Although the minimum wage was created to ensure a better life for Americans, it’s not always the exemplary choice in some people’s views. A great deal of Americans struggle to make minimum wage and barely make ends meet.

As a college student I understand how difficult it is to work a minimum wage job, go to school, buy food, buy necessities, do homework, pay rent, buy books, and pay car payments.

Over the past couple years, college students have discovered that the adult industry has been a relief to their money issues. Students have found various ways in the adult industry to pay back loans for school or pay for any other basic need of a college student.  The “Sugar Daddy Solution,” is becoming a fad for college students across America.

It seems as though students looking to find a job in the adult industry most commonly end up escorting or seeking sugar daddy’s. Finding a job in the adult industry is not always on purpose. Chloe, a “pro girlfriend,” states that she found her arranged relationship on “accident.”

Chloe had been working at Buffalo Wild Wings in Las Vegas, when her car broke down and “needed a new alternator and starter which was going to cost about $1500.”

Chloe had found herself on craigslist looking for a more beneficial job. Unfortunately it’s hard to find a job that pays more without a degree. Chloe was embarrassed to say that she wandered off into the adult section of craigslist. She viewed ads for hookers, strippers, and porn stars. She realized she did not want to do any of those jobs.

Although she wasn’t interested in becoming Vegas’s next big strip show, she continued to view the adult section. Soon an ad for a “pro girlfriend,” appeared. Chloe wasn’t completely sure about what a “pro girlfriend,” was exactly, but was open to finding out about how it worked.

Chloe met up with the man who posted the ad on craigslist. While Chloe was 18 and still adapting to life on her own, he was 50. The first day Chloe and him met he immediately fixed her car, after a nice lunch of course.

According to Chloe there are many benefits to her arrangement. Not only is money a benefit, but Chloe has benefited in various ways. Chloe went from being as desperate as looking in the adult section on Craigslist, to earning a 3.8 GPA at the University of Las Vegas and establishing a stable life for herself.

Although her arranged boyfriend does receive sex, it is not the only way he benefits from the relationship. Chloe says she has helped him become a healthier person, supports his ideas, and his over all well-being.

Some might say that having an arranged relationship may be the same thing as becoming a prostitute. Prostitution is pretty straight forward; you have sex for money. Chloe does not consider herself only having sex for money. Chloe and her arranged boyfriend have established an actual relationship, and support each other’s wants and dreams, something most people in a relationship don’t even accomplish.

What’s not to love? Love and Money are things people search for the most and now it’s just a click away on craigslist. It seems simple, become a “pro girlfriend,” make good money, pay your bills, go to college, receive stability. It seems like the perfect fantasy. But is it all it’s cracked up to be?

According to Chloe she’s making over $100 grand a year just by being a “pro girlfriend.”Chloe receives “$1,000 in cash a week, rent for her townhouse, about $1,500 a month, about a thousand a month for a clothing expense, payment of her BMW and her insurance.”

Chloe has created a good savings account for herself,  established rental properties, has no student debt, and is financially stable.

I always hear people talking about how prostitutes make a lot of money. It seems as though it depends on the type of business you are in, within the adult industry. In my opinion being a prostitute or stripper is not the dream job I fantasize about. although Chloe’s relationship with her arranged boyfriend makes me reconsider the aspects of having an arranged relationship.

When I look at all the aspects of the adult industry, I see drugs, violence, and unstable people. When I look at escorts and arranged relationships compared to prostitution, stripping, webcam models, and porn stars, it’s easy to differentiate.

The stability and safety of having a “sugar daddy,” or “arranged relationship,” is far from the position a prostitute working in the middle of the night on dangerous streets would have.

Although I don’t personally agree with the Adult industry overall, Arranged relationships seem like the most logical way to have a job in the adult industry. People in arranged relationships are not prostitutes, strippers, or porn stars. “Pro girlfriends,” hardly consider themselves part of the adult industry. They are people striving to have a better life and perhaps create a lifelong relationship and promote stability within each other.

A huge variety of dating websites for wealthy men and women are sprouting across the internet, and creating a higher demand for wealthy people in the dating life.

Dating is now considered a sub category for the adult industry all thanks to the idea of pro girlfriends/boyfriends, arranged relationships, and escorts. Seekingarrangements.com and sugardaddyforme.com are only a few out of the many growing sugar daddy websites.

To be quite honest, it’s difficult for me to distinguish the difference between having a sugar daddy and an arranged relationship. I would much rather be honest as to why I’m with someone and have them support my decisions, then fake love with someone for their money.

It would be nice to extinguish both options and the sex industry overall, but unfortunately desperate times call for desperate measures, and someone has to keep the porn business going for all those demanding late night viewers.

Perhaps there were other routes a person in an arranged relationship could have taken, but if working in the adult industry is someone’s “only option,” becoming a pro girlfriend seems like the best choice.

1. Chris Pirillo

Ah, Chris Pirillo, technology enthusiast and professional nerd. He doesn’t waste any time wowing you with a special Twitter background, he just lets you know how it is.

2. Wardere

Why is this so funny? See post here.

3. Michael Ian Black

Now I had no idea who this guy was before I saw his Twitter background and I still don’t, but that doesn’t really matter to me. Unicorns and rainbows and dragons, oh my!

4. Jon Pudny

The nerd in me is just forced to love this Photoshop background.

5. Praveen

And another Photoshop background.

6. Steve Agee

I just have to love people who use funny pictures of themselves as their Twitter background.

7. Jason Sweeney

I have been looking at this background for several hours now and I still have no idea what is going on here.

8. Ed Shull

Our very own Ed Shull has made the funny twitter background list. Now, you may not be able to see it at first but if you have a wide enough monitor or you zoom the page out enough you may just spot a friendly little bunny on the right hand side.

9. Jim Carrey

You have to love Jim Carrey, he does everything with style. His Twitter is no exception. I give you what I like to call the Jim Canary.

10. Chris Cooley

Chris Cooley is a professional football player that also owns a pottery shop… I was a big confused when I saw his Twitter, football on one side, pottery on the other. At least he is not afraid to show he has a softer, more sensitive side.

11. Paul Scheer

Paul is a pretty funny guy and while his Twitter background is just an advertisement for NTSF:SD:SUV:: I find it amusing, finger gun and all.

12. Michael McKean

Doesn’t even need a description.

13. Megan Amram

What a disaster. I could imagine this being one of those backgrounds you posted when you accidently selected the bad picture instead of the good one.

So what is the major difference between the Roomba and the Smarbo? Well, for one, the price of the Smarbo is around $1,200. That is pretty expensive for a vacuum. The price reminds me of when one of those at home demonstrators came to my house and tried to sell me one of those Rainbow vacuum cleaners/air purifier thingies that costs $3,000. That price just seems a little steep for something that could get stepped on, broken or stuck. Not to mention that these little robotic vacuums are rather small. I have a dog that sheds a lot and I just do not think this thing could pick up all the hair in one trip.

The Smarbo has two CPU’s that make the machine go although Toshiba hasn’t said what kind. There is a camera on board and 38 sensors that tell the little vacuum where to go, when to stop, how much to accelerate and the distance of objects. The little thing can sure move, that is for sure. The Smarbo can cover 100sqm in just 90 minutes. Also, if you are worried about being green then little vacuum will only cost about $0.03 to clean a room of that size.

The new Smarbo will be released on October 1^st in Japan and comes with a remote control and chargin station.  Let the robotic vacuum war begin.

I have been toying with the idea of getting a hybrid or electric car for a while. With the rising price of gas and my slight desire to do my part in saving the environment I think it would be a good choice. The problem I have with hybrid cars is that they are all so ugly. I mean, the Toyota Prius, the Nissan Leaf, the Chevrolet Volt? They are all pretty ugly if you ask me. If Tesla would ever release the Tesla Model S I would be in heaven but I think I could settle with the Cadillac ELR.

Back in 2009 Cadillac released an electric concept car called the Converj. It was a seriously sexy coupe that ran on electricity. The converj was only a concept back then but is now going into production and will be named the Cadillac ELR.

One fear of owning an electric car is what happens when the battery gets low. Does your vehicle just stop? Well the new Cadillac ELR will switch to a gas-powered generator if that happens meaning you don’t have to worry about charging the battery on long trips. The new luxury electric car will be based on the same powertrain as the Chevy Volt.

If you want an electric car and are willing to pay extra for the luxury name of a Cadillac then this one might be the one. So what does an luxury electric car cost? GM isn’t saying but Bloomberg reported that GM will price it below the $57,400 Tesla Model S.

This JVC docking station is awesome. I hate the fact that I have to plug my iPhone and iPad into separate plugs when I go to bed at night. It would be so much easier if I could just have them all in one place. That is why I am glad JVC came up with this Apple docking station. I am kind of surprised Apple didn’t think of it first. With so many Apple products it seems like it would be the smart thing to do.

The docking station isn’t only useful but it is slick and clean just like all of your favorite Apple products. The station consists of the primary docking station and two adjoining speakers so you can listen to your favorite tunes while your iPad, iPhone or iPod charges. This would make a great nightstand alarm clock.

The station even comes with a remote control so you can control your products at a distance. The primary dock has multiple stations so you can charge or connect different devices. Along with connecting your Apple products you can also connect a television set or other media player.

The docking station comes in two different versions. UXVJ 3 which runs around $329 or, for an extra $40, the UXJV 5 which comes with an extra USB slot and a CD player. You can purchase the dock from JVC.

Once again we have a phone with specs that fall significantly short of the iPhone, but they cover it gold, which is pretty useless, especially if you upgrade your phone as much as I do.

The one saving feature to this phone, and something I wish Apple would consider adding to the iPhone, is the dual SIM slots, which the company says can provide you with two numbers.  I’m more interested in using the dual SIMs to allow me to make calls on two different networks.  Let’s say AT&T is not getting good coverage (I know, when does that ever happen, right?), then I could switch up to Verizon.  Combine that idea with Google Voice and you can have the phone ring on both numbers, and accept the call on the best connection.

Of course this is a tricky workaround, and not one I expect to see Apple really embrace.  It would just be nice if the mobile carriers would work.  But it’s at least one feature the Goldvish Equilibrium above the iPhone.  Everything else appears to fall way short.

PPH Symptoms

PPH is generally diagnosed by physical examination.  Typical signs of persistent pulmonary hypertension include altered heart sounds, parasternal heave, pulmonary regurgitation, elevated jugular venous pressure, peripheral edema (swelling of the feet/ankles), ascites (abdominal swelling due to fluid), hepatojugular reflux, and clubbing.

Further testing can include pulmonary function tests, electrocardiograph (ECG), arterial blood gas measurements, chest x-rays, CT scans, and ventilation or perfusion.  Normal pulmonary pressure is 12-16 mm Hg – pulmonary hypertension is present when the pressure exceeds 25 mm Hg.

There are five different types of PPH:

1. Arterial PPH;
2. Venous PPH;
3. Hypoxic PPH;
4. Thromboembolic PPH; and
5. Miscellaneous PPH.

PPH is often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms begin very gradually.  Symptoms of persistent pulmonary hypertension include shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting – all of which are exacerbated by physical exertion.  Other symptoms include non-productive cough, angina pectoris, fainting or syncope, lips and skin that turn blue, peripheral edema (swelling around the feet and ankles), and hemotysis (coughing up blood).  Finally, PPH can result in a significant decrease in exercise tolerance, and even lead to heart failure.

PPH Treatment

Treatment is determined based on the typed of PPH.  Arterial PPH can be treated with lifestyle changes, oxygen therapy, oral anti-coagulants, diuretics, and digoxin.

Pulmonary venous hypertension is synonymous with congestive heart failure, meaning treatment options center on optimizing left ventricular function.  This can be achieved though the use of diuretics, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, or to simply repair/replace the valve.

Left untreated, PPH patients have a survival rate of 2-3 years.  However, with proper treatment, expected survival rates can exceed 10 years.

Fen-Phen and PPH

The drug combination fenfluramine/phentermine, usually called Fen-Phen, is an anti-obesity treatment that utilizes two anorectics.  Fen-Phen was sold under two trade names: fenfluramine (Pondimin) and dexfenfluramine (Redux).

A three-year study, published in 1992 showed that Fen-Phen was extremely effective in maintaining a significant weight loss.  However, when the patients stopped taking Fen-Phen, most regained their weight.

In 1996, an article in the New England Journal of Medicine showed a statistically significant rise in persistent pulmonary hypertension in patients taking Fen-Phen.  Due to these and other side effects, in late 1997, the FDA recommended that Fen-Phen no longer be prescribed.

The FDA ordered fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine off the market in September 1997 after those drugs were linked to heart valve problems.  Fenfluramine is one of the ingredients in Fen-Phen, and dexfenfluramine is closely related to fenfluramine.  These drugs are manufactured by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and American Home Products.

PPH Lawsuits

Clearly, this drug combination used for rapid weight loss was extremely unsafe.  The manufacturers of Fen-Phen promoted this drug as safe and effective.  As shown in the study referenced above, the drug is not safe – thousands of patients taking Fen-Phen now have various cardiovascular and lung problems, such as persistent pulmonary hypertension.  In addition, the drug is not effective – studies show that patients who stop taking Fen-Phen almost always regain the weight they originally lost.

Upon the release of the information regarding the pulmonary and cardiac risks of Fen-Phen, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America formed a group to seek damages from American Home Products, the distributor of fenfluramine (Pondimin) and dexfenfluramine (Redux).

Estimates of total liability ran as high as $14 billion.  As of February 2005, Wyeth was still in negotiations with injured parties, offering settlements of $5,000 to $200,000 to some of those who had sued, and stating they might offer more to those who were most seriously injured.

According to a 1999 article in The New York Times, a Texas woman was awarded $23.3 million for heart damage she suffered after taking the diet drug combination known as Fen-Phen.  The final settlement amount is undisclosed.

If you or someone you know has primary pulmonary hypertension, you should contact a Fen-Phen lawyer today to discuss your case.  If you have been diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), please contact a PPH lawyer today for a free consultation.

If you are suffering from dizziness, chest pains, skin turning blue, or difficulty breathing, you may have persistent pulmonary hypertension – a difficult disease to diagnose.  The best step you can take is to contact your medical provider for further testing.  If you believe you have PPH, you should contact an experienced PPH lawyer today to assist you with your Fen-Phen claim.

The client requested something more aggressive and sportier than the original Bentley Continental GT and boy am I pleased. This thing is a beautiful cherry red and it resembles a luxury sports car. After the initial brief and a few concept sketches the Imperium design team narrowed the options down to just three conversion styles. These three styles were then combined into one oh so perfect final production design.

The customized Bentley Continental GT has some truly unique features. The front and rear apron have been upgraded. The design team added gorgeous exposed side skirts, a boot spoiler lip as well as a rear carbon fiber diffuser.

The design team did not skimp on the carbon fiber as it flows throughout the entire car making it ultra-light in weight. The wheels are ultra-light alloy wheels with a design personally selected by the client. The client also chose an optimized breaking system, ECU upgrade, lowered suspsion and a special exhaust system designed to maintain the perfect noise level.

Of course will all of the luxurious upgrades added to the exterior of the vehicle they could not leave the inside plain. The inside has been filled with carbon fiber to match the outside, leather upholstery, wooden trimmings, ultra-suede and a special bespoken steering wheel.

This is a truly special and unique car. I would not mind seeing it on the road one day or preferably in my driveway.

To be honest, I never appreciated the iPod Touch.  It’s basically an iPhone without the phone.  If someone wants an iPhone, why not just get one?  I had a good talk with several people while at the last SXSW who had iPod Touch’s and they all had a good excuse.  They are required by work to have a Blackberry, but they love the App Store.  I have also talked to some younger people, with less accommodating parents than I, who would love an iPhone, but their parents won’t pay for it.  Damn near child abuse if you ask me.  But it looks like this is bound to be the case for a while, until IT people start loving Apple the way they should, and child protection laws finally protect a teen’s right to an iPhone.

But I have been watching a trend that has me thinking that it may be time for me to look into purchasing an iPod Touch.  The latest reason comes from Chelsea’s earlier post about the VooMote One, which turns the iPhone as a universal remote.  The VoomMote is just the latest in a line of devices that let you use your iPhone or iPod Touch as a remote.  These devices run about $100, which when combined with the iPod Touch as $230, gives you a $330 remote.  Sounds a bit steep until you really look the price of other remotes.  A decent Logitech Harmony remote is going to run you about $200 – $250.

But then there is the other things you can do with an iPod Touch.  First off, you can obviously check your email, which is pretty cool when you think about doing that from a remote.  Want to update your Facebook status, or maybe check-in to a show with GetGlue?  You can’t do that with most remote controls.  Twitter is another obvious feature.  This isn’t counting the tens of thousands of other apps, including games, sharing photos and videos, video chat, web browsing, etc… that you can now do on your remote control.

Let’s also add the ability to control even more devices.  For example, you can use Airplay right from your iPod to send music from Pandora or Spotify to your stereo, so you now have unlimited music.  I have a Sonos system, which has it’s own iPhone/iPod app to control all the music in every room in my home.

And let’s not forget about old school X-10 devices.  X-10 has been around for decades, and with the proliferation of iPhone and other devices, it’s become a popular choice for people in home automation.  With the X-10 iPhone app, you can control the lighting and heating/air in every room, and even set timers for true automation.  There is even an alarm system module so you can activate security protocols from your iPod.

The more options like these, the more the iPod Touch becomes an excellent choice as a complete remote control for your home.  And with AirPlay mirroring  coming out in iOS 5, the benefits will only increase.

Of course there is one thing the iPhone can do which the iPod cannot, take calls.  But this is not completely true.  Just install Skype on your iPod Touch and your off and calling.  And if you use Google Voice, like I do, you can set it so that it rings your Skype phone as well as your mobile number.

There is one more note I want to add to this idea.  As more and more people are dumping land lines in favor of a mobile phone only house, there is a problem.  Sometimes you don’t have your iPhone in earshot in your home.  It’s not like you will always walk around with it.  For that the iPod Touch/Skype idea is great, but there is another option that will allow you to return to the old days of actual phones in your home.  Check out the Panasonic KX-TG7645M DECT 6.0 Link-to-Cell via Bluetooth Cordless Phone.  This excellent phone system allows you to connect your iPhone via Bluetooth, which then allows you to pick up the cordless phone and make call, using your iPhone in place of a landline.  And since the phone system comes with 5 handsets, you can have these all around your house, and never miss a call again.

So finally you can keep your iPhone plugged into the charger while at home, leaving home duties to the iPod Touch.  If I wasn’t convinced before, I just talked myself into this idea.  Let me know if you try this and what experiences you have.

So what is the inches in facebook status trend? Well women are actually posting their shoe size i.e. 6 followed by the inches sign “ and then an unhappy face after. So my status might read something like 8” . Of course this only gives men and anyone else who doesn’t know the meaning behind it the wrong idea.

What is with all the women on Facebook thinking it is proper to confuse all the men by putting random things in their status like the color of their bra? And I know the rumor going around is that this is all to raise awareness for breast cancer. How exactly does that work? I do not see how putting the size of my feet in inches raises breast cancer awareness. Who comes up with these things?

These trends are driving me crazy. They are hard to keep up with. I think it’s time for men to make their own trend.