While at a Ford press event, one of the spokespeople caught me caressing the fender of the 2013 Escape a little too fondly. I simply could not help it as a study in small and sexy crossovers, this new Escape looks to be a real pussycat. I mean that in the most sincere way.

Why is it good for the Rocky Mountains?

Turbocharging is one invention we high altitude folks enjoy and there are only a handful of SUVs that have turbocharged engines. The 2013 Ford Escape will offer two turbocharged, EcoBoost 4-bangers and a normally aspirated engine for their base model.

*The base engine will make 168 horsepower and 167 lbs-feet of torque. The 1.6 liter EcoBoost, turbocharged engine will make 173 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque while the beefy 2.5 liter EcoBoost engine makes 237 hp and a whopping 250 lb-ft of torque. As typical for EcoBoost engines, peak torque will be fairly flat from about 1,500 rpm to about 5,000 rpmhellip; almost diesel-like.

*The horsepower numbers are fairly reliable, but they may be adjusted a minor percentage when the Escape goes on sale.

Youssou dreams of one day returning to rebuild the cultural school. But for now, thanks to better mobile and Internet service in Senegal, he still considers himself a leader in his village–just by proxy. People call him all the time for advice or financial help. Still, he acknowledges the split he feels between the US and Senegal will never go away. “It’s hard to be just in one place,” says Youssou. “You feel like you’re heart is in the other side but you go in that place and you feel the same way about the other side.”

For better or worse, not everyone falls in love in the Peace Corps. I returned from Romania as single as I left. Was my timing off? Was the dopamine not firing in my brain? Or it could be, as the Romanian superstition goes, that I sat at the corner of a table one too many times? Whatever the case, I was happy witness to many, many Peace Corps romances.

Janice and Glen? They now live in Washington, minutes from that Holiday Inn where they first met.

“Sometimes we walk in the lobby,” says Janice. “The Holiday Inn guy is always like: ‘Can I help you?’ And I’m like: ‘No, we’re just going to stand here next to the elevator bay.’”

“You know, just to get the aura of the day we first met. Because that’s where I sprang the orchid question to her was in the lobby of the hotel,” says Glen.

“And since then we’ve gone to the orchid exhibit a lot,” says Janice.

A few years ago they were married quickly and quietly by a judge, on their lunch hour. I never got to give them a proper toast. I had the speech all planned out. To the toughest job you’ll ever love: marriage.

Share your experience in the Peace Corps: What was your best day? Your worst day? Your best moment? Your worst moment? Share it with us!

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• PRIs The World: Remembering 50 years of the Peace Corps
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Television romances are not limiting themselves to the jaded idea that only the young can be in love

Cupid strikes again on Indian television. After hordes of shows on young romances, its now the turn of the older lot to turn on the heat. We have shows like Bade Achche Lagte Hai and Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, which have proved with its on-going popularity that audiences are enjoying the adult love-stories.

Ram Kapoor and Shakshi Tanwar in Bade Achche Lagte Hai

The older man–younger girl syndrome has been tried with some success and some duds in films like Lamhe, Nishabd, Joggers Park and Cheeni Kum. Now its television that is experiencing the trend and from the looks of it, is giving the young love stories a run for their money.

Monish Behl and Kritika Kamra in Kuch Toh Log Kahenge

Playing the suave and mature Dr Ashutosh in KTLK, Mohnish Behl has rediscovered a fan base among the young girls Its embarrassing when young girls who are my daughters age find me appealing. In fact, my daughter is always surfing up their comments on me and describes it as drooling. Which man and which actor would not like such a reaction? he smiles shyly before elaborating, I guess the whole process of two people who are a complete mismatch falling in love is what appeals to the audience.

Aamna Sharif

Analysing this trend, he says, This concept is not completely new to television. We saw the theme in shows of the late 90s like Saans, Amaanat and Tara. This was followed by the whole movement of family dramas, and then the reality shows. Now, the mature love stories are back. Our audiences want a change constantly.
Writer Kamlesh Pandey offers an interesting perspective to this, We are talking about two individuals with a 18 year gap. Then there are the logical issues that friends and families bring forth which I am tackling head-on in this show. You will find many girls going for older men because they are looking for a father figure as opposed to younger guys who they find irresponsible and immature.

Nikki Aneja and Varun Badola in Astitiva

Actress Neha Marda who played the 15-year-old bride to her 55-year-old husband in Balika Vadhu echoes a similar sentiment They are experienced, mature and aware. Though my character Gehna is forced into marriage, she has reached a level of comfort with her husband, which is based on trust and understanding if not love

Bade Achche Lagte Hai is another show which has caught on with the audiences in a big way. Happily single Rupali Ganguly candidly reveals that shows like this have saved her from being pressurised into marriage My dad comes from a conservative Bengali family where a daughter has to be married off at a young age, but this show makes him believe that a guy like Ram Kapoor, irrespective of his age, will come in my life eventually.

She echoes the sentiment of many single girls who are busy with their life and career to get bogged down with marriage. Television is doing its bit in showcasing and encouraging this trend. The concept of age gap is proving to be a huge draw. Remember the successful Ajai Sinha directed Astitiva where Nikki Aneja successfully essayed the role of the older wife to Varun Badola. Probably taking a cue from this, we hear that Aamna Sharif is all set to make a TV comeback with a love story opposite a younger guy. TV shows finally seem to have come of age.

lt;span class=l_infogt;Rated PG-13 | Time: 1:29lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;lt;/spangt;Early in amp;#x93;Like Crazy,amp;#x94; Jacob gives girlfriend Anna a bracelet with the inscription amp;#x93;patience.amp;#x94; lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;Not only is the item emblematic of their long-distance relationship, but it offers the same advice to viewers. If they patiently invest in this simple, subtle and disarmingly powerful movie, the unfolding experience proves well worth it. The recent Sundance winner has the potential to be deemed among this generationamp;#x92;s great romantic movies.lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;amp;#x93;Like Crazyamp;#x94; is a candid look at a young coupleamp;#x92;s love affair, from their carefree college days in Los Angeles through their maturing 20s in London. lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;Jacob (Anton Yelchin) is an American studying furniture design who shares a class with Anna (Felicity Jones), an aspiring British journalist. Anna makes the first move, leaving a complicated note on his windshield with the proviso, amp;#x93;Please donamp;#x92;t think Iamp;#x92;m a nutcase amp;#x85;amp;#x94;lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;Charmed by the message, Jacob admits, amp;#x93;It was a good disclaimer.amp;#x94; lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;Having planned a return to England once her visa expires, Anna instead decides to overstay her welcome to spend the summer with Jacob. The movie is a snapshot that often leaps in months (and perhaps years) as the two attempt to keep their passionate union going when proximity and bureaucracy threaten to keep them apart.lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;These individuals donamp;#x92;t radiate hot-and-heavy chemistry together so much as a legitimate believability. Heamp;#x92;s a bit more earthy, sheamp;#x92;s more worldly. Heamp;#x92;s prone to flashes of jealousy, she to impetuous decisions. The curly topped Yelchin (the hero of the recent amp;#x93;Fright Nightamp;#x94; remake) gets by on pure likability, even when his characteramp;#x92;s motivations are murky. lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;amp;#x93;I donamp;#x92;t feel like Iamp;#x92;m part of your life. I feel like Iamp;#x92;m on vacation,amp;#x94; he says after moving in to Annaamp;#x92;s London flat. lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;The chipper Jones (last seen in amp;#x93;The Tempestamp;#x94;) delivers a more rounded performance. Sheamp;#x92;s the type of character who falls madly in love but never stops to ask why with this guy. The actress is quite a find, managing to concurrently possess a girl-next-door grounding and a stepped-out-of-a-magazine gorgeousness. lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;Director Drake Doremus (who also co-wrote the script with Ben York Jones) reportedly encouraged a great deal of improvising from the actors, providing an outline and letting them fill in the verbal details. He based much of the setup on the experience of courting his Austrian wife. lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;Despite the keep-it-loose quality to the acting, the filmmaking is a bit more calculated. Cinematographer John Guleserian leans on the headache-inducing shaky cam too often in the early scenes. Eventually, he and editor Jonathan Alberts start finding new ways to make jarring transitions more palatable. lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;One sequence denoting the passage of time presents a rapid montage of the sleeping couple in each dayamp;#x92;s different cuddling position. Itamp;#x92;s a clever touch that comes across like a G-rated Kama Sutra. lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;Jacob and Annaamp;#x92;s wordless last scene will likely prove divisive with audiences. Similar to amp;#x93;Lost in Translation,amp;#x94; their ambiguous interaction seems more revealing by what isnamp;#x92;t said (or heard) than what is. lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;Only in movies do romances conclude on a happy note, when everyone is young and in love, and all their conflicts of the past 90 minutes are utterly resolved. But this bittersweet film understands that in real life, relationships donamp;#x92;t just freeze when the credits roll. lt;/pgt;lt;pgt; lt;span class=tagline_creditgt;Jon Niccum, Special to The Starlt;/spangt;

Kenny Chesney Talks Past Romances amp; Wanting A Family

First Published: November 8, 2011 11:18 PM EST Credit: Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Caption Kenny Chesney attends the 59th Annual BMI Country Awards, Nashville, Tenn., on November 8, 2011Kenny Chesney may be known for being country musics most eligible bachelor, but hes open to love.

Do I still believe in falling in love? Sure. Do I think it exists? Yep. Have I felt it? Yes, and who wouldnt want to feel that again, he told Robin Roberts on Tuesdays In The Spotlight with Robin Roberts on ABC.

The country music superstar also said he hopes to one day have a family.

Oh, of course, no doubt about it, he said. I really dont envision, you know, everything in my life revolving around sound check and catering at 5 oclock I dont want that.

Kenny was married in 2005, briefly, to Oscar winner Renee Zellweger, but the union was annulled after just a few months. And when asked about his past relationships having a bearing on his future ones, Kenny said hes learned from the experiences.

I think everybody learns, I hope, Kenny told Robin. I recorded a song one time, called I Done A Lot of Things Different. Of course I would have done things different, in my personal life.

Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Now that Demi Moore has ended her six-year marriage to Ashton Kutcher — shaking our notion of age-defying love — we got to thinking about other famous May-December romances.

In the beginning, you couldnt hear Moore and Kutchers names without their 16-year age difference rearing its ugly head. But they are not alone!

Take a look at some other celebrity couples with big age gaps. Some have crashed and burned while others seemed to have found eternal bliss. What does it mean? You decide!

Hey, age is just a number, right?

PHOTOS:

By Kathy Altman, USA TODAY

Now that the shopping crush is underway, HEA plans to help you keep your holiday spirits up with mini reviews of many of the holiday-related romances out now. Merry reading!

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas, Carolyn Brown

As much as Lizelle Hanson enjoys her life as a fortune teller for the family carnival, ever since she was a little girl shes had the same Christmas wish: to have a house without wheels and a sexy cowboy to share it with. Shes 25 when her uncle arranges for the house, and right next door just happens to live the hottest cowboy Liz has ever seen. Not even Texas in July can compare to the heat that she and rancher Raylen ODonnell generate whenever theyre together. But giving up life as a carnie proves harder than Liz expects, especially when she cant help wondering which Raylen wants more — her, or her 20 acres.

Meanwhile, Raylen does his gosh-darned best to show Liz that she, and not her property, is what hes interested in. He shows her in the barn, in her favorite recliner, in a deer stand … you get the idea.

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas is an earthy, sensual story with delightful glimpses into life with a traveling carnival, as well as what it takes to be a horse breeder. The pace is slow and the dialogue can be redundant, but Lizs fresh, unexpected voice and an array of quirky characters make this a fun holiday read.

1225 Christmas Tree Lane, Debbie Macomber

Celebrate Christmas in Cedar Cove! 1225 Christmas Tree Lane is the final installment of Debbie Macombers wildly popular Cedar Cove series and catches up with the characters readers have come to know and love over the years.

This final book features Beth Morehouse, who relocated from California after her divorce three years earlier, and now not only runs the local Christmas tree farm but fosters homeless pets. This Christmas she has two unexpected tasks. The first is to find homes for 10 puppies left on her doorstep. The second, thanks to her two wily daughters who are determined to reunite their parents, is to entertain her ex-husband. But Beths hopes for a reconciliation fade when her ex shows up on Christmas Eve — with his girlfriend. Can the magic of Christmas — and Cedar Cove — heal this broken family?

1225 Christmas Tree Lane is a festive epilogue to the previous books in the series, with the abandoned puppies serving as a heartwarming device for Beth to check in with each Cedar Cove family. For this reason the book is not stand-alone, as a reader visiting Cedar Cove for the first time may be overwhelmed by the number of personalities introduced. Then again, each familys history is recapped, which could prove repetitive for the devoted reader. Overall, Macombers latest is a cozy read and a sweet celebration of love, no matter the season.

Highlander for the Holidays, Janet Chapman

Maybe Jessie Pringle is crazy, considering shes allowed nothing more than a photograph in a travel brochure to inspire her to move to Pine Creek, Maine. But somehow she senses the isolated community will grant her the privacy she needs to deal with the emotional and physical scars left by the tragedy that almost took her life.

What she doesnt count on is meeting Ian MacKeage, a brawny, sexy Scotsman whos determined to learn every last one of her secrets. And with the help of a mysterious hermit, who gives her a walking stick he claims holds magical powers, Jessie finds herself closer and closer to sharing those secrets — and herself. Then she learns Ian is harboring a few secrets of his own. Now Jessie, with magic and danger and a forever kind of love stalking her, has to make a decision. And an entire Scottish clan is determined to help her make the right one.

If youre looking for a romance brimming with heart, charm, and testosterone — and really, who isnt?! — then Highlander for the Holidays wont disappoint. Chapman gives us delightful characters, warm humor, and enough sexual tension to fill a loch.

Kathy Altman writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Shes a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Washington Romance Writers (WRW) and is also active in the eHarlequin community.

The world has gone mad for Dancing with the Stars. It is astrange thing considering the stars are middling and dancing awkwardly. The reason is simple though, America loves romances.

There is nothing more scintillating than rumors and rumblings of possible steamy romances. This is at the heart of what makes Dancing with the Stars such a popular phenomenon.

If we can be real for a minute, we can all agree that there are hardly any A-List stars on the cast of DWTS. Even season 13 is a collection of niche names and personalities. What brings the nation coming back is the intrigue of people out of their element.

But what keeps them interested for aseasonare the rumors of romance. This season is no different, and includes two women with ties to the sporting world we hold so dear.

As season 13 drew near, the sporting public became interested in just two contestants. Hope Solo and Kristin Cavallari. A few weeks in, we have seen one of those lovely ladies leave, but the rumors still swirl.

Yahoo TV has asplendidrundown of the romances that are rumored to be taking place behind the scenes on Dancing with the Stars.

It is hard not to think Kristin Cavalari and Mark Ballas werent canoodling backstage. Both were single and perhaps ready to mingle. That rumor takes a huge hit as Cavallari is dismissed in the biggest shock of the early season.

There is also the note of her former fiance, Jay Cutler, showing up to cheer her on. It seems she is closer to making amends with her ex-beau than finding new love in her dance partner.

Then there is Hope Solo. The self-professed tom boy has been far more sultry than we would have guessed, and the chemistry between her and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy is palpable.

The Yahoo report only paintsChmerkovskiy as a bad boy that requested to lead Solo this season. That is all the DWTS-mad nation needs to place some heat where none may exist.

As we lace up the dancing shoes for another week of Dancing with the Stars, it is clear how you create a hit show based on dancing, include beautiful people, mix them together and serve with a side delightful rumor.

Steve Jones wants to have as much sex as possible.

The US X Factor host – who is renowned for his womanizing ways – wants to enjoy the benefits of being a single man in Hollywood by having lots of dates.

When asked if he would ever abstain from sex, Steve – who moved to Los Angeles after being given The X Factor job by Simon Cowell – replied: What the hell is the point of abstinence? Im single and in Hollywood and Im going to make the most of it.

Although Steve, 34, doesnt want women to come on to him just because hes famous, he isnt bothered if they do.

He told Glamour magazine: I think I have a good radar for people. The more uninterested a woman is in celebrity, the more attractive Ill find her. But listen: the pros in this game far outweigh the cons. If pretty girls wanting to speak to me is a con, Im not going to boo-hoo about it.

However, one thing Steve is looking for is a woman whos funny.

He said: I dont like girls without a sense of humor, who take themselves too seriously. And I dont like women who wear too much make-up.

The hunky presenter has previously enjoyed romances with a bevy of famous beauties including Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton, Halle Berry and Hayden Panettiere.

If you have been watching Ringer, we bet you have questions. A lot of questions. And while we cant tell you how Siobhan (Sarah Michelle Gellar) learned fluent French (maybe Tahoe has an excellent education system?), we have answers to just about everything else.

At a recent screening of the shows fifth episode, A Whole New Kind of Bitch, Wetpaint Entertainment got a chance to grill executive producers Eric Charmelo and Pam Veasey, and ask every imaginable question.

But if you think you have it all figured out after our super-mega-comprehensive FAQ, think again.

Were thrilled by the questions because we have answers, but we see that what were leading you to, works, says Veasey. Then theres another side. You tell the audience to feel one way and then you surprise them with another turn.

While were saving the questions that arise after tonights episode for later, heres the roadmap, so far just dont get too attached to it. You never know what the next episode will bring.