Fall 2013: Hottest Television Drama Series

Wall Street Journal Cheat Sheet's Thomas Mentel shared his view of the five best dramas currently running on television. Most of the shows have been favored by critics and viewers alike over multiple seasons. These shows have been nominated and have won multiple awards and are usually the focus of the water cooler gossip each week. Let's see what Mentel says is trending:

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Exercising with Urban Line Dancing: See You On the Wood

The year rolls on and I’m continuing my weight loss efforts. Controlling my food intake, watching my portions and following healthy eating guidelines are important to my success. But, all serious weight loss efforts include exercise. Over the past several years my exercise of choice was aqua aerobics, but recently thanks to my youngest daughter, I’ve developed an interest in urban line dancing. It’s fun, easy, and supports my efforts to “move more”.

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The Millennials: Understanding "Generation Me"

I know that I'm old and I accept that. Luckily, I have a family that is very close, who work and play together, and who lead me to look at things in a variety of ways. In addition to family input, I thank God for the Internet which allows me to research and better understand many things including this younger generation. As my family makes great effort to get our youngest member through high school and on to college and to launch our twenty-somethings into the work place, I share these thoughts with them and with you.

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41 Years in Solitary Confinement: Prisoner Found Innocent

Herman Wallace, a 71-year-old Louisiana prisoner who spent 41 years in solitary confinement and is now dying of cancer was released late Tuesday from prison, his attorneys said. Late Tuesday, U.S. District Chief Judge Brian Jackson in Baton Rouge denied the state's motion seeking to block his earlier order overturning Herman Wallace's 1974 murder conviction in the death of Angola guard Brent Miller. Jackson had also ordered a new trial because women were unconstitutionally excluded from the grand jury that indicted Wallace in the guard's death. And, he ordered him immediately released.

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What's Your Brand of Fatigue?

You hear yourself constantly saying, "I'm tired." You feel overworked, chronically fatigued, harried and stressed. Well, you aren't alone. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention tells us that nearly a third of all Americans are sleep deprived. If you have a case of the "yawns", it doesn't mean that you're not getting enough rest. To sort it all out, you have to identify your band of fatigue.

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Memories of Summertime Fun in Chicago

As a transplant from Chicago to Las Vegas, I seem to miss the Windy City the most in the summer. Don't get me wrong-I love Las Vegas, but I have so many memories of Chicago through the years from childhood to becoming an adult. Then I got to relive fun in the summer with my children and grandchildren. Let’s walk and take a nostalgic tour of places and events that reflect memories of my summertime fun in Chicago. 

My first stop is Riverview Park, 74 acres of fun located along the Chicago River. Riverview opened in 1904 with three attractions-a small roller coaster, a carousel and shoot-the-chute. I'll never forget the frightening rides on the Bobs, a lightening fast roller coaster. And one of the few memories of my father is taking a twirl with him on the gigantic Ferris Wheel at Riverview Park. I won't forget the cotton candy and pop corn or the crazy antics of my friends. When the park closed on Sept. 1, 1967, it offered 120 rides, including six roller coasters, a parachute jump and rockets. Fun-filled days at Riverview are something that we still talk about and enjoy.

 

Gladys Luncheonette, the next stop on our tour, is “one of the most popular "soul food" restaurants in the Midwest It was known for its delicious fried chicken, smothered pork chops, peach cobbler, and other down home, southern delicacies”. The "melt-in-your-mouth" biscuits were a meal in themselves. While a list of famous folks dined at Gladys’, many of my family members and friends spent an afternoon or evening enjoying the food and fellowship that this special location offered.

 

When speaking of food, who can forget the Taste of Chicago, the city’s premier outdoor food festival showcasing the diversity of Chicago's dining community. Deep dish pizza, Vienna hot dogs, Carson's Ribs and don't forget the cheesecake- Taste of Chicago has an array of culinary delights, all located in one place. This year’s event was the 33^rd annual offering and 1.5 million people attended. Wish I’d been there.

 

 



Our final stop is at the Bud Billiken Parade. This Chicago tradition started in 1929 when Chicago Defender newspaper founder Robert S. Abbott arranged an outing at a South Side park for youth who sold his newspaper. The name, Bud Billiken, was inspired by a figurine that Abbott kept on his desk. This year marked the 84^Th annual parade which featured bands, drill teams, floats, dance teams and car clubs. Notable celebrities were actively involved in the festivities. At the end of the parade route, there was a picnic with entertainment, food and music. I always remember the strutting majorettes and first class marching bands of days gone by. No one ever did a better dance step in the parade than my granddaughter and no family ever had more pride in a performance than we had in hers.

Well. I hope you enjoyed my mini-tour of Chicago fun spots. Just remember that many of us share these wonderful memories and we can create new ones as we celebrate our Chicago roots through our collective memories.

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Millionaire at 15: Jaylen Bledsoe

Today's media market makes you think that young black men are behind bars, victims of fatal shootings, or unemployed baby daddies. Here's one of the big secrets that the media doesn't readily share. It's the story of Jaylen Bledsoe, a young, black entrepreneur who has assured his future at the tender age of 15.

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Blair Underwood's "Ironside" Re-boot

 

Most of you won't remember Raymond Burr's distinctive series "Ironside" highlighted in the '60s and '70s. Burr played a San Francisco chief of detectives forced to retire when a sniper's bullet paralyzes him from the waist down, leaving him wheelchair bound. He gets himself appointed as a "special department consultant. "Ironside" used the lead character's smarts and police savvy and the support of a team of assistants to solve crimes.

The series won Burr five Emmy and two Golden Globe nominations.

Coming October 2, Blair Underwood gives "Ironside" a re-boot with some similarities and some differences. While the original character required help getting around, the refreshed character gets around under his own power in his wheel chair with no handles. You got it-this "Ironside" is entirely self sufficient. In contrast to the original, Underwood's version rounds out a full life with an independent man who is even a bit of a ladies man.

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On The Record: Samuel L. Jackson Revealed

While researching for an article on long lasting Celebrity marriages, I learned two things about actor, producer Samuel L. Jackson: first, I learned about his marriage to his college sweetheart La Tanya Richardson and second, I found that Jackson has lead the kind of interesting life worth writing about. After further research, I'm happy to share some of the things I learned about one of my favorite media personalities, Samuel Leroy Jackson.

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In For the Long Haul: Lasting Celebrity Marriages

Some Celebrity Couples make news by rushing in and out of marriage. Some vows last just weeks, or days or even hours. Yet there are Celebrity Couples who have weathered the challenges and appear to be "in for the long haul". Short marriages may be the norm in Hollywood, but here are some couples who have managed to make their union last.

Comedy team Jerry Stiller and Ann Meara set the bar for long lasting Hollywood marriages. They were wed in 1954. Kurt Douglas and wife Anne were also married in 1954. The couple renewed their wedding vows on May 23, 2004 marking their 50th year.

Bill Cosby and his wife Camille were married in 1964. The couple has five children.

Actor, director Ron Howard and wife Cheryl were high school sweethearts. They wed in 1975.

Samuel L. Jackson, a Morehouse man, and actress La Tanya Richardson, a student at Spelman College, met in college and have been married since 1980.  

(Did you know that Jackson was an usher at Martin Luther King's funeral?)

Actor Dustin Hoffman and wife Lisa also married in 1980. 

 

Married in 1982, Danny De Vito and Rhea Perlman have shared 31 years as man and wife. The couple stumbled with a five month separation, but remained together.

 

Ozzie Osbourne and wife Sharon have been married since 1982. Sharon denies recent rumors of divorce. "Am I happy", she asks. "No" is her answer, but "divorce is definitely out".

 

Denzel Washington met his wife Paulette on the set of the made for TV movie "Wilma". The couple wed in 1983 and has been married for 29 years, weathering rumors of divorce from time to time.

Most recent rumors involve Denzel in an affair with actress Sanaa Latham. The actor flatly denied rumors that his marriage is on the rocks.

 

Actor Dan Aykroyd and fellow actor Donna Dixon also married in 1983 and have remained happily married since taking their vows.

 

Although not married, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have maintained their relationship since 1983 and have one child together.

 

 

Actress, director and author Jamie Lee Curtis and  Christopher Guest took their wedding vows 28 years ago. Her husband's American and British dual citizenship allows Jamie Lee the title Baroness Haden-Guest.

Guest is a screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor and comedian.




Jamie Lee is the daughter of screen legends Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.





A number of Hollywood's A-list stars have been wed for more than 20 years:

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson (25)
Michael j. Fox and Tracy Tracy Pollen (25)

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick (24)

Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw (22)

John Travolta and Kelly Preston (21)

Annette Benning and Warren Beatty (21)

Iman and David Bowie (21)

Bono and Ali Hewson (20)

 



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Quick, Fast and In a Hurry: Short Lived Hollywood Marriages

Marriage is a tough business in the modern age, especially in Hollywood. The marriage vows say "in sickness and in health" and " until death do us part", but folks in Tinsel Town are racing one another to see who can call it quits the fastest. Here are some of Hollywood's famous pairs that ended it all, almost before the ink was dry on their marriage license.

Britany Spears may be the record-holder of those "ending" the marriage with a quickness. She ended things with Jason Alexander after just 55 hours.

Dennis Rodman and Carmen Electra called it quits after 9 days, but I wonder how she held on so long. Better yet, how did she decide to jump the broom with Rodman in the first place?

 

It took 14 days, a mere two weeks, for "Beverly Hill Cops" star Eddie Murphy and film producer Tracy Edmonds to abort their "spiritual union" that took place on Bora Bora. It's something fishy about this one, but who am I to ask questions.




While they reportedly only lived together for seven days after the nuptials, Irish singer Sinead O'Connor and Barry Herridge ended their marriage after a brief 16 days.

Drew Barrymore wed Jeremy Thomas in a 5 a.m. ceremony at his bar "The Room". The marriage lasted one month, while her next marriage to Tom Green lasted five months. To her credit, Drew stood by Tom during his battle with testicular cancer before the couple went their separate ways.

Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson and Evelyn Lozada said I do, but 41 days later the couple said I don't. Seems  they pulled the plug on their marriage after things turned violent and the bride wound up with a 3 inch gash on her forehead.


Now I know that divorcing after 72 days is no record. Kim Kardashian made big bucks when she sold the rights to her wedding films. Divorce proceeding were lengthy and Kris Humphries made no secret about his bitterness toward the buxom brunette . Kim gave birth to a baby daughter North by new "baby daddy" Kanye West a few weeks after her union to Kris  was legally dissolved.

While these are just a few of the "shortest" marriages in Hollywood, many more couple fall in and out of wedlock with great speed and smile their way through all the drama behind the scenes.

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Will the Border Ever Be Secure?

In 1986, 3 million undocumented immigrants gained citizenship. Eleven million crossed the border since then.

In 1986, there were 3,222 U. S. Border Patrol agents and 18,500 agents today. (There are 34,500 police in New York City alone.)

In 1986, the border was wide-open; today, barriers are built along 700 miles of the border. The U. S.-Mexico border is 1954 miles.

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Iconic Video Game Characters

Just as we love our favorite television characters, video gamers are estatic about their beloved video characters. Longevity is the word when talking about fortunes that owe their existence to a plumber, a sports franchise, or even a quirky animal. Each is a master of design and has inspired the loyalty of  gamers throughout the years.  Let's visit the gallery of pixel-powered superstars who have fill the coffers of their franchise while capturing a lasting place in our culture and in our hearts.

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Seeing Double: Twin Vaedictorians Headed to Stanford

Marcos and Malcolm Allen were busy signing autographs to middle schoolers on Friday morning. The Centennial High School graduates and 18 year-old twins are anything but average.

Both have been named class valedictorians, graduating with 4.8 grade point averages. In the fall, they'll be heading to Stanford University with basketball scholarships in hand.

"It's been a very long road, academically and athletically," Marcos tells Action News. However, they both agree it's been well worth the effort.

In a talk Friday morning with middle schoolers at Del Sol High School, the twins pushed the importance of working hard to achieve success.

Mother Trina Wiggins graduated from Stanford University several years ago. "You have to have a plan. You can't just go day to day and think this is going to miraculously happen," she tells us.

She helped the two put their future plans into place when they were only seventh graders. Both started taking SAT prep classes in middle school.

"It all pays off and I feel like the earlier you start, the better you'll end up," adds Malcolm.

The two are excited to play basketball for the Stanford Cardinals. In the future, they hope to play in the NBA for the Lakers.

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Kevin Hart Sentenced for DUI

Unlike his recent film "Let Me Explain", 33 year old actor-comedian Kevin Hart faced the music, stood up for his mistakes, and pleaded no contest.

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Scandal and the " Mystery Man"

Loyal fans anxiously await the return of Shonda Rimes' award winning political thriller "Scandal". If you haven't been watching, now is a good time to catch up on the series.

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Paying for your Pay Check: Prepaid cards-Caution!

Some consumers have embraced the prepaid card as an alternative to traditional bank accounts and credit cards. Some have bad credit and can’t get a credit card or open a bank account.  Some are trying to avoid credit card debt and bank fees. But, Consumer Reports recently outlined the dangers of prepaid cards and revealed that the industry is largely unregulated and devoid of the usual protections.

The report cited a variety of hidden fees and a lack of basic safeguards that expose consumers to risks that could leave them financially devastated. Twenty six prepaid cards were reviewed and ranked on hidden fees. The best ranked prepaid card was Bluebird (American Express) with no monthly fee and no activation fee.American Express for Target ranked worst. Some prepaid cards lacked transparency about their policies and services, had ongoing monthly fees, and lacked protection against fraud or bank failure. Many included high fees for “inappropriate” reasons such as not using the card, needing a replacement card and even for calling customer service. 

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Seeing Double: Twins-Co-Valedictorians Achieve Success

 

Kristie and Kirstie Bronner, Class of 2013, have always done everything together — from dressing alike in elementary school to double dating in high school. On May 19, the music majors from Atlanta graduated from Spelman College as co-valedictorians with perfect 4.0 GPAs.

 “I definitely do not feel like I came to school perfect,” said Kirstie. “I always felt like a 4.0 student was a genius, and I didn’t think that I was a genius. I still don’t think I’m a genius. I’m a person who prays hard and works hard. That’s it.”

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Message to Zimmerman: Black Like Me

In case you missed it, Jonathan Capehart shared a letter to George Zimmerman from a Facebook post from Alex Fraser. Jonathan said he heard about the letter when Steve Harvey read it on his show and he wrote a column in the Washington Post about it.

Here's Alex Fraser's "Message to Zimmerman":

Dear George Zimmerman,

For the rest of your life you are now going to feel what its like to be a black man in America.

You will feel people stare at you. Judging you for what you think are unfair reasons. You will lose out on getting jobs for something you feel is outside of your control. You will believe yourself to be an upstanding citizen and wonder why people choose to not see that.

People will cross the street when they see you coming. They will call you hurtful names. It will drive you so insane some days that you’ll want to scream at the top of your lungs. But you will have to wake up the next day, put on firm look and push through life.

I bet you never thought that by shooting a black male you’d end up inheriting all of his struggles.

Enjoy your “freedom.”

Sincerely,

A black male who could’ve been Trayvon Martin

You also can read the Facebook post and comments with the link on Jonathan Capehart's column.

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Meet Morehouse Medical School's New President

Macon, Georgia native Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice has made history. The natural born leader has been appointed the new president of Morehouse School of Medicine – the nation’s first African-American woman to lead a free-standing medical school.

 When you consider the under-representation of black women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, Montgomery’s selection is a remarkable accomplishment. Only 16% of the nation's medical schools is lead by a female dean. Dr. Rice will become the first African American woman to lead a free standing medical school in the U.S.

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The Man at the Door: Lee Daniels' The Butler

 

"Lee Daniels' The Butler" tells the story of a White House butler who served eight American presidents over three decades. The film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society during this time, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and his family.

 

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New Year-A Day Too Late: Fruitvale Station

Writer/Director Ryan Coogle's debut film "Fruitvale Station" hits the theatres on Friday, July 26, 2013. The film's Producer is Academy Award Winner Forest Whitaker. It's the true story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, as he crosses paths with his friends, enemies,family and strangers on the last day of 2008, his last day of life. Oscar Grant is a father, brother, lover, and son who resolves "to be better" in each of these roles in the coming year.

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Reviving "Inspector Morse" Mysteries: Meet "Endeavour"

"Inspector Morse" is one of the most popular PBS Masterpiece Mysteries and after years of reruns, a new series, "Endeavour", introduces a young, 20 something Morse to his devoted fans. The new mystery series, a prequel to the long running adaptation of Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse novels, premiered on July 1.

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Wisconsin Man Guilty of Killing Teen Neighbor

A Milwaukee man knew exactly what he was doing when he accused his teenage neighbor of burglary and then fired a bullet into the boy's chest, jurors decided Friday. The verdict essentially guarantees that 76-year-old John Henry Spooner will die behind bars.

The same jury decided two days earlier that Spooner was guilty of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of 13-year-old Darius Simmons in May 2012. The trial then shifted into a second phase in which jurors were asked to determine whether Spooner was mentally ill at the moment he pulled the trigger.

It took the jury less than 30 minutes to agree he was sane and in control of his actions at the time of the shooting.

The boy's mother, Patricia Larry, declined to speak with reporters after the trial but thanked God, the prosecutor and the community. Her son had died in her arms.

"Justice was served," she said.

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Sen. Rand Paul and the "Southern Avenger"

 

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul says he’s standing by longtime aide Jack Hunter whom he appointed as his Media Director.

 

“Sen. Paul holds his staff to a standard that includes treating every individual with equal protection and respect, without exception,” spokeswoman Moira Bagley said in a statement.

 

Jack Hunter has for years been a provocative talk radio host who called himself the “Southern Avenger.” Before that, he was a member of the League of the South, a group that advocates Southern secession.

For years, Hunter wore a Mexican wrestling mask made out of the Confederate flag. “The whole idea of the Southern Avenger was to be an anonymous superhero,” he explained in a 2011 article in the Charleston City Paper, where he writes a column. Hunter ditched the mask in 2007, when he moved from being a guest on a local music station to talk radio.

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State Prison Phone Companies Charge Outrageous Rates and Give Jails Kickbacks

A recent article by Andrew Kaufman in the International Business Times reports that Telephone companies are operating unfair monopolies in state prisons, charging inmates exorbitant prices of more than $1-per-minute calls and giving kickbacks to the jails, according to a report released in June.

Researchers at the Prison Policy Initiative found that prison phone companies offer kickbacks of up to 84 percent of revenue to the prisons, and generate even more revenue by offering bad service, according the report, entitled “Please Deposit All Of Your Money.”

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Mass Incarceration: "The New Jim Crow"

In her new book "The New Jim Crow", Michelle Alexander argues vigorously and persuasively that "[w]e have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it." Jim Crow and legal racial segregation has been replaced by mass incarceration as "a system of social control". She reviews American racial history from the colonies to the Clinton administration, delineating its transformation into the "war on drugs.

She offers an acute analysis of the effect of this mass incarceration upon former inmates "who will be discriminated against, legally, for the rest of their lives, denied employment, housing, education, and public benefits." Most provocatively, she reveals how both the move toward colorblindness and affirmative action may blur our vision of injustice: "most Americans know and don't know the truth about mass incarceration"—but her carefully researched, deeply engaging, and thoroughly readable book should change that.

Michelle currently holds a joint appointment at the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity and the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University. Michelle served for several years as director of the Racial Justice Project at the ACLU of Northern California, and subsequently directed the Civil Rights Clinics at Stanford Law School, where she was an associate professor. She is a former law clerk of Justice Harry Blackmun of the U. S. Supreme Court.

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Lessons From the Zimmerman Verdict

The killing of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent verdict of not guilty has thrown the nation into turmoil. We, the American public, must learn from this tragic situation and take action to ensure changes in our laws and in the public understanding of our racial views, assumptions and beliefs.

Last year in New York City, police stopped 532,911 citizens under their current policy of stop and frisk. Of those stopped, 9.7% were white and 90.3 were non-white. Only 6% of the stops resulted in arrest. Some Americans see nothing wrong with this situation, but many Americans protest these stops as a violation of those citizen's civil rights. Many see Zimmerman's action on the night he killed Trayvon Martin as racial profiling similar to that occurring in New York City.

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"Border Surge": Boon For Defense Contractors

The border security plan the Senate approved last week includes unusual language mandating the purchase of specific models of helicopters and radar equipment for deployment along the U.S.-Mexican border, providing a potential windfall worth tens of millions of dollars to top defense contractors.

The legislation would require the U.S. Border Patrol to acquire, among other items, six Northrop Grumman airborne radar systems that cost $9.3 million each, 15 Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters that average more than $17 million apiece, and eight light enforcement helicopters made by American Eurocopter that sell for about $3 million each. The legislation also calls for 17 UH-1N helicopters made by Bell Helicopter, an older model that the company no longer manufactures.

The Black Hawk helicopters required under the plan include five of the latest high-tech models with digital cockpits. As for the American Eurocopter aircraft, the patrol would be required to add eight AS-350 models to the 85 it already has in its fleet.

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Honoring Trayvon Martin: Do All You Can

President Obama weighed in on the George Zimmerman verdict on Sunday, calling on Americans to “respect the call for calm reflection from two parents who lost their young son.”
Zimmerman was acquitted Saturday on second degree murder and manslaughter charges in the shooting death of  17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

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Foyle's War Returns to MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!

I was delighted to learn that Foyle's War is returning to MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! Three new episodes of the popular detective series will air on PBS in the summer of 2013.

 

The British detective drama television series,created by screenwriter and author Anthony Horowitz, was originally set during and shortly after World War II. In Season 8, "World War II may be over, but Christopher Foyle's war against injustice and wrongdoing rages on," says MASTERPIECE executive producer Rebecca Eaton. "His very loyal American fans will be thrilled."

 

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CA Inmates Illegally Sterilized

The Center for Investigative Reporting reports its findings that doctors under contract with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation illegally sterilized nearly 150 female inmates from 2006 to 2010 without required state approvals. At least 148 women received tubal ligations in violation of prison rules during those five years – and there are perhaps 100 more dating back to the late 1990s, according to state documents and interviews.

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Beauty Tips: Add The "Extras" To Your Makeup Kit

Okay, so you've gone through the mounds of makeup in your bathroom, your makeup bag and your purse. You've covered the basics, discarded out of date products and you're ready for the next step. Still feeling as if somethings missing? Time to explore the "extras", those little things that give you added oomph. Take a look at these possibilities:

EXFOLIATE
If you're dealing with dry patches or clogged pores, you might need to exfoliate to help slough away dead skin cells. Don't exfoliate more than once a week, though. Use a gentle scrub that contains microbeads on your face. Try a sugar or salt formula for your body.
Great Bargains: Bath and Body Works has a Lemon & Orange Moisture Rich Body Scrub for about $15.

TINTED MOISTURIZER OR FOUNDATION
Concealer goes a long way toward evening out your complexion, but for a flawless finish, you'll want a tinted moisturizer (for sheer coverage) or foundation (if your skin has areas of blotchiness or discoloration). The right color disappears into your skin with one swipe-even before blending.
Great Bargains: Target has Sonia Kashuk Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 for about $13: Sephora Perfecting Tinted moisturizer is about $21 (try sephora.com).

EYE CREAM
Experts say eye creams can be tricky, so look for a formula that addresses your primary undereye concern. Caffeine helps reduce puffiness; niacin amide and retinol smooth fine lines.The best treatment for pigment related dark circles is sunscreen. Use an eye cream that contains a physical sunblock (like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide), which is potentially less irritating than one containing a chemical block (like avobenzone).
Great Bargains: Philosophy Eye Hope Advanced Anti-Aging Eye Cream for about $48 at Sephora: ROC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream-about $22 at drugstores.


EYELINER
While curling your lashes and using mascara will make you more bright-eyed, adding eyeliner emphasizes your eye color. Pencils are the most foolproof, and dark brown is the most universally flattering shade. Once you try the basic dark brown eyeliner, don't be afraid to experiment.
Great Bargains: Avon Glimmersticks Diamond Eye liner in Brown Sugar-$6 at avon.com; MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy ($14.50 at maccosmetics.com)

BRONZER
Try a bronzer, it adds warmth to your skin and creates a flattering contrast with your eyes.  Apply it after blush, dusting the temples, cheekbones, and tip of the chin. Powder formulas are easier to use than gels and sprays. never go more than two shades darker than your complexion
Great Bargains: Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF-50 Pressed Bronzer (about $15 in drugstores)

DEEP CONDITIONER
A deep-conditioning treatment contains higher concentrations of moisturizer than most regular conditioners and seals the shaft of each strand to leave your hair healthy and beautiful. Use once a week, but only on the ends if you have fine hair.
Great Bargains: Nexxus Humectress Hydrating Treatment at drugstores for about $15.

TEETH-WHITENING STRIPS
A White smile isn't just youthful, it brightens up your whole face. you don't need to drop hundreds of dollars to whiten your smile. New York dentist Jeff Golub-Evans says "drugstore whitening strips get your teeth almost as white as a treatment at a dentist's office. You must use them religiously for a couple of weeks." Here's a quick test to find out if you're a good candidate. Hold a piece of white paper up to your teeth. if they look yellowish, they'll lighten pretty easily. If they're gray-tinged, you have more than surface stains and strips won't do much for you.
Great Bargains: Rembrandt Whitening Strips- about $24 at drugstores; Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolving Strips-about $15 at drugstores.

Try something new and get a new lease on life. Don't be afraid to experiment. Call a few of your closest girlfriends and make it a party (light snacks only, every one's on a diet). Most of all, have fun!

 

 

RELATED ARTICLE:

 

The Bare Necessities: Your Basic Makeup Kit, The Emerald Quill, June 2013

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The Tale of Three Popes: Pope Francis To Canonize New Saints

Pope Francis I

Pope Francis on Friday cleared two of the 20th century's most influential popes to become saints, approving a miracle needed to canonize Pope John Paul II and waiving Vatican rules to honor Pope John XXIII.

In a major demonstration of his papal authority, Francis decided that John XXIII could be declared a saint even though the Vatican hasn't confirmed a second miracle attributed to his intercession. The Vatican said Francis had the power to dispense with such requirements and proceed with only one confirmed miracle to his name.

 

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Scam Alert: Ways to Foil ID Thieves

Last year, as many as 16 million households fell victim to identify theft. Don't join them this year. Fear of identity theft has spawned an entire industry offering protection against this fraud. But, there are a number of things you can do yourself. Here are some tips on reducing your risk:

Get off mailing lists for preapproved credit card offers, a gold mine for identity thieves. Call 888-567-8688 or visit optoutprescreen.com. Stop other junk mail at dmachoice.org (mailed requests cost $1).

Enroll in free alerts from your bank and credit card users to flag unusual activity on accounts.

Ask your credit card providers to issue you new "smart cards" with safer EMV chip technology. if they're unavailable, request replacement plastic with your photograph.

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Violence Against Women Abounds World Wide

Rapper and actor 50 Cent has been charged with attacking his ex-girlfriend and trashing her Los Angeles condo. During an argument, the woman told police, Jackson began destroying her property before she locked herself into her bedroom. The woman who had a baby with him said Jackson kicked open the bedroom door and kicked her, causing injury.

Police said they estimated about $7,100 in damage to the woman’s home.

The 37-year-old “In da Club” singer, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, was charged with domestic violence and four counts of vandalism in papers filed Monday. If convicted, he faces up to five years in jail and $46,000 in fines.

The rapper has referenced drug dealing and violence in many songs and is known for having survived nine gunshots in an attempted assassination.

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