Quinceanera is the Young Latina?s Rite of Passage: Lots of Celebration, Fun, Foods and Dancing.
Topic: QuinceneraDress-Shop

If the Jews have Bat Mitzvah for girls reaching 12 years and one day, the Caucasians/English have debutante balls for girls of marriageable age (16-18), the Filipinos have debut (for Filipinas age 18), the Koreans have Gwallye for girls and boys 15 to 20 years, the Hispanics have Quinceanera, but every group lavishly celebrates and knows prom as the rite of passage in high school.

As in cumpleanera, we have quinceanera to refer to the latina woman’s celebration of her fifteenth birthday. It’s a transition from childhood to the womanhood of the quinceanera.

Even when Hispanic/Latino parents leave the motherland, they are still attached to its tradition. One of these traditions they celebrate on their daughter’s 15th birthday is called Quinceanera. A part of them that follows them everywhere, this celebration marks a cultural bond. It’s a special occasion for any Hispanic girls. They get to invite lots of friends to their parties. It’s more than a birthday party in that they get to wear fancier clothes, dance and share foods and beverages with their friends and family friends.

We must say that a lot of expenses are also involved. That’s why most parents find padrinos or madrinas. Despite the family link that relates padrinos and madrinas to the quinceanera girl, the parents have known them either through church, work and other social functions. The padrinos are the sponsors. But more and more families residing in metropolitan areas and countries such as the USA, France, Belgium, Great Britain, and western parts of the US such as California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado and more and more Virginia, Florida, go out to find commercial sponsors who pay for some major expenses. We have long had Cinco de Mayo as one of the major commercialized holidays on this side of the border. What a good way for these companies to place their products!

The most important thing to remember is that tradition plays a huge role in this ceremony. Tios, tias, abuelitas, abuelitas, compadres, comadres (uncles, aunts, grandparents) must receive invitation. They contribute to the festivities too.

If they are not invited, they will feel disrespected. It’s a big no no. The quinceanera girl and her parents must take many months if not years to plan this ceremony. Being unable to honor their daughter this way would bring affront to them. That’s why some families are known to start saving for a long time to be able to meet the demands of the occasion. Especially in the USA where parents work two to three jobs to be able to go ahead, they save for the occasion. Besides having to send remittances back to family members in Mexico, they invest in their kids’ education and cultural festivities. That’s why Mexican music has flourished so well in this country.

What do the Quinceanera girls do on the day of Quinceanera day?

Since it's also a religious ceremony, they go to church to receive the priest’s blessings. The priest addresses these young women and talks to them about important life lessons and experiences. He tells them about becoming a woman. Besides catechism, communions, quinceanera is a great occasion for the Church to plant its doctrine. After all, women are the bearers and keepers of traditions. When these girls become parents, they will make sure to have their daughter go through the same process. The ceremony allows for a renewal of the baptismal vows.

The celebration of the Quinceanera dates back to the Aztecs, about 500 B.C. Hispanics have long been celebrating God’s gifts of love and life this way. Most guests bring presents when they arrive at the ceremony. The celebrated girl greets them and dances with anybody who asks for a dance. Some guests usually give plain cash too.

We will call the following “Quinceanera Celebration: The Young Woman’s Quinceanera Planning Guide.”

Here's a list of services and businesses that benefit from the celebration of the quinceanera: 1. Beauty salons 2. Bakeries 3. Caterers for catered food 4. Churches 5. Dance halls 6. Decorators 7. Florists 8. Limo services 9. Dj’s and Bands or Trios 10. Photographers 11. Prom Dresses, Prom Gowns Shops or Retailers 12. Shoes Stores and some aspects of bridal shops 13. Jewelry companies 14. Beauty, makeup, hair products and quinceanera accessories 15. Men’s wear companies for tuxedos 16. Beverages 17. Music, CDs and videos and videographer 18. Engraved invitations

If you want to know more about this celebration and how you can save money and time, request or purchase a copy of our best-selling “Quinceanera Celebration: The Young Woman’s Quinceanera Planning Guide.” This quinceanera planner will help most first-time parents and celebrants become knowledgeable about the dos and don’ts of the fiesta. It will refresh their memories. E-mail:REMOVEconsignedclothes@gmail.com

With good cause, some cultural observers and connoisseurs say that the preparation for a fiesta de los quince is similar to a wedding preparation. In some milieus, some quinceaneras are very elaborate and can rival any lavish wedding. Who can compete with some proud parents? Some of these girls stand to have two major celebrations in their lives, the quinceanera and the wedding. After all, Latin/Hispanic parents are known for their family ties. That’s the way it’s supposed to be: Family first. In their case, it rings true during such celebrations.

Farewell to Coke, Pepsi, Soda and Snickers Bars
Topic: Amerikakankare

Coke, Pepsi Soda, and Snickers Bar Funeral Services Planned to Be Held in Most California High Schools

Sugar-laden,high-fat edibles and other junk food items will be banned from California school campuses in 2007. Let's all hope they are also banned from families' tables. Students and teachers are getting ready to conduct mock funeral services. Under two new laws that are set to take effect in 2007, sodas, chocolate bars, candy and a large variety of food items readily available on campuses will have to be carted away. Creative students are writing poems, plays and composing songs to be performed during the services.

Healthy eating and drinking as in fruit juice and water make a comeback with these laws. Junk food ban will be new to California. That's good music to the ears of parents and citizens concerned by the epidemic of obesity that is spread all over the country. More space will be created by the removal of vending machines. Already, Pepsi and other beverage companies are pushing their drinks to foreign markets such as India and Africa. Pepsi and Coke may have have fallen under the scrutinity of the public who becomes more health-conscious.

At a publich high school in California, I observed that the students were walking behind a hearse carrying a casket filled with a large cardboard image of a soda bottle. The students were wearing their best funeral outfits. They wore black netting that covered their faces. Lots of mascara covered their cheecks. They took a very solemn stance against fast food and soda. The students paid their respects to the cardboard in the coffin. Eulogies were pronounced. Other passersby nodded and laughed.

Here's a sample of some of the eulogies, poems and speeches.

To Cheeto, Snickers, Chips, Natcho, Cheese, Candy and Soda

I am saying farewell to a few companions I thought Were out there to watch my back. I thought we were tight Ever since I can remember, they were always around Never once did I have the courage to question them Their masters have been pushing them down my throat Ever since I became interested in watching TV and cartoons They made me salivate and summon the courage to ask my parents to purchase them. Without them seeing, I placed them in the shopping cart

I am saying farewell to you, tasty, zesty companions! I am saying farewell to you because you made me stop Eating and enjoying dinners with my parents I am saying bye bye to you because you become too cheap You are everywhere, at gas stations, vending machines at school It's time for you to go to the ether world, the abyss I am saying farewell because you were not true companions You shoved your way into my life with large marketing tricks And very deceitful ads that pop up and pop under on the TV and computer screens I am saying farewell because you took advantage of my innocence You abused me. You betrayed the trust I had in you. You only cared about profits

I am saying farewell because you started distancing yourself from me first Over the years, I gained weight. You did not care about my silent suffering You did not care about my health. You made me tune out my parents and their advice You stole my early years of adolescence. You cared less about my shame I dragged my unhealthy body everywhere I went. Never did you ask me to stop indulging! You made me believe I was part of the "in crowd," the hip set when I had you in my hands I am saying farewell because your bright neons and sleek bottles Are just trompe-oeil, traps that will enslave my soul. You are so fake! I want my freedom back. I want to be free from substances that destroy my fitness.

Bye bye Soda Bye bye Snickers Bye bye Cheeto Bye bye Natcho Bye bye Cheese Bye bye Candy

Candy and Chocolate

I must say farewell even when I remember the good times I must say farewell even when I remember How nice Candy was to me when I was dejected and sad Candy, I will never stop looking at you, but I won't touch you any longer I will continue to savor the good times. Memories will last a long time Candy and Chocolate, you both were fantastic friends But I must get rid of you. You did not have the courage to tell me How addictive you can be.

Farewell to you, beautiful and sweet Candy Farewell to you, obsessive chocolate. We must part ways. Go your separate ways Farewell. Farewell. Farewell.

Prom & Quincenera Shoes That Fit
Topic: PromdressesRock-Info

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How Comfortable Are You In Your Bra? Well-fitting Bras Give Women Relief & Pleasure
Mood:  cheeky
Topic: Lingerie&Intimates
www.promdressesrock.com No, this is not about the joke on the Seinfeld Show. It's not about buying a bro for a bra. It's about talking about intimate lingerie that does not always fit well. According to bra specialists and lingerie experts, most women wear ill-fitted bras and they don't even know about it. What do Oprah Winfrey and Nicole Kidman have in common? Besides the obvious bra both women wear, they can joke about bras that don't fit them. Appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Nicole joked about how she was not comfortable in her bra and had to borrow her assistant's pair. What a revelation it was! Women do share some of these things. The audience and Oprah laugh. Nicole Kidman could not stop giggling. It's also a huge statistic to consider the number of U.S. women who wear the wrong size bra. Oprah finds a solution to her bra problem. She found the Tisha T-shirt bra designed by Le Mystere. Since that revelation on the show, lingerie, bra specialty shops can't keep the Oprah's bra in stock. Another consequence of the show is that more and more women are going to stores such as Macy, Gottschalks, Mervyn's, Burberry etc to get measured. Oprah and Nicole may have inadevertently launched the career of many until now unknown bra specialists. Bra specialists use their experience to help women find bras that fit them. They look at the size of the cup, the snugness of the fit around the back. They check their inventory for bras that bind, straps that fall, breasts that spill over the cups, wires that pinch and the existence of back fat. Some bra specialists can tell which size a woman wears by looking at her back and breasts. That's what they do day in and day out. There are a few things to consider if you want to find the right size bra for you or loved one. Make sure the bra does not move when you move and that your breasts don't spill over the cup sides or tops. Insure that your straps don't fall down even after adjusting.

How many bras should a woman have? Please don't limit a woman as to how many shoes she should have. Guys, don't get into this field. That's a woman's private territory. If you are a bra expert,give them the right consultation and encourage them to buy more. Ladies, keep in mind that as your body and weight change, your bra size can too. Have a bra for everyday activities, a sports bra and dressy bras. In the end, have a bra for all seasons and occasions.

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Mood:  bright
Topic: PromdressesWeb

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Latin Hip Hop & Reggaeton Artists: The Masters of their own Domains
Topic: QuinceneraDress-Shop

Latin hip hop stations are popping up all over the country. Miami has always been known for its latin-centric TV and radio stations. The influence of the Cuban American experience in the state is very strong. To a large measure, educated Cuban Americans not only support their cuisine, culture, but also their music and jazz.

After Miami, you find other markets where Latin hip hop and Reggaeton influences are strong. New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Las Vegas and Dallas some of the major American cities where you can listen to Latin Hip Hop, Reggaeton, Caribbean music styles largely influenced by the Jamaicans, Haitians and tropical sounds.

Some of the big name artists in Reggaeton are Daddy Yankee, Tego Caderon, Don Omar, Ivy Queen and Wisin y Yandel. We must not forget such Latin hip hop acts as Baby Bash, Frankie J. and NB Ridaz, Capone-E, Mr. Lil One, Mr. Shadow, Mr. Sancho, and a Lighter Shade of Brown.

Just like Bob Marley created a revolution with his rhythmic lyrics and drums that accentuate Jamaican Reggae, Reggaeton artists are bringing their own personal, cultural and ethnic flavors to the new genre.

What it comes down to is that people are appreciating it. They are dancing to it.

If you want to find out what Latin hip hop and Reggaeton sound like, check out this compilation titled, "Viva Hip Hop: Best of Radio's Latin Hip Hop."

News Commentary: Abortion and Crime Rates
Mood:  don't ask
Topic: Amerikakankare

Do abortions contribute to the lowering of the crime rate in this country? This question was being debated in Slate Magazine six yers ago by Dr. Steven D. Levitt, author of "Freakonomics" that became a bestseller. But now we may have an answer from a well-known source. Let's say it's a troubling one. It makes us ask the questions of whether these talk show formats are conducive to the discussion of such hardcore issues as race, abortions etc.

Author of many books including the 1993 best seller "The Book of Virtues," former education secretary in the Reagan administration, former director of drug policy during George H.W. Bush's administration, and current talk show host, William Bennett, is a well-known public figure. He talked about the potential of reducing crime by aborting all black children.

"I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down," radio talk show host Bennett said in his broadcast. "That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do but your crime rate wuld go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky."

William Bennett tried to defend his position. "I was pointing out that abortion should not be opposed for economic reasons, any more than racism or, for that matter, slavery or segregation should be supported or opposed for economic reasons." He went on to say that "immoral policies are wrong because they are wrong, not because of an economic calculation. One could just as easily have said you could abort all children and prevent all crime to show the absurdity of the proposition."

When somebody like Bennett says things like that even in an attempt to make a point, people tend to get surprised by some type of revelations. Does this go back to the old plan repatriating all Black people to Africa. Already, as a country, we are dealing with issues of mistrust and people who think others have hidden agenda. When the common, ordinary, uncultured man hears such statements, he'll start being panicked and worried that his offsprings may be exterminated in some type of modern-day apartheid. Even South Africa did not get to that point. Little by little, these types of public statements erode the foundation of respect for the person of color or Black man and woman. In a case of emergency as revealed by Katrina, the slow, sleeping indifference may manifest itself into inactions by those who are called to provide services to everybody regardless of skin color, staggering statistics of crime, birth rate, past history.

Now, maybe the format was not appropriate to get into these kinds of issues. Will Bennett lose his talk show? We doubt it. We are sure people will pay closer attention now. The worst thing about it is that he may end up getting more listeners as a result of this brouhaha.

No Skimpy, Baggy Jeans, Retro Jerseys, Large T-shirts for NBA Players: David Stern's new Stern Edict
Topic: Shopallpromdresses
Dress Code Professionalism: Like Prom Dress Code, NBA's new Dress Standards

NBA commissioner David Stern cares so much about the image of his product that he has to take actions. He cares about how his main product, playing basketball, is perceived out there. More importantly, he cares about the images of his players. This is why he wants them to shape up or ship out. Well, they may have to pay fines or get suspended.

Now the question is how to get guys, rich players who have grown accustomed to going to work in super large retro jerseys, baggy jeans, Grand-Canyon-size t-shirts to adopt the Business Casual look? Names of players that jump to mind are the likes of Shaq, Allen Iverson etc. Let's quickly say that Shaq usually wears his three-piece suit at some events.

Players will have to clean their closets, take out some major bling-bling, pendants, chains, medallions etc. They will have to start wearing long or short-sleeved dress shirt and/or sweaters. They'll have to start wearing nice slacks. With this new set of dress codes, David Stern may have helped the designers and retailing industries without even meaning to. How about purchasing some khakis? Those who decide to wear their baggy clothes and Jerseys will face still penalties and fines. Some of the players already plan on disobeying the new code. They'd rather pay the fines instead of giving up the long chains that go down to their knees. They also planning on using these fines as write-offs.

Time has come for those rich guys to shape up. Some will comply, others will rebel and reject the new rules. Coaches and NBA reps may become the new school principals on prom night. Just like prom dress code, the NBA dress Code will have players try to sneak a few combinations here and there.