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You call this relaxation?
Years ago, I visited a health spa in Saint-Malo, Brittany, to take the "cure", a prescribed week-long regime of low-calorie meals, water therapy and exercise, all supervised by a doctor in a white coat. The French are entitled to annual spa visits as part of their national health scheme.
Before I left for Saint-Malo, I was envious and admiring of a health system that took care of its members' wellbeing in such a luxurious way. Afterwards, not so much.
The spa was glamorous enough, overlooking the sea, with a fancy restaurant in an atrium where patients took their meals. Being France, the meals consisted of three or four courses. A glass or two of wine was permissible, and an ashtray was placed on each table, for diners who cared to smoke. This was health and well-being French style. Possibly it's different now, but in the past dining in France, even at a health resort, came with the danger of someone at the next table tapping ash into your food.
One of the white-coated doctors assessed my health fairly perfunctorily and wrote a schedule of seawater therapies and other treatments for the week, including remedial massages and a "wrap" which involved me being covered in green algae and enclosed in tinfoil, like a fish ready for the oven. I nearly broke my neck sliding off the table when the slimy algae was applied, but the gunk did improve my skin and the massages did move some of my aches around.
The water therapy was another matter. You know those movies where they place prisoners of war in windowless cells and torture them? My first treatment involved me stripping down and shivering at one end of a narrow, airless room while two women, standing about 10 metres away, hung on to a fire hose and bombarded me with forceful torrents of cold seawater.
I suppose I must have looked like I had nits. I expected them to come at my hair with big scissors.
Next, it was to the warm seawater baths, which turned out to be a small indoor pool (again the room was airless) where I was taken through a routine of easy exercises. I'm not quite sure what the doctor thought of me, for the other participants included an extremely obese woman (unusual for France) and an elderly lady who had brought her Zimmer frame into the pool. I got out of the pool feeling 20 years older than when I stepped into it.
But by far the most horrifying experience was the bath therapy. I was shown to a small, dark room that smelled unpleasantly mouldy. It was filled with an enormous bath that looked like one of those spacecraft the alien flew in that movie. Nevertheless, I sank into the pleasantly warm water and relaxed. The therapist adjusted the controls and then left me in a dark room.
Left me in a dark room.
If you're claustrophobic like I am, those words will strike horror in your heart. She had gone before I could protest. I was just starting to panic when the bath started a series of programmed whooshes, groans, rumblings, shakings, suckings and rattlings, as if it were about to take off. Alternating jets pummelled me with hard water. At another point the bath vibrated so much I thought I might be seasick.
If you're a thrill-seeker, I suppose it could have been fun. For me, it was like a very unpleasant 40-minute fairground ride - the River Caves meet the Big Dipper. I was lucky to get out of there without being sucked down the drain. Later on, I decided this was calculated punishment, devised by the authorities to dissuade French people from over-using their expensive health system.
The experience hasn't put me off massage or water therapy. On the contrary, I've been greedily pursuing better treatments ever since. Show me a massage table and I'm on it. Show me some algae and I'll be smothered in it. Put hot rocks on my back or hit me with birch branches or drop oil on my third eye - I'm game.
But don't leave me in a dark room in a deep bath, or wrapped in cling wrap with a mask over my eyes, and tell me you'll be back in a moment.
You won't ever be back soon enough.
FFX Aus


text: Okay dudes, I pop into this forum once in awhile and without fail, there's some 150lb dude doing situps and pushups and drinking one protein shake a day complaining about how his high metabolism will prevent him from getting big. You are not a unique, special flower. Every guy in his teens through his twenties has a high metabolism. Your metabolism isn't crippling you - your weak mind, weak discipline, and tendency to overthink things are. Here's a REALLY FUCKING EASY WAY to get big. All you have to do is follow this and I guarantee you'll get big and strong and women (or men, whatever floats your boat) will want to jump on you. 1. Buy this book. Not Arnold's Encylopedia of Bodybuilding, not XXX GET HUGE NOW, or whatever fucking tripe they're putting out with a bodybuilder on the cover. STARTING. STRENGTH. Say it with me. STARTING STRENGTH. If you don't want to buy it, download it from your torrent site of choice. 2. Once more, just because some retards insist on doing something their "trainer" told them to - STARTING STRENGTH. Hint: All trainers are retarded. Any fucking clown can get a personal training certification, and since there is no national standard, there's no accountability. Most gyms will certify with their own in-house programs, that are junk. There's a reason every trainer you see looks like a 150 pound twink bitch. 3. Read Starting Strength. 4. Calculate your calorie requirements at this website. Once you have found your BMR, go to this website and multiply your BMR. I recommend "moderate," so you will be multiplying your BMR by 1.55, or 1.6. No biggie. So, for example, I weigh 175 lb, am 22 years old, 5'11", male. That means my BMR is 1908. Since I exercise 5 days a week, which is a "moderate" level of activity according to the previous webpage, I will multiply 1908x1.6. That equals 3052. I'll round up to 3100 calories, just to be sure. 5. Begin eating at a 40/40/20 macronutrient split. What this means is that 40% of your calories will come from protein, 40% from carbs, and 20% from fat. For me, since my calories needed are 3100 per day, that means I'll eat (3100x.40) 1240 calories of protein, 1240 calories of carbs, and (3100x.20) 620 calories of fat. Now, each gram of protein and carbohydrates has 4 calories. Since 1240 / 4 = 310, I'll be eating 310g of protein and carbs per day. Each gram of fat has 9 calories, so 620 / 9 = 69g fat per day. Lets call it an even 70. Divide your protein and fat numbers by 5, as you will be eating 5 meals spaced evenly throughout the day. You will divide your carb numbers by 4, as we will be eating one carb-free meal right before we go to bed. Carbs late at night = bad. So... Protein 310 / 5 = 62g Carbs 310 / 4 = 78g Fat 70 / 5 = 14g. So every meal I eat will have about 62g of protein, 78g of carbs, and 14g of fat. That's like eating two cans of tuna, 2 cups of brown rice, and one tablespoon of olive oil. You will get these calories from GOOD sources. Good sources of protein: Beef - try to go lean, or you can buy medium and drain the fat. Steak is good. Chicken - self explanatory Fish - Tuna is awesome, and as long as you aren't eating albacore you can eat 1000000 cans a week and not get sick. Use whey protein powder to fill in the gaps and meet your protein requirements for the day. Do not rely on whey as your primary source. Carbs: Multigrain bread / bagels Fibrous fruit - bananas, apples, mixed berries, pineapple Oats - not instant oatmeal shit, the kind you have to cook yourself Whole wheat pasta Brown rice Fat: Olive oil Flaxseed oil Egg yolks - fuck the haters, egg yolks are fine. Cholesterol level in food != levels in your blood. All the old studies saying yolks are bad have been disproven. Cheese Walnuts, almonds, etc. Natural peanut butter Try to eat vegetables at least 3 / 5 meals of the day. All colours of vegetables. Peppers, spinach, broccoli, whatever. Eat them. Take a multivitamin and DHA (fish oil supplement) daily. On days you do not work out, eat at maintenance (your BMR, remember?) by cutting out excess carbs. Immediately post workout (within half an hour) you will drink a protein shake. I like a couple scoops of whey in skim milk. You should aim to eat at this 40/40/20 ratio 90% of the time during the week. That equals about 5 "cheat" meals - fast food, missing a meal, mom's spaghetti, whatever, per week. MAKE SURE YOU ARE EATING!!!! If there is one thing that is going to stall you, it's a shitty diet. Do not come back to this thread crying if you are not following your macronutrient ratios. 6. Drink water. At least 2-4 litres a day. Do NOT drink pop, gatorade, or anything that has more than 0 calories. Exception: PWO shake. Water. Not juice. Not pop. Water. 7. Do NOT use supplements. No Nitrotech XXX Super Mass Gainer, no NO-Xplod, no nothing. Supplements = bullshit. 8. Be consistent. This doesn't happen overnight. You need to think in terms of a healthy lifestyle, and not a quick solution. 9. Shut the fuck up and lift. Thanks for reading!!! Good luck!! If you are offended by my tone, take that anger and use it to press a barbell over your head a few times. Good luck dudes. edit: adding something from a later post so nobody gets the wrong impression... In general, I apologize for the shitty abrasive tone, but this is just like the response to a "halp what jeanz should i kop" or "do i sized down 3 on ns." I don't mean to be ripping on anyone or insulting anybody - this is just a literally foolproof way to get bigger and stronger. Yes, you can experience success without watching macronutrients 100%; this is just a way to guarantee success in a field that so many get frustrated and give up on!

subset: commoncrawl


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(Survey of Novels and Novellas)
Alejo Valmont Carpentier was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1904. His parents had immigrated to Cuba two years before. His father was a French architect, and his mother was of Russian origin. Carpentier, whose first language was French (he retained throughout his life a French accent in Spanish), was sent to the best schools in Havana. While in his early teens, he and his parents made a very long trip to Europe, first traveling to Russia to claim an inheritance and later spending a good deal of time in Paris. In the French capital, Carpentier attended high school and began to acquire what was to become his awesome musical erudition. Back in Cuba, Carpentier finished his secondary education and registered at the university. He wanted to be an architect, like his father, but two events prevented his finishing his university studies. First, his father left home and was never heard from again, which forced Carpentier to earn a living for himself and his mother. Second, classes at the university were frequently canceled because of political turmoil.
Carpentier left school altogether and joined the revolutionary students who were fighting against Gerardo Machado y Morales, a dictator supported by the United States. Carpentier worked as a journalist and was instrumental in founding the Afro-Cuban movement, which hailed Cuba's African heritage. Afro-Cubanism wanted to create a new aesthetic based on Afro-Cuban folklore, and, as a political movement, championed the cause of the exploited black workers. Carpentier was jailed briefly in early 1928; a few months later, he managed to escape to France, where he was protected by his friend, the Surrealist poet Robert Desnos.
Between 1928 and 1930, Carpentier was associated with the influential Surrealist movement, and, in 1930, he participated in one of the squabbles that split the group. He had learned from Surrealism that his desire to look at things from a non-European perspective, something he had sought through Afro-Cubanism, was a major force in all avant-garde aesthetics. It became his major preoccupation as an artist. Translated into his own terms, the issue was how to look at reality with Latin American eyes. In France, he met other Latin American artists engaged in the same quest: the Cuban painter Wifredo Lam, the Guatemalan novelist Miguel Ángel Asturias, the Venezuelan novelist Arturo Uslar Pietri, and the Cuban folklorist Lydia Cabrera. He learned from all of them, as well as from James Joyce, the great Irish writer living in Paris at the time, who was plumbing the English language in search of a new way of expressing the world. Marginality—Joyce from the British Empire, the Latin Americans from Europe in general—was the bond.
Carpentier made a living in Paris with radio work, becoming an expert on radio broadcasting and advertising; these two activities became his source of income for many years thereafter. In Paris, he needed them, for he married very shortly after settling in that city. His wife, who was Swiss, died soon of tuberculosis,...
(The entire section is 1235 words.)


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Should I Bake My Own Wedding Cake? Help!
Business By PerryStCakes Updated 10 Nov 2005 , 9:47pm by HeatherMari
Hey everyone!
So after all this time helping brides with their big day, I am finally one of them! Yey!
I am getting married in March 2006. The big question - should I bake my own cake?
I want to say - "absolutely!" I help brides to be all the time with the how-to's of baking a wedding cake, etc. But my family, friends, and fiance all think I should not bake my own. Their reason - they say that I will be too busy, too hectic, too crazy at the time to worry about baking, delivering, and setting up my own cake. My fiance says "Look, I see how crazed you get when it's someone else's cake - I can't imagine how you'd be with your own! I don't want you to be that stressed on our wedding day."
What do you guys think?
they are right...you will be stressed, especially if something goes wrong!!!
i just finished this weekend making my sisters cake, and being bridesmaid at the same time. it was an effort to say the least. if you heave someone who can take over from you in set up and devivery, that may work for you....but have you hreard the many disaster mishaps that have happened. im telling you it is not worth ruining your day over
Personnally I would not recommend it eliviate as much stress as possible Let someone else do it your job that day is to show up and get married! I am sure everyone knows you make great cakes, but do not expect you to make your own. Congrats! Enjoy your wedding!
before you start even stressing about it now..find out if the site you have picked out for your reception allows you to bring outside cake..lol
I thought I'd do my own last year and THANK GOD everyone talked me out of it. I thought I'd have plenty of time in the days leading up to the wedding...but you really don't and there's a million other thoughts in your mind besides the worry of having to make the cake!!!!!
I agree with mezle...it will be very stressful. You should be enjoying your few days prior to your wedding. Maybe you can make the topper portion or the grooms one, one that will not take you a long time to do. Just a suggestion. Congratulations in your upcoming wedding! Lisa
Congratulations! And no... I would not recommend it. You are just going to be too busy.
Hey PerryStCakes...good to hear from you again!! Haven't seen you on here for awhile!!
I have read a few stories where the brides have successfully made their own wedding cakes...but my advice......don't do it!! Now matter how far you plan ahead, how organized you may be, it's just to hectic. This is a big day for you and your groom...enjoy it, it goes really fast!!
BTW...congrats on your engagement!!
Miss Missey! I missed you! I have been crazy with all the wedding planning - it really is time consuming!
I've been so busy that I haven't been on Wilton's forum or this one much lately - but I'm back! I've gotten most of the details squared away by now (yey!) so now I can re-focus
Thank you all for your warm wishes and sound advice! It really helps me - I need your expert opinions!
(As much as I want to trust the opinions of my family, friends, and fiance, these are the same people that are willing to go into heavy battle over something as inconsequential as wording on an invitiation. LOL. I need sane people!!)
Love you all!!
if you have the time,,why not ? go for it ... as long as it won't add stress to you..
I also would advise against it. You have so many other details to worry about, the last thing you need is something huge like making your own wedding cake to stress over. I got married before I started doing cakes, but there is no way I would have been able to do it.
Congratulations and good luck!
I made my own cake. If you cover it with fondant as long as you choose a filling that doesn't need refrigeration you can make it a week in advance. The fondant stops the air turning the cake stale. If you want a buttercream cake why not make it in advance. Freeze each layer the just defrost and assemble on the day.
I loved doing my own cake it meant I got exactly what I wanted and I don't think anyone else could have done that for me
It's your big day..enjoy it. It will pass so incredibly fast you'll be sad at the end of the evening. I considered doing my own, but opted out. Just let yourself be catered to this ONE day.
Chalk up one more no vote. I was so busy before my wedding that I forgot to pick up my dress!! Now that would have been a disaster. There's just so much going on why not delegate as much as you possibly can?
(And congats )
Ok, so i'm not engaged yet, but do have a significan other that is the one and this is what I am planning on doing.
I don't want anyone else to make my cake, we have designed our cake and I want to make it. So our display cake will be dummy cakes with one real cake. This way I can decorate in advance and have it the way I want it. Then I plan on having another decorator I know and trust to make sheet cakes to serve, decorate the small cake, and set up the main cake.
In theory I think this sounds good, so we get the cake we want and less stress. But we'll see if it actually works this way when the time comes.
Just another idea.
I would have to say NO!! The week before my wedding I was a bit crazy, sane, stressed,emotional,happy,sad. My nickname was Sybil . Only because your wedding day is so special let someone make YOUR cake. An idea may be to make the top tier and you and your honey can share it on your 1st anniversary. One small cake to make and poss freeze ahead(?) would be way less stress than an ENTIRE cake!!
Congrats, Best wishes and good luck with your decision.
I love all this input -- it really is helping me.
I did my brother's wedding cake, and let me tell you, because I was busy doing it I didn't get to help much with anything else, and I was dead tired during the wedding.
I think that there is so much going on already during the days before the wedding that you really shouldn't add another added stress.
If you really, really want to do it, why not do a display/fake cake (you can do it weeks before the wedding) that can be in the pictures. And get someone else to make you some kitchen cakes to serve.
I say, DO IT!!!!! I made my own. The only cautionary advice I have is make sure you have some time off to do it. My weddin g was this summer when I was off from school, so I found time to do wedding stuff and bake the cake. If you don't think you can handle it with your job, perhaps let someone else do it for you. Otherwise, bake your cakes in advance and freeze them. Then do your frostings a week ahead, and Thursday, assemble and decorate them...this may be relaxing to you and be a repreive from all the stress of the planning. They should be ready to go by Saturday, and all will be well!!
No! Do not even think you will have time to fit in baking, delivering and setting up your own cake. My daughter's wedding was in Sept. I did the cake, my sister and I did the flowers and deco, my mom helped us both with the catering. Boy by the time my daughter was ready to walk down the aisle I was so exhausted I could have slept for a week. Let someone else do your cake. It will even give you a chance to taste some of the competitions work.
ttb - good point - check out what everyone else is up to....
Sylvia Weinstock here I come! (OK, I can't afford her cakes, but no harm in a consultation - lord knows plenty of brides do it to me)
No! Do not even think you will have time to fit in baking, delivering and setting up your own cake. My daughter's wedding was in Sept. I did the cake, my sister and I did the flowers and deco, my mom helped us both with the catering. Boy by the time my daughter was ready to walk down the aisle I was so exhausted I could have slept for a week. Let someone else do your cake. It will even give you a chance to taste some of the competitions work.
I would have to agree with the majority here. Bad idea to make your own cake. I'm glad to see that you pretty much are in agreement with that. Besides, i see you are located in NYC. You have a great opporunity to check out some of the most renowned chef's around. I would be trying out Syliva Weinstock, as long as the consultation doesn't cost too much.
Why don't you design your cake...even make a dummy as your example...even bake the actual cakes and freeze them ahead of time...but have someone else execute the decorations while you run around doing bride stuff. I am available...I'm in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
I can duplicate anything...my husband says I would be a great counterfeiter!
I can see both sides on this one. Are you on a really tight budget??? Are you going to have some time off the week before the wedding??? Those are things you would need to consider if you decide to do it yourself. Also...if you do decide to do it...make sure you have a dependable person that can handle it carefully and deliver it to your reception.
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding.
I would definately take adven68 up on her offer! Her cakes are some of the best I have EVER seen!
I don't think you could go wrong with adven68...her cakes are gorgeous!!!!
I did my own, and I'm glad I did. I even live in Ohio and took everything to Florida! It kept me busy and kept my mind off of other things that I couldn't control. And I knew it was good! Of course it was very small too.
I wouldn't do it becasue there is enough stress as it is the week before the wedding. All you need is one thing to go wrong and everything spirals out of control, you could end up with no cake. I just made a cake for my daughters baptism party and I was stressed and pressed for time I said I would never make another cake for my own party again. I might not get exactly what I want but hey its better than the stress and having nothing at all. Good Luck
Just a quick story about what went wrong my week....
My wedding was on the Sunday before Labor and the friday before I was getting ready to pick up my dress and when I looked in my contact lens case they were GONE! My moms foster child was playing with the case and lost my lenses I was hysterical I had to put everything off and search the city of Chicago for an optical that carried sample Toric lenses and had them in stock. Due to this I almost had the store where my dress was at close for the labor day weekend with my dress inside still. I had to try my dress on with a red puffy face from crying all day and on top of that I had my ugly glasses on trust me I wasn't feeling this wedding thing at all at that point, anyway thanks to Costco Optical I got my lenses that Saturday and the wedding turned out beautiful. Thank God I wasn't doing my own cake. One more thing, one of the lenses ended up tearing the first day of my honeymoon so I was wearing one good lens and one bad, yes It was horrible.
Sorry my stroy turned out longer than I tought. Anyway Good luckwith your wedding !!
I think adven76 had a good idea abou the dummy. If your're on a tight budget, you could make up a dummy cake way ahead of time. Spend lots of time on it gettting it just how you want, then then week of the wedding make up sheet cakes to be cut and served. I make these types of cakes for brides for extra servings. They are four layers and when sliced no one knows it came from a sheet cake. This way would give you creative control, and a lot less stress.


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Review by Reluctantparticipant
"Both good and bad..."
Everquest. A lot of people have complaints. I have a number of beefs too. A lot of people are heavily addicted. I find that sickening and pathetic. Many people enjoy it. So do I. Let me tell you how I see it all.
The first thing about it that bugs me is a certain corporation's greediness. Perhaps the corporation that has produced the game. It seems to me that charging $50 to perform a simple copy and paste operation such as moving a character to a different server is a little bit much. Also, the need to pay for your account on a monthly basis is irritating. Some other good online games (Blizzard's numerous titles come to mind) offer this service free of charge. Further, the additional expansions and the prices thus introduced are quite aggravating. I don't know how much they're charging for Luclin (released two or so days ago from when this was written), but on top of Velious and Kunark, it is rather a surprising total.
The next thing I've noticed about the game is the vexing finality of certain initial decisions. When I first made a character, I had no idea what sort of stats would be good in a paladin, so I sort of guessed randomly, and my error in this instance will stick with me because you may not realize it until you've advanced a good while with a character, when you're either stuck with that or you have to start all over from the beginning.
Speaking of which, gaining levels is abominably difficult after a while. As a 14th level, the things that almost kill me get me scarce closer to significant advancement.
Further, the graphics values are astonishingly cheesy. I don't know about you, but I have never seen a tree with a regular triangular trunk. I realize that with the recent release of Luclin, they are putting out their much-touted new graphics engine, but I don't have that, so it seems to be straight out of the mid-90s to me. Oh, wait, that's wrong. The original Sonic the Hedgehog game for the Genesis had better graphics (granted, they were 2D animations).
That said, I do still play and enjoy the game. The graphics, as I said, are cheesy, but the environments are complex and interesting, the opponents are varied and diverse, and the interactions with other players are well-thought-out.
I find it to be an interesting area in which this plays out. In places there are cliffs over lakes, farms, Lookout towers, kobold or gnoll camps with tents and campfires, and all manner of other interesting objects that make each region unique. They don't repeat each other in an endless monotony of sameness and repeated themes that are used in dozens of areas dozens of times over and over and over and....
So it was a bad joke. So what? I'm the king of bad jokes.
Anyway. Different creatures have different AI's and different abilities. Most animals attack till they're at a certain %hp and then flee, but some will be harder to kill, some will help out others of their kinds, some are poisonous, et cetera. The semi-intelligent races, such as kobolds and gnolls, will come equipped with varying arms and armor, rations, and even sometimes precious precious booze, ahhh mmm (homer-like drool).
So my character's an alcoholic. So what?
Which leads me to another point. I don't play many MMORPGs but I really like the trade skill system in EQ. You can smith, you can cook, you can tailor, you can make poisons, and there are online guides for it all at eqtraders.com that tell you everything you'll ever need.
Also I enjoy the gameplay system. Out of combat plays a big part, between getting quests and selling and trading and practising a trade (i.e. smithing, cooking, etc.), and the combat system is fun too. At least it is for me. As a paladin, I have combat abilities (bash), combat spells (yaulp, flash of light) weapons to attack with, the ability to taunt my foes into flying at me in a febrile rage.....
It's fun to tell a gnoll its mother was a leprous prostitute. Try it some time.
The big thing that makes this fun is the other PCs, though. Interacting with other people is arguably the most important part of this game. You can buy or sell, join a group to kill things, duel, join guilds... The chat functions are good too. There are a variety for different purposes that have easy access. /g lets you chat with your party, /guild is for (guess what) your guild, /shout is for telling everyone in an area, /tell [person's name] is to communicate with only one other person, and such like. There are also different languages you can talk in to limit your selection of people you communicate with, and an emote system which includes a number of preset /emotes that have associated character motions, and a general emote function that lets you make your own.
Yes, it is somewhat expensive. No, it isn't actually a horrible game. Of all the features of the game, and taking all things into account, I give this game an eight out of ten.
Reviewer's Rating: 4.0 - Great
Originally Posted: 12/06/01, Updated 12/06/01
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YOGA CLASSES... 1st. class FREE with your package! (Panama City)
Hi to all InterNations Members.
As some of you may know, I have returned to live in Panama after been in Canada for over 15 years, where I get certified as Therapeutic Vinyasa Yoga Instructor, in addition of having received my second certification as Hatha Yoga Instructor at the International Sivananda center in Bahamas (RYT200)
Actually, I am the Director of YOGA LIFE PANAMA and in order to contribute with the propagation of YOGA and its benefits, I'm happy to announce that we are giving away ONE FREE YOGA CLASS, after selecting one of our packages from our site Protected content
any question, feel free to contact us directly on our LIVE CHAT!
Register to secure your spot, as space is limited
*Classes in English or Spanish with a Yoga Alliance certified instructor


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We're be staying at Chateau Marmont in a few weeks for the first night of our honeymoon, and would love some recommendations of places fairly nearby to go and eat. Ideally we'd like somewhere attached to or near a nice bar so we can spend the evening there, but any recommendations would be fantastic. We would like somewhere with a fantastic, relaxed atmosphere, and are really open to all suggestions from bar food to pizzerias to something much more upscale.
Many thanks


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Eric and his wife Katherine are proud to announce the launch of their charity Chief Cares! Administered by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Chief Cares has already made a difference in the lives of children in Nepal, sent aid to Haiti, and helped the Humane Society here at home. You can get involved too...Purchase Chief Cares Platinum Seats and the majority of your ticket purchase will go right back to the charity. Read more here: http://ericchurch.com/chiefcares
After you purchase a Platinum seat, fees are taken out by ticketing company, the original face value of the seat goes to the venue, and everything that is left goes to Chief Cares!


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How to use cellophane/cello sheet/cello wrap gift bags to make gifts look great
I used to think the only way to wrap a gift or fruit basket was to buy some wrapping paper and tape it
up. Now I don't know whether it is age or something else entirely, but nowadays I am getting a bit more
creative with wrapping gifts or fruit basket . I must admit though, it still took me a while to understand
the value of cello gift bags.
Surprise! You can see right through it!
This is what I could never understand when it came to cello gift bags. It was almost like someone
thought, "I know, I'll buy a really nice gift for my friend/aunt/partner/whoever, and then I'll pop
it in a see through bag to surprise them."
Isn't the unwrapping of the gift the whole point? Otherwise what happens to the excitement of the
unwrapping part?
You can see why it took me a while to catch on here. The surprise is in the presentation
If you are thinking about using cello gift bags for any reason, you need to think of them as the grand
flourish to giving a gift. Instead of giving a somewhat plain parcel that can be unwrapped, you can
give a real presentation – your gift is wrapped and finished beautifully, usually trimmed off with ribbons
as well. Can you imagine how delighted you would be to receive such a gift, even though you could
instantly see what it was?
I've cottoned on to the idea of using cello sheet or cello gift bags now, and if the gift is a special
one I do use them to add an extra degree of finery to the present. Clear cello gift bags come in all
shapes and sizes and there are lots of ways to use them The good news is that you can buy these cell sheet, cello roll and cello gift bags in all manner of
different shapes and sizes. For example some of them are tall and thin and are ideal for putting wine
bottles and champagne bottles in. All you have to do is to pop the bottle inside, gather in the cellophane and
tie a length of ribbon around the top in a bow.
Smaller bags are great for kids parties as well. You can use them instead of normal party or loot bags if
you have older kids to cater for. They can also be used at weddings and other get togethers if you want to
provide every guest with a small assortment of sweets to have.
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commenter cet article


text:
paul andrews of the seattle times is giving apple computer high marks when it comes to consumer support. andrews thinks the us$59 to $350 that apple charges for applecare is well worth the money, and compares the cost to a pc monitor that needed to be fixed. apple did garnish the number one customer service ranking in the 2001 consumer reports annual questionnaire, and a number one ranking for desktop repairs in may 2003. how is apple doing supporting your technical challenges?
user comments 61 comment(s)
|yeah (8:15am est wed dec 10 2003)
they give such great service, and if you disagree then you are a monkey – by s
|m4c (8:27am est wed dec 10 2003)
friedns powerbook broke twice, and they fixed it twice, and now its about to break again… silly mac fiends. – by m4c
|m4c (8:27am est wed dec 10 2003)
friends powerbook broke twice, and they fixed it twice, and now its about to break again… silly mac fiends. – by m4c
|your friend is an idiot (9:09am est wed dec 10 2003)
and it is about to break again because he is an idiot. – by -dead on ar
|my powerbook had the white spots… (10:04am est wed dec 10 2003)
they had a box at my door the next day (one that was better quality packaging than any pc vendor ships their computer in i might add). 5 days later… new screen. i had an airport basestation die, the next day there was a replacement at my door in a returnable box. and this basestation was out of warrantee. since i had applecare on a tower, the support rep happily covered it under that.
their service is the best. of course, these are the only two issues i've had in my 8-mac history, so their quality is the best as well. – by dr alien
|i agree (10:42am est wed dec 10 2003)
apples ipackaging is far better than any other packaging mainly thanks to apples new itape holding the icarton together tighly. this year has also seen massive advancments in ibubblewrap
service is greater than anyother not that i or anyone else would really know as apple computers never breakdown or have problems. thanks mainly to ijobbies.
so yes overall steve we mac followers want you to know that we love you so much man and are grateful for this opportunity to give thanks onto you and generly kiss your arse to such a degree that all out dignaty is wittled away.
– by d.ddd
|so smart he had to post it twice :) (10:48am est wed dec 10 2003)
– by d. brain
|no problems here (10:50am est wed dec 10 2003)
1 laptop issue & it was fixed and returned in less than 4 days. – by nopczone
|service… (10:57am est wed dec 10 2003)
is very good, as far as i'm concerned. brought my year old ipod into the store because i dropped it and it was making a wierd noise- three days after my warrantee expired- and the guy handed me a brand new one, no questions asked. my powermac is almost five years old now, and hasn't had any issues yet, so i wouldn't know about servicing that….but when you call apple, they have a lab with every combination of each type of machine dating back at least as far as my g4 450, crossed with every version of the os. they can test out any given circumstance over the phone for you- i called about a keyboard and the guy ran down to the lab and tested it out on my exact setup. – by death cube k
|i haven't had to call in… (11:05am est wed dec 10 2003)
a few years. but it is really nice to speak with someone who speaks american english. the bulk of apple support is based in texas.
wish i could say the say thing about the last time i called dell. – by geekthebarbarian
|ithink (11:09am est wed dec 10 2003)
average mac user is a busy iuser.
idunno – by id.ddd
|what??? (11:20am est wed dec 10 2003)
apple has probably some of the worst customer service/support in history. and this is not just from my personal experience, but from many other mac users as well.
for some reason, they always try to make the problem sound like your fualt. here are some examples of other mac users (from very pro-mac sites, even bigger zealots than the ones here) who are quite aware of apple's support:
of course, horror stories like these are a dime a dozen. millions of them all over the internet and in magazines, etc. the mac user at macaddict was right in saying that "apple has never been know for their customer support." 100% true.
sorry, mate… i'll believe millions of real mac users rather than one no-name dude over at the seattle times.
– by jake robbine
|lol (11:28am est wed dec 10 2003)
it's an ibrainwash lol lol, i'diots lol
let us this day give thanks onto our most holy father (s.jobs). thanks you for the macs we use and the mac lives we live. when you treat us like crap we know it is out fault for not loving you enough. we will try harder.
iwhorship – by d.ddd
|support great (11:51am est wed dec 10 2003)
i am a net tech and work on mostly pcs and have had to call support from just about every maker there is, must suck. however, i do have an ibook at work and just monday it broke and except for the hold time which was only like 12 minutes the service was great!!!! like a someone said earlier the box the sent "overnight" had better packaging than dell sends with there pcs. – by bigjerm
|again (12:03pm est wed dec 10 2003)
ipackaging proves its superiority over anyother form of packaging
inuff said..
other than we love you jobs – by d.ddd
|apple support is indeed very good. (12:07pm est wed dec 10 2003)
i had a doa powermac 1.25mp, called apple, and with a fifteen minute call had them sending me a box. next day box arives, i ship, and three days later new mac. you really can't beat that.
dell – i have a dell x200, died after three weeks (could here it booting, as well as ran fine on an external monitor, but a dead screen on the laptop, i assumed bad on board video), called dell and two hours later they agreed to take a look at it (sarcasm). they shipped a box two days later, after a week, i called and still were unsure as to the prob, three more days and they had the novel idea to replaced the mother board with a refurb (thta chapped me a bit), and shipped it to me gound – or three more days.
in the end, i have decided no more dells for me.
though this is only my own little experience, i believe it is telling and i here the same experiences from others. – by digicrom
|apple support is just average (12:18pm est wed dec 10 2003)
sent it in b/c my new powerbook at the white spots and a dead pixel. they call me and say that it will take 9 days to replace the screen and that they also found that my keyboard needed to be replaced. this, only after owning my powerbook for 2 weeks.
i get it back and it was poorly put back together, my cd would not eject properly, and the auto dimmers stopped working. sent it back again, but got it back in 3 days.
then i run first aid and find that there are a lot of errors on the harddrive. call applesupport and they tell me to erase the hard drive. i do it, but i still get errors. then i take it to the genius bar and the guys tell me that erase is not as thorough as a partition erase. wait an hour and i get it back with no problems.
now my charger won't charge the powerbook. bring it in to genius bar and finally get a replacement that took 5 min. after waiting for 30 min. to see a "genius".
my first mac and i gotta say, i'm not impressed at all. my 1995 packard bell pc(133mhz, 64mb ram) still runs and has never once had problems, now that's reliability. – by dl
|not for me (12:19pm est wed dec 10 2003)
i brought my ipod to my local apple store where they requested to give the problem a bit more time and let's see what happens. i again brought it back 2 weeks later and they then told me it was 3 days out of the period where they would give me a new ipod and requested a $30 processing fee. after some discussion, they waived the fee.
two days later i sit down with my cd's and attempt to load them into the ipod. this continues to lock up itunes. i can not "force quit" itunes nor kill the process from the command line as "root".
i am connected to india. the technican says the ipod must be connected by the firewire cable. i repeat that itunes locks up while transfering songs. he asks again if it is connected. i say it is in mounted in the dock, but he doesn't know what the dock is. he requests i reset the ipod with a paperclip through the hole. i ask where the hole is but he doesn't know. we reset using the buttons (which i tried befor calling) and then the technican declares it fixed. for this i ask him to humor me and attempt to transfer songs again. it locks up again and he claims it is that song. i say it was a different song the last time it locked up. he now claims it is the album, but i say that you really don't know anything about how the system works and it does this on all my cd albums. this brings the statement that it probably ok, but i just can't load music on it. duh! well, what would you like me to do he says. i request that he files a claim, so that when i drive the 30 miles again to the apple store at my next convenience, they don't ask for $30 dollars again.
apple could save expenses on tech support by instead of outsourcing it to india, they offered none at all.
down the road, i may just go back to linux. i switch to osx as i was tired of years fighting code and getting applications to compile. i believe with apple using bsd linux as an operating system, that they really had something good. while support is only available for linux on the web and other users, in total, i've had far less problems with it than with my apple. – by steve
|apple support is indeed not very good. (12:27pm est wed dec 10 2003)
its funny you should tell such a story, digicrom.
i myself had the same experience with apple not too long ago.
i had a dual 1ghz g4. just bought it about 2 prior. all of a sudden, weird noises from the hard drive, frequent kernel panics, etc., etc. i called apple. after about an hour and a half on the phone, they told me to reinstall osx. (duh). i said i already did that.
they told me to send it back when they couldnt figure it out. after over 3 weeks (and about 5 phone calls) i received the fixed system.
i have also owned 3 microns in the past. i had a total of 2 problems with them — ever. each time i called, they were able to fix the problem over the phone in about 15 minutes.
i have also owned an alienware. after sending it back becuase of some kind of bad hardware that was in it, i waited a total of two days before a brand new one was sent to me — fedex 2nd day air.
though this is only my own little experience, i believe it is telling and i hear the same experiences from others.
|fantastic service (1:06pm est wed dec 10 2003)
i had to use apple support last month for a faulty video card on my g5.
they sent a package and got it shipped to base fro repair-had it back 3 days later top class!!
dell on the other hand took 5 weeks to repair my insperon8200 notebook – by dell sucks
|mac web = biggest critics (1:21pm est wed dec 10 2003)
the mac web are apple's biggest critics. they exist to spur apple to even greater perfection.
anyway, jake has posted at least one link (the macaddict one) which is nothing but a troll speculating about events which were to have happened on nov 17. since they didn't happen, we can assume the troll is wd or a close relative spouting more fud.
the mac observer forum complaints are mostly about cosmetic problems. but i will agree that apple has shipped some very sorry keyboards with the quicksilver g4s. so i'd replace it with a $10 usb keyboard from anywhere.
i mean, if you want to say that the white plastic is not white enough and call apple's response to such silliness "bad technical support" then don't expect to be taken too seriously.
the last time i called apple support, well some stupid buyer had loaded up a 9600 with all kinds of goodies including applecare — and then complained that macs are expensive! anyway, i merely suspected a problem with the video card (ati), and apple sent out a tech who replaced the card. this was back in the amelio era, and if apple was that good in their "coma" it's unlikely they've become worse.
another thing to remember about support forum posts is that the problems are often "forgot to plug it in" goofups. the user will generate page after page of flamage directed at apple, when all that needs to be done is to put plug a into socket b.
rebecca the strange (wife of jeff voodoo memory) has a hilarious story about a peecee user who, to make a long story short, wanted rebecca to "get out of my computer!" tech supporters get some real howlers.
|great support (2:32pm est wed dec 10 2003)
i've had nothing but great support from apple. i have an original bondi imac which went through a couple logic board replacements. the tech support was top notch in diagnosing what might be wrong. i brought it into the campus computer store and they promptly had it fixed in a few days. we've also got a few ibooks in my house. all three of them have had a repair on them, but the tech support got to the bottom of the problems quickly and the turnaround time for sending it in and getting it back was great. apple had the machines for not even 12 hours before sending them back out. i realize computers do break, apple can't be responsible for all the third party parts such as hard drives and memory they put into them. but, they do get the units fixed up as fast as possible. – by scott
|unix daemon (2:39pm est wed dec 10 2003)
actually, the mac web is apple's biggest fan base… while there is critism there, those people post on mac forums becuase, well, they like macs.
that macaddict link was a trollish, but it just goes to show that people tend to know that apple's support is "iffy" at best. from my personal experience, its terrible.
the other links were legit postings, not flames, made by mac users (and sometimes loyalists — take a look at the poster's other posts in those forums). not stories about "goof-ups" or mistakes, but about apple's support itself. if you'd like another 100 links, just let me know. but i'm sure you could find them on your own.
the fact is, apple's support, even as we have seen in this very *mac* forum, is not up to par. most people post that they are in some way dissatisfied. while mac-zealots (who probably have never tried a pc) continue to bash dell's support, there are still hundreds of other pc companies which offer great support and help.
– by jake robbine
|bad bad bad (2:50pm est wed dec 10 2003)
i hate to say it, but even tho i use the mac, i have called apple many many times. i get frustrated each time i call. they tell me that i did something wrong, but then when they try to trace it, they realize i did nothing.
i had a keyboard problem with my powerbook, where keys would stop and start working all the time. i took it into an apple store, i called apple, i did everything. finally, this local place in my neighborhood told me to give it to them, and they'd take care of it. they finally got it fixed through apple, but how i dont know. all in all it took over a month to get it sorted out.
bad apple, bad.
|imac and apple (3:06pm est wed dec 10 2003)
well, i've had some very mixed experiences with apple. sometimes, when i've talked on the phone with them, they seem very nice — allmost too nice (like they're trying to sell you something else).
but i also had this problem with my imac (17″). the screen went bad somehow… i dont know. i called apple up, and they went through their usual questioning. they claimed i bumped or dropped it or hit it!! what?? my computer just sits on the desk. i have never damaged it at all.
now i know there are lots of dishonest mac-loyalists around here who will tell you over and over again that appls support is the best. chances are they never even called apple, but they seem to be so caught up in it that they'd never say anything bad about the mac.
– by -[–::x::–]-
|thought i'd show you all (3:18pm est wed dec 10 2003)
off topic:
the reaction to apple in ginza, japan
on topic: a few post on bbs….but compare it to 7 million os x community as a whole…that would be the correct thing to do. oh and didn't pc magazine rate apple's tech services as the best in the industry?…..yea i think they did.
|still waiting to be showed (3:23pm est wed dec 10 2003)
"oh and didn't pc magazine rate apple's tech services as the best in the industry?…..yea i think they did."
god, youre so stupid, you idiot. they rated a mac as a top computer… not their customer service.
"a few post on bbs….but compare it to 7 million os x community as a whole…that would be the correct thing to do."
same reasoning:
|apple service (4:28pm est wed dec 10 2003)
i'm on my second mac,and the machine is great. no regrets.
my first mac was used,more like abused by me,for 5 years,and it's still running.
however i can see people having bad experiences with tech people at apple or any other company.
sometimes you run into someone,who lacks knowledge,but wrote a great resume.
when i got my first mac,i talked to the support people a few times,who were very knowledgable,with good attitudes,and a sense of humour,who went out of their way,to help me.
the last time i called apple for suport,with my new machine,i was handed down a line of people,who knew very little about the product,and seemed to be there to say, yes and no, and very little else. i'm not sure i'll call again.
the store where i purchased both my machines,was staffed with people,who had never used a mac,"windows only", and i had to talk them,through the online catalogue.
best advice,if you find buisnesses,and tech people,that are honest,sell or produce good products,and really know their stuff,stick with them.it's worth the extra cash you spend,when all is said and done.
i found a local guy who dabbles in mac,linux, software,refits and upgrades,and knows more than anyone else i've talked to. " a real geek"
go to his shop,drink tea,roll a fatty,pick his brain,do some jammin.
your machine is on the fritz,and theres a blizzard going on,try and stop him, from coming to your place to fix it, and of course, drink tea,roll fatties,and jam.
do not depend on any company to give you good sevice or support.
|steve (4:31pm est wed dec 10 2003)
i am connected to india.
apple could save expenses on tech support by instead of outsourcing it to india, they offered none at all".
apple do not have tech support in india that's dell!!
|hahahahahahaha (6:07pm est wed dec 10 2003)
god, you're so smart, you handsome guy you. they rated a mac as a top computer… not their customer service.
thank you but that's not the point. i'm not referring to this article.
same reasoning:
what!?! the hell are you talking about?. i never compare services but if you did like consumer-reports, apple came out on top!……haha (what an idiot!….did you even bother reading the headline?…oh i forgot trolls can't read)
trying to compare numbers and place the emphasis on size, again!?!…are you
|love me tender, love me true. (6:13pm est wed dec 10 2003)
i meant to say consumer-reports and not pcrag…my bad but i was working and rushed my post. – by smurftower
|love me tender, love me true. (but only if you're a man) (6:17pm est wed dec 10 2003)
no, really…
i meant to say consumer-reports and not pcrag…my bad but i am actually an idiot and dont realize what i'm saying. – by (real)smurftower
|i disagree with this headline (6:24pm est wed dec 10 2003)
i am a mac user and owner, as well as a pc owner. i have owned several different pcs in the past as well as several macs. i must say that i despise apple's customer support, while, depending on the pc company, others seem much easier to deal with.
– by jon q.
|dumbtower is that you? (6:37pm est wed dec 10 2003)
the come back kid!
sex between men…don't knock it till you've tried it. – by smurftower
|easy to give custoomer service (7:22pm est wed dec 10 2003)
especially when you only have 5 mac users – by good c. s
|apple care (1:39am est thu dec 11 2003)
so far apple care has come in handy for me,.. mainly when i had a few questions networking a printer. haven't had to call em on a real hardware prob yet, but i know a few people that have, and it seemed to me that apple handled he problems quite well. that whole ipod $250 thing was outrageous though, i think the apple care guy that they got was missinformed or just an asshole… i called apple and asked the price of battery, and they said it was $100 to get it recharged, still pricey, but the guy told me that he's never heard of it costing $250.
whatever,.. i don't know exactly whats up with that. as far as jon q's post goes, that sucks, i've had nothing but good support from applecare's reps for all but one guy who really didn't know what he was doing, newbie i guess. i've never called dell, but i have had battles with hp, talk about uninformed jag offs. it just goes to show, no company has it right when it comes to tech support. i also hear that a lot of tech support is moving to india,… i'm thinkin', great, now i gotta decipher an accent too.
– by kerek
|love (4:58am est thu dec 11 2003)
you jobbies, your the father figure we never had.
xxxx – by mac user
|problem is (5:05am est thu dec 11 2003)
for all computer suppliers any techie woth his/her salt does not want to be working on a support help desk.
the helpdesk is generally a place for newbies or dummies – by d.ddd
|wondering about the author (12:03pm est thu dec 11 2003)
i would really like to know how this paul andrews came to his conclusion in his seattle times article. i gotta say that i havn't had good experiences with apple. yeah, maybe apple did fix his (paul's) wife's mac a couple times, but does that automatically make apple best in support everywhere?
not if you talk to me (and, by the looks of it, several other people in this thread, and many other people around the 'net). paul andrews seems to suffer from the all-too-common "it happened to me, it appplies everywhere" syndrome. just becuase he had a couple of good personal experiences, he thinks he can publish a sweeping article about it. he doesnt even talk about any other computer companies other than emachines (the closest he comes is linksys) which might indicate he hasn't had any other computers.
– by todd maklow
|heya nick (1:22pm est thu dec 11 2003)
my theory is: windows makes people stupid.
i don't know how. it must be like watching sitcoms, listening to country music, or eating heavy metals. there is something to the activity which erodes or degrades brain cells. it doesn't seem to be the x86 processors, as retarded as x86 is, people running linux on them are a good deal smarter than those running windows. so the x86 isn't emitting bozo rays. somehow, microsoft's bad software is destroying the wetware of their customers. maybe the pathetic aping of macintosh features causes prions to bust loose and get ornery. maybe the constant futzing and patching causes this form of dementia.
it seems to be related to wits: windows-induced tourette's syndrome. everybody who's used windows has experienced this. the grumbling, griping, and teeth-grinding which builds up and eventually erupts in uncontrollable strings of profanity that would make a sailor blush. recurrent wits eventually leads to dementia. that's my theory. – by unix daemon
|unix daemon (2:43pm est thu dec 11 2003)
ahh, yes… spoken like a true mac zealot.
– by dont listen to u.d.
|with a name like "dont listen to u.d." (3:02pm est thu dec 11 2003)
it's a bit cheeky to be calling anyone anything, isn't it? – by nookster
|stupid trolls (5:38pm est thu dec 11 2003)
not if you talk to me-i have a friend who owns a mac..
tod you don't even own a mac!! and you felt you needed to give your friends bad eperience??
"my friend ended up having to use my computer for 3 1/2 weeks until he got his replacement".
he didn't have apple care then!!!
do yourself a favor before trolling only post true stories(that apply to you) not a friend of a friends friend blah blah blah
unix daemon is right!!! – by mod traklow
|re: satisfied (3:39am est fri dec 12 2003)
>> errr
apple do not have tech support in india that's dell!!
wrong. they started a support unit in india. – by jido
|nope (4:05pm est fri dec 12 2003)
apple so far has resisted this,
dell has been using india as a tech support area for ages and are only now changing this back. – by dave
|mod traklow (4:21am est sat dec 13 2003)
you and daemon sound more like trolls than todd.
so? what bad assumption are you making about the people of india in relation to pcs?
they weren't really any higher than dell. if you believe everything pc magazine says, than you don't know much about computers.
as for the consumer reports…
#2 only consumer reports reader were serveryed, automatically makes the statistics biased.
#3 where are the numbers that they used to make the little bar graphs. with only 4600 people the statistics are far from optimal.
those statistics are garbage.
– by kore
|mod traklow (4:21am est sat dec 13 2003)
you and daemon sound more like trolls than todd.
so? what bad assumption are you making about the people of india in relation to pcs?
they weren't really any higher than dell. if you believe everything pc magazine says, than you don't know much about computers.
as for the consumer reports…
#2 only consumer reports reader were serveryed, automatically makes the statistics biased.
#3 where are the numbers that they used to make the little bar graphs. with only 4600 people the statistics are far from optimal.
those statistics are garbage.
– by kore
|wrong (6:03am est sat dec 13 2003)
they started a support unit in india. – by jido
just plain false!!!!
apple care at present have no support in india�not hat india is poor with it, i personally have no problem talking to first class graduates
mod traklow (4:21am est sat dec 13 2003)
you and daemon sound more like trolls than todd.
trolls� ??? bet they at least have macs� posting on a mac forum�unlike todd
with only 4600 people the statistics are far from optimal.
the report says�n a survey of 39,000 consumer reports readers, – by read all the report
|fools (1:12am est wed jan 28 2004)
get a life – by life – get one
|apple not honoring warranty (2:59pm est tue feb 03 2004)
apple care refused to honor the warranty on the power adaptor for my powerbook. this is the second cord that's had problems (i paid for replacement on the first) within 2 years.
i developed power fluctuations that were related to cord failure.
in both cases, the cord was not abused – the wires became worn leading me to believe there's a design flaw.
i'm paying a total $160 to replace a defective part that it appears will fail again within the next 12 months.
this is not the level of service i expected from apple. – by john
|my computer didn{t work (10:10pm est wed apr 14 2004)
i buyed my ibook model no. a 1007 eith a serial no. s uv24308yn4r on 12/30/02 and last week i was working on line and it didn{t work again.
i appreciate if you let me know any kinf of problem with this model or this specific production. i hope to hear of you soon my email is:
firstname.lastname@example.com – by julieta r cruz
|apple sent me a free ipod (4:23pm est sat jul 31 2004)
i ordered a new 4g 20gb ipod – apple sent me two and only charged for one. i called them and they let me keep it. woot – apple supporter for life!!! – by mongoos150
|ibook (12:07pm est mon aug 23 2004)
apple reparied my logic board and got it back to me all within 48 hours, including shipping. computers are very complex machines, and something will go wrong, given time. apple takes care of ya. that is all there is to it, pay a little more, and you get a real computer experience that no hard headed pc user will ever know. unless that hardheaded pc user, like i was, gets their hands on a mac. – by skeptikal353
|apple support sucks! (4:11pm est fri apr 08 2005)
wow… i'm glad to see that i'm not the only one who's had problems with apple. i paid $59 for the extended warrenty on my ipod. recently it died, so i sent it in for repair. apple is claiming that i've abused the thing and consequently that i've somehow voided my warrenty. this is pure crap. i've kept that thing in a carrying case since the day i bought it. i've used by ipod, but i've not abused my ipod. this is just their way of getting out of fixing the problem.
i will never buy another apple product again… – by matthew jones
|bad? (6:34am est sat may 21 2005)
basically there support is solid… its not always prefect, we [apple] get the occasional screw ups and unhappy customers, but in general, most are happy. bascially compared to other computer makers, dell, gateway etc… even on apples bad days, we try to do more than them, period.
its the truth, today we had a customer that was very unhappy, and i felt very bad… when i thought about it though, we offered more than our competition by a long shot. with that said, apple should be held to a higher standard, because apple is supposed to be the best. apple is. improvements need to be made, of course. however until youve been on the phone will dell for 12 hours over 4 weeks (litterally) — with no solution i might add, you can appreciate that apple at least tries (most of the time anyway, i cant be sure of all lines of support and you must be aware that sometimes we are just plain overwhelmed).
furthermore ill add that usually people only come to these forums when they are upset. the fact that a majority of these comments say the support is good is testimony that in general, apple support does its job. actually i find pc switchers are the most shocked by the support, and most appreciative. they dont like paying for applecare as opposed to dellcare (hehe), but the support is for the most part good. the only real problems ive seen are when parts simply arnt available or arnt being re-manufactored, and thats more of a corporate problem.
if i was going to rate apple support, it would be a b, not fantastic, but good. dell gets d- (phone support gets f). – by none.
|itunes support is horrible (11:55pm est tue nov 01 2005)
the only support problem i have with apple is the horrid itunes non-support. in fact i filed a complaint with the ftc, will file a complaint this week w/my states attorney generals office and fax letters of complaint to apple's board.
itunes has no number to call and no manager will ever call you back when you request. this is beyond poor customer service. i've tried to work with them for a month on a download issue and each time it is apparent i get a different person in their cheap e-mail(non-call)center who either never reads my case notes – could be because no agent ever puts my information in the database – or doesn't even read the long email string i have responded to over and over and over again. and each time i have to explain myself again and wait for up to 72 hours for a response. personally i'm tired of dealing with these people. so i hope the ftc, apple's board or maybe the attorneys general office for consumer complaints in nc can do something about it. afterall, they do business with consumers in nc and other states and if they take our money and don't deliver then there is a legal issue involved. – by robert davis
|powerbook g4 (10:17pm est sun nov 27 2005)
bought powerbook g4 and after 4 months of use backlight went out. got the runaround on phone and at apple store-as a college student could not be without comp for any length of time and support from apple was non-existent. will never buy another apple product. – by jan
|lucky nugget (4:40pm est tue dec 27 2005)
mother she — she george shook his head quickly . – by bella micah
|disappointing service (5:59am est mon mar 06 2006)
my ipod 60gb was dead on arrival. i had to pay the delivery to their lab. it took them 30 days(!!!) to replace it (the computers were down…) and then i got back a 30gb ipod!
no apologize, no compensation. i had to send it back. now i'm on hold again. – by david
|crappy service (3:48pm est tue mar 07 2006)
yesterday i placed an order from the online apple store. estimated shipping time: within 24 hours. i even paid $16 for overnight shipping.
today i get an email stating that my camera will be delivered 8 weeks from now!
i called to cancel the order. now i'm waiting for the debit card reimbursement and i only got 82% of the gift card reimbursed.
– by josh jordan
|bad apple (7:12pm est mon sep 11 2006)
i have had my powerbook g4 for a year now and apple never told me about the lower memory slot not working from the factory. they fixed it under the extended warranty. then two weeks later the backlight for the lcd screen went out. i had to wait forever for phone support. but they made me take it to the apple store in vegas before they would even talk to me on the phone at corporate. they accussed me of "beating up my powerbook". it's still not fixed. i have had enough of apple. never agian! – by notamacfan


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Urban Veda Radiance Night Cream
£18.50 (£37 per 100ml)
Product Summary
Radiance Replenishing Night Cream
Aqua (Water), Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (derived from Coconut Oil), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate (Liquorice Root Extract), Terminalia Arjuna (Arjuna) Bark Extract, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Oil, Coriadrum Sativum (Coriander) Leaf Oil, Cedrus Atlantica (Atlas Cedar) Bark Oil, Tagetes Minuta (Marigold) Flower Oil, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense (Goji Berry) Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyglycerin, Tetrapeptide-30 (Amino Acids), 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Please note that while we take every care to make sure the product information displayed on our website is correct, product recipes are regularly changed. This may affect nutrition and allergen information therefore you should always check product labels and not rely solely on the information presented here.If you require specific advice on any Waitrose branded product, please contact our Customer Care Team. For all other products, please contact the manufacturer.This information is supplied for personal use only. It may not be reproduced in any way whatsoever without the prior consent of Waitrose Limited nor without due acknowledgement.


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London's Daily Mail says 'New England Revolution' won Super Bowl
The Daily Mail tabloid may not be based in the United States but it still covers an event as big as the Super Bowl, so its website published a story on Monday about the Super Bowl champion "New England Revolution."
• Seahawks fan uses Madden to show Lynch could have scored
The London-based publication has since corrected its error, but luckily the screen grab will live on forever.
In the paper's defense, they do call soccer "football" over there, and both teams play in the same stadium, so it is a fair mistake. Sort of.
- Brendan Maloy


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Brute Force
Review by firstknt
"As good as it gets"
Brute Force was what the OXM (June 2002, Issue #7) promised to be, "The Next Halo", it was a revolutionary (as they stated) 3rd person squad-based shooter. Not much was heard about the game after the initial buzz; info on the game was scarce, and it wasn't until recently, months prior to the game's release, which hype started to build.
So is the game what people say it would be? Is it "the" game to help gamers tide the wait until Halo 2? Almost, not that it misses the mark, but comes so very close to being "The Next Halo".
On another note, since the game was touted to be "The Next Halo", not to mention having collaboration from the makers of Halo, Bungie themselves, Brute Force is bound to be compared to Halo and be measured against the great standard of gaming excellence Halo has set.
Graphics (10/10)
The graphics are simply top notch; the particles effects are eerily great. The volcano dust, the mist/fog is simply breath taking; it's one of the best looking games on the XBOX to date. The environments are huge, the draw distance is great and the textures are better that those of Halo in some instances. The levels in Brute Force actually remind me that of Panzer Dragoon Orta, which art direction provides the gamer a sense of immersion unparallel to other games. When gamers play Brute Force, it's like they can smell the volcano ashes and feel the heat of the lava; or feel the dense humidity of the fog in the rain forests.
The character models are simply the best to grace the XBOX. The in-game character models move with fluidity and the animation of all the character movements; from simple ones like walking/crouching to complex ones like switching weapons (a la Tex with his gun rack) are smooth and very life-like. The cut-scenes which provide the narrative of the story show great amount of detail put into the facial animations and lip-synching. Simply put, the graphics of Brute Force is what the XBOX is all about.
Sound (8/10)
With Halo having set the high standard of music score and immersion of the game via great sound effects and voice acting, Brute Force follows closely, but has yet to achieve the level of greatness that Halo has. That isn't to say the sound effects in Brute Force are sub-par; on the contrary, they are good if not great.
Projectiles whiz by with great authenticity, the ambient sound effects of the environment once again provides the gamer a good sense of "being there". The musical score is adequate, nothing stellar but still good enough to pace the game accordingly.
The best aspect of sound in Brute Force is the voice acting. It's simply great; the voices are sincere and fit the character accordingly. The humorous antics are great and provide a grin/smile to gamers, and in turn, provide a connection to the characters they are controlling.
The only quip I have about the sound is that when the gamers issue commands all the while new objectives are given (scripted sound events), it can be a bit confusing. But that aside, sound is great in Brute Force.
Controls (9/10)
With Bungie having given support into the development process of Brute Force, the similarities in terms of control with Halo are staggering. Again, not to say that's a bad thing; for those gamers who were accustomed and came to enjoy Halo's control scheme, Brute Force is very easy to pick up, there's hardly anything learning curve.
Customizable control schemes/options aside, the right trigger shoots, the left trigger throws grenades or uses whatever is assigned to it. The left thumbstick when clicked in, makes the character crouch and the right thumbstick clicks in to zoom the rifle if it has that feature. In short, it's just so similar to Halo that it's great. Jump is assigned to "A"; weapon switching is "Y"; reload and action is "X" and "B" is different, it allows gamers to toggle through the inventory. The white button is for special abilities and the black button is for quick med-kit use.
The minor complaint is that toggling different items to be used from the left trigger can be annoying.
As for the assignment of squad commands, it's simply brilliant. Squad members can be toggled with a simple press of the corresponding d-pad direction. Hold it down a bit longer and gamers can issue commands to the respective character. Although there are only four commands, they serve their purpose nicely. Stand ground is exactly what it means, cover-me is great when gamers want the other character(s) to follow and provide assistance. Fire-at-will gives the character full autonomy, which is ok as long as they don't get into tense fire-fights, gun blazing and using med-kits like mad. I'll elaborate on that aspect a bit later. Move-to is the command I like the most. Characters when assigned the command will move to a target location, engaging any enemy within the transit and stand ground when the destination is reached.
Gameplay (9/10)
On a similar note, the AI of the game is great. It has to be great because Brute Force being a squad based combat, team AI is very important or else gamers will find their more vulnerable characters getting into adverse situations and killed in the process. Luckily, with the command features and the good AI, gameplay is smooth but still, there are times when gamers may get frustrated.
The revival mechanism is believable and the lack of save features makes the entire gaming experience more engaging and dare I say, more "real". In any instance when a team member is killed, continuing through the level just won't be the same, not to mention you might miss some pre-scripted events, like dialog or others.
This aspect of the gameplay makes the gamer value each character and employ battlefield tactics instead of going in guns blazing and dying a absurd death and expecting to re-spawn. Not to say that going in head strong, regardless of strategy is bad, it's fun; but expect the consequences of such actions.
As for the point of med-kits usage by non-player controlled squad mates, it's a bit annoying when the character doesn't need to use a med-kit but chooses to do so, dwindling the supply rather quickly.
The AI is great, but could have been so much better. Instead of using med-kits when health is low, the squad members should disengage and seek cover, not abiding by the original command given. Elites and Halo could do it, and they were the enemy AI, why couldn't Brute Force have something "smarter" like that?
Story (9/10)
The story is the typical sci-fi setting. Nothing awe-inspiring, but the story is no slouch either. Gamers will find small twists that encourage more gameplay. The superb voice-acting and cut-scenes push the story along nicely.
For those who wish a more complete experience, reading the book, Brute Force: Betrayals might to the trick.
Replayability (9/10)
Replayability would be a perfect 10 out of 10 if Brute Force included FULL XBOX Live support as in online multiplayer. Unfortunately, that is not the case. But Brute Force still offers great multiplayer option and utilizes the system link feature (of the XBOX) unlike any other game in the entire XBOX library.
Multiplayer is fun, period. Going through the campaign with another person or more (up to 4) is a blast, not to mention they can join in at anytime. ANYTIME, no need to pause or reload, just plug in the controller and they're in. WOW! Completing the campaign this way is simply the best, and if the gamer and his/her buddies decide to up the stakes by going Brutal, it's so much more fun.
As for the other multiplayer options, like standard deathmatch and squad deathmatch are great fun. In short, this is the game to get the system link cable for.
Final Verdict (9/10) not an average
With all the hype surrounding Brute Force prior to its release and the inevitable comparisons to Halo, the game delivers on its promises, although the AI isn't as brilliant as it could have been. All in all, the game is bloody fun, and for those gamers who have pals that own an XBOX as well, coming over and system-linking has never been more fun.
Reviewer's Rating: 4.5 - Outstanding
Originally Posted: 05/30/03, Updated 05/30/03
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How Can a Nose Job Cause Deaths?
Well, I might be planning to get a nose augmentation surgery. I found some articles about people who died after getting nose job. How can this... READ MORE
How common is death during Rhinoplasty surgery? (photo)
I am 14 years old and getting a MINOR nose job I am not nervous at all right now but come the day before surgery I know that will totally change I... READ MORE
What are the chances you can die from a rhinoplasty and septoplasty?
I have always wanted a nose job. I have so much anxiety about it and would like to know the chances of death in this procedure.I'm 26 pretty healthy... READ MORE
Is It Possible to Die from Rhinoplasty?
Hello is it possible to die from rhinoplasty itself example you are having rhinoplasty under local anaesthesia (without iv sedation). READ MORE
Problems Associated with Rhinoplasty?
I want to know what are the chances of these problems occuring and do physical fitness etc affect these problems such as incresing them or decreasing... READ MORE
I'm scared about going in and not going out. What is the likelihood to die during Rhinoplasty procedure?
Rhinoplasty. Young healthy female, 18 yo. No health conditions to note. Slight iron deficiency, etc. Some acne, not much. Some episodes of passing... READ MORE
Should I be worried about the possibility of dying under anesthesia? I have a 5 year old and I'm thinking worst case scenario.
I will be getting a septo/rhinoplasty done. I have a deviated septum as well as nasal valve collapse. My symptoms are generally not feeling like I can... READ MORE
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Nasal gortex implant in 2007 followed by another in 2010 with a second gortex implant placed on top of the first implant, 2nd became infected, removed... READ MORE
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Hello Dr's I am soon to be undertaking a rhinoplasty and Lipo but the Dr I am using recently suffered a fatality where a lady died due to multiple... READ MORE
Can I Be Hit in the Nose After a Year After Surgery? Is the Nose More Weak After Surgery ? Can I die?
I am afraid of brain damage and death. What can you tell me that will ease my fears?
Tip surgery with ear cartlidge and shaving down collum. READ MORE
What are my chances of dying from the nose job surgery considering I had another general anesthesia less then a year ago?
I had a plastic surgery 8 months ago. I had face contouring, nose job and hair transplant and the surgery lasted like 6-7 hours. Now i want to do a... READ MORE


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lovie23's review of
-1 reviews
% would repurchase
Package Quality:
Package Quality:
Age: 19-24
Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Blond, Other, Other
Eyes: Blue
I have finally found my perfect foundation (after a lot of wasted money on others such as MAC, Bobbi Brown, LM etc)
First of all the packaging is hygenic and it comes in a clear bottle with a pump (what more can we want) The bottle is quite big but it fits in my make up bag, so should be ok for most.
Some may think Ł27 is steep but for the ingredients (is paraben free, YAY) and for the size of the bottle, I think it's totally worth it as a little goes a long way.
Now for the foundation itself; I didn't even know UD were releasing a new foundation until one day mum & I were shopping, I was rushing so the girl gave me shade3.5. I tried it for a couple of days and thought it was a little light for my skin tone so I got another sample which was the 4.0. I tried this until the sample ran out, I wore it both during the day and for a night out. I was impressed!! It stayed on my skin the whole day (I have normal/oily skin) for e.g on most days,I only had to sweep a little powder over my face about 1pm and I had it on from 8am.
I bronzed it up for the night out and my skin looked glowing in photos - I didn't even have tan on so I was surprised.
I prep my skin with Arbonne's primer (amazing) I apply the foundation with UD Good Karma's Optical Blurring Brush - which I recommend to buy, it leaves a flawless finish and only the tiniest amount of product is needed. I find it quite good coverage (I don't need heavy coverage) and set it was UD's powder. It may look a little fake if a few layers are applied, I haven't tested that as I don't believe in piling foundation on anyways.
I wouldn't usually break out but some foundations have caused me to in the past and I can safely say after about three-four weeks of using this foundation, it hasn't clogged my pores (super YAY)
If your looking for a lightweight foundation with a demi-matte finish (leaves my skin glowing) then I'd recommend you to get a sample!!
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Sep 18, 2013
FDA-Approved Botox® For Crow's Feet
Last week, the FDA announced that it would allow Botox® to be promoted as treatment for easing crow's feet. While primarily known by the public for its ability to relax wrinkles as a cosmetic treatment, Botox® was...
Dr. Ava Shamban
Your Skin and Your Health
A dermatologist on psoriasis, rosacea, and more
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Jul 17, 2013
Intertrigo: The Under-Breast Infection Connection
For many naturally voluptuous woman, having full breasts isn't necessarily a stroll in the park. My buxom friends and patients complain of backache, permanent grooves and the difficulty of finding clothes that fit. As a...


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Morning Prayers: Recessionary Gloom to Lift?
A collective sigh of relief could be heard across trading floors this morning, with London expected to go into positive growth when the market opens.
"A triple digit gain for the DOW yesterday left the index to close back above the key 10,000 mark, cheering Asian markets and paving the way for further gains in London as we approach the weekend break," says Ben Potter, research analyst at IG Markets.
All eyes will be on today's GDP number, due out in a few hours.
Analysts at ING reckon the third quarter should show the first positive GDP figure since Q1 2008.
"But with the hangover from the credit crunch lingering, households saving more and borrowing less at a time when unemployment is rising and with taxes set to go up all implies this recovery is going to be slower than previous episodes," ING added.
David Buik at BGC Partners is expecting a modest 0.2% rise in GDP. But he adds a note of caution to an otherwise positive Friday outlook. "We are still reliant on QE and bank lending is not going well," he says.
However he expects today's trading to be pretty buoyant on the back of strong results from BskyB and in anticipation of a slew of healthy results expected next week from the likes of BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Glaxo Smith Kline, Astra Zeneca and Reckitt Benkiser.
"With oil trading at more than $65 a barrel oil companies will do well and the and the weak dollar keeps commodities prices up and also helps keep equities bubbling," Buik adds.
So, if the early birds have got it right, today should see the UK economy emerge from the technical definition of recession.


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The old village of Baulen
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The old village of Baulen (1758m), near the start of the route to Torre Tonda. In the background (from left): Becca del Merlo or Chamin (2961m), Grand Revers (3164m) and Becca di Verconey (2925 m).
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Torre del Tighet or Tour de Tignet (Mountain/Rock)
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What are past hosts saying about my presentations?
Andrew de los Reyes, Google
Google was very lucky to have Andrew visit our campus and give his hiking clinic as part of our [email protected] program. The crowd was very excited and Andrew gave a thorough, entertaining, and interactive talk. He helped lead the audience through planning for a sample trip, showed a lot of photos, and demonstrated a lot of gear. Employees loved being able to check out the demo items he brought and to speak with him afterwards. Since the talk, I've received a number of thanks emails for helping bring Andrew here. We are looking forward to Andrew's next visit to the Bay Area, hoping we can get him back in for another talk!
Bill O'Brien, program coordinator for the 30th Annual Gathering of the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association (ALDHA)
We were lucky to have a gorgeous venue at Williams College for Andrew's Saturday night feature presentation at our weekend-long conference, probably the nicest theater our group has ever had the privilege to use. And I can't think of a better program to have filled that space than the one Andrew gave for us that night. One of our members came up to me afterward to say that Andrew's talk helped reaffirm for him the choice he's made to keep the outdoors a major part of his life. And he was not alone in feeling that way. We were all inspired by Andrew's stories of wilderness adventure.
Phillip Black, Committee Member – Troop 77 – Chelmsford, MA
Our troop has hosted Andrew five times, including twice as fundraisers that raised hundreds of dollars for our troop. Andrew is very personable and approachable, and is an engaging speaker. His presentations are both educational and entertaining; most recently, the Scouts picked up many pointers from his clinic on gear and skills. We look forward to hosting him again.
Jon Mobeck, The Murie Center, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Andrew Skurka's presentation is captivating — it's as thoughtfully and meticulously crafted as was the adventure itself. His 4,700 mile journey through Alaska and Yukon provides a unique backdrop for a genuine tale of exploration and personal discovery. Propelled by a boundless sense of curiosity, Andrew shares what he has seen, felt and thought while traveling through one of the planet's wildest places, on his own. I left the presentation with a reminder of how critical it is to protect wilderness and the varied experiences found within, as well as with a burning desire to hit the trail and immerse my soul in the immensity of nature.
Matthew Davis, North Country Trail Association
Andrew left everyone inspired and wanting to leave town to tackle an adventure of their own. He's such a captivating and thought-provoking speaker; his photos capture the beauty of the places he visits; and his video clips capture the emotional aspects of his journeys. I cannot wait to follow his next adventure online and then to hear him tell it's story.
Todd Hunt, La Jolla YMCA
Our very diverse audience, ranging from parents and kids, to accomplished and aspiring thru-hikers, were all very pleased with your presentations. I must really commend you on the ability to present and educate in such a professional manner. One novice couple told me afterwards that although they were a bit intimidated at first, you really put them at ease during the question and answer portion by welcoming their questions and answering in detail. I also really appreciated how you let us in to your personal life on the trail and showed videos and photos that gave us some insight to the reality of just how intense, emotional and challenging your adventures can be. Some things you just have to witness and are tough to fully grasp in an article.
Ellen McKay, The Banff Centre, Program Manager for Mountain Culture and Environment
It was a great pleasure to host Andrew Skurka as part of our Mountain Culture and Environment Speakers' Series. Andrew delivered an excellent presentation; very personable, professional, funny and inspiring. We look forward to having Andrew back to wow us with his next adventure!
Lauren Strohmeyer, Trailfitters, Duluth, MN
Andrew's presentation on Lightweight Backpacking definitely got our customer thinking about trips to take! The next day we had some customers come in, utilizing the the information he shared! His presentation was personal and very informative. He was a pleasure to work with!
Amy Anslinger, Wright State University, Assistant Director of Outdoor Recreation
Andrew Skurka's personable, articulate style clearly took the audience on a fascinating journey. Not only did the audience enjoy the stories behind the places Andrew had been, and incredible photography, but it was intriguing to understand the evolution of how he came to choose the trips he has done with insight into trip planning and mental toughness that ultimately allowed him to be successful. This program was spot-on for people seeking inspiration but also for people intrigued by the how's and why's of Skurka's epic adventures. Everyone left ready to get on the trail and find their own adventure.
Dana Smith, Cleveland Metroparks Institute of the Great Outdoors, Manager
Andrew has a very relaxed presentation style and makes everyone want to get out and hike. We had people of various ages and backgrounds at his presentation and everyone took away a little something from the presentation. I have had the pleasure of seeing his presentation twice and both times came away wanting to go with him on the next trip.
Lorana Jinkerson, Northern Michigan University, Professor Emeritus
"WOW!" was my first reaction to both of Andrew's presentations, "Lightweight Backpacking & Skills Clinic" and "Far, Fast, and Light." Presenting before groups of about 150 and 300, respectively, to Northern Michigan University students, North Country Trail Hikers members and Marquette area community members, Andrew kept them spell-bound as he shared his experiences and philosophy of life, all while displaying some incredible sights on the screen behind him. His enthusiasm and genuine love for adventure came through as an inspiration to the audience.
Tim Barnes, The Trail Store, Louisville, KY
"Far, Fast, and Light" is all about backpacking and trekking, yet it is about none of these things. Andrew Skurka's presence and delivery lit up our shop. Customers laughed, smiled, and let their jaws drop to a presentation that would equally resonate with the indoorsy and outdoorsy. I could not think of better inspiration to kick off our spring/summer season at The Trail Store.


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Bridal Gown Runway
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You've been hired as the primary stylist for the biggest wedding gown runway show of the year. This beautiful and experienced model has been hired to wear this hot new line of fabulous wedding dresses, but it's up to you to make sure that she looks flawless before she steps out onto the catwalk. Browse the wide selection of options to create a photo-worthy look in this fun online dress up game for girls. Be creative and design an outfit that is sure to make the front page of all of the most popular fashion magazines this year.
Use your mouse to interact with the different options.


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About Me
I originally hail from the Chicago area and currently live in Los Angeles with my filmmaker husband, Ryan Suffern, and our problem child dog, Omar, and she-thinks-she's-a-princess cat, Maya. I've always loved to bake, but when I began to learn about the benefits of a vegan diet (for my health, for the animals, and for the environment), I quickly adapted my baking style and started making all of my treats without any animal products. To my surprise, they were just as good as "traditional" treats made with dairy and eggs, and having been totally won over, I have never looked back.
For three years, I worked as a professional baker at Leda's Bakeshop in Los Angeles, before it closed its doors in late 2008. During my time there, I was eventually able to convince the owner that vegan baked goods don't all taste like cardboard, and she agreed to let me start a vegan line of pastries at the shop. By the time Leda's closed, I knew that vegan baking was the path I needed to pursue, so at the beginning of 2009, I started my own direct order vegan baking business - C'est La V Bakeshop.
I've always loved food, and I mean LOVED food, but I was never as good a cook as I was a baker – until I became vegan. I taught myself how to cook by watching cooking shows, working my way through cookbooks, and a with lot of good old fashioned trial and error. My passion for good food and desire to try new ingredients (as well as a limited budget for eating out) kept me going, and now I'm proud to say that I can hold my own in the kitchen. I don't have any formal training, which I hope proves to everyone who reads this blog that they're just as capable of making these dishes as I am. If I can do it, you can do it!
I'm truly passionate about food and about showing people that vegan food can be as delicious, if not more so, than the standard American diet. Most people think that being vegan is difficult, bland or just not worth the trouble and what they see as sacrifice. As a girl raised on steak and pork chops, I can tell you that anyone can make this change. I loved meat and was a super picky eater, so I was by far the kid least likely to end up vegan or even vegetarian. I was so against vegetables that I wouldn't even eat ketchup! I hope that this blog, as one more voice in the overwhelmingly growing vegan movement, can show you that being vegan isn't a sacrifice, and it shouldn't be. So get in your kitchen, and get cooking!


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Scientists at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada have found that antibiotic resistance has been around for tens of thousands of years. The breakthrough came after years of studying bacterial DNA extracted from soil frozen in 30,000-year-old permafrost from the Yukon Territories. Research findings published in the science journal Nature show antibiotic resistance is a natural phenomenon that predates the modern clinical antibiotic use.
Researchers discovered antibiotic-resistant genes existed beside genes that encoded DNA for ancient life, such as mammoths, horse and bison as well as plants only found in that locality during the last interglacial period in the Pleistocene era, at least 30,000 years ago. They focused on a specific area of antibiotic resistance to the drug vancomycin, a significant clinical problem that emerged in 1980s and continues to be associated with outbreaks of hospital-acquired infections worldwide.
Researcher say the breakthrough will have important impact on the understanding of antibiotic resistance: "Antibiotics are part of the natural ecology of the planet, so when we think that we have developed some drug that won't be susceptible to resistance or some new thing to use in medicine, we are completely kidding ourselves," says Gerry Wright, scientific director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research." These things are part of our natural world and therefore we need to be incredibly careful in how we use them. Microorganisms have figured out a way of how to get around them well before we even figured out how to use them."


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Detroit Lions activate 2013 first-round pick Ziggy Ansah off PUP list
The Detroit Lions have activated 2013 first-round pick Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah from the physically unable to perform list, the team announced Tuesday.
The Lions selected Ansah out of BYU with the fifth pick in last year's draft. In his rookie season, Ansah made an immediate impact, starting 12 games, recording eight sacks and forcing two fumbles.
More: Sweat the small stuff
Ansah had not been practicing with the team while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. On the Lions' first depth chart, he is still listed as the starter at defensive end, alongside fellow former first-round picks Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh.
The Lions' next preseason game is Friday, Aug. 15 at Oakland.
- Alex Hampl


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Developer derby: London gains free 8 day game dev workshop
The eight day long event will consist a series of free hacks and classes cover everything from introducing the principles of game design to how to build a game from scratch.
Work it
"Everyone loves games, right?," opens Modern Jago's page on the workshop.
"Reason enough for our new series of free game design and game hack workshops. Why not come along?"
The descriptions of said workshops suggest that, in most cases, little to no experience is required, though to build a game from scratch, trips to some of the earlier workshops is recommended.
No specific formats are expressly mentioned, though - given Microsoft's involvement - it seems likely Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 will form the focus.
Said workshops will run between Saturday 8 December and Sunday 16 December. Outside of the talks, Modern Jago also allows creatives to book free working space slots for small groups or individuals on Mondays and Tuesdays.
For more details, check out Modern Jago's website.