Missiles and stilettos.

Donald Rumsfeld update!

2011-12-07T23:31:00.000-08:00

This is beyond nuts.

In a good way.

Time: Why Is Donald Rumsfeld on This Package of Spicy Peanuts?
By Catherine Mayer

There are, in this salty tale of frolics, politics and peanuts, a number of what Donald Rumsfeld might call known knowns. These are things we know that we know -- such as how a photograph of a young Rumsfeld, a chopstick balanced on his protruding upper lip as he gazes at a giggling Geisha, came to decorate packets of U.K. snack food manufacturer Tyrrell's Spicy Coated Peanuts. "All our packs feature imagery which aims to be rather entertaining, quirky and just a bit different from the norm of popping a slice of cheese and an onion on the front of a pack," emails Oliver Rudgard, Tyrrell's Marketing Director. "We thought this image was in line with our brand's light-hearted and slightly eccentric view on life."

The story is rich with known unknowns, too. For example, we know that the former White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense did not know that his more than slightly eccentric portrait was being used this way until TIME informed his people.

And here's another Rumsfeldian known unknown: few Britons ripping open a packet of the wasabi-flavored treats would recognize the anonymous man unwittingly pressed into service to promote the product. There's no caption to the photograph on the packaging. "We chose it because we loved the picture," confirms Rudgard. "The fact that Donald Rumsfeld was featured was merely coincidental." Indeed, the packaging was an unknown unknown. British consumers didn't know they didn't know the story behind it.

Coincidence ensured that this unknown unknown and the known unknowns became known knowns. An eagle-eyed TIME staffer picked up a few groceries in a convenience store during a recent holiday in the north of England. He spotted the photograph and felt sure it belonged to a set taken by the photographer David Hume Kennerly during President Gerald Ford's 1974 visit to Japan. Kennerly, duly contacted, confirmed a further known unknown. Like Rumsfeld, he had no idea that the image had found a new and salty-fingered audience.

Read more?

What's in your pouch?

2011-12-01T00:39:00.000-08:00

Left to right: Hawaiian Tropic Anti-Oxidant Sunblock SPF 50, Crabtree & Evelyn Summer Hill Hand Therapy (travel size), Lola's Universal Colorless Powder, Lola Lip Service Treatment in Pure, Guerlain Meteorites Illuminating & Mattifying Pressed Powder, Sue Devitt Bronzing Eyeshadow Trio.

Bloomberg: Study Shows Obama Watering Down Regulations More Than Bush

2011-12-01T00:17:00.000-08:00

From Bloomberg:

President Barack Obama, criticized by Republicans for slowing job growth by over regulating, has weakened proposed rules at a greater rate than President George W. Bush, according to a new study.

The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs changed 76 percent of agency rules submitted for review under Obama, compared with 64 percent under his Republican predecessor, according to the study from the Center for Progressive Reform. Obama also has ignored requirements that he disclose documents exchanged between OIRA and federal agencies, the report said.

“We are disappointed because we thought President Obama had great potential,” Rena Steinzor, president of the center, a Washington-based research group that supports health and environmental rules, said in an interview. “He promised us he would be transparent, but he is just as bad as Bush.”

The scope of government regulation has emerged as a major issue in the 2012 presidential race and on Capitol Hill. Republican presidential candidates have accused Obama of stifling job creation by imposing rules on business, and House Republicans have vowed to rein in proposed regulations on everything from the environment to health care to banking.

Read the entire article here!

Updates:
President Obama to join former Presidents Bush and Clinton at AIDS panel (Considering he's not doing much, wonder what he has to say?)

Bush advised Bachmann to "lose the gloves" (Shows that GWB is the sort of guy who stays true to himself, and would advise others to do the same!)

Beauty addict.

2011-11-26T02:15:00.000-08:00

I'm such a beauty junkie. Call me vain or shallow or both, but make-up and face creams and body lotions bring an inner peace to my soul like no gorgeous hunk can. It's such a nitwit thing to say but I can't help myself!

It's not too much, is it?

p.s.
Check out this link. It's George P. Bush on Fox & Friends! GREAT interview!!!!

Glamour Magazine to honor Laura Bush, Bush Twins

2011-11-25T03:01:00.000-08:00

Update:
Obama omits God from Thanksgiving message
George W. Bush Library Will Include World Trade Center Steel
Mrs. Laura Bush,the Twins and Condi Rice @ the red carpet for Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year awards

I love seeing Jenna Bush on the Today Show! So cute! I think it's great someone out there is showing some appreciation for all the hard work and selfless service the Bush ladies do. I just love 'em all. And I think it's awesome that Condi Rice is the one who's going to present them the award!

They are Women of the Year because: “They are giving a voice to women who otherwise might not have one. They personify the belief that every woman’s life has potential.”
—former Secretary of State and 2008 Woman of the Year Condoleezza Rice

Glamour.Com: When Laura Bush left the White House in 2009, she could have quietly retreated to her Texas ranch. Her twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, could have launched lucrative careers or slipped back into private life. Instead, with little fanfare, this trio have become hugely powerful advocates on behalf of women, children and the world’s neediest. “We haven’t seen anything like this before,” says First Lady historian Myra Gutin. “They’re using their celebrity and credibility as a springboard for lasting good.”

It all starts with Mrs. Bush. “In Afghanistan she’s like Mother Teresa—a saint to women,” says political consultant Mary Matalin. Since 2001, when the then First Lady preempted her husband’s radio address to warn about the Taliban’s oppression of Afghan women, she’s been a driving force behind girls’ schools and women’s empowerment programs there. And building on her groundbreaking breast cancer work in the Middle East in 2006, Mrs. Bush just started the $75 million Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon campaign to offer cervical cancer care and breast cancer care in sub-Saharan Africa.

As for her 30-year-old daughters, “the apples didn’t fall far from the tree,” says Today’s Matt Lauer, who works with Jenna, a contributor to the show. Both on air and off, Jenna has promoted AIDS awareness and has helped raise more than half a million dollars for women’s and children’s health programs at UNICEF. Barbara, meanwhile, quit a museum job in 2008 to found the ambitious Global Health Corps, which dispatches young professionals to work in clinics in poor communities—from Rwanda to Newark, New Jersey—and then spread their work to other countries. “It’s addictive to be in a field where you can change lives,” Barbara says. Her daughters’ path leaves Mrs. Bush awestruck. “I’ve always been proud of them,” she says, “but I never would have predicted what they’ve chosen.” Former President George W. Bush beams, “They are all strong, compassionate and loving people.” And the world has noticed: “What these three are accomplishing for global health and development is fabulous,” says Helene Gayle, M.D., president of the antipoverty group CARE. “They are quite a team.”

Crabtree & Evelyn Jojoba Oil Triple Milled Soap

2011-11-25T02:55:00.000-08:00

I love this soap. It reminds me of the freshness of the ocean! The packaging is darling too- the little painted picture on the box reminds me of water nymphs and mermaids.

Let me start with the scent- it's very fresh, very breezy. According to Crabtree & Evelyn's website, the scent is made up of green herbs, citrus and lavender. So if you're into clean scents with a hint of floral and fruity goodness, you'll love this. Too bad the scent doesn't last forever! It smells so good it would make hippies want to take a shower!

This is a very moisturizing soap and it works into a rich, creamy lather. I love how it makes my skin feel so fresh and smooth! As you can see from the photos, it's pretty thick. Definitely not for travel. But at least it lasts a while. Get it here!

American Thinker: George W Bush Did NOT Overspend

2011-11-25T02:31:00.000-08:00

From The American Thinker: The ideas that federal spending exploded under George W. Bush, that "Bush's wars" account for our spending explosion, that Reaganism died with Reagan, and that we are on a spending binge that started decades ago are all nonsense.

Our current spending binge is a very recent phenomenon with a very specific starting point: the year Democrats started writing budgets (or continuing resolutions), compounded by Barack Obama's inauguration.

...In 2007, total spending was 19.6% of GDP, a level nearly matching that of 1996, and comfortably below the average level of spending from 1960 through 2000: 20.3% of GDP. And that relatively low level of spending in 2007 included War-on-Terror spending. Without the WOT, a reaction to being attacked on our soil, federal spending in 2007 was just 18.4% of GDP -- a level not experienced at any time between 1967 and 1999, and nearly matching the post-1966 low of 18.1% in 2001.

There is something else special about 2007. That was the last fiscal year in which the federal budget was written by a Republican-controlled Congress.

More insight here!

Crabtree & Evelyn Summer Hill Hand Cream

2011-11-25T01:55:00.000-08:00

I am so in love with Crabtree & Evelyn. They have good quality products and I adore their packaging. I'm such a package-whore. Like if you really want me to buy something, just make it look pretty. Summer Hill Hand Therapy comes in a simple but clean and elegant tube... so when I first laid my eyes on it, I knew I had to have it! I've been using this for some time now and I'm happy to say that nothing can beat its creamy splendor.

There's a bigger size, but right now I'm using the travel-size version 'cause I'm always out a lot.

The one pictured above is smaller in size, but it's the one I bring with me to work because the tube is thinner than the original size. I think it's great they come in two sizes because I can just slip this into my purse and leave the bigger one at home. Now there are various hand creams from Crabtree & Evelyn but Summer Hill is my favorite scent. It has this beautiful, somewhat powdery, floral scent that makes me think of a bright, blooming garden nestled in between the fading pages of a Jane Austen novel. (Say what?)

The cream itself is a wonder. It's non-greasy and feels soft and moisturizing. It easily absorbs into your skin so you don't need to worry about sticky, goopy hands. This is definitely on my "repurchase" list.

More after the jump!

AP: GWB to Raise Cancer Awareness in Africa

2011-11-22T21:08:00.000-08:00

Remember PEPFAR? And the millions of lives saved by it? Here's part II!

(Source)

DALLAS (AP) — Former President George W. Bush will travel to Africa next month to raise awareness about cervical and breast cancer, an effort he calls a "natural extension" of a program launched during his presidency that helps fight AIDS on the continent.

Bush, former first lady Laura Bush and officials with the George W. Bush Institute are heading to Tanzania, Zambia and Ethiopia from Dec. 1 through Dec. 5, where they'll visit clinics and meet with governmental and health care leaders.

"We believe it's in our nation's interest to deal with disease and set priorities and save lives," Bush told The Associated Press.

In 2003, Bush launched the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, to expand AIDS prevention, treatment and support programs in countries hit hard by the epidemic.

The new program, called the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon initiative, seeks to expand the availability of cervical cancer screening and treatment and breast care education in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.

Bush said existing AIDS clinics will be used to screen and treat cervical cancer, which is four to five times more common among those living with HIV than those who don't have the virus. Last year, 3.2 million people received antiretroviral treatments as a result of PEPFAR.

The initiative is a partnership that includes the Bush Institute, PEPFAR, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the United Nations' program on HIV and AIDS. Its goals include reducing cervical cancer deaths by 25 percent in five years among women screened and treated through the initiative.

"We want to show what works and hopefully others across the continent of Africa will join us,'" Bush said.

Dr. Eric G. Bing, director of global health at the Bush Institute, said it's often more difficult for African women to reveal they have cancer of the reproductive organs than to reveal they have HIV. There are more support groups and treatment available for HIV than cancer, he said.

"There's silence around cancer for many of these communities and in many of these nations. And that's one of the things that we hope to change," Bing said.

Bush moved to Dallas after leaving office in 2009. The George W. Bush Presidential Center, which is set to be completed in 2013 on the campus of Southern Methodist University, will include his presidential library and the already-operating policy institute. Besides global health, the institute focuses on education reform, human freedom and economic growth.

Bush said he and the former first lady will be "pouring our hearts" into the Bush presidential center as it grows.

"This is where we will spend the rest of our lives in the sense of being involved with public policy," Bush said.

(Source)

Lola Glitz & Glam Gloss

2011-11-20T22:45:00.000-08:00

Here's another one! I think I'm too gaga for Lola Cosmetics! It's a great make-up brand and I can't say this enough. But I must admit that not all of their products are great. And unfortunately, this lipgloss is one of them.

There's nothing wrong with this product. It's okay. And that's just the thing- I was expecting it to be more. I was hoping for a grand slam of a color to give oomph to my puckers! Just like what their Lip Art Pots do. But lawd almighty, I didn't get that! What I got was a hint of red and so-so shine. It's one of those meh products that you end up forgetting about.

Fortunately, Lola has better products out there. Check 'em out:

My other Lola reviews:
Lola Duo Lipstick in Sugar/Spice
Lola's Universal Colorless Powder
Lola Masquerade Foundation and Mirage Concealer Review
Lola Psychedelic Lip Art in Free Love
Lola Love Lipgloss and Celebration Powder
Lola Lipsticks Review (Duo Tone in Naughty/Nice, Sheer Lipstick in Toy)

NASCAR Audience boos Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.

2011-11-20T22:05:00.000-08:00

Not too sure if I like this, considering they were there with a vet and his family. If Mary Antoinette Obama and Jill Biden were there for a useless photo op, then I wouldn't mind hearing them get booed. But they were there to advocate for an important cause (getting more vets hired) and I don't think it was proper to boo them.

Then again, there are about a bajillion Youtube clips of half-crazed, homicidal libtards booing and hurling abuses at George W Bush.

And have you heard anyone boo Laura Bush? Her Southern charm could melt the hearts of even the coldest and meanest of bloodthirsty liberals.

Vanilla Obsession.

2011-11-19T04:09:00.000-08:00

I am ridiculously obsessed with all things vanilla. I know it gives some people a huge headache, but not me! I will love hard anything that smells and tastes like vanilla. So when an Yves Rocher store opened near my home, I had to hoard their vanilla body soap!

I have a gazillion of these! That's how obsessed I am with vanilla. And this soap is heavenly- it's moisturizing and lightly scented at the same time. It lasts a while even when used once or twice a day.It's a really good deal.

Check out Yves Rocher's vanilla lip balm and The Body Shop's Spiced Vanilla lip balm after the jump!

My other Yves Rocher product is its vanilla-based lip balm. I don't like this too much. First of all, the packaging sucks- it's this little glass pot with a plastic cap and a cheap-looking sticker on it. Ugh. Second, the product itself isn't that great. It doesn't moisturize too well and feels quite heavy on the lips. What I hate most about this so-called lip balm is the white cast it leaves behind. I know it's made of wax, but c'mon. It also does not smell and taste like vanilla, which makes the whole thing pointless! Boo.

Now moving on from Yves Rocher...

I love The Body Shop. I'm a loyal member and I use some of their products faithfully. So just imagine how happy I was when I saw their holiday-exclusive Spiced Vanilla Lip Balm. Unlike the Yves Rocher edition, Spiced Vanilla actually smells and tastes like vanilla (with a bit of spice, though that quickly fades away!), which makes me a happy camper! I'm so taken away with the scent and taste of it that the fact it doesn't moisturize my lips doesn't bother me at all. Heck, I like it enough to not care about the waxy residue it leaves on my lips.

I can definitely see this working for vanilla addicts like me, but for those looking for a good moisturizing lip balm, you might want to look elsewhere. (And not at Yves Rocher.)

Bush's Hawks Are Back

2011-11-19T03:07:00.000-08:00

Bush-Era hawks are back! Many have joined the teams of Mitt Romney and Rick Perry to offer their expertise in foreign policy and national security. I find it pretty awesome that CIA legend and former Blackwater executive Cofer Black is joining Mitt Romney's team. There's some info on him in Robert Young Pelton's book Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror. (About private military contractors). Just to show you what kind of a guy Cofer Black is, here are some of the incidents/quotes he's famous for:

"When we're through with them they will have flies walking across their eyeballs" he said. It was an image of death that left a lasting impression on a number of war cabinet ministers. Black became known in Bush's inner circle as the "flies on the eyeballs guy"... Black's enthusiasm was infectious ... Powell, for one, saw that Bush was tired of rhetoric. The President wanted to kill somebody.

"We're in a war," Black told the Russians. "We're coming. Regardless of what you do, we're coming anyway." He knew Afghanistan was in their sphere of influence and they would be queasy. "At the very least we want you to look away." He did not want the Russians trying to gum up CIA operations.
The Russians indicated they would help and certainly not obstruct. One noted that Afghanistan was ambush heaven, where the guerrilla fighters had demolished the Russian army. "With regret," the Russian said, "I have to say that you're really going to get the hell kicked out of you".

"We're going to kill them," Black said. "We're going to put their heads on sticks. We're going to rock their world."

Just check out his Wiki page. Anyway, from Business Week, here's a rundown of who's joining whose team...

After the jump!

From Business Week
Romney’s Team

Romney’s advisers include Joseph; Cofer Black, a former head of Central Intelligence Agency’s counterterrorism center and executive of the security firm Blackwater, now Xe Services; Meghan O’Sullivan, a Bloomberg View columnist and former White House official who oversaw Iraq and Afghanistan policy; Eliot Cohen, director of the Strategic Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and a former counselor at Rice’s State Department; Dov Zakheim, the former Pentagon comptroller; and John Lehman, Ronald Reagan’s Navy secretary.

Perry Advisers

Perry’s list of informal advisers includes Feith; Bolton; Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and later ambassador to Afghanistan; and Daniel Blumenthal, former Pentagon international security affairs director for China and Taiwan, according to a person familiar with the campaign who asked not to be named.

Victoria Coates, a former research associate to Rumsfeld and an art historian, is a Perry foreign policy adviser, and Emily Domenech, a former Pentagon trip planner, is a defense adviser, the campaign said Nov. 2.

Herman Cain

Cain, former chief executive officer of the Godfather’s Pizza Inc. chain, has consulted retired ambassadors and defense officials including Bolton. He had a 90-minute breakfast meeting in New York with Henry Kissinger, President Richard Nixon’s national security adviser and secretary of state, the candidate’s spokesman, retired Navy Commander J.D. Gordon.

Extending Reagan

Cain’s world view is “an extension of Reagan’s philosophy of peace through strength and clarity,” and he intends to lay out his views soon in a white paper, Gordon said. A Pentagon public affairs officer from 2005 to 2009 and a spokesman on Guantanamo Bay detention operations, Gordon said he was also Cain’s main foreign policy adviser.

***
You can read the entire article here

Lola Universal Colorless Loose Powder

2011-11-18T03:05:00.000-08:00

I cannot, will not, live without this transparent powder. It sets my make-up nicely and adds a bit more coverage to the spots my concealer/foundation missed out on. And c'mon, isn't the packaging adorable? Its shiny redness reminds me of cheery Holidays past.

Make-up going on 8 hours... Primer: Guerlain L'Or Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold. Foundation: Guerlain Parure Pearly White Foundation. Concealer: Lola's Mirage Concealer. Lipstick: Lola Duo Lipstick in Sugar/Spice. Eyeshadow: Sue Devitt Bronzing Eyeshadow. Mascara: Maybelline Hello Kitty Volum Mascara. (Used Lola's Universal Colorless Powder to set my make-up, and even used it for touch-ups.)

Cuteness overload. It comes with a soft small puff that is actually usable. The powder itself is finely milled and easy to blend. Since it's transparent, it will work for any skintone. It also gives my make-up an airbrushed look and keeps it in place for a long time.

More after the jump!

According to Lola, this powder comes with anti-aging, anti-acne benefits. Sounds a bit too much, don't you think? I don't know if its skincare capabilities actually work, since it is only make-up and you can't use too much of it. But as a setting powder, it works really well and I loveeee it.

AP: Army tests hypersonic weapon over the Pacific

2011-11-18T02:30:00.000-08:00

This sounds so badass.

HONOLULU (AP) — The Army on Thursday conducted its first flight test of a new weapon capable of traveling five times the speed of sound.

The Army launched the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon from the military's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai at about 1:30 a.m.

The weapon's "glide vehicle" reached Kwajalein Atoll — some 2,300 miles away — in less than half an hour, said Lt. Col. Melinda Morgan, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

Earlier this year, the Congressional Research Service said in a report the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon is part of the military's program to develop "prompt global strike" weapons that would allow the U.S. to strike targets anywhere in the world with conventional weapons in as little as an hour.

The Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, are developing a similar vehicle.

The Pentagon said the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon, or AHW, vehicle is designed to fly long ranges within the earth's atmosphere at speeds that are at least five times the speed of sound.

The objective of Thursday's test was to collect data on technologies that boost the hypersonic vehicle and allow it to glide. The Army was also testing how the vehicle performed in long-range flight.

The Congressional Research Service report said the AHW would be able to maneuver to avoid flying over third party nations as it approached its target. The weapon would use a precision guidance system to home in on the target, it said.

(Source)

Lola Duo Lipstick in Sugar/Spice

2011-11-16T23:27:00.000-08:00

I've always adored Lola's lipsticks. So when I saw Sugar/Spice, I just had to have it! Sugar/Spice comes in two tones- one has a light, rose-colored hue with gold shimmer and a heavy peach undertone, while the other comes in a darker pink shade. Combine the two and you get fleshy, pink-coral lips with hints of gold. Well, the flecks of gold shimmer is very sheer and very subtle, but it's there.

The darker shade of rose has no shimmer at all, or if it does, it's hardly visible to the eye! But it adds more color to your puckers. I don't like using the shimmery shade alone as it comes off very light, so it's a good thing this is a two-tone lipstick! Otherwise, it'll just be another one of those expensive so-so products. Neither shade stands out on its own.

One of the hings I love about this lipstick is its very moisturizing. While it starts to fade in a few hours, your lips still feels smooth and hydrated. I honestly did not feel like I needed any lipgloss. Check out the swatches below. (It's very peachy, pinkish in tone.)

From left to right: Duo tone, light shimmery shade, dark rosey hue.

Occupy Wall Street bums plan to shut down New York Stock Exchange?

2011-11-16T22:16:00.000-08:00

Wow, these people are still protesting? It's really stupid. Why on earth would anyone want to see important financial institutions collapse? What's the point of that? It'll only bring more harm to the local and global economy- and cost thousands of hardworking folks their jobs. I am fully convinced that these protesters are nothing but huge bums. With that kind of attitude, they won't make it anywhere. Not in New York, not in Cuba, not in godforsaken North Korea. These people should get off the streets, take a long, hot shower, and search for some work. Hitting the bong while slummin' it in Zuccotti Park isn't going to pay off your debt or bring food to your table.

Drumming all day isn't going to pay your rent.

So get smart and get off the streets.

Evicted Wall St protesters seek rebound with rally

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Occupy Wall Street protesters hope to rebound on Thursday with a march on the New York Stock Exchange to show their battle against economic inequality still has life after they were evicted from a nearby park.

Most rallies by the two-month-old movement have numbered in the hundreds of people in New York but protesters and city officials expect thousands of demonstrators to pour into the Wall Street area from 7 a.m. to try to stop workers from getting to their desks in the financial district.

It will be a test of whether Occupy Wall Street and the loose-knit global alliance it inspired will flag or grow after police cleared a camp of hundreds of protesters from Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan on Tuesday.

"This movement is really not about tents as much as it is about an idea," said spokesman Ed Needham. "There's also going to be events in 100 countries around the world tomorrow."

Occupy Wall Street plans to shut down the home of the New York Stock Exchange and the heart of American capitalism to kick off a day of protests. But the movement acknowledged tight security was likely to prevent protesters from getting close to the stock exchange.

Another protest spokesman, Mark Bray, said "the idea is to inconvenience Wall Street bankers going to work, not to hurt anyone. We are committed to nonviolent civil disobedience."

Authorities were prepared for a possible influx of tens of thousands of protesters and aimed to balance public safety with their right to free speech and assembly, said Howard Wolfson, a New York deputy mayor.

"We take it seriously," he told reporters. "Our forces will be deployed accordingly."

Protesters say they are upset that billions of dollars in bailouts given to banks during the recession allowed a return to huge profits while average Americans have had no relief from high unemployment and a struggling economy.

They also believe the richest 1 percent of Americans do not pay their fair share of taxes.

In San Francisco, police arrested 95 anti-Wall Street demonstrators on Wednesday after protesters entered a Bank of America branch in the city's financial district and set up a tent inside.

"We are the 99 percent," the protesters chanted as they were being arrested.

"NEED A SHOW OF SUPPORT"

The Zuccotti Park camp was set up on September 17 and became the epicenter for the movement, sparking rallies and occupations of public spaces across the United States and elsewhere in the world.

After the police cleared the park and it was cleaned, demonstrators were allowed to return but were banned from setting up camp again. Numbers dwindled to less than two dozen overnight on Wednesday.

"I was dismayed by the number of people who stayed," said Sam DeLily, 23, from the New York borough of Queens. "I was disappointed that more people didn't realize we'd need a show of support last night more than ever."

A couple of dozen protesters took refuge at two Manhattan churches that offered them a place to sleep. Hundreds more were put up by New Yorkers who offered their homes, Needham said.

The clearing of the Occupy camp in New York followed recent evictions in Atlanta, Portland, Oregon, and Salt Lake City. Unlike action in Oakland, California, where police used tear gas and stun grenades, most protesters left voluntarily.

The movement has a large donated space near Zuccotti Park where it has been storing thousands of items such as clothing, medical supplies, canned food and toiletries.

"We're going to sit tight and see what direction this takes," protest spokesman Nathan Stueve said when asked what would happen to the donated goods in the storage space.

The protesters in New York have also raised more than $500,000.

Organizers had allocated that money for food, medical care, laundry and communications. They said on Wednesday they would still use the money for those purposes.

"We're going to occupy this park for a long time," said Jason Holmza, 30, of Washington state. "Right now we've got to figure out where to turn our attention to."

(Writing by Michelle Nichols; Additional reporting by Steve Gorman, Dan Whitcomb and Mary Slosson; Editing by Mark Egan, John O'Callaghan and Peter Cooney)

Lola Haul plus Lip Service Treatment Gloss in Pure Review

2011-11-15T23:40:00.000-08:00

Seriously, how can this brand be so underrated? Half the people I know don't even know Lola exists. It does, and people should check it out! Like, seriously check it out. It's a great brand with one-of-a-kind products. How many make-up brands in this world have two-toned lipsticks? Not a lot, and maybe only Lola can pull it off.

From its awesome glass- or is it plastic? -tube, this seems to have a subtle pink sheen to it with minimal shimmer. When applied on your lips, however, it is completely colorless. It glides on smoothly, moisturizing your lips with Shea butter and Vitamin E. It also has a cooling menthol flavor- I think most Lola glossies have it, but this one has more bite to it than, say, Lola's Love lipgloss.

There's nothing about this lipgloss that I hate. I've been looking for the perfect non-sticky clear gloss in a while and this is it. It's got great packaging (except for the box) and has a good enough shine.

I totally recommend it.

My other Lola reviews:
Lola Masquerade Foundation and Mirage Concealer Review
Lola Psychedelic Lip Art in Free Love
Lola Love Lipgloss and Celebration Powder
Lola Lipsticks Review (Duo Tone in Naughty/Nice, Sheer Lipstick in Toy)

Atlantic Wire: George Bush Memoirs Outsold Steve Jobs Bio

2011-11-15T23:01:00.000-08:00

The bitter author who wrote this article pointed out that George Bush sold more copies than the much-anticipated Steve Jobs bio in its first seven days. I'm not surprised- GWB has loyal fans. Loyal fans who gave his book as gifts to friends and families and fellow Church members. I remember talking to a client over at work one day, when Decision Points just came out, and we were making a list of folks we were going to give copies of his book to (as Christmas presents). I know some people find it hard to believe that GWB can read a book, let alone write one, but Decision Points is one of the best self-authored books out there. It's a very honest, very humble work of a man who just wants to tell his side of the story. If you haven't read it yet, you should. Anyway, you can read the article below.

Atlantic Wire:
In the first week of sales, George W. Bush's book Decision Points sold better than Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography. Selling 379,000 copies in just seven days, Steve Jobs sold better than any other book since last November, when both Bush's Decision Points and Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth, which each sold more that 430,000 copies in their first seven days on sale, reports The Book Seller's Philip Stone. Perhaps one had to do with the other? The anticipation for the Jobs book after his death pushed the release date up from a November release date to October 24. First day sales did so well, that Reuters speculated it would make Amazon's best-seller of 2011 list. The book's doing well. ~~But looks like America appreciates stories of wimps over visionaries.~~

Had to cross out that last line, because there is no way GWB is a wimp. I mean, get over your bitterness and accept the fact that only a smart, hardworking man can win the presidency twice and launch young democracies in the Middle East. Hah.

Guerlain Parure Pearly White Foundation

2011-11-15T00:36:00.000-08:00

Ugh, I need to grab another pot of Lola's Psychedelic Lip Art in Free Love!

Anyway.

Another one of my Guerlain hauls from a few days ago. I love this foundation, it meshes well with Guerlain's L'Or Radiance Concentrate With 24 Pure Gold make-up base.

According to my beauty advisor at Guerlain, this has a matte finish and offers medium-full coverage. I wouldn't say it offers full coverage, more like light-medium. What I really love about this foundation is how it gives your skin a matte feeling, while illuminating your face! How it does that, I don't know. Probably had a lot of help from the primer I used, but considering this contains particles from oyster shell, I can see how it can brighten your face without the help of L'Or.

I love how the pump keeps itself residue-free even after bouncing around in my make-up kit (I was dragging it everywhere).
So what else is good about this foundation?

More after the jump!

I just love how it sinks into your skin. My problem with other foundations is how unnatural they look. That isn't the case with Parure. But it dries up quite fast, so you may not have enough time to blend.

On my hand...

The only downside I can think of is it tends to oxidize, so for those with oily, acidic skin, you really need to get this a shade lighter. And despite what my BA claimed, you will not stay matte all day- I started blotting by the third or fourth hour. As great as this foundation is, nothing can beat Doublewear by Estee Lauder when it comes to staying power.

George W Bush: A Forgiving Christian

2011-11-15T00:05:00.000-08:00

Update: Michelle Bachmann accuses GWB of embracing socialism. (Crazy!) /update

So sweet. Read the uplifting article below. It shows what a wonderful, compassionate man George W. Bush is! (Source)

New Book Portrays George W. Bush as a Forgiving Man
When George W. Bush arrived at the White House after his 2000 election, he came with a hardened reputation as a man who held grudges and who liked to swing the ax against his foes and those of his friends. His rep was made when, as his dad's hatchet man, he told then White House Chief of Staff John Sununu in 1991 that it was time to leave the employ of George H.W. Bush because he had become a political distraction.

But with the release of a new round of books about W's White House, a different portrayal of Bush as a forgiving born-again Christian is being drawn. The latest comes from former faith-based outreach director Timothy Goeglein, who embarrassed the administration in 2008 with a plagiarism scandal that should have had Bush seeing red. When he quit, Goeglein admitted to using other people's work for over two dozen columns he had published in his hometown Indiana newspaper.

Goeglein tells Whispers he expected to be tarred and feathered by the president. Instead, Bush embraced him. Goeglein tells us: "When the president told me he forgave me, and was extending to me the grace and mercy he had known in his life, I was genuinely stunned. In fact, it was surreal. In the political classes, when you embarrass the president, or the senator, or the governor, there is usually a kind of divorce that takes place; you become persona non grata immediately. But this did not happen with President Bush. His faith was the root of it, and my gratitude is depthless. I will never forget that day."
In his new book, The Man in the Middle, Goeglein recalls the fear he felt when a similarly forgiving Chief of Staff Josh Bolten said Bush wanted to see him after the scandal broke. "I knew instantly what that meant; a much-deserved woodshed moment," he writes. Instead, Bush said, "Tim, you are forgiven and mercy is real." When Goeglein pressed on with apologies, the prez brushed them aside. What's more, he asked Goeglein to bring his wife and two sons to the Oval Office for a chat. "Pardon me, sir?" he recalls saying with shock. A week later, the family was in the Oval receiving presents from Bush. [Dick Cheney's Book Is Less Memoir Than Caricature]
Expecting the worst, he was greeted with the best. "We were not forgotten; we were not shunned; we were not cut off; our friendships continued; our sense of belonging continued in a healthy way," says Goeglein, now a Washington vice president for Focus on the Family, a major Christian group.

Guerlain L'Or Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold (Updated)

2011-11-12T22:26:00.000-08:00

Update// So I've been using this primer for two days now and I must say it fills out the small lines under my eyes quite nicely. It also makes you look healthy and refreshed. The awesomeness doesn't last long, however. After three to four hours the oil starts to seep out and it's time to blot like hell. :( If I had normal skin, this would be fantastic. I'd probably repurchase though, just for the glow I get.
/update

Guerlain came up with an amazing hydrating make-up base formulated with pure 24 carat gold flakes! Of course, when I saw it, I couldn't resist it. After all, this isn't your typical primer.In fact, it's anything but typical!

I love the gel formula. It's cool and moisturizing.

Gold not only gives you a subtle glow, it also acts as an antioxidant. So apart from smoothing out lines, boosting your natural radiance, and prepping your face for make-up, L'Or has skincare benefits as well. Unlike other primers, L'Or is gel-based and it feels light and comfortable on your skin. It sinks in right away so you can apply your make-up immediately.

Unfortunately, if you have enlarged pores this primer is not for you. I've got a few tiny ones and it barely concealed it. It does, however, give your face a beautiful glow- something other primers can't provide.

Former Bush Donors Back Romney Over Perry

2011-11-12T22:04:00.000-08:00

Like, why am I not surprised? I'm not a fan of Rick Perry. He's just a bit too out there- like Herman Cain, but I actually like Herman Cain. He's very likable. Perry? Not so much. (He never stopped badmouthing GWB, if you recall!). I was very much surprised when a lot of Conservative pundits declared Rick Perry a huge winner in the CNN debate. Did anyone watch that? He was horrendous. He was rude, arrogant, and didn't make a lot of sense. I liked how Cain performed because, well, despite his flip-flops he's a genuinely likable guy. And I think that's the only thing I like about Herman Cain. (I like him because he's likable- go figure!). As for Romney, I'm starting to like some of his positions. He's not an advocate of cut-and-run and he seems like he can work with Conservative Democrats. He's also electable.

From the Christian Post: Romney Draws George W. Bush Donors to His Campaign

Republican presidential contender Rick Perry is the preferred candidate among Texan campaign donors, but rival Mitt Romney dominates with George W. Bush donors and larger individual contributions.

Data from the Federal Election Commission reveals that Texas Gov. Perry has raised $9,715,510 in his home state. The Perry campaign donations far outweighs the over $2 million both Romney and President Barack Obama collected in the Lone Star State.

However, Romney has drawn more money where it counts the most – large individual contributions. According to campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets.org, Romney has raised $29,210,817 from large contributors. Perry, by contrast, has raised $16,310,621 from large contributors.

Romney has an additional advantage: he has netted the donations of Bush’s “pioneers and rangers.”

During his 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns, Bush established two tiers of top-level fundraisers who could “bundle” donations from various people in their community. Bundlers who raised $100,000+ were labeled “pioneers” while those who raised $200,000+ were considered “rangers.” Pioneers and Rangers raised $550 million for Bush’s two presidential runs, according to the Houston Chronicle.

USA Today revealed that those top-tier bundlers included Tom Everist, board member of tech company Raven Industries, St. Louis Cardinals owner William DeWitt Jr. and the late Richard Egan, co-founder of fortune 500 company EMC Corp.

Now some of those same bundlers – Sam Fox of the Republican Jewish Coalition, U.S. Ambassador Craig Stapleton and coal and timber operator James Harless – are giving to Romney’s campaign.

Bush pioneer-turned-Romney donor Les Csorba told the Houston Chronicle, “He (Romney) has impeccable integrity, has strong family values and [is] the only one in the GOP field who can really bring people together and get things accomplished.”

Unlike Perry, Romney has been a consistent front-runner in the 2012 race for the GOP primary. Businessman Herman Cain has taken Perry’s top spot in the polls. However, he has little if any support from the Bush pioneers.

Cain has raised $4,656,235 in individual donations. Of that amount, 50 percent were donated by small individual donors.

Most notable of the former Bush-pioneers-turned-Romney-donors is younger brother Marvin Bush who gave the maximum $2,500 donation.

Perry did pull some Bush supporters such as San Diego Chargers owner Alexander Spanos. He also benefited from Bush pioneers such as former politician James A. Bakers who gave to both Romney and Perry.

While Romney has the most large contribution donors, he has spent more than half of the $32,035,088 he raised in individual contributions. Perry, who has raised $16,987,591 in individual donations, has slightly more cash on hand; $15,078,415 compared to Romney’s $14,656,966.

Guerlain Meteorites Illuminating & Mattifying Pressed Powder (Update)

2011-11-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

Update// After two hours or so, this expensive illuminating/mattifying/war-ending/peace-giving powder oxidized to a shade darker than my natural skintone. Which sucks because it's pretty expensive and doesn't have any refills. The oilier my face gets, the more orange I look! It's just too bad, because I've come to really like this powder. It doesn't get cakey even when I'm layering it over a thick cream (like sunblock), which most other powders tend to do. I decided to give it another chance today- I used it to pat my t-zone after I've blotted it. While it left a small dark patch on my nose, for some weird reason, my chin and forehead didn't oxidize. I hate to do it, but I like it enough to get a new one in a lighter shade. It just blends so well.
/update

Here's one of my Guerlain hauls. It's suppose to be really great for oily skin, which is why I bought it! It's also part of the famous Meteorites family, which makes the product (for me!) more exciting.

More after the jump!!!

Without flash....

As you can see, the case is quite lovely, but I can't help but feel a wee bit disappointed. It may have a shiny, gunmetal coloring, but it's made of plastic. I believe that the price of the product warrants a sturdier metal case, and it could at least be refillable, but unfortunately Guerlain doesn't feel the same. Yes, it isn't refillable, so you will have to purchase a new compact once the powder runs out.

Now as for the powder itself, I got ~~the perfect shade in~~ Teint Dore. Don't expect this to have any kind of coverage - it's simply a touch-up powder. It comes with a soft pink and white puff which is great for quick touch-ups, but a powder brush works just as well. It didn't get cakey or clump up into small patches on my face, even when I applied it over fifteen layers of thick, creamy sunblock! The powder is finely milled, and the beautiful rosette design doesn't vanish right away. In fact, after several sweeps of my brush, it's still there! If only this were refillable!! Or less expensive!! For the price, I really expected a sturdier case. It's a great product, but I'm not sure it'll end my hunt for the perfect mattifying powder.

George Bush and the Arab Spring

2011-11-12T01:30:00.000-08:00

George Bush was right when he declared that freedom was universal. A taste of it could transform societies suffering from tyranny and oppression. Iraq and Afghanistan may not be model democracies right now, and although there are still plenty of horrors there, they now have the chance to choose their own paths, make their own destinies. This was not possible when Saddam was in power, or when the Taliban was butchering women. God knows what will happen in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, but many folks in the Middle East now have the power to create their own futures- something George Bush predicted not too long ago, and was mocked for.

Why George W. Bush is the Arab Spring's forgotten man

WASHINGTON — On Nov. 6, 2003, then President George W. Bush gave a major foreign policy address in which he called for the spread of democracy across the Middle East, an appeal that seems to be resonating in this year of Arab Spring revolts.

Yet less than three years after leaving office, Bush's name isn't associated with the uprisings from Cairo to Tripoli, and he gets little credit for having inspired them.

That's in marked contrast with President Ronald Reagan, whose 1987 exhortation "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" in Berlin became the defining cry of a leader now lionized for having ended the Cold War.

In his speech eight years ago, delivered scarcely seven months after he'd invaded Iraq in the face of widespread international opposition, Bush sought to make freedom in the Middle East an extension of Reagan's legacy.

Addressing the National Endowment for Democracy on the 20th anniversary of its founding, Bush said Reagan had established the federal agency with the goal of bringing down the Soviet Union.

The time had come, Bush said, to launch a similar initiative in another critical part of the world.

"Are the peoples of the Middle East somehow beyond the reach of liberty?" Bush asked. "Are millions of men and women and children condemned by history or culture to live in despotism? Are they alone never to know freedom and never to have a choice in the matter? I, for one, do not believe it. I believe every person has the ability and the right to be free."

Castigating his predecessors and allied leaders for "sixty years of Western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the Middle East," Bush proclaimed:

"The United States has adopted a new policy, a forward strategy of freedom in the Middle East," one that would require "the same persistence and energy and idealism we have shown before."

But today, even as democratic rumblings shake the region, Bush is the forgotten man.

Analysts cite many reasons why Bush's grand vision isn't broadly tied to the fledging freedom wave across the Middle East.

Their reasons for the disconnect range from Bush, like previous U.S. presidents, having backed some of the region's dictators to an Iraq invasion that felled a despot but became a long occupation with a still-murky outcome.

Murhaf Joujati, a member of the Syrian National Council opposition coalition, said Bush's pro-democracy rhetoric was undermined by his continuing support for some of the Middle East strongmen who've fallen in recent months.

"President Bush was a great friend of (deposed Egyptian leader Hosni) Mubarak," Joujati told McClatchy. "It was under President Bush that bilateral relations between the United States and Libya under (slain dictator Moammar) Gadhafi were restored. Renditions happened in which folks were sent to places like Tunisia to be tortured. So Bush should not be counted as a major factor in the Arab Spring."

Joujati said the Middle East revolts would have happened without Bush.

"There's been an acceleration of grievances throughout the Arab world from Morocco all the way to Bahrain," he said. "They are similar grievances among younger people who have higher unemployment but are more educated than previous generations, facing corrupt dictatorships with mismanagement and nepotism.

"They have been exposed to international events through satellite dishes and the Internet, so it all came to a head early this year in Tunisia and spread like wildfire. Bush was certainly not a major factor."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a military lawyer who's served active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, thinks that's a premature judgment pending the outcome of fast-moving events that may take a decade or longer to play out in the Middle East.

"President Bush deserves credit for creating a spirit that even in the Middle East, where grudges are held forever, things can change and Islamic governments can accommodate the rule of law, tolerance, democracy and other concepts we take for granted," Graham said.

Daniele Pletka, a foreign policy expert at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington, said the replacement of repressive regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan with democratic governments, however fragile, is a historic triumph for Bush.

"Of course he should be getting credit because he socialized the world to the notion that somehow democracy was possible in the Arab world," she said. "This was an almost ridiculous notion before his presidency. And we shouldn't discount the liberation of 50 million Muslims who'd lived under oppressive Afghan and Iraqi rule."

Pletka, though, added that Bush's actions sometimes contradicted his pronounced aim of spreading democracy in the Middle East.

"Mubarak decided he wanted to anoint his son to be his successor, and sure enough when his son visited Washington in 2006, he got a meeting with President Bush," Pletka said.

"When Gadhafi wanted to pretend that he was reformer, his biggest advocates were in the U.S. State Department, but he remained the same man he'd always been," she said. "If you have a freedom agenda, it can't be just freedom from weapons of mass destruction. It has to also be about open elections and human rights."

In his landmark address eight years ago, Bush made a bold prediction about the eventual impact of his controversial decision to send troops to Baghdad and take down Saddam Hussein.

"Iraqi democracy will succeed," he said. "And that success will send forth the news, from Damascus to Tehran, that freedom can be the future of every nation. The establishment of a free Iraq at the heart of the Middle East will be a watershed event in the global democratic revolution."

Fifteen months later, when he delivered his second inaugural address in January 2005, Bush was still pushing democracy as a universal principle.

"The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands," he said. "The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world."

But in a striking reversal from his address to the National Endowment for Democracy, Bush didn't mention Iraq. Just as striking, he was silent on the Middle East.

By then, Bush's early "mission accomplished" optimism about Iraq had given way to the sober recognition that establishing even the semblance of democracy there could take years, and would cost billions of dollars and many American lives to see it through.

Gregory Gause, a University of Vermont expert on the Middle East who has advised senior diplomats and intelligence officials in the last three presidential administrations, said the invasion of Iraq had an initial impact on its neighbors.

"Syria withdrew from Lebanon," he said. "In Libya, Gadhafi decided to give up his weapons of mass destruction programs. There were some ripple effects in the region immediately."

Over time, however, as U.S. forces got bogged down in Iraq and Bush backed dictators who weren't much different from Saddam in other countries, the invasion's impact dissipated.

Another key moment came in 2005 when, having pushed for free elections in the Middle East, Bush rejected the results of Palestinian local elections won by Hamas, which the United States views as a terrorist organization.

That decision, Gause said, cost Bush credibility among many Arabs already prone toward skepticism about his freedom agenda.

"I don't think Iraq is really a model for the people who are making these revolutions in 2011," Gause said. "In terms of what many people hope is a democratic wave in the Middle East, I really don't see Bush administration policies as having been all that central."

(Source)

Guerlain Haul!

2011-11-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

I was ridiculously bored yesterday so I went on a shopping spree at The Body Shop and Guerlain. While I'm very familiar with Body Shop products, I haven't really used a lot of Guerlain's. Just the legendary Meteorites powder that mom got sick of and gave to me and other special edition products. But after a nice encounter with Guerlain's beauty advisor, I decided to give the brand a try.

Very expensive, but ultimately worth it. I was only suppose to buy their primer, but the saleslady promised a free make-up bag, a beautiful tan synthetic leather bracelet, and a cool lipstick tester! How could I say no?? I couldn't. So I didn't! Haha!

Free lipstick tester, Guerlain Teint Dore Meteorites Illuminating & Mattifying Pressed Powder, Guerlain L'Or Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold, Guerlain Parure Pearly White Foundation.

Beautiful tan leather bracelet.

Free bag!

Free tester. Haha!
I probably should have just bought the L'Or primer, but when I tested all three products (my beauty advisor gave me a full make over!), I was convinced I was doing the right thing by snagging all three. They are great products and I love 'em! I'll put up a few reviews soon.

George Bush Speaks to 8000 Christians

2011-11-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

How can you not love George W Bush? I still adore him. I still think he's the best president evah, even better than Ronald Reagan. I also love how he's unashamed to proclaim his faith, unlike the dude that it's in office right now. Go George!! Read the article below!

George W. Bush speaks to Christians in Sevierville

SEVIERVILLE (WATE) - Former president George W. Bush was in Sevierville Wednesday night, but he wasn't talking politics. He was sharing his faith. It's not the first time. He also came in 2009 as part of the same Christian Celebrators conference.

The speech by former president Bush was part of a four-day adult Christian conference at the Sevierville Events Center filled with worship, inspirational speakers, and gospel music. Wednesday night's event was billed as a patriotic service, but not political.

Ticket holders started lining up at noon for good seats and when the doors opened at 5:30, the line was around the block.

"We're here to see George Bush tonight," said Melba Smith from Poplarville, MS. "I think he's an outstanding hero. He hasn't gotten the credit he should have gotten."

Security was tight with local police, secret service, even SWAT. We caught a quick glimpse of the former president's motorcade arriving.

Mr. Bush spoke for nearly an hour.

"I thought it was marvelous. It was just so wonderful," said Mary Higgins of Crossville afterward.

"I think it was an outstanding speech from him. It just restores my faith in a president who has a great faith and that's one of the reasons I think he was so successful," said Rick Erwin of Port Arthur, TX.

"He said he was glad to be out of office. He said it was some tough decision making the eight years he was in, but he said the hardest decision was when he had to send someone into harm's way. He said America was still the greatest land there is," said Roger Caldwell from Columbia, SC.

Tickets to the four-day conference cost $125, not including meals and lodging, and it was a sold out crowd of more than 8,000 people.

Lola Masquerade Foundation and Mirage Concealer (Updated)

2011-10-28T23:30:00.000-07:00

Update// After using this several more times, I'm sad to say it doesn't have the staying power I wish it had. Some days, the liquid sinks in immediately after application, but on other days, it takes several minutes before it gets absorbed into my skin. I don't know why it has its schizo moments, but it's frustrating. It also looks quite dull without a touch of highlighting/finishing powder. Ironically, at least on the first two hours, it makes a great canvass for make-up. It compliments the Lola shimmer powder I sweep across my cheeks. Too bad it doesn't last long! I think this will do well with dry faces, as it's very creamy. But for those with oily skin, I suggest you stay away- unless you're into awesome packaging.
/update

I've been droooooling over Lola's Masquerade Foundation and Mirage Concealer since I first saw it sitting prettily in their boutique. They're a bit expensive, but I'd buy anything made by Lola!

I'm not a huge fan of Lola's boxes. They look a little cheap- they can definitely do better than this. But open 'em up and....

Review/swatches after the jump!!!

So let me start with Lola's Masquerade foundation. It has a lot of product, so one bottle will definitely last a long time! It comes with a small black spatula that will no doubt bring joy to the hearts of those afraid of germs. Haha! Unfortunately, it's also a bit expensive, about $45. Not too sure if it's really worth the price...Well, this liquid fonda has a wonderful creamy texture that feels good on the skin. What makes it even better is you don't need a lot of product to achieve some kind of coverage- a little goes a long way.

I once read on Musings of a Muse about how the product separated into one giant oily mess. Mine seems fine, it's as creamy as ever and it's been with me for a few days now. I will say that it doesn't smell like vanilla, which is how it's suppose to smell (according to the beauty advisor). It just smelled... like foundation, nothing delicious or sweet about it.

I found a perfect match for my skin tone- Act III in Medium Ivory. This is a big deal for me as it's really difficult to find a perfect match when it comes to foundations. And although it's creamy, it has a matte, natural finish (that unfortunately lasts for only two hours). The texture is so fine that I can dab it over my concealer without looking made up. Another bonus is its skincare benefits- it is made up of Chinese anti-aging ingredients. It just doesn't have the staying power of Estee Lauder's Doublewear Light Foundation. So while this foundation is great for the ber months, I sincerely doubt it will last under hot,hot,HOT weather or on oily skin.

Mirage Concealer

I love this concealer. Much like the foundation, it's creamy and offers great coverage for the undereye but it doesn't cover pores/pimples that well. A little goes a long way so too much product under your eye will turn cakey as the hours progress.

Been a while!

2011-10-04T03:40:00.000-07:00

Been busy with work, but finally filed a few vacay leaves around Decmber... so I can't wait for that! This whole Occupy Wall Street protest is a bit messed-up, don't you think? While I understand the frustration, beheading bankers isn't going to solve anything. It'll probably make things worse. Besides, half of them probably support Obummer.

So duh.

Anyway, this is really sad. As a true blue Catholic chick, I find it upsetting. And I totally don't buy the whole But the gangs are using the rosary as their symbol! thing. Ugh.

MAC Lipglass in Liqueuer

2011-08-27T21:51:00.000-07:00

This was a limited edition gloss that first came out a few years ago. My sister-in-law was able to get a hold of one a few days ago, decided it wasn't her type, and so gave it to me. Well thanks, sis, because I love it! It has great texture (so creamy!), great shine, and flecks of gold shimmer that gives your lips that extra ooomph! I love the subtle bronze tint and the sweet scent that flows from the tube. I swear, it sort of smells like chocolate, but without being too chocolate-y. I know, that totally does not make sense.

Here's how it looks like without flash. Off the tube it's pretty tan- the tint isn't the dark brown I expected, but you can always layer it on for more color. I love it.

This is the perfect gloss to wear when you're going for the bronzed look. I use it over Lola's Sheer Lipstick in Toy (which is a pinkish nude lipstick). They match so wonderfully. You can read more reviews here.

George W Bush "Strange New Respect"

2011-08-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

Not exactly a flattering article but whatever, I've noticed this "strange new respect" bubbling up in MSM outlets lately. I semi-love it, because I'm a Bushie, but they're giving him "respect" for all the wrong reasons. They "respect" him now because they fear Rick Perry is George W Bush on steroids, and that there's a good chance he might win the presidency. So now they're getting nostalgic about President Bush because, oh, he was less evil. It's sad, because in their heart of hearts they still believe Bush is a warmonger who sent young kids to die in Iraq and Afghanistan for oil and heroin. Read the article by Mark Whittington below.

From Yahoo News: Rick Perry Causes George W. Bush to Get Strange, New Respect

Ed Driscoll, over at Pajamas Media, points out how once reviled conservatives get strange new respect for two reasons: Because they are dead or because they can be used to attack a current conservative, especially a U.S. president.

The latest righty to suddenly get respect from the media, at least according to CNN, is none other than George W. Bush. The gentle reader will remember President Bush as the evil man who gifted President Barack Obama with a horrible economy, who lied to get us into Iraq, that obnoxious, swaggering cowboy from Texas.

Now, of course, President Bush is much more reasonable than the new Hitler, who happens to be another man from Texas named Rick Perry. Bush, in fact, was a statesman who talked to the opposition, reaching across the aisle seeking compromise and common ground. Perry, of course, is not like that, since it looks like if he were to become president he would just ride roughshod over everyone.

Your humble correspondent has noted this phenomenon previously, when it concerned President Gerald Ford and President Ronald Reagan. Ford and Reagan got strange new respect when they were safely dead and buried.

Ford used to be that stumble bum whom Chevy Chase parodied on "Saturday Night Live." He was the man who created the Whip Inflation Now (WIN) button. He pardoned Richard Nixon, depriving the left of its revenge. But once he was put into the ground, he was a statesman whose decision to pardon Nixon, in retrospect, saved the nation more Watergate trauma.

Reagan's strange new respect is well known and predated his death. Reagan won the Cold War and broke the back of 1970s stagflation. Accused of being an "amiable dunce" and a mad bomber when he was in office, Reagan has become a world historic figure, a great statesman. And he is so unlike those horrible Republicans of our time, such as Sarah Palin and Rick Perry.

In the same piece I speculated President Bush would get his strange new respect likely around the year of his death, maybe 2037. CNN seems to have fulfilled my prediction, though jumping the gun by 26 years.

Fast forward to 2032. The story of the campaign is how Sen. George P. Bush, running for president, is so radical right and unreasonable, unlike his uncle and grandfather by the same name, or even President Palin. It is so sad.

Other links
Pajamas Media: Strange New Respect
AP: George H.W. Bush to ride out storm in Maine
A New Bush Baby! Congrats to Heb Bush Jr!
George W. Bush recalls 9/11 in significant National Geographic Channel documentary
From Fox News: Emails: Florida Gov. Scott's Firing of Dead Soldier's Mother Upset Jeb Bush

What's in your pouch?

2011-08-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

Mostly Lola stuff, such as the rosy highlighting powder and Love lipgloss, Lola's Sheer Lipstick in Toy; Then there's Sue Devitt's Bronzing Eyeshadow and The Body Shop's Bronzing Powder with Shimmer; Also got Maybelline's Japanese Limited Edition Hello Kitty Volum' Express Mascara and Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush orange-flavoured lipgloss. Also had a Revlon eyebrow gel and MAC Lipglass thrown in!

Al-Qaida in Iraq: 100 attacks to avenge bin Laden

2011-08-20T06:05:00.000-07:00

Just a few weeks ago- or was it months ago? -Obama and his team declared that they have delivered a significant blow to al-Qaeda in Iraq by killing top militants, etc. No doubt they were trying to convince the public that it's time to pack up and leave Iraq to the wolves. Well, al-Q in Iraq is on the rise again. So what is Obama going to do about it?

From the Associated Press
AGHDAD (AP) — Al-Qaida in Iraq has vowed to carry out "100 attacks" across the country, starting in the middle of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, to exact revenge for the death of Osama bin Laden.

The terror group's statement was released on militant websites late Friday. It said the attacks will avenge bin Laden, who was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan in May, and other slain senior al-Qaida leaders.

"By God's will, the campaign starts in the middle of the fasting month (of Ramadan) and ends by God's will after 100 attacks exactly," it said.

The statement said the campaign would include "varied attacks, including raids, martyrdom operations (suicide attacks), roadside bombs, silenced guns and snipers, in all cities, rural areas and provinces" across Iraq.

Monday marked the middle of Ramadan.

On that day, a wave of crushing attacks swept across Iraq — from the northern city of Mosul to the southern Shiite heartland. At least 70 people died in suicide bombings, roadside bombs and shootings in what was Iraq's deadliest day this year.

Al-Qaida did not explicitly claim responsibility for those attacks in Friday's statement, but the chaos is widely believed to be the work of al-Qaida in Iraq.

A little over a year ago, U.S. and Iraqi officials said the deaths of al-Qaida in Iraq's two top leaders in a raid had dealt a severe blow to the organization. The group has suffered from a drop in funding and just two weeks ago was calling on former members to come back to the fold, a sign of its diminished status.

But Monday's violence suggests that al-Qaida in Iraq has the ability to resurrect itself and still carry out vicious attacks.

Skincare: Acne Busters!

2011-08-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

I've never really had a problem with break outs... up until a few weeks ago thanks to a hormonal imbalance (or whatchamacallit). I rushed to my dermatologist, got pricked, injected, and peeled; then I was subjected to a four week acne-busting program which included more pricking, injecting and peeling. She also recommended these two amazing products- Glycolix pads and Avene's Diacneal cream -which have greatly helped in clearing my skin. So now I've thrown away my Mario Badescu cleanser and toner for Glycolix and Avene. Basically, this is my skincare regimen: For both morning and night, I use Avene's soap-free gel cleanser, followed by a Glycolix pad (which contains 2% salicylic acid and 2% glycolic acid), then Avene's Diacneal cream, and finally a water-based moisturizer. I haven't had a break out in a while, which makes me a very happy girl.

Just a suggestion: You might want to consult your dermatologist before using new skincare products. She/He can really help in figuring out what's best for your skin. What works for me might not work for you. And don't ever forget to moisturize! I remember skipping on that two days ago out of sheer laziness, and I woke up feeling all dry and miserable!

The Week: In defense of Karl Rove

2011-08-20T01:16:00.000-07:00

I'm so sick of anti-Bushies. Just a few years ago former President Bush was hailed as an extreme right-winger out to conquer the entire world! Now he's like a socialist to Tea Partiers and Libertarians. Ugh. Read the article below.

Robert Shrum: It's not that Rove has a score to settle with Rick Perry. He just knows this Texas governor would make a disastrous GOP nominee

Rick Perry entered the Republican primaries with Texas-size swagger and prairie-shaking thunder from the right. After just a few days of pyrotechnics, Karl Rove, minister of the dark arts for the last Texas president, reproved Perry as "un-presidential."

Perry's spin doctors, and a brace of commentators, promptly put the criticism down to personal animus. Clearly Rove has reasons to dislike the governor who succeeded George W. Bush, and who by 2007 was assailing Bush's record in Austin, and then in 2011 his signature domestic achievement in the White House, "No Child Left Behind."

But Rove has a reason that goes beyond bad blood.

Perry has fast become a phenomenon, a magnet for media coverage — and according to a Rasmussen poll, he's the instant front-runner, leading Mitt Romney nationally 29 percent to 18 percent. And the 13 percent for Michele Bachmann surely see Perry, not Romney, as the second choice. (Rasmussen, whose numbers tend to have a partisan tilt, does have a Fox-like feel for Republican voters.) So for Rove, Perry is "un-presidential" precisely because he looks like a probable nominee — and it is highly improbable he could win the presidency. Rove has plenty of company in this assessment; the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal pointedly doubts that Perry "will sell in the suburbs of Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, where the election is likely to be decided."

To be fair, Rove himself seeded the ground for the rancid tea harvest that fuels Perry's appeal. In 2004, Rove aided and abetted the smearing of John Kerry, a genuine war hero in Vietnam, to prop up Bush, who wasn't exactly diligent about his stateside National Guard duty. There is a straight line between the Swiftboat lies and Perry's smarmy statements that he can't say whether Barack Obama loves America but does see the president as "the greatest threat" to this country. Huh? How about terrorism?

Again and again, Rove has also advanced Republican economics, really low politics in disguise, which blames spending for economic stagnation, and flacks policies that would ruin the recovery in order to retake the White House. But Perry ventured a final step off the cliff of reason into the valley of paranoia when he arraigned Federal Reserve Chairmen Ben Bernanke, a Bush appointee, as "treasonous" for leveraging monetary policy to encourage growth and jobs. That leveraging is not a liberal idea; it is the entirely sensible prescription of the conservative icon and Nobel Prize economist Milton Friedman. Perry's comment was incendiary, literally McCarthy-esque, and it's this specific offense that drew Rove's fire.

Read the entire article here.

Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Fragrance

2011-08-20T01:08:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite everyday body mist. The scent is not overwhelming at all- it smells fresh. It doesn't smell "sexy" as its name implies. It's not fruity, musky or chocolate sweet either. Fresh, I guess, is the best word I can come up with! As for its shimmering capabilities, sadly they are non-existent. You'll probably have to use the entire bottle just to get some shimmer out of this! Staying power isn't that great either. Still it's a good fragrance mist you can use for everyday wear.

Remember the Fallen

2011-08-15T01:40:00.000-07:00

I came across this article a few minutes ago. While the deaths of the SEALs, Airmen and Army soldiers are tragic, their personal stories are very uplifting. They lived life to the fullest and accepted any challenge that came their way. They were patriotic, selfless, and brave. I will never forget.

From AP: Portraits of Navy SEALs killed in helicopter crash

Credit for photo.

The American troops who died aboard a downed helicopter in Afghanistan came to the special forces from far-flung corners of the country, some motivated by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. They were intensely patriotic and talented young men with a love of physical challenges and a passion for the high-risk job they chose.

Thirty Americans and eight Afghans were killed last Saturday when a rocket-propelled grenade fired by a Taliban insurgent downed their Chinook helicopter en route to a combat mission.

The Pentagon on Thursday identified the Americans as 17 members of the elite Navy SEALs, five Naval Special Warfare personnel who support the SEALs, three Air Force Special Operations personnel and an Army helicopter crew of five.

All but two of the SEALs were from SEAL Team 6, the unit that killed Osama bin Laden, although military officials said none of the crash victims was on that mission in Pakistan against the al-Qaida leader.

Here are the stories of some of the fallen...

Matthew Mason

A severe arm injury during fighting in Fallujah in 2004 didn't keep Matthew Mason off the Iraq War battlefield. Nor did it dull the competitive fire of the avid runner and former high school athlete from outside Kansas City.

Within five months of losing part of his left arm, absorbing shrapnel and suffering a collapsed lung, Mason competed in a triathlon. He soon returned to his SEAL unit.

"He could have gotten out of combat," said family friend Elizabeth Frogge. "He just insisted on going back."

Mason, the father of two toddler sons, grew up in Holt, Mo., and played football and baseball at Kearney High School. He graduated from Northwest Missouri State University in 1998. His wife, who is expecting their third child — another boy — also attended Northwest Missouri.

Mason returned to Missouri in May to compete in a Kansas City triathlon, and took his family to Walt Disney World for the first time this summer, Frogge said.

"He loved doing what he did," she said. "He was the type of guy who thought he was invincible."

___

Jason Workman

Jason Workman had his sights set on becoming a SEAL as a young teenager. He was about 14 when his older brother graduated from West Point. That's when he knew he wanted to be an elite soldier, friend Tate Bennett told The Deseret News. Then came the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and Workman's calling grew even stronger.

"He didn't become a Navy SEAL by chance," Bennett said. "He knew that's what he wanted at a young age and made it happen."

After returning from his Mormon mission, Bennett said, Workman went to Southern Utah University and later joined the Navy.

Across his small hometown of Blanding in southern Utah, flags were flown at half-staff as residents mourned the loss of one of their own.

Even as a SEAL, Workman came home each year to visit, Blanding Mayor Toni Turk said. During his last trip, he led training sessions with local law enforcement, sharing his military skills, and planned to provide more training during a trip home this fall, Turk said.

"He fulfilled his dream and his ambition," he said.

Workman had a wife and a 21-month-old son.

___

Jon Tumilson
Jon Tumilson got an early start on his preparation to join the SEALS. He had been a wrestler in high school and competed in marathons and triathlons.
Neighbors remembered the Rockford, Iowa, man as a warrior committed to the SEALs, no matter the pain he endured in training or the risks he ran on each mission.
"When he did something, he put his all into it," Jan Stowe, a neighbor of the Tumilsons for more than 30 years, told the Des Moines Register.
Tumilson, who was 35 when he died, "was going to be a Navy SEAL since I can't remember when," Stowe said. "He's like a hero to everyone here."
Another neighbor, Mark Biggs, said people were shocked by his death.
"You just never thought it would happen to Jon," Biggs told the Mason City Globe Gazette. "He's done so many dangerous things."
Friend Justin Schriever remembered Tumilson as "a die-hard at everything. He'd always go the extra mile on everything. He wouldn't let anything stop him from accomplishing something."
___
Brian Bill
Brian Bill had plans for when he finished his military service. He wanted to return to graduate school and hoped one day to become an astronaut.
For those who knew him, such lofty goals were not out of reach.
"He set his standards high. He was that kind of person," Kimberly Hess, a friend who graduated with him in 2001 from Vermont's Norwich University, told The Advocate newspaper. "He was remarkably gifted and very thoughtful. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for you no matter the time or day."
Diane Warzoha, who had Bill as a student at Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford, said it was no surprise that he fulfilled his goal of joining the SEALs.
"Brian just wanted to do his best, to protect other people ... Challenge did not deter him, ever."
___
Kevin Houston
Kevin Houston's mother says he was born to be a SEAL.
"If he could do it all over again and have a choice to have it happen the way it did, or instead work at McDonald's and live to be 104? No. He'd do it all over again," Jan Brown told the Cape Cod Times.
Brown brought up her son in Hyannis, Mass., as a single mother.
Christopher Kelly, whose daughter was a friend of Kevin's, became the young man's mentor and father figure. Kelly, a Vietnam veteran, says Houston would always make time to visit Cape Cod when he had leave even though he made his home in Chesapeake, Va., with his wife and three children. Houston was 36 when he was killed.
He was a football captain at Barnstable High School and joined the Navy not long after he graduated in 1994. He became a SEAL in 1999.
His boyhood friend, Joe Kennedy of Osterville, Mass., told the newspaper that Kevin told him the day they met in elementary school that he was going to be a Navy SEAL. "I had no idea what that was," Kennedy said.
Kennedy said friends on the Cape are planning a memorial service for him. Family and friends also held a service Thursday in Chesapeake.
___
John Douangdara
John Douangdara told his family very little about his duties in the military. They didn't even know he took part in operations with the Navy SEALs.

But his mother, Sengchanh Douangdara, said it was clear the 26-year-old master at arms petty officer 1st class from South Sioux City, Neb., was committed to the military and proud to serve the country that adopted his Laotian family decades ago. Douangdara was Naval Special Warfare personnel, who support the SEALs.

"I know that he loved his job. It was a job he chose," she told the Sioux City Journal.

She recalled her son as "the middle child, very quiet."

Douangdara's parents fled communist forces in their native Laos in 1979, then immigrated to the United States after the birth of their first child. John was born four years later, the third of five children his parents would raise in South Sioux City, a Missouri River town along the border with Iowa.
The oldest child, Chan Follen, said her family's sadness is tempered by pride in Douangdara's service to the U.S.
"We are proud Johnny fought for the country that embraced our family and gave us the opportunity to reach for the American dream," Follen said.
___
Spc. Spencer Duncan, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bryan Nichols, Spc. Alexander Bennett
Three of the crew members aboard the downed Chinook were from the same Army reserve unit — Bravo Company, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment — based at New Century AirCenter in Gardner, Kan.
Spc. Spencer Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kan., had written to friends about how much he loved working as a door gunner on a Chinook helicopter. But The Kansas City Star reported that he also told friends that he missed Kansas sunsets and lying in a truck bed listening to the radio and cuddling with his sweetie.
He joined the military in 2008 and had been in Afghanistan since late May.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bryan Nichols, 31, a pilot from Kansas City, Mo., was eager to get back to flying after a stint handling paperwork as a unit administrator. So when the word went out that people were needed to train for a mobilization, Nichols volunteered.
Lt. Col. Richard Sherman, former commander of Nichols' unit, said one of his favorite memories is flying a pace car with Nichols to the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.
"My happiest and saddest memories are now tied to him," said Sherman, who was in command and working as an instructional pilot when Nichols joined his unit.
"He had no enemies. He was one everyone wanted to be around. You just liked flying with him because you knew he was going to improve as a young pilot and get better every time you flew with him."
Specialist Alexander Bennett, 23, couldn't wait to deploy again after returning from spending a year in Iraq in 2009. So the reservist moved on his own from the Tacoma, Wash., area to Overland Park, Kan., to join Bravo Company.
"He wanted to be part of our unit when it deployed," said Sherman. "He was a typical young kid and liked to go out and have a good time with the guys."
___
Sgt. Patrick Hamburger
Patrick Hamburger planned to propose to his girlfriend, but had a job to do first: a mission in Afghanistan.
The 30-year-old sergeant from Grand Island, Neb., joined the Nebraska National Guard when he was a senior at Lincoln Southeast High School, but this was his first deployment, his brother Chris Hamburger told The Associated Press.
"He didn't have to go, and he wanted to go because his group was getting deployed. He wanted to be there for them. That's him for you," Chris Hamburger said, adding that Patrick always looked out for his two younger brothers and friends.
He was also the kind of guy who helped his girlfriend raise her 13-year-old daughter from another relationship, as well as the couple's own 2-year-old daughter, and planned to propose marriage when he got home, Chris Hamburger said.
Patrick Hamburger had been in Afghanistan less than two weeks and had arrived at Forward Operating Base Shank a few days before climbing aboard the helicopter to rush to the aid of an Army Ranger unit under fire from insurgents.
"It doesn't come as a total surprise that he was trying to help people and that's how it all ended up happening," Chris Hamburger said.
___
Michael Strange
If someone was sad, Michael Strange tried to make them smile. He loved snowboarding, surfing, scuba diving, running, and shooting guns on the range.
"He loved his friends, his family, his country; he loved making people laugh. He was one of a kind," Strange's brother, Charles Strange III, said outside the family's Philadelphia home, where American flags were planted throughout the neighborhood.
Strange, 25, decided to join the military when he was still in high school, and had been in the Navy for about six years, first stationed in Hawaii and for the last two in Virginia Beach, where he became a SEAL about two years ago, his mother, Elizabeth Strange, told The Associated Press.
But he always told his family not to worry.
"He wasn't supposed to die this young. He was supposed to be safe," Elizabeth Strange said. "And he told me that, and I believed him. I shouldn't have believed him because I know better. He would say, 'Mom, don't be ridiculous and worry so much. I'm safe.'"
Charles Strange said his brother loved the SEALS, especially "the competitiveness, getting in shape and running and swimming and all of that."
He also had two sisters and recently became an uncle. The family last saw him in June, when he came for a weeklong visit for his birthday, his mother said. He was supposed to be back for Thanksgiving.
"It was going to be such a good time," his mother said.
His grandmother Bernice Strange remembered him as a young man who loved cheesesteaks and the Philadelphia Eagles and always brought her flowers.
"He was a wonderful grandson to have," she said Monday night. "God truly blessed me with him."
____
John W. Brown
If Elizabeth Newlun wanted to have a serious conversation with her son, John Brown, she had to shoot baskets with him.
"There's nothing athletic about me, but I realized that you have to get into other people's comfort zone to get information," said Newlun, of Rogers, Ark., explaining that her son, an Air Force technical sergeant, was a "gentle giant" who "just loved anything physical, anything athletic."
Newlun said her son played football and basketball in high school and went to John Brown University on a swimming scholarship. He had wanted to go into the medical field and become a nurse anesthetist, but decided to join the military after seeing a video of a special tactical unit, she said.
The airman was a paramedic and ready to attend to the medical needs of anyone who was rescued, his mother said.
Arkansas state Rep. Jon Woods went to high school with Brown in Siloam Springs and remembered playing basketball and watching "Saturday Night Live" on the weekends.
"When you think of what the ideal model of a soldier would be, he would be it," said Woods. "He could run all day."
___
Aaron Carson Vaughn
Aaron Carson Vaughn was a man of deep faith, insisting to his family that he didn't fear his job as a Navy SEAL "because he knew where he was going" when he died.
"Aaron was a Christian and he's with Jesus today," Geneva Vaughn of Union City, Tenn., told The Associated Press on Saturday. "He told us when we saw him last November that he wasn't afraid ... he said, 'Granny, don't worry about me.'"
"He was a tough warrior, but he was a gentle man."
Geneva Vaughn said her grandson, 30, joined the SEALS straight out of boot camp and was already a decorated fighter when he was asked by the Navy to return stateside to become an instructor. But he applied to SEAL Team 6 after two years, earning his way onto the squad in 2010.
He asked the military to return him to combat and shipped out just six weeks before he was killed, Vaughn said.
"He was doing what he loved to do and he was a true warrior," Geneva Vaughn said.
Aaron Vaughn leaves behind his wife, Kimberly, and two children, 2-year-old son Reagan and 2-month-old daughter Chamberlyn.
"They will take away his love for Christ. They will take his dream and his love for the country, and they will know what an amazing man he is," Kimberly said about the children in an interview on NBC's "Today" show Monday.
___
Robert James Reeves, Jonas Kelsall
Robert James Reeves and Jonas Kelsall had been childhood friends in Shreveport, La., where they played soccer together and graduated from Caddo Magnet High School, Kelsall's father, John, told The Times of Shreveport and KLSA-TV.
Both joined the military after graduation, though the 32-year-old Reeves spent a year at Louisiana State University first, his father, Jim Reeves, told the newspaper.
Reeves became a SEAL in 1999 and served on SEAL Team 6, his father said. During his many deployments, he earned four Bronze Stars and other honors.
Kelsall, 33, was one of the first members of SEAL Team 7, his father said.
He trained in San Diego and met his wife of three years, Victoria, when he was attending the University of Texas out of Basic Underwater Demolition training, his father said.
Reeves placed several American flags outside his home and his neighbors joined in, many decorating their homes in red, white and blue in support of the families.
___
Kraig Vickers
When he was a Maui High School football player, no one could match Kraig Vickers' intensity on the field.
But off the field? "You couldn't find a nicer guy," his former coach remembers.
"He played middle linebacker, so he was really smart, the quarterback of the defense; and when he put on his helmet, no one could match his intensity and aggressiveness," coach Curtis Lee told the Maui News.
Vickers, who would have turned 37 on Thursday, graduated from high school in 1992 and attended Evangel College in Missouri on a football scholarship. "He decided college wasn't for him," and returned home, his father, Robert Vickers, said. After stints in tree trimming and working as a hotel security guard, he became a certified scuba diver and decided to join the Navy in 1996.
He lived in Virginia Beach, Va., with his wife Nani, who is seven months' pregnant with their third child. Robert Vickers said she is making plans to return to Hawaii because she only has a small window of time before doctors won't allow her to fly.
"He wanted to be buried near the ocean," his father said, adding that the family is awaiting details on when the body will arrive on Maui.
___
Chris Campbell
Chris Campbell may have been physically slight, but family and friends said the Navy SEAL was always ready to take on a challenge.
His mother, Diane Campbell, told The Daily News of Jacksonville she remembered him and his older brother learning to ride a unicycle brought back from Okinawa as one example of her son's determination.
"If Chris thought he could, he would try," Diane Campbell said.

Former high school football coach Jack Baile remembered Campbell, 36, showing he was up to a test when he tried out for the team as a smallish junior at about 5 foot-7 and 140 pounds.

"When kids come out for football for the first time, the first thing you're worried about is, are they going to like to be hit, or want to be hit, and like to hit. That was not a problem with Chris. He had no fear with that," Baile told The Associated Press.

"I remember hearing for the first time when he had joined the SEALS, I thought that kind of fits Chris. He didn't have a lot of fear of things and I think he always wanted to try to prove to somebody that he could do things. He was an adventurous-type guy."
Campbell's work frequently sent him on missions out of the country, and his family asked few questions when he showed up with a full beard or arrived for a visit that could only last three hours. In an email to his daughter Samantha sent days before the crash, he wrote that he was looking forward to coming home in November and celebrating her 15th birthday in January.
Chris Campbell told his family that if he was killed in the line of duty, he wanted the local newspaper to write about his life and death, with a request for donations in his memory to the Wounded Warrior Project. The project helps wounded service members recover from their war injuries.
___
Nicholas Spehar
When 24-year-old Nicholas Spehar said he was going to do something, you could take him at his word.
The 2005 graduate of Chisago Lakes High School was a "quiet leader," a star in academics and three sports during his time at the school along Minnesota's eastern border, said Principal Dave Ertl.
"Nick was an active young man, and if he said he was going to do something, he did it," Ertl said. "I could see him as a Navy SEAL and giving 110 percent to serve his country."
Younger brother Luke Spehar told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that the family does not want to talk about Nick, the second of five children, until after his funeral. "We need time," he said.
Craig Swanberg, 46, of Chisago City, a town of about 4,700, said the Spehar kids played football with his own children.
"The whole family is a down-to-earth group ... nice, everyday, salt-of-the-earth people," Swanberg said. "Nick was a big kid, a powerlifter, who was not as soft spoken as his brothers."
Ertl said Spehar played football and baseball for Chisago Lakes, starred on the swimming team and was an academic letter winner.
"He gave 100 percent in high school," Ertl said. "And he gave 100 percent to our country."
___
David Carter
David Carter was a man of faith who was "somebody you could count on."
Yolanda Levesque, a neighbor speaking for the pilot's family, called Carter an outstanding father, "a true Christian" and a patriot."He was our American hero," Levesque said, struggling to keep her composure while reading from a statement at a news conference Tuesday.
The 47-year-old Carter of the Denver suburb of Aurora was a chief warrant officer 4, a full-time Army National Guardsman and an instructor pilot. He was a skilled aviator with more than 700 hours of combat flying time, said Army Guard Col. Chris Petty.
Carter was one of two pilots flying the Chinook CH-47D on Saturday when it was apparently shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by an insurgent.
He had a passion for training young aviators, Petty said, and leaves behind "much more than dozens" of new pilots he taught.
"There's a big hole in our organization today," Petty said.
Maj. Gen. H. Michael Edwards said Carter was "somebody you could count on."
"Every time you needed a launch, a helicopter for a state mission, Dave Carter was there," Edwards said.
Carter, of the Denver suburb of Aurora, is survived by his wife, Laura, and two children, Kyle and Kaitlen.
Carter's sister-in-law Marie Krizanovic described him as a "gentle-souled person."
"Happy-go-lucky, gentle-natured," Krizanovic said. "He had a very strong spiritual faith. He loved flying."
David and Laura Carter were set to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in December.
____
Jared William Day
Jared William Day grew up in the Salt Lake City area and joined the Navy in 2002 "because he loved his country, the people who live here, and the freedoms we all have," his family said.
The 28-year-old Navy SEAL had participated in multiple missions around the world, and was an Information Systems Technician First Class, a family statement said.
"He was truly special, not only to our family, but to this country," his family said. "Jared's memory will live in our hearts forever."
His family also described him as being "determined with a fierce sense of humor."
Day rose to become an elite member of a Naval Special Warfare unit where he served as tactical commander.
Day's family attended a ceremony for the soldiers earlier this week at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where they were given a few minutes with President Barack Obama.
___
Daniel L. Zerbe
Friends of Tech Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe remembered the 28-year-old as driven but funny and easy to get along with.
Zerbe, a 2001 graduate of Red Lion Area High School in central Pennsylvania, did not say much about his Air Force duties, former schoolmate Jean Martin told The York Dispatch.
"He could make you laugh no matter what," said Martin, who dated him after high school.
John Smeltzer, a friend of Zerbe's, recalled playing football together starting in junior high, as well as fishing, snowboarding and engaging in other outdoor pursuits.
Martin said Zerbe wasn't the biggest player on the football or wrestling teams, but he worked hard to achieve his goals.
When Smeltzer last spoke with him in June, they talked about life and the birth of Smeltzer's daughter. He has struggled to come to terms with his friend's death.
"You wouldn't think this is going to come," he said.
The Associated Press left messages for Zerbe's relatives.
___
John Faas
Top of his class. Quarterback. Team captain.
John Faas' football coach had encouraged the natural-born leader to consider applying to a service academy to become a military officer, but Faas had decided in middle school that he wanted to become a Navy SEAL.
The 31-year-old from Minneapolis never wavered about his goal, joining the elite fighting force and becoming a chief petty officer.
"This is where John felt he was called," said Ron Monson, the football coach at Minnehaha Academy, a private Christian school in Minneapolis where Faas graduated as the 1998 class valedictorian.
The coach said Faas never showed bravado and didn't fit the Hollywood stereotype of a SEAL. Instead, the son of Gretchen and Robert Faas of Minneapolis, was the guy who always stood up for his fellow students.
"John was a man of unquestionable integrity and courage, as were those he served with," his family said in a statement. "He became a SEAL to serve his country and to make the world a better place for those less fortunate."
___
Heath M. Robinson
Before he even graduated from Michigan's Petoskey High about 225 miles northwest of Detroit, Heath M. Robinson was the type of guy people could picture becoming a Navy SEAL.
"He was hardworking, dedicated and loyal," athletic director Gary Hice told the Detroit Free Press. "And those are all attributes for a Navy SEAL. He was a nice young man."
Robinson joined the military after high school, according to the Petoskey News-Review, and his service record shows he served in six Special Warfare Units from 2000 to 2011.
Robinson's father declined to comment about his son's death when reached by The Associated Press.
Petoskey Principal Jim Kanine said Robinson and his family would be remembered in prayers.
"We understand that's the ultimate sacrifice a human being can make," Kanine said.
___
Thomas Ratzlaff
Thomas Ratzlaff wanted to be a Navy SEAL ever since he was a young boy growing up in Green Forest, Ark.
"He did what he loved and died defending those he loved and those who loved him," his nephew, Jeff Adams, said as he read a statement from the family.
When Ratzlaff visited his hometown in northwest Arkansas, his late father would bring him by the log cabin restaurant where he ordered an egg, sausage and wheat toast every morning.
"The whole town was proud of him," said Loree Blackburn, who runs that restaurant.
Now, the community of 2,700 remembers Ratzlaff with flags flying at half-staff.
Ratzlaff, 34, would have been grateful for the outpouring of support for his family, his nephew said. But he "would want the focus to remain on the cause for which he made the sacrifice, not the sacrifice itself."
He had two sons and a wife expecting their third child — a girl — in November. He also leaves behind a sister and mother.
"As a Navy SEAL team member, my uncle was trained to keep a low profile and to do his job," Adams said.
___
Darrik Benson
Before he became a U.S. Navy SEAL, Darrik Benson was known as a good student and an all-around nice kid in Angwin, a small town in California's Napa Valley where he grew up.
At the end of his latest tour of duty next month, he planned to marry his girlfriend, Kara, and spend time with his 2-year-old son, Landon.
"She's very broken up about this," Benson's mother, Claudia Benson, told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
Benson had recently earned his commercial pilot's license to possibly fly airplanes after his military service ended.
Linda Hansel, who taught Benson in eighth grade, remembered him as bright, outgoing and just a touch mischievous.
___
Jesse Pittman
Jesse Pittman made it known he wanted to become a SEAL during his second summer working as a seasonal firefighter for California's forestry department. He trained in his off-time with an ex-SEAL to prepare.
He was a hard worker who shared a love of hotrods with his father and older brother, and he did odd jobs at an automotive repair shop in his hometown of Willits, Calif., to learn how to build and repair cars.
Despite being a leader on his fire crew and having a good career ahead of him as a firefighter, Pittman made it clear becoming a SEAL was his passion.
"He liked to be challenged, and I think that challenge is what drew him to both of those careers," his friend Chris Wilkes told the San Francisco Chronicle. "When he told me he wanted to be a Navy SEAL, I told him he had been watching too much TV. But he said, 'No, I can do that.'"
___

Louis Langlais

Louis Langlais was originally from Santa Barbara, Calif., but lived in Virginia with his wife and two sons.
He was thrust into the national spotlight in April 1997 when he attempted to parachute into Pro Player Stadium dressed as the mascot of the Florida Marlins, the Virginian-Pilot reported. Winds tore off the costume and Langlais landed outside while someone else took his place inside, the paper reported.
Langlais enlisted in the Navy in June 1986. In 1989, he reported to SEAL training in Coronado, Calif., and reported to a West Coast-based SEAL team until 1997. He was on the Navy parachute team until February 2000 and later joined several East Coast-based SEAL teams.
Langlais won numerous medals and commendations for his service and was remembered by countless friends in an outpouring of support on Facebook.
___
Andrew Harvell
Andrew Harvell, originally from Long Beach, Calif., lived in Southern Pines, N.C., with his wife, according to the Fayetteville Observer.

Harvell was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron at nearby Pope Field, where a private memorial was held Thursday.

While not as prominent as the elite SEALs, the unit that Brown belonged to is also renowned for its rigor and skill.

Hand-picked after joining the Air Force, candidates for the Special Tactics Squadron must successfully complete three years of arduous training before they can be assigned to a unit, according to retired Air Force Col. John Carney.

"Out of 100 people who go into that rigorous training, maybe 10 of them will make it out," said Carney, who is credited with creating the special tactics units in the 1980s.

Victoria's Secret Amber Romance Shimmer Lotion

2011-08-15T01:24:00.000-07:00

I love me some Amber Romance. It's seriously my favorite scent from Victoria's Secret. I love anything and everything that smells and tastes like vanilla! I know it gives some people a huge headache, but not me!

I really love this lotion. It smells good and doesn't feel sticky at all. It disappears right into your skin and keeps you moisturized for a long time. The scent stays on for hours which I find really amazing.(More after the jump!)

The "shimmer" came in chunks of gold glitter.
As for the shimmering part, it isn't as subtle as I had hoped. In fact, I could see and feel chunky gold glitter on my skin upon application, which was mildly irritating. Some of the glitter would also stick to my clothes, but a few stayed put for a long period of time. Still, I love this product. Call me crazy, but imma get more when I run out!

Obama sinks below 40%

2011-08-15T00:56:00.000-07:00

Amazing. Just after two years in office, Mr. HopeNChange hits an all-time low. I guess this shouldn't surprise me - I mean, what has he done that has really satisfied anyone? Yes he would pass some "landmark" law that would make his base happy, but beyond that, who else has he satisfied? Just his Hollywood friends. Who make up a part of his base anyway.

Gallup: Obama job rating sinks below 40% for first time
President Obama's summer woes have dragged his approval rating to an all-time low, sinking below 40% for the first time in Gallup's daily tracking poll.

New data posted Sunday shows that 39% of Americans approve of Obama's job performance, while 54% disapprove. Both are the worst numbers of his presidency.

Obama's approval rating has hovered in the 40% range for much of 2011, peaking at 53% in the weeks following the death of Osama bin Laden.

But Americans' view of his job performance continued to tick downward as the debt-ceiling debate heated up. By the time he signed legislation averting a federal default, he was mired in the low-40% range.

The polling setback comes as the Republican race to unseat him has kicked into overdrive. The past week has been dominated by the activity in Iowa ahead of the Ames Straw Poll, and the entrance of a new contender in Texas Gov. Rick Perry. The candidates have routinely assailed Obama's leadership in appealing to conservative activists who dominate this stage of the nominating contest.

Obama is set to launch something of a counter-offensive on Monday with a three-day bus tour of the Midwest, a trip that includes two stops in Iowa. The White House denied that the itinerary was politically motivated, however.

The three-day tracking poll was conducted from Aug. 11-13.

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lipgloss

2011-08-13T03:49:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love Victoria's Secret? I am so into their Beauty Rush Lipgloss line! They smell sweet and taste delicious. I know some people hate it when their lipgloss tastes like fruit or vanilla or chocolate, but I love it.

I really love the subtle shimmer and small flecks of purple glitter that appear on your lips as you layer this on. Gives great shine and lasts long. Loooooves it.

Faith.

2011-08-12T04:14:00.000-07:00

I was browsing through some photos today and saw this- it was from my bro's wedding. It's so weird, 'cause my sister-in-law's wedding gown looks like a ghost. lol! I'm so happy I have the perfect sister-in-law! She and my brother are devout born-again Christians: They do a lot of volunteer work for their church and community and I really find that inspiring. Their optimism and generosity drives me to do little good deeds of my own. I'm so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life!
Finding my way back to God was a difficult journey, but because I had the love and support of my brother and sister-in-law, I became a believer once more. I guess this is also one of the reasons why I like George W Bush- I can totally relate to him when it comes to issues of faith. Here's a great quote from him:

"It took me a while to understand that religion is not a course in self-improvement. Religion is a surrender – that you allow a living God into your life by surrendering to that living God. And then you improve to please God, not please yourself."

Wise words. Here's a great article on President Bush and his faith from Beliefnet:

There have been many very committed Christians in the White House in the 228 years of our nation's history. Some presidents, like Lincoln, appear to have come to faith under the enormous pressures of the office. Others, like Jefferson, were probably not Christians by belief--they may have been Unitarians, like Taft--but nevertheless held the conviction that the person who occupies the Oval Office should be not only a man of profoundly honorable personal ethics and preferably a person of deep personal faith, but also aware of this nation's unwritten covenant with the Almighty.

George W. Bush fits all three of Jefferson's requirements for the presidency. He also fits a fourth, that Jefferson did not allude to. He personally would never have been elected had not faith profoundly altered his character and prepared him morally for the task.

Bush is unusual in that he came to faith, or as he chooses to term it, a renewal of his faith, as an adult. He became closely involved in a church from a denomination, the Methodists, that has traditionally been deeply involved in social action. His effort to introduce faith-based programs more deeply into the social reform life of the nation was based on a simple observation: in general, they work better than secular programs when it comes to changing personal behavior in matters like drug and alcohol dependency or prisoner rehabilitation. As governor of Texas, he was courageous in introducing the InnerChange program pioneered by Prison Fellowship into the state's penal system.

Read more?

Seattle Times: Airstrike kills Taliban who killed SEALs on helicopter

2011-08-12T03:41:00.000-07:00

I'm glad that the US Military was able to get 'em. I knew they would. But not even their deaths can change the fact that we've lost such brave and amazing young heroes. This is just so tragic.

From the Seattle Times:
WASHINGTON — International forces killed the Taliban insurgents responsible for shooting down a U.S. helicopter and killing 38 U.S. and Afghan forces over the weekend, but they are still seeking the top insurgent leader they were going after in Saturday's mission, the top American commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday.

Marine Corps Gen. John Allen said at a Pentagon news conference that an F-16 airstrike Monday killed fewer than 10 insurgents involved in the attack on the Chinook helicopter.

In a separate statement Wednesday, the military said the Monday strike killed Taliban leader Mullah Mohibullah and the insurgent who fired the rocket-propelled grenade at the helicopter. The military said intelligence gained on the ground provided a high degree of confidence that the insurgent who fired the grenade was the person killed. It did not provide details.

Allen defended the decision to send in the Chinook loaded with special-operations forces to pursue insurgents escaping from the weekend firefight with Army Rangers in a dangerous region of Wardak Province of eastern Afghanistan.

"We've run more than a couple of thousand of these night operations over the last year, and this is the only occasion where this has occurred," Allen said.

While officials believe the helicopter was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade, Allen said the military's investigation into the crash will also review whether small-arms fire or other causes contributed to the crash.

Questions remain about why the troops were called in to aid other U.S. combatants engaged in a firefight, what they knew about the situation on the ground and what role the flight path or altitude may have played in the disastrous crash.

According to officials, the dead included 17 SEALs, five Navy special-operations troops who support the SEALs, three Air Force airmen, a five-member Army aircrew and a military dog, along with seven Afghan commandos and an Afghan interpreter.

Gen. James Mattis, head of U.S. Central Command, appointed Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Colt to lead the investigation. Colt is deputy commander of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky.

Meanwhile, Pentagon officials said Wednesday that they would release the names of the troops killed.

The release had been in question because most of the dead were covert special-operations forces from the Navy and Air Force. Though some of their names had been made public by loved ones, the Special Operations Command asked the Pentagon not to release them, arguing it was a security risk.

Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta considered the issue and decided to release the names. Lapan said the names should be made public within 24 hours.

Ann Coulter Joins GOProud.

2011-08-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Jezebel
Hmmm, what to think of this? I love me some Ann Coulter, but after reading an article on RedState about GOProud's behavior towards social conservatives, I'm not too sure if they're for real or not. Still, they seem like a group of fabulous Republicans so I can't really say anything bad about them! I love fabulous people, gay or not! I just hope they stop bashing social conservatives- the Libertarian folks are already doing that and I am so sick of it. So annoying. I mean, socialcons aren't evil people. I support traditional marriage, because in a lot of ways I am a very traditional girl; but if majority of the folks soon decide that gay marriage should be allowed, then so be it- it won't end my world. I care more about winning the wars and getting those terrorists.

Ann Coulter Joins Gay Conservative Group
By Chris Moody

Right-wing provocateur Ann Coulter has joined the advisory board of GOProud, a small Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents gay conservatives, the group announced Tuesday.

Coulter has long been a supporter of the advocacy group, which claims the support of a string of high-profile conservatives, including anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, online media mogul Andrew Breitbart, and Republican strategist Roger Stone, all of whom serve on the organization's advisory board.

"I am honored to serve in this capacity on GOProud's Advisory Council, and look forward to being the queen of fabulous," Coulter said in a statement.

Coulter headlined GOProud's first national meeting last fall, where she sparred with attendees over gay marriage, a policy she personally opposes.

"Gay rights advocate" might not be the first thing that comes to mind for most people when they think of Coulter--who calls herself "the right-wing Judy Garland"--but she says that she has a secret gay fan base.

"I didn't expect that so many gays would be such huge fans of mine, but yet, it's true," Coulter said during a recent interview with C-SPAN. "I think all gays who were born gay are overwhelmingly conservative--maybe apolitical--and all those angry gays, causing trouble for everybody, I don't even think they were born gay, I just think they were angry at their fathers."

The group's existence has caused a stir within the conservative movement, which is grappling with whether to accept organizations that identify as gay. The American Conservative Union decided last month to reject GOProud as a co-sponsor of its annual Conservative Political Action Conference, after several groups boycotted the 2011 convention in protest of GOProud's presence. The chairman of the American Conservative Union met with GOProud's executive director, Jimmy LaSalvia, and its chairman, Christopher Barron, last week.

Other links: Grand jury indicts U.S. private in Fort Hood plot (I say let his platoon handle him!)
Portraits of Navy SEALS killed in helicopter crash (May God cradle you in his arms and give you everlasting peace and happiness in heaven!)
Possible Perry Presidential Bid Brings Bush Comparisons (GWB is hellluva lot better than Perry! Just sayin'!)
Obama Loses 3 Points Overnight (Teehee!)

Golden bronze eyes using Sue Devitt, Lola, Maybelline and E.L.F.!

2011-08-08T04:56:00.000-07:00

I was bored so I decided to wear golden bronze eyeshadow to work.

I used the following: Sue Devitt's bronzing eyeshadow, Maybelline's Hello Kitty Volum' Mascara, Lola's Celebration Highlighting Powder, an E.L.F. liquid eyeliner and The Face Shop's baked eyeshadows (a gift from my cousin!).

L to R: 1.)Lola's Highlighting Powder, 2.)The Face Shop's baked eyeshadow, 3.)Sue Devitt's bronzing eyeshadow. Below: Maybelline Hello Kitty Volum' Mascara and E.L.F. liquid eyeliner.
1.) I used the peach-bronze shadow from Sue Devitt as my base (it looks plain ol' gold on the pan, but when applied on your lids it's quite peachy!), then 2.) blended the gold-copper shadow all over my lid. 3.) I used the shimmering brown baked shadow from The Face Shop (middle photo) on my crease and 4.) Lola's Celebration Highlighting powder (first photo) on my brow bone. Then I lined my eyes with E.L.F.'s black liquid eyeliner and applied two coats of Maybelline's Hello Kitty Volum' Mascara on my lashes. Done!

After hours of work, it still looked pretty cool. FYI, I didn't use any primers or an eyelash curler.

30,000 Christians Attend Rick Perry's Day of Prayer

2011-08-08T04:22:00.000-07:00

So how do you feel about this? I'm pretty religious: I believe in God and I can barely stand atheists, but for some reason I can't bring myself to trust Rick Perry. Maybe it's because he criticizes my hero, George W Bush, whenever he can, but I'm seriously not digging him. Still, it's pretty brave of him to hold a prayer rally.

I remember watching TCT (Tri-State Christian Television) one afternoon back when GWB was president (yeah, I know!), and one of the hosts said he was very happy that America had a president who was not afraid to show his love and respect for Christ. Though Rick Perry is no GWB, at least he is not afraid to embrace his faith publicly, and I admire him for that.

GWB still pWns him though.

Photo courtesy of The Guardian.

The Guardian:Rick Perry's call to prayer draws crowd of 30,000
t was billed as a day of prayer and fasting to halt America's national decline, and about 30,000 answered the call, flooding into Houston's Reliant stadium for a seven-hour marathon which blended Christian revivalism with hard-headed electoral campaigning.

There was plenty of prayer: some of the faithful stood with arms held high in supplication, others danced trancelike in the aisles and still more lay spreadeagled on the floor.

The fasting was less conspicuous: long queues formed at Prince's Hamburgers, Tejas Nachos, Five Star Dogs and other fast-food stands inside the cavernous arena.

The rally on Saturday marked another step towards the launch of Rick Perry's presidential campaign, giving the governor of Texas a national platform for the first time, with 250 reporters and camera crews covering it.

More importantly, it virtually guaranteed him the support of the Christian evangelical movement, with its network of volunteers and finance, plus a large bloc of votes in Republican caucuses and primaries.

Perry, 61, who is in his third full term as governor, has still not officially announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination. But whenever he does – he is expected to declare his intentions this month – he will likely become the frontrunner for the nomination to take on Barack Obama next year.

Read the entire article here!

Maybelline Hello Kitty Volum Mascara Limited Edition

2011-08-08T02:59:00.000-07:00

Isn't it cute? My cousin knows how obsessed I am with limited edition things, so she sent me this Japan-exclusive mascara. It's available only in Japan and other Asian countries, but according to this blog, you can still get it on ebay.

The design is absolutely gorgeous. It's cute with a little bit of sexy thrown in! I'm also loving the pink. You just can't go wrong with pink, no matter what shade it is!

This type of wand was created to separate lashes. It does a bit, but the formula is quite thick so if you go over two coats you are bound to get clumpy lashes! It gave my lashes great length, but not enough volume. It also clumped up a bit and I had a hard time fixing that mess! Still, it's a good product when it comes to lengthening and separating your lashes.

After working nine hours, here's how my lashes looked. Notice how it clumped up a bit? And my eye was a little red from an irritation. (Not from the mascara, but from some cheap-o eyeliner I tried on a few moments before I took this photo!)

Telegraph: Iraq Reopens for Business

2011-08-08T02:11:00.000-07:00

I think this is amazing. Mothercare is doing business in Kurdistan now! A lot of other companies- mostly oil companies -are taking the risk of setting up their businesses in Iraq, and I'm hoping more corporations will follow. Hopefully these businesses will help bring some stability to that long-suffering country!

Photograph courtesy of The Telegraph
The Telegraph: Iraq Reopens For Business
Despite the continuing dangers, the rebuilding of the country could prove to be one of the biggest global investment opportunities to arise in the last half-century.

On July 15, Harlow International, a British construction company, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the re-opening of the famous Al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad’s Green Zone.

Unsurprisingly, when investors think of Iraq, they most probably think of risk. After two decades of conflict, to outsiders, the Middle Eastern country is perhaps not the most hospitable place to do business. But in reality, the rebuilding of Iraq – and the by-products that will spring from that process – could yet prove to be one of the biggest global investment opportunities to arise in the last half-century.

As it stands, Iraq rates as one of the worst places in the world to do business, languishing at 166th out of 183 countries, according to a World Bank report.

For starting a business it ranks even lower, at 174th. That hasn’t stopped a flurry of British businesses doing just that, however. In late June, retailer Mothercare announced its decision to launch its first shop in the country in Arbil, the capital of semi-autonomous Kurdistan in the north. And just two weeks ago, UK-based Afren made a £360m investment in proven oil fields – its first in the country.

Read the entire article here!

Lola Cosmetics Psychedelic Lip Art in Free Love

2011-08-06T19:54:00.001-07:00

Update: This is extremely long-wearing! Loves it. And when applied lightly, i.e. just pressing the gloss on your lips with your finger, you can see specks of gold shimmer on your puckers. I know some people hate that but I love it.

I'm a loyal Lola fan, so here we are again with a new Lola product. I seriously don't need any more lippies, but I can't help myself. When I saw this on Lola's website a few days ago, I just had to have it!

More after the jump!

Lola's Psychedelic Lip Art pots are amazing. It's not your typical color-infused lip gloss. In fact, I haven't seen anything like it! I picked out Free Love because it matches my skin tone and is very wearable. It has this amazing dark rose color with frosted gold shimmer.

The only downside I can think of is it feels sticky upon application and the product is very hard to blend. I love it anyway.

Here's Free Love on me. It's definitely not "lip gloss", but more like lipstick in a pot! Upon application, it's pretty sheer, but you can build on from there. Loves it.

Vintage: A Romance Novel from the 1930s!

2011-08-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

I was in an old bookshop quite some time ago and saw this old, worn-out book from the 1930s. I didn't know what it was about, but I figured it must have some romance and comedy in it, based on the title. True enough, it's a loving, laughing book about a spoiled heiress in the 1930s and her love-hate relationship with the young heir of a rival family. I know it sounds like your typical romcom formula, but it's much more than that. It's about old Scottish feuds, rival mining companies, and a twisted love triangle. And it's all so very heartwarming and funny.

Too bad they don't make books like this anymore. It's usually full of smut now. I tried to find more information about the book and its author, but there's absolutely no info on them. Imagine how many wonderful stories we are missing out on, simply because there aren't any copies left. I'm lucky I stumbled on this one- it's a precious gem!

Heartbreaking: 31 US Troops Killed, Including SEALs From Team 6

2011-08-06T17:44:00.000-07:00

Update: Statement from Obama:

President Obama offered condolences to the dead. "Their deaths are a reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our military and their families, including all who have served in Afghanistan," said Obama in a statement. "We will draw inspiration from their lives, and continue the work of securing our country and standing up for the values that they embodied. We also mourn the Afghans who died alongside our troops in pursuit of a more peaceful and hopeful future for their country."

That's it? That's all he's going to say? How about "We'll get the f*ckers who did this!"?? I'm sorry if I sound so pissed off but that's how I feel right now. If GWB were still president he'd say something really heartfelt and genuine, like "We'll get them- dead or alive!" But no. Obama is no George Bush, unfortunately.
/rant

I cried after reading this! I can't believe this happened- 31 brave heroes were killed after the Taliban shot their helicopter down. And what is Obama going to do about this?? Because I really want to know! Like the bloggers from Hot Air, I am hoping that this is just an isolated incident, and I'm trying to find some comfort in the fact that we've seen much bloodier numbers in the past... but good Lord, I can't find solace in any of that! Right now there are 31 mothers whose hearts will be broken, and this is all because of the Taliban! They should've been nuked from their caves years ago! The US Military should avenge them- I know they will.

For the past few months everyone has been focused on the US debt, cutting spending, balancing the budget... yes all these things are important, but not as important as the lives of the best and the bravest! For those who are still dreaming for a major cut in Defense spending, or cutting and running from such evil enemies just so you can tell the whole world how fiscally responsible you are, think of these brave men and what they've laid down their lives for!

HotAir: Horrendous: 31 U.S. troops, most from SEAL Team 6, killed when Taliban shoots down helicopter

Thirty-eight are dead in all, including seven Afghan troops who were aboard. As many as 25 of the Americans were SEALs and a majority of them reportedly were from Team 6 — the same unit that got Bin Laden. Whether any of the men on that mission were killed today, the White House hasn’t said (yet). In almost 10 years of war, it’s the single deadliest incident for U.S. soldiers by far, and these were the very best of the best. I’m trying to find solace in the fact that those numbers are small compared to terrible days in previous wars, but I’m not finding it.

The cause: A Taliban RPG.

Update: At least 20 members of Team 6 are dead. It’s the biggest loss of life the unit has ever suffered.

Update: According to Fox, there may be as many as 300 men in Team 6. The unit hasn’t been wiped out, but it’s obviously suffered a grievous loss.

Read the entire HotAir article here!

Love&Beauty (Nail Polish)

2011-08-06T01:49:00.000-07:00

My cousin just came back from San Fran a few days ago and got me these lovely shades from Love & Beauty. I'm currently wearing the orange one right now. It's been a few days since I painted them on, so they've already chipped a bit! And check out my favorite cupcake- Mango Sans Rival.

I'm too lazy to do swatches for the gold one, but I'm lovin' my nails right now. :)

OMG. S&P downgrades U.S. to AA+!

2011-08-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

Wow. Never thought I'd live to see the day. This is so depressing, I think I'm going to go out soon and do some retail therapy- i.e., buy more lipgloss. From Lola. The pyschedelic, uber shimmery, over-the-top frosty ones. Well, thanks to the White House, the Congress, and every a-hole politician in between:

U.S. Treasuries, once undisputedly seen as the safest investment in the world, are now rated lower than bonds issued by countries such as the UK, Germany, France or Canada.

That is from an article in Yahoo news earlier, now quoted by Hot Air. This never happened under George W. Bush.

Just sayin'.

Mixed Results for General Petraeus?

2011-08-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

Update: Remote Control Toy Truck Saves Soldiers Lives

I think he's a great general. There are those who claim he "lost" in Afghanistan, but if you pay attention to how his critics are described in certain articles, they're often identified as "critics of counterinsurgency"- so it is not surprising they think he failed. These are folks who are not into nation-building or winning over hearts and minds the Petraeus way. Besides, General P stayed for a whopping one year. Even then, under his command he was able to accomplish quite a lot. From this article:

According to NATO figures, from April to July this year, special operations raids captured 2,941 insurgents and killed 834 compared to 1,350 captured and 1,031 killed the previous year. The decline in deaths squares with Petraeus' rule that it's better to capture than kill. The dead ones can't talk.

Is Afghanistan worth saving? As frustrating as the war is, I think that yes, it is worth saving. The people are. You just can't say these people don't want freedom- they wouldn't be sending their young daughters to school (despite Taliban threats) if they didn't believe in the concept of freedom. The Afghan themselves are suffering terribly, they are dying by the numbers, and only America can help them. No other country can. No other country is a superpower, despite what China and Russia thinks.
I honestly believe the Afghans need to be saved. To those who advocate cut-and-runs, will you simply let these people die at the hands of the Taliban? 80% of civilian deaths are attributed to the Taliban. Imagine how much higher that number will get once America leaves.
As for General P, if he wasn't able to accomplish everything he had wanted to do, keep in mind that he had to deal with Obama. With President Bush, General P had a supportive and trusting Commander-in-Chief. GWB pretty much gave him everything he wanted, and looked how he turned Iraq around! Obama, on the other hand, is cutting off the mission too early and "ending the war responsibly", which is a nice way of saying Retreat! Retreat!. Still, some critics are right, in the sense that Afghanistan seems beyond saving. From Yahoo News:

The decorated general is leaving behind a mess: "By all accounts, Afghanistan is now in a tailspin," says Erin Cunningham at GlobalPost. On the eve of Monday's power-handoff ceremony, insurgents assassinated a top aide to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and days earlier, Karzai's half brother was also killed. It's clear that Petraeus' strategy of intelligence-driven surgical air strikes and night raids has been "incapable of protecting civilians from rising insurgent attacks."

But I also believe that the US Military is doing a lot of good there, and killing lots of terrorists. I still believe that Afghanistan is the Good War. And who would want to lose a good war?

Petraeus helped turn around the Afghan war: Petraeus "leaves behind a legacy of tactical and spycraft changes that spurred more killings and captures of Afghan militants while reducing insurgent attacks to their lowest level in years," says Kimberly Dozier for the Associated Press. Special operations raids from April to July led to the capture of nearly three times as many insurgents as we nabbed in the same period last year. Petraeus and McChrystal deserve credit for their successes in Afghanistan.

theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighting Powder

2011-08-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

My favorite highlighter so far is theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer. Like a lot of theBalm's products, this shimmery, champagne-colored pressed powder is free of parabens and TALC. You can also use it as eyeshadow, though this is strictly a highlighting/shimmer powder for me.

When applied correctly, it gives off a beautiful glow that brightens up your face and lasts for hours. The compact also houses a lot of product, so this will definitely last you a long time. As for the packaging, it's okay. I mean, it's not classy by any means- they used a sticker to decorate the compact! -but it's fine. It's sassy, just like the brand. All in all I give it a 4/5!

NY Times: Rivals in G.O.P. Struggle to Woo Bush’s Donors

2011-08-05T04:42:00.000-07:00

Update:Yahoo News: Angst in Military over Pentagon Cuts. This is so wrong. George W Bush would never have allowed this, mainly because he cares about the troops so much (if you read his book Decision Points, you'll come to the same conclusion!). He would never demoralize them. But hey, this is what Ron Paul libertarians and crazy hippies want- major cut in Defense spending. Not cool.
/rant

You know I'm not surprised by this, considering the crop of Republican presidential candidates suck balls compared to George Bush. If you've read Robert Draper's Dead Certain, you get the feeling that those who supported George Bush were really loyal to him. Yes, a few stabbed him in the back when it was convenient to do so, but the majority of his staff and supporters remained loyal to him- some even left lucrative jobs or sold off their own businesses to serve GWB's cause. I don't see the current field of Republican presidential hopefuls have that kind of backing- but then, like I said, most of them just totally suck. So uninspiring. So ridiculously right-wing and libertarian they make Dick Cheney and his merry band of defense hawks look like flaming liberals. (By the way, I'm a huge fan of Dick Cheney and his merry band of defense hawks. Libertarians? Not so much.)

Rivals in G.O.P. Struggle to Woo Bush’s Donors
By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE
Published: August 3, 2011

The calls come at least once a week these days, with growing urgency: friends of the Republican presidential candidates, aides to the candidates, and often the candidates themselves, wondering if Al Hoffman Jr. might be ready to lend a hand.

“How are you doing? What are you feeling? What are you thinking?” Mr. Hoffman, a Florida real estate developer who was a co-chairman of George W. Bush’s presidential campaigns, said in describing the calls. But Mr. Hoffman, one of the Republican Party’s most sought-after fund-raisers, remains unconvinced that he should tap into his extensive network of contacts to raise money for any of them.

“None of the candidates have instantly identified themselves as a leader for the Republican movement,” Mr. Hoffman said. “The Bush family were instantly identifiable as leaders.”

He is far from alone. Two and a half years after Mr. Bush left the White House, the formidable network of Republican donors he assembled has largely melted away. Fewer than one in five of Mr. Bush’s Rangers and Pioneers, the elite corps of “bundlers” who helped Mr. Bush smash fund-raising records in his two runs for the White House and remain the gold standard of Republican fund-raising, have contributed to any of the current Republican candidates, according to a New York Times analysis.

Their absence underscores the challenges facing the Republican Party in what could prove to be a protracted primary campaign followed by a hugely expensive general election matchup against an incumbent president.
No Republican candidate for president this year has yet shown the kind of broad appeal that rapidly drew the party’s donor establishment to Mr. Bush early in his first run, with only Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, raising enough money in the early going to assure being competitive through this year.
In an economy that has drained pocketbooks and inhibited the emergence of a younger class of wealthy donors, no Republican candidate has yet been able to seize the imagination and loyalty of a new generation of financial supporters. While the eventual nominee will have an opportunity to unite donors now dispersed among the sprawling primary field and benefit from the pools of money backing conservative causes, none of the candidates have yet assembled the kind of big-check network that could be confident of keeping up with the fund-raising machine built by President Obama.
And some large bundlers, unsatisfied with the presidential field, are choosing to place their bets with the party’s Congressional wing or with independent expenditure groups, which offer them the ease of writing a single check instead of the grinding work of wrangling contributions from dozens of friends and business associates.
“Nobody is inheriting any kind of apparatus left over from the Bushes at all,” said Ray Washburne, a Dallas entrepreneur and former Bush Ranger who is backing Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor. “Everything’s going to have to be recreated. There are new players who want to play, and there are other people tired and done.”
More of Mr. Bush’s former supporters could still emerge later in the race or after the party settles on a nominee, as many Rangers and Pioneers did for Senator John McCain of Arizona, the nominee in 2008. Some may be awaiting the entry into the presidential race of Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, though some longtime Bush supporters said there was relatively little overlap between Mr. Bush’s network of financial supporters and the one built by Mr. Perry, a powerhouse fund-raiser in his own right.
And no fund-raising machine exists in perpetuity: Large networks of bundlers are built first and foremost on the personal loyalty to specific candidates.
“I tried to retire last time, and I really put my foot down this time,” said Bradford M. Freeman, a financier who led Mr. Bush’s California finance team and was among the top bundlers for Mr. McCain. “I was a very close personal friend with President Bush. It was a labor of love.”
Some Republicans suggested the Bush fund-raising machine rested on circumstances that would be hard for other candidates to replicate. As the governor of Texas, the son of a former president and brother of a Florida governor, Mr. Bush could tap into three of the party’s most robust networks of supporters. In his first campaign, Mr. Bush ran during an economic boom and after eight years of a Democratic administration loathed by his party; during his second, as an incumbent during wartime.
“We put together a fund-raising team that was pretty dang good,” said James B. Francis Jr., a Texan who organized the Pioneer network during Mr. Bush’s first run but has not signed on with any of the current Republican candidates. “But it’s not monolithic. And obviously, when you have a completely different field, and George Bush is not in the race, people are going to go in different directions.”
The fragmentation of Mr. Bush’s donor network also reflects a lull in the Bush dynasty. Mr. Bush left office in 2009; his brother, Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, in 2007. No family member currently holds elective office, and the closest thing to a Bush campaign in politics today is Maverick PAC, co-founded by George P. Bush, the former president’s nephew, to organize Republican young professionals.
“The day the 2004 campaign was over, you got a tie, and that was it,” Mr. Washburne said.
Those of Mr. Bush’s former top operatives still working in politics are scattered around research organizations, lobby shops and independent expenditure groups, some of which are proving attractive for Republican donors eager to have an impact in the presidential race but unwilling to pick a candidate yet.
A. Jerrold Perenchio, the billionaire founder of Univision, was a Bush Pioneer in 2004 and a national finance chairman of Mr. McCain’s 2008 campaign. Mr. Perenchio has not yet donated to any of the Republican candidates, but in April a trust he controls donated $2 million to American Crossroads, a so-called Super PAC founded by Karl Rove, Mr. Bush’s former adviser.
Some Bush alumni said they believed many former Bush donors had decided to cast their lots with Mr. Rove early in the cycle, rather than with the still-fluctuating Republican field.
“I don’t think the Rangers and Pioneers aren’t playing, I think they are playing in a new way,” said Mark McKinnon, a former Bush strategist. “My guess is that many of them have determined their money is much better invested and spent in the Super PACs. A lot of them know and trust Karl Rove to give them a good bang for their buck. So that’s where their bucks are going.”
Mr. Bush’s Rangers and Pioneers are still a prized commodity in Republican presidential politics, their allegiance avidly sought by most of the candidates and — once won — quietly advertised to other potential supporters as evidence of viability and establishment support.
Of those Bush bundlers still active in politics, Mr. Romney appears to have drawn the most big names, among them the financier Lewis M. Eisenberg, H. Gary Morse, a Florida real estate developer, and Sam Fox, a former ambassador to Belgium.
Their support has helped Mr. Romney lap the Republican competition: during the three months ending June 30, he raised $18.25 million, four times more than any other candidate.

Make-Up in the 17th Century

2011-08-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

Much as I love historical romance (icky, I know!), I'm really glad I didn't live in the 17th century. Now of course, I get all the centuries wrong so don't think for one second that I'm a pro on this. I get the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries mixed up, just so you know. The point is, I'm glad to be a modern woman living in the modern age. I love my gadgets, my Turbolash vibrating mascara, my stiletto heels. I love how society, at least in most places, are more open and accepting of people from all backgrounds. That simply didn't happen in the earlier centuries. There was no such thing as "equality". Women were second-class citizens and had to act a certain way or they were excluded from society, ruined forever. I just can't imagine living all boxed-up like that; Had I lived in that period, I would've been hanged, drawn and quartered for being independent-minded and outspoken! Still, I find some parts of history so ridiculously interesting...

From this link. Fashion in the 17th century. "These women are pictured with some of the prominent accessories of the 17th Century. These include folding fans, and soft facial masks."
According to this link, back in the 17th century men and women rarely washed. They also took applying foundation to a whole new level by painting their faces so white and thick it almost looked like plaster.

The 17th century makeup included the use of powder. It was mixed with egg fiber and in such a way it was rendered on skin: the thicker, the better. The English queen Elizabeth I traced on a layer of powder on blue blood vessels to give the skin a translucent kind.

Powder was also created from white chalk or lead, which, as you know, is very harmful. They also reddened their lips and cheeks excessively to contrast the whiteness of their powder. In this century, we've got "concealers" to hide scars and acne, but back in those days, people wore "beauty patches" to cover scars. From Vintage Connection:

...pieces of velvet or silk cut into the shape of stars, moons, hearts, and similar figures—were frequently applied to the face and body to cover smallpox scars, and similar marks. A “secret language” even developed through their use: A patch near the mouth meant you were flirtatious; one next to the right cheek signaled you were married; one on the left cheek announced you were engaged; one at the corner of the eye meant you were somebody’s mistress.

This reminds me of my childhood days, when I was obsessed with scented stickers and I'd stick those little heart-shaped glittery ones near the corner of my eye or somewhere else on my face to look like a fairy princess! I can't imagine applying cut-out velvet anywhere on my face though. How the hell does that look like?? And if that wasn't silly enough, things progressively got worse during the 18th century. From the same website:

Makeup was heavier during the 18th century. Likewise, a rise in medical complications occurred—tooth decay, adverse skin conditions, and poisonings were often caused by the use of dangerous makeup. Lead and sulfur (for enhancing the cleavage), mercury (for covering blemishes), and white lead (for whitening the complexion) were frequent hindrances of the medical world.

Men, women, and even children wore makeup to some extent in order to achieve the fashionable white face with flaming red cheeks and lips. Eyebrows were accentuated with pencils,or concealed beneath false eyebrows made of mouse fur.

Mouse fur? No thanks. Lead and sulfur? You have got to be kidding me. Yes the 17th and 18th centuries make great backdrops for a romantic Hollywood film, but I am so thankful to be born in the 80s! I disco, baby!

Update: George W Bush's Budget Comparisons

2011-07-30T01:14:00.000-07:00

You know I'm amazed by this. Obama is such a poor Commander-in-Chief, he's got troops in Afghanistan worrying about their pay! They should not be worrying about this! They have sacrificed so much to protect two fragile democracies in the Middle East, not to mention the one back home, and now they might not even get paid?! From Yahoo News:

...The top question on their minds Saturday even as bombings rocked the city around them, was one the top U.S. military officer couldn't answer.

Will we get paid?

George W Bush always had the troops on his mind, even when the economy was tanking. If he were still President, I have no doubt he would do everything in his power to prevent the troops from feeling demoralized. A quote from his book below:

"Amid the economic growth, I was mindful that the country was running deficits. I took my responsibility to be a good fiscal steward seriously... As a wartime president, I told them I had two priorities: protecting the homeland and supporting our troops, both in combat and as veterans. Beyond those areas, we submitted budgets that slowed the growth of discretionary spending every year of my presidency. For the last five years, my budgets held this spending growth below the rate of inflation- in real terms, a cut."

-George Bush from his book, Decision Points

From Decision Points

Reagan: 81-88

Spending to GDP: 22.4 %

Taxes to GDP: 18.2 %

Deficit to GDP: 4.2 %

Debt to GDP: 34.9 %

Bush 41: 89-92

Spending to GDP: 21.9 %

Taxes to GDP: 17.9 %

Deficit to GDP: 4.0 %

Debt to GDP: 44.0 %

Clinton: 93-00

Spending to GDP: 19.8 %

Taxes to GDP: 19.0 %

Deficit to GDP: 0.8 %

Debt to GDP: 44.9 %

GWB The AWESOME: 01-08

Spending to GDP: 19.6 %

Taxes to GDP: 17.6 %

Deficit to GDP: 2.0 %

Debt to GDP: 36.0 %

Lola Cosmetics Love Lipgloss and Shimmer Powder

2011-07-29T22:22:00.001-07:00

Lola Cosmetics is fast becoming one of my fave make-up brands, even if it's a bit pricey and hard to find. Not too long ago, I wrote a review about Lola's Duo Lipstick and Lip Sheer Lipstick, as well as the free lip plumping lipgloss keychain I got. I wasn't overly thrilled about their Duo Lipstick, but despite my ranting about it, I've found other lippies to layer it with and now I'm loving the drama. Today I got Lola's Luminous Glow highlighting powder called Celebration, and a frosty lipgloss called Love.

First I'll start with Lola's Lipgloss in Love. It's a sheer, frosty nude gloss with high shine and the scent of mint. Frosty glossies don't really look good on me, so when worn alone, I'm not too in love with it. Check it out below:

I'm sure some people look good with frost on their lips, but not me. I need more color or else I'll look washed out. The color looks great in the bottle, and even on my hand, but on my lips it just looks...too frosty. But the shine is great, it doesn't feel sticky, and like Lola's Duo Lipstick in Naughty/Nice, I know this will look great when layered with another color.Update: Here's a photo of Lola's Love gloss layered with Lola's Duo Lipstick in Naughty/Nice:

Much nicer, right? And I love the minty feel on my lips!
As for Lola's highlighting powder, I love it! Comes in a gorgeous pearl white compact and a red puff that is useless.

It works well as a rosy blush (you can build on the color- I was surprised to see how dark the shade can get when used with a heavy hand!), as well as a light shimmering highlighter. The shimmer isn't crazazy so you don't have to worry about overkill.

Light and shimmery.

The shade is buildable and can get really dark.
I finally have a rosy blush to add to my collection. All in all I'm happy with my purchase, you can create a soft romantic look with these two products. I love Lola!

My heroes.

2011-07-29T06:04:00.001-07:00

My grandpa and George W!
My grandpa died a few years ago, but his memory will always live in my heart. He was my favorite person in the world. Before he died he was able to meet then-President Bush and received an autographed picture of that moment. That photo, carefully protected by a wide, leather frame, now sits in a special corner of our living room. I swear to God, I wish I was able to witness the moment my two heroes shook hands! My grandfather fully supported the Iraq war. When he was just a young man toiling away in the Philippines, he joined as a guerilla fighter and served alongside American troops in liberating the country. He knew the cost of war, but knew the importance of freedom as well. My grandfather loved to write. Here's a quote from one of his writings (Time, 03/2003) that I would like to share with you:

In the Western classic film High Noon, citizens of a frontier town don't know what to do when they hear that a dreaded gang of bandits is riding in. At first they are in denial, fervently hoping the desperadoes won't sack their homes and businesses. In the end, they flee, leaving only the sheriff Will Kane, played by Gary Cooper, to face the approaching evil. Many people will disagree with me, but I liken George W. Bush to Will Kane. While other leaders are confused and undecided about the terrorist threat that Iraq poses to the world, President Bush is clear and focused. On Iraq, he is the brave sheriff. If the U.N. Security Council blocks the President's call for a posse to engage Iraq and he decides, like Kane, to go it alone, we should not stand in the way. After all, we, too, stand to gain... As a then member of the Philippine guerrilla resistance against Japan, I was proud to count Americans as my comrades-in-arms. We fought together in a common cause, and I witnessed many of them dying for my country. I will never forget that.

Now you know why I fully support GWB. :) Ugh, now I'm totally reminiscing - about grandpa, our family, my childhood (for some reason!). Life may have its ups and downs, but I really love it, and I'm so thankful for it. Oh speaking of my childhood, I came across a miserable looking picture of myself back when I was.... gosh, I don't know how young I was, but wow, I didn't look too happy. lol! I love flipping through old albums, I looked so awkward back then, bangs and all!

Awww. I think I sort of remember this day. lol.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light

2011-07-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

I've always thought Estee Lauder was a brand for old aunts and grannies. Not anymore! After all, I now use a lot of their products- and that's everything from palettes to glosses to blushes and foundations. I just love 'em all. My current HG (Holy Grail) foundation is Estee Lauder's Double Wear Light. It's less heavy than the original Double Wear foundation, but still has great coverage.

The packaging is perfect for klutzes like me. I'm the type who keeps dropping things! Since this comes in a tube, I don't have to worry about spilling foundation all over my bathroom floor and stepping over broken shards of glass. I can drop this as much as I want and still be safe!

This glides on smoothly but it also dries up fast, so you may not have enough time to blend if you're a slow poke. Color selection is not so great- there's so few -but I'm lucky to find one in my shade. 4/5!

Update: Just had to add this, but if you have oily skin, this foundation will make you happy. I've tried so many foundations from so many brands and so far, this is the only one that keeps me lookin' all matte and lovely even after a hard day's work at the bank! Yes, I still need to blot here and there, but not as much as I would with other brands. Lovees it.

General Petraeus is just too cool.

2011-07-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

As Gen. David Petraeus shifts from the Afghan battlefield to run the CIA, he leaves behind a legacy of tactical and spycraft changes that spurred more killings and captures of Afghan militants while reducing insurgent attacks to their lowest level in years, senior U.S. officials in Afghanistan said.

That's from a recent AP article by KIMBERLY DOZIER. Swear to God, I read all I can about General Petraeus, and he just totally gets cooler each day. For someone known to espouse and practice soft power, he sure has created a powerful killing machine in Afghanistan...

From April to July this year, officials said, 2,832 special operations raids led to the capture of 2,941 insurgents and the killings of 834. That's twice the number captured or killed during the same period a year ago, when special operations forces captured more than 1,350 insurgents and killed 1,031 in roughly the same number of raids, according to figures shared with The Associated Press by NATO headquarters...

But the system Petraeus helped institutionalize — a fusion of intelligence, U.S. law enforcement and special operations hunter-killer teams — is operating at a higher pace and level of synchronization than in any previous year.

I know that a lot of people are sick of nation building, especially when some folks simply refuse to be helped; But freedom and democracy in the Middle East is essential to America's national security, and so many troops have already lost their lives trying to lead two broken nations away from the Dark Ages and into a bright promising future. I still wholeheartedly support the war effort.

I understand the frustration so many people feel about Iraq and Afghanistan. I get pissed off too, especially when I see ungrateful nuts rallying and burning American flags on the streets. At least General P isn't all about winning over hearts and minds...

That picture of Petraeus, as precision-killer-commander, is somewhat at odds with the familiar portrayal of the four-star military champion of "soft power" counterinsurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan — using the army's might to first take territory, but then to help foster nation building.

But many who have worked for him said Petraeus has always been a keen proponent of accurately killing the enemy. Petraeus frequently complains that political leaders, and the media, fail to understand that counterterrorism — tracking and killing the enemy — is a subset of counterinsurgency.

Read the rest of the article here.

Going Bronze? The BodyShop Honey Bronze Shimmering Oil & Sue Devitt Eyeshadow

2011-07-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I'm so pale, it's hopeless. There's nothing I'd like more than a nice, golden tan that will stay forever. Since I'm too lazy to do any fake baking, I just use a bit of bronzer. After all, a little bit goes a long way and I certainly don't want to look like Snooki... you know, that orange blob from Jersey Shore?

So when The Body Shop came out with their Honey Bronze line, I couldn't resist it.It's a great line and I've got a trillion things to say about it, but for now I'll just write about their Shimmering Dry Oil and throw in a little bit of Sue Devitt into the mix!

Sue Devitt baked bronzing eyeshadow trio and The Body Shop's Shimmering Dry Oil

Gives off a nice semi-bronze sheen

So The BodyShop's Shimmering Dry Oil isn't meant to turn you into J.Lo upon application- instead, it enhances whatever bit of tan you have. It also dries up easily and doesn't seem to stick to my clothing. For not-so-tanned girls like me, it gives off a nice, subtle sheen that makes my skin glow. It does bronze you up a bit, but for tanorexics it's probably not enough. The only really bad thing I can think about this is it smells like... I dunno, medicine or something. Icky. Here's a swatch:

As for Sue Devitt's baked bronze eyeshadow, it looks pretty good. Yes it isn't as shimmery as I expected it to be (that's not shimmery enough for me!), but then I've got so many heavily pigmented, headache-inducing eyeshadows it's almost sickening. So a little less glitter every now and then is fine.

Update: 11/17/2011. This has got to be my favorite eyeshadow trio of all time. The colors are just amazing. It really makes my eyes pop out and it's very flattering to my Asian skin. I loves it hard. I'll die without it.

Giving props to George Bush

2011-07-19T23:23:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of U2's music, but it's great that Bono's giving props to George W Bush for his PEPFAR initiatives. For him to heap praise on Bush like that takes a lot of guts for a Hollywood guy. And he's doing it on Letterman. Check out the video below- saw it in POLITICO article.

When asked by Letterman if there was anyone else other than Bono himself who could have made the African initiative successful, Bono responded

“And President Bush, you know, whom, you know, you might have arguments with on various levels, he actually led this and he deserves some credit for this.”

He deserves plenty of credit for this. Because of PEPFAR, which GWB introduced in 2003, "about 1.2 million deaths were averted". This was according to a study by Eran Bendavid of Stanford University and Jayanta Bhattacharya from the National Bureau of Economic Research. George W Bush didn't just preach about Compassionate Conservatism, he lived it. So whenever I hear liberals and conservatives alike ranting endlessly about how GWB sucked as Leader of the Free World, it makes me wonder if they simply have their hate blinders on. I mean, c'mon, if you want to talk about leadership... This is the man who used the power he had to do good things, dare I say great things, for people who badly needed America's compassion. Not everything is about budget cuts this, or budget cuts that. Sometimes you need to turn those precious Christian ideals into action.

PEPFAR, the brainchild of President George W. Bush in 2003, has targeted Vietnam, Haiti, Guyana and 12 sub-Saharan nations for HIV testing, counseling and treatment. Statistics through Sep. 30, 2008, show that more than 2 million men, women and children have received antiretroviral treatment because of the program. This would include almost 1.2 million pregnant HIV-positive women. As a result, 240,000 infants were born free of HIV infection. The upshot, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine: a 10.5 percent reduction in the AIDS death rate in 12 PEPFAR countries in Africa compared with neighboring nations.

That is a quote from this Washington Post editorial from '09. But what George Bush and PEPFAR did for HIV/AIDS victims in Africa and around the world remain an admirable act of kindness to this day. You can talk about how horrible he was with spending or what-have-you, but George Bush had a lot of heart and these days, not a lot of people do.

Excerpts: From an interview with Amb. Mark Dybul about PEPFAR:

My first reaction was, “What are these people up to and what do they want?” I was not inclined to believe President Bush and people in the administration cared about these issues. I was so wrong. I had completely bought into the public caricature of the president. It was a great lesson for me about the inaccuracies of the way people are portrayed publicly. I made a number of trips to Uganda, starting in 2000, and presented work in intermittent therapy at the international AIDS meeting in Durban. It was a very important meeting.

The first important thing was the mother-to-child initiative. A lot of people forget President Bush had that initiative before there was PEPFAR. A couple of moments stood out. One was how rapidly a president and a White House could move. HHS was asked to formulate a plan in May 2002 for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and the initiative was announced in June in the Rose Garden. By the president of the United States! Then on that day, in the Rose Garden, after the president announced $500 million over five years – more than was spent at the time on an annual basis for all global HIV – we learned that the president had earlier turned to senior staff and said, “This is a good start but it isn’t enough, think big.” That was just breathtaking to me. It was a really dramatic moment, and it was clear to the people involved that the sky was the limit.

First, it is important to note that PEPFAR was President Bush’s vision and mandate. There are always stories about who was whispering in his ear, but it was all him.

Here's a more recent article by Dr. Dybul!

theBalm ShadyLady Eyeshadow in Jealous Jordana

2011-07-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

I love theBalm's ShadyLady eyeshadow line! My favorite eye-popping shade so far is Jealous Jordana. The color is so rich and intense that it'd be wrong to simply call it "green", but a cross between dark emerald green and teal, with a hint of gray. Loves it.

Like all the other theBalm eyeshadows, this glides on smoothly and does not crease. It also looks great under all lighting, has amazing pigmentation, and lasts well into the night! Check it out below:

My only complaint with this is its got horrendous packaging. It's like, made of cardboard and feels pretty fragile. My concern is if it somehow gets wet, the entire case will fall apart!

Still, it's a great purchase and I can't wait to use it again for a night of insane partying! Not that I've been partying a lot lately, but next weekend fo sho!

P.S.
Here's a little blurb about Iraq (I know, weird topic to jump to!)- Iraq is going to be a "key oil player" in the Middle East "for next 20 years". That's according to their Deputy Prime Minister. Well that's good, at least it's not all doom and gloom over there! THANKS TO GEORGE W BUSH.

QVC Cancels Hanoi Jane

2011-07-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

It's too bad Jane Fonda is so left-wing, because I really liked her in the movie Monster in Law! Yes, I'm serious. That movie totally rocked, even though it was a romantic comedy for semi-old people. I haven't seen her in anything else since then, and I doubt she'll be in anything any time soon. Even QVC canceled her Saturday gig. Rightly so. What Hanoi Jane did to Vietnam Veterans forty years ago was, is, and always will be reprehensible. It's just not cool to hang out on an anti-US aircraft gun with enemy fighters whose hands are steeped with the blood of your countrymen. Her actions became enemy propaganda, and surely demoralized the troops who were fighting and dying to beat back communism. If she had wanted to protest the Vietnam War, fine, she had the freedom to do so. But betray your fellow Americans? Seriously? No wonder a lot of folks still can't stand her, and it's been forty years!

"Bottom line, this has gone on far too long, this spreading of lies about me!" Fonda wrote at TheWrap.com. "... I love my country. I have never done anything to hurt my country or the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for us."

What a... Is she seriously this clueless?

George W Bush Photo of The Day!

2011-07-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

From MyWestTexas.Com: George W. sits in his campaign office May 24, 1978 prior to the Republican primary of his failed run for the seat of Texas 19th Congressional District that year. George defeated Odessa's Jim Reese in the Republican primary run-off, but eventually lost in the general election to Democrat Kent Hance, the only time in Bush's political career he would suffer a defeat.
Loves it. There's a whole lot more here! It's like a slideshow of GWB's life, which is awesome.This photo reminds me so much of his heroic opening pitch after 9/11. Speaking of which, here's a Youtube video comparing GWB's first pitch to Obama's. George Bush FTW!

Hmmm...

2011-07-16T05:59:00.000-07:00

Mine? theBalm Mary-Lou Luminizer, theBalm BalmShelter Uptown Girl, theBalm ShadyLady Eyeshadow Jealous Jordana, Sue Devitt Triple C-Weed Loose Powder, Lola Duo Lipstick Naught/Nice, Lola Lip Sheer lipstick Toy, Tom Ford Private Blend Lipstick Smoke Red.

Gen. Petraeus: Afghanistan Not Hopeless

2011-07-16T05:22:00.000-07:00

“We used to say about Iraq that it was hard but not hopeless, there is similar sentiment about this. It is hard, but it’s certainly not hopeless.”

The General, with my favorite president!
I've always believed in General Petraeus and I always will. Iraq was much, much worse at its peak and the troops were able to turn it around! Remember when all the news that came out of Iraq were 100 dead people here, 150 dead people there? You don't get a lot of that from Afghanistan. There's still hope. I can completely understand why people are fed up- I mean, who isn't? It just never ends. But this is the Good War, this is the place where Osama Bin Laden planned 9/11. So many brave men and women have given their lives not only to free Afghanistan from tyranny, but to protect their loved ones back home. It's just wrong to let them die in vain. It's heartbreaking. (Click on the link below to read the article from World Blog!)

From World Blog:
KABUL – After nearly four decades of military service, Gen. David Petraeus will be trading in his combat pants for some slacks as he assumes his new role as the director of the CIA later this year.
As Petraeus packs his bags to leave Afghanistan for Washington he spoke with NBC News in a one-on-one interview about America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It hasn’t been an easy year – or decade – for the general who is credited with helping turn the Iraq war around and was then tapped by President Barack Obama to do the same in Afghanistan. He has been unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate for his next big job as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and will turn over command of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan on July 18.
In 2005, the then-lieutenant general worked on an Afghan war assessment stating that the mission would likely continue for many years to come pointing to various factors including the fact that the country had already suffered through three-decades of war, resulting in extreme poverty and enormous suffering. “There is extraordinary potential here but it's much more difficult to capitalize on, than in Iraq,” he said.

The success of the surge in Iraq was one of the reasons why Obama decided to implement a so-called “mini-surge” in Afghanistan announced in December 2009 – adding around 30,000 additional troops to the fight, bringing the number up to just over 100,000 U.S. boots on the ground.
Petraeus believes that the Taliban’s momentum has been reversed since those troops hit the ground, but says there is still work to be done. “It remains fragile and it does remain reversible – so this will take determination and steadfast purpose,” he said emphasizing that the Iraqi surge was not an exact blue print for Afghanistan. “I never felt that we could flip Afghanistan the way were able to flip Iraq through a variety of activities during the surge,” he said. And although Afghanistan has not been “flipped,” Petraeus does believe that there have been extraordinary improvements in many parts of the country.

“The situation here is very hard, without question, it has gotten progressively more difficult up until somewhere around last year – last fall – when we started taking back areas from the Taliban that matter enormously to them,” he said, including Mullah Omar’s hometown in Kandahar.

And while many Americans are frustrated by the ongoing level of violence in Afghanistan, Petraeus pointed out that the violence we are seeing in Afghanistan is nowhere near what was experienced in Iraq.
“Iraq was completely out of control in a way that I don’t think Afghanistan has ever been,” he said.
He pointed to the fact that in Iraq there were 220 attacks per day at the height of the violence compared to the 50 or 60 per day in Afghanistan at its peak. “The level of violence [in Iraq] was so horrific that you almost can’t imagine it now looking back.” As Iraq continues to improve, Petraeus believes that Afghanistan is on the right track as well, pointing to the fact that the country is about a week away from seven provinces and municipalities being handed over to complete Afghan control. “Afghanization is moving forward and that is indeed what we want to see happen over the course of the years between now and the end of 2014 when transition will be complete.”
As Petraeus prepares to leave Afghanistan he believes there can be success in what some see as the never ending war – once again pointing to lessons he learned in America’s other war.
“We used to say about Iraq that it was hard but not hopeless, there is similar sentiment about this. It is hard, but it’s certainly not hopeless.”

Lola Cosmetics Lipsticks

2011-07-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

I finally hopped over to the department store and bought two lipsticks from Lola Cosmetics. I couldn't resist the Duo Lipstick in Naughty/Nice even though I wasn't digging the cherry/pink sheers. I was hoping the colors would be more intense, since the lady at the counter said she was wearing the exact same lipstick and it looked nice on her. More about the lipstick later. One of the things I love about Lola's lipsticks is the awesome packaging. The top half of the case has a built-in mirror for your vanity needs. Lola's packaging is not as elegant as my Tom Ford lippies, but hey, why am I even comparing the two? They're in totally different tiers.
The other lippie I got is from the Lip Sheer line, which has a solid nude color. It also has a built-in mirror with the words There's a little Lola in every woman inscribed on the bottom lid. The shade is called "Toy", and it's going to be my new bestfriend at work! I don't wear reds or corals to work, but all I've had for the past few months are reds and corals! So I'm really happy to finally have the perfect nude lippie to bring to the office!

So let me start with Lola's Duo Lipstick review. Naughty/Nice isn't anything special. These two tones just can't stand on their own, but I must admit they look better together. "Naughty" is a light shade of cherry red, which gives your puckers more of a bitten look than a fully plumped-up one. In fact it reminds me of E.L.F.'s Cherry Bomb Lipgloss. I guess "Naughty" will appeal to those who aren't into smokin' hot red, and may prefer something more subtle. On the other side of this two-toned lippie is "Nice", which is a semi-frosty shade of pink that makes me look completely washed out when worn alone. It just doesn't have a lot of punch to it. It's a little disappointing, yes, but it's not the product's fault. It just so happens the color selection doesn't suit me, but I do like the pinkish-red color they give my lips when used together. Smells sweet, too!

My other Lola lipstick is Toy, which has a pink-nude color that matches me perfectly. I'm just beyond happy to have this! Totally worth my hard-earned money. I've been looking for the perfect Nude for a long time now, and I finally found it! Not only does it look natural, it feels like smooth butter on your lips too! I wanted to know why it felt so nourishing, so I scanned the back of the box for the list of ingredients and lo and behold, this lipstick is loaded with antioxidants (Vitamins A, C, and E)! That makes me fifteen different shades of happy! It means I can wear it without a moisturizing lip balm.
Staying power is supposedly good, but it does fade a bit within two hours. Still, it's one of my favorite lipsticks now and I can't wait to check the other neutrals in Lola's Lip Sheer line. (Click Read more for pictures.)

The girl at the counter was nice enough to give me freebies!! A little ball-shaped plumping lipgloss and a red pouch! :) The free plumping lipgloss is awesome. It reminds me of DuWop's Lip Venom, except Lola's has more bite to it. Seriously. After applying a thin layer of gloss, my lips started to hurt. I know that's what lip plumpers do but gosh, it was pretty bad. And I loved it! Here's how it looks like:

So fun.

New Generation Bush Emerges

2011-07-15T01:17:00.000-07:00

From POLITICO:
Maverick PAC, the Texas-based group of young Republican donors, is going national. The organization that sprang up during President George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election has established a presence in California, Florida, Washington, D.C. and also has its eye on Illinois and the interior west, according to co-chairman George P. Bush, who’s the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. They’re also going to hire a full-time executive director this year as part of an effort to broaden their reach in the run-up to 2012, Bush said.
MavPac, as it’s now known, allows Republicans in their 20s and 30s to participate in the fundraising process by holding low-dollar events that young professionals can afford.
“Our idea is to offer a lower price point to gain the same type of access to elected officials as you would if you were a high-rolling bundler,” Bush explained.
The group has already had events this year in Washington, California and Miami and is planning one in New York.

***
Isn't George Prescott Bush so dreamy? I know he's a Naval Officer and served in Iraq (intelligence field) some time ago. I have no doubt he'll make a great public servant someday!

The Body Shop Bronzing Powder

2011-07-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

I love this bronzer. I used to hate bronzers until J.Lo hit it big. I wish I had J.Lo's sun-kissed tan, but alas! I'm not meant to be a golden goddess! And it's not for lack of trying- believe me, I've done all I could to get the perfect tan. I've even considered faking it, but the whole tan-in-a-can thing hardly ever stays on and I don't have enough patience for it. So nowadays I just use bronzer to give myself a little color when I look miserably pale. So far The Body Shop's Bronzing Powder is the best I've tried, and I've been using it for a long time now!

This case has survived too many falls. lol.

You can see the subtle shimmer.
It's not that obvious in the photo, but it has some gold shimmer to illuminate your face in a subtle way. I really love the gold shimmer in this powder- it's not too obvious, which makes it perfect to use as blush! The packaging is nice: It comes in a gold metallic case that doesn't break easily, even after hitting the ground a few times. The price is reasonable too, which is why I won't be switching any time soon!

Update: 7/28/2011: Just heard they phased it out! Ugh!

Afghan Women March In Protest

2011-07-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am rooting for Afghanistan because I refuse to believe the unholy defeatists who claim GWB's "good war" has no chance of succeeding. George W Bush liberated millions of people in Afghanistan and I know in my heart of hearts that they will choose freedom and democracy over the Taliban. I'm still amazed by Republicans who have turned against the war, particularly the Afghan war; the so-called "Good War" that should not have been "abandoned". If you recall, not too long ago people who questioned its purpose were labeled unpatriotic douchebags who had no right to live in our sophisticated society. Now, it's like, Ron Paul is cool. How did that happen?

Well, Obama may be throwing Afghanistan to the wolves, but I'll just take comfort in the fact that there are women there who are willing to stand up for their right to live in freedom.

Girls, you go get 'em!

In high heels and head scarves, a small band of Afghan women took to the streets of the country's capital, Kabul, on Thursday to protest harassment by men in public places.

Carrying signs, that read "This street also belongs to me" and "We won't stand insults anymore" the 20 or so women -- and some men marching in solidarity -- protested being abused, groped and followed on the city's streets.

Afghanistan remains a deeply conservative country, with heavy cultural and social restrictions on women's freedoms, even though the ouster of the hardline Taliban nearly a decade ago brought huge improvements in their legal rights.

In high heels and headscarves, women protest
"The idea behind street harassment is that women should not be out of their houses," said organizer Noor Jahan Akbar, 19, founder of rights group Young Women for Change.
"We want to fight that mentality because we believe that these streets belong to us as much as they belong to the men of this country," adding that she herself had suffered harassment so persistent it made her reluctant to walk anywhere.

International attention has often focused on the most extreme attacks on women's freedom, including acid attacks on girls walking to school and mysterious gas poisonings at several girls' schools, including in Kabul.
But Afghan women say they face a barrage of lower level persecution that can make daily life a challenge.
"What we want to wear, how we want to walk, that's our decision," said Anita Haidery, 19, a film and computer science student who also helped organize the protest.

Akbar, who is studying music and literature at university in the United States and returns to Kabul in the summers, said that she had been criticized for "importing an idea from the West," but said in fact women's freedom had its roots in Islam.

"Women's safety is not a western idea, even in the time of Prophet Mohammad, women were safe, they could do trade, they could go out, and that's what we deserve," she said.

Police redirected traffic as the protesters marched several kilometers through the city's dusty streets, thrusting flyers promoting their cause in the open windows of passing vehicles in the hope of sparking grassroots change.
Omaid Shirfi, 25, who works for the Afghan Transition and Coordination Commission, said he wanted to march with the women to show sympathy for their plight and promote change.
"They are a part of this society, they are half of the population. They should have the right to go to school, to go on the street," he said.

(Editing by Emma Graham-Harrison and Sugita Katyal)

E.L.F. Candy Shop Lipgloss (Cherry Bomb)

2011-07-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

It's lipgloss in a can! Too cute! I mean, I'm not a huge fan of E.L.F. cosmetics, but the packaging looked so retro! I just couldn't help myself. It's cheap as hell too. I didn't expect much from this product and it's a good thing I had such low expectations. After a week of usage, I can say with some confidence that this isn't really a "lip balm". It doesn't moisturize my lips. It just makes it feel sticky. Yes, it has a hint of color, some shine, and a sweet cherry scent, but that's as far as it goes. I was hoping it at least tasted like cherry, but it's just plain ol' goo.

I don't regret buying it- like I said, it's cheap. If you want a hint of color on your lips and you're on a budget, then get this. At least you get some color on your puckers, right? A hint of red, which makes you look bitten. It smells really good too, but I can think of other lip balms to waste my time on.

You know what I want? This! And I am so getting it tomorrow. Whee!

How Obama morphed into George Bush.

2011-07-14T02:53:00.000-07:00

The Coming of Barack O'Bush
BY JOHN CARLSON:

Progressives denounced everything George W. Bush was doing in the Middle East, Iraq, and Guantanamo. Now, President Obama has adopted very similar policies.

Obama doesn’t always disagree with George W. Bush. In fact, he doesn’t often disagree with him. Consider the following...

* In May, President Obama signed a four-year extension of the Patriot Act, including its most contentious provisions.

* When bin Laden was put down in Abbottabad, the action was taken without notifying the Pakistanis or any other nation. It was as unilateral as an operation can get (which is probably why is succeeded). President Obama and Democrats have joined Republicans in heaping praise on Navy Seal Team VI, part of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) which carried out the raid. A couple of years ago, JSOC was dubbed “Cheney’s Death Squad” by Sy Hersh and other anti-Bush journalists.

* When Gen. David Petraeus defended the Iraq “surge” strategy in front of Congress three years ago, he was denounced as “General Betray-Us” in left-leaning newspaper ads. Then-Sen. Hillary Clinton said she didn’t trust him. Sen. Obama said the surge Petraeus designed was doomed to fail. Today, Gen. Petraeus is the president’s nominee to head the CIA. Who changed? Not Petraeus.

* Speaking of Iraq, President Obama essentially adopted both the strategy and the timeline of the Bush administration in place of his own to draw down American troops and responsibilities.

* But in Afghanistan, “the Good War,” he sent thousands more troops than Bush to replicate the successful “surge” policy in Iraq. After some initial success, the mission has bogged down, and the president announced that he will draw down more than 30,000 troops before the election. Perhaps a light footprint there was the smart move all along?

Back to bin Laden. His take-down was a stellar operation which the president deserves credit for approving. And it reveals the illusory “alliance” we have with Pakistan. But we now know it likely wouldn’t have happened without the use of “enhanced interrogation” (low-level torture) that led us to the identity of the courier, who led us to bin Laden’s compound nestled in the Pakistani military town of Abbotabad. As Michael Barone pointed out, “You may remember that many Democrats called for criminal prosecutions of CIA interrogators who were acting under orders vetted by legal counsel. Attorney General Eric Holder actually considered bringing such prosecutions.” As with Gitmo and Khalid Sheik Mohammad, Holder has done an about-face.

Read the entire article here!

Topps to release autographed GWB baseball cards

2011-07-14T00:10:00.000-07:00

Yes! I want me some George W Bush autographed baseball cards! Some killjoys say it's in bad taste to release these cards because they believe GWB is trying to make money off his post-9/11 heroism, but I think they're just suffering from Bush Derangement Syndrome. If I didn't know what that illness can do its victims, I'd be outraged over their outrage! As you well know, victims of BDS tend to act irrationally when it comes to all things George Bush, sometimes, even a bit homicidal. All we sane human beings can do is be patient with them, for these poor suffering creatures will probably never recover from this illness of hate. I guess that's the worst part of BDS. There's just no known cure.

George W. Bush and baseball card giant Topps have teamed up to create limited-edition autographed cards of the former president tossing out the first pitch at a World Series game in 2001.

“Our 2011 Allen & Ginter product will continue Topps’ historic tradition of chronicling heroes both on and off the playing field,” Topps Vice President Mark Sapir said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to announce that this year’s set will include limited-edition autographs of our country’s 43rd president, George W. Bush.”

Bush's appearance at the game was to some a courageous act because many people feared further attacks. (Click here for the rest!)

I find it ridiculous that "critics" are whining about how GWB is the first president to autograph his own line of bball cards. They're probably just jealous 'cause GWB is going to be worth more than gold someday! Oh well.

Wanna bet no one's gonna complain about the Obama Trading Cards?

Tom Ford Lipsticks in True Coral & Smoke Red

2011-07-13T02:11:00.000-07:00

I know I've already blogged about Tom Ford's lippies, but I'll just focus on my two favorite shades this time- True Coral and Smoke Red. These two colors are so bold, only a real woman would wear them!

True Coral is bright, edgy, and just screaming for attention, while Smoke Red is dark, warm and smoldering. Despite being on the opposite ends of the color spectrum, both lipsticks are eye-catching and unapologetic. Definitely not for chicks with massive insecurities.

I also love how both colors can reflect the kind of mood I'm in. True Coral, for example, is something I'd wear when I feel like unleashing my inner Kesha to an unsuspecting world. It's my "going crazy" lipstick- it's bright, loud, and rebellious! I'd totally rock out to 80's bitchpop wearing this thing. Smoke Red, on the other hand, is for when I feel like giving my man the whole world. The color is warm, rich, and inviting. In fact, the only time girls should wear this is when they've got nothing else on!

Like all Tom Ford lippies, True Coral and Smoke Red are rich in texture. I don't feel like my lips dry out even when I over-swipe 'em. They also take time to fade, which is a good thing because I hate constant touch-ups. You can eat three Big Macs in a row and I swear to God, your lipstick will remain intact. The packaging is pure luxury but over time the gold edges fade a bit. Still, a total ten-out-of-ten lipstick! (more pictures after the jump!)

True Coral

True Coral and Smoke Red


Smoke Red

Obama acting like a complete- HOLLA!! -again.

2011-07-13T01:18:00.000-07:00

GWB's gift to South Sudan's president- a black Stetson hat!
From IBS (Entire article here!):

Freedom: As South Sudan joyfully celebrated its independence from Sudan, President Obama hailed it as the fruit of partnership, togetherness, hope and unity. South Sudanese, however, hailed President Bush.

Proudly wearing the black cowboy hat given to him by President Bush, South Sudan's new president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, couldn't have made a stronger statement about who made his country's independence possible after 50 years of warfare.

It was George Bush and the Christian fundamentalists who heard the cry of South Sudan," affirmed a South Sudanese man quoted by the Los Angeles Times.

But to hear the White House — in its official recognition of the new republic, as well as on the White House blog and in an op-ed published earlier this year, President Bush had nothing to do with this.

"Today is a reminder that after the darkness of war, the light of a new dawn is possible," wrote Obama, as if such events just .. . happen.

Fact is, these events didn't just happen.

Weird, given that the New York Times reported crowds in the new capital, Juba, cheered Bush, and a man held a sign reading: "Thank you, President Bush."

Those are magnificent affirmations of President Bush's freedom agenda succeeding further.

Youngblood "Casablanca" Lipstick

2011-07-13T00:04:00.000-07:00

I never really bought into the whole mineral make-up craze... until I got my hands on Youngblood's Casablanca lipstick! It's one of their sheer lipsticks and it comes in a dark apricot shade with lots of gold shimmer. Don't expect a burst of color with just one swipe though- coverage is buildable, but if you want more oomph for your puckers, you need to swipe on a few more layers!

It's pretty sheer, but you can build on it.
You can really feel the natural oils soak into your lips, giving 'em some well-needed moisture. This may also mean that it won't stay on for long, and may possibly get wiped out by your boyfriend's kisses, but at least it doesn't make your lips look dry and dull. As for the packaging, it's totally boring:

As you can see it comes in a plain silver case that reminds me of Maybelline. Blech. Not much to look at, but I won't lose my head over a lipstick case. That's just sad.

Update: Okay this lasted several hours into a hectic work day, so I'll add points to its staying power! Got smudged off during lunch, but that was expected. It's good enough for a mineral lippie! :)

Iran the Hypocrite

2011-07-12T22:49:00.000-07:00

This is beyond funny. The chairman of the Iranian Joints Chief of Staff is urging Obama to prosecute George W. Bush and Tony Blair for violating human rights. This dude has got to be kidding, right? Bush and Blair liberated millions of people from oppressive regimes, thus making them champions of human rights! They took down Saddam Hussein and the Taliban, weakened al-Qaeda, and installed young democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq. Because of Bush and Blair, young girls in Afghanistan can now get an education and become part of the government. As for Iraq, it has a real shot now at being the beacon of democracy in the Middle East. But nooo, apparently some people believe that gassing thousands of Kurds and dumping hundreds of Iraqis in mass graves is totally fine, but waterboarding terrorists and saving human lives is not. Hypocrites.

"The current president of the United States should be a pioneer in putting Bush and his criminal colleagues on trial," Firouzabadi was quoted by Iran's state-funded broadcaster Press TV as saying. "Otherwise, he will be named as a criminal along with Bush and Blair."

The Iranian general said the so-called Arab Spring was a sign that the hawkish foreign policies of the previous U.S. administration had failed.

Iranian lawmakers announced in May that they slapped 26 U.S. officials, including former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, with unspecified sanctions for alleged human rights violations.

Why am I not surprised that this dolt is calling for a criminal investigation of Bush and Blair just days after the Human Rights Watch organization released a report urging President Obama to investigate Bush and Co. for making terrorists miserable?

Why on earth aren't these people outraged over what Saddam Hussein did, or what the Taliban is still doing? Throwing acid on women's faces and cutting off their noses and ears is nothing compared to fake-drowning a dude (who actually deserves to drown.) Why do these human rights groups suddenly hush up when Iran hangs a gay guy or stone a woman to death? This is why I can't take these human rights people seriously. They seem to have different standards for everybody.

Sue Devitt Triple C-weed Loose Powder

2011-07-12T02:29:00.000-07:00

I haven't really tried any of Sue Devitt's products, but I've been looking for a good, light powder foundation and saw this one on sale. It was 25% off so I figured I'd give it a try. I have oily skin but a lot of the mattifying powders I've tried tend to look dull and cakey. Thankfully, this has a natural finish. As for the color range (I think there are only three shades), I tried the lighter ones but settled on Tanami, which isn't as dark as it appears from inside the jar. It disappears into my skin and gives good coverage. I don't really put this all over my face, just in some areas that need it, like my T-zone. The staying power is fine; Five hours into an action-packed day at the mall and it still gives me that natural glow, though I've had to pat a bit of powder on my nose and cheeks every now and then. I don't take this against the brand because I seriously doubt you can completely keep the oil at bay- a little bit of that shine is bound to peek through. What's important is I don't need to constantly keep using this powder to feel and look a bit matte.
A lot of people with dry skin recommend this powder, but it works well for me too. Another positive thing about this product is it contains vitamin C and green tea. The powder is finely milled and silky. Too bad it comes in such a tiny jar- though it looks elegant, I have a hard time getting some powder on my brush. The tiny powder puff that comes with it is okay, but I wish the jar had a bigger opening.

I'll probably repurchase this again, even at its original price, if I can't find anything better.

P.S.
I finally got some time off and saw Transformers 3. I LOVED IT. I don't really get the plot, but I don't care about it either! Hell, I loved Transformers 2!

George W Bush: The Great Liberator.

2011-07-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

South Sudan becomes the world's newest nation!
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN, NY Times

Here is the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, wearing the black cowboy hat given to him by George W Bush!

"The celebrations erupted at midnight. Thousands of revelers poured into Juba’s steamy streets in the predawn hours on Saturday, hoisting enormous flags, singing, dancing and leaping on the back of cars.

Freedom! they screamed.

Christian groups had been championing the southern Sudanese since the 19th century. And their efforts paid off in 2000 when George W. Bush was elected president of the United States. He elevated Sudan to near the top of his foreign policy agenda, and in 2005, the American government pushed the southern rebels and the central government — both war weary and locked in a military stalemate — to sign a comprehensive peace agreement that guaranteed the southerners the right to secede.

On Saturday, one man held up a sign that said “Thank You George Bush.”

The American-backed treaty set the stage for a referendum this January in which southerners voted by 98.8 percent for independence.

South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, wearing his signature black cowboy hat given to him by Mr. Bush, signed the interim Constitution. Then the speeches began."

What great news! George W Bush is going to be judged kindly by history, I have no doubt about it! I know some people think he's the worst president ever, while others think he's pretty good; But in my eyes, DUBYA is the GREATEST prez that ever lived! Much love to South Sudan- good luck! Check out some pictures here- such tearjerkers!

New church in Iraq opens.

2011-07-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

I love hearing positive news about Iraq... 'cause Bush liberated 'em and I'm a proud Bushie! :P

Iraq's first new church since the 2003 US-led invasion opened in a poor Christian neighbourhood of the northern city of Kirkuk, the region's Chaldean archbishop told AFP on Friday.

The inauguration of Mar Bulos (Saint Paul's) church in the multi-ethnic and multi-religious city comes despite the sharp fall in the number of Christians in Iraq because of attacks and threats by Al-Qaeda.

The new Kirkuk church serves a housing community of about 200 Christian families who fled to Kirkuk and nearby regions from other parts of the country, Sako said.

The church and complex were built on land donated by the Iraqi government and with donations, including $10,000 by President Jalal Talabani.

He said it was a secure location with fewer instances of violence and was better protected because of its location near the facilities and housing complexes of the state-run North Oil Company.

In a symbolic gesture of solidarity with the Christian community, Sheikh Ahmed Muhammad Ameen, the Muslim Imam of Kirkuk, recited a prayer before the congregation, asking God for peace and security for the people of Kirkuk and the rest of Iraq.

The ceremony was also attended by several Arab and Kurdish officials.

Hassan Toran, the chief of Kirkuk's provincial council, said that the local government "will support the Christians, financially and morally."

I think it's sweet that some of the Muslim sheiks decided to attend the ceremony, and that it was the Iraqi government who donated the land. They need to do more of this. I don't know what will happen to Iraq in the coming years, but I hope they achieve some sort of peace. So many have sacrificed so much to bring democracy to that country, it'll be heartbreaking if Iraq collapses.

OTHER LINKS ABOUT IRAQ:Mass grave containing 900 bodies from Saddam-era unearthed in Iraq; US Consulate in Basra reopens after 44 years... and some good news:

Iraq plans first bond sale in 6 years as its economy strengthens:

Iraq, recovering from decades of war and sanctions, may sell its first bonds since 2006 next year as rising oil revenue and increased stability help push borrowing costs lower.

“Iraqi bonds have been performing well, so the central bank may issue new ones early next year,” Waleed Eedi, a director general at the Central Bank of Iraq, said in a telephone interview from Baghdad on July 4.

“The performance of the bonds has improved because Iraq’s economy is getting stronger.”

Eight years after a U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s economy is poised to grow 9.6 percent this year, second only to Qatar in the Middle East and North Africa, according to International Monetary Fund forecasts.

George Bush gets statue in Albanian town

2011-07-10T00:42:00.000-07:00

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha unveiled at 9.3 foot-tall statue of George W. Bush in the itsy-bitsy town of Fushe Kruje on Wednesday. Marking the former president's 65th birthday, the ceremony took place in the town square that now bears George W. Bush's name. It's also the same spot that Bush visited in June 2007 and may or may not have had his watch stolen as ecstatic locals reached to shake the president's hand and pat his head. Bush had been the first U.S. president to visit Albania, an overwhelmingly pro-American country...

The debate over whether or not the watch was stolen still persists in the original video's comments section, but it's of little consequence. If indeed the watch was lost, the president could surely afford the $50 to replace it. And the residents of Fushe Kruje love him more than ever.

"He left his mother in the United States but he found a mother here," said Thomaidha Kaziu, who told Reuters that the president remarked about her resemblance to his mother in 2007. "I will not die without meeting him again."

Other LINKS:Thousands of online birthday wishes for George W Bush!; Former Bush presidents remember Betty Ford; Africa hella loved George Bush! PEPFARRR baby!

Marilyn Monroe singing for the troops. (Korea)

2011-07-10T00:33:00.000-07:00

Haven't seen this clip before... what a moment in time! Marilyn Monroe may have had her mental issues but she was an amazing entertainer and a pure Hollywood gem. I've seen several of her films (How to Marry a Millionaire, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Prince and The Showgirl) and she was sweet and funny in all of them. Maybe not as deep an actress as the great Vivien Leigh, but a wonderful one nonetheless. Besides, you can't compare Scarlett O'Hara to a funny dumb blonde. It's like apples and oranges. Anyway here's a good book on Marilyn- The Secret Life of Marilyn. It's tragic and heartbreaking, but has a lot of good info on this beloved American icon.

The Silent Warrior.

2011-07-06T00:36:00.000-07:00

After Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, the White House released a photo of President Barack Obama and his Cabinet inside the Situation Room, watching the daring raid unfold.

Hidden from view, standing just outside the frame of that now-famous photograph was a career CIA analyst. In the hunt for the world's most-wanted terrorist, there may have been no one more important. His job for nearly a decade was finding the al-Qaida leader.

Call him John, his middle name.

Read the entire article. It's so interesting. I still can't believe Obama tried to hog all the credit- "John" has been tracking Osama bin Laden since 2003 and worked through the entire Bush administration. All Obama did was make a "gutsy call." But the hard work fell on the shoulders of John and the Navy SEALs (and GWB!).

Thanks John!

Rick Perry vs GWB?

2011-07-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

I am a dedicated Bushie, with a Rovian loyalty to George W. Bush and his causes. So with the whole Rick Perry vs. George Bush thing exploding, you can bet I am rooting for Dubya 100%! I know that some people take issue with his "compassionate conservatism" but he is a man of strong morals and will do what he can to help people (PEPFAR, banning partial abortions, reconstruction efforts in war zones, No Child Left Behind, faith-based programs, saving snowflake babies, etc), even if that means striking a deal with Democrats. You may not agree with his decisions but you can tell that he genuinely cares about freedom and democracy; about the spread of AIDS and malaria; about the culture of life. He is a good Christian man and I will always root for him.

I still remember when people used to label him a right-wring extremist, not only because he championed liberty for struggling civilizations, but because he took the fight to the enemy as well (now it seems everyone's a defeatist and anti-war). He made his strategies as in-your-face as possible but with good reason. In Bob Woodward's book The War Within, the author ridiculed GWB for keeping count of America's dead enemies in Iraq. (At one point, according to General Petraeus, dozens of enemies were being killed per American soldier.) To the author, this was just GWB being dense and "not getting it"- after all, in counterinsurgency, enemy KIA doesn't really matter. But according to GWB's explanation in the book, that kind of information had to get out there, because the American people deserved to know that the enemy was suffering too. He wanted the enemy dead and he was itchin' to brag about it- I don't see Perry ever doing such a thing.

I'm just a little miffed that so many Conservatives are mowing him down now- some of their comments sound so Ron Paulian, or even Rosie O'Donnell-ish, you'd think they had all gotten together one crazy-ass night just to get high and drunk on Bush Derangement Syndrome. Everyone is rooting for Rick Perry now, but in my eyes, the former Democrat and No Child Left Behind supporter has got nothing on GWB. /endrant

Mr. Perry has broken politically with Mr. Bush, questioning his credentials as a fiscal conservative, accusing him of going on “a big-government binge” and playing down some of Mr. Bush’s accomplishments in Texas in light of his own.

Mr. Perry’s public statements exposed a long-simmering rivalry that had been little known outside the political fraternity here but underscores the rightward drift of the Republican Party since Mr. Bush was president. More acutely, Mr. Perry’s criticism holds potential peril and benefit for him should he decide to mount a presidential campaign, allowing him to establish an identity distinct from Mr. Bush but risking a guerrilla campaign against him by the former president’s inner circle.

Has anyone here read Dead Certain? It's by Robert Draper and features lengthy interviews with President Bush himself and his A team. It's a good read, I swear to God. And the author's pretty witty. Bet Perry's team ain't half as fun. :P

Tee-hee.

UPDATE: MacKinnon: Don't believe the anonymous chatter about a Perry-Bush feud

CASEY ANTHONY NOT GUILTY??

2011-07-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

Defense attorneys José Baez and Cheney Mason celebrated their victory with a champagne toast at Terrace 390...

OMFG. I just about teared up after hearing the news. This is just completely tragic, and those dumb lawyers that stood up for Casey Anthony should be ashamed for celebrating like a bunch of coked-up teens. I hope to God Casey Anthony has a miserable afterlife- what she did to her daughter, to her own parents is unforgivable. I mean, accusing your own father and brother of molesting you?? Look at the kind of disgusting lies she threw at her own family:

Lead defense attorney Jose Baez was criticized by many legal pundits for his strategy and loosely throwing around allegations of molestation and incest. Baez suggested early on that Casey's father, George Anthony, helped cover up the drowning and sexually abused his daughter, accusations the father vehemently denied. Baez also claimed Casey's brother might be Caylee's father and that a meter reader who discovered the girl's remains may have moved them, more allegations that weren't substantiated.

And worst of all, she kept lying about Caylee's death! How can this woman live with herself? How can she even smile, knowing full well her daughter is dead? I am just completely blown way by this case. I can't help but grieve for poor Caylee and her grandparents, who must be very devastated right now.

Check out this picture from Drudge. I can't believe this bitch has the gall to smile- her baby is dead.
Sick, sick, sick! Wanna bet she's got a reality t.v. show in the works? I hope society doesn't go easy on this b*tch, and those damn jurors better seek penance for themselves. Ugh.

RIP Caylee! :(

Harvard fears patriotic celebrations on July 4th!

2011-07-03T20:23:00.003-07:00

Why? Because according to a new study, "July 4th patriotic celebrations create more Republicans"! No, seriously, two people actually made a study on this. With over a dozen pages filled with graphs and charts and all. I mean, it's great to be curious about some things, but wow, I'm surprised someone had the time to do this. Can't you stop being a dork for a second and just party? I sound like a douchebag but this study just reeks of paranoia.

Beware! The Republicans are coming!

The study focuses on the years 1920-2008 and notes: "The political right has been more successful in appropriating American patriotism and its symbols during the 20th century."

The authors add:

Taken together, the results indicate that Fourth of July celebrations in the United States shape the nation’s political landscape by forming beliefs and increasing participation, primarily in favor of the Republican party.

If you want to read the study, click here. But I'm sure you'll have better things to do... like, celebrate the Fourth of July!!!!

P.S.
Here are more killjoys...

When some Americans look to the skies this Fourth of July, they may see more than fireworks.

In 26 states -- including Michigan -- small planes will be carrying banners that read "God-LESS America" or "Atheism is Patriotic."

It is an attempt by a group called American Atheists to show that atheists, too, have a place on the day that celebrates our nation's independence. The group is encouraging people to spread photos of these planes when they see them and to call their local TV news channels to increase coverage.

Can't you think of a better time to shove your views down our throats? Say, next week?

GOD BLESS!!
***

Links you might want to check out:Finally! Iraq cracks down on militias! Remember when 14 troops were killed in June?; Iraq Kurd tells Iran to back off!; American Boots Hit the Ground in Somalia After Drone Attacks! Love and prayers to all the brave souls who fight for freedom!

Prince Albert of Monaco gets hitched!

2011-07-02T22:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, the new Princess of Monaco is no Grace Kelly, and she's not as exciting as Kate, but she'll do. After all, who can compare to America's late princess?

Here's a classic picture of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace...

...and here's their son Prince Albert and his new bride, Princess Charlene, looking all wooden. I know they're trying to recapture some of that faded fairytale magic, but wow, that kiss is just... so not working.

Oh wow. The passion. Is overwhelming.

I know this sounds like a bitchfest, but I can't help but compare the two princesses- and root for Grace! I'm a huge Grace Kelly fan and my obsession with The Swan is downright embarrassing. It's not even a great movie- the character development is almost non-existent and the plot moves at a very slow pace. But somehow Grace Kelly manages to shine and sparkle and glitter in this film, and because of that I find myself watching The Swan every now and then. She's that magical.

So whenever I hear people say, "Oh Princess Charlene is just like Grace Kelly", I totally freak out. But hey, she's a newly minted royal, I'm sure she'll grow into it someday... that is, if she doesn't try to flee from her husband again...

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Took me ten years to learn how to make this.

2011-07-01T04:59:00.000-07:00

Tee-hee!

Send 'em to Gitmo!

2011-07-01T03:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a really sad story from the Washington Post. Apparently some detainees are let go because the Obambi administration doesn't know what to do with them. Wow. I can only imagine how frustrating this is for the SpecialOps guys who risk their lives to hunt down and capture these terrorists. If GWB were still president they'd all be in Gitmo by now!

Adm. McRaven: Obama administration has no plan for captured terrorists

The top military official involved in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden said Tuesday that the Obama administration has no clear plan for handling suspected terrorist leaders if they are caught alive outside a war zone.

Vice Adm. William H. McRaven told a Senate panel that contingency plans for detaining terrorism suspects are developed on an ad hoc basis and approved by the White House, but that there are no set rules. “That is always a difficult issue for us,” he testified. “No two cases seem to be alike.”

Full article here

Master of War book review.

2011-07-01T01:54:00.000-07:00

My local bookstore didn't have any copies left of Suzanne Simons' so-so book on Blackwater, so the nice girl at the counter sent a request to one of their far-away branches to have one delivered to me. So sweet! I was going to order it online but I'm not into online shopping. It's just not the same as being in a bookstore.
Anyway, the book arrived after the weekend, and I finished reading it in a day. I was disappointed it didn't include any pictures. Perhaps if she gave more detailed accounts of Blackwater's battles, I'd have a better idea of how it all went down. I mean, she mentioned the Battle of Najaf only in passing and even implied it wasn't that important- that it was just a small group of Blackwater snipers shooting at a small group of Mahdi militia men. It's so different from how Robert Young Pelton described it in his book, Licensed to Kill. (Which is a trillion times better than Master of War, by the way!). The one good thing about Master of War is that Erik Prince has plenty of interviews with the author. Still, he doesn't say much about himself, and you don't feel like you know him any better. He seemed more "human" in Robert Pelton's book, which showed him getting all giddy over his Little Birds and Grizzlies.

I'd give this book 2 out of 5 stars. And as BIASED as Jeremy Scahill is, his hit piece on Blackwater is a bit better. It had a lot of really good information on the company and how they operate. If only he weren't a ranting lunatic liberal, I would've given his book 5 effing stars.

By the way, there's a Blackwater video game now! Cute.

Can't live without Chanel on my face.

2011-05-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

My Chanel highlighter-pen and Estee Lauder brushes. Only God could have created 'em.

My lip balm is vegan.

2011-05-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

Okay I am so not a hippie, but I confess to having tried out the boho-chic look years ago when Nicole Richie and Cocaine Kate made it trendy. And I'm not into the vegan lifestyle but I do like some of their underrated products, like TheBalm's The Balm to the Rescue lip treatment. It has no parabens or other harmful chemicals; instead it contains jojoba oil and shea butter to condition your lips, as well as tiny exfoliants to keep those puckers smooth and soft. It also comes in a large compact case and has a generous amount of product. On top of all that it smells like Christmas! I've been using this product for almost two years now and it lives up to its description.

Net proceeds are donated to Pug Rescue, an organization that helps rescue groups locate dogs in danger of being euthanized or are currently suffering from abuse. If money were no object I'd probably buy a truckload of TheBalm's vegan lip balm just to show my support. I've got a lovable pug at home so I am all for animal-rescue!

2010 Clip of Erik Prince on CNBC.

2011-05-26T00:56:00.001-07:00

Haven't seen this before, but he makes a lot of good points about the Afghan war and why we need PMCs (He feels the massive military budget can't be sustained). He also had nice things to say about Gen. McChrystal (who was resigning) and the trouble ROE causes the troops (lawyers have to sign off before a bomb can be dropped!).

Good luck in your UAE adventures, Mr. Prince! More power!

Obama brings out his inner Bush.

2011-05-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

Nobody can duplicate the Dubya. But Obama sure tries hard, ganking President Bush's Surge strategy, his freedom agenda, and even referencing Iraq as a good model for Middle Eastern democracy.

"In Iraq, we see the promise of a multiethnic, multisectarian democracy. There, the Iraqi people have rejected the perils of political violence for a democratic process … Iraq is poised to play a key role in the region."

Wow, is this Barack O' Bush talking? I won't be surprised if his flunkies recreate George W. Bush's bullhorn speech next... with a fake Texan accent of course! Well keep trying, Obambi! You may pretend to grow some balls all of a sudden, you may even put on a cowboy hat - but you will never have Bush's swagger.

You can't fake that. Read the article below!

NEWS:Obama Channeling Bush's Mideast Doctrine
Charles Krauthammer

"It will be the policy of the United States to promote reform across the region, and to support transitions to democracy."

With this Barack Obama openly, unreservedly and without a trace of irony or self-reflection adopts the Bush Doctrine, which made the spread of democracy the key U.S. objective in the Middle East.

"We have a stake not just in the stability of nations, but in the self-determination of individuals."

A fine critique of exactly the kind of "realism" the Obama administration prided itself for having practiced in its first two years.

How far did this concession to Bush go? Note Obama's example of the democratization we're aiming for. He actually said:

"In Iraq, we see the promise of a multiethnic, multisectarian democracy. There, the Iraqi people have rejected the perils of political violence for a democratic process … Iraq is poised to play a key role in the region."

Hail the Bush-Obama doctrine.

(Click here for more!)

Other links:
Obama embraces his inner Bush

Obama channels George Bush

Insight into Blackwater operations.

2011-05-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

I find the world of private military contractors fascinating- are they cold-blooded mercenaries or duty-bound patriots? Don't know much about the other companies but the PMCs from Blackwater seem like genuine warriors to me: Back in '08 General Petraeus and Amb. Ryan Crocker attended a ceremony honoring Blackwater guards for rescuing a Polish ambassador. You can watch a video of the daring rescue here. (The Polish government awarded the contractors with its Silver Star and Bronze Star medals). I guess it's that mixture of mystery and bravery that makes Blackwater pretty intriguing. For those who want to know more about them, here's an article that provides more insight into their operations in Afghanistan.

CNN: Inside Blackwater's mission in Afghanistan

Excerpt from the book "Master of War: Blackwater's Erik Prince and the Global Business of War."

The group would be met by a Blackwater security team in Kabul, Afghanistan. They would be escorted from one meeting to another with employees of the Department of State, the CIA, and the Department of Defense. Erik Prince wanted to know how his company was being perceived half a world away from the Washington media.

In addition to the contracts with the CIA and with Defense for airlifting supplies to troops, Blackwater had guards working for the Department of State at the U.S. embassy annex in Kabul. Finally, his men trained Afghans for border patrol and narcotics interdiction. All four contracts needed to be handled with care, given the new controversies the company faced.

Prince had realistic hopes of gaining some new business. Clashes between coalition forces and the Taliban along the country's borders had been brutal, and Prince was already in the business of training Afghans to stop the illicit flow of drugs that was believed to be funding the insurgency.

Surely more could be done. Afghanistan was a big market for Blackwater, and Prince hoped he could expand his business on this trip. ...

The 2½-hour flight to Kabul was packed with a combination of contractors, military types and some random folk who looked as if they had stepped off a movie set. In fact, just a few rows behind Prince sat a bald actor who had played a cameo role in an Indiana Jones movie. For Prince, the trip was not just about clients; it was also a chance to meet some of the eclectic, modern-day soldiers of fortune who worked under him.

Prince and his companions were met on the ground by a two-vehicle Blackwater team led by former FBI special agent Ricky "C.T." Chambers. After his earlier work for the bureau investigating the embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, he had become Blackwater's regional director of training in Afghanistan in 2003 for the Drug Enforcement Agency and Afghan narcotics interdiction contracts, as well as the Afghan border police training programs.

C.T. knew everyone in Kabul. He liked his job, particularly because he was one of the few men who could live in Afghanistan with his wife, a British beauty whom he'd met years earlier during his FBI days in Kenya. M.C., as she liked to be called, now ran Blackwater's administrative efforts in the country, including the oversight of some 40 local nationals.

Erik Prince (in brown) with Afghan locals.
C.T. greeted the boss with a handshake and a bulletproof vest. There had been a suicide bombing in the capital that morning, and at least a few people were killed. It happened not far from Blackwater's safe houses, and some of the employees had gone to the roof to get a better look at the huge plume of smoke rising from the site of the attack.

Suicide bombings were becoming more common in the capital, even in broad daylight in crowded areas where security was present. Taliban insurgents were wiring up Afghans who were mentally or physically disabled, the underprivileged who would sit along the side of the busy streets hoping for someone to drop money into their laps.

When a U.S. convoy or other acceptable target got close enough, militants would remotely detonate their victims. Prince put on his vest for a five-minute ride to the other side of the airport. One of his planes was being prepared to take him to the country's largest airfield, where his own pilots were based.

There were armed security guards in each of the two Blackwater SUVs, but Prince kept his own Glock on the seat next to him. He kept his eyes open as the convoy moved along the crowded Kabul streets, where fresh meat carcasses hung out to dry and barefooted kids played in the narrow, dust-ridden alleyways.

He particularly watched for teenagers on cell phones, standing on corners. He had seen intelligence information suggesting teens were being paid by insurgents to scout out Western convoys and report their coordinates for a possible attack.

Once safely inside the airport's perimeter, Prince and his team made their way to the Blackwater plane sitting on the tarmac. He greeted his pilots and asked how things were going. They assured him that the Department of Defense was happy with the job they were doing.

Despite the crash of Blackwater Flight 61 into the side of a mountain two years earlier, Presidential Airways had continued to sign contracts with the Pentagon several times since then, including a $91 million-a-year contract to provide air support in Guam. Prince's company had eight Cessna aircraft in Afghanistan, working for the Department of Defense. His men flew everything from drug eradication missions to bundle drops. Many of them were high-risk flights from forward operating bases in the countryside.

If there was an architect of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, it had been the Central Intelligence Agency. While Prince had used his connection to A. B. "Buzzy" Krongard, the former executive director of the CIA, to get his first black contract for security work, the agency had continued to renew Blackwater's work, even after Krongard left.

At the secret CIA post, Prince met with a handful of his men who had come to greet him. Several of them looked as if they had walked out of an X-Files convention: long hair, plaid flannel shirts and baggy pants worn much further down than pants were meant to be worn. Prince, in keeping with his conservative upbringing, gave some of them a hard time about their appearance, but they insisted it was what worked best among the local population. Prince's men had apparently made the CIA happy, providing static security and performing unknown other tasks.

But some in the European Parliament suspected that Prince's Presidential Airways had operated rendition flights for the CIA, and said so in a report. An attorney for Prince pressed the European Parliament for proof to support such a claim, but proof never materialized. The attorney insisted the statements in the report were false and demanded a correction.

While the possibility of Prince's companies taking part seemed plausible, Prince denied it ever happened. ... Eight deputies of Gen. Rahman, the general in charge of the Afghan border police, were already waiting in a large office on the second floor of the two-story building when Prince arrived. He took a seat on a large sofa and listened as the general, through an interpreter, gave him an update on just how Blackwater's training program was working out.

Prince's men were responsible not only for training the Afghan force in firearms procedures, but for equipping them as well. It was the "one-stop shopping" that Prince had put into place for his law enforcement and Special Forces clients back at Blackwater's Moyock facility so many years earlier. "Make yourself indispensable to the client," he had said, "and you'll always have work."

(Note: Erik Prince has since left Blackwater. The company was downsized and renamed Xe. Erik Prince is now freelancing in the Middle-East- and I say, more power to him! So long as he doesn't break any rules!)

BLACKWATER: What's ERIK PRINCE up to?

2011-05-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

May I just say Erik Prince is so badass. He's like Tony Stark except without the lame-o Ironman costume and playboy persona. It's a shame he left the country for the Middle East- I had real respect for Blackwater and it's PMCs. Oh well, more power to his UAE adventures! Wishing him and his new company the best.

Blackwater Founder Builds Mideast Mercenary Army to Put Down Revolts by Spencer Ackerman

What’s Erik Prince been doing since he sold off Blackwater, the infamous mercenary company he founded and turned into a juggernaut of the private security world? His shadiest, most morally-compromised guns-for-hire scheme yet.

Prince moved to Abu Dhabi last year as legal and governmental scrutiny of Blackwater intensified. “I’m done. It’s all sold or shut down,” he told journalist Robert Young Pelton shortly before boarding his farewell flight. “I’m getting out of the government contracting business.” And provided he meant the U.S. government, that vow has stood the test of time. But his adoptive country is a different story.

Documents obtained by the New York Times indicate that Prince rebooted his efforts in private security to build a praetorian army of mercenaries for the ruling clique in the United Arab Emirates. His new company, Reflex Responses, hires a mixture of Colombian soldiers of fortune and South African vets of Executive Outcomes, the pre-Blackwater merc firm that fought nasty counter-guerilla wars in Angola and Sierra Leone. That’s right: forces from Christian nations hired to protect Muslim leaders, possibly against their own people. And in keeping with Prince’s history, if Reflex is doing business legally — from the perspective of U.S. law — it’s only barely so.

Prince, who conceals his involvement in the firm by using the codename “Kingfish,” takes money from the UAE to ”conduct special operations missions inside and outside the country, defend oil pipelines and skyscrapers from terrorist attacks and put down internal revolts.” His take: $529 million so far, and the possibility of earning “billions more.” His contract with the UAE lasts until 2015. (Click here for more!)

Osama bin Laden's dead- halleluja ole!

2011-05-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT BUSH. (And you too, Obama.)

GWB: MISS ME YET? Bush merchandise gets a spike in sales!

2010-02-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

Check out the article:

Apparently someone really DOES miss Dubya.

Items featuring a smiling former President George Bush and the question, "Miss Me Yet?" are doing a brisk business as sales of pro-President Obama items lag, reports the Web shopping site CafePress.

Demand for the items spiked after a billboard featuring the ex-commander in chief appeared alongside a rural Minnesota highway last week, stirring up buzz.

CafePress spokeswoman Jenna Martin said sales of Bush-related products virtually disappeared after Obama replaced him.

But last week, she said, 10 of the firm's top-selling 100 designs were "Miss Me Yet?" items, moving to the tune of up to 500 orders a day.

"There were no Obama-themed designs on the list - Bush has stolen the political spotlight, just like Sarah Palin did the week before when she re-surfaced with crib notes written in her palm," she said.