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September 24, 2008
The "Bailout" Plans
Boquisucio writes:
I dunno Cass, last night I ploughed through both documents. And though I hate to admit it, Dodd's 44 page Plan makes a bit more sense, than the carte blanche that Paulson is groveling for.
...As I read Paulson's Power Grab, he wants to have unlimited, and unreviewable powers to purchase mortgage backed securities, at his own discretion. Please read Section 2(a)(b) and Section 8. In other words, an opaque and unaccountable usurpation of power by The Executive.
First, let me say that I simply haven't had time to wade into the details of the Paulson plan. However, from what I have read so far, I couldn't disagree more. I'm puzzled that anyone would prefer the Dodd plan, which seems to me (as well as to others) to grant far more dangerous and expansive powers to the federal government:
1. Under the Paulson bill, Treasury will have the power to purchase mortgage-related assets. Under the Dodd bill, Treasury will have the power to purchase these assets and "any other financial instrument, as the secretary determines necessary to promote financial market stability." In Davidoff's words, the Dodd bill "could allow this program to expand to credit card debt, student loan debt, market purchases of equity and even the debt of the big automakers. Basically, the entire financial system."
I have a one word reaction to this. Unfortunately, it is not printable.
2. Under the Paulson bill, Treasury would buy assets with cash. Under the Dodd bill, Treasury would be required to obtain equity warrants as well; Sorkin says that this provision will probably end up being discretionary. So Treasury will be able to obtain equity stakes whenever it believes that doing so makes sense (presumably, so as to obtain a portion of the upside if Treasury overpays for the securities), and will have to exercise whatever control its equity interest gives it, including possibly a say in the management of the firm (think of AIG).
3. Under the Paulson bill, Treasury has no power to determine executive compensation. Under the Dodd bill, the executive compensation provision, in Davidoff's words, "basically puts the Treasury Department in the business of setting compensation and disclosure policies for much of financial America."
If you aren't alarmed by this, I'm not sure what would alarm you.
4. Under the Paulson bill, Treasury has no power to adjust mortgages that go into foreclosure. Under the Dodd bill, Treasury is supposed to figure out some way to help homeowners whose property is subject to the securities it obtains, including reducing interest rates and principal.
So now, the American taxpayer must not only bail out failing banks, it must assume worthless loans?
As someone who has paid her bills on time and kept her debt-to-income ratio manageable so I did not get into this situation for over thirty years, this is intolerable. I am willing to take on some debt to avert a loss of confidence in banks that could well wipe out innocent people's life savings. Don't ask me to assume the bad debts of irresponsible people as well.
5. Finally, with respect to the most important discretionary item of them all – negotiating a price of the mortgage-related assets and most of the other terms of the deal – the Paulson bill and the Dodd bill identically leave it up to Paulson and his successors.
Let me remind people that the very reason the Executive branch is structured the way it is, is to facilitate swift, decisive action in times of national emergency. We have Constitutional remedies for abuses of executive power that don't hamstring the only branch of our government with the ability to respond quickly to crises.
In short, I agree with Eric Posner. The Dodd bill is a trojan rabbit from hell. If you like the idea that the federal government ought to be forced to extend not just mortgage loans but potentially all types of consumer loans at the same rate of interest, regardless of risk then Chris Dodd is your huckleberry. Perhaps while we're at it, we can just enshrine the right to credit in the Constitution now and get it over with.
I'll be at the bar. Feel free to throw peanuts at me - I plan to be too inebriated to care.
Posted by Cassandra at September 24, 2008 01:33 PM
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As one who had to pay usurious rates of interest on my late, unlamented BankofAmerica VISA card due to some incorrect information on my credit history (which we are now in the process of chiseling off my credit history through a civil suit...oh yeah. Bad faith for starters, and it gets ugly from there), and was deemed a 'risk,'
the lender setting the terms is one who can also dig themselves out of the mess they made.
I would like to know what rate of interest is being paid on these 'loans'? You could almost hear the socialists screaming victory.
I have called my congress critter and told him to vote no on a bailout.
Posted by: Cricket at September 24, 2008 03:18 PM
I wonder if the payday lenders and other financial institutions of various sorts knew that for a mere $165,000 they could buy a U.S. Senator.
Dodd's proposal is just disgusting. What's worse is the attitude that irresponsible financial behavior by individuals and firms is not their fault. No BO.....we will just see more and more of this.
Posted by: Bob at September 24, 2008 03:22 PM
So how are we going to avert this sort of thing in the future?
Posted by: Cass at September 24, 2008 03:23 PM
The fundamental problem stems from falling credit standards in the mortgage business. There is some evidence that this dates from the efforts of the Clinton administration to force more lending to people who couldn't afford to repay.
The mechanism that made this possible is securitization. This had worked perfectly well for over a dozen years, when credit standards were serious and lending to people with bad credit simply wasn't done. Securitization makes it possible to package and sell loans to others. The individual loan isn't interesting, just the behavior of the whole portfolio. That is standard finance.....no issues there.
When the portfolio consists largely of loans that are made to people who cannot make the payments, the stage is set for massive losses on those loan portfolios. In the old days, the lender making the loans (banks, S&L's....I said the OLD days) would be stuck with the losses. Now, the lender can pass bad loans on to others. When you have the minions of the White House breathing down your neck to make bad loans, the question is how to avoid being stuck with those bad loans. The answer was at hand: sell the loans to someone else (securitization).
That is the root of the problem. The fix is easy: no loans where credit standards cannot be met. Securitization isn't the problem, but it is how the problem gets shifted from the lender to the investor.
The fix means Congressional Democrats have to stop intervening to force financial institutions to lend to people who cannot qualify.
Compensation in the financial sector is a red herring.
Posted by: Bob at September 24, 2008 03:34 PM
I'm afraid you're right, Bob.
This is what scares me. We have known for literally over a decade that this was coming, but have been powerless to avert. The truly scary thing in all of this is that THIS meltdown was (I think) most likely a result of market conditions finally exposing structural problems with both the banking system and the mortgage market. IOW, it was not intentionally engineered.
How hard would it be, in current condition, to start a crippling run on our financial system that would break the fed?
What the folks who oppose a bailout haven't answer is this:
WHAT PREVENTS THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN... AND AGAIN... AND AGAIN? Until we go under?
Because if you seriously believe Congress is going to fix the structural problems in a hurry, you are smoking crack.
Posted by: Cass at September 24, 2008 03:36 PM
So how are we going to avert this sort of thing in the future?
Simple comrade! We will print more money until all workers are as rich as we decide!
Posted by: commissar rdr at September 24, 2008 03:37 PM
We don't have to print more money, spd. We simply create it via the fractional banking system! :p
It's the world's funniest game of musical chairs. Just don't be left standing when the music stops.
I understand all of that, Bob. But the Dems are never going to agree to that and in the meantime we have the issue of teetering banks and panicky investors. Now if no one invested in mortgage-backed securities (money market funds, etc that contain people's life savings) this wouldn't be a problem.
But last week runs were started on otherwise solvent banks. The *real* problem, IMO, isn't quite bad loans.
It is the lack of confidence that causes investors to panic, banks to topple, and the money supply to contract.
Posted by: Cass at September 24, 2008 03:44 PM
The fix means Congressional Democrats have to stop intervening to force financial institutions to lend to people who cannot qualify.
Completely agree with that.
Posted by: Cass at September 24, 2008 03:45 PM
Two points. First, for me this predictable mess exposes the depraved indifference of Congressional politicans who have blocked efforts to reform Fannie/Freddie (yes, Chris Dodd, you and your henchmen bought and paid for by Fannie/Freddie are one very corrupt b@stards!). Whatever his failings, I find the theme in McCain's campaign of "Country First" to be the only principle that could lead ultimately to sane choices by the federal government.
Second, the disaster in Social Security and Medicare entitlements will dwarf this mess. The data is there, and the arithmetic is unassailable. Congress with complicity from this administration is once again approaching a coming financial disaster with depraved indifference.
BO seems completely unable to do simple budget math, so I have no reason to expect that if he is elected we have a ghost's chance in hell of averting far worse than we are already in for with the mortgage mess.
Three or four fingers worth in the glass?
Posted by: Bob at September 24, 2008 03:48 PM
What terrifies me is that voters seem completely unable to inform themselves on this subject.
The clock is ticking.
Posted by: Cass at September 24, 2008 03:54 PM
If these mortgage-backed securities had not been created, we would not have this mess. However, we could have a mortgage default mess if land/house prices fell even without fraud and bad loans. That is why I focus on the mortgage origination process, not the creation of mortgage-backed securities.
The short-selling of what appeared to be sound financial institutions is due in part to marking-to-market requirements in financial accounting. The rules make sense in most settings, but not when short-sighted, panicky investors begin to act crazy. Selling into falling prices remains one of the biggest mistakes made by investors in general (your mileage may vary....)
Posted by: Bob at September 24, 2008 03:55 PM
Voters are ill-informed because reporters are ignorant of basic finance and economics. I include all the television nightly news anchors without exception and just about every one of the correspondents whose reports are aired (Betsy Stark is a disaster....). Local reporters are even worse.
The Wall Street Journal does a decent job, but not enough people read this. Add to the mix a Harvard lawyer with zero economics/finance credentials (and a big debt to Fannie/Freddie) who happily plays to populist sentiments, and the mix for a major national disaster is just about right.
I am pretty old school about some of these things, but in my book, leading the country in the wrong direction to win an election is a moral outrage. Trying to get a sense of which way the wind is blowing before weighing in on the issue is cowardice, another major moral failing.
Posted by: Bob at September 24, 2008 04:02 PM
What prevents this from happening over and over?
Well, you got two choices.
1) Dissolve the GSEs. If lender's are faced with the prospect of having to retain poor credit on their own balance sheets if their own loans cannot be sold on their own merits (instead of increasingly explicit backing of the US Gov't), we will see credit decision stay on the conservative side. The problems is that much of our economy isn't built on the total wealth, but rather it's movement. This will slow the economy trememdously, but like the tortoise it won't take as many 'breathers' as the hare.
2) Vote for congress critters who won't use the financial system as their pet vehicle for social engineering. The financial institutions only originated to low credit standards after the GSEs assured them they would buy them. The GSEs lowered credit standards at the direction of congress' affordable housing initiatives. "Affordable Housing" being a euphamism for "Bad Credit Decisions in the pursuit of Social Justice" as the only way to reach the correct demographic mix was to lower standards. This is probably better for the economy, but requires the voting public to stay vigilant and realize that just because your heart is in the right place doesn't mean you're right. "The road to hell" and all that.
Posted by: Yu-Ain Gonnano at September 24, 2008 04:29 PM
Can I just vote "none-of-the-above", forty days hence?
Posted by: Boquisucio-The-Chump at September 24, 2008 04:35 PM
Selling into falling prices remains one of the biggest mistakes made by investors in general (your mileage may vary....)
Nope. Not at all. But then I was always a cold-blooded one in that respect :p
Yu-Ain, I agree with you. I'm not not sure what the short term solution is. Also, I find myself increasingly concerned about two things:
1. Complexity: as systems become increasingly complex, we get to the point where the human mind just can't wrap itself around things anymore. Derivatives and risk are good examples of this. People make really big decisions based on models which (actually) may not be all that unsound.
It's just that the decision makers rarely use the models in the way they're intended to be used, nor do they understand the inherent limits of models.
2. Connectivity: in what I like to call a 'borderless world', it becomes impossible for any one entity to control or contain events, yet easy for someone to manipulate them or create problems. This refers not only the movement of people and money, but also of data and (as we saw in the market) emotion.
Posted by: Cass at September 24, 2008 07:00 PM
FWIW, Pelosi made the statement that any bill coming out was going to have controls on executive pay for companies that are now on the government teat. I believe that she has the votes on this one, and, to be honest, I have the visceral feeling that it's needed, if only as a symbol.
The morning that Bear Stearns went belly up, I was drinking coffee with the TV on but the sound down. I didn't hear any words, but there was a woman talking on the screen with a label underneath her showing her to be a VP in Bear S.
She was grinning while she talked. She participated in the destruction of that company through some combination of greed, sloth and incompetence, and she's grinning. You and I both know why.
It may be a case of shutting the barn door, but it's going to happen, and demostrations like that, along with the reports of the absolutely ludicrous sums skimmed by the upper management of these companies which now expect tax money is the reason.
Posted by: bud at September 25, 2008 11:23 AM
I fully expected that to be what the administration conceded in the Paulson plan.
If you have any brains at all, you don't put everything in your plan. You have to leave some tinkering room for the opposition so that they can "wring concessions" from you and look as though they managed to win one for the home team. Everyone knows that, or at least I thought they did.
I don't understand why people get so wrapped around the axle.
They all act as though Paulson should have come to the table with a perfect plan. If he had, it would have ended up even further to the left. If you're smart, you put your plan a bit inside where you hope to end up and then start the bargaining process. All this hysteria over 'too much executive power' really isn't addressing wiggling room and the inevitability of the final bill not resembling the plan that was put forward.
I am frustrated.
Posted by: Cass at September 25, 2008 11:30 AM
You're frustrated because your negotiations look like onions but everybody else's look like rutabegas
Posted by: Ymarsakar at September 25, 2008 04:12 PM


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Building a Better Bed Bug Trap
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And he also said that "This concept of the game work in the places where people sleep and to protect these places"
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Here's how to make this:
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This trap work best when you speak, including baby powder, the gap between small and large walls of the container to make it harder to escape the insects. Many people use the wrong methods to handle the error. Koehler recommends the use of non-flammable liquids, mothballs, treatment mattresses with pesticides and bug bombs.
The case is a surprisingly simple solution to an annoying national problem.
An April 2013 survey by the National Association of Pest found that almost all professionals in pest management, 99.6 percent experienced a bedbug infestation in the past 12 months. Nearly half, 49 percent, said infestations usually occur in the summer. Because more and more people in the summer to travel and move around tents you can bring most of them home inadvertent errors or detect, moving shortly after the group of pesticides.

subset: commoncrawl


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Probably the top interest destination in China for most tourists is visiting the Great Wall. Perhaps no thought is given to where the best place is to visit for lack of knowledge however. For the average tourist, my favorite area on the Wall is the Mutianyu section. Not many tourists here and it is the most beautiful section with lush green vegetation. The large group tours go to a closer section to Beijing accessible by freeway which is called the Badaling section where you will often find 80 or more buses in the parking lot and very crowded. Both sections have cable cars that take you up onto the Wall. Once you are on the Wall at Mutianyu you may hike out left which is quite level. About one mile out is a section not repaired to show you what it was like when it was in ruins. Few tourist go beyond 100 yards so often you may hike out to areas where there are few if any tourists for great photos. For avid hikers there are other sections with more challenges which I will be glad to share with you if you contact me by email. firstname.lastname@example.com Tours to China and Tibet has been my business for almost 25 years. Let my experience and local Chinese associate partners help you plan your own special tours to China. Customized tours to your interests and needs is our specialty.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Best Place to Visit and Hike the Great Wall
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Hotel Deals on the Internet
For those searching the internet for the best deals in hotels; one needs to be very careful to read the fine print. My wife and I just returned from a trip to Spain. Although I am a tour operator to China, it is our off season vacation which she arranges every year. Needing a hotel the night before we left Madrid, she looked for a location close to the airport and reasonable just for one night. On Price Line she found the Hotel San Pablo just 5 minutes from the airport since we had a 07:00 flight the next morning. The cost was $49.90 Euros or $67.37 U.S. dollars. When we arrived posted behind the desk was their rack price of $39.00 Euros or $52.65 U.S. The clerk was embarrassed about it and gave us a large suite to compensate since we had pre-paid the one night. No breakfast was included. In China it can be the same when booking a hotel. Be sure the hotel is as they listed as a Sofital and Sofitel are two different hotels. One being a major international hotel and the other being a "knock off". One is well located and the other in Beijing although advertised as close to Tiananmen Square is actually 1.2 miles away.
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This turned out well, It was cheap to make for the amount of portions you get from it. I aim to pick up some more beans today to do another batch. I may even use home grown chillies in it.
This is closely following a recipe found on the net.


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Recent news
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So you have moved your WordPress site to another ISP / Hosting provider and changed the url or name of the blog.
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For this example I am going to call my old blog – adigraham1 and my new blog adigraham2
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4. Save and try uploading a file again


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Friday 05 October
|Turnix (1)
The black-breasted buttonquail (Turnix melanogaster) is a large, robust bird which is unusual in that incubation and chick care is carried out solely by the male. It has a distinctive brown, black, grey and white patterned plumage, with a little brick-red colouring on the upperwing and back. The underwing and lower belly are grey to dark grey. The female is the larger sex, and can also be distinguished by the black throat, face and head (2), whereas the male has a predominantly white face and throat (4). The bill is grey and the less are pale yellow (5). Immature birds are similar to the adult male, just a little less boldly patterned (4). This bird also has distinctive white eyes (6). The female has a very characteristic call; a deep, low, resonant drumming, which is repeated rapidly (2). The male makes soft clucking sounds (2).
An unusual feature of the black-breasted buttonquail's biology is that incubation and chick care is carried out solely by the male. Breeding generally occurs from October to February (3), however, the timing of breeding can be affected by temperatures and local rainfall, and it is thought that nesting activity may be associated with wet periods (7). During the breeding season, the female becomes territorial, and advertises her territory with a distinctive low, drumming call. Males defend temporary territories within the female's territory, for the period of courtship and nesting (7). The nest is a scrape in the ground, lined with grass and leaves, situated under a low bush or tussock grass, often with grass stems forming a hood, or dome over the nest. Usually three to four eggs are laid, and incubated by the male for 15-16 days. After hatching, the male continues to feed the chick for two weeks (3). It is thought that the black-breasted buttonquail has a polyandrous mating system, whereby a female mates with several males in succession (7).
These omnivorous birds feed on invertebrates, such as beetles, ants, spiders, and also seeds and grains. It searches for food by scratching and pecking at the leaf litter, and also feeds by a much more unusual method; it stands on one foot and pivots, whilst raking the leaf litter with the other. This creates characteristic feeding scrapes, which advertise the presence of this shy species (3).
The black-breasted buttonquail inhabits rainforests and forests. They prefer forest with an annual rainfall of 770 – 1,200 mm, a largely closed canopy and a deep layer of leaf litter (5). However, they can also be found in low, dense thickets, of the flowering plant Lantana, and in vegetation behind sand dunes (3) (5).
The black-breasted buttonquail is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List (1).
The range and numbers of the black-breasted buttonquail have been significantly reduced by habitat clearance for agriculture and for plantations of hoop pine, a tree species used for its timber. The remaining populations continue to be threatened by introduced predators, such as feral cats; the trampling and grazing of habitat by cattle; and fire, particularly in the drier habitats (2) (4).
The black-breasted button quail is listed in Australia as Vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, in New South Wales as Endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, and in Queensland as Vulnerable under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (5). Surveys and research into this species are underway in Queensland, but it is proposed that further research is required to determine its ecological requirements, as well as conservation and protection of rainforest habitat, and control of introduced animals (2) (4).
For further information on the black-breasted button quail see:
For more information on this and other bird species please see:
This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
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Friday 05 October
Monday 24 September
Tuesday 11 September


text:
Hey There,
I have combination skin that is prone to pimples at the slightest change. I used to get pimples every time I try a new scrub, new cleanser, new blush and what not. I am always irritated about this because, the moment I wear make up for some special occasion, the very next day my skin will be a battle ground.
After serious understanding of my skin (will put a separate post on how I controlled my breakouts). I started slowly experimenting with makeup. I was looking for a daily wear mild foundation that is good to my skin and at the same time doesn't burn a hole in my then student pocket.
Lakme's liquid foundation and the daily wear one broke me out terribly and I bought the one from Revlon. Read on to know more about the performance of Revlon's Moisturizing Makeup.
Name of Product: Revlon Touch and Glow TM Moisturizing Makeup.
Quantity: 20 Ml.
Price: Rs. 215/- but I got it for Rs. 200/-
Shades Available: Ivory Mist, Rose Mist, Natural Mist and Golden Mist.
Shade I Got: Ivory Mist.
What Revlon Claims: A Light Water based Moisturizing makeup for a naturally radiant finish.
Key Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide, Butylene Glycol, Talc, Lanolin Alcohol.
My experience:
This product comes in a Transparent glass bottle with a screw cap. There is no stopper or nozzle attached to the opening and the screw cap is of no good. I had a bad experience when I put in my bag and the product had come off out despite the fact that it was screwed tight. And hence it's not travel friendly.
The product is of runny consistency and as there is no stopper, it at many times flows out in large quantities when I try to take it out resulting in product wastage.
I got my perfect shade in Ivory Mist even though the product has just 4 shades to choose from. The product does not give full coverage and does not claim to give either. It covers mild blemishes and somewhat evens out the skin tone and imparts a mildly shiny glow. It does not irritate my skin. The product due to its runny texture is easily spreadable. We need to be careful about the quantity used because; more quantity results in weird oily look.
The product, if set with a powder stays on for around 4 hours after which certain parts of the face gets oily.
As for the moisturizing claim, I don't seem to be pretty impressed. As I always wear a moisturizer beneath it, I am okay with it.
If we are applying the product in dots over the entire face and neck and then blending it, we need to be swift as they kind of dry fast and it gets difficult to spread them.
Overall, it's a good product for daily use if you are not looking at full coverage etc. It gives a nice shiny finish to the face. If you are a matte person then this is definitely not for you.
Now summing up its pro's and con's.
1. Does not irritate or break out the skin.
2. Gives a nice glow to the face.
3. The shade Ivory Mist is a true match to my skin tone.
4. Easily spreadable.
5. Evens out the skin tone.
5. Nice not so overpowering fragrance.
6. Does not make the face look scary in photographs.
7. Affordable.
1. After some time face looks oily.
2. Cap is of no use. Not travel friendly.
3. Dries out fast so needs swift blending.
4. Not long lasting and comes off in tissues when we try to blot the oil, making it inappropriate for office goers who hate touch ups.
Will I repurchase?
Now I use the lotus purestay one and I have the habit of having another foundation just in case. As this one matches my skin tone perfectly, I might repurchase this one as a back up foundation.
Will I recommend?
Yes to college girls who needs a decent pocket friendly product.


text:
What the cheesecake is SP Library? You may have noticed that we've rolled out some new changes at YA Stands. SP Library is a feature I'm doing twice a month, showcasing Small Press and Self Published books. Ideally, I'll do one of each a month for fairness.
I wanted my first post in the series to be a SP book that I've read and loved. To give you an idea how I felt about this book, I finished the book...and tweet-begged the author to write a sequel. No shame, right?
So I chose:
Mythology by Helen Boswell
Hope Gentry doesn't believe in Fate. Born with an unusual power to see the dark memories of those around her, Hope just wants to be a normal teenager. But on the first day of her senior year of high school, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to a transfer student named Micah Condie. At first glance, Micah seems like a boy that most girls would dream about. But when Hope's powers allow her to discover Micah's darkest secret, she quickly becomes entangled in the lives of mythical entities she never dreamed existed. Was this her destiny all along? And will her powers help her survive the evil of the Demon Impiorum?
Mythology isn't just for English class anymore.
Helen Boswell
Helen Boswell is originally from upstate New York. She obtained her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University at Buffalo and currently teaches biology at Southern Utah University. She enjoys playing with her two little boys, camping, gardening, eating large bowls of ice cream after the kids go to bed, and hanging out on the couch with her husband to watch Breaking Bad, Louis CK, and Wilfred -- and of course, writing.
Website: http://www.helenboswell.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/HelenBozz
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/HelenBozz
Have you read Mythology? What did you think?
PS: Small Press/Self-Pub authors, if you want your book featured here, make sure to send me a tweet!


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The weather is HOT and so are the savings this weekend in the iMore Store. All weekend long you can save 15% on ALL iOS cases and accessories using coupon code SSS13 at checkout. The sale is valid in all our stores and runs from now until Monday, July 29th, midnight PST.
Be sure to check out our best selling iPhone and iPad accessories along with what's new and just arrived for all the latest devices. Have some cases you been looking at? Been wanting to try an Olloclip? Now is the best time to grab them while the deals are hot!


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text:
Ever Wonder How Electronic Cigarettes Work?
Electronic cigarettes are, well, electronic. E-Cigarettes work thanks to a sensor, a microchip and a heating element. Smokers can now use an electronic cigarette almost anywhere (with the exception of some airline flights) to fulfill their nicotine cravings along with that familiar feeling of smoking.
There is a simple concept behind the magic of electronic cigarettes. A flow sensor is activated when you inhale just like you would with a tobacco cigarette. The activated sensor triggers what is essentially a heating element, that will gently heat the mixture of e-cigarette ingredients, mainly nicotine, water and propylene glycol (or glycerin, or a mix of both), that will be delivered to the smoker in the form of vapor. This is similar to the smoke that is released from a conventional cigarette and provides that pleasant feeling of smoking without actual smoke. It's an ingenious concept that miraculously fits into such a small device. The wonders of ever-shrinking technology.
Since the mixture in the cartridge contains nicotine, e-cigarettes fulfill the desired nicotine level in the bloodstream and that familiar feeling of taking a drag of smoke with the tar. For added realism, a red LED lights up at the tip of the e-cigarette as the smoker takes a puff. Replaceable nicotine cartridges are delivered monthly by most e-cigarette retailers. You may choose from different nicotine strengths and flavors such as simulated tobacco, menthol, strawberry, apple, coffee and countless others. Nicotine-free cartridges are also available thus from the majority of brands, allowing someone to stop smoking gradually by going from vaping the highest nicotine-content cartridges to 0 mg of nicotine, while continuing to enjoy "vaping".
With the present prohibitions and restrictions on smoking tobacco cigarettes in most states, electronic cigarettes are the best alternative available for those who need their "nicotine fix" and that familiar feeling of smoking, all without 99% of harmful side-effects. Best of all, electronic cigarettes eliminate all risks of a cigarette fire in your home!
Read the full Electronic Cigarette Review and compare the best Electronic Cigarette models.


text:
Science fiction romance series written by Shona Husk, Denise Rossetti and Mel Teshco and published by Momentum. Books 1, 2 and 3 out 28 August 2014. Books 4, 5 and 6 out late November 2014
Friday, October 10, 2014
Corporal Sienna Jade-19
More on the job training. Medicals on all the prisoners. I have seen more naked guys today than I have in my entire life. Most of them are young and fit (I do not know how I got assigned to the male prison but it is not all bad), I suspect the government really is planning on running them into the ground which is really sad. In their black and yellow uniforms they look like bees. LOL. Anyway I need to spend some quality time alone after all that flesh on display ;)
Posted by Shona Husk at 2:00 AM
Labels: Army, Shona Husk, Sienna Jade
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
From Jane:
Well the Halloween party at MK Garden this year was a stunner – due to the wonderful folk who contributed time and energy and love to our community. Thank you to all of you who worked so hard!
Firstly DEBRA who ran and planned and organized and catered and picked up and put away and took care of all the volunteers – without you Debra the MK Garden parties would be flat, stale and unprofitable!
Thank you to BOB who decorated and welcomed and created his dopfelganger, Faux Bob the Scarecrow, so we will always have an attendant at the gate, (Take a look if you haven't seen him already there's a scary resemblance.)
Thank you to the stalwart TED who created an awesome "Guess the creepy substance table" that even fooled a doctor with his "brains," and who shopped and planned and cleaned up too.
Thank you to the effervescent JENIFER who took care of the little ones with creative collage projects and general hands-on garden joy.
Thank you to BUD who manfully manned the art table for hours, made bird feeders on the side, and gave expert advice to the face-painters.
Thank you to KERRY and small son JACK for running the pumpkin beanbag toss event, to K for solving the sound issues with good old-fashioned improvisation and for massive amounts of clean-up before and after, to ELIZABETH and STEVE for clean-up and general smiling cheer, to JASMINE who brought many hands to make light.
Thank you to the lovely students who selflessly gave of their time and energy to help wherever they were asked to – from Dual Language HS, Emma Lazarus HS, Millennium HS and Research and Service HS.
We were lucky with the weather and we are lucky to have such lovely people volunteering their time, labor and goodwill.
Peace and love and see you in the springtime!
(And many thanks to you too Jane)
And more photos from KW


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Categories: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) : Gloves
Zooby® Flavored Nitrile Exam Gloves – 100/Pkg - Young Dental Manufacturing
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- Cherry flavored are red colored gloves/cake flavored are blue colored gloves


text:
The Knot-Chair by Tatsu Kuroda is an interesting armchair that's put together in an unconventional way.
The Knot-Chair is a minimalist piece in which the chair's arms and legs are knitted by a prototype material called paper-code. The seat is made out of solid beech wood and plywood, giving it a beautiful earthy look. Tatsu Kuroda has taken a unique approach to his design, making it look both simple and refreshing.
Photo Credits: designboom, tatsuokuroda
Rope-Bounded Seats
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The Knot-Chair byTatsu Kuroda Has a Wonderful Earthy Aesthetic
- By: Matt HoJan 28, 2011
References: tatsuokuroda & designboom
References: tatsuokuroda & designboom


text:
Report item
*Shipped with beautiful jewelry box;
Item specifics
- Item Type: Rings
- Fine or Fashion: Fine
- Model Number: LZNDEN0088
- Side Stone: Other Natrual material
- Diamond Shape: Round Shape
- Style: Romantic
- Certificate Number: GDTC
- Gender: Women
- Diamond Cut: Good
- Metal Stamp: 18k
- Diamond Carat Weight: 0.22ctw
- Occasion: Engagement
- Setting Type: Prong Setting
- Brand Name: LASAMERO
- Main Stone: Diamond
- Shape\pattern: Round
- Metals Type: White Gold
- CertificateType: Third Party Appraisal
- White Diamond Color: G
- Rings Type: Wedding Bands
- Diamond Clarity: SI1
- Metals Type: 18k White Gold
- Center Stone: Round 0.1ct Natural Diamond
- Color/Clarity: G/SI
Product Description
*Shipped with beautiful jewelry box;
*Directly price from Manufacturer, 1/3 the price from Jewelry Store;
*Certificate - from Authorized Jewelry Examine Center;
Contact us if you need any of our service:
1) Metal Change(9k/14k/18k White/Yellow/Rose Gold)
2) Gemstone Material Change;
3) Custom make your own designed jewelry;
Packaging Details
- Unit Type: piece
- Package Weight: 0.2kg (0.44lb.)
- Package Size: 10cm x 8cm x 8cm (3.94in x 3.15in x 3.15in)
Packaging Details
- Unit Type: piece
- Package Weight: 0.2kg (0.44lb.)
- Package Size: 10cm x 8cm x 8cm (3.94in x 3.15in x 3.15in)
We support the following payment methods. All payments made on AliExpress are processed by Alipay.


text: The Statement Maker–Designare Homme fashion editor Jumius Wong pulls out all the stops for a colorful spring outing featuring Mannequin model Yurij Romanenko. Photographed by Micky Wong, Yurij bends over backwards for bold new pieces from Givenchy, Louis Vuitton and other labels. / Fashion assistance by Jack Wang, Melanie Aw and Cai Hong. Grooming by Ginger Lynette and Seksan.


text:
It started with a car wreck.
Dolly Guidry, 47, said she got into a crash on Prospect Street in Houma. Doctors said she received whiplash in her back. Shortly thereafter, she was prescribed pain pills.
It started with a car wreck.
Dolly Guidry, 47, said she got into a crash on Prospect Street in Houma. Doctors said she received whiplash in her back. Shortly thereafter, she was prescribed pain pills.
Guidry, who said she was addicted to alcohol and cocaine at the time, added that she quickly became dependent on Lortab and other powerful medications. At her peak, she was taking 30 pills a day, about seven at a time.
Guidry's lifestyle included getting the medication by any means necessary. At her lowest, Guidry would go to Houston about once a month, visit a pain clinic and get hundreds of pills.
"The doctors didn't ask anything. They just asked, 'What do you want?' " Guidry said.
Guidry's story is not unique. Officials in Terrebonne and Lafourche said prescription-pill cases are on the rise, with much of the supply coming from Texas.
The most high-profile pill case in either parish came to a head in November, when more than a dozen people were arrested. The organization's alleged ringleader, Gonzales resident Daniel "Darnell" Brown, had a number of people go to Houston and bring back prescription pills to sell locally. Investigators said at its peak, the group was netting between $40,000 and $200,000 a month.
Brown, as well as 17 others, were implicated in the case and are awaiting trial. And while officials said Brown's case is an extreme example, the proliferation of prescription-pill addiction — and subsequently prosecution — has made its way to all segments of the population.
"Our community is symbolic of the nationwide trends," said Darryl Stewart, head of the Terrebonne Narcotics Task Force. "It doesn't matter what community you go into, you find prescription drug issues."
In the past decade, the number of prescription-pill cases has increased in Terrebonne and Lafourche, law-enforcement officials said. In Terrebonne, for example, there were 151 arrests for prescription-medication charges in 2009. While the number has tapered a since, it has regularly risen above 120 pill-related arrests a year. Compare that to 2008, when there were just 45 arrests.
In Lafourche, there have been between 52 and 87 arrests related to schedule II, III and IV drugs between 2007 and 2011. Those schedules, while not exclusively prescription medication, include them.
The evidence lockers of the Terrebonne and Lafourche sheriff's offices contain a combined 27,339 pills seized in criminal cases.
Stewart said the number of cases started spiking between 2003 and 2005, when pain clinics notorious for giving patients easy access to powerful drugs started showing up around New Orleans.
The state Drug Enforcement Agency took action, doing its best to crack down on these clinics, Stewart said. The state Legislature also took action, passing a law in 2006 that requires pharmacies to maintain an electronic database to track a patient's purchases of prescribed medicine.
Neighboring states have passed similar legislation, but the problem now, Stewart and others said, is Texas.
The Texas Medical Board in the past few years has targeted dozens of operations, known as "pill mills," which allow addicts to easily obtain prescriptions.
Stewart said the problem in Texas is the lack of the computer database that Louisiana uses. There are a number of recent cases in both parishes where suspects are accused of "doctor shopping," or going to multiple pain clinics in a day to obtain hundreds of pills. One case, involving Daniel Turner Court resident Clyde Smith, ended in a guilty verdict and a 30-year prison sentence.
Obtaining pills locally has become easier with the expansion of U.S. 90. Stewart said easier access to Houston and Beaumont has opened a new world for prospective abusers and dealers to use.
"It used to be that New Orleans was pretty much the hub," said John Champagne, head of Lafourche's drug task force. "But the DEA's diversion took care of that and pushed everything out west."
The DEA says the types of pills abused in these cases, such as hydrocodone, soma and oxycodone are highly addictive. The side effects range from mild to severe and can cause death.
Much like local trends, the DEA says these drugs don't affect a single segment of the population.
First Assistant District Attorney Carlos Lazarus, whose duty it is to screen cases as they come from police to prosecutors, said he sees this too. In Terrebonne, he said the prescription pill cases he reviews more often than not involve women.
"Women don't usually commit crimes. It's a small percentage of the criminals," Lazarus said. "But with drugs and especially pills, a significant amount of women get caught in prescription cases."
Lazarus said the cases also have a wide span for ages and tend to involve fewer black residents.
"There is no fear factor attached to it," Stewart said. "Young people think prescriptions are safe to take. That's inaccurate."
Lafourche Assistant District Attorney Annette Fontana, who until last week screened cases, said she didn't see a trend with the kind of cases she reviewed. However, she said, quite a few cases have made their way to prosecutors.
"I've screened a great deal of prescription drug cases," Fontana said. "It's a lot of common stuff people have."
At Terrebonne's Drug Court, a program that diverts nonviolent offenders from the traditional court system into one geared toward treating the drug problem that landed them in trouble, many people are being treated for pill addiction. Those interviewed for this article had different stories about their addiction but only small variations on the same beginning: The drugs were prescribed, and the user got addicted.
Houma resident Jerri Domangue, who was in the program after being arrested on a DWI charge while under the influence of painkillers, fell into the life while she was trying to take care of pain in her back stemming from scoliosis and slipped discs.
"You're thinking, 'You're doing it legally. I'm not going to get addicted; the doctor prescribed them,' " Domangue, 45, said.
Guidry, who was found with 10 pills in her purse during a traffic stop, said her addiction got so bad, she started buying them off the street. During a trip to Kansas, Guidry said, she would spot people with a cane or wheelchair in Walmart parking lots in the hopes that someone had pills.
For a while, she said, she was scared to go to a local Walmart too, afraid she would run into one of her former addict friends.
"All they would have to say is 'C'mon, let's go get high,' " Guidry said.
Domangue and Guidry both said that while they are being treated, they are finding other ways to manage the pain. They no longer include narcotics.
"Don't ever fool yourself," Guidry said. "It's very addictive."
Staff Writer Eric Heisig can be reached at 857-2202 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @HeisigHCDC.


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More Made by Joel: Backyard Playhouse
We seriously can't get enough of Made by Joel. Just last week, we featured the awesome dollhouse Joel made for his twins, and now we just have to show you his kiddo-related architecture on a larger scale: this time in the beautiful playhouse he built in his back yard.
Joel says that this was a pretty ambitious project for him, as he's never built anything this large before, but we're pretty impressed with how it all came together. Featuring a chalkboard wall, some spiffy orange paint, and even a cool Knappa pendant light from Ikea, this playhouse looks as fun as it does sleek and modern.
See more photos at Made by Joel.
(Images: Joel Henriques)


text: I am new to this forum, (new to post anyway) and I have searched through some of the posts but did not find exactly what I was looking for. I hope some of the members of this forum might be able to offer their advice. I am doing video editing using short video clips and stills from my canon digital camera. I am adding lots of narration, subtitles, transitions, and background music. I am using IMovie (great program) and my videos are getting to be 30 to 40 minutes long. I am finding that the response time is getting very slow, and using imovie very difficult, as my video project become more complex. It is getting so bad that editing my projects is almost impossible. I have tried to follow some suggestions in order to speed up my system, with little success. I would like to ask: Is my system powerful enough to do what I want? My system: Powerbook G4 aluminum (1.8Ghz powerPC) 2Gb of ram 80Gb hdd (standard) 100gb external Hdd. I know this is an older system, but on videos just a little shorter everything was running great. Have I just gotten better using IMovie, and thus started adding so many "enhancments" that I have asked too much of my Powerbook? Do I really need to pry $3000 loose from my wallet and get the full tower mac? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


text:
Thai Parliament surrounded by protestors, premier fleesOctober 7th, 2008 - 3:59 pm ICT by IANS
Bangkok, Oct 7 (DPA) Thousands of followers of the Thailand's People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) surrounded parliament Tuesday, forcing the prime minister to flee the compound by helicopter, after police failed to disperse the anti-government protestors with tear gas.Riot police attempted to scatter the demonstration around parliament early Tuesday by firing tear gas into the crowd, injuring about 70 people, several seriously.
At least two protestors lost their lower legs and another lost his right hand, apparently from tear gas canisters either shot at close range or detonated when the victims attempted to kick or throw them back at police.
"We want the government to dissolve parliament by 6 pm," said Sonthi Limthongkul, a key leader of the PAD which has occupied Government House, the seat of government, since Aug 26. "If not, we will take strong measures against the government."
Thousands of PAD followers marched on parliament Monday night in an effort to prevent the lower and upper houses from holding a session to approve the new government's policy statement.
Although the PAD demonstration failed to prevent the parliamentary session from being held, they succeeded in surrounding the compound and locking the gates, blocking some with police vans and trucks whose tyres had been flattened.
Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, after reading his government's policy statement, was forced to flee the parliament compound in a helicopter. Hundreds of legislators were trapped within the compound with no way out by car.
After the initial attack on the PAD at about 6.20 a.m., demonstrators stormed the Metropolitan Police headquarters on Rajdamnoen Nok Road, around the corner from parliament, to protest the crackdown.
"I was just sitting there. I didn't think the police would fire tear gas at us. This is barbaric," said Pradap Thaephu, 53, a woman PAD supporter who sustained a head wound from a tear gas cannister.
Thai Queen Sirikit has reportedly donated funds for medical treatment of the injured. The police attack immediately drew criticism from human rights groups and the opposition Democrat Party refused to attend the Parliament session to protest the use of violence.
The initial police attack left about 70 PAD followers injured, primarily from tear gas canisters but others from what appeared to be rubber bullet wounds, said medics who had set up emergency treatment stations in Parliament.
The police have denied using rubber bullets, but eyewitnesses said they saw guns being fired. Rubber bullets were also found on the street in front of parliament.
Despite the police crackdown, the PAD protestors, many of them in tears from the gas, refused to leave the road in front of the Parliament building. Some of the protestors had armed themselves with golf clubs, iron bars and wooden sticks.
The PAD is a loose coalition of groups opposed to the return to power of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup on Sep 19, 2006.
The current government is led by the People Power Party (PPP), a group with close ties to Thaksin that is now led by Somchai, Thaksin's brother-in-law.
There are fears among the PAD that this government is seeking to reinstate the 1997 constitution, a liberal, pro-political parties charter that paved the way for Thaksin's rise to power in 2001 to 2006 and allowed his Thai Rak Thai party to dominate the political scene unhampered by independent bodies and checks and balances.
The arrest of PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang on treason charges Sunday was deemed an invitation to escalate the PAD protest and the derailing of efforts to reach a compromise with the movement that is fighting for an era of "new politics" in Thailand.


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NPES VIPs Visit Wuhan University and Beijing Graphic Communication Institute
Friday, November 18, 2005
Press release from the issuing company(NPES International E-commerce Website, November 16th, 2005) On October 24th, NPES President Regis Delmontagne, his wife Elena, and NPES Greater China Project Director Ya-Ping Zhou arrived at Wuhan University and started their week-long tour of two of the most famous Chinese graphic arts institutions. They received a warm welcome from the faculty and students of the Department of Printing and Packaging. It was autumn in Wuhan, with dark green-leafed trees turning golden at the foot of the Luojia Mountain, along the banks of the green water of East Lake – the site of the hundred-year-old Wuhan University campus. While there, Regis received an official certificate from the Printing and Packing Department and became 32nd visiting professor of the university. The ceremony was held in the morning of October 25th in the school's conference room. Vice President Dr. Wu Jun Pei presented the certificate to Mr. Delmontagne and tied a university faculty pin onto Mr. Delmontagne's lapel. On behalf of the university, Dr. Wu welcomed Mr. Delmontagne and praised his contributions to the world printing industry and education. University administration officials from the international exchange office and the human resources office were present at the ceremony, along with 30 faculty members and graduate students. After the ceremony, Regis, Elena, Ya-Ping, the faculty members, and students had a roundtable discussion followed by a tour of the school's laboratory and facilities. They were accompanied by the dean of the department, Professor Wan Xiao Xia. Later, NPES guests toured the Wuhan University campus. In the evening, Regis made a speech entitled "The Future of the Printing Industry" at Wuhan University a conference hall. Ya-Ping and Regis then discussed the issues of most concern to the attendees. During the discussion, Regis pointed out that in today's business climate it is simply not going to be possible for a company to be successful unless it is technologically current and agile. He described these two themes of technological agility and economic pressure to describe how he views our industry today and where he believes it is going in the future. In economic terms, he noted that things have been improving recently for our industry. Regis told more than 300 teachers and students that the US printing industry has been through a deep and lengthy business downturn that began in the winter of 1998-1999. In March 2000, the entire U.S. economy was struck by what many people called the "dot-com bust," a period in which many new firms that had been founded to pursue e-commerce and Internet-based business ran out of money, disappointed their investors, and went out of business. This crash affected the U.S. economy very broadly, and printing perhaps more deeply than many other businesses. Then, September 11 - in all, the US had three very hard years. Regis pointed out that it seems things are getting better. Printing industry revenues are on the rebound, and should probably rise by 3 or 3.5 percent this year and next. He said: "It isn't as clear-cut as it sounds. But in general terms, business is improving. Fewer printers, though, are sharing in it. The major trend of the last decade or so in the U.S. printing industry has been consolidation. Some companies have gone out of business. Some have been acquired by larger firms. Some have merged their operations with others of roughly equal size. Whatever the nature of the change, the result has been a loss of about 5,900 print companies since 1998, and some observers expect that the industry will lose another 5,100 by 2010. To some degree, if an individual printer's revenues are growing, it may be because some competitors are no longer there. Moreover, printers today report that as much as seven, eight or even 10 percent of their revenues these days are coming from sources other than printing. Printers are diversifying into mailing services, database management, web design, and a wide range of other offerings. On the morning of October 26th, Regis spoke again to about 30 Graduate students and teachers at the school on "Package Printing Trends in the US Market." After visiting Wuhan University, Regis, Elena and Ya-Ping traveled to Beijing on October 30th. In Beijing, they toured the China Printing Museum and visited the Department of Media Design at Beijing Graphic Communications Institute. They were warmly received by the officials of the Institute. They also met with Dr. Pu Jia Ling, vice president of BGCI for an open discussion on cooperation between NPES and BGCI. On the afternoon of Oct. 31st, BGCI held a ceremony attended by 270 teachers and student at which Dr. Pu presented a certificate to Regis in the school's multi-media lecture hall and honored him with a Visiting Professorship. After the ceremony, Regis and Ya-Ping gave a lecture entitled "2006 Printing Development Forecast." Ya-Ping also introduced NPES Greater China programs and services, including the NPES China training center, the duo language E-Commerce website. Both of these aroused enormous interest from the teachers and students. A two-hour-long lecture followed, filled with extremely active questions about technologies and markets, as well as printing education. The teachers and students responded to both Regis's and Ya-Ping's speeches with great enthusiasm. Regis's and Ya-Ping's answers received long-lasting applause from the attendees. After the lecture session, BGCI's top official Mr. Cui Wen Zhi met with Regis, Elena, and Ya-Ping at institute's guest room for over an hour. Mr. Cui thanked Regis and NPES for his contribution to the world printing industry and graphic arts education. He also called for strengthening the cooperation between China and the US on improving graphic arts industries communication. Interviewed by both schools' media during his visit, the NPES Greater China Director Ya-Ping Zhou indicated that the NPES Greater China programs will continue to: provide its member companies with effective high quality market services; promote bilateral trade to help the US companies marketing their products and technologies in China; provide links between the Chinese customers and the US suppliers; and provide world class customized training curricula. Wuhan University was founded in 1893 during the late Qing Dynasty. It was named National Wuhan University in July 1928. Wuhan University currently has 34 schools and 48,000 full-time students and 3,400 faculty members. The Beijing Graphic Communication Institute was founded in 1987. It has 6 schools with 11,000 students and faculty.
Industry News
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tarte™ pearly girl vegan teeth whitening pen
Bleach-free vegan teeth whitening pen to help reveal visibly whiter teeth while protecting tooth enamel.
Strengthen your smile without the icky, bad stuff with this portable vegan teeth whitening pen. It provides an instant brightening boost while helping to protect tooth enamel for a visibly whiter appearance even on sensitive teeth. The soft-bristle brush provides quick & easy, no-mess applications as the whitening gel clings to teeth for 360° effects. With only natural flavors and a patented calcium complex that works to break up dark spots & stains, you'll get a hint of refreshing mint with each gentle application. Refresh your pearly whites post-gym, post-coffee, or post-wine o'clock without any rinsing or wait time.
see more...
- hydrogen peroxide: cosmetic grade whitening agent
- amorphous calcium phosphate: patented vegan friendly compound to gently enhance whitening effects
- neutralizing complex: balances pH for a gentle formula
Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, glycerin, PEG-400, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydroxide, disodium EDTA, potassium nitrate, mentha pulegium, sodium saccharin.
Formulated without parabens, formulated without mineral oil, formulated without phthalates, formulated without sodium lauryl sulfates, formulated without gluten
- Twist at the base of the pen to dispense whitening gel onto the brush-on applicator. You may need to twist it multiple times with the first use for gel to appear.
- Smile and brush onto front of all teeth and wait 30 seconds before closing your mouth.
- Allow gel to penetrate for 15 minutes before eating or drinking.
- Apply up to four times a day for best results.
- Run brush under warm water to remove trace gel after each use.
Top Questions See all 264 Q&A
- How often do you use this product?1 Answers
- Does this work? I'm not happy with the color of m... Be the first to answer!
- Is this product only available at Sephora?1 Answers
tarte™ pearly girl vegan teeth whitening pen
Reviews (128)
Media (22)
128 reviews
this product gets me so excited. i was scared to use it at first because i was afraid of staining or that my teeth would weaken but it's the best thing i have ever used. i read millions of reviews on it before i bought it and a ton of people who bought it had sensitive teeth or how they just wanted the yellow stains to go away and how it worked perfectly. i 100% agree. it won't make your teeth sensitive or anything because it's all natural ingredients and there's no bleach in it. it literally just whitens them without causing any damage. i went to my dentist 3 days ago (after i had already used it about 6 times in the past month and a half) and he said my teeth looked great and that there were no stains or cavities. so i told him about the whitener and he said that it wasn't doing any damage and that it was just clearing stains and plaque. a ton of other teeth whiteners work in a more complex way but this is so easy and on the go and super convenient!!! i feel like i have a better smile after using it!
Works great! Doesn't leave my teeth sensitive or have a bad taste to it. I bought this one off the Sephora app so I can get all the extra goods the app offered but it can also be found on the Tarte website. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who's on the go and needs something quick. I use it about 2-3 times a day. Super convenient
I love the pearly girl whitening pen! I bought 3 of them to stock up because I was worried they were going to discontinue it. It isn't harsh on my teeth, and I think the taste is better than any other whitening products I've used AND it keeps my teeth nice an white as long as you use as directed!
I have been using this for a few weeks. I purchased it during tarte's BOGO sale because I had been eyeing it for a while. I have not seen any significant whitening using two times a day. It says to use 4x a day for best results, but I actually experienced a bit of sensitivity when doing so. I have really sensitive gums, so this may not be a common issue.
TIP: I have also found that this dries out my lips BADLY. I have to make sure to use lanolin or a lip mask before applying.
I will continue to use in hopes I see more results and will update my review with any changes!
TIP: I have also found that this dries out my lips BADLY. I have to make sure to use lanolin or a lip mask before applying.
I will continue to use in hopes I see more results and will update my review with any changes!
I was definitely a skeptic about trying this product, but for only 22 dollars I figured I would just grab it from Sephora seeing as it was the last one on the shelf. In 2 uses I saw a big difference in my smile and this is a very gentle formula. You don't get that teeth sensitivity issue like the crest whitestrips. I will be buying this again to keep my coffee teeth in check.😍☕😀
I tried the whitening pen today for the first time and noticed a slight difference. I think over time it will help make my teeth whiter. There is a minty taste but I don't mind it. The pen itself is pretty easy to use and can be taken anywhere with you.
I love using this product before events or going out when I want a boost of whiteness for the night. My only really issue is the taste of the whitener. It has to sit in your mouth for a solid 10 minutes and the flavor is rather unpleasant.
I have been looking at this product for about 2 months and was super excited when I actually purchased it. However, I use it twice a day because I have sensitive teeth and I don't want to hurt them, it has done nothing. I have been using it for 4 days now. I thought results would be instant. Maybe that's my bad? My teeth are coffee stained but not horrible. I do like how it is vegan and you can take it anywhere! I just assumed you have almost instant results.
This product is 5 star in every way. I am constantly raving about it. Let's start with the fact that it's easy to use. you can carry it with you anywhere because it's cute and small, it works SO well. I was actually shocked at how well it worked. My favorite part the price. This is so so reasonable for a whitening product that works. I truly don't have one negative thing to say about this product. It is a true staple to my beauty collection
Follow the instructions and this whitening pen works just after a day! It's super easy to use and you'll see results right away. I have sensitive teeth but this product doesn't damage them even further
Where can i get this?
Do your teeth start to feel sensitive after use like with most whiteners?
Do they sell this at sephora or ulta?
Does it make yoir teeth sensitive? And do you rinse it off?
Yes or no?
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Home / Shop / Clothing / Scarves
3x3 Rib Scarf
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A one-time price of $70.00 will be added to your order.
Categories: Clothing
- Description
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The 3×3 Rib Scarf measures 65″ x 8″. Like the 2×2 Watch Cap, the scarf has a very tailored look. Combined with the Watch Cap, the duo makes a great gift set.
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Thank you for visiting the website of Croasdaile Smiles. Our website provides important information that will help you become familiar with our practice. It also contains answers to frequently asked questions. Please feel free to call us anytime. We appreciate this opportunity to introduce ourselves and look forward to providing you with quality dental care.
We want you to know that in our office you can expect to be treated with respect at all times. We strive to deliver the best diagnosis and treatment that dentistry has to offer. We believe that these goals can be met through a continuous and open dialogue between you and our entire team.
Fillings Sealants Veneers Inlays/Onlays Bonding Dental Implants Extractions Bleaching Bridges Crowns Dentures Nitrous Oxide.


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Rep. Wheeler with Lake County Advocate Animal Mitchell
and Assistant State's Attorney Jason Grindell
"When a child is abused or suffers a traumatic experience, it is often the comfort of an animal that helps them get over it," said Wheeler. "Animals pass no judgement; they just want to be your friend. This caring nature is what makes them so valuable for a child who has suffered."
SB1389 permits courts handling criminal cases that involve the abuse or exploitation of a child, or someone who is developmentally disabled, to allow the victim to have their service or therapeutic dog at their side during proceedings. Research by the Humane Society has shown that children who have suffered trauma are more likely to come out of their "shell" through the comfort provided by a service animal. When testifying in a criminal case, children are often so intimidated by facing their abuser they aren't able to complete testimony before the court. The mere presence of the animal they have developed a comforting bond with can be essential to helping them overcome the intimidating nature of the experience.
"Facing your abuser is an unimaginable experience," said Wheeler. "While it's difficult for an adult, the difficulty is so much more for a child. Having a dog like Mitchell at their side can make the difference; so ensuring these dogs can be in the courtroom to help comfort a child in need goes a long way."


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Yeah, my mum buys pretty and amazing stockings. She went to Malaysia for our cousin's wedding (which sadly we couldn't attend!!) and came back with many....as my friend said in one of our tutorials..."GLORIOUS STOCKINGS!" He did truly exclaim it in such a way, which sort of made my day!
On the note of outfit posting, I tried posting a 'look' under our blogger email, bigpicturestuff on lookbook yesterday. Unfortunately today I got an email saying that our look could be deleted! Which was quite a real shock for me, I'm still feeling the after effects of it.I felt like I was violating the law or something! Oh well, as Vess said to me, it's a learning curve.
I'm also in love with this song, "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri. It's so emotional and quite heartwrenching but I really love her unique voice. Also a great song to sing to. (Not that I sing, I like to create with my hands, as my friend said to me; "all can sing, but not many can sing wweelllll")
We're going to a friend's engagement party today! So exciting! Praying for the best weather for them!
-keep stylish-


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Individuals who wish to apply for a Fingerhut credit account may do so at the company's website. Scroll down to the bottom of the main page, and then click Apply Now under the Payment Options heading on the right side of the page, as of March 2015.
When applying for a Fingerhut credit account, individuals can start the process by clicking the Continue link as a new customer or log in to the website using their current account information. If customers have a pre-approved offer code from Fingerhut, they may enter that code at the top of the application page. Individuals then enter their names, addresses and phone numbers before entering their Social Security Numbers, birth dates and annual incomes. New customers can also use the credit application to register their accounts.
Fingerhut's FreshStart credit program allows those with little or no credit or with bad credit to make a purchase between $50 and their credit limits, make a down payment of $30 and then make six to eight on-time monthly payments. This verified payment history then qualifies these customers to enjoy revolving credit accounts with Fingerhut. Revolving Fingerhut credit accounts provide customers with increased credit limits, options for deferred payments and low monthly payments on purchases.


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A conference co-hosted by the Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies, University of Sunderland, and the School of Media, Film and Music, University of Sussex. To be held at the David Puttnam Media Centre, University of Sunderland.
We are delighted to announce that a provisional version of our conference programme is now ready (click here to download the file).
On-line registration is also now available. To register, please click here on the following link to our on-line booking site. Please note that online booking closes on Friday 26th August.
Further information will be sent to all delegates nearer to the time of the conference. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do get in touch with Michael Lawrence (email@example.com) or Susan Smith (firstname.lastname@example.com).
This conference seeks to build on recent scholarly interest in screen performance by focusing on the contribution of child actors to the history of international film and television. From the popular child stars of Hollywood to the child actors working in popular television and the non-professional children ubiquitous throughout 'world cinema,' the child performer is a prominent figure across a diverse range of media. However, the child actor is rarely considered in discussions of screen performance or of the representation of childhood: this conference will be the first of its kind to be focused exclusively on the work of children in and for film and television. We welcome papers that discuss particular child stars and performers and/or particular performances by children, as well as papers that consider more general historical and theoretical questions related to the child actor's presence on the screen and their position in film and television cultures and industries.
Keynote Speakers:
- Professor Karen Lury (University of Glasgow), author of The Child in Film: Tears, Fears and Fairytales (2010).
- Professor Linda Ruth Williams (University of Southampton), author of the forthcoming book Steven Spielberg's Children.
Special Guests:
- Jon Whiteley, the former child actor, will talk about his film career and his experiences making Hunted (Charles Crichton, 1952), The Kidnappers (Philip Leacock, 1953), Moonfleet (Fritz Lang, 1955) and The Spanish Gardener (Philip Leacock, 1956).
- David Redfern, film historian, will give a presentation on the film career of Baby Peggy Montgomery, one of the three major American child stars of the Hollywood silent movie era (along with Jackie Coogan and Baby Marie). In her heyday between 1920 and 1923 Baby Peggy was as famous as most adult stars. She later went on to have a career as a book publisher, historian and author on many Hollywood subjects under the name of Diana Serra Cary. David's presentation will draw on his interview with the former child actress in 2006.
The programme will cover a wide range of topics and seeks to engage with issues relating to the following:
- the training and schooling of child actors; the craft and labour of the child actor; notions of agency and control;
- different traditions of child acting and how child acting operates within different national/historical/cultural contexts and on the small (tv) as opposed to big screen (cinema);
- the critical reception of children's performances/the child as actor.
- the relationship between child acting and child stardom (e.g. the contribution that performance makes to the formation/articulation of child star identity; the notion of the child star as performer); the child actor's transition to child star;
- the transition from child to adolescent (or adult) performer; adolescent performances in film and/or television;
- how child performance operates within the context of genre;
- the child's voice as an aspect of performance; voice/body relations in child performance;
- the dynamics involved when children perform with adult actors/stars;
- the work of the child actor in children's vs. non-children's cinema/television;
- children performing with animals;
- ensemble child acting;
- the performative spaces in which children find scope to act;
- child acting during the silent vs. sound era;
- the notion of the child as performer in the animated film;
- collaborations between child actors and particular directors or stars;
- professional vs. non-professional child acting.


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Now that jailbreaking is on a downward spiral, it's getting tougher for iOS users to find their favorite modifications and tweaks. Well now we can, with ACMarket. We have seen a large number of app installers released over recent times, many of which are bringing a little bit of Cydia to the table but, while they are offering a few tweaks and paid apps for free, we still haven't been able to get Android apps on our iOS devices.
Image : ACMarket App
What is ACMarket ?
ACMarket is an unofficial Android app store, packed with apps and games that could, at one time, only be installed on that platform. There are even many that can't be installed from the Android app store or found anywhere else, but they will all work on your iOS device. However, we do need to advise you that you will need anti-virus software on your iPhone or iPad. Although ACMarket has been tested and declared safe and secure, the same may not apply to all the apps and games contained in it.
ACMarket Features :
Soon, we will be telling you how to download ACMarket on your device but first these are some great features:
- Easy to download and install
- Free to use and all content is free
- Nice search feature to make looking for apps easy
- No need to install Cydia
- User-friendly app
- Works on Android and iOS platforms
- Plenty of official Android apps and games
- Some apps and games modified with in-app features for free
- A few themes to help you personalize ACMarket
- Lots more features to discover
How to Download ACMarket :
Downloading ACMarket is very simple but you won't be getting it from any app store, Instead, we are providing you with a full guide and download links so make sure you follow it properly:
- Download ACMarket [ext link]
Alternatives to ACMarket :
Not everyone will be satisfied with just Android content on their devices; some will want to try iOS tweaks and apps as well. There are plenty of app installers to choose form, with these two being very popular:
If you are looking for a wide range of content to choose from, then AppValley may be just what you want. With a handful of Cydia tweaks, several of your favorite ++ modified apps, like Pokémon Go++ and Snapchat++, other premium content that wont be found anywhere else and the all-important paid app store apps for free, there is plenty to make your choice from so click on the given link for a full AppValley download guide.
Emus4U is the installer of choice for those who used to download emulators from Cydia and now can't. These emulators are the only way for us to play games console games on our iOS devices, like those form the PS1 and the Nintendo. But that's not all; you can also have your paid apps for free, lots of modified content and other apps you won't find anywhere else along with a few other Cydia tweaks. If you want to download Emus4U [ext link], check out the given link.
ACMarket is a godsend, not just to iOS users who got used to downloading whatever they wanted through Cydia but to Android users who have never been able to do that. For the most part, Android users have been stuck with what the app store offered and, these days, jailbreaks are so few and far between that iOS users are in the same boat. With ACMarket, that changes and we can all download whatever Android apps we want.
Tell us how you get on with ACMarket and follow us on Facebook for more updates and tips like this one.


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Americans have realized the value of organic and natural foods, and they've rewarded well-known grocery giant Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ:WFM) with huge share-price gains in recent years. But if you want to profit from trends like the natural-foods craze, you need to look beyond the obvious plays to discover other companies that are contributing to the industry's success.
One such company is United Natural Foods (NASDAQ:UNFI), which is slated to release its latest quarterly results on Tuesday. The stock has more than quadrupled since its 2009 lows, reflecting its success in capitalizing on the natural-foods trend. But will the company find new ways to grow? Let's take an early look at what's been happening with United Natural Foods over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its quarterly report.
Stats on United Natural Foods
Analyst EPS Estimate
Change From Year-Ago EPS
Revenue Estimate
$1.56 billion
Change From Year-Ago Revenue
Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters
Can United Natural Foods keep cashing in on the organic-food movement?
United Natural Foods has produced strong double-digit sales growth recently, and analysts expect that trend to continue this quarter as well. Expectations for earnings have fallen somewhat in recent months, with Wall Street cutting earnings estimates for the April quarter by a penny per share and full-year estimates by $0.03 per share, but those small moves haven't held back the stock. United Natural shares have risen more than 8% since the end of February.
Most people don't know much about United Natural, but as the main supplier to Whole Foods, the company commands an important place in the organic and natural foods industry. United Natural maintains a huge nationwide distribution network that delivers natural and organic foods from Hain Celestial (NASDAQ:HAIN) and other major natural-foods producers to grocery stores around the country.
The major concern for United Natural is whether favorable trends in the U.S. economy can continue to give shoppers the financial means to pay higher prices for natural foods. Mainstream groceries Safeway (UNKNOWN:SWY.DL) and Kroger have fought back against Whole Foods by starting to emphasize organic and natural offerings in their own stores, representing a growth opportunity for United Natural, but their ability to continue doing so will depend on their customers being able to afford the higher prices that organic and natural food command.
Another key question for United Natural is whether food-distribution giant Sysco (NYSE:SYY) will enter the natural-foods space more aggressively. So far, Sysco has been content with its commanding lead over the entire industry, leaving United Natural to thrive in its niche. But if Sysco decides that the trend is worth pursuing for greater profits, it could pose a huge threat to United Natural's growth.
In United Natural's report, watch for what the company has to say as a follow-up to its February announcement cutting its expected profits for the rest of the fiscal year. With the natural-foods industry becoming more popular than ever, now's the time when the company really needs to ramp up its game if it wants to capitalize fully on the natural food trend.
Click here to add United Natural Foods to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.
Fool contributor Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow him on Twitter: @DanCaplinger. The Motley Fool recommends Hain Celestial, Sysco, and Whole Foods Market and owns shares of Hain Celestial and Whole Foods Market. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Humor, entertainment, and geekery.
Still #1 in Colbert Fan Fiction!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Philosophy Jokes
Found some great philosophy jokes over at the Personality Cafe. Particularly enjoyed the link to the Close-to-complete Ideology and Religion Shit List. Also, in my perfect universe the Jerry Springer Show would actually be as described in NightRiser's post. Would a philosophy cable channel succeed? I'd like to think so.
Posted by Sue London
|Survey Says:
Tagged: Philosotainment, Thursday is Toy Day
1 comment:
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Natural Beauty
The woven accessories throughout this casual dining room make a nod to the home's beachy aesthetic. From the rattan chairs to the basket weave wall hanging to the colorful yarn-wrapped vases, natural textures abound. A large lantern hung low above the table blends well with the outdoorsy theme.