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Huawei Controversy: Canadian PM Fires Ambassador to China

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Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has fired the country’s ambassador to China, John McCallum.

The move follows controversial comments John McCallum made about an extradition case involving a senior executive from the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei.

PM Trudeau said in a statement he had asked John McCallum to step down, but did not offer a reason.

The detention of Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou, at the request of the US, angered China and soured Canada’s relations with Beijing.

Meng Wanzhou is accused by the US of evading sanctions on Iran. Both she and Huawei deny those allegations.

She was arrested on December 1 in Canada’s western city of Vancouver at the request of the US.

Meng Wanzhou was later granted a C$10 million ($7.6 million) bail by a local court. But she is under surveillance 24 hours a day and must wear an electronic ankle tag.

In a statement, Justin Trudeau said: “Last night I asked for and accepted John McCallum’s resignation as Canada’s ambassador to China.”

The veteran diplomat, Justin Trudeau added, had served Canadians honorably and with distinction with many positions in cabinet.

The prime minister also thanked John McCallum and his family for their service.

John McCallum caused controversy on January 22 when he publicly argued that the US extradition request for Meng Wanzhou was seriously flawed.

The next day the ambassador issued a statement saying that he “misspoke” and regretted that his comments had created “confusion”.

However, on January 25, John McCallum was quoted as saying it would be “great for Canada” if the US dropped the request.

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Huawei Dispute: Two Canadians Detained in China

Meng Wanzhou: Huawei CFO Arrested in Canada

John McCallum was appointed Canada’s ambassador to China in 2017, stepping down as the immigration minister.

Canadian media say the diplomat was eager to take over the posting because of his strong personal connection to China.

John McCallum’s wife is ethnically Chinese, and he had a large Chinese-Canadian population in his former constituency in Ontario.

He also served as Canada’s defense minister between 2002 and 2003.

The Most Affordable Months in 2019 to Get Married

We’ve got some interesting wedding news for you – the time of year you get married is going to be epically important. Not just because of the weather, the climate, or who out of your family can make it to your big day, but also because time of year dramatically affects how expensive (or how affordable!) certain wedding aspects are.

If this is news to you, no worries! We try to do everything in our power to bring the must-know-wedding-secrets directly to you!

We don’t just provide you with tons of options for wedding dresses and cheap wedding dresses, we also try to provide you with every tip, trick, secret, and piece of advice that we possibly can!

Check out some of our wedding season knowledge below as we dissect which months are likely the most affordable to get married in for the upcoming year!

Months Not to Get Married

We’re going to be totally blunt — if you’re trying to save cash when it comes to your wedding budget, then you’re going to want to stay far away from wedding season.

You’ve obviously heard of wedding season, that ideal window of time between May and October where the weather is perfect and relatively predictable (depending on your location, of course, but you get the point).

Late spring to early fall is a hugely popular time for couples to get married, mostly based on the weather and the time off that people are able to get to attend weddings, and because of this, wedding venues and vendors are likely going to take advantage of that. It’s nothing personal, just smart planning on their part. That being said, if you want to plan smart, you’re best to avoid this part of wedding season entirely. We also recommend staying away from December, as Christmas is a hugely popular time to get married!

The Months That Make the Most Financial Sense

That brings us to the months that make the most financial sense – December through early May. Why? We’ll explain it all here!

 January, February

Unless you live somewhere exceptionally tropical, you’re likely going to be dealing with a very chilly winter – and most people aren’t keen on having weddings in the cold, sleet, and snow. If you can deal with the icy weather, you can basically guarantee cheaper wedding vendors and services.

March, April, May

The weather is a little bit unpredictable in the early months of spring, so people tend to avoid weddings during these months. This means that vendors and venues aren’t getting as much business as they normally would during their popular wedding season, this, in turn, drives the price way down! Having your wedding in the off-season is an easy, decisive step toward creating a more budget-friendly wedding. If you’re okay dealing with a little unpredictability with the weather, you can save a ton of money!

Oscars 2019: Full List of Nominations

This year’s Oscar nominations have been announced in Los Angeles.

Here’s a complete list of this year’s Academy Awards nominations:

Best picture

  • BlacKkKlansman
  • Black Panther
  • Bohemian Rhapsody
  • The Favourite
  • Green Book
  • Roma
  • A Star Is Born
  • Vice

Best actor

  • Christian Bale – Vice
  • Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born
  • Willem Dafoe – At Eternity’s Gate
  • Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody
  • Viggo Mortensen – Green Book

Best actress

  • Yalitza Aparicio – Roma
  • Glenn Close – The Wife
  • Olivia Colman – The Favourite
  • Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born
  • Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Best supporting actor

  • Mahershala Ali – Green Book
  • Adam Driver – BlacKkKlansman
  • Sam Elliott – A Star Is Born
  • Richard E Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
  • Sam Rockwell – Vice

Best supporting actress

  • Amy Adams – Vice
  • Marina de Tavira – Roma
  • Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk
  • Emma Stone – The Favourite
  • Rachel Weisz – The Favourite

Best director

  • Alfonso Cuaron – Roma
  • Yorgos Lanthimos – The Favourite
  • Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman
  • Adam McKay – Vice
  • Pawel Pawlikowski – Cold War

Best adapted screenplay

  • The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
  • BlacKkKlansman
  • Can You Ever Forgive Me?
  • If Beale Street Could Talk
  • A Star Is Born

Best original screenplay

  • The Favourite
  • First Reformed
  • Green Book
  • Roma
  • Vice

Best foreign language film

  • Capernaum – Lebanon
  • Cold War – Poland
  • Never Look Away – Germany
  • Roma – Mexico
  • Shoplifters – Japan

Best original song

  • All The Stars – Black Panther
  • I’ll Fight – RGB
  • The Place Where Lost Things Go – Mary Poppins Returns
  • Shallow – A Star Is Born
  • When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings – The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Best original score

  • BlacKkKlansman – Terence Blanchard
  • Black Panther – Ludwig Goransson
  • If Beale Street Could Talk – Nicholas Britell
  • Isle of Dogs – Alexandre Desplat
  • Mary Poppins Returns – Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman

Best animated feature

  • Incredibles 2
  • Isle of Dogs
  • Mirai
  • Ralph Breaks the Internet
  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best documentary feature

  • Free Solo
  • Hale County This Morning, This Evening
  • Minding the Gap
  • Of Fathers and Sons
  • RBG

Best cinematography

  • Cold War
  • The Favourite
  • Never Look Away
  • Roma
  • A Star Is Born

Best costume design

  • The Ballad of Buster Scruggs – Mary Zophres
  • Black Panther – Ruth E Carter
  • The Favourite – Sandy Powell
  • Mary Poppins Returns – Sandy Powell
  • Mary Queen of Scots – Alexandra Byrne

Best make-up and hairstyling

  • Border
  • Mary Queen of Scots
  • Vice

Best production design

  • Black Panther
  • The Favourite
  • First Man
  • Mary Poppins Returns
  • Roma

Best visual effects

  • Avengers: Infinity War
  • Christopher Robin
  • First Man
  • Ready Player One
  • Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best film editing

  • BlacKkKlansman
  • Bohemian Rhapsody
  • The Favourite
  • Green Book
  • Vice

Best sound editing

  • Black Panther
  • Bohemian Rhapsody
  • First Man
  • A Quiet Place
  • Roma

Best sound mixing

  • Black Panther
  • Bohemian Rhapsody
  • First Man
  • Roma
  • A Star Is Born

Best animated short

  • Animal Behaviour
  • Bao
  • Late Afternoon
  • One Small Step
  • Weekends

Best live action short

  • Detainment
  • Fauve
  • Marguerite
  • Mother
  • Skin

Best documentary short

  • Black Sheep
  • End Game
  • Lifeboat
  • A Night at the Garden
  • Period. End of Sentence.

Venezuela Crisis: Russia Condemns Foreign Powers for Backing Juan Guaido

Moscow has condemned foreign powers for backing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó who declared himself interim president, calling it a bid to “usurp power”.

Russia said that the move violated international law and was a “direct path to bloodshed”.

On January 23, Juan Guaidó declared himself interim leader – a move recognized by the US and several other nations.

Meanwhile, President Nicolás Maduro, who retains some other nations’ support, broke off relations with the US in response.

Nicolas Maduro has been in office since 2013. He was sworn in for a second term earlier this month, after winning a May 2018 election marred by an opposition boycott and widespread claims of vote-rigging.

President Nicolas Maduro’s Istanbul Lunch Sparks Outrage in VenezuelaJuan Guaidó is the head of the National Assembly, who has said articles within Venezuela’s constitution allow him to assume interim power because he believes Nicolas Maduro’s election, and therefore presidency, is invalid.

The opposition leader has vowed to lead a transitional government and hold free elections.

President Nicolas Maduro’s Istanbul Lunch Sparks Outrage in Venezuela

Venezuela Elections 2018: Nicolas Maduro Wins Another Six-Year Term Amid Opposition Boycott

President Donald Trump recognized Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s new head of state minutes after his declaration in the capital, Caracas, on January 23.

President Trump urged other nations to follow suit – but the move has divided much of the international community.

Seven South American nations, as well as Canada and the UK, have now backed President Trump’s call.

The EU has stopped short of recognition, but called for “free and credible elections” and said Juan Guaidó’s freedom and safety should be respected.

Mexico, Bolivia and Cuba all expressed support for Nicolas Maduro, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted: “My brother Maduro! Stand tall, we are standing by you.”

China, a major investor in Venezuela, said it opposed any outside interference.

Russia sees Venezuela as one of its closest allies in the region. It has lent billions of dollars and has backed its oil industry and its military. Russia has also taken part in military exercises in Venezuela.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We consider the attempt to usurp sovereign authority in Venezuela to contradict and violate the basis and principles of international law.

“Maduro is the legitimate head of state.”

A Russian foreign ministry statement said Juan Guaidó’s declaration was a “direct path to lawlessness and bloodshed”, adding: “Only Venezuelans have the right to determine their future.

“Destructive outside interference, especially in the current extremely tense situation, is unacceptable.”

Russia also warned that any US military interference would amount to “adventurism which is fraught with catastrophic consequences”.

Oscar Nominations 2019: The Favourite and Roma Lead This Year’s Race

The Favourite and Roma lead this year’s Oscar race, with 10 nominations each.

The other contenders include A Star Is Born and Vice with 8 nominations each, followed by Black Panther with seven.

The Marvel blockbuster is the first superhero movie ever to be nominated for best picture.

The Favourite actress Olivia Colman is among the acting nominees, alongside her co-star Rachel Weisz and Christian Balefor Vice.

Olivia Colman’s strongest competition in the best actress category is likely to come from Glenn Close, who is odds-on favorite to win her first Academy Award for The Wifeafter six previous nominations, according to bookmakers.

Yalitza Aparicio is nominated for her first screen role, as the Mexican maid in Roma. The Netflix film has also given the media-services provider its first ever best picture nomination.

Oscars 2019: Kevin Hart Steps Down from Hosting Ceremony Following Homophobic Tweets

The best actress category also includes Melissa McCarthy for Can You Ever Forgive Me?and Lady Gaga for A Star Is Born.

Lady Gaga’s co-star Bradley Cooper is nominated in the best actor category, but he missed out on a nod for best director.

The frontrunners for the best actor award are two men who earned acclaim for portraying real-life public figures.

Rami Malek won rave reviews for playing Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, while Christian Bale transformed into former Vice-President Dick Cheney with the help of prosthetics in Vice.

Richard E. Grant has received his first ever Oscar nomination, for best supporting actor for his role in the film Can You Ever Forgive Me?.

Rachel Weisz is up for best supporting actress, 13 years after she won the same award for The Constant Gardener.

The actress will face competition this time from Emma Stone, who played her rival in The Favourite, as well as Roma‘s Marina de Tavira, If Beale Street Could Talk’s Regina King and Amy Adams for Vice.

Films with the most nominations:

  • 10 – The Favourite, Roma
  • 8 – A Star Is Born, Vice
  • 7 – Black Panther
  • 6 – BlacKkKlansman
  • 5 – Bohemian Rhapsody, Green Book
  • 4 – First Man, Mary Poppins Returns

When Criminals Deserve a Second Chance: Drug Courts and How They Work

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Drug courts have been around for more than two decades now. The fundamental premise of these courts is to give individuals with minor criminal history yet struggling with alcohol or drug addiction a second chance. Essentially, they allow drug criminals to change their lives by entering into rehab instead of going to prison. Successful completion of the treatment program enables these individuals to avoid prison time or criminal conviction or even both.

Who Are Drug Criminals?

Drug criminals are individuals that commit drug-related crimes. These are individuals that commit crimes that involve the use of addictive substances such as illicit drugs and alcohol. When such individuals are incarcerated, they may quit abusing the addictive substances since they can’t access them in prison. However, this abstinence from drug abuse may not last. In most cases, the incarcerated individuals go back to their previous situations after completing their prison sentence.

Law enforcement and drug treatment is generally a complex issue. Essentially, when individuals commit crimes they should be punished or held accountable. However, a small percentage of offenders meet the substance abuse disorders’ criteria and are allowed to undergo treatment for it. It’s for this reason that drug courts were established. These programs take an innovative approach by providing alternatives to lighter sentences or incarceration to individuals that agree to undergo complete drug rehabilitation.

How Drug Criminals Are Treated

Drug criminals use drug court facilities (Addiction Resource provides a full guide) to undergo rehabilitation for drug addiction. Basically, drug courts target different individuals depending on their jurisdictions. They also use varying resources to treat drug criminals. Ideally, a team of prosecutors, judges, defense attorneys, and treatment specialists like professionals in drug rehabs and social workers manage these programs. Defendants’ family members are also allowed a chance to participate in events like graduation from the program and hearings.

In most cases, the courts employ programs that are aimed at curbing criminal recidivism, encouraging the defendants to work hard towards recovery from addiction, or reducing drug use. Basically, these programs are focused on helping the defendants to lead better, healthy lives without activities that lead to crimes that may cause them trouble with the drug court system.

Common programs of these courts include needs and risk assessment, ongoing monitoring, drug rehab, graduate incentives, and follow-up. Co-occurring mental health disorders treatment can also be part of these programs.

Drug Courts Eligibility Requirements

Research has proven the existence of a relationship between drug- or alcohol abuse and crime. This relationship suggests that addiction treatment can be more effective in reducing crime than incarceration. After all, incarceration is costly and the prison environment does not allow inmates to receive treatment. Drug courts allow offenders to undergo treatment for addiction at a non-adversarial environment.

But, to avoid being imprisoned or ordered to go to jail, offenders must meet the drug courts eligibility criteria. For instance, to qualify to enter drug court programs, offenders must:

  • Not have a criminal history
  • Face drug crime charges
  • Prove their drug addiction
  • Prove that they would benefit from undergoing treatment for drug addiction

It’s worth noting that only low-level felonies cases such as theft and shoplifting are considered for drug court programs. What’s more, these crimes must be tied to the drug addiction problem of the offender. Offenders with burglary, robbery, and gun cases are not considered for the programs of drug cases. Such offenders are mostly ordered to go to jail.

Currently, there are different types of drug courts. They include juvenile courts, family courts, veteran courts, DWI courts, tribal courts, co-occurring courts, re-entry courts, federal district, federal veterans, and campus courts. In total, there are more than 3,000 drug courts across the United States of America. Around half of them are targeted at juveniles and the other half at adults. Family drug courts target defendants that have child welfare cases pending. Their goal is to minimize family separation while maximizing recovery chances and enhancing parenting skills.

Effectiveness of Drug Courts and Their Implications

Drug court programs are based on the recognition of the great importance of drug rehabilitation in reducing crimes. Participants of drug courts’ programs enter the abeyance plea. This is a guilty plea on hold that allows the offender to enroll in the program of a drug court. The guilty plea is only withdrawn if the offender completes the program successfully and charges are dismissed or reduced. But, if the offender fails to complete the program, they still face imprisonment charges or sentencing.

Research has shown that the scheme of drug court is effective because participants are often less likely to commit crimes than similar offenders that are imprisoned or sentenced. What’s more, there is a less likelihood for participants to test positive for the drugs they abused than offenders in traditional correction systems.

The programs of drug courts incorporate drug rehabilitation. Therefore, they may cost more than incarcerating offenders in regular court systems. Nevertheless, reduction in re-offending rates enables drug courts to save more money per offender when compared to the cost of dealing with re-offenses in the long-term. Programs of drug courts also have a better outcome for juvenile cases than juvenile courts combined with intensive outpatient addiction treatment programs.

So, does this imply that drug courts are the answer to the drug addiction epidemic? Unfortunately, this question doesn’t have a single solution. The fact that drug courts help in the reduction of re-offenses doesn’t mean they can single-handedly solve the drug addiction problem. Their effectiveness only implies that they can be a great alternative for some drug offenders that would otherwise be imprisoned. That’s because it emphasizes the use of drug rehabilitation to ensure long-term recovery which minimizes re-offenses.

The Bottom Line

Everybody deserves a second chance and that’s what drug courts offer drug criminals. Sending people that commit crimes under the influence of drugs or alcohol to prison doesn’t help the society. Drug courts return drug criminals that are ready to reform back to the community while providing the support they need to recover from addiction. This enables them to achieve and maintain sobriety without re-offending and this helps everyone. 


The Right Way to Ask Your Boss for a Raise

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Money is perhaps the most sensitive subject matter in our society. Indeed, with the possible exceptions of sex, religion, and politics, nothing makes people more uncomfortable than talking about finances. To wit, more marriages end as a result of money concerns than any other single factor. Given all that, it’s understandable why so many people are reticent to ask their boss for a raise –– even if they deserve one. The good news is, asking for a raise doesn’t have to be an excruciating process. Rather, just follow these four best practices and you’ll be sure to land the raise you’re looking for with minimal strain:

Pay Your Dues

Sometimes, professionals are so eager to get a job –– any job –– that they don’t concern themselves with base salary. However, you shouldn’t accept a job with an income well below what you need to survive. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself in the unenviable position of asking for a raise after a short period of time. This is a bad look for a number of reasons, and you’re unlikely to sway your boss to boost your pay after only a few months on the job.

Do Your Homework

One big mistake many professionals make when asking their manager for a raise is that they fail to do their homework. The last thing an employee can afford to do is submit an unrealistic request at the beginning of a negotiation. It’s important to determine how much professionals in similar positions in your field typically make and to understand the current state of your company or industry. Asking for a raise right after your business suffered a major setback isn’t likely to end well.

Go the Extra Mile

At the end of the day, a raise is something an employee has to earn through years of loyalty and hard graft. If you’re going to convince your boss to elevate your financial status, you should first look for a way to improve work performance on a consistent basis. By making yourself indispensable to the company, you’ll strengthen your bargaining position.

Be Willing to Negotiate

Contrary to popular belief, a negotiation is not an argument; just because you disagree with your boss, it doesn’t mean you can’t get along and still enjoy a solid professional relationship. It’s important for employees to keep an open mind when entering negotiations and be willing to compromise to a certain degree. (You may want to consider trading a hard salary increase for stock options or expanded benefits, for instance.) Few professionals get exactly what they want from an extended negotiation, so make sure to establish a “back-up plan” should management reject your initial proposal. Lastly, remember that showing your boss respect and courtesy will go a long way toward winning their favor. Even if you don’t see eye to eye at first, good manners and patience could help you reach a mutually acceptable arrangement.

The Super Bowl 2019: Date, Venue, Where to Watch and Everything You Need To Know

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2019 is a great year. There’s so much to look forward to. For many people across the world, the 53rd Super Bowl is one of the biggest deals happening this year. If the recorded number of active followers of Super Bowl LII is anything to go by, then expectations for 2019 are higher! The fact that the number of options through which interested viewers can enjoy the live happenings has increased leaves one more elated.

Super Bowl LIII

This is the 53rd modern era football championship game which will determine the 2018 National Football League champion for the season.

The Super Bowl 2019 Dates and Location

Mark the date; it’s all going down on February 3, 2019. Yes, in less than a month, we will be streaming this big event. If you are in Georgia, you will be pleased to know that the championship will be happening at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Mercedes-Benz stadium is all new noting that it only became operational after recent official commissioning around mid-2017.

Georgia residents know the location of this stadium but just in case you are new to this region, the state of the art stadium is located a few yards from Georgia Dome. Georgia Dome was the host for the year 2000 edition of Super Bowl.

How Can You Watch The Game?

If you got the access and the money, then you can watch the game in person from Mercedes-Benz stadium. But being a world-class event, you have to be prepared to part with a handsome amount of dollars to get a seat in the stadium. I don’t know about your financial position but are there any other options for people who do not want to spend heavily, living on the edge or simply looking for better alternatives?

Fortunately, there are a number of alternatives and they include;

Live Broadcasts

The super bowl 2019 edition will be live on CBS TV. So, yes, as long as you are in the United States and able to access cable TV, CBS got you sorted. They will be bringing the live event.

Live Streaming

Here is some good news, no access to CBS’ live streaming? Don’t stress, you will still have an opportunity to follow the championship through online streaming. For US residents, CBS has promised live streaming via CBSSports.com. They say that you will be able to access the live events of the day without a sign-in prompt. Great news, right? Online streaming is the best way to catch the Super Bowl live online.

CBS Live Streaming Partners

CBS has also promised that it will be guaranteeing access to their live streaming partners like Samsung TVs, Chrome cast, Fire TV, other satellites and telecoms. This only means that you will have enough options to choose from. All you need is your laptop or smartphone and a good internet connection, and then you can enjoy the live streaming from the comfort of your couch.

Can You Stream Live If You Are Not A United StatesResident?

The answer to this is yes and no. Well, it depends on how well you will be pre-positioned. See, the live streaming websites have geo-limitations. What does this mean? You will face blocks if you will be trying to access the content from a location that is not within the set limit. So if you try this, you will not be able to access the super bowl championship. That’s the ‘no’ explanation.

Luckily, there’s another hand, you can have your way through to a live experience of the events that will be going down in Georgia using a VPN.  Yes, a VPN is the only way out for non-US residents. All that will be required of you is that connect to a VPN with a server in Georgia. VPN is a network system that among other things masks your real geographical location. What does this mean? That wherever you will be, whether in a small country in Africa, Asia or anywhere in the world, you will be able to enjoy the 2019 Super Bowl. All you need to do is your android device, good internet connection and a connection to a VPN.

Should businesses provide separate smoking areas for vaping?

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Data suggests that there are now some three million people who vape in the UK. However, despite such a high number of people who vape, regulations surrounding vaping are still unclear.

Laws surrounding vaping

No law states that people must vape outside. Establishments such as pubs can introduce should a policy if they wish. All the same, it should be remembered that, if a customer were to vape inside, they would not be breaking the law.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/cigar-cigarette-smoke-macro-70088/

One popular franchise that has banned vaping indoors is JD Wetherspoon. The nationwide pub chain has stated that its reason for doing so was confusion amongst staff over whether customers were vaping or smoking actual cigarettes – but, with the introduction of separate smoking areas for vaping, any confusion would be prevented. MPs have called for pubs, employers and even train operators to rethink bans surrounding the use of e-cigarettes.

As e-cigarettes are designed specifically to help users stop smoking, they do not produce tar or carbon monoxide. As a result, e-cigarettes such as the Smok Alien 220w Box Mod are much safer than traditional cigarettes.

With this in mind, surely businesses should provide separate smoking areas for vaping? It’s a move that would make sense, as this would stop users from smoking in public and causing annoyance to people who don’t smoke or vape at all.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photography-of-man-smoking-849203/


In addition to MPs calling for a reconsideration of the ban, a report from the Commons Science and Technology Committee further supported the use of e-cigarettes in public, or at least solid reasoning for separate smoking and vaping areas, by warning that smokers are dying due to misconceptions concerning the risks of e-cigarettes. This has led the Committee to call for an overhaul of the current regulation.

Views on vaping indoors

Eddie Gershon, a spokesperson for Wetherspoons, claimed that the company’s decision to ban vaping inside its premises is “fair to both smokers and vapers”. Another pubco that has followed in the footsteps of Wetherspoons is Fuller’s, claiming that it is “disconcerting” for non-smokers to see customers using an e-cigarette.

Again, the confusion surrounding e-cigarettes and actual cigarettes would help to justify businesses introducing separate areas for smokers and vapers. While non-smokers may find it disconcerting for customers to use an e-cigarette, those who do vape may find it equally as disconcerting to be amongst those smoking cigarettes.

Additionally, to further prevent confusion surrounding the differences between the vaping category and the smoking of traditional cigarettes, operators should consider educating their staff. This would be to ensure that they are knowledgeable on the subject and, therefore, able to competently handle challenges from customers with little hassle.

According to the NHS, there is no evidence that bystanders are harmed by exposure to e-cigarette vapour. Evidently, any risk of harm appears to be extremely low, especially in comparison to tobacco smoke. However, if such a statement still fails to convince operators to allow vaping indoors, allocating separate areas for traditional cigarette smokers and vapers is a move that makes sense, considering that those who vape would be put at risk from passive smoking.

Helpful Tips to Land Your Dream Job

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There’s no question that searching for a job can be extremely overwhelming. This is especially true if you need a job right now. It may feel as though there is just too much that you need to do to make yourself employable.

The good news is, when searching for jobs, regardless of if you plan to take out a loan and open your own business, or be employed by a Fortune 500 company, there are steps and tips you can use to make the entire process easier.

Interested? If so, keep reading. With the tips here, you will have the job you have always wanted in no time.

Take Time to Learn About Yourself

You need to do an assessment of your personal values, the way you enjoy working, and what you wouldn’t mind doing even if you never received a paycheck. Once you are better acquainted with yourself, you can begin thinking about industries and specific careers that would match your interests and beliefs.

Go online, take courses on what you are interested in, and begin working toward your dream job. After all, anything worth having takes work.

Get Ready to Network

There’s no question that an important part of any job search is networking. This is done by reaching out to others in the industry, getting advice and guidance, and asking about any job opportunities they may know about.

There are several different networking strategies you can use. You can turn to LinkedIn, be more active on Twitter, or even go old-school with traditional business cards. The goal is to get your name out there and make contacts in the field where you want to work.

Any Level of Progress is Good – Don’t Give Up

There are even extremely confident people who remain in an unsatisfying job because they begin to feel safe. They may also stay because they are worried they are going to make the wrong decision.

However, the journey to discover meaningful work that you look forward to and are proud of is challenging. The goal is to take this journey one step at a time. Make a commitment to do something each day – such as emailing a contact or even attending an event. These small steps are going to keep getting you closer to the ultimate goal you have.

13 Things You Didn’t Know About Photocopiers

Together with the water-cooler, the telephone, and the desktop the photocopier is the most common piece of office equipment everywhere. You most likely don’t think there’re a lot of things about the photocopier that could shock you and, to be frank, you’re maybe right. Yet there’re still one or two fascinating facts that may just take you by surprise.

Here are some things you probably didn’t know about your office-photocopying machine:

1.     Staple and Hole Punch Documents

If your institution or workplace still requires you to hole punch or staple your own documents, you’re missing out on useful efficiency-improving state-of-the-art technology.

Modern-day photocopiers can staple documents themselves, using automatic processes to make the subsequent documents hardwearing and giving them a professional look.

2.     Track Costs

Copy toner and paper can be one of the most important sources of spending in any office. These machines on a daily basis produce countless pages of documents, which is both expensive and bad for the environment.

Your office copy machine makes it easy to track individual, departmental and company-printing patterns to find out exactly how much is being spent on printing. This helps cut costs and measure inefficiencies.

3.     Fold Documents from Your Photocopier

If you’ve ever attempted to make a simple, image-heavy flyer for your business, you know that folding a lot of individual papers gets boring very fast. Much worse, it is difficult to maintain the same quality when folding the pages yourself.

Finishing modules can fold papers in different ways, using repeatable, automated actions to produce flawlessly consistent folds.

4.     Better Document Security

Nowadays, photocopiers can encrypt documents that are scanned and backed up on your network.

Other great security features comprise the use of proximity cards, login photos, and individual PIN codes. These advanced security features restrict access and usage to workflows and documents on the photocopier panel itself.

5.     Create Mail-Ready Envelopes

You don’t need an envelope printer to create lots of mail-ready envelopes. Multifunction copy machines with the capability of printing envelopes can also print images directly onto the envelopes, as well as address info that differs from envelope to envelop.

This saves a lot time out of the process of starting a direct mail campaign, either for institutional or marketing purposes.

6.     You Can’t Duplicate Money on a Modern Color Copier

Rookie money-launderers beware! If you are considering using your office’s MFD to copy money, reconsider. Modern-day photocopiers come equipped with a feature that recognizes an embedded pattern in money.

It then marks all copies rendering them unusable. So, even if you in some way succeed to get your hands on the rare government paper needed, starting your own cash factory during your lunch break is off.

7.     Sitting on Your Copy Machine is a Bad Idea

Twenty percent of all photocopier maintenances are required as a result of damage caused by someone sitting on them and putting far too much pressure on the glass. Always stay out of the photocopier room when the drink starts flowing in your workplace.

8.     Scan Hard Copy Documents to Make Editable Electronic Documents

How many times have you retyped a document to make some adjusts since it is only obtainable in paper format? Well, this can be such a waste of precious time. Worst of all, your PC crashed and the document wasn’t saved, and now it is lost forever, except for the hard copy on your desk.

It is as simple as scanning your hard copy into the office photocopier directly into PDF or Microsoft Word.

9.     Integrate with Cloud, Email and Mobile Services

Office technology is quickly changing to a paperless environment. Part of that change includes taking paper documents and converting them into digital ones. In order to do this, modern-day copiers integrate with networks to receive and send documents through the Internet.

Now, you can scan editable images of docs to mail, and still convert them to editable word documents and PDFs. You can print documents and images from your smartphone, or make physical copies of digital documents located on a cloud-based platform such as Google Docs.

10. Chronic Arthritis Inspired the Invention of the Photocopier

Chester Carlson invented the photocopying machine back in 1938. He was driven to research the process after spending years as a patent attorney and law student, re-writing legal documents manually.

His chronic arthritis made his work as law student and patent attorney unbearable. Additionally, when Carlson first started presenting his invention around the big hardware companies of the day he was turned down. Carlson later shared his idea with the non-profit Battelle Memorial Institute, who helped him research the technology.

11. Copy Machines Were Once a Serious Fire Hazard

Xerox 914, the first popular photocopying machine, took the business world by a storm in the 50s. Crazily enough, if it were released today, it would never get past safety and health.

Not only did over-use of the machine risk overheating, the machine would usually burst into flames after printing too many copies. This was such a huge problem that Xerox had to give out free fire extinguishers with each photocopying machine they sold!

12. Copiers have a Good Memory

More than fifty percent of used photocopiers contain info that has been left by previous owners. So, when you take into account the amount of highly sensitive info circulating in the office on a daily basis, the danger should quickly become clear to you.

Selling your old office photocopier? Remember to wipe out all images and files from its memory.

13. Renting a Copier is More Economical Compared to Buying one Outright

For most startups purchasing invaluable office equipment such as a photocopier may be a scary investment, mostly as a result of the probability of it becoming obsolete and the huge capital outlay. Leasing or renting a copier is the smart option with an abundance of good business-sense advantages.

However, If you make less than seven hundred copies a month, you maybe don’t need to rent photocopiers for your business. You would be better off purchasing small desktop printers.

Conclusion

Copy machines are designed with state-of-the-art technology that sometimes goes completely ignored and unused. Creating the time to learn what your copier is capable of can change the way you do everyday tasks and save you a considerable amount of time.

Boo the Pomeranian: World’s Cuttest Dog Dies from Broken Heart at 12

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World’s cutest dog Boo the Pomeranian has died from a broken heart at the age of 12.

The social media star’s owners say he had shown signs of heart problems ever since his “best friend” – a dog called Buddy – died in 2017.

“We think his heart literally broke when Buddy left us,” they wrote on Boo’s official Facebook page.

Boo had 16 million followers on Facebook, made TV appearances, and even released a book called Boo – the life of the world’s cutest dog.

Image source Facebook

Boo and his friend Buddy had lived together for 11 years – before Buddy passed away in September 2017 at the age of 14.

His owners say Boo passed away in his sleep on January 19 and they were “heartbroken”.

They added: “But we find comfort knowing that he is no longer in any pain or discomfort.

“We know that Buddy was the first to greet him on the other side of that rainbow bridge, and this is likely the most excited either of them have been in a long time.”

As well as releasing a book, Boo met with celebrities such as Seth Rogan, became an ambassador for a US airline and appeared on several TV shows.

Boo’s owners said they’d received many notes over the years from people sharing their stories of how Boo “brightened their days and helped bring a little light to their lives during difficult times”.

They added: “And that was really the purpose of all this…Boo brought joy to people all over the world.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJcYu186DoM

Belarusian Model Nastya Rybka Detained by Russian Police after Claiming to Have Trump-Russia Collusion Evidence

Nastya Rybka, who said she had evidence of Russian collusion with Donald Trump’s election campaign, has been detained by Russian police.

The 27-year-old Belarusian model, real name Anastasia Vashukevich, was arrested at Moscow’s main airport after being deported from Thailand for soliciting.

Her lawyer posted a video on Instagram which, he says, shows her arrest.

The video shows a woman resembling Nastya Rybka and looking sedated struggles as four men push her into a wheelchair, then carry her.

The video clip posted by lawyer Dmitry Zatsarinsky has now been tweeted by Russian broadcasters and anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny.

Dmitry Zatsarinsky said the model had planned to get a connecting flight to Minsk, the Belarusian capital, but had been seized and dragged from the transit zone on to Russian territory, then whisked away to a police station.

The lawyer called the Russian action “an international scandal”.

A Russian interior ministry statement, quoted by local media, says Nastya Rybka and three others detained with her at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport are accused of “luring into prostitution and practicing it”. The crime can be punished with up to six years’ jail.

Among the four held is Belarusian Alexander Kirillov, who was in custody with Nastya Rybka in Thailand.

They spent nine months in custody before a Thai court handed them a suspended 18-month sentence for soliciting. Thailand deported them on January 17, taking account of their time spent in custody.

They and five others – both Belarusians and Russians – pleaded guilty, after which they were deported.

While in custody, Nastya Rybka and Alexander Kirillov sought help from the US embassy, fearing extradition to Russia.

President Donald Trump Denies Working for Russia

President Donald Trump Prepared to Be Questioned by Robert Mueller

Trump-Putin Summit: Donald Trump Defends Russia over Claims of Election Interference

Nastya Rybka said she had evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election campaign, allegedly obtained through an acquaintance with Russian billionaire industrialist Oleg Deripaska.

Oleg Deripaska denied the allegations and successfully sued both Nastya Rybka and Alexander Kirillov.

The billionaire is on the list of Russian oligarchs and politicians subject to US sanctions for alleged “malign activities” around the world.

8 Awesome Things to Do in Phuket, Thailand

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Phuket is Thailand’s biggest island. It’s a truly magical place, famous for its beaches, luxe resorts, cultural heritage, and friendly people. Millions of visitors travel to Thailand every year, and many of those head straight to Phuket. Whether you are after Full Moon beach parties and go-go bars or historic temples and deserted beaches, Phuket has a lot to offer.

First, you need to book flights and accommodation. Phuket may be an island, but it has an international airport, which is 32 kilometres from Phuket City. Flights are available from most major airports around the world, so shop around for the best deals. It’s also worth booking flights to Bangkok and spending a few days there first. You can catch a connection from Bangkok to Phuket on various local carriers, including Bangkok Airways and Thai Smile.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

With flights in hand, accommodation is easy enough to find. There are numerous beach resorts, backpacker hostels, and small hotels for tourists. If you have plans to travel with family and friends, look at luxury Phuket rentals. You’ll find beautiful duplexes and villas with fabulous views and amazing amenities. Make your vacation a trip to remember and book a luxury rental in Phuket!

Now you have flights and accommodation all sewn up, here is our guide to the top eight things to do when you arrive.

1. Become a Beach Bum

Phuket has some amazing beaches. There are more than 30 stretches of sand dotted around the island, so you will be spoiled for choice. Some are livelier than others, so decide what your priorities are – people watching or solitude – and make your pick. Kata Beach is a top choice with many tourists. There is plenty of space to pitch your towel, plus a few amenities. Other popular beaches include Freedom Beach, Kata Noi Beach, Paradise Beach, and Ya Nui Beach.

2. Take a Trip to Phi Phi Island

Have you seen the Leonardo di Caprio movie, The Beach? If so, you’ll want to visit Phi Phi. This is where the famous ‘beach’ is located. Towering limestone cliffs loom over the idyllic beach, flanked by dense jungle. It’s a beautiful place. There are, in fact, two Phi Phi islands – Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. Both are beautiful and both will capture your heart and soul. Take a ferry from Phuket Town or book a private speedboat charter if you have a larger budget.

3. Visit the Similan Islands

While we are on the topic of island hopping, it would be remiss not to mention the stunning Similan Islands north-west of Phuket. If you love scuba diving, this is an unmissable destination. The dive sites around the Similan Islands are among the best in the world. The landscape on the islands is also pretty spectacular. Giant boulders teeter precariously on piles of stones. Beneath the waves is where it’s at though. There are amazing underwater caverns to explore, populated with extraordinary marine life. The islands are not open all year, so if you want to plan a visit, make sure you come to Phuket between October and May.

4. Go Shopping in the Night Markets

Most people choose to go shopping at night when the sun has gone down and it’s a bit cooler. Phuket’s night markets are famous. There are lots to choose from, each offering a wonderful and eclectic selection of trinkets, souvenirs, clothing, local arts and crafts, and more. While shopping, you can soak up the atmosphere, listen to music and watch street performers. It’s also a good opportunity to sample some delicious street food. Some of the best night markets on Phuket include Chillva Market, Phuket Walking Street, Phuket Weekend Market, and Malin Plaza Patong in Patong Beach.

5. Visit the Temples

You can’t come to Phuket without spending at least one day exploring some of the island’s cultural highlights. Wat Chalong is Phuket’s best-known and most important temple; it’s also the spiritual center of Phuket. It’s beautifully decorated with glass and has many glittering pagodas. There are no admission charges when you visit these amazing shrines, but you must dress in a respectful manner. This means no revealing clothing or beachwear. Cover up and respect the holiness of the temples. Remember, you will be asked to remove your shoes before you enter.

6. Take a Trip to Phang Nga Bay

Phang Nga Bay enjoyed a starring role in the movie, The Man with the Golden Gun. The huge rocky pinnacle in the bay is still called James Bond Island for this reason. As is common around Phuket (and Thailand), huge limestone cliffs jut out of the water, providing a spectacular backdrop to the beach. You can’t get too close to James Bond Island, but you can rent a boat and sail around it. Have lunch at Kho Panyee and explore the caves inside Koh Ping Ghan. It’s hard not to be impressed by the sheer beauty of the place.

7. Check Out the Nightlife on Bangla Road in Patong Beach

During the day, Bangla Road is relatively quiet, but when the sun goes down, the area comes to life in a glorious, technicolor blaze of neon lights and loud music. Bangla Road is not the faint-hearted. Every sense will be assailed as you walk down the strip. There are beer bars rubbing shoulders with sleazy go-go bars and street performers show off their skills every night. Expect to be hassled by touts selling tickets to shows. Drink lots of beer, enjoy the delirious atmosphere, and end your night with a boogie at Seduction Night Club or the new Tiger Disco.

8. Drive to the Big Buddha

Hiring a car is easy on Phuket. Once you have transport, drive out to the Big Buddha on top of the Nakkerd Hills, at the southern end of the island. This iconic landmark is hard to miss and is visible for miles. Climb to the top and check out the amazing views. There are maps available, to help you identify some of the landmarks on the horizon.

Other attractions include the Phuket FantaSea Show and elephant Sanctuaries – if you visit one make, sure it’s an ethical sanctuary.

Divorce and Business Ownership in Georgia

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The division of property is one of the most important and disputed issues of divorce, along with child custody. This process can cause many difficulties, not only if the divorce is contested, but also if the spouses are sincerely ready to negotiate and reach an agreement.

In the US, there are so-called equitable distribution states and the community property states.  In the equitable distribution states, property acquired during the marriage typically belongs to the spouse who earned it, and in a divorce, all the property should be divided in an equitable and fair way, considering the plenty of factors of a particular divorce case. The community property states follow the rule that all assets acquired during the marriage are considered to be community property, and in most cases, they are to be divided between the spouses in half.

Usually, only the common property is subject to division (all that was acquired by the spouses during the marriage). Therefore, it’s rather important to determine which property is common and which is separate. After that, the court appoints the value of each property so that it is convenient to divide it in monetary equivalent. All the property is to be divided between the spouses fairly, but not necessarily equally.
Actually, in Georgia, there are no strict rules regarding the division of the property, and each case of divorce is really unique. The court divides only the common property while not touching the separate one. Separate property is everything that was acquired by each spouse before the marriage or due to inheritance or gift from third parties, and it remains to belong to the initial owner.

So, what steps are being taken when dividing a business in a divorce?

  • Marital, separate or commingled?

The first thing that spouses must do if they want to arrange an uncontested divorce and resolve property issues out of court is to determine which property is common and which is separate. Also, you should notice that sometimes, marital and separate property can be mixed together, what is called “commingling property.” Some spouses combine their assets intentionally, and others do so without thinking of the consequences. Anyway, commingling property is particularly tricky to evaluate and, therefore, to divide.

The most frequent occurrence is such a “commingling” of business. No matter if both spouses are the partial owners of the business, or only the one spouse was initially the owner of the business, but after marriage, the second spouse contributed to its development and increase of its value, in Georgia, the court will consider all these factors.

  • Evaluate the property

The value of small businesses, such as medical practice, a law firm, or even a corporation if its shares are not traded, can be particularly challenging to assess in the process of divorce. The difficulty lies in the fact that the business is not for sale, or because most assets are intangible, but in order to ensure an equitable division of marital property, the actual value must still be established.
In Georgia, even if the divorce is uncontested, this process should involve the forensic accountant, business appraisers, and sometimes, financial and legal experts need to work together to conduct a judicial assessment of the business. And surely, if one party intends to block access to the records or move money in violation of a court decision, then you can’t do without a strong legal representation.

In general, there are two ways to handle the business-related issue in a divorce. If neither spouse wants to keep the business going, liquidation is one of the simpler options. This simplifies business valuation (as there is no need to forecast future income), and therefore the judge can share the income from the sale of the business given the list of factors contained in the state family law, as if it concerns bank accounts, income from the sale of real estate, and so on.

If the business is not for sale, in most cases the ownership of the business remains with only one party. However, it is worth considering that the value of a business can play a role in determining the division of other property (for example, real estate) or in ordering spousal support (alimony).
But of course, the most reliable ways to protect a business should be thought out in advance – before the divorce, or even before the marriage. These include:

  • Prenuptial Agreements

A prenuptial agreement is the most comfortable and affordable way to protect the business in the event of a divorce. It allows settling in advance different financial issues which may arise in the process of divorce. What’s really good, is that the premarital agreement allows taking into account the individual wishes of the parties and intentions to divide their business in some special way not guided only by the state rules. Please notice, that according to the recent opinion polls, %15 of divorced Americans regret not making a prenuptial agreement.

  • Shareholder use, partnership or purchase/sale agreement.

Such agreements may include the requirement that unwed shareholders provide the business with a marriage contract before the marriage, as well as a waiver from the future husband/wife that removes them from any future business interest.

Also, these agreements provide an opportunity to prohibit the transfer of shares without the approval of any other shareholders or to agree that they have the right to purchase shares or shares of one or both spouses in a case of dissolution of the marriage.

  • Postnuptial agreements

Postnuptial agreements are often used as updates to existing prenups, however, if the parties don’t have a prenup, a postnup still may be an option. Although it is usually signed after marriage and therefore has less authority, it contains nearly the same information about assets and property, as a prenup does.

In the postnup, you can point out that if there’s a dissolution of the marriage, each party is entitled to a set amount of money or, for example, a portion of assets before a specific date.

Employee Background Checks: Everything You Need to Know

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When people decide to do an employee background check, it’s because they want to be sure of a candidate – of its criminal records, driving records, or if they’re on a terror watch list or even sex offender registry. It’s important to do this when you choose people to work for you. Checkthem.com is the best site on the internet for this job.

How much does it cost?

Background checks generally cost between $30 and $80. The price depends on how much info you’re trying to find out, and how fast you need that info. Job history verification, license verification and credit checks usually cost extra.

How to do it?

Have a consistent policy on how to perform background checks

It’s best to have a flow chart, so that everyone will know which step to make and when to make it. Some of them can cause legal issues if not done properly.

Get legal advice on how to use background checks

Background checks can sometimes mean finding sensitive information, and in some states, legally, you cannot find certain information about a person. You need to talk to a lawyer to make sure you know that your background check does not mess with the law, causing legal issues for your company.

Give your candidates the benefit of the doubt

Sometimes, you may find incorrect info about a person. It’s best to give your candidates the benefit of the doubt and let them explain the incorrect info you got after the background check. The person standing in front of you might be a good person, so let him or her prove that before you exclude him or her from your list.

Use services that are FCRA compliant

FCRA stands for Fair Credit Reporting Act and it shows what the things you can or cannot do when performing a background check are. The document gives you info about how you should treat the info according to the perspective of the candidate. Almost all of the background checks are done by FCRA, but it’s good to keep in mind that there are many other laws that might affect them – it all depends on the region or state. Let’s take a clear example: in some states, it’s okay to use criminal background checks or credit for any employee, in other states, only certain employees can be checked.

When it comes to reference checks

A reference check usually happens when you contact a person, like a former employer, to make sure you got the facts right – employment dates and the position held. They’re pretty easy to do. When you reject a candidate because of the info you got in the investigative consumer report, you must give your candidate a copy of that report.

Essential Characteristics to Look For in a Potential Watch Purchase

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If you are like most people, you work extremely hard for your paycheck. While living on a strict budget is a great way to save money from your paycheck, you need to treat yourself on occasion.

For some people, buying a new watch is something they enjoy greatly. Putting together a collection of high-quality and appealing watches is a great investment. When properly cared for, watches will maintain their value over time.

Each year, Americans spend nearly $11 million on watches. If you are in the market for a new watch, make sure you take some time to research all of your options. Getting in a hurry during the watch buying process will generally lead to mistakes being made.

The following are some of the essential characteristics you need to look for in a potential watch purchase.

Consider the Materials Used to Construct the Watch

Before deciding whether or not to buy a particular watch, be sure to find out more about the materials used to construct it. If you are looking for a durable watch, choosing a timepiece that is made from either ceramics or titanium is preferable.

While titanium and ceramic watches are durable, they generally carry a large price tag as well. Opting for a stainless steel watch will provide you with a high level of resiliency and a lower purchase price.

If you are looking at a silver or gold watch, be sure to ask whether it has a PVD coating on it. Without this type of coating, your new watch will slowly become discolored over time. You can usually get a breakdown of the materials used in the construction of a watch by looking at its backing.

A Quality Watch Glass is Important

When trying to assess how well-made a particular watch is, you should pay attention to the type of glass it has. According to seasoned watch professionals at https://www.watchshopping.com/iwc, sapphire glass is one of the most appealing and resilient glasses used in the watchmaking process. This type of clear will stay clear for a long time and will not scratch even in the roughest of conditions.

If you are unable to afford a watch with this type of glass, you need to look for the next best thing which is crystal or mineral glass. Generally, watches with this type of glass will be much cheaper. However, mineral and crystal glass have a higher chance of getting scratched over time. If you are confused about which timepiece to purchase, be sure to consult with a knowledgeable supplier.

Choose a Watch with a Quartz or Mechanical Movement

Most of the battery powered watches on the market will feature a quartz movement. Most new collectors like quartz movement watches because they feature far fewer moving parts. Often times, this makes these watches more affordable and extremely accurate.

Buyers looking for quality over price will usually seek out watches with mechanical movements. Over the years, these types of watches have become hard to find. This is because most movements are machined by computers. Getting a mechanical movement in a handmade watch will be quite costly.

 Consider How Water Resistant the Watch Is

If you do a lot of swimming or diving, then choosing a watch that features a high level of water resistance. The last thing you want is for a new watch to get damaged when exposed to water, which is why spending good money on a water resistant watch is a good idea.

Generally, these watches will feature heavy-duty gaskets that are used to seal up and protect the internal parts of the timepiece. Many standard watches are water resistant for up to 50 meters. Divers generally look for watches that are water resistant for up to 100 meters or more. These watches do cost more, but it is worth it for diving enthusiasts.

Selecting a Watch Made By a Reputable Brand

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a new watch collector is investing in timepieces from unknown watchmakers. Often times, this mistake will lead to you getting a watch that does not function very well.

Before spending your hard-earned money on a new watch, you need to thoroughly vet the company that makes it. Tried and true watch brands like Rolex, Timex and Casio are able to command higher prices for their products because of their reputation. When buying a watch from one of these companies, you can rest assured it will work correctly on a consistent basis.

Newcomers to the watch buying world need to focus on finding the right watch supplier. An experienced supplier can offer you guidance that can make the watch buying process much easier. Attempting to make this important decision without professional help can lead to you wasting a lot of money on a watch that simply isn’t worth it.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg: Canadian Sentenced to Death in China

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Canadian citizen Robert Lloyd Schellenberg has been sentenced to death for drug smuggling in China in a ruling which will worsen a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Last year, Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was originally given a 15-year jail term but after an appeal the court said the sentence was too lenient.

Today’s ruling comes weeks after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, a top official at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, on a request from the US.

Canada condemned the latest ruling.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said: “It is of extreme concern to us as a government, as it should be to all our international friends and allies, that China has chosen to begin to arbitrarily apply the death penalty, as in this case facing a Canadian.”

China was angered by the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, 46, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, and the case has soured its relations with both Canada and the US. She was granted bail in December.

Huawei Dispute: Two Canadians Detained in China

Meng Wanzhou: Huawei CFO Arrested in Canada

Huawei denies spying for Chinese government

China has since detained two Canadian nationals, accusing them of endangering national security.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who is believed to be 36, was arrested in 2014 and accused of planning to smuggle almost 500lb of methamphetamine from China to Australia.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November 2018. However, following an appeal, a high court in the north-eastern city of Dalian on January 14 sentenced the Canadian national to death.

The court also ruled that all of Robert Lloyd Schellenberg’s financial assets must be confiscated.

“I am not a drug smuggler. I came to China as a tourist,” he said just before the verdict was announced, the AFP news agency reports.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg has 10 days to appeal.

China has denied that it is using its legal system to take hostages as bargaining chips in the Huawei case.

Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver on December 1, but was granted bail by a Canadian court several days later.

A judge in Vancouver ruled that Meng Wanzhou would be under surveillance 24 hours a day and must wear an electronic ankle tag.

Meng Wanzhou is accused in the US of using a Huawei subsidiary called Skycom to evade sanctions on Iran between 2009 and 2014.

She denies any wrongdoing and says she will contest the allegations.

President Donald Trump has said he is willing to intervene in the case.

Meng Wanzhou’s arrest came against the background of an increasingly acrimonious trade dispute between the US and China.

President Donald Trump Denies Working for Russia

President Donald Trump has denied working for Russia, playing down a Washington Post report that he had concealed a translation of a meeting with Vladimir Putin.

Addressing reporters at the White House as he left for Louisiana, the president said: “I never worked for Russia.”

According to the New York Times meanwhile, the FBI launched a hitherto unreported inquiry into the president.

According to the newspaper, the FBI’s suspicions were raised after President Trump fired its director, James Comey, in May 2017.

That FBI inquiry, reports the New York Times, was taken over by justice department special counsel Robert Mueller.

Robert Mueller is leading an ongoing investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Trump-Putin Summit: Donald Trump Defends Russia over Claims of Election Interference

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President Donald Trump Prepared to Be Questioned by Robert Mueller

On January 14, asked outside the White House if he was working for Russia, President Trump denied it outright before adding: “I think it’s a disgrace that you even ask that question because it’s a whole big fat hoax.”

President Trump was posed the same question by a Fox News host on January 12, and called it “the most insulting thing I’ve ever been asked”.

The New York Times notes in its own report no evidence has emerged publicly that President Trump took direction from Russian government officials.

On January 13, the president said his dismissal of James Comey was “a great service I did for our country”, while railing against FBI investigators as “known scoundrels” and “dirty cops”.

It was also reported at the weekend that President Trump had confiscated the notes of his own interpreter after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the Washington Post, President Trump ordered the translator not to discuss the details of what was said.

However, on January 14, President Trump defended his nearly hour long discussion with President Putin in July 2017 on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

“It’s a lot of fake news,” he said, as he left to address a farming convention in New Orleans.

“That was a very good meeting. It was actually a very successful meeting.”

President Trump said he and Vladimir Putin discussed Israel and a German-Russian pipeline, adding: “We have those meetings all the time no big deal.”

ABC News reports that Democratic congressmen are considering issuing subpoenas to interpreters who attended President Trump’s meetings with Vladimir Putin.

On January 14, former Democratic White House candidate Hillary Clinton could not resist reminding Twitter users that during a campaign debate she had called Donald Trump the Russian leader’s puppet.

Pawel Adamowicz: Gdansk Mayor Dies in Hospital after Being Stabbed at Charity Event

Polish mayor Pawel Adamowicz has died in hospital, a day after being stabbed at a charity event in his city, Gdansk.

The 53-year-old was attacked on stage in front of hundreds of people on January 13.

Pawel Adamowicz was taken to hospital for stab injuries and underwent five hours of surgery at a local hospital.

Doctors said the victim sustained injuries to his heart, as well as cuts to his diaphragm and abdomen.

Surgeons said he was given 41 units of blood during a five-hour operation on January 13.

After news of the severity of his condition broke, local residents queued at the hospital to donate blood.

Polish media say the suspect is a 27-year-old with a criminal record named Stefan – but his full identity has so far been withheld.

Police believe the suspect used a media pass to gain access to the stage.

On January 14, Poland’s health minister confirmed Pawel Adamowicz had died.

Thousands attended vigils across Polish cities, including in Gdansk.

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda described the attack as an “evil hard to imagine”.

He said the day of Pawel Adamowicz’s funeral would be observed as a day of national mourning.

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The mayor was stabbed while attending the Great Orchestra of Christmas charity – an annual event where volunteers raise money for medical equipment in hospitals.

Moments before he was attacked, Pawel Adamowicz posted a picture from the stage on Instagram.

TV footage from the event showed the suspect rushing the stage and stabbing the mayor several times.

He then shouted to the crowd before being tackled to the ground and arrested.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate Pawel Adamowicz at the scene, before transferring him to a hospital.

A police spokesman said the suspect had a long criminal history, including a bank robbery and an attack on a police officer.

Police also confirmed that he was released from prison late last year.

While on stage, the suspect reportedly shouted “Adamowicz is dead” and said the Civic Platform party, which led the previous government and had supported Pawel Adamowicz’s re-election, had wrongfully imprisoned him.

He also alleged he had been tortured behind bars.

The suspect will undergo psychological assessment to see whether he can be held criminally responsible for the attack, prosecutor Krzysztof Sierak said at a press conference on January 30.

Mayor Pawel Adamowicz was a popular figure – known best for his liberal political views and extensive tenure as mayor.

The father-of-two was from Gdansk and had held the position for two decades.

Pawel Adamowicz first came to power in 1998 – and had been re-elected four times since, including in November.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdgYAsARn0Q

Ecommerce Sales on the Rise: Here are 3 Shipping Tactics for Business Success

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Ecommerce is booming and the momentum doesn’t seem to be showing signs of slowing anytime soon. The year over year growth is astounding with estimated ecommerce sales expected to reach $700 billion by 2022, according to data by Statista.

However, as the ecommerce industry grows, more competition is at the table to get a slice of the multi-billion dollar pie. This competition has led to unprecedented changes in shipping products purchased online. There are now free shipping options, free returns options, and more offered by online retailers to sweeten the deal for consumers.

This has led to larger gaps in profit margins for small ecommerce businesses trying to compete with big box retailers with an online sales platform, as well as ecommerce giants like Jeff Bezos’ Amazon and eBay.

There are however, ways to master shipping in 2019 businesses can consider. The following ecommerce shipping tactics can serve as your playbook. Let’s dive in!

1. Automate the Ecommerce Shipping Process

Unlike big box retailers and leading ecommerce sites, you don’t have thousands of employees tending to your shipping process. This can make it difficult to compete, but by automating the process you can streamline shipping. This can have an impact on your profits, since less mistakes are made and more time can be allocated to building your ecommerce business for long-term growth and success.

Automating the shipping process is also a lot less complicated as it sounds. It is simply just setting up rules that keep everything running smoothly. For instance, you can automate label shipping by having a shipping options available on your checkout/cart web page, like shipping category and saved carrier selections.

This reduces the need to pull up shipping orders and process them manually in order to create the shipping label on every purchase. This saves a lot of time and decreases costly mistakes.

2. Make International Shipping Easier

International shipping is another pain point for ecommerce businesses, whether shipping to customers, or receiving product to sell in your country. You would think this isn’t such a big deal, but international shipping costs and international shipping regulations can be very costly, depending on the country you are doing business in.

“Many U.S. online retailers and auction site sellers do not ship purchases overseas, charge too much for international shipping, or do not accept international credit cards,” according to BluePostal, an international shipping solution provider for consumers and businesses.

There are now a lot of solutions ecommerce businesses can utilize when it comes to international shipping. For example, there is dropshipping of course, but there are also intermediary companies that will take the leg work out of international shipping for you at a pretty affordable shipping rate with reduced international taxes.

This can open up a whole new marketplace for ecommerce businesses, since it gives you the opportunity to compete with the likes of Amazon and eBay, companies that have global online sales shipping reach.

3. Cut Costs to Serve Up Free Shipping Options

Maybe one of the most challenging obstacles ecommerce businesses have when it comes to competing with large ecommerce sites and big box retailers is free shipping for online purchases. As you know, shipping any product can be costly, especially when you want to keep your product prices low enough to compel consumers to buy from you and not competitors.

So how can you offer free shipping like the big ecommerce players? This is in fact a million dollar question. One of the best ways is to find a way to cut your operation costs to lower shipping prices or serve up free shipping on all products. This can be very hard, but not impossible.

If you are receiving product from manufacturers overseas, maybe you can order more product at a discounted rate in order to offset shipping costs to your customers. This of course only works if you have the storage space. You can also just eat the cost on your end if the math tells you that more sales via free shipping would actually increase your bottom line over a fiscal year. You just need to find that cost cut somewhere.

In Conclusion . . .

The above three shipping tactics for business success are only the tip of the iceberg. There are certainly more tactics you can identify and employ in 2019 to make shipping easier, cheaper, and work for your profit margins. From automation to opening up international markets, how you approach shipping can be the key to exponential growth this year.

What Are The Most Common Causes Of Semi-Truck Accidents In 2019?

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Truck drivers have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. There are many factors that they have to deal with while they are driving. From truck maintenance to traffic congestion, truck drivers have to make safety a top priority. Unfortunately, there are still thousands of semi-truck accidents and fatalities every year. Many accidents were caused by common factors. Here are the dangerous causes of semi-truck accidents.

Speeding To Meet Deadlines

Many truck drivers who speed to meet deadlines can cause deadly accidents. By driving faster than the flow of normal traffic, these drivers put themselves and everyone else on the road at risk. Since the truck usually weight several times more than other vehicles, truck drivers should be driving within the speed limit. However, when truck operate on deadlines that are too tight, they end up speeding. In the past, this has led to preventable truck accidents. It is up to the trucking companies and drivers to create manageable and safe timelines for deliveries.

Lack Of Driver Training

Despite what most people think, truck drivers must undergo a significant amount of training. In addition to obtaining a CDL license, trucking companies usually provide additional resources and safety information. According to the Girardi | Keese website, a truck accident lawyer, “Truck drivers and companies are required to follow strict federal safety guidelines.” Companies must ensure that drivers follow these guidelines through proper training. Additionally, truck drivers in reputed companies might be required to complete a defensive driving course. If a novice truck driver is not properly trained, they could end up making a costly mistake on the road. In many instances, newer truck drivers have caused accidents due to inadequate training. Ways to help this include using DOT compliance services to provide fleets with proper expectations around safety and compliance.

Image source Pixabay

Road Traffic Conditions

It is a common misconception that many of these fatalities are due to driving in bad weather. In fact, trucks drive fairly well in the rain or snow because of their tires. Most of the accidents or fatalities reported take place during the summer months. This is because more people are on the road, and there is a lot more traffic. People also tend to cut in front of trucks, thinking that they move slower than other cars. But because of the intense weight carried by trucks, they are not able to break as fast as cars, causing accidents. In fact, large trucks weigh 20-30 times more than passenger vehicles which takes much longer to stop. When there is more traffic on the road, passenger cars can increase the chances of an accident.

Poor Sleep Patterns

One thing that all truckers struggle with is poor sleep patterns. Truck drivers work extensive hours, and they can range between different times throughout the day. Because of this, these drivers work with inconsistent sleep schedules. Drivers also tend to take less sleep breaks because they are not getting paid when they are not driving. This lack of sleep greatly affects how a person drives and could make the truck driver liable in an accident. It also negatively affects the person’s health. While being a truck driver is already a stressful job, doing it with sleep deprivation increases an individual’s sensitivity to stress. These poor sleep patterns greatly contribute to the dangers of being a truck driver.

Loading And Unloading Locations

Additionally, many truck accidents happen at loading stations. Truckers that help load or unload their truck commonly get injured by equipment on the docks. Other loading stations may be in dangerous areas. There have been some cases in which drivers have been hurt due to unsafe factors of the areas they are delivering to. Even truck stops can be dangerous. While the drivers are walking to or from their trucks, they need to keep a look out for other trucks in the area. If they were to walk in the blind spot of another driver, they could get seriously injured. These specific working conditions can greatly affect the driver during their jobs.

Overall, trucking is seen as one of the most dangerous jobs because of the high number of fatalities. There are many factors that contribute to truck accidents. Firstly, speeding with a truck is very dangerous. If an inexperienced truck driver does not have enough training, they could cause an accident. Depending on the time of year, traffic congestion is another cause for major truck accidents. On a personal level, drivers have to sleep properly and exercise caution at loading areas. These are contributing factors to accidents that could be avoided.

3 Reasons To Do New Things

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How much of your daily life is made up of routine? When you stop to think about it, the answer is probably a lot of it – if not all of it. While this is great at ensuring that everything gets done on time and to a good standard, and you don’t miss out on anything, it can also become extremely boring.

After a while, you’ll be yearning to do something else, and when this happens your productivity levels will fall, and you simply won’t be as happy as you could and should be. That’s why breaking up your routine and trying new things can be such a good idea – here are some more reasons why this is important for a happy life.

Fear Won’t Be A Factor

Life is full of things that make us afraid, whether we realise it or not. It is this fear that most often holds us back from trying new things, but if we can get over that fear – and the fear of failure that so often comes with it – then we will be more willing to try new things in the future, whether that’s finally getting around to booking fantastic holidays or taking up a new hobby. You could, for example, learn a new skillset that’s fun like making signs (with positive messages on it) or a variety of other things using an engraver. You can see some ideas on the review for Boss Laser.

Taking a trip and being out of your comfort zone is a great way to broaden your horizons. If you have had your sights set on a trip away but never had the chance, find the time and put yourself first. Discover the best destinations in Europe and explore Mediterranean hotspots, with holidays in Cyprus or Greece, for example, and mentally reset. You will instantly notice the difference upon your return.

Although it will take some effort to get over the fear, to begin with, once you have started you will be able to try any new thing that comes your way, and your life will be richer and more exciting for it. That initial step is all it takes, and the benefits that come from it are huge.

You Get To Know Yourself

You might that think that you know yourself extremely well, perhaps only by virtue of actually being yourself. However, do you really know yourself as much as you think you do? When you really delve down into it, that question can be a scary one, perhaps even an unanswerable one – many people never really get to know themselves and what they are truly capable of.

Yet there is something you can do to at least start answering that question and getting to know yourself better; you can try something new. Trying something doesn’t guarantee that you will enjoy it, but equally it doesn’t mean that you will dislike it. What it does guarantee is that you will discover a lot more about yourself, particularly in terms of what you like and dislike, and this can help you choose a direction in life at a later date.

You’ll Gain More Skills

You can never have enough skills in life, and adding more to your repertoire is only ever going to benefit you. When you try new things you are sure to pick up new skills in the process, giving you a much more well-rounded way of living. You can use those skills in all kinds of ways, some which may surprise you, and you may even be able to get closer to your true goals in life because you have picked up so many skills from trying new things along the way.

5 Ways to Customize Your Portfolio to Suit Your Goals

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You might think that risk-rated funds are the only solution for the core hold of your portfolio. After all, it is what you would normally hear from others. But, in reality, the secret to ensuring their assets match the ones you aim for is to supplement them with so-called “satellite” funds and shares.

Fortunately, it is not too late to turn things around. Here are some tips on how to customize your portfolio to suit your goals. Be sure to keep them in mind from now on!

#1. Cheap Is Not Necessarily Cheerful

Believe it or not, many tend to focus more on fund charges, which seem to be the trend since time immemorial. But what you may not know is that most, if not all, are not necessary. Some might have a charge for the platform or advice, especially if you are taking it. More importantly, there is always a charge for the investment funds.

Remember that a cheap fund does not necessarily mean it fits your purpose. The same thing can be said for an expensive fund – it does not convey superiority. Your best course of action is to look out for performance-related charges, as well as those platform costs (i.e. when trying to move money around).

#2. Always Identify Your Goals

It holds true that your appetite for risk is – and always will be – a significant consideration. But do not forget that there are other contributing factors involved. This is the point where you need to ask yourself: “What are my investment goals?” Do you require a short- or long-term objective? Or perhaps you are in need of a certain amount just to guarantee an annual growth for your investment goal in the stock market?

These questions, while all may not necessarily apply to your current situation, can help you gain concrete knowledge about your stand. Even more so, it will help you realize the fact that there is more importance emphasis when it comes to risk analysis. The latter, in particular, conveys the message that your fund may either underperform or take too much risk.

#3. Keep Everything in One Place

Do you know what a balanced portfolio should be? Well, it is the type that holds bonds, cash, and even shares. As soon as you achieve a solid core portfolio, expect a great number of adventurous investors to add riskier holdings in order to diversify. You may find it difficult to acquire this type of ideas, but as long as you are willing to think outside the box, you will be introduced to more tantalizing investments.

Being a professional means utilizing a wide range of left-of-field investments – a crucial element in achieving diversification. This includes, but not limited to, private equity, currencies, commodities, and student housing.

#4. Remember To Consider All Assets

A lot of investors these days tend to consider their investment portfolio as something that is merely their shares and/or composite funds. Unfortunately, this is a worn-down idea that needs an overhaul. Why exactly? That is because there are other factors involved, and they may refer to cash accounts and properties. All of them, regardless of size and shape, are to be accounted as assets as well.

Let’s say you own multiple properties. This is where you want to be extremely wary of purchasing a fund, particularly the type that comes with property exposure. Likewise, if you hold a lot of cash, it is imperative that you find a liquid fund which is totally invested. Otherwise, there is a possibility that you will be hit by extremely low-interest rates.

#5. Regularly Review Your Holdings

This is definitely a no-brainer. It is even something that you should always consider. Keep in mind that risk-rated funds – no matter how you perceive them – are a one-stop-shop for life. Your goals will have the potential to change as time passes by. As such, you must ensure to review all of them as you would with investments. A general rule of thumb is to look at your portfolio at least once a year, though doing it twice has become a more acceptable narrative.

Sure, you may not find the need to purchase or sell funds, say, as often as twice or thrice a year. But, in one way or another, you will chance upon certain life stages that will force you to consider tweaking your portfolio. It could be about purchasing a property or simply becoming a parent.