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!

- – - – - – - – - -

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.

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In 2004, a woman left her house and her dog (well, not completely, I’m sure she left her dog with other responsible adults that cared for her needs) and went on the road with a small crew to film a documentary across America. She wanted to survey women; to see how we, as a gender, were doing and what we were up to. She met some amazing, inspiring, spectacular, successful, kick ass women and they were all named Angela Shelton. They all had a story, but a great deal of their stories had very similar themes as she moved from one to the next to the next. Their stories were also her stories. Their stories are my stories, and the stories of countless women, girls, men and boys all over the world.

Angela Shelton wanted to survey women in America who all just happened to share her name. She wanted her documentary to be light, airy, fun and hilarious, but it ended up being a documentary about not-so light, airy, fun, and definitely not hilarious issues. Angela found that most of the women she was able to talk to for her documentary had either been raped, beaten, or abused in their lifetime.

I heard about Angela Shelton through a forum I was active on quite a number of years ago. I saw her documentary, Searching for Angela Shelton, during the worst time in my life. I whole-heartedly believe that Angela Shelton, along with the fabulous volunteers for the RAINN hotline, saved my life.

I am a survivor of child abuse, childhood sexual assault and rape. I live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and major depressive disorder. I wear this shirt when I need to be reminded that I survived. That I am a survivor. And I am never going back.

Learn more about Angela Shelton at AngelaShelton.com, as well as the Angela Shelton Foundation, The Survivor Manual and join the Army of Angels.

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Now that the major credit card companies have waived their (in my humble opinion, devastating and ill-willed) fees aimed at charitable contributions, many companies have also set up processes in which cardholders can redeem their rewards points to make donations to aid Haiti relief efforts.

• American Express has set up a website, GivingExpress Online, which lists a number of great charities and allows cardholders already enrolled in their Membership Rewards program to donate to any of the charities listed on the website by using their Membership Rewards points. American Express has also announced a donation of $250,000 to assist several different charities dedicated to the relief efforts in Haiti, including the American Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, International Rescue Committee and the United Nations’ Friends of the World Food Program. They are also matching employee donations for relief efforts.

• Capital One launched their No Hassle Giving Site in 2008. This website allows cardholders to donate rewards to more than 1.2 million United States charities. Since the devastating earthquake hit Haiti in early January, the No Hassle Giving Site has listed about a handful of worthwhile charities dedicated to Haitian relief efforts. Cardholders have the option to set up charitable donations online as either a one-time only donation or a reoccuring donation; cardholders will also earn rewards on their donation transaction. A Capital One spokeswoman has also declared that donations made to the relief efforts in Haiti are tax deductible and donors could obtain a detailed donation history and summary of taxable donations for their records.

• Chase cardholders who hold either Chase Freedom, Sapphire and/or Ink can redeem and donate their Ultimate Rewards points to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund. Donations can be made starting at $25 for 2,500 points and then in $25 increments beyond that. There is no limit to the amount of points you can redeem to donate to Haiti, as long as it is up to your points balance.

• Citibank has enabled cardholders to redeem their ThankYou Network loyalty points to make donations to the American Red Cross and the ARC Disaster Relief Fund before the earthquake hit Haiti. Since the earthquake, donations have been reported to increase to 20 times the normal number they will pulling in. On January 20th Citibank added a Haiti-specific donation option which benefits the American Red Cross International Response Fund and since then, there has been a nearly 100 times increase in the daily redemption rate of loyalty points. You may redeem your ThankYou Network loyalty points in denominations of $50 and $100 to benefit the American Red Cross International Response Fund. You can also call the ThankYou Network service center to redeem your points for a donation by calling 800-842-6596.

Woman Tribune has been reporting on the relief efforts, current conditions, ways to donate and how people around the world are uniting to help Haiti in a time of serious and desperate need. We will continue reporting as information becomes available, so please consider following our reporting on Haiti to stay up to date on what is happening there.

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Information on how to donate your breast milk to babies in need in Haiti came to light after a press release was put out by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. The International Breast Milk Project soon after launched the Haiti Emergency Relief Milk Program, who said that they would be helping to cover hosts for the Human Milk Banking Association of North America to collect, process and ship breast milk that had been donated to Haiti. While the International Breast Milk Project does have several updates on their website from up to January 28th reporting that donated breast milk has arrived in Port-au-Prince and awaiting pick up, the Red Cross has recently released a statement saying that they are 100% sure that they did not ask for breast milk donations and have asked women to stop sending it.

The Emergency Nutrition Network and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance have asked the Human Milk Banking Association of North America to retract their press release, saying that breast milk donations to Haiti present an “unfeasible and unsafe intervention.” In fact, milk that had arrived in Port-au-Prince as part of the International Breast Milk Project’s efforts, has remained unused because of concerns raised by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance and other agencies. It has also been stated that nursing mothers donating breast milk with the intentions of it being sent to Haiti, while done with the best intentions of helping to provide emergency relief, has stemmed from quite a bit of confusion when the milk banking group, as well as several associations, bloggers and heavy-hitting media released information saying that their milk was in great need, while it turns out that there never was a need for donated milk.

Across the board, every major relief organization agrees that the best way to help Haiti’s struggles at this time, as well as the best way to help any relief efforts, is to donate money so that non-profit organizations and others helping to aid Haiti are able to continue their efforts. If you are interested in donating money to the relief efforts in Haiti, check out our list of worthwhile charities working towards relief in Haiti.

If you are a nursing mother and would like to donate breast milk to help babies in need in the United States, the International Breast Milk Project has stated that they, along with the Human Milk Banking Association of North America does collect milk to help critically ill babies in neonatal intensive care units, as well as babies that cannot tolerate formula. You can contact the Human Milk Banking Association of North America on their website or by calling 1-866-998-4550 for further information and the donation process.

Woman Tribune has been reporting on the relief efforts, current conditions, ways to donate and how people around the world are uniting to help Haiti in a time of serious and desperate need. We will continue reporting as information becomes available, so please consider following our reporting on Haiti to stay up to date on what is happening there.

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I was recently made aware of continual relief efforts by Marcy Sasso, the Director of Operations of the Ambulatory Surgical Center, which she stated that the Ambulatory Surgical Center is working with The United Way, Inspire Haiti and The Red Cross to collect all types of medical supplies to be sent to help the relief efforts in Haiti. The following medical supplies are very much needed by the people of Haiti, so if you are in the medical profession or know someone who is, please pass this information along; regardless whether you can donate a case or a box or fifteen boxes of supplies, please help in this major relief effort.

Medical supplies needed:

• boxes of gloves (regular and latex free)
• IV solutions and supplies
• oxygen masks
• blood pressure cuffs
• sterile water and saline oxygen tubing, elderly care supplies
• Band-Aids
• hand sanitizers
• anti-fungal creams
• glucometers
• alcohol wipes
• Tums and antacids
• sanitary napkins, menstrual products
• Neosporin
• cotton drapes/gauze, First Aid supplies
• Aspirin, pain relievers, unopened sample medications
• walkers, crutches, wheelchairs. canes, walker boots
• medical soap
• insulin syringes
• sheets, towels
• stethoscopes

Please drop off any supplies to the Ambulatory Surgical Center located at 950 W. Chestnut Street, Union, NJ 07083. If you have any additional questions or concerns, you may call 908.688.2700.

Also note, if you are unable to drop off your supplies, Integrated Health will pick them up. Please call the number above to set up a time for your supplies to be picked up.

Woman Tribune has been reporting on the relief efforts, current conditions, ways to donate and how people around the world are uniting to help Haiti in a time of serious and desperate need. We will continue reporting as information becomes available, so please consider following our reporting on Haiti to stay up to date on what is happening there.

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Children are the most vulnerable during emergencies. Due to malnutrition and respiratory illnesses that are common and rampant among children after an emergency situation, particularly in the days, weeks and months following a natural disaster, child mortality can soar from 2-70 times higher than average. In addition to ensuring that a baby in Haiti has a food source when other sources may not be available for them, breast milk can also be used to wash with and treat scrapes and other small wounds, which will go such a long way in Haiti, where hospitals have been demolished and doctors, nurses, volunteers and caregivers are waiting on relief and aid when it comes to all sorts of medical supplies that they are in desperate need of.

The World Health Organization/United Nations Children’s Fund had this to say about breast milk in emergency situations:

“Where it is not possible for the biological mother to breastfeed, the first alternative, if available, should be the use of human breast milk from other sources. Human milk banks should be made available in appropriate situations.”

To donate your breast milk, contact the Human Milk Banking Association of North America by calling 1-866-998-4550 for further information on how to get your breast milk to children in need. You can also check milk banks and medical centers that accept breast milk donations all across the country, as well as in British Columbia, Canada here. Because of the conditions in Haiti, the International Breast Milk Project has reported that breast milk donations may be difficult to make it to and be sustained in Haiti and if your donation is not possible, your breast milk will be used in the United States for babies in the NICU and cases where it is medically needed so either way, your breast milk donation will be saving and sustaining lives.

Woman Tribune has been reporting on the relief efforts, current conditions, ways to donate and how people around the world are uniting to help Haiti in a time of serious and desperate need. We will continue reporting as information becomes available, so please consider following our reporting on Haiti to stay up to date on what is happening there.

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If you have not already, join Bloggers Unite for Haiti and write just one post on your blog in an effort to raise awareness of the situation there; it can be about current conditions in Haiti, how to donate money, supplies, or volunteer to the ongoing disaster relief efforts. This global blogging event is taking place on January 19th, but they are accepting links to blog posts now and will continue to do so as more information becomes available.

For a list of charities in desperate need of relief funds to aid Haiti, check out our list of worthwhile charities doing amazing work.

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[nggallery id=3]

[Images via INF Daily]

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Image credit: CNN

In the wake of the tragic and deadly, 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday, people are banding together in order to help those in need who have survived, who are grieving the loss of their loved ones and who are trying to imagine their lives before the earthquake and wondering how they are going to pull through after. When any tragedy strikes, people are always coming forward and asking ‘How can I help?’ and while there are a great deal of generous, kind and giving people in the world, there are also people who prey on the generosity of others. There have already been several confirmed cases of scams and hoaxes that have lured people who want to help the people in Haiti into giving money to what they thought were charities, only to have their money stolen.

We are all devastated over the tragedy that has occurred in Haiti and it is important for us not to feel helpless during this time of great need. I have done much research on the legitimate charities that are out there and who are truly committed to helping the people of Haiti. If you are asking yourself, ‘How can I help?’ please look below for the number of different things you can do that will truly make a difference in the lives of the people of Haiti.

• Doctors Without Borders
  Doctors Without Borders have been working in Haiti for 19 years, most recently operating three emergency hospitals in Port-au-Prince. They have been successful in mobilizing a large emergency response to the disaster in Haiti and their immediate response in the first hours following the deadly earthquake was only possible because of the private unrestricted donations from around the world that have been dedicated to making the relief efforts of Doctors Without Borders possible. Doctors Without Borders will use your donations to ensure that their medical teams can react to the Haiti emergency and humanitarian crises all over the world, particularly in neglected crises that remain outside the media spotlight. Your donation to Doctors Without Borders is ensured to be earmarked from their Emergency Relief Fund.
  Donate to Doctors Without Borders

• UNICEF
  UNICEF believes that children are always the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster and they are committed to being there to provide aid to those children. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is absorbing all associated administrative costs so that 100% of every dollar you donate to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF will support their relief efforts for children in Haiti.
  Donate to UNICEF

• Mercy Corps
  Mercy Corps always distinguishes themselves as one of the first responders when an earthquake hits. They were on the ground in Peru in 2007, in China in 2008, in Indonesia in 2009 and they landed in Haiti as one of the first on the ground ready to help. As stated on their donation page, the next $250,000 in donations made to Mercy Corps for their Haiti Earthquake Fund will be matched by a generous donor.
  Donate to Mercy Corps

• American Red Cross
  From your mobile phone, regardless of your carrier or plan, text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross (U.S. State Department) or text YELE to 501501 to donate $5 to Yele Haiti, the foundation started by Wyclef Jean. Your donations to the American Red Cross will go immediately to the first responders on the ground in Haiti and will be sorely needed.

• Oxfam America
  Oxfam America has over three decades of experience in Haiti and they have rushed in teams from around the region to respond to their tragic earthquake where their assistance in most needed. Oxfam is providing clean water, shelter and sanitation to the people of Haiti. Your donations to Oxfam America will go immediately to the most critical needs in Haiti and is ensured that every penny will be used wisely.
  Donate to Oxfam America

As you sit down and watch the news every night over the past three nights, you have most likely heard of the amount of money that certain celebrities, businesses, organizations and also our government has donated to the relief efforts in Haiti; do not let this discourage you from donating what you can, as much or as little as you can afford to part with, because when such tremendous tragedy strikes, it takes the world to lean in and help when and where they are able.

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And I am pretty much inclined to agree! We did hear a lot of great talk from Obama when he was lobbying us all to vote for him–and we more or less pulled through, hence his presidency status, but we are seeing a lot from home that we have been disappointed in. I remember distinctly the great amount of respect and pride I had for the country as a whole when it was announced late election night that he was the next president of the United States, but now that pride has dwindled a great deal, especially when we start hearing him make statements such as he “didn’t campaign on the public option,” which we know that he did. In fact, when visiting my partner’s parents one night before the election and while discussing why I would be voting for Barack Obama (and being berated the entire time I was there for it) I did bring up the point that I had faith in him to pull through with a public option. I mean, a Republican president brought us into two wars, how hard would it be for a Democratic president to ensure that every American has the right to health care?

Well, we all know the answer to that question.

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If you have any pairs of gently worn jeans that you do not wear anymore or don’t fit, please drop them off at any Aéropostale store between January 19th and February 14th. Every pair of jeans donated will be sent to a local homeless shelter or charity so they are helping the homeless teens in and around your local area, which is a really awesome thing to do and now you have a way to get rid of all of those jeans taking up space in your closet that you don’t wear!

To thank you for helping homeless shelters and charities in and around your area, Aéropostale will also give you 25% off any new pairs of jeans you purchase the day you donate your old ones.

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To celebrate Kraft reaching their 1,000,000 box goal, there will be an awesome Twitter party tonight, Monday, December 21st at 9PM EST. The Twitter party will last one hour where participants will share how they are sharing a little comfort this holiday season. Of course, Kraft is also celebrating this feat by giving away some great swag!

Five people who take part in the Kraft Share a Little Comfort Twitter party will win a Barefoot Dreams blanket as well as a years supply of Kraft mac and cheese (50 boxes). To win, all you have to do is RSVP here and be sure to Tweet with hashtag #bluebox and I’ll see you there!

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During a town hall meeting, a college student asked President Obama if he has looked over the statistics of legalizing prostitution, gambling, drugs and non-violent crime as a way to stimulate the economy. Of course he said no, but I do have a word of advice for those looking for marijuana and other non-violent crimes to be legalized: If it ever was legalized, you’d have to pay taxes on your dealing money.

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The view from my window on October 16th–The first snow fall.

Around three years ago, as soon as it got really cold outside, the apartment we were living in lost hot water for three days. Three days of no hot water whatsoever; dishes couldn’t be done and above all, no showers could be had. That right there is enough to make me want to pull my hair out and I didn’t even mention the fact that the entire place was heated by nothing but brick heaters–little heaters attached to the wall that let out as little heat as possible to the point where you would have to stand in front of it to thaw out your frozen, icicle toes and fingers and nose. Yes, it was bad. So when the roof started leaking because of the amount of snow on the roof one winter and our slumlord landlord told us to wait four month for him to come and fix the roof because as we know, it was the middle of winter and well, how could we expect our landlord to actually fix things in the middle of winter? Were we on crack? Apparently, because we moved in the middle of an ice storm in February!

And that’s what brings us to this house. Things were fine at first–It actually had good heaters which I must admit was a selling point. I’m not that hard to please–House must have heat. See, not too bad a demand at all. Last winter, as luck would have it, our pipes froze and we had to go three days without hot water–again. Luckily, our new landlord was not a typical slumlord that we were used to, so he had the front sidewalks dug up to get the pipes fixed and it worked, although the no hot water flashbacks were running rampant. Three days without a shower is something that makes me incredibly grossed out, so that is pretty much the worst thing that can happen in the middle of winter. The past two days haven’t been fun, though. Winter has yet again brought on problems that mess with our comfort levels. The living room heater decided it took too much effort on its part to bring the heat up into the room. The same room that my computer is in, that I sit at all day working and for the past two days, have froze in front of.

You know how when it’s too humid outside your body just shuts down because you’ve been out in the sun and you just get tired? Well, I can now say from experience that the same thing happens when you’re freezing. Maybe not just overwhelming tired from humidity, but you do get to your own level of “Screw this, I’m going to crawl into my bed that has a heating blanket on it and forget that my living room has been put in the middle of the Arctic.”

So these past two days have given me wonderful words of advice for anyone else that lives in an area with a fluctuating climate: Space heaters. They will save your sanity.

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But there are some outtakes from the interview that we didn’t get to see, such as why she wrote her new book Going Rogue, especially regarding the fact that many have said that she needs to stop talking publicly about her life and keep her private life private, since during her vice-presidential run she was constantly speaking about how much she hates the media and how they portrayed her during that time. The clips not shown include her speaking about what was being reported by bloggers around the world about her time as Governor of Alaska, such as how she supposedly banned books from appearing in Alaskan libraries, which she reports was not true. They also spoke about how she has journaled throughout her entire life, how during the 2008 campaign her emails were hacked and broadcast across the media and a lot more.

Here are those moments we didn’t get to see on Oprah:

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After Sarah Palin left the premises, Oprah recorded a short, 55 second video about what they talked about, saying that they talked about everything including the campaign trail with John McCain, Bristol Palin and her pregnancy, her marriage with Todd Palin, and yes, even about Levi Johnston. Check out Oprah’s video below:

This interview is very nicely timed since Levi is gearing up for his Playgirl photoshoot and on the topic of Levi, Oprah asked Sarah if Levi will be invited to Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks to CBS, we have some sneak peeks of the Palin/Oprah interview.

On Levi Johnston:

On Katie Couric:

The exclusive and in-depth interview with Sarah Palin will air on Monday, November 16th. Will you be watching?

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However, what did surprise me quite a bit was her stunt on Larry King Live. This woman has absolutely no respect for a reputable interviewer nor for the people who have been following her and her “story.” Lastly, she has absolutely no idea what professionalism is and what it entails to be a public figure, as she so obviously wishes she could be.

In an appearance on Larry King Live to pimp out her new book, Still Standing, The idea that conservative women have to face political attacks because of their conservatism is ridiculous and those who have been attacked for their belief system is probably because the conservative movement works to support the boy’s club, and only the boy’s club and for a woman to support that is a little hard to wrap your mind around.

I’m glad that Larry King did bring up the fact that “liberal bias” in the media really does not exist, since FOX News is still (somehow) considered a reputable news source and many conservative-backing media figures have indeed attacked Democrat and liberal political figures. Ms. Prejean’s assessment that conservative media does not or can not say discriminatory things about political figures Sonia Sotomayor and Hillary Clinton. In fact, the GOP had launched an entire campaign against Sotomayor, there have been racist cartoons and comments made against her. And well, I really don’t even have to point out the slew of attacks that were hurled in the direction of Hillary Clinton.

At about 4:35 Ms. Prejean has the audacity to talk to Larry King like he were a toddler, telling him that he was being inappropriate for asking why she decided to settle in court against the Miss USA pageant. He was not asking what she settled for, he asked why she decided to settle, which is not a matter of confidentiality between herself and the Miss USA pageant. That is not being inappropriate, that is asking a legitimate question. So Larry King goes to a commercial and look at this lovely little stunt the smug and absolutely out of her mind Carrie Prejean pulls:

What she did is completely unprofessional and disrespectful and to not take questions on Larry King Live is yet another red flag that she cannot hold her own and when you either fight to become a social figure or you just happen to land as one, you must know how to hold your own position against someone’s questions or comments. As for her anecdotes and her tangents, it’s the same things we heard on several other television programs she has appeared on throughout the past week. Her publicist really should have advised her to get a few more canned responses ready.

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If you have written a post for Blog Action Day ‘09 here are the instructions on how to get your writing/art work/poetry/what-have-you featured on the site. What I especially love about this partnership is that Current knows that some of the best forms of activism comes in the form of art, which is why they are committed to featuring creative expressions inspired by climate change. This is a tremendous opportunity, especially for bloggers out there with great blogs, phenomenal writing, but a low readerbase who needs to get out there in the blogosphere where people can be introduced to you. Who knows, you just may get a few loyal and like-minded readers out of the deal!

A whole lot of great posts have already popped up over there and I anticipate a lot more thought-provoking posts for Blog Action Day to be submitted throughout the day. Go add your post!

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More than 8,000 blogs written by people from 148 countries are uniting today to raise awareness, to educate and to inspire people to do something about climate change. These 8,000+ blogs accumulate over 12,000,000 readers and I hope that our collective thoughts on such an important and what could be catastrophic issue reach even more people than that and start conversations between blogs, between people, and I hope that those people keep in mind the threat that climate change does indeed have over us when living their daily lives.

Contrary to popular belief, climate change is not an impending doom; climate change is not something we will face out of the blue one day when we wake up, look outside and realize we’re all living in wastelands and ghost towns. Climate change is not something that will happen “to us,” it is an issue that requires our attention and our activism. It is an issue that has already begun to impact the world we live in and how we live our lives.

When you are picking out your Christmas tree this holiday season, think of those trees that are being cut down in order to decorate your home for those few weeks; they may not always be there for you to pick out, bring home and decorate with your family, in fact, because of global warming, their numbers are already diminishing. The Pink Bark Beetle feeds on and kills pine trees, the same trees that are the iconic ‘Christmas trees.’ These beetles used to be held in control by cold winter temperatures, but as our temperatures have continued to increase over the years, the species is thriving and is killing off entire forests located in British Columbia.

Beetles are also thriving in feeding on and killing ash trees in alarming numbers. Ash trees are used to make all baseball bats and because ash trees are in danger of disappearing, so are baseball bats and without bats, there is no baseball–unless we want to see professional whiffle ball or go back to our childhood roots and use large sticks.

Cultural landmarks all over the country are being threatened by climate change; in fact, the World Monuments Fund recently added global warming as a threat in their list of the top 100 threatened cultural landmarks. Melting permafrost on Herschel Island in Canada threatens the ancient Inuit sites and historical whaling town. The desert in Chinguetti, Mauritania is encroaching on an ancient mosque. A hut once used by British explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott in Antarctica has survived almost a century in the freezing conditions of the location, but is in danger now because it is being engulfed by increasingly heavy snows.

Climate change is not just going to wipe out a great deal of our animals, ocean life, educational and awesome monuments and landmarks, become the stomping ground for war and famine and so many other things; it’s also going to give us more of some things… Like mosquitos! Mosquitos live in drains, sewer puddles and generally anywhere else that’s pretty disgusting. During long dry spells that are brought on by higher and higher temperatures, stagnant pools because a vital source of water for birds, which provide mosquitos with their food. These dry spells also reduce the population of dragonflies, lacewings and frogs, all insects that eat mosquitos. We will also see an increase in poison ivy, which grows lusher, taller and more resilient with increased CO2 levels.

There are a myriad of other atrocities that will happen to our world because of climate change and the Center for American Progress has listed a great deal of them. I urge you to check out the top 100 effects of global warming.

So, now that you know what is going to happen without us, the people, taking the initiative to do something about it, what is it that we should do, anyway?

Cut down on driving. Just burning a single gallon of gas produces 20 pounds of CO2 so if you commute back and forth to work, either move closer to your place of employment, if you’re able, or start riding your bike. If that isn’t an option, carpool with your co-workers.

Consume less. No, I’m not saying don’t eat as often, but you can buy less stuff. Remember that George Carlin bit about stuff and having to buy a bigger and bigger house to fit all of your stuff in? Minimalism is the way to go, it’s cool, I promise. Get reusable grocery bags; most grocery stores have them for sale at the register but if you need reusable grocery bags that are larger, which a lot of stores don’t carry, you can find a great deal of them with one Google search, or check out Etsy for handmade and stylish larger tote bags; that way you will also be supporting an artist who probably needs the money. You can also start growing your own small garden, just big enough to feed your own family some fresh vegetables and make delicious slow cooker recipes like soup and stew throughout the winter seasons.

No more cutting down tress, and plant new trees to replace ones that have been destroyed. 33 million acres of forests are cut down every single year. That is insane and, as it turns out, unnecessary. When purchasing wood products, opt to purchase used furniture or wood that is certified to be sustainably harvested.

Unplug your electronics when they’re not in use and turn off lights in rooms when you leave. Did you know that US citizens pay more for their electricity to power devices when they are off, rather than when they are on? Televisions, stereo equipment, computers, battery chargers, iPods, microwaves, toasters, coffee makers and a myriad of other electric devices that can be unplugged when they are not in use. These devices actually use up more energy when they are “turned off,” so why not just unplug them?

Switch to eco-friendly (and longer-lasting) light bulbs. According to the EPA, replacing just one incandescent light bulb in every American home would save enough energy to provide electricity to three million American homes. Imagine the impact you could have if you switched all of your light bulbs.

Educate yourself. There are countless resources on the internet that you can use to educate yourself about climate change and what you can do for you, your family and other families around the world. Blogs are a great resource to utilize, especially when looking on how to go green because the people who dedicate themselves to green living are truly doing what they can to change the world and are always eager to pass on the tips and tricks they pick up. My absolute favorite “green blog” is Crunchy Domestic Goddess, I cannot stress enough how influential she has been to me and to many other bloggers around the blogosphere. Go check her out.

Also take the time to explore the Climate Orb from TckTckTck, which is updated constantly with top headlines about climate change published all over the world.

To make an even bigger impact with what you can do about climate change, check out 350.org on October 24th for International Day of Climate Action. People all over the world will be participating and will be demonstrating their commitment to stopping climate change.

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Climate change was selected for this year’s Blog Action Day because it affects all people living today and also poses a dramatic threat of even more traumatic issues like famine, flooding, war, and millions of refugees. Because climate change poses such a risk to the world we live in and how our climate affects us and our livelihood, Copenhagen will be home to international climate negotiations this December.

If you would like to participate in this year’s Blog Action Day but don’t know exactly what to write about, keep in mind to write about climate change (with a link to Blog Action Day somewhere in your post) as it relates to your blog; that way you won’t risk losing any of your readers because you “went all political.” Bloggers have a very unique opportunity to raise awareness, put climate change the risks it poses to the environment and people in the minds of the people who frequent your blog and do it without risk to you and your readership.

From Blog Action Day’s website:

• A Technology or Business blog might write about emerging clean tech and how innovative companies might be able to help address the problem of climate change.

• A Health or Lifestyle blog might write about how climate change will affect our children’s health and daily living.

• A Nonprofit or Political blog might write about how climate change is deeply connected to many other issues-such as poverty and conflict.

• A Design blog might write about new trends in eco-friendly or sustainable design.

• A Travel blog might write about the places you want to see now before climate change makes them difficult to access or, well, under the sea.

Regardless of the topic of your blog, you have the opportunity to write about climate change and how it would impact your life and the lives of your readers.

Register for Blog Action Day and spread the word through Twitter, Facebook and badges you can place on your blog. You can also take action against climate change in a variety of different ways, Blog Action Day’s website is compiling a list of the most interesting and powerful ways to get involved in the climate change movement.

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As a child, I had not had the fortune of receiving a lunch note, but I think that they are incredibly cute and can also be very encouraging and motivational to your child as they open your note with their lunch and go back to class feeling inspired and ready to do their best. We saw the lunch note make an appearance in the season two premier of the CBS drama Medium and I know that there are some great parents out there who send lunch notes to school with their children, but Lunchables is inspiring more parents to bring back the lunch note–and for a great cause!

For every parent who makes the promise to drop a note in their kid’s lunch, the Lunchables team will donate a meal to a child and their family in need through Feeding America. If you want to make her daily lunch note even more fun, you can download silly and sweet note designs!

Feeding America is the country’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity; they serve an estimated nine million children annually and have done so much great work towards ending hunger. Lunchables’ goal is to have 100,000 parents make the lunch note promise and turn those promises into 100,000 meals from Lunchables Lunch Combinations to be given to kids in need.

After making the lunch note promise, be sure to check out the brand new Lunchables to send to school with your kids for lunchtime. The new Lunchables include:

• Turkey and Cheddar Sub
• Ham and American Sub
• Turkey and Cheddar Cracker Combo
• Ham and American Cracker Combo
• Deep Dish Cheese Pizza
• Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza

All of these new Lunchables are great options for your kids lunches!

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During the Clinton Global Initiative Fifth Annual Meeting, Bill Clinton introduced a very unique commitment between General Mills and CARE, which have partnered together to create Join My Village, an innovative online community that is dedicated to fighting poverty in Malawi through the empowerment of women and girls. But Join My Village will accomplish nothing without the help and the dedication of caring and generous people, which is why you should check out Join My Village.

How it works:

• Visit Join My Village and join one of ten village teams that will benefit approximately 75 villages in Malawi.

• As a village team member, you will get to know the women and families in Malawi through frequent updates, photos and stories.

• Through simple online activities like answering a quiz questions, telling a friend about Join My Village, or joining a village team, $1 will be unlocked by General Mills and will go to CARE’s poverty-fighting programs in the Malawi villages. (There is a limit of 3 activities per person per day and $15,000 per online village team, or $150,000 in total.)

• General Mills will also match persnal contributions dollar-for-dollar for up to $50 per donor, $15,000 per village team, or $150,000 in total.

• CARE will distribute all funds raised directly to Malawi to provide economic opportunities for women and increase access to quality education for girls.

I think it’s always amazing to see heavy-hitting companies that can truly make a difference, like General Mills, stepping up to the plate and doing what they have the power to do in order to make a difference in the regions less fortunate than most. The Clinton Global Initiative pairing General Mills with CARE was a great idea and I hope you all take part in Join My Village, especially considering it isn’t going to cost you money in order to help the villages of Malawi; all you have to do is participate in online activities you’re most likely participating in anyway on other websites, like answering quiz questions. This is truly an initiative that everyone can participate in, so go participate and unlock funds needed by Malawi’s women and girls.

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Via DailyMail, several images have been taken of the red-hued Sydney:

Australia is currently battling one of its worst droughts and weather officials say that a periodic change in the atmosphere and ocean is slowly developing which will mean drier conditions for the eastern states. While people are speculating that Australia’s dust storm, which is said to remain until winds cease, is linked to climate change, scients are reluctant to directly link global warming with extreme weather events such as storms and drought.

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I believe that health care reform and the creation of a public option is pertinent to the American people, especially considering too many Americans are currently without health insurance and unable to obtain important health care services that they not just need, but I passionately emphasize, they deserve. But as important health care reform is to so many Americans today, a great deal of political pundits have questioned whether people would stop listening to President Obama’s message because they have been hearing about it for so long and there certainly has not been any lack of the debate in the media, regardless of what medium of media you’re listening to.

The reason that President Obama’s appearance on Letterman was a success is because we didn’t receive yet another set of standard responses to interview questions, as is what appeared on the other interviews he did throughout the weekend. The Late Show is firstly a show created and meant for entertaining purposes and is standing on the legs of comedic value; without it, Letterman would not have the reputation that he does today. President Obama was free to show his comedic side and we received a full helping of laughs and entertainment while also, again, being informed of the president’s health care reform proposal.

If you missed President Obama on The Late Show with David Letterman last night, check out a clip below:

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Senator Ted Kennedy, the Liberal Lion who dedicated his career to equality and health care, passed away the morning of August 26.

Senator Ted Kennedy served his country, but unlike a great deal of politicians in office today, he served each and every single person of his country without bias. His list of accomplishments is long and varied. He fought to reverse the injustices that his fellow human beings encountered daily. He was a strong supporter of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and later authored amendments strengthening enforcement of key provisions of the Act. He played a central role in fighting discrimination in both the Age Discrimination Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. He was also the original Senate lead on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 1994, in 1996 he voted against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and in 1997 he was the original sponsor of hate crimes legislation. He also fought to end the funding of the very much failed abstinence-only education programs, voted for the increase of funding for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and he was also an outspoken supporter for the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, that prohibits gay and lesbian Americans from serving openly in the military.

But what Senator Ted Kennedy is most known for and what he devoted his career to is ensuring that each and every American citizen has the right to universal, affordable health care. He had first introduced a bill to ensure universal health care for all in 1970 and he worked tirelessly to make this a reality for the past four decades. This past summer he had also wrote an essay on the need for universal, affordable health care services, appropriately titled ‘The Cause of My Life.’ He wrote in that essay:

It is a key reason that I defied my illness last summer to speak at the Democratic convention in Denver — to support Barack Obama, but also to make sure, as I said, “that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American…will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not just a privilege.” For four decades I have carried this cause — from the floor of the United States Senate to every part of this country. It has never been merely a question of policy; it goes to the heart of my belief in a just society. Now the issue has more meaning for me — and more urgency — than ever before. But it’s always been deeply personal, because the importance of health care has been a recurrent lesson throughout most of my 77 years.

Senator Kennedy indeed accomplished quite a lot in his life and while his person, tenacity, and ambitiousness will be missed, I hope that his life’s work will inspire others in our Senate and in our government as a whole to ensure that each and every single American has the right to receive health care that they not just need, but deserve.

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