It's John Edwards' world. Rielle Hunter and her GQ photos are just living in it.

Rielle Hunter GQ photos have people hot under the collar, including disgraced politician John Edwards. But have you actually read the interview Rielle Hunter gave to go along with the somewhat racy photo spread? Here are the top 10 moments from the interview, for those of you short of time and interest in serious journalism. Afterward, you may feel like you need a bath, and a payday cash loan can get you an all-natural scrubbing loofa today!

Top 10 Rielle Hunter GQ photos interview moments

See the Rielle Hunter GQ photos for yourself and draw your own conclusions. Here are Rielle Hunter’s words in close view, courtesy of the Huffington Post.

1. “I said, ‘I can’t believe that was John Edwards; he’s so hot. He’s really got it going on. He’s got something unusual about him…” – Ah yes, the mystery that draws women like moths to the flame. What was it that Rielle Hunter found unusual? Was it Edwards’ boyish charm, his strong chin or the fires of exploitation burning behind his eyes? There’s nothing unusual about being attracted to power; it’s the most basic human equation.
2. “I used to make a joke that I could have helped save the world, but I had to sleep with him. You know? It was kind of like that.” – Why let a man still in search of himself stop you, Rielle?
3. “I had this thing in my head like a lot of women, where you want your man to stand up on a cliff and scream, ‘I LOVE HER.’ You know, the knight in shining armor. And that wasn’t what was going on.” – You simply can’t have your cake and eat it, too, Ms. Hunter. As we all know, politicians do all they can to keep these things secret. John Edwards is no exception. South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford came closest to being a “knight in shining armor” in the parlance of recent political sex scandal, but then again a knight doesn’t use taxpayer money to fund his jaunts.
4. 4. “I am not engaged.” – Oh good. Now Barney and Kermit have a shot. Just watch out for Ms. Piggy if you value your life.
5. 5. “Had I spoken, I would have emasculated him. … It is not my desire to teach my daughter that when Mommy’s upset with Daddy, you take matters into your own hands and fix Daddy’s mistakes.” – Public emasculation would have been inappropriate. But you’re glossing over the fact that the two of you made a decision to pursue a relationship. Rielle Hunter and John Edwards are equally responsible. What you’re teaching your children is that it’s OK to infringe upon others’ relationships.
6. “I’m not a predator, I’m not a gold digger, I’m not the stalker. I didn’t have any power in that way in our relationship. He held all the power.” – John Edwards may have had more power, but you both had enough power over yourselves to choose. Love and lust are powerful forces, but it is completely false that they prevent adults from making adult decisions. Unless you aren’t adults…
7. “He could not go to his wife and say, ‘We have an issue.’ Because he would be pummeled. So he had a huge fear. … The wrath of Elizabeth is a mighty wrath.” – Elizabeth Edwards has had to deal with the scourge of cancer – an adult would have faced up to responsibility. John Edwards is clearly not an adult. If you think it’s OK that he ducked his wife, then you have some growing to do as well, Rielle.
8. “I say she was in denial. … Their relationship has been dysfunctional and toxic and awful for many, many years.” – This comes from Rielle Hunter’s suggestion that a relationship has to already be broken before an affair can occur. Elizabeth Edwards may have internalized her grief, but I don’t know her mind. If we learn anything from this without grabbing a no fax cash advance to go to therapy, we should learn that we must face our fears and not bottle them up.
9. “I don’t believe he was a politician. … His ego and ambition drove him to that field. I believe he’s more aligned with being a humanitarian. That suits his true nature. Just like I wasn’t a mistress. You know, I’m not a mistress, but I played the role?” – Because John Edwards is so giving of himself and his genes, right? And you’re play-acting too! Badly conceived and poorly executed, Ms. Hunter.
10. “So the home was wrecked already. I was not the Home Wrecker.” – Tell it to “The View,” tell it to Larry King, tell it to yourself in the mirror. Rielle Hunter – GQ photos and all – you were not solely responsible for this messy marmalade. You did butter the biscuits, however. Now that your picnic with John is over, where will you go? Go save the world like you said you wanted to. If you pose for pictures, people will eat that slop. If you make a difference, people will take you seriously.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonythemisfit/ / CC BY 2.0)

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The Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile - what the buyer believed his keys could launch. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

I know times are getting tough out there, but the Russian launch keys that ended up on Pawn Stars last night pretty much took the cake. The owner thought these were keys for the soviet ICBM system, and he wanted to trade them in for a payday cash loan.

Russian ICBM launch keys aren’t quite what they seem

When the owner of these Russian launch keys brought them into the Pawn Stars shop, he was convinced they would bring him thousands of dollars from these loan lenders. After an expert examined the keys, however, he found out that while these were soviet launch keys, they weren’t quite for the intercontinental ballistic missile system. Instead, these keys were used at one point to launch spacecraft.

Get $10,000 for Russian launch keys?

The kicker of this story is not even in the fact that this customer was attempting to get easy cash loans off what he believed to be launch keys for a deadly system of weapons of mass destruction. It’s not even in the mysterious origins of how he managed to get these Russian launch keys. The kicker of this story is the fact that the owner of these Russian launch keys wanted $10,000 for them. While riding the Soyuz costs $51 million, Rick “The Spotter” Harrison (famed for spotting big-ticket items) offered only $1,500. The seller didn’t take the deal, and walked out of the shop.

More rare items coming up for sale

With times as tough as they are, more and more unique and rare items are coming up for sale. These Russian launch keys are just one of the more unique items. It’s fairly telling that the episode recap for Pawn Stars didn’t even list the Russian launch keys as making an appearance. Instead, a casino chip, airplane, and autographed jersey took the spotlight. And while it’s not being offered on Pawn Stars, an incredibly rare Superman of America ring on Ebay is also gathering headlines. In the struggle to find any short term personal loan, people are offering more and more of the quirky-yet-valuable items they may have held onto in the past.

Soviet government to go after launch keys?

While they may not even work anymore, I am curious if the Russian government is going to make an effort to get their launch keys back. I am certain if these had been working ICBM keys, we would have heard much, much more about them. However, these launch keys are still an historical part of the Russian space program, a program which even NASA relies on for some space travel. Perhaps the next Russian space tourist will buy these launch keys as a souvenir. Only time will tell – but I’m keeping an eye on this story.

I must take a moment to honor a piece of my heritage, straight out of Poland. I honor it not only because there’s a village with my name on it and I know my ancestors came from the country, but because today is Paczki Day – or just Paczki for short. This goes to show you that Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday aren’t strictly a New Orleans celebration. In fact, Paczki Day is the way Poles celebrate the “last hurrah” before Lent on Ash Wednesday.

Instead of having a street sweeper push you out of the French Quarter, wouldn’t you much rather have your wits about you on Fat Tuesday so that you can enjoy a traditional pączki treat from a bakery? It’s a flattened sphere of dough, fried nice and deep and full of something sweet. Powdered sugar, icing or dried orange zest typically top it off, which leads to consideration of paczki calories. Oh well – just get a payday cash loan to start your diet program on Ash Wednesday.

How do you say “paczki?”

Despite my cultural connection to Poland, I don’t know much more Polish than the name of Krzysztof Kieślowski, one of my favorite film directors. So I had to check with E-Portage for a guide on how to pronounce paczki properly. It is correctly pronounced “punchki,” but some make the mistake of saying “punchki” or “poonchki” (that one sounds appropriate for Fat Tuesday, doesn’t it?) No matter how you say it, paczki resemble jelly doughnuts or bismarcks. Fillings can be fruity or creamy, depending upon the baker.

Here’s a paczki recipe from Recipezaar

http://www.recipezaar.com/Authentic-Polish-Paczki-83936

I don’t include the directions here. For that, check out their Web site. However, here’s what you’ll need to make around 18 paczki. Be prepared to pack it on, sweet eaters!

12 egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1/3 cup room temperature butter

1/2 cup sugar

4 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup rum or brandy

1 cup scalded whipping cream

1 1/2 cups preserves or cooked prunes or cooked apples or poppy seed filling

Oil or lard for deep frying!

Need a payday cash loan for bypass surgery yet?

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/streamishmc/ / CC BY-ND 2.0)

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Get ready for more Kurt! Image from Flickr.

It’s confirmed in the Los Angeles Times: “Glee” will be back for a second season. This is no surprise, but if you know anything about Gleeks, you know that they don’t need to be surprised to be delighted when it comes to news about “Glee.” However, there’s more. This little tidbit of news very well may come as a surprise, and it will no doubt cause screaming in joy and jumping up and down in at least a few instances.

As the L.A. Times puts it: “The show is about to go all ‘American Idol’ on us in February, when a search is launched for actors to fill three new roles. Auditions will be open to amateurs as well as professionals between the ages of 16 to 26.” Can you imagine? I can’t wait to see this. It’s a good thing this airs on Fox, because if I had to get a payday cash loan to pay for premium cable services to watch this, I’d do it.

Filling in the blanks

This is especially good news for “Glee” fans who are finding it excruciating to wait until April for more “Glee.” Unfortunately, though the search starts in February, the multi-part special showing the process won’t air until after season one is over.

It’s comforting, though, to know that there will be some new, “Glee”-related material for super fans in between the spring finale and the fall season two premiere. “American Idol” fans no doubt will love the “Glee” cast member search, as it will likely be very similar. How different can they make a reality singing competition show?

Timeline

There are nine episodes left in season one, so those will run from April 13 to mid-June. There’s no set date for the “Glee” season two premiere, but it will be sometime in the fall, after the casting show. Check back for updates; as soon as I know dates for the casting show and season two, I’ll let you know.

With this debit transaction cost $35 more than you think?

The Associated Press reports that some senior congressional Democrats want to draw up legislation that would limit how much banks can charge customers in overdraft fees. Personally, I have been slapped with $105 in overdraft charges before for transactions that equaled a lot less than that, so I certainly would feel better knowing that banks are no longer allowed to charge $35 per purchase

Of course, I could have saved a lot of money if I had gotten a payday cash loan. The average fee for a $100 payday loan is $15, so if I would have been smart and taken the initiative, I’d be $90 richer.

Picking on payday loans

Of course, banks do not want this legislation to become a reality. And, of course, as banks always do when when people point out their unethical practices, they are trying to shift focus onto a different institution. The common strategy is that when people say “banks are bad” the banks say “payday lenders are worse!” Even though this is totally untrue. The Associated Press reports:

Michael Menzies, president of Maryland’s Easton Bank and Trust Company, said eliminating overdraft protection for many customers will mean denying charges and embarrassing customers or forcing them to rely on high-cost payday lenders.

Clearly, Menzies has no idea what he is talking about. The numbers I have already presented you with prove that overdrawing your bank account is more expensive than getting a payday loan, even if you’re only charged once. How can a guy whose bank charges $35 when someone goes $1 over their balance point fingers at payday lenders, who charge $15 for a $100 loan?

Overdraft fee legislation

The idea behind the overdraft fee legislation is to require banks to ask customers whether they want overdraft protection or not. Banks insist that their customers would rather be charged an overdraft fee than have their debit card denied, but I am pretty sure that is universally untrue.

How many people do you think have kicked themselves because they bought some cheap thing they didn’t really need and ended up paying an additional $35 for it? Another idea for the overdraft legislation is that banks would only be able to charge customers overdraft fees once a month and no more than six times per year. I think that regulation would really help out customers and it definitely makes sense. I think it is atrocious that banks can charge such high fees over and over, each time you make a purchase after your account is overdrawn. I think it makes a lot more sense to charge the fee only once.

Proportional charges

The senators also say the legislation should require that banks base the overdraft charge on the amount by which the account is overdrawn. As it is now, most banks charge $35, whether the customers overdraws the account by $2 or $200.

Essentially, an overdraft charge is the bank’s way of lending  you money for your purchase — with or without your consent — and charging you for that loan. A $35 fee for a $2 loan is a little ridiculous, but $35 for $200 is understandable.

Even if things look bleak in the short run, you can still make financial hay with a payday cash loan from Personal Money Store! (Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)

Has something happened in your life that has made you realize that you’re probably not going to be able to make ends meet this month, though you’re really fretting because something such as a poor credit history has limited or even eliminated most of your options? If so, consider opting for a payday cash loan with help from your 24/7 source, Personal Money Store.

Chewing up all that worry

Personal Money Store wants to be there for you in the good times and the bad by putting you in touch with, quite possibly, the largest network of payday cash loan companies. The lender we refer you to might be able to wire you a payday cash loan or payday loan to chew up a temporary cash crunch. We also have great working relationships with lenders who even can offer some clients a payday cash loan that is wired to you as early as the end of the business day. If your credit is somewhat less than perfect, don’t worry! A payday cash loan or payday loan may still be within reach when you apply at Personal Money Store.

Our system is designed to work for you

So you’re thinking of coming to us in search of assistance in the form of a same day payday cash loan or other form of payday loan. You might be wondering exactly how such a system actually works. Quite frankly, this is a question very commonly asked by folks who either may be in need of a payday cash loan or payday loan. Or perhaps you’re just seeking out information in regards to various outlets for consumer financial assistance. Either way, Personal Money Store is happy to help.

Payday cash loans – apply quickly and safely

In a nutshell, Personal Money Store serves more than one purpose. Yes, we offer up our unprecedentedly large network of lenders that we refer you to who collectively may be able to furnish loans to most people, regardless of their credit situations. We do this by having potential clients fill out a comprehensive application which will ask for such things as current employment situation, social security number and regular monthly income. However, there is no need to worry, as we utilize the same industry-standard encryption practices that online merchants employ in order to keep their customers’ sensitive information out of the hands of identity thieves or other threats.

What comes next?

Then, your application will be analyzed and sorted by your specific needs. If approved, we will put you in touch with a payday cash loan lender who would be best suited to assist you. Pending you accept an offer from a designated lender, the terms will be spelled out within a pre-disclosed window of time  and the money will be direct deposited into your checking account.

On track and making hay once more

But what really makes Personal Money Store different is that besides just getting you on the right track to a lender who may be able to wire you a payday cash loan or payday loan, we also will open up our wealth of information to you, spanning such topics as budgeting, saving and otherwise smart spending that can empower you by keeping hardship from coming back.

Apply online for your payday cash loan today!

Kate Gosselin has enough money from publications, such as her best-selling book "Eight Little Faces." Image from Amazon.com.

The Gosselins have been all over the tabloids, the morning news shows, the evening entertainment news shows and, of course, TLC for months — or years, in some cases. But Kate Gosselin’s image in “Playboy” is not something the public will be seeing.

“Playboy” sent Kate Gosselin a letter offering her $400,000 to pose for the magazine. Star Magazine says that a source told the publication: “Hugh sent her a letter, but Kate was totally mortified and threw it away!”

A mother first

The source also said Kate Gosselin ignored the “Playboy” letter because of her children. Makes sense to me. Perhaps Kate Gosselin’s “Playboy” decision was made even easier because of the fact that she does not need the money — at all. Imagine getting a payday cash loan — only one you don’t have to pay back — of $75,000 a week.

That’s how much Kate Gosselin makes for each episode of “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” the TLC reality show that features Kate Gosselin, her soon-to-be-ex-husband Jon Gosselin and their children, one set of twins and a set of sextuplets.

Multi-millionaires

The Gosselins have signed a contract with TLC to do 20 more shows at $75,000 per episode. That means another $1.5 million is coming to Kate Gosselin. Who needs “Playboy” when you’re making that kind of money?

Did you know Jon and Kate Gosselin’s estate is Pennsylvania is worth $1 million? Also, books “Multiple Blessings,” by Jon and Kate and “Eight Little Faces,” by Kate Gosselin, are both best-sellers. Not only can Kate Gosselin live without “Playboy” money, her children will be well provided for their whole lives.

Kudos to Kate

Personally, I would have been very disappointed if Kate Gosselin accepted “Playboy’s” offer. With eight kids to set an example for, I definitely think she made the right choice, regardless of the price.

Jon Gosselin on his “Primetime” interview said he has “made mistakes,” and the ABC News anchor emphasizes that those mistakes have been “very public.” So far, throughout this completely televised split with her husband, Kate seems to have avoided making any big blunders. I think Kate Gosselin accepting “Playboy” money would have been a huge mistake, and she is smart for not even considering it.

More money matters

In more Jon and Kate Gosselin news, Star Magazine reports that Kate plans to get her revenge on Jon in divorce court. Star reports that an anonymous source said:

“Kate is so upset and disgusted over Jon’s cavalier ’single guy’ behavior – and the money he has been wasting to fund it – that she’d leave him without a penny, barefoot and homeless on the street if she could.”

All the more reason Kate Gosselin doesn’t need “Playboy” money.

Image from Picasa, from last year's Taste of Chicago.

Many large cities have food-centered festivals to bring in tourists and promote a sense of community among residents. This weekend the Taste of Colorado is being held in Civic Center Park in Denver. Colorado is not often thought of as a center for great cuisine, but more than 50 local restaurants will serve food at the Taste of Colorado.

The food is just the beginning, as Taste of Colorado, the state’s largest outdoor event, features six stages that will have musical acts and other entertainment. Taste of Colorado has an average attendance of 500,000 visitors each year.

There’s more at Taste of Colorado

Besides the food, which includes a fine dining area, there will also be 250 booths with wares from local artisan vendors. YourHub reports that there will also be “educational programs promoting the diverse cultural and Western heritage of the region.”

Thanks to the free admission, you won’t need a payday cash loan to spend the weekend at Taste of Colorado,  you just need enough money for food. The music and entertainment are free.

Taste of Colorado and Labor Day

The Taste of Colorado festival is held over labor day weekend each year and will continue through Monday. There is a whole slew of activities for kids, so keep your family busy over the long weekend. One of the stages at Taste of Colorado features nonstop entertainment for children, including theater productions, puppet shows, music and a workshop on learning to juggle.

Taste of Colorado features several different types of cuisine, including barbecue, cheesesteaks, Indian food and Mexican. Along with the range of cuisines there is a big range of prices as well, so you could seek out inexpensive dishes or splurge on something fancy.

Taste it all at Taste of Colorado

Because the Taste of Colorado festival lasts four days, you’ll have plenty of time to try all different types of food, including Famous Daves’ award-winning barbecue. There will also be ice cream and a tent featuring kitchen appliances for sale.

There also will be cabinet making demonstrations. There is also a cupcake contest in which judges will taste and evaluate cupcakes based on appearance, texture, richness, icing, originality and overall. Viewers of the cupcake contest will get to taste them as well.

Other food festivals

The largest outdoor food festival is Taste of Chicago, which was at the beginning of the summer. Portland holds the yearly Bite of Portland, and there is a Bite of Seattle as well. This week in Spokane, Wash., is the yearly Pig Out in the Park, which features local cuisine and music as well.

A suburb of Chicago each year holds a barbecue contest, giving out prizes for dishes and sauce. New York City holds a Food Film Festival each year, and this year’s was in June. In November, Boston will hold a vegetarian food festival. There are several other food festivals held all over the country,  so just check out whether your city holds one to experience inexpensive fun like the people of Denver will have at Taste of Chicago this weekend.

Don't be a victim of pricey bank fees.

The payday cash loan industry is a good example of a situation in which a few bad apples spoiled the whole bunch. Politicians and news media only pay attention when people complain. That means the few borrowers who had a bad experience with payday loans have gotten a lot of attention. No one hears about my friend Luke, who avoided hundreds of dollars in bank fees, or my friend Sara who avoided a $100 NSF fee.

Payday cash loans can be a huge help for people who use them correctly. Payday loan lenders’ fees are less expensive than most bank fees, cheaper than letting your car sit in a tow yard or impound lot. It’s when people borrow more money than they can afford to pay back or don’t plan the timeline of their loans right that trouble happens.

Save money, don’t waste it

Personal Money Store has contact with payday cash lenders all over the country, and we will find the best payday lender for you. Different lenders charge different rates, but the average cost in the U.S. is about $15 per $100. So, if your  bank is going to charge you $35 for every charge when and after you exceed your account balance, you will save money by getting a payday loan.

I used to have a landlord who charged $25 per day for every day that rent was late. Payday cash loans definitely saved me money when my paycheck came a few days after rent was due. If you’ve ever gotten your car towed, you know how much those places charge to get your car back — and the ridiculous amounts they charge for each day you leave it there. These are all good examples of how payday cash loans can save you money. When you don’t have cash just lying around and you get into a bind, payday cash loans can keep it from being worse than it has to be.

Getting an online payday cash loan

Personal Money Store can connect you with a lender who will approve your loan online and electronically transfer your cash into your account. Most lenders will get your cash to you in just a couple of hours. There’s no credit check, so you don’t need to worry about a flawed credit rating standing in the way of you getting the help you need.

Your lender will charge a one-time fee that’s due when your payday loan is due. Payday cash loans generally have terms of about two weeks, so be careful when you set the date to pay back your loan. It’s very important that you have enough cash to pay off your full loan and your lender’s fees on the due date.

Get your payday cash loan quick

You can apply right now for a payday cash loan and get approved in just a few minutes. Don’t let any more time go by without getting the financial stability you need now.

To start the application process, just fill in your information below and click APPLY NOW.

Japanese Blossom Woven Dress, $15.84

I just checked out the sale going on at the Forever 21 web site, and the prices are crazy! The first sale item is a really cute spaghetti strap tank top for $3.84! The other crazy part about it is that the original price for that item is $4.80.
I had no idea I could get clothing for less than $5 nowadays. I never go shopping and never buy new clothes, but now I wish I had known how inexpensive Forever 21 is. I would have definitely gotten some new items already. Now that I know about Forever 21’s prices and the awesome sale going on now, I might just have to do some online shopping on my lunch break.

Forever 21 fits everyone’s budget

I figured if I ever needed to buy new clothes I’d have to take out a payday cash loan, but if the $3 tank top wasn’t enough to convince you that you can afford Forever 21 clothes, check out these other deals:

• Relaxed knit cami, $4.72
• Vintage Hollywood tank, $10.24
• Retro Malibu tee, $11.04
• Color stripe halter top, $11.84
• Satin trim knit top, $15.84
• Japanese Blossom woven dress, $15.84
• Distressed print dress, $18.24
• Marsha mesh dot dress, $18.24
• Tina denim shorts, $19.84

Forever 21 sales every day

I don’t wear dresses, except for special occasions, but if I did, I would definitely get them from forever 21. Great looking dresses for less than $20? I feel like I’ve found a time machine and gone back to when prices were reasonable.
Turns out, this sale is no special occasion. The Forever 21 web site offers 21 items for 20 percent off every day. The regular prices on Forever 21 stuff are already amazing – I didn’t see a single item for more than $25 – so with a sale going on every day, you can’t lose.

Online shopping saves time

Of course, some people have the money to go shopping, just not the time. The Forever 21 web site is a can’t-lose situation. Regardless of whether you’re looking for inexpensive or convenient, you will get both. Shipping prices are normal, but if you spend $75, shipping is free.
You can build a wish list at Forever 21, so if I were you I’d go check out the merchandise, save the stuff you like, and wait until your total reaches $75 so you can save the shipping money. Of course, summer is quickly coming to an end, so if you want to take advantage of the Forever 21 sale prices on cute shorts and summer dresses don’t wait. I’m sure this stuff is going to sell out.

More great shopping

The same company that owns Forever 21 also owns Wet Seal and Charlotte Russe, and all of these stores have great looking clothes at great prices, and you can shop online at all of them.

The prices at Wet Seal and Charlotte Russe are similar, though not as dirt cheap as Forever 21. Still, you can get jeans in the $20 range from Wet Seal and dresses in the $30 range from Charlotte Russe. Crazy.

Links to Wet Seal and Charlotte Russe:

http://www.charlotterusse.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=3456440

http://www.wetseal.com/catalog/thumbnail.jsp?categoryId=103&subCategoryId=862

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. Or quizás, quizás, quizás, if you prefer. That’s what bloggers out there who think they’ve found the genuine article María Belén Chapur pictures should be thinking, because nobody knows for sure whether images of the mistress of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford are out there. Here are the full E-mails he sent her. This is as close as the paparazzi have been able to come so far. Once verified current photos are located, money is definitely going to change hands somewhere.

Why has it been so difficult to find photos of “Maria,” as she is apparently known in Argentine media? As the Wall Street Journal speculates, it is a difficult undertaking to obtain pictures of political mistresses and love children because politicians in mid-scandal don’t have the facility to negotiate publication deals the way stars like Jennifer Lopez and Angelina Jolie do with the tabloids. The stars can negotiate their own deals (we aren’t talking online loan or payday cash loan money, here), thus maintaining some semblance of control. But scandalous politicians are generally trying to stay away from the limelight and retain their seat of power, so the attempts at secrecy are understandable.

The cameras of Buenos Aires are watching

What do we know about María Belén Chapur? She’s a 43-year-old divorced mother of two teenage boys. They live in an apartment in Buenos Aires that’s across the street from a zoo. Then it starts to get a bitch sketchy. Thanks to Gawker for their roundup. Here are some highlights:

Is she a television reporter? A marathon runner who loves to golf? Is she dirty blonde or brunette? Business Insider pointed toward Facebook photos of a woman named “Maria Chapur” from Buenos Aires. They also posted video (see below) of what is supposedly a tryout to be a television reporter. But is the woman in the video the same as the woman in these pictures?

According to TMZ, there’s a Buenos Aires bar owner who claims he saw Sanford and Chapur together. Chapur has “green eyes, dirty blonde hair and a banging body.” This doesn’t seem to match the photos and the video, but perhaps Maria is a shape-shifter.

According to Blackbook, Chapur was a student at “posh St. Catherine’s Moorlands School in the preppy Belgrano neighborhood, then graduated from the stodgy Universidad Católica Argentina with a degree in International Relations.” Gawker believes this may have come from Spanish-language press, which report that Chapur attended St. Catherine’s College.

She runs from cameras, Sanford can’t run for office

Some sources mention Bunge Limited as Chapur’s place of employment. But a separate Gawker story claims she doesn’t work there, but she did run in a marathon they sponsored. Speaking of marathons, apparently the Maria Belen Chapur that’s been created for the media is a frequent runner. She is alleged to have participated in a 2005 race sponsored by Accenture, a 10K Nike run in 2006 and a Central Park New York marathon. She may also be a body builder and former actress.

Quizás, quizás, quizás…

As I’ve said, nobody knows for sure at this point but María Belén Chapur (pictures?) and Mark Sanford, and they aren’t handing the media any gifts. That newspaper in South Carolina got its hands on the E-mails Sanford sent to Chapur, and it’s very clear that the two were having a physical relationship (and that Sanford loves the curves). A runner would likely have some well-shaped curves, so saying that Chapur is a marathon runner doesn’t seem far-fetched. If you know anything more about this woman – or why Mark Sanford thinks it’s OK to continue to run the government of a state he abandoned on the taxpayers’ dime, go to your local gossip rag and sell the info for cashola. If you need cab fare to get there, or to rent a computer with Internet access, try an online loan or payday cash loan.

This is America. We will profit from the lurid side of life!

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One day the Dog went over to Al’s house to see if she could live there. Al opened the door and the Dog moved in.

who fixed his shoes

When Al went to work the next day, the Dog went to work on Al’s shoes. When Al came home, he said, “Don’t worry, Dog, I have other shoes.” Al didn’t borrow money every time some little thing went wrong.

and made a bed out of his couch

When Al went to work the next day, the Dog went to work on Al’s couch. She bit some holes in it, pulled the fluff out with her teeth, and made herself a bed on the floor. When Al came home he was excited. The Dog thought Al wanted to go to the park and see the squirrels. So she ran to the door as fast as she could and started whining and shaking. But Al just said, “Don’t worry, Dog, that’s your couch now.  I’ll get a new one for me on payday.” Then they ate some food. Al always waited to get cash till payday.

Al moved the Dog into the back yard

After that, Al left the Dog in the back yard when he went to work.  Every day the Dog went out through a hole in the fence to see the squirrels in the park.  And every day she came back through the hole and waited for Al to come home. Then one day the Dog got up on the front steps to wait for Al.  When Al came home and saw her there, he was excited.  The Dog thought Al wanted to go to the park. But Al just opened the door and they went in the house and ate some food.

He took her to the lumber yard

The next day Al and the Dog got in the truck. The neighbor came over and called the Dog a trouble-maker. Then he laughed and asked if Al was going to the pound. Al thought that was pretty funny and the Dog thought it sounded fun, too. But Al said no, he was going to the lumber yard. The Dog thought the lumber yard sounded pretty good.

but he would not take her to the pound

All they did at the lumber yard was load up the truck with wood.  Al climbed into the cab and the Dog started whining as hard as she could. Then she barked so that Al would take her to the pound or else to the park. But Al just said, “Don’t worry, Dog, I’ll never take you to the pound.”

and he would not take her to the park

The Dog thought the park would be fun so she leaned on Al and panted harder than she ever thought she could. But Al just said “Don’t worry, Dog, I didn’t get a $1500 emergency loan so I could take you to the pound. I got a $1500 payday cash loan so I could build you a nice, new fence.” The Dog sat down in her own seat and stuck her nose in the open crack at the top of the window.

Al had behavioral problems

The Dog didn’t care one whit about a new fence, and she wasn’t ready to go home. She didn’t know anything about the pound, but she thought they should at least go to the park.  She sneaked a look over at Al driving the truck. She didn’t know why he had such behavioral problems or how she was going to fix them.

and he always had to have his own way

The Dog sank down onto the seat.  She stared up at Al and sighed.  “Don’t worry, Al,” she thought to herself as hard as she could, “let’s just go home and build a fence.”

Whether you save money by buying food in a supermarket depends on how you define “food.” Supermarkets carry vast amounts of packaged and processed food products which they buy in freight-car quantities. Natural food stores can’t compete with the buying power enjoyed by the large chain supermarkets.

If you compare the prices of packaged goods in supermarkets with the prices of packaged goods in natural food stores, you may get the impression that it would take your whole paycheck, a loan, and a stack of credit cards just to set foot in a natural food store.

Natural food stores and supermarkets both sell packaged and processed foods, but items in natural food stores usually do not contain the sugar, preservatives and other artificial additives and chemicals typical of most supermarket fare. Additionally, some of the items in the aisles of natural food stores are made from organically grown ingredients, a major plus for both your body and the ecosystems on which our lives so intimately depend.

Shop for real food at a natural food store

Where natural food stores outshine supermarkets in terms of price is in the bulk foods section. Supermarkets usually don’t have significant bulk-food sections, and if they do, the products they sell in bulk are not the kind of wholesome and healthful foods to base a diet on, and they are rarely organically grown.

Natural food stores offer all the basic food staples, like cereals and grains, beans and lentils, flours, raisins and other dried fruits, pastas, nuts and seeds, and many other items in bulk, at significantly lower prices than if they were prepackaged. If a natural food store doesn’t have bulk staples, it is probably more of a “supplement” store, and not the best place to shop for food.

Rule No. 1: Buy unpackaged, bulk foods and produce

The primary rule for saving money in a natural food store is simple: buy in bulk and buy produce. Once though the door, pick up your shopping cart and head directly for the bulk bins, and from there to the organic produce. These are the areas where your dollars will be most productively and healthfully spent. You will be amazed at how much money you can save by buying beans, grains, vegetables, seeds, and just about anything else by the pound, compared to buying the same items prepackaged.

Rule No. 2: Eat whole foods

A corollary to the primary rule of saving money is: Move away from processed and refined foods and toward foods in their more natural state. By eating this way you take in fewer chemicals and more natural nutrients.

This means eating more baked potatoes and fewer potato chips, more homemade cookies and fewer of the packaged variety, more soups made by you from fresh vegetables and fewer soups made by multinational companies from the cheapest things they can find. It also means saving yourself the expense of paying extra to have the food you eat mangled by corporations that try to make up for their lack of skill in food preparation by dosing almost everything they sell with excessive quantities of salt, sugar, fats, and chemical additives.

A rare glimpse of a discoboat dinosaur on its way to the tar pits. Oh look... it's already stuck!

Aside from rampant overproduction and an overall lack of quality, one of the major reasons the discoboat dinosaurs of the American automobile industry are in over their heads financially – and in dreadful need of a big payday cash loan from a giant check cashing business – is that their record on producing environmentally friendly vehicles has been sorely lacking. That’s why the CAFE standards President Obama is going to require of the nation’s automakers is so important. With better, more fuel-efficient vehicles, sales will eventually increase and the recession will be beaten back.

Environment News Service (ENS) reports that President Obama is determined to make the CAFE standards the “highest auto fuel efficiency standards ever attempted in the United States.” Aside from the obvious benefit to the environment, the development of new greener technologies should eventually begin to stimulate job growth within the diseased auto industry as production capability and demand increase.

A ship-shape fleet

If Obama’s upgraded CAFE standards (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) are adopted as expected, the required fleet car average for fuel efficiency would be 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. Currently, the CAFE standard is 27.5 mpg for cars and 24 mpg for light trucks. Obama’s national CAFE standards – would begin with 2012 model cars.

An unnamed government official commented that “the projected oil savings of this program over the life of this program is 1.8 billion barrels of oil.” Furthermore, the official claims that under President Obama’s proposal, “tailpipe emissions would fall by more than 30 percent.”

Obama has an ally in California

California is one of 13 states that has been petitioning the Environmental Protection Agency for years for permission to enact their own emissions standards. These standards would have been significantly more strict than the national standard (reducing harmful emissions by 30 percent in passenger cars by 2016 has been the Golden State’s goal). California supports Obama’s drive for heightened CAFE standards that former President George W. Bush refused. Now the EPA is reconsidering California’s previous request.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be on hand to attend the president’s CAFE standards announcement.

“If EPA does grant the waiver, California has agreed that they will defer to the proposed national standard that we are announcing tomorrow,” according to the unnamed official.

The industry-wide effect

“It’s important to note that all companies will be required to make more efficient and cleaner cars,” said the official. “We do that by proposing individual standards for each class size of vehicle and then a fleet average for each company. This has the effect of preserving consumer choice – you can continue to buy whatever size car you like, all cars get cleaner.”

Is anyone surprised that the world’s major automakers said in a joint statement that they’ll support Mr. Obama’s CAFE standards statement? The rest of the industrialized world has generally been ahead of America on environmental issues, and the American automakers have no leeway for argument, considering their sorry state and total dependence on taxpayer dollars.

One national standard, no red tape

For seven long years, there has been a debate over whether states or the federal government should regulate autos. President Obama’s announcement ends that old debate by starting a federal rule making to set a National Program. Automakers are committed to working with the President to develop a national program administered by the federal government. All industries will be called upon to reduce carbon emissions. Automakers play an important role.

Having a national program in place will prevent conflicting standards and give automakers a leg up on long-term product planning. Over the life of the program, experts predict there would be a reduction of 900 million metric tons of greenhouse gas. According to the official, “That is equivalent to taking 177 million cars off the road or shutting down 194 coal plants.”

Following California’s example

President Obama has directed the Department of Transportation to work in tandem with the White House and relevant federal agencies to “coordinate multi-year CAFE standards by April 2010,” writes the ENS.

Executive Director Bill Becker of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies is excited with the changes to come.

“Wish they all could be California… cars? Well under an historic agreement between California and the auto manufacturers, now they will be,” said Becker. “After an initial phase-in, every new vehicle sold in every state in the country will be required to meet California’s clean car greenhouse gas standards. And that’s not all; the auto manufacturers have agreed to drop their contentious litigation and support this landmark regulatory program. Few actions could have a more profound impact in the fight against global warming.”

Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, is equally enthusiastic that the adoption of the new CAFE standards will be a step in the right direction:

President Obama, the state of California, the auto industry, and environmental leaders have come together around a global warming solution that will strengthen our economy and put the auto industry on the path to a clean energy future. The future of the auto industry lies in making cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles that reduce global warming pollution and our dependence on oil.

A triple play

“The new clean car standard being announced tomorrow by President Barack Obama is a triple play – it will help move America off foreign oil, save families money, and spur American businesses to take the lead in developing the job-creating, clean-energy technologies of the future,” said Daniel Weiss, director of Climate Strategy at the Center for American Progress.

“The new standard will dramatically reduce oil use and help make cars go significantly further on a gallon of gas,” he said. “It will also help American car companies make the super-clean cars of the future. And finally, it will help us compete with China, whose leaders have already announced their intention to become the worldwide leader in the production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.”

The open road awaits

“Automakers are selling 130 models of automobiles that achieve 30 mpg or greater on the highway,” McCurdy said. “Consumers can now test drive 35 models of hybrids or clean diesel in dealer showrooms. More technology is on its way to market.”

Thanks to the proposed new CAFE standards, the American automobile industry will be an exciting place again soon. It’s palpable, a veritable shiny check for chasing. Once the specter of their collapse (and need of a gigantic payday cash loan from the American people) vanishes, America could be heading back to the top of the automobile industry.

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