(Photo: Nike)

Nobody says United States of America. And when fans chant "USA," they don't hit the high note on the middle letter. You wouldn't know that based on Nike's 2012 Team USA basketball jerseys.

The uniforms, unveiled Tuesday at a showcase at Nike headquarters in Oregon, feature a pyramid-shaped USA logo that has earned derision for looking too angular, too Superman-like and way too ugly.

The company touted the lightness of the fabric and its composition -- made from 96 percent recycled polyester and 22 recycled bottles and weighing only five ounces -- but it was tough to see past that logo. (And who knows what five ounces weighs anyway? O.J. Mayo isn't going to make the team, right?)

Nike unveiled the uniforms for both the men's and women's U.S. teams but didn't say whether the logo would be used in other uniform designs. Here's a free tip: Don't. That thing is so bad I thought the initial Twitter post announcing it was a hoax.

(Photo: helpmystyle.ie)

Now that Valentine's Day is over LOTS of stuff is going on sale. There's the obvious: Jewelry, chocolate and lingerie, but you won't believe the great deals you can get on stuff now, you may even want to make the most out of those holiday gift cards you got by shopping now!

What else can you save on?

FURNITURE: Stores know that you'll be spring cleaning soon and will want to clear out the old designs to make room for the new. They start discounting in February. Why not "winter clean" this year.

HOME THEATERS: Why? Even though the Super Bowl is over, theaters are HOT!

LUGGAGE: Travel picks up later on in the year and so do luggage prices as a result. Get you shnazzy set now, while prices are rock bottom.

WEDDINGS: Everyone wants to be a spring bride, and June wedding and honeymoon costs reflect it… Try something different and put the money you'll save toward a home.

BICYCLES: Not only will you get a great deal (stores are clearing out for new inventory), but you'll get over serviced. No one is in the bike shop now.

GADGETS: All the major electronic companies like Apple, Sony and Panasonic showcased new products in January at the Gadgets/Electronics Expo, which they begin to launch after February.

If you're not one of those who don't need the latest gadgets, now would be the perfect time to purchase older models and save a couple of bucks as retailers are trying to clear their inventory to prepare for new shipment.

LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL: After the heavy travel in December and early January there comes a lull in late January and February when most families stay home. During these dead weeks in late January/February, prices drop significantly. Places like ski resorts and the Caribbean offer deals for a fraction of the regular price.

WINTER WHITE SALES: Retailers clear out the cold-weather bedding, towels and home goods to make room for spring linens. In the market for a down comforter? Now is the time to buy!

REAL ESTATE: This might not be an OBVIOUS category BUT buying a house in February is one of THE BEST months to get a deal. Psychologically people are still nesting (especially after this winter) so there are less buyers out there than in the spring when everyone gets the "I've-gotta-move fever".

AIR CONDITIONERS: It may not feel like it quite yet, but Spring is inching closer. And with the temperature rising in those warmer months, air conditioner prices rise too.

INDOOR FURNITURE: Showrooms need to make room for all the outdoor furniture with Spring just around the corner. This means some great deals on their indoor furniture inventory.

OUTDOOR GRILLS: Planning on a summer BBQ? Demand for grills is low right now, yet with warmer months coming soon, people will run out and buy grills as soon as they can have the first outdoor BBQ of the year. Buy yours now at the lowest pricing you'll see all year.

CLOTHES: Fashion is on full display. February is a great time to score big names for small prices. It's the month to grab up Uggs and North Face clothes for 50-70% off. Any name brand snow and winter gear can be found with slashed prices all over the mall and on the net from Nordstrom to 6pm.com.

BABY GEAR: February is also a time to think babies. If you're pregnant, waddle your way to Target. Baby gear will be being marked down to make room for April's newer styles, so you'll be able to grab it at 75% off. Whoever said babies are expensive clearly wasn't shopping in February."

(Source: Yahoo Shine)

(Photo: culturefeast.com)

6 Reasons to Kick Your Soda Habit

Do you spend most days with a can of soda by your side? You might want to break that habit. Turns out, all soda -- even diet -- is bad you, and new research suggests it's especially harmful to women. Here are six reasons to give up soft drinks for good.

1. Soda makes you fat. Both regular and diet soft drinks are tied to obesity. In one study, people who drank diet sodas had a 70% greater increase in waist circumference over a few years compared to those who skipped soft drinks.

Diet soft drinks are particularly insidious, says RealAge cofounder Michael F. Roizen, M.D. "Sweet diet soda fuels your desire for other sweets," he explains. It also has a "health halo" effect. "You view choosing a 'diet' drink as virtuous (all those calories saved!). So it feels like you can afford to reward that virtue with a hot fudge sundae."

2. Soda boosts your risk of serious disease. The extra belly fat that often comes with a soft drink habit is linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. A recent study in the Journal of Internal Medicine also tied a daily diet soda habit to a higher stroke risk.

3. Regular soft drinks may cause cancer. New research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health finds drinking two or more regular soft drinks per week may almost double your risk of pancreatic cancer. Researchers speculate that the sugar overload from regular soda triggers insulin production that fuels cancer cell growth.

4. It's bad for your teeth. Yep, your mom was right about this one. And here again, even diet soda is bad news because sugar isn't the worst offender in soft drinks. The big culprit is soda's high acid content: phosphoric, malic, citric, and tartaric acid strip tooth enamel. Citrus-flavored soft drinks are the worst -- they dissolve enamel up to five times more than colas.

5. It's bad for your bones. The same acids that are bad for your teeth also coax calcium from your bones. That goes for regular and diet caffeinated soda. Can't give up your Diet Coke? Roizen recommends upping your daily calcium tally by an extra 20 mg for every 12 ounces of soda you sip.

6. It's bad, even if you don't gain weight. New research from the American Heart Association finds that women are more vulnerable than men to the harmful effects of drinking two or more sugar-sweetened drinks -- including soda -- per day. Soda-sipping women are likely to have a larger waist size, higher "bad" LDL cholesterol, higher levels of triglycerides (harmful fatty acids that can cause heart disease), higher blood sugar, and lower "good" HDL cholesterol -- even if they don't put on a pound.

 (Source: Yahoo Shine)