Lunar Eclipse

Don't forget to look up in the sky tonight, and see the moon's color darken to the color of a dark orange. The moon's color during the lunar eclipse is caused by sunlight filtering through the Earth's atmosphere.

You will be able to see the lunar eclipse all across North America. For people living east of the Mississippi, you won't be able to see the eclipse until after midnight.

The lunar eclipse will last three and a half hours. The moon will fall into the depths of the Earth's shadow for about an hour and twelve minutes. When the Earth moves between the sun and the moon, it changes the tint of the lunar surface from white to orange, to tan and back. You will be seeing the effect Earth's atmosphere is having on the color of sunlight passing through it.

Unfortunately cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver and Boston, clouds will be in the way of the lunar eclipse. But if you're living around New York, Philadelphia, Miami and Dallas you will be able to enjoy the lunar eclipse without cloudy conditions.

So get your telescope and look up into the sky and see one of the wonders of science right before your eyes.

Gone by Extinction

I don't feel like a valued customer for the beauty company Lancome. Once again, it has happened; a product has been discontinued without fair warning.

I confess, I have oily skin. Unattractive I know. So I use the Pure Focus line of products for oily skin- to control my shine- by Lancome. I completely ran out of my face lotion, which is the Pure Focus Matifying Moisturizing Lotion. I go to the store to buy another one, and the sales lady tells me that there were no more behind the Lancome counter. So I go to another store, and same thing. Well, like a desperate, mad woman I call every single Lancome counter across the Chicagoland area and suburbs and find out that no one had my lotion in stock.

When I called Orland Park mall in Ill., a wonderful sales woman tells me she's going to investigate what happened. I guess she could hear the desperation in my voice. She calls me back and tells me that my lotion has in fact been discontinued in the Midwest area. It is only available in the East Coast. What makes them so lucky?

I believe that I can speak for every skin-sensitive woman out there when I say that I cannot just put on any lotion or cream on my face because I could get irritation. I need time to research a product and make sure that it is oil-free and non-comedogenic, before testing it on myself.

The people of Lancome should know better than to just cancel sales for a particular product. They should be aware of the suffrage skin-senstive women go through. And this is not the first time the company has done this.

I am such a Lancome devotee because I grew up in a household where only those products are used. My grandmother and mother have been using its products for as long as I can remember. That's why I trust this beauty company so much, and have been a customer since I was a pre-teen. I am now in my early 20s.

I am truly dissapointed in Lancome that it would take away a product- a necessity for some women- without posting a sign at least at its counters to warn customers. This has been a true devastation.

Photo and story by Olivia N. Castaneda

A Brazilian Angel

Victoria's Secret supermodel Adriana Lima was at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Ill. last night and yours truly received her autograph.

The line was a little over 300 people long. And the most ignorant, obnoxious group of teenagers were behind me for the two hours I patiently waited to see her. She was scheduled to be there 5 to 7 at night. I arrived at 4 p.m.

First of, it was a mission and a half to get to the mall. I had to take two trains. Then once there, those punks behind me were so rude and loud that even the people in front of me stepped in to my defense, when words were exchanged.

But the moment when I finally made it to Adriana, none of that mattered. Up until the point security tells me- No pictures allowed!- when they saw my camera.

No pictures? No pictures? Did they know what I went through to get there? Apparently not. No pictures? How will I remember this moment?

She signed and handed me an autographed catalogue page of herself. At that moment I thought- I at least have to shake her hand and say something meaningful. So I reached out my hand and said, "Thank you. And congratulations on becoming a mother."

Her gorgeous green eyes opened up so wide and she put her hand to her chest and said, "Aw. Thank you!"

And I smiled.

Photo and story by Olivia N. Castaneda

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2010

Oh la la. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2010 was on CBS last Tuesday, making it the sexiest night on television. Like any fashion show, the season's trends were quite noticeable in the skimpy lingerie outifts. The performing artists throughout the show were Katy Perry and Akon. And it was the beautiful Adriana Lima who opened the show and was the featured angel who wore this year's diamond bra.
The first walk through was called Tough Love. And a tough love theme it was. During this scene, there was a sense of Lady Gaga's fashion style. The models stomped to rock music while wearing large, bold shoulder jackets- one of leather and another of silk chiffon- and towering platform knee-high boots. The outfits also had a rebellious touch to them with studs and spikes embellished on everything- jewelery, shoes, the bras, panties, corsets and even some of the wings.

The second theme was country style, showing off the season's trends of plaid and laced-up boots. The third theme was called Game On. The models came out in sport themed outfits- boxing, soccer, a rhythmic gymnast with the ribbon, football, weight lifting and lacrosse. I absolutely loved this part of the show in particular because there were male gymnasts in the background working on the mushroom doing circles, straddle-ups and back tucks off of them. I did gymnastics for about 11 years, so seeing that be a part of another passion of mine- fashion- was pretty awesome.

In the fourth theme all the models looked so angelic in their wings, wearing nuetral tones made of silk shiffon and lace. As they walked through Akon sang his hit song Angel from his 2010 album Angel. During a television interview for the show, Monica Mitro, EVP Victoria Secret PR, said that this year's show had the biggest number of angel wings because all the models want them. The fifth theme was called Wild Things and the models came out in exotic animal prints, another trend for the season.

And where is the Pink section?- I wondered through out it all. But the producers left it as the grand finale and what a hit it made. PVC outifts were the first to come out in skirts, jackets and an umbrella. Perry sang some of her hit songs while these large ballons of all different colors floated and fell onto the runway. Then bubbles were added. It went perfect with the Pink theme, but did look a bit chaotic as the models walked through the balloons that were starting to overtake the catwalk. And the last model was Chanel Iman. She came out with a bubble gun, adding to the chaos, but it sure did look like fun chaos.




Photos and story by Olivia N. Castaneda

The cheating frenzy

What happened to couples staying committed? To love, honor and cherish has become only words, as the ever growing cycle of cheating has swarmed the media. The ideal couple where a man and a woman stay faithful to each other has seemingly become a fairytale.

It started out as a fantasy for Eva Longoria when she married current NBA player, Tony Parker. She never would of thought that three years later she would find hundreds of sexy text messages back and forth from another ex teammate's wife. Furious with the findings, she then found out about other women who have claimed to have had sexual relationships with Parker. Longoria is currently filing for divorce, and reports say that she doesn't want any of his money.

The current trend of cheating among celebrities has become more and more prevelant in the recent years. Jessee James and Sandra Bullock recently divorced after Bullock discovered a mistress who started coming out of the woodwork. I'm sure you remember when you heard that Tiger Woods cheated on his wife Elin when dozens of women claimed they had an ongoing sexual relationship with Tiger. With Tiger's private life in the media, he admitted himself into a sex rehab program. Along with Tiger, David Letterman has also got involved with several women on his show.

Infidelity is a serious issue in today's world. If you think your partner is cheating check it out, because most often enough you may be right. The statistics show that 70 percent of married women and 54 percent of married men did not know of their partner's cheating.

Although no relationship is perfect, there is no excuse for cheating. The society we live in today glamorizes sex, and makes it okay to cheat. Although forgiveness is a great quality in a person, don't let it get in the way of being true to yourself and your happiness. You've heard the phrase "once a cheater always a cheater," but is it actually true? Surprisingly the statistics say that only 15 to 20 percent of people who cheat do it again. But the cheating continues.

New and Improved?

It's back, it's back! The Aveeno line of shaving gels are back on store shelves!

In August, I posted a blog about Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Smooth Shave Gel being taken off the market with out a proper farewell. I had called their customer service line and was told that they were removed from stores due to a malfunction with the pump. The product was being dispersed as a cream, instead of a gel.

Oh, what difference does it make? Be it a cream or gel, I just need it to get the job done of protecting my legs from nicks and cuts.

Last week, as I was walking through the pampering products aisle at a Wal-Mart store, my jaw dropped when I saw the return of my favorite shaving product. It comes in a new rust-proof can, which is a nice improvement. But honestly, gel or cream, I do not see a difference when using it. I'm just glad it's back.

Photo and story by Olivia N. Castaneda

More Lotioning sans Oil

A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about my favorite moisturizing products for the winter season and asked readers to share their favorites. Well, I have found a new cream that tops any other product I have ever used. I am highly recommending the Lancome Nutrix Royal Body Intense Lipid Repair Cream.

I received the sample bottle- seen above- as a free gift with purchase, a couple of months ago from my local Macy's store. Because the cold weather had not settled in until recently, I barely took the pink champaign colored bottle out of my drawer and did a test run. In a matter of minutes my skin felt amazingly soft and smooth. The rich cream definitely does its job of relieving that tight feeling from dryness, and kept my skin hydrated through out the day. The cream is not greasy, so my skin was still touchable with out an oily residue rubbing off. Also, I instantly noticed my skin, especially my legs, had a natural shine to them. I use the word natural here because the cream does not contian shimmer. And my last observation is its light fragrance, which smells oh-so good and clean. I am awestruck with this product.

I then called the store where I had received this gift and spoke to a Lancome representative and found out that this is not a new product. The representative says that the cream has been on the market for a few years now, though she could not specify what year it debuted.

The cream is available at any Lancome counter in a 7 oz. jar for $34 and a 6.7 oz. bottle for Nutrix Royal Body Intense Restoring Lipid-Enriched Lotion for $29.

Photo and image by Olivia N. Castaneda

Tackling The Chef In You

It's time to bring out the pots and pans and make some noise in the kitchen. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, why not dig up your cook books and start the sizzling early. One recipe that will be sure to knock your socks off is a chicken alfredo and rice casserole. Bring your family and friends because this dish will be a success.

All you need for this recipe is:
1 container of light Alfredo pasta sauce
1/2 cup of milk
2 1/2 cups of cooked white rice
2 cups of cubed cooked chicken
1 cup of frozen peas
1/3 cup of chopped red sweet peppers
1 tablespoon of basil
1 cup of soft bread crumbs
1 tablespoon of butter melted

When you have all the ingredients preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine pasta sauce and milk. Stir in rice, chicken, peas, sweet peppers and basil. Then transfer all the contents to a 1 1/2 court baking dish. Put in the oven and bake covered for 30 minutes. After it has baked for 30 minutes, take the dish out of the oven, and combine bread crumbs and melted butter as you sprinkle that on the top as well. Let stand for a couple minutes before serving.

This meal will be sure to leave you and your guests completely full and satisfied. This recipe is not only delicious but healthy as well. A full serving of this appetizing treat is only 456 calories. If you want more recipes and deserts that are sure to leave you and your guests running for seconds go to www.bhg.com/recipe.

Longer Lasting Lipstick

Here are four simple steps to prep those pillowy lips, in order to make your lipstick wear last longer through the day.

Step 1: Gently exfoliate your lips. Use your everday face cleanser, and preferably one with exfoliating microbeads. Washing off dry, dead skin is an important step. Lipstick will stain and naturally look better on fresh skin.

Step 2: Pat dry your lips and immediately moisturize them. Moisturized lips retain the lip stain longer, than dry lips. Use your everyday lip moisturizing product or even lotion. Personally, lotion works best because it keeps lips hydrated longer, and the thicker texture works as a fill-in for fine lines on the lips, allowing me to glide on my lipstick smoother.

Step 3: Kiss the back of your hand to remove any excess moisturizer.

Step 4: Now you're ready to smooth on your favorite lipstick shade. Make sure to apply it straight from the tube.

Photo and story by Olivia N. Castaneda

Political Attack Ad Era

You've seen them on TV, and in your mailboxes trying to persuade you to vote for a certain candidate. But how far are political attack ads willing to go to grab a check mark next to their name on a ballot?

Just to give you a sense as to how far a political candidate will go to bash his or her opponent take the Illinois Governor elections for example. Democrat Pat Quinn and Republican runner Bill Brady went head-to-head trying to win voters by attack ads, which can threat voters and make them suspicious or fearful of the targeted runner in the ad. Bill Brady stated recently that he had a lot of attack ads against him. So with Pat Quinn being reelected as governor, could that mean that his means of attack ads worked? Bill Brady insists that something could have gone wrong during the counting.

I'm sure you have already seen this attack ad against Bill Brady. But are the things they are accusing Brady of true?



In the very few seconds of the video you see them attacking Bill Brady for making 76,000 a year and not paying Federal income taxes. After a few seconds of looking up information I found out that Brady didn't owe taxes in 2008 and 2009 because his business had suffered major financial losses from the recession. I have to say that this year's political attack ads against both parties for governor got pretty ugly.

Political attack ads have gotten worse in recent years, and some blame it on the economy. The most vicious attack ad in my opinion was this year. During the weeks leading up to California's GOP gubernatorial primary, candidate Steve Poizner ran an ad accusing Ebay CEO Meg Whitman of promoting pornography. If these ads are false, they can really ruin someone's career and life for that matter.

So next time you see one of those attack ads come on and try to make you think that this candidate is wrong for the job, do your own research? You would be surprised at how many people think what is said is on TV is true. First of all you don't know who is producing these attack ads, and often times they get taken off the air because they are completely and utterly false. Don't let political attack ads fool you.

Vaseline's 140th Anniversary

The how-you-doing host Wendy Williams, from- obviously- The Wendy Williams Show, celebrated Vaseline's 140th anniversary this week during her show. She involved the audience by quizzing them on the different ways to use the petroleum jelly product for your skin, your baby's skin and even corky ways to use around the house, such as to silence noisy door hinges. It was quite obvious that the audience studied for the quiz, because they were getting all the answers right!

During one of the questions, I learned something new. Mix sea salt and Vaseline, and use it as an exfoliating scrub to remove and smooth rough skin. Remember to exfoliate dry areas, such as elbows, knees, heels and even hands, gently! I was too excited to use this new inexpensive scrub I conjured up over my bathroom sink that I scrubbed a little too hard. Ouch! But it did the trick! After washing off the scrub, my skin felt amazingly soft and supple as a new born's.

Here's some historical information on the product from its website at http://www.vaseline.com/. Robert A. Chesebrough is the father of Vaseline. In 1859, when he was a 22-year-old, he journied to Pennsylvania to study an oil well. While there he noticed that the oil workers used this thick, natural substance, known as Rod Wax, to aid in the healing of cuts and scrapes; as Vaseline does. He went back to his home in Brooklyn, NY with a sample of the wax. After expirementing, he came up with the product that we use today. In 1870, the name Vaseline was marketed and made its way into homes, nationally and internationally, during the following decade.

Vaseline can be found at any drug store in the medicine aisle. I found my 3.75 oz jar at my local Walgreens for $2.99.



Photo and story by Olivia N. Castaneda

Celebrity Halloween Hits

It's not every day you get to dress up as your favorite celebrity let alone look like them. This year the celebrity Halloween award goes to reality star Snooki, and second place not far behind is musician Lady Gaga.

With dozens of poofs, and many meat dresses strolling the street across the nation on Oct 31., this makes Lady Gaga and Snooki as the celebrity Halloween hits for this year.

Although every Halloween you always have your Elvis, Michael Jackson and Marylin Monroe costumes, there was a variety of new celebrity Halloween costume ideas. From legendary Betty White, Tiger Woods cheating scandal, pop sensation Justin Bieber to President Barak Obama, this year was a fun time to think outside the box.

The best celebrity couple costumes this year was by far the now broken up Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush. Many rocked their style by adding a little junk in their trunk and sporting a New Orleans Saints jersey. Also another popular celebrity couple costume was Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

As for the little ones, there was plenty of costumes for them to wear this year. From being their favorite super hero to their favorite character in a book, the kids can't wait till next Halloween. The new thing this year for infants and toddlers was to make their costumes into little bumble bees or fairies.

Always remember to be safe on Halloween especially if you're taking your little ones trick -or- treating. Never let your kids out of your sight, and walk them up to the door, or be somewhere where you can see them at all times like maybe a sidewalk for example. Halloween is a fun holiday to dress up and to indulge in chocolate or sugar treats.

Silly Boys

Let's take a second and think back to the craziest things ex-boyfriends have ever said. Bet I can top them all with my list of 10. Laugh it up and feel free to challenge them ladies!

1. I have no gas or money to come see you, again.
2. Do you trust me when I tell you of my where abouts if I'm texting instead of talking on the phone?
3. Have you pictured me with another woman yet?
4. Even though we're together, I still feel like I'm single.
5. I have the same feelings for you and my ex.
6. What would you do or say if I check out another woman in front of you?
7. I haven't cheated on you, yet.
8. Is your mom available?
9. I don't want a wife. I want a maid.
10. I got with you so you can cook, clean and make love to me.

By: Olivia N. Castaneda

A Show from Chicago's Fashion Week

If you blinked at Thursday night's Fashion Focus Chicago 2010 fashion show, then you probably missed all the stomping catwalk action from the local, top student designers from the city. The show was held in a heated tent located at Millenium Park, and was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Personally knowing the chaotic madness that goes on backstage with hair, makeup and last minute designer issues, it was no surprise to see the spotlight shine on cue 10 minutes behind schedule. Definitely worth the wait I must say.


The top 24 design students of Columbia College Chicago, The Illinois Institue of Art- Chicago, The International Academy of Design and Technology- Chicago and the School of The Art Institute of Chicago displayed their talented fashion creativity in 40 minutes. The winner of the Chicago History Museum's FashionNext Generation competition was Brenda Beavers of The Illinois Insitute of Art- Chicago.

Here is Beavers walking in the finale with a model sporting her look. Beavers designed head ornaments that were placed to either the upper left or right side of the hair. The materials used looked like polyester and net assembled together to form an abstract flower shape. The models wore light gold champaign-colored, spaghetti strap and halter top dresses of what looks like rayon material, that hugged the upper body with the hemline grazing above the thigh.

Overall, half of the designs looked ready-to-wear, while some of the other creations simply brought amusement to the crowd's faces. Though, it is the amusing attire which seems to stick in my mind more than the wearable outfits. What stood out the most as far as amusing was by student designer Claudia Macias from the Illinois Institute of Art- Chicago. Her theme looked street inspired. The models walked barefoot and wore very grungy and dirty looking attire. A model wore a square-block strapless top made of newspapers and another model wore a brown wool, off-the-shoulder top with a skirt made of the red inked THANK YOU plastic bags. Michael Schellenbach, also from the same school as Macias, sent out a male model who carefully and skillfully walked down the runway wearing an army green jumpsuit with the pant leg connected to the shoes. This was the best part. The sole of the shoe was the rounded part to an inflated car tire. Alexandre Chandoa of the International Academy of Design and Technology created very unwearable oufits. His designs looked inspired from wooden barrels. Three models sported wooden boards as a top and an angled skirt.

But the rest of the show displayed wearable clothes that shadows exactly what is in for this fall season and past inspirations from the 90s. Velvet made a come back and an essence of Alexander McQueen's 1995 Highland Rape show was demonstrated by a shredded men's suit and women's dress by Katie King of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In general though, lots of silk chiffon was used for dresses in lilac reaching knee-length and formal lengths, there was also lots of wool fabrics mixed in with leather; nothing we haven't already seen fom international designers that have been previewed in the August and September issues of Allure and Vogue magazines.


Photos and story by: Olivia N. Castaneda

HCG Controversial Diet

The new controversial diet HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), is a hormone naturally produced in the placenta by pregnant women. The diet calls for you to inject yourself or take diet drops that contain a hormone that causes your hypothalamus to mobilize the fat out of the fat storage locations so that you can use it.

For the first two days of the diet you are told to consume as much sweets and carbs as possible, then after that you can only eat 500 calories a day for a month, where you are expected to lose one to two pounds per day.

Before researching this diet I was very skeptical, but now I can say that the diet seems safe, although there are always risks associated with rapid weight loss. While recently finding out that my best friends mom has had complete success with the diet, I was curious to find out what others had to say.

After reading many health blogs and health reviews, many people are feeling better and losing weight after trying the diet. At the same time the hormone is mobilizing your stored fat, it is also burning 3,00 to 4,500 calories a day. The injections are a bit pricier than the drops costing $700 while the drops cost only $149. Talk to your doctor about whether this diet is right for you.

T.I. saves a life

Rapper T.I. also known as Clifford Harris lends a helping hand to a vulnerable man who threatened to jump off a 22- story building in Atlanta. When T.I. heard word of this on the city's radio show he rushed over to help, and try to talk this man out of committing suicide.

T.I. knows all too well about the struggles of life with his recent drug suspicion charges last month, and gave the man some words of advice. "No matter what's going on in your life things will get better if you allow them to," said T.I..

Life can be very difficult at times, and I think what T.I. did was very brave and admirable. Celebrities are often idealized as people who have more say so than an average person, but T.I. proved that he was just like anyone else who was helping someone in need.

With our busy lives people often forget the simplest things and that is to help someone who is struggling and just needs a helping hand. There have been many suicides in recent months of people who were victims of bullying because of the way they looked, dressed or acted. If you see someone who needs your help, don't hesitate to give them a couple minutes out of your life, because it could save their life.

Lotioning and Oiling

Whenever I walk into a drug store, I always gravitate towards the aisle with the oceans of lotions bottled up by numerous brands. I don't just see lotion products for sale, but mystical potions just waiting to be slathered on to quench dry skin from the cold wind's beating. Though I hesitate to purchase a different lotion that I normally use, due to an itchy, allergic experience I once had with Olay's Quench Daily Lotion Plus Shimmer.

My secret potion for keeping my skin silky smooth and supple through the fall and winter months is a mixture of Jergens Ultra Healing body lotion and Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil from Trader Joe's grocery stores.

Ladies, what's your secret potion? Do tell us...

Image and Story by: Olivia N. Castaneda

Horrific Medical Experiment Uncovered

Nearly six decades after the medical experiment began, shocking results have been found. The U.S. just released a formal apology for purposely infecting hundreds of unwilling Guatemalans with syphilis and gonorrhea between 1946 and 1948.

The medical experiment was conducted to report the effects of the diseases and how it affects humans. In total 696 men and women were affected through intercourse with prostitutes where the disease was put on their arms, face and penises. Guatemalan prisoners, mental health patients and soldiers were used in the experiment. Questions arise to how many people knew they were being conducted in a study of these two diseases.

If you aren't aware of these diseases here is a quick overview of what can happen if left untreated. After becoming infected by syphilis there is a period of between 9 to 90 days where there aren't any symptoms. Then the primary stage occurs where you get a canker sore on various parts of your genital areas. If left untreated it may move into a rash where you feel weak and tired. During the final stage it begins to infect the organs which may include non healing skin ulcers, bone pain, liver disease and anemia.

And not only were these Guatemalans infected with a very harmful disease, but were purposely infected with another disease that is formally known as gonorrhea. The incubation period where gonorrhea starts affecting a person is one to 14 days. The health effects of gonorrhea occur differently in men and women. In women if left untreated can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, ectopic pregnancy and pelvic pain. In men it can cause painful inflammation of the testicles which may result in infertility.

Its wrong that these scientists and doctors got away with this for so long. To treat a race of people like lab rats is utterly and morbidly wrong to say the least. Guatemalans during that time were looked at to be at the lower end of the race scale as being closer to animals than humans. To be purposely infected with two very dangerous diseases is inhumane. If you are a part of something that involves potentially harming someones health or harming them in general think for a second if that were to be done to you or someone in your family.

Oh Vinny...

Last Saturday, September 25, 2010 Vinny from Jersey Shore "hosted" a party at Republic Nightclub. It's located at 1520 N. Fremont, Chicago, IL 60622. Yours truly went to this shin dig to party with the Italian stallion and to come back and report the drunken details to those that couldn't make it.

I arrived in my killer stilettos around 11:30ish p.m. and was feeling a bit inpatient of when he was to show, since the night was supposed to be hosted by him. But celebrities, what can you do?


Here is monsieur Vinny making his entrance around 1:30 a.m. The sexy, sweaty half-dressed crowd squished their way to the floor to see him as he appeared on stage surrounded by body guards.

In my opinion, Vinny didn't do any "hosting" that night. All he did was go on stage and introduce himself.

"Hi, I'm Vinny from the MTV show Jersey Shore," he said to the crowd while holding a microphone. He looked a bit nervous- to be honest- and didn't sound too confident when speaking into the mike.

Then! All of a sudden! A bouncer announced that he was to take pictures with fans and all the ladies in the club went running to the side of the stage! It was a stampede of pushy women that I did get caught up in for the sole purpose of this blog. I too ran and pushed my way through the chaotic crowd of women and their eagerness to get a close glimpse of dear Vinny. It was all in the name of journalism for my purposes. But, unfortunately, I never reached the front of the line to get a personal picture with him. But I elbowed my way close enough to get a close up of him. Here he is on stage with a girl that is not me, but he sure is looking straight at my camera! Enjoy fans of Vinny!

Pictures and story by: Olivia N. Castaneda

Beware of What You Eat

Have you ever wondered what chemicals are used in food? There are seven deadly chemicals used in processed food. They raise high health concerns to people of all ages. Here are three that I think cause the most risks.

FD&C Red Dye # 3 is a red cherry dye derived from coal tar. Researchers in 1981 found that this chemical can interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain. Since then the dye has been banned from cosmetics, but is still put in processed food.

Do you ever eat cereal, potato chips, or gum? What if I were to tell you that in those products they contain harmful amounts of BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole), which is a preservative to keep food from going bad. Although it is preserving the food, once it hits your body it accumulates in the body fat and disrupts the hormone balance with higher or lower levels of estrogen or progesterone. Studies have shown that mice, rats and hamsters have developed cancer from this preservative, but it is kept on the shelves.

Commonly called Sodium Benzoate or Benzoic Acid is a preservative widely used in fruit juice, carbonated drinks and pickles. The problem with this preservative is when it is used in beverages that contain ascorbic acid (Vitamin C.) These two substances can react together to form an acidic solution that forms small amounts of Benzene that is a chemical that causes Leukemia and other cancers. There have been restrictions made on Sodium Benzoate, bt it is still used in some products.

When I go grocery shopping, I rarely look at the label to see what's in it. I grab healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables. It's a scary thought that on a daily basis we are contaminating our bodies with these foods that is full of chemical impurities. Who knows how many chemicals are allowed in processed food before it is deemed a health risk. These chemicals are clearly harmful. So be on the lookout for any of these three chemicals.

Thank you Facebook

How has Facebook affected your life? Did the infamous social, networking media bring you fame? Happiness? Sadness? Surprises, good or bad? Did it change your social or work life; maybe both? Have you gained or lost "friends"? I gained a few unexpected people I really thought I would never meet.

I joined facebook about two years ago only because my friends kept bugging me about it. A few months after that I recieved an unexpected, would have never imagined it friend request. It was my younger half-brother, whom I had never met. He lives in Indianapolis, IN with my other younger half-brother, half-sister, their mother and with the father I hadn't met in all my life. Soon afterwards, my other little brother sent me his friend request. It's a long story and when the editors gave me this blogging gig, I was told to write 150 words in length, so I'll keep it short and sweet. My brothers and I chatted quite often for the following year and decided to finally meet this past summer. So we did and it was awesome. Once they went back home to Indiana, my brothers planned and set up a surprise meeting for our father and I to meet and exchange hello's for the first time ever. Oh my gosh was it a surprise! They had all came to town for a family wedding and that's when it happened.

So if it weren't for facebook, I honestly believe I wouldn't have met my brothers nor the man that I'm told I look like. Maybe we would have in the far, far future, but who knows? So thank you Facebook.

Photo and Story by: Olivia N. Castaneda

Living Yoga

Two years ago yoga changed my life. I decided to take a class in yoga that took place twice a week. Right away I noticed a difference in my body. Before I started practicing yoga I suffered from severe migraines, and meditating along with the different poses helped me to relieve the pressure that I held in my head.

Yoga is all about understanding your body, and living in the present. Just taking 10 minutes a day to focus on your breathing, and noticing your body while you're breathing is another way to calm the mind during stressful days.

Before I started practicing yoga I noticed how much I lived in the future, and how I was always worried about bills I had to pay or things I had to get done. Living in the future not only made life stressful, and more complicated, but there was no room to enjoy life in the now. Yoga poses are designed so that you feel your body stretch and breathe into them. My yoga teacher explained to me that when you realize most of your worries come from things you have no control over that you can take a deep breath and let things happen.

Yoga has a lot of benefits including increasing your flexibility, massaging of your organs, and it can also help you sleep, and become relaxed. Yoga has been around for centuries since the 6th century B.C., where they primary use for yoga was through meditation. Yoga is a way of life, and it teaches the importance of loving your body, and taking care of yourself.

Promises Lies And Sexual Slavery

Dreams, ambitions and happiness are just a couple words to describe young girls everywhere who think of their future. One 15-year-old girl in Mexico was full of life, and wanted to build a successful life with a job in America.

She was determined, and put her trust in a boy who later became her boyfriend who was full of promises and hopes of bringing her to America and getting her a job. Never did she think that her dreams would become her worst nightmare.

He invited her to join him to work at a clothes factory in New York City. After being smuggled into the U.S., her voice was silenced as she was forced into sexual slavery. The guy she trusted beat her, burned her with cigarettes, threatened to kill her parents in Mexico. With no one to trust, no family and friends, she was left feeling lost, hurt and alone. Trying to get back on her feet, she thought of ways of escaping, and asked where bus and train stations were. She saved up money, and hid it in the refrigerator. With determination still in her heart, she went to a nearby bus station, and bought a ticket to a city she didn't know. She has been free ever since, but suffers from nightmares, and is forever scarred.

Living and working as a prostitute became her reality filled with false promises, physical, mental and sexual abuse. Unlike her story, thousands of other girls are still living this horrendous horror. People need to come together, and make it aware that this is happening everywhere in the United States. Parents especially, need to step up and let their kids know that this world has its dark sides. You are not protecting your child if you don't tell them about sexual slavery, because one is better off knowing than not knowing.

Each year about 1,000 American-born children are forced into the sex trade industry, while nationwide there are between 45,000 and 50,000 people trafficked into the United States according to a 2001 report from the U.S. States Department. Do your part, do research, and educate young girls and boys about what sexual slavery is, and what it can do to a person.

Hurry, Hurry You Dirty Girl

Gross, I know, but I didn’t have time to wash my hair or style it! What is a busy girl to do in order to get out of such a pickle?

Last week’s beauty blog was about teasing the hair to get va-voom volume. If you’re pressed with time, but need to have good, not just presentable hair, dry shampoo is the secret weapon. Not only will its formula soak up the oiliness, adding volume, but also kill that smelly hair smell.

This was my first dry shampoo experience. While doing online research for where and which dry shampoo to buy, I discovered quite a few different brands out in the market. Being the Allure magazine devotee that I am, I went out to my local Walgreens store and bought the one they recommend, Pssssst! Instant Dry Shampoo for $5.99! I couldn't pass up that bargain after the prices I found during my research.

The product comes in a can and is sprayed onto the hair as one would with hair spray. Just as the directions on the back of the can say, spray the hair where it needs help. I sprayed around the hair line, around the top and in-between sections and bam! My hair was oil-free, shiny and full of body and volume. A major plus that won me over was how good my hair smelled and lasted throughout my busy day.

Photo and story by: Olivia N. Castaneda

What a Tease

Don’t move. Hold it just right there. Gently put down the blow dryer, the flat iron and –dare I say- the brush. Well, maybe not the brush…that will be used for some teasing later.

I was super excited to read in the August issue of Allure magazine that poufy, almost punk a la Brigitte Bardot hair is the new trend for this fall season. So ladies, if you have thick, coarse, frizzy, curly, wavy or anything but perfectly, pin-straight hair then you’re in luck. You’re more than halfway to achieving this hair ‘do.

Because I’m a huge fan of this va-voom hairstyle, and actually style my hair like this for nights out in the town, here are my very own instructions to getting this fun look.

You will need a toothcomb, a wooden brush, volumizing hairspray, and Velcro rollers varying in size. Begin with clean, dry hair. The hair can be part down the middle or to the side, whatever your choice. Next, will be the teasing of the hair around the crown of the head. Grab hair from the upper section and hold it up, then mist some hairspray. (Note: gently mist, not spray. The hair should not get wet or soaked with the hair spray.) Keep the hair taught, and run the toothcomb in downward motions from the middle length of the hair to the root, making sure that you see and feel hair scrunched up.

To secure and add more teasing volume, gently mist more hairspray and use the wooden brush the same as the toothcomb. Once you finish teasing place the Velcro roller under the hair. This works by holding up the hair to give it shape.

Continue to the next sections of the hair. When finished, leave the rollers in for about ten minutes, then remove and enjoy your sexy new look.

Photos and Written by: Olivia N. Castañeda

Jersey shore

Jersey Shore has been MTV’s hit reality show for one season so far, and is gathering audiences everywhere on its current second season. Some might be distraught or upset over the fact that this show is not only one of a few Italian shows, but that it also adds to the constant stereotyping that Italians are all loud, obnoxious and party animals.

After watching a couple episodes of the second season I wonder what all the hype is about. These people aren’t doing anything but partying and drinking while gaining fame, publicity and money. They are constantly in the media outside their reality show. For example, Nicole Polizzi aka Snookie, a cast member on Jersey Shore, was arrested a couple weeks ago for public drunkenness, and the media coverage was all over the story. Many media outlets wanted to be the first ones to get a glimpse of the reality star’s mug shots.

These reality stars don't demonstrate any talent on the show, and you never see them doing any type of work besides cooking after a long night out partying, or picking out their next club outfit. What is this world coming to with pointless reality shows like Jersey Shore? I would rather be watching something that is more entertaining and educating than watching a house full of Italians go out and party all night

When there is only a couple of shows that display Italians, don’t you think a show would be a little more cautious about how they portray any race? It’s what people want to hear and see, which makes them think that these stereotypes of Italians are true. All we need in this world is cast members from the Jersey Shore to make money by portraying themselves in Italian stereotypes. Be mindful of what you watch, because the media is full of false images or messages referring to race, gender ethnicity, and religion.

Lindsey Lohan: A media obsession

It seems that Lindsey Lohan is enjoying being a free woman these days after she was released from jail then rehab, when she didn’t serve the full term of either sentence. It seems that if you have power, money or fame you don’t have to serve full sentences in the United States. It’s unjust and wrong that the legal system works this way.

The media has covered every legal process that she has gone through to see if she makes a wrong move. Enough already with the media covering what going on in her life after rehab. No one cares anymore!

Lohan has been in trouble with the police many times before and has gotten off. In 2007 she violated her parole agreement stemming from her two DUI arrests. Under the terms of her plea agreement she was to attend an alcohol awareness meeting weekly, which she violated. Also, Lohan is infamous for showing up hours late to court. If regular everyday people can't get away with this nonsense, then why can she?

Other celebrities who have gotten away with the law because of who they were and what they had in their bank account include pop singer Brandy who caused a fatal car crash in 2006 that resulted in the death of a woman. Vehicular manslaughter charges were never filed against her. A case similar to Brandy's involved a 48-year-old man from Idaho who caused a car crash that resulted with four deaths, and was charged with four accounts of Vehicular Manslaughter. Just because his accident resulted in more deaths doesn't justify that Brandy didn't get charged at all for the same crime.

People need to realize that just because you have a house in the Hamptons or your name appears on Billboards, the law is the law, and everyone should have to pay the price for their wrong doing. But for now if you have power, money and fame you can get away with almost anything.

Jimmy Fallon: Host of the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards

Last Sunday night was the 62^nd Primetime Emmy Awards and the only thing the media has crazed about was the fashion hits and blunders. No one has really commented on the comedic performances from the host, the hilarious, Jimmy Fallon.

From singing farewell songs for the ended shows 24, Law and Order, and Lost, while dressed as Elton John and lead singer of Green Day to hugging actor Tom Selleck, claiming him as his “real father,” Fallon had the crowd rolling every time he came out.

Now I have four letters for you: G.T.L.E. Gym. Tan. Laundry. Emmys. Fallon said this was the order in which he got ready to head off to his hosting gig. He did look more tanned than usual; very Hollywood of him.

His opening act for the show involved the acting cast from Glee. Fallon did a high-energy guitar performance, where he was completely out of breath while singing. Even though I couldn’t make out what he was saying, it just made it more comedic. And for the finale, Fallon ended the show on a high-note by popping a bottle of champagne and announcing the after-party at Betty White's crib.

Photos and story by: Olivia N. Castañeda

Bye Bye Product

Photo By: Olivia N. Castañeda

As I sit here and blog, I continue to look down and glance at my stubby legs. "What am I going to do about this?" I think. Shave, possibly? Yes, but my favorite, numero uno shaving product is no where to be found! I have frantically gone to my local Wal-Marts and Targets and nothing.

Have you ever been faithfully devoted to a beauty product and all of a sudden without fair warning, it is discontinued?

Going back to my shaving dilemma, as a devoted customer, I called the 800 number on the back of my empty shaving can- no I have not thrown it out yet- and spoke with "Information Specailist" Tracy. Due to employee policy, she could not give out her full name. Tracy informed me that the Aveeno Active Naturals shave gels have been temporarily removed from store shelves due to a malfunction with the pump.

The pumps are dispersing the product as a cream, rather than a gel, hence the name "shave gel." I did notice this happening in the shower.

Tracy continued on by telling me that the line of shave gels will be back on the market, hopefully, by the end of this year. Whoop-dee-doo. Now I know what to put on my wish list for Santa Claus.

-Written by: Olivia N. Castañeda

Throw Out the Pain...Keep the Lesson

Over the weekend I posed a question to a friend. "What would you tell the 16-year-old you?"


Would you advise 16 year old you to steer clear of that guy sitting behind you in Algebra? Would you tell him/her to focus on a specific career? Or maybe you could warn him/her that what they are doing at that EXACT moment will forever impact their life.


My friend's responses were reflective and humorous at best; however, the sadness that laced her tone when speaking of regret stunned me.


The reality is that some people are stuck in the murk and mire of their past. You can't change it, but you should committ to learn from it. Incessant reprimanding over things you could have done differently leave you looking in the rearview mirror of life and eventually you will crash.


I encouraged my friend, as I'm doing you, to write a letter to the wounded child in you. Let them know that it's okay now and healing can begin. Tell them that the experiences they had, helped create the person you are today. Allow yourself a chance at true happiness by throwing out the pain and keeping the lessons.



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What drives a mom to kill her children?

Everyone is struggling with the effects of the shaky economy, but one South Carolina mother Shaquan Duley couldn't deal with the struggles of being a parent, and took the lives of her toddlers who were 1 and 2 years old.

Duley is facing two counts of murder after police say she she killed her own two children. Authorities said Duley suffocated both of her toddlers before strapping them into car seats, and submerging the car into a river. There is speculation that Duley's mother had argued over and over again about her not knowing how to be a parent.

How could someone who has given birth to two children kill them and drown them in a river? From the information I have read, and from statements family members have said, she was a ticking time bomb. If family members knew she had issues raising children, why didn't they step in before these children had to tragically suffer and die?

According to the American Anthropological Association, more than 200 women kill their children in the United States each year. Three to five children a day are killed by their parents. So the question is why do they do it, and what makes them commit one of the most heinous crimes a person can commit?

Medical Anthropologist Nancy Hughes says in one of her articles that we should "Detach from the idea that motherhood is universal or natural, and see it as a social response." She also goes on to discuss how mothers who kill their children aren't as rare as we make it seem.

Mothers who kill their children tend to fall into five categories according to Meyer's research on dozens of cases: killing of a newborn, killing through abuse, being assisted or coerced by a partner, killing purposely and killing through neglect.

In 1996, 33-year-old Susan Eubanks of California shot her four sons 4,6,7 and 14, in the head. The day started out when Eubanks and her boyfriend began drinking. As they drank more and more the arguments began. She became so outraged with him that she slashed his tires, and locked him out of their home. Eubanks' boyfriend called the police to have them escort him to the home. After he left Eubanks lost control of her mind and body, and the catalysts of killings occurred. Eubanks and her boyfriend had a history of a violent relationship, and things kept getting worse. Finally when she could take no more she lost control, and lost everything.

If you or someone you know is dealing with the constant pressures and demands of life, be there for them and let them know they have support. Often times when people have support and love from friends or family, they won't have to take drastic measures and put themselves or someone else at risk.




Susan Eubanks

Children in Inappropriate Venues

You've all experienced it.

You attend a much-needed Relationship Seminar. Ruckus enters the room in the form of two women with children in tow. The speaker then announces that due to the presence of the children, he must censor his topics.

You throw major attitude towards the children; however, your anger is misdirected. The kids don't want to be there either, but the babysitter wasn't available and 'Mama needs to be out'.

Our children are being exposed to too much!

Let's return to the days when children weren't allowed to be in the same room as adults. The days when children were sent to the basement with food, board games and movies as the adults conversed and played cards on Saturday nights.

Overexposure at this rate could lead to a peak in teenage violence and sexual nuances....Oh wait, we're already there!

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America's oil disaster

America's worst environmental disaster is wreaking havoc on the Marine wildlife in the Gulf Coast, and many are worried that after the oil is cleared up the long term effects could prove to be ever so frightening.

A government report released a week ago stated that 75 percent of the oil that gushed into the Gulf of New Mexico has been collected. According to the head of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the oil is being degraded and cleaned up on shore. There is a lot of damage below the surface that we can't see, and no one knows if the marine wildlife will ever be the same. BP has taken responsibility for their actions, but the cost for this disaster is having harmful effects on the already shaky economy.

Two hundred and sixty million gallons of oil has proven to be America's worst nightmare, and the local ecosystem and fishing communities still haven't recovered. The U.S. has just recently opened around 9 percent of the Gulf of Mexico's fishing areas closed by the BP Oil Company saying the seafood is safe to eat. Many tests were given to insure this.

The seafood industry is feeling the effects of this crisis as the seafood production is down 60 percent from last year. You can help out by simply going online to a variety of websites no-hunger.org, and ccstb.org to those affected by the oil spill, and you can also sign up to volunteer online or by phone to help with the cleanup efforts.

Leonardo DiCaprio's road to success

The Sci-Fi blockbuster hit "Inception" is catching movie-goers all around the world. Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the Sci-Fi thriller playing an espionage expert who has a highly specialized way of stealing corporate secrets, which involves extracting them from within the dreams of his targets. The opening of the movie goes on the list for being DiCaprio's biggest opening movie yet, topping "Titanic" in 1997.

Let's go back many years to explore the man behind the screen who went on to achieve much triumph. When the movie Titanic came out in 1997 women fell in love with DiCaprio's personality and his sheer good looks, but movie critics had the opposite opinion: they claimed his role in "Titanic" was anything but talent. Throughout the years after Titanic DiCaprio would prove them wrong.

DiCaprio's opportunity for a comeback came in 2002 when he starred in the movie "Gangs of New York," which was set amidst urban uprisings, and the 1863 Civil War Draft Riots. His role captures the violence and the character of a young Irish American who sees his father, the leader of an Irish immigrant street gang, get killed in a street brawl. Critics everywhere applauded DiCaprio's role in the movie. Many were stunned by his performance and would be stunned again and again.

DiCaprio tested his skill and talent in the movie "The Aviator," which required him to jump from one extreme emotion to the other. His performance in this film was highly praised as he played the eccentric Howard Hughes, which depicts the early years of the legendary director and aviator's career.

DiCaprio went on to make many more films including "Blood Diamond" in 2006, "Revolutionary Road" in 2008, and his latest film "Inception" is wowing audiences everywhere. His career has had some ups and downs, but he has always come out on top. If you haven't seen Inception, you might be in for a mind-bending roller coaster.

Phone jailbreaking made legal

Owners of Iphones along with other smart phone users can now legally jailbreak their phone due to a recent government ruling. The controversial practice of jailbreaking has been an issue with many phone companies, and Apple along with other companies fought hard against legalizing jailbreaking, but as of July 26, it is now legal.

Jailbreaking is the practice of unlocking a phone so it can be used on another network or run other applications other than the network it belongs to. Jailbreaking has been illegal for years, but with the legalization this will bring many benefits for smart phone users.

I don't see what the controversy of jailbreaking is because it gives cellphone users choices and benefits, but Apple argues that it was a form of copyright violation. Not only are you getting applications for free by jailbreaking, but you get many options for what phone you want along with what service provider best fits you.

When jailbreaking was illegal Apple announced that one million Iphones users have jailbroken their handsets. So either way it's going to happen.

Even though many cell phone providers are not happy with the ruling, I think this is a celebration for many smart phone users. Now smart phone users can breathe easier knowing that there won't be any legal penalties for jailbreaking.