Colony News: 2008 Presidential Race Gets Slim

After Hilary Clinton and John McCain won the Florida Primary, both sides of the
presidential race have done a dramatic slim down, and now, there are basically two candidates left on each side.
For the Democrats we have front-runner Hilary Clinton and the now Ted Kennedy backed Barack Obama.
The GOP has John McCain as its lead man, with Mitt Romney, trailing close behind.

The race is sure to get very serious now, as each party will make one last change before the two person race for the White House gets in full swing.
Take our poll to let us know who you are leaning towards in this race to the White House, and the Race for Change!

Turbo Jam: Learn and Burn

Okay, I love this workout.
Chalene Johnson, the perky leader of the pack, is the type I usually hate...skinny and telling me to do one more, just one more...but I LOVE her! She is upbeat and perky, but also understanding and fun. She stops mid workout, and admits that since she is the leader, she can stop when she gets tired and let us do the work. I love that, an honest skinny woman telling me to do one more!

Besides Chalene, am so impressed with the arsenal of moves that she employs to get her brood, now including me, in shape. They are easy, but you can also see how doing hundreds of them over the course of a month are going to lead to smaller waists and leaner thighs, and that is just the type of results I am looking for. There are 11 moves, she calls the Elite 11...and they are sure to get me in shape.

I will do this for about a week and a half...then I will let you know how I feel, how I look,and about the next video in the series.

The Stinger 1/28/2008

To quote Katt Williams..." Let the hater hate, it is a sign of success!"

We live in a world full of "haters". For those of you unfamiliar with the word, it is synonymous with jealous or envious people, people whose sole purpose in life is to make themselves feel better by talking about you. And in general, the more successul you are, the more "haters" you are going to have. Hell, I am sure Bill Gates and Oprah have haters in the thousands...it comes with the territory.
If you keep this all in perspective, you will be able to handle the hater much better.
The hater has a job, and her job is to shine the spotlight on you, hoping to catch you in a moment of weakness, to expose your dirty laundry and hopefully get a glimpse at your faults. Your job as the hatee, is to be the STAR!, live at your full potential, be at the top of your game, and NEVER EVER let the hater see you sweat!!!

~Honey Hush!

Colony Review: Brokeback Mountain

After the horrible news about Heath Ledgers sudden and unexpected death, QueenBees around the world were shocked and saddened that such a great talent had been taken away from the world and his child at such a young age.

The mere thought of Heath takes me back to his performance as Ennis del Mar in Brokeback Mountain, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. While the movie received alot of flack and was the butt of many jokes due to its "cowboys in love" theme, the real plot and purpose of the movie was to show that love has no bounds, and when you love someone it consumes your whole being, it is undeniable, and it is both simple & pure and chaotic & carnal.

The entire cast was phenomenal, from Ledger's to Jake Guyllenhaal's portrayals of hard and rough cowboys who fell in love to their wives, played by Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway, who were both deceived, but dealt with their lives in totally different ways. The movie was excellent from beginning to end, and even though it was, of course, tinged with controversy, it stood true to its goal and put out one of the most torrid and real love stories in history.

R.I.P Heath Ledger, may your talent be forever remembered and revered!

Colony Review: Turbo Jam

Okay, I bought a sort of "preview" version of Turbo Jam about a year ago. I loved the Sculpt portion, and the Cardio Party was fun...but my two year old would never let me get through it, so I put it away in favor of quicker workouts that I could do in parts.

So now, he is infatuated with watching Diego, Spongebob, and Sesame Street, and I can concentrate on my waistline again. So, I ordered the original Turbo Jam 5 DVD pack from Amazon for a great $39.00.

My last go with Turbo Jam left me feeling revived, and about an inch or so off my waist in a really short time. I need a good 5 inches off my waist, so I am ready to get the Turbo Jam party started...

So over the next few weeks, look for my reviews of Turbo Jam as I work my way through the workouts, and I will let you know how effective or ineffective they are. And since I am both dedicated to my waist and my Queen Bees, I will be following a five day schedule per week, to give you maximum gain and to give me maximum loss!!!!

Nectar: Vote for a QueenBee

One of our loyal subscribers has entered the Mac Originals contest:



Isn't she lovely!!!!!!!!!

Go vote for her at Vote for a Queen Bee

Thanks!

And Congrats to our beautiful Colony subscriber!!!!!

Colony News: 2008 Presidential Race

It was a battle at the Democratic Presidential Candidates debate, which aired on CNN on Monday evening.
Clinton came out with her weapons blazing against Obama, and Obama made it clear that he wasn't sure if he was running against Hilary or both Bill and Hilary Clinton. There was talk about voting records, the Iraqi war, health care, and immigration and throughout most of it, Clinton and Obama werre going toe to toe, with John Edwards left looking like more of a guest than a participant in the debate. Later on though, he pointed out that their attacks and battles were not going to do anything for the children of America or better the school systems, which was what they should be focusing on, and not the silly rivalries.
Overall, I thought it was a great debate, and it shows that all Democrats, like all Republicans, are not made the same. Political parties have similar ideals, but when it all boils down, each of these people are individuals with their own individual morals, goals, and opinions. The bottom line is: Who among all of the candidates will be the best person to bring the United States out of the recession, bring our troops safely home, and secure America's position as the best country in the world.

Nectar: HiJinx Noggins

I love handmade and personalized items, they are great for picky people like me, who really like things made just for them. On Etsy, one of my favorite sites, you can
find lots of wonderful goodies that are tailored to your special needs.
After purchasing a brown heathered wool coat, I needed a special hat to go with it.
I found this site on etsy:



HiJinx features Noggins, crocheted hats in a bunch of great colors, that hug the head and feature a short brim that can be worn up or down. This was my first noggin:



It went perfectly with my coat, it fit perfectly on my head,and it was perfectly stylish and affordable at only $15.00.....YES, $15.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was so happy with my first purchase that I decided to buy another,and I cannot wait to receive it so I can add it to my hat wardrobe. With Michigan winters being long and cold, these hats will get plenty of wear and will keep me warm and stylish!!!!

Thanks HiJinx!

Go visit HiJinx and her noggins at Etsy

Colony Reviews: Insolia

I love a four inch heel...there is no better cure for a pair of short legs.
Unfortunately, is not a reciprocal love affair, as four inch heels are pure torture
for my low archs. I have chosen to suffer in some instances, where style was simply a priority, but for the most part, I forego those heeled beauties for more pratical (yet still cute) shoes.

TADA!

These Insolia High Heel Inserts are like the fairy godmother of shoes. They WILL NOT make a four inch heel feel like a flat, but they will shift your weight off the ball of your foot, where most of the pain occurs, and give you a more balanced and much more comfortable experience in your teetering shoes.

I have found that I can dance for hours in my three to three in a half inch heels now, with no problem. As for those four inch babies, I have decided to give those up for 2008...there is simply no need to torture onesself!

-HoneyBee

Colony News: Presidential Platforms of Obama and McCain

As the primary votes come tallying in, we are seeing a presidential race that is proving to be not only interesting but surprising...so stay tuned.
Meanwhile, in our platforms educational series, today we showcase Barack Obama and John McCain.

Barack Obama (Democrat)

As the first black president of the Harvard Law Review, Barack Obama has been a standout since early in his career. Serving currently as a first term Senator, this Honolulu native is one of the younger and more junior political figures in the presidential race. His presidential race has proven to be one to reckon with, and his modern and current political views are those of someone sure to make waves in American government.

Abortion: Obama favors an individuals right to make decisions about abortion.

Immigration: He supports immigration reform that includes a path to citizenshp rights for those who qualify. He also supports secure borders.

Taxes: With health care goals, Obama does report that some increase of revenue would be necessary, and plans to allow tax cuts for the wealthy to expire.

Iraq: Opposed Iraqi war and would seek to bring troops out of Iraq as soon as possible if elected.

Energy: Raise fuel efficiency standards in cars, cap greenhouse gas emissions, and supports investment in renewable fuels.


John McCain (Republican)

As a former Navy pilot and prisoner of war in Vietnam, John McCain has a very interesting and politically driven past. He is a four term senator representing Arizona.

Abortion: Opposed abortion and feels Roe v. Wade should be overturned.

Immigration: Wants a comprehensible immigration reform bill allowing illegal immigrants to earn legal status through guest worker program.

Taxes: Against tax cuts, wants to lower spending, and keep tax levels steady.

Iraq: Supporter of Iraqi war and a backer of the troop surge.

Energy: Wants to cap system for greenhouse gas.

For more information, visit Fox News at http://www.foxnews.com/politics/youdecide2008/platorms/

Nectar Guest Blogs

We will have posts on The Colony on a regular basis from up and coming artists and professionals in the arts. These posts will be entitled Nectar, because we here at The Colony believe that art is that sweet part of life that feeds the soul!

If you have a talent or passion you want to share with other QueenBees send us an e-mail at ahoneycomb@gmail.com with Nectar in the subject line, and send us a sample of your work.
If you are a stylist and you want to show us something, but you don't have an photographs of your creations, go to Polyvore to create outfits using clothing posted online. Read the instructions, and soon you will be creating styles fit for the red carpet.
If you are an artist of any other sort, just send us a sample.
Include with your sample, your name, contact info, and how your art will inspire, influence, or needs to be shared with a QueenBee!

For now, here is a stylist post made by yours truly, HoneyBee:


I Love the Nightlife

Colony News:

The Stinger

Okay, Honeys, have you heard about Kelly Tilghman's recent comments about Tiger Woods? Kelly is a white woman who works for The Golf Channel. She recently stated that young up-and-coming golfers [wanting to compete] with Tiger would have to "lynch him in a back alley".

The second I read about that in Yahoo! News, I sent an e-mail to The Golf Channel stating that Kelly deserved to be promptly fired. Next thing I hear, she's been suspended for 2 weeks without pay. And a brother, Roy S. Johnson, who has a sports blog, "Ballers, Gamers & Scoundrels" wrote a newspaper article I read in Yahoo! saying that Kelly and Tiger knew one another, Kelly had apologized to Tiger, Tiger said he considered it a "non issue" and, as Roy said, "case closed" on the whole thing So, I promptly wrote to Roy and let him know how very wrong he was. It will be a miracle if the issue of supposed entitlement in AmeriKa based on one's skin color becomes a "non issue" during my grandson's lifetime! Fat chance!

You can get slapped and not die; you can get shot and not die. But lynching has always ended in death, as far as I know. I've never heard of a lynched individual who later had a chance to speak on the experience, have you? The defenders of this dangerous woman claim she didn't know what she was saying. B.S!!! She didn't use the word "lynch" wrongly in a Red Velvet Cake recipe---she said one group of men should lynch another man in a back alley. She knew what she was saying and should have promptly been taken to a back alley and fired!

Don't get it twisted: all this ire ain't for Tiger. This ire is because it's plain as day that racism is getting new life in this country and far too many people are looking the other way. There is NO defense for racism. Some people want to act like they don't understand racism, don't see what's such a big deal. Hey, I don't know what it feels like to get kicked in the balls, but I've got a damn sure good idea! Further, if I saw someone getting kicked in the balls, I bet cha my first reflex would be to groan and close MY own legs in empathy. What hurts hurts and what is wrong is wrong. And the case will not be closed until everyone understands that!
--Honey Hush!

Weekends at The Colony 1/18/08

On the Colony this weekend...
The Hive: Morning Madness and Mini-Trips: How preparation can lead to sucessful mornings and mini vacations with the family
The Honeycomb: Online Books, Palm Centro, and Lockhart Rattle N Roll Satchel
The Bumble: Presidential Platforms: Barack Obama and John McCain
The Nectar: Calling all artists for guest submissions

and don't forget to come see what The Stinger has to say this week and every week...Honey Hush!

Colony News: 2008 Presidential Race

We are smack dab in the middle of Presidential Race, which means we are going to be bombarded with political messages, policys, and platforms...many of which we laypeople do not understand and cannot relate to. With issues such as a poor housing market, unemployment, rising costs (let's not get started on gas prices), and the ongoing war on our radar...many of us just cannot understand why the Presidential Nominees are not talking about the issues that are directly affecting the American public.
So...during this hectic time, we will give you a little insight into what a political platform is, why it is important, and which sides of the issues many of the candidates fall on.

here are the first two to start you off...look forward to more platform posts as the presidential race continues.

Hilary Clinton (Democrat)
As the sole female presidential candidate, Hilary Rodham Clinton is seeking to change history. As the current senator of New York, Mrs. Clinton spent 8 years as as the First Lady of the United States, as the wife of Bill Clinton, and has authored two books, including the best selling "It Takes a Village".

Abortion: Clinton is pro-choice and against the ban on partial birth abortions (especially for mother's whose health is at risk. She is also for teen pregnancy prevention and contraceptive education.
Immigration: Clinton is for tighter border security, sanctions against those employing illegal aliens, and allowing illegal aliens to to earn legal status by paying fines and past due taxes.
Taxes: Clinton is for certain middle class tax cuts, child and adoption tax refunds, a repeal on the marriage penalty, and property tax relif. She is against the upper class tax cuts.
Iraq: Although she voted in 2002 for the use of military force, she introduced a bill in 2007 repealing that authority and is against the Bush troop surge.
Enviornment: She supports education and programs to increase research and efficiency of energy use.


Mitt Romney (Republican)
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Romney is the former governnor of Massachusetts and was CEO of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Abortion: Romney believes Roe v. Wade should be overturned and believes the states should have the power to decide. He previoulsy supported abortion. He does not support the constitutional ban on abortion.
Immigration: Romney believes the border should be protected to decrease the number of immigrants allowed in, he supports building a fence on the US/Mexico border, and is against amnesty. He does, howver, support bringing more skilled workers into the US.
Iraq: Supports the current administrations strategy in Iraq.
Taxes: Supports lowering taxes and simplifying the Tax Code. He also supports business tax cuts.
Energy: Believes the US should be independent from foreign oil and supports alternative fuel sources.

The Stinger 1/16/2008

While this Queen Bee continues to be a work in progress, as are we all, the thought humming in my head today involves the Passive/Aggressive bees among us. Nothing gets my stripes in a knot like the P/A's, God bless their hearts.

C'mon, Honey! Speak up! Two seconds ago is now history, so you have to know eight months ago is nearing ancient history. Say what's on your mind. But say it today, okay? Or at least tomorrow......but I probabaly won't give a damn come May!
--Honey Hush!

Wednesday 1/16: What's Happening on The Colony

We strive to bring you fun and exciting content on The Colony each and every
day, while also keeping you informed and educated.
Come visit The Colony today to check out these posts:

The Hive: Check out A PollinatingBee's brand new phone, and find out how
your method of communication is key in determining how productive you are!

The Honyecomb: Great picks from West Elm and Etsy are showcased to show you
how to make your home and your personal style more modern, practical, and
unique.

Busy Bees: Get a heads up on keeping your child true to his or her own
style, and check out some great new finds on JCrews CrewCuts. Also
explore the new toy BabyJamz, and see why it is causing such a stir in kids'
rooms across the nation.

The Bumble: Get the buzz on the 2008 Presidential Primary and some of the key
facts you will need to keep in mind as you continue to make up your mind about
who you want to see in the White House!

And as always...check out the Colony...because you will always find what you need
at Home!

The Beekeepers Welcome

Honeycomb will be buzzing into your life soon!
You will get your daily dose of how to keep your life balanced and still stay fabulous by the PollinatingBee and the sweet and new things in the online marketplace and beyond by HoneyBee. The WorkerBees will keep you informed about the latest product reviews, coupon codes, news, and current events as well!

So join us in celebrating all that is smart, stylish, and sweet...


The Colony...welcome Home!