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Luxury Condominium
As the first integrated development in Damansara Heights, DC is poised to spearhead a new era for this prime residential neighbourhood. The seamless integration between business, living and leisure, combined with its highly matured surroundings, pays homage to its elite-status populace.
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Home Design
We think that all construction can benefit from the involvement of a design professional, residential not being an exception. There are many forms of project delivery in the residential market, however; only one provides the owner with a guided and systematic approach to truly limitless possibilities.
We don't start with stock plans and modify them; we start from scratch. Our design professionals design and develop plans based on your needs, your desires, and your lifestyle.
This process allows the house to be designed for your specific site, tailoring the layout to maximize the sites attributes, and allows for a holistic design approach. This approach allows the owner to engage in the exciting process of home building and improvements with confidence.
Carlile Group has been providing custom home design services to Chicagoland for more than a decade. Let us show you how we can help make your project the envy of the neighborhood while even saving you money along the way.


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15 travel essentials that have to be on your beach vacation packing list
Are you leaving soon for a holiday by the sea but don't know exactly what travel essentials your beach vacation packing list should include? The more I travel, the better I become in selecting what to bring and what not to, so here I share my ultimate list of beach must-have accessories hoping to give some great tips for your next trip!
Table of Contents
- 15 essential beach vacation packing list items
15 essential beach vacation packing list items
I admit I was carrying way too much stuff when I started visiting faraway countries. I realized quickly that most things were unnecessary, while I missed some important travel essentials. This post won't focus on snorkel gear but on must-have travel essentials that I always take when leaving for a vacation. (However, I assume that you will do snorkeling too on your holiday, so read my snorkeling equipment guide too to know what things I recommend to use)
UV protective clothing
I cannot stress enough how important protecting your skin from the harmful sun rays is. The UV index is so high that you can get sunburned in 10-15 minutes, especially in tropical countries when you spend the whole day near the sea and white sand that multiply reflection. You have to cover yourself not only when at the beach and while snorkeling, but every time you stay in the sun even if it's only a sightseeing excursion.
In my opinion, the most practical is to wear UV protective rash guard (long sleeves are the best). These cover most areas of your body so you can minimize your sunscreen usage. These lightweight and quick-drying shirts and shorts are always the first items that I check on my beach vacation packing list, I never leave without them.
Sun hat / Baseball cap / headband
After covering your body, think about protecting your head too! Don't forget to put a sun hat or baseball cap into your suitcase so you can stay in the sun without getting sunburn or heat stroke.
A multifunctional headband is also on my beach vacation packing list that I can use for various purposes. Mainly, I wear it while snorkeling. It not only helps me to avoid getting sunburned on the head but also keeps the hair off the face.
- seamless bandana in stylish colors
- streachable and breathable soft material
- UV resistance, perfect for outdoor activities
- quick-drying and lightweight
Moreover, a headband is a practical travel accessory when renting a scooter or quad! Rental helmets are often (almost always) dirty and not hygienic, therefore I wear them with my headscarf that I can wash easily.
You might have long sleeve UV clothes and also a sun hat, but of course, you can't cover yourself from head to toe all the time, so you need to apply some sunscreen too. In order to do the best for your skin and for the environment, make sure that you use ocean-friendly sun care products that don't harm the sea.
However, it is becoming more and more common to find eco sunscreen in drug stores all over the world, but in some places, especially in Asia I found it difficult to get reef-safe products, therefore I recommend buying them in advance!
Don't let fashion trends fool you and avoid buying cheap in fast fashion shops or at markets. Buy sunglasses that have quality lenses to prevent UV rays caused sun effects such as cataracts, pterygium or macular degeneration.
Near water, the best is to use polarized sunglasses that reduce glare and improve the ability to see objects in the water. Polarized lenses have a special filter that blocks intense light providing you with bigger comfort and better visibility.
- sport sunglasses with impact resistant lenses and superior frames
- ideal for outdoor activities, fishing, cycling, running and driving too
- 100% UVA and UVB protection
- lightweight, comfortable and durable design
Mosquito repellent
The 'mosquito problem' exists all over the world, no matter whether you go for a holiday to the mountains or to a beach destination. You need to be extremely cautious when traveling to the tropics where the risk of getting dangerous diseases like Zika, malaria or dengue fever is the highest.
Therefore, protect yourself by wearing long sleeves clothes when going outside in the evening and by using insect repellent. It is also a good idea to add a portable mosquito net to your beach vacation packing list that you can use indoors and outdoors too.
Travel towel
Lightweight, fast-drying travel towels saved my life several times when traveling so I believe these are must-have travel essentials on a beach vacation packing list. They don't take so much space in your baggage but come extremely useful when the hotel towels are dirty, or on boat trips where towels are not provided.
Moreover, besides its original function, you can use a travel towel for various other purposes too! You can sit on it, use it as a blanket, scarf or skirt and with a little creativity, it can serve you as a carry bag too. Get them in different sizes!
- ultra-soft microfiber travel towel for travel and outdoor activities
- quick-drying and extremely absorbent
- with carry bag and quick-nap hang loop
- different colors and sizes to choose from
Waterproof key holder
A watertight keyholder is another top travel accessory on my beach vacation packing list that I never leave at home. When I go swimming or snorkeling, I always put the room key (car immobilizer if I have a rental vehicle) and small valuables like credit cards or money into a waterproof key case to keep them dry as well as and safe.
You won't need to leave your personal items unattended in your beach bag anymore when you go swimming. Just simply put them into the case and take them everywhere, even underwater.
- keeps small valuables like keys and money dry
- durable, crush-resistant
- safe locking system
- floats in water
Watertight holders are available in different shapes and sizes from the simplest waterproof pouches to professional dive cases. I prefer hard cases like the WITZ waterproof holder because I find them more reliable. It is very durable and floats in the water.
My advice is to do a water test with only a tissue inside before using the case with your keys. Close the lid properly, go swimming, dive with it and if the tissue remains dry, the seal is good so you can put your keys inside.
Waterproof bag
Beach bags are stylish and fancy, but my recommendation is to use a waterproof bag to carry your stuff. It will protect your valuables from water, sand and dirt and also practical when heading home from the beach.
Just simply put all your wet stuff in the waterproof bag and it will keep all the draining water inside. You won't make yourself wet and also won't damage the car seats.
- all-weather waterproof backpack with secure closing
- extra zippered pockets
- heavy-duty PVC material
- padded back support for maximum comfort
To store small things like phone, wallet or key the smaller ones such as 2 l or 5 l models are great, but if you get a bigger, 15 l or 25 l waterproof backpack, you will be able to put in all your stuff including beach accessories and also your snorkel gear.
Underwater camera
A compact underwater camera is the best choice for any beach holiday that you can use on land and in the water too. Today's smart, pocket-size models take high-quality photos and thanks to the pre-set modes, your pictures will be always sharp and bright in all conditions no matter whether you take them on a sunny day on the beach or in the city at night.
Latest waterproof camera models feature special underwater modes that automatically correct the colors, so no post-processing is required in order to take excellent footage. However, learning some tips on how to improve your snorkeling photos might be useful too. If prefer action cameras, a GoPro is also a good choice!
Power bank
Nowadays we don't travel without a smartphone, which we not only use as a camera but often to store travel itineraries, bookings and maps on it. Hence, it is really annoying when you don't have access to your documents because of an empty phone battery.
Moreover, in remote beach locations, especially on islands you might experience power cuts too so it can happen that you can't use your devices when you would need them. To solve this problem and be able to always charge at least your phone, take a No products found. with you that will save your dying batteries and also you from getting lost!
Flat shoes
The beach is not the place where you need to show off in high heels. I understand that you want to look pretty, but the best is to take comfortable flat shoes with you that you can wear on the beach and when going out in the evening too.
- handmade braided women beach sandals
- high-quality rubber and soft nylon for durability
- water resistant material that is perfect for beach activities
- stylish design and comfortable fit
The ideal is to choose models that are water-resistant and easy to clean! Also, it is good to take with you beach shoes too that you can use while swimming to protect your foot.
Sanitizer spray
By the sea and when traveling you don't always have the opportunity of washing your hands after using the bathroom or before grabbing a snack from a restaurant. Therefore, it is highly recommended to add a hand sanitizer spray or biodegradable sanitizing wipes to your beach vacation packing list that not only clean but also soothe your hands. Wipe away germs and dirt and enjoy staying hygienic in all situations!
Refillable water bottle
The amount of plastic that enters our oceans is increasing day-by-day and it is our responsibility to reduce the impact on our environment. Using a refillable water bottle instead of buying bottled water is a simple yet powerful action to reduce plastic usage in our everyday life. Keep this habit when on holiday too!
Popular beach holiday destinations like Thailand, Bali or the Maldives don't have good waste-management systems like more developed countries in the US or Europe, therefore take some effort and do your best to create as little waste as possible.
- high-quality double wall, leak-proof vacuum insulated bottle
- keeps drinks cold for 48 hours, hot for 24 hours
- 2 caps in the package
- food-grade stainless steel and non-toxic plastic materials
The best are insulated bottles that keep your drink cold/hot for a couple of hours!
Shampoo bars and solid bar cosmetic products
Taking solid toiletries to your vacation has many benefits! You might think about the advantage of using packaging-free items and like this, creating less waste, but this is just one aspect.
Solid bar shampoos and body care items are lighter and take less space in your luggage, moreover last longer and don't leak! Get a few organic shampoos, facial cleansers, and moisturizer bars, or buy them locally. I'm sure you never will go back to heavy shower gel and shampoo bottles!
Personal medications
No matter whether you leave for a snorkeling trip or just for sightseeing, always put into your luggage among the first items the medications you take regularly and a travel first aid kit. Foreign countries have different pills and use different ingredients, so take all the medications that you will need during your holiday.
On the other hand, keep in mind that if you get a local disease, seek medical help immediately! Don't try to cure it with your usual pills since they might be not effective against the local bacteria. Last but not least, never travel without insurance! Accidents can happen and even small injuries can cost a lot, so prepare yourself for these situations!
Inspired? Pin it!
"Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you."


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A graphic impulse, an organ, the heart, lent rhythm by the bustle of an imaginary architectural anthill inspired by the magnificent town of Lyon. Au Cœur de la ville (in the heart of town), such is the name of this piece of wall art comprising 12 plates in stoneware and porcelain. An urban puzzle nested together on the wall, an invitation to live at the pace of our imaginary cities.
Wall-mounted panorama composed of 12 moulded, silk-screen printed stoneware plates. Supplied with a positioning template and an ingenious wall fixing system which requires no holes to be made.
Design by
Maison Le Loup
- H 940 mm x W 820 mm x E 33 mm
Including packaging
7 kg
Technical Specifications


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The online dating world as we know it is changing. The one feature that many thought could save of us has become the bane of our single existence. One brave app has decided to end swiping once and for all, and in my opinion it's the worst decision they could've made.
The "dating apocalypse", a term coined by Nancy Jo Sales, is officially upon us and its first victim might be Hinge.
The Swipe Give Us Hope
As a dating coach and founder of, thedatingtruth.com there is one thing I know about single men and women that can't be denied: we're terrible at choosing our own partners. Although swiping is an incredibly fun feature, when left to our own devices, single men and women have no idea how to swipe effectively. But the benefit of the swipe is that it gives the appearance of choice, and it supplies small wins.
Imagine walking into a bar and getting a slight wink, or smile from an attractive patron. You'd feel pretty darn good about yourself, whether you had the courage to speak to them or not. Swiping provides the similar feeling of having a small win, when you make a match.
It gives you the sense that something is working, so you continue to "play" as Tinder refers to it.
A match indicates that you did something right, and it feels good to have crossed that hurdle. It's like the first matching number of the Powerball, it gives you hope and it feels exciting. Without the swipe feature, how can you tell that you're really winning?
I have always been a fan of Hinge, (read my article here) but by removing the swipe, Hinge has inadvertently removed the reward. It's made it harder to feel that sensation of getting closer to a relationship.
The Swipe Gives Permission
By removing the swipe feature, Hinge literally created virtual catcalling. By the time I re-opened the app, I had 109 impressions – that means a multitude of hearts, hellos and goofy pickup lines that I had not signed up for. 109!
As much as we hate it, the swipe serves as a gate between you and all the weirdos, losers, douchebags and scammers trying to get to you.
Unless a match is made, you can't be subjected to any pathetic attempts at a pickup line. And that's a good thing. To open the Hinge app, and see a multitude of strange men commenting on my profile, who I probably wouldn't even make eye contact with in real life, (sorry, not sorry) is reason enough for any attractive person not to subject themselves to that type of virtual attention.
Without the swipe, on a platform like Hinge where communication is now a free for all, it feels like riding a city bus for singles. Maybe men enjoy the litany of comments on their timeline but for women it's not flattering. Its no different than walking into a bar and having guy, after guy, ask to buy you a drink. (Or is that just me?)
Open access given to users is a line that I didn't know I didn't want crossed until it was eliminated.
The Swipe Gives Us Power
The way we behave online is not the way most people behave in real life. While we eschew the judgmental nature and superficiality of swiping, it gives us the one thing we lack outside of an app. Power.
We analyze each profile, scrutinize every photo and at the end of the day have final jurisdiction to swipe left, sending the unqualified into the abyss – never to be seen or heard from again- or right, signifying their worthiness of our attention.
Most singles never feel this confident in real life. While it may not be a long lasting feeling, the swipe for that moment, means you are in charge. You're making the decision to swipe left or right, and you're getting a chance with someone that in real life, you might not feel worthy of. It makes matching that much more rewarding.
The Swipe Is Not The Problem
One feature doesn't make or break a dating app, so maybe there is hope for Hinge. To take away the swipe, Hinge has eliminated a barrier, that in my professional career, I've never heard anyone say they wanted gone. It's also managed to make a simple idea, such as the dating app, complicated.
The gamification of dating makes sense, because dating is a game. If you give single men and women the right tools, they can come out as winners. The swipe is just one way to play the game and ultimately, it's fun. To me, singles don't need less features, just better and clearer instructions on how to use them.
You can no longer swipe on Hinge, but you can pay… for what exactly, I'm not sure? Hinge, I imagine wants to make an impact on the way singles find love online, and I applaud that, but I don't believe they've found the solution. If we're actually in a dating apocalypse, the swipe isn't our biggest threat, miseducation is.


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40 years after Roe, states seek to limit abortions
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Ever since a 40-year-old Supreme Court decision found that abortions are legal in some circumstances, state legislatures across the country have been pushing measures aimed at scaling them back.
It has been rare for states to expand access to abortions since the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, but there have been numerous efforts to limit them — including several proposals already introduced in statehouses this year. Here is a look at some of the abortion restrictions currently being considered in Republican-controlled states.
Alabama: The Republican majority in the Alabama House lists as one of its priorities for the upcoming session a bill that would expand safety and health standards for those who perform abortions. The GOP lawmakers said the measure, which is similar to one that died in a committee last year, also would require direct physician involvement in the operation.
Arkansas: The GOP-controlled Arkansas Legislature plans to propose new abortion restrictions this session, including a ban on abortions performed after 20 weeks of pregnancy. They also are trying to prevent most abortions from being covered through the health insurance exchange that would be created under the federal health care law and a ban on the use of telemedicine to make the abortion pill available.
Florida: In Florida, Republican Rep. Charles Van Zant has filed a bill that would ban abortion except in cases where the mother's life or health is at risk. Anyone performing an abortion or operating an abortion clinic would face felony charges and up to life in prison. It is the fourth straight year he has filed the abortion ban, and it has died without a committee vote each of the previous three years.
Indiana: Indiana lawmakers are again looking at ways to curb abortions, two years after former Gov. Mitch Daniels signed legislation to de-fund Planned Parenthood. Senate Republicans have proposed mandating abortion providers hand out pamphlets with color pictures of aborted fetuses and making it a felony for a patient to abort a fetus in cases where she knows the gender or knows there would be a genetic abnormality.
Kansas: Republican Gov. San Brownback has signed a series of tough anti-abortion measures during his first two years in office, and anti-abortion groups are pushing new legislation this year. Kansans for Life is asking lawmakers to ensure the state doesn't finance abortions, even indirectly, to ban abortions because of the fetus' gender and allow wrongful-death lawsuits when a fetus dies because of an accident.
Kentucky: Republican state Rep. Stan Lee says he plans to introduce legislation in this year's session that would prevent insurance plans made available to Kentuckians under federal health care reforms from paying for abortions. Lee intends to push for the legislation despite assurances from Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear's administration that abortions won't be covered.
Mississippi: Republican Gov. Phil Bryant has said repeatedly that he wants Mississippi to be abortion-free and that he would sign additional abortion restrictions into law. Bills filed in the Legislature this year would ban abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected and regulate drugs that are used to induce abortions.
Nebraska: Lawmakers will consider a bill this year that would require abortion clinic websites to link to a state webpage that shows ultrasound images of fetuses. The state webpage would also show alternatives to abortion and a list of health care locations that offer free ultrasounds.
Oklahoma: A so-called "personhood" proposal shot down in the Oklahoma Legislature last year that would grant citizenship rights to a fertilized human egg has been introduced again in the GOP-controlled House. This year's bill states that life begins at conception and that a fertilized human egg at every stage of development has "all the rights, privileges, and immunities available to other persons, citizens, and residents of this state."
Tennessee: A state Supreme Court decision in 2000 threw out several Tennessee laws restricting access to abortions, and the ruling has largely thwarted efforts since then to impose new ones. But a proposed constitutional amendment to reverse that ruling goes before Tennessee voters next year.
Texas: Texas Gov. Rick Perry has set as a goal for the legislative session "to make abortion at any stage a thing of the past." The GOP-controlled Legislature is considering proposals to limit when a woman can have abortion, take away a judge's authority to allow teenage girls, under certain circumstances, to have an abortion without their parent's permission, and ban abortion coverage in insurance plans offered under the Affordable Care Act.
Virginia: Last year Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell signed into law a bill requiring women to have an ultrasound before getting an abortion, and an attempt to repeal it already has failed in this year's General Assembly. Still pending are bills to prohibit abortions after 20 weeks gestation and to confer on fetuses the full rights of a person.


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We have all been home for months now and I can't help but daydream about my next vacation. I've been thinking about trips that I've taken over the last few years and wanted to share my experience in Santorini, Greece, as it was one of the best vacations I've ever been one of the best places to travel.
I went to Santorini with two friends for a few days, right before we headed over to Mykonos. We stayed at Santorini Palace in Thera which I highly recommend. We were pleasantly surprised by the size of the room and how beautiful the bathroom was. The hotel felt a bit like a maze as all of the buildings look pretty similar and we got lost a few times. The hotel had a really nice pool with very comfortable daybeds for the ultimate relaxation.
During our stay, we rented an ATV and a two seater car from Sunbird rental which cost us $210 (including insurance). It's definitely the best way to get around the island as there are barely any taxis and they can get pretty pricey. However, travelers need to be extremely careful and vigilant when using the GPS because we ended up on a few one-way streets.
During the day, we would drive around explore what the gorgeous island had to offer. We went to several different places but the highlights in my opinion were the red beach and black beach. To get to the red beach, you have to park the car and then do a pretty strenuous hike to actually get to the beach.. totally worth it. As for the black beach, you have to drive and but there is a pretty steep hill and since we were in the ATV's, we were driving pretty slowly. Both of the beaches were amazing and I would definitely go back.
We asked multiple people where we should go out and every single person included the bar Two Brothers on their list. It's a place where you can dance and can order hookah (not really my thing but my friends love it). Everyone at the bar was having a great time, and the music was a mixture of current hits and 90's hits.
One night after going out, we ended up in a fish spa at 2:30 a.m. I had seen it a few times in the Mexico airport but had never done it. You literally put your feet in a cube of water and little fishies nibble the dead skin from your feet. We were laughing the entire time because it was so ticklish, but it was definitely a unique experience.
Watching the sunset is always on the top of my list when it comes to planning a trip. I always look up the best places to see the sunset before I travel anywhere. The two best places that we found were Oia, one of the most popular places to go on the island, and Pyrgos, which is the highest point of the island. I went a bit camera crazy and took over 100 photos of the same sunset (no shame). Santorini also has at least 50 restaurants throughout the island that you can have an amazing view of the sunset during dinner which is amazing.
All in all, Santorini was a really magical place that I highly recommend as a trip for friends and would also be great for couples.


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Oscar award winning actress, Hilary Swank is filing legal proceedings against a California based company for using her images without her permission. According to the Los Angeles court, the lawsuit filed on May 10 is against Robert's Home Audio and Video. Also attached in the lawsuit is the proprietor of the company, Randall Cordero and Cordero studios.
Swank demonstrates a savvy grasp of the law by saying that the ad campaign violates her right of publicity and denies her any revenue to be accrued. The lawsuit comprises 14 pages of legal argument, including an entire list of her career credits and honors. Although the suit does not specifically state how her image was abused, it says in part "Defendants did not ask for or receive Ms. Swank's permission to use her photograph." She is suing for unspecified damages. Hollywood stars are sensitive to their commercial rights and the home studio might be in deep trouble if found guilty.


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1602 – O'Neill's principal vassal, Donal O'Cahan, submits to Docwra.
1662 – Ormond becomes Lord Lieutenant and arrives in Ireland on this date.
1663 – The 'Cattle Act' restricts Irish trade with colonies as well as exports to England.
1669 – Molly Malone is purportedly christened in Dublin. Molly Malone's baptismal and death certificates were found in the archives of the demolished St John's Church in Fishamble Street.
1710 – George Carpenter, former MP for Newtown, is wounded at Battle of Almenara, Spain.
1782 – Poynings' Law is amended by Yelverton's Act which was passed on this date: only bills passed by both houses of the Irish parliament will be forwarded to England for assent.
1782 – Second and third Catholic Relief Acts (4 May, 27 July) allow Catholics to own land outside parliamentary boroughs, to be teachers and to act as guardians.
1805 – Death of Brian Merriman, poet famous for his translation of 'The Midnight Court'.
1846 – William Smith O'Brien leads the Young Irelanders out of the Repeal Association.
1860 – Birth of John Henry Bernard, scholar, Archbishop of Dublin and provost of Trinity College Dublin.
1866 – Completion of the first submarine cable link underneath the Atlantic, from Valentia Island, Co Kerry to Trinity Bay, Newfoundland.
1920 – An RIC man shot was dead by IRA volunteers in Clonakilty, Co Cork.
1922 – Anti-Treaty IRA under Padraig Quinn attack Dundalk and dynamite the prison wall and in fifteen minutes the well-timed operation results in the freeing of Republican prisoners, including Frank Aiken. In an ambush at nearby Castletown Cross, two Free State soldiers are wounded, one fatally.
1922 – Two Free State soldiers are killed in ambushes in Galway and two more in another ambush in Glenties in Donegal.
1922 – Oscar Traynor, commander of the Anti-Treaty IRA's Dublin Brigade, is arrested by Free State troops in Dublin.
1922 – Three National Army soldiers were killed in fighting near Kilmallock. Republican casualties were not reported.
1938 – Death of Tom Crean, Irish seaman and Antarctic explorer, from Co Kerry. He enlisted in the British Royal Navy at the age of fifteen as a Boy 2nd class. In 1901, while on naval duty serving as an Able Seaman on HMS Ringarooma in New Zealand, he volunteered to join Robert Falcon Scott's 1901-1904 British National Antarctic Expedition on Discovery, thus beginning a distinguished career as an explorer during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
1939 – Birth of poet, Michael Longley, CBE in Belfast. Longley was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and subsequently read Classics at Trinity College, Dublin, where he edited Icarus. He was Professor of Poetry for Ireland from 2007 to 2010, a cross-border academic post set up in 1998, previously held by John Montague, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill and Paul Durcan. He was succeeded in 2010 by Harry Clifton.
1960 – Ireland sends troops to serve with UN forces in the Congo; nine are killed by Baluba tribesmen in an ambush at Niemba on 8 November; one of these, Anthony Browne, will be awarded the Military Medal for Gallantry.
1971 – Death of athlete, Charlie Tully. Born in Belfast, he was a famous footballer of Celtic Football Club. Tully signed for Celtic from Belfast Celtic on 28 June 1948. He played his debut match at Inside-left at home against Morton on 14 August in a 0-0 draw. Charlie played a total of 319 matches for Celtic, scoring 47 goals, throughout his illustrious career, which spanned 11 years.
1977 – Four people were shot dead and 18 were injured in the continuing feud between the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) and members of the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA). An off-duty member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) was shot dead by the IRA in Belfast.
1977 – An off-duty member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) was shot dead by the IRA in Belfast.
1977 – Birth of actor and model, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, in Dublin. Best known for his roles in the films Velvet Goldmine, Mission Impossible III, Bend It Like Beckham, Match Point and his television roles as Elvis Presley in the biographical miniseries Elvis, which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor, and as King Henry VIII in the historical drama The Tudors. Meyers will portray Pádraig Pearse, a political activist and one of the leaders of the bloody 1916 Irish Easter Rising, in the biopic film The Rising, written and produced by Kevin McCann. https://www.therising.ie/cast
1978 – Birth of hurler, Diarmaid O'Sullivan, in Cloyne, Co Cork. O'Sullivan first excelled at hurling whilst at school in Midleton CBS. He made his first impression on the inter-county scene at the age of eighteen when he joined the Cork under-21 team. He made his senior debut during the 1997 championship. O'Sullivan went on to play a key role for Cork for over a decade, and won three All-Ireland medals and five Munster medals. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions.
1980 – U2 plays its first-ever open-air show at the "Dublin Festival 1980" in front of 15,000 at Leixlip Castle in Kildare.
1987 – First expedited salvaging of Titanic wreckage begins by RMS Titanic, Inc.
1993 – Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, argued that the suggested Northern Ireland Select Committee for the House of Commons would have an adverse affect on the Anglo-Irish Agreement (AIA).
1995 – Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Patrick Mayhew, and President of Sinn Féin (SF), Gerry Adams, met for their first official talks at Stormont.
1997 – A Catholic civilian, James Morgan (16), was found dead in a field in Co Down. It was believed that he had been abducted by the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF). Morgan had been missing since 24 July 1997. He had lived near Castlewellan, Co Down. He had been tortured before being killed.
1997 – James Marley (21) from west Belfast hung himself on the railings of a motorway in Belfast. He had previously suffered a paramilitary 'punishment' attack, and had both his legs broken, because of his alleged involvement in 'joyriding' in the west Belfast area. Hours before he committed suicide he had attended an anti-joyriding meeting where he had appealed for more youth facilities in the area.
1998 – A former lieutenant of drugs baron George Mitchell, is caught red-handed with £2.7m worth of cannabis in Co Meath.
1998 – Unionists claim proposals to ban RUC recruits from groups like the Orange Order may be illegal.
1998 – Bernadete Sands-McKevitt, sister of Bobby Sands and member of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, said that the use of physical force by Republicans would not end until British rule in Ireland ended.
1998 – Two brothers, both Catholic civilians, were shot and wounded in a Loyalist attack in Derry.
1999 – Garda Síochána investigating a plot to smuggle handguns from the USA arrested a man and two women in Inverin, Co Galway, and recovered eight handguns that had arrived in two parcels through the post. Earlier, in the US, the FBI detained two men and a woman in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a Belfast man in Philadelphia in a transatlantic operation involving British and Irish police. An FBI source was reported as saying that the guns were intended for the IRA.
1999 – A Catholic church in Moneymore, Co Derry, was attacked with a pipe-bomb. No one was injured in the incident.
1999 – Death of Malachi Brendan Martin Ph.d. Born in Ballylongford, Co Kerry, he was a former Jesuit priest, theologian, writer on the Roman Catholic church and professor at the Vatican's Pontifical Biblical Institute. He was also the author of sixty books which covered religious and geo-political topics. He was controversial commentator for the Vatican and other church matters. He was also the brother of the late Irish cleric, historian and activist, F. X. Martin.
1999 – A Catholic church in Moneymore, Co Derry, was attacked with a pipe-bomb. No one was injured in the incident. In a separate incident, a woman escaped injury after a bomb was left at her house in Larne, Co Antrim. The woman heard a noise around midnight and discovered the device at the front of her house. The RUC moved the residents living on the street from their homes. Both attacks were carried out by Loyalist paramilitaries.
2000 – The cream of Irish opera talent performs popular classics in aid of charity at the National Concert Hall. Headlining Pop Opera 2000 is Ireland's foremost soprano, Cara O'Sullivan.
2000 – Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams warns that the Good Friday Agreement would be "holed below the water line," if the British Government did not properly implement the Patten Report on the reform of policing in the north of Ireland.
2001 – According to the National Treasury Management Agency annual report for 2000, Ireland's national debt is among lowest in Europe.
Image | Aerial view of Virgin Rock, Nuns Strand, Ballybunion, Co Kerry | Ballybunion Prints Beach via Octofly
#irishhistory #ireland #irelandinspires


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On Oct. 17, 1989, a major earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck the Bay Area in Northern California. Sixty-three people were killed. This week, a major earthquake, also measuring a magnitude of 7.0, struck near Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The Red Cross estimates that between 45,000 and 50,000 people have died.
This is not a natural disaster story. This is a poverty story. It's a story about poorly constructed buildings, bad infrastructure and terrible public services. On Thursday, President Obama told the people of Haiti: "You will not be forsaken; you will not be forgotten." If he is going to remain faithful to that vow then he is going to have to use this tragedy as an occasion to rethink our approach to global poverty. He's going to have to acknowledge a few difficult truths.
The first of those truths is that we don't know how to use aid to reduce poverty. Over the past few decades, the world has spent trillions of dollars to generate growth in the developing world. The countries that have not received much aid, like China, have seen tremendous growth and tremendous poverty reductions. The countries that have received aid, like Haiti, have not.
In the recent anthology "What Works in Development?," a group of economists try to sort out what we've learned. The picture is grim. There are no policy levers that consistently correlate to increased growth. There is nearly zero correlation between how a developing economy does one decade and how it does the next. There is no consistently proven way to reduce corruption. Even improving governing institutions doesn't seem to produce the expected results.
The chastened tone of these essays is captured by the economist Abhijit Banerjee: "It is not clear to us that the best way to get growth is to do growth policy of any form. Perhaps making growth happen is ultimately beyond our control."
Related articles by Zemanta
- Donate Food to Haiti (friendseat.com)
- Mac developers band together to aid Haiti earthquake victims (macworld.com)


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Straits Times – Singapore women on the move in underwater hockey
Read more on Straits Times
Read more on Straits Times
Catch the 19th CMAS Underwater Hockey Worlds 2016 live at www.247.tv.
The results will be posted on this link.
AUHC actions in motion pictures.
Video: Jim Cheng
Another new underwater hockey club is setup in Asia at Hong Kong.
To find them, learn more at their Facebook group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/UWHHK/.
Happy National Day Singapore!
In celebration on our Eleventh Anniversary, a mini tournament was held with a sumptuous dinner thereafter.
Found out a bit late… better late than never. Thanks Christine for the post (http://bit.ly/1tglpBp).
SUF is also a member of the World Underwater Federation (CMAS).
Saturday : 9am - 12pm
473 Stirling Road
Singapore 148948
SUF is also a member of the World Underwater Federation (CMAS).
Our Sessions Timings
Saturday: 9am-12pm
473 Stirling Road
Singapore 148948


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This article by adventure, travel and landscape photographer Andy Day offers helpful advice on how to customise your Sony a7III/a7RIII for efficient handling.
As well as continuing to add new functions, manufacturers are blessing photographers with the ability to customise every button and knob, and Sony Alpha cameras have led the way.
If you're a photographer, check out these suggestions for setting up the a7III/a7RIII to make shooting easier and more intuitive.
Sony has effectively added three layers of customisation to the a7III/a7RIII: Custom Keys, Function Menu, and My Menu.
At first it can be a bit daunting, but once you get your head around it, it will make shooting a breeze.
Once you've got it set up, it more than makes up for Sony's somewhat complex menu system. You might never have to dig through it ever again.
Everyone shoots differently and of course, your choices may vary, but this is what works for me.
Custom Buttons/Function Menu
C1, C2, C3 and C4 are scattered around the camera, putting your thumbs and fingers in easy reach of very specific functions and features.
In addition to this, you can also tweak the functionality of many of the other buttons, such as those around the control wheel, not to mention the control wheel itself.
The Custom Buttons are programmable according to what mode the camera is in: stills, video, or review. This gives you a huge number of options.
When I'm photographing, these buttons do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Here are some suggestions for Custom Buttons 1 to 4 so that you can access settings without having to think.
Alternatively, you can allocate them to many of the other buttons on the camera. If any of these are not such a priority, you can put them in your Function Menu instead.
Activate AF
I'm used to back button focusing so taking autofocus away from the shutter and having it only trigger when I push the AF-ON button was an obvious choice for me.
If you've not tried this way of shooting, it's worth giving it a go to see how it works for you.
Eye AF
By default, Eye AF is triggered by the centre button of the control wheel, but, like many others, I prefer allocating it to the AEL button.
This way, with Active AF ascribed to the AF-On button, both options are immediately under my thumb.
If you've just updated to Sony's latest firmware, you will find that Eye AF now happens automatically whenever you trigger autofocus, regardless of which autofocus mode you're using.
By default, ISO is ascribed to the right button of the control wheel, but this isn't convenient if you're looking through the viewfinder.
One shortcut is to set the control wheel to immediately vary the ISO, but for me, this is too easily knocked when the camera is hanging at your waist.
It can be a problem if you think you're shooting with auto ISO but have inadvertently nudged it to ISO 100!
Focus Mode
Events and weddings require reacting to all sorts of situations, and being able to swap focusing modes on the fly can be essential.
However, if you find yourself switching frequently between two specific modes, there's potentially an even better option…
Activate Alternative AF Area
I shoot primarily in Flexible Spot: Small but want to be able to switch to Area Wide when necessary.
Sony cameras have an extra level of customisation to achieve this: Recall Custom Hold.
By allocating a button to a Custom Hold with just Autofocus On and Autofocus Wide selected, I can activate the wide focus area whenever I need it.
Silent Shooting
One of the great features of shooting with a mirrorless camera is not having to disturb your subject with the sound of your shutter.
I find myself swapping modes regularly and having it available at the push of a button is very useful. I look forward to Sony making it toggle.
ISO Auto Min SS
If you love aperture priority mode coupled with Auto ISO, having quick access to the minimum shutter speed can be critical if you suddenly switch from portraits to action, as I often do.
Having this available has genuinely changed the way that I shoot.
Focus Magnifier
If you prefer to focus manually or simply love adapting old lenses for your a7III, having the focus magnifier immediately available is a no-brainer.
AEL toggle
Another great feature of Auto ISO is to let your camera choose the perfect exposure at your desired aperture and then lock it in.
If your subject suddenly moves and is framed against a lot more sky, you don't underexpose. If you need to make small tweaks, simply turn the exposure compensation dial.
Switch Between Viewfinder and EVF
If you're frustrated by the EVF triggering and your LCD going blank whenever you get too close, this is for you.
First, head to your display settings and the Finder/Monitor item and switch this over from Auto to Manual.
Then you can allocate one of your Custom Buttons to Finder/Monitor Sel. in order to switch between the two manually.
Flash Compensation
If you shoot regularly with flash, having this immediately available will speed things up immensely, allowing you to increase/decrease the intensity of your flash on the fly.
Zebra Display
Judging your exposure through the EVF and the display is a huge advantage of the move from DSLR to mirrorless, but it's not an exact science.
Zebras can be distracting, so you don't necessarily want them on all the time, but having them quickly available can be useful.
Shot Result Preview
On the subject of strobes, you might discover that Sony tries to help you by simulating a brightened scene, making it difficult to judge any ambient light that you might be trying to balance.
Shot Result Preview overrides this slightly irritating automated feature, saving you from having to constantly turn off your flash to be able to judge the right exposure through the EVF.
Drive Mode
Sony defaults this to the left button of the Control Wheel. I mention it here because it's very easy to forget if you're new to Sony, and especially if you're not used to having such a fast frame rate available.
Swapping between modes is crucial for me, and having it so easily available compared to some other cameras makes life much easier.
My Menu
With this insane level of customisation, you might be wondering why you would need an extra menu. Some operations, though, simply can't be activated by a button or Function Menu item.
The My Menu is a good place to keep things that you don't want to trigger accidentally.
It's also good for things you use so infrequently that they don't warrant a dedicated button, but are still worth having on hand so that you don't have to dig through Sony's labyrinthine menu system.
Here are my suggestions:
Sony decided to hide this item, even though it's a good idea to format cards on a regular basis. Keep it handy and save yourself some time.
Power Save Start Time
I like to trim this occasionally when I'm trying to save on battery. On the other hand, I keep it extended when I know that I need to react to events quickly and can't afford the time it takes to wake my camera up.
Auto Review
This is one of the first things I switched off on my a7III as it interrupted the flow of my shooting. However, in studio settings and photography that's more considered and slow moving, this can be very useful.
Electronic Front Shutter
There are pros and cons to shooting with the Electronic Front Shutter: switch it off if you see banding or if you're attempting super creamy bokeh at shutter speeds above 1/2000th of a second.
For everything else, you probably want it switched on. It can't be allocated to a Custom Button or the Function Menu, so this is a good place to keep it.
Final Words
The Sony a7III/a7RIII offers a huge amount of customisation, and spending some time setting it up can make shooting more instinctive.
It will save a lot of time digging through menus. For me, having certain controls at my fingertips has made a vast difference in my work, and it allows me to react more quickly to what's happening in front of me.
The customisations that will work best for you will depend on how and what you shoot, but hopefully this list will be more than enough to get you started.
If you have your own suggestions, be sure to leave them in the comments below!


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Thinking of hiring a freelance copywriter?
I heard on the grapevine that you might be in the market to hire a freelance copywriter.
Great decision (if I do say so myself.)
Working with a professional writer can do wonders for your business – providing you choose the right one. There are so many to choose from, however, that you may struggle to know where to start when it comes to finding the right one to represent your brand.
How to find a good copywriter
Mention you need a copywriter on LinkedIn, for example, and you'll be inundated with responses, many from great writers with fantastic wordsmithing skills, amazing experience and a wonderful portfolio of work to share, along with a variety of glowing testimonials. Instead of helping you narrow down the field, this may leave you more confused than before.
So how on earth do you decide which writer to hire, when everyone's waving a hand in the air, shouting 'Pick me?'
Provide a detailed brief
The first thing you can do to find the right freelancer copywriter is to provide a tight brief.
A general request ('looking for copywriter – can you help?') is likely to result in an equally general response, so be specific. If you're looking for an experienced web copywriter, say so. If you need someone to write copy from scratch, rather than editing some existing text in need of a little TLC, say that too.
Give potential writers as much information as you can about tone of voice, target audience and intended purpose, along with providing information on the scope of the project (is it just one page of web copy, or might this job lead to content for the whole site, along with a range of other marketing materials?)
Even at the enquiry stage, a well thought out, informative brief will help a potential copywriter determine whether they're truly qualified to do the work on offer and will also allow them to craft a well thought out, informative quote that spells out exactly what you can expect for your money.
2. Decide on a niche or generalist copywriter
If the job you're hiring for falls within the financial, medical or technical sector and is of a highly complex nature, you may wish to hire a specialist writer who works with this type of material every day.
If I believe you'd fare better with a niche copywriter, I'll let you know when you make an enquiry and can often point you in the direction of a writer who can help when I can't (I've been in the industry for almost a decade, and have made some fantastic contacts that I'm more than happy to share.)
As a generalist copywriter, I've worked with clients in areas as diverse as audio equipment retail, organic skincare, engineering, drinks manufacture and catering. I thrive on variety and working with me can certainly be a great way to find a fresh new approach.
I also thoroughly research your industry in order to write about it with authority and clarity (perhaps making more effort than a niche writer who's become over-familiar with their subject.) This extra effort could be why so many clients choose to work with me when there are specialist writers available in their sector. I'm certainly kept on my toes by the varied nature of my work – and I wouldn't have it any other way.
3. What's your budget?
Choosing a copywriter based exclusively on price is a mistake.
The most expensive copywriter you come across won't necessarily be the best copywriter out there. But as with most things in life, you'll probably get what you pay for, as the most experienced and effective copywriters generally command the highest rates (remember that copywriting is a business investment that should produce a great ROI.)
Some people turn to sites like Upwork and People Per Hour when looking for a freelance copywriter. These platforms allow you to set the rate of pay for work done (this will usually be much lower than what you can expect to pay when collaborating with a freelance writer on a private basis) and may get lucky by chancing upon a highly talented amateur or a professional writer in between jobs, looking to make some fast cash.
Most of the time, however, content mills are populated by highly inexperienced writers churning out poor quality copy that might well leave you disappointed and disillusioned.
I'm often approached by clients looking to have work corrected or even redone by a professional writer with a reputation to protect and some skin in the game.
Unfortunately, the adage is true (and very satisfying to type)
If you think it's expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.
I publish guidance rates on my website to give potential clients some benchmark figures before they spend time and effort making an enquiry. My copywriting quotes are bespoke, and will vary depending on different factors, so please don't take the rates I publish as concrete.
If you have a small budget or can't quite stretch to the job, you'd ideally like me to complete, it's often worth getting in touch to have a chat about what I could do for the funds you have available.
4. Go with your gut
I provide work examples and testimonials on my website to help build trust with prospective clients – after all, when you hire me, you're shelling out your hard-earned cash and putting your precious business in my hands, you deserve some reassurance that you're making a good choice (and I truly believe that you are – I take my work very seriously and I'm seriously good at it.)
Many of my clients, however, tell me that they chose to hire me based on instinct as much as the proof that I provide to back up my claims.
Whether it's the tone of voice I use in my own copy, the design of my website, the clients I've chosen to work with or just liking the look of my mug, if you get a good feeling about working with me, that can be as good a reason as any to get in touch.
A no strings chat about your copywriting needs can also help you determine if we 'click' – so don't be afraid to give me a call or send me an email. I'm always happy to talk through options and I never charge for a consultation.
5. How available is the copywriter?
Good copywriters are busy people and you may have to book them a few weeks or months in advance.
Once they're working on your job, however, you should receive their undivided attention. The same should be expected when making your initial enquiry. Does the writer respond quickly and attentively, ask questions, seem friendly and keen to work with you? These are good signs for your future relationship.
I've hired freelancers to help me with my business and have always been amazed at the difference in the way they handle enquiries. When responding comes across as a chore and a freelancer doesn't seem bothered about securing your business, look elsewhere. When someone seems genuinely happy to meet you, interested in securing your business and responds consistently and quickly, they're well worth investigating further.
6. Do you need a local lad or lassie?
As a freelance copywriter, much of my work happens remotely. There are so many ways to communicate and share jobs in progress these days that keeping in touch is a doddle. Whether it's by email, phone, skype, what's app or another method of your choice, we can keep in close contact throughout the project.
Some people prefer to hire locally, and this makes perfect sense. When selecting which freelance copywriter to work with, you may feel that you're going into the process blind. Just knowing someone is from your neck of the woods can be reassuring as it gives you a natural affinity with a freelancer that you can build upon (it's also handy if you want to meet face to face, of course.)
If you're not sure where to start with hiring a freelance copywriter, searching by location can be an easy and logical place to start. Google 'Copywriter in Leeds' or 'Copywriter in West Yorkshire' and see what this turns up (you found my site? Well, what are the chances? Let's talk copy.)
7. Do you need a body at a desk?
Many freelancers are prepared to work onsite with a business or agency for short or longer periods of time, providing experience and expertise without the need to hire a permanent member of staff.
I work in a freelance capacity for many reasons, one of which is that my current life situation makes flexible hours a necessity rather than a luxury (small children do not pick themselves up from school.) While this means that I don't often work onsite, I'm more than happy to discuss doing so for the right opportunity. The odd day / week or two, within a couple of hours travelling distance, is perfectly possible. Get in touch if this is something you'd like to discuss.
8. Can the copywriter add value to your business?
Many copywriters focus exclusively on writing, and that's no bad thing (after all, that's why they were hired.)
If you're looking to add a little more value than the words on the page, however, you should seek out a copywriter who think deeply as well as scribble hard.
I take the opportunity to really get to know my clients and their businesses and I don't stop asking questions until I understand what makes them unique.
If I see a genuine opportunity to improve the way things are done, I let them know. Many of my clients comment on how much they appreciate this feedback, having expected only words on a page rather than advice and support in other areas.
9. Do you need a copywriter, or do you need a dream team?
I understand the basics of SEO and can write page titles, meta descriptions and weave keywords into your copy like a spider making a web. I'm not, however, an SEO expert, and I'm certainly not qualified to give you tailored SEO advice.
I'm also familiar with the basic principles of web design and tell you what looks good to me. But you need to consult a qualified web designer to get your site in order and honey, I ain't one of those.
Many clients need a team of professionals to work on a project simultaneously. If that's the case, I can introduce you to some truly talented freelance professionals – a dream team that will help you realise your dreams (see what I did there?)
There you have it – my advice on finding the right copywriter to suit your needs.
• Be specific about what you're looking for
• Decide whether you want to work with a generalist or specialist
• Think about budget and where to seek out the best writer for the job
• Trust your gut instinct
• Pay attention to your first contact with a copywriter – how available are they?
• Consider whether hiring locally is a priority
• Look for a writer that can add tangible value to your business
• Think about onsite vs remote working
Of course, the very best place to start looking for a top-class copywriter is right here on this very site. You're welcome. 😉


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We have such a fantastic community of supportive individuals in our BLōFISH family which is something that we are so grateful for. One way folks are able to get more involved in spreading our All4All message is by joining our Maven program! Hailey, an active member in our Maven 10/10 Pod Program, and program coordinator at the OUT Foundation is no exception in building up her community and living the BLōFISH lifestyle. During National Coming Out Day Hailey shared her story and we were completely taken back. Keep reading so that you can hear her coming out story and what ALL4ALL means to her - and be sure to follow her on Instagram:
I was on the train home from a baseball game when I met the most incredible woman in the world. The next day we went on our first date and have been together ever since. Around the end of July, I started thinking about coming out because Adriana's birthday was August 15th. I was living at home at the time and my parents are the type of parents that ask a lot of questions about where I am and who I'm with and I wanted to be able to spend the weekend with Adriana without hiding it. So on August 1st, 2017 I came home from work early and my dad if he wanted to talk (mom was still at work) and I started telling him about this person I met in March and had fallen in love with. I played the pronoun game of course and just kept saying "they/them". At the end I said "andddd her name is Adriana" and I was sobbing during all of this. He looked at me and hugged me and said why are you crying? He said "do you love her? Does she make you happy?" I said yes to both so he said "great, I can't wait to meet her."
He then asked if I had told my mom and I said no because she scared me, so he said "I think she should be fine but I want to be there when you tell her" so I went to the gym and taco Tuesday with my friends and came home to both of my parents watching a movie. I said, "Hey mom can I talk to you for a minute?" (Side note: the week before she had asked me if I was dating anyone and I said no... she looked at me knowing I was lying) so I said, "Ummm remember when you asked me last week if I was dating anyone?" She said "yes, I know you were lying to me. Is it a boy or a girl?" I didn't even cry because I was so surprised. I said "remember my friend who I met on the train I told you about a few months ago who helped me get home that night after the baseball game? It's her." She then proceeded to tell me about her mom intuition and how she had a feeling. But then she said exactly what I needed to hear. She said "30 years ago when I dated other men of color and first started dating your dad, people weren't necessarily okay with me being with a man of color.... people used to try and break us up and tell us they didn't approve and would make me feel bad. It was the worst feeling loving someone and knowing those people you loved didn't support you. I would never make you feel the way I did during that time. If you love her and she treats you well and makes you happy then I completely support you. And I am your mother and I love you unconditionally"
I had already told my siblings at this point and they didn't care at all who it was, they were just happy I was happy. I am so lucky to have parents who were so supportive and love Adriana as their own.
I remember the first time I thought about a girl differently I was in 7th grade. But I hid it for years because I just hadn't found anyone I wanted to risk coming out for. But when I met my girlfriend and I knew she was the one, I knew I couldn't hide it anymore.
Want to become a Maven and get to know folks like Hailey? Click here for more information.


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Top Stories
Local Small Businesses Support Debit Card Swipe Fee Reform
The Consumer Protection Act and the Durbin Amendment, passed by both Houses of Congress and signed into law by President Obama last year, changes how much a merchant is charged a "swipe fee" every time a consumer uses a debit card.The Durbin Amendment reduces the amount a business pays when consumers swipe. It was unregulated by a virtual monopoly controlled by the big banks. The Durbin Amendment states that each time a consumer swipes, the merchant could not be charged more than 12 cents per transaction, which was a 75% reduction on how much small businesses were paying. The Consumer Protection Act was signed into law by President Obama in 2010, but wasn't scheduled to come into effect until July 2011.
The Durbin Amendment did three things. In addition to lowering the swipe fee, it allowed businesses to set minimums and charge consumers less if they are paying with cash.
Even before the law took effect, the big banks tried to repeal those reforms. Senator Tester from Montana has introduced legislation that would delay the Durbin Amendment for two years for further study on the hope that in 2012 Republicans would take the Presidency and both Houses of Congress would then repeal any and all consumer-friendly reforms.
According to the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), a delay would cost small businesses across the United States $33 million a day in swipe fees. "This is money coming out of the pockets of small business owners, money that could be used to create jobs and better wages. Small businesses are the engine of our economy and this is just another way for the banks to make windfall profits," said a RILA spokesperson. "We tax payers have already bailed them out once and they are asking for a second bailout now. Unfortunately, the big banks have a lot of money and a lot of influence in Washington. They have high-powered lobbyists and television ads. That is why they are talking about delaying these reforms before they go into effect. Not because the reform will not be helpful to our economy. They will. The reform will allow small businesses to grow and create jobs. Today, we saw a group of small businesses explaining why we need swipe fee reform now and they don't need it to be delayed."
Eboni Holloway, owner of Eb Did It Baskets a customized theme basket company said, "As a merchant, it hurts my business personally. I have to charge my customers more as opposed to if they were using cash. Debit cards are an easier way for them to make purchases. However, fighting the banks and credit card companies and the debit fees they are imposing against merchants, which we in turn have to impose on our customers, is really disgusting. We are losing up to 70 percent. If I charge 99 cents for a cup of coffee, I would only retain 20 cents. That is how bad this is becoming. People do not realize it. We do need debit card fee reform to go into law July 21 and have the Durban Amendment supported by our legislators."Samuel Elijah, owner of S.W.E. Photography, Inc., does portrait and corporate photography. "If swipe fee reform is delayed, it will hurt small businesses. We need the fees regulated so that we can keep the fees down, so that we can charge our clients more reasonable fees for the services we provide."Akeesha Freeman, manager of Sugar Hill Restaurant added, "Swipe fee reform is important. We are looking to grow our business in this day of gentrification of our neighborhood, we are competing with other businesses. We are looking to grow our staff. We are looking to stretch our creative dollar within our business, especially in this economy."
Ms. Holloway said, "Big businesses don't necessarily lose out as much as small businesses. Mom and pops are financing their business out-of-pocket, based on per purchase. Large businesses can absorb the fees. As a small business owner, I am able to negotiate with wholesalers on supplies. There is no negotiation allowed with Visa, MasterCard or the banks. I don't want to lose customers because I am overcharging them, but there is no way around it. I have to be able to charge them if they are using their debit card. You want them to use their cards because it is more accessible. I have to ship to people who go on my Web site or overseas. My customers can't always do face-to-face cash transactions. And a lot of times people don't walk around with cash in their pockets. Debit cards are an easier way to do business. Is it worth it if the merchant and the customer loses out? I have to charge customers for using a debit card and the banks also charge the customer for using the card. It looks like we are trying to get over on our customers. We are caught in the middle. Even if the swipe fee is capped at 12 cents, the banks don't lose. There are too many transactions across the country."She added, "I am a consumer as well. I am hesitant to use my personal debit card because I don't know if I am causing another merchant to incur fees."Mr. Elijah said he charges photography fees and sometimes his customers have to pay with a debit card. "I have an issue with the swipe fee surcharges. Sometimes I have a two-tier fee structure. If the customer is paying cash, I charge a little bit less than if they use a card associated with debit. When negotiating a fee I always ask, 'How are you going to pay?' They ask, 'Why? What's the difference?' Then I have to explain the intricacies of the United States banking system, which I am not real good at. I am an artist. When it comes to negotiating contracts [based upon payment method], I don't want to be having this conversation. I have to tell them there are applicable fees that I have to pass on. I feel like when they walk out of the studio, after paying cash they walk out with a better feeling about the experience with me than they dowhen we have to go through the whole debit card explanation."
"If every consumer who experienced swipe fee surcharges wrote to their U.S. Senator, we wouldn't be having this conversation," said Mr. Elijah.


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Breakfast is included in your stay and is prepared fresh each day with your taste in mind. Although we cannot prepare something different for each guest, we will plan the meals to include something everyone will like. We prepare the basics such as bacon and eggs, pancakes or waffles topped with fruit and whipped cream. If you're looking for Southern Louisiana adventure, we offer local favorites such as crawfish omelet, grand pates, crackling biscuits, or pain perdu, one of our house specialties.
We love to bake with whole grains, so let us know if that's what you like. If you're really into the basics, we have a choice of cereals. If you're in a hurry and need a quick breakfast, we can send you off with a smoothie and, of course, there's always coffee and juice!


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Fargo Marathon race week is upon us and what better time to talk running underwear than today?! Undie talk is a little awkward. That's for sure.
Our bags are being packed up for the trip and, as I'm working out my race day gear line up, it's worth mentioning that running undergarments are possibly the most important pieces of running gear on race day. They really can make or
As a BibRave Pro, I received the Runderwear Low-Rise Hipster which claim to be chafe free. I happily tested these out during the peak of my marathon training. Do you think they passed the test?
After running through workouts of varying distances and speeds, numerous washes and daily wear, my experience with Runderwear's Women's Low-Rise Hipster is that they live up to the Chafe-Free Guarantee! A good pair of running undies is unnoticeable throughout the run (and after) and that's exactly what the Runderwear Hipsters are like.
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For the first time since 1994, Nigerians now have a reason to smile and walk with both shoulders high. Coming from 2012 where it seemed nothing was going well for the country, the home based eagles couldn't make the Championship Of African Nations (CHAN) Tournament, No medal won at the London Olympics, the Super Eagles didn't quality for the African Cup of Nations, the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan almost ban the National team from all competitions.
So it was logical not to expect anything in 2013. The Nigeria Football Federation went via the path of rebuilding, appointing Stephen Keshi in 2012 to build a team to just qualify us for the 2014 world cup, but he did more than that.
Now let's look at the top 6 Nigeria Football best moments of 2013, that Nigerians won't forget in a hurry.
6. After winning the African Cup of Nations, the Super Eagles qualified to represent the Continent in Brazil for the 2013 Confederations Cup, and although the African Champions who had Spain, Uruguay and Tahiti in their group didn't progress, but with a depleted squad, gave the fans at home something to cheer about, and Nnamdi Odumadi became the first Nigerian to score a hatrick in a senior FIFA tournament.
5. Nigeria for the first time qualified for the Championship Of African Nations (CHAN) Tournament after not being able two previous occasions since the inception of the tournament. This was largely thanks to the experience of the home based players who played a key role in winning the afcon 2013.
4. Blessing Okagbare's exploits at the recently concluded International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) championship in Moscow, Russia, was widely hailed by sports enthusiasts. Nigeria last won a medal in 1999 when Gloria Alozie won silver in the women's 100 metres hurdles, while Francis Obikwelu got the bronze in the men's 200 metres at Seville, Spain.
Blessing won silver and bronze medals in long jump and 200 metres respectively, thus ending Nigeria's 14-year-old medal drought in the IAAF championships.
3. Nigeria lifted their 4th under 17 world cup trophy in style. The tournament hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) saw the youngest ever assembled side by Nigeria go on to win the tournament without losing a match and scoring a record number of goals in the process.
2. For the first time since 1994, the super eagles of Nigeria won only their 3rd African Cup of nations trophy, beating Burkina Faso 1 – 0 in the final and beating the likes of the Ivory Coast and Mali to get there.
Before the tournament nobody gave Keshi and he's boys any chance and he was just given a quarter-final target, but surpassed all expectations and brought the trophy home.
1. The Super Eagles qualified for the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Nigeria topped their group and we're seeded for the play off draws. The Eagles had to defeat Ethiopia over two legs to make it into world cup, and as they have done all year, they didn't disappoint, qualifying for their 5th world cup tournament with ease.


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My internship is going well! My colleagues are nice, and beside working on daily tasks I get a lot of time to work on my research!
England is great! The weekends are to short to see it all. A lot of musea are free of charge so that is great.There is always something to do or somewhere to go to! That´s what I like most about England!
Of course I have seen all the touristic sights, but the none touristic sights, areas and places are what attract me the most.
Overall I can´t complain and I am loving my stay here!
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I had to post this, courtesy of The Revolver Group.
A young fan of Twilight heart-throb Robert Pattinson was hospitalised on Sunday night after a scrap with another girl over a poster. The fan was one of 300 competition winners who had won tickets to the world fan premiere of new DVD Robsessed, out this week. Free posters were distributed at the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester square where the event took place. "A massive fight broke out between two girls over the last poster" said Precious Acabousi, 19 from Surrey, who was at the premiere. "There was a lot of pushing and shoving, everyone was crowding around them" "I heard gasps as one of the girls fell on the floor, she was in terrible pain and had twisted her arm - she was screaming for help. The poster had been ripped in two" The fan, who cannont be named for legal reasons, was driven to hospital immediately and missed the screening "The Robert Pattinson fans, also known as the Robesessed, are the most hardcore of fanatics" said a spokesman for the dvd, "we had plenty of posters printed, but obviously some people picked up more than others, and so the fight broke out"
Kids, take this in. This ISN'T healthy behaviour. Thanks to the Revolver Group for that.


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This is something that's constantly on my mind: It's impossible to create peace in the world unless we have peace in ourselves, peace in our families, peace at work, peace with all those we encounter during our day.
We have to express the peace we want to see in the world.
If we have anger against ourselves, anger against our families, anger against those with whom we work, anger against those with whom we're in daily contact, we are spreading the "war" we say we do not want.
The minute we commit to having peace within our own being, within our family, at work, with those we're in contact with daily, we DO something about war. We take action and create the peace that we seek in the world.
The energy of peace has to exist in us before peace can exist outside in the world.
When enough people want peace and create peace first within their own being, there will be peace outside in the world.
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The Palestinian Authority is pivoting toward Persia while its counterpart in Gaza, Hamas, is pivoting toward ISIS. Not only is the story important in its own right, the details it contains is testimony to the extent of Israeli intelligence. The methods by which it obtained the particulars of this report are an undisclosed but provocative tease. When Israel's enemies secretly meet, their meetings are no so secret as they think.
In the 21st century, when threats develop over a period of years, the challenge is to keep the world from yawning. Speaking at the Saban Forum over the weekend, Israel's Prime Minister and Defense Minister emphasized ongoing threats to peace from Iran and the Palestinian Authority.
During his campaign, President-elect Trump promised to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. And if he does? The PA threatens to make America 'miserable.'
"When the Palestinian entity collapses, the vacuum will be filled by the negative forces that have become the nightmare of the world."
Last week, Palestinian Authority President Abbas showed up at the European Parliament with an invisible olive branch in one hand and a big bag of lies in the other. On the continent in which Pinocchio's lies are famous, he was in good company. His speech at the European Union Parliament had its leaders drinking up his lies as if they were a herd of thirsty cats lapping milk. But rather than milk, he was serving venom. The Europeans swallowed it all, and gave him an enthusiastic standing ovation no less.


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Youth groups in the La Municipality in the Greater Accra region have vowed to resist any move to sell the Ghana International Trade Fair Company (GTFC) to a private investor without recourse to the original owners of the land.
They have also warned to deal ruthlessly with any chief or traditional authority that acquiesces to any agreement with the government to sell the GTFC to a so-called strategic investor.
The youth claim to have gotten wind of moves by the government to offload its stake in the Trade Fair Company to a private investor under the guise of a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The company is said to be indebted to institutions, individuals and service providers in excess of two million Ghana cedis.
The debt coupled with the lack of funds has reportedly affected the effective running of the GTFC.
But the La Youth Association and the La Citizens Network contended that successive governments deliberately ran down the company in order to make it easy to sell it.
Speaking in an interview with Today the Country Coordinator for the La Citizens Network, Nii Yemofio Yemo, warned that the La youth will resist any attempt(s) to sell the Trade Fair Company.
According to him, after the government acquired land from the traditional authorities in La in 1965 for the Ghana Trade Fair project, it failed to compensate the stool for the land.
He said in 2013 the youth wrote to the Ghana Trade Fair Company to inform its chief executive officer about their plans to picket against the entity for non-payment of the compensation.
"Consequently, the CEO, Mr. Emmanuel Commey, met us at the La chief's palace and pleaded with us to exercise patience," he recounted.
In that meeting it came out that the unpaid compensation had accumulated to about $18 Million dollars," Nii Yemo disclosed.
He said since that meeting the people of La have been waiting in anticipation of the release of the money to enable them develop the La community only to hear that frantic efforts were being made to sell the GTFC.
Nii Yemo said it was sad that successive governments deliberately left the Trade Fair centre to deteriorate to the extent that the place which used to be a hub for international exhibitions does not have running water and electricity.
"Now the place has turned into a ground for all manner of churches," he fumed and said all these were done to make it possible for the sale.
The La Citizens Network country coordinator observed that the La Traditional Council has lost huge tracks of land including land for the development of University of Ghana, the Kotoka Internal Airport, the Trade Fair site among others all in the national interest.
He pointed out it would be disastrous for the La stool to lose the Trade Fair site too.
Last week the youth marched to the La Mantse's palace with the intention to meet with the traditional council over the matter.
According to Nii Yemo, the youth were informed that the La Mantse, Nii Kpobi Tettey-Tsuru III was not around hence the meeting was postponed.
He said the youth will continue to probe till they get to the bottom of the matter.
One thing is certain "they cannot sell Trade Fair," he assured. Pix: Ekwow Spio Garbrah
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The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a peer assessment of the quality of UK universities' research in all disciplines. It replaces the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), last conducted in 2008.
The REF was undertaken by the four UK higher education funding bodies, who will use the REF results to distribute research funding to universities on the basis of quality, from 2015-16 onwards.
154 UK institutions made submissions in 36 subject-based units of assessment (UOAs). The submissions were assessed by panels of experts, who produced an overall quality profile for each submission. Each overall quality profile shows the proportion of research activity judged by the panels to have met each of the four starred quality levels defined below, in steps of 1%:
Quality that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
Quality that is internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour but which falls short of the highest standards of excellence.
Quality that is recognised internationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
Quality that is recognised nationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
Quality that falls below the standard of nationally recognised work. Or work which does not meet the published definition of research for the purposes of this assessment.
The overall quality profile awarded to each submission is derived from a sub-profile for each of three elements of the assessment, which are weighted as follows:
1. The quality of research outputs. This counts for 65 per cent of the assessment.
2. The impact of research beyond academia. This counts for 20 per cent of the assessment. Impact is a new feature in the REF 2014.
3. The research environment. This counts for 15 per cent of the overall results.
Full details of the assessment process and criteria are available.
A brief outline of the REF process and key findings are available in the Key facts leaflet.
The results were published in December 2014.
Results for each submission can be viewed on this website either by UOA or by institution, or a spreadsheet containing all the results can be downloaded. For each submission, the results pages show the overall quality profile, the three sub-profiles (for outputs, impact and environment) and the number of FTE Category A staff included in the submission.
Where the quality profile awarded is to a joint submission made by two or more institutions, this is indicated. Where an institution made multiple submissions in a particular UOA, the quality profiles are provided separately for each submission.
The publication 'Research Excellence Framework 2014: The results' (REF 01.2014) provides the overall quality profiles awarded to each submission, listed by UOA.
In addition to the results for each submission, general analysis and summary data are available.
Published submissions
Submissions made by institutions to the 2014 REF can be viewed on this website either by UOA or by institution, or can be downloaded here.
All submitted information is included, except for personal and contractual data relating to individuals, and information identified by the institutions as confidential (for commercial or other reasons). The content of the published submissions remains unchanged from the submission deadline (29 November 2013), except where the REF team made data adjustments following audit and data verification procedures carried out during the assessment process. For each submission, the lists of staff and outputs are published separately, hence outputs are not linked to individual staff members.
The submissions do not provide a complete record of all research conducted in UK higher education institutions. Only publicly funded institutions were eligible to make submissions. They had the discretion to decide in which UOAs to submit, and which of their eligible staff and research outputs to include in each submission. Institutions made their selection of staff for the REF submissions in accordance with their codes of practice.


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Polling data indicates younger voters overwhelmingly favored Barack Obama over John McCain. "Young voters" are classified as the 18- to 29-year-old crowd and that group accounted for 18% of the votes cast in this year's election.
Iowa State University political science professor Dianne Bystrom says youth turnout in 2004 was 17%. "They did increase their share of the electorate but just by one percentage point because everybody got out to vote," Bystrom says. "The other thing we know is that 66 percent of young voters voted for Barack Obama."
In the Reagan era, back in the 1980s, a majority younger voters chose Republican candidates according to Bystrom. "I'm not sure we're at the cusp of a liberal era," Bystrom says, "but we can say that young voters are registering Democratic and they're voting for Democratic candidates not only for president, but also for congress."
Bystrom, the head of I.S.U.'s Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics, says Sarah Palin — the first Republican vice presidential nominee — may have helped McCain win the votes of some women. "Women that are usually defined by the media as 'soccer moms' or 'security moms'. Those are usually white, suburban women with children. They tend to vote Republican. They voted for George Bush in 2000 and 2004. The last time they voted for a Democrat was in 1996 for Bill Clinton," Bystrom says. "That's a group that (Palin) may have helped deliver for McCain, but it wasn't enough."
Bystrom says Palin also energized the social conservative base of the Republican Party, but that wasn't enough either when confronted with the gains Obama made among other groups of voters.