text:
" Brand: Alterna / Texture: Fluid / Type: Hair Balm / What it does: regenerates, "
* Prices may differ from that shown
I spend a very inappropriate amount of time striving for straight hair. I guess it's always the way, when you have curly hair you want straight hair and when you have straight hair you want curly hair. Well, I have quite curly hair but it's not nice curls, its frizzy curly so I need to tame it with various lotions and potions to make it nice and straight before I style it.
One of the really good products I have found in this never-ending quest is Alterna enzymetherapy hemp seed straightening balm. I have had this for a long time and it lasts really well because you only need to use a bit of the balm at a time. I bought it from a salon as a hairdresser used it on my hair and I really liked the results she achieved so I asked her about it and she said conveniently they sold it in the salon and would I like some so I got suckered in but I'm glad I did.
According to the back of the tube, "Alterna's hemp seed straightening balm is a powerful gel formula that effectively straightens both wavy and extremely curly hair. Infused with ultra-hydrating hemp seed oil and a nutrient activating enzymetherapy complex, Alterna's Hemp Seed Straightening Balm tames frizzes, adds moisture and primes hair for thermo-styling. Maximum levels of an advance copolymer provide strong, long lasting straightening power and humidity resistance. Seaweed extracts reduce static and increase softness and manageability. Defends hair with full spectrum UVA/UVB protectant."
So, there's all the technical stuff for you. It is definitely a very salon brand type of product as there are so many aspects to this lovely serum but what I like about it is that its very easy to use and does its job.
The balm comes in a tube with a flip cap lid at the end so it's easy to squeeze a little bit of the balm out into my palms and then work it through my hair. The balm has quite a serum consistency to it, it's thick and has a sheen to it and is whitish in colour is silky to the touch. The best way to apply this balm is to towel dry hair when you get out of the bath or shower. I only use a small amount and I find this really does coat all the hair. I then comb it through and blow dry and use my GHD's on my hair to straighten it.
I find with this balm I get a really nice smooth looking finish to my straight hair, it's not as fly away as it is without it and it does feel better protected than normal. The smell of the balm is quite nice and I can smell it on my hair for a while afterwards. I would really recommend this to anyone looking for a straightening balm as I think it works well.


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Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked for a second time in two days legislation that would require super PACs to disclose donations and expenditures of $10,000 or more within 24 hours. The DISCLOSE Act, which U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) cosponsored, was a modest attempt at lessening the destructive impact the Citizens United decision is having on American elections.
"Transparency is critical for free and fair elections and for democracy to function," Senator Coons said during remarks on the floor on Monday night. "The people of this country -- the voters, the constituents, those whom we serve and those who hire and fire all who serve them in federal and state and local offices -- need to know who they represent, who is funding their campaigns, what goals they will pursue in office, and whether the ends serve their interests."
Senator Coons was one of more than two-dozen Democratic senators who lined up to speak on the floor about the DISCLOSE Act on Monday night.
"If the Citizens United case has tilted elections toward those with the money to buy them, the DISCLOSE Act is an opportunity to level the playing field a little bit," Senator Coons said. "Instead of with money, it arms voters with information."
The relative anonymity afforded super PACs has, Senator Coons argued, allowed powerful special interests, corporations, and wealthy individuals to ratchet-up the negativity of political campaigns.
"These super PACs are not raising hundreds of millions of dollars to run campaign ads that are updates on the latest sports scores, or are filled with YouTube videos of sneezing pandas or yawning kittens," Senator Coons said. "These super PACs are gearing up to run the most negative possible campaign ads--the sorts of ads that can change hearts and minds because they have no accountability, because they have no one's name at the bottom line, because they feel free and are free to make the nastiest and most unfounded personal attacks. These super PACs are designed to divide us, and they are doing a great job."
Senate Republicans successfully prevented consideration of the DISCLOSE Act on Monday, lining up against the measure in a failed 51-44 vote. A procedural maneuver allowed a second attempt at consideration on Tuesday, but the bill ultimately failed by a vote of 53-45.
Senator Coons is also a cosponsor of a joint resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) that would amend the Constitution to overturn the Supreme Court's ruling in the Citizens United case.
Source: http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/senator-coons-votes-to-require-increased-transparency-from-super-pacs

subset: commoncrawl


text:
With Beatles music setting the stage, and dancers leaping into action, the annual Star Power fashion show dazzled patrons yet again.
Presented by the Pinellas Auxiliary of the Children's Home, the fast-paced extravaganza featured clothing from Georgette's Boutique & Shoe Salon and Bespoke & Co., both in Tampa. And Tampa Bay area celebrities joined runway models to show off trends for spring and summer.
Karol Bullard, Debbie Hedges and Hope Dogali were co-chairs for the fundraiser, and the Tampa Bay Rays' Dick Crippen was master of ceremonies. Behind the magic of the presentation at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort were Georgette and Tashia Diaz, who never disappoint in the variety of styles they select or the energy they project.
Community Action Stops Abuse calls its annual fundraising luncheon "A Good Night's Sleep" because, as executive director Linda Osmundson so aptly stated, "as a battered woman I didn't get to sleep for years."
Neither did Sharonda, her last name omitted here precisely because she escaped her abuser. Having moved to St. Petersburg and the shelter of her parents' home, she nonetheless decided to return to her abuser. She was at the PSTA's Grand Central Station when she found a CASA card near the bus stop, called the number and received help over the next several years for herself and her five daughters.
"We are not victims," she told the audience assembled in the Grand Ballroom at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort. "We are survivors with big dreams."
Longtime CASA volunteer and patron Mary Shuh received the Pillar of Peace Award, presented by Julia Sorbo.
Bob Barnum chaired the event committee, which included Matthew Becker, CASA board of directors president Amy Cukendall, Sharon Eschenroeder, Katherine Lenel, Amanda Meadows, Sterling Powell and Patty Robinson.
Twenty-five years of al fresco musical productions is a major accomplishment, and supporters of St. Petersburg's American Stage Theatre Company had much to celebrate at the quarter-century mark.
The annual Gala Under the Stars benefit, which included a performance of Hair, was sold to capacity for the first time ever, with more than 560 in the crowd at Demens Landing. And the event raised more than $100,000 for American Stage's artistic and educational programming, also a record. An amazing number of patrons heeded the invitation to wear tie-dye apparel in keeping with the 1960s theme.
Corinne Broskette and Tom Stovall, original 1968 Broadway cast members, were among those celebrating; Stovall and Paul Wilson were masters of ceremony for the evening, whose guests of honor were Wilson's parents, Tampa Bay entertainers Mary K. and John Wilson. Another son, actor Patrick Wilson, recently in town for the Sunscreen Film Festival, was honorary event chair and made a video for the occasion.
Mike Proscia received the Susan R. Hough Volunteer of the Year Award, a crystal star from Tiffany & Co.
Also in the crowd: Barbara Mosser, daughter of the late Joseph Papp, producer of the original production of Hair and creator of free outdoor productions of Shakespeare; her husband, David Mosser; American Stage producing artistic director Todd Olson; board chair Evan Whittle; St. Petersburg Mayor Bill and Wendy Foster; Beth Houghton; Marion and Bill Ballard; Sandi and Dick Averitt; Al May; and Duncan McClellan.
Scott Wagman chaired the gala committee, which included Jean Carnes, Ashley Combs, Barry Dingman, Hal Freedman, Robin Grabowski, Mike Harting, Michael Howard, Jacqueline MacNeil, Kiley Mahaffey, Jill Marie, Mili Protic, Mirella Smith, Cathy Swanson and Tim Watson.


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BETTER LATE than never. That essentially sums up the approach Larkspur and Corte Madera leaders are taking when it comes to traffic concerns raised by the construction of the Tamal Vista apartment complex.
While the multi-story complex has raised the ire of many as a symbol of densities they believe don't belong in Marin, a frequently heard complaint is about traffic.
Certainly, the 180 units at Tamal Vista would not be the only contributor to local traffic congestion.
The Rose Garden development in downtown Larkspur will have 85 new residences — and at least that many cars.
Add to that a pattern of increased enrollment at Redwood High School and more motorists looking for ways to avoid congestion on Highway 101, and local officials are beginning to get worried about traffic jams on Tamal Vista Boulevard and Doherty Drive.
The Tamal Vista development is a big project, but it is only a piece of a larger traffic problem.
Planners' expectation traffic will increase in the area was the primary motivation behind proposals to redesign the busy stretch of Highway 101 between Corte Madera's Tamalpais Drive and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Larkspur.
The search for consensus was unsuccessful in terms of fixing the freeway.
Will officials have better luck with their own local streets?
It's worth a try. It shouldn't have taken construction of one of the largest apartment complexes in Marin to prompt the two cities to work together.
Larkspur wants a say in how Corte Madera is going to spend the $250,000 the town will be getting from Tamal Vista's developer, MacFarlane Partners, for traffic improvements.
Traffic improvements should be designed and in place before a large development is occupied.
But public concerns about Tamal Vista's possible contribution to local traffic problems have grown as the development has taken shape.
Larkspur raised concerns before construction began and it has asked Corte Madera to talk about the town's plans.
Corte Madera Councilwoman Diane Furst said the town would be happy to form a bi-council committee to look at the problem and the town's plans.
Furst said she recognizes that Larkspur and Corte Madera share a lot of traffic, and coordination would be helpful.
That's good to hear.
How much can be done with $250,000 is problematic, but it's a start.
But working together and realizing that traffic is a problem the two cities share is the correct approach.
Possibly absent the politics of the Highway 101 controversy and dealing with a state highway, coming up with plans to help keep traffic moving on local streets might be more achievable for a Twin Cities collaboration.


text:
LGBTs Vent Ire Against SC Verdict
By Express News Service | Published: 12th December 2013 08:38 AM |
Last Updated: 12th December 2013 08:38 AM | A+A A- |
Love knows no boundaries for Tom and Abhi (names changed) who married in Spain four years ago. Their marriage remains strong despite the Supreme Court order criminalising homosexual acts.
At a protest outside Town Hall, Tom told Express, "I have never been called a criminal before. I think of India as a land of diversity and multiculturalism. Internationally, the verdict will be looked upon as foolhardy."
The atmosphere at the venue was full of resentment, anger, grief and pain.
Preetham (name changed) was ready to go to police custody when he heard about the verdict. He had attempted suicide in 2004. "The verdict makes life difficult for a person like me. I will always have a feeling of insecurity," he says.
A transgender from Samara feels fearful for sex workers. "Our gender is easily identifiable and the prevailing harassment will become incomprehensibly worse," she said.
Member of the Queer Campus Ananya Revanna woke up crying on Wednesday. A person's sexuality is nobody's business. The identities of the people who passed the verdict must be questioned, not ours, she said. Vinay Chandran, secretary of Swabhava, an LGBT rights organisation, believes the Supreme Court missed the chance to prove itself as a guardian of human rights. "This was a historic occasion to make a mark in the country's history. The court blew it," he says.
Tushar from Queer Campus said, "Who are the criminals and what is our crime? The LGBT community in urban areas has the safety net of their parents. What about rural areas where awareness is low?"
Some activists also said the government was contradicting itself. Prabhath, member of Payana, a network which helps the LGBT community in rural areas, said it was the government that supported the advocacy for gay rights by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). But looks like the government could not decide whether gays are susceptible to AIDS or not?
Manohar Elavarthi from Praja Rajakiya Vedike said the Congress or BJP have never opposed LGBT rights in the state. The right to decide one's sexuality is a human right.


text: Hey guys... As seen in other posts I may be buying a 1.8Tq - but this is fairly low spec compared to my A4 and so I was wondering what was the diff with the Bose system and the std system and would I want to change it over. I also have the DIS Satnav installed in my 2.8 - how difficult is this to change over to the new car? Thanks, Leon PS: Both cars are B5's the 1.8t a facelift one though - dont confuse with my B6 leather post. Cheers,


text:
Welcome to Virginia Air Heating and Cooling
Heating and Air Conditioning Service in Northern Virginia
With a dedicated team of HVAC licensed technicians on our team, Virginia Air Heating and Cooling Inc., now offers you a range of services in air conditioning and heating services in the Fairfax, Manassas, Gainesville, Centreville and Ashburn, VA areas.
We have been in business since 2001 and have a collective experience of decades that we now offer to you. Why would we recommend that you hire us? Here are a few reasons:
- Our staff knows their work well. Whether we are dealing with residential heating maintenance and repair, gas fireplace installation or even residential cooling maintenance and repair, our HVAC staff is certified and well-versed in the job.
- We make it a point to have our technicians attend refresher courses on a regular basis to keep abreast of all the latest approaches in the field.
- We understand that convenience is key and offer our services at your will. All you have to do is provide us with a suitable time frame and we will be there. We also always call before we arrive on your doorstep.
- Our teams are always close on hand and can be dispatched to you on short notice.
- Our repair trucks are well stocked ensuring that at least 90% of your problem is taken care of in a single visit.
Rest assured that when we come to you, the job will get done.
We offer you the following range of services:
Air Conditioning — We conduct spring HVAC checkups for summer and get your system ready for the season. All potential problem areas are looked into and a clear diagnosis is provided. We service a range of brands, and you can be sure that we are capable of handling any product that you have at your home.
Heating — Our primary service in this category is fall HVAC checkups for winter, and this includes duct cleaning where necessary.
We understand the importance of good service and never hesitate in giving you the best. We offer service on the same day, to help take care of any emergencies. We also schedule visits on weekends, but this is on a first-come-first-serve basis. If we can offer our services on the phone and help you resolve an issue, then we do not hesitate to do so.
In terms of charges, we do so by the job and not by the hour. When our technician visits you, he will assess the entire product and provide you with a diagnosis. You will be told what parts will be needed and what should be repaired. Only with your go-ahead does the job continue. We also have an exclusive members club you can join to enjoy further advantages.
We offer comprehensive service and we are waiting to hear from you. Call Virginia Air Heating and Cooling, Inc.
We offer regular and emergency service on weekends, evenings and holidays. Please call us to schedule service at your convenience.


text:
Jan. 2, 2007
WACO, Texas (AP) -- Curtis Jerrells and Tweety Carter scored 14 points each to lead Baylor to a 76-63 win over Centenary on Tuesday night.
Patrick Fields added 10 points for the Bears (10-3), while Tim Bush scored eight points and had 10 rebounds.
Alexander Starr's free throw with 14:23 left had given Centenary (6-9) its final lead at 41-38. Carter answered with back-to-back 3-pointers, giving Baylor a 44-41 lead it never relinquished.
Nick Stallings' jumper cut the Baylor lead to 46-45 with just under 12 minutes remaining. But the Bears went on a 14-3 run and extended their margin to 60-48 with just under eight minutes left to play.
The Bears dominated the smaller Gents on the boards, outrebounding Centenary 42 to 25.
Tyrone Hamilton fueled the Gents' scoring with 16 points, while Stallings added 14 and Larry Logan 11.
Bush rebounded a missed free throw by Fields and laid it in at the buzzer, giving Baylor a 30-25 halftime lead.


text:
Politics, budgets and reform pummel state Medicaid programs
State Medicaid directors are caught in the vice grip of competing interests driven by the looming election, lean state budgets, uncertainty about expansion caused by the Supreme Court health reform decision and the threat that Congress will cut the health program to help balance the federal budget.
At the same time, Medicaid directors have an opportunity to make significant changes away from the traditional fee-for-service care delivery and payments that will ripple throughout the healthcare system, according to Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors.
Medicaid directors are "trying to do the herculean, Manhattan Project-style effort to totally reform the healthcare system without enough time, enough money, enough staff or enough people out there even aware of what they're doing," he said.
More states are moving their Medicaid programs toward managed care, although it may not necessarily mean a managed care organization, but "intermediary steps where they are empowering primary care physicians to take a more aggressive and empowered role in shepherding people through the fee-for-service fractured system," such as medical homes and accountable care organizations.
[Related: As Obama goes, so go many groundbreaking benefits of the ACA.]
"Medicaid is clearly in the forefront in a way that it hasn't really been in the past," he said, adding that its increased visibility is commensurate with its role and value in the healthcare system and society at large.
"Even when times are good, we try to pay providers too little. In a situation where the bottom dropped out of state financing, finding savings on top of already low levels of reimbursement rates is difficult," Salo said at an Oct. 5 conference sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).
On top of that, the Medicaid population is one that "most people want to forget about because they are difficult, expensive and they need a lot of complex care and care coordination," he said.
Post-election, Medicaid directors will have to figure out what to do depending on how health reform survives or thrives and whether their states will expand Medicaid. The decision to expand or not will be complicated, in part political and a large part financial, based on what it means to the state's bottom line, Salo said.
Whoever wins the election, Congress is going to get real serious about the federal deficit and budget cuts, and that will mean Medicaid changes.
"There will be a lot going on that states cannot control," he said. Some changes could help the program, while others could cast uncertainty. Will the federal government shift the program to the states? What would block grants look like, and what does that mean for Medicaid expansion? Will the government reduce the federal match?
State elections matter too, said Joan Henneberry, principal at Health Management Associates, in Denver, Colo., and former planning director for Colorado's health insurance exchange (pictured at right).
"There are choices being made today that could be overturned or modified when new leadership comes in, such as state legislators in addition to governors. In many states, the insurance commissioner is also an elected office," she said.
The health reform law is not expected to initially change the market for employer sponsored insurance, which accounts for about 60 percent of those covered. Some states have already expanded Medicaid, and there are states that will choose to expand to individuals who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level as called for under the law but who are not there yet.
Uninsured individuals in the middle from 138 percent to 400 percent of the poverty level will access coverage through the health insurance exchange starting in 2014 and get premiums subsidized through IRS and, if eligible, some of their co-pays too, she explained.
Some states may choose not to expand Medicaid eligibility, however, like Texas which now covers only at 25 percent of the poverty level, and that will leave a gaping hole in coverage.
"You have a big empty spot where people in that state up to 138 percent have no coverage," Henneberry said.
"While there are some states who have said they're not doing this, I think that over time, you will see growing pressure on the part of hospital associations, provider groups, advocates, legislators, that we have got to rethink that decision and figure out how to do something because it will not be sustainable for a state to leave that one layer of individuals out in the cold without any coverage," she said.
The initial instinct is to look at how much this is going to cost. While the first few years of healthcare spending are fully federally funded, enormous administrative costs remain, including eligibility and enrollment, program integrity, and appeals issues.
If they look hard, those states may find savings by expanding their Medicaid, such as:
• With full expansion, states may save on other programs where services are no longer needed because they are included in their insurance coverage or Medicaid.
• Medicaid expansion may provide potential savings to the system overall, such as in reducing the cost of uncompensated care.
• When all individuals are covered, states may be able to cut administrative costs if they can manage the churn of people falling in and out of Medicaid coverage by having a seamless integrated system between the exchange and Medicaid.
• With full coverage, states that have big counties that traditionally spend significant funds on healthcare programs may be able to negotiate what to do with the monies that are freed up.
Or conversely, in states like Louisiana and Texas, which are not expanding Medicaid, some counties could explore using their funds as a match and go ahead with expansion for themselves.
"We don't know if they can do that, and it would be very hard without the state support," Henneberry said, adding that CMS should talk with them about such a plan.
States also need to be prepared for the "woodwork" effect of many individuals who have been eligible for Medicaid and not enrolled but will sign up for it now.
[Related: Strategists on how candidates should shape healthcare messages in the election.]
"Even if you don't expand Medicaid in your state, the efforts around marketing the exchange and subsidizing health plans through the exchange is going to increase Medicaid whether you want to or not," she said. "We also think that CMS, if it wants, could give states flexibility to allow them to phase in these expansions."
Some states may know they have to figure out how to do expansion but just can't meet the October 2013 deadline, including for political reasons. Some might have legislatures that don't meet annually and some have biennial budgets. For example, CMS could allow states to phase in expansion, for example go from its current level of coverage to 100 percent of poverty level by 2014, and then work their way up to 138 percent.
"Whoever becomes president," Henneberry said, "either one will want to work to make it as right as they can with states."
Related Political Malpractice coverage:
Survey analysis: Election affects health IT
News analysis: Healthcare's 15 mintues of debate fame were spin more than substance
Obama, Romney give NEJM glimpses of healthcare visions
What the political platforms tell us about parties' stances on health IT
Survey analysis: Romneycare vs. Obamacare, do Americans care?
Commentary: Obamaneycare – Trotskyite takeover or big company bail-out?


text:
Thu, Apr 21, 2011 at 5:44 PM
TEAM Minaj
Like Nicki Said There Is No NV in TEAM. We need to stick together like the TEAM that we are. Yes there will be fussing because we are all human but it happens TOO frequently, someone is ALWAYS arguing in TeamMinaj we need to prove to these other teams that we are a unity, a nation and nobody or nothing can tear us apart. Too many of us let CF's get the best of us and that needs to stop! Anyway, I love each and every one of you and TeamMinaj til the death of me! :)


text:
Here you will find a few helpful links:
Alaska Yellow Pages - For all things, Alaska!
Anchorage Weather
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
Anchorage Economic Development Corporation
See Anchorage & Alaska through Web Cams
Home Improvement
Do it Yourself Books
Concrete countertops, decks, and just about everything you may want to do in your new home.
Hardware and Tools
Tools for do it yourself projects
Home & Garden
Home and Garden Magazines
A large selection of home and garden products
Natural Area Rugs
A great site with lots of natural fiber rugs
Rustic Mexican Furniture
Great source for rustic and unfinished funiture
Satellite System from Dish Network
Free installation of the dish.


text: Ed Schofield wrote: > > > Yes, this is a bug. > > Travis, could you please take a look at this? The FORTRAN functions > dcscmucsc and dcscmucsr both seem to be returning incorrect values in > indptr. In fact, could you please explain the Python code in matmat() > that calls these functions? I'd like to understand what the "while 1" > loop is for, and in particular why we have > c, rowc, ptrc, irow, kcol, ierr = func(*args) > when c, rowc, etc are part of *args anyway. The arguments are input and output arguments because that is my understanding of f2py's preference if something is both input and ouput rather than using an in-place argument. The while True: loop is so that resizing can occur if the guess on how many non-zero elements to reserve for the output matrix is wrong. There were some problems with the re-entry that I've now fixed. The tests you added to SciPy now pass. -Travis