywood trivia may remember that one pair of ruby slippers – said to be the most valuable of the four because the pair was used for close-up shots – went on the auction block in December but remained unsold because the starting bid of $2 million was not achieved.

Now we've learned that actor Leonardo DiCaprio has led a group of "angel donors" to purchase the very same pair for the future Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Last November, DeCaprio co-chaired an inaugural fundraiser for the future movie museum, raising about $3 million from attendees such as Clint Eastwood, Kate Hudson, Ron Howard, Olivia Wilde, Jane Fonda and Harvey Weinstein.

It was not revealed how much they paid for what has been called "The Holy Grail" of Hollywood memorabilia.

On the East Coast, another pair of official ruby slippers that had been a favorite attraction at the Smithsonian since 1979 were removed last week from their display to be conserved. They will be returned to public view on April 5 in a new exhibit called "American Stories" at the National Museum of American History.

Dorothy’s ruby slippers are said to be one of the most asked-about artifacts in the whole Smithsonian. The Smithsonian received its pair of slippers, worn by Garland in dance scenes, from an anonymous donor in 1979.

While the shoes are gone, the yellow brick road of "Oz" exhibit will be represented by the hat and boots from the Scarecrow costume worn by Ray Bolger.

In the classic film, Dorothy earned the shoes when her house landed on the Wicked Witch of the East. (They’re believed to be the same pair seen on the witch’s feet sticking out from under Dorothy’s house.)

In L. Frank Baum’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wore silver shoes. In the movie version, the filmmakers changed them to ruby because the film was to be shot in Technicolor.

The shoes proved to be a big challenge for costume designers because the red bugle beads used to simulate rubies were heavy. They decided to replace the beads with sequins – 2,300 for each shoe. The Art Deco-inspired bows on the front of each shoe were comprised of large rectangular red glass jewels and dark-red bugle beads, outlined in red glass rhinestones in silver settings.

Turning Ashes Into Colorful Beads

Faced with a diminishing availability of burial space and a new law that requires anyone burying their dead to remove the grave after 60 years, South Koreans are looking at a new way to honor their dead relatives after cremation.

For about $900, a company called Bonhyang is taking the ashes of the deceased and transforming them into shiny, colorful beads. The beads are typically displayed on dishes or inside glass containers and kept close to the family.

In Confucian South Korea, visiting the grave site of elders had been a regular practice for generations. But by the late 1990s, when the nation acknowledged its shortage of buildable land, cremation slowly became more popular. Ten years ago, six out of 10 South Koreans were buried traditionally. Last year, seven in 10 were cremated.

With a South Korean population of nearly 50 million, the trend to choose cremation led Bonhyang's founder, Bae Jae-yul, to perfect a method of transforming sullen ashes into cherished beads.

The ashes-to-beads process takes about two hours. The ashes are ground inside a special machine into a fine powder, which is then heated and shaped into beads. "The color and density of the beads vary from person to person," Bae told the Los Angeles Times. Finished colors range from coral and topaz to gray and black.

"You don’t feel that these beads are creepy or scary," Bae said. "In fact, there’s a holiness and warmth to them."

Bae remembered one client who didn't want to burden his children with overseeing the tomb where their grandparents were kept. So he razed the grave and created a collection of beads with the mixed remains of both parents. Now the beads are kept at home, where they're accessible to the whole family, according to the LA Times.

Park Tae-ho, chief researcher at the Korea National Council for Cremation Promotion, told the Associated Press that the "death bead" concept has yet to take hold in the U.S. despite a few unsuccessful business startups. It seems like it might take a while before Americans warm up to this new phenomenon.

"Diamond Ring" by Bon Jovi

Let's head into the weekend with a romantic ballad called "Diamond Ring" by Bon Jovi, the forever-young rock band from New Jersey featuring lead singer Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora. Jon reveals in the intro of this video that, despite being one of their favorite songs, "Diamond Ring" was bumped from two albums – "New Jersey" (1988) and "Keep the Faith" (1992) – before finally making the cut in 1995 in "These Days."

Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi has released 15 albums, sold 130 million records, performed more than 2,600 concerts in 50+ countries and has drawn a total attendance of 34 million fans. Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009.

Diamond Ring

Songwriters: Desmond Child, Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi

Diamond ring wear it on your hand
It's gonna tell the world I'm your only man
Diamond ring, diamond ring
Baby you're my everything diamond ring

Red red rose brought it home to you
Blood red rose tells me that you're true
Red red rose, blood red rose
Like a fire inside that grows blood red rose

When you're hungry I will fill you up
If you're thirsty drink out of my loving cup
When you're crying I'll be the tears for you
There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you

And when you're hungry I will fill you up
If you're thirsty drink out of my loving cup
When you're crying I'll be the tears for you
There's nothing that I wouldn't do

You know I bleed every night you sleep
'Cause I don't know if I'm in your dreams
I want to be your everything

Diamond ring wear it on your hand
It's gonna tell the world I'm your only man
Diamond ring diamond ring
Baby you're my everything diamond ring
You're my queen and I'm your king diamond ring
Now you've got me on your string

She wears a diamond ring

Valentine from Ted Zbozien on Vimeo.

As we head into the most romantic weekend of the year, let's enjoy the powerful vocals of Martina McBride as she performs the 1997 hit, "Valentine." Co-written by Jim Brickman and Jack Kugell, "Valentine" first appeared on Brickman's album Picture This and later on McBride's album Evolution.

The song reached #3 on the Adult Contemporary charts and #50 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997. The song was also a cross-over hit, as it climbed to #9 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1998.

Both McBride and Brickman have gone on to enjoy stellar careers. McBride has been called the "Celine Dion of Country Music" and has sold 14 million albums. She was also named "Female Vocalist of the Year" four times by the Country Music Association (tied for the most ever with Reba McIntire).

Jim Brickman, a songwriter and pianist, is credited with being the "most charted male Adult Contemporary artist." His signature style has brought him six Gold and Platinum albums, 30 charted adult radio hits, and two Grammy nominations.

"Valentine"

Performed by Martina McBride (feat. Jim Brickman)

Written by Jim Brickman and Jack Kugell

If there were no words
No way to speak
I would still hear you

If there were no tears
No way to feel inside
I'd still feel for you

And even if the sun refuse to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart
Until the end of time
You're all I need
My love, my Valentine

All of my life
I have been waiting for
All you give to me
You've opened my eyes
And showed me how to love unselfishly

I've dreamed of this a thousand times before
In my dreams I couldn't love you more
I will give you my heart
Until the end of time
You're all I need
My love, my Valentine

La da da
Da da da da

And even if the sun refuse to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart
Until the end of time
Cuz all I need
Is you, my Valentine

You're all I need
My love, my Valentine

Survey Says... Your Gal Wants Jewelry for Valentine's Day

Gentlemen, if you were thinking about giving your significant other a gift card, cash or a vacuum cleaner for Valentine's Day, you may want to read the rest of this posting... It could keep you out of the doghouse.

In a recent survey conducted for Sears by Sentient Decision Science, women were asked, "If you could pick only one gift to receive for Valentine's Day this year what would it be?" Nearly one-third of women (29 percent) said they would choose jewelry.

Runners-up on the Valentine Wish List included flowers or chocolate (20%), perfume (9%), the latest technology product (8%), lingerie (8%), a kitchen or home item (6%), shoes, handbag or other accessory item (5%), clothing item (5%), or a fitness/exercise item (1%).

And while 29% of women would love to receive jewelry on February 14, a new survey commissioned by the National Retail Federation reveals that not enough men are getting the message, as barely one in five (18.9%) are planning to buy jewelry for Valentine's Day.

The NRF expects Valentine's Day purchases to top $17.6 billion this year, with $4.1 billion being spent on jewelry, up from $3.5 billion last year. Couples will spend more than $3.5 billion on a special evening out, $1.8 billion on flowers, $1.5 billion on candy, $1.4 billion on clothing and $1.1 billion on gift cards.

While jewelry is your BEST BET, these are the eight WORST possible gifts to give your significant other on Valentine's Day, according to the staff of ModernMom.com

1. A gift card
WAY too impersonal. This just shows that your man didn't put much thought into looking for a gift.

2. Cash
Even worse than a gift card! Couples should never give each other cash - come on!

3. A scale, vacuum cleaner, anything practical
Yes, you may need these items but V-Day isn't the time for practical gifts.

4. Fake flowers
Yes, flowers are super expensive on Valentine's Day. We get that. But, we'd rather get no flowers than fake flowers.

5. Clothing (especially when it's the wrong size)
A man buying clothing for a woman is a bad idea 99% of the time. If it's too small, then we think we're fat. If it's too big, then we think you think we're fat. And if it's ugly, well, we don't want to wear it.

6. Sugar-free or reduced-calorie candy
Nothing says "I'd love you more if you weighed less" quite like an artificially sweetened treat.

7. Facebook gift
Cute on random days during the year, but a virtual gift for V-day? No thank you!

8. Gym membership
Even if we've been saying that we need to join a gym finally, this is not an acceptable gift. What are you trying to say, anyway? Nothing good can come out of this.

Silver May Be the Magic Bullet in the Battle Against Cancer

British cancer researchers are reporting that silver compounds show tremendous promise in the treatment of certain cancers, as the precious metal is just as effective at killing cancer cells as a leading chemotherapy drug, while demonstrating far fewer side-effects. 

As anybody who has had a loved one stricken with cancer knows, chemotherapy can be a very grueling experience for the patients, as they often suffer from nausea, vomiting and even kidney damage.

According to Daily Mail, a research team from the University of Leeds conducted lab tests that exposed breast and colon cancer cells to various silver-based chemicals over a six-day period. Their findings revealed that these silver-compounds were "as effective as Cisplatin," a frequently used platinum-based drug, at killing cancer with potentially fewer side effects and at a much lower cost. Crucially, silver is less toxic to normal cells than platinum.

The team believes that silver's success in battling cancer may lie in the structure surrounding silver atoms, known as its ligand. They think this may help release the silver ion into cells when it enters the body, killing any cancer. The study's author, Dr. Charlotte Willans, says this new research is an important step in the quest for effective, non-toxic cancer treatments.

"It’s certainly an exciting discovery, although I think we have a lot of work to do in the future," said Willans. "It opens the doors in terms of what we can do and investigate."

Willans plans to spend the next year looking closely at what effect silver has on both cancerous and healthy cells, and whether it could be a safe and effective new anti-cancer drug.

It shouldn't be surprising that silver may take a new role in cancer treatment. The precious metal, which has been used historically for jewelry, currency and utensils, already has a wide range of medicinal uses and is a common antiseptic, antibiotic and means of purifying water in the third world.

Super Bowl Champ Wins a Ring and Gives a Ring

Just minutes after the Giants completed their heart-stopping Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots on Sunday night, rookie linebacker Greg Jones got on one knee on the confetti-covered sideline at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and proposed to his girlfriend, Amanda Piechowski.

Needless to say, the lucky bride-to-be was overwhelmed and said "yes" to the Super Bowl XLVI champ, according to ESPN New York.

“She was bawling,” Jones told ESPN New York. “Just everything we have been through together ... she has been there since day one.”  The Giant rookie from Michigan State has known Piechowski for three years. He described the engagement ring as having a brilliant-cut round center diamond with smaller diamond accents on the band.

When Jones' girlfriend ran onto the field to find her boyfriend, she had no idea what was in store. Already emotional about the Giants' win, Piechowski was crying when Jones started to dig into his pocket for the ring.

"He pulls out a box and I am still not comprehending what he was about to do," she told ESPN New York. "We had talked about wanting to get married next year possibly, but in terms of this happening last night, no not at all. I didn't know he had a ring."

Jones got down on one knee on the field and said, "Amanda Piechowski, will you spend the rest of your life with me?" She said that despite the commotion all around them she felt as if they were the only two people on the field.

"It honestly felt quiet for a second," she said. "I didn't even know what they were doing with the trophy [celebration]."

According to Jones, the night couldn't have been more perfect. The best night of his football career became the best night of his life.