David Maillie asked:


1 out of every 2 teenagers has oily skin. We hear about it every day on TV and the radio in ads for Proactive and Murad. Stars like Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton, Puff Daddy, Eminem, and even Paris Hilton all pitch various products and treatments for oily skin. Most of these products are nothing more than a mild benzoyl peroxide or salicylic (less than 2%) cleanser. The reality is that when we questioned real dermatologists none recommended these products. Their actual recommendations were: 1) skin peels and laser treatments.
2) tetracycline
3) Accutane - in severe acne cases only.
4) Doxycycline
5) Cetaphil - Every dermatologist said this was a great face wash.
You have to remember Paris Hilton, Eminem, and Jessica Simpson are all paid endorsers. Read the fine print. Not one of them guarantees or stands behind the product. To properly treat oily skin and the acne it can and usually does cause, you have to get to the source.
Benzoyl peroxide will only affect the surface and irritate it. Salicylic acid is a weaker acid and must be used in much stronger strengths to be effective - lees than 10% just won’t cut it. What really works is treating the bacteria that are rampant in oily skin. This is what causes acne. A trichloroacetic acid (TCA peel) skin peel is the most effective external treatment and now the most cost effective as it is currently available to consumers for in home use. A TCA peel will alter the skin pH (acidity levels) and make the conditions unfavorable for the bacteria. TCA peels will also get rid of excess oil, increase exfolliation, collagen production, and new skin production - all helpful with oily skin. TCA peels are also very effective on acne scars - an added plus. And the best thing is there are no side effects.
Tetracycline is available by prescription only. It will kill the bacteria, but only for as long as you keep taking it. It will not affect the oilyness and is not effective against mild to severe acne. It also has side effects like yellow teeth. Their are similar antibiotics like doxycycline that have basically the same results.
Accutane is a very drastic prescription only medication. The side effects can be quite severe and are common. Blood tests must be done on a weekly or monthly basis. Accutane will cease the production of oil by stopping the functionality of the sebaceous glands. Usually this was reserved for mild to severe acne patients. The complications are so severe there have been numerous class action lawsuits (just watch TV or look up Sokolove the attorneys office on the internet).
Lasers have been used in a limited capacity as they are still too expensive and are mostly effective on thee resultant scarring from the acne, not on the oilyness and excess sebum production.
So, straight from real non-paid dermatologists all over the country, one can conclude that the most effective treatment with the least cost is TCA peels. And they are now available for home use. Now you know how to permanently cure oily skin, treat acne, and have beautiful skin from a real dermatologists perspective. Don’t be misled by a highly compensated endorser like Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson, Eminem, Puff Daddy, etc…

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Clyde Lee Dennis asked:


The exceptionally talented Rap artist Jay-Z has released him CD entitled Black Album. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Jay-Z fans, and Rap fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Black Album Jay-Z’s artistic excellence is on full display as Jay-Z has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date.

I wish it weren’t the case but, it’s not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can’t force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Black Album. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you’ve got one of Jay-Z’s most impressive releases ever.

I’m of the opinion that Black Album is certainly Jay-Z’s best work in a few years. A totally enjoyable CD and an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up because it’s a collection that even the casual Rap fan can appreciate and enjoy.

While this entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 3 - What More Can I Say, track 6 - Dirt Off Your Shoulder, and track 14 - My 1st Song

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 2 - December 4th. This is a great track!

Black Album Release Notes:

Jay-Z originally released Black Album on November 14, 2003 on the Def Jam label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Interlude 2. December 4th 3. What More Can I Say 4. Encore 5. Change Clothes 6. Dirt Off Your Shoulder 7. Threat 8. Moment Of Clarity, A 9. 99 Problems 10. Interlude 11. Justify My Thug 12. Lucifer 13. Allure 14. My 1st Song

Personnel includes: Jay-Z (rap vocals); Sharlotte Gibson, Vincent “Hum V” Bostic, John Legend, Don Crawley, Leonard Harris, Kanye West, Danee Doty, Cedric The Entertainer.

Producers include: The Neptunes, DJ Quik, Eminem, Rick Rubin, Just Blaze.

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Lisa James asked:


Celebrity Magazines such as Star Magazine and the National Enquirer make it their business to report on the love lives of celebrities. Up to the minute news and information on new relationships and couples who have called it quits. While celebrities are definitely different from us, it is definitely proven in the way they choose to end their relationships. Though sometime funny, celebrities can sometime choose the tackiest ways to end their relationships.

Breakups via television

Laura Dern and Billy Bob Thorton had dates for a few years and in fact were engaged. Unfortunately, for Dern, Thorton became smitten with Angelina Jolie on the set of their film Pushing Tin. The two married shortly thereafter but failed to inform Dern. She found out with the rest of the world as we watched in horror on one of our favorite celebrity gossip shows.

At the time, Laura Dern and Billy Bob were sharing a house. To make matters worse when Dern wanted to retrieve her things they were already boxed and put in storage, unceremoniously removed from the house the way Thorton removed her from his life.

Express Mail Break Ups

Sylvester Stallone dated model Jennifer Flavin but decided the relationship was not working for him. Unsure of how to break up with Jennifer, Sly decided to write a long heart felt letter to his girlfriend. Maybe because he was nervous about what her reaction would be Mr. Stallone decided it was best for him to be far away from Jennifer when she read the letter. The letter was delivered via express mail, and Jennifer found out the relationship was caput from the Federal Express Man.

Technology Driven Break Ups

We live in the information age, and it stands to reason that the demise of a relationship may take a futuristic turn. The world waited with baited breath for Britney Spears to end her marriage to Kevin Federline. Perhaps it is just a case of an individual getting their just desserts. The relationship between Britney Spears and Federline began when his girlfriend Shar Jackson was in her third trimester of pregnancy with his son. Perhaps Shar did not see it coming, but it is almost certain that Federline did not see it coming when Spears informed him that she wished to void their union via text message.

Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson were the darlings of MTV and famous for their television show Newlyweds. Unfortunately for Nick and Jessica their marriage could not withstand the strain or attention from the media. Rumors of a troubled relationship persisted for sometime before the couple called it quits Thanksgiving 2005. Rumor has it Jessica told Nick emailed the news to Nick.

Ending a relationship is usually never easy, whether you are famous or just a regular Joe. However, a break up should be done as painlessly as possible. Hopefully the next time Jess, Britney, or Billy Bob decide to break up with someone, the pages of Star Magazine or The National Enquirer will report that they at least did it in person.

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Terri O’Neale asked:


I can bring home the bacon

I can fry it up in a pan

And never ever let you forget the romance

Cause I’m a woman.

As a young woman growing up in the 1970s, those words were the anthem of the liberated woman. They embodied the ideal that women could have it all: a career, a family and better sex than her mother. A quarter of a century later, myself and many other women in their 40s have found these words daunting and the reality of trying to have it all tiring and overwhelming.

Often in those ensuing twenty-five years, we have faced situations that have forced us to choose: career or family. As the increasing rate of infertility has shown, women have delayed motherhood in favour of careers often to the point that motherhood is no longer a viable option. Many face the dilemma of expensive medical interventions or abandoning the dream of a carrying a child inside their own bodies in favour of carrying an adopted child in their hearts. Equally perplexing is the plight of the women who have opted for motherhood in their 20s only to face discrimination when they attempt to re-enter the work force once their children are in school.

I recently watched a compelling pilot for a new US television show, The Lipstick Jungle. Based on a book by Candace Bushnell and starring Brooke Shields, it follows the lives of three women in their 40s who appear to be living this Enjoli dream. In reality, their lives are falling apart. Shield’s character is facing divorce because her stay-at-home husband feels emasculated by her higher income. Another character begins an affair with a younger man when her husband is more interested in his academic career than her. She stands naked with her lover’s number written in ink on her leg without his noticing. The third is trying to balance her desire for independence with her burgeoning interest in a billionaire with the need to play knight in shining armour to her damsel in distress. It chronicles well the plight that even seemingly successful women sometimes face: juggling is difficult, it is easy to keep dropping balls.

So then is the Enjoli woman dead? Have women given up the dream of having it all? A quick glance around any office in the city will quickly answer that question with a resounding no. Then how do we manage? What are the lessons of the last quarter of a century that we can share with our sisters and daughters?

I think the most important one is that you don’t have to have it all. It is alright to choose…and then to choose something else later. Hinduism recognizes four main stages of life: the student, the householder, and the retired person, and the ascetic (also known as a sannyasin or a sadhu). Each of these three stages is preceded by a samskara, a ritual that brings a person from the previous stage of life into the new one. While these are the most important stages of life, brought on by the most elaborate samskaras, there are many other samskaras performed during one’s life. Traditionally, a person may undergo anywhere from 10 to 18, even up to 40, samskaras during their lifetime. So too with modern life, rather than a single life, during our seven or eight decades upon this earth, we will in fact live many lives.

The icons of my generation, women like Madonna and Demi Moore, have proven the value of re-inventing ourselves. They have moved between successful careers and motherhood, focusing on each in turn as needed. Following her divorce from husband Bruce Willis, Moore took several years off her acting career to focus on helping her children to adjust to the change. Yet her return to the big screen as the villainess in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle marked another samskaras in her lifetime. Further highlighting her success was her partner who attended the premier with her, Ashton Kutcher a man some fifteen years her junior. Madonna has likewise focussed at times upon the importance of her husband and children over career.

We must learn to accept the beauty of Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken:

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

To give ourselves permission to explore a path for as far and as long as we wish. Then to take another…and another.

The other important lesson we must share with our younger selves is creativity. Many successful women have created their own paths: women such as Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay cosmetics. Ash worked for several direct sales companies from the 1930s until the early 1960s, achieving success as a salesperson and trainer. Frustrated at being passed over for promotions in favour of men, she retired in 1963, intending to write a book to assist women in business. The book turned into a business plan for her company. In 1963, Ash began Mary Kay Cosmetics with a $5,000 investment. Her life illustrates an important lesson: when a glass ceiling prevented her from succeeding in a man’s world, she created a world of success for herself and tens of thousands of other women.

Today there is a myriad of options to help women achieve better work/family life balance. Many employers now offer options such as job sharing, flexi-time or home-based alternatives. Other women find that beginning a business of their own like Mary Kay Ash offers them the freedom they desire. For others, volunteering offers the opportunity to share their talents and keeping their CVs current while maintaining their commitment to family.

Whatever path chosen, the young women of today are blessed to have sisters and mothers that have learned the lessons of Enjoli: that have survived the bacon and the romance to find a life balance and a path right for them at that moment in their lives. Achieving that balance has not been easy for my generation and I am certain it will not be easy for either of my daughters’ generations but by accepting that they do not have to have it all and learning to create their own paths, the young women of today will be better prepared to face the demands of career and family.

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S. Barbu asked:


Is it true that celebrities really desist from endorsing cigarettes of all hues? Is it because they are conscious of their social responsibilities? Pictures of celebrities smoking appear glamorous and civilized, regardless of the context of the scene in a movie and thus it strikes a cord with teens. They are shown at parties with a cigarette which pushes young people to emulate them. The brands they smoke, Marlboro cigarettes, Camel, Winston, Virginia Slims, Salem etc, become a point of campus discussion.

Could it be that the stars themselves have been influenced by the glamour that was once associated with cigarettes? Perhaps if you spend long enough in the fantasy world of film you start to believe in the celluloid image. Just like Gloria Swanson in ‘Sunset Boulevard’ you lose touch with reality.

After all, it’s not so long ago that everybody who was somebody in Hollywood smoked and was proud of it. Cigarettes smoking was glamorous and sophisticated. Just think of the iconic image of Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ as Holly Golightly posing elegantly with her long cigarette holder, upswept chignon and little black dress.

What’s not so elegant of course is the way Audrey Hepburn succumbed to the smoking habit herself. Ignoring her mother’s ‘beauty tip’ to: “keep to six cigarettes a day only”, Hepburn managed two or three packs at her worst times - even smoking in her nun’s habit on the set of ‘The Nun’s Story’ and chain smoking her way through ‘My Fair Lady’. Unsurprisingly, she suffered from asthma for most of her life and died of cancer at only 63 - looking frail and old for her years. Not the kind of ending we like to imagine for the sublime Holly Golightly.

There’s no doubt that the very nature of the movie business has caused many a celebrity to start treading the nicotine path. Smoking is as common in movies today as it was back in the 1950’s although overall smoking in the population at large has reduced. Could it be that a cigarette has become the film prop of choice for actors looking for an easy way to inhabit another skin?

For some celebrities - tired of the constant criticism and the ciggy shots splashed across the tabloids - a kind of smoking defiance has crept in. As Gwyneth Paltrow once said, “I smoke and I’m not going to stop!” Paltrow - famous for getting through a pack of Camel Lights a day in her teens and twenties - has only very recently quit smoking. Perhaps she started to wonder how her fine, fair skin and ethereal beauty would cope with the collagen depletion in her fourties and fifties.

Some celebrities keep going with the smoking habit whatever the consequences and even if it impacts on their relationships. It’s well known that smoking was a bone of contention between Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston during their marriage. Brad Pitt is on record as saying how much he hated his ex-wife’s chain smoking. His disapproval didn’t cut much ice with Jennifer though - as recent paparazzi photos show. You have to ask why one of the worlds most loved and naturally attractive women would do this to themselves?

Similarly, iconic top model Kate Moss is regularly photographed with her cigarettes, a lighter and a mobile phone as her only fashion accessory. As a supreme super model its probably not surprising that Moss still manages to appear effortlessly elegant and beautiful however she’s photographed - at least for now. She certainly shows no signs of wanting to quit smoking any time soon. Perhaps like so many in her world - she associates smoking with thinness. Or perhaps, for her, it’s the least troubling of her addictions.

When celebrities do chose to quit its fascinating that the reasons given are so often not about looks. Catherine Zeta-Jones for instance, quit smoking - so she said - because she didn’t want her children to start asking questions. Not as you might have thought - because beauty is her personal trademark and smoking would kick-start skin aging and undermine her potential to earn huge sums of money.

Whatever the reasons celebrities have for smoking or for deciding to quit - the truth about skin damage and smoking very rarely features as a major factor in the debate. Well - we think it should. So our advice to all you celebrity smokers out there - carry on smoking if you want but don’t expect your fickle public not to notice the effect on your looks. And when you hit a deluded middle age you may still be able to say, like Gloria Swanson in ‘Sunset Boulevard’: “I’m ready for my close-up now Mr de Mille” - but only if it’s filmed in heavy soft-focus, expertly back-lit and then extensively re-touched afterwards.

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Jay Ta asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 Jay Ta

A hearing aid needs to be maintained and looked after to ensure it is working at its best potential. Not only will this ensure you are getting the best out of your hearing aid but it will prolong its life.

There are behind-the-ear and in-the-ear hearing aids both need to be looked after and maintained.

Behind-the-ear hearing aid should be cleaned every night if not at least once a week. Remove the ear mould and tubing which needs to washed in warm soapy water and rinsed. Do not dry them, leave them to dry themselves. Once cleaned and dried then fit them back to your hearing aid.

The hearing aid itself shouldd be cleaned with a soft dry cloth only as any solutions may damage the hearing aid.

The tube will need to be replaced every three to six months; this will prevent cracks and hardening of the tube. You should be shown how to replace the tube by your dispenser. If you have two hearing aids ensure you keep each mould and tube with the right hearing aid to put it all back correctly.

In-the-ear hearing aids have no tubes to detach and clean, you should clean the aid with a dry soft cloth or tissue. Do not use any liquid on the hearing aid as it may damage it, only use the cloth.

Some in-the-ear hearing aids come with a wax pick and instructions how to clean.

Not only do you need to ensure that your hearing aid has been cleaned regularly but change the battery often. If the sounds become quieter, distorted, crackling then change the battery. It is a good idea to carry your spare battery with you just in case. Some hearing aids may have a slight beeping noise when the battery needs to be changed.

With NHS hearing aids the batteries should be supplied free of charge which you should be able to collect form any local hearing centre with your record book. Privately bought hearing aids you will have to buy batteries which you can normally get from local chemists.

Hearing aids should be kept away from water, heat, hair products and body sprays as they may damage it. Try and take your hearing aid out when you go to sleep and turn it off to save the battery. Turning the hearing aid off whenever you are not using the hearing aid can help maintain the battery.

There are many common problems which occur with hearing aids but to establish which problem you should go through a checklist. It may sound simple but always check the hearing aid is on, the volume is up, not on setting ‘T’, the battery is in correctly and change battery if needed.

All these points may sound like common sense but they are easily done.

Remember to look after your hearing aid and it will last longer.

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Al Terry asked:


Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Blue Jays tickets sell like hot cakes as the team enjoys mass popularity and has a great fan following. Blue Jays are a professional baseball team and are members of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball American League. Also known as “The Jays”, the name of the team originates from the name of a bird of the same name.

The Uniform colors of the Blue Jays include white, blue, silver, graphite and black and the logo consisted of the Blue Jays emerging out of the J. The teams’ motto is “It’s always game time”.

Origin And History Of The Blue Jays

The team came into existence in the year 1976 and the franchise was owned by Labatt Breweries with the major share and Imperial Trust and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce as small holders. The team played its first game on April 7, 1977 against the Chicago White Sox which they won. However the win was the teams’ only success out of the 54 games played in the same year. In 1978 the team improved its performance but remained last with their record of 59-103. In 1980, the team’s original manager Roy Hartsfield was replaced by Bobby Mattick. Under Mattick the team’s performance improved with a 14-win over the previous year.

The team’s performance further improved under the aegis of the team’s new manager Bobby Cox in 1982 and with some of the good players like pitcher Dave Stieb. Jim Clancy and Luis Leal and the outfielder Lloyd Moseby and Jesse Barfield. The team won against the Baltimore Orioles improving their performance in the year 1983. The teams’ performance further improved in 1984 but they still stood a distant second behind Detroit Tigers, the World Series champion.

In 1985 the team won their first championship – The American League East Division title. The years 1986-1988 did not prove to be very fruitful for the team. In 1989, the SkyDome opened in the middle of the season for the team and they played their first game in the newly inaugurated stadium against the Milwaukee Brewers only to lose the same.

Outstanding Performances And Historical Happenings Of Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are the first team to win a World Series in Canada and also the first and only team outside the United States to win the World Series in the year 1992 and 1993. The team was also one of the first Major League Club to draw over 4 million fans in just one season helping push the sale of Blue Jays tickets. The year 1993 saw the team acquire some- the Blue Jays had seven All-Stars: outfielders Devon White and Joe Carter, infielders John Olerud and Roberto Alomar, starting pitcher Pat Hentgen, designated hitter Molitor and closer Duane Ward. The team lost in 1994 despite the huge expectations and dropped to a 55-6 record. In 1995 again the team’s performance dipped adversely affecting the attendance and also the sale of Blue Jays tickets after they lost to Boston Red Fox.

The Blue Jays have had their highs and lows during their professional career. Many times the team has faced attendance problems. However, the team has also witnessed one of the record attendances as well when the Blue Jays tickets have been in huge demand. One can even book Blue Jays tickets online with an authorized ticket broker without having to stand in long queues. What’s more! One can book the tickets anytime, anywhere right from the comfort of one’s home!

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David Maillie asked:


We see it on TV everyday. On CNN, NBC, every news channel, even on Martha Stewarts show -yes, she is on Myspace also. Hundreds of thousands of bands from Kid Rock and Uncle Cracker to 50 Cent, Jessica Simpson, etc… all have their own Myspace pages. Myspace has grown in the past 2-3 years to over 66 million users and is growing at a rate of 2-10K per hour and several million per month. There are now more people on Myspace then there are searches per day on Google - the largest internet search engine. Comedian Dane Cook has over 900,000 friends on Myspace now and it helped promote him from nothing to on Saturday Night Live and a nationwide tour under his name with many top comedians.
Myspace doesn’t charge a penny and doesn’t bombard you with ads like other free services in the paste (Kazaa, ICQ, etc…). You can advertise for free, start a blog, start a romance, build friends, network, etc… With over 65 million users the possibilities are endless. Its also very easy to use - It doesn’t take a manual or a learning timeframe like AOL in the past. This free service has attracted bands in droves. There are over 100,000 bands, artists and similar on Myspace with pages showing tour schedules, factoids, etc… Many of these bands are using Myspace for free publicity and to grow their fanbase and popularity. They can release videos, excerpts, free songs, etc… It all works - just look at some of the bands and their numbers of page views and friends - Jessica Simpson has over 200,000 friends - that is over 200,000 people that get free updates and info from Jessica.
Relatively unknown websites and artists can now get free publicity and get heard. To test this we started a Myspace page 1 week ago and today have over 1,000 page views and over 700 friends. We receive over 70 bulletins per day with announcements on everything from band tour dates to concerts, special invites, offer for a date, business websites, etc… The majority of users are teens and young (under 38) adults. It seems this age group has grown tired of VH1 and MTV reality shows and the lack of music and information that is tailored to their desires. This is what Myspace provides. You control who is in your network and what information, music videos, news, etc… you receive and subscribe to.
Myspace is the next AOL, and the sky is the limit. It is rumored that a lot of programming will soon be live off websites like Myspace. Maybe Myspace will become like XM radio - no or little commercials, choose your own programming 24 hours a day. No need to pay for cable TV, or movies. You will just pay a flat monthly fee. What ever Myspace’s future holds, it is sure to change TV, radio, and our world or our space for ever. It certainly had a profound effect on Dane Cook and his future is looking brighter and brighter. Myspace has left its mark and is here to stay.

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Matthias Koster asked:


The Toronto Blue Jays have the distinction of being the first, and most likely being the only Canadian team to ever win baseball’s most coveted prize, the World Series championship.

Originally founded in 1977, the Toronto Blue Jays struggled like most expansion teams, taking seven full seasons to record their first .500+ winning percentage. Yet from there on out (1983) the Jays had at least a .500 winning percentage in every season up until the strike shortened 1994 campaign.

During this stretch of success the Jays battled their way to three playoff appearances; in 1985, 1989 & 1991. Unfortunately they fell short of reaching the finals in all three occasions. The year 1992 would be different.

Before getting into the actual series’ themselves, we’d have to be crazy to skip over the players themselves. The names on the rosters read like a who’s who for the late eighties and early nineties. Everyone on this list played for the Jays during 1992 & 1993 and has made at least one all-star team during their career.

Batters:

John Olerud, Roberto Alomar, Kelly Gruber, Devon White, Joe Carter, Jeff Kent, Ed Sprague, Tony Fernandez and Alfredo Griffin.

Pitchers

Jack Morris, Jimmey Key, Juan Guzman, Dave Stieb, David Cone, Tom Henke, Pat Hentgen, Al Leiter, Shawn Green, Carlos Delgado, Dave Stewart, and Woody Williams.

And let’s not forget these Hall of Famers

Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor, and Rickey Henderson

Unreal… talk about some talent! One has to question how they only won 96 games in 1992 and 95 in 1993.

Although these teams were loaded, their path to the