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Bike for Mom: Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand Leads Bangkok Bike Ride

Lisa.Felice
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Bike for Mom: Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand Leads Bangkok Bike Ride

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand has been joined by thousands of cyclists in a ride through Bangkok in honor of his mother, Queen Sirikit.

Wearing shirts in the queen’s color – sky-blue – and emblazoned with “Bike for Mom”, the cyclists paraded through streets closed to traffic.

Many Thais outside Bagkok were expected to do the same.

Queen Sirikit – who turned 83 four days ago – is in very frail health, like King Bhumibol, and will not be seen.

Commentators say the 27-mile cycle is the first event to be publicly led by Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who is 63.

About 300,000 people registered to join the ride.

Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was followed by other well-known figures including PM Prayuth Chan-ocha and his cabinet.Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand Leads Bangkok Bike Ride

Cycling in Thailand has taken off as a hobby in recent years, and on Sunday the heir to the throne tapped into that craze.

The prime minister said he hoped it would unite a country which is still divided over last year’s military coup.

It is the rare appearance at such a high-profile public event by Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn which will be noted by royal-watchers.

Many Thais are anxious about what happens after the death of 86-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, whose health is very frail.

King Bhumibol is widely revered, but observers say the heir apparent does not command similar affection.

This event is a chance to improve his public image and promote national unity.

Organizers of the cycle ride are also attempting to set a new world record for the greatest number of people cycling at once.

The record is currently held by Taiwan, with 72,919.

The Dangers of Handing Your Own Canadian Pardon

Dana R
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0
The Dangers of Handing Your Own Canadian Pardon

There are a number of mistakes that a person can make in their life. Being convicted of a felony can be a very scary and troublesome experience. Trying to right the wrongs of the past can be a lot easier said than done. In Canada, a person who has been convicted of a crime may be able to get you it taken off of their record. In order to get the right results from this process, a person will need to find the right professionals. Here are a few of the consequences that come with trying to handle this process on your own.

Not Knowing Where to Start

The first danger that comes with trying to handle this process is not knowing where to get started at. In order to get this process going, you will have to find out where the paperwork is and how to get it to the right people. Without knowing the process, you will be put at a disadvantage and this can cost you dearly when trying to get your pardon Canada. The time that is put into finding the right professionals to help will be more than worth it in the end.

pardon-Canada
Photo Source: finance.yahoo.com

How Does the Process Work?

Another very common problem a person will face when trying to get this process done on their own is not knowing how it work. If you do not know how the pardon process works, you will have a hard time getting the success you are looking for.  A professional will have the tools and the knowledge needed to get you the pardon you are in need of to get your life back on track. Finding the right professionals may be a bit hard, but it is more than worth it in the end.

Are You Eligible?

When trying to get a pardon, you will have to find out if you are eligible or not. The more you can find out about the eligibility of this process, the easier it will be for you to determine whether you want to pursue it. By finding a professional in the industry, you will be able to find out all of the information you need about what needs to happen in order for you to get the pardon you want. Taking the time to find out about the process is needed in order to get the results you need.

The team at NationalPardon has been in the business for a number of years and has the experience needed to get the right results. Call them or go to their website for more information.

Jay-Z Bottles His First Line of Champagne with Armand de Brignac

Lisa.Felice
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0
Jay-Z Bottles His First Line of Champagne with Armand de Brignac

Jay-Z has launched his first line of champagne which is valued at $760 a bottle.

The musician’s first champagne line with Armand de Brignac serves a life of luxury with red Pinot Noir grapes aged five years in France, Bloomberg reported.

The publication also said that only 3,000 bottles will be produced.Jay Z creates first line of champagne

The exclusive champagne comes in an onyx black bottle with embossing influenced by French fashion designer Andre Courreges.

The rapper’s Blanc de Noir adds to the company’s collection as “its rarest champagne yet”. It crafts hint of fruitiness and mint in every bottle.

Jay-Z’s Blanc de Noir is available for preorder and will be shipped in the fall.

Ben Affleck Spends 43rd Birthday with Jennifer Garner and Kids

Lisa.Felice
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0
Ben Affleck Spends 43rd Birthday with Jennifer Garner and Kids

Ben Affleck reportedly flew to Orlando, Florida, Saturday morning to celebrate his 43rd birthday with his estranged wife Jennifer Garner and their three children.

According to E! News, they headed to the Universal Orlando Resort for a family day where they enjoyed several rides and attractions including Harry Potter Land and the Hogwarts Castle.Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner divorce 2015

While the divorcing couple’s ex-nanny, 28-year-old Christine Ouzounian, continues to make headlines partly because of her lavish lifestyle, E! News reported that Ben Affleck is “not interested in dating anyone” at this time.

Ben Affleck, who turned 43 on August 15, and Christine Ouzounian carried on an affair for “months” during Ouzounian’s employment and prior to Affleck and Jennifer Garner, 43, announcing their split on June 30, People magazine reported.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj-_kgDoTEA

Hillary Clinton Responds to Jeb Bush’s Iraq Invasion Comments

Diane A. Wade
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Hillary Clinton Responds to Jeb Bush’s Iraq Invasion Comments

Hilary Clinton has hit back at her Republican rival Jeb Bush over who is responsible for instability in Iraq and the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS).

On August 11, Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush accused the Obama administration of a “premature withdrawal” of US forces from Iraq in 2011, with “grievous” costs.

Hillary Clinton replied by saying it was Jeb Bush’s brother, George W. Bush, who, as president, negotiated a US withdrawal.

The US-led war in 2003 has been followed by years of turmoil.

Photo AP
Photo AP

Jeb Bush called the withdrawal of US forces in 2011 a “fatal error”, destabilizing the nation and setting the stage for the rise of the Islamic State.

“So eager to be the history-makers, they failed to be the peacemakers,” Jeb Bush said of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who was Obama’s secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.

“Rushing away from danger can be every bit as unwise as rushing into danger,” he told a rally in California.

On the campaign trail in Iowa on August 15, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton responded by saying Jeb Bush “should present the entire picture. [That]… includes the agreement George W. Bush made with the Maliki government in Iraq that set the end of 2011 as the date to withdraw American troops”.

“I can only wonder whether he either did not know that or thought that other people would not be reminded of that,” Hillary Clinton went on.

Earlier in the campaign Jeb Bush was ridiculed for struggling to say whether he would have approved the Iraq invasion “knowing what we know now”.

At first, he said he would, then he said he wouldn’t engage in “hypotheticals” and finally he announced he would not have.

Hillary Clinton herself voted in favor of the invasion in Iraq in 2002, and has since both defended the decision and acknowledged she “got it wrong”.

Cotopaxi Volcano: Ecuador Declares State of Emergency over Increasing Activity

Diane A. Wade
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Cotopaxi Volcano: Ecuador Declares State of Emergency over Increasing Activity

Ecuador has declared a state of emergency over increasing activity at the Cotopaxi volcano near the capital, Quito.

President Rafael Correa’s declaration gives authorities more flexibility in using government funds to address the situation.

Officials evacuated several hundred people from nearby villages after the volcano began to erupt on August 14.Cotopaxi volcano eruption 2015

Cotopaxi is among the world’s most dangerous volcanoes and is prone to fast-moving rock and mud flows.

Small eruptions have already shot ash more than 2 miles into the sky, spreading fine grey powder over as far as the capital 30 miles to the north.

Authorities have restricted access to the park that surrounds the volcano and barred mountaineers from climbing the snow-capped peak.

Cotopaxi volcano’s last major eruption was in 1877.

Chattanooga Attack: Joe Biden Calls Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez a”Jihadist”

Diane A. Wade
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Chattanooga Attack: Joe Biden Calls Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez a”Jihadist”

VP Joe Biden has called Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez, who killed four marines and a sailor in Chattanooga in July, a “perverted jihadist”, despite no official determination of motive.

Speaking at a memorial service in the Tennessee town, Joe Biden also called the suspect a “perverse ideologue”.

According to authorities, Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez acted alone when he attacked two military facilities in Chattanooga.

However, the FBI has said it has not yet been able to establish a motive.

Joe Biden was joined by Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and families of the victims for the service, a month on from the July 16 attack.

The vice president alluded to the recent loss of his own son Beau Biden, a former attorney general of Delaware who died from brain cancer in May.

“I wish I were not here,” he told the families.

Photo AP
Photo AP

“I have some sense of how hard it is for you to be here.”

“I didn’t have the privilege of knowing any one of them personally but oh, I knew them,” Joe Biden added.

“Confident, determined, trustworthy, compassionate and always, always loyal. I knew them. They were my son. And so many other sons I know.”

FBI investigators say Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez, 24, acted alone in the crime but say they are still unsure whether he was inspired by radical ideology or driven by mental illness as his family has suggested.

“The meaning of their killing is yet unclear, what combination of disturbed mind, violent extremism and hateful ideology was at work, we don’t know,” said Ashton Carter.

Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez, a former engineering student, was shot dead by police after opening fire at a military recruitment centre and later a reserve centre 7 miles away.

Ashton Carter has ordered the military to review its procedures for protecting American troops inside the US and to step up security at recruiting stations.

FAA Computer Glitch Grounds Flights into and out of NY and Washington

Nancy Clayson
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FAA Computer Glitch Grounds Flights into and out of NY and Washington

An FAA computer glitch grounded hundreds of flights into and out of New York and Washington on August 15.

The technical glitch, at an air traffic centre in Leesburg, Virginia, caused delays of nearly three hours in some cases.

A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said later that it had resolved the issue.

Planes would be able to take off normally by about 16:00 EDT, the FAA said.

The affected airports are among the busiest in the United States, especially in the summer holiday months.FAA computer glitch August 2015

Among those hit by the glitch were Washington’s Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport, as well as New York’s LaGuardia and JFK International Airport.

The FAA said the problem is not believed to be caused by any accident or hacking.

According to the agency, the fault was with a computer system known as ERAM which is used at 20 air traffic control centers around the US that handle high-altitude air traffic.

The system was installed earlier this year but was already years behind schedule.

“The FAA is continuing its root cause analysis to determine what caused the problem and is working closely with the airlines to minimize impacts to travelers,” the agency said in a statement.

Flight tracking service FlightAware reported that about 400 flights had been delayed or cancelled across affected airports.

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

Michael Sam Quits Football Citing Mental Health

Clyde K. Valle
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Michael Sam Quits Football Citing Mental Health

Montreal Alouettes defensive end Michael Sam is stepping away from the sport because he is concerned over his mental health.

Michael Sam, 25, is the first gay player drafted by the St. Louis Rams of the NFL in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

He signed a two-year deal with Canadian Football League (CFL)’s Montreal Alouettes in May, but the club said on its team website he had left for personal reasons.

Michael Sam was suspended in June after he left their training camp.Michael Sam quits football

He tweeted: “The last 12 months have been very difficult for me.

“I became concerned with my mental health.

“Because of this I am going to step away from the game at this time. Thank you all for your understanding and support.”

Michael Sam was the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at the University of Missouri before graduating in December 2013.

The following February before the NFL Draft, he announced he was gay.

St Louis Rams selected Michael Sam in the seventh round of the 2014 draft but waived him in the final round of cuts.

Michael Sam was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys but they released him from their practice squad in October.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc_W0hrHKP0

John Farrell: Red Sox Manager Diagnosed with Cancer

Clyde K. Valle
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John Farrell: Red Sox Manager Diagnosed with Cancer

Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell will go on medical leave for the rest of the season after being diagnosed with stage-one lymphoma.

John Farrell, who led the team to a World Series win in 2013, said his cancer of the immune system is “very treatable”.

Red Sox assistant coach Torey Lovullo will serve as manager while John Farrell receives treatment.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Doctors discovered the cancer when John Farrell was undergoing hernia surgery earlier this week.

“I can honestly tell you that I’m extremely fortunate that it was found,” John Farrell said on August 14.

“It’s localized. It’s highly curable.”

John Farrell started his career as a Major League Baseball pitcher and also served as the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2011 to 2012.

After breaking the news, John Farrell received an outpouring of support from fans and colleagues on social media.

Even the Red Sox’s arch-rivals, the New York Yankees tweeted: “Wishing RedSox manager John Farrell a full and speedy recovery.”

Sam Ray: How Apple’s Siri Saved Tennessee Teenager’s Life

Nancy Clayson
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Sam Ray: How Apple’s Siri Saved Tennessee Teenager’s Life

Apple’s voice-activated assistant Siri may have saved the life of Tennessee teenager Sam Ray after he was pinned underneath his truck and unable to reach his phone.

Sam Ray was alone when the truck he was fixing fell on him, but he remembered his phone was in his back pocket.

The teenage used his bottom to activate Siri, which called emergency services.

The dispatcher thought it was mistaken call at first but soon heard Sam Ray’s cries for help.Apple Siri saves Tennessee teenager

“I could feel myself slipping,” he told local newspaper the Tennessean on August 14.

“I was starting to accept that I wouldn’t get out.”

The dispatcher was able to locate Sam Ray’s home in a suburb of Nashville by triangulating the signal from his mobile phone.

Rescue workers pulled Sam Ray from underneath the truck, and he quickly was airlifted to a nearby hospital.

He was seriously hurt in the July incident, suffering several broken ribs, a bruised kidney, cuts, a concussion and burns to his left arm. He has since recovered.

Sam Ray had been thinking about getting a Samsung Galaxy phone, but the accident has changed things.

“I guess I’m stuck with an iPhone for the rest of my life,” Sam Ray said.

“I owe them that.”

Tianjin Explosion Area Evacuated over Chemical Contamination

Diane A. Wade
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Tianjin Explosion Area Evacuated over Chemical Contamination

China has ordered the evacuation of residents within a 2 miles radius of the Tianjin blast site over fears of chemical contamination.

The evacuations came as police confirmed the highly toxic chemical sodium cyanide was found near the site.

A man was found alive 200ft from the blast core, Xinhua news agency said.

Eighty-five people are now known to have died and hundreds were hurt in the giant blasts in the north-eastern Chinese port on August 12.

People sheltering at a school used as a safe haven since the disaster have been asked to leave wearing masks and long trousers, reports say.

Anti-chemical warfare troops have entered the site.

The People’s Daily newspaper tweeted that they had been sent to handle highly toxic sodium cyanide which had been found there.

The discovery was confirmed by police “roughly east of the blast site” in an industrial zone, state-run Beijing News said.

Photo Xinhua
Photo Xinhua

Officials had until then only confirmed the presence of calcium carbide, potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate. Calcium carbide reacts with water to create the highly explosive acetylene.

Officials have so far insisted that air and water quality levels are safe.

Some fires have continued to smolder and at least one reignited on Saturday. Xinhua said several cars at the site had “exploded again”.

Of the 721 people injured, 25 are in critical condition and 33 are serious.

At least 21 firefighters are among the dead and an unknown number remain missing.

Dozens of relatives of the missing tried to disrupt a news conference given by officials on August 15, demanding to know the fate of their loved ones.

The operators of the Tianjin site have been accused of violating safety rules.

China’s government has ordered officials to make nationwide checks on dangerous chemicals and explosives and to “crack down unwaveringly on illegal activities to ensure safety”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAa7jZebntk

Japan Marks 70 Years Since End of WWII Under Criticism from South Korea and China

James J. Williams
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Japan Marks 70 Years Since End of WWII Under Criticism from South Korea and China

Japan is marking 70 years since the end of World War Two with commemoration ceremonies across the country.

The Asian country has been criticized by South Korea and China, which accused it of failing to properly atone for its actions during the war.

At Tokyo’s memorial service, Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe and Emperor Akihito observed a minute’s silence.

Shinzo Abe had expressed “profound grief” on August 14 over Japan’s role in the war.

South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye said the Japanese premier’s remarks “left much to be desired”.

Speaking on August 15 at a ceremony in Seoul, Park Geun-hye called on Shinzo Abe to reiterate Japan’s apologies for abuses during its wartime occupations of neighboring countries.Japan WWII commemoration 2015

“History can never be covered up. History remains alive through its witnesses’ vivid testimony,” she said.

Japan’s surrender to the allies on August 15, 1945, freed the then-unified Korea from 35 years of occupation, leading Koreans to celebrate the date as Liberation Day.

President Park Geun-hye also called on Japan to resolve, “at the earliest possible date”, the issue of so-called “comfort women” – Asian women forced to work as s** slaves for the military during the war.

Shinzo Abe stopped short of issuing a fresh apology this year to victims of Japanese aggression, saying that future Japanese generations should not be “predestined to apologize” for their country’s wartime actions.

A spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry said on August 15 that Japan should have made a “sincere apology to the people of victim countries … rather than being evasive on this major issue of principle”.

Speaking at the ceremony in Tokyo, PM Shinzo Abe said Japan’s war dead “sacrificed their life for the future and the prosperity of our homeland”.

“Their sacrifice was the foundation of today’s prosperity and we shall never forget their contribution. We always reflect the past and we hate the horror of the war,” he said.

Emperor Akihito also spoke at the ceremony in Tokyo, striking a more apologetic tone than Shinzo Abe with an expression of “deep remorse” for the nation’s wartime aggression.

Shinzo Abe did not visit Japan’s controversial Yasukuni war shrine this year, as he has in previous years, although there will be commemorations at the site.

Koichi Hagiuda, a member of parliament and aide to Shinzo Abe, visited the shrine with a cash offering on behalf of the prime minister.

“I paid respects to the souls of those who sacrificed their precious lives in the past war,” Koichi Hagiuda said.

The shrine has been criticized by China and South Korea because along with Japan’s war dead it honors leaders who were later convicted of war crimes.

As well as commemorations that seek to consign wartime atrocities to the past, there will be events that highlight ongoing tensions in the region.

Thousands of South Korean protesters are expected to hold an anti-Japanese rally on August 15. This past week a Korean protester set fire to himself outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul.

Meanwhile, in North Korea, clocks were set back 30 minutes on August 15 to so-called Pyongyang Time to remove the country from a shared time zone established under Japanese colonial rule.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE0UQoDJiI4

Kayla Mueller: ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Raped American Hostage

Roy Siemens
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Kayla Mueller: ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Raped American Hostage

American volunteer Kayla Mueller who was killed in February while held hostage by Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Syria, was abused by the group’s top leader, officials tell ABC News.

Kayla Mueller, 26, from Prescott, Arizona, was repeatedly raped by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, they said.

She travelled to the Turkey-Syria border in 2012 to work with refugees.

Counterterrorism officials made the Food for Life volunteer’s family aware of the abuse in June.

Kayla Mueller was abducted while working in Aleppo, Syria, in 2013. ISIS said she was killed in a Jordanian air strike, but the US blames ISIS for her death.Kayla Mueller raped by ISIS leader

“We were told Kayla was tortured, that she was the property of Baghdadi. We were told that in June by the government,” Kayla’s parents, Carl and Marsha, told ABC News.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi personally took the American aid worker to the home of another senior ISIS member – Abu Sayyaf – who was in charge of ISIS oil and gas until his death in a US special forces operation in May, says ABC News, citing US officials.

The channel said Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi regularly visited the compound where Kayla Mueller was being held and repeatedly assaulted her.

Officials said they had obtained information about the abuse from at least two teenage Yazidi girls who were held hostage as s** slaves and found inside the Sayyaf compound at the time of the US attack.

Kayla Mueller was reportedly held for some time by Abu Sayyaf and his wife, Umm Sayyaf, who was also captured by US special forces in May.

At the time, the Pentagon said Umm Sayyaf was suspected of being an ISIS member and of being complicit in the enslavement of a young Yazidi woman who was rescued in the raid.

Hundreds of young women and girls – many of them Yazidis captured in northern Iraq – are believed to be held as slaves by ISIS militants in areas under their control.

The Yazidi girls provided intelligence used by the US to interrogate Abu Sayyaf’s wife, who “spilled everything” about several ISIS leaders and their whereabouts, a counterterrorism official told ABC.

Umm Sayyaf was handed over to the Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq last week to face trial.

The information that has come to light appears to contradict speculation that Kayla Mueller was treated well in captivity, as a letter written in 2014 and smuggled out to her family implied.

In that letter, Kayla Mueller tried to reassure her family, saying that she had been treated with “utmost respect + kindness”.

North Korea Switches to New Time Zone to Mark Liberation from Imperialism

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea Switches to New Time Zone to Mark Liberation from Imperialism

North Korea has changed its time zone, turning clocks back by 30 minutes, to mark its liberation from the Japanese at the end of WW2.

Bells rang out in the capital Pyongyang at midnight on August 14 as the new time zone came into effect.

North Korea announced the move earlier this week, surprising South Korea whose president, Park Geun-hye, warned it ran counter to efforts to foster co-operation.

The communist country had been nine hours ahead of GMT – like South Korea and Japan.

Before being colonized by Japan in 1910, the entire Korean peninsula – then one country – was 8.5 hours ahead of GMT.North Korea switches to new time zone

Jong Sok, chief astronomer at the Pyongyang Observatory, said changing time zones made a lot of sense – and was appropriate as the country marked 70 years since it was liberated from Japanese rule.

“With the time standard that we have used up until now, the time when the sun is at its highest position is not correctly noon,” Jong Sok told the Associated Press.

“I think it is the lawful right of a sovereign state that our republic – to mark the 70th anniversary of our liberation and the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Japanese imperialism – has announced our time as Pyongyang Time, the same as our ancestors used and which was robbed from us by the Japanese imperialists.”

State news agency KCNA said earlier this week “wicked Japanese imperialists” had “deprived Korea of even its standard time” by changing the clocks during the occupation.

South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye said on Monday Pyongyang’s “unilateral” decision, taken without any consultation with Seoul, was “highly regrettable” and threatened a “further deepening of disparity between the two Koreas”.

The Importance of the Font Used for Your Sign

Dana R
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The Importance of the Font Used for Your Sign

There are a number of reasons that creating signage for your business can be stressful. However, when you find a professional sign service, it can help to make the entire experience stress-free. One of the biggest issues and sources of headaches comes when choosing the font for the signs. If the fonts are not created properly, you may wind up with a sign that does not look anything like what you imagined. Some more information about fonts can be found here.

The Importance of the Font

The font is a type of electronic file that contains characters, symbols or glyphs. Every computer comes with certain types of fonts that are stored on the computer’s hard drive. They are typically stored as an OpenType or TrueType file, which are readable by this computer as dots on the page. Fonts are able to be resized by changing the size on the computer that is being used.

professional-sign
Photo Source: qualitysigncompany.net

However, it is important to remember that a font can vary from one computer to another. If a file is opened on a new computer the computer will look for a font that corresponds with what was originally used. If the computer does not recognize that font or offer a corresponding font, then it will try to find something similar to use as a substitute. In some cases, this will lead to issues with the placement and spacing of the letters.

If a sign is being created, you do not want these issues. It can cause the sign to appear unprofessional, which can also make those viewing the sign believe the entire business is unprofessional.

Signs and Your Business

When you have a business it is important to find signage that represents the business as a professional establishment. This means that the sign needs to be designed by someone who knows what they are doing. Attempting to do this yourself will likely result in a huge ‘fail’ that may actually make your business lose customers. Take some time to find a quality sign maker in order to get a sign that truly meets your specific business needs. Failure to put the time and effort into this can result in sub-par results and a sign that does not properly represent the look or the feel of the business that you have.

More information about quality business signs can be found by contacting Burry Signs. This company understands what it takes to create a quality sign and ensure it meets the needs of the company that ordered it.

Greece Bailout Deal Agreed by Eurogroup

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Greece Bailout Deal Agreed by Eurogroup

Eurogroup has agreed a third bailout deal for Greece after the Greek parliament backed the plan.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the deal sent a message “loud and clear” – Greece will stay in the eurozone.

The agreement demands tax rises and more tough spending cuts in return for Greece’s third bailout in five years.

The deal means new loans of up to €86 billion ($95 billion) will be made available over the next three years.

It comes at a heavy political price for Greek PM Alexis Tsipras, who has faced a rebellion in his left-wing Syriza party.

More than 40 Syriza MPs voted against him when parliament decided on the bailout agreement on Friday, after all-night talks.

Reports in Greece suggest he will seek a vote of confidence in parliament next week, bringing the prospect of snap elections closer.

Announcing the “comprehensive and ambitious reform package”, Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem said: “All the intense work of the past week has paid off.

“If implemented with determination, the deal will allow the Greek economy to return to growth.”

He added: “Of course there were differences, but we have managed to solve the last issues.”Greece bailout deal eurogroup

Jean-Claude Juncker said: “The past six months have been difficult. They have tested the patience of policy-makers and they have tested the patience of our citizens even more.

“Together, we have looked into the abyss. But today, I am glad to say that all sides have respected their commitments.”

He added: “The message of today’s Eurogroup is loud and clear: on this basis, Greece is and will irreversibly remain a member of the euro area.”

Before the first tranche of around €26 billion can be disbursed around August 20 there will have to be a series of votes in national parliaments across Europe.

Greece must repay about €3.2 billion to the European Central Bank (ECB) on August 20.

Eurogroup finance ministers also confirmed that the thorny issue of writing off some of the Greece’s debts would be considered in the autumn.

This has been a crucial demand of both Alexis Tspiras and the IMF, which says it will only contribute if there is some form of debt relief.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9khLBf-tuaU

Cutting Fat from Your Diet Leads to More Body Fat Loss than Reducing Carbs

Kathryn R. Bown
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Cutting Fat from Your Diet Leads to More Body Fat Loss than Reducing Carbs

According to a National Institutes of Health study, cutting fat from your diet leads to more fat loss than reducing carbs.

Scientists intensely analyzed people on controlled diets by inspecting every morsel of food, minute of exercise and breath taken.

Both diets, analyzed by the National Institutes of Health, led to fat loss when calories were cut, but people lost more when they reduced fat intake.

Experts say the most effective diet is one people can stick to.

It has been argued that restricting carbs is the best way to get rid of a “spare tire” as it alters the body’s metabolism.

The theory goes that fewer carbohydrates lead to lower levels of insulin, which in turn lead to fat being released from the body’s stores.

“All of those things do happen with carb reduction and you do lose body fat, but not as much as when you cut out the fat,” said lead researchers Dr. Kevin Hall, from the US-based National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Cutting fat better than low carb

In the study, 19 obese people were initially given 2,700 calories a day.

Then, over a period of two weeks they tried diets which cut their calorie intake by a third, either by reducing carbs or fat.

The team analyzed the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide being breathed out and the amount of nitrogen in participants’ urine to calculate precisely the chemical processes taking place inside the body.

The results published in Cell Metabolism showed that after 6 days on each diet, those reducing fat intake lost an average 463g of body fat – 80% more than those cutting down on carbs, whose average loss was 245g.

Dr. Kevin Hall said there was no “metabolic” reason to chose a low-carb diet.

However, studies suggest that in the real world, where diets are less strictly controlled, people may lose more weight by reducing carbohydrate intake.

Dr. Kevin Hall is now analyzing brain scans of the participants to see how the diets affect how rewarding food is.

Prince George Hounded by Paparazzi

Lisa.Felice
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Prince George Hounded by Paparazzi

Kensington Palace has issued an appeal to world media not to publish unauthorized images of Prince George as paparazzi harassment of the third in line to the UK throne has increased and photographers’ tactics are becoming increasingly dangerous.

Some paparazzi had gone to “extreme lengths” to take pictures and “a line has been crossed”, the palace said.

It wants to “inform discussion” on unauthorized photography of children.

The Kensington Palace said a small number of media organizations, mostly in Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and the US, had published photos of two-year-old Prince George in “unacceptable circumstances”.

However, it said the “vast majority”, and all UK publications, had refused.

The palace says in recent months, photographers have:

  • Used long range lenses to photograph Kate Middleton playing with her son in private parks
  • Monitored the movements of Prince George and his nanny around London parks, as well as the movements of other household staff
  • Photographed the children of private individuals visiting Prince William and Kate Middleton’s home
  • Pursued cars leaving family homes
  • Used other children to draw Prince George into view around playgrounds
  • Hidden on private property in fields and woodland locations around Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Norfolk home
  • Obscured themselves in sand dunes on a rural beach to take photos of Prince George playing with his grandmother
  • Placed locations near the home of Kate Middleton’s parents in Berkshire under steady surveillance

The palace said the most recent incident, which was last week, involved a photographer who was discovered by police lying down in the boot of a rented car attempting to shoot photos outside a children’s play area.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Kensington Palace tweeted: “The Duke and Duchess want to extend their thanks for the kind and supportive messages they have received in recent months.

“They have been delighted to share photos of their children and will continue to do so in the months and years ahead.

“Yet undercover paparazzi continue to pursue their children, selling images of Prince George to international publications.”

In the published letter, Kensington Palace communications secretary Jason Knauf said Prince George had become the paparazzi’s “number one target”.

He said: “It is of course upsetting that such tactics – reminiscent as they are of past surveillance by groups intent on doing more than capturing images – are being deployed to profit from the image of a two-year-old boy.

“In a heightened security environment such tactics are a risk to all involved.

“The worry is that it will not always be possible to quickly distinguish between someone taking photos and someone intending to do more immediate harm.”

Jason Knauf said Prince William and Kate Middleton wanted Prince George and his sister Princess Charlotte “to be free to play in public and semi-public spaces with other children without being photographed”.

They want to give their children a childhood that is “free from harassment and surveillance”, he said.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “The covert actions of photographers have at times caused concerns during police protection operations when they have been considered a possible security threat.

“Photographers are potentially putting themselves at risk from armed intervention where our armed officers perceive a risk to the personal safety of their principal, the public and themselves.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GAB82pS1WA

Cuba: US Embassy Reopened After 54 Years

Diane A. Wade
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Cuba: US Embassy Reopened After 54 Years

The US flag has been raised over the reopened embassy in Cuba after more than 54 years since it was closed.

The reopening of the US embassy in Havana is a symbolic step signaling the warming of ties between both countries.

John Kerry, who presided over the ceremony in Havana, is the first US Secretary of State to visit Cuba in 70 years.

The US flag was presented by the same US marines who brought it down in 1961.

Cuba reopened its embassy in Washington in July.

However, issues remain, with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro blasting the US for not lifting its trade embargo.

In an open letter on August 13, Fidel Castro said the US owed Cuba millions of dollars because of its 53-year-long embargo. The letter makes no mention of today’s reopening of the US embassy.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

John Kerry described the hoisting of the flag as a “historic moment” speaking during the ceremony on August 14.

He also warned that the US would not stop pressing for political change in Cuba.

“The people of Cuba would be best served by a genuine democracy, where people are free to choose their leaders,” John Kerry told a crowd of hundreds gathered outside the embassy building.

In the past, John Kerry conceded, US policies have not led to democracy.

“Cuba’s future is for Cubans to shape,” he added.

Three retired marines who lowered the American flag for the last time on January 4, 1961, handed it over to marines to raise it once again in Havana as the American national anthem played.

Cuban leader Raul Castro and President Barack Obama agreed to restore ties in December 2014.

While trade and travel restrictions have been relaxed, the Republican-led US Congress has not lifted the trade embargo the US imposed on the communist-run island in 1960.

Cuba says the embargo – which it calls a blockade – is hugely damaging to its economy.

It says relations will be fully restored only once it is lifted.

Fidel Castro’s open letter was published in state newspaper Granma to mark his 89th birthday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B98-_Sk1uTk

Donald Trump Fired from Celebrity Apprentice

Nancy Clayson
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Donald Trump Fired from Celebrity Apprentice

NBC has ruled out the possibility of Donald Trump returning to host The Celebrity Apprentice.

Bob Greenblatt, NBC’s entertainment chairman, said the show will not be back next season, but will return in the future with a new host.

NBC cut ties with the republican presidential candidate in June over comments he made about immigrants.

Donald Trump has hosted The Celebrity Apprentice since 2010.

Before that he hosted The Apprentice from 2003.

Photo NBC
Photo NBC

In June, NBC cancelled its broadcasts of Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants that are co-owned by Donald Trump.

Earlier that month, Donald Trump accused Mexicans of adding drugs and crime to the US as he announced he was seeking the Republican presidential nomination.

“They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists,” he said.

Donald Trump also pledged to build a “great wall” on the US border with Mexico and insisted it would be paid for by Mexicans.

He later insisted he was criticizing US lawmakers, not Mexican people.

NBC faced pressure from Hispanic advocacy groups to drop Donald Trump’s shows and a petition gathered more than 200,000 signatures.

Upon confirming that Donald Trump would not return as The Celebrity Apprentice host, Bob Greenblatt said he was “a lovely guy and “very much a collaborator and worked with us closely on Celebrity Apprentice”.

“We weren’t in any sort of adversarial position,” he added.

Bob Greenblatt said that a number of people have expressed interest in taking over from Donald Trump and they would be open to a woman taking over.

Talk show host Leeza Gibbons won the most recent 7th edition of The Celebrity Apprentice in February.

Donald Trump is the frontrunner in the Republican race for US president in recent weeks, ahead of Jeb Bush and Scott Walker in the opinion polls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt0ymjQ7Jq8

Al Schmitt Gets Star on Walk of Fame

Sonia Pantiss
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Al Schmitt Gets Star on Walk of Fame

Al Schmitt has become the latest entertainment figure to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

One of the most celebrated recording and mix engineers in the business, Al Schmitt has won 23 Grammys – more than anyone else in his field.

Photo AFP/EPA
Photo AFP/EPA

Barbra Streisand, Sam Cooke and Paul McCartney are just a few of the music stars with whom the music producer was worked over the course of a career that has spanned more than half a century.

Al Schmitt, 85, was joined by producer Don Was and musician Joe Walsh at the dedication ceremony on August 13, fittingly held outside the Los Angeles headquarters of Capitol Records.

Rihanna Joins The Voice in Season 9

Sonia Pantiss
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Rihanna Joins The Voice in Season 9

Rihanna will join The Voice as a key adviser to all the coaches on the show’s upcoming season 9.

Pharrell Williams, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine will return as mentors, along with Gwen Stefani – who previously served as a coach on season 7.

Photo Twitter
Photo Twitter

Adam Levine and the singing competition’s host, Carson Daly, have welcomed Rihanna on Twitter.

“Welcome @Rihanna to @NbcTheVoice as an Advisor for this season #VoiceRIHveal,” Adam Levine tweeted.

Carson Daly also wrote: “Welcome @rihanna to @NBCTheVoice family!!! So stoked to have you. #VoiceRIHveal.”

The Voice Season 9 begins on NBC on September 21.

Stolen Pablo Picasso’s La Coiffeuse Returned to France

Sonia Pantiss
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Stolen Pablo Picasso’s La Coiffeuse Returned to France

Pablo Picasso’s oil painting La Coiffeuse (The Hairdresser) that was stolen from Paris’ Centre Georges Pompidou 14 years ago has been returned to France.

The 1911 cubist painting from 1911, which is valued at $15 million, was found in a shipment from Belgium to Newark, New Jersey, in December 2014.

A label described the painting as a mere handicraft worth $37.Picasso La Coiffeuse

The artwork was handed over to the French embassy in Washington by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

“We’re so glad that it’s going to be shown to the world again,” the agency’s director, Sarah Saldana, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Picasso’s painting was last seen on public display in Munich, Germany, in 1988.

It was then returned to Paris’ Centre Georges Pompidou. The museum reported it stolen from its archives in 2001.

Experts from the museum authenticated the painting as Pablo Picasso’s earlier this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbeSL7L1N_I

Greece Bailout Deal: Parliament Approves Draft Terms for €85 Billion Bailout

Clyde K. Valle
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Greece Bailout Deal: Parliament Approves Draft Terms for €85 Billion Bailout

The Greek parliament has approved the draft details a third bailout in five years after talks that lasted through the night and well into the morning.

The new deal involves tax rises and spending cuts in return for a bailout of about €85 billion ($95 billion).

Greece’s Alexis Tsipras also survived a significant rebellion within his own Syriza party.

The terms of the bailout will be discussed by eurozone finance ministers later on Friday, August 14.

The deal received 222 votes for, 64 against and 11 abstentions.

There were 31 “No” votes from Syriza members, and 11 abstentions – the biggest rebellion within Alexis Tsipras’ party so far. The rebels represented almost a third of all Syriza’s members of parliament.

According to the Greek media, the prime minister will ask for a confidence vote before parliament in the next week.

The debate itself was preceded by hours of often angry exchanges in parliament.Alexis Tsipras Greece bailout deal

Voting started just after 09:30 local time, more than six hours after the main debate began. The debate itself had been delayed by procedural issues.

Members of parliament had to agree on the terms so that eurozone ministers could endorse the draft deal.

Greece faces an urgent deadline on August 20, when it must repay about €3.2 billion to the European Central Bank (ECB).

If Greece had failed to agree on new terms for a bailout, the ECB is likely to have stopped giving emergency funds to Greek banks.

One of Alexis Tsipras’ most vocal critics within his own party was his former ally, parliamentary speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou.

Zoe Konstantopoulou said she could not support the deal, and faced calls from Alexis Tsipras to hurry her handling of the bill. Instead, she took time to raise several concerns, delaying the timing of the debate – to the prime minister’s visible frustration.

Another Syriza member, Panagiotis Lafazanis, told Alexis Tsipras: “I feel ashamed for you. We no longer have a democracy, but a eurozone dictatorship.”

Alexis Tsipras told the parliament: “I have my conscience clear that it is the best we could achieve under the current balance of power in Europe, under conditions of economic and financial asphyxiation imposed upon us.”

Rebels have insisted the government should make good on its electoral promise to reverse spending cuts and tax rises.

In two prior votes on bailout reforms, rebels had refused to approve tax increases, pension cuts and market reforms.

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