The signs are everywhere: American automakers are on the mend. Free of any bailout stigma, Ford is leading the pack, with compelling cars and trucks delivering massive profits. One step behind, General Motors has emerged from bankruptcy as a leaner, nimbler company, with several new models that are scoring well with critics and consumers. And Chrysler has allied with Italy's Fiat to revamp its aging car lineup. Whether Ford can sustain its momentum, and whether GM and Chrysler can thrive again, remains to be seen. What is clear is that Detroit's Big Three are raising their game. These 10 models are proof.

Want to live like a star? See which cribs of the famous are on the market.

White sand and warm waters are closer than you think. When winter's chill sets in, escape to one of these laid-back, sun-drenched spots—no passport needed.

Meet 5 who answered the call, and hear what they learned from their acts of kindness and courage

Celebrity: Nicole Richie

Forty-seven years ago today, the nation mourned the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. (Read more about his life and see the iconic photo captured at his funeral. Watch some of Kennedy's speeches.) We take a look at other world leaders who were assassinated or survived attempts made in the name of a nation, a religion or a cause.

Today's cars are safer than ever. How do we know? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, auto fatalities are at the lowest they've been in 60 years — even with twice as many Americans holding driver's licenses and traveling four times as many miles a year. Both agencies cite stricter crash-test standards and the latest advances in automotive safety technologies as primary reasons. But which vehicles are the safest? Here are our choices for 2010. Each is an IIHS Top Safety Pick and features something unique that can help you survive a metal-to-metal mishap.

While some foodies love to cook, and others go to fine restaurants, NYC-based Erik Trinidad expresses his love of all things edible by taking fast food menu items from restaurants like McDonald’s and Taco Bell, turning them into gourmet-looking meals and posting the results on his site FancyFastFood.com. Originally just a joke with friends, his first creation was a McDonald’s Big Mac and fries combo meal that he turned into a fancy steak and potatoes dish. But his project got such rave reviews, that he kept at it. Today, his site it full of creative reinventions of fast food items and he's even writing a book, The Fancy Fast Food Cookbook: Mock Recipes with No Bun Intended. WD rounded up our favorites, so take a look at these 10 works of culinary art.
Chicken Cordon Deux (Kentucky Fried Chicken)

The homecoming king. The cheerleader. The CIA intern? You may be surprised to find out what some celebrities were up to in high school and college.

One woman’s amazing feat of word game mastery on Friday’s episode of “Wheel of Fortune” left audiences amazed — and maybe a little suspicious.

Contestant Caitlin Burke somehow managed to solve a 27-letter, 7-word puzzle with only the letter “L” and an apostrophe to go on. Not only that, but the actual phrase she solved (which you can try to figure out for yourself in the video below) applies perfectly to her situation:

 

The top 5 cities where prices are being slashed

A large percentage of houses in these towns are offered at deep discounts. For the lucky few who are buying homes, this may be good news: The latest data show that people selling homes are increasingly abandoning their original asking price and offering their listings for a discount.

For the most part, celebrities have their pick of whom they want to date. After all, being rich and famous tends to make you irresistible to the opposite sex. Yet despite their otherworldly hotness, impeccable style and killer bods, some celebs are still flying solo in the love department. So which celebs are currently on the market? Click through for a rundown of the 25 hottest singles.

Photoshop Contest Turns Famous Faces Into Reptiles

Who would have thought the removal of a nose and eyebrows could have such a freaky effect on someone’s appearance? Does that sound strange? Let me explain.

Big butts are the new black in Hollywood and that is fine by us! Take a look at some of the best booty Tinsel Town has to offer.

Figure-control undergarments

OK, ladies, admit it. Very few of us have avoided wrestling with a pair of control-top pantyhose in the name of creating a leaner silhouette. The good news is that some designers feel our pain and have introduced a category of clothing -- not undergarments -- that does the trick.

Every fall, when the networks launch their new shows, we start looking for the standout stars.

 They're not always on the best programs. Sometimes, like with this year's just-canceled "Lone Star" from this network, they're on TV for only a couple of weeks before the networks cut their show from the lineup

The Fastest-Growing Cities In The U.S.

When it comes to IQs, there's the dull, the genius level and the ridiculously smart. Although renowned brainiac Stephen Hawking has this to say about sharing scores, many famous folk and their fans still obsess about the (real or rumored) results of this French-born intelligence test.
So, which stars reportedly have brainpower to spare?