text:
By Mark Allen
My friends avoid it like the plague, but I still use Grindr.
When the sun sets, I fire it up.
It's now eight hours past sundown, during which I've repeatedly checked Grindr on my phone, often while pacing around my uptown Manhattan apartment. You can see a visibly worn path on the hardwood floors where I've done this most nights. It's exercise. Actually, smartphone hook-up apps have always seemed to me like maps of the city I can control within the palm of my hand. I can scroll with my finger "uptown" or "downtown," bookmark guys I want to revisit, or make vanish those I don't. The screen's checkered grid pattern is like a shrunken palimpsest of the streets and bars of New York City's gay cruising legacy—in its day a ritualized matrix synonymous with eye contact, urban adventure, and electric night air. Now? The central air in my new high-rise "eyesore" keeps me climate controlled as I power-walk through push-button sex convenience. It's a future I never imagined at my age and a seasonable ritual that distracts me from the fact that I'm a forty-something gay man with perpetual insomnia. Like the city itself, I spend a lot of time worrying that I'm not as exciting as I used to be, so I never sleep.
I quickly finish douching.
Running to the foyer to answer the door, I look through the peephole at tonight's Grindr trick (Steve, who can't host or spell) and wonder how he got past the doorman.
Some men like to meet in public first. Not me. Too much wasted time in bad lighting. Besides, I like door-to-door delivery. Sometimes it's not exactly what you'd expected, but it's late and you're hungry, so you eat it anyway.
I hit the remote control on the electric candles in my foyer, opening the door to scan Steve's expressionless and gorgeous face for a reaction.
"Can I have a glass of water?" he blurts out while brushing past me to walk straight into my bedroom.
I don't react.
Rude, weird, young, and stunning. Maybe high? Definitely has BO.
The hottest guys on Grindr reliably have red flags signaling potential drama. As far as I'm concerned, fucking someone who doesn't have red flags is like arguing with someone who doesn't read books. Locking the door as I turn to watch him sit on my bed, I step toward the kitchen. The foyer, bedroom door, and kitchen of my "design-focused" apartment meld into one area you can traverse with a single step, like an airplane bathroom.
"Want something besides water?" I yell from in front of the refrigerator. "A beer?"
I lean over on one foot to poke my head outside the bedroom door and ask, "Pot?"
He doesn't answer. I see only the back of his head facing away from me, reflected in the bedroom window. A freezing December wind gently rattles the glass. I have a splash of vodka and grab a water for him. Walking into the bedroom determined to liven the mood, I announce, "Did you know fucking someone who doesn't have red flags is like . . ."
Where'd he go?
I quickly open the top drawer of my dresser to see that my wallet and phone are still there.
"Hel-l-o-o?" I announce into the air.
Did he leave? I look toward the hall. The front door is still locked from the inside, latch on.
Is he hiding? Like, "fun" hiding?
I check the closet. It doesn't feel fun.
"Hello?" I say again.
I turn on my phone and open the contact for my building's 24-hour security. My thumb hits the number on my phone as I crouch down and place my head sideways on the floor, looking under the bed from as far away as possible. I expect his formerly gorgeous face to be staring back at me out of the darkness.
"Security," says the voice on the phone.
"He's not here!" I shout, bolting upward and turning around in a weird panic, like he might be right behind me.
"This is security, sir! Sir! Can you hear me?"
"He's not under my bed!" I shout, yelling every thought in my head into my phone.
Could he have walked past me while I was in the kitchen without my seeing him? Impossible! I look around the floor for a backpack, a coat, a foot poking out from behind a curtain, anything. No trace. I check the still-locked bolt on the front door a second time, jiggling it with my hand. Behind the couch. The bathroom. Nothing. Nobody.
"Sir. This is building security. Tell me what apartment this is?"
"20-G! I invited a stranger up to my apartment. And now he's hiding in here . . . I think?" My heart is pounding through my words. "I need you to come up here and make him leave!"
* * * * *
There are a finite number of places one can hide in my two-and-a-half-room apartment, and we checked them all five times. Actually, I did. The guards—one male, one female—mostly just stared and listened to me repeat the story.
"Sir. I want you to lock your door and get a good night's sleep," says the male guard, eyeing the bottle of vodka on the counter. "We've already asked the doorman. He said no one has been in or out the front entrance the last two hours, and . . ."
"Oh, wait!" I suddenly yell, ignoring him. "How could I forget? His profile is still on Grindr! With his photo! And GPS!"
I turn on Grindr. We huddle around my phone to watch me scroll through endless photos of torsos.
"It's okay. I've seen everything," says the female guard, like a doctor.
"It's gone!" I yelp. His profile, our 4:00 a.m. chat, and every interaction between us from earlier is now completely missing from my Grindr account. "He blocked me, I think?" I conclude, looking up.
"What does that mean?" she asks.
"It erases each of you from each other, like you don't exist."
* * * * *
The next afternoon, at 2:00 p.m., I'm in an Uber car heading downtown to meet my chorus of friends—Quentin, Frank, Becky, Tara, Merritt, Fred, William, and Fernando—for breakfast at Yaffa Cafe. We categorize Yaffa as "Last York," one of the few downtown haunts of yore still standing. Once downtown, I descend the stairs into Yaffa under a hand-written sign above the door that reads "Back Patio Permanently Closed." I tell them all what happened last night. They listen in silence and then begin to offer theories as they talk over one another."¨
"Aren't you a little old for Grindr?"
"Was this more embarrassing than the time you shit your pants at Sound Factory?"
"Satanists. Check for needle marks."
"You need to eat better. You probably just blacked out, and he left."
"Satanists in black hoods don't show up on cameras."
"Or ghosts."
"All ghosts are bottoms."
"Ghosts haunt decaying old buildings, not the Internet!"
"So what's a gay guy who only sleeps with ghosts called?"
"A sighs-queen."
"That's Morrissey."
"Spook kook?"
"A necrophiliac."
"I still say you were dosed. Check your butt for blood."
I order the avocado salad with carrot dressing.
* * * * *
The next day I arrive at the 9th Precinct on East 5th Street. Apparently, I wasn't Steve's only "victim" in the area. It turns out someone fitting my description of him has been targeting some gay men in the city for under a year, using Grindr to rob them, or something to that effect, they said. I feel more curious than civic. When I relate my experience with Steve, the officer recording it just types and nods.
The 9th Precinct isn't as "Last York" as I'd hoped. I'd pictured watching suspects in a lineup behind glass while someone brought me Styrofoam cups of bad coffee. Instead, someone named Sargent Lazor sits me down in his grimy office and proudly scrolls through Photoshopped composite "sketches" on an iPad, finally stopping on one that resembles Steve.
"You're sure this looks like the man who came to your apartment?"
"Yes." I answer. "Looks like."
I sign some sort of form.
* * * * *
On Wednesday Michael Musto has an item in his column that reads "We've all met someone online with attractive photos who then shows up at your door looking like something from Night of the Living Dead, but rumors are growing amongst app-happy gays of a real life 'ghost trick' who shows up at your apartment via Grindr, then vanishes into thin air (shady!). I don't know what to think of this urban legend-y tale, but shaken witnesses are sticking by their stories, and police have been involved in a few incidents, so be careful out there, boys (and ghouls)."
The "Ghost of Grindr" begins to trend.
Media attention focuses on the metaphysical, not the crime. There's a vaguely homophobic piece in the New York Post called "The Gay iPhone Ghost." A blog at The New York Times does a way-too-allegorical post called "Ghosts in Gay Town." The composite sketch of Steve begins popping up on Gawker, Facebook, etc. A few faked photographs make it to Snopes.com. There are rumors Syfy's Ghost Hunters started contacting people around town but canceled when the subject matter was deemed too seedy. Parody profiles start popping up on Grindr, Scruff, and even Craigslist, usually with the composite drawing and lines like "Can I have a glass of water?" or "Is it 4:00 a.m.?" One I see has a cartoon image of Casper the Friendly Ghost. More and more men claim to have been visited, whether it is real or not.
As a person in the city, Steve had been unknown, but his ghost has become "New York famous." Another "Last York" concept itself.
* * * * *
A few days later, as is the "Last York" custom, one of my friends from Yaffa said he met someone who met someone who met someone named Charles, who knows a lot about Steve. He gave me his e-mail address and phone number. I was told that this Charles was writing an article or something, but I was warned that he was a little strange (like how Charles had gotten my friend's number and just called him out of the blue). At any rate, Charles could give me a lot more information. Curiosity prompted me to give him a call.
"Thanks for calling. I hate e-mail," Charles says later, through what I assumed was a landline. He has the type of voice belonging to someone who wears a baseball cap to hide male-pattern baldness.
"I understand you had a run-in with our Steve?" he asks promptly.
"Yes. My friend said you were writing something about him?"
"You mean with the police?"
"The police are idiots," he says, chuckling. "Did they make you look at the iPad?"
He laughs.
"So you're a private detective?" I ask.
"No. I'm trying to track down a missing person the way any family member would. Well, gay family, back then. Not related by blood."
"Back when?"
"A different era of New York. So tell me your experience, if you don't mind."
"Well, we chatted on Grindr. We connected, I guess. He came to my apartment. It was late. I answered the door, and he walked in and asked for a glass . . ."
". . . a glass of water! Yep. I'm sorry, go on."
"Well, he kind of acted weird, and . . ."
". . . at some point you turned around, and he was gone."
"Yes. I guess you know that part."
"Did he do anything besides what you've described? Anything at all?"
"No. I can't really remember anything."
"Was it 4:00 a.m.?"
"Uh . . . I think so."
"I have yet to hear from anyone who didn't have an experience with Steve right at that minute! I had Grindr for a while and used to turn it on at 4:00 a.m. every night. But they permanently deleted my account because they said I was harassing people! Assholes."
There's a long pause, and I hear him take a drag off of a cigarette.
"If you've seen his profile on Grindr, can't you tell if it's your friend?" I finally ask.
"I haven't!" he bellows with excitement. "No one can figure out what he looks like now, not exactly. When he disappears from your place, he also does from Grindr. Not one witness has been able to provide a screen grab. But Steve is savvy about technology. He was always very clever."
My phone vibrates and dings.
"I just texted you two photos of Steve."
I look at them. They show a diminutive, skinny male with pale skin and short-cropped hair. But it's clearly not him.
My shoulders drop, and I weakly smile, oddly relieved.
"Okay, I'm sorry. That's not the guy I saw in my apartment."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. Listen, I should probably go . . ."
My phone dings again. He's sent me two more photos.
I look at the two newer photos.
One is of Steve at a crowded nightclub, sporting a Caesar haircut and a large T-shirt with a graphic of an eight ball on it. The other is of him lying on a bed on his stomach, wearing baggy jeans and looking back over his shoulder, his eyes peering from beneath the brim of an oversize baseball cap.
They are without a doubt pictures of the guy that was in my apartment.
"Yes." I say. "That's him!"
He laughs joyfully, confessing, "I've started sending that first batch as a test to every person I talk to. The fakers always ID the first two. That's how I know."
"You mean some people lie and say they've seen him?"
"You know that old cliché that there are thirty million people in the big city, and they all have a story to tell?"
"Well, some people don't, so they have to lie."
* * * * *
"This is Steve!" I proudly announce, holding my phone up so Lieutenant Rowland can see.
It's the next day, and I'm back at the 9th Precinct to show Sargent Lazor the photos of Steve that Charles had sent me, but he's unavailable, so I'm talking to Lieutenant Rowland instead. She has a bigger stomach than Sargent Lazor. She also wears a wig. She looks at the photo of Steve without a reaction. "You've been talking with Charles, haven't you?" she asks calmly. "Is he bothering you in any way?"
"Yes." I confess. "No."
"Listen," she sighs from behind her desk, "this Charles guy has been making things difficult. Avoid him. He's gonna want to meet with you. Then you'll go to his apartment, where he'll show you some really gross photos of this Steve guy. Then he'll think you're leading him to Steve, or you are Steve. That's when the harassment starts and why we had one witness take out a restraining order against him. Stay way. He's trouble."
She calmly gets up and walks out of the room saying nothing. I get up to leave, thinking she just did the same. As I'm putting my phone in my bag, she walks back in, holding another file. She lays it on her desk so I can see. She turns friendly again.
"Here's Steve's file." She shuffles through two series of mug shots. They're the clearest photos I've seen of him yet. "Were you a friend of his? Family?"
"Let's see. He had a few drug arrests—1997, 1999. Dealing and possession, minor. Petty theft charges, one aggravated assault, dropped."
"Charles told me that . . ."
"Stop listening to Charles!" she scolds me.
"So he's back to dealing and robbing people now?" I ask.
"His remains were found at the bottom of the elevator shaft of an abandoned building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on February 3, 2001, during a construction job," she continues. "He'd been declared a missing person up to that point. His body was ID'd, thanks to the diligence of your friend Charles. Dental records proved positive. Missing since September 1999. Date of death February 9, 2001. There were signs of long-term drug use. Cause of death, inconclusive. The body was partially mummified, bound with tape and put in several garbage bags, and thrown into the shaft. All trauma to the body was postmortem. It's addicts. They might OD. Their drug friends don't want to deal with the police, so they get rid of the body."
* * * * *
"Do you know I've collected every single issue of HX and Next magazine since 1991?" Charles tells me when we speak again the next day on the phone. "You're on the covers of many of the early ones!"
I was a famous go-go boy in New York nightlife a million years ago. Apparently, my life's greatest accomplishment. I want to confront him about what I learned about Steve, but I'm uncertain how to phrase it all. "Listen, I went back to the pol . . ."
"I know."
"I have a friend there. The police don't like me because they don't have a clue. I wish you hadn't shown them the photos. You don't understand. Steve came to New York City in a different era and found a home. He was gay, handsome, and smart. Too smart. He loved weird music and films. He was a great comic book artist, always working on his own graphic novels, a fantastic drawer. He loved cruising boys. He went to nightclubs a lot. He loved to try everything and couldn't say no. Eventually, he developed a drug problem. When he found out he was HIV positive, well, that's when everything spiraled. I don't think he knew where to turn. He'd run away from a bad home life to New York City, but later, when he was trying to run away from what he ultimately found here, he had nowhere to escape to. He'd reached the end of the world." I suddenly regret toying with him, this Charles, this ghost-like voice on the other end of my phone. "Like a rat in a cage. The drugs got harder; everything got more intense. I got him into rehab once, dragged him to those substance-abuse meetings at the Gay and Lesbian Center. These things offered hope for a moment. Soon enough he'd been evicted from his apartment, his stuff thrown on the sidewalk, the whole bit. He was homeless. Well, that was the end, really. I gave him money sometimes, always regretted it. Steve could use people easily. Kids like him are pardoned because of their good looks, but that kind of seduction accrues a negative balance over time. When their appearance shifts, reality crashes in."
"I've known people like that."
"I'm sure you have," he says. "In the six months it took me to realize he was really gone, the clues had grown cold. I lost that period where we could have done a formal search with the police. All his closest friends were addicts too, all gone now. There were rumors of his death, never a body or report. I checked morgues, police files, looked at rosters of photos of dead gay kids—ugh, I don't recommend doing that—I checked prison rolls. I was alone in looking for him. I still am! Steve's life was a loose end. But now he's back."
"So you think now he's back to dealing and robbing people?" I ask, more confused than ever.
"Why are the police interested, then?"
"People have claimed he's stealing stuff. He isn't, but it doesn't matter. The person they're looking for is someone different, who has only committed one or two robberies. They don't even know who they're looking for. Idiots! Now Steve's appearances have framed him as the thief. The detectives haven't combined the two files yet because they don't think it's the same person, but I know it is. Do you understand?"
"Drugs do that to people in New York. They don't die; they just disappear down rabbit holes."
"Well . . . ," I say. I sort of laugh. "New York has changed a lot."
"Yeah, the rabbit holes have higher rents."
* * * * *
Two days later there are nine voicemails from Charles on my phone. Lieutenant Rowland had been right. He wants to meet in person (not going to happen). I call him. "I sometimes have frightening dreams about Steve," Charles starts right off into the phone before I can say a word. "In one dream, he's calling me from a pay phone on my block late at night. I run to my window to look down at the phone on the sidewalk just in time to see him look up at me and laugh as he hangs up and runs off."
"Charles . . . how old was Steve when he disappeared?"
"So now he'd be . . ."
"There's no way the guy in my apartment was forty-six. It must be the other guy."
"What other guy?" he loudly scolds me but continues in a quieter tone. "In another dream, I'm running around Tompkins Square Park at night. The city is deserted. No lights. Everything's gray. I come to the facade of an old building I know Steve's in. Inside I stumble around until I come to an apartment door. I open it and know Steve is in there but see only pitch darkness. I know something is terribly wrong. You know, I actually went around the East Village trying to find the facade of this building from my dream. I even made sketches of it. I'm not sure it existed."
"The police said they showed you photos of Steve's body," I finally say.
He ignores me.
"The last time I saw Steve," he keeps going, his voice winding down, "was in front of the Boiler Room in 2000. He was riding a bike without a shirt on, so pale and thin, his eyes like ice cubes. He zoomed past at the speed of light just as I was leaving at closing time. I yelled his name, but he didn't hear. I watched him go east on 4th Street, then turn the corner south on 1st Avenue and disappear like a little white dot."
"Charles, they said you helped positively ID his body." My voice begins to shake. "So I'm not clear on whether you think Steve's really out there or what."
He stays silent.
"Steve is dead," I say calmly, with no doubt in my mind as well that Steve was in my apartment a month ago.
"I just miss him so much," Charles says and begins to cry. "I'd love to see him one more time. I just need to look in his face and know everything's all right."
Before I hang up and block his number I reassure this man—this voice—that everything's going to be okay and promise to contact him if I have another run-in with Steve. But I know I won't. Not because Steve isn't there, but because he didn't find what he was looking for here. He'll keep searching. A boy on the run. I watch out my window at a freezing February sun casting another sunset behind the buildings under construction along the West Side Highway. I fire up Grindr.
FourTwoNine Magazine


text:
Locksmiths in Royal Park offer a highly demanded service, which generally relates to maintaining and installing the various types of lock systems, from the standard key locks to the complex electronic or biometric locks. The most common types of locksmith professions consist of the emergency, industrial, commercial, and residential, which each of the specific fields requiring different skills and abilities.
Residential work is likely to be the most common of the services provided by a residential locksmith. A domestic property owner looks at personal security and safety as a key reason when it comes to making sure a home is fully secured against a would-be intruder. A locksmith has gained the experience and knowledge to suggest the most effective locks for a properties doors and windows. Beyond the ability to install new locking systems, the locksmith is also able to repair or replace the locks on the older styled properties. Extra services offered by a local locksmiths offer security advice, a key cutting service, installing locks on a garage or similar outbuilding, and installing at-home safes or vaults.
How Do I Choose A Residential Locksmith in Royal Park?
Locksmith services contribute a lot in terms of maintaining an environment that is safe and secure for everyone. Locksmith service providers have something in common, i.e. they provide twenty-four hour services to customers. This indicates that there is no need to fix a broken lock yourself.
Calling a locksmith to fix your problem is way better than putting in your own effort. Along with that, it can also serve the purpose of coming up with new keys.
Different Varieties of Locksmith Services
Even if you have ample knowledge of how to fix locks, you never know when you need an entirely different kind of service from your locksmith. This is because locksmiths provide different types of services according to the needs of their customers. Some examples are key cutting, lock picking, new ignition keys, replacing lost keys, trunk opening, and duplicating vehicle keys.
Usefulness of Locksmith Services in Holidays
While spending your holidays, it is a possibility that you reach a destination and lock your car with your car keys inside. Of course, you might feel powerless at the moment. But luckily, locksmiths serve the purpose of opening your car door effectively.
It does not matter where you are and what time of the day you are stuck in a problem. Even if it is late night and you cannot find any locksmith nearby to help you out, you can call international locksmiths. That is how the importance of contacting a reliable locksmith company makes a difference to your holidays.
Locksmith Services - Why It Is Very Important?
A safe would also guard illicit access to it. There are two types of safes: Fire and burglary. Fire safes are meant to protect important documents. Burglary safes are intended to safeguard valuables like jewellery and cash.
While you are in a fix on how to access your valuables which are kept in the safe, see to it that you contact a professional Locksmith who would be able to solve your problem timely and efficiently. It can also happen that you do not remember the combination or else it has been so much fiddled with the lock that it cannot be opened. This is when you realize the value of good Locksmith services. It's better not to damage the safe exterior and cal the professional in order to avail prompt remedy.
Those who know drilling well will start repairing on the drilling hole when the safe is opened. This would make it look new.
A professional locksmith would provide you information o best safes available in the market. While suggesting they would consider the material it is made of and its style too. A low security safe can have better fire security level simultaneously the valuables need very high security. You should speak about your needs with the safe cracker it order to keep your things protected.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Robert Pattinson V. Kristen Stewart — Who Wore The Maroon Pantsuit Better?
Clone couple alert! It looks like K-Stew is stealing style tips from her boyfriend — but who do YOU think wore their suit better? VOTE!
Even though Kristen Stewart turned up in Sydney to promote Snow White and The Huntsman sans boyfriend Robert Pattinson, it looks like she definitely had him in mind when she emulated one of his infamous red carpet looks! While K-Stew looks so comfortable and cool in her maroon suit, we couldn't help but flash back to Rob's dapper red carpet moment two years ago, where he turned up for the The Twilight Saga: Eclipse premiere looking so striking in the shade.
While Rob's Gucci suit sent women around the world into a frenzy, Kristen's Chaiken ensemble was more relaxed — and they both totally rocked it! While we've seen the duo pull out similar styles before, this is definitely one of the most striking coincidences. We love how they have a similar sense of style — but who do YOU think wore the maroon suit better?


text:
Vacation rentals - Bork Havn, Denmark
- Security Package
You are not allowed to smoke in holiday homes marked with this symbol. dansommer cannot guarantee, nor control that the smoking ban is upheld, but we expect all of our guests to do so.
Holiday homes marked with this symbol have an internet connection. The internet connection can be limited to a certain number of GB, or may be a paid connection. In the house description you can see which type of connection is offered (wireless, using a LAN cable or a USB etc.)
Ïn holiday homes marked with this symbol you are not allowed to bring your pets. Please note, that these houses are not necessarily allergy free, as the owners can have had their own pet on the property.
- 60m2
- 7
- 3
- 0
House description
Esbjerg also known as the capital of West Jutland is a vibrant town with a lively business and cultural life. This lively port is well known for its exciting restaurants, galleries and good shopping opportunities, and also boasts a wide variety of sights and attractions. Other popular regional destinations include the model village at Varde - one of the most detailed in the world - and Tambours Gardens, with its exotic plants from across the globe. Another popular destination is Blåvandshuk, Denmark s most westerly point, with its wide open spaces, woodlands, fine white sand and, of course, the alluring North Sea, which attracts visitors all year round.
- House
- 60m2
- Building material:Wooden house
- 7
- 1988
- 653m2
- 3 View all roomsHide all roomsBedroom (2 persons)1 x Double bedBedroom (2 persons)2 x Bunk bedBedroom (3 persons)1 x Single bed, 2 x Bunk bed
- 1 View all roomsHide all roomsBathroomWC: Hot and cold water, Shower
- 1
- All year round insulated
- Electric heating
- Woodburning stove
- Other consumption costs excl.
- Garden furniture
- Sandpit
- Kitchen: Hot and cold water
- Electric cooker
- Refrigerator
- Cooker hood
- Deep freeze (50 l)
- Coffee brewer
- Washing machine
- Cable TV, german channels
- Radio
- Wireless internet
- 1st floor
- 2nd floor
- Activity room
- Balcony
- Basement
- Bedroom
- Carport
- Door
- Fitness
- Ground floor
- Kitchen
- Living room
- North
- Not Available
- Sauna / steam bath
- Staircase
- Swimming pool
- Terrace
- Toilet / Bathroom
- Whirlpool
- Distance shopping:700 m
- Distance restaurant:700 m
- Distance water:800 m


text:
GTECH Corp. is protesting its apparent loss of Maryland's lucrative lottery contract to a competitor that offered to do the job for half the price.
In a letter to the state Tuesday, GTECH charged that a rival firm, Automated Wagering International, failed to meet various requirements set by lottery officials.
Among its complaints, GTECH alleges that AWI's lottery tickets do not have enough colors on them and that its proposed computer plant in Baltimore lacks the required number of parking spaces.


text:
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is underdiagnosed and undertreated among service men and women, according to Patrick B. McGrath, PhD, director, Alexian Brothers Center for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Part of the reason is because many are hesitant to talk about their symptoms. They worry they will be seen as weak.
"In people who have been in service, there's a reluctance to talk to people who have not been in service because there's a belief that 'you just can't understand what I've been through,'" McGrath says. "And it's not all that different from what we see with other diagnoses."
But what if an unlikely tool could help military personnel begin the discussion that could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment? It would seem like a perfect solution. But what if that tool was a virtual human—a computer programmed to act like a person, speaking, sympathizing, prompting and reading body language?
It might sound chilling—a bit too much like the classic movie, "2001, A Space Odyssey," with the computer named "HAL" that had a mind of its own. Obviously the movie was pure fiction, but virtual humans built with today's technology show potential to help clinicians and their PTSD patients.
Virtual human
According to a study by the University of Southern California (USC), patients are more willing to disclose their depression and PTSD symptoms when talking to computerized virtual humans than when talking to real humans. While the virtual human obviously can't take the place of a clinician in diagnosis and treatment, it can be a tool to help patients start talking.
Participants in the USC study were interviewed by a virtual human that was able to interpret not just the content of what the subjects said but also their tone of voice and nonverbal cues. In intake interviews, people were more honest about their symptoms, no matter how potentially embarrassing, when they believed that a human observer wasn't listening. They were asked questions about their sleeping habits, their mood and their mental health.
The study was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the U.S. Army.
"All the research is suggesting that even though the information has to be released to the overseeing physician eventually, when the responses are unobserved in the moment where the person has responded, patients are still willing to share more information than if a human were watching them give the information," says Gale Lucas, a social psychologist at USC's Institute for Creative Technologies, who led the study.
Unlike previous research that might compare paper documents to live interviews, Lucas says, the USC study was able to isolate the impact of speaking anonymously and make a direct connection. The only variable was whether the subjects believed a human was watching them in real time. Those who believed no one was listening spoke up more about depression and PTSD symptoms.
"We really isolated that it's the impact of being unobserved that's leading to this outcome," Lucas says.
Draw the line
There's a limit to what humanlike computers can do, of course, and they're certainly not going to replace trained clinicians. Virtual humans, for example, can't make a judgment call on potential suicidal ideation, but they can give clinicians feedback based on specific, measureable thresholds. For example, they can use audio input to measure the level of distress in a patient's voice and the content of what the patient says and quantify those readings against a baseline.
However, the nature of human interaction is incredibly complex—far too complex for a computer to interpret with 100% accuracy. In the USC study, patients were aware that the virtual humans could misinterpret the practical meaning of what was said, but found benefit in using the tool.
"In using these tools, we want to recognize their limitations and still reap the benefit," Lucas says. "Let the virtual human do its job, and let the physicians do their jobs, and let each do what they're good at."
Other applications
Computer interaction is currently in use in behavioral health facilities. The Alexian Brothers Center for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders offers a different type of virtual reality program, which is used for treating PTSD. In its program, individuals use headsets that offer a 360-degree view of a simulated scene—such as a Humvee driving through a desert landscape—which they control with a device that is the same shape and weight of a standard military machine gun. Patients experience virtual situations that have the potential to stir up their anxiety. McGrath says the goal is for anxiety to decrease over time through the habituation process, and some patients notice relief after about 15 one-hour sessions.
"It's awesome to me when someone takes off the headset and says, 'I'm getting kind of bored with this,'" McGrath says.
He is familiar with the Institute for Creative Technologies at USC and says researchers are always trying to improve the virtual reality programs, driving toward the next useful innovation.
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Shadow hair is the trend for women who want more time between their salon trips
2017 was a great year for hair – Kim Kardashian took long blonde locks to new heights (or should we say lengths?), we fell in love with the glorious rose gold hair trend and the perfect blend of balayage never failed to impress.
But 2018 is already proving to be even better for hair trends - and we're just halfway through the year.
Trust us, there's going to be some serious hair flipping going on with these trending colour, cut and hairstyle ideas. Whether you have lusciously long locks or stylishly short hair in a bob or pixie cut, get ready for some inspiration overload...


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welcome to mainland tile & stone
Welcome to Mainland Tile & Stone – your first choice when it comes to tile & stone countertops.
We don't compromise on quality and neither should you! We buy directly from the factory in large volumes so we can offer a high quality product while passing the savings onto you. Our team is committed to provide you with a quality product and excellent customer service by assisting you from beginning to end. Customer satisfaction is our #1 priority – we can't wait to add you to the list of happy customers!
If you have any questions call one of our experts at 604.451.8453 and get to know us a little better.
At Mainland Tile & Stone, we have you covered… from top to bottom.
- Countertop (Granite, Nano Glass, Jade Glass, Quartz)
- Tile (Natural Stone, Porcelain, Ceramic, Mosaic)
- Plumbing ( Sink & Faucets )


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|02 Jul 2010
HP Laserjet 1015 won't work with its own driver (64-bit)
I have an HP Laserjet 1015 which both HP and Microsoft state is compatible with both 32 and 64 bit Windows 7. When I plug it in after installing a W7 OS, I get the following message-
Is there a way I can make this printer which is supposed to work, actually work? I have also looked at Windows Update Catalog, where all the 1015 drivers have pre-W7 release dates. I have seen threads on this forum on how an HP1012 can work with a 1015 driver, so I cannot understand why a 1015 will not work with its own driver.
Any advice would be really appreciated.
|My System Specs
|02 Jul 2010
Windows 10, Home Clean Install
Is there a 64 bit driver for Vista?
|My System Specs
|03 Jul 2010
Hi richc46
Yes, and its available from HP's site - lj1010serieshb-vista64.zip. However, forum members who have tried this driver have reported back that it takes 10 seconds to print one page and about 3 minutes to print 10 pages. There has also been one report that this driver uses an unnecessarily large amount of toner ink, and this makes it uneconomical.
For these two reasons, I have not tried this driver.
|My System Specs
|03 Jul 2010
Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
Hello sjc312. I found a thread that may help you. See khaakon's highlighted answer for installation, then scroll down to Holodoc B's response for the slow printer fix.
Vista 64 Driver Download
A Guy
|My System Specs
|07 Jul 2010
Hi A Guy
Thanks for the links and sorry for the delay in response as I have been away for the past few days. I will give them a try and post back the results.
|My System Specs
|29 Sep 2015
7 x64
Hi every one.
i have compactly installed that printer , but i can not printer in 300 dpi quality .
in windows XP i was able to print in this mod.
Please some one help me to solve this problem .
thanks so much
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Aquatics programs at the Y help kids gain a lifetime of confidence by learning how to swim and stay safe in the water. Swimming is a life skill as well as great exercise and a challenging sport. Ys offer swim lessons for all ages so we can all enjoy safely enjoy the pleasures of an aquatic environment.
Parent and Child Swim Lessons - Developed for children six months to three years, Parent and Child swim lessons help young children get ready to swim by emphasizing fun in the water. Parents and children participate together in several guided sessions. Children learn elementary swimming skills, which include water entry, bubble blowing, front kicking, back floating and underwater exploration, all through songs and games!
Transition Preschool Swim Lessons - A transition from the Parent and Child class for those children not quite ready for our regular preschool lessons, this program is designed to be the first class away from mom or dad and features play in the water that teaches beginning skills such as blowing bubbles, getting ears and face wet, floating, kicking and water safety.
Preschool Swim Lessons - Songs, games, skills and water safety! The Preschool swim class is designed to begin working on stroke development. With two instructors at all times, the swimmers are constantly in motion, either working one-on-one or playing a group game!
Semi-Private Swim Lessons - Instructional lessons for two participants for age 3 and up. Lessons consist of seven 30 minute sessions.
Private Swim Lessons - Private instructional lessons for age 3 and up. Consists of seven 30 minute sessions.
Call for more information: 906.227.9622
Competitive Swim Team (ages 5-18)- Coached by Shawn Robinson-Sobczak, our mission is to offer all swimmers the opportunity to reach their potential in an environment that promotes a healthy and active lifestyle. Our coaches work with the athletes to not only teach the fundamental skills of competitive swimming, but also to encourage the values of discipline, self-improvement and sportsmanship. Join us in the pool for lasting friendships and loads of fun. Visit the link above for schedules and more information.
School Age Swim Level 1 & 2 Polliwog & Guppy - Introduction to water safety, continuing to work on stroke development and building endurance, Level 1 and 2 are a great start for school age children.
School Age Swim Level 3 & 4 Minnow & Fish - Students joining this class must be able to pass our swim test. Level 3 & 4 swim lessons focus on more advanced skills and getting ready for the swim team.
Private Swim Lessons - If our group swim lessons don't fit into your schedule, we also have private lessons available. Swimmers work one-on-one with our instructors for seven thirty minute lessons, tailored to your request.
Semi-Private Swim Lessons - Similar to our private lessons, seven thirty minute lessons will be given to two swimmers (you must provide your own partner).
Special Needs- We offer semi private or private swim lessons for our speical needs swimmers at a discounted rate.


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The Porsche Cayman is a joy to drive and beautifully built – it's one of the best sports cars on the planet …
I upgraded from an old Audi TT 1.8t coupe to the newer TT 2.0 S-tronic coupe, and while I absolutely love the look of the first generation TT both from the outside and the interior - the drive was never really that comfortable. This was, however, overshadowed by my complete devotion to the car's exceptional look. However, changing to the newer 2.0 S-tronic is a massive difference! While the look of the new generation TT may be slightly more "mainstream" than the revolutionary look of the first generation, the drive is just a complete and utter pleasure. Don't get me wrong - I love the look of the new version as well. Mine is crisp white with dark red leather interior and stands on 18 inch black alloys. It looks gorgeous! The cabin is beautiful and oozes of quality, as do all modern Audis. I only ever had Audis and I feel that the interior is what really sets them apart from both Mercedes and BMW. Much, much nicer look & layout and the quality-sensation of the materials is vastly superior. From a driving/performance perspective, the TT is all I can ask for. I'm sure "professional" drivers will tell you a Porsche Cayman or even some BMW's handle much better, but with my driving pattern (which does not include pushing the car to its max on a track or on public roads to the danger of others), the TT is absolutely brilliant. The steering is sharp, the handling feels very controlled and the S-tronic gearbox is just a dream!
Brian Worning, September 4th 2013
Good behind the wheel and very classy. I had the 2.0 TDi and the economy was very good. No reliability issues and great performance. Service from the supplying dealer at Harold Wood was fine. Overall recommended for the younger drive, the more mature driver will fall in love with the car and then have a parting of the ways due to the day in, day out practicality of the car. Quattro was not as effective as I would have expected in the snow, but adequate. Pros: Very likeable and pretty car Superb performance/economy Driving it puts a smile on your face, it's Fun with a capital "F" Cons: Getting in out, it's ok for the under 40's Visibility is restricted, especially over the shoulder Rear seats are for small children only The boot isn't big enough for my driver, but the other golf clubs fit in without having to fold the seats down Poor USB connection, couldn't get my iphone connected and playback from a USB drive is very basic
Rick Singh, Essex, September 5th 2012
Update: after 16,500 miles I replaced the two front Bridgestone Potenza tyres (with which the car was supplied) with some (much better) Goodyear F1 Eagle Asymmetric 2's - and the wet grip is much improved
Martin Kelly, May 11th 2011
What can I say about this car that hasn't already been said? It looks fantastic, the cabin quality is exceptional, it's surprisingly practical for a coupe (I fit a 6 foot Xmas tree in it 3 years running), and then there's the performance. It grips round corners like you wouldn't believe, and you feel that 2-litre turbocharged engine can always give you a little more - never seems to run out of power. I cannot get my head round the fact that this car is front wheel drive sometimes. It just drives so well, feels so sturdy and reassuring. The steering is a dream - light yet direct and responsive and gives you so much feedback. Fuel economy not bad (31mpg if you have a bit of fun with it) and the car is so well-balanced that if you keep on top of the tyre pressures they could last you 35000 miles like mine did. I have had so much fun in this car since owning it from new! If you are considering buying this car - do it, you will not regret it. It really is a superb little car - the best I have ever owned and the one that all future cars will be compared against.
Chris Burton, Cleveland, April 2nd 2011
Had this car almost a year now, i bought it as an audi ex-demo, so high spec for good price!! Looks great in bright red, particularly from the front, although back seems a bit dull by comparison and 19" wheels set it off a treat!! The leather/alcantara seats are great, so supportive and feel so luxurious! The car drives like a dream, smooth, comfortable and relaxing when you want but puts the biggest smile on your face when your press the peddle on the right a little harder!! Steering is precise and gives good feedback, slick gear change and sharp brakes all make the car handle fantastically Only problem was over 'juddering' on the clutch when crawling, took it in and they couldn't find a fault but they must have tweaked something as problem disappeared!! Audi service is great as ever and even got a follow up call to check i was happy after such a small thing i was surprised, but pleasantly so!! GREAT CAR...always look forward to driving it and will continue to do so until lease runs out in 2 years and its time to change again!
Chris Newman, Surrey, January 26th 2009
Excellent car - I wasn't even looking at this car at first as I was contemplating getting a BMW coupe, but this compared to the 320d was just a much nicer car overall. I was coming from another 320 though, so thought an Audi would be a good change. Nothing to complain of as yet and I've done about 6000 miles in 3 months. Pleasure to look at and drive!
Graham Ratcliffe, Gloucestershire, January 19th 2009
I bought this car brand new in November 2007 and have used it for a good mix of motorway, rural and city driving, clocking up around 13000 miles. It has been sensational, absolutely nothing has gone wrong, and if you want to cruise up the motorway at around the legal speed limit listening to your ipod through the excellent standard sound system, I often easily achieve 40+ to the gallon. I would never go back to BMW after this, it makes smile every time I see it in the morning and its as gorgeous as the day I bought it.
Andrew Voisin, Devon, November 9th 2008
I have waited a Year and 20K miles to write this review so that it be fair, unfortunately that has given me 1 more years worth of issues. First the Good Points, it looks great and when it's not in the Garage it is great to drive. In 12 Months it has had to have new Air Bags installed, new Fuel Pump installed, new Steering Rack, the leather on the Seats is virtually ruined and has been since around 10K miles, also parts of the Body have had to be resprayed due to paintwork bubbling. To top it all Audi Customer Service has been shocking, never calling back and constantly making excuses. I should have stayed with BMW, lesson learnt.
Scott Brothers, Notts, October 13th 2008
Previously had a Mk. 1 Roadster 180 Quatro which I loved but this Mk.2 Coupe is even better. In my view the Quatro is a must for the extra roadholding available and putting the power down safely. The acceleration is tremendous making overtaking both safe and fun. Consumption is averaging around 30 mpg. but with very little town driving included. My only gripe is the lack of a spare wheel or an option to at least buy a space saver. Had to buy an extra 19" alloy and tyre to take on long journeys and they don't come cheap! A tube of gunk and compressor should be illegal. I would still highly recommend this car to any one thinking of buying one, it is well worth it for the driving pleasure alone.The looks are a bonus.
robert atkinson, Scottish Borders, September 16th 2008
Moved from 1st generation 1.8 T (180) to this new TDI Quattro - what a brilliant car. Drives very well and so much torque waiting to be unleashed. This allows for some very lazy motorway driving and very swift overtaking without changing down. Also the range between fill-ups (which used to brass me off) has increased from around 380 to 550 miles - perfect for those longer weekend trips Shame that the handbrake and so called 'armrest is the wrong side of the centre console - obviously remaining from the LHD config. Only problem so far are the gas struts supposed to hold up the boot - they don't!
R Stubbs, September 4th 2008
Have had my TT almost a year now and its the best driving car I've owned. Performance and handling is spot on. Must agree with another owners view about sides of leather seats showing signs of wear, having only driven 5000 miles. Some annoying break squeal at times also, but that said I still love this car. Going to replace my standard 17inch alloys with 18inch turbines.
jeff greenlee, antrim, August 19th 2008
This is the first Audi I have owned - Its great fun to drive and constantly puts a smile on my face. But I have found that it struggles to get the power down and the Electronic stability control seems to be working overtime. I now wish may be I had purchased the Quattro version with 4WD - but all the car tests did say that the 200bhp 2.0 litre turbo was the on to go for. Inside the cabin the layout is good and has an excellent feel to it - but some of the materials don't seem to have the quality feel I had expected from Audi. The optional leather seats have started to wear on the side supports and with only 2500 miles on the clock I find this disappointing. The ipod installation option was well worth the extra money, sound quality is excellent the larger 19 inch alloys do give the car a firm ride but road holding is sure footed and precise. My conclusion is that this is a good car for the money slightly let down by some of the materials and remember the back seats are for looking at - not sitting in
Andrew Clark, North Yorkshire, August 3rd 2008
I swapped from a BMW 330i to the Audi. Whereas the BMW certainly flew (the engine is both more powerful, economical and smoother) it really seemed more at home cruising. The Audi on the other hand with its inferior 3.2 unit just wants to go - and you will want to make it go what with the rorty exhaust and sharp handling. It's a joy to drive. I've got the S tronic gearbox which is outstanding. Before purchasing I didn't realise the box could be used in three different modes - all very useful and good fun. Zipping up and down the gears with the paddles is brilliant! I also opted for the magnetic ride suspension, because of the way the technology constantly changes the set up as you are driving. In normal mode the suspension is reasonably compliant, yet it still holds the car absolutely flat on corners. Things I like about the car? The exhaust note, gearbox, and wow factor. The interior ia also pretty cool. Things I dislike about the car? The sat nav graphics on the rolling map are poor. Also paying through the nose for certain extras. I need lumber support - only available if you specify electric seats. I wanted headlamp washers - only available if you specify expensive "active" xenon headlamps. Oh well, minor gripes really, for what is an outstanding car all round. Buy the best one you can afford. The second hand prices are likely to hold up really well as the car is so desirable, and the rising Euro will mean that new prices are likely to accelerate soon.
Jim Aitkenhead, Leics, August 2nd 2008
what a great improvement on the old model -- fantastic to look at , and own ( ok corporate grill now but it's fine ),superb build quality no squeaks or rattles ,gr8 to drive .i can't think of a nicer car to drive around in ! Only gripe is Audi penny pinching in not fitting auto-dimming rear view mirror as standard !
malcolm franklin, lancashire, June 30th 2008
The new Audi TT coupe arrived just 2 weeks ago, after almost 5 months (which is not too bad). My previous car was a Golf V5, that I have been very happy with for 8 years. The TT is better, quicker and loads more fun. Build and finish is excellent and gives you a very special feeling in the drivers seat. Not as practical as the V5 but still able to take a weeks shopping in the boot. Overall so far it's great and the only gripe I have is the lack of a rear screen wiper, as rain water doesn't clear at lower speeds in town hampering rear visibility a bit.
Ian Hamilton, Surrey, May 8th 2008
Having owned well over a dozen cars including some real classics, I can safely say this is the best car I have ever driven. It makes you feel like a 10 year old again with the sound, the go cart handling, the totally cool lines and x wing fighter dash! My last car was a 320 BMW and that was a dog compared to this. Work it hard and it drinks the fuel but what the hell!!! The hatch will get the weekly shopping in no sweat and my 2 kids (10 and 12) are really comfortable in the back. Great car.
Mike Hancock, April 30th 2008
I bought my TT 2 years ago, second hand (99 model)with 40k on the clock. Since then it has done 40 more. Service costs have been £250 a time. Timing belt at 60k £450. Tyres 225/55 v17 at £85/each fitted (via internet). The car looks fantastic - I wanted one when they first came out and couldn't afford one then. However with the prices that they are going for now, you can buy one for the price of a ford/vauxhall boring box. The problems I've had with the car aren't really much to complain about, a slight rattle from the rear parcel shelf (probably due to the hard ride). The SERVICE light that comes up when the car needs servicing has to be reset by the dealer (so when you get it done for £110 (Like me) by a local garage they don't do it and it can get annoying).The brakes tend to squeak when getting close to service time - which makes others think a lorry is jack knifing behind them at traffic lights. The 4 wheel drive only really copes with dry roads and there's a touch of under-steer. Then again I knew this before I got the car. The paint job is excellent and the finish on all the parts is great. The ride is hard but then it's supposed to be (better than my ZXR 750) and the power makes you grin when pulling away from the lights. The car draws a lot of admirers and it still looks great, I would recommend the TT to any one who wants a performance car without the big bills.
russ burnett, April 19th 2008
My old shape Type R was a hard act to follow, but my new TT, delivered early March, has it well beaten for fantastic driving experience particularly the higher gearing and torque. I'm delighted with the quality interior and the way Audi have evolved and improved the design. It's well specced, so no one needs to go mad on the options list apart from metallic paint and parking sensors. Those who complain about rear seat space can't have had a test drive. I'm delighted with it and find excuses to drive it.
Jim Tynan, Leicestershire, April 11th 2008
I AM SOOO BITERLY DISAPOINTED Audi what have you done! All your cars have always been the same boring blend of blandness and boredom - but the TT was different, it was an induvidualistic icon. And you've ruined it. It's like any other Audi. Go to any Audi showroom and everything looks the same. Audis are cars for prison wardens tainted by boredom. And now the same evil has overcome the TT. Audi, do something fast you boring bunch of communists.
Aaron Smith, hampshire, March 27th 2008
I took delivery of my new 2.0 TT Coupe last Thursday and I must say it is a fantastic car. The performance, handling and overall finish for this car is superb, certainly exceeding my expectations. Thankfully, the gears are not too close together, reverse gear requires pressing the gear stick down, then applying a hearty shift to the left and I have managed to hit both the break and accelerate pedals at the same time. My only gripe is the fuel economy. Audi figures state that the car will average about 35ish miles per gallon. At the moment I am currently getting 27mpg. However, given the nature of this car 27 or so mpgs would be expected. If the car wasn't as exciting and genuinely fun to drive, I would save quite a bit on petrol, but then again I didn't buy the TT to sit in the drive-way. This is a great car which looks superb (a vast aesthetic improvement on the previous model as it doesn't resemble a bubble) and is well worth checking out. Be under no illusions as to the mpg and it is also very easy to spend a small fortune on factory fit optional extras.
Stuart McAllister, Down, March 15th 2008
Obtain a FREE used car valuation for any vehicle.
The Porsche Cayman is a joy to drive and beautifully built – it's one of the best sports cars on the planet …
The Porsche 911 is a fantastic sports car and one of the few you can live with every day. Lower-end models are world-class and define the sports car c …
The BMW 4 Series is a classy and fun four-seat coupé. Few cars in this class have such a broad range of abilities …
The VW Scirocco is a classy, well-equipped coupe that's good to drive and relatively cheap to run. …


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Astellas serves up a dose of "reality" with DTC effort
"Slice of life" is a common trope in pharmaceutical advertising. Commercials with people strolling on a beach, as a voiceover intones benefits and risks, is one form that it can take. But "slice of life" can also illustrate how an existing problem affects people's lives.
Overactive bladder (OAB) is one such problem. While 46 million Americans suffer from it, only 10-20% of them are seeking treatment options.
"This condition is very prevalent," said Pamela Buford, director of consumer marketing, urology, for Astellas Pharma US, maker of OAB treatments Myrbetriq and VESIcare. She told MM&M, "People don't know that the things they're experiencing are very common, and that they do display specific symptoms. We want to highlight that this is [their] reality."
With that goal as a centerpiece, Buford says that Astellas rolled out "OAB Reality," an unbranded campaign as a way to answer such common questions about the condition as: "Is [OAB] really a medical condition? Is this something you can do something about? Is it just a product of getting older?"
The campaign keys in on common experiences for female sufferers. One reason why Astellas chose to focus its campaign on the women's side of OAB instead of putting together a unisex campaign is that OAB symptoms in men can often mimic those of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer—which makes communications that much more difficult.
One of the "common experiences" with OAB, said Buford, is that sufferers need to "map out their bathrooms for everything they need to do." Another oft-overlooked aspect of the disorder is the "amount of quality interruptions in your life that result from this disorder and that you carry around with you all the time. They significantly impact your life," she said.
The campaign depicts women carrying around large numbers in such settings as the movies, golf course and office to symbolize the weight of those "quality interruptions" on sufferers' day-to-day lives. The 30-second spots are currently running on Lifetime, NBC and CBS.
Astellas also offers information online at OABreality.com, through a partnership with Healthywomen.org. "OAB Reality" will also surface in radio spots on NBC and CNN networks and find its way to the doctor's office in the form of brochures and other in-office communications.
Buford says that initial results from the multi-channel campaign are "very encouraging; we've received a lot of positive activity on the properties and a lot of great feedback."Roska Healthcare Advertising, which won the account a year ago, is Astellas's creative agency of record. Edelman handles PR.


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Lawmaker Tries To Stop Modern Day Debtor's Prisons
We've brought you several stories about so-called modern day debtor's prisons that have starting rising across America as shady debt collectors pervert the power of the courts to their own end. They're basically deputizing the local police to do their debt collecting for them. Now a Washington lawmaker has put forward a new bill to try to put a stop to the practice.
The measure would prohibit collection agencies from asking judges to forfeit the debtor's bail money into the collectors' pockets. This would remove the central keystone holding up the debt collector's skeezy strategy.
The way it currently works is that debt collectors buy five to six year old debts for pennies on the dollar from companies that have already written off ever collecting the debt. Then, the firms, frequently run by attorneys, employ a system of auto-dialers and call center teams to get the cash. They aim to get double what they paid for the debts. Anything after that is just gravy.
In some states and counties, the collectors can seek court orders to get debtors to pay, which can result in a civil warrant for the debtor's arrest. Some precincts then apparently have the luxury and manpower to enforce them and a deputy sheriff shows up on the debtor's doorstep and arrests them. The debtor can spend 24-48 hours in jail until their court appearance.
Debtors often don't even know that there is a warrant out for their arrest until they get the knock on their door and the bracelets on their wrists.
The point of bail is get a person to show up to court. But in some cases, the judge will set the bail at the exact amount of the debt owed.
Maybe the Washington legislation can be an inspiration to other sates.
Washington lawmaker trying to protect debtors from jailing [Crosscut]
Govt. Notices Rise Of "Debtor's Prisons," Doesn't Like Them
FTC To Take A Closer Look At Debtors Being Thrown In Jail
Al Franken Wants To Put An End To Abuse By Debt Collectors
Debtors Increasingly Thrown In Jail. Wait, What?
Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.


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Yes! We are all Disney fans; we have been chasing the Disney movies. No matter how old we, Disney movies always let we have a childhood immortality. In such a busy today, how to continue to follow the Disney movie? CloneDVD 6 will help you to solve this problem.
As we know that Disney has Disney X-project DRM. And what is Disney X-project DRM?
DRM, the abbreviation of Digital Rights Management, is a series of access control or copy protection technologies to inhibit uses of digital content that are not desired or intended by the content provider.
Disney (The Walt Disney Company), a well-known DVD releaser and publisher, applies DRM for copy right protection. For example, it uses AACS to prevent HD DVD and Blu-ray discs. Accordingly, the latest protected DVD by Disney (as well as by Paramount and Warner) usually has 99 titles and the DVD movie size is larger than 40 GB, which makes it almost impossible to make DVD copy and backup.
How to rip Disney Copy-Protected DVDs to fir your devices?
Rip Disney DVD – Step 1.
Install and run CloneDVD 6, then choose DVD Ripper model.
Rip Disney DVD – Step 2.
Insert Disney DVD and select output format and specify Out Path.
Rip Disney DVD – Step 3.
If you need to customize a special video, you can edit the video, if not, please direct click "Start' button.
Then please give a few minutes to complete the copy and rip step.
Now you can play Disney movie anytime anywhere.
More about CloneDVD 6 please visit: http://www.clonedvd.net/


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As promised, this week is teal, or light blue, and white. Today a bamboo tag for you!
This was made with textures like these ones below that you can find here:
These are ideal for summer scrapbooking, or beach party invites or decorations,
Enjoy your tag!
To download right click and save!


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1350sgd Beautiful condo common room in central (Singapore)
Two beautiful Condo common room is available for rent immediately. No agent fee, expat environment, Convenience location, 3 mrt stops to Dhobey Ghaut. Pictures of the room can be viewed at : Protected content
It is a brand new three bedrooms apartment: 1 master room and two common rooms. Two common rooms are available for rent by the end of this month. The bigger One is Protected content per month, the smaller one is Protected content per month. No owner is staying, Cooking allowed. High floor, Fantastic view. I am looking for someone who is genuine to take it over. Prefer single professional.
It is a brand new condo. The rooms are well furnished and have beautiful interior designing. You definitely would love the place.The condo has everything you need: Air conditioner, beds, wardrobes, sofa, chairs, tables, TV, wireless broadband, washing machine, fridge,oven, dryer, Kitchen Accessories etc. You just need to bring your own luggage and straight move in.
The condo has great and convenient location that very close to CBD & Town, only 3 mrt station to Dhoby Ghaut, few mins drive to Orchard, Little India and Bugis.
It just takes you 10 mins walk from home to Boon Keng MRT. You can also take the free shuttle bus that brings you directly from home to MRT for every Protected content .
It has 24 hrs security services and full condo facilities:
•swimming pool
•pool deck
•recreational terrace
•tennis court
If you are interested, please drop me an email or text me at Protected content some information of yourself, we can arrange time to view the room.


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Published: 2004/04/27
by John Zinkand
Spring in the Northwest
Spring has been heating up the Northwest to unusually warm temperatures. Nice weather means more and more national bands are coming through all the time. After a relatively quiet winter, the Northwest jamband scene is blooming like so many high mountain meadows filled with colorful flowers. In the past few weeks here in Portland we've seen the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Gov't Mule, Vinyl, and even Skerik's Critter's Buggin' come and go. With such a diverse cross section of bands hitting our area of the country right now, it's a great time to be here. And even when there isn't a band in town, the warm sunny weather provides the perfect backdrop to enjoying an inspirational day in the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest. This spring has been jam-packed with two of the things I love more than anything else: seeing bands and hiking. And when there hasn't been a band to jam out to late into the evening on a weekend night, there always seems to be a bottle of Tequila, some live tunes in the stereo, and plans for the next day's hike to keep me busy. And right about now there's always a glut of music. After waiting patiently through the cold rains of winter for some musical sunshine, it seems many of my favorite bands visit the area all at once, forcing me to lose sleep and scurry around trying to catch them all in a two week timeframe. Like last week and this coming week, for example. On Monday night Umphrey's McGee played in Eugene and I really had no choice but to attend. Umphrey's is one of my favorite young jambands, and I know a visit to the Northwest from them is a relative rarity. So after work I found myself cruising down I-5 for almost two hours to get my Umphrey's fix. The show was at the McDonald Theater, which is a nice old theater in downtown Eugene. Of course, the band had already started playing by the time I arrived. The small theater was only sparsely filled with weeknight revelers, but the band seemed to be having a good time. If anything, the show was a bit mellow as I think the guys were still recovering somewhat from an extended Las Vegas hangover and lack of sleep. Maybe that's why the tunes Hangover and Water showed up in the first set. Solid versions of Walletsworth and All Things Ninja, as well as a unique version of Ringo with Wes Cichosz on tenor saxophone were highlights. The second set was even more enjoyable as the band picked it up a notch. Andy's Last Beer was as frenetic as most I've heard, and the crowd didn't even do too badly on keeping the oddly timed claps in unison at the end. I really enjoyed the spacey groove that slowly turns into a heavy riff during the song #5. A killer version of the Umphrey's classic 2×2 set closer and a stellar Glory>Uncommon encore rounded out the show. I found myself driving back to Portland after the show and then working all day the next day. Later that evening, Umphrey's played their 4/20 show at the Crystal Ballroom. Unfortunately, there were two or three other bands opening and Umphrey's was just the headlining act of a 4/20 Fest. I would have much preferred a three set Umphrey's 4/20 extravaganja, but what can you do? The band was definitely more consistent on this night delivering one long, powerful set peppered with newer tunes that kept the audience dancing and excited for the entire night. The Ocean Billy>Jimmy Stewart>Ocean Billy at the beginning of the set was a drawn out, jammed out affair that have everyone sitting up and taking notice. The version of Blue Echo was much faster than the ones I've heard in the past, giving the tune an interesting new feel. Versions of the songs Divisions and 40's Theme were among the best I've heard. And the new tune Bridgeless to end the set was explosive, leaving the audience in shock to ponder what it was, exactly, they just witnessed.Then, after only a few short days to rest up, Garaj Mahal came to town on Friday night. The band played The Fez and rocked out to a packed house. Portland loves these guys and I think the band can tell, as the show was powerful from start to finish. Weapons of Mass Destruction kicked things off and set the stage for the night showcasing bassist Kai Eckhardt as the lead man. The band played many of their signature tunes, but Fareed was not as prominent as usual. He did play many tasty guitar solos, but Kai, Eric, and Alan seemed to really be fueling the show. Kai had multiple sick solos and speedy bass runs as the band backed him up. Meatless Patty was a show highlight as the band played it at the normal speedy tempo (the last time they were in town they played a slowed down version that, while good, was not as funky and danceable). Garaj Mahal appreciated the energy of the enthusiastic Portland crowd as they played two lengthy sets and the show lasted until just after 2:00am. After this great week of my personal jamband favorites in my hometown, the weather could not have been more perfect. Both days were sunny and in the 70's – perfect hiking weather! My soul quenched with music, we headed out for some hiking to further satisfy the soul as well as get some additional exercise. Rooster Rock is an old cinder cone in the ancient Western Cascades that sits perched near 4000 ft. Table Rock is it's sister formation sitting just to the north that is made up of long basalt columns that jut out above the forest like some huge rock table. The hike up was excruciating, going basically straight up steep switchbacks for 2 or 3 miles. While there were some easier sections here and there, overall this is a difficult hike and a definite thigh burner. But the view at the top was worth all the pain and effort. The summit was sunny and open, providing pristine views of Table Rock, Mount Jefferson, the Willamette Valley, and even distant views of the Coast Range. Waves of forested green mountains fanned out in all directions and were an awesome and somewhat belittling site to see. And now with this weekend of music and hiking in the rear view mirror, there is already another one quickly coming into Technicolor view on the horizon. The weather is supposed to be great all week, including next weekend, so more hiking will definitely be in order. Not to mention the deluge of music in the Portland area seems to keep on coming, as well. This week is Derek Trucks Band on Thursday, Steve Kimock Band on Friday, and the Everyone Orchestra with Kai Eckhardt, Jon Fishman, and Tony Furtado on Saturday. So we'll keep on keepin' on here in the Pacific Northwest, checking out shows, and hiking and exploring the vast and awesome wilderness regions. With some big acts like The Dead, The Allman Brother's Band, and Bela and the Flecktones already on the schedule for the Northwest summer, the temperatures are sure to keep rising.


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Well, after reading, planning asking a ton of questions here and more reading, we tackled our 25 year old crumbling pool and gave it a face lift.
The pictures are REALLY huge on this site for some reason, so instead of posting them I will just point you to The web-page I created chronicling the entire process.
I hope it helps someone in the future!


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What Are Your All-Time Favorite xoVain Articles?
It's gonna get sappy up in here.
Okaaaay, for starters: the outfit? Not my best. Jeans shoved into boots and all. But they are Chloe motorcycle boots (ow; my foot) (I just dropped that label name!).
My point in posting this weird outfit in the first place is that the photo was taken Sunday (on my horrible BlackBerry camera) at Gold Bar (of "I Smoked Weed With Joe Jonas" fame; natch) and I am wearing jeans, goddammit. White jeans (they are very dirty) (I love dirty whites) (I know, these parentheses are getting so annoying).
Do you know how long it has been since I have worn jeans?
About eight months. Since I went off Adderall (which I took for ADHD for 15 years and not for weight loss, some of you readers in the comments section from previous articles).
Now it's fair to say that I'm generally not considered a healthy person. I don't even want my health editor or director or health critic title; I hate it. And this means that I eat from the deli on my corner; I don't cook.
Where did my unhealthy eating habits come from? I dunno. I have a mom who used to be anorexic. I was bulimic—despite being on Adderall—like an idiot for a while, binging and purging pizza and meatballs and those multipacks of mini-sugary cereals one after another, topless over a toilet, throughout the night. I haven't really written about it on here because I don't have much to say about it. I was never treated for it; it went away because I drugged my hunger, if I think about it. Which I don't really care to (think about it; re-visit it); noo thanks.
And then, again, I was prescribed speed for 15 years for ADHD; we all know how that went.
Or do you not, newcomers? Okay, one more time. I'm sorry, regulars; I'm sick of me, too; read this like you're the Micro Machines Man: I was prescribed speed for 14 years, since age 15, for ADHD, and it did a great job treating all that for about eight months. Then it became my drug. Instead of getting my act together, I stayed on what I knew was spinning me out and had meltdown after meltdown after meltdown and couldn't TAKE IT TAKE IT TAKE NO MORE. I went off that shit, started feeling fucking bananas great, discovered my true self, made forty thousand friends, scored a job I loved, started writing creatively and won over a bunch of super cool readers (you guys), and…gained a lot of weight.
It was all very Britney comeback, truth be told (and we both gain in our midsections)!
Now I am a small person and it wasn't the end of the world, at first. I knew I'd lose the weight eventually; everyone gains when they go off drugs, and so many great things were happening for me. I didn't feel not good-looking. Just like Britney never ceased to be a minx and all, right? She's Britney! And I'm Cat.
About three months into all this, my favorite jeans didn't fit. Okay, I still had three bigger pairs. Then literally none of my jeans fit. And it was getting cold outside. Pants weather! Enter my Sweatpants Phase. (No I wasn't about to go shopping. That means defeat!)
Yup, I started wearing sweatpants. Ugly sweatpants, from the early 2000s when sweats were cool (can you N.ame T.hat B.rand in the photo below, B.aby?).I wore sweatpants...Every...
For about four months. Ask the xoJane staff. They didn't see me out of sweatpants for probably six months. I don't know if until these past few weeks they've ever seen me in jeans, because before, it was summer (then sweatpants).
You guys, I wore sweatpants to a nightclub. I mean, I'm swag downtown so they had to let me in. But I wore sweatpants to a nightclub! In Soho!
That's my fashion editor friendsitting next to me getting grinded (ground?) on by our friend Remo. In retrospect, it is a testament to our friendship she would even be seen with me at the time.
Anyway, so, the Sweatpants Phase.
This won't last, I thought.
But it did.
I kept remembering what Lesley Arfin—a friend that I have always looked up to— told me one time: "I got skinner when I got sober." I'd seen her over the summer; she lives in LA now but was back in New York for a few days over the summer and I was with my best friend, who is her ex-boyfriend and we ran into her on the street one night.
And here, I took a (blurry, BlackBerry) picture of them together, and look at the proof that sober (and for me, that would mean off my "problem" pill; I still take drugs recreationally) can be the skinniest and leanest most hot Bambi thing you've ever seen:
Lesley, I would think creepily to myself, looking at this picture later. Lesley Lesley skinny sober Lesley. That could be me. It's possible.
Cause in her book, Dear Diary, she talks about how she misses feeling so skinny and beautiful when she was on drugs. Just like I was feeling. You know?
But my weight, and the sweatpants, stayed on.
This is the part of the going-off-you-favorite-drug-part where you're supposed to exercise. Should be easy when you are already ALWAYS in sweatpants, no?
Instead—understandably, because it was a tough time, going off my favorite drug--I got clinically depressed and vaguely crazy, as I am wont to do.
Then something really sick and bad happened to me, but sorry, I don't write about anyone from New York or LA on this site right now; I'll ruin this dude's life in my book someday.
Anyway, it was an incredibly dark few months for me. It also made me eat more.
So I holed up through that. I also started using the devil's website: Seamless Web.
And smoking the devil's weed: weed (and not even with a JoBro).
Eventually, as part of my depression, for the first time I was isolating and numbing with food like I used to with pills.
It was so new, but it felt really good. I ate and ate and ate, like the very hungry caterpillar if he was a (not really recovering that well after all) drug addict, and maybe he was, and basically replaced drugs with food. I really did.
(I also could only read celebrity gossip blogs, and did so, like, literally four hours a day.)I went from 100 lbs to 130 lbs in about five months.
I hated looking at myself. It was really hard.
You're gonna say: I can't see the weight in these pictures. Yeah, well, with the exception of the nightclub shot, anyway, the photos above are from previous stories; you can click on them. I controlled the images that go up on here; you think I don't? Please.The weight was never anyone's but mine to see. Duh!The xoJane Real Girl Belly Project, Round One, came and went. I wasn't in there. I was reeling from suddenly being a "real girl."Because, I mean, as a heavy prescription drug addict I was all "THINNERRR" curse like the Steven King book:So while my gaining 30 lbs might look a little different than maybe someone else's gaining 30 lbs, I want you to know that, still, this past year, I learned what it was like to gain 30 lbs. I learned what it was like to suddenly have parts of your brain that used to be totally into interesting things in the external world become self-obsessed: this must change get rid of this this can't go on how did you get here. I learned a lot of empathy for people who struggle with weight and body image that I'd never had before.
I am getting totally off track here, but I just wanted people to understand that about me.My depression cleared a while ago. Recently, with chemical help. Don't need to go into that. Hooray! But I still had the weight on me; I started exercising five times a week for like an hour; I lost like four pounds.
I was still overeating: not bad things—think yogurt, popcorn, hummus, oatmeal—just…all of the time, because I was writing from home all day and partying all night; I was unstructured; I don't cook; I have a wonky relationship with food; I do drugs; I'm not healthy; etc.
(And I was still reading Celebitchy and eating, because, well, it was fun.)
But even after losing five or so pounds from exercise, I was still whining to my Julie so much that finally she got all Tupac on me:
"Cat," she said to me one afternoon, "let's change the way you eat. Let's change the way you live."
"I'll do anything," I lied."I'm--," Julie said."I will not," I hissed, "Julie, be told, incidentally, to do Physique 57next to Kelly Ripa or whoever. Fuck no. I'm not doing the new thing with the bike. SoulCycle. I'm not doing Barry's Boot Camp or whatever it is you do in at seven o'clock in the morning in Midtown with Bryan! You need to be realistic."
"I'm getting you a cleanse," she said.
"Ew no," I said. "Not a colonic," Julie said, because we are psychic and crazy and she understands everything I am thinking, not unlike Cris Angel: Mind Freak. "A cleanse. Juice."I considered this"Swag?""Very."I thought about how shamed my good friend Ray Siegel would feel when I pulled out my new designer juice that she didn't have yet at Fashion Week."Aight." It was on.
A week later, a few days before Fashion Week started, a giant box showed up at my apartment. I called Julie and bitched out her skinny ass loud enough so that Olivia and Madeline next to her in the office could hear over the phone (I like to scare three underlings at once mwa ha ha).
"What is this crate, Julie!" I hollered. I had been expecting approximately six juices, not a huge sealed brown box that had to be lugged in by a delivery guy and heaved upon the ground (I think I am remembering this accurately?).
"It's your Ritual Cleanse!" she chirped, in her Julie way. She acts like she wears a headset.
"You are fucking nuts," I said. "You are pro-ana.""Cat," Julie said, super-serious. "Cat. Please promise me. Please promise me you won't cheat. Just give it a chance. Just take it seriously.""I won't," I said. I guess I meant it. I knew how much the thing (ostensibly, though we'd gotten it for free) cost."And..." Julie trailed off, like she always does when she's scared (of moi)."WHAT?!" I snarled. "Spit it out!""No eating; no dinners, no champagne; no coke; no drugs," she wimpered. "No alcohol. Nothing recreational."There was a long silence between us."But it's Fashion Week!" I said.Crickets."I have parties all week, Julie!"Nothing."But Chrissie Miller said she might introduce me to Lindsay this week, do you understand me?! Lindsay!"No answer. I hated Julie!"If the Jennifer Aniston perfume that I've been wanting since August isn't in the office by Friday I'm firing you," I said. Then I hung up on her.
I opened the box, which was cold, and unloaded all this into my (completely empty) fridge:
Incredibly, I stayed sober all Fashion Week: I was so high on the thrill of my cleanse and dropping the weight, you see! Yet somehow, it was still a blur. I guess Fashion Week always is. So here's where we're going to get into technicalities. I had a four-day cleanse. I stretched it out over five days because I didn't drink all of the juices every day and shockingly found them crazily filling.
I did the amazing Classic Reset: it's made of more than 15 lbs of 100% organic and full of stuff like kale, cucumber, spinach, ginger, lemon, celery, romaine, agave, apple, cinnamon, and vanilla. Things that I barely have put in my body in 2012 once. I mean, I wear a lot of vanilla perfume.
You're supposed to drink them in numerical order—from 1 through 6—every two hours throughout the day. I did this almost perfectly for the first two days. I loved almost all of the juices, except for the #6s, which were made of cashews and nutmeg and tasted like cookies!
Two days into the cleanse, it was Fashion Week, and it was crazy. I was never at home, and I was hauling these things around. But I was feeling...amazing. And I had lost weight.
In three days, I'd lost 4 lbs. I also lost weight because I was running around at shows (although truth be told, I took like fifty $20 taxis that I lost all my receipts for and am still pissed about), but still.
I was also by then drinking them out of order, because I kept grabbing the wrong ones. But good God--my clothes were fitting better already, my energy was different, and my face was thinning out! Here, here was me with one of my downtown heroes, Mickey Boardman of Paper Magazine at Cynthia Rowley. I worship you Mr. Mickey! Sorry about the fur:
I swear to God I didn't have cheekbones just two days before.
My filthy Balenciaga is bulging with Ritual Cleanse juices in that pic, by the way. Lugging them around gave me a shoulder ache all Fashion Week, but maybe they also made me lose more weight.
By day four, I had lost 6 lbs. I could put on a pair of jeans—not my skinny jeans (those come later), but A PAIR of jeans. I wore them to a Fashion Week thing. I was so thrilled I could have died.
I mean, the elephant in the room of course is that I was not eating. At all. But you're not allowed to with the cleanse. Oh, I sat at a few glam dinners, but instead of eating, I just pulled out one of my Ritual Cleanse juices and showed off to the fashion crowds (who were jealous just like I thought, and all tapped down the name of the cleanse in their iPhones): "This cleanse is changing my life; I've been feeling amazing; I've lost six pounds." So everyone was (not) eating it up; har har.
And I really had. I was flabbergasted. How? I was super busy, for like ten hours a day. I had Julie coaching me and pleading with me every few hours on the phone, telling me "Please, please don't cheat. I got you this special cleanse; it's a really big deal. Don't cheat." So I didn't want to let her down, because scoring a free Ritual Cleanse is not some small deal.
Also, every time I wanted something to go in my mouth, I had this...bottle to reach for. And it tasted good. And it was fun to talk about! I yammered on to everyone about them! They were so interesting!
"Look!" I showed my graffiti friends one night, at like 6 am. They were genuinely interested. "Taste this! It's like salad in a bottle!"
"That's really good!" said my street artist friend Mike Mint, who spent his childhood in Communist Russia. Then he asked for another sip. And then I let him drink half of one (even though they were precious), because he liked it so much. "They should make one out of beets."
So somehow I just came to easily replace all that...sitting on my bed and eating (which is what one does in New York City studio apartments, truth be told), reading Media Take Out, with running around, juices in my bag, feeling active, losing weight.
I even extended my cleanse an extra two days by saving one juice for a sixth day (though I ate salad, too, on that day, and then using the special "only for working out" two juices, Pre-Shred and Shred, on a seventh day, and doing a boring 30 minute treadmill incline walk between those drinking them. Just so I could have them (you can only drink them if you work out).
So I messed with the cleanse a little at the end. But I was paranoid that I was out of it; that's how much I loved it.
At the end of seven days, I'd lost eight pounds I'd had around my midsection for a year. I was down to 122.
Then, because of my kickstart from Ritual Cleanse, I lost eight more pounds over the next three weeks. Because it's completely changed my taste for food.
No, I am not starving myself. I am definitely eating. But my energy is changed. I totally fit into all my jeans I haven't worn in a year again:
So I'm not trying to be all about the numbers and the scale or anything, but I'm at 113.5 lbs and I'm just happy with my body again.
How did this happen? I wake up every single morning craving juice and not bagels or whatever. Weird.
So that's what I've been drinking a lot more of. My junk food cravings have gone away. And it's changing my life.
But I kept buying juices in my neighborhood and eating vegan food from this place Juice Press.
The Ritual Cleanse kickstarted a completely different me. I'm in touch with my body in a way that I have never been before. I just don't feel compelled to eat all of the time. I drink water and ($10) juices constantly; I crave fruits and vegetables. I'm eating tofu and vegan protein. I walk for like an hour and a half every day. I just feel different.
I will say that before I started this thing I had dinner with the aforementioned Sophomore designer Chrissie Miller, whom I worship, omigod, and her friend, the incredibly sweet model Jess Stam—who know more than I do about such things, surely, and both of them immediately were all, "cleanses are a cult; don't get sucked in!"and maybe I have been!
I don't know what to tell you except that was honestly my experience. I am thrilled with how I look and I filed this under the "beauty" category of the site, not "healthy", because I don't know how healthy dropping weight as fast as I am dropping it is.
But I do know that I know now that I don't need pills to fit in my stupid jeans again, and sometimes it's just little things like that—that are so dumb: not fitting into jeans, and not having anything to wear with tights—that have kept me in the house at certain times in the past year when I should have been out living a fuller life.
I swear to God. That kept me from living a full life. It's sick, but so am I sometimes. And Ritual Cleanse really, really helped me. I feel so much better.
And that's the thing, you guys. This isn't about weight. This is about unhealthiness and unhappiness, and not taking care of yourself and feeling good, and I wasn't doing any of those things. I don't write about weight loss stuff on here much because it's not something I particularly encourage or am interested in for our readers. Uh, I mean this is probably the one time I will write a big weight loss technique on here. Just because this one worked so well for me. (I mean, not to keep harping on this, but when I walked into the office a few days after Fashion Week, after not seeing them for eight days, Jane and Julie and everyone like gasped! And I didn't even know why, because I was distracted and on the phone! They were like, "You look so different". And that's when I realized that I could be comfortable endorsing Ritual Cleanse to readers whose trust I value above anything. And whom I understand value my integrity as a unique kind of beauty editor who doesn't lie and bullshit them above anything. Okay?)
I mean, it's the most boring subject in the world; who cares what any of us weigh when we can all be talking about all the weird fun stuff we talk about and also perfume?
Besides, no one needs to lose weight. Everyone needs to feel better. So if these two are intertwined for you, I suggest considering spending the money on Ritual Cleanse.
At $80 a day for six juices, it is not inexpensive. The good news is that they have generously offered a discount of 20% to xojane readers until the end of the month. Simply plug in xojanereader when you check out.Have you ever tried a cleanse? If so, what was your experience? Cat's on Twitter @cat_marnell. Ritual Cleanse is on Twitter @ritualcleanse.


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If you're using a G2 or myTouch 4G and you've yet to see the update to Gingerbread (Android 2.3) hit your device over the air, don't fear. T-Mobile has your back. Now that some minor schedule adjustments have been made, the official date for in-store updates is August 6 (for most users). For anyone in the West and Midwest regions, the date is August 13th. Just take your G2 or myTouch to a T-Mobile retail location and get updated to Gingerbread.
The procedure is pretty straight forward and only involves a "software update SD card." You simply walk into the T-Mobile store of your choice, hand over your device, insert the card and wait patiently. You do lose information stored on your phone if you're bringing your device in because of a botched update, so be sure to make backups and put everything you can on your personal SD card. T-Mobile's support site lists the exact procedure as follows:
- Updating at the store can erase all the data on the device. The SD card will not lose data.
- Back up your data, synchronize your contacts to Google or T-Mobile Backup, and write down the names of all the applications you will want to re-install.
- The update can take up to 30 minutes to complete.
- The update requires that your phone has over 50% battery life at the store.
- The rep at the retail store will:
- Remove your personal SD card.
- Insert a software update SD card.
- Wait for the update to download and install on the device.
- Remove the software update SD card.
- Insert your personal SD card again.
Now that you're done laughing at "write down the names of all the applications you will want to re-install," head on over to the update support page for the myTouch and G2 to learn more.


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Sleep and re-oxygenate your skin with Elemis Pro Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream. This luxury, moisture rich night cream is clinically proven to help increase oxygen levels in your skin and assist the skin's natural regeneration process.
Padina pavonica, laminaria digitata, red coral and an anti-ageing hexapeptide, have been selected for their powerful age defying properties. Thanks to the Elemis Pro Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream the tell-tale signs of premature ageing are delayed, whilst your skin's natural collagen network is supported, promoting skin elasticity and hydration.
Elemis Pro Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream is designed to replenish oxygen lost during the day as a direct result of damaging environmental aggressors, such as stress, pollution and free-radical damage. It delivers anti-oxidant protection and strong cell cohesion, which in turn stimulates cell metabolism and turnover.
Directions of use:
- Apply every night to your perfectly cleansed skin.
- For maximum results, apply after Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Serum and in conjunction with the other Pro-Collagen products.
Please note, we are currently updating all our product packaging to give it a fresh, new look. Packaging of this product is subject to variation from the visual shown. We can confirm the product is the same formulation.