Masako Osako is a “bimajo” (beautiful witch), which, despite the odd ring of the phrase in English, is a compliment.

According to the monthly magazine “Bisuto” (beast), it means a woman “over 35 with a radiance that gives no suggestion of their age.”

In a contest in autumn 2011, Osako was one of only 21 finalists chosen from over 2,000 entrants in a “bimajo contest” run by the magazine.

Her new witch status has got Osako invitations to launches of new cosmetic products, appearances in magazines, and helped her get back into her job in the cosmetics industry after taking time out to rear her children. she represents an ideal many middle-aged and older women are determined to emulate.

Around three years ago, Osako fell ill and put on around 10 kilograms in weight, partly because of medicine she was taking. Glancing at her reflection in a shop window, she was shocked: “I looked frumpy, the epitome of a middle-aged woman. …”

Osako began eating more vegetables, turned down offers to eat out and quietly began attending a gym up to five times a week without telling her husband. she learned of the bimajo contest and vowed to enter the next year. when asked to write an essay for her gym, she stated: “It’s all so I can become a future bimajo.”

Over the course of the following year and a half, she lost 13 kilograms and shrunk from a size 13 to a seven. she hesitated to enter the contest after taking a photo as a memento of her achievement, but eventually made her submission online only 10 minutes before the deadline.

“My outer appearance has changed, and so has my inner self. my outlook has broadened too, and I feel as if I’ve grown stronger,” she says.

The bimajo phenomenon is part of a wider trend among an aging Japanese population that is spending more than ever before on warding off the ravages of time.

The market for anti-aging skincare cosmetics such as wrinkle treatments was 313.2 billion yen ($4 billion) in 2010. that represents 150 percent growth in 10 years, according to market research company Fuji Keizai Group.

Newcomers from other industries have been entering the market, with Fujifilm’s launch of its Astalift anti-aging cosmetic range in 2007 a particularly prominent example of the trend.

Supplements and other health foods with anti-aging properties are also experiencing sales growth. the market for functional foodstuffs that help improve the skin, weight loss, and strengthen bones was 648.8 billion yen in 2010, a 2 percent increase on the previous year, according to Fuji Keizai Skin-beautifying products, with key components such as collagen and hyaluronic acid enjoying 3.3 percent growth, and bone and joint-supporting products primarily featuring glucosamine and other ingredients, which became popular with middle-aged and elderly people suffering from joint pain, boosting their sales by a whopping 16.9 percent.

The book “Goju-sai o Koete mo Sanju-dai ni Mieru Ikikata” (a lifestyle that makes you look like you’re in your thirties when you’re in your fifties), written by Yoshinori Nagumo, 56, and published by Kodansha, was the fourth biggest seller in the first half of 2012, according to figures collated by distributor Tohan. Several similar books from rival publishing companies are understood to be on the way to the market.

National Institute of Health and Nutrition Information Center chief Keizo Umegaki points out that the actual benefits of some of the products is unproven, with purported effectiveness is not adequately backed up by scientific proof.

“Care needs to be taken to avoid excessive ingestion. It’s important to have a balanced diet, moderate exercise and rest,” he says.

But, for some Japanese women, the quest for eternal youth involves much more than that. more than 22,000 Japanese people received cosmetic medical treatment in South Korea in 2011, double the previous year’s figure. Almost 80 percent were women.

Seoul’s Gangnam district is known as a hub for cosmetic surgery. at the Arumdaun nara Dermatology & Plastic Surgery near the Gangnam subway station, one of its walls is covered in autographed photos of South Korean stars. the popularity of South Korean television dramas in Japan and government promotion of medical tourism has driven up demand, and the clinic’s Japanese clientele has doubled in the last two years, with around 2,000 visiting in 2011.

It offers everything from invasive cosmetic surgery to laser treatment for liver spots and wrinkles.

“Many Japanese are still afraid of undergoing even commonplace cosmetic surgery procedures in South Korea,” admits Lee Sang-jun, president of the Arumdaunnara clinic network, but that is likely to change. “I used to detect a resistance to laser surgery, but now they’ve come to accept it. Attitudes are changing little by little.”

'Beautiful witches' defy the ravages of age

'Beautiful witches' defy the ravages of age is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs

Ladies, listen up! have you ever watched a group of women screaming at each other on a reality show and thought “I wish that was me”? Do you want to flaunt your lavish lifestyle, but don’t know how to go about doing it? well, today is your lucky day. Here are a few helpful tips to help you reach your potential as a sparkling D-list star.

It’s no secret that real people are the television stars of today. Since the dawn of the 2000s, reality shows have gradually replaced soap operas as the world’s guilty pleasure . I mean, why watch a bunch of fictional characters getting into crazy situations when you can watch civilians get into even crazier situations? one of the most prevalent reality shows is Bravo’s Real Housewives Of… franchise. With six incarnations (Orange County, New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, Beverly Hills & Miami), the franchise is both successful and ubiquitous. Tune in to Bravo at any time, and chances are a Housewives show will be on.

The ‘stars’ of the Housewives have enjoyed a degree of success by using the platform to their advantage. Bethenny Frankel, former New York City Housewife, promoted her Skinnygirl Margarita on the show, and has since went on to sell the drinks brand for over $100 million. That’s on top of getting her own spin-off, Bethenny ever After, and, most recently, a daytime television series. It’s no secret, then, that many women want to appear on one of these shows. It generates a lot of exposure, which you can use to promote yourself and your products. so, being a caring philanthropist, I thought I’d give out some tips to any aspiring Housewives out there. Listen very carefully …

The first thing you need in order to be a Real Housewife is money, or at least the illusion of money. The supposed purpose of the series is to showcase the glamorous lifestyles of a group of classy ladies, so a potential housewife needs to have a lifestyle that the viewers will be jealous of. nowhere is this more evident than in the Beverly Hills incarnation, where most of the women live in palatial mansions in one of the world’s most expensive zip codes.

“But Ross, I don’t have any money. How am I supposed to get on the show?”

That’s an easy one. to be on the show, you do have to have a lot of money, but it doesn’t technically have to be your money. What you have to do is max out all of your credit cards, take out a high interest loan and buy a big house. It’s a win-win situation: you appear to be wealthy and glamorous to viewers, and your inevitable bankruptcy will result in an engrossing storyline that will ensure your return to the show. This tactic has worked for Teresa Giudice of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Teresa filed for Chapter 11 in 2010, claiming $11 million in debt – gaudy, shiny clothing must be more expensive than I thought. Teresa’s desperation to keep herself above the bread line, and out of prison, has resulted in the worst case of fame-whoring I’ve ever seen. She’s written books, created a Skinnygirl-knockoff alcoholic drink, and even appeared as a contestant on the always ridiculous Celebrity Apprentice. Her financial woes may not be nice for her, but it’s certainly entertaining for us.

Once you’ve got yourself some money, you need to spend it in appropriate ways. if you’re looking for fame, the smartest way to spend your cash is on a copious amount of plastic surgery. You’re never going to get on television with flabby arms or a forehead that moves. What kind of surgery should you go for? that depends on your location. if you want to get on the Housewives of Orange County, focus on going blonde and getting fake tits. Beverly Hills, on the other hand, is all about the face. You aren’t accepted as beautiful until your face resembles a skating rink and your lips look like they are about to burst. What else would you expect from a series that is based in Los Angeles? Lisa Vanderpump (not a porn actor, apparently) is arguably the most plastic of all the Beverly Hills ladies. Her appearance has been a topic of conversation for a lot of viewers. In fact, my own sister once said to me: “Even though it’s obvious that Lisa has had surgery, I think she looks good for her age.” Unfortunately for Lisa, my sister had assumed that she was in her mid-60s, rather than her early 50s. sorry, Lis.

Let’s get away from the looks now and focus on perhaps the most important aspect in getting you on a reality show – your personality. The Housewives often get high and mighty about being themselves and not acting up for the cameras. However, unless ‘yourself’ is an attention-seeking, aggressive egomaniac; you’re going to have trouble staying on the show. Bravo is notorious for firing cast members they deem to be uninteresting (Alex McCord of New York, DeShawn Snow of Atlanta), so you’d better think about making yourself a bit more TV-friendly before you enter the show.

One thing that every Housewife needs is a penchant for unnecessary conflict. if one of the other ladies has done something to irritate you, you can’t keep your feelings inside. You have to meet her in a public setting and blow the whole situation out of proportion. After all, that makes better television. even if you do resolve whatever conflict you are having, you can never really get over it. In order to be a successful Housewife, you must constantly talk about the fight with the other ladies, and hold the grudge until you can continue the fight at the reunion show. It’s all very complicated.

This grudge-holding was perfectly executed by Kelly Bensimon, arguably the most batshit crazy cast member of all time. This clip showcases Kelly’s overblown reaction to the smallest of situations, as she takes Bethenny to task for making fun of her. The only thing better than Kelly’s attempt at conflict is poor Bethenny’s response. She obviously didn’t realise how much of a nutcase Kelly really is.

So, there you have it. if you want to be a successful star of The Real Housewives … , you must: spend a lot of money on material goods, inject your face and body with a plethora of chemicals, and start fights with your co-stars in order to make the show exciting. I wish you the best of luck. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy; the world of reality television is sink or swim. However, I am saying that it’ll be pretty hard to sink with huge tits and a terrible personality keeping you afloat.

Fake Boobs, Real Fights & Prostitution Whores: A Guide to Being a Real Housewife

Fake Boobs, Real Fights & Prostitution Whores: A Guide to Being a Real Housewife is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs

When crowdfunding platform MyFreeImplants announced its ‘Breast Day Ever’ contest, more than a few eyebrows were raised. Some took issue with the way the site operates, while others questioned crowdfunding such a personal operation.

Despite the criticism, MyFreeImplants is a successful platform that has raised millions of dollars for women to get breast implants. the Breast Day Ever will mark the 1000th successful fundraising, and whoever guesses the day and time of the occasion will win $500 to put back into the site (other close guesses will win smaller prizes). it will also mark the first day that the site will offer surgeries beside breast augmentation.

MyFreeImplants started back in 2005, before Kickstarter and the JOBS Act made crowdfunding the popular fundraising method it is today. Co-founders Jason Grunstra and Jay Moore were on a trip to Las Vegas when they started chatting with a cocktail waitress, who expressed her desire for breast implants. the guys at the table all committed sums of money toward her operation – five dollars here, ten there; by the end of the night, they raised $750.

“If you put a lot of people together, you can do some pretty powerful things,” Grunstra told Crowdsourcing.org. “That’s how the idea of crowdfunding first came to my mind.”

The site boasts it has raised over $8 million to date. the women raising the money are never actually in charge of it – the site pays the surgeons directly, reducing the potential for fraud.

The site earns revenue in a number of ways. like many crowdfunding sites, MyFreeImplants takes a fee – ten percent – on all money raised through the platform. Surgeons can advertise their services on the site. the platform also sells one-dollar message credits that benefactors can use to talk to the women. it offers several subscription levels, depending on how involved a benefactor wants to be in a woman’s fundraising quest. Finally, while the women are waiting to reach their goals, the money donated up to that point is held in a “low risk account,” according to Grunstra. in 2009, the account held around $2 million, and the founders said they expected to make a six-figure salary.

In many ways, MyFreeImplants resembles a social networking site. Users create profiles, send messages to each other, and can set up video streams. the site forbids exchanging real contact information, so there is little chance of the “benefactors” and “models” meeting in real life. Grunstra believes that the site’s online dating-style atmosphere helps drive donations.

“there is somewhat of a sexual chemistry, because it is breast-related and there is some sexiness to that,” he said. “Once you start talking to someone, every time a girl sends and receives a message, she gets a dollar toward her goal. As you get to know someone more and more through messages, you can make donations of any amount you want.”

As the members become more comfortable with one another, however, the potential for unintended and inappropriate contact increases. MyFreeImplants has taken its share of criticism over the years for encouraging what some would consider unsavory activity – women are required to post after surgery photos, for example. Some suggest this encourages nudity, though the site’s rules state plainly, “there is to be no pornography of any kind in your personal gallery.”

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons condemned the site in a press release, calling its method “wholly inappropriate” and “just plain degrading.” a 2007 article in Elle magazine slammed the site, too. Grunstra is well aware of the criticism, and he has a simple response.

“I’m in the mindset of, ‘to each his own,’” he said. “If someone wants to make a decision on their own to alter their body in any way, it’s their body, they’re free to do that. Everyone should be free to make their own decisions. It’s not hurting anyone else, or taking advantage of anyone else.”

Grunstra believes the site is fixing an existing problem regarding the funding of plastic surgery. Traditionally, he says, women who get breast augmentation surgery take out loans with a high interest rate from the surgeon’s partner credit application company. it can take years to pay back the loans. Soon, the site will offer surgeries beside breast augmentation, which, when offered in bundles, can also bring down the operation costs.

For some women, the chance to avoid loans and pay for the surgery with donations may be too good to pass up, though Grunstra explains that the women on the site are not impulse buyers attracted by the promise of free plastic surgery. the average fundraising campaign on the site takes months, not weeks or days, so the models have some time to think about their decision. They can back out at any point.

While the ethical uncertainties surrounding the site are likely to persist, Grunstra and Moore have shown that operating a risqué, donation-based crowdfunding platform can be a good way to make a living – as long as you’ve got the thick skin to take the criticism.

Controversial Site Crowdfunds Breast Implants

Controversial Site Crowdfunds Breast Implants is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs

Selecting the right plastic surgeon is the first step to enjoying a great recovery from surgery, as well as ideal results that last for a long time. To help you learn more about plastic surgery risks and complications, we’ve outlined common risk factors for a cluster of popular procedures:

Face Lifts – like any other form of plastic surgery, risks for face lifts do exist, and they include stroke, heart problems, blood clots, and nerve damage. However, statistically, the odds of experiencing these complications during a face lift are extremely rare. In addition, anesthesia may affect airways in some patients, flexing vocal cords and blocking proper airflow. again, this complication is very uncommon.

Today, face lifts, which usually cost between seven and nine thousand dollars, are safer than they’ve ever been before, and tens of thousands of people get these types of procedures every year.

Brow Lifts – Typical side effects of brow lift plastic surgery, which raises the brow for a more youthful, sexy look, include infection, bad reactions to anesthesia, loss of hair near the incision area, and scarring. again, as with a face lift, the plastic surgeon that you choose will make all of the difference. the best plastic surgeons know how to minimize scarring by using the latest incision techniques, and they work hard to give patients natural, visually-appealing results, without putting their patients at risk. Brow lifts usually cost between four and six thousand dollars.

Botox – Botox is injected into wrinkled areas of the face to paralyze muscles that contribute to facial aging. a typical side effect of Botox is drooping eyelids, but this complication is usually due to choosing an inexperienced Botox provider. To get excellent results without worrying about complications, go see a plastic surgeon for your Botox injections.

Since plastic surgeons (board-certified doctors are best) are intimately aware of underlying muscles of the face, they know exactly where to put their needles. when you choose the right plastic surgeon, you’ll get rid of that “troubled look” in no time flat, and there will be little (if any) discomfort… and zero recovery time. Botox is a great way to look younger in an instant. You’ll need to pay about four hundred dollars for Botox, a few times a year.

In a nutshell, side effects of plastic surgery are somewhat exaggerated. You may avoid complications by hiring the best plastic surgeon that you can afford.

Are the Side Effects of Plastic Surgery Exaggerated?

Are the Side Effects of Plastic Surgery Exaggerated? is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah –  a prominent Utah doctor suspected in his wife’s 2007 death was released from a federal prison in Texas late last week after serving time for fraud.

Dr. Martin MacNeill was freed Friday but remains on three years of probation as part of his sentence.

“It’s really sickening to me,” daughter Alexis Somers told the Deseret News (http://bit.ly/MY3vT3 ) Monday. “I am back to this panic feeling, just really nervous knowing what he is capable of doing and now he is out.”

Somers, other family members and Utah County investigators believe MacNeill killed his wife in April 2007 then covered it up — charges the doctor has denied. he claims he had nothing to do with his wife’s death. Telephone messages left Tuesday for two of his attorneys weren’t returned.

Michele MacNeill’s body was found in a bathtub in the couple’s Pleasant Grove home, about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City.

An autopsy indicated she died of natural causes, but a 2010 addendum to that report questioned the manner of death. Authorities now say they believe Michele MacNeill was drugged by her husband, but they haven’t been able to prove it.

Martin MacNeill has never been charged in her death.

He served time after pleading guilty to fraudulently trying to obtain military, banking and Utah identification documents for another woman.

Investigators and family members claim MacNeill had been having an affair with Gypsy Jyll Willis, the very woman who landed him in prison for fraud. when he applied for a military identification card for a woman he called his wife, he listed April 14, 2007, as their wedding day — the very day his real wife was buried and just three days after police say he killed her.

A search warrant filed in March 2011 said MacNeill had the perfect motive — to cover up his affair. Willis also was convicted in the fraud case involving the ID card and served a year in federal prison.

“Martin had motive to kill his wife as he was attempting to hide his affair with Gypsy Willis and his continued contact with her,” the search warrant states. “Ultimately Martin intentionally overdosed Michele with the medications.”

Michele MacNeill underwent plastic surgery on April 3, 2007 — just eight days before her death and shortly after confronting her husband about an affair that had been going on for the last three years, the search warrant affidavit states. It further said Michele MacNeill told her daughter that her husband had her take medications throughout the night even though they made her sick. She was found the next morning unresponsive and remained in that state throughout the day.

Chief investigator Jeff Robinson wrote that the doctor had access to the drugs and “admitted overdosing her a few days prior to her death as if he was going through a practice run.”

Chad Grunander, the Utah County prosecutor assigned to the case, said although MacNeill is out of prison the homicide investigation is still ongoing. MacNeill is required to stay in Utah as terms of his probation.

Authorities say Martin MacNeill spent a lifetime spinning lies. Utah County investigators say he used falsified records to get into medical schools in Mexico and California and later, Brigham Young University.

In 2009, while facing the federal fraud charges, he pleaded guilty to three felonies for lying to investigators.

Information from: Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com

Doc suspected in wife’s death freed on fraud case

Doc suspected in wife’s death freed on fraud case

Doc suspected in wife’s death freed on fraud case is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs

Nicole Kidman's is on the cover of V Magazine, and has given a lengthy interview in which she discusses her acting style, her childhood, her marriage to Keith Urban, her children, their move to Nashville, and acting in Lard Von Trier's next movie.

In the shoot, Kidman bares everything, appearing in only underwear on the cover, and is scampily clad throughout the rest of the shoot.  The interview is similar to many she's done before in the past – she discusses her family and children, but answers no questions about Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes, and does not mention anything about her reported usage of plastic surgery.

Regarding their move to Nashville, away from the bright glare of Hollywood, Kidman says "It's so fun, and it's also really private.  I had no problems moving down there."

She also talks about how she and Urban got married after a three month courtship, something she attributes to 'part of her spontaneousness'.  She mentions details about how they strugge to balance raising their children with work, especially since they're both so busy.  

She also mentions that she's tried organizing a private getaway for both her and her husband to celebrate their anniversary. “I rented this beautiful house on the beach. I thought, We’ll go and swim in the ocean and just get lost in each other. so we go down, just us, and I’m like, ‘We really should bring the kids.’ And then the kids come down and the whole dynamic changes. another time, we got one night, and then we were both in tears. It was ridiculous. But time is so precious and I love the sound of them and the feel of them. I just don’t want to miss anything, and I don’t want them to go ‘Where’s my mom?’ so I’m working through that.”

Nicole Kidman ‘had no problems’ moving to Nashville

Nicole Kidman ‘had no problems’ moving to Nashville is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs

How much privacy should married couples have? should you be reading his or her e-mail and text messages?

I GREW up in a household where it was considered perfectly normal for my mother to open and read my father

Okay to read his e-mail? is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs

Dr. Grigoryants Los Angeles cosmetic surgeon provides plastic surgery services throughout Southern California including Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Encino, Huntington Park, Studio City, Arcadia, Montrose, Hollywood, La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge, Valencia, Monrovia, Eagle Rock, Altadena, San Marino, Sherman Oaks, Thousand Oaks, North Hollywood, Long Beach, Beverly Hills, Van Nuys, Santa Monica, Calabasas, Palmdale, Fresno, Northridge, and Westlake Village, and Simi Valley.

Our Plastic Surgery center in Glendale, Los Angeles, California specializes primarily in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery inclding breast enlargement, breast augmentation, breast implants, liposuction, tummy tuck, abdominoplasty, cosmetic facelifts, rhinoplasty (nose surgery, nose job), Forehead Lift, Eyelid Surgery and other body contouring procedures. the center led by an expert Los Angeles Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon. As a board certified Los Angeles plastic surgeon, Dr. Grigoryants is dedicated to providing high quality yet affordable cosmetic plastic surgery options to Los Angeles patients and being the best plastic surgeon in Los Angeles, Glendale, Pasadena, Beverly Hills.

vgplasticsurgery » Blog Archive » Tummy Tuck Beverly Hills – RECEIVE GREAT AESTHETIC RESULTS FROM A TUMMY TUCK

vgplasticsurgery » Blog Archive » Tummy Tuck Beverly Hills – RECEIVE GREAT AESTHETIC RESULTS FROM A TUMMY TUCK is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs

Lindsay Jackson may lose custody of her six year old daughter, Maddy Verst for dressing the tot up as a Dolly Parton look-a-like on TLC’s “Toddler’s and Tiaras”. the child’s estranged father has filed for sole custody after learning of Maddy’s participation on the program. on the surface it all looks so harmless and silly, with pigtailed Maddy grasping at fuzzy inserts that will give her flat chest a little bit more of Dolly’s ample oomph.

So what’s wrong with little girls pretending they’re all grown up? Plenty! for one thing, Maddy Verst isn’t choosing this ‘make believe’ for herself. At her age she’s too naïve to know ‘how’ or even ‘what’ she wants, except the aim to please her stage door mama. Lindsay Jackson’s actions were not merely in poor taste. They teeter on the verge of child exploitation. Whatever happened to children just being children?

For decades the cultural debate has raged over the impact adolescent beauty pageants can have on little girls’ already vulnerable self-esteem. Contestants who ought to be riding tricycles or playing with Barbies instead endure, not only hours in the beautician’s chair, having their faces painted and hair teased, but also contending with their mostly obsessive, occasionally neurotic caregivers who have made the pageant circuit a way of life and behave as though the fate of an empire rests on Suzie Chiclet walking away with that most coveted and sparkly little piece of plastic jabbed between her sprayed locks and glitter beads. how sad.

Of course the real fraud in adolescent beauty pageants is the claim made about inspiring confidence and poise from their prepubescent competitors. But scratch the surface of any stage mom and you’re likely to find a discontented woman who fervently believes she sold out her own youth and chances for fame and immortality when she became a wife and mother. So, whether she likes it or not, little Suzie Chiclet gets sewn into her black sequin and feather leotard, plastered from horn to hoof in tan foundation, and painted over in rouge, eye shadow and lip gloss until her head resembles the frozen puss of a porcelain figurine, before being thrust into the spotlight to do her kid-let version of Katie Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” for the judges.

In fairness to Lindsay Jackson, the iconography she chose for little Maddy was not that pop tart princess, but Dolly Parton; not a bad role model on the surface. No French kissing, groping, exposed nipple rings, etc. But Parton’s top-heavy fantasy hourglass proportions – especially when she was in her prime – really set the bar impossibly high for most women. and we are not referring to adult women herein, rather girls much too young to be coached in the virtues of shaking moneymakers they have yet to possess. Arguably, this is the best case scenario. But what happens if the child’s own eventual pubescent endowment falls short of Dolly’s iconography, or worse, her mother’s expectations?

Well, then we have just another disillusioned teen well on her way to a lifetime of crippling personal dissatisfaction and a rescue intervention on Dr. Phil. the oft exorcized plagues of bulimia, anorexia and compulsive indulgences with plastic surgery need no help to take hold of an impressionable mind. While none of these disorders can be directly attributed to beauty pageants in general or even the women who sacrifice their children to them, there is little to deny that the message a child gleans from these competitions is filtered through a very warped sense of self. All that the child sees and knows comes from a world dominated by the superficial where the true meaning of self is based on a few 8X10 glossies and the prospect of filling up her trophy case with some shiny memorabilia.

Will Bill Verst win his custody battle? the jury is still out – literally – but the fact remains that unless he can uncover other ways to prove his ex is a destructive influence on their daughter he will likely have to settle for joint custody and tolerate Lindsay Jackson’s misguided addiction to remake their angelic toddler into a thoroughly mixed-up twenty-cent tart. yet, even in the likelihood that Lindsay Jackson will win her case she ought to seriously consider what she’s already lost in this very shallow victory: that in her love of a plastic crown the truest integrity and chance for happiness in Maddy’s young life has surely been misplaced.

Custody hearing will determine if Lindsay Jackson acted inappropriately

Custody hearing will determine if Lindsay Jackson acted inappropriately is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs

By Johnny Edwards

the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

With a row of seats to herself on a 15-hour trans-Atlantic Delta Air Lines flight out of Atlanta, Brandi DeLaO was stretched out and fast asleep when a sharp pinch to her inner thigh jolted her awake.

She complained to a flight attendant, she said, who told her it was probably just a mosquito bite.

But then the small red mark grew into a darkened, crusty, oozing mass of dead skin about the size of a hand. Fever and such severe pain followed that DeLaO couldn’t walk up stairs. It was no mosquito, a South African doctor told her — DeLaO had been bit by Loxosceles reclusa, the notorious brown recluse spider, the most dangerous spider in North America.

The bite happened in January, and Delta has since agreed to an $80,000 settlement with DeLaO, her attorney says.

“I would not wish that on my worst enemy for anything,” said DeLaO, 38, who underwent three excruciating operations to dig out the venom and is awaiting plastic surgery. “It was horrible. It was amazing that a spider could do all that.”

Spokeswoman Betsy Talton confirmed in an email that Delta settled, but she added, “that particular aircraft also was inspected after her flight and no infestation was found.”

Talton described Delta’s pest control program as “a multilayered approach that leans heavily on inspection and cleanliness.”

DeLaO’s attorney, Jonathan Johnson of Atlanta, said the maximum she could have received would have been roughly $175,000 under the Montreal Convention, an international treaty covering air carrier liabilities. Because of uncertainty about where the spider came from and the difficulty of laying blame on Delta, they settled for less, he said.

Recluse spiders are known for inhabiting dark crawlspace corners, not airline cabins. Still, DeLaO’s ordeal isn’t the first of its kind.

In 2006 a San Antonio woman sued American Airlines over a disfiguring spider bite during a flight from Germany to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Ursula Riederer settled for an undisclosed sum.

Last year, a college student reportedly lost part of an ear after being bit at the airport in Amarillo, Texas.

On Jan. 9, after spending Christmas with her mother in North Carolina, DeLaO and her three daughters were connecting out of Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa. Her husband is a Marine stationed at the U.S. Embassy there.

DeLaO said she’s thankful that her daughters were sitting elsewhere on the plane.

“I just feel that they are not checking those planes like they are supposed to,” she said. “I tell everybody who’s flying, especially those flying Delta, spray yourself down and check under the seats.”

Spider bite victim settles with Delta for $80,000

Spider bite victim settles with Delta for $80,000 is a post from: Plastic Surgery Costs