The Friday Forum - May 24

It's the season for roses now, and they are so pretty. This David Austin rose in my garden has gotten leggy. It will be pruning time soon. That should make it bloom again, a real treat since the fragrance is swoon-worthy.

If you've left a comment here in the last few days, you'll see I enabled comment moderation. Between spam and the haters on the Internet - the majority of whom are anonymous - I decided, like so many bloggers before me, that it was best to screen comments. This week as we all cried for the victims of Oklahoma City, some full-of-herself, probably undereducated troll¹ decided to scold everyone who called for storm shelters and safe rooms, citing a political blog satire as her source. I immediately deleted her comment, so then she left one on a makeup feature complaining like a five-year-old that her comment had been deleted. I don't have time for that immature intrusion here - or anywhere else for that matter. Dear Ms. Troll, anyone who claims to have strong opinions should cite legitimate sources to back them up. There's quite a difference between facts and opinions. It's also clear that you don't read well. As for your threat to stop reading Best Things in Beauty, perhaps you should. My readers are classy women, with taste, style, intelligence, and compassion.

This isn't the first time hate comments have happened. It happens on all blogs. With comment moderation, it will be the last here. My readers deserve better. Sometimes there's a fine line between snark and a comment that should be published. When that happens, I usually consult another blogger for an independent opinion.

As I read the hater comments on The Voice postings on Facebook (can't people all acknowledge that the finalists are all good?), I realized that the Internet comments have become a way for the disaffected, miserable souls of the world to voice their unhappiness that everyone doesn't agree with them. They remind me of the Westboro Baptist Church, despicable people who protest at the funerals of our soldiers. This week, Fred Phelps Jr., the son of Westboro Baptist Church "minister" Fred Phelps, linked the devastation from the F-5 tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma to the Oklahoma Thunder's support for openly gay NBA basketball star Jason Collins. Really? To me, the members of that so-called church are terrorists - real life reflecting the ugliness of the Internet. One of the saddest things I've witnessed is a soldier's funeral at Arlington Cemetery. Why would anyone try to hurt the family?

I am trying to approve comments as quickly as possible, but I do sleep (not always well lately). Nighttime comments will suffer a time delay, particularly for those who are in Europe or Asia. My apologies, but I've been reviewing and approving them as soon as I get up, using my iPad in bed. I had a slew of them to approve this morning. Actually, I won't miss the morning ritual of deleting spam, often nonsensical posts with a link. While I was writing this feature, I got a spam comment directing readers to a site on growing hair. It was posted on the Camellia Face Oil feature.

One comment I didn't approve this week because it was off-topic was a good question from Leora. Can anyone help her out? I believe her fave was a limited edition, gone for good. I can't find it here at home, though, to do comparisons.

Totally off topic need help - I have a quick question maybe you can help me out since you seem to know your stuff. My FAVORITE eyeliner was the Giorgio Armani La Femme Bleue in Leaf Green. Do you know any color by any brand that even comes close to that, since I cant find not even one left not even on eBay. Thanks.

Last weekend, I had a good cry as I watched the YouTube tape of the first interviews with the police officers who came upon and freed Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight, and Gina DeJesus. If you haven't seen this and want to know what happened the moment those women were freed, check out this link.

Switching subjects, did you know that Jennifer Aniston is a co-owner of Living Proof? There is was in Bazaar, which I was reading at the hair salon last night. Was I the last one to know that?

Remember that Guerlain's limited-edition Terra Nerolia ($69.00) bronzer will make an appearance within the next week! This exquisite oversized face and body bronzer showcases a dazzling sun icon comprised of shimmering peach, bronze, and gold shades. When marrying the three shades together with each brushstroke, the gold infuses throughout, resulting in a subtle satiny sheen. In line with the Terracotta collection, Terra Nerolia is scented with the alluring tiare flower. If you want to pre-order from the Guerlain boutique, give Rhonda a call at (702) 732-7008. If you are on the East Coast, remember that they are on Pacific Time.

Remember your sunscreen this weekend! It's supposed to be sunny here, so an SPF 50 would be appropriate. I heard that you can only count on a two-year life span for sunscreens, so if you plan to be outdoors, remember to pick up a new one today.

Important discount announcement...
Beautyhabit is offering a 20% discount this weekend on all color (makeup). Use the code SUMMERCOLOR through May 27. You can use it on Rouge Bunny Rouge!

This week's giveaway contest ends tomorrow, Saturday, May 25. If you'd like to enter to win YSL's Effect Faux Cils Crème d'Eyeliner in Jade Black, just leave a comment. Good luck! Just because, I think I'll do a flash giveaway over the weekend - for all of you who stay home and read blogs. You deserves some excitement!

¹ In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or ugly off-topic messages in an online community. We're not talking about supernatural beings in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore.

Photo at top by Best Things in Beauty; other photo courtesy of Guerlain