Woman Tribune

Your St Patrick’s Day Dinner Menu: Traditional Favorites

Holly — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:51:37 +0000

With so many variations of traditional Irish meals, sometimes it’s just nicer to go back to basics, which is what we’ve done here with our St Patrick’s Day dinner menu full of traditional favorites that have withstood the test of time.

Appetizer

Incredibly Creamy Potato Soup
This is an incredibly creamy, and also incredibly easy and fast soup to throw together using a whopping five potatoes!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 6 servings (about 3/4 cup each)

You will need:

1 1/2 cups water
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut up
1 medium celery stalk, sliced (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup water
1 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Heat 1 1/2 cups water to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Add potatoes and celery. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

2. Drain liquid into blender. Remove 3 cups cooked vegetables from saucepan; place in blender with liquid. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and blend about 1 minute until smooth.

3. Stir pureed vegetables back into saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.

Irish Soda Bread
A St Patty’s Day dinner just wouldn’t be complete without Irish soda bread. Whether or not you’re Irish, a hearty meal with family and friends to celebrate the holiday begs for the inclusion of a great tasting quick bread.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Makes: 1 loaf (14 slices)

You will need:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup raisins, if desired
3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease cookie sheet.

2. Cut butter into flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in raisins and just enough buttermilk so dough leaves side of bowl.

3. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Shape into round loaf, about 6 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on cookie sheet. Cut an X shape about 1/2 inch deep through loaf with floured knife.

4. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with butter or margarine, softened, if desired.

Main Course

Slow Cooker Old-World Corned Beef and Vegetables
Even those who swear they don’t know how to cook or can’t cook a delicious meat and potatoes meal for the meat and potatoes holiday can accomplish this amazing dish with the use of a tried and true slow cooker.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 9 hours, 15 minutes
Makes: 10 servings

You will need:

2 1/2 pounds medium new potatoes, (about 8), cut in half
2 cups baby-cut carrots
1 cup frozen small whole onions, thawed
1 corned beef brisket (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

1. Mix potatoes, carrots and onions in 4-to-6-quart slow cooker.

2. Thoroughly rinse corned beed; discard seasoning packet. Place beef on vegetables; sprinkle with pepper. Mix 1/2 cup water and the Worcestershire sauce; pour over beef.

3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 9 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender.

4. Remove beef and vegetables from slow cooker; cover to keep warm. Pour juices from slow cooker into 1-quart saucepan; heat to boiling. Mix cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into juices. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. Serve sauce with beef and vegetables.

Dessert

Irish Cream-Coffee Bars
Sure, you may have had Irish cream flavoring or liquer in your coffee to wind down and relax after a hearty, satisfying meal, but these dessert bars take the decadent flavor to the next level of deliciousness, made with liquer, coffee and sugar cookie mix no one can mess up.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 35 minutes
Makes: 25 bars

You will need:
For Bars:

1 pouch (1lb 1.5oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup cold butter
1 egg
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
2 tablespoons Irish cream liquer
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules or crystals

For Topping:

1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Irish cream liquer
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
25 cinnamon sticks (2 inch)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, place cookie mix and pecans. Cut in butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. With fork, stir in egg. Press half of cookie mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Reserve remaining cookie mixture.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir milk, 2 tablespoons liquer and the coffee granules until well blended. Pour evenly over warm crust. Sprinkle reserved cookie mixture over top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool 30 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate 1 hour to cool completely. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into bars (5 rows by 5 rows).

3. Just before serving, in small bowl, beat whipping cream, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon liquer and the vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Top each bar with dollop of whipped cream; sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Insert cinnamon stick into each dollop of whipped cream.

Get Lucky this St Patrick’s Day with Green Toys

Holly — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:31:14 +0000

Most St Patrick’s Day parades, bar crawling and other festivities took place last weekend, but it’s never too late to get lucky and if you’re not getting lucky with someone, give any of these adult toys a whirl and you’re sure to have just as much fun, if not more. To make your St Patrick’s Day holiday that much sweeter, Eden Fantasys is taking 15% off their entire collection; just use discount code PATRICK until March 18th to save on any purchases you make.

Vibrators

Harmonia – $49.99
The Harmonia is the type of vibrator that every girl needs to have in her toy box. It is orgasmic for vaginal and anal penetration, feels wonderful as a clit and nipple massager, and feels just as heavenly when rubbing it along the thighs, buttocks, back, and belly. The Harmonia is perfect for couples who want to add something special to their sex toy repertoire or just for any girl who wants a vibrator with a little bit more class, beauty, and oomph.

Ina – $155.99
The Ina is made to be a dual stimulator – housing a motor in both the dildo portion and the clitoral stimulator. It has an insertable portion that is curved to apply pressure and vibrations to the g-spot while the outer stimulator lays against the clitoris. Think ‘rabbit’, but way different – the Ina is a sleek sophisticated take on dual stimulation. If you like dual stimulation, firm pressure and strong vibes, Ina’s the one for you.

Climax Gems Margarita Bubbly – $20.99
Quiet, flexible and designed for pleasure, this nubby toy is a dream come true. Covered in stimulating nubs, the soft material and texture of this vibrator will satisfy your desires. Concentrated in the rounded head, the multiple speed vibrations are controlled by twisting the dial base. The dial has deep grooves to prevent slipping if the toy becomes covered in lubricant or water. Flexible tip can be flexed ninety degrees in almost any direction.

Dildos

Lovemoiselle Elodie – $53.99
Elodie is the French Vanilla of the Lovemoiselle sisters. She’s got none of the bells and whistles, but her simple design delivers the smooth, silky pleasures you’ve been craving. Crafted of hygienic, nonporous ceramic, Elodie is a sturdy, down-to-earth toy who cuts the small talk and gets right down to business. The Elodie is made of sturdy ceramic and glazed with a slick, frictionless finish. It’s so smooth that you might not even need lube, but in case you reach for your favorite bottle: no worries, all lubes are compatible.

Astro Vibe Kit – $47.99
This is a vibrating silicone dildo, with a very large diameter. It is easy to clean and provides mild stimulation through a bullet. The bullet can be a little difficult to remove. This is clearly a dildo/vibrator designed to stimulate women but, as I thought about it for anal usage, it would be equally appropriate for men. At the time of this writing, I’m unsure as to what color options are available.

Climax Silicone Ribbed G-Shaft – $33.99
The Climax Silicone Ribbed G-shaft is a solid, gorgeously colored g-spot dildo with a slight curve and ridges that can be easily felt but are not too intense The easy to use handle doubles as a bullet holder that turns the entire toy into a vibrating pleasure shaft with a moderate length and girth. The firm yet flexible silicone is sterilizable and the included drawstring pouch helps keep it clean when not in use.

Masturbators

Carmen’s Tight Ass – $19.99
Carmen’s Tight Ass is a sexy new masturbation sleeve with a detailed anus opening, internal ribbing, and a closed end construction for tight clinging sensations. Soft, lifelike Futurotic® material lends a realistic feel to the toy, which can be maintained by applying the included talc-free powder to the toy before and after use. Large external ribs allow for a comfortable grip, super stretchy 7″ sleeve will accommodate most sizes.

Senso Lips – $23.99
Show me a guy that doesn’t like a good smacking blowjob. Now you can get the hottest oral sex action whenever and for as much as you desire it with the Senso lips masturbator by California Exotic. This jelly masturbator is shaped like a sensuous mouth and nose, so it is very easy to imagine a girl sucking on your love rod with all the joy and delight that come to your mind. The package comes equipped with lube so the toy is ready for your cock right from the box.

Cock Rings

Ying Yang Love Ring – $13.99
Experience powerful and long-lasting erections with this super stretchy penis ring. Made from 100% hygienically superior silicone, this ring is non-toxic and non-sticky, as well as completely odorless and very easy to clean. The ring is set in a fabulous black and white color pattern and features internal pressure-point nodes for direct shaft stimulation. Add girth and prolong ejaculation with this wonderful piece.

Aventurine – $69.99
The Aventurine cock ring from Luxotiq is a rigid, band-style cock ring made out of semi-precious stone. It harnesses many of the features of glass but with greater durability. In a very attractive shade of green, it combines function with beauty in a very unique and satisfying way. Take the time to measure yourself to get the right size. The cock ring is pretty, but not as beautiful as the picture. I was disappointed because the one we have is too small for use. I think most men probably need the 2 inch size.

Lotions & Potions

Oil of Love – $19.99
Silky to the touch and enchanting to the taste, a whisper-soft blow on these delicately scented oils warms the skin with a tingly glow. Where the hand first discovers their presence, the lips are sure to follow. Each irresistibly edible water-based oil washes away easily, leaving only the sweet memory of a lingering touch. While it’s not a true oil and, as such, less long lasting, a dime or nickel sized dollop gives a good ten minute massage. And you can always add more!

Sliquid Swirl (green apple) – $11.99
Sliquid Swirl lubricants are an excellent lubricant for people who not only need a little bit more slip and slide, but want a delicious taste as well. This non-toxic and non-staining lubricant is an excellent choice over other flavored lubes because it is glycerine free and hypoallergenic so you are less likely to have any irritation or reaction to it; and because it is water based, it is completely safe for use with condoms and for intercourse.

Making Irish Soda Bread the Easy Way, Video How-To

Holly — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:20:00 +0000

Irish soda bread is a “quick bread” that is traditionally made of flour, bread soda, salt and buttermilk. It dates back to 1840, which has given all sorts of people, from grandmothers to modern-day foodies, a great deal of time to add their own ingredients to the traditional bread, to truly make it their own. On that same note, trying to find an easy Irish soda bread recipe anyone can make that also peaks the taste buds is incredibly difficult to find since everyone has been creating and re-creating the delicacy as their own and completely crowding the recipe airwaves.

Luckily, I didn’t just find a recipe for super easy soda bread, I found a video how-to from Epicurious as part of their Around the World in 80 Dishes video series for Irish soda bread that only takes 30 minutes with Culinary Institute of America Chef Eric Kastel demonstrating.

You can also reference the detailed, written recipe.

Pi Day Dessert Menu Must-Haves

Holly — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:51:42 +0000

There are many different ways to celebrate Pi Day; some mathematicians, teachers, museum directors, math students and well-rounded geeks celebrate by baking and eating pies and having pie-eating contests. Some people take that tradition quite literally, creating Pi pies, like this one created by Flickr member megpi.

For those of you out there planning on donning your baker’s hat for Pi Day, you may want to fully indulge in the holiday and serve your pies in this Pi Dish ($24.95) that features the pi symbol in the center and is trimmed with the first few dozen digits of the ratio. This is definitely a dish that no mathematically-inclined baker could pass up.

If you want to be a complete rebel and still enjoy Pi Day, bake some cookies! But don’t forget to use this extremely awesome Pi Cookie Cutter ($12.95). You could also create some really great pie embellishments or even pocket pies with the Pi Cookie Cutter; the possibilities here are virtually endless!

Happy Pi Day, Geeks!

Holly — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:45:21 +0000

Today is March 14th, a date geeks and math enthusiasts around the world know as Pi Day.

Sure, most of us know that = 3.1415926535… but you can brush up on your pi facts by learning more about pi, send friends Pi Day greetings, and keep up with what people around the world are doing to celebrate Pi Day by checking out Google Trends. Even Google is celebrating Pi Day by changing their Google Doodle of the day (seen to the right). You can also feel free to call all of your friends and family members and sing some Pi Day songs to those you know will appreciate them (and your singing voice, of course.)

There is anything but a short in awesomely geeky novelty items for every Pi lover out there to go nuts over–like these Pi and pie earrings ($7.50) from Etsy user nerdgoddess. These are made from polymer clay, glaze and wire and are water-resistant, rather than waterproof, so while you may be able to wear them while it’s drizzling during a summer afternoon, you cannot take them into the shower or swimming without ruining them. They are sure to relay the message to each and every single person you come into contact with that you don’t need to present them with your Official Geek Card, because you have something better–and it’s dangling from your earlobes.

If you’re looking for a gift for a math enthusiast or just have a thing for all things plush, Etsy user Kim Payne has the perfect solution–a Pi Guy ($6.00). This guy is made of cotton fabric with a green crackle print and has embroidered eyes and mouth and polyester stuffing. If green isn’t your style, take a look at the many other Pi Guys available of differing colors and prints.

Don’t forget to spread the word about Pi Day, or just send a lovely message, letter, thank you, words of encouragement and so on to a friend using these utterly awesome Pi notecards ($8.00) from Etsy user ziggybaby. The stamps used to make these notecards were carved from linoleum and were inked onto archival quality cardstock, so you are getting a completely handmade, straight from the heart of a fellow geek item when you get these notecards. I especially love how when you open these notecards, the first 17 decimal places of pi is stamped along the bottom.

You can effortlessly search Etsy for all pi-related items to satisfy your pi-loving, geeky soul and enjoy your Pi Day!

Conan O’Brien Launches TeamCoco.com to Spread the Word of 30-City Tour

Holly — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:57:29 +0000

Conan O’Brien isn’t just going to take his severance check from NBC and hide behind his Twitter; albeit changing a random girl’s life while basking in the glory of his internet-based fans. Conan has officially announced the next phase of his career and he swears, it’s half-assed.

TeamCoco.com was launched to promote Conan O’Brien’s upcoming 30-city comedy show that is said to be a night of music, comedy, hugging, and the occasional awkward silence. The tour will kick off in Eugene, Oregon and end in Atlanta, Georgia (at the time of writing this post.)

Are you excited about Conan going on tour? Will you be attending one of his shows?

Temptation is Beautiful Sweepstakes: Your Chance to Win Amazing, Tempting Prizes

Holly — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:21:25 +0000

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of KAO Brands. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have spoken about my slight (okay, maybe a little more than slight) obsession with bath and body products here before; so when I heard about the Temptation is Beautiful sweepstakes, I was more than just a little excited.

The Temptation is Beautiful sweepstakes began March 10th and every day up until May 8th a lucky winner who has successfully registered through the sweepstakes website will receive a gift basket full of tempting, luxurious Kao Brands products with a retail value of approximately $75. Those who successfully register will also be entered to win the grand prize of a 3 day/2night trip to Las Vegas for four; the package includes round trip air transportation, ground transportation, hotel accomodations and $1500 spending money with the approximate retail value of $6,000. That is amazing!

This sweepstakes is so unbelievably simple to enter; all you have to do is register on the official website and this sweepstakes is open to US residents (sorry beauty product fanatics of other countries, this giveaway is open only to US residents,) and you also must be 21 years of age or older to enter. While that is simple enough, you can enter to win the daily sweepstakes once per day and by entering every day, you will automatically be entered to win the grand prize trip to Las Vegas with three friends; so by the end of the sweepstakes period, you can have up to 60 entries for the grand prize sweepstakes! Even better, you can score up to four bonus entries into both sweepstakes prizes by taking a short, sweet and fun quiz, finding your Temptress Temperature (see my score below!) and sharing the results of the quiz with your friends on Twitter and Facebook.

Enter the Temptation is Beautiful sweepstakes daily for a chance to win a gift basket full of fabulous products and to be entered to win a trip to Las Vegas.

Calling All Business Owners: Tips on Your Phone Service that Will Save You Money

Holly — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:03:45 +0000

This is a guest post by Nicole Hayward, Marketing Director at Junction Networks.

If you are a start up or small business owner, odds are you’re going to need a business phone service. (You’re not going to tell prospective clients to call your cell phone much longer…) Here’s a tip that’s going to make your business look bigger, better, and smarter: Use a Hosted VoIP service.

What is Hosted VoIP?

Voice over IP (VoIP) is the growing technology that allows you to make phone calls over your internet connection. You may associate Skype with VoIP, which is an app that allows you to call another Skype user. However, there are phone services that integrate with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), allowing you to make and receive phone calls like you would on a traditional phone.

Because of its relatively new emergence to the market, a VoIP service may seen intimidating. But, I’m here to assure you it’s actually cost efficient, reliable, AND easy to set up!

Why is VoIP Great for Small Businesses?

First and foremost, VoIP is great for small businesses because of its cost efficiency and ease in setting up. Frankly, if you choose a hosted VoIP service, you won’t need to pay a phone company to wire a business phone at your office or home. Instead, you’ll sign up for the service, purchase an IP phone to plug into your internet connection, and you’re set. Also, the actual phone service is cheaper because long distance calls are essentially local calls; voice data travels over the internet until it reaches a local PSTN to transfer to the recipient.

Secondly, VoIP has great features and scalability. You will find, using a hosted VoIP service, that you can choose a package that fits your business needs and budget. “This technology allows for businesses to take advantage of services like auto attendants, conference bridges, voicemail servers, video conferencing, click-to-call website integration, business hours routing, and voicemail-to-email notifications…” says TechCrunch. In addition to these features, you will be able to:

Add users (extensions) in a matter of a few clicks as your business grows
Answer your phone from the road using a smart phone app or your laptop in your hotel room
Transfer calls to your remote employees with extension dialing (available with some services like OnSIP)
Take your phone system with you when you move to a new office.

How Do You Get Hosted VoIP?

Well, of course I am biased, since I work for a great Business VoIP Service, OnSIP. You can easily sign up and try our service. But, feel free to weigh your options by Googling “Business VoIP”. Remember if you choose Hosted VoIP, all you will need are IP phones (e.g. Cisco or Polycom) and a broadband connection. Or, you can always email me with questions. Good luck in growing your business and communications!

- – - – - – - – - -

Nicole Hayward is the Marketing Director at Junction Networks, the creators of OnSIP Business Phone Service. Joining the software development industry after a traditional engineering education, she became passionate about discovering new software tolls for business efficiency and success. Follow Nicole and the rest of her team on Twitter @OnSIP and on the OnSIP blog. Or, you can email her at Nicole [AT] JunctionNetworks [DOT] Com.

Academy Apologizes for Farrah Fawcett being Omitted from 2010 Oscars “In Memoriam”

Holly — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:20:24 +0000

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been apologizing to the friends, family and fans of a few different well-known figures in Hollywood that had been omitted from the 2010 Oscars “in memoriam” since the awards show aired last Sunday night. Three of the biggest names that had been left out were Farrah Fawcett, Bea Arthur and Gene Barry, but the one name who continues to be a thorn in the Academy’s side is Farrah Fawcett and those who have been making the biggest ruckus are critic Roger Ebert and Oscar winner Jane Fonda.

The “in memoriam” segment first began in 1993 and since that time, the same man has been responsible for the segment–the Academy’s Bruce Davis. Davis has since released a statement, saying:

“There’s nothing you can say to people, particularly to family members, within a day or two of the show that helps at all. They tend to be surprised and hurt, and we understand that and we’re sorry for it.”

Although people continue to be outraged over the decision to leave Farrah Fawcett out of the segment, Davis stands by his decision of omitting her, saying that he ultimately felt her “remarkable television work” would be more appropriately honored during the TV Academy’s Emmys and backed up that line of thinking to include that several notable screenwriters were not included in the tribute, either.

The Academy has also explained why Michael Jackson had been included in the “in memoriam,” which surprised quite a bit of people, even fans of Michael Jackson, saying that while he was better known for his musical accomplishments, Jackson was the subject of a successful feature documentary last year, thus earning his place.

The Academy’s apology about Farrah Fawcett not being included in the “in memoriam” sounds very much more like a non-apology; like hot air being released to the universe to get everyone to stop talking about Bruce Davis’s oversight. And on the topic of Michael Jackson being included–I think his “remarkable musical work” would be more appropriately honored during the Grammys. Oh wait, it was.

Julia Roberts’s Lancome Debut–What Do You Think?

Holly — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:48:40 +0000

Back in December, news broke of Julia Roberts joining the ranks of Anne Hathaway and Kate Winslet, becoming the newest face of Lancome. The news excited Roberts fans tremendously, since the actress has been busy raising a family, putting Hollywood on the backburner. Even in the newest movie she is in, Valentine’s Day, she only appeared in the film for about 6 minutes total. It may have taken a few months, but the famous smile of Julia Roberts has finally made its debut for Lancome in their just-launched French television ad with Roberts wearing their forthcoming European-market mascara, Hypnôse Precious Cells. Check out the television ad below and weigh in on what you think of it in the comments.

The first thing you may have realized about the above television ad is that yes, it is completely in French, which is a little disheartening and confusing. Julia Roberts is an actress; she’s pretty good with saying words out loud, memorizing lines and even the models of America’s Next Top Model have to try their hand at semi-perfecting foreign languages for their CoverGirl commercials. Was it just easier to have a male voiceover be the only thing you hear in this commercial? The fact that this was the debut of Julia Roberts for Lancome and her advertisement is completely in French is a bit of a letdown as well; especially considering that she is still a pretty big deal in Hollywood, retaining every bit of class she has had throughout the years. Hopefully we can see more of Julia Roberts for Lancome television advertisements in the future and perhaps they will even be in English.

Perfect Skin Probably isn’t Possible; Take Tips for Prettier Skin

Holly — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:40:06 +0000

I have been doing some very frequent research on simple things every day, regular women can do to help keep skin looking healthy and happy. I know as much as anyone out there who has ever scoffed at a commercial or advertisement from some beauty product or another claiming to give you flawless skin that perfect skin is probably not possible, especially when you don’t have an exuberant amount of money to toss at beauty experts. So I have come across a few tips that may help all of my fellow women out there who do all they can to keep themselves together every day and know that while we can’t strive and expect perfection in the way we look, we can aim for skin that looks healthy and keeps us happy.

I am told that I have to drink more water very frequently. With my skin that is very prone to eczema breakouts and my bouts with adult acne, every time someone feels the need to comment on any of this, they always tell me that I need to drink more water. Low and behold, the first rule of getting healthier skin is to drink two to three liters of water a day.

Yoga is already known to help stress, trauma and illnesses that affect the body and mind, but yoga can aid the skin in many different ways and it has been said that some beauty courses even use yoga exercises. While some experts will say that exercise helps acne, a lot of people found that this claim cannot be further from the truth for them because exercise obviously produces sweat and sweat often irritates the skin, which causes acne to become inflamed and makes it look even worse. Yoga, on the other hand, keeps you relaxed, fit, healthy and healthy looking and gives the people who perform yoga a glowing complexion, very much like that “after sex glow” we women (hopefully) know so well.

Switching from product to product is incredibly dangerous to your skin and when you’re trying to find that perfect product, the worst place to take that gamble is on your face. Once you get into a stable routine, from what you apply to your face after washing and before going to bed at night and what you apply to protect your skin throughout the day, you shouldn’t have surprise breakouts or bad reactions to products out of the blue. It’s best to apply a gentle face wash and moisturizing cream every morning and night and if you don’t know what products are best for you, try the greatly-rated Olay Gentle Foaming Face Wash ($4.86) or consult a dermatologist.

Frequent pimples, sudden breakouts and premature aging can all be attributed to one thing in a lot of cases–not removing your makeup every night. It is so simple to fall asleep at night after a very long day without removing your makeup, especially your eye makeup that can take a little while to get off completely. There are a ton of eye makeup removers on the market, including a formula developed by Lancome ($19.99).

What causes acne in the first place? Waste and toxins built up in your system. Your bowels and kidneys are the primary ways to get that waste out of your body, so the best way to make sure your kidneys and bowels are working the best they can is to maintain a diet high in fiber. Foods with the highest amount of fiber are apples, bananas, oranges, raspberries, strawberries, broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach, parsnips and potatoes. If you cannot keep these foods in your diet daily, it’s also important to take fiber supplements, like Benefiber.

Who has the money and the time to get a professional facial? Yeah, not many people in the least, but facial masks do wonders for your skin and a lot of women with some pretty awesome skin have long relied on weekly DIY facial masks to suck out impurities and refresh the skin. One of the best ingredients used in a facial mask is clay–try the Lather White Clay Mask ($22).

Delicious (and Easy!) Cinnamon Roll Breakfasts

Holly — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:02:50 +0000

Breakfast time is hectic. People are running around all over the place, getting everything they need together for their day, screaming and fighting with each other and generally just not having enough time to sit down and enjoy a plate of food and you’re lucky if you can get up in the morning with enough time set aside to make that place of food in the first place. Here are some super easy breakfast recipes with one thing in common–they all rely on Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls. They are easy to make and take very little time to eat, making them pretty perfect breakfast options for the whole family.

Fresh Apple Sweet Rolls

Apples and cinnamon have long been a match made in heaven and both of these fabulous ingredients make a delightfully sweet, decadent and delicious apple sweet roll breakfast for two.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 2 servings

You will need:

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon whipping cream
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh apple
2 Pillsbury Grands! frozen cinnamon rolls with icing (from 17.5oz. bag)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 (6oz.) custard cups with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix butter, cream and brown sugar; spoon into custard cups. Top with chopped apple. Place 1 frozen cinnamon roll in each cup; place cups on cookie sheet.

2. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and rolls are no longer doughy. Immediately run sharp knife around edge of each cup; turn each upside down and onto serving plate. Slowly lift cup from biscuit, releasing biscuit onto plate. Spread any remaining apple mixture in cups over rolls. Divide 1 icing packet between hot rolls, drizzling evenly over rolls. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Taste-of-the-Islands Breakfast Rolls

These breakfast rolls are full of tropical flavors that will mentally transport anyone to a beach with an exotic drink in hand.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 5 rolls

You will need:

1 to 3 teaspoons CRISCO all-vegetable shortening
1 can (17.5oz.) Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Supreme refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing (5 rolls)
1/2 cup Smucker’s pineapple ice cream topping, drained
1/2 cup Fisher dry roasted macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets with shortening.

2. Unroll cinnamon roll dough, cinnamon side up. Set icing aside. Spoon pineapple topping evenly over cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle nuts over pineapple topping.

3. Reroll dough into pinwheel shape; separate into 5 rolld. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

4. Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Pour icing into small bowl; stir in rum. Spread icing on rolls; spinkle with coconut. Place on serving platter; garnish with pineapple rings and mint.

Blueberry-Banana-Granola French Toast

Granola bars add a unique crunch and texture to this anything-but-ordinary french toast.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Makes: 8 servings

You will need:

1 can (12.4oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
8 Nature Valley banana nut crunchy granola bars (4 pouches from 8.9oz. box), crushed (1 1/2 cups)
4 eggs
3/4 cup fat-free skim milk
1 can (14oz.) Eagle Brand fat free sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
3 medium bananas, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bag (10oz.) Cascadian Farm organic frozen blueberries, thawed
1 aerosol can (7oz.) fat-free whipped cream topping

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. (325°F for dark pan). Spray 13×9-inch pan or 12×2-inch round cake pan with CRISCO butter flavor or original no-stick cooking spray. Separate dough into 8 rolls; set icing aside. Cut each roll into quarters; arrange evenly in pan. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the crushed granola bars evenly over dough pieces.

2. In large food processor or 5-cup blender, place eggs, milk and condensed milk; cover and process 1 minute. Add bananas; cover and process 1 minute. Pour egg mixture over dough in pan. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup crushed granola bars.

3. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and set in center. Spoon and spread reserved icing over warm rolls. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

4. To serve, spoon baked french toast into shallow bowls or cut into 8 servings. Top each serving with 3 tablespoons blueberries; garnish with 2 tablespoons whipped cream topping.

Orange-Coconut Breakfast Rolls

With just a few, simple ingredients added to Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls, you will flip over these orange-coconut breakfast rolls.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 8 rolls

You will need:

1 teaspoon CRISCO pure canola oil
3/4 to 1 cup flaked coconut
1 can (12.4oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing (8 rolls)
8 tablespoons Smucker’s sweet orange marmalade
1/4 cup Fisher Chef’s Naturals natural sliced almonds
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F (375°F for dark pan). Grease 9-inch round cake pan with canola oil or spray with Crisco Original No-Stick cooking spray.

2. Place coconut in shallow dish. Separate dough into 8 rolls; set icing aside. Roll each cinnamon roll in coconut; press coconut onto all sides of roll to coat generously. Place rolls, cinnamon topping sides up, in pan.

3. Make well in each roll, using back of spoon. Fill each well with 1 tablespoon marmalade; sprinkle with almonds.

4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir almond extract into icing. Carefully spread icing on warm rolls. Serve warm.

Cinnamon French Toast Bake

This french toast bake looks so decadent and so delicious, I can barely stand it! Definitely a recipe with the makings of becoming a traditional family favorite.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes: 12 servings

You will need:
French Toast Bake:

1/4 cup Land O’Lakes butter, melted
2 cans (12.4oz. each) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
6 Eggland’s Best eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup Fisher Chef’s Naturals chopped pecans
1 cup maple syrup

Garnish:

icing from cinnamon rolls
powdered sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup, if desired

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Pour melted butter into ungreased 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Separate both cans of dough into 16 rolls; set icing aside. Cut each roll into 8 pieces; place pieces over butter in dish.

2. In medium bowl, beat eggs. Beat in cream, cinnamon and vanilla until well blended; gently pour over roll pieces. Sprinkle with pecans; drizzle with 1 cup syrup.

3. Bake 20 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove covers from icing; microwave on medium (50%) 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle.

4. Drizzle icing over top; sprinkle with powdered sugar. If desired, spoon syrup from dish over individual servings. Serve with the additional 1/2 cup maple syrup.

Peanut Butter Banana Sweet Rolls

These may look like your ordinary, refrigerated cinnamon rolls, but the topping developed by television cooking host Sandra Lee, is absolutely exquisite.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Makes: 8 servings (1 roll and 2 tablespoons banana mixture each)

You will need:

1 can (12.4oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
1 banana
1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions:
1. Bake cinnamon rolls as directed on package.

2. In medium bowl, mash banana with a fork. Stir in peanut butter and reserved icing until blended to create a peanut butter dipping sauce. If misture is too thick, stir in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Spread on warm rolls.

The 82nd Annual Academy Awards Red Carpet Arrivals

Holly — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:14:59 +0000

The 82nd Annual Academy Awards took place last night at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The biggest night in Hollywood was a tremendous success for filmmakers and actors alike, but the first thing we saw last night was the fashion–and there is no event bigger than the Oscars to get celebrities to go all out, putting their best (and sadly, sometimes their worst) fashion foot forward.

Citibank Prints Social Security Numbers on Envelopes Sent to 600,000 Customers

Holly — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:49:07 +0000

Unless you’re that guy from the LifeLock commercials, you really don’t want to have your social security number paraded about like it isn’t the one and only thing a person needs in order to steal your identity and ruin your credit and everything you have worked for your entire life. Well, that is unless you have the common sense that Citibank possesses; which is, well, none that we can see from what was uncovered in late January.

Way too many companies have put their customers at risk by mishandling private information and we can now add Citibank to that list of companies. In late January, Citibank sent out about 600,000 envelopes–with their customer’s social security numbers printed on the front. But Citibank claims that this is not as severe an offense as we may think; in fact, no one could know that there were social security numbers printed on the envelopes because Citibank had combined the numbers with a larger string of digits and letters that resembled more of a mail routing number than a social security number. Customers were made aware of this incident as part of Citibank claiming complete transparency and they had also given their customers the option of enrolling in six months of credit monitoring at no cost.

There is absolutely no excuse why Citibank thought it wouldn’t be a big deal to print their customer’s private information that could potentially ruin everything they have worked for financially thus far; having people’s social security numbers come printed on envelopes from their bank, albeit being jumbled with other letters and numbers is nothing more than a gross display of neglect. There is not one inkling in my mind at the moment, after hearing about this, that could lead me to believe that Citibank truly has their customer’s interests at heart. If a financial institution does not think it’s important to keep my social security number to themselves, what other information will they feel perfectly fine handing over to strangers?

In lieu of this mishandling of personal consumer information, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse has offered advice to consumers on how to deal with a security breach.

Toys R Us and Babies R Us Expand to Include Full Infant Care Line

Holly — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:34:35 +0000

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

Toys R Us has long been a resource for parents, extended family and friends of parents to retreat to as their own, personal toy haven where the perfect toy for any child (or immature adult) could be found. Babies R Us has long been known as the place for all of your infant and toddler needs from nursery furniture and decor to health, cleansers and clothing. Regardless of which one of these stores you and your family frequent, both stores have expanded their inventory to include an entire line of infant and baby care essentials.

Now the next time you’re cruising down the aisles of Toys R Us, trying to find your husband who has Ooohed and Aaahed in the direction of some totally awesome toys, you can also pick up anything you may need for the littlest family members without having to stop at another store or two on your way home, which will definitely end up saving you some time.

The decision for Toys R Us and Babies R Us to stock a line of Babies R Us-branded infant care line in its stores was formally announced this past week. The products of this line include powdered infant formula, diapers, baby wipes, laundry detergent and purified water–all of the basic essentials needed at home, at all times. Better yet, the Babies R Us branded line of products are said to be up to 50% less than other brands of the same products.

For a brand already synonymous with being a leading, heavy-hitter in the infant and baby market and whose customers know as an establishment where they will receive quality products to expand their line in this fashion is an outstanding move. Not only will stocking a line of infant and baby essentials save busy parents some time by not having to go store-to-store looking for diapers and formula, but this will boost Babies R Us, specifically, in the registry department. Expectant mothers flock to Babies R Us to complete their baby shower gift registries and now, they will also be able to add diapers, baby wipes, formula, purified water and laundry detergent onto that registry; all very in-demand products any parent cannot possibly have enough of–So be sure to keep Toys R Us and Babies R Us in mind for those essentials you need at the highest quality you can find and for the most affordable price.

The Babies R Us brand infant care items are currently on shelves at Babies R Us and Toys R Us now!

Hulu Users aren’t Impressed with the Return of Jay Leno

Holly — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:57:00 +0000

After Conan O’Brien clearly won the hearts and minds of the Internet when he announced he would be leaving NBC after they decided they had made a huge mistake by putting Jay Leno on prime time. But now that Jay Leno’s The Tonight Show is airing later and pulling in great ratings while Conan O’Brien joined Twitter to be amongst his people, the internet doesn’t seem to be letting up on Jay Leno anytime soon. Example A: Hulu.

Hulu users have added more than 441 tags to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’s page. There are more than 7 pages of adjectives to describe exactly how people feel about Jay Leno and subsequently, how people feel about Conan O’Brien no longer being on the air. Hulu users have tagged The Tonight Show with Jay Leno with terrible, unwatchable, must not see tv, go away jay, depressing, retirement home entertainment, vomit-inducing, and many other, much worse tags.

User-generated tags on Hulu for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

If anything, what this little demonstration has proven is that late night television audiences are really comprised of a few different generations who all latch onto the late night personality that best relates to their generation. This Hulu debacle really drives home the point that Jay Leno’s audience just really hasn’t caught on to how Hulu works yet and we can now all rest assured knowing that Conan O’Brien is truly with the people who loved him most now–on Twitter.

New Credit Card Statements Could Help Consumers Decrease Debt

Holly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:42:40 +0000

This is a guest post by Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com.

Consumers will soon receive their first credit card bill since last week’s implementation of the CARD Act and their statement will look very different.

“The new debt information on your credit card statement is one of the best provisions of the CARD Act and it will benefit every cardholder,” says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and author of The Credit Card Guidebook.

The most significant change in your statement will be a chart which will clearly show how long it will take and how much you will actually pay should you make just the minimum payment each month. In addition, the chart will display how much you need to pay each billing cycle in order to completely pay off your balance in three years.

Suppose you owe $3,000 and your interest rate is 14.4%. Your statement would show that if you made no additional charges and paid only the minimum payment, it would take almost 11 years to pay off the balance at an estimated cost of $4,745. In addition, it would show that if you wanted to pay off the balance in three years, you would need to pay $103 per month and it would cost an estimated $3,712.

“Consumers will be shocked at how long it takes to pay down a balance and how much interest is actually paid if you are only making the minimum payment. When people see this personal information clearly presented in black and white, it should have a significant impact on getting consumers to pay off their credit card balance in a much more timely manner. Cardholders can’t ignore reality when they see the numbers each month on their credit card bill,” says Hardekopf.

An example of the minimum payment table can be found on the Federal Reserve website.

Consumers will see several additional changes on their credit card bills:

Your statement should be much easier to understand. Fees and interest charges should be highlighted and explained in simple language in a legible font size, not buried in fine print.

Your statement should give a toll-free number for counseling assistance from legitimate nonprofit organizations. Issuers are required to provide contact information for three organizations that have been approved by the United States Trustee or a bankruptcy administrator to provide credit counseling services in, at the card issuer’s option, either the state in which the billing address for the account is located or the state specified by the consumer. The National Foundation of Credit Counseling (NFCC) has added help lines to meet the expected increase in consumer assistance under the government’s new regulation.

Some issuers will give a summary of total fees and interest paid to date during the current billing cycle and year to date.

Not only will your bill look different, but the delivery and due dates may also be different. Pay attention to the due date because it is possible that your due date has changed as a result of the provision that requires at least 21 days notice before your due daye. Your due date now has to fall on the same day every month. The payment cut-off time cannot be earlier than 5PM on the due date. If your payment due date falls on a weekend or holiday (when the company does not process payments), you will have until the following business day to pay without penalty.

These statement changes may belimited to or be most effective for those with paper statements. If you have online banking without a paper statement, you will miss these numbers about your debt. You may have to go looking for it in a PDF file instead of it being delivered directly to you. According to a recent AP story, the biggest banks are not putting the minimum payment on the online account summary page. Bank of America, Chase, Citi and others say they are educating customers through mail and email about the new statements. Capital One is using banner ads about the new disclosures when cardholders log on.

“Banks should act in the spirit of the CARD Act and also make the minimum payment information easily available to online accounts,” says Hardekopf.

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LowCards.com simplifies the confusion of shopping for credit cards. It is a free, independent website that helps consumers easily compare credit cards in a variety of categories such as lowest rates, rewards, rebates, balance transfers and lowest introductory rates. It also gives an unbiased ranking and review for each card. The LowCards.com Complete Credit Card Index is the most objective and comprehensive resource on the Internet which allows consumers to compare rates for all 1260 credit cards offered in this country. Created by Hampton & Associates, the company has been analyzing the credit card industry and supplying objective websites on various consumer expenses for eight years.

Significant Credit Card Changes Proposed by the Federal Reserve

Holly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:19:38 +0000

This is a guest post by Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com.

Today, the Federal Reserve proposed a rule amending Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) to protect credit card users from unreasonable late payment and other penalty fees, as well as requiring credit card issuers to reconsider increases in interest rates. This rule will go into effect on August 22, 2010.

“This proposal addresses two key costs of using a credit card–fees and interest rates,” said Federal Reserve Governor Elizabeth A. Duke. “The rule would prevent credit card issuers from charging large penalty fees for small missteps by consumers and would require issuers to reevaluate rate increases imposed since the beginning of last year.”

The proposed rule would:

Ban inactivity fees. Some issuers have recently instituted an inactivity fee if there are no transactions on your credit card for a certain period of time.

Force issuers to evaluate rate increases. At least every six months, credit card issuers must reevaluate annual percentage rates increased on or after January 1, 2009 and if appropriate based on their review, reduce the annual percentage rate applicable to the account. This includes changes in the consumer’s creditworthiness, and to increase in the rate due to change in market conditions or the issuer’s cost of funds. However, the statute also expressly provides that no specific amount of reduction in the rate is required.

Stop credit card issuers from charging penalty fees that exceed the dollar amount associated with the consumer’s violation of the account terms. Card issuers would no longer be able to charge a $39 late fee for a $20 minimum payment. The fee could not exceed $20.

Require credit card issuers to provide reasons for increases in rates.

Prevent issuers from charging multiple penalty fees based on a single late payment or other violation of account terms.

“These are significant changes in the credit card industry that will help every cardholder. But if history is any indicator, credit card issuers will find new ways to make up for the revenue they will lose when these rules take effect in August, and those changes could be in the form of new or increased fees,” says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and author of The Credit Card Guidebook.

This proposed rule represents the third stage of the Board’s implementation of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. In July 2009, the Board issued a rule implementing the provisions of the Credit Card Act that went into effect on August 20, 2009. In January 2010, the Board issued a rule to implement the provisions of the Credit Card Act that went into effect on February 22, 2010.

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Auto Detailing: Why is Detailing a Necessity?

Holly — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:14:18 +0000

This is a guest post by Ricochet’s Rapid Detail located at 715 Fig St in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Your car accumulates numerous particles that can harm its finish; these particles include, but are not limited to pollutants, mud, salt, dirt, sand, bugs, tar, rain, sun, etc. and are all extremely harmful to the paint. Detailing leaves microscopic layers of fine wax particles that provide a deep shine and forming a clear chemical bond that protects the paint and its original clear coat. Detailing guarantees longevity to the paint and retains the value of the vehicle. Professional detailing is not just a luxury, it is an investment that has become a necessity!

What is the difference between DETAILING and WASHING?

WASHING removes loose contaminants–dirt and grime. DETAILING removes blemishes, oxidation and etching marks that are caused when contaminants penetrate the surface. Rub your hand across an upper surface; if it is rough, you need to detail your car. Detailing prevents the paint and its clear coat from deteriorating. Retain the value of your car; have it washed and detailed by one of our technicians.

Our proven Water Smart system:

The technique that is used to wash a vehicle without the use of water. This method uses a product that contains many different ingredients, including wetting agents, lubricants and protectants. The detergents and wetting agents in the product combine to soften and emulsify surface grime, while a specific blend of fluids and lubricants attach a microscopic layer of protectant to the surface. The protectant is a substance which provides a bonded layer of protection against any remaining abrasive not broken down by the detergents and wetting agents.

What do the products used contain?

The protectant often contains cross linked polymers, which make it extremely effective as a car wax or glaze. Our product, when used on your vehicle, contains a complex mixture of cleaning elements along with the glaze ingredients.

The product used by Ricochet’s Rapid Detail is a concentrated cleaner and protective sealant.

How does the application process work?

At Ricochet’s Rapid Detail, when we properly apply our formulation to the surface of your vehicle our product lifts dirt from the vehicle by emulsification. The product surrounds dirt molecules, lifting them from the paint surface, before you start to wipe. At the same time, the application process initiates in combination with use of micro fiber technology, the cross chain polymer linking process that results in an extremely shiny, highly protective glaze finish. All this happens very rapidly due to the balance of ingredients within the product itself. At Ricochet’s Rapid Detail, we use biodegradable products which are safe for the environment and utilize our proven Water $mart technology.

In our proven application process and Water Smart technology, it does not involve using high pressure not extensive rubbing on a vehicle’s surface.

The use of soft micro-fiber towels captures the dirt and removes it safely from the vehicle’s surface without scratching.

Many application processes in the past required the use of large amounts of water and extensive scrubbing and rubbing on a vehicle’s surface causing micro scratches and damage to the exterior paint.

At Ricochet’s Rapid Detail, our proven application process also does not require “soaking”–using a high volume of product and water usage. When used in compliance the vehicle will shine and water will bead on it and not have common micro scratching and damages to your valued automobile.

Our products are designed as a high-end car care product for use on any car, truck, motorcycle, boat or plane. It contains the finest ingredients available in today’s cutting edge technology.

Our waterless car wash products allows us the ability to clean without using soaps, buckets and water hoses, and runoff into the local sewers or drains, causing further damage to the environment.

What are the benefits of using a waterless wash on my vehicle?

When properly used leaves a “streak-free” surface.
Safe to use on all surfaces of a vehicle, including painted surfaces, metals, glass, vinyl, rubber and plastic trim.
Contains no solvents, toxic chemicals or abrasive compounds.
Treated surfaces are extremely water resistant (hydrophobic).
Continued use and detailing further retards the damaging effects of contaminants, such as bird droppings, bug splatter, road grime, acid rain and brake dust, among other things.
Dirt is extracted into a soft micro-fiber which prevents scratching.
Environmentally safe, Water $mart, biodegradable and non-toxic.
No urban runoff or runoff into a local storm drain.
Protects and leaves a great, long-lasting shine!

Can you use waterless wash on any type of vehicle?

Yes! Our formulation has been tested on every kind of paint used by the auto reconditioning industry; from older acrylic lacquers to hi gloss acrylic urethane and plyurethane paints.

Will the waterless product used by Ricochet’s Rapid Detail prevent my vehicle’s paint from fading?

Yes! When applied properly to a new vehicle, then reapplied each month, the paint will not fade. Ricochet’s Rapid Detail ’s Waterless Wash will help protect against the effects of sun exposure, acid rain and road salt.

Is it easy for a Non-Detail professional to use?

Yes! The staff at Ricochet’s Rapid Detail will be more than happy to demonstrate and help educate the use of these safe products on your vehicle. Please feel free to stop down to our shop for a free demonstration of the products used and let us show you how to maintain your vehicle! The products are designed for the detail pro as well as non-professionals who just want to take care of their car!

What is a CLEAR COAT?

“Clear Coat” is a name given to the multi-stage paints used today. A “base coat” (frequently water-based) is applied with a pigment (color). Then, a top layer of clear paint is applied over the top of the base coat to add depth, brilliance and to provide protection for the base coat.

Clear Coats still require the same care as the old single state paints. Just because the topcoat of the paint has no pigment in it doesn’t make it impervious to environmental conditions. Topcoats of clear paint still oxidize, and the softer paints used today also allow contaminants to easily embed in the surface. These softer paints require modern formulations and technology to protect them against damage.

In short, the need for proper care and maintenance of clear coat paints is just as important as years ago. Actually, because of their softer, fragile nature, they really should be maintained BETTER than the older single stage paints.

What does detailing do to a Clear Coat Finish?

Let’s first define Clear Coat Finish: today’s modern Finish consists of a dull layer of paint called a Base Coat. It provides the color on your car. Over this base, a clear layer of paint is applied. This is called a Clear Coat. It provides the shine and protection. The result is a two-layer painted surface known as a “Clear Coat Finish.”

When the Clear Coat Finish becomes dull, it requires special attention. Our detailing technicians apply high quality fine surface polish and wax to remove the elements that dull the Finish. When detailing is complete, the Clear Coat Finish has been cleaned and properly restored.

Why can’t I use household cleaners to wash my car?

Household cleaners like dish washing detergent are specifically designed to dissolve grease. Because wax is essentially a grease, household cleaners will remove your car’s wax finish, leaving you with little shine and no protection. Also, some household detergents have micro-fine abrasive in them. These can permanently scratch your car’s surface. Always use a premium quality, commercial liquid car wash. They are formulated to dissolve dirt and grime without removing your car’s beautiful wax finish.

What about once-a-year wax and polish products?

Your car deserves better than once-a-year products. It is like the second largest investment you’ve made, after your home. Don’t scrimp on the quality of the products you use to maintain it, or the care you give your vehicle. A regular regimen of washing and waxing pays enormous dividends for years down the road. The intrinsic weakness of once-a-year products will become painfully apparent as the years pass.

What about those free car washes at the gas station?

Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. Many of those car washes use mechanical brushes, which can damage your paint surface. In some parts of the country, the water is recycled, meaning your car is getting the same water applied as the “clapped out” 1970 Plymouth Duster that just pulled out (unless your car just happens to be that Duster.) While filters can catch small particulates, they can’t filter out the dissolved salt from winter use, or all those hoards of other nasty chemicals.

I lease my car, why should I care how it looks?

Chances are you’ll care when the lease ends. If you check your contract, you’ll find that you’re probably responsible for the appearance of your vehicle when it is returned. If the paint is full and lifeless (because it was never washed, polishes or waxed) you could be hit with a reconditioning fee ranging from $500 to $2,000! Take care of your investment!

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Ricochet’s Rapid Detail is owned by husband and wife team Dave and Lucia Peregrim, who have over 25 years of experience in the auto detailing industry incorporated as an LLC. Dave Peregrim has detailed cars for Tom Hesser Chevrolet, Kelly Volkswagen and other shops and opened Ricochet’s Rapid Detail in 2002, accompanied by his wife, Lucia, who works as the Operations Manager, keeping everything within the business, including their online presence, afloat.

Check out the Ricochet’s Rapid Detail Blog, become a fan on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Boost Mobile’s SANYO Incognito: Nationwide Coverage, Monthly Unlimited Plan, No Contract Required

Holly — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:55:57 +0000

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boost Mobile. All opinions are 100% mine.

In our very fast-paced, technologically-advanced and demanding society, if you’re going to buy a phone, chances are you’re going to buy one that can pretty much do anything and everything your computer can do–and then some.

Every time a new phone comes out, I am blown away by all of its features and add-ons you can choose. Technology has truly made it possible to accomplish everything you need to get done while you’re on the go. However, one thing I have noticed with the phones that seem to have everything you would ever need or want it to have so you can work while you’re out running errands or on business trips, is the price tag and even more crucial than that, the committment. When different companies are always coming out with new phones possessing a whole new web of technology, needing to commit to one provider and one phone becomes a problem for me. I don’t want to limit myself, I don’t want to be stuck with something that my friends and colleagues laugh at because they’ve got the brand new, super awesome phone with everything and I’m still stuck with the equivalent to an archaic piece of tech that no one uses anymore–or wants to use. Staying true to the message of our instant gratification society, I want the best that my money can buy right now and I want everything that goes along with it. I’m greedy like that.

Enter: Boost Mobile.

Boost Mobile knows what we all want when buying a new phone and isn’t afraid to offer it up at an affordable price without all the strings that come with other providers. They are launching the brand new SANYO Incognito; a sleek, sexy phone with nationwide coverage, EVDO capabilities, a full QWERTY keyboard, 2MP camera with VGA camcorder, music and video player and enhanced web browsing. The SANYO Incognito comes with the price tag of $129.99 (plus tax), comes with a $50 monthly unlimited plan and absolutely no contract is required. That is an absolutely awesome plan, if you ask me! If purchased through the above link, the SANYO Incognito SCP6760 will also come to you with free shipping, which is a huge perk because I know how much I hate getting my debit card out to pay for something, after frugally selecting my items and making sure I’m in my budget, only to have my jaw drop when I see the shipping fees.

The SANYO Incognito also has a list of additional features, making it easy for you to do any kind of business on your phone wherever you are, like multi-media messaging, so you can send videos and pictures to your friends, family and colleagues in a snap, it is stereo Bluetooth capable and it also has a GPS so you (hopefully) won’t ever get lost again. All in all, the SANYO Incognito from Boost Mobile is the absolutely perfect phone containing everything and anything you could ever want in a smartphone for a fraction of the cost of most leading brands out there, and without all of the hassle of the contract. The contract is always the killer.

Conan O’Brien Joins His Fans on Twitter

Holly — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:44:12 +0000

When news first broke of Jay Leno being pushed back into late night by NBC, the masses began siding with Conan O’Brien, also affectionately known as “Coco.” He became the most popular he had been for what seemed like his entire career, as he faced unemployment from NBC.

While Conan was host of the Tonight Show for a mere 7 months, his popularity has not died down since we all tuned in to see his last show and it was only a matter of time until Coco came to join his fans on the internet–starting his very own twitter account.

@ConanOBrien became active on Twitter a mere 19 hours ago and since then his identity has been verified by Twitter and he has accumulated over 270,000 followers and has been listed over 6,000 times. He has only tweeted once since his account has become active, but that isn’t stopping his fans from flocking to his Twitter account.

Will you follow Conan O’Brien on Twitter? Do you think it’s about time he hopped on the Twitter bandwagon?

The Unintended Consequences of the Credit CARD Act

Holly — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:22:30 +0000

This is a guest post by Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com.

On Monday, February 22nd, the major provisions of the Credit CARD Act took effect, nine months after they were signed into law.

Many of these provisions will have a very positive effect on consumers, but the law has resulted in some unexpected fallout.

“The CARD Act has some very significant benefits for credit cardholders. The restrictions on interest rate hikes and the ban on over-the-limit fees are tremendous. Consumers have cried out for these protections for years and they are finally about to take effect,” says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and author of The Credit Card Guidebook. “However, there are a number of unintended consequences that have resulted from the CARD Act. These changes might affect more credit card consumers than the law helped.”

Here is a look at some of the unintended consequences of the CARD Act:

Since issuers will be unable to raise interest rates on new accounts for twelve months, they simply raised the advertised APR before February 22nd so it affected everyone shopping for a new credit card account. According to the LowCards.com Complete Credit Card Index, the advertised Annual Percentage Rates for credit cards averaged 13.46% last week. Six months ago, the average was 12.11%. One year ago, the average was 11.51%.

People under 21 will find it harder to build their credit score. If they do not have a job with enough income, they must get an adult to co-sign. Many young adults will not take this extra step, losing out on the opportunity to build up a good credit history throughout college. Without a positive credit history, they may not receive as good an interest rate on their first house or car loan.

Fees, fees and more fees. Issuers are introducing more cards with annual fees, increasing existing fees, and putting new fees on accounts. Last October, Bank of America notified a small percentage of their customers that it is adding an annual fee of $29 to $99 on their accounts beginning in February. Balance transfer fees, which have been at 3% for most issuers, have now been increased to 5% by Chase and Discover. Firth Third Bancorp recently added a $19 inactivity fee if your card is unused for a twelve month period.

The scarcity of fixed rate credit cards. Most issuers switched their fixed rate cards to variable rates, since the CARD Act allows APR increases in variable rate cards if the index used to calculate that variable rate increases. As an example, if the infex for a variable rate card is tied to the prime rate and the prime rate increases by 1%, the APR on that card can increase 1%. Many issuers switched their fixed rate cards to variable rate cards so they could maintain their margins once the CARD Act was instituted.

Since any amount above the minimum payment goes toward the balance with the highest APR, some issuers raised the minimum payment up to 5% on a number of accounts.

A decrease in the amount of credit card rewards or cash rebates. Reduced rewards could come in several different forms.
- A cutback in the payouts of cash back cards.
- More miles or points needed for that free airline trip or hotel stay.
- Higher tiers required for consumers to receive the same level of rewards.

A decrease in the number of credit cards awarded by retail stores. Providing proof of income when applying for a credit card will make it significantly harder for consumers to instantly qualify for a credit card. This will certainly impact the marketing efforts of the 10-15% discount on a purchase if you sign up for a store’s credit card. Retailers rely on this marketing strategy to increase purchases and to build their mailing list of customers used for offering future coupons or early-bird discounts.

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Old Navy FUNdamentals Sale–Tons of Styles and Colors for Spring and Free Shipping until March 4th

Holly — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:03:37 +0000

We have all seen the spring and summer emails coming in from our favorite stores we receive email alerts from. I have been known to complain about these emails, shouting in their bold-faced type that it’s almost spring and time to buy flip flops, which isn’t surprising since at this exact moment, I am sitting in front of a window watching inches upon inches of snow layer the ground. Hopefully spring will come to Northeastern Pennsylvania soon because I am getting ridiculously tired of snow and to prepare for those spring and summer seasons, Old Navy has a ton of styles, colors and sizes for all the men in your family.

The Old Navy FUNdamentals Sale is well underway and from now until March 4th you can get baseball tees, v-neck tees, boxers and socks for just $5, shorts for $15 and cargos, khaki and jeans for just $19. What makes this deal even sweeter is that not only will you cash in on Old Navy’s lowest prices of the season, but you will also receive free shipping on your purchase over $75 or more by using promo code ONFREE75 at checkout.

See Hungry Girl and Consumers Talk About Yoplait Fiber One Yogurt and Try it for Yourself

Holly — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:57:17 +0000

Ever since I first had the opportunity to try Yoplait’s Fiber One yogurt last summer, I knew I had found my new favorite yogurt and since that time, my love for Fiber One yogurt has not wavered one little bit.

Before Yoplait’s Fiber One yogurt even hit shelves, it had already received Lisa Lillien, also known as Hungry Girl’s seal of approval. In fact, it is the first nationally-distributed yogurt to receive this seal of approval. In every 4oz of this yogurt is 5 grams of fiber (20% of the recommended daily value each and every single one of us need daily,) is a great source of calcium and vitamins A and D and is just 50 calories.

In the past, we have also had the opportunity to share with you coupons for Yoplait’s Fiber One yogurt–one for $1 off of a 4-pack of yogurt, and another for a free 4-pack of yogurt. Needless to say, this yogurt rocks and I am so excited to be able to share even more Fiber One yogurt love with all of you out there!

At a recent Fiber One yogurt tasting event, Lisa Lillien chatted with consumers about this tasty snack. Thanks to Yoplait, we have the opportunity to share a video with you from this recent tasting event so you can see what other folks think of Fiber One yogurt and also a downloadable $1 off Fiber One yogurt coupon!

Yoplait’s Fiber One yogurt comes in four flavors–strawberry, vanilla, peach and key lime pie, so you will definitely be able to find a flavor that you will absolutely love. Enjoy!

Book Review: Devilish by Maureen Johnson

Holly — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:25:36 +0000

Jane Jarvis and her best friend Allison are true blue friends ’till the end who always have each other’s backs and who can confide anything in each other. Attending Saint Teresa’s Preparatory School for Girls, the two are used to sticking out in a crowd, but now in the most positive way, being quirky in both their attitudes, as well as in their looks, so when the school holds their annual Big-Little celebration where Bigs (upper classmen) pair up with Littles (lower classmen) with the means to be more or less mentors to these younger girls, super confident Jane is immediately fearful for her less-confident friend, who she knows gets very nervous in any situation, not to mention an entire school event that, in essence, is based on your popularity.

During the Big-Little celebration, Allison seems to have it all together after showing Jane that she had received a cupcake in her locker with a note asking her to be a Big to an unnamed freshman. But Jane’s initial fears for her friend are reassured after Allison, waiting for her Little to come up and introduce herself fails to show, she throws up all over one of the freshman girls coming in her direction after nearly every other senior girl had obtained a Little. After Allison runs to the bathroom, Jane runs after to be there for her best friend, giving up any chance of getting a Little of her own. While trying to console Allison, who has barricaded herself inside a stall, a new sophomore student named Lanalee asks about Allison and after Jane tells her that Allison did not get a Little, Lanalee offers herself up, saying that she wasn’t able to get a Big anyway.

Lanalee seems to have appeared on the scene at Saint Teresa’s Preparatory School for Girls just in time. She is cool, calm and collected and even the most popular of girls in the school are fascinated with her, after she tells them a story of coming from another school primarily made up of rich socialites. She instantly becomes a great friend to Allison and to Jane alike, but Allison is spending less and less time with Jane and Allison starts to worry about this girl who she thought she had known so well; especially after Allison comes to school with her usual unruly hair cut into a short, dyed-red bob and is rocking an entirely new, obviously expensive wardrobe with matching, equally expensive accessories. Allison’s entire situation becomes even hairier to Jane when she follows Allison out of a small cafe, to see her go directly to Jane’s ex-boyfriend’s Elton’s house, who is now Allison’s new boyfriend.

As a series of weird and random events take place, Jane is left wondering what has happened to her friend to have made her become this completely new person she hardly recognizes (or sees) anymore. As her curiosity grows, she meets a very strange and at first, even somewhat stalker-like freshman named Owen and after ignoring him for a while, she realizes quickly that she needs Owen–because he happens to know exactly what has happened to Allison and is one of very few links Jane has to piece everything together. It is with Owen’s help that Jane comes to find out that Allison has made a deal with the devil–literally and it all started with that single cupcake in Allison’s locker on Big-Little Day. Now, it’s up to Jane to save the best friend she knows is still hidden inside of this new, but not-so-improved Allison, even if it means sacrificing herself.

I had Devilish sitting on my bookshelf for a little while before picking it up to read. I thought it was yet another young adult beach read; something that I would read through in a few sittings and be done with, it not really leaving such a lasting impression. Needless to say, I was wrong. The cover of the book is superb, especially since it does hold a great deal of meaning for the story itself, but you don’t know that when you first pick it, giving it that intriguing feel before you read it and a much more complex, full-circle feeling after.

It is an intelligent, fast-paced, thrilling read that will keep you turning the page again and again. This is the first book I have read by Maureen Johnson, but I am beyond intrigued and very excited to pick up another one of her books. She truly has a gift for playing with suspense and keeps you thinking and laughing throughout the entire book. Johnson’s characters, even her evil, do-no-gooders, are fun and will keep you switching sides on who to root for because you really like these diverse and very well-rounded characters.

Devilish was very much aptly-timed for me, just finishing it right after Valentine’s Day and not knowing exactly why I was craving cupcakes so much; it took my partner asking me what I expected from reading a book every day with a delicious cupcake pictured on the cover. While Devilish did initially present itself to be a not-so-remarkable read that I’ve read a thousand times before, it was anything but. I surprised even myself with how much I truly enjoyed this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Woman Tribune

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