How did your relationship with your looks change when you turned 30?

For some reason, since I turned 30 this little crew comes in the middle of the night and they sew little sausages under my eyes! I found some great new eye patches that are so awesome. They're by Talika. They just take away the puffiness. You put them on for 20 minutes and they're genius.

1. Sophisticated word filters to keep chat secure, prevent the exchange of personal information (e.g. phone numbers, names, etc.) and block inappropriate, hurtful or offensive language.
2. Easy-to-use safety features that give a girl the ability to lock or open her room to other characters, the ability to block users and prevent them from contacting her on the site, and the ability to report other users for inappropriate behavior.
   
   
3. Robust moderation tools that provide BarbieGirls.com administrators with the ability to monitor chat that occurs in the environment, track and monitor reported users and ban users who attempt objectionable behavior.

Toyota sold more cars and trucks around the world in the first three months of 2007 than any other manufacturer, surpassing General Motors for the first time and ending one of the longest runs of dominance in all of global industry. Toyota announced today that its worldwide sales reached 2.35 million cars and trucks in the first quarter; G.M. had previously announced its total of 2.26 million vehicles in the same period.

Toyota's ascendancy, which many in the industry have predicted for some time, is another milestone in America's long decline from unchallenged industrial preeminence. G.M. swept past Ford in 1931 in the enormous American car market and in worldwide sales, and barely looked back for seven decades. But a combination of inattention to quality, strained labor relations, adverse regulatory decisions and a slowness to recognize the potential for small cars eroded G.M.'s seemingly insurmountable lead starting in the mid-1960s.

Emerging from the ashes of Japan's World War II defeat, thanks in part to American assistance during the Korean War, Toyota established itself through the 1970s and 1980s as the industry’s standard for quality and reliability. It has since built a reputation for technological leadership as well, most notably with the Prius and other hybrid cars. Toyota took the worldwide lead in the first quarter as it stepped up sales in every major market. G.M. continued to gain market share in China, but is struggling in the United States and Europe and has never been able to gain a firm foothold in the Japanese market.

G.M. and Toyota spokesmen were equally reluctant today to portray their companies as engaged in a global car race for leadership. G.M. has been trying to emphasize its future as an international automaker - three-fifths of its sales are now outside the United States - and not on the storied greatness of its past. "We're focused on providing the best cars and trucks for our customers all around the world," said John M. McDonald, a G.M. spokesman in Detroit. "We're not focused on a race."

Toyota has been leery of the attention, and often the criticism, that frequently come with being the biggest in such a high-profile industry. For example, Toyota has frequently found itself singled out as a main target of trade restrictions in the United States and Europe, and this has made the company cautious of being seen as too large or too aggressive. "We look at the results as simply a reflection of how our products are viewed favorably around the world," said Paul Nolasco, a company spokesman in Tokyo. "We don't just make them and push them out the door - we have a 'pull' system and we build them when they are ordered." Industry analysts were less reticent. "It is a historic moment" for Toyota, said Benjamin Asher of Automotive Resources Asia, which was acquired last year by J.D. Power & Associates. "Everyone was expecting it to assume the No. 1 position - the question was when."

The soap, called Shower Shock, supplies the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee per wash, with the stimulant absorbed naturally through the skin, manufacturers say.

"Tired of waking up and having to wait for your morning java to brew? Are you one of those groggy early morning types that just needs the extra kick?" ask the makers, thinkgeek.com.

Scented with peppermint oil, each bar is designed to provide a stimulant boost within five minutes for a clean buzz.

A Swedish hospital wants to ban its staff from wearing Crocs plastic clogs, saying they generate static electricity that can knock out medical equipment, a spokesman said. Blekinge hospital in southern Sweden suspects the slip-on shoes made by U.S.-based Crocs Inc. are to blame for at least three incidents in which respirators and other machines malfunctioned. The mishaps caused no injuries.

Hospital spokesman Bjorn Lofqvist said there were similar problems with other shoes not designed for hospital use, but the popularity of the Crocs had raised the issue to a new level. "It's been a problem for many years, but now there are so many people that have them," he said, adding officials were discussing whether the sandals should be banned throughout the hospital or just in certain sections.

You can't ever say that Boston Red Sox fans aren't enthusiastic. A gas grill, reportedly listed by Manny Ramirez, has been removed from online auction site eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) after bids spiked to nearly $100 million. Originally purchased for about $4,000 and used once, according to the Red Sox slugger's testimony, the minimum bid of $3,000 was registered shortly after 1:00 p.m. Tuesday. By midnight, the offers were out of control.

While the site offered no explanation for the listing's removal, other parts of the eBay web site warn that items may be taken down if thought to violate eBay policies. The listing had featured seven pictures of the Jenn-Air grill, two with Ramirez in the shot.

"These are a limited edition pair straight from Nelly's closet," said Cindy Lee of QLu.

How would you like to own a piece of celebrity like Faith Hill's Paige jeans, Prada sandals or her Juicy Couture skirt, each item started at a bid of $50.

And guys don't worry there is stuff for you as well, like Tim McGraw's snakeskin belt or his baseball cap.

It's all thanks to the new celebrity auction website called QLu which launched Wednesday March 21st.

"What we're doing is featuring three to five items for each celebrity at auction and then every 10 days we'll release more items," said Susie Busch-Transou of QLu.

Rap artist Nelly has donated his sneakers, a leather tour jacket and a chandelier. Hugh Hefner gave up his smoking jacket and guitar. And racecar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. donated his shoes and a shirt.

The maker of Listerine is recalling one of its rinses after tests showed it was contaminated with microorganisms. A Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman said a company unit is recalling 4 million bottles of the recently launched Listerine Agent Cool Blue plaque-detecting rinse, marketed primarily for use by children.

The recall affects the Glacier Mint and Bubble Blast flavors The company said tests showed contamination, despite the use of preservatives. However, the company said there have be no reports of health problems from the contamination.

The affected rinses have been sold in supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchants and other retail outlets, and it's sold to dental professionals' offices nationwide. Johnson & Johnson is contacting dental professionals and retailers directly as part of their recall notification process.

Consumers are advised to stop using the product and throw it away. Consumers can get full refund by calling the company at 1-888-222-0249 and mailing in the back label, including the UPC code.

"I've always wanted to just get up and go," said Perry, who plans to move to California in June in search of work and a warmer climate. "Some of my family are worried about my sanity.

"I don't need all this junk. Who wouldn't want to chuck everything and hit the road?"

At first, she planned to donate a portion of the proceeds to charity. But when her original effort last week violated EBay's rules for charity listings, the company pulled the auction. Perry re-listed her auction as a straight sale and hopes to later donate money to a favorite charity, Heifer International.

As of Wednesday afternoon, there were only nine bids and a top offer of $566.66. But more than 1,000 curious shoppers have virtually sifted through her stuff. Perry said she's also received hundreds of e-mails from people who learned about the auction from news reports and are praising her for opting for a life of "voluntary simplicity."

The Yeah! singer has signed a deal with Liz Claiborne Cosmetics to launch his own fragrance in September (2007). Usher is also planning to sell his own clothing and accessories range.

The star will join fellow famous perfumiers Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue, Hilary Duff, Paris Hilton, Naomi Campbell, Celine Dion, and Britney Spears.

For many banking customers, the real impact of Check 21 was felt in the statement, where they stopped getting canceled checks returned and instead received "substitute checks" that amount to a picture -- usually smaller than an actual check -- of the written document. The next step in the evolution towards a cashless society -- or at least one without checks -- came with the implementation of something called the "accounts receivable conversion." This system made it so that if you pay a bill by check, the recipient can convert it into an electronic payment; the check does not necessarily show up in the next monthly statement, replaced by an entry showing the amount and the debit.

All of which leads to the latest change, one virtually ignored by the media, that retailers were able to start implementing Friday.

It's called "back office conversion," and it's similar to the accounts receivable method, except it now can apply to paying by check in person at a store. In the past, stores would accept checks, take them into the back office (hence the name) and make a daily trip to the bank (or use a courier service) to get them cleared. Now, the checks can be converted in the back office into electronic payments. "It is not an instantaneous payment," says Paul M. Connolly, first vice president and chief operating officer for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, "but your payment will reach the bank during the day or at day's end, and certainly overnight." Translation: Goodbye float. No more making a purchase on Saturday by check, and expecting that the check will not clear before Monday or Tuesday at the earliest.

For information regarding the voluntary withdrawal of Hills Pet Nutrition Prescription Diet^� m/d^� Feline Dry Food, please go to www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/Menu_Foods_03302007_en_US.htm.

For information regarding the voluntary withdrawal of Del Monte Pet Products pet treats and wet dog food products, please go to http://www.delmonte.com/petfoodrecall.html

To facilitate viewing by our users who may be unable to access the Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. site directly at this time, we have reproduced the press release announcement from the Hill's site here.

Q:  Why have so many different brands been recalled?
A:  Menu Foods contracts with a wide variety of pet food companies to produce their specialized products. Although these foods are produced in the same facility, they are made using ingredients specified by the individual pet food companies. The foods themselves are not identical despite being produced by one manufacturer.

The contaminated lot of wheat gluten was supplied to Menu Foods, one supplier of dry food (see above), and a separate manufacturer of certain dog treats and wet dog foods. Therefore, only foods and treats that were manufactured with the affected wheat gluten source have been recalled

Q:  The initial recall list was only for canned or pouched foods. What about the dry food and treats I feed my pet(s)?
A:  Menu foods processes the "cuts and gravy" type pet foods at the processing plants in Kansas and New Jersey. Dry foods are manufactured using different processes and at different facilities.

To date, only one brand of dry food has been recalled (see above). This product was voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer after it was determined that a portion of the contaminated lot of wheat gluten was used to manufacture this type of food.

On Monday (April 2, 2007), a manufacturer of certain wet dog foods and dog treats issued a recall of products (see above). These products were voluntarily recalled as a result of the ongoing investigation and tracing of the distribution of the contaminated wheat gluten.

Q:  What should I do if I have the recalled pet food in my house?
A:  Do not feed the food or treats to your pet. If the product is unopened, you may return it to the store from which you purchased the food or treats.

If the product is opened, dispose of the remaining food or treats so that your pet cannot get to it. If your animal appears normal, consult with your veterinarian and/or monitor your animal closely for signs of illness.

If your animal shows any signs of illness and has been fed one or more of the recalled foods or treats, have your animal evaluated by a veterinarian. Store any opened food or treats away from the reach of animals, and contact your state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Consumer Complaint Coordinator. For a state-by-state list of Coordinators, go to http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html. Please include as much information as possible, including the specific product name, lot numbers, veterinarian's report and diagnosis, etc.

Q:  Does the problem affect dogs and cats equally?
A:  To date, it appears that cats are more commonly affected than dogs, and small dogs may be more affected than larger dogs. This may be because cats and smaller dogs are more sensitive to the causative substance, or it because they are more likely to be fed the types of food involved in the recall.

Q:  My pet has eaten the food that has been recalled. How do I know my pet is sick?
A:  Signs of illness include loss of appetite, lethargy, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, sudden changes in water consumption, or changes in the frequency or amount of urination.

These signs may also occur with other illnesses. Any animal showing these signs should be examined by a veterinarian, even if the animal has not eaten any of the recalled pet food.

Q:  My pet is showing signs of illness. What do I do?
A:  Have your pet examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Q:  What will my veterinarian do?
A:  Your veterinarian will examine your pet, and will most likely take blood samples and collect a urine sample to test for kidney disease or other problems. Other diagnostic procedures, such as radiographs (x-rays) or ultrasound examinations, may be recommended to eliminate other causes of kidney disease and vomiting.

If the tests determine that your pet has kidney disease, your veterinarian may recommend treatment including intravenous fluid therapy and medications.

Q:  What is in the food that is making animals sick?
A:  The cause of the illnesses has not yet been confirmed, and the FDA and laboratories are continuing to evaluate samples and reports of illness or death. Because the cause is not confirmed, the treatment can not be specifically directed to one cause. Generalized treatment for kidney disease and vomiting is recommended until a more specific treatment can be determined.

Q:  How long will it be before you know what is causing the problem?
A:  The answer to this question is unknown. Food, blood, urine, and tissue samples are being thoroughly tested for many possible causes. Many of these tests are not rapid tests, and may require additional time to complete. There is always the possibility, however, that the cause of the problem will not be found.

Q:  How do I report my pet's illness from the pet food?
A:  You should contact your state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Consumer Complaint Coordinator. For a state-by-state list of Coordinators, go to http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html. Please include as much information as possible, including the specific product name, lot numbers, veterinarian's report and diagnosis, etc.

Q:  What if I want to have the pet food from my house tested independently?
A:  We do not provide referrals for private laboratories to perform tests. If you choose to have the pet food tested by an independent laboratory, it is your responsibility to locate and contact the laboratory, and the costs associated with the testing will be your responsibility.

Q:  Where can I go for up-to-date information?
A:  The American Veterinary Medical Association's home page (www.avma.org) includes links to more information, and is updated as soon as new information becomes available.

While agency leaders offered assurances Monday that the U.S. food supply remains safe, they said they cannot yet completely rule out contamination of human food by the suspect wheat gluten, which contained melamine, a chemical found in plastics and pesticides.

According to import records, the wheat gluten was shipped to the United States from China between Nov. 3 and Jan. 23 and contained "minimal labeling" to indicate whether it was intended for humans or animals.

The agency has banned all wheat gluten imports from the company, Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development, based in Wangdien, China.

The vast majority of the contaminated gluten went to pet food manufacturers and distributors, according to the agency. But some of the processing plants that remain under agency scrutiny make both human and pet food.

"To date, we have nothing that indicates it's gone into human food," said Dorothy Miller, director of the agency's Office of Emergency Operations. "We have a bit more investigation to do."

Wheat gluten is sold in both "food grade" and "feed grade" varieties. Either may be used in pet food, but only "food grade" gluten may be used in the manufacture of products meant for human consumption. Published reports have thus far focused on tainted pet food, but if the gluten in question entered the human food supply through a major food products supplier and processor, it could potentially contaminate thousands of products and hundreds of millions of units nationwide.

Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine said the FDA is not aware of any contaminated gluten that went into human food but said he could not confirm this "with 100 percent certainty." Wheat gluten is a common food additive used as a thickener, dough conditioner, and meat substitute. It is widely used as an additive in commercial bakery items and special purpose flours.

The FDA announced today that it has traced the contaminated wheat gluten to a single processor, Xuzhou Anying Biological Technology of Peixian, China, but has not released the name of the U.S. distributor who supplied the product to Del Monte, Menu Foods, Nestle Purina, and Hills Nutritional. In all, more than 70 brands and over 60 million cans and pouches of dog and cat food are now part of this massive recall, as well as at least one brand of dry cat food.

Don't pooh-pooh cloth diapers, a stern Madonna told a group of stunned moms watching her change adopted son David in a BevHills park. When one lady noticed the star was using cloth diapers, not disposables, she marveled: "I didn't even know they made those anymore!"

Madonna, visibly upset, whirled and proceeded to deliver a lecture about how the planet's in danger from pollution, disposable diapers foul the environment...blah, blah, blah. The star's passionate peroration on planetary management lasted nearly 30 minutes, finally ending when the beat-up moms pledged to ditch the disposables and convert to cloth. "Good," said Madonna - and off she marched to save civilization.