Oh yes, little critters are everywhere... but it doesn't mean I'd want to rub the ones that are still crawling around on my eyelids... *shudders* I know what carmine is and where it comes from, but the dye should be an extraction created from the crushed shells... and should NOT contain living buggies. If BE is going to continue using carmine in various products, perhaps they should find a better way to refine it... or at least have some better quality control over it. And no matter how you shake it, bugs are NOT minerals. You can't make a big deal about having 100% mineral makeup when you are using non-mineral ingredients in them. And if it's only the the foundations that are 100% minerals, then they should stop implying that ALL their makeup is 100% min. That's just my thought on the matter. Having worked in the cosmetic industry before (but no longer) I ran into many people who had sensitivity/allergic reactions to various ingredients. Other than perfumes, one of the biggest offenders causing skin sensitivites is COLOUR. A LOT of people have reactions to products that are in shades of pink, and to lesser degrees reds and some light purples. Not all shades of pink, mind you, but enough of them to make them wary of that whole section of the colour spectrum. And since they can use other colours of shadows and blushes, they've ruled the irritants down to one or more of the dyes. The problem with most beauty products is that there are so many ingredients listed on the labels that once you know that you react to a certain colour product, you can't usually tell which of the dyes you are sensitive to. Most people with this problem wind up avoiding the whole pink colour family just to be on the safe side. But if you know you react to a certain ingredient, like carmine, you can pass on anything that shows it on the ingredient list. I have not seen how the ingredients are labeled on the BE packaging/website/etc, so I'm just going off of what people have posted here. My issue with the whole thing is: How are the people who KNOW they are allergic to carmine (or have any other issues with it) going to know to avoid this product? Or at least that colour? If there's no ingredient list and the company is already implying that they are 100% mineral based, that further implies that they don't use carmine... which can be a problem for those people who need to avoid carmine for allergy or lifestyle reasons. And personally, I get a little peeved when something is sold to me under false prestenses, implied or otherwise. That's just my spin on it.

To my knowledge and experience building a home always has, and always will, cost more than buying an existing home. That said, the benefits of building are not to be forgotten: it is new, it is (mostly) what you want, and presumably it is where you want it. The recent housing recession had the effect of eliminating both builders as well as some skilled trades people. Elimination of builders has made it possible for the remaining general contractors to modestly increase margins. The exit of skilled labor from the market has increased pricing in that area as well. Material prices are also rising across the board. Framing lumber has increased about 40 percent over the last 6-8 months. This is unprecedented in the 30 years I have been involved in the business. Almost all the other material and fixture manufacturers are taking the opportunity to raise pricing 5-7 percent as the national market improves. Improved building lots in subdivisions are soon to be a factor in home prices as well. A shortage is looming just around the corner. Financing for land developers to buy land and install the horizontal infrastructure (sewers, water lines, and roads) has been non-existent over the past 4 years. Consequently, almost no new lots were developed during this time. If the housing recovery continues, the cost of quality building lots in the right areas could easily increase 30-40 percent over the next 24 months until new supply comes online. So yes, building costs are on the rise.

there are a lot of internet faxing options many are free some charge a fee if the size is large. FaxZero.com do a google search for "internet faxing" what type of internet connections are you using, what type of modem or router? which version of windows? Are you certain there is not a built in modem in your pc already? most have them and they are generally fax modems. You could run belarc advisor on your pc and get a list of what is on it. go to this link, in the tutorial box scroll to item 100 it gives you the directions to how to use fax in windows wizard. Windows XP - Tips for Email, IM and Faxing! Here is a link that might be useful: belarc

Okay, thank you... I'm starting to understand. Also found an old thread that was helpful. I'll forget the between the appliance idea, then. Greendesigns: Thank you so much and please bear with me just to make sure I understand what you're saying: 1. If this installs between a cabinet and a fridge that has a side panel, I can attach it to that fridge panel as well as to the cab on the other side? Another counter height panel WOULDN'T be necessary next to the fridge panel? 2. If the fridge was free-standing, then a counter-height, 3/4" panel would need to be added next to the fridge so there'd be something to screw the insert to? And... 3. If I want it to look like a fill piece, just add the fill piece to the front of the pullout insert. If I want it to be even with the front of the doors then an additional something needs to be added on top of the fill piece? One more question for you: If a person had a tall pullout between a fridge (with side panel) and a wall, could the insert be screwed into the wall on that side, or does another panel need to be added to the wall and then the pullout screwed to that? Taggie: thank you for those links. I do remember that broom pullout. That might be in the running for what to do with that space. It would be handy for sure. Here is a link that might be useful: old thread 3