Hello everybody, as I'm sure you're setting up the dinner tables for Thanksgiving.

We begin my feast first up with the one weather story that's been heavily ignored in the news (thanks a lot, TSA airport pat-downs!), unless if you happen to be in a certain part of the country: The Great Alaska Ice Storm of 2010!

This week, unexpected temperatures in the 30s combined with freezing rain has wreaked havoc in both Anchorage and Fairbanks, leaving roads deserted with little to no traffic and closing down schools. Now we have been used to the other way around every winter (i.e., sub-zero temperatures), but this has been ridiculous.

But the worst is far from over, as temps will be dropping to the single digits by this weekend. If I were you, I would be better off avoiding the stores at the crack of dawn Friday morning.

Now...the countdown to what could be the wedding of the century. Prince William, after two decades of living the single life, popped the question to Kate Middleton...but not before the couple went public on it in a televised interview. And now we've learned that the date and place are now set: April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey.

So...who is Kate Middleton? She's 28 years old, her parents were in the airline industry before they started a mail-order party supply business, and is a fashionista. She met William while they were both attending the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and the two have been on-again, off-again, and then on-again in the years since.

This is shaping up to be the one royal wedding that is estimated to be viewed by close to 3 billion people worldwide, as opposed to the 750 million that tuned in to the Prince Charles/Lady Diana Spencer wedding in 1981...which, ironically, also happened on the 29th (July 29, 1981). In three months prior to the 30th anniversary of those fractured nuptials, this royal wedding will not only be bittersweet for Prince William at the very same site for his mother's funeral, but a celebration and tribute as he and future Duchess Kate Middleton continue to upgrade the Royal Family for a new generation. The Queen now on Facebook was just the beginning.

Well, one thing we should all be thankful for is that the coveted mirror ball trophy on "Dancing With The Stars" this time ended up in the hands of Jennifer Grey and -- in a three-peat -- Derek Hough rather than Bristol Palin; she and Mark Ballas finished third behind Kyle Massey and Lacey Schwimmer. Of course the show was pretty much "Everybody Hates Bristol" because thanks to her, underdogs like Rick Fox, Florence Henderson, David Hasselhoff and others were shown the door.

But I tell you, folks: When Brandy was unceremoniously booted off last week putting Bristol in the finals along with Jennifer and Kyle, millions of viewers especially loyal "Dancing" fans were pissed off like never before. They bitched and moaned on the show's message boards, on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube; even ABC's switchboard was flooded with complaints. Can you say "conspiracy theory"?

And then we finally pinpointed the mastermind behind all this: Kevin DuJan, conservative blogger for HillBuzz.org. He was 100% responsible for Bristol staying alive throughout the season, urging us to keep voting for her multiple times by creating as many phony e-mail addresses as possible. So in the case of the finals, the time was come to fight fire with fire to ensure that Jennifer and Kyle would keep Bristol at bay...and in the end, it worked.

The controversy surrounding Bristol proved to be a ratings bonanza, as 24 million viewers watched the finale and the show pulling in monster ratings for ABC, which will continue when "Dancing" returns in the spring as they hope to finally unseat the ailing "American Idol" as the year's #1 show. By the way, Sarah Palin was in the middle of her book tour when she learned that her daughter wouldn't be bringing the mirror ball trophy home to Wasilla, though she tweeted her congratulations to everybody saying that "competition is good."

So...what does the future hold for Bristol now? Like I said before, win or lose "Dancing With The Stars" has already set you for life...well, except for Season 9 contestant and former embattled Congressman Tom DeLay, who was convicted on Wednesday for money laundering and may be part of a new show: "Dancing With The Inmates"! By the way, foot injuries forced Tom to pull himself out.

One other footnote: Ratings for Sarah's TLC show "Sarah Palin's Alaska" dropped 40% from last week's debut. Guess the only thing we'll be seeing from the Palin house will be a cancellation notice!

And last but not least...as part of her farewell season, Oprah Winfrey pulled out all the stops for her last "Favorite Things" extravaganza. Among the items in the gift list of all gift lists: The Apple iPad, Andre Walker Haircare Products (Andre Walker being Oprah's longtime hairdresser), UGG boots, the Herb Savor, a five-year Netflix membership, Baker's Edge baking pans and Ghiradelli brownie mix, the Nikon D3100 digital camera, a Sony 3-D TV, even a seven-day cruise to the Caribbean aboard Royal Caribbean's mammoth "Allure Of The Seas", and perhaps the biggest kicker of them all...the keys to a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle...which will be out in May!! The total value for all of these: $36,837!!!

For years, "Oprah's Favorite Things" has been called "the hottest ticket in television", but next week Ellen DeGeneres will try to do one better with her "12 Days of Giveaways." And let me tell you: The neat swag this year will cause Santa's elves to work overtime making sure your Christmas tree will be fuller than ever with your stocking stuffed to the brim! So long, stay strong, and happy Thanksgiving!