Monday, May 30, 2005

Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast, Australia

I always look forward to the monthly visits to the hair salon.
Not only will I look better (I hope) when I emerge from it but
the feeling of being able to get new insights from the many
magazines available there give me a sense of delight just
thinking of it.

One such article I came across the other day is on the Palazzo
Versace in the Gold Coast of Australia. This is the hotel
built by the late Gianni Versace, the fashion icon. It is still
owned by the fashion house, Versace, and is now being run by
Donatello Versace, the sister.

The hotel is simply awesome. Take a tour of Palazzo Versace
and see for yourself.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Over 29 Million Watch 'American Idol' Finale


Carrie Underwood performing her new single just after she won.

As the Malaysian Idol starts it's second season beginning March 27,
American Idol has just ended its current season as over 29M watched
Carrie Underwood win 'Idol'.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Nearly 30 million viewers tuned in to see
country singer Carrie Underwood crowned the latest winner on Fox
television's "American Idol," capping the most watched season yet
for the prime-time talent contest.

The two-hour "Idol" finale topped the last night of the 2004-2005
TV season with 29.4 million viewers overall, including about 15.8
million aged 18 to 49 -- the young-adult audience most coveted by
advertisers, Nielsen Media Research reported on Thursday.

As expected, that tally clinched Fox's victory as the season's
No. 1 network for 18-49 ratings, the measure broadcasters
generally regard as the most important benchmark of prime-time
success.

The fourth edition of "Idol," America's most watched TV series
this year, ended with Underwood, 22, edging out long-haired rocker
and fellow finalist Bo Bice as the favorite among viewers who cast
their votes by telephone and text messages.

Underwood, raised on an Oklahoma farm, becomes the latest
contestant to win the show's grand prize of a professional recording
contract.

According to Fox, some 500 million votes were cast in all this season,
more than four times the number of ballots tallied in last year's U.S.
presidential election. However, "American Idol" fans routinely cast
multiple votes for their favorite contestants, as the show's ground
rules allow.

The series has become a TV and music industry sensation since first
hitting the U.S. airwaves in 2002, turning several of its winners
and runners-up into overnight recording stars while the show
continues to grow in popularity.

The latest "American Idol" competition as a whole averaged 26.5
million viewers this season, surpassing the three previous
installments of the talent search. And Underwood proved a bigger
draw than her immediate predecessor, Fantasia Barrino.

But the conclusion to season two, when Ruben Studdard triumphed
over Clay Aiken, generated a larger audience than Wednesday
night's finale.

In terms of head-to-head competition in prime time, Wednesday's
"Idol" broadcast bested the two-hour finale of ABC's hit castaway
thriller "Lost."

Nevertheless, the night's two big-event finales combined averaged
50 million total viewers and drew half of all 18- to-49-year-olds
who were watching TV from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Fox is owned by News Corp. Inc. while ABC is owned by Walt Disney Co.

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Asbestos Related Diseases

Asbestos is used in over 3000 modern products and most
people have suffered at least some degree of exposure
to it at one point or another. Most asbestos exposure
is limited to minute portions of well maintained building
materials such as concrete, insulation and siding. Regular
maintenance of these materials is important for preventing
asbestos from degenerating into airborne fibers. Unfortunately,
because asbestos is so widespread, it is impossible to compute
the damage that even a small quantity can cause.


The lightweight nature of the asbestos particle facilitates
airborne spreading of these deadly carcinogens. This is why
most asbestos-related diseases affect the respiratory system.
These are incurable diseases. Even tiny amounts of asbestos
can inflict irreversible damage as symptoms usually only
emerge 20 to 30 years down the road.

Mesothelioma, Asbestosis and lung cancer are consequences
of prolonged asbestos exposure. Any contact with asbestos merits
immediate medical consultation because treatment options and
survival rates are greatly improved the earlier they’re detected.
Unfortunately most asbestos-related conditions don’t show
symptoms until the disease is terminally advanced. Most patients
diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition rarely survive more
than 18 months after diagnosis.

For more information on asbestos related diseases and
mesothelioma please visit
http://www.resource4mesothelioma.com


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This article may be freely re-printed as long as this
resource box and all links stay intact.

Thursday, May 19, 2005

How to make natural jewelry

How would you like to try yr hand at making yr own jewelry?
The article below will show you how.

Au Natural Jewelry is all about using natural material
like wood, natural fibers and shells where possible.
The look is relaxed. Rather informal. Very spontaneous.

With just some colorful wooden beads, string for crotchet
or whatever fibers or strings you can get your hands on
and a pair of ear hooks from the hobby store, you can make
a simple pair of wooden earrings.

1. Tie the string firmly to the bottom bead.

2. Use a needle. Thread the string through smaller beads
and through the loop of the ear hook.

3. Tie a dead knot to secure the beads to the hook.

4. Use the needle to thread the string back through the
beads, tie another dead knot and snip off the excess string.
Add 1 drop of superglue in the bead to secure the thread.

It is easier to make natural bead bracelets. Use the elastic
used in dress making and a needle with a very large eye for
that.

Thread the elastic through the beads, enough to go around
the wrist with and extra bead or two for allowance, then tie
a dead knot and hide the ends of the elastic back through the
beads.

Personally, I feel that Au Natural jewelry is the easiest to
make. Maybe because that is how I started.

I even loved making all shell earrings. For those, you need
shells with holes drilled through them.

No drill?

No problem.

When I went for beach vacations, the locals would often
sell shell necklaces very cheaply. Those shells have the
necessary holes in them.

I would buy lots of those, cut them up and make beautiful
shell earrings make with wooden beads.

With jewelry making a dash of creativity and whatever you
can get your hands on is all you ever need.

For the full article and for tips on how to make a shell
pendant, check out Jewelry.

Keywords: make jewelry,jewelry,making jewelry,jewelry making

About the Author
cheapestsale.com /jewelry/,
http://www.cheapestsale.com/
The author is the webmaster of Cheapest sale - Jewelry

Related article: Make your own bead jewelry

Getting a credit card is a big responsibility

The Star's front page today reads "Credit card control"

KUALA LUMPUR: The central bank is planning to tighten
the issuance of credit cards in the light of the growing
number of young adults being made bankrupts.

Before you read the full article... the article below
provides some good tips on using credit cards.


Getting a credit card is a big responsibility

Having a credit card can be a wonderful thing. It is
a big advantage to have a credit card, especially when
you want to make purchases online, reserve plane fare
or hotel rooms over the phone, or just don't happen to
have cash when you decide to make a purchase. However,
having credit cards can cause several problems if you
don't watch your spending habits carefully.

Using a credit card is serious and should be recognized
as a huge responsibility. If you follow these simple
tips to using credit cards, you should stay out of
trouble and find your credit cards to be a benefit
to you:

1. When you make a purchase with the credit card,
it is akin to taking a loan from your bank. What you
have borrowed has to be returned - so do not borrow
beyond your capacity to pay it back.

2. Always maintain a record of your credit card
balances during a month so that you are aware of what
you have already spent. This will help you evaluate
if you can make any more purchases in that month as
even small purchases can add up to large balances.

3. Any credit card receipts should be kept until
you can compare them to your monthly statement. If you
find any purchases you did not make, or higher charges
than those on the receipt, contact your credit card
company immediately.

4. Don't give your credit card to anyone, not even
friends and family. Its not that you can't trust these
folks but it would be really difficult to track
purchases if you are not the only one making them.

5. Don't ever borrow more than your ability to pay it
back. If you do and consequently aren't able to pay
it back, it can hurt your future ability to obtain
other forms of loans such as home mortgages, car
loans etc.

6. Always pay your bills in a timely fashion. If you
pay them on time, you can avoid hefty finance charges
and accruing interest. When you miss payments and add
on these charges, the balance just keeps getting higher
and higher.

7. Try to have your credit card bills paid in full
every month. To ensure this, budget your credit card
purchases on a monthly basis and then don't allow
your purchases to exceed that amount.

8. Keep your credit cards for new purchasing. Don't
pay one credit card bill with a different credit card.
This will inevitably lead to more charging and higher
balances.


Keywords: credit card, credit, loan, debt

About the Author
connie g,
connie@fncredit.com

Connie Gutchrif is the Owner of FN Credit - An excellent
resource for information on credit. To read more articles
or get more information, please go to:
http://www.fncredit.com

Sunday, May 15, 2005

The Dangers of Sodas and Diet Drinks

If you do drink sodas and diet drinks as a routine,
you may want to check out article below.

Sodas and colas are incredibly popular across the world.
These beverages account for more than a quarter of all
drinks consumed in the United States. More than 15 billion
gallons were sold in 2000. That works out to at least one
12-ounce can per day for every man, woman and child.

Sodas are full of empty calories and will contribute to
obesity, tooth decay, weakened bones and caffeine
dependence. Studies have shown strong links between
children who drink sodas and childhood obesity. No one
can deny the ties to soda and tooth decay, and it isn’t
just the high levels of sugar that cause it. The acids
in sodas begin to etch away the tooth enamel within 20
minutes. These acids also upset the gastrointestinal
system and cause many stomach disorders, as well as
disturb the acid/base balance in the body, making
an acid climate in which disease flourishes.

Sodas are a huge contributor to caffeine dependence,
and it often starts with young children. And diet colas
are often packed with a lot more caffeine than their
regular counterparts. With the popularity of stimulant
drinks such as Red Bull, that contain extra amounts of
caffeine, there is a reported rise in aggressive behavior
and violence among youths that consume these drinks.

Besides acids and caffeine, sodas contain phosphorus,
an ingredient shown to weaken bones by promoting the
loss of calcium. Phosphorus contributes to bone breakage
during childhood, and osteoporosis later in life.

Another danger is aspartame added to diet sodas as a
sugar substitute. There are over 92 different health
related side effects associated with aspartame
consumption, including brain tumors, birth defects,
diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures.
Plus, when aspartame is kept in warm areas or stored
for long periods of time, it changes to methanol, an
alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid,
both of which are carcinogens.

There really are no good reasons to drink sodas.
Juices, herbal teas and water are much better substitutes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
By Dianne Ronnow © 2005 Mohave Publishing. All rights
reserved. http://Enzyme-Health.com

Thursday, May 12, 2005

The Gucci spring/summer 2005 collection

Hmm.... Nice.

Expect this to steal the limelight: A crushed silk two-tone piece
A bold, assymetrical plunging neckline giving this dress a peek-a-boo effect

Kaftan top with striking embroidery


Top: Classy high heel thong in patent leather and gold chain.
Bottom:Flat velvet and silk nappa flat thong


Top: Small frame evening bag in leather with gold rivets.
Bottom: Medium shoulder bag in monogram fabric with signature web detail.

Source: The Star

For more fashion news....

Monday, May 9, 2005

Home Improvement That Will Add Value To Your Property

HOME IMPROVEMENT - TOP TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOUSE

Want to sell your home quickly? Home makeovers are all
the rage, but you don't have to go through a Changing
Rooms-style transformation to make your property more
enticing to prospective purchasers. Here are a few tips
on how to accentuate the positive side of your abode:

If you're taking photos of your home to give to the
estate agent, make sure they show your home from the
best angle. If you can, it's best to take them during
the summer months.

Give as much information as you can to the estate agent
about your local amenities - transport, schools, shops,
etc. - so potential buyers can get as full a picture of
the area as possible.

When people come round to view, make sure your place is
tidy (an obvious point, perhaps, but I can personally
testify that the contents of someone's underwear drawer
on a bedroom floor is not designed to attract a buyer).
Don't leave last night's washing-up in the sink.

Try and remove/hide any items of furniture that make your
home look cramped. Use the space you have to its full
potential.

Don't decorate your whole property just before your
home goes on the market - potential buyers might think
you've got something to hide. But do make sure your
walls and floors are clean and if a lick of magnolia
is required then get your paintbrush out.

There are different schools of thought about whether
it's better to be at home when people are viewing your
property. If you're not, make sure the place is clean.
If you are, don't follow your potential buyers around
but be prepared to answer any questions they might have.

About The Author
Emmanuel, (chairman/Ceo Bukaboo.com) is an advertising,
and online marketing Consultant
Click on the url below to read more interesting but
educational articles:
http://journals.aol.co.uk/emmanuelsar/BUSINESSJOURNAL/
emmanuelsar@aol.com

Thursday, May 5, 2005

Happy Mother's Day

Greetings! To all Mothers out there, "Happy Mother's Day"
and may you have the best ever.

Tuesday, May 3, 2005

KL Fashion Week - Week of non-stop excitement


For the third year running, KL Fashion week 2005 will
bring together many of the brightest stars in the
Malaysian fashion scene to a common runway.

After two very successful years, KLFW 2005 has become
The Premier Event that is eagerly anticipated by the
fashion industry, related industries, the public and
the media. More...

Monday, May 2, 2005

Happy Birthday My Friend

A girlfriend's birthday falls on May 1. Isn't it nice to have
one's birthday on a Public Holiday and the whole nation
celebrates the day? Happy Birthday, my friend.

With email and the Internet so readily available, physical
greeting cards are so much lesser in use. Here's a site for
greeting cards the next time an occasion comes around and
you require to send a friend a card.