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21:24:07 01/31/12
Is Isabella Cruise Engaged?
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 21:24:07 01/31/12
Is Isabella Cruise Engaged?
Tom Cruise's 19-year-old daughter, "Bella," is getting very serious with her 23-year-old rocker boyfriend Eddie Frencher, who has reportedly asked for Tom's blessing! GUESS WHO'S ENGAGED!!! TOM CRUISE'S DAUGHTER!! NO, NOT SURI!!! ISABELLA! SHE'S ONLY 19, BUT ISABELLA CRUISE -- WHO NOW GOES BY JUST "BELLA" -- IS GETTING SERIOUS WITH BOYFRIEND, EDDIE FRENCHER! AND THEY'RE REPORTEDLY ABOUT TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL. A SOURCE TELLS UK'S THE MIRROR, "Eddie and Bella have been dating for some time but have deliberately kept their romance under wraps. The couple decided to go public at [her brother] Connor's birthday party recently because Eddie and Bella have discussed marriage." THE 23-YEAR-OLD ROCKER HAS SUPPOSEDLY GONE AS FAR AS ASKING FOR TOM'S BLESSING! AND THE INSIDER ADDS, "Tom and Nicole think Eddie is a great kid, and couldn't be happier." PROBABLY DOESN'T HURT THAT EDDIE'S A SCIENTOLOGIST TOO! BUT DON'T LOOK FOR AN INVITATION JUST YET... THE SOURCE SAYS, "They won't be getting married anytime soon, but they are getting pretty serious, very quickly." BUT WHEN THEY DO, WE THINK SURI WOULD MAKE THE MOST ADORABLE FLOWER GIRL... From: CelebTV Views: 714 10 ratings Time: 01:03 More in Entertainment
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21:24:07 01/31/12
Is Isabella Cruise Engaged?
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 21:24:07 01/31/12
Is Isabella Cruise Engaged?
Tom Cruise's 19-year-old daughter, "Bella," is getting very serious with her 23-year-old rocker boyfriend Eddie Frencher, who has reportedly asked for Tom's blessing! GUESS WHO'S ENGAGED!!! TOM CRUISE'S DAUGHTER!! NO, NOT SURI!!! ISABELLA! SHE'S ONLY 19, BUT ISABELLA CRUISE -- WHO NOW GOES BY JUST "BELLA" -- IS GETTING SERIOUS WITH BOYFRIEND, EDDIE FRENCHER! AND THEY'RE REPORTEDLY ABOUT TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL. A SOURCE TELLS UK'S THE MIRROR, "Eddie and Bella have been dating for some time but have deliberately kept their romance under wraps. The couple decided to go public at [her brother] Connor's birthday party recently because Eddie and Bella have discussed marriage." THE 23-YEAR-OLD ROCKER HAS SUPPOSEDLY GONE AS FAR AS ASKING FOR TOM'S BLESSING! AND THE INSIDER ADDS, "Tom and Nicole think Eddie is a great kid, and couldn't be happier." PROBABLY DOESN'T HURT THAT EDDIE'S A SCIENTOLOGIST TOO! BUT DON'T LOOK FOR AN INVITATION JUST YET... THE SOURCE SAYS, "They won't be getting married anytime soon, but they are getting pretty serious, very quickly." BUT WHEN THEY DO, WE THINK SURI WOULD MAKE THE MOST ADORABLE FLOWER GIRL... From: CelebTV Views: 689 10 ratings Time: 01:03 More in Entertainment
0 Views
19:03:00 01/13/12
Fashion Fails of the Week: Jessie J, Ashley Greene & More
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 19:03:00 01/13/12
Fashion Fails of the Week: Jessie J, Ashley Greene & More
PHOTOS: Elle Fanning wears a hippie dress, Jessie J wears retro lingerie, Ashley Greene's leather & lace combo falls flat and more style mistakes! Fashion is subjective- that we understand. But we can't help wonder what magic mirror Levin Ramblin was looking in before she hit the red carpet at the Weinstein Company party. This dress is so wrong. The color- the length the- we can't we just can't. But don't feel bad Levin- you're not alone. Check out who else made our list of fashion fails this week. Elle Fanning- you may be new to the biz, young and adorable- but you're not safe from being fashion roadkill! The flowered dress she wore at the Critics Choice awards is like hippie gone wrong. Jessie J- WTF?! This is not a dress. It is a piece of ripped fabric over a retro lingerie set- and it's not ok. The singer wore this to announce the nominations for the BRIT awards in London this week and we hope she forgets to pack it next time she's stateside. And Ashlee Green tried the leather and lace combo and failed- big time. We're not a fan of the way the dress fits. Come on Alice- you can see the future. Next time -- let's leave this dress out of it! From: CelebTV Views: 1033 19 ratings Time: 01:06 More in Entertainment
0 Views
19:03:00 01/13/12
Fashion Fails of the Week: Jessie J, Ashley Greene & More
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 19:03:00 01/13/12
Fashion Fails of the Week: Jessie J, Ashley Greene & More
PHOTOS: Elle Fanning wears a hippie dress, Jessie J wears retro lingerie, Ashley Greene's leather & lace combo falls flat and more style mistakes! Fashion is subjective- that we understand. But we can't help wonder what magic mirror Levin Ramblin was looking in before she hit the red carpet at the Weinstein Company party. This dress is so wrong. The color- the length the- we can't we just can't. But don't feel bad Levin- you're not alone. Check out who else made our list of fashion fails this week. Elle Fanning- you may be new to the biz, young and adorable- but you're not safe from being fashion roadkill! The flowered dress she wore at the Critics Choice awards is like hippie gone wrong. Jessie J- WTF?! This is not a dress. It is a piece of ripped fabric over a retro lingerie set- and it's not ok. The singer wore this to announce the nominations for the BRIT awards in London this week and we hope she forgets to pack it next time she's stateside. And Ashlee Green tried the leather and lace combo and failed- big time. We're not a fan of the way the dress fits. Come on Alice- you can see the future. Next time -- let's leave this dress out of it! From: CelebTV Views: 1033 19 ratings Time: 01:06 More in Entertainment
11 Views
02:35:59 12/02/11
How to Thrift Store Shop for clothing:
[LESS INFO] 11 VIEWS | ADDED 02:35:59 12/02/11
FACT: Thrifting can be overwhelming:
> What store do I chose?
Once inside, where do I start?
When should I go?
Do I need cash?
Because those thoughts can flood your brain, its understandable why many of you just don’t do it all. BUT if you don’t do it all, then you are missing out on a really invigorating shopping experience.
I like to think of it as treasure hunting.
Every time I go to a thrift store I walk away with an amazing, unexpected find, at a remarkably bargain of a price. Best of all…it’s recycling!
>
I started thrifting because I love fashion, but could never afford (without going into debt) to buy trendy and designer clothing. I learned from an old friend who was a fashion stylist and another friend who used to work at a thrift
store how to navigate them successfully.
Step#1:
Before you even go into a thrift store you need to establish why you are going. (At least if you are a newbie.) This will prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed and frustrated. The best way to do that is to list what you need.
If I don’t have something in particular that I am looking for, like a brown cardigan or sequins dress, then my strategy is to hit up certain things that I know that I will always need, like flowy work blouses.
> Here’s my personal l ist of things that I always check when shopping at a thrift store:
Leather
Sequins
Jewelry
Dresses
Blouses
But I do recommend that you skip out on buying lingerie, bathing suits…you know items that get really personal.
Step#2
Research thrift stores in your area. Each one offers something different. I categorize the in three ways: pure thrift, general thrift, and boutique thrift.
Pure Thrift: usually bigger, warehouse stores.
Sorted only by sections like women’s blouse and men’s blazers. And also sorted by colors. Some even just have big piles of clothes that you have to dig through. They are generally not sorted by brands or quality, so this is where you really can treasure hunt and really find “gold.” This type of thrift store is my preference. I find top brand names, clothing with tags on it, etc. Because they are minimally sorted, the prices are usually the cheapest. But you have to thoroughly check for quality, flaws, weird stains, etc.
In the Southeast, Value Village is the best example. Also, oodwill Warehouse’s (not to be confused with standard Goodwill Stores)
Other thrift stores are sorted a little more. I call these general thrift stores.
You are familiar with their names mostly because of the charity they serve.
These places have less selection and the prices can be about 100 percent higher
and are conting ent on the brand name. Meaning, a dress that cost $4 at Value
Village can cost anywhere between $5 and $10 depending on the brand name.
Examples of these thrift stores are Goodwill and the Salvation Army.
Next we have boutique thrift stores.
Usually, these places also offer consignment items. (*Stay tuned for post on how
to shop and sell at consignment stores.) Wanna know how the owners of these
stores stock their shelves? They basically shop Pure Thrift Stores (see above).
These stores don’t take donations unless they are top label brand names in mint
condition, and most of the time, if it’s in that’s the case, they will either
flat out buy it or co nsign it for you. So for all of their work, you can expect,
cha-ching, higher prices for second-hand clothing.
In your area, you can google “boutique or designer thrift store”. Consignment usually comes up next to the stores, but I just explained why above.
Step#3
Once you determine which store type (see Step#2), research the nuances about that store. Does it have sale days? Does it open early? Is there a day that they get fresh shipment and stock the shelves? Do they have dressing rooms? Doing these extra steps will help you save more money and have an efficient shopping trip.
More tips before you enter:
* If you can, go early. Some thrift stores open as early at 7:30 am.
* If possible, choose a sale day or a restocking day.
* Dress comfortable…so you can
easily try on clothes.
*Even if there are no dressing rooms, if you wear
comfortable clothes you can easily throw on items in the isle, run to the mirror
to see if works for you.
* E xpect to spend a couple of hours shopping, at
least. Prepare for that.
* Do you shop with friend?
*I personally do better alone. I need to concentrate. If with friend, make sure they know the time that it will take. Also, what’s their purpose: to help dig or be second
eye. Make sure you know because it’s not a typical shopping trip.
Now, you’re ready to go inside.
Step#4
Once inside:
1. Get cart if you can.
2. Pick a section…for newbies, I say look for just try two. For example, long skirts and blazers.
3. Then go through that section piece by piece. Touch them all! As you get better, you’ll go faster, and take on more sections. Remember you’re digging for treasures, and the best treasures are usually hidden. So dig, dig, dig!
4. Try on and make sure you like the looks you’ve selected. If you’re going vintage, are the sleeves from the ‘80’s? Do you like the look after all when it’s on your body? Is the number size that you know fits you too small after all? Is it ill-fitting? Can it be tailored?
Trying on clothes is essential, especially in a thrift store . Again, if you don’t like it when you get home, you know that you won’t wear it and it will just eventually be donated back.
Now, let me dispel a myth.
“It’s a thrift store, so I shouldn’t have high expectations on quality and condition.”
Absolutely not! Why would anyone ever want to put on trash? You don’t have to settle for that. I only buy things that are perfect for what I need at thrift stores. If it’s not, I put it back.
You don’t have to resolve for less than wonderful: bad stains, tears, smells, etc.
Now, if it is something you really love, like a great leather coat and you think that you can work with the imperfection, then buy it. You have to weigh the blemish to see if it is fixable, cleanable or mendable…or if it is something that you can live with. If it is something that you can fix, how easy is that challenge? Do you want to send it to a tailor? Well then how much will that cost you? Weigh the costs, if it’s not worth it, then leave it alone! Walk away. You won’t wear it and will end up donating it back.
> My example: I am pretty handy with sewing simple projects, but I happened upon a
sequins dress made in the ‘80’s. I almost passed on it, but a friend that was
with me said…”You better not.” Now that I think about it, I should’ve bought all
the sequins I saw that day…and there was a lot. I got the dress for $5. I spent
$50 to shorten the hem. It was worth it, because sequins is impossible for the
novice to work with, and I didn’t want to ruin the dress. The dress was my New
Years Eve dress and it was amazing!
With that… Thirft stores are great places you can take fashion risks , with minimal costs and potential loss. You can pull an inspiration outfit online or just happen upon something funky. Buy it and work with it at home. If it doesn’t work out…oh well…it only cost you a few bucks, right? Now it’s time to donate it back.
My thing is that I love to repurpose outfits. Many of my shopping trips have been just to pick up things to repurpose. I may like the texture (leather), or the pattern of a dress (but plan to turn it into a blouse), I may find a dress but it’s too long, so I’ll shorten the hem; the same with sleeves. *Stay tuned for upcoming posts and videos on how to repurpose things.
For families...
Probably the best secret is taking advantage of thrift stores. Little kids, especially babies, get very little wear out of their c lothing. So scour the thrift stores for everything from packaged onesies to baby formal wear. You can find designer jeans and many things with tags still on.
Now that you have your big bag of goods. Next…what to when you get home….
*Check my thrift store challenge video on my show Charlotte Today.
5 Views
23:33:59 11/16/11
On CelebTV's Radar: Mirror, Mirror Trailer, Twilight Muppets
[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 23:33:59 11/16/11
On CelebTV's Radar: Mirror, Mirror Trailer, Twilight Muppets
VIDEO: Check out Julia Roberts & Lily Collins in Snow White, the Twilight-inspired Muppets' ads & Lady Gaga's newest fashion trend! JULIA ROBERTS TAKES ON SNOW WHITE, THE MUPPETS GET TWILIGHT FEVER...AND LADY GAGA NAILS A TREND... THAT'S WHAT'S ON CELEBTV'S RADAR THIS WEEK! THE TRAILER FOR MIRROR MIRROR JUST POPPED ON LINE -- THINK YOU'VE HEARD THIS STORY BEFORE? WELL THIS IS THE OTHER SNOW WHITE MOVIE!! LAST WEEK WE GOT OUR FIRST LOOK AT KRISTEN STEWART'S "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN." AND WHILE THE COMPARISONS ARE INEVITABLE, WE REALLY DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE MUCH COMPETITION BETWEEN THESE TWO... WITH JULIA ROBERTS AS THE EVIL QUEEN, AND SEVEN FUNNY DWARVES, THIS ONE TAKES AN OVER THE TOP, CAMPY TAKE ON THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALE... SO BREAKING DAWN BUZZ IS EVERYWHERE RIGHT NOW...AND RATHER THAN FEAR THEIR COMPETITION AT THE BOX OFFICE, THE MUPPETS ARE JUMPING ON THE TWILIGHT BANDWAGON! CHECK OUT KERMIT, MISS PIGGY AND ROWLF AS TWILIGHT'S MAIN THREE --VAMPHIBIAN, BELLA SWAN AND WERE-ROLWPH! SO CUTE!!! AND IT LOOKS LIKE LADY GAGA'S CHANNELING HER INNER WEREWOLF. CHECK OUT THESE RAZOR SHARP FINGERNAILS SHE'S ROCKIN. TURNS OUT THE "STILETTO NAIL" IS THE LATEST TREND IN MANICURES, AND CAN RUN YA ABOUT $150 BUCKS. RIHANNA, FERGIE, ADELE AND BEYONCE HAVE ALL BEEN SEEN SPORTIN KILLER NAILS. ALTHOUGH WE ALL KNOW, WHEN LADY GAGA WORKS A TREND SHE NAILS IT. From: CelebTV Views: 2183 11 ratings Time: 01:55 More in Entertainment
5 Views
23:33:59 11/16/11
On CelebTV's Radar: Mirror, Mirror Trailer, Twilight Muppets
[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 23:33:59 11/16/11
On CelebTV's Radar: Mirror, Mirror Trailer, Twilight Muppets
VIDEO: Check out Julia Roberts & Lily Collins in Snow White, the Twilight-inspired Muppets' ads & Lady Gaga's newest fashion trend! JULIA ROBERTS TAKES ON SNOW WHITE, THE MUPPETS GET TWILIGHT FEVER...AND LADY GAGA NAILS A TREND... THAT'S WHAT'S ON CELEBTV'S RADAR THIS WEEK! THE TRAILER FOR MIRROR MIRROR JUST POPPED ON LINE -- THINK YOU'VE HEARD THIS STORY BEFORE? WELL THIS IS THE OTHER SNOW WHITE MOVIE!! LAST WEEK WE GOT OUR FIRST LOOK AT KRISTEN STEWART'S "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN." AND WHILE THE COMPARISONS ARE INEVITABLE, WE REALLY DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE MUCH COMPETITION BETWEEN THESE TWO... WITH JULIA ROBERTS AS THE EVIL QUEEN, AND SEVEN FUNNY DWARVES, THIS ONE TAKES AN OVER THE TOP, CAMPY TAKE ON THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALE... SO BREAKING DAWN BUZZ IS EVERYWHERE RIGHT NOW...AND RATHER THAN FEAR THEIR COMPETITION AT THE BOX OFFICE, THE MUPPETS ARE JUMPING ON THE TWILIGHT BANDWAGON! CHECK OUT KERMIT, MISS PIGGY AND ROWLF AS TWILIGHT'S MAIN THREE --VAMPHIBIAN, BELLA SWAN AND WERE-ROLWPH! SO CUTE!!! AND IT LOOKS LIKE LADY GAGA'S CHANNELING HER INNER WEREWOLF. CHECK OUT THESE RAZOR SHARP FINGERNAILS SHE'S ROCKIN. TURNS OUT THE "STILETTO NAIL" IS THE LATEST TREND IN MANICURES, AND CAN RUN YA ABOUT $150 BUCKS. RIHANNA, FERGIE, ADELE AND BEYONCE HAVE ALL BEEN SEEN SPORTIN KILLER NAILS. ALTHOUGH WE ALL KNOW, WHEN LADY GAGA WORKS A TREND SHE NAILS IT. From: CelebTV Views: 2183 11 ratings Time: 01:55 More in Entertainment
12 Views
00:30:00 04/20/11
drive it!: The Motor Magazine
[LESS INFO] 12 VIEWS | ADDED 00:30:00 04/20/11
drive it! introduces VW's Eos convertible, compares two classic subcompacts, checks out the latest member of the Mini family, tries to communicate with the help of "hands-free" devices, and discovers that vintage cars can look old, but be very young at heart. present it!: VW Eos CabrioletThe latest generation of the Eos marries the design features of a sporty coupé and an elegant convertible.But it does come with the trademark Volkswagen contouring. The new version comes with a world first: a roof comprising five parts that opens in 25 seconds and features an integrated sunroof and a heated rear window. drive it! tested the 2.0-liter diesel version of the Eos with 103 kW of power. Prices in Germany start at 27.975 euros.compare it!: Citroën C3 versus the Ford FiestaWe pit a French and German-engineered subcompact against each other.The Citroën C3 versus the Ford Fiesta. The Fiesta has been around since 1976, and is now in its seventh generation. The Citroën C3 was launched in 2002 and is in its second generation. Both cars feature distinctive design. The Fiesta is a product of Ford's Kinetic Design philosophy, which gives it a dynamic appearance. A highlight with the Citroën is its front windshield, which stretches back over the driver. drive it! took a closer look at the duo.test it!: The Mini CountrymanWe said we would be looking at a Mini, but is it really?The answer is unequivocally yes, but during the course of its life the design has actually gotten bigger -- especially this time around. The Countryman is Mini's biggest model yet. As Mini's version of an SUV, it is the first to have four doors. Four-wheel drive is available too, but as an optional extra. Still, that's a first in a Mini. But is all that space between the Countryman and the road really necessary? drive it! tests the "big" Mini and discovers that it boasts as much cargo space as a VW Golf. examine it!: Hands-free Devices Square Off In A TestMany people have been told "Don't pick up the phone!" if their cell phone rings while driving.Using a mobile while behind the wheel is dangerous and in some places illegal. Drivers in Germany are fined and given points on their driving record if they get caught. That is why hands-free sets are popular in Germany. And they certainly are a comfortable way to talk and drive at the same time. drive it! tests four different systems -- one that mounts on the rear-view mirror, another that attaches to the steering wheel, a simple Bluetooth device, and finally, one that clips to the sun visor. drive it! finds out which of these works best and is safest.Vintage: the Opel KapitänThere is far more to some vintage cars than meets the eye.Markus Zippert is the proud owner of a 1951 Opel Kapitän. But beneath the staid black fenders and chrome is the heart of a much younger car. The engine, axles and drivetrain are from the Opel Senator, a car that made its debut nearly four decades later. And then there is a 1972 TVR 3000 M that's a real rocket sled. It weighs in at less than a ton and its turbo 360 horsepower engine rockets it from zero to 100 in a mere five seconds. The car originated from TVR Engineering in Blackpool, England, but was souped up in Germany. Join drive it! to see the latest in high-speed technology dressed up in time-honored designs.
8 Views
20:11:07 01/05/11
Boating Above the Fray - How to Whip a Rope
[LESS INFO] 8 VIEWS | ADDED 20:11:07 01/05/11
YachtPals.com Boating and Sailing News 05 Jan
Boating Above the Fray - How to Whip a Rope
Rope is an amazing tool, and one that's been around for a long, long time. Cordage made from twisting, weaving and/or braiding individually weak fibers together into a strong and flexible length may even mirror the rise of man, and rope thousands of years old, such as has been found in the lands of nearly every ancient civilization, looks remarkably like what we still use today. Even the more exotic braided and double-braided rope available in our modern age is not that much different from the cordage, textiles and basketry used farther back then we can remember - almost certainly deep into the Old Stone Age. The difference, of course, is in the materials and machinery used to make rope, but even with most modern synthetic weaves, rope's main weakness persists after all of these eons: If you don't finish the ends, it will eventually turn right back into individual, weak fibers.
read more
5 Views
14:00:05 12/16/10
C&L Opening Bell, 12-15-10
[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 14:00:05 12/16/10
enlarge Good mornin'! Let's get started:
* Republicans on the financial crisis investigation commission reached new levels of insanity yesterday when they chose to adopt a blame-it-on-ACORN narrative to the causes of the financial crisis: >
The four Republicans appointed to the commission investigating the root causes of the financial crisis plan to bypass the bipartisan panel and release their own report Wednesday, according to people familiar with the commission's work.
The Republicans, led by the commission's vice chairman, former congressman and chair of the House Ways and Means Committee Bill Thomas, will likely focus their report on the explosive growth of subprime mortgages and the heavy role played by the federal government in pushing mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase and insure them. They'll also likely focus on the Community Reinvestment Act, a 1977 law that encourages banks to lend to underserved communities, these people said.
The Republicans' report is expected to conclude that government policy helped inflate the housing bubble and that prices weren't expected to crash because the government pushed homeownership so aggressively.
This cute little narrative -- which I called the "We didn't want to give houses to all those swarthy poor people, the government made us, WAAAAAAAH!" narrative -- has absolutely no basis in reality. This chart from Barry Ritholz tells you everything you need to know (click to enlarge):
enlarge
As you can see this housing bubble was global in nature . And looking at the chart you can see that the U.S. actually had things relatively good compared to Ireland, Spain and the UK. And I'll let you in on a little secret: The Community Reinvestment Act did not force Irish, Spanish or British banks to make no-doc mortgages. The reason so many banks made so many crappy loans over the years is the simplest of all reasons: Because the securitization process made it profitable for them to do so. The incentives within the system were such that the original lender never had to live with the consequences of making a crappy loan because he would just fork it off to Wall Street, which was hungry for loans to bundle up into CDOs. Ratings agencies had no incentives to point out that these CDOs were full of crappy loans because they were being paid by the banks to rate their products favorably. For good measure, add in the fact that the Fed kept interest rates low during the buildup of the bubble and gave banks lots of easy money to play with. And finally, when banks started issued synthetic CDOs backed primarily by unregulated credit derivatives, well, you have a recipe for a massively over-leveraged financial system where everybody is basically making money out of thin air.
Heidi Moore has a more-nuanced take over at DealBook that makes roughly the same points: >
The government-sponsored enterprises fueled bad lending but it was the investment banks’ packaging of the same bad mortgages over and over again into toxic collateralized debt obligation bundles that created billions of dollars in losses. If every mortgage could only be securitized once, the losses would have been bad but not horrible. But because fancy Wall Street chicanery reproduced those mortgages and mirrored them in bundles of increasing size, the investment banks took far bigger losses than they would have otherwise. As those losses grew, the banks struggled to find enough cash to stay well capitalized. Investors grew scared that the banks would not be able to, and the government had to step in to bolster the banks’ capital with the Troubled Asset Relief Program and other bailout programs.
(Incidentally, people like Dean Baker were writing about this way back in 2004 when nobody else was talking about it. But for some reason people like Dean Baker never get appointed to key government positions. Only people who couldn't see a multi-trillion dollar housing bubble get that sort of work.)
* We've been on a "happy news roll" for the past couple of days and I think this qualifies : >
The Obama administration has selected Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, a vocal critic of the banking industry, to head the enforcement division of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to a Treasury official.
Cordray, a Democrat, has been a leader among state attorneys general in the probe into mortgage foreclosure practices. The probe is examining whether banks submitted faulty legal documents in foreclosure proceedings.
This has "Elizabeth Warren lobbying" written all over it. To which I say, "Thank God!" If Obama had taken more advice from Warren over the past two years and less from the Geithner-Summers tag team, he wouldn't be in the predicament he's in today. Let's hope this is the start of a trend (though I'm cynical enough to know it isn't).
* Another data point you can use against Glen Beck fans you know who are screaming "ZOMG TEH INFLATION!!!!" >
The cost of living in the U.S. rose less than forecast in November, indicating higher prices for commodities such as fuel aren’t filtering through into other goods and services.
The consumer-price index increased 0.1 percent after a 0.2 percent rise the prior month, the Labor Department said today in Washington. The median estimate of economists in a Bloomberg News survey called for a gain of 0.2 percent. The so-called core measure, which excludes more volatile food and energy costs, also rose 0.1 percent, matching the median forecast.
I'm much more worried about 10% unemployment and a massive foreclosure crisis than I am about inflation at this point in time. In fact, I would gladly trade some inflation if it meant people were getting back to work and demand for goods started rising.
* Ireland's parliament voted to pass the Permanent Servitude to the Eurocrats Bill €85 billion EU-IMF bailout package today. This bit tickled me: >
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan said it mystified him that anybody in the Dáil could oppose the measure.
“The suggestion that the Opposition could negotiate a better interest rate from the IMF is, frankly, laughable,” he added. “The rate of interest charged by the IMF is calculated using the standard formula which it applies to all countries.”
Another way of putting this is: "The Opposition tells you they could have given you a crap sandwich with wholewheat bread, lettuce and tomatoes. Balderdash! We know the IMF only serves its crap sandwiches on Wonder Bread with no vegetables! There's only one party that will get you the best deal on crap sandwiches and that's Fianna Fáil!"
And finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't express happiness at the House voting overwhelmingly to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell yesterday. Now it goes back to the Senate where it should get done... but this is the Senate... they have been known to pull stuff like this in the past:
But, uh, let's hope the Senate is more competent than the Washington Redskins. Gulp.
1 Views
12:22:00 12/06/10
Video: Body fat transplant
[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 12:22:00 12/06/10
Nancy Klein found out she had breast cancer exactly one year after her mother got the same diagnosis. Nancy decided to have a double mastectomy, thinking about just one thing. Nancy Klein says "I was just thinking about honestly my daughter, just kept coming into my mind. I would think of her and have all these visions of her going to high school and getting married and I just knew that when I didn't see myself in that vision it wasn't an option." But she says after the surgery, reality sunk in. Nancy Klein says "Then the bandages came off. And that's kind of where things got a little rocky for me." So she went to Dr. Larry Pollack who told her about an implant reconstruction involving her own fat. Nancy Klein says "so you're saying I can take fat from another part of my body and transfer it to get a better appearance and I just couldn't believe it, I was like when is your next availability." Fat transplants are not new, but Dr. Pollack says they've recently gotten a lot better. For Nancy, he used a new system developed by a company called Cytori. A patient's tissue is removed often from the stomach or hips, then injected into a bag, lined with filters. The tissue's washed, removing contaminants. The now much purer tissue is injected back into the patient. Dr. Larry Pollack, a plastic Surgeon, says "you don't just inject a blob of fat, you inject little threads and those little threads will very quickly get blood supply and survive." Cytori president Marc Hedrick calls it a big improvement, but he thinks his company has come up with something even better. Cytori President Marc Hedrick says "the next step is to enrich the fat graft with the patient's own stem and regenerative cells." And so Cytori has invested $250 million dollars over the past decade to create this machine. A patient's fat is added, washed, then the so-called celution system does this. Marc Hedrick says "so we're just taking those normal cells out that happen to be stem cells in many cases, pull those out, concentrate then and add them back to the fat tissue." Hedrick says that makes the tissue even better and long lasting. The company hopes to eventually get FDA approval. That didn't happen in time for Nancy, but she's doing just great. So's her mom. She just finished the "3-day for the cure" walk and wants other women to know there's a way to feel good about themselves about breast cancer surgery. Nancy Klein says "I no longer have those feelings when I look in the mirror and so I can go on living my life and being just happy with the way I look." Right now, the celution system's approved in Europe for breast cancer reconstruction and imported into Japan too. Also, Cytori just presented a study to the American Heart Association in which the system was used on patients with chronic heart disease. There's also hope it could one day help stroke victims and people with liver failure.
5 Views
12:22:00 12/06/10
Video: Body fat transplant
[LESS INFO] 5 VIEWS | ADDED 12:22:00 12/06/10
Nancy Klein found out she had breast cancer exactly one year after her mother got the same diagnosis. Nancy decided to have a double mastectomy, thinking about just one thing. Nancy Klein says "I was just thinking about honestly my daughter, just kept coming into my mind. I would think of her and have all these visions of her going to high school and getting married and I just knew that when I didn't see myself in that vision it wasn't an option." But she says after the surgery, reality sunk in. Nancy Klein says "Then the bandages came off. And that's kind of where things got a little rocky for me." So she went to Dr. Larry Pollack who told her about an implant reconstruction involving her own fat. Nancy Klein says "so you're saying I can take fat from another part of my body and transfer it to get a better appearance and I just couldn't believe it, I was like when is your next availability." Fat transplants are not new, but Dr. Pollack says they've recently gotten a lot better. For Nancy, he used a new system developed by a company called Cytori. A patient's tissue is removed often from the stomach or hips, then injected into a bag, lined with filters. The tissue's washed, removing contaminants. The now much purer tissue is injected back into the patient. Dr. Larry Pollack, a plastic Surgeon, says "you don't just inject a blob of fat, you inject little threads and those little threads will very quickly get blood supply and survive." Cytori president Marc Hedrick calls it a big improvement, but he thinks his company has come up with something even better. Cytori President Marc Hedrick says "the next step is to enrich the fat graft with the patient's own stem and regenerative cells." And so Cytori has invested $250 million dollars over the past decade to create this machine. A patient's fat is added, washed, then the so-called celution system does this. Marc Hedrick says "so we're just taking those normal cells out that happen to be stem cells in many cases, pull those out, concentrate then and add them back to the fat tissue." Hedrick says that makes the tissue even better and long lasting. The company hopes to eventually get FDA approval. That didn't happen in time for Nancy, but she's doing just great. So's her mom. She just finished the "3-day for the cure" walk and wants other women to know there's a way to feel good about themselves about breast cancer surgery. Nancy Klein says "I no longer have those feelings when I look in the mirror and so I can go on living my life and being just happy with the way I look." Right now, the celution system's approved in Europe for breast cancer reconstruction and imported into Japan too. Also, Cytori just presented a study to the American Heart Association in which the system was used on patients with chronic heart disease. There's also hope it could one day help stroke victims and people with liver failure.
0 Views
14:58:16 07/29/08
Mirrors Ours The Media's Our Cultures' And Our Kids
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 14:58:16 07/29/08
We blog about our own self-images a lot, there's no doubt about that. But a lot of us also blog about our kids’ self-images. Our kids, at some point, become aware of their own physical attributes...and the physical attributes of other people too. Often we’re in the position of reacting to negative stuff they bring home. “You’re ugly, you’re too fat, your eyes are wrong, your color is different than your mom's” etc. Sometimes it’s really hard to help our kids if we don’t feel good about ourselves. Have you ever been afraid they're actually picking up the wrong messages from your own attitudes about yourself? And how often have you wondered how to effectively counteract the messages we all receive from a society that markets the “super model” look to 9 year old girls and plastic surgery as a Sweet 16 present?Children of all races, sizes, ages, and body types deserve to feel good about themselves: how they look, and how their bodies feel. Moderator Laurie Toby Edison will talk with Tracee Sioux, Kelly Wickham, Glennia Campbell and the collective wisdom in the room about strategies to help our kids like themselves as they are.
4 Views
12:12:15 03/11/08
Demystifying HDTV
[LESS INFO] 4 VIEWS | ADDED 12:12:15 03/11/08
Man, this was a rough one! First off, I am sorry for the delay. I originally said I would publish on Sunday's... and here we are, early Tuesday morning. Let's just say I had some major technical difficulties, I'll spare the details. But, if you're watching in HD, you will probably notice that I am a little blurry - don't ask - just know it won't happen again. You know how when you set out to do something, like fixing your sink or car and NOTHING goes right? that was this episode. I feel like sitting in front of the mirror for a daily affirmation (aka Stuart Smalley), Live and learn... Anyway, this episode ran a lot longer than I anticipated, but it's jammed with a lot of Awesome information on HDTV. Everything from display technologies to receiving HDTV over the air for free. Now, this is not for you HDTV experts, so look away! but tell your friends who may be less knowledgeable. Enjoy!
20 Views
16:00:00 12/31/69
Obama - Man in the mirror
[LESS INFO] 20 VIEWS | ADDED 16:00:00 12/31/69
Don't you just feel this powerful song Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson back in 1987 reaches its fullest potential with Obama's campaign?? I'm Gonna Make A Change, For Once In My Life It's Gonna Feel Real Good, Gonna Make A Difference Gonna Make It Right . . . As I, Turn Up The Collar On My Favourite Winter Coat This Wind Is Blowin' My Mind I See The Kids In The Street, Without Enough To Eat Who Am I, To Be Blind? Pretending Not To See Their Needs A Summer's Disregard, A Broken Bottle Top And A One Man's Soul They Follow Each Other On The Wind Ya' Know 'Cause They Got Nowhere To Go That's Why Now I Want You To Know I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change) (Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah) I've Been A Victim Of A Selfish Kind Of Love It's Time That I Realize That There Are Some With No Home, Not A Nickel To Loan Could It Be Really Me, Pretending That They're Not Alone? A Willow Deeply Scarred, Somebody's Broken Heart And A Washed-Out Dream (Washed-Out Dream) They Follow The Pattern Of The Wind, Ya' See Cause They Got No Place To Be That's Why I'm Starting With Me (Starting With Me!) I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror (Ooh!) I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Ooh!) And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change) I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror (Ooh!) I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Change His Ways-Ooh!) And No Message Could've Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make That . . . (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make That . . .) Change! I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror, (Man In The Mirror-Oh Yeah!) I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Better Change!) No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make The Change) (You Gotta Get It Right, While You Got The Time) ('Cause When You Close Your Heart) You Can't Close Your . . .Your Mind! (Then You Close Your . . . Mind!) That Man, That Man, That Man, That Man With That Man In The Mirror (Man In The Mirror, Oh Yeah!) That Man, That Man, That Man I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Better Change!) You Know . . .That Man No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change) Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah (Oh Yeah!) Gonna Feel Real Good Now! Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah! Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah (Ooooh . . .) Oh No, No No . . . I'm Gonna Make A Change It's Gonna Feel Real Good! Come On! (Change . . .) Just Lift Yourself You Know You've Got To Stop It. Yourself! (Yeah!-Make That Change!) I've Got To Make That Change, Today! Hoo! (Man In The Mirror) You Got To You Got To Not Let Yourself . . . Brother . . . Hoo! (Yeah!-Make That Change!) You Know-I've Got To Get That Man, That Man . . . (Man In The Mirror) You've Got To You've Got To Move! Come On! Come On! You Got To . . . Stand Up! Stand Up! Stand Up! (Yeah-Make That Change) Stand Up And Lift Yourself, Now! (Man In The Mirror) Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Aaow! (Yeah-Make That Change) Gonna Make That Change . . . Come On! (Man In The Mirror) You Know It! You Know It! You Know It! You Know . . . (Change . . .) Make That Change.





