Mark Schannon This is a true story. The person trapped in the Kafkaesque world of U.S. Immigration is still in a holding facility so I have to be careful about specifics because I firmly believe the Immigration people will take it out on him should they be able to identify him. |
by Brian Sorrell Gadgets? How about God-gets? That should be the word, because that's what they are. Newfangled electronic devices are newfangled Gods - in agnostic hands. From the iPod to the Blackberry to the sleekest of the slickest cells, we no longer wear our faiths on our sleeves: we clip them to our belts in polytheistic, plastic holsters. |
by Chip Spear Why do we continue to insist we are engaged in a "War on Terror"? Terror is a psychological state, it is not a political entity, it is not group or a movement. Terrorism is a means, an offensive tool of war. It is a strategy designed to further political goals of a group or state. We are not waging a war on terror. That would be like saying that The New England Patriots are waging a war on the forward pass, or the Yankees are waging war on fast balls. |
by Ryan Seay
Last month, I had the pleasure of repeatedly working with some superb artists who, across the past two decades, have really impacted their respective genre, music in general, and even some non-music-related causes ranging from politics to pets. No independent band has received a greater welcome or greater success than they have and it will take a band of megalithic proportions to topple them from that achievement. This month's featured artists, here at Blogcritics, are NOFX. |
The Cost of Getting Married
Still fairly cheap to elope.
| Bridal Spending Has Increased 100% Over Last 15 Years: 'American Wedding Study 2006' Reveals Average Wedding Now Tops $27,000 Destination Weddings Increase by 400% Most Brides and Grooms Pay for the Wedding Themselves NEW YORK, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey entitled "American Wedding Study 2006," conducted by The Conde Nast Bridal Group, reveals that the average amount spent on weddings has increased to $27,852, up nearly 100% since 1990 when the average cost was $15, 208. Over the last 15 years there has been a 400% increase in the number of destination weddings; the number of weddings per year has increased by 200,000 since 2000. The Conde Nast Bridal Group, publishers of Brides, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride, conducted the survey through the Global Strategy Group with 1,619 brides. The study, which was released today, found that in 2006, 2.3 million Americans will get married. There will be: 44,230 weddings every weekend, 23 million bridesmaids and groomsmen, and almost 380 million wedding guests.  In 2006, only 30% of all brides' parents will pay for the entire wedding as was once customary, a remarkable 8% drop since 1999. Instead, 32% of brides and grooms will pay for their wedding themselves, and 15% of couples will foot the bill with the help of both sets of parents. In sync with increasing costs, up to 36% of couples end up spending more than they had planned on their big day. "This authoritative survey shows that the wedding industry is not only vital but is in fact thriving," says Daniel Lagani, vice president and publisher of The Conde Nast Bridal Group. "Couples are entering this 'Wedding Lifecycle' from the engagement to the reception right up to the honeymoon in ever growing numbers flush with happiness and optimism," Lagani says. The growing popularity of the destination wedding has changed the face of the American wedding. About 16% of all couples have a destination wedding -- a 400% increase in the last 10 years. Couples who have destination weddings spend an average of $25,806 with 63 guests attending and have an average household income of $93,000. The average altar-bound woman is now 27 years old, her fiance is 29, they have an estimated household income of $74,000, will be engaged for a period of 14 months, and their wedding will have 165 guests. The winter holidays still dominate as the time of year to get engaged, particularly December. In fact, December has as many engagements (15%) as November and January combined (each 6%). Since 2002 nearly every wedding expense has increased by over 20%. This includes the bride's and groom's attire (up 30%), engagement rings (up 25%) and a 60% increase in the cost of the wedding bands. Despite cost increases and a significant delay in taking the plunge, expect "The Echo Boom," children of the Baby Boomers who make up 71 million men and women to emerge. "They are the next big generation to move into the 'engagement zone,' as the oldest in the group will reach the marriage age of 27 in 2006," Lagani says. This generation believes in upholding long-held wedding traditions with 99% of brides saying they were proposed to (only 1% did the proposing,) 81% planning to take their husband's name after marriage, and only 3% expect to sign a prenuptial agreement. Here are the top growth categories in wedding details that have accelerated the most since 1999: TOP GROWTH CATEGORIES INCLUDE: 1999 2006 % CHANGE Photography/Video $1,263 $3,509 178 % Attendants' Gifts $299 $616 106 % Wedding Rings $1,060 $2,079 96 % Bouquets/Other Flowers $775 $1,177 52 % Wedding Attire (Brides & Grooms) $1,049 $1,580 50 % Engagement Rings $2,982 $4,435 49 % Conde Nast Publications' operations include Conde Nast Magazines, Fairchild Publications, Golf Digest Publications, Conde Nast Business Media Group, Conde Nast Media Group, CondeNet, and The Shared Services Centers. |
Ordinary Household Products Make You Healthy, Keep Things Running Smooth
I regularly use Preparation H under my eyes to bring down the saddle bags under them. That bit about using peanut butter to get the scratches out of CD’s is new to me.
Pam cooking spray will dry fingernail polish. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes. Mayonnaise will condition your hair; it will also kill lice. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat Crisco in microwave, pour into empty film container and mix with the food coloring of your choice! Spike your hair with toothpaste (with Close-up tooth paste, it will also give it a tint). Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea. Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste. Heavy dandruff -- pour on the vinegar! Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads. Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea. Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste. Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool-Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with coffee filter paper. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it! Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, takes the itch out of insect stings, too. Athlete's feet - cornstarch. Bee stings - meat tenderizer. Chigger bite - Preparation H. Puffy eyes - Preparation H. Paper cut - crazy glue or chap stick. Glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals lately. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks Vaporub. Kool Aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet. Kool-Aid also can be used as a dye in paint. Kool-Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint. Your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it! Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch and watch them slide on. Stress buster -- preferably for a work group -- take a roll of scotch tape and a packet of straws and build a tower without talking to each other! |
Arithmetic Game
I never know how these things work but I like them.
Try this...its really cool, only takes a minute 1. Key in the first 3 digits of your phone number into a calculator (not the area code) 2. Multiply by 80 3. Add 1 4. Multiply by 250 5. Add the last four digits of your phone number 6. Add the last four digits of your phone number again 7. Subtract 250 8. Divide by 2 at last Is that your phone number ?? ☺ |
More Miscellany posts HERE
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How Things Are Made
Here’s a site that should be saved in everyone’s “favorites”. Because there’s information on how everything is made! Great reference material. Click on the picture to check it out.
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In View of Wire Tapping Concerns
| I just wanted to let you know that the new Homeland Security Bill has passed. Things will be different now and Internet surfing will be tracked by what the FBI calls a "non-intrusive method." The FBI says you will not notice anything different. For a demonstration, click on the link below. HERE |
More Web Notables HERE
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