The actress was best known for playing Joanie in 1970s sitcom Happy Days.
Police said an emergency team in Indiana responded to a call on Saturday afternoon and found her dead.
The cause of death is not yet known.
Image source Wikipedia
Erin Moran also starred in the show’s spin-off series Joanie Loves Chachi, which began in 1982. She played Joanie Cunningham, the younger sister of lead character Richie.
Richie was played by Ron Howard, who has been among those posting the first tributes online.
Erin Moran joined the Happy Days cast in 1974 when she was 13.
She also made appearances in Murder She Wrote and The Waltons.
In recent years, Erin Moran was reported to be living in an Indiana trailer park.
An American Airlines employee has been removed from duty after an ugly clash over a baby’s stroller in San Francisco.
A passenger who uploaded video of the aftermath of the incident said a mother had been struck with the stroller as it was forcibly removed by the employee.
The video shows the employee saying, “Hit me! Come on, bring it on”, when challenged by another male passenger.
In a statement, American Airlines said it was “deeply sorry for the pain we have caused” the woman passenger and her family.
The American Airlines incident took place at San Francisco International Airport as flight 591 prepared to take off for Dallas/Fort Worth.
Passenger Surain Adyanthaya, who posted the video to Facebook, said that preceding the footage the employee had “violently” taken the stroller from the mother, hitting her and narrowly missing her baby.
The footage shows the mother clearly distraught as other employees and passengers try to intervene.
One male passenger demands the name of the employee involved and when a man dressed in American Airlines uniform enters the plane, the passenger tells him: “Hey, bud, you do that to me and I’ll knock you flat.”
The employee confronts the passenger, telling him to “stay out of this”, then saying: “Hit me! Come on, bring it on.”
He adds: “You don’t even know what the story is.”
The passenger replies: “I don’t care what the story is. You almost hurt a baby.”
American Airlines said in its statement: “What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers. We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident.”
The airline said it was “making sure all of her family’s needs are being met while she is in our care”.
American Airlines upgraded the woman and her family to first class when she took another flight to Dallas.
Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi has died during a training ride after being involved in a collision with a van. He was 37.
The crash happened close to Michele Scarponi’s home in Filottrano, a statement from his Astana team said.
Michele Scarponi won the 2011 Giro d’Italia after Alberto Contador was stripped of the title and claimed victory in stage one of the Tour of the Alps on April 17.
“This is a tragedy too big to be written,” said the Astana statement.
The statement described Michele Scarponi as a “great champion” and a “special guy”, adding: “The Astana Pro Team clings to the Michele family in this incredibly painful moment of sorrow and mourning.”
Michele Scarponi leaves behind a wife and two children.
Image source Flickr
After finishing fourth in the Tour of the Alps on April 21, Michele Scarponi returned home by car with his masseur before heading out for a ride on the next day.
Specialist climber Michele Scarponi turned professional in 2002 with the Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo team, finishing 18th in his debut Giro d’Italia.
In 2007, he was banned for 18 months after being implicated in Operation Puerto – a major Spanish doping scandal involving some of the world’s top cyclists at the time.
Michele Scarponi admitted his involvement in the scandal but denied doping, having been charged with using or attempting to use banned substances and possession of those substances.
Returning in November 2008, he won the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race in 2009 before initially finishing second in the 2011 Giro d’Italia.
He was later awarded his first Grand Tour title after original winner Alberto Contador was stripped of his title by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2012 after a positive test for clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour de France.
Michele Scarponi joined Astana in 2014, primarily riding Grand Tours as a domestique and helping team-mate Vincenzo Nibali to victory in the 2014 Tour de France and 2016 Giro d’Italia.
Earth Day is observed every year on April 22, when more than one billion people across the world mark the event by showing support for environmental protection.
Festivals, rallies and outdoor events are held in nearly 200 countries – often, with the support of A-list celebrities and political leaders.
Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970 and aims to encourage people across the world to be more environmentally friendly.
This might mean increasing the amount they recycle, volunteering for a local green project or installing solar panels in their home.
The very first event for Earth Day, which was held in America following a devastating oil spill, is credited as the beginning of the modern environmental movement. The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.
April 22, falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, was selected as the date to celebrate Earth Day.
The height of counterculture in the US, 1970 brought the death of Jimi Hendrix, the last Beatles album, and Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water. War raged in Vietnam and students nationwide overwhelmingly opposed it.
Since its launch, Earth Day has been supported by an array of famous people like Leonardo DiCaprio and Emma Watson.
Now it is coordinated globally by the non-profit Earth Day Network, which describes it as “the largest secular holiday in the world”.
Each year, festivals, parades and rallies are held in at least 192 countries to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
Earth Day has its own flag, which was created by peace activist John McConnell and features a picture of the world on it.
It also has its own anthems – one of which is performed to the tune of Beethoven’s Ode To Joy, but with lyrics about protecting the planet.
In 2017, more than one billion people are expected to celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day 2017’s Campaign is Environmental & Climate Literacy.
President Donald Trump has launched an investigation into countries that export steel to the United States, raising the prospect of new tariffs on imports.
The investigation is designed to stop countries from flooding the US with artificially cheap steel and undercutting local suppliers.
China is most often associated with the practice but President Trump said it had “nothing to do” with Beijing. The president said it was about protecting US security.
The news caused shares in US steelmakers to rise sharply.
However, Asian steelmakers also climbed as investors appeared to shrug off the news.
The US government has previously attempted to shield national steelmakers from cheap foreign steel through the World Trade Organization, but the Trump administration says this has had little impact.
Image source Wikimedia
Instead, the investigation will fall under the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which lets the president impose restrictions on imports for reasons of national security.
“Steel is critical to both our economy and our military,” President Trump said.
“This is not an area where we can afford to become dependent on foreign countries.”
China is the largest national producer and makes far more steel than it consumes, selling the excess output overseas, often at subsidized prices.
However, Japan and South Korea have also been accused of dumping in the past.
Commenting on the probe, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Chinese exports now accounted for 26% of the US steel market.
Wilbur Ross said exports had risen “despite repeated Chinese claims that they were going to reduce their steel capacity”.
“The artificially low prices caused by excess capacity and unfairly-traded imports suppress profits in the American steel industry,” the administration said in a statement.
Wilbur Ross said that if the investigation found the US steel industry was suffering from excess steel imports, he would recommend retaliatory steps that could include tariffs.
President Trump has been highly critical of China’s trade practices in the past but has softened his tone of late as he seeks greater cooperation over North Korea.
Hitting age 40 can be a major wakeup call for a lot of people. The cold, hard fact of the number often throws people into a panic, reminding them that they haven’t got all that long to work for their own future, and the future of their whole family. If you’re approaching this big milestone, or you’ve just passed it, here are some important steps you should be taking to assure a stable future…
Shave Down your Debt
If you still have credit card debt, student loan debt or outstanding debts from medical bills, the next priority on your list should be shaving down and ultimately eliminating that debt, so you can put more towards saving and investing for the future. With credit card debt, the only real option you have is to set a plan for paying it down quickly, and then stick to it. If you still have debt from a student loan, the first thing you should do is see if it’s tax-deductible based on your bracket. If not, you’ll simply have to work at paying it down, but your cards should take priority. Aside from this basic financial planning, you should also check the interest rates on your cards and loans, and see if you can find anything lower.
Save for College
The advice from most financial advisors is that you should start planning to save for your kids’ college education more or less as soon as they’re conceived, even if you’ve only got a small amount to spare. Hopefully, you’ll be able to increase the amount you regularly put away through stocks, real estate, forex or other investments. You can enter a 529 college savings plan in order to shave down the amount you or your kids have to borrow in order to go to college. A lot of state universities run their own paid tuition plans that will allow you to lock down the cost of tuition at current rates. Obviously though, you or your child may have a more prestigious (but less accessible) school. A lot of families will need to sit down and think of realistic ways to minimize the cost of education, like spending a couple of years at a community college before a four-year university.
Max Out your Employee Benefits
As soon as you reach your 40s, you should be putting as much money in your 401(k) as your employer matches as a bare minimum. Even if you aren’t making any profit on this investment, your money will double just from your employer matching it. Retirement plans vary from business to business, so take steps to find out how much you can contribute, and if it’s practical, maximize what you’re putting in up to that limit. There’ll usually be someone at your work who can explain everything you need to know about different investment options. Most importantly, you need to understand why it’s generally better to make proactive investments when you’re in your 40s, rather than when retirement is just around the corner.
Ledell Lee has been executed in Arkansas first use of the death penalty in 12 years.
The execution came after the Supreme Court rejected a challenge arguing Arkansas was unfairly rushing several executions before its supply of a lethal injection drug expires at the end of April.
On April 20, Arkansas’ Supreme Court overturned a ruling blocking the use of a different drug.
Ledell Lee was convicted for murder. His third request to stay the execution was denied.
The man was pronounced dead at 23:56 local time on April 20 at the state’s death chamber in its Cummins Unit prison, a Department of Corrections spokesman said. His death warrant was due to expire at midnight.
Ledell Lee did not make a final statement. Instead of a last meal, he asked to receive communion, an official said.
Image source KHBS
He had been on death row for more than 20 years after he was convicted of beating Debra Reese to death with a tire iron in 1993.
Debra Reese’s family “had waited 24 years to see justice done”, Arkansas Attorney General Deborah Rutledge said in a statement.
“I pray this lawful execution helps bring closure for the Reese family,” she said.
Arkansas had initially planned to carry out eight executions in 11 days, before the April 30 expiration date of its supply of the drug, midazolam – used together in lethal injections with two other drugs.
The first three executions were canceled due to various court rulings.
The other inmate due to die on April 20 has been given a stay to make time for advanced DNA testing that his lawyers say could prove his innocence.
Stacey Johnson was convicted of the murder of Carol Heath, who was beaten and had her throat slit in her flat in 1993.
Yesterday saw a flurry of legal activity, with the new Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch siding with conservatives in the 5-4 decision to reject the inmates’ claim that the accelerated process amounted to “cruel and unusual punishment”.
It followed Arkansas’s Supreme Court’s overturning of a ruling by a lower court that blocked the use of the drug vecuronium bromide.
The McKesson Corporation, which supplied the drug, had accused the Arkansas Department of Correction of failing to say it planned to use the drug for executions.
A police officer has been shot dead and two other wounded after a gunman opened fire on Paris’ Champs-Elysees on April 20.
The 39-year-old gunman has been identified from papers left in his car, but French officials are yet to release his name.
Local media say the suspect lived in Paris’ suburbs, and had been seen as a potential Islamist radical.
The attacker was killed by security forces on the Champs-Elysees.
President François Hollande is to chair a security cabinet meeting, as France readies for April 23 presidential poll.
Francois Hollande said he was convinced the attack was “terrorist-related”, adding that the security forces had the full support of the nation and a national tribute would be paid to the fallen policeman.
Meanwhile, ISIS said one of its “fighters” had carried out the attack.
A car pulled up alongside a police bus just before 21:00 and a man got out, opening fire on the bus with an automatic weapon, Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said.
After killing an officer, the man attempted to run away while shooting at other officers, two of whom he injured, the spokesman added.
The attacker was then shot dead by security forces.
The whole of the Champs-Elysees was evacuated.
Overnight, a property in the eastern Parisian suburb of Chelles was searched by investigators, who want to know who else – if anyone – may have known about the gunman’s plans.
Paris prosecutor François Molins said shortly after the shootings that “the attacker’s identity is known and has been verified”.
Image source NBC News
“I won’t reveal it, because investigations and raids are already under way, in particular to establish whether there is any evidence or not of complicity (in this attack),” Francois Molins said, adding that more information would be released on April 21.
According to French media, the gunman served several years in prison for firing on police officers with a gun in the early 2000s.
More recently the intelligence services identified him as a potential Islamist radical.
Meanwhile, ISIS identified the attacker as Abu-Yusuf al-Baljiki, in a statement carried by its Amaq news outlet.
The 11 candidates standing in April 23 closely fought presidential election were engaged in a final joint TV appearance to argue their policies as the attack happened.
Marine Le Pen, of the far-right Front National, tweeted: “I feel for and stand by our security forces, who have been targeted again.”
Center-right contender François Fillon also went on Twitter to pay “tribute to the security forces who give their lives to protect ours”.
Independent centrist Emmanuel Macron said during his TV appearance that it was a president’s “first duty to protect” and he expressed his “solidarity” with the police.
Marine Le Pen, Francois Fillon and Emmanuel Macron have announced they are canceling campaign events scheduled for April 21, the last day of canvassing for votes.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, standing for the far left, tweeted: “I strongly feel for the policemen killed and wounded and their families. Terrorist attacks will never go unpunished, accomplices never forgotten.”
How to Attract High-Quality Tenants to Your Rental Property
In the rental market, it isn’t always easy to find a high-quality tenant. However, there are many ways you can invest in your property to attract the best of the best. Below are just a few tips on refreshing your property to attract better tenants.
Clean Your Property before the Showing
We can’t emphasize this enough—a clean property can make the difference between a prospective tenant taking a thorough walkthrough or turning right back around and walking away. If you have a new house or you are in between tenants, you have a prime opportunity to present your rental at its best. Cleaning is all about the details. It’s more than just sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, and dusting. You also have to get into all of the cracks and corners. You will have to scrub the baseboards, remove any marks on the wall, repaint any chips, and a whole host of other cleaning activities. For this instance, you may want to consider hiring a cleaner to take care of this for you. A tried and true method for real estate agents is to bake chocolate chip cookies or burn a vanilla candle to create a warm and inviting scent.
However, not every landlord has the luxury to clean so thoroughly before a showing. If you still have tenants living in your property while you show it to prospective renters, you may have a more difficult time controlling the cleanliness of the property. While you may not be able to demand that the current tenants make their property spic and span, you can offer to hire a maid to clean the space before others visit the property.
Add Accents to the Living Space
Again, this may not apply to those who have tenants already living in their property, but if you have the opportunity to spruce up your apartment, you should do so. If you rent your property furnished, be sure to accentuate the space with pillows, wall hangings, and fixtures that will make the property feel lively and warm. In some cases, this may mean adding features, and in others, it may mean taking some decorations out. If you currently live in the property but plan to rent it out, you should reevaluate the decorations you currently have around your home. For example, your collection of Russian dolls in the glass cabinet may look appealing to you, but it can take away from valuable space that a prospective tenant needs to see so they can visualize their own space. Of course, if you already have tenants in the property, this isn’t always feasible, but it is a huge asset if you can make this happen.
Upgrade from Faulty or Old Amenities
The increased number of apartment-dwellers has spawned new space- and energy-efficient technologies that have made apartment-living more accessible. Gone are the days of apartments that lacked dishwashers and the like. Today, landlords compete to have the most cutting edge technologies in their property, including washers and dryers, environmentally friendly technology, and even space-saving kitchen appliances. Check out the properties in your area to see what they offer so that you can remain competitive in the local market.
Create a Neat and Tidy Yard
If you have just a little bit of space for some gardening, consider upping the ante on your landscaping. Whether you have front yard space for an expansive lawn, or your property features a small backyard, landscapers have an eye that can devise how to optimize what space you have based on your budget. The latest trend right now is in water-conscious gardening. The idea is that your garden reflects the climate the property is in, such as forests or desert regions. Introducing native growth is not only good for conserving resources, but it is also beneficial for local wildlife, such as bees.
When it comes to a yard, don’t forget about the patio or porch. If possible, sweep the porch and patio clean and get rid of any dirt, debris, and cobwebs. You may also clean any porch light features to make everything look clean and new. Again, if you have tenants, offer to pay for a gardener to help clean up the property.
If you want to attract high-quality tenants to your property, you will need to make a few investments. Making efforts to improve your property and following best practice landlord tips can help you land an amazing, long-term tenant that makes your investment profitable.
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, is used as a last resort to treat people who are dangerously obese (having a BMI of 40 or above, or 35 with other obesity-related health conditions).
Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala said in a statement that Eman Abd El Aty continued to “rapidly” lose weight, but added that a stroke she had suffered as a child meant that she was still paralyzed on one side of her body and continued to suffer convulsions. She also has difficulty speaking and swallowing.
The statement added that the hospital was now waiting for Eman Abd El Aty to lose enough weight for her to be able to fit inside a CT scan machine to ascertain the cause of her stroke.
Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala said the next stage of her treatment involved putting her on a trial drug for obesity after six months. The hospital is currently attempting to procure the drug from a US based pharmaceutical company.
Eman Abd El Aty’s family says she weighed 11lb at birth and was diagnosed with elephantiasis, a condition in which body parts swell due to a parasitic infection.
By the time she was 11, her weight had risen sharply and she suffered a stroke which left her bedridden.
Eman Abd El Aty is cared for by her mother and sister.
Her weight loss means she may no longer be the heaviest woman alive.
The Guinness world records says the heaviest woman living is American Pauline Potter, who weighed 293.6 kg (643 lbs) when measured in July 2012.
Smuggling networks are quite intricate, their networks are multilateral: they involve people on both sides of the Mediterranean, that’s to say on both continents -Africa and Europe.
In order to combat these networks and destroy them, governments of several African and European countries need to collaborate and work together. Most African countries involved fail to see the gravity of the issue and treat the matter as a domestic problem.
Italian investigations: Study by Sahan Africa
The majority of “leaders” monitoring the central Mediterranean route are of Eritrean origin they join forces with their Somali and Sundanese counterparts. It is obviously challenging to catch the criminals of such complex networks.
Italian investigations were held in 2013 and 2014 due to the terrible tragedies that took place near Lampedusa. According to sahan these investigations disclosed a lot of considerable details “these enquiries revealed, in considerable detail, a great deal of information about the organisation and structure of key human smuggling and trafficking networks between the Horn of Africa and Europe via the Central Mediterranean Route.” These two operations where respectively called “operation Tokhla” and “operation Glauco 2”
The Tokhla enquiry brought about several arrests in Sicily. Maesho Tesfamariam who is an Eritrean ringleader based in Germany was also captured following this investigation.
The 2014 Glauco 2 operation was an 18-month ongoing investigation, that uncovered the operating methods of a couple of notorious smugglers that go by the name of “Medhanie Yehdego Mered” who is originally Eritrean and “Ermias Ghermay” who is Ethiopian. According to the Study made by Sahan Africa these two people were responsible for “the vessel that sank off the coast of Lampedusa in October 2013.” The operation documented communications between these two people and their associates who were based in several countries including Sudan, Israel, Sweden and Switzerland. On the other hand, Mered was responsible for a boat that drowned on 18 April 2015. The investigative squad intercepted calls between Mered and his counterparts based in Sudan , Italy , the Netherlands and Sweden. Based on Sahan’s study “The public release of the Glauco 2 findings apparently disrupted Mered’s plans to emigrate to Europe and sent him into hiding, leaving his network in the hands of his associate, “Wedi Issak”.”
Several prominent names were mentioned by the same study including the Eritrean Abdurazak Esmail, who is one of the largest smugglers managing a network from Libya. He works in parallel with other people named “Jaber” and “Abduselam” and another accomplice called Jamal Saudi – a former prisoner in Eritrea.
In case the accusations against them are correct, then these aforementioned people are responsible for the story of the ghost boat, the vessel that disappeared at sea with 180 passengers back in April 2014. Several other boats had the same fate in 2015 as well. the smuggling networks are widespread between Sudan and Libya and there are several people involved from both countries but most of the traffickers are of Eritrean origins. This was clearly mentioned in the published reports of the Tokhla operation and the Sahan Africa study “Eritrean smugglers and traffickers in Libya and in Sudan include “Kidane”, “Walid”, “Chegora” and a female smuggler, “Zaid”, all of whom operate warehouses in Ajdabiya. Among the largest smugglers exclusively operating in Sudan and feeding into networks in Libya are “Wedi German”, “Kiros”, “John Merhay”, and “Shumay Ghirmay”.”
Ethiopian investigations: Study by Sahan Africa
Based on Sahan’s study, Ethiopian authorities conducted an investigation in 2014 and 2015. This enquiry lead to the arrest of over two hundred traffickers most of which were related to the southern route – the corridor to South Africa-. The federal police of Ethiopia claims that despite all these arrests migrants are still moving on and being smuggled in and out of the same countries. According to the police as well, migrants are channelled from Somaliland and Eritrea into Ethiopia all the way to Addis Ababa where they are usually linked with their following smugglers. The migrants will eventually cross Sudan via a transit hub located near Khartoum called “Camp Hajar” in order to reach Libya afterwards (as demonstrated below) .
Ethiopian investigation uncovered the financial transactions of a notorious smuggler that goes by the name of Ali Hashi who happened to be a relative of a famous Somali businessman. Ethiopian authorities possess a list that has all the names and phone numbers of smuggling drivers.
In accordance to the aforementioned information a Sudanese official contacted by Sahan stated the following “[This] issue is affecting our border security tremendously. Parts of Libya are becoming uncontrollable. It is becoming a smugglers’ paradise, everybody can do whatever they want to do. The smuggling trade is therefore threatening the security of Chad, Central African Republic, Sudan, the whole region.”
The whole region is clearly under threat if the authorities of the countries involved don’t take the necessary measures to secure their borders.
Mastercard has unveiled a credit card that uses fingerprint sensor technology.
The rollout follows two successful trials in South Africa.
MasterCard‘s technology works in the same way as it does with mobile phone payments: users must have their finger over the sensor when making a purchase.
According to security experts, using fingerprints is not foolproof, but it is a “sensible” use of biometric technology.
MasterCard‘s chief of safety and security Ajay Bhalla said that the fingerprint technology would help “to deliver additional convenience and security. It is not something that can be taken or replicated”.
The cards are thought to be the first to include both the digital template of the user’s fingerprint and the sensor required to read their fingerprints at the POS.
Previous biometric payment cards only worked when used in conjunction with a separate fingerprint scanner.
That limited their usefulness, as only stores with the correct equipment could accept them.
Having both the data and the scanner on the same card means that they should be accepted everywhere a normal chip and PIN payment card can be used.
However, the biometric verification can only be used for in-store purchases: online and other so-called “card not present” transactions will still require further security measures.
With the increase in iPhone demand all over the world, the iPhone accessories market has also become inundated with hundreds of phone cases in different shapes and sizes making it easy for consumers to find the right one for themselves. Among the best mobile-case stores online, www.casehaven.com.au provides its consumers a wide range of smartphone cases to suit their needs and lifestyle. I am listing here some of the latest iPhone cases that are stylish as well as user-friendly. Whether you are looking for a waterproof case or want to go all glitz and glamour, you can find the right iPhone case for yourself.
Source: www.cnet.com
iPhone 6/6S Signal Amplifier Case
Available for iPhone 6 and 6S, Mjoose smart case boosts your phone reception with the help of its active antenna technology. It reduces radiation by up to 70% and extends your phone’s battery life. It is a must have smartphone accessory protecting it against drops and other damages.
Palmo iPhone Case
This Ultra-light and fall protection award winning case gives you single handed control and increased safety with your iPhone. Its flexible silicone material allows your finger to be gripped between the phone and the case reducing the risk to fall off your hand and damage to the phone corners. The minimalistic X-form design of the case efficiently dissipates heat and reduces the unconscious stress of dropping the phone.
FYY’s Wallet iPhone Case
Made of high premium PU leather, FYY iPhone 6S wallet case is among the most selling cases available in the market. With three internal card slots for keeping valuables and a kickstand feature for movie watching or video chatting, this lightweight phone case feels like a full wallet.
JOTO Cellphone Dry Bag
IPX8 certified JOTO Cellphone Dry Bag case is waterproof and can handle a depth of 100 feet. Perfect for all sorts of water activities, the phone case features a simple snap and lock access, and is easy to keep out water, snow and dust. This bulky phone case offers waterproof protection to your smartphone while maintaining full touch screen functionality. It is designed for iPhone 6S, 6, 6S Plus.
Trianium ArmTrek Sports Exercise Armband
Ideal for jogging, running and workouts, this case is made of stretch resistant neoprene, so it easily bends, twists and folds without wrapping. Its comfort-grip with head phone and charger cutouts keeps the phone firmly on your arm during exercise and reduces fall risk. Its water resistant design protects against water and sweat. The protective screen cover gives you full liberty to use your iPhone 6/ 6S, and the built in key pocket provides space for storing your home key.
Apple Spring iPhone Leather and Silicone Cases
As of 2017, Apple has launched its new six leather and silicone cases in beautiful colors. The silicone case colors are pale blue Azure, muted brown pebble and pale pink Camellia. The colors in leather include Berry, Taupe and Sapphire. These colorful cases fit 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 7. These shades give you option to color match your Apple devices.
Supvin Flowing Liquid Glitter Case
Easy to put on and clad in bling-enhanced fluid, this hard plastic glittery case protects the screen from fingerprints and scratches as well as provide easy accessibility to the productive apps on your device.
Every time spring comes, your yard comes back to life and everything is green and alive. However, did you also notice the excessive growth of the shrubs and trees? If you have, it may have come to your mind to want to trim them down a bit.
A general rule of thumb is that pruning your trees ought to be done during winter time when the trees are leafless. But of course, there can be exceptions to the rule. In this post, we’ll share with you some important information about spring pruning.
Pruning Your Trees During Springtime
If it is possible to prune your trees or shrubs before they start to grow, then that is the ideal time to do so and is still under the category of dormant pruning. When the trees start to bud or bloom during springtime, you would have to be more careful because pruning may harm your trees and plants.
If you prune your trees in springtime, the consequence could be that the plant’s bloom potential for that year may be affected. Another thing is that cutting the trees during springtime can make them more open to disease and insect infestation.
Safely Pruning Your Trees
If you must prune your trees during spring, then it is still possible and you can do it safely. What you have to keep in mind is that you have removed only less than ten percent of the tree’s branches.
There are two goals for pruning your trees during spring. One is that you prune so that you can remove any decaying, dying, or dead branches so as to keep both your home and the trees safe. The second one is pruning to keep the shape of the tree or for aesthetic purposes. Just remember not to cut more than ten percent of the branches when shaping your tree.
Trees that you can prune in late spring
Birch trees
Walnut
Maple
Magnolia
Juneberry
Lilac
Flowering cherry
Flowering plum
Crabapple
Dogwood
Apricot
Chokecherry
Trees that you should never prune in spring
Honeylocust
Elm
Sycamore
Oak
Be careful on when you prune these trees because if you prune them during spring, they will be more vulnerable to diseases such as stem cankers, anthracnose, oak wilt, or Dutch elm disease. So be sure to remember these things if you plan on pruning your trees during spring.
Takeaway
Pruning your trees is not that hard once you know the information we’ve shared above. However, if you find yourself in doubt and if you are still not sure on how to prune your trees or when to do so, it would be best to ask for the help of a tree trimming company so that they can do the work for you. Besides, they are experts when it comes to pruning and other services that you may require for your yard. Simply ask around your neighborhood or do a quick Google search to look for the best trimming services there is.
Bill O’Reilly has been dropped from Fox News over harassment claims, the company says.
The network said in a one-sentence statement: “After a thorough and careful review of the allegations… Bill O’Reilly will not be returning.”
The presenter has been on holiday since April 12, and was seen shaking hands with Pope Francis at the Vatican on April 19.
Bill O’Reilly said it was “tremendously disheartening” to leave over “completely unfounded claims”.
More than 50 sponsors have withdrawn ads from his show, The O’Reilly Factor.
Pressure on Fox has mounted since recent reports that five women had received $13 million in payouts because of Bill O’Reilly’s behavior.
Bill O’Reilly, who has been with Fox News almost since its inception, has denied all of the allegations.
Image source Flickr
He said in a statement released after his dismissal: “It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims.
“But that is the unfortunately reality many of us in the public eye must live with today.”
Fox broadcaster Tucker Carlson will be taking over Bill O’Reilly’s slot, the company said in a follow-up statement.
In an internal memo sent to 21st Century Fox employees, the company wrote that the decision had been made after “extensive review done in collaboration with outside counsel”.
The letter – signed by Rupert Murdoch and his sons Lachlan and James – praised Bill O’Reilly as “one of the most accomplished TV personalities in the history of cable news”.
It added that Fox News was committed to “fostering a work environment built on the values of trust and respect”.
The O’Reilly Factor drew nearly 4 million viewers per night.
The most recent allegation came on April 18 when lawyer for a former African-American clerical worker at Fox alleged her client had been harassed by Bill O’Reilly in 2008.
Lawyer Lisa Bloom said the Fox News host had referred to the unidentified woman as “hot chocolate”.
“He would leer at her,” said Lisa Bloom.
“He would always do this when no-one else was around, and she was scared.”
Media-watchers say the allegations had become too much of a liability for 21st Century Fox.
A concern for the Murdoch family is their pending $14 billion deal to buy out satellite provider Sky, which is being scrutinized by British regulators.
Earlier this month authorities with the European Commission cleared 21st Century Fox to acquire the remaining 61% of Sky that it does not yet own.
Sources at the company tell US media that Rupert Murdoch was in favor of keeping Bill O’Reilly in his post.
However, 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch reportedly argued that Bill O’Reilly should go.
The company reputation has taken a hit after harassment allegations were also leveled at Roger Ailes, the former head of Fox News.
Roger Ailes resigned in 2016 after being sued by a former Fox News presenter, Gretchen Carlson.
Serena Williams is pregnant and due in the autumn, her representative has confirmed.
The 35-year-old world No 2 had earlier posted a picture of herself on Snapchat posing in a mirror with the message: “20 weeks”, before deleting the post.
This includes three Grand Slams – the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
Image source Getty Images
Serena Williams, who will return to world No 1 next week, would be eligible to retain her ranking under the WTA special ranking rule if she is ready to play her first tournament within 12 months of giving birth.
US Open Tennis responded to Serena Williams’ message by saying: “Serena Williams will have a new pride and joy to hug and call her own soon! Congratulations on the exciting baby announcement!”
Since we spend so much of our time at work, it is so important to stay healthy while you are there. Many companies are slow to catch up with changing better health at work campaigns that are happening all over the world, so you need to think of a few changes that you can make yourself. Staying healthy means fewer missed health days, increased productivity and less stress. Here are a few of the ways that you can stay healthier at work.
Hand washing is one of the number one ways that you can help prevent yourself from getting sick. When you are in a working environment that is particularly dirty, or one that that has a lot of people in a confined space, this becomes particularly important. Try to get yourself into good hand washing habits throughout the day so it becomes like second nature to you.
If you are an office worker, you will probably be alarmed to learn that the average desk harbors more bacteria than a toilet seat! Take some time out each day to organise your desk and then wipe everything down with sanitizing wipes. It also makes good sense to keep some anti-bacterial hand gel on your desk to help with the fight against germs!
Check Your Work Health Policy
Every workplace should have a policy that protects the health of its employees. Checking the steps that your employer makes is one of your rights as an employee. For example, you should be reassured that you are working in a clean environment and you are not under any unnecessary risk of something like asbestos exposure. If there is something that is ringing alarm bells, you should always speak up. Your health should be the number one priority while you are at work.
Sometimes, people are so busy at work that they forget to even drink! Always having a water bottle nearby to your workspace should encourage you to stay hydrated, which is so important to your productivity, energy levels and general health. As well as this, drinking water helps you to stay alert and encourages clear thinking.
If you have a job that operates at the speed of light, you may well end up having a lunch that matches this lifestyle. Unfortunately, this often includes a lot of fast food or other meals that are easy to eat on the go. You should plan out your meals for the week, taking some time the night before to pack a healthy lunch for the following day. Lean protein, salad and fresh vegetables are all a good idea, along with fresh fruit to stave off the afternoon slump.
If you do need to snack, it might be worthwhile for your workplace to use a service like Aramark office snack delivery to get healthy snack options.
Stay Active
If you work in an office, it can be very difficult to find the time to stay active during the day. But sitting for long periods of time has been found to be detrimental to your health. Try to get up at least once an hour to have a brief walk around.
Aaron Hernandez had cried in court as that verdict was read, saying he was “very happy”.
His death comes on the day members of his former team visit President Donald Trump at the White House to be commended for their Super Bowl victory over Atlanta in February.
According to Massachusetts Department of Correction, Aaron Hernandez had tried to block the door to his single cell before hanging himself.
Lifesaving techniques were performed on him and he was taken to UMASS Leominster hospital where he was pronounced dead at 04:07 local time.
State police are on the scene and Aaron Hernandez’s next of kin have been notified, officials said.
State Department of Correction spokesman Christopher Fallon said in a statement that he was not aware a suicide note had been written and that officials had not been concerned that Aaron Hernandez would take his life.
Although Aaron Hernandez was acquitted of the double murder last week, he was found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm and the judge added five years to his sentence.
He had been accused of the fatal shooting of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado outside a Boston nightclub in 2012, one month before he signed a $40 million contract extension with the Patriots.
President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order to review a temporary visa program used to place foreign workers in high-skilled US jobs.
The order directs agencies to enforce government rules on excluding foreign contractors from bids for government projects.
President Trump signed the so-called Buy American, Hire American order on a visit to a tool factory in the Wisconsin.
The order is aimed at fulfilling his “America First” campaign promises.
However, it falls way short of Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to end the H-1B visa program.
President Trump will direct the departments of State, Justice, Homeland Security and Labor to propose reforms to the scheme, which allows American employers to bring foreign workers to fill US jobs.
“With this action we are sending a powerful signal to the world that were going to defend our workers, protect our jobs and finally put America first,” Donald Trump said at the Snap-On Inc headquarters in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Melania Trump used an H-1B visa in her early days as a model in New York.
The administration’s goal is to ensure such visas are given to the most qualified or highest-paid applicant, according to two senior officials.
The four departments will then submit their findings to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and release a report in 220 days.
In 2016, Disney was accused of taking advantage of the H-1B visa scheme to lay off American technology workers, who were forced to train their foreign replacements.
The government allows 85,000 immigrants each year through the H-1B visa program, which is reserved for foreign nationals in “specialty occupations” and is largely used by the technology industry.
The US government uses a lottery system to grant 65,000 visas every year and randomly distributes an additional 20,000 to graduate students.
In recent years, the US has been overwhelmed by applications for the program.
However, the number of applicants fell to 199,000 in 2017, down from 236,000 in 2016, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
A senior Trump administration official argued on April 17 that the H-1B visas are supposed to be awarded to highly qualified workers, but often bring in less skilled employees who earn lower wages than those they are meant to replace.
Under the new order, the H-1B visa would no longer serve as a cheap way for companies to replace US workers, the official added.
Tech companies contend the program is used to recruit top talent, but some of the H-1B visas are also used for outsourcing firms. Critics say these undercut unemployed Americans and fill lower-level information technology jobs.
Indian nationals are the largest group of recipients of the H-1B visas issued each year.
In 2016, more than 15% of Facebook’s US employees used a temporary work visa, according to a Reuters analysis of US Labor Department filings.
The executive order will also focus on reviewing waivers in free-trade agreements and whether they allow foreign companies to undermine American companies in the global government procurement market.
Mark Zuckerberg has paid his respects to the family of Robert Godwin, whose killing was filmed and posted on Facebook.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Robert Godwin Sr.,” said Mark Zuckerberg near the start of Facebook’s annual F8 developers conference.
Mark Zuckerberg’s social network had been criticized over the amount of time it had taken to take the clip offline.
About an hour before the event got underway, police had revealed that the murder suspect, Steve Stephens, had killed himself.
Steve Stephens had been the subject of a national manhunt.
The murder suspect was believed to have uploaded a video to Facebook showing his killing of 74-year-old Robert Godwin in Cleveland on April 16 and then boasting on subsequent Facebook Live streams that he had killed others.
Facebook subsequently acknowledged it had taken it more than two hours to remove the clips after the first video was posted, despite it having received complaints in the interim.
“We have a lot of work and we will keep doing all we can to prevent tragedies like this from happening,” added Mark Zuckerberg.
Image source Facebook
Cleveland’s police chief had referred to Facebook’s role in a separate press conference.
“I think the people on social media kind of know the power and I think they know the harm it can do,” said Calvin Williams.
“We’ve talked before about people not living their lives on social media and being truthful on social media and not harming people via social media.
“And this is a prime example, this is something that should not have been shared around the world. Period.”
Mark Zuckerberg went on to introduce new plans to include augmented reality experiences in Facebook apps, such as Messenger.
He suggested that, in the near future, it would be far more common to place digital objects in video and live streams viewed on mobile phones.
Animated artworks could be made visible at a particular physical location, for example, via the camera view of an app.
“Augmented reality is going to help us mix the digital and physical in all new ways,” he said.
“That’s going to help us make our physical reality better.”
3D filters that can be placed into real-life scenes, not unlike those unveiled by rival Snapchat, were also demoed.
New virtual reality experiences making use of the Oculus Rift headset were also detailed, including:
Facebook Spaces – where friends can hang out together in VR
avatars that are intelligently customized to suit users, based on their Facebook profile pictures
the ability to “call in” to Facebook Spaces with Messenger video calls if users do not have a VR headset
Facebook also announced improvements to its Messenger platform to encourage the use of bots – a facility first unveiled in 2016.
The software tools can be deployed by businesses to interact with customers in an automated manner, potentially allowing them to employ fewer call centre staff.
Facebook said 100,000 bots had been developed for Messenger to date.
The changes include:
the ability for users to add a business’ bot to a group chat, so several people can interact with it at once
support for QR codes, which can be displayed at events and be photographed by phones to activate associated bots that can answer questions about what is on show
the introduction of a “discover” tab to Messenger’s home screen, which shows recently used bots and ones that are currently popular with others
Messenger has also added the ability to include Spotify extensions, allowing music to be shared and played within chats, and said Apple Music would also be supported shortly.
As of last year, 90.1 million Americans had an iPhone. They have changed the way modern life is lived in so many different ways. For instance, before smartphones and apps and the internet, people used to actually write in to newspapers with a message about how lonely they were and how much they’d like to meet someone. It was published and then that person would start getting calls and going on dates. Maybe they’d find someone and maybe they wouldn’t. If not, they could try something else or put another ad in the newspaper for everyone to read. It was a slow, somewhat inconvenient system that has all but disappeared today. If it had one use it was to leave us with a wealth of witty reflections on the human condition that were no more than a few sentences long, and this was long before Twitter was invented too (check out these from the London Review of Books). In any case, you can now try to find your soulmate on a variety of free apps that inundate you with ads so that they can continue to match the next generation of Romeos and their Juliets.
Not content with changing the way we date, iPhones have taken it upon themselves to change all sorts of other things too. Uber, for all its controversy, has made a massive impact around the world and it was only set up in 2012. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter owe a lot of their popularity to the fact that people can use them wherever they are (this is especially true in the case of Twitter, which was cited as a contributing force behind the recent Arab Spring) and smartphones now facilitate over 40% of ecommerce sales. For all of its innovations, it is not stopping there and will continue to change things in the future. Here are a few things that you may not have heard is now possible with smartphone technology:
Whatever your political opinions about the NHS, you may find that it takes longer than you’d like to speak to a doctor. Companies like Babylon have developed artificial intelligence that can help you figure out what might be wrong with you and they can also set up a video chat with a GP if you need one. You can also get your prescription delivered to your house, all without leaving your phone. In terms of checking up on your health, you can use your phone to do all sorts of odd things now such as measure your own heartbeat and find out how well you are sleeping by detecting movement and noise throughout the night.
However, not all of the innovation in apps are geared towards helping people. The Global Shark Tracker app lets you track the location of sharks around the world that have been tagged for conservation purposes. If space is more your speed, there are now apps that let you track the International Space Station so you can look out for it as it passes over you. In any case, Apple’s 2009 advertising slogan ‘There’s an app for that!’ is becoming truer every day.
When it comes to choosing jewelry, it’s so easy to go for classic pieces which just look the same as everyone else’s. But then you will blend in with the rest of the crowd, and it will be hard to make your outfit look fantastic. And you will be surprised how much of a difference jewelry can make to your whole outfit. In fact, if you go for unique jewelry, it will turn heads when you are walking down the street. Therefore, here are some ways you can stand out from the crowd with your jewelry.
It’s so easy to go for modern pieces that you might find in the store when you are choosing jewelry. After all, you can easily pick something which is bang-on trend from the high street stores. However, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you should go for a classic piece instead. After all, if it’s a vintage piece, it will help your outfit to stand out. You will get comments aplenty about the stunning necklace or ring which you are wearing. And vintage is on-trend, so you can stay in the height of fashion while doing something different with your jewellery. You can either raid the thrift stores or look closer to home by asking your mom or grandma if you can use some of their old jewelry. And then you can ooze some old school glam like actress Amy Adams does every time she hits the red carpet with her vintage jewelry!
A lot of people are walking around with similar rings on their fingers. After all, you can get the same old diamonds from every store. But while you are likely to get compliments, it’s unlikely to help your outfit to stand out. Therefore, you should opt for a custom diamond ring which will be different from everyone else’s jewelry choices. One way you can do this is by buying the diamond first and then creating a ring after with the stunning loose diamond. For example, you can get a 2 carat diamond from Diamond Registry which can then be converted into a gorgeous ring. And by choosing a unique diamond, you can ensure your ring stands out when you are out and about. Not only this but it can make your whole outfit look expensive if you have a unique ring!
Choose a color which is less common
When it comes to picking out jewelry, a lot of people go for the same old colors. After all, they tend to go for a classic black or gold. But a lot of the time it can just blend in with their outfit. So it doesn’t look eye catching and is easily missed. Therefore, to ensure you stand out from the crowd, you should opt for a bright color in future. For example, why not go for a yellow gold which will ensure you add some early summer sunshine to your outfit. In fact, the stars love to head out on the carpet in some yellow at this time of the year. Or go for a blue or purple sapphire necklace or ring to ensure you stand out from the crowd!
By now, almost every single human being on planet Earth should know that there is a link between stress and health. If it isn’t obvious, it has been spoken about at length, and there are plenty of books, films and videos on the subject. But what exactly does stress do to the body, and what exactly is stress?
Stress is how the body responds to demands. These could be demands or pressures of any kind and can be found in both positive and negative areas of life. When we are stressed, or feel pressured by something, our bodies release chemicals which trickle into our bloodstream. On some occasions, these chemicals help create adrenaline, and people find themselves performing better due to having more energy as a result of adrenaline. This is why some people at work ‘might perform better under pressure’. It can also be a huge negative, though – when adrenaline is created due to emotional stress, there can be no outlet for the adrenaline which then can lead to feelings of extreme anxiety.
What causes this stress, then? Identifying the causes of stress is a great way to find out how you can deal with the stress. Well, it comes from a lot of different areas. Physical stress is a fear of threat in a physical manner – like violence or crime. Emotional stress comes in the form of worries and pressure. Humans in most circumstances don’t have to worry about survival stress – where the threat of violence or death causes extreme stress. We might find internal stress a lot more common. This is when we worry for no reason and create all kinds of stress and panic ourselves that may or may not actually exist, or when we fear things out of our control. Our environment can cause stress due to pressure, work or other things and of course, we can suffer from being overworked. When we are pushed too hard or fail to manage our time and rest, we can build up a lot of stress.
In the modern day, a lot of this can come from the workplace. We can suffer emotional stress because of the internal stress we make while worrying, the environmental stress that we may suffer from because of pressures at work and the stress created by a lack of rest. All these three can combine for a nasty cocktail! It’s so easy to stack causes of stress and suffer more than ever. Stress can lead to heart disease and other ailments, it’s a big deal.
So how do we defeat stress? Well we identify the causes first and then work to change or cope. To change, we need to change our situation through our own methods or legal means. To cope, we need to adjust how we feel about the situation. It is easier said than done, though.
Stress can be a killer through it’s boosting of mental illnesses and the catalyst it provides to ailments such as stroke and high blood pressure. Take it seriously and learn to relax a little to avoid it.
Although older homes have a distinct rustic charm to them, they’re not without their drawbacks. They tend to be inefficient when it comes to utilities, and the need for regular maintenance is huge compared to modern homes. More importantly though, living in an older home can often be bad for your health. Here are three common health hazards that are found in older homes.
It may not be the most serious health hazard you can find in a home, but mold is still worth paying attention to all the same. Damp, indoor surfaces, such as walls, carpets and hard floors, provide ideal conditions for mold spores to settle and begin to spread. These are invisible to the naked eye, but float on the air around us wherever the conditions are right. Any building is at some risk of developing mold, but older homes, particularly in humid areas, are much more prone to it as they tend to have poorer sealing, and fail to keep out condensation. Enough mold has the potential to cause respiratory issues, and will aggravate asthma. Allergic reactions to it are also fairly common. If you find any mold in your home, try to get rid of whatever moisture source is causing it. You can read more at Removemoldguide.com.
Asbestos
Mold can be the source of some serious health issues, but they’re all fairly benign compared to the damage asbestos can do. Asbestos is a subsection of natural minerals. Due to its strength and fire-proof properties, it has been used in countless construction projects over the past century, as a reagent of roof shingles, insulation, concrete, and various other products. Though it’s now banned as a construction material, there are still many buildings in the developed world which contain asbestos. The material is only a threat if it becomes loose, and the invisible fibers enter the air. If these are breathed in, they can become lodged in the lungs, scarring the tissues, and increasing the risk of cancers like mesothelioma, especially in a person who smokes. You can read more about his atMesotheliomahelp.org. If you don’t know when your home was last swept for asbestos, or you’re considering buying an older house, it’s worth hiring a qualified inspector for a risk assessment.
This is another toxic material that was commonly used in buildings for decades. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, any American home built before 1978 has a fair chance of having some lead-based paint in it. In its solid form, lead paint is fairly harmless unless ingested, and in many cases the interior paint would have been coated over many times with latex-based paint. The biggest risk is exterior paint flaking off over time and falling into the garden, where it may be ingested by pets or young children. They can also get into vegetable patches and contaminate the food growing there. If your exterior siding has lead-based paint on it, it’s generally a good idea to remove it completely.
If you have a business of your own, then you are no doubt aware of the huge importance of keeping your employees as safe as possible. The fact is that this is one of your main concerns of all, and there is a lot that you will need to consider if you want them to be as safe as they possibly can be. On the whole, it is a matter of ensuring that everyone knows what the rules and regulations are and that they follow them as closely as possible. As long as you do that, you should find that the rest will follow, but it is worth knowing exactly what you should be doing to keep them as safe as you can at all times. Let’s take a look in a little more detail so that you can better understand your role in it all.
It is clear that it’s obvious you need rules in order to keep people safe, but you also need to make sure that they are as easily accessible as possible. This means that they are located somewhere physically in the office where anyone can find them and read them at any time, but also that they are easy to understand. If anyone can’t understand them, then you can’t reasonably expect everyone to follow them to the letter. Make sure they are written as clearly as possible, and that way you are much less likely to have any kind of trouble. Moreover, be sure to have several copies around the workplace, just in case more than one person needs to refer to them at once.
Championing The Cause
Something that often makes a huge difference is if you put one person in charge of the process of keeping everyone safe. Using a champion in this way is a powerful way of ensuring that everyone follows the rules, and that they know why they need to. You might want to consider choosing someone who is particularly keen on it themselves, as this way you can be sure that they will do the job in the best possible manner. Having a champion is also a powerful way of demonstrating that you as an employer take health and safety seriously. This is useful to have in case you need to present a case to a lawyer, for example, or when you are checked externally for your health and safety regulations.
Self-Auditing
A great way of showing that you are a responsible employer is to carry out the occasional self-audit and follow up accordingly. This can be done by anyone, but it is more effective if you hire someone neutral to do it for you. They will be able to ensure that you are doing everything as a business to keep everyone as safe as possible. If you are not sure about how to self-audit, then consider hiring a professional to do it for you. You might be pleasantly surprised at what a difference this really can make.
