Modern Women

Study Reports Anal Sex on Rise Among Teens

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:29:00 +0000

Carry -- a Colorado college student who had been in a steady relationship for months -- was recently cajoled by her boyfriend into some sexual experimentation.

He wanted to try anal sex, and even though the 20-year-old said she was "OK with the idea," she nervously downed several drinks before their lovemaking began.

Within 15 seconds, Carry -- not her real name -- said she was "crying and asking him to stop."

They never did it again. But experts say that as social mores ease, more young heterosexuals are engaging in anal sex, a behavior once rarely mentioned in polite circles. And the experimentation, they worry, may be linked to the current increase in sexually transmitted diseases.

Recently, researchers at the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center in Rhode Island suggested that anal sex is on the rise among teens and young adults, particularly those who have unprotected vaginal sex.

Experts say girls and young women like Carry are often persuaded to try such sexual behavior for the wrong reasons -- to please a partner, to have sex without the risk of pregnancy or to preserve their virginity. But many don't understand the health consequences.

"It really is shocking how many myths young people have about anal sex," said Judy Kuriansky, a Columbia University professor and author of "Sexuality Education: Past Present and Future."

"They don't think you can get a disease from it because you're not having intercourse," she told ABCNews.com. "They can actually recite by rote how you get AIDS, but it doesn't transfer to their personal behavior."

The study included a comprehensive questionnaire about adolescent sexual and other risk behaviors. The participants self-reported their answers, which scientists say can skew the results in this type of study. To compensate, researchers used audio computer-assisted self -interview technology, allowing participants to enter their responses directly into a computer, rather than having to report to an interviewer.

"Given the subject matter, it is likely that the numbers reported may actually be an underestimate of the prevalence of these behaviors," said Celia Lescano of Brown University, the Bradley Hasbro study's lead author.

More than one-third of new HIV infections in the United States occur among people between the ages of 13 and 29 and can be attributed to the mind-set among youth that they are not at risk of contracting the virus, according to the Kaiser Foundation.

Source: abcnews.go.com

Nelly Furtado - I'm like a Bird

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:37:00 +0000

Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, actress and instrumentalist, who also holds a Portuguese citizenship.
Furtado came to fame in 2000 with the release of her debut album Whoa, Nelly!, which featured her breakthrough Grammy Award-winning single "I'm like a Bird". After becoming a mother and releasing the less commercially successful Folklore (2003), she returned to prominence in 2006 with the release of Loose and its hit singles "Promiscuous", "Maneater", "Say It Right", and "All Good Things (Come to an End)". Furtado is known for experimenting with different instruments, sounds, genres, vocal styles and languages. This diversity has been influenced by her wide-ranging musical taste and her interest in different cultures.

"I'm Like A Bird" is a song written by Canadian singer Nelly Furtado, and produced by Gerald Eaton and Brian West for her first album Whoa, Nelly! (2000). It was one of the year's critically acclaimed songs and widely considered as Furtado's signature song. Nelly Furtado said that "I'm like a Bird" is her favourite song: "There's a simplicity about it that I love", she explained. "It's my freedom song." It was one of the most successful singles of 2001, reaching number one in Canada and Brazil, number two in Australia and New Zealand, number five in the UK, and number nine in the U.S. It peaked at 9 on Billboard's Hot 100 Airplay, It won a 2001 Juno Award for "Single of the Year" and a 2002 Grammy for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance". She performed an arrangement of the song at the Grammys featuring accompaniment by virtuoso guitarist Steve Vai.

The song was covered by the band Element 101, whose version appears on the compilation album Punk Goes Pop (2002). Furtado said of the song, "I've heard it sung at karaoke or by cover bands and it was awesome — I was like, wow, I've got one of those songs. Somebody once called it a "hairbrush song", one that girls and guys sing in front of the mirror with their hairbrush. I just think I'm lucky I have it — it's paying the bills!".

The music video for "I'm Like A Bird" was directed by Francis Lawrence.
The video begins in the sky where the camera slowly pans down onto Nelly Furtado, who is lying in the grass. It then shows her singing on the tree stem in mid-air. In the chorus she gets up and she starts singing to the camera while birds are flying around her. The second verse shows her sitting in mid-air in a forest, while singing to the camera. The chorus consists of flashes of Nelly Furtado singing in mid-air, again, while leaning on the tree stem. At the bridge she is singing to a bug while her eyes are changing color. The conclusion of the video shows her on a branch and she falls backwards into a mosh-pit of people as she sings the lines of the song.

Source: Wikipedia.org

The Right Relationship Can Happen

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:25:00 +0000

How to Create Relationship Success (Paperback)

Do you often dream of living life with the right relationship partner?
Do you aspire to obtain a solid foundation of friendship, mutual trust and respect in your current relationship?
Do you desire an emotionally and spiritually connected marriage?D
Do you wish for more gratifying and loving relationships with your family?

If you are like most people, you have dreamed of attaining these relationship goals but end up with relationships short of your ideal. You are searching for a way to break out of old relationship cycles and experience the love God intended you to have in an intimate relationship.

How do you release your past relationship pain and issues and attract the right relationship partner? How do you revive your current relationship or marriage and create a strong connection?

The answer lies in a simple, yet profound process to change the way you think about relationships and learn the importance and creative power of your thoughts, words and actions.

In this straightforward relationship guide, relationship expert and former matchmaker Nancy Pina gives you simple and profound steps to manifest the right relationship into your life or create the right relationship with your current partner or spouse.

You will discover in The Right Relationship Can Happen: How To Create Relationship Success:

The Importance of Self-Love
Following Your Intuition in Your Relationship Choices
Identifying Your Past Relationship Origins and Core Beliefs
How To Resolve Conflicts With Your Relationship Partner
Learning the Importance of Forgiveness

In addition, you will learn:

How to stop unconsciously attracting the same type of relationship.
How you can attract the right relationship partner.
What qualities and characteristics are important in a relationship partner.
Determining your must-haves and have-nots in your relationship.
Learning how to communicate with your partner lovingly and effectively.
How to resolve money issues and learning the origins of how you react to financial issues.
The importance of thoughts and words with yourself and your partner.
Working out past emotional issues for healthy relationships.
How to stop your inner critic.

In this extraordinary book, Nancy Pina offers you personal insights to her own relationship journey and encouragement that will help you overcome every relationship obstacle you may encounter. It is your destiny to experience a healthy, loving and joyful relationship with mutual respect, trust and honor for each other. As you follow the guidance found in this book and put these principles to work, you will realize "The Right Relationship Can Happen" and manifest your right relationship!

Sugar plum Valentino

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:04:00 +0000

'Viva Italia," said Giorgio Armani, punching the air in front of a window overlooking the Place Vendôme in support of Alessandra Facchinetti as the young designer showed her first Valentino couture collection since the founder retired.

In the front row sat the starlet Camilla Belle in a fluffy white tulle dress, her movie credits in "When a Stranger Calls" an appropriate title for this dramatic generational changing of the guard.
Yet as the models stepped out delicately in the fairy-like dresses, with light layers creating sculptural ovoid shapes, the collection did not seem that of an outsider, but of a designer loyal to everything Valentino has stood for - though from an ultra-feminine point of view. That meant there was a meringue-sweet lightness about the dresses, with their boulle skirts, crystal embroidery and fluffy ruffs, which the designer said before the show had been inspired by the jabots of Van Dyck's paintings.
The overall effect was fresh and pretty but with nothing to challenge Valentino's classic concept that fashion should be a gift to women, wrapping them in a pretty parcel of finery.
For a first effort at couture, the show was an exercise less in cut than in original embellishment, from the origami effects to woolen bobbles on a long chartreuse gown to the metallic wheels that appeared on shoes or as jewelry. The house is famous for ruffles and frills, but Facchinetti could have reduced the sugar quotient - not least when it came as undulating waves of fabric rising up the back of a skirt.
It seems strange that someone so young should not take a more feminist point of view about fashion for the fast-paced modern woman, who does not go out only for cocktails or balls where standing up is essential in order not to crush a chicken-feather rear.
Facchinetti did build her silhouette on architecture, not least the opening outfit of jacket and skirt sculpted with stiffened silk. Other square-cut pieces, like a turquoise coat, was as rich as a cream cake with embroidery.
But the designer is allowed to express her sugar-plum fairy fantasy of femininity. And it was good to see the synergy between her and the long-serving couture hands at Valentino.
From the invitation printed on tissue paper to the airy lightness of the show, Facchinetti proved that she is more than a featherweight designer. And for her big challenge - the Valentino red dress - she had a winner: a draped chiffon dress, its hot color bleeding over shell-like tulle tufts, to make a strong ending.

Source: iht.com

French Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt rescued from FARC by Colombian troops.

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:45:00 +0000

On July 2, 2008, Ingrid Betancourt was rescued in the Guaviare region of Colombia by Colombian security forces in Operation "Jaque", which included inflitrated military men, along with fourteen other hostages, including three citizens of the United States. Her top campaign staffer was previously released in 2007.

Several Colombian political figures continued to attempt to visit the demilitarized zone (DMZ) even as the talks ended. Most candidates for political office that intended to do so backed off when authorities warned them of the danger. Ingrid Betancourt, as another one of these candidates, insisted to be taken to the former DMZ by a military aircraft. President Pastrana and other officials turned down this petition arguing that neither they, nor the Colombian Army, could guarantee her safety during the turmoil that would follow the retaking of the DMZ. Additionally, Betancourt was running for president in the 2002 elections; aiding her in such a request meant that the government was rendering its resources to Betancourt's private political interests. Agreeing to Betancourt's request would also mean that the government was either backing a candidate for the presidential elections or that it then had to assist every single candidate in their demands of using official and military resources for their private interests.
When denied transport aboard this military helicopter that was heading to the zone, she decided to head into the DMZ via ground transport, together with Clara Rojas, her campaign manager who was later named running-mate for the 2002 election, and a handful of political aides. On February 23, 2002, she was stopped at the last military checkpoint before going into the former DMZ. Military officers insisted that Betancourt and her party not continue in their effort to reach San Vicente del Caguan, the village used for the peace talks. San Vicente's mayor was the only Oxygeno elected official in the entire country by then. Intense fighting was taking place inside the DMZ and the security situation was rapidly deteriorating. Betancourt dismissed their warnings and she continued her journey. According to her kidnapper, the later captured Nolberto Uni Vega, Betancourt ended up at a FARC checkpoint where she was captured. Her kidnap was never planned beforehand, said the rebel. Ingrid still appeared on the ballot for the presidential elections; her husband promised to continue her campaign. In the end, she achieved less than 1% of the votes.
Betancourt was born in Bogotá. Of Italian ancestry, her mother, Yolanda Pulecio, was a former Miss Colombia who later served in Congress representing the poor southern neighborhoods of Bogotá. Her father, Gabriel Betancourt, was minister for the General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla dictatorship (1953-1957), the assistant director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Unesco ambassador to the embassy in Paris, and head of the education commission of the Alliance for Progress in Washington, D.C. under John F. Kennedy. The Betancourts divorced in 1975, with Betancourt's father being granted custody of his daughters.
As children, Betancourt and her elder sister, Astrid, were largely brought up in Paris, in an apartment on Avenue Foch which she described in her memoirs as "decorated with great taste: signed eighteenth-century furniture, paintings by old masters—I remember in particular Dürer's St. Jerome, which frightened us at night—Chinese bibelots, carpets, a hanging garden." Her parents, she stated, were popular hosts who threw weekly parties for "two or three hundred people." Among the family's close friends were Gabriel García Marquez and Fernando Botero.
After attending private school in France, a boarding school in England as well as the Liceo Francés in Bogota, she attended the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (commonly known as Sciences-Po).
After graduating, she married fellow student Fabrice Delloye in 1983, and they had two children, Mélanie (born 1985) and Lorenzo. Through this marriage she became a French citizen. Her husband served in the French diplomatic corps, and the couple lived in multiple countries, including New Zealand and the Seychelles. During the 1980s, she briefly lived in Quito, Ecuador, where she worked as an aerobics instructor.
In the mid 1990s, Betancourt and Delloye divorced, and she married Colombian advertising executive, Juan Carlos Lecompte.
Her former husband and children moved to New Zealand due to death threats stemming from her political activities.

Source: Wikipedia.org
EuroNews.com
News.bbs.co.uk
Salon.com

Big Brother 10

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:41:00 +0000

Big Brother 10 is the upcoming tenth season of the American reality television series Big Brother that will premiere July 13, 2008 on the CBS television network. The show will air three times a week; Sundays at 8 p.m. (ET/PT), Tuesdays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), and Wednesdays at 8 p.m (live ET/delayed PT). Julie Chen will return as host, and Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan are the executive producers. The show is produced by Endemol USA and Allison Grodner Productions. Only one season of Big Brother was intended to air during 2008 but due to the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike, CBS announced Big Brother 9 for the regular television season and Big Brother 10 for the summer of 2008.
Casting for Big Brother 10 began on February 25, 2008. Applications were due on April 25, 2008 and video tape submissions were due on April 4, 2008. During May 2008 interviews for the 40 semi-finalists were held with the finalists being chosen on May 21, 2008. Casting calls were held in various cities across the country including Los Angeles, CA, Charleston, SC, Louisville, KY, Minneapolis, MN, Pittsburgh, PA and Phoenix, AZ.Big Brother 8 winner Dick Donato announced on House Calls that Big Brother 10 will feature a wider range of HouseGuests. E4 will not air Big Brother 10 as they did with Big Brother 9 due to conflicts with the ninth edition of the British version.
During an advertisement that aired on CBS it was revealed that 13 HouseGuests would be entering the House. This is the first time since Big Brother 4 that 13 HouseGuests will live in the House and the first time that there has been a decrease of HouseGuests over a previous season. A live audience will also be present during the live eviction episodes on Wednesdays. This is the first time since Big Brother 1 that an audience has been present for the live weekly eviction shows.
On April 14, 2008 CBS announced Big Brother 10 would return on July 13, 2008, with episodes airing on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. During the season finale of Big Brother: After Dark on April 27, 2008 it was confirmed that the companion show would return for Big Brother 10.

Source: Wikipedia.org
CBS Official Live Video Feeds

Noel Clarke interview

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:54:00 +0000

In 2006 actor Noel Clarke wrote and starred in Kidulthood, British film about the life of several fifteen-year-olds in the deprived Ladbroke Grove/Latimer Road area of Inner West London.Now two years later Clarke is back with the sequel Adulthood which sees him write, star and take on directorial duties.

Adulthood catches up with Sam upon his release from jail, having served 6 years for the manslaughter of rival Trife. The film follows his journey over 24 hours as he is forced to confront the people he has hurt, and see first-hand the effects of his actions all those years ago. Some have moved on, others are stuck with the repercussions of that night, but one thing’s for certain - everyone has been forced to grow up. As Sam struggles to deal with his guilt and adjust to the outside world, he also has to deal with those seeking revenge for Trife’s death. As he is pursued through the streets of West London, he wonders if a new cycle of violence has started and if there is any way to bring an end to it as things start to escalate beyond his control.

How did the idea come about to make a sequel to Kidulthood?

The idea to make the sequel actually came about by accident really. The actress Red Madrell who plays Alisa in both Kidulthood and Adulthood was out in West London, she had just watched Kidulthood and I think she was getting mobbed by a load of kids and they were asking her what happens to the character Trife and this that and she got a little excited and said you’ll have to wait and find out in the sequel. Someone in the crowd was a friend of mine and they called me and it made me laugh. The next morning I had breakfast with the producer George Isaac and I told him the story and he laughed too but whilst we were laughing I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if this happened’, then he said ‘wouldn’t it be funny if this happened’. So we started throwing ideas back and forth and I went home and wrote the first draft in about seven days.

How did you find directing your first feature film?

I enjoyed directing, I think that in terms of career longevity you have to have more than one string to your bow, so for me being able to write, act and direct, to do all three is something that I want to continue doing - it’s something I really enjoy. Directing for the first time was definitely a challenge and tiring at times. It was a steep learning curve and if you’re willing to do stuff and go with it, then it pays off.

Do you have a long term relationship with Damian and George the producers?

I’m not married to them! But yeah Damian and George are great guys. They produced Kidulthood and after I wrote Adulthood, the logical place and the only place I’d go was with the two guys who helped get the first film off the ground. As far as I’m concerned, they are my producers. Any script I write, they see first.

What do you think the selling points of the film are? Are you part of that attraction?

I think it has a core audience and a wider audience who were attracted to it on DVD as well. I think the film speaks for itself. The excitement we’ve built is because of the first movie not just because I’m in it. It could be a whole bunch of new kids and if it was still connected to the Kidulthood name or ‘brand’ people would still go and see it. It just happens to be a follow-on from the first one. I don’t think I as a name will sell it, I think it will sell based on its own merits.

What attracted audiences to the first film?

In the top fifty British films of 2006 if you look at the amount of money made per screen average, Kidulthood is number nine out of fifty. That’s because the audience related to it and people saw that it was authentic and wasn’t written by people pretending to know about situations but it was written by somebody who was at least around certain situations and could relate to the young people. That’s why people flocked to see it even though it was on a limited run. Then when it came out on DVD it lit a fire under that generation and even more people watched it. This is why the Adulthood promo was only on YouTube for about five days and it had 27,000 hits because people are looking forward to the film. There’s a buzz about it.

Can you talk about the storyline in Adulthood?

The story is pretty simple. Sam comes out of prison for the manslaughter of Trife and has to deal with the consequences of that night and realises that it’s not just about how it affects him, but how his actions have affected everybody else. Then he hears that people want to hurt him or his family, so he sets out to find who they are and all the while, he’s being hunted by a new bunch of boys.

How did you come to cast the film?

The casting process was pretty straightforward. We had some cast from the previous movie, but in terms of the new actors it was open castings. We wanted new fresh talent, so we also asked agents to send us their newest, freshest talent who hadn’t had many jobs yet. We got a great young guy called Jacob Anderson who plays Omen, he’s a fabulous actor and has just been working non-stop since he did our film. I think he’s going to do good things. We also got an actress called Scarlett Alice Johnson who worked a few years ago in a popular, long-running TV show and has been doing theatre for a while and we gave her the opportunity to play the lead girl in this movie. She is just fantastic, truly exceptional. You couldn’t ask for a better actress. I was told to see a lot of ‘named’ actresses and I did. I saw a lot who I’d been asked to see and a lot of them were really good, but Scarlett was just as good and she could also do what we needed her to do in terms of the accent and things.

Can you talk about the actor Adam Deacon who plays Jay in Kidulthood and Adulthood and how you got that performance out of him?

Adam Deacon is the loveliest man you will ever meet and I know that he’ll be upset with me for saying that because he likes everybody to think that he is some gangster, but he is a nice little guy! Adam has grown up in areas much like where I’ve grown up and you have the ability to become what people see as quite vicious or a monster, that doesn’t mean that you are. It’s just the ability to translate it onto the screen, to make Jay this guy that you love but then hate. Jay is vile but some part of you can’t help but like him because there is something about him. This film gives a lot more depth to his character and shows why he feels the way he does.

Do you know someone like your character Sam?

I knew various people like Sam when I was growing up. He was definitely based on one guy who I knew at school, but I don’t know people like that now, because I move in different circles. You just take that from the past and make it what it is. In this film he’s not so much based on that person, that was more in Kidulthood. This film takes the characters on a new journey and sees where they get to.

Do you think it was getting into acting that stopped you from becoming somebody like Sam?

I don’t think getting into acting stopped me from doing that because I didn’t get into acting until I was twenty-three, so that was quite late. By that point I had already been to university and was a personal trainer, gym instructor and life guard. But from a young age I was making choices in life, not necessarily knowing what I wanted to do, because sometimes you don’t know. Deep down since I was about five years of age I always wanted to act, but the practicality of going to drama school or affording stuff like that or even knowing where to go wasn’t practical for me. I don’t think I would have ever have become the sort of boy that Sam is because I was always making choices not to do things. There were people in my flats where I grew up who are now in jail or are now dead. For me it was just a case of making a choice. I wasn’t a coward, I wasn’t somebody who wouldn’t defend my friends but when there’s the choice of doing things for the sake of doing them, I was one of those people who could say, I don’t want to do this. I was never influenced by others.

How did you choose the London locations for Adulthood?

The locations for this film were pretty similar to the first one. The reason I chose them for the first film was because that was the area of West London I grew up in - that was the area I knew. The little record shop, the corner shop across the road, Ladbroke Grove, Latimer Road Station, those were all places I knew, so when I was writing the script, I was writing it about places I knew. Also because every film I had seen about my area might as well have had polo players riding down the street on horses because it’s all Bridget Jones-meets-Four Weddings-meets-Notting Hill with old Granty in them. I lived there, right there, and yet you never get to see where I lived. The main thing for me in Kidulthood and this one was to show how the two cultures mix. Like when the girls go round to get drugs from the posh guys in the first film. I wanted to show that the whole area is a real melting pot - there are so many different cultures and people from different walks of life. Portabello Road was just there on my doorstep, so for me, I wanted to show it as I know it. There was talk about doing the first film in South London, but I said no, we’re not doing it in South London, not because I dislike it, but for the simple fact that I don’t know it, so how can I write about an area that I didn’t grow up in.

In this one you’ve got posh people buying drugs rather than selling them?

People watching this movie are bound to say, ‘what you are trying to say?’ I’m not trying to say anything. You raise questions in films and it’s up to other people to answer them. Characters like Jay are the scourge of society, they rob people, they sell drugs and they are vicious, but who keeps them in business? who is buying the drugs? If he could afford to buy drugs, he wouldn’t have to sell them. There are little things in there that are making points. Some things I’ve done on purpose, not just because they are funny.

What was the hardest scene to shoot?

The last fight scene with Sam and Jay because we had to be off the estate by 11pm because you aren’t allowed to shoot at night on the estate. So, the night shoot was from the time it got dark at around 4.00pm to whenever we finished. We only had two days to shoot it. We didn’t get it all in so had to go back for a third day. That costs money. It was raining on one of the days, so we had to wet down the floor for the other days. We were rolling around on the floor so our costumes were wet and we were putting on and taking off pads to do stunts. The temperature was around minus four degrees. It was really difficult. I think Adam and I did a good job. Once we are off the ground on our feet in the last scene, the performances are good that’s the main part of the scene. Fight scenes can be messy - I can deal with that, but as long as we have the performances, then I’m happy.

Did you have a stunt man to choreograph the fights?

Yes we did for most of the fight stuff, he is a great guy. But there were times where we fell out on that last scene! There’s a moment when I fall on the floor and they didn’t want me to do it, because the pads I had weren’t enough protection and we couldn’t have a mat there because people were going to see it. They were really annoyed that I did it and said ‘You’re putting everything in danger’. But it’s my film and the only person I’m putting in danger is myself and if I’m willing to do that then so be it. I didn’t want any stunt doubles, and that particular moment was during the extra day and we had to get off this estate. The crew had worked over time and everyone was tired, so I just did it. He wasn’t happy, rightly so because his job is to protect us all and my job is to get the film made, so I fell on the ground!

Which scene was the most fun to film?

Well, I don’t know whether I should be saying this, but I had a scene with Scarlett in the bedroom, that was quite fun to do, she is a beautiful girl, I’ll say no more!

Is the point of the film that they find redemption?

The point of this film is that Sam finds redemption, not because he is looking for it, he doesn’t come out of jail saying, ‘Oh I’m sorry for what I did, let me find people and apologize. He has to learn that things have affected other people and he can’t just come out of jail and say ‘I just want a peaceful time, I’ve serve my time and that’s it. That’s not it, you’ve got a young girl without a dad, friends without a friend, a girl without a boyfriend, mothers without sons and he needs to learn how his actions affected other people. Not only does he need to learn, but to deal with it and face the facts. When they come after him and want to keep the cycle of violence going, being the worst person in the first film, he has to be the person to say, ‘I appreciate that you’re after me and we could keep this going for years, but I’m actually just going to go, I don’t want anything to do with this and I’m going to walk away’. I think a lot of the problem with people these days is that no one is willing to walk away. It’s not necessarily being a coward, it’s the fact that if I hurt you, you might go get your friends and hurt me, and if you hurt me I’ll go and get my friends and hurt you and at some point, someone has to say, you know what, forget this. Otherwise at some point, one of us is going to end up dead. The key is that it all comes down to choices. The film is about choices. Henry makes a choice early on when Dabs says we’ve got to go get this guy Henry says, ‘Are you crazy? I don’t want to get this guy’, and he suffers for it. Moony makes a choice when Jay says ‘forget your studies, let's go get Sam. Moony makes that choice. Lexi makes her choices. For me, this whole film is about choices, it’s about how every single choice you make, especially in that sort of world, is going to affect what happens to you and to other people.

Do you feel that some young black teenagers might take the wrong message?

First, I don’t consider myself a black filmmaker, I’m just a filmmaker. I can’t hide the fact that I’m black. But if we keep saying, ‘we are black filmmakers’ then people will keep saying, ‘those black guys’. Do I feel a responsibility? I think that there are always people who will misinterpret stuff and there are also mindless people who just want to take the wrong message from things. I’m not here to deliver messages, I’m not here to be a role model, if people want to look at me like that, they can. I’m not going to proclaim myself as a role model. The message in the first film for me was quite clear, you can’t behave in the way the boys behaved and expect to just swan off at the end of it. If you behave badly, this could happen to you, that’s what happened to Trife. The message for me in this one is clear; you can’t do stuff and not take the consequences. There are always going to be people that are going to take the bad out of that. What can you do about that? My job is raise questions, I’m not here to answer them, I’m not a politician, I’m not here to find solutions. The best films make you think, the best films show you situations. In terms of young kids in the streets that look at us, there hasn’t been a sway in my opinion. There just isn’t enough for young people to do, they need more to do. Things get closed down. There was an initiative in West London called YCTV it was a training centre for young people to act, write, and direct and they’ve shut it down. I know a director from there, who’s now directing films, why would you shut that down? Now those kids have nothing to do. Stuff like that bugs me. But also young people need to take stock of themselves as well, because like I said, they have a choice. They say 'What do any of these people in the film industry know about me? I grew up on council estate with a single mother, went to a rough school and lived in a rough area, what do they know?' But I grew up just like that and I’m making films, I don’t want anybody using the excuse of their upbringing or where they grew up any more. If you can’t use that excuse what are you going to do? You’re going to have to take stock. So you’re going to have to fix up or look bad. I’m supposed to be a statistic - single parent family, council estate, but now I’m making films, so you can’t say I don’t know, because I do know.

What do you want the audience to say when they come out from seeing Adulthood?

I want them to come and out and think that they just saw a good British film. I want them to feel that they’ve seen one of the best British films in a long time. This is one of the first sequels to an independent British film that they are going to see and maybe the last. You don’t get sequels to dramas in this country, you barely get sequels unless they are big budget studio films and you definitely don’t get sequels that are about ‘urban’ kids. So, this film, whether they realise it or not and whether they want to accept it or not, it is history in the making and we made it happen. I hope it will open up doors for other people to make films. At the same time, what I’m saying with this film as with Kidulthood, is that I want people to change their lives. It’s time to move on, to stop this thuggery and this street culture. I’m going to write different things now. It’s about progression and taking audiences into new areas.

Source: FemaleFirst.com
AdulthoodTheMovie.com

Adulthood hits cinemas tomorrow!

Posters:

1280x1024

1024x769

Right swimsuit for your figure

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:27:00 +0000

Add volume to a small bust with the right bikini top!

If we do not have the perfect measures when it comes to our figure and we are not among the few lucky owners of a trim, fit and cellulite-free body, then we may find it quite difficult to come across the perfect swimsuit for our holidays spent on the seaside or on the hot, enticing beaches on the ocean's shore. Some may go as far as to feel really embarrassed about getting their clothes off in public and running around or lying on a chaise-longue with only a skim bikini and a top to cover their essential body parts. However, as unhappy as we may be about our silhouette (which I advise you not to, because confidence and high self-esteem can go a long way, as you probably know!) we still enjoy reveling in the sun rays that caress our bodies and swimming in the warm waters of the sea or ocean in order to achieve complete relaxation. And the question comes naturally: what needs to be done under such circumstances? Should we learn to accept the way we look (though trying our best to be more beautiful by sticking to a healthy lifestyle!), take proud in it and learn how to dress ourselves so as to make the best of our physical appearance, or should we just join the quitters and cowards' group and stay tiffish indoors instead of living life to the max and feeling great in a vacation on the sea or ocean shore? I opt for the former one and I dare you to do the same! It is not as hard as it may seem, all you have to do is accept who you are and how you look... and take into consideration the following tips and tricks whenever going shopping for a swimsuit!

If you have a small bust, have no worry, there are other thousands of women just like you out there who never take this as a flaw and this is exactly what you should do. But at the same time try to make it look bigger by choosing the right clothes, in this case bikini tops. First and foremost, I have to highly recommend you to give a very wide berth to all such pieces that come either monochromatic and in too dark hues (black, navy-blue etc.), or tube and bandeau-style and that usually work by cutting on the curves. On the other hand, anything that can add wideness to your bosom and at the same time make it plumper works great. This is why you should definitely go for neon-colors (which, by the way, are so IN at the moment!) such as bright, vivid yellow, pink etc. and also for anything that comes in a sophisticated or funny pattern so as to give intricacy to the whole 'outfit'. Look for hip and colorful imprints with flowers, ribbons, butterflies, seashells and also polka dots (another trend that goes very strong now) or whatever else you like, just let your imagination free and bear in mind that the more playful it is, the better you will look. Ruffles, embellishments and any other type of details on the top part are also a brilliant choice, as they add volume to your bosom. However, avoid too wide stripes and, most of all, horizontal ones, as these may make you even more small-chested.

In terms of cut, you should know that a slightly deep cleavage will help you look your best. Therefore, show some skin with a sweetheart, scoop or V-neck. Shaped cups on a top also help create curves and roundness, this is why you should also consider a triangle swimsuit bra, for instance. Bikini tops with subtle underwire have been especially designed for not too curvy bosoms, as they will put forth your assets and make them look 'generous' with their push-up effect. However, make sure the bikini top is not too heavily padded or you may leave the wrong impression that you have stuffed it.

As you may have probably noticed, we have only talked bikini tops up to now, consequently two-piece swimsuits, and we have forgotten about those that come in one-piece. Our advice is that you should also forget about them if you have a small bosom or an overall boyish figure, because these will by no means flatter your body shape and 'assets'. Be especially careful to say a big 'No!' to classic tank swimsuits that considerably diminish curves.

How to dress a large bosom when going to the beach.

If you have a generous cleavage, then you must consider yourself very lucky for being endowed with what one would call in an informal language 'delicious melons' or whatever round and 'curvy' fruits may be out there. And it is only natural in this case to be more than willing to accentuate your bosom and let the others benefit from the amazing view such 'beauties' can offer... but this should be done in a subtle manner, because you would not want to pass for someone who desperately seeks attention. This is why you should completely stick to the two golden rules according to which 'less is more' and 'the fitted size suits you best'. Therefore, do not try to flaunt that curvy boobs by flashing too much flesh when going swimming, because their enticing roundness is able to speak for itself quite fine. Also, be careful to never choose a size that is too small or too large for your bikini top or tank, as you do not want your breasts either to look too squeezed, or 'hang' too loose.

A bikini top that offers full support to your bust is crucial when choosing a swimsuit to flatter your figure. This is why you should know that a flimsy, skimpy one or plunging necklines are not your best friends and instead, the right thing to do is go for a bikini top that offers you full support, just like the bras you wear daily. Full cups and slight underwire tops work great for you. You can go either for strings or for a halter neck, however you must be sure that they are solid enough to keep your 'beauties' in check. Wide strings and halters look really amazing on large-busted women and you should try it, too. Tankini tops with underwire are also a highly-recommended option, especially for plus size women. If tank swimsuits are not the right choice for a small-busted woman, they are definitely suited for a large-bosomed one, especially if she has an hourglass figure. Furthermore, do not forget about high-cut, straight across tops that are mainly designed for ladies who want to cover a full upper part.

In terms of color, you can go with each and every hue you like, but bear in mind that neon ones are for the slimmer of us, while those dark and solid are for the plumper of us. All types of patterns work great on the bikini top of a woman with a generous cleavage by subtly drawing the attention towards her assets. However, if you think that your breasts are too large and you want to play them down and make them look smaller, you should not choose too intricate patterns, too vivid colors and too many details and embellishments for the bikini top. And if the situation is the other way round, namely if you want to flaunt your curvy chest, then do all these things and do not forget about the 'full support' rule.

Usually, large-busted women have an hourglass or apple silhouette. If you are included in the former category, then you can pair with your swim top almost any type of bikini, this being also dependent on how fit your tummy and tushie are. But if you are large on the whole upper part, like in the case of apple figures, then you should consider a bright, embellished, intricate patterned bikini to balance a wider top and draw attention towards your legs.

The right pieces to reduce broad shoulders and make you look amazing.

We have already seen what type of swimwear you should put on when going to the beach, whether you are small-busted or large bosomed. But what happens in both cases if you have some broad shoulders? Don't you dare say you can never look good in a swimsuit, as this would be just a sheer, even if involuntary lie. You can look gorgeous, all you have to do is pick up the right cut, model and pattern to balance your figure and put emphasis on the best-looking parts of your body. In order to do that, when going shopping for a swimsuit just make sure you take into account the following tips and tricks that are definitely going to keep you from sporting a V-shape silhouette.

First and foremost, given the fact that your shoulders are already big enough, you should not wear spaghetti straps and you must by all means give a wide berth to spaghetti halter tops and front bandeau, as these would seem even more delicate and fine against the impressive 'background' of your shoulders. On the other hand, you should not live under the wrong impression that all types of halter straps are forbidden, because the wide ones would do a great job in narrowing this problem area of your body. Square or asymmetrical neck is also a very inspired pick, since this is as able to play down your shoulders as a V halter neck, while a plunging neckline would work just the other way around, by putting into focus exactly the body region you want to draw attention from.

No matter if you are small or large chested, you should reveal those 'beauties' rather than covering and hiding them into your bra, because this is the smartest way to make a shift of attention from your shoulders towards your cleavage. This is why padded and underwire bikini or tankini tops would work just perfectly for you.

In terms of color, the bikini or tankini top can bear almost any hue and pattern or print, as long as you make sure that you are not putting only your upper body part in the limelight and the lower part gets enough attention, also. Solid tops work great with printed, bright-colored bikini because this helps give the right proportion to the whole body and make you look your best. And because the rule of balancing your figure is the most important when it comes to picking your outfits, including swimwear, you should never sport an itsy-bisty-tiny bikini or your shoulders will look even broader and we do not want this to happen. The most suited alternative in this case is a mid-rise bikini in bright, bold colors and playful, hip patterns and prints. Embellishments and detailing of any kind are also more than welcome in the lower part of your body, but you should think twice before applying these to your bra.

All in all, you must take pride in your figure and shed light on the right 'spots'. You will glow and rivet on the beach and the others will definitely notice how great you look!

Source: InOutStar.com

Image Chef - express yourself.

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:09:00 +0000

Fast and Easy

Now anyone can create a custom image without any technical knowledge or advanced tools. Modify text in a variety of image templates to create professional quality images with your own personal touch.
Once you customize an image, you can e-mail it to a friend directly from within the ImageChef site along with an extra text message.

New Blogging Features

You can also now quickly place images so they can be seen on a 3rd party services such as MySpace, Hi5 and Blogger. Simply, register for an account, and after you personalize an image you can preview different image sizes. HTML is then provided for you to paste directly into your blog post or comment!

Source: ImageChef.com

Cameo Mischief Bra & Panty Set

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:23:00 +0000

Invite all kinds of mischievous fun with this playful bra and panties set!
This sexy set is full of intricate detail throughout. Like all our lovingly hand made lingerie, this is another testament to our exceptional quality standards using top-grade materials.
The soft cups of the bra provide light support. Features sexy tie-up halter neck and back.
Panty features sheer thong back and cotton-lined gusset.
Available custom sizes of both the bra and panty, including different colors, fabrics, or any special modifications you can dream up.
Cameo Intimates manufacturers top quality, high-end lingerie, sold direct to the customer. Every order is hand tailored to your specifications, and not just pulled out of a warehouse. To maintain the best quality customer experience possible, we directly handle all distribution and do not use resellers or offer private label brands.

Source: Cameo-Intimates.com

Policewomen costume

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:05:00 +0000

You crave something fresh-something new and sexually foreign. You want to escape the rhythm of your sex life and tantalize yourself with an entirely erotic encounter. You've talked about role play for a while, teasing each other with glimpses of the fantasies teeming inside you. You have the reciprocal desire to briefly abandon the everyday of your relationship and toy with a sensual deviation from routine. Tonight you take that step, and slip into someone else.
The idea of the Policewoman costume elicits more than a pleasant tingle under your flesh. You can feel the aggressive and seductive control of having a dangerous yet tempting suspect in your custody. He eagerly agrees to this vision, anxious to be lost in the titillating fantasy and bear witness to your transformation. You clearly lay out the boundaries for your roles and leave monotony at the bedroom door.
Let the character crawl into your flesh, let it break you from expectation. You can say whatever you want. You can try on another role; not harnessed or limited by who you are supposed to be or what you should do. You aren't being you; tonight you are a dirty cop, taking the law into your own hands.The costume is like a new skin. The blue cloth grips your sensuous curves. The hat completes your ensemble. You feel yourself relax into the role as the fantasy rises over you. You strut with the confidence of a cop. The props laid out in front of you only amplify your temporary transformation. You twirl the Pleasure Kuffs like a pro.
You feel like a new person, and he has become an enticing and naughty stranger. He's not that same man you've made love to for years, not the man you argued with all last week over bills, not the man who you wake up to in the morning, not the man who knows the familiar landscape of your body. The shared life between you both is suspended, mutually put on hold, and you find a new exhilaration in the unfamiliar and faux anonymity of this fantasy.
He's been a bad criminal; he needs to be arrested and punished for his crimes. Handcuff him down to the cell bed, and tell him his sentence. You know his trespasses better than anyone. How many lashes does he get? How will you adequately punish him? Let your imagination wander.
You feel the excitement in control as you trail the Teasing Whip along his bare chest. You feed off the excitement in his eyes upon hearing this foreign voice coming from you. He is anxious for you. He winces in a smile as he enjoys his punishment. The sound of the soft slap against his skin fills the room and excites you even more.
You can see how much he wants you as his arms gently tug against the cuffs. He is accustomed to being able to move at will, to touch you when he wants. But now you get to decide. Tease him; you can. This is his sentence to serve. This is your detail, and you will only give him what you want when you are ready. Put your mouth near his, and pull away from his kiss laughing. Run your hands over his anxious hardness then abruptly stop. Make him crave you even more.
Follow the lead of your character. Play in your role, and feel the freedom and enjoyment of embracing the unfamiliar scenario. What would your cop do? How would she use this strangely tantalizing criminal? Making sure the handcuffs are not hurting him, you ride him hard until the orgasms flood over you both. You can see he is enjoying this as much as you are.
Unlatch his handcuffs, and let him finally touch you. Maybe you both feel satisfied in this session and want to return to your daily relationship, or maybe it's time for a role reversal. Maybe you hand those cuffs and your whip over to him, placing your hat on his head.

Source: EdenFantasys.com

Pistol Panties swimsuits 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:14:00 +0000

Pistol Panties, a UK brand inspired by the iconic shapes and silhouettes of the Pin-up belles of the 50s is known for its trademark of retro chic and old world charm. Pistol Panties manages to combine unique and quirky prints always using the highest quality Italian fabrics and trims sourced globally with a supremely glamorous silhouette. Perhaps most importantly, Pistol Panties recognize the huge importance of achieving the perfect fit for the most flattering cut and are unique in their ability to combine this with fresh design. Deborah Fleming, the British/Colombian designer behind Pistol Panties, founded the brand with this concept. Pistol Panties succeeds in being just that – swimwear that unites quirky style and feminine glamour with the perfect, flattering cut. With its vibrant colours and eclectic prints, the Pistol Panties 2008 collection has taken inspiration from the exotic glamour of Acalpulco in the 1970s the sound of the samba and the smells of its frenetic beach-life are evoked in this new s/s 08 new range. Deborah has drawn from her South American heritage to create a super Chic poolside range - swimwear and silk dresses in bright block colours and fun vintage prints inspired by Latin American dance and music. The style of dancing girls shows in ruffled necklines, colourful prints in both bright and earthy tones , bold cut-out shapes are sleek and super-sexy. Pistol Panties has enjoyed enormous Press coverage in editorials such as Vogue UK ans US, W Magazine, Pop, Tatler, Harpers and Queen, Elle, Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan and has also had a celebrity following to be proud of with the likes of Elle McPherson, Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, and Sarah Jessica Parker all being followers of the brand.

Source: PistolPanties.com

Pistol Panties Marilyn structured halter bikini set.
Pistol Panties has designed this bikini set with structured, foam lined and underwire cups to give a subtle boost to your cleavage. Wide halter straps knot behind the neck and the back fastens with a clasp. The unlined brief has a frill at the waist.

Pistol Panties Betty triangle bikini set.
Pistol Panties' saucy bikini set has a fashionable retro style in a sleek and snug fitting fabric. The triangle cups offer demi cup coverage and are unpadded, while the brief is high waisted with low cut legs and a bow that ties at the back.

Good partners is not Macho men

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:48:00 +0000

According to a new study from Durham and St Andrews Universities in the UK, women perceive masculine men as unsuitable long-term partners, and instead prefer men with feminine features, believing they are less likely to cheat.

Published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, the researchers asked 400 men and women to judge digitally altered pictures of male faces made to look more masculine or feminine. The participants were then asked to predict personality traits including sexual behavior and parenting skills.
Macho features (such as a square jaw, larger nose and smaller eyes) were associated with dominance, being less faithful and a worse parent, compared to their 'feminine' counterparts, who had finer facial features with fuller lips, wide eyes and thinner, more curved eyebrows.
The researchers say the new study backs up earlier research about masculinity and perceptions of personality and gives further insight into what people see in others when choosing potential partners. "This research shows a high amount of agreement between women about what they see, personality wise, when asked to 'judge a book by its cover'," said Durham University's Lynda Boothroyd. "They may well use that impression of someone to decide whether or not to engage with that person. That decision-making process all depends on what a woman is looking for in a relationship at that time of her life."
The study also found that faces which appeared healthier, for instance those with better complexions, were seen as more desirable in terms of all personality traits compared to those who looked unhealthy. Similarly, older faces were generally viewed more positively compared to younger ones.

Source: AphroditeWomensHealth.com

Missionary Never Felt So Good With These G-Spot Cuffs!

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:01:00 +0000

Re-defining the missionary position!
Positionary G-Spot Cuffs allow you to relax and enjoy the simplest of positions with versatile ankle cuffs that let you get closer than ever before. Easily adjust to accommodate a comfortable width or length for any-sized couple. Features Velcro closures with soft neoprene cuffs. Simply attach one cuff to each ankle, wrap your legs round your partner and buckle together.

Location of the G-Spot.
The purported location of the G-spot has changed over time. Two primary methods have been used to attempt to locate it: the first is based on self-reported levels of arousal during stimulation and the second based on the claim that stimulation of the G-spot leads to female ejaculation.
One of the studies using self-reported levels of arousal was a case study with a single woman who claimed the experience of a “deeper” orgasm when her G-spot was stimulated. In the published study it was reported that stimulation of the anterior vaginal wall made the area grow by fifty percent. Another study examined eleven women in an attempt to locate the spot under laboratory conditions. Researchers attempted to find the G-spot by "palpating the entire vagina in a clockwise fashion." Using this technique the researchers reported discovering that four of the women had highly sensitive areas on the anterior vaginal wall.

Source: ExtremeRestraints.com

I hate perfume

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Sat, 31 May 2008 05:29:00 +0000

Monsieur Hulot, the character created by French filmmaker Jacques Tati, was a man of few words. They simply weren’t needed in his world where music and mannerism could express so much. With virtually no vocabulary, Tati was able to comment on everything from Western society’s obsession with material possessions to France’s class structure and even the cold and often impractical nature of the space-age design that captured the public’s attention at the time.
Which makes me wonder how he would have responded to the Mr. Hulot’s Holiday scent created by Christopher Brosius for his company, CB I Hate Perfume. Brosius was previously known for his work at Demeter, which he founded, and whose scents gave the wearer the opportunity to smell like an idealized form of familiar, everyday aromas such as tomatoes, rain, or dirt.
With CB I Hate Perfume he takes that idea and moves it forward. Instead of a single scent an entire memory or experience is evoked. Fragrances such as In the Library, which conjures up “Russian and Moroccan leather bindings, worn cloth and a hint of wood polish” or At The Beach 1966, whose “prime note...is Coppertone 1967 blended with a new accord I created especially for this perfume – North Atlantic. The base of the scent contains a bit of Wet Sand, Seashell, Driftwood and just a hint of Boardwalk. The effect, when you wear it, is as if you’ve been swimming all day in the ocean.”
For Mr. Hulot’s Holiday Brosius combined “the salty breath of the breeze off the Mediterranean, driftwood, rocks covered with seaweed and the smell of old leather suitcases”.
Tati said of his creation, “His principal defect is inattentiveness which makes him unsuited to our functional age. Everyone has a bit of Hulot in them”. Now thanks to Brosius everyone can have a little Hulot on them as well.

Source: TheFashionSpot.com

No cosmetics when you ill

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Thu, 29 May 2008 01:03:00 +0000

While healthy women can handle the low levels of bacteria found in cosmetics, for severely ill patients they may trigger life-threatening infections. Writing in the journal Critical Care, doctors from the intensive care unit at a Barcelona hospital describe a Burkholderia cepacia bacterial outbreak triggered by contaminated body moisturizer.
Five patients suffered from infections that included bacteremia, lower respiratory tract infections and urinary tract infections. Researchers tested a number of environmental samples, and discovered that moisturizing body milk used in the patients' care was a B. cepacia reservoir. Worryingly, tests on sealed containers of the moisturizer confirmed that the bacteria had not invaded the product after it had been opened, but that it was contaminated during manufacturing, transportation or storage.
"This outbreak of nosocomial infection caused by B. cepacia in five severely ill patients supports a strong recommendation against the use cosmetic products for which there is no guarantee of sterilization during the manufacturing process," says study author Francisco Álvarez-Lerma.
B. cepacia poses little medical risk to healthy people. However, those with weakened immune systems or chronic lung diseases, particularly cystic fibrosis, may be more susceptible to B. cepacia infection.

Source: AphroditeWomensHealth.com

Naughty nurse Betty costume

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:09:00 +0000

"Dear, you've complained about being sick long enough," I said. I stood outside the bedroom where my husband couldn't see me, but he could still hear me. "It's about time I did something to help you feel better."

"Nothing will make me feel better except Nyquil and a bullet," he moaned. "I'm miserable! I'm dying! I must have mono."
"God, men can be such babies when they get sick. You don't have mono. You have a little head cold. Now, you just lie back and do what Nurse Betty tells you to do," I said.
"Nurse Betty? What are you - oh, my!!" He stopped talking when he saw me enter the bedroom in my brand new Naughty nurse Betty costume.
"I am Naughty Nurse Betty, LPN - Licensed Porno Nurse. Let Nurse Betty take care of my widdle sickie hubby," I said as I pulled down his sheets and blankets. I squeezed some strawberry-kiwi Love Drops onto my palms, and warmed the oil in my hands. I then rubbed the Love Drops across his chest. His skin felt warm from the just getting out of the shower. At least he was clean as he lay moaning in his sickbed. I massaged the oil around his pecs, and I tweaked his nipples. He giggled.
"What are these?" He asked as he unsnapped the buttons on the front of my costume. My boobs swelled in front of the costume. He reached for one breast.
I slapped his hand away. "Nurse Betty says, "Don't touch unless you have permission!" You want more?" I quickly unsnapped the rest of the buttons, and then my hands returned to his chest. I massaged in tight circles along his chest, and down his stomach, until I reached his public hair. Ithen moved my fingers to press the flesh along his waist. His skin warmed under my touch. His cock bobbed, but I did not touch him. Not yet. I opened the costume wide, exposing my breasts to him. I grabbed my boobs in both hands, and pressed them together. My boobs are my best feature. They are huge. I pressed my boobs against his face, but I wouldn't let him suck on my nipples.
"Do you want to nurse Nurse Betty?" I said as I shoved my nipples in his face. His mouth found my nipples, and he sucked. I felt a surge of heat run from my nipples to my pussy. I was very hot. My nipples were the size of blackberries. He sucked, and nipped, and tickled my nipples with his tongue. He paused to sneeze, and then went back to work on my nipples. His hands squeezed my boobs as he sucked. I rolled the costume off my shoulders and let it drop to the floor. His hands kneaded my ass. My, but he felt good for a sick boy with a head cold.
"Are you feeling better now? Nurse Betty has a surprise for you." I squeezed some more of the Love Drops on my hands. The strawberry-kiwi scent assailed my nostrils. I wanted to eat him. I rubbed the oil over his swollen cock. He moaned and sneezed. I gently massaged the oil into his balls. He dug his heels into the mattress and moaned."Do you like Naughty Nurse Betty?" I asked. "Oh, yes!" he said. "Would you like Nurse Betty to give you a BJ?" I inquired. "You don't have to ask," he said. "I should get sick more often."
My lips wrapped around his huge cock. I tasted the strawberry-kiwi oil in my mouth. I flicked my tongue along his head, which made him writhe on the bed. I ran my tongue down the entire length of his cock as I sucked hard. I felt him jump in my mouth. I tasted semen as he leaked into my mouth. He was going to come in my mouth in a few seconds.
"Faster," he said. His body stiffened, and he let out a long, drawn-out moan. "Oh, God! Oh, baby! Oh, nurse!" he cried.
After having his best orgasm in years, he flopped on the bed, looking like a beached cod.
"Now you lie down and get some sleep. I'll give you chicken soup in a few hours when you wake up." I kissed him on the back of his head.
I put away my Naughty nurse Betty costume, but I knew she was going to get another workout in a few hours. My husband was going to be sorry he got better in a few days, but Nurse Betty makes house calls to keep men healthy.

Source: EdenFantasys.com

If a man finds you attractive you can't be friends - Ladder theory

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:54:00 +0000

The Ladder Theory explanation of the ways in which men and women evaluate members of the opposite sex upon first impressions. In the Ladder Theory model, this decision is typically made quickly and is often final. This determines the other's potential as a future mate. Ladder Theory began as satire, but developed into a more fully fleshed-out model of the dynamics of male-female attraction. It should be noted that while Ladder Theory has many supporters and claims to be grounded in "decades of sociological research," the theory has never appeared in a referenced journal or scientific forum and its proponents cite no studies or data sets to support their conclusions.
Ladder Theory attempts to explain differences in how heterosexual men and women evaluate potential opposite-sex sexual partners and friends. It is based on the perceived tendency of men to be more comfortable with the idea of having sex with female friends than the reverse. Ladder Theory thus presumes that a platonic friendship between a man and a woman, in practice, lowers rather than increases the likelihood that the relationship will develop into a sexual one, due to the greater perceived tendency of women to maintain strong separation between relationship types. As a result, the initial decision-making process on how a particular relationship is to be classified is considered vital to understand. This process of classification and ranking is described as a "ladder".
Ladder Theory argues that heterosexual women categorize men into either "possible sexual partners" (sometimes called the "Potential" ladder) or "nonsexual acquaintances" (sometimes called the "Never" ladder). Each category has a hierarchical ranking among members within them, based on their perceived sexual desirability or the perceived value of their friendship. The separation between ladders is derived from a perceived tendency in women to assign value on the ladders based on significantly different criteria: the qualities deemed desirable in a friend often appear very different from those considered attractive in a sexual partner. Ladder Theory also presumes a tendency in women to infer that the strength or presence of one set of qualities equals the absence or weakness of the other -- essentially, that a specific man's rank on one ladder is inversely proportional to his "natural" rank on the other -- thus leading them to rigidly maintain this categorization once assigned. Men who become aware that they have been placed, against their own preference, on the "Never" ladder by a particular woman are cautioned, in Ladder Theory, against trying to get themselves recategorized: this act is perceived as an unwelcome emotional aggression, and may provoke a response of hostility or withdrawal.
Conversely, Ladder Theory argues that men tend to evaluate female acquaintances solely on a single ladder, conflating both sexual desirability and relationship value into an overall measure of priority (but usually with sexual attraction given primacy). Women placed at the top of the male ladder represent an absolute ideal of desirability, usually a combination of extreme sexual attraction and whatever other personal qualities are considered desirable by the man in question. (These qualities may be social expectations, pragmatic concerns or nonsexual ideals, depending on the individual and his context.) Only the very bottom of the male ladder, in Ladder Theory theory, is reserved for women the man has firmly excluded from his sexual interest.
The differences between the "one-ladder" ranking system of men and the "two-ladder" ranking system of women, in Ladder Theory, often lead to mutual misunderstanding, the most egregious example of which is held by Ladder Theory to be the so-called "nice guy" approach. In this model, a man attempts to increase his appeal to a woman by demonstrating the qualities she has indicated that she values in another person (stereotypically, these are positive "friendship" qualities such as patience, kindness, helpfulness and consolation). To the male, this is perceived as simply increasing his overall appeal on the single ladder; for the female, however, such behaviour increases the man's rank on the "Friendship" ladder while simultaneously decreasing it on the "Partner" ladder, due to the perceived disparity in criteria between the ladders.
A harsher term for the same principle is derived from the Woody Allen short story "The Whore of Mensa": Ladder Theory suggests that a man who attempts to appeal to a woman through intellectual stimulation or entertainment runs the risk of, rather than becoming or replacing the woman's sexual partner, becoming what Allen satirically depicts as an "intellectual whore" -- someone sought out solely for their intellect, with no interest on the part of the woman in broadening the relationship to other dimensions. Ladder Theory asserts that there is less stigma attached to a woman maintaining platonic friendships with other men outside her primary sexual relationship than the reverse, due to the perceived separation of relationship values on the "ladders", and that this entails a certain degree of hypocrisy -- women are given latitude to maintain multiple relationships to satisfy all their social needs, while men are expected to find satisfaction for all their social needs in a single relationship only.
Ladder Theory's primary assertion in social mechanics is that classic "nice" behavior in courtship is actually a less productive tactic than might be presumed, and can in fact be counterproductive, as women are presumed typically to infer lack of confidence rather than devotion or good character. Ladder Theory argues that the most effective tactic is to establish desirability on the "Potential" ladder first and only then to establish high ranking on the "Friendship" ladder, rather than the reverse.

Source: Wikipedia.org
Original English version

Related posts:
Good partners is not Macho men

Scared to Death

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:38:00 +0000

Scared to Death:
From BSE to Global Warming: Why Scares are Costing Us the Earth

Modern society has regularly, in recent years, been gripped by a series of headline making "scares" - from mad cow disease to SARS -- which have become one of the most conspicuous and damaging features of our modern world. This book is the first to tell the inside story of each of the major scares of the past two decades, showing how they have followed a remarkably consistent pattern. It analyzes the crucial role played in each case by scientists how have misread or manipulated the evidence; by media and lobbyists who eagerly promote the scare without regard to the facts; and finally by the politicians and officials who come up with an absurdly disproportionate response, leaving us all to pay the price, which may run into billions of dollars.
Scared to Death culminates in a chillingly detailed account of the story behind what the authors believe has become the greatest scare of them all: the belief that the world faces disaster through manmade global warming. In a final chapter, the authors take on its proponents such as Al Gore in a devastating critique of the consensus on global warming and its consequences.

The beginning of chapter 14.

Saving the Planet.

A secret report, suppressed by US defence chiefs and obtained by The Observer, warns that major European cities will be sunk beneath rising seas as Britain is plunged into a ‘Siberian’ climate by 2020. Nuclear conflict, mega-droughts, famine and
widespread rioting will spread across the world . . . deaths from war and famine run into the millions, until the planet’s population is reduced by such an extent the Earth can cope. Access to water becomes a major battleground . . . Rich areas
like the US and Europe would become ‘virtual fortresses’, to prevent millions of migrants from entering, after being forced from land drowned by sea-level rise or no longer able to grow crops.

The Observer, 20041

This disaster is not set to happen in some science fiction future many years ahead, but in our lifetime. Unless we act now... these consequences, disastrous as they are, will be irreversible. Prime Minister Tony Blair, 29 October 20062 It is irresponsible, reckless and deeply amoral to question the seriousness of the situation. The time for diagnosis is over. The time to act is now.

Gro Harlem Bruntland, 9 May 2007

Almost everywhere, climate change denial now looks as stupid and as unacceptable as Holocaust denial.

George Monbiot, the Guardian, 21 September 2006

Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice...

Robert Frost, ‘Fire and Ice’

It was as early as 1991 that Aaron Wildavsky, a respected professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley, first described global warming as ‘the mother of all environmental scares’. In a way it had all started some 20 years earlier, when a number of scientists and environmentalists, followed by the media, first began to predict that Planet Earth could be facing a disastrous change in its climate.
In December 1972, following a conference of academic scientists at one of the USA’s leading universities, its two organizers wrote to warn President Nixon of the strong possibility that the world’s climate might be about to go through a change for the worse, by an ‘order of magnitude larger than any hitherto experienced by civilised mankind’.
‘There are ominous signs’, reported Newsweek some time later, ‘that the earth’s weather patterns have begun to change dramatically, and that these changes may portend a dramatic decline in food production – with serious implications for just about every nation on earth’.
Newsweek quoted a report by the US National Academy of Sciences that ‘a major climactic change would force economic and social adjustments on a worldwide scale’. The evidence cited for such a change ranged from a two-week shortening since 1950 of
the English grain-growing season to ‘the most devastating outbreak of tornadoes ever recorded’ in the USA, where, in 1974, ‘148 twisters killed more than 300 people’.
The science section of Time had already reported on how ‘a growing number of scientists’, reviewing ‘the bizarre and unpredictable weather pattern of the past several years’ were beginning to suspect that ‘a global climactic upheaval’ might be under way.The article opened:

In Africa drought continues for the sixth consecutive year, adding terribly to the toll of famine victims. During 1972 record rains in parts of the US, Pakistan and Japan caused some of the worst flooding in centuries. In Canada’s wheat belt a particularly chilly and rainy spring has delayed planting... rainy Britain, on the other hand, has suffered from uncharacteristic dry spells... a series of unusually cold winters has gripped the American Far West, while New England and northern Europe have recently experienced the mildest winters within anyone’s recollection.

The fear they were all expressing, of course, was not that the earth was warming but that it was dangerously cooling. It had been noted that, for more than three decades, average temperatures across the globe had been dropping. As a New York Times headline put it, ‘Scientists ponder why world’s climate is changing: a major cooling widely considered to be inevitable’. Time reported how ‘telltale signs are everywhere – from the unexpected thickness of pack ice in the waters around Iceland to the southward migration of a warmth-loving creature like the armadillo’.
In 1973 Science Digest had run an article headed, ‘Brace yourself for another ice age’. This described how, as the earth gradually cooled and the icecaps of Greenland and Antarctica grew, winter would eventually last the year round, cities would be ‘buried in snow and an immense sheet of ice could cover North America as far south as Cincinnati’.
For several years the fear of global cooling continued to inspire a spate of articles and books, such as Stephen Schneider’s The Genesis Strategy and Climate Change and World Affairs by a British diplomat, Crispin Tickell. The Cooling (1976) by the US science writer Lowell Ponte claimed that ‘the cooling has already killed hundreds of thousands of people in poor nations’. In 1975 Nigel Calder, a former editor of the New Scientist, wrote that ‘the threat of a new ice age must now stand alongside nuclear war as a likely source of wholesale death and misery for mankind’.
But then, quite suddenly, around 1978, global temperatures began to rise again. The panic over global cooling subsided faster than it had arisen.

Source: Amazon.com

Female football player costume

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:19:00 +0000

I'm all excited, it's Monday night and I can't wait. We always go to dinner and sometimes, if I promise you something kinky when we get home, stay out for a cocktail at the local lounge.
"I'm sorry, babe, but I just have to watch the game tonight," you say.
"No, Steve. You have got to be kidding. You know how much I look forward to Mondays," I say.
But you remain adamant. You have money on tonight's game, blah, blah, blah. I tune out all the reasons as I feel my frustration rising. Leaving work, I decide to stroll along a different street, maybe walk off some of my frustration. The costume shop has a huge display of provocative outfits in the window, but one really catches my eye; a Referee costume.
I run inside and try it on. I can't help admiring the way my cleavage looks bursting out of the low V neck and how the tight fabric clings to my curves. Since it's cold outside and I have my trench coat, I decide to wear it home. I feel deliciously naughty knowing exactly what I'm going to do once I get home.
"I'm home, Steve," I say, walking the door, all flushed with excitement at my plan. "I'll be down in a minute."
As I walk up the stairs, I hear the TV in the background and a loud groan as Steve's team no doubt fumbles the ball. I know what drives him crazy; watching me play with my toys is enough to make him lose control. I pick out my newest dildo and let my hand run all over its veined shaft, feeling wetness begin to seep out from between my thighs. I grab a little bottle of lube and one other item, smiling wickedly as I close my fist around it.
Downstairs, I stroll into the den. Steve is so absorbed that he doesn't even notice me, until I blow my whistle.
"Time out, baby," I say.
"What are you doing, Lily," he asks as I sit on the carpet in front of the big screen TV, legs spread wide, my bare pussy glistening with wetness.
"I think you know just what I'm doing, Steve," I say, my sentence ending in a moan as I run the head of the toy slowly up and down my wet cunt.
"Oh fuck, babe," Steve says, entranced in the sight before him, the game now just dim noise in the background. His mouth is agape as I push the head of the toy inside me, my hips rising off the floor as the shaft vanishes and reappears and vanishes again.
"Wish this was you inside me now, don't you, lover?"
"Yes, oh, yes."
"Well that can be arranged, but only after you receive your penalty for disappointing me, baby."
I reach behind my back and hold up the butt plug, watching as Steve's eyes grow wide with excitement. His mouth opens but he doesn't say anything as I get up off the floor and slowly saunter over to him, butt plug in one hand, lube in the other, and a giant smile spreading over my lips.
"Do you accept the penalty, because I think you really earned it," I say.
"Yes, I do, I do," you say. Your lips touch mine with a spark of electricity, when I bend to kiss you.
I put down the plug and the lube, pick up the remote, and switch off the TV.
"Now, let's get this good and wet," I say, pouring the lube over the plug. Your cock shifts restlessly under the fabric of your trousers as I begin to unzip you; my game now has your undivided attention.

Source: EdenFantasys.com

SK II cosmetic sets for travel

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:27:00 +0000

1x Whitening Source Skin Brightener 2.5g
1x Facial Treatment Essence 11ml
1x Facial Treatment Repair C 2ml
1x Facial Treatment Cleansing Gel 35g
1x Facial Lift Emulsion 30g
1x Whitening Source Intensive Mask
1x Max Factor Brush Set
1x Max Factor Angelclip Lipstick

1x Facial Treatment Essence 30ml
1x Advanced Signs Treatment 15g
1x Whitening Source 4.7ml
1x Signs Up-Lifter 5g
1x Signs Eye Mask 1pair
1x Facial Treatment Mask 1pc
1x Max Factor Angeliclip Lipstick #N551 3.5g
1x Max Factor Beauty Max Eye #BU-3 2.5g
1x Bag

1x Facial Treatment Clear Lotion 40ml
1x Signs Up-Lifter 5g
1x Facial Lift Emulsion 11g
1x Whitening Source Intensive Mask 1pc
1x Max Factor Angeliclip Lipstick #N551 3.5g
1x Max Factor Beauty Max Eye Shadow #RS1 2.4g

Source: SK-II.com

The return of skirts

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 23:53:00 +0000

Dresses have reigned over skirts too much, and now the latter have come to take their revenge. Fashion is known to be a fickle beast and there is no surprise when last season's best friends suddenly become the next's worse enemies. This is what happened to dresses, which are out now, while full skirts are firmly back in trends.
The return of the skirt comes with a new way of dressing though, as this piece is just one element in a complex puzzle called "separates". This new trend, believe it or not, was brought back to life by many starlets this season, Carla Bruni Sarkozy being their leader, as she looked magnificent when she stepped on British soil a couple of weeks ago and she pulled that off with a skirt. However, that look is not for everyone, which is why it's very important to learn how to wear a skirt and what to match it with.
Firstly, you have to choose a length that flatters your silhouette. A full skirt hovering around the knee will look fresh but it can be easily adapted to suit if it's too long or short. Indifferent of the choice, it must fall from the waist. To highlight the waist you need to tuck in as well, as the combo you are putting on will only look sloppy if you hide it under a shirt. You can beautifully reveal your shape with delicate blouses and fun tops that can be pushed beneath the skirt's waistband.
A tailored blazer might funk everything up a bit, whereas for shoes, there are two ways you can go when wearing a full skirt. You can either go for a pair of flats, which grants you a more informal look - they can be upgraded to sandals come this summer - or you can go for skyscraper heels, which will make you look extremely tall and thin especially if paired with a high-waisted skirt.

Source: Inoutstar.com

Alfred Sung bridal collection

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:14:00 +0000

"I love beauty, and what is more beautiful to see than a woman on her wedding day?" asks Alfred Sung, Canada's top fashion designer and renowned international style maker. Mr. Sung's name covers more than 20 licensed product lines sold in more than 50 markets internationally. He is also the creative force behind an exquisite collection of bridal gowns with an underlying theme of understated elegance. "There's such liberty and scope in creating for such a special occasion," he reflects. "I can be either subtle or grand in design, lavish in fabric selection and use, and indulgent in details and ornamentation."

Alfred Sung's exquisitely crafted Signature bridal collection comprises select gowns, ranging in silhouette from classically elegant to sumptuously romantic. His refined styling is evident in the sculpted bodices, graceful necklines, and dramatic off-the-shoulder and strapless looks, which are complemented by striking, contoured sleeves and flattering, accentuated waistlines.
His floating skirts rustle from multiple yards of Angel Tulle, silk essence chiffons, lustrous satins, and shimmering organzas. Their workmanship and finishing details include ultra-fine French seams, ribbon-bound hems, curled hem-lines, pearl-edging, Swarovski Austrian crystal accents, and tiny loop-and-covered-button closures.
And now Alfred Sung introduces his newest and most exquisite line of bridal gowns – PURE Alfred Sung. These silk gowns are truly breath-taking and are a vision to behold.

Source: AlfredSungBridals.com

Wedding dresses

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:24:00 +0000

Diced what you want.

Flip through bridal magazines to find styles and designers you love.
What looks fabulous on a model may not flatter your figure. Choose a gown that hides your flaws and plays up your best features.
Are you a classic or modern bride? Bohemian or glamorous bride?
It is important to think about the location and setting of your wedding, the time of day of your wedding, and whether you are having a formal or semi-formal wedding. Answering these questions will help dictate your dress options. You probably won't want a very formal gown for an afternoon beach wedding.
Listen to what friends and brides in your area have to say about salons. If you find the service is bad, move on: You'll be dealing with the salon for months, and poor customer service during try-ons could mean difficulties when it comes time to order—and pick up—your wedding dress.
Some salons allow walk-ins, but by booking an appointment you'll be guaranteed that a consultant will have time to help you. But don't overload: Limit your appointments to two a day. Cramming three salons into one afternoon will leave you tired and stressed.
Be honest about what you can spend, and tell your consultant what that amount is up front. You'll only create heartbreak for yourself if you try on—and love—a wedding dress that you can't afford.
Put on makeup, bring heels, and style your hair for the best idea of how you will look on your wedding day. Also be sure to wear nice lingerie for when you're standing around between try-ons.
Don't forget to bring along magazine photos, magazine ads or even your grandma's wedding album — to give salon staffers an idea of what you want. Your consultant will pull dresses based on this information.
Don't invite a crowd of people with you. Two people, your mom and a close friend, are plenty. Three or more will make decision-making stressful and difficult, especially if they're offering conflicting opinions.
There's no need to make a rush decision, especially since many bridal salons charge a steep fee for returning a gown, or don't allow refunds at all.

Care about size.

Whether you're at your wedding-day weight goal or a few pounds shy, follow these tips to guarantee a flattering fit on your big day:

All wedding-dress manufacturers have different size charts—most of which run small. So even if you wear size 4 jeans, you might have to order a 6 in Jim Hjelm or an 8 in Vera Wang.
Even if you plan to lose weight before your wedding day by diet and fitness program, request the dress size that fits you the day you place your order. It's easy to take dresses in, but very difficult—and in some cases, impossible—to let them out.
Set up appointments for alterations as soon as your dress arrives. Schedule at least two appointments. If major alterations are made, or if you lose a lot of weight, you might even want to set up a third appointment to ensure a custom fit.
To make sure the hem length is perfect, wear the lingerie and shoes that you plan to wear on your wedding day.
At your last fitting, examine yourself in your gown from every angle—front to side to back—to make sure there's no bulging or pulling. If you're not satisfied, don't hesitate to request another round of alterations.

What to ask the bridal salon

How long will it take for my wedding dress to be delivered?
Can you ship to an out-of-town address if necessary?
What is your return policy?
Is there a repercussions clause if, for example, the dress is damaged when it reaches the salon?
Are alterations included in the price of the wedding dress?
Will the salon accept liability if its seamstress makes an error?

How to save money.

Purchase an inexpensive dress from a manufacturer that makes bridesmaids dresses. Add glamour with an antique brooch, jeweled tiara, a fur wrap or sequined high heels.
Upscale department stores often discount wedding dresses from the past season to make room for new styles. Check newspapers and local salons for sale info. Because of huge price reductions, sales can get mobbed. Visit the shop a few days before the sale to pre-select dresses.
You'll find dramatically reduced rates on gowns from exclusive stores at outlet venues like Filene's Basement. Be prepared for open dressing rooms and less-than-pampering service.
Purchase your wedding dress from auction sites like eBay. Just be sure to get a photo from every angle and a full disclosure of any damage (preferably in writing) before buying.
Check if Mom or Grandma saved her wedding dress. If it's in good condition, a seamstress can tailor it to fit your body. A good seamstress may be able to alter the style a bit too, to suit your tastes.
Purchase your wedding dress from charitable organizations such as The Bridal Garden, a New York-based charitable society that donates once-worn gowns. Proceeds benefit disadvantaged kids.

FAQ

I want to show some skin but I don't want to go strapless—all of that tugging will drive me nuts. What are my options?
One of the best ways to show off a sexy décolletage is by wearing a cap-sleeve gown with a deep V-neckline. It skims your shoulders while keeping the upper arms hidden. You could also choose the anchoring elegance of a spaghetti-strap or halter dress, neither of which will fall down on the job.

I'm worried about my train getting tangled before I walk down the aisle. How can I be sure it's straight?
Ideally, one of your bridesmaids should make a last-minute adjustment. But since they head down the aisle before you, you may have to ask your dad (or whoever is escorting you) to fluff out your train and make sure it falls evenly. You can also designate your wedding consultant or a friend to handle the job. After the ceremony, your honor attendant should straighten out your train before you head back up the aisle.

I just got engaged and want to hit the bridal salons right away. Others are telling me that I should wait until my fiancé and I decide on a site. Who's right?
Assuming you've got enough time (your dress should be ordered at least six months before the wedding), hold off on the shopping trip until you choose a location, time of day and overall look for your celebration—they'll all affect the style you ultimately buy. For example, sequined and jeweled gowns work best for a formal evening affair (in a ballroom, perhaps), where you can be as glamorous as you like. During the day, when all that glitters can look out of place, opt for romance: A princess-line gown of lightly layered tulle or a lace sheath is the perfect choice for an afternoon garden ceremony. The bridal salons will be there whenever you're ready, so take the time and do some important decision-making beforehand.

I found the perfect wedding dress—but when I ordered it, the bridal salon insisted that I needed a dress that was two sizes larger than I normally wear. Are they trying to make me pay for extra alterations?
Don't freak out if the store orders a size 12 or 14 dress when you normally wear a 10—bridal designers size their dresses differently than your everyday clothes. To figure out what size you'll need, the store consultant will take your measurements and compare them to the designer's size chart to determine the best possible fit. When the dress comes in, alterations will make it fit like a glove. For an extra charge, some designers will make your dress "to measure," which means the fabric will be cut to match your exact bust, waist and hip measurements. This might be cost-effective if you're between sizes. Of course, some designers will custom-design and custom-make your dress, starting with a muslin prototype. This involves a larger investment of time and money, but the personalized final product may be worth it.

How do I take care of my gown once the wedding is over? My mom says it has to be cleaned a special way.
In this case, Mother knows best. "A wedding gown is a very delicate garment, so it needs to be handled with the utmost care," points out Steven Saidman, of the Imperial Gown Restoration Company in Fairfax, Virginia. "This means having it cared for by an expert, who will use a special technique called hand-wet cleaning." During this method, the dress is immersed for a precise number of minutes in a bath of solvents tailored specifically to the fabric. While your neighborhood cleaners may be great at reviving workday wear, they may not be experienced with this process. "So if you take it to a regular cleaners, you run the risk of subjecting your dress to the solvents used on everyday clothes. They're too harsh for a wedding gown," says Saidman. To find a qualified bridal cleaner, ask your salon or dress manufacturer for recommendations. Check out Web sites like gown.com for additional information.

Source: Brides.com

Before you buy I strongly recommend you to read this article:
Bridal gown tips and scams to avoid.

Female Sexuality – Body Image and Your Sex Life

noreply@blogger.com (Lily) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:14:00 +0000

There seems to be such an interest in the sex lives of ordinary women right now, doesn’t there? Whether we’re getting enough? Is it good sex? Are women who have more sex having better sex? Do we have a high libido, or low libido; and just what level of libido is right, anyway?
Recent studies have focused on several aspects of female sexuality, including hormone levels, libido, how pregnancy and menopause affect a woman’s sexuality, and body image. Through a series of feature articles we’ll be looking at different factors that play a part in affecting female sexuality, and exploring new research that attempts to shed light on this complicated and important subject.

A new survey from the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, at Penn State University, has found an interesting relationship between what researchers call “feeling frumpy” and the respondents’ sex lives. The study, recently published in The Journal of Sex Research, found that the emphasis in United States culture on being young and thin has a more important influence than menopause on sexual functioning and satisfaction.
Analysis of the survey results showed that, regardless of the woman's specific age, she was more likely to consider herself more attractive when she was 10 years younger whether or not she had been through menopause. In addition, there was no significant statistical relationship between a woman's perception of her own attractiveness as she aged and her current sexual satisfaction.
Study leader, Dr Patricia Barthalow Koch, added; "There has been a dearth of research examining the relationship between body image and women's sexual response. These new results support a link between body image and sexual responding that needs further study."
With a survey group of over 300 women, ranging in age from 35 to 55, the results provide a sober look at the way women view their bodies. Nearly 21 percent of the survey respondents could not think of even one attractive feature and reported an overall sense of dissatisfaction with their bodies. The features that the women considered least attractive were stomach and abdomen, hips, thighs and legs. This sort of dissatisfaction isn't restricted to women. Men also fret about what they perceive are male physical shortcomings (usually their genitals), but to a much lesser extent than women.
The researchers noted that it is the norm for American women to be dissatisfied with the parts of their bodies which are affected by weight gain as they age. The percentage of body fat generally doubles by the time women reach age 50. Weight also tends to be redistributed so that breasts become larger, waists thicken and fat increases on their upper back. While it is natural for midlife women to change shape in these ways, the U.S. standard of attractiveness remains a youthful and slender body which creates anxiety about aging and pressure for older women to disguise what are otherwise normal changes.
With the media constantly portraying young, thin, beautiful women as the “ideal” and with growing pressure on aging women to remain youthful, regular women are pushing themselves to achieve the unrealistic goal of holding on to their youth, in the belief that youth equals beauty. Elderly celebrities put themselves through brutal and grueling regimes of strict diets, hours of exercise, cosmetic surgery, hair-styling and make up to maintain a youthful appearance. And it appears that this unrealistic image is affecting how regular women view themselves and their sexual identity.
One celebrity fighting the trend of older actresses trying to physically compete with their youthful counterparts is Jamie Lee Curtis. Cast as sexy characters in movies like Trading Places, A Fish Called Wanda and True Lies, Curtis is no stranger to baring her body for the camera. But in 2002 she shocked - and delighted - her female fans by posing in More magazine wearing no make up, without her hair styled, in an unflattering sports bra and bike shorts and under bright lights. For a Hollywood star, Curtis had done the unthinkable; she had put her “real” body on show.
Curtis told More magazine, "There's a reality to the way I look without my clothes on. I don't have great thighs. I have very big breasts and a soft, fatty little tummy. And I've got back fat. People assume that I'm walking around in little spaghetti-strap dresses. It's insidious - Glam Jamie, the Perfect Jamie, the great figure, blah, blah, blah. And I don't want the unsuspecting 40-year-old women of the world to think that I've got it going on. It's such a fraud. And I'm the one perpetuating it."
Along with the media portrayal of young, nubile women as the ideal we should all be aspiring to, and therefore are failing in some way if we do not, medical research seems determined to tell us that sexual difficulties we may be experiencing are actually a “dysfunction” and therefore need medical treatment to rectify.
A 1999 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that 43 percent of women have female sexual dysfunction. Although the validity of the study has been questioned by many leading researchers, this article was the catalyst for a host of other studies looking to identify a pharmacological solution to this high rate of “dysfunction” in women. And along with the huge success of Viagra in aiding sexual function in men, it created a heightened interest in marketing hormones and other medications to women to treat this “new” condition.
But what if it’s not just about hormones and medical conditions? What if, as Dr Koch’s research suggests, it’s about body image? And what if those articles in Cosmo promising us tantalizing sex tips on how to “blow your boyfriend’s mind” are completely off the mark, because we don’t actually care about better sex, or more sex, because we’ve lost the desire for sex at all?
Gynecologist Andrew Goldstein and clinical psychologist Marianne Brandon explore all these issues, and more, in their best-selling book Reclaiming Desire: 4 Keys to Finding Your Lost Libido. Drawing upon their experience at the Sexual Wellness Center in Annapolis, Maryland, an institution that they founded, the authors advocate a holistic treatment that addresses four spheres of a woman’s life: physical health, emotional resilience, intellectual fulfillment and spiritual contentment. Their book covers all the possible factors: weight, diet, exercise, medical conditions, sleep patterns, testosterone, estrogen, dopamine, emotional arousal, stress, sexual trauma and life passages such as motherhood, menopause and divorce.
Reclaiming Desire also offers a healthy dose of reassurance and encouragement as an antidote to misconceptions about low libido. It explains how a decline in sex drive doesn't automatically happen with age. While hormones influence sexual desire and response, they don't determine a woman's sexual destiny, and low libido doesn't necessarily point to a problem in a woman's relationship with her partner.
It all comes down to the individual woman. No blanket statements or “cure-alls” will be right for all women, and it’s up to each woman as an individual to find the right answer for her. So let’s throw out those trashy magazines promising us great sex while helping us turn back the clock on aging, and have a good hard look at what it means to be a real woman, with a real body and real sexual needs and desires.

Source: AphroditeWomensHealth.com

Related posts:
No cosmetics when you ill