The Online Actos Blog

It is really nice to be in love and share that precious feeling
that we hid for that someone special who changed our outlook and
thinking drastically. Diamonds with their spectacular and
dramatic view are always a preferred stone to mark that
foundation of the life called engagement, where you actually
made commitment, a celebration of that particular feeling with a
sparkling and shining diamond ring that says the story of one of
the best times of your life.

Tiffany engagement ring is nothing but a glowing diamond ring
having bases in platinum or gold with a six prong arrangement
that elevates the stone to get more exposure of light into it to
get ultimate radiance that looks simply marvelous. So, it is the
perfect expression of one’s love and dedication that lasts
really long and ever.

Due to its specialty and internal flame, tiffany engagement
rings are getting its place in the hearts of its wearers and
admirers. They are just mind blowing and look extremely superb
in their design. More and more couples are moving towards this
tiffany engagement ring for their pre-wedding celebrations. Not
only this, special tiffany diamond wedding rings are also
available in the market.

Normally, people evaluate engagement ring on the
basis of its weight or carats but a tiffany engagement ring is
measured on its internal as well as external worth. Gemologists
remove the flaws on diamonds to give them ultimate shine and
shape that takes away the heart of its wearer. Tiffany
engagement rings are also perfect in their quality. Normally,
flawless diamonds are used to make these rings that can be seen
through the naked eyes. The best quality of tiffany diamonds is
their originality that is never over heated or improved.

Different metal bases like platinum and gold gives a different
edge to the engagement ring that create a smashing effect on the
mind of its wearers. Coming in different patterns and designs,
these rings are mostly available in 14 carat white & yellow
gold, 18 carat gold bands in platinum and gold that looks really
charming and compliments the persona of its carrier. Thus,
tiffany engagement rings are a true symbol of your respect and
distinctive class which separates you from others. So, don’t
think much, if you have any engagement plans on your mind
gifting a beautiful and stunning tiffany diamond ring to your
beloved can be a great option.

For more information on tiffany engagement rings
visit http://www.1a-jewelry.com

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Just when it seems reality TV has hit rock bottom, a new and ever-more demeaning show emerges to set the bar even lower. Here are a few of the offerings that don’t exist yet — but just wait until the suits at FOX and UPN get wind of these ideas.

Ambush Boobjob:

In this exciting makeover extravaganza, we give a team of plastic surgeons a van, a bottle of ether, and one mission: endow, endow, endow! They’ll roam the city, looking for flat-chested women to ‘enhance’. Watch as the docs scope out their patients — “Look, ‘A’ cups! Grab her!” Then, they’ll pull her into the van, put her under, and kick her back to the curb with a fabulous new set of double-D’s! That’s ‘Ambush Boobjob’, where our motto is: “We make mountains out of molehills — whether you like it or not!“

Electri-Date:

Every week, a new woman goes out on blind dates with three men. And a taser. Watch, laugh, and learn as the guys forget to bring flowers. *bzzzzttt!* Or fail to open the car door. *zzzzzzap!* Or try to ‘get French’, after suggesting they ‘go Dutch’. *ssssszzzzzzzztttttttt!!* At the end of the show, the gal picks her favorite fella, who gets to choose between a second date or a trip to the local burn ward. Fun for the whole family!

Last Comic Starving:

A ‘true’ reality show, this show follows the lives of ten standups without day jobs, as they compete for gigs, auditions… and sandwiches. Only one will be able to scrounge enough cash together to buy groceries; the rest will either take up panhandling, or give up completely and settle into soul-sucking entry-level day jobs. Who’ll be playing to packed houses, and who’ll be delivering packages for a living? Tune in to find out!

My Big Fat Obnoxious Television Actress:

In this spin-off, we follow the trials, tribulations, and — most importantly — tantrums of a formerly-famous actress, as she attempts to claw her way back into the limelight. We’ll find the most belligerent, heinous, loudmouthed… hold on. We already tried this one with Roseanne. And Kirstie Alley. And Kathy Griffin. We can’t out-belligerent that. Never mind.

Pimp My Bride:

Still in the concept phase, this show could go one of two routes. In one scenario, we’ll allow prospective husbands to compete for glamorous upgrades for their blushing brides-to-be — facelifts, tummy tucks, nose jobs, and the like. Much like ‘The Swan’, for the already roped-in crowd. If we go the other way, you’ll see husbands pimp out their new wives for cash and prizes. Either way, it’ll be the most uncomfortable, gratuitously shocking show since… well, since ‘The Swan’. Or that ‘NYPD Blue’ with Dennis Franz’ butt. Keep an eye out for the pilot.

Queer Eye for the Street Guy:

Just because you’re wearing rags and living in a box doesn’t mean you can’t be fabulous! Our dream team of light-loafered fashionistas take one homeless person each week, and transform their clothes, lean-tos, and shopping carts into stylish, modern wonders. Watch to see the guys work magic with burlap, turn paper bags into treasured decorations — and you won’t believe the substances that can be used as ‘hair product’, in a pinch. See hoboes go faboo, and get in on the ground floor of ‘urchin chic’. It’ll sweep the nation, one back alley at a time!

The Real M.A.S.H.:

First, it was ‘The Real Beverly Hillbillies’. Then, ‘The Real Gilligan’s Island’. Why not bring back the most popular thirty-year-old T.V. show of all? We’ve dragged ten contestants off to Korea, where they’ll spend twelve tumultuous weeks dodging bullets, sewing people back together, and competing for fabulous prizes! And we’ve even gotten Jamie Farr, the original Sergeant Klinger, to host — because really, what the hell else has he done since 1983?

The Real World: Guantanamo:

This is the true story — ‘Truu-uuuee sto-ray!‘ — of seven strangers, picked to live in a tiny cell and have all records of their lives erased from all official records. Find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting… well, we’re not sure, frankly. The military won’t let our cameras in — but we’re working on it. Maybe in time for fall sweeps.

Survivor:Brooklyn:

Forget the barren outback or a mosquito-ridden jungle. Let’s see what sort of alliances form when we drop teams of wide-eyed tourists off in the middle of the borough. Cabs only big enough for two people, subways heading every which direction, challenges involving walking down long, dary alleys — will competition reign, or will the survival instinct kick in? And if it gets boring, will we walk them over to Harlem to spice things up? There’s only one way to find out!

Temptation Island: Greenland:

Sure, it’s more interesting with the skimpy clothes and hot, sweaty nights. But if these people can create sparks through sub-zero temperatures and six layers of parkas, that’s worth watching! Will they ‘play it cool’, or risk a bout of hypothermia for a roll in the permafrost? Only time — and emergency treatments for frostbite of the extremities — will tell.

Charlie Hatton is an overzealous blogger and aspiring standup comedian offering smart, sophisticated humor about life, language, and the size of his naughty bits. He writes semi-daily and mostly randomly at Where the Hell Was I?

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A wine rack in your home serves two purposes, regardless of its complexity or size: It creates a pleasing focal point and it protects your wine from spoiling by preventing drying of the cork.

After that, a plethora of styles, sizes and shapes of wine racks exist to serve a seemingly endless variety of individual needs. And the process of choosing a good wine rack should be precise: It’s a piece of furniture that inherently improves the ambiance of your room. Important factors to consider when purchasing your wine rack include:

Location, location, location
If you are selecting a wine rack for the kitchen, you may choose a more casual model, but if it will be featured in a more formal setting, like a den or formal dining room, you should pay more attention to your home’s style: Is it classic or contemporary? What colors and styles are featured throughout? Consider a wrought iron wine rack for a contemporary - yet elegant - look that fits into nearly any design style. A house with a traditional or country style may be best suited to a wood wine rack. If you’re looking for a wine storage rack for your family bar area, a wine table or a wall mounted wine rack may be the best bet.

Wherever you decide to put your wine rack, it’s important to store your wine away from excessive temperature changes, ideally in a cool, dry place.

Size matters
Once you determine the room your wine rack will be featured in, you should shift your focus to the space available. If space is tight, you may want to consider a hanging wine rack or a wall wine rack to add an elegant touch to any room. If you have more space, a corner or stand-alone wine tower is an excellent choice. You might also consider wine racks that fit on your table or countertop - or even ones that fit behind a door or in an existing cabinet.

Bottle collector
Another important factor in determining your wine rack needs is to take into account the number - and type - of wine bottles you plan on storing. Are you a casual wine drinker who keeps a few bottles on hand in case company stops by? Are you a connoisseur who dreams of having a massive wine cellar long into old age? Do you typically store large, wide bottles of wine, or more traditional sizes?

If many of your bottles are oversized, make sure the wine rack is long and wide enough to hold these special bottles. If you plan on building a collection, but are starting small, consider stackable wine racks or modular wine racks, which allow you to build onto your collection as you go. Since they’re well constructed, metal wine racks and wooden wine racks are ideal for large quantities of wine.

Set the mood
Some wine racks are decorative pieces that hold only one or two bottles of wine. These racks enhance romantic dinners and special dinner parties by serving as a focal point on your dinner table. Regardless of the tone you’d like to set, you can find a wine server to convey it: There are whimsical, elegant and casual wine caddies, wine servers and wine racks available to suit any taste.

Express yourself!
Browse a variety of online outlets to get a feel for the wine rack that best suits your needs - and your taste. Once you start looking, chances are you’ll be surprised by the outstanding variety of wine racks on the market.

Author Jim Booles is the owner of http://www.winerackspecialists.com.
You can view a wide variety of wine racks at his web site, including wrought iron wine racks and wooden wine racks.

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Nominated for three Academy Awards, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe follows on the heels of recent successful big screen adaptations of other childrens’ fantasy novels such as The Lord of the Rings books and the Harry Potter series. But while each of these series feature underlying tones of Christian symbolism, The Chronicles of Narnia is overtly intended as a Christian allegory. Written by the brilliant 20th Century Oxford and Cambridge literature professor C.S. Lewis, the Narnia stories were a tribute to his deep Christian faith. And this big screen transition is something of which he can be proud. Directed by Andrew Adamson, veteran director of the Shrek franchise, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is a master blend of traditional human acting and computer generated imagery.

The film follows the exploits of the four Pevensie children, two brothers and two sisters. Set during the early years of World War II, their mother sends them away to the countryside in order to escape the relentless Nazi bombing raids on London. Left to their own devices in the cavernous mansion of Professor Kirke (Jim Broadbent), they engage in a traditional game of hide-and-seek, whereupon the youngest of children, Lucy (Georgie Henley) crawls into a lone wardrobe stationed in an otherwise empty room. Backing her way through the garments, she stumbles into a wintry wonderland where she encounters a faun named Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy).

Initially, Mr. Tumnus tries to kidnap the young girl, but he experiences a change of heart due to the kindness of her spirit. As a result, he reveals to her the truth about the land into which she stumbled. Narnia is dominated by the evil White Witch who claims to be ruler of the forest, but the true ruler is a lion named Aslan who prophesied long ago that two “sons of Adam” and “daughters of Eve” would usher in the end of the one hundred year darkness administered by the White Witch. Knowing the prophecy, the witch intends to murder the children upon their arrival. But when Lucy relays the facts of the adventure to her family, they don’t believe her.

Despite their initial reservations, her older siblings - Edmund (Skandar Keynes), Susan (Anna Popplewell), and Peter (William Moseley) - all find their way into the magical land of Narnia. With talking trees, a forest filled with danger, and an evil witch in hot pursuit, the Pevensie kids must navigate their way through the treacherous land in order to find Aslan (Liam Neeson), the Messianic lion king who can help them to fulfill their rightful destiny as heirs to the thrones of Narnia…

Aided by an outstanding soundtrack which perfectly compliments each sequence of events, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is an inspiring film of epic proportions. For Christians, it will have significant meaning far in excess of a traditional film. For instance, the climatic scene of the film in which Aslan provides the ultimate sacrifice will evoke images of Roman soldiers beating and mocking Jesus in the hours leading up to his crucifixion. It’s undeniably the most powerful scene of the film. Meanwhile, Georgie Henley turns in an unforgettable performance as the innocent and playful Lucy. Her charisma exudes from the screen in a manner rarely common to child actors. This performance is complimented by Tilda Swinton who is magnificently cast in the role of the White Witch. She simultaneously displays the satanic traits of seductive beauty and ruthless cunning with heavenly perfection. Add a final battle sequence reminiscent of Braveheart, and you’ve got a blockbuster movie the whole family can enjoy. Although parents of small children who scare easily should take note that some of the scenes can be frightening, but probably no more frightening than Darth Vader and the aliens from Star Wars. Nevertheless, parents should preview the film before introducing it to young children. Overall, this first film in The Chronicles of Narnia series is well worth any movie-goer’s attention…

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (DVD).

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For a country of only nine million people, Sweden has certainly left its mark on the world, particularly on the automotive industry. Two car makers, Volvo and Saab, hail from this Nordic nation. Interestingly, both car makers are now part of two American auto giants, but their legendary quality and engineering continues to shape the industry.

Changes in the global auto industry during the 1980s and 1990s meant that many smaller players would have to merge in order to survive. Although Saab and Volvo were building the cars that consumers wanted and needed, their long term survival was in jeopardy. Questions regarding the costs involved in modernizing factories, streamlining production, updating models, and expanding their respective markets became paramount in the decision that both companies made to seek outside assistance. Fortunately, two American suitors were found that have allowed these Swedish automakers to continue production unabated while allowing for a much needed infusion of cash.

Saab - General Motors purchased the remaining shares of Saab in 2000 and the car company has gradually been pulled into the GM fold ever since then. Unlike American divisions such as Cadillac, Buick, and Chevrolet, General Motors is handling their Swedish division a bit differently by giving the automaker a bit more autonomy in product development and market distribution. Still, new Saab models are borrowing heavily from the GM parts bin, with the Saab 9-7x being a chief example of this change. Based on the successful Chevrolet/GMC/Buick midsize SUVs - think Chevrolet TrailBlazer - the new Saab is more refined with a stiffer and quieter ride than its GM cousins. Happily, the powers that be at GM also had the presence of mind to incorporate familiar Saab interior ideas into the 9-7x including: the ubiquitous Saab center console mounted ignition switch, green backlighting, and the grid patterned vents with rubbery knobs. Consumer sentiment so far has been favorable and the new 9-7x has been well received by auto critics.

Volvo - When Ford Motor Company purchased Volvo’s car division in 1999 [Volvo’s truck division was not part of the deal], many felt that an important era in Volvo engineering would come to an end. Fortunately, they have been proven wrong. Even more so than GM, Ford has allowed Volvo to exercise significant independence and has adopted Volvo engineering and safety practices to other Ford models quite successfully. Most new Volvo models are Volvo inspired with the U.S. automaker benefiting by the sharing of important resources. One exception is Volvo’s new CX50 SUV which will be sharing the same platform as the Land Rover Freelander and the Ford Mondeo, but beyond that the rest of the vehicle is all Volvo engineering. Volvo’s influence on Ford has extended to the new Ford Five Hundred sedan, which borrowed Volvo’s front wheel drive chassis because it could be easily converted to an all wheel drive chassis, an important selling point.

In all, both Saab and Volvo have a lot to be proud of. If Ford and GM behave themselves and give the two automakers wide latitude, all the cars within the two company’s folds are certain to benefit. Only time will tell if this proves out.

Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts. If you are looking for replacement Volvo parts or Saab parts for your Nordic wheels, then stop by today to persuse our online inventory.

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We’ve all seen them. Clusters of big, gourmet cookies, individually wrapped in shiny, colored cellophane, with bows and ribbons. They come in many styles and with different treats, toys or gift items attached to or inside a basket or vase of some sort. They make a terrific and edible gift idea. After all, who doesn’t love cookies? Sadly, they can be very expensive gifts, especially when considering that cookies don’t cost a whole lot to bake.

Here’s how to make your own cookie bouquets at home without spending a fortune!

What You Will Need:

* Chopsticks or Wooden Skewers - Make sure they are heat-proof. If you’re baking smaller cookies, then popsicle sticks would also work.

* Cookies - Find a delicious cookie recipe that makes larger size cookies, your favorite or your gift recipients favorite will do fine.

* Container - This needs to be a sturdy container that is a bit bottom heavy, especially if you plan to include more than a few big cookies. You can try putting some pebbles in the bottom to make sure the container won’t tip over, if needed. Some ideas for containers include: a coffee mug, a metal or plastic pail, a basket, a vase, a planter, cookie jar or glass jar, glass bottle, a toy or wood box of some sort, teapot, porcelain or pottery serving ware.

* Cellophane - The shiny, colored kind looks best, but the colored plastic wrap you get at your local supermarket would work too.

* Ribbon - The curly kind works well for this. Any colors you like.

* Decorations - Anything goes! What’s appropriate to the occasion and what does the gift recipient like? Some ideas include: stuffed animals, small toys, candy, balloons, fake or real flowers, stickers or whatever you find at the local craft store.

* Block of styrofoam or florists foam - You know that stereo you bought last December? You probably kept the box, just search your garage for some spare, clean, styrofoam.

* Something to cover up the styrofoam or florist’s foam - You can use a big ribbon, some moss, plastic grass, tissue paper crumpled up or whatever else you have handy.

Instructions:

1. When you place the cookie dough on the cookie sheet, press the dough down a bit to flatten it so that it doesn’t spread too much while baking and so that the stick can be inserted properly. Before you bake the cookies, you must insert the chopstick or wooden skewer into one side of each cookie. Push it in almost the length of the cookie without going out the other end. This is an important step, as if your cookie is too big and your stick is not sturdy enough, it simply won’t hold it and the cookie may fall apart when you pick it up. When baking big cookies, you probably won’t be able to fit more than 3 cookies with their sticks to a sheet.

2. After baking the cookies with their sticks, cool the cookies thoroughly, then wrap each one with the colored cellophane. A different color for each cookie would be ok, or all the same color appropriate to the occassion. Tie each one with some curly ribbon at the base where the stick comes out of the cookie. Tie it very tightly so the cookies will stay fresh on the stick. You can adorn each cookie with additional, larger ribbons or bows at this point. When using curly ribbon, don’t forget to curl it!

3. Now cut your styrofoam or florist’s foam to the size of the top of the container you chose. Then fit the foam in so it is nice and tight and near the top of the container. Remember, you can place something heavier in the bottom of the container so that it does not tip over. Small pebbles work well for this. Remember that the sticks will poke through the foam and into the bottom of the container.

4. Here comes the fun part, let’s assemble the cookie bouquet! Take each of your cookies and stick them through the foam so they go all the way through the foam and further, near to the bottom of the container. You can assemble the cookies in any manner you like, but most cookie bouquets have one cookie at the center that is taller than the other cookies, so keep that in mind. Decorate with additional ribbons, toys, candy, flowers, gifts etc. Each item can be attached with additional ribbon to the container or the sticks of the cookies or even with a glue gun (if appropriate).

5. Give your gift and watch the smiles! Make sure to give the bouquet as soon as possible after you have assembled it, you don’t want the cookies to go stale!

Tips:

Make sure you bake enough cookies for your container, if baking small cookies, you may run out if you are filling a large container. Always bake more than enough. Surely your extras won’t go to waste.

Bake both large and small cookies and use them both in the bouquet for a nice varied look like a more traditional flower bouquet.

More Ideas:

Some cookie bouquets use cutout cookies, these can be fun to make and decorate. Use your favorite sugar cookie cutout recipe and cut into shapes appropriate for the occasion. For cutout cookies to work, you may want to double your sugar cookie recipe as the cookies need to be nice and thick for the stick to go through them. For this type of cookie, wooden skewers will work best, chopsticks may be too thick. Then decorate the cookies with frosting. No need for colored cellophane with these cookies, use regular plastic wrap or clear cellophane so that the beauty of your hand decorated cookies shines through.

Remember, your cookie bouquet doesn’t need to look professional, it’s the homemade touch that makes it a truly special gift.

Ricky Alberta is an editor for several websites including Cookie-Recipes.net, which includes hundreds of cookie recipes, cookie baking tips, a cookie blog and message boards. http://www.cookie-recipes.net

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Another baseball season is on the way and-for the most part-we all pretty much know which teams will have a shot at the playoffs. Teams like the Pirates, Devil Rays, Royals, etc., have no shot at entering the playoffs and this is before the season has started. That is nothing short of a disgrace.

For all the talk about “balance” in baseball, the economic disparity is still way too great. The New York Yankees, of course, lead the “payroll party” with a ridiculous 208 million dollar payroll based on the 2005 numbers. The Red Sox, Mets, Dodgers, Angels-while having high payrolls-are no where near the Yankees.

Many will point to the Chicago White Sox winning the World Series last year. While it is true the Sox were not among the top-tier teams regarding payroll, they did have a payroll around 75 million dollars… not too shabby. Looking at the team payrolls from last year, that number would put them in the top 50% of team payrolls. However, the real problem comes when trying to keep a team together. Keeping a team together for an extended period of time becomes very hard. The Florida Marlins are the “poster child” for that one.

Let’s face it: When you are a team like the Yankees you can keep coming back. Not winning a world series becomes a “bad” year. For so many other teams getting to the playoffs is like a dream.

Of course, this has an affect on fan interest. When living in a city like Kansas City or Tampa, baseball is almost like a side-show, a sort of weird interest. Then other people will pretend such cities simply have no passion for the sport while the lack of a real chance of winning is the real issue. Check out how fast New York fans desert their teams if even an average year is being had; and New York is a big baseball town.

Commissioner Bud Selig has done a credible job in at least doing something regarding the payroll disparity. It has brought some balance to the league. However, much is to be done. The league cannot just pretend people from certain areas “just don’t like baseball” when in past years they had loved it. The Royals had a large fan base for years. The Pirates had a solid following for years as well. But when your heart is cut out, what do you expect? When your team is among the bottom five spenders year after year, what does one expect?

If this issue is avoided or at least not pursued with vigor, expect the same teams to be in the playoffs. There will always be an exception here and there. To actually predict who is going to be in the playoffs and who has no shot before a season starts is close to being fixed. That is known as wrestling. Or is it baseball?

Robert Carberry is a freelance writer from New York.

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