It’s a good movie. It came out in 2006 and I was one of the I don’t know how many who pre-ordered it. And it is my all time favorite movie to date. It’s also how I discovered the (omg to die for) music of Japanese singer Anna Tsuchiya (she plays Ichigo who is on the right). I have all her cd’s. The other girl in the movie (on the left) is an actress I’ve never heard of till now, Kyoko Fukada. The movie is actually based on a book written by Novala Takemoto called Shimotsuma Story (the book she has in her hand above). I’ve obviously never read it because it’s in Japanese, and I don’t know how to read Japanese. I wish I did though. Wish I knew how to speak it too. It tells of how these two girls became friends. Here’s a small bit from the site about the movie ’cause I haven’t watched it in months, and I can’t really recall it.

Momoko (pop idol Kyoko Fukada, pictured above) yearns to live in 18-century Versailles than in her back-country hometown of Shimotsuma, heartland of the yakuza. To escape, she loses herself in the dreamy, doll-like fashions of the “Lolita” scene. Her idol is Akinori Isobe, chief designer of Baby, the Stars Shine Bright—her favorite Lolita design hose. She travels all the way to Tokyo to shop at their store.

One languid summer, to help fund her expensive hobby, Momoko runs a classified ad of brand-name knock-off clothes (produced by her dad) for sale. She encounters a buyer named Ichiko (the real name is Ichigo), who happens to live in her neighborhood.

Super-rebel Ichiko (model and J-rock icon Anna Tsuchiya, pictured below), is a “Yankee”-style member of the Ponytails motorbike gang, one of Ibaraki’s “Wild speed tribes,” whose teeth-rattling customized bikes are decked out with fiberglass shields and bannered backrests.

Somewhat against Momoko’s will, she and Ichigo slowly develop a strong friendship as they share their feelings on the odd goings-ons around them.

I think, as well as the story which is very touching, I loved the fashions. Momoko (Kyoko Fukada) shops at a Japanese Lolita fashion store called Baby the Stars Shine Bright. Out of pure boredom and curiosity, I looked it up. And low and behold, there it was! It’s a real store. And they’re opening a branch in San Fransisco. That made me the happiest girl in the world. I can’t wait till it comes. I am so going on a shopping spree (online of course). I totally recommend this movie to anyone with little girls or even for themselves. It is in Japanese so you’ll have to do some reading but it’s totally worth it. And as a bonus the movie even comes with a video of Anna’s song, Taste My Skin. Awesome song. So yea, check it out. Let me know what you think of it!! And watch this movie. You’ll be sorry you didn’t.

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Check out these incredible finds to put some vibrant life back into your house from Lotus Bleu:

Start with some covet-worthy chairs for your living room, bedroom or patio (if you’d feel comfortable about putting these incredible (and quite pricey) chairs outside and vulnerable to the elements.

This is the first chair that “spoke to me” as soon as I clicked on the ‘furniture’ link on the Lotus Bleu website. I am in love with it. It is a vintage, mid-century Danish-style wingback lounge chair in contemporary floral silkscreen fabric. ($2,450)

Another vintage, mid-century rocking chair with accompanying ottoman with loose cushions in linen silkscreened with silhouettes of branches and leaves. ($1,650)

It is really astounding to see what a difference a few throw pillows or festive cushions can do to your sitting spaces. A good throw pillow goes a long, long way.

Stripes are always a great choice if you’re working with neutral toned carpets or walls, plus they add a whole lot of color to the room without being tacky, overbearing, or just plain ugly. Try these Robert Le Heros cotton striped cushions. ($108-238)

New York designer Thomas Paul’s mandarin-orange goldfish pillow. ($94)

Gorgeous mosaique silk pillows with a solid base embroidered with circles, flowers, or lotus motifs. ($62-72, on sale now for $43-$50)

The key to a living space that is so vibrant and really makes you want to spend more time in that space is a room with awesome lighting and these fixtures are nothing less than something that will really catch your eye.

Lacquered pastel table lamps with a white silk shade and three-way switch. ($280)

Thomas Paul patterned lamp shades with coordinating colored bases. ($200-220)

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After a few searches through WordPress’ plugin directory I found the plugin that finally brought my spam comment hysteria to an end–Simple CAPTCHA!

Captcha image verification has been a staple on blogs small and large alike to cut down on the monstrous amount of spam comments an average blog accumulates. We hadn’t had this implemented on Woman Tribune because we did not have an absolute need for it. Sure, we did accumulate a great deal of spam comments, but it was pretty manageable–until now. So the time has come for captcha image verification to become a necessity for Woman Tribune and so I downloaded and installed Simple CAPTCHA, a simple and secure plugin that adds a little six letter/number combination field to your already existing comment structure.

As far as simplicity when installing the plugin goes, you cannot get any simpler than Simple CAPTCHA–which is probably why they put the word simple in the title of the plugin! It’s an easy upload process, click activate in your WordPress dashboard and you’re good to go! Yeah, that is it and since installing the plugin, I have not had one of these comments leak through and I did not lose one legitimate comment.

So if you’re looking for an image verification plugin that you do not have to set up at all that will do its job exactly as you want it to, check out Simple CAPTCHA.

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We are entering the holiday gift card season. While new studies show gift cards are the most popular presents to give and receive, the hidden costs may outweigh the convenience of the gift. It is important for consumers to give and use their cards correctly.

“Gift cards are easy to give, but they are also easy to forget. If the card has a monthly fee or expiration date, these can become costly little pieces of plastic,” says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and author of The Credit Card Guidebook. “Even though gift cards take the hassle out of holiday shopping, you want to use them wisely. It is important to know the terms of the card you are buying.”

Holiday gift cards are a big business. According to the National Retailers Federation (NRF) sales of gift cards reached almost $25 billion in 2008. A new NRF study shows that 55.2% of adults are hoping to receive a gift card this year.

However, many households still have unused gift cards from the last holiday season. According to a new Consumer Reports survey, 25% of adults that received a gift card in 2008 have yet to redeem at least one of the cards.

“This is the time to check your wallets, purses and drawers from gift cards that you received last year and use them immediately. Some cards may start charging a monthly fee after twelve months which drains away the value of the card,” says Hardekopf. “You can even use them to start your holiday shopping.”

Here are some consumer tips for buying gift cards:

• Buy a card only from a merchant you trust.
• Make sure the store is in a good financial position.
• Ask about the fees and expiration dates of the card. Read the card’s fine print.

Here are tips for using gift cards:

• If you receive a gift card, use it as soon as possible. Don’t put it aside and out of sight. Use it before you lose it or forget about it.
• Check the terms and conditions of the card you receive. Look for an expiration date or any use fees.
• Gift cards from major credit card networks can be used at any retailer that accepts their credit and debit cards.
• If the gift card is from a credit card network, write down the card number. If it is lost or stolen, the card can be canceled and a replacement issued. The replacement fees range from $5.95 to $12. Most store cards can’t be replaced if they are lost or stolen. They are treated as cash.
• Keep the card, even after the balance is depleted, until you are sure you won’t be returning any of the items you purchased with it. The retailer may require the card with the return.
• Id there is a problem with the card, contact the store financial institution that issued the card. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, contact the Federal Trade Commission at 877-FTC-HELP

There are important differences between store cards and general purpose cards. Store gift cards are limited to that retailer or family of stores and many have no fees or expiration date. Not all store cards can be used online.

General purpose cards are from Visa, MasterCard and American Express. They can be used any place these cards are accepted. The purchase fee ranges between $2 and $7. Many cards charge a monthly maintenance fee that is typically $2 or $2.50 and starts after six or twelve months.

The CARD Act does provide gift card protections, but these provisions don’t go into effect until August 2010. It prohibits gift cards from expiring before give years from the date of purchase or when money was loaded onto the card. It also prohibits fees for the first twelve months.

What happens to unused gift cards? They can eventually revert back to the retailers as income. Some states can even claim unused gift cards as abandoned property.

If you have unused gift cards that you won’t use, you can donate the card to GiftCardGiver.com; that sute will distribute the card to non-profit agencies that can use the card to help others.

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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.

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• First Phase of Credit CARD Act Takes Effect

Celebrating what, you ask? Celebrating me! Yes, I am fully aware of how arrogant that sounds, but I’ve said it before and I will definitely be the first to say it again–it is not arrogant when you realize that you are worth celebrating; that you’re worth what you truly desire in your life and a birthday is definitely the perfect time to celebrate yourself!

I turned 23 yesterday and spent Sunday and Monday with my family who I hardly get to see just for the fun of visiting because I live a considerable small trip away from them. I went shopping with my grandmother and aunt on Sunday and had dinner with them, my father and my boyfriend. Good times indeed. Things have been considerably silent today (besides my frequent Twitter action) because I was enjoying probably one of the last days of beautiful fall foliage and weather we will have here in Pennsylvania before the bad snow storms come rolling in.

Now, the real point of this blog post? I work tirelessly on Woman Tribune and the eventual network of sites that will be nested within it. I consider myself a home-based entrepreneur, regardless of how much or how little money I have coming in every month because I am working toward a bigger picture that I have created for Woman Tribune and for myself. I know many, many women with these same feelings and who live their day-to-day lives getting any time they possibly can to work on their websites and their businesses. Don’t get me wrong, a strong work ethic is not only considered a good thing, it is absolutely imperative when it comes to the hope of running a successful blog or online business, but sometimes, just sometimes, we really do need to take a step back. It’s okay to work your butt off every day, but you will know when you just need to spend some time away from it all and enjoy the life you’re working so hard through. Take a walk around the block, take your breakfast and morning coffee to the porch or patio and take in your surroundings and smell the air. Or take a few days and do something you want to do, even if it’s nothing.

Especially if it’s nothing.

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Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd recently introduced new legislation that would immediately freeze credit card rates on existing balances through February of 2010. Dodd felt this bill would prevent issuers from further interest rate hikes that have taken place since the Credit CARD Act was signed into law in May of this year.

“No sooner had it been signed into law, credit card companies were looking for ways to get around the protections this Congress and the American people demanded,” said the Democratic Senator. “This bill would end those abuses and further protect customers today.”

Since the beginning of the year, LowCards.com has recorded almost 60 changes made by nine different credit card issuers, many of which are APR increases. In the last two weeks, Bank of America added an annual fee to some cards and Citi has raised the APR to 29.99% for many cardholders as well as cancelled the accounts of customers holding some of their co-branded cards.

The changes in terms and card closures are hot issues for consumers. Congress is reacting by trying to move up the effective date of some provisions of the CARD Act from February 22 to December 1. Two weeks ago, the House Financial Services Committee approved this but analysts predict that this will not pass in the Senate.

“The actions of the credit card issuers should not be a surprise to anyone, especially Congress. When the CARD Act was being discussed, the issuers said they would have to raise rates and make changed to make up for lost revenue. They warned Congress that these changes would affect a broad spectrum of customers. That is exactly what they have done. They have raised rates, increased fees, added annual fees, moved fixed rate cards to variable rates, and cut rewards,” says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and author of The Credit Card Guidebook.

“The banks and issuers are not philanthropic organizations. They are for-profit companies that have already lost billions of dollars and have struggled for over a year to rebound from the financial crisis. The high delinquency and default rates in September show that credit card issuers are still facing difficult rates in September show that credit card issuers are still facing difficult times and this will probably continue into 2010. Issuers will still have to find ways to increase revenue and reduce risk. If Congress put a freeze on interest rates, you can bet that issuers would find other ways to make up for this lost revenue.”

This new legislation would also require credit card companies to review all rate increases on credit card holders since the beginning of this year to see if they were justified.

- – - – - – - – - -

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.

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Thanks to Vogue, you can find out exactly what you need to create your very own Eddie Borgo-inspired bejeweled pumpkin. This is a great way to keep the Halloween spirit in your house until you’re ready to start decorating for the holidays and is also a really fun crafts project.

You will need:

• Pumpkin
• Carving knife and spoon
• Jewelry studs (Borgo recommends StudsandSpikes.com or M&J Trimming)
• Krylon matte black spray paint

1. Pick your pumpkin at the local market. Borgo likes his medium-size, symmetrical, and round.

2. Empty out the seeds and pulp and begin to carve the face.

3. Try to accentuate the cutout shapes by studding around them, pushing the spikes into the shell of the pumpkin. Borgo likes to start with the eyes, followed by the noise; the mouth comes last.

4. After the face is completely studded, use Krylon matte black spray paint over the whole pumpkin to make it deep, deep black.

And that’s all there is to it!

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Babeland is giving everyone a sweet treat this Halloween! Today only, when you purchase anything from Babeland, you will also get a free candy vibe–just make sure you type in the promo code trickortreat at checkout! Aaand, if you buy five candy vibes, you will also get a sixth for free!

Check out these awesome treats that will keep on satisfying you long after Halloween is over!

The Vamp

If you love vampire movies and books like we do, you’ll be thrilled to get your hands on the pale, shimmery, limited edition Vamp dildo. Inspired by the recent flood of delicious vampire stories, Tantus created this semi-realistic, mid-sized, eerily delightful dildo. Strap it on and roleplay some, ahem, possible deleted scenes from your favorite vampire tales–Halloween sex anyone? And whether you go for the thrill of sharp teeth or not, you’ll enjoy the firm texture, pronounced head, and shimmery alabaster color.

Candy Apple Kink Kit

Be prepared in the sexiest of ways with the matching Candy Apple Kink Kit, combing the Candy Apple Cuffs, Candy Apple Paddle and Candy Apple Blindfold in one perfect package. Glossy red patent leather brings a stylish yet functional edge to your kinky adventures; after all, who doesn’t want to look good while being spanked, restrained and blindfolded into submission? And of course, each component brings you the sturdy, uncompromising quality you’ve come to expect from Babeland.

Better Than Chocolate

We know it’s quite a claim, but Nomi Tang’s Better Than Chocolate vibrator really lives up to its name. Skin-safe elastomer follows your body’s own curves, providing heavenly direct clitoral stimulation. But before you get swept away, take a moment to appreciate the gorgeous design; just run a finger along the touch slider to control to change the intensity and vibration pattern (you can even lock the setting once you find your match.) Waterproof up to one meter and storable in an elegant white velvet pouch, Better Than Chocolate is the perfect designer vibe to use by yourself or to nestle between bodies.

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What are you doing to celebrate Halloween this year?

We don’t usually do too much so this year I am baking a Pillsbury Halloween funfetti cake and we are staying in, watching tons of scary Halloween movies!

Are you taking the kids trick-or-treating, attending or hosting a Halloween party, or staying in and having a quiet night? Let us know!

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Heidi Klum and Seal as Eve and Adam’s Apple:

Aubrey O’Day as the Little Mermaid:

Audrina Patridge as a peacock:

Brittny Gastineau and Kim Kardashian as a corpse bride and Wonder Woman:

Khloe Kardashian as a police officer:

Jenny McCarthy as a french maid:

Heidi Klum as a sexy kitten:

Seal as Genghis Khan:

Liv Tyler as Charlie Chaplin:

Lance Bass as a graduate:

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon as milk and cookies:

Lauren Conrad as a flapper:

Pink as a clown:

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M.A.C. Cosmetics aren’t afraid to get spooky and kooky to achieve fabulous Halloween looks. Check out their video of five M.A.C. Senior Artists demonstrating how to achieve some great Halloween looks. They have also created some face charts of their top Halloween looks that you can print and take right to a M.A.C. counter!

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They of course talked about how the children should not continue with filming the show and it seemed as if every word out of all three of their mouths had been written by the Jon Gosselin camp coincidentally after TLC moved to change the name of the show to Kate Plus 8. We know the Kregers very well from the other time they appeared all over the media while the Jon and Kate controversy had just flared its ugly head to do nothing other than berate and judge Kate. Nice family there!

http://womantribune.com/?p=3438 If you’re a crafty person who prides themselves on crafting amazing and unbelievable homemade wares, or if you just like to dabble here and there moving from one craft project to the next, you will find the perfect place full of like-minded folks just like yourself at Bust magazine’s annual Holiday Craftacular! It is the [...]

If you’re a crafty person who prides themselves on crafting amazing and unbelievable homemade wares, or if you just like to dabble here and there moving from one craft project to the next, you will find the perfect place full of like-minded folks just like yourself at Bust magazine’s annual Holiday Craftacular! It is the biggest, best and most highly anticipated craft fair in New York City and has also made a huge dent in the crafty scene of London.

On December 6th crafty people of all sorts will gather at the Bust Holiday Craftacular featuring over 200 vendors, DJ’s, an assortment of delicious treats and much, much more! There will also be special goodie bags for the first 500 attendees and amazing raffle prizes! Best of all, if you’re in the NYC or surrounding areas, it is beyond affordable to mix and mingle with your crafty counterparts since admission is just $2!

If you want to be a vendor at the Holiday Craftacular, apply immediately to make sure there’s a space for you. A vendor table is $250 and you must apply by November 2, 2009. Click here to apply and get your craft on at Bust’s Holiday Craftacular!

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• Create an Eddie Borgo-Inspired Jeweled Pumpkin

]]> http://womantribune.com/crafty-bust-magazines-annual-holiday-craftacular/feed 1 http://womantribune.com/urban-girl-squad-hosts-tribeca-wine-tasting-class-specialty-food-pairings http://womantribune.com/urban-girl-squad-hosts-tribeca-wine-tasting-class-specialty-food-pairings#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:12:14 +0000 Holly http://womantribune.com/?p=3432 On Monday November 2, 2009, Urban Girl Squad will host a Wine Tasting Class with Specialty Food Pairings at Maslow 6 Wine Shop in Tribeca. This unique event will be from 7:00PM to 9:00PM. Join Urban Girl Squad and Maslow 6, the new Tribeca wine shop, for a special introduction class to Old World and [...] On Monday November 2, 2009, Urban Girl Squad will host a Wine Tasting Class with Specialty Food Pairings at Maslow 6 Wine Shop in Tribeca. This unique event will be from 7:00PM to 9:00PM.

Join Urban Girl Squad and Maslow 6, the new Tribeca wine shop, for a special introduction class to Old World and New World wines. You’ll taste six different wines at the event; three will be from the Old World (Europe) and three will be from the New World (US, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.) Maslow 6 shop owner Keri Kunzle will teach us how to taste and experience the wines! With each wine, Flatiron Kitchen, a new boutique catering company in NYC, will provide specially paired h’ors doeuvres to eat.

Any wine you want to buy that night will be 10% off. This is a seated tasting where space is very limited and advanced payment is required!

Past Urban Girl Squad events include wine tastings, salsa dancing, beauty nights, nutritional seminars, private shopping events, happy hours and jazz shows.

This event on November 2nd will be with Maslow 6, a wine shop and community that brings people together who share a love of wine, who want to expand their knowledge and possibly their cellars, and who want to meet and greet other like-minded individuals. They provide a wide variety of wines from all over the world, enabling you to discover a new producer that you adore and learn about a new wine region of the world and how to really taste so you can appreciate what you drink even more.

About Urban Girl Squad

Amanda Hofman created Urban Girl Squad, a community-based social group for lively, bright and friendly women in their 20s and 30s in New York City, in January 2008 when she noticed that many young women in the city were quietly but eagerly seeking friendships with like-minded women in the city. Urban Girl Squad creates opportunities for these women to meet each other during monthly events that take advantage of New York City. Urban Girl Squad partners with exclusive, new, or unique locations to offer perks like meeting store owners and designers, tasting gourmet food and drinks, receiving individualized attention from popular venues, and more–often at a reduced price (and with gift bags!) The welcoming atmosphere at events gives women an opportunity to spend time with friends, meet new people and to try exciting activities that they may not try on their own.

Come on your own or bring friends and meet amazing New York women while learning about various wines and enjoying exquisite food.

Buy your ticket to this luxe event today!

Fast Facts

Date: Monday, November 2, 2009

Location:
Maslow 6
211b West Broadway
New York, NY 10013

Time: 7:00-9:00PM

Purchase Ticket: http://winetastingwithmaslow6.eventbrite.com/

Info: Urban Girl Squad

Cost: $34 per ticket

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]]> http://womantribune.com/urban-girl-squad-hosts-tribeca-wine-tasting-class-specialty-food-pairings/feed 1 http://womantribune.com/uplay-mat http://womantribune.com/uplay-mat#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:10:37 +0000 Jenny http://womantribune.com/?p=3417 Looking for a fun, engaging and educational way to spend time with your child? Then look no further, the U-Play Mat is here. Designed by Pediatrician (and mom of two sets of twins), Dr. Jennifer Canter, or Dr. Jen as she likes to be called, designed the U-shaped mat and accompanying picture cards [...] Looking for a fun, engaging and educational way to spend time with your child? Then look no further, the U-Play Mat is here.

Designed by Pediatrician (and mom of two sets of twins), Dr. Jennifer Canter, or Dr. Jen as she likes to be called, designed the U-shaped mat and accompanying picture cards “with the goal of enhancing interactive floor play between toddlers and parents.”

The U-Play Mat is a U-shaped, 4ft x 3ft deep mat with 15 large, clear pockets on its surface. The innovative “U” shape allows the child to sit inside the opening of the “U” with full access to the 15 pockets. Your child now has full visual and tactile access to the whole surface, without having to crawl atop the mat. The see-through pockets are child-safe and secured to the mat surface. U-Play Mat comes packed in a cute tote, with 8 outer pockets to store the cards in. Plus, a handy instruction booklet to help get you started.

To begin play sit across and engage the child in a variety of exercises using the adorable theme-based card decks, (ie. Food, Home, Play, Dress). There is no writing on these durable cards, so you can play/teach your child in any language. Here’s a look at some of the things you can do with U-Play Mat:

Exercise 1: Identification, works on receptive vocabulary

Exercise 2: Labelling, works on expressive vocabulary

Exercise 3: Matching Skills: understanding same/different

Exercise 4: Same

Exercise 5: Different

Exercise 6: Yes/No

Exercise 7: Wh’ Questions: ‘who, what, where, why, when; foundations of conversation

Exercise 8: Using More Words: improves on communication skills

Exercise 9: Making Connections; helps with recalling information

Exercise 10: Following Directions process information skills

For more information or to order your own U-Play Mat, please visit http://www.playthisway.com.

This is a guest post by Sandie Lee of Family Matters.

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]]> http://womantribune.com/uplay-mat/feed 0 http://womantribune.com/lasts-snow-white-dwarfs-diamond-edition http://womantribune.com/lasts-snow-white-dwarfs-diamond-edition#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:15:49 +0000 Holly http://womantribune.com/?p=3422 We all know the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; the story of a beautiful princess whose skin as white as snow and hair as black as ebony poses a skewed threat to her stepmother who is envious of her beauty and of her standing as the fairest in all the land. [...] We all know the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; the story of a beautiful princess whose skin as white as snow and hair as black as ebony poses a skewed threat to her stepmother who is envious of her beauty and of her standing as the fairest in all the land. This timeless classic has enchanted and held the attention of audiences of all ages since 1937 when it became the very first full-length animated feature. The grasp that Snow White still has on its viewers is proof-positive of the very word ‘timeless.’ For the first time in seven years, Disney has opened it vault, re-releasing the adored animated feature and this time it’s better than ever before.

Thanks to One2One Network I recently had the privilege of experiencing the brand new Diamond Edition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was able to see the film as I have never had the opportunity to see it before. The Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray disc and a DVD in one package, which was a very wise step for Disney to take now that Blu-ray is starting to work it’s way into households and whether or not you have a Blu-ray player (or a Playstation 3 which plays Blu-ray discs) you will have a format of the film that will work best with your system. First of all, if you aren’t yet aware of the benefits Blu-ray can bring to your household, a little taste of what you’re missing is up to six times better quality than your normal DVD quality, 7.1 surround sound and astounding ability to interact with and get a lot more out of your DVD with special and bonus features and games that have been designed especially for the movie you’re viewing. However, perhaps the most important feature of all when it comes to Blu-ray discs is that fact that they are built stronger and last longer than DVDs. They are scratch-resistant so you can rest easy if your child offers to put the DVD in the player or wants to switch to another disc because when they take a Blu-ray disc out of the player and their fingers are all over it, it’s probably not going to do damage to the disc itself. As a woman who has numerous completely ruined DVD discs, I know how much of a life saver this can be! Granted, you can’t go outside and play Frisbee with a Blu-ray disc because yeah, it will get ruined, but for routine bouts of finger-smudges and repeatedly being taken out of and put back in its case, you will be fine!

We sat down as a family one Sunday afternoon to watch this new edition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and as soon as the Walt Disney logo popped up on the screen, me and my partner exclaimed how the quality of the picture was astounding; we absolutely could not believe it and we encountered a few very pleasant surprised while giving ourselves a tour of the features. Because Snow White is a film that came out in 1937, obviously it would be very, very difficult for the Disney crew to completely transform the feature for the newest technology so it was not available in widescreen since widescreen did not exactly exist back then! On the other hand, they did think about how to fill up that space they were missing and added Disneyview, an expanded viewing experience that lines the edges of your screen with beautiful paintings that incorporated perfectly into the scenes of the movie and as the movie progressed, the paintings changed. After a while we became so enthralled with the story we were watching unfold before us that we didn’t notice the paintings after a while, but they did add a little something to our viewing experience.

What I was most surprised with was the fact that within the first few minutes of sitting down to watch this movie, I felt like a little kid again. Don’t laugh, but it’s completely true. As soon as the scene opens when Snow White is singing into the well about wishing for someone to come to her and all of the birds are hanging out on the side of well as she sings into it I was hooked right into the story and I remember that feeling of expecting and happiness mixed together when Snow White and all of the animals that followed her to the home of the seven dwarfs were cleaning the entire little house. Luckily, it also sucked my partner and my two stepdaughters in as well and we had a great time watching the movie and snacking on popcorn. Now admittedly, they are 5 and 3 so their attention span did not last the entire movie, but they did last a great deal longer than I had expected them to.

There are also some great interactive games added to the Diamond Edition Combo Pack, like What Do You See? which lets you decipher a scrambled image, Mirror, Mirror on the Wall that lets you see what princess you’re most like, Jewel Jumble which is a game of memory and matching and Dopey’s Wild Mine Ride Game. There is also an all new music video, karaoke sing-along of “Heigh-Ho”, and a trailer of the upcoming Disney release The Princess and the Frog. This edition is jam-packed with awesome features that will let you re-live your childhood and share the entire experience and more! with your own children!

You can purchase the Diamond Edition Combo Pack of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on the official website which is also another game in itself that will keep you entertained for a while–It kept me entertained, at least and I also got an awesome Grumpy wallpaper for my computer desktop!

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]]> http://womantribune.com/lasts-snow-white-dwarfs-diamond-edition/feed 1 http://womantribune.com/giveaway-share-hope-inspiration-breast-cancer-survivors-supporters-pink http://womantribune.com/giveaway-share-hope-inspiration-breast-cancer-survivors-supporters-pink#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:25:24 +0000 Holly http://womantribune.com/?p=3408 This contest is closed. Check out our winner here. While there are many benefits, events, charities, organizations, businesses and people who have dedicated their time, their experiences, their inspiration and their money to helping in whatever ways they can in the fight against breast cancer, there are still very limited resources for women who have been [...] This contest is closed. Check out our winner here.

While there are many benefits, events, charities, organizations, businesses and people who have dedicated their time, their experiences, their inspiration and their money to helping in whatever ways they can in the fight against breast cancer, there are still very limited resources for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer themselves or who are close to someone who has been diagnosed to receive the support they need most. A diagnosis like this, regardless of the stage is absolutely terrifying, gut-wrenching, heart-breaking and truly difficult to go through, especially if you don’t have a rock-solid support system of various people around you who understand your grief and frustration and people who will understand while you go through the emotional roller coaster a diagnosis and treatment will send you through. But luckily, Pink Together was created just for this purpose.

Pink Together is a national campaign dedicated to supporting those impacted by breast cancer. Their website, PinkTogether.com is a safe space where everyone can share hope and inspiration by sharing stories of breast cancer survivors and supporters within the community. Pink Together has already helped countless survivors and supporters of those survivors.

Watch other inspiring videos from the 2009 Pink Together Survivor Ambassadors

For the month of October, General Mills has come to the support of Pink Together and will be donating $2 million to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. They have also turned the packaging of some of their most trusted products pink for the month in an effort to continue to raise awareness about breast cancer.

Giveaway!

Thanks to Pink Together and MyBlogSpark, we have been given the opportunity to give away an Inspiring Hope gift basket that includes a sleeved travel mug, a running ribbon charm bracelet, a pink leather strap keychain, a pink cinch bag and a set of inspirational note cards.

All of the gifts in the Inspiring Hope gift basket are from Shop Komen, where 25% of the merchandise purchase price benefits Susan G Komen for the Cure in the fight against breast cancer. All of these fabulous gifts will remind you of how important the fight against breast cancer is throughout the entire year, and not just in October when we spread awareness for breast cancer awareness month. I can also personally attest that the sleeved travel mug is the absolute best quality travel mug I have ever found.

To win the Inspiring Hope gift basket, all you have to do is a leave a comment telling us what woman inspires you the most and why. [REQUIRED]

Extra Entries:

• Leave a comment telling us what inspired you most about the Pink Together community

• Leave a comment telling us what other things you are doing to fight against breast cancer

• Tweet about this giveaway (this can be done daily.) Feel free to copy and paste the following tweet:
  

  Win an Inspiring Hope gift basket full of great breast cancer awareness swag from @WomanTribune http://tinyurl.com/yzb4u9r

• Follow @WomanTribune on Twitter (only if you are not following us already) and leave a comment with your Twitter name

• Become a fan of Woman Tribune on Facebook (only if you are not a fan already) and leave a comment with your name as it appears on Facebook

• Subscribe to Woman Tribune videos on YouTube (only if you are not subscribed already) and leave a comment with your YouTube name

• Blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post. This is worth 3 entries so leave 3 separate comments with a link to your post.

This contest ends Friday, October 30th at 11:59PM EST. The winner will be contacted by email and has 48 hours to respond with their necessary information. If no action is taken, another winner will be picked.

Contest Disclaimer

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]]> http://womantribune.com/giveaway-share-hope-inspiration-breast-cancer-survivors-supporters-pink/feed 89 http://womantribune.com/rammsteins-box-set-includes-special-gifts http://womantribune.com/rammsteins-box-set-includes-special-gifts#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:17:53 +0000 Holly http://womantribune.com/?p=3405 Rammstein’s new box set, Liebe Ist Für Alle Da is very much unlike any other box set I have ever seen put out by any band before. For instance, it includes not just music, but the metal case is filled with handcuffs, lube and six pink dildos! If that weren’t hysterical enough, as Daily Swarm put [...] Rammstein’s new box set, Liebe Ist Für Alle Da is very much unlike any other box set I have ever seen put out by any band before. For instance, it includes not just music, but the metal case is filled with handcuffs, lube and six pink dildos!

If that weren’t hysterical enough, as Daily Swarm put it, the six pink dildos are supposed to “reflect the sizes of the six members’ wienerwursts.” Not just that, but the German to English translation of Liebe Ist Für Alle Da is Lube is for Your Ass. Absolutely hilarious!

I am always entertained by Rammstein. Some of their music is really incredible, but above anything else, they entertain me and if there’s something that is truly hard to attain as a band, it is to thought of as having excellent music as well as the ability to entertain the pants off of your audience.

So what do you think of the new Rammstein box set? Are you as entertained by it as I am?

For any Rammstein fans out there, you can purchase the box set, but it’s going to put you out around $400.

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]]> http://womantribune.com/rammsteins-box-set-includes-special-gifts/feed 1 http://womantribune.com/spooky-tasty-tarantula-tacos http://womantribune.com/spooky-tasty-tarantula-tacos#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:45:57 +0000 Holly http://womantribune.com/?p=3402 Give your kids something spooky and fun to create and eat after they help decorate the house for Halloween or before they go out trick or treating! These tarantula tacos are so much fun and oh, so cute! You will need: 1 box (4.7oz) Old El Paso Stand ‘n Stuff taco shells 1lb lean (at least 80%) [...] Give your kids something spooky and fun to create and eat after they help decorate the house for Halloween or before they go out trick or treating! These tarantula tacos are so much fun and oh, so cute!

You will need:

• 1 box (4.7oz) Old El Paso Stand ‘n Stuff taco shells
• 1lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
• 1 package (1oz) Old El Paso taco seasoning mix
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 20 extra large pitted ripe olives

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Heat taco shells in oven as directed on box.

2. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Reduce heat to medium; cook uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until water is evaporated. Remove from heat.

3. Spoon beef mixture into heated taco shells. Top with cheese, lettuce and tomato.

4. Spoon sour cream into small resealable food-storage plastic bag. Seal bag; cut tiny hole in corner of bag. Pipe sour cream over top of each taco to resemble spiderweb.

5. For each spider, top taco with 1 olive, pitted end down. Cut second olive lengthwise into 8 pieces; place around whole olive for legs. For eyes, squeeze 2 dots of sour cream onto top of olive.

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]]> http://womantribune.com/spooky-tasty-tarantula-tacos/feed 1 http://womantribune.com/consumer-financial-protection-agency-approved-house-committee http://womantribune.com/consumer-financial-protection-agency-approved-house-committee#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:00:25 +0000 Holly http://womantribune.com/?p=3400 This is a guest post by Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com. The House Financial Services Committee recently approved the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) by a vote of 39 to 29. This is the first step in creating a new regulatory agency that will protect consumers. The CFPA is an important piece of [...] This is a guest post by Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com.

The House Financial Services Committee recently approved the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) by a vote of 39 to 29. This is the first step in creating a new regulatory agency that will protect consumers. The CFPA is an important piece of the Obama administration’s plan to tighten lending regulations and help prevent future financial failures.

The bill would give states more authority to regulate large national banks with their own stronger consumer protections on interest rates and fees associated with credit cards and mortgages. However, it would allow federal regulators to exempt banks from state laws on a case-by-case basis.

The CFPA would enforce provisions in the CARD Act that protect consumers from sudden rate increases on unpaid credit card balances. It would also create rules that would make credit card terms more transparent and easy to understand.

“Consumers feel they need some type of protection right now. This week, many Citi customers received a large rate increase to 29.99% for no apparent reason,” says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and author of The Credit Card Guidebook. “Cardholders are angry because issuers have significantly increased their rates and there is nothing consumers can do about it. Their only option is to accept the changes or close the account. However, it is difficult to get a new card because many issuers have reduced their risk of loans and are very selective about the new cards they issue.”

The new agency would take some of the consumer protection duties from the Federal Reserve and oversee financial lending such as credit cards, payday loans and terms on savings accounts. Those exempted include retailers, lawyers, real estate brokers, accountants, auto dealers, cable companies, and credit, mortgage and title insurers.

The CFPA does not include two of the priorities of the Obama administration. It leaves out the requirement that lenders offer standardized “plain vanilla” products. It also does not include the requirement that banks take reasonable steps to ensure that customers understand what they are receiving.

The House is expected to vote on this in November. However, the future of the agency will be determined by the vote in the Senate in 2010. Banks are strongly opposed to this bill and are lobbying Senators to dilute or reject it. Some legislators are also opposed to the idea of creating a new regulatory body.

- – - – - – - – - -

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.

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]]> http://womantribune.com/consumer-financial-protection-agency-approved-house-committee/feed 1 http://womantribune.com/promise-difference-gift-winner http://womantribune.com/promise-difference-gift-winner#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:40:25 +0000 Holly http://womantribune.com/?p=3396 Congratulations to Tanya W. for winning the Promise to Make a Difference gift courtesy of Yoplait and MyBlogSpark. Tanya is doing some amazing things for the fight against breast cancer with her Brownie Girl Scout troop: I’m a Brownie Girls Scout troop Leader (#803) and our troop made pretty decorative Susan G Komen for the Cure canisters [...] Congratulations to Tanya W. for winning the Promise to Make a Difference gift courtesy of Yoplait and MyBlogSpark.

Tanya is doing some amazing things for the fight against breast cancer with her Brownie Girl Scout troop:

I’m a Brownie Girls Scout troop Leader (#803) and our troop made pretty decorative Susan G Komen for the Cure canisters this past September, and placed them in the cafeteria and lounge areas of the hospital that I work at (I’m an RN at Chesapeake regional medical Center). We made 112 canisters to help Yoplait Pink collect lids and the outpouring of support has been great!

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