Lady Gaga has been hospitalized as she is suffering from “severe physical pain”.
She has canceled her performance at the festival Rock In Rio in Brazil because of it.
Lady Gaga, 31, wrote to fans on Instagram: “Brazil, I’m devastated that I’m not well enough to come to Rock In Rio. I would do anything 4 u but I have to take care of my body right now. I ask for your grace and understanding, and promise that I will come back and perform for you soon. I’m so sorry, and I love you so much.”
She recently revealed she’s suffering with fibromyalgia, a condition that causes intense discomfort all over the body.
A statement on her Instagram page said: “Lady Gaga is suffering from severe physical pain that has impacted her ability to perform.
“As a result, she sadly must withdraw from this Friday’s Rock In Rio performance.
“Lady Gaga is under the care of expert medical professionals.
“She sends her love to all her fans in Rio and thanks them for their support and understanding.”
Lady Gaga also posted a picture of her arm with a drip in it.
After one hour she announced she has been hospitalized: “I was taken to the hospital, it is not simply hip pain or wear and tear from the road, I am in severe pain. But am in good hands w/ the very best doctors. Please don’t forget my love for you. ? Remember years ago when I tattooed Rio on my neck, the tattoo was written by children in the favelas. ??R✝️O You hold a special place in my heart I love you.”
Lady Gaga also canceled a show in Montreal, Canada, earlier this month after falling ill.
Choosing health insurance for your employees is an important decision. It can affect your ability retain employees as well as hire new ones, not to mention greatly improve the health of your current workers. With so many options on the market, how are you supposed to choose?
The first thing to look for when choosing a health care plan is whether or not it meets the Affordable Care Act’s rules. This means that if you have 50 or more full-time employees, you will need to offer affordable coverage at a minimum value to 95% of that full-time staff. Affordable coverage must cover 60% of health costs while keeping the employee’s cost at less than 9.5 percent of their household income.
Any policy following ACA requirements cannot have lifetime caps and must limit out of pocket expenses. All of this can be more than a little confusing. So, make sure to ask your broker for more details.
Should You Choose Fully Insured or Self-Funded Plans?
Self-funded plans are when employers bear the main risk of health claims exceeding the company’s estimate in a given year. Although the risk is higher, the overall cost is usually lower. It is highly recommended to purchase stop-loss insurance to cover unexpected emergency claims when choosing this option.
Fully insured coverage plans require the insurance company to bear the weight of the risk, but cause employers to pay higher premiums. You can choose to offer high-deductible plans in order to spend less money each month on premium when picking this option. While this can cause an increased cost burden on your employees, you can alleviate this by offering generous pretax savings accounts.
Both of these plans require you to choose a group plan and pay a percentage of the premiums every month. Either is a good option, so choose whichever will work best for your business.
The Variety Option
The variety option means going through an insurer that offers a variety of plans. They include PPOs and HMOs along with several different co-pays, premiums, and deductibles. This gives you a chance to avoid excessive costs by setting aside a certain amount of money for each employee every month, which allows any worker who chooses a more expensive plan responsible for covering the difference.
Pay close attention, as not all of these plans meet the ACA minimum requirements. Ask your broker about any you are looking at before making a final decision.
Look For Extras
Specialty plans and benefits can help you lower your long term health care costs while attracting and retaining employees at the same time. Things like dental insurance, life insurance, and accidental coverage are all welcomed benefits by potential employees.
Some of these extras can also encourage your employees to lead healthier lives. In some cases, wellness goals are set that offer premium deductions for those who exercise and diet to meet those goals. This can create an incredibly healthy workforce as well as a happier work environment.
The SHOP Exchange
In some instances, business that have 51-100 employees might have the option of buying their insurance from the SHOP Marketplace. This route is offered on a state by state basis. So, make sure to look into its availability.
Choosing the best health insurance option for your employees can be a complicated and confusing task, but following these general guidelines can help you narrow down your search. Always talk to an insurance broker who can answer your questions and help your business steer clear of less than desirable insurance plans.
Selena Gomez has revealed that she had a secret kidney transplant linked to her lupus.
In an Instagram post, Selena Gomez says that her friend Francia Raisa donated an organ to her and says she wanted to explain why fans hadn’t heard much from her despite having new music out.
She wrote: “So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering.
“It was what I needed to do for my overall health.”
Selena Gomez also thanked Francia Raisa: “There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa.
“She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis.”
The Canary Islands are a chain of islands off the coast of Africa which are part of Spain. The islands consist of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, and the island’s second most populous island, Gran Canaria. Although all of the islands are all tourist-worthy, nothing beats the thrills and adventures of Gran Canaria.
From the name itself, Gran Canaria is a popular destination for tourists all over the world. The island is known as a miniature continent because of the varying climates and landscapes scattered throughout the island. One-third of the island is even protected by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve due to the diverse plants and animals found on the islands.
Gran Canaria is also the focus of most visitors and tourists due to the abundance of activities one can do around the famous island. One of its city centers and capital is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria which hosts a lot of hotels, restaurants, and activity centers for tourists from all over the world to enjoy. Without further ado, here are a few exciting things to do in Gran Canaria.
Visiting the Historical sites of Gran Canaria
One of the best things to do when in a foreign country as a tourist is to visit historical sites to know more about the people and culture of that country. Gran Canaria doesn’t fall short of culture, and its inhabitants. Here’s a list of some historical sites that you can visit while in the islands.
Vegueta – A city that time forgot. The city virtually is a scene from the past. Buildings are rustic and look pristine. It’s like being in a movie. Lots of tourists recommend walking around the city to enjoy the views and buildings around. The city also boasts of its tapas bars, which serves unique and traditional Spanish delicacies with drinks.
Puerto de Las Nieves – A small fishing town located in the southern part of Gran Canaria. It is one of the few towns that weren’t touched by Spanish conquests in the past. The small town is a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the main cities. It’s also a place to get traditional Canarian delicacies and gifts. Puerto de Las Nieves also offers ferries to Tenerife for those who want to see more of the Canary Islands.
Casco Historico de Arucas – Visit this massive cathedral in the town center of Arucas. A lot of tourists visit the church to see the inside of it and aren’t disappointed. The visitor centers are beneficial for those lost in their way. Although there’s a lot of traffic and people going in and out of Arucas, a visit to the cathedral makes it all worthwhile.
Aquatics and Water Sports
A trip to the Canary Islands wouldn’t be perfect without visiting its lavish beaches. A lot of beaches also offer exciting scuba dives where tourists get to experience the marine life native to the Canary Islands. There’s even a 3-hour snorkeling session from Las Canteras Beach which promises to deliver the best experience to first-time divers and experts alike.
Other water sports that visitors can do in Gran Canaria is Kite Surfing, Wind Surfing, Paddle Boarding, and more. Experts supervise all of these activities. The safety of their guests is their priority, so no untoward incidents occur while you have a great time in Gran Canaria.
Gran Canaria boasts of many natural wonders. Visit one of them, and you’ll experience the warmth and beauty that Mother Nature gets to offer. Here are some parks and natural formations that you can visit.
Cocodrilo Park Zoo – Being the only animal rescue center in all of the Canary Islands, the Zoo is a home to a lot of rare and unique animals that are often abused and neglected by their owners. The park has a lot of amazing animals for tourists to see such as iguanas, crocodiles, colorful birds, deer, and even chimpanzees.
Barranco de Guayadeque – Is a high valley located in the deep parts of Gran Canaria. It’s home to cave dwellings which were home to ancient islanders who were the oldest residents of the islands. Barranco de Guayadeque is an excellent place to hike, so definitely get a tour guide to help you course through this majestic valley.
Caldera de Bandama – The Caldera or Crater of Bandama is a unique geological feature that’s a rare sight to behold. When in Gran Canaria, be sure to visit the crater and prepare for a hike down. Once you get down, there’s a lot of interesting plants and animals that live in the inactive mouth of the volcano. Due to the abundant volcanic minerals found in the soil, a lot of people grow vineyards in the adjacent hilltops.
Takeaway
Gran Canaria is home to a lot of amazing things. From the cultural aspects, famous delicacies, and the warmth of the people, it’s no surprise that the Canary Islands and Gran Canaria, in particular, is one of the best tourist destinations in the world. Natural formations are abundant in Gran Canaria. Amazing mountains, fantastic beaches, unique plant and animal life all waiting for the curious tourist.
Top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer say they have agreed to reach a deal with President Donald Trump to protect thousands of young undocumented migrants from deportation.
They said they also agreed to work on a border security package that would exclude President Trump’s proposed wall with Mexico.
However, the White House denied the wall had been excluded from proposals.
President Trump scrapped the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program earlier this month.
The Obama-era DACA scheme was put in place to protect so-called “Dreamers” – migrants brought to the US illegally as children – from deportation.
The DACA program, which protect some 800,000 people in the US, also provide temporary permits for work and study.
On September 4, PresidentTrump announced he would cancel the scheme, while giving Congress six months to enact a replacement plan for DACA recipients.
Following talks over dinner at the White House, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that’s acceptable to both sides.”
Democrats have repeatedly said that they will block any legislation that contains funding for the border wall – a key campaign pledge of President Trump’s.
A White House statement was more muted, simply saying that there had been a “constructive working dinner” where tax reform, border security and DACA had been discussed.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders later disputed the Democrats’ account.
She tweeted: “While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to.”
Chuck Schumer’s aide replied: “The President made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement.”
Republican support would be needed in any immigration legislation, as they have a majority in both the House and the Senate.
Frank Vincent was born in North Adams, Massachusetts and was introduced to show business at an early age by his father, an amateur actor.
He made his acting debut in 1975 in Ralph DeVito’s Death Collector, according to his website. Martin Scorsese saw his work and cast him for Raging Bull, in 1980.
During his 41-year career, Frank Vincent often played mafia characters, most notably in Goodfellas, in 1990, when he portrayed Billy Batts, who famously ended up beaten to death by Joe Pesci’s Tommy DeVito.
Frank Vincent was also a musician, comedian, producer and author – he wrote A Guy’s Guide to Being A Man’s Man.
Six people died at a Florida nursing home after Hurricane Irma left the facility without power for days.
On September 13, police evacuated 115 residents from the facility, whose air conditioning was cut by the storm.
Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief said 3 people were found dead at the nursing home in the city of Hollywood. Three others died in hospital.
Ten million people are still without power in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas after Hurricane Irma.
The storm – which has claimed more than two dozen lives in the US – struck southwestern Florida on September 10 as a category 4 hurricane before weakening to a tropical depression on September 11.
Irma earlier left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean, where nearly 40 people were killed.
Hollywood Police Chief Tomas Sanchez said the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills facility has been sealed off and police are conducting a criminal investigation.
State investigators from the Florida Office of Attorney General were also at the scene, city officials said in a statement.
Hollywood Fire Rescue found several patients “in varying degree of medical distress and immediately began treatment” when they arrived at the Hollywood Hills facility on Wednesday morning, according to the city’s statement.
Some residents there awoke sick, the Miami Herald reported.
Kitchen worker Jean Lindor told the newspaper a generator allowed staff to cook but did not provide the facility with air conditioning.
On September 12, temperatures in Hollywood reached 90F, according to the National Weather Service.
The Florida Health Care Association called the deaths a “profound tragedy within the larger tragedy of Hurricane Irma”.
The facility is not the only Florida nursing home that has been left without power by Irma.
An estimated 150 facilities out of the nearly 700 in Florida are currently without full power services, the association said.
The group said it was working with officials to prioritize “the locations with the greatest need”.
More than half of a large retirement community in Pembroke Pines, Florida, still had no electricity by September 13, leaving elderly residents stuck in rooms with no access to lifts.
Pembroke Pines police spokeswoman Amanda Conwell told the Miami Herald that officers were at the scene.
Amanda Conwell said some of the 15,000 residents at Century Village were vulnerable and “we are concerned about their welfare”.
Another assisted care facility for dementia patients in Fort Myers, Florida, was left without power for three days after Hurricane Irma as elderly patients suffered in the rising heat.
Cape Coral Shores kept 20 patients during the storm as part of an agreement with authorities because local emergency shelters had been evacuated as Irma bore down on the coast.
Florida residents are still returning from shelters to their households to count the cost of Irma’s destruction.
According to authorities, preliminary estimates suggest 25% of the homes in the Florida Keys were destroyed and 65% sustained major damage.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the hard-hit city of Naples on September 14 to view the damage, media have reported.
It will be the president’s third trip related to hurricanes in two weeks and he will be joined by First Lady Melania Trump.
Serena Williams has shared the first photo of her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. on social media, almost two weeks after her birth.
The tennis star and her fiancée, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, welcomed their first baby together on September 1 at a clinic in Florida.
Serena Williams shared a video clip on her Instagram Stories, Facebook and her official website.
She announced the name of her baby daughter on her Instagram Stories profile. She also shared a montage of memorable moments from her pregnancy, including winning the Australian Open while pregnant and her first ultrasound.
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has announced his resignation following allegations of abuse against teenage boys.
The mayor said he was stepping aside just hours after the Seattle Times reported that his younger cousin, Joseph Dyer, had accused him of abuse.
Joseph Dyer, 54, is the fifth man to accuse Ed Murray of abuse dating back to the 1970s, the newspaper reports.
Ed Murray, 62, denies the allegations, but said he did not want “personal issues” interfering with “public business”.
He said in a statement on September 12: “While the allegations against me are not true, it is important that my personal issues do not affect the ability of our City government to conduct the public’s business.”
His resignation will take effect from 17:00 local time on September 13, the statement added.
Ed Murray said that he was “proud of all that I have accomplished” but added that due to the reported accusations “it is best for the city if I step aside”.
The first allegation of abuse against Ed Murray was reported in April. Since then, four more men have come forward, the Seattle Times reports.
Joseph Dyer said that he was 13 in the mid 1970s when he was abused by his elder cousin, Ed Murray.
Ed Murray, a former Democratic state representative who is in a gay marriage, says that he is the target of a political campaign aimed at stifling his progressive politics and tarnishing his record as a gay-rights champion.
The next mayoral election in Seattle will take place in January 2018.
Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell will take over as mayor until the election.
Unless you’ve not paid attention to the media in the past months, it’s likely that you’ve heard of fake news, from the Internet hoax about Rowan Atkinson’s death – that’s Mr. Bean for those of you who don’t know him yet – to the famous Pizzagate last December. Fake news is everywhere, and while they are not the main item of information online, they can have a negative impact on your everyday life and your decisions. Imagine reading fake news about the impact of vodka on your diet and switching from a water-only to a vodka only regime? Okay, that’s a little far-fetched, but you get the picture. However, what you might not have considered is how fake news can dramatically affect your marketing efforts.
According to the Washington Post, 60% of web users are happy to share a link without even reading its content. What this means is that people only read the first few words in the extracts and decide to share and comment, even though they haven’t read the whole article. Consequently, you are at risk of building your digital presence on facts that are not correct. Therefore it’s important to remember some basics about content marketing: According to Ignite Digital, content marketing gives your business the opportunity to educate your audience with valuable information. In other words, check your facts if you want a strong content strategy.
There’s a double risk about the presence of fake news online. For a start, it’s likely that your website will suffer negative impacts if you’ve been building content that uses fake news. But more importantly, as users are becoming more and more suspicious about what they read online, less than one-third of your visitors will believe what they read about your company. The rest will assume that it’s all part of the big fake news scheme.
Fake news and social media
Unfortunately for you, sharing fake news on social media, as part of your social media activities, can cause viral reactions. Even if your business finds ways of dealing with the negative feedback, as Kissmetrics points out the social media world never forgets. In other words, the post you share on social media will remain online… and so do the conversations that follow. To put it simply, even one mistake that you’ve made about fake news outside of the social media platforms can still be found by users and shared on Twitter, for example. Any faux pas will come back to haunt you on social media, and even more easily if you use viral hoaxes – unwillingly, of course.
Don’t panic, though. Fake news is a known threat, and that’s why Google has changed its algorithm in April this year, as a way to filter out hoaxes. As a result, Google is ranking primarily authoritative pages and allowing users to report inaccurate or misleading content. Admittedly, it doesn’t mean that it’s the end of fake news, But if you check your facts carefully through high-quality content sources, you’re less likely to fall for a hoax.
Your role as a business is to share authoritative content about your area of expertise. Consequently, the accidental use of fake news – on social media or your website – can damage your ranking, your brand reputation, and your social media presence. Let’s just hope that careful on- and offline research and the latest Google algorithm can help you to stay in the clear.
JJ Abrams is the new director of Star Wars: Episode IX, Lucasfilm has announced.
He launched the new era of Star Wars series with The Force Awakens in 2015.
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said: “JJ delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for” in the earlier installment, and she was excited he was returning to “close out this trilogy”.
JJ Abrams replaces Colin Trevorrow, who dropped out of Episode IX last month.
Meanwhile the release has been delayed by six months, to December 2019.
The announcement was made on Twitter by Walt Disney Studios, which owns Lucasfilm, on September 8.
Chris Terrio will co-write the ninth installment with JJ Abrams. He won an Oscar for writing Argo in 2013 and his other scripts include Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the forthcoming Justice League.
Episode IX is expected to star Daisy Ridley and John Boyega.
Rian Johnson is directing the second in the current trilogy, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which will be released this December.
According to a Deadline report, Rian Johnson had declined an offer to take over Episode IX before JJ Abrams was approached.
Most Star Wars fans on Twitter welcomed JJ Abrams’ return to the franchise.
Colin Trevorrow, who directed Jurassic World, left the director’s chair because he and Lucasfilm had differing “visions”, the company said.
Lucasfilm has a reputation for ruthlessness when it comes to hiring and firing directors. In 2015, Fantastic Four‘s Josh Trank was dropped from directing a standalone Star Wars story.
Phil Lord and Chris Miller also left the Han Solo standalone movie with only a few weeks left in production, and were replaced by Ron Howard.
Apple acknowledged that users might have concerns about using facial recognition to verify purchases via Apple Pay or to access their device.
However, the company claimed that while there was a one-in-50,000 chance that TouchID could be unlocked by a random stranger, the odds rose to one-in-one-million with FaceID.
Nevertheless, one expert said users might still be concerned the handset had no fingerprint sensor as an alternative.
Other features announced about iPhone X included:
its 5.8in screen has 458 pixels per inch, making it Apple’s most detailed phone display to date. To mark this it has been branded “super retina”
the lack of a home button is dealt with by requiring users to swipe up to access its apps, and to press a side button to summon its virtual assistant Siri
portrait mode – in which the camera blurs a photo’s background – and a relighting tool can be used on pictures taken by both the front and rear cameras
Former model Hope Hicks has been named White House Communications Director for President Donald Trump.
The 28-year-old was the interim White House Communications Director and now she will serve in the role on a permanent basis.
The longtime Trump aide is the fourth person to fill the position, replacing Anthony Scaramucci, who was fired in July after just 10 days on the job.
Hope Hicks has served as President Donald Trump’s strategic communications director and campaign press secretary. She was one of the first staffers to join Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign. The former Ralph Lauren model worked as a publicist for Ivanka Trump’s fashion label.
Her permanent appointment comes after a summer of staff shake-ups at the White House.
North Korea has launched a fiery attack on the US, threatening with the “greatest pain” it has ever suffered, following new sanctions imposed by the UN.
Its ambassador to the UN accused Washington of opting for “political, economic and military confrontation”.
President Donald Trump said the move was nothing compared to what would have to happen to deal with North Korea.
The UN sanctions are an attempt to starve the country of fuel and income for its weapons programs.
The new measures restrict oil imports and ban textile exports, and were approved after North Korea’s sixth and largest nuclear test earlier this month.
North Korea’s ambassador to the UN Han Tae Song said he “categorically rejected” what he called an “illegal resolution”.
“The forthcoming measures by DPRK [the Democratic Republic of Korea] will make the US suffer the greatest pain it has ever experienced in its history,” he told a UN conference in Geneva.
“Instead of making [the] right choice with rational analysis… the Washington regime finally opted for political, economic and military confrontation, obsessed with the wild dream of reversing the DPRK’s development of nuclear force – which has already reached the completion phase.”
The UN resolution was only passed unanimously after North Korea’s allies Russia and China agreed to softer sanctions than those proposed by the US.
The initial text included a total ban on oil imports, a measure seen by some analysts as potentially destabilizing for the North Korean regime.
The new sanctions agreed by the UN include:
Limits on imports of crude oil and oil products. China, North Korea’s main economic ally, supplies most of the country’s crude oil.
A ban on exports of textiles, which is Pyongyang’s second-biggest export worth more than $700 million a year.
A ban on new visas for North Korean overseas workers, which the US estimates would eventually cut off $500 million of tax revenue per year.
A proposed asset freeze and a travel ban on Kim Jong-un were dropped.
Reacting on September 13, President Donald Trump said: “We think it’s just another very small step, not a big deal.”
“I don’t know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15 to nothing vote. But those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen,” the president added, without giving details.
The US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told the Security Council after the vote: “We don’t take pleasure in further strengthening sanctions today. We are not looking for war.”
“The North Korean regime has not yet passed the point of no return,” she added.
“If North Korea continues its dangerous path, we will continue with further pressure. The choice is theirs.”
The September 11 resolution against North Korea was the ninth one unanimously adopted by the UN since 2006.
The storm was downgraded as it moved north towards Atlanta, with maximum sustained winds of 35mph later recorded, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a statement.
The NHC statement said that while heavy rain was expected to continue across south-eastern states, all storm surge and tropical storm warnings had been discontinued.
Media reports link at least four deaths to the storm in Florida. Last week it killed at least 37 people in Caribbean islands.
Meanwhile, White House Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert has announced that it will be some time before residents in the Florida Keys are able to return to their homes.
“I would expect that the Keys are not fit for re-entry for regular citizenry for weeks,” he said.
Speaking as he went on an aerial tour of the Keys, Florida Governor Rick Scott said: “Power lines are down throughout the state. We’ve got roads that are impassable, so everybody’s got to be patient as we work through this.”
The Keys are cut off from the mainland, as the 42 bridges that link them are being assessed for damage. According to reports, 10,000 people decided to ride out the storm.
We invest most of our energy and time on the design and lighting of the interior of our homes, and because of that, we neglect to care for our outdoors. Even if we care for the plants and flowers in our garden often, garden lighting seems to be the last option when it comes to designing our homes.
Perhaps, we just don’t know the importance of an outdoor lighting. Or, maybe, we think more of the cost and labor, and less of the practical and aesthetic benefits that outdoor lights give to our homes.
Just a gist, outdoor lighting brings beauty to our exteriors by highlighting garden focal points such as our marvelous collection of different types of plants, or in creating a particular mood or ambiance for various styles of landscape designs. Aside from that, outdoor lights have safety and practical purposes. For example, they are used to light our frequently used pathways, grill area, and outdoor dining table.
Sounds good, isn’t it?
If you have now a change of heart and eager to bring the focus this time in lighting your outdoor areas, here are some modern lighting ideas that you can utilize to your advantage.
Bollard Lights
Bollards are great modern lights to cast a particular mood to your pathways and driveways. This type of lighting will give your guests a clear direction of where to walk. But it is advisable to place them sparingly at wide intervals to enjoy the contrast of light and shadow during the night.
Lamp Posts
Lamp posts are kind of similar in structure to bollard lights, but the former has more in height than the latter. Like bollards, it can provide direction when you place them in your walkways and driveways. It can also be a great feature not only as a light source but in adding character, charm, and elegance to your garden.
Most lamp posts come in traditional styles, but there are modern ones which are solar-powered that can complement to the contemporary setting of your gardens while also saving energy when you use them.
In-ground Lights
If you want a light for your garden that is concealed and unobtrusive, in-ground light is for you.
In-ground lights are perfect in providing subtle yet essential illumination for both safety and aesthetic appeal. For instance, it can add drama in casting its light under tall trees and dense foliage in your garden, while it is a staple in lighting pathways for you to walk your garden at night safely.
Garden Spike Lights
Garden spike light is a great modern outdoor lighting that is easy to install on a soft surface in your garden. It highlights a key landscape feature in your gardens such as an elegant palm or pine tree.
Most spike lights are LEDs, so you won’t have to worry about high electricity cost as LED lights are energy efficient. They also come in various colors to suit a particular style of a garden.
Modern Lanterns
If you want to combine a retro and modern style to your garden, modern lanterns will do the work.
Modern lanterns are attractive as garden lighting design because they add a romantic atmosphere to your garden. They are also easy to move if you want to transfer them at will and come in a wide range of style that will suit your aesthetic biases. You can put them at the corners of the garden, beside the outdoor dining table, or on both sides of the pathway.
The traditional lanterns use candles as light, but modern ones use LED for both safety and energy-saving purposes.
String Lights
String lights have the power to turn a simple, ordinary space into something like those you see in the fairy tales. They are also inexpensive and proved to be an easy way to light and beautify your garden. Just hang them in the tree, and your heart will skip a beat when you see them.
For a cozy and elegant ambiance for your garden, string lights are the best!
Orbs and Sphere Lights
If you want to pull another trick to turn your garden into something magical aside from string lights, orb- or sphere-shaped lights will do wonders.
Orbs and sphere lights come in a variety of colors. The more traditional color is the white color. It will set a modern and elegant mood when you hang them to light your garden and patio. But, if you want a more fun atmosphere for your outdoor area, you can go for the colored orbs and spheres.
You can hang them in a branching tree or float them in a small pond in your garden.
Pots and Planter Lights
If you think you know more about pots and planters because you have them in your garden serving as containers for your plants, think again.
Pots and planters don’t do just that. They also serve a dual purpose as both plant containers and light sources. They come in a variety of sizes and colors of light that will surely accentuate your plant collections and will provide an elegant beauty to your garden.
Takeaway Gardens are an important aspect of our homes. Thus, it is only necessary that we give as much attention in providing beauty to them as we do with our interiors. Choosing the perfect modern outdoor lighting is one way to provide them with that.
Gardens are an important part of our homes. It is where we pass our time for relaxation and spend our bonding time with our family after a long tiring day from work. Therefore, providing it a vibrant and refreshing look should be among our home improvement priorities for us to make these moments more comfortable and memorable.
When looking for furniture, homeowners should keep the size and layout of the garden in mind. If you have a large, open garden, the furniture you need should differ from that of a smaller garden area. Also, you need to remember that garden furniture has three-fold purposes: comfort, style, and function.
It can be tempting to buy furniture right away because it’s 50% off or it looks chic, but buying the right one is not merely focusing on those qualities. You also need to take heed of the quality. Knowing how outdoor furniture was constructed and from what materials they come from, will surely deliver a value-for-money purchase.
Here are some tips for you to buy the right furniture for your garden.
Measure Your Garden Space
The type of furniture you want to display depends on the outdoor space available. For example, a 2-seater bistro set might be ideal for a smaller patio, while a cube set is a better fit for a bigger outdoor area.
Think of What Pieces of Furniture You Need
If you want to get purchase outdoor furniture, you must base it on how you will use your outdoor space. For example, if you want your garden to be an area of relaxation, comfort should be topmost in your furniture consideration. Furniture with cushions is perfect to cater this need.
Storage and Easy Care
Most garden furniture nowadays has ‘all-weather’ as its label. While cast aluminum pieces are specially designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, you still need a spot where you can protect them from the sun, wind, rain, and hail.
So, before buying an outdoor furniture, consider first if you have enough storage space for the winter season. If you lack space for storage, go for smaller furniture pieces that are easy to move indoors, or you can consider buying a suitable cover in the budget.
Quality is Key
Buying furniture should be thought of as an investment. When choosing furniture for the garden, test its smoothness by rubbing your hands over its surface. For metal furniture, check if any welding has cracked and if the coated finish is correctly applied. Also, check if joints are not glued but screwed.
Consider the Different Materials of a Furniture
Wood Garden Furniture
Wood furniture is a perfect choice if you want to provide your garden a casual and natural style. Besides, the look of wood is ideal for an outdoor setting. Woods are sturdy, non-heat-absorbing, and long-lasting if cared properly.
Wood material comes in many varieties. There is eucalyptus, teak, cedar, pine, and oak.
Eucalyptus is a versatile hardwood and is resistant to moisture damage and insects. It is also ideal if you are tight on budget.
Teak is a dense-grained tropical hardwood. If you are looking for a piece of furniture that is resistant to rotting and shrinkage, teak is the best choice. The only disadvantage of teak is that it is an expensive option.
Cedar is a soft wood that has a distinctive scent that is insect resistant. It needs a regular maintenance because its color will turn to gray if left unsealed or unpainted.
Pine, like cedar, is also a soft wood. It is used extensively as a material for modern furniture and has color varieties that range from cream to yellow brown with its typical marked growth rings.
Oak is hardwood widely valued for its strength and attractive grain. It is used as solid furniture and in modern furniture as veneers. Oaks are moderately expensive and come in two variants of colors: grayish brown and reddish.
Wicker/Rattan Garden Furniture
Wicker and rattan are great as both an indoor and outdoor furniture. If you display it in your outdoor area, it makes a perfect complement to your porches and decks. They are available in a variety of colors that will give your garden a natural and rustic look. Its benefits include comfortable, movable, and flexible.
Plastic Garden Furniture
Plastic furniture is polyethylene-made. It comes from recycled plastic materials such as shampoo bottles and milk cartons.
The best thing with plastics is that it does not require painting or sealing. It can also be made to resemble the materials mentioned above such as wood and wicker. They are resistant to moisture, insects, stains, and mildew. Its weight is perfect if you need to move it around in other spaces.
Aluminum Garden Furniture
Aluminum furniture is good to go when you want to provide your garden a contemporary and modern design. Powder-coated aluminum is durable and only requires low-maintenance. The only catch is that aluminum becomes hot when exposed to the heat of the sun for too long.
Steel Garden Furniture
Steel furniture is heavier than aluminum and can give you a hard time moving it around. It is, however, an ideal complement to contemporary and modern gardens. For comfort, it is advisable that you provide it with cushions.
Takeaway Choosing the right furniture is essential if you want to provide your garden a comfortable and functional purpose. In achieving this, it is important to know the needs of your outdoor area first, then learn the different materials of the furniture for you to have an insight on how you will complement it to the look of your outdoor area. In this way, you won’t need to waste money and worry that is typical in any furniture mistakes.
Almost everyone has played a video game or two. Video Games are what most people often resolve to when wanting to relieve stress or just to get away from the everyday hustle and bustle of life. Similar to the effects of movies, video games provide great entertainment through several means such as wholesome fun, action, mystery, problem-solving, etc.
Video games, however, do have a dark side. Similar to movies, games have brought nightmares to a lot of people when they play horror survival games. With immense gameplay, awesome storytelling, and fear, individuals who play these games get addicted to the thrill and adrenaline they get when facing a hidden monster or a ghoulish face scream at them out of nowhere. With that said, here is a look at the five most terrifying games produced.
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly – Tecmo
The majority of the games featured in this list tackles with evading and escaping the supernatural. However, Fatal Frame 2 is the opposite of most games. Armed with a camera, the protagonist must snap photos of ghosts that they encounter along the way. The game is a unique take on the survival horror genre. The horrors of the game feature Japanese-inspired ghosts that resemble Sadako and other horror icons famous in the country.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – Capcom
Known for its heavy use of zombies, Resident Evil is a mainstay in most lists that feature the horror survival genre. However, Resident Evil 7 is the strongest showing in the series as of late, and a lot of people aren’t disappointed by the frights it gives. The eerie setting of Resident Evil 7 takes the player in a whole new setting filled with old shacks, rotting vegetation, gruesome images, all set on a plantation.
Leaning on towards a rare genre in the American horror scene, Resident Evil 7 is more of a “Hillbilly Horror” wherein the terrors are from seemingly brutish and uneducated people in the far reaches of American modernization. Resident Evil uses all its scares to deliver a resurgence and a fresh new look for the franchise.
P.T. – Konami
From famed game director Hideo Kojima and famous Hollywood director Guillermo del Toro, P.T. is a first-person psychological horror video game which takes the player on a whole new level of fright and fear. The game was part of a teaser for the Silent Hills, a canceled installment of the Silent Hill franchise. A lot of fans praised the game for its direction, graphics, complexity, and the absolute mental horror of its gameplay.
With the game already shrouded in mystery, Konami took the game off of the PlayStation Network which prompted a lot of fans to protest, clamoring for a chance to download the game again. To this day, no traces of the game are present online which only adds to the mystery that P.T. or this “Playable Teaser” brings.
Image source Flickr
Amnesia: The Dark Descent – Frictional Games
The essence of horror survival games tends to focus on action rather than the fear itself. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is an ode to the nature of what is a real fright. Games like Resident Evil, Zombie themed games, and most survival horror genre games equip a player with some melee weapon or a gun. In this game, however, you are powerless as the option to fight back is apparently absent.
If being powerless isn’t enough to scare you, Amnesia also has a unique system embedded in its gameplay that isn’t found in many horror games today. A sanity meter is a meter that tells the player of his or her sanity. Expose your in-game character to a lot of ghoulish figures, and your meter eventually fills bringing your character to insanity.
This unique system juggles the real world player’s flight or fight system which ultimately provides an exhilarating and scary experience to those who try out Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
Silent Hill 2 – Konami
Silent Hill 2 is the 2nd installment of the Silent Hill franchise. The game is so scary that a lot of people consider the entire franchise the brass ring for most survival horror games. Although the game makes use of relatively simple combat systems, it’s still a scary game due to the grotesque monsters you’ll get to encounter which is curiously difficult to defeat.
The game also makes use of horrible audio by playing random high-pitched noises that most people find unsettling. In the first game, Silent Hill, a similar sound plays when the radio fills with static when an enemy is close. Other sounds in the game include a baby crying, pigs squealing, gasping, footsteps approaching, glass shattering, etc. Try listening to those sounds while standing in a room alone.
Silent Hill has been long known by many as a game that strikes horror in the most unusual ways by displaying horrible and gruesome scenes to the player. Silent Hill 2 is indeed the best game to come out of the franchise, with other installments not far behind. Truly a game that will scare your wits out. Do not play this game alone, without lights.
Takeaway
A lot of people play horror games for the pure fun and adrenaline that comes with jump-scares and frights. Sometimes, just like movies, these games take it to the extreme by using more than just zombies and monsters as frightening themes. Some of these games stick to the more realistic form of fear.
Games like Amnesia use real fears that most people experience. Silent Hill, however, combines all those elements and molds them into an experience that players will never forget. Keep the lights on, blankets over your head, and play with a buddy, as these games are the scariest.
The amount of deaths and life altering injuries on the road have grown over the past few years. You might assume that this is due to drinking driving or perhaps even phone related deaths. However, instead of blaming independent drivers safety, petitioners are beginning to turn their attention towards one particular industry. Many people are starting to feel as though trucking has become a serious danger on the roads.
Why Is Trucking Dangerous
There are numerous reasons why trucks are dangerous vehicles on the roads. First, it’s important to understand that trucks can weigh five times the amount of a typical car. This means that if you are involved in an accident on the road involving a truck death could be more likely than an injury. Due to their size, these trucks also have longer braking distance meaning that an accident could be less preventable. As well as this, despite larger mirrors trucks have massive blind spots. There are several areas around a truck that a driver will not be able to fully see while driving. In 2015, there were nearly 4000 people died due to a truck accident on the road. This amount is about 12 percent of the total number of accidents.
What Are The Issues In The Industry
Too many to count. Trucking companies often use cheap labor resources that may involve drivers that do not have a lot of experience manning the large vehicles. As well as this, drivers are often encouraged to get to their destination as quickly as possible with incentives for fast deliveries. There is also evidence to suggest that drivers work without breaks on the road, leading to issues with fatigue. Furthermore, yet more research suggests that many of the trucks currently in service on the roads are no longer safe due to being out of date with the latest safety features.
As such, a reform is needed to reduce the number of incidents on the road. According to www.lawsuitlegal.com a number of wrongful death lawsuits have been brought forward due to incidents involving trucks on the road. For a reform to take place there needs to be a show of force to prevent further incidents. This may happen due to Tracy Morgan being one of the most recent victims of a truck incident. His celebrity status could lead to changes in the trucking industry, though so far nothing has changed. So, what can be done to improve the situation?
Government Incentives
One of the major issues is that life-saving technology is available on the market that can make trucks a lot safer for drivers and other people on the roads. Unfortunately, this tech is expensive and buying full vehicle upgrades is a cost that most companies simply can not handle. Particularly, when taking into account expensive insurance costs that they have to pay. Due to the potential of wrongful death lawsuits being a result of a truck accident and massive payouts often occurring, insurance companies are charging a fortune to cover truck businesses. This forces them to save money in other areas such as safety.
As such, petitioners want the government to provide incentives to these companies. They already do this for businesses that use electric vehicles, so it’s not a stretch to suggest they could pay incentives to companies using better safety equipment in their vehicles.
Hope For Future Tech
It is fair to say that a number of trucking accidents are caused by driver negligence or even basic human error. As such, if we could take humans out of the equation we would have safer roads and far fewer accidents involving trucks. This might not be as absurd as some people think. There are currently tests and research involving trucks that drive themselves. However, one could suggest that this would just lead to further problems. After all, a driver would still need to be in the truck as a safety precaution, and it would cost companies even more money. Without a driver present, if the tech driving the truck failed it could lead to further accidents. You can learn more about this tech on www.technologyreview.com.
The Road To No Traffic Deaths
Safety petitioners interested in this movement are attempting to reach the goal of zero traffic deaths. Stopping the dangers of trucking is crucial to moving towards this goal. Trucks present a serious danger on the roads. Unfortunately, only legal action and government interference have the power to change things. Without this type of pressure, it is unlikely that the industry will make changes itself to provide safer roads for all users.
However, there is definitely a surge in interest for this type of trucking industry reform. To succeed, it needs the support of the general public to force companies to make changes that will help keep everyone safe.
If you are someone that owns their own business, then you have a variety of people to be thinking about and to keep happy. From any staff to your accountant or clients, there are a lot of people that you need to keep happy, in order from them to keep working with you or so that they keep doing a good job for you. Clients can, of course, benefit you as they help you to bring in revenue for your business. However, there is a certain satisfaction when it comes to knowing that you did a good job for them and have contributed to their happiness. So what are some of the best ways to keep those people that you work with happy? Here are a few ideas for you to get you thinking.
If you are able to anticipate your client’s needs, then it can make a massive difference. Being able to predict what they might want, as well as what they might need for their next project, for instance, can stand you in good stead. Plus, if you get regular work from a client, you can anticipate certain things through the ways that they prefer to communicate. If they keep emails quite brief but they give their phone number, then could it be that they’d rather talk in person? Arrange to call them or to go to their office, for example.
Send Thank Yous To Them
If you have worked with a client quite a lot, then it can be a good idea to send something over to them as a thank you. After a project is finished, having something sent to their office as a thank you can be really appreciated and will keep you in their good books. It could just be that you send over some treats or even give your clients a stubby holder, for example. It helps to keep you in their memory, which is more likely to lead to repeat work from them. So have a think about what might work, even if it is just sending them a holiday card.
Own Your Mistakes
From time to time, mistakes will happen with certain work or projects. But the best thing to do, to keep everyone happy, is to own up to something rather than blame others. Explain what has happened, and tell them quickly what you will be doing to rectify the situation. Some things may have been out of your control. But it looks bad to blame others or circumstances, instead of owning your mistakes and then putting in a lot of effort to put it right.
Stay On Top Of The Trends
If you have certain clients that require work that is more seasonal, then be prepared for work that comes up at certain points in the year. Try not to overbook yourself for work, so that you have space at certain times of year for loyal clients. This can also allow you to have time to creatively plan when you know they will need you at a certain time.
President Donald Trump has observed a moment of silence at his first 9/11 commemoration in office, marking the 16th anniversary of the attacks.
The president and First Lady Melania Trump observed a solemn moment of silence at the White House and later at the Pentagon.
Thousands are gathering nationwide to mark the deadliest attack on US soil.
Nearly 3,000 people died after hijackers crashed planes into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a rural Pennsylvania field in 2001.
President Trump and the first lady observed a moment of silence at the Pentagon at 09:37, when US officials say American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building.
“Our values will endure, our people will thrive, our nation will prevail, and the memory of our loved ones will never, ever die,” Donald Trump said afterwards.
President Trump joined Defense Secretary James Mattis and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the Department of Defense to remember the lives lost on 9/11.
“The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken the spirit. Those who try will soon join the long list of vanquished enemies who dare to test our mettle,” he said.
President Trump acknowledged the more than five million young men and women who joined the military since 9/11 to “defend our country against barbaric forces of evil and destruction”.
“We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp, and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large Earth,” he continued.
Earlier, President Trump appeared at the White House for a commemoration.
Meanwhile, relatives of 9/11 victims, survivors, rescuers and others gathered at New York’s 9/11 memorial at 08:46 to mark the exact time the first plane struck the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
The second plane slammed into the South Tower at 09:03.
The names of the 3,000 killed were read aloud at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum as bells rang out in memory of the dead.
Each year on the anniversary, two light beams illuminate the sky in place of the two towers.
The fourth plane went down at 10:03 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where crew members wrestled hijackers for control of plane, forcing it down in a rural field instead of its intended target in Washington.
VP Mike Pence and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke appeared in Shanksville, where ground was broken a day before for a 93ft tower at the Flight 93 National Memorial.
The Tower of Voices will remember the 33 passengers and seven crew members who died on Flight 93.
Social media is a powerful tool to communicate with our friends, relatives, and the general public. Many businesses use it to communicate with the customers, introduce the products and services to prospective clients, update the public of the latest news about the company, etc.
One of the best ways to do social media marketing is creating a robust and significant Facebook Group. How can you do this?
Determine Your Possible Members – You have to figure out the possible members of your group. For example, you can create a group that will help you generate leads for your business. The group can also be built based on interest, goals, profession, etc.
Send Invitations – Invite your possible members or prospective clients to join your group. You can send your invitation through email or by sending messages through their Facebook account. If they agree, add them to the group. It takes so much time and effort to do this. However, the benefits are overwhelming.
Choose a Wingman – Choose a friend who can help you manage your group. He can help you monitor interactions, post blogs, and approve membership requests. A proper designation will help you focus on more important matters. Be sure to select a person with dedication, integrity, time, and passion for this kind of work.
Establish Your Rules and Regulations – Determine the content, the frequency of posting, the allowable promotions, and other policies that can give order and harmony to your group. Be transparent with your policy to avoid confusion. Encourage each member to participate in this process. Clear policies will enable your team to work smoothly and orderly.
Give Updates – Always remember to frequently post original articles, stunning images, and compelling messages to attract attention and to encourage them to interact. Constant interaction, active participation, and harmonious relationship among the group are necessary to keep it stronger and bigger.
Respond to Posts – Don’t forget to answer to all posts in your group. Give appreciation, positive comments, and excellent remarks. Interact with your group as often as you can. Encouraging words are essential to establish a camaraderie with the team members.
Promote Your Group on Other Social Media Sites – Promote your group on other social media accounts, blog pages, and other marketing sites. Let your group be famous not only on facebook but possibly on all marketing sites. Popularity will enable you to promote a better image for your business. Examples of social media platforms are Twitter and LinkedIn.
Give Importance to the Needs, Wants, and Desires of Your Group – Determine the wants, needs, and desires of your group and create your post around that. Most of us are interested in the things that would benefit us. Moreover, show off your best to keep them interested with your group. Social Media Magazine is a good source to find ideas on how to address these needs, wants, and desires.
Takeaway
Facebook has billions of users. Establishing a Facebook Group is an efficient and inexpensive way of reaching out to a lot of people. To make it flourish, you need to invest time and effort. However, it is also very beneficial because people usually prefer to do business with those they know and trust so your group can become an excellent venue to build new relationships.
PewDiePie comes again under fire after using the “n-word” during an online broadcast.
The world’s highest-paid YouTube star – real name Felix Kjellberg – could be heard using the racial slur while he was playing a video game during a live streaming.
After using the term PewDiePie appeared to recognize his error, saying: “I don’t mean that in a bad way.”
The 27-year-old Swede, who has more than 57 million subscribers, previously had to defend himself over anti-Semitism allegations.
On another occasion, PewDiePie was suspended from Twitter for ISIS jokes.
He amassed his following by posting recordings of himself playing video games and providing commentary.
In February, some of PewDiePie’s videos were found to contain Nazi references or anti-Semitic imagery, which resulted in Disney cutting ties with him.
The gamer is reported to have made $15 million through YouTube in 2016 – he gets billions of views per month and generates vast amounts of income from advertising.
PewDiePie had been associated with Disney via Maker Studios, a company with a network of YouTube stars.
In February, Disney said that while PewDiePie had a reputation for being provocative and irreverent, some of the videos he made were “inappropriate”.
In one of the controversial videos, he paid two people through a crowd-sourcing website to hold up a sign which read “Death to all Jews”.
He accepted the material was offensive, but said he did not support “any kind of hateful attitudes”.
PewDiePie said that the anti-Semitism claims were “insane” and “unfair”, adding: “I am sorry for the words I used as I know they offended people.”
The row led to YouTube canceling the release of his new series, Scare PewDiePie 2.
Some 6.3 million people in Florida had been told to evacuate.
Irma hit Marco Island at 15:35 local time. It had earlier barreled through the Florida Keys, a chain of low-lying islands to the south.
The whole of the southern tip of Florida has seen high winds, driving rain and storm surges,
About 2ft of water has been seen in Miami’s financial district, where one major street resembled a river, but the worst damage is expected on the west coast.
President Donald Trump described hurricane Irma as a “big monster”. He praised the federal agencies involved with the storm and said he would go to Florida “very soon”.
Irma has strengthened to a category 4 hurricane as it approaches Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 130mph.
Wind gusts close to hurricane force are already battering islands in south Florida, with the mainland due to be hit in the coming hours.
Water levels are already rising on Florida coast, where a huge storm surge is expected.
At least 25 people died when hurricane Irma earlier hit several Caribbean islands.
In Florida, 6.3 million people – about 30% of the state’s population – had been told to evacuate. However, on September 9, Florida Governor Rick Scott said it was now too late to leave for anyone remaining.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns that a “life-threatening storm surge” is expected in the Florida Keys – a chain of small islands in Florida’s south – and also the west coast of Florida.
Hurricane Irma is predicted to hit the coast on Sunday morning, but the outer bands are already affecting the south of the state and central Miami is being lashed by heavy rain.
The Florida Keys have suffered some minor damage and are expected to bear the brunt of the storm in the coming hours.
FEMA Administrator Brock Long told CNN there were “no safe areas within the Keys”.
“You put your life in your own hands by not evacuating,” he added.
Governor Rick Scott warned residents: “If you’re in an evacuation zone, you’ve got to get to a shelter need to get to a shelter… there’s not many hours left.
“The winds are coming, there is not gonna be a lot of time now to be able to drive very far.”
Thousands of people on the mainland are currently without electricity.
The western Gulf coast is expected to be worst affected, with cities such as Tampa and St Petersburg in the path of the storm.
The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about three million, has not been hit by a major hurricane since 1921.
Some 50,000 people have gone to shelters throughout the state, Governor Scott said.
Media reports say shelters in some areas have been filling up quickly and some people have been turned away.
Miami and Broward county have imposed curfews to help clear the roads of traffic.
