Ok, so it hasn’t been that rough of a winter in NYC. In fact, there’s not even any snow on the ground currently. But don’t let any of the aforementioned fool you. That hasn’t stopped me from dreaming of a tropical vacation.Warm sun, sandy beach, comfy lounge chair and a cold drink? Um…yes, please, sign me up!

Check out some of the warmer places I’d love to jet away to right now.

So the economy sucks. Graduating with a university degree no longer means you’re a catch when it comes to job hunting, meaning more grads are moving in with their parents. Moving in with your parents and not having money means you’re taking longer to settle into relationships and therefore get married. For a lot of people this will also mean you’re taking longer to have kids, if at all. And everyone seems to be holding this against women.

A study done by Australian researchers shows women who do not have children are at a greater risk for poor health than mothers. Some women with pre-existing health conditions that would discourage them from having children were included in this survey, therefore increasing the number of childless women with poor health. However, overall, women who have not popped out children may have trouble with social functioning and mental health as a result of societal pressures to have children. I’m sure you could relate if you sat next to your old aunt at Thanksgiving that measures accomplishments by the presence of a ring on your finger and a stroller in front of you.

So women in Australia are feeling the pressure when they’re not having kids. Jump continents to China and unmarried women are the ones feeling the strain. The Chinese government is telling women if they are not married by 30 they’ll be spinsters. Shen Ru, meaning “leftover women,” is being used as a derogatory phrase to describe unmarried women over 27 that are urban and career focused. Yes, future grads you too can be last week’s cold turkey even if you’re accomplished in other ways.

Even though there is a surplus of single men in China, they aren’t receiving any of the heat. As a result, many young women are not acting in their best personal interest out of fear they will not be able to find a partner, thus becoming undesirable as they age.

With all the leaps women have made over the last hundred years it still seems we’ve got a long way to go. One jump forward, one step back.

Australia is a pretty cool place, right? I mean, their accents are sexy and awesome and they have tons of beaches, really cute animals and an amazing music scene. More and more American students are catching on to the allure of the interesting culture coming out of Australia these days and making trips to the land down under.

Don’t know much about Australia? That’s okay. We’ve done some research on the coolest things about Aussie-land, and after clicking through we’re pretty sure you’ll have the travel itch.

initiating the gallery...

Look, I’m all about being an American, but if there’s one other place on this planet I’d want to live, it’s Australia. Not only is the country beautiful, but it’s given us KugelHopf, a Mary Kate and Ashley movie, Kangaroos and, of course, some very delicious eye candy.

And as today, January 26th, is Australia Day, it’s our duty to honor the land of Oz. But since we can’t hop on a plane, fly 24 hours and present the country with balloons and a cake, we’ll do the next best thing: ogle our favorite Aussies. And embarrass ourselves misusing Aussie slang.

G’day mates!

Following weeks of protests, the president of Tunisia stepped down after a 23-year, domineering reign. The violent rioting in the African country was motivated by high unemployment and general dissatisfaction with the controlling and corrupt government. (A government, by the way, that didn’t allow access to YouTube… a whole country of people without access to endless Beyoncé music videos or clips of giggling babies. Just imagine!) As if Mark Zuckerberg’s head wasn’t already big enough, much of the credit for the change is going to Facebook, which young Tunisians used as a tool for organizing the rallies (and they call our generation apathetic?) Since the president fled on Friday (incidentally, only a day after claiming he wouldn’t give up leadership until 2014), Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi stepped in to lead until a new government is organized.

The country is still reeling over the Arizona shootings. Since the massacre took place on January 8^th, and Jared Loughner, a 22-year-old, was subsequently arrested, much more has been revealed about the shooter and the victims of the attack. Information has come out concerning Loughner’s history of mental illness, leading many to wonder whether his rampage could have been predicted and prevented. The public safety department at Pima Community College, his school, released 51 pages of documents pertaining to Loughner, many of which support the comments of one of his classmates that he was “obviously very disturbed.”

In much happier news, Gabrielle Giffords, the congresswoman he shot, is free from her ventilator and has been breathing on her own.

Starbucks will be offering a size even bigger than the Venti – the Trenta – for iced drinks. Yep, that’s right, it’s time to add a new word to our Starbucks vocabularies. The Trenta, which will be offered in 14 states come Tuesday and in all Starbucks locations by May 1^st, clocks in at a whopping 31 ounces (that’s only one less than 7-11’s Big Gulp). Admittedly, the size is only being offered for iced teas, coffees, and lemonades, and anyone who has ordered such drinks at the chain knows how much of those cups are filled with ice (hint: it’s a lot). But still, with Starbucks going the way of the super-size, let’s all remember what we already know – bigger is not necessarily better.

Mudslides in Brazil and flooding in Australia have killed thousands and left many homeless. Perhaps the scariest thing about these natural disasters is that they are so sudden, yet so devastating. Flash floods in Brazil led to mudslides hurtling down the mountains surrounding Rio de Janeiro, which, in a cruel twist of prophetic irony, means ‘January River’ in Portuguese. The death toll keeps rising and rising; on Thursday it was predicted to be around 361, but by Sunday it was raised to at least 626. In Australia, similarly intense amounts of rainwater have covered parts of Queensland including the big city of Brisbane, where over 30,000 homes and businesses have been flooded.

Picture of the Week:

Photo courtesy of The Daily Mail.

The people in the closest town to Mt. Etna, a volcano in Italy, got an amazing show when it erupted on Wednesday. Don’t worry though; they residents were all safely tucked 18 miles away from the lava’s reach.

KugelHopf. Terrible name, heavenly treat.

There’s a whole lot to love about Oz, but there are definitely four things you MUST know about this glorious country on the other side of the world. And no, I am not talking about Vegemite. G to the ross.

1) Tim Tams. Lucky for you, an around the world trip isn’t necessary to get your mouth on these amazing cookies (or as the locals call them, Biscuits or Bickie’s); they’re available at Target and Cost Plus World Market! Dark Chocolate and Caramel are my favorite two flavors. Mmmm. And of course, you must try the Tim Tam Slam. Bite a whole at each corner of the Tim Tam and use that as the yummiest straw ever in your morning mocha. Just thinking about it makes me melt inside.

2) Australian Licorice, most preferably by Darrel Lea. (Nab ‘em on Amazon!) Seriously their licorice is like taking Twizzlers Pull n’ Peel and condensing 4 of them into one yummy, chewy, delicious bite size piece. Yeah, like that, but then also 5 million times better. They have tons of flavors from Mango to Pineapple, Strawberry and Green Apple, which are all incredibly addicting.

3) At a random bakery, Monarch Cakes, in Melbourne Australia, I tried the most heavenly dessert that I have ever had: Gugelhopf (or sometimes called KugelHopf). The one I had was pastry dough filled with oozing dark chocolate that dripped out. ZOMG. Words can’t do it justice, but it’s actually a German/Austrian dessert, so Google for your local bakeries and find one of these bad boys stat. I can’t believe I’ve been missing out all these years! Trust me, you will feel the same now that you know about it. I mean look at that beauty (pic above!). Whoever says food is not art has clearly not seen this picture.

4) Australian men. We know they are hot. We know they have hot accents. But what I didn’t realize was that the guy/girl ratio in Aussie Land is probably something like 9 to 1. Seriously, the bars are lined with hot, nice, well dressed Aussie dudes. And the best part? They find our accent as cute as we find theirs. So take it from me and book yourself a trip. And for those of you heading off abroad there, there is literally no way to leave that country without, like, 12 of your very own Aussie boy toys. For those of you stuck in the grand ol USA have no fear – the Aussie men love themselves a trip abroad right here to this fine country. Their fave places? LA, San Fran, NYC, Miami and Vegas, so start booking up those Spring Break trips, ladies. Who knows – maybe by next Spring Break you’ll have a free place to stay all the way over in Sydney.

You’re welcome, Mates.

As college women, sexual assault is a frighteningly real issue on many of our campuses. So when I saw this story, I was pretty outraged. To catch you up to speed, an Australian jury just acquitted a young man of rape because the victim was wearing skinny jeans. Yes, skinny jeans. According to the jury, it wouldn’t be possible for the young man to remove the victim’s jeans without “collaboration,” so he must not be guilty.

I think it’s safe to say that if this young woman said she was raped, if she felt the sex was not consensual, it doesn’t matter who removed her jeans. Let’s say the alleged rapist and his victim “collaborated” to take her pants off. That fact alone does not prove that rape did not occur. Any situation in which one party feels that sexual contact was not consensual is, by definition, sexual assault. Even if she helped take her pants off. Even if she took them off all by herself.

I know there are women (and men, too) who have cried wolf about rape and sexual assault in the past. But people who lead us to believe that sexual assault isn’t a big deal are ignoring the statistics, which show that as many as one in four college women are victims of sexual assault at least once during their college years.

This young woman clearly felt that the sex was not consensual, and for that reason, she is not at fault. Even if she had been drinking. Even if she chose to go home with someone. Even if she was wearing skinny jeans.

What do you guys think? Is there any situation where this young woman could be at fault? At what point is sex consensual?

Cindy McCain may have already ditched her man.

Some ladies are upset that DKNY is stealing Prada’s stuff.

In Australia beavers make great friends and give helpful advice too.

The Jonas Brothers are making their way around town.

Looking for a job in these troubled time? Check out the Plum Book.

Trying to plan the rest of your life? Check you ACT score here.

The CMA awards are on tonight. Brad and Carrie will be hosting.

What can’t the iPhone do? It has super powers.

Dunder Mifflin says good bye to Ryan.

There are 10 fab dressed people.

1. She is blonde.

2. She has little/no talent.

3. She once confused tuna and chicken.

4. She is ridiculously gorgeous and happens to be dating someone else who is ridiculously gorgeous.

5. She kisses with her eyes open?

6. She loves sex.

I mean, how else would you explain this quote she recently gave to Australia’s Daily Telegraph?

“I’d love six kids running around, but I guess I’ll have to start pretty soon.”

Six?! Six hot-but-totally-dumb children? She does realize that all those kids won’t give her Angelina’s career or worldwide respect, right? I mean, what is she thinking?

Unless this is her plan to get another reality show: Newlyweds meets Jon and Kate Plus 8…

I don’t know about you, but I am scared. And Jessica should be too; babies mean weight gain and stretch marks and getting all dowdy… without that killer body, this girl has nothing.

A 280 pound 14-year-old girl is set to be the youngest Australian to participate in the world wrestling sumo championships taking place in Estonia later this month.

Samantha-Jane Stacey, who eats “Weetbix and lasagna” to help her stay giant, says that a preexisting condition is to blame/is the reason she’s so sizeable for sumo. “I’m naturally a big girl. I don’t have to eat anything extra.” Stacey explains, “I have a medical condition that does not allow me to lose the weight. A side effect of that means I look obese. But I do have a healthy diet.”

While most women would probably freak the eff out if they had a disease that stopped them from losing weight (all those pumpkin muffins!), Samantha-Jane decided to use it to her benefit and spend her teenage years slamming other people down on mats. Well played, Samantha-Jane. Well played.