Andre M. Caldwell blog

Looking for a life, business, or executive coach? Tune In LIVE at 11 AM & PM 6 Days a Week for Interviews, Reviews, Tips, & More! Visit LifeCoachforProfit.

[andremcaldwell]

Migrant Centre Evacuated After Iranian Man Threatened To Blow Himself Up

http://ift.tt/2aS8qGJ

An Iranian migrant was arrested in Nyborg, Denmark today after climbing to the roof of an asylum centre and threatening to blow himself up. Police were called to the Nyborg migrant center at 11:16 Central European Time, reports Esktra Bladet after the 22-year-old Iranian made the threats. The 500-capacity center was evacuated due to his threats. It is not presently clear whether he had a credible device, but a no-fly zone was established around the centre and footage captured by eye-witnesses at the scene shows a large presence of ambulances and fire appliances in addition to police. Police negotiators managed to talk the man down by 13:44 today. Reports claim the arrest of the would-be bomber “took place without incident”, and the man is now being interrogated by police. Officers had previously said that a “person is on the asylum center roof. Police and rescue personnel are on the scene and the residents are being evacuated”. The Iranian national is reported to be a resident of a migrant camp in Faaborg, Denmark, an hour drive away. A police spokesman did not mention a potential terror motive for the threatened attack, but said the Iranian migrant’s motives were purely romantic. He said: “It was reportedly

Migrant Centre Evacuated After Iranian Man Threatened To Blow Himself Up

[andremcaldwell]

Report: Another Disturbing Sexual Assault in Twin Falls

http://ift.tt/2aABu6F

TWIN FALLS, IDAHO — A town that was recently rocked by the horrific gang-rape of a five-year-old girl by refugee boys has had an arrest in a case involving charges of another disturbing sexual assault case last weekend.

Report: Another Disturbing Sexual Assault in Twin Falls

[andremcaldwell]

900 Million Android Phones Have the QuadRooter Vulnerability. Yours Is Probably One of Them

Source Link: http://ift.tt/2b1oS5f

Here’s what to do about it.

900 Million Android Phones Have the QuadRooter Vulnerability. Yours Is Probably One of Them

[andremcaldwell]

How ‘Copycat Syndrome’ Is Plaguing This Generation’s Creativity

You could be anywhere when it happens — in the shower or on a walk, minding your own business. Out of the blue, a brilliant idea hits you: You’ll start a blog! Or a company! Or build a new shopping app!

Excitement builds up in your stomach and your hands start to get a little sweaty. You are “in like” with this idea — like, like even. You realize this could be the one with whom you finally settle down. You dust off your old notebook and jam out some ideas. “This could really work,” a tiny, hopeful voice whispers inside of you.

Bursting with ideas and energy, you call your friend and lay out your foolproof, best-idea-ever plan: This organic cooking blog/YouTube video series is going to change the world and completely alter the way people see kale!

“Oh, a food blog? Like the one Katie Smith runs?” Suddenly, the butterflies in your stomach morph into rocks. You take to the Internet and see that, yes, Katie Smith does run a food blog, and it’s funny and perfect, and her hair is so shiny.

What were you thinking, starting your own blog? Why bother when someone you already know has already created something similar?

“It will never work,” an uglier voice whispers to you. “Everyone will think you are just a copycat and a fraud.” You throw your notebook under the bed and convince yourself that you didn’t really want to blog that much. Who has the time? You have a lot of Netflix to catch up on, anyway.

Growing up, “copycat” is the first real insult that kids learn to hurl at each other. Using the same marker as Suzie did? Copycat. Obsessed with unicorns? You better not be since Hannah already loves unicorns.

Once you get a little older, the copying fear changes a bit, but not by much. Everyone knows you can only have one Baby Spice in a girl band. Can you image a group of friends where everyone was the Carrie? Someone has to be the Miranda, and if you have red hair, it’s going to be you.

That fear of copying someone else never really fades away as we get older. In a world where everyone wants to fit in, we still fear being labeled “followers” or band-wagoners.

Sometimes, the fear comes from thinking your actions will be perceived as stepping on someone else’s toes or worse, stealing their spotlight.

And, God forbid you become more successful than the person who started before you. The person and all of his or her friends will hate you. Social pariah, party of one.

What an impossible way to live your life, constantly avoiding doing anything that someone you know on Facebook has already done. How many perfectly good business ventures, inventions and novels have been scrapped in the pursuit of being polite?

This paranoia of being a copycat keeps us small and keeps us playing it safe. Sure, it might protect us from failing, but it also holds us back from living, trying and succeeding.

The great task then becomes breaking through this fear. Create what you want to create. Make it as public as you can stand. If you are still worried about shiny Katie, there is something you can do about her, too.

You can decide that even if Katie is running a similar blog as you want to, you have a different voice and perspective, and your thoughts on quinoa are just as valid and every bit as necessary in the public conversation. Stop stalking her blog; ignore it and move on. You do you.

Or, if this still eats at you, handle it directly. Reach out and tell her you love her blog and are doing something similar. Maybe you can even help support each other.

Host Katie as a guest, talk to her about your shared food passion. Turn competition into collaboration. Chances are, she won’t yell at you for spotlight stealing or call you a copycat.

No matter which road you take, tell yourself it is okay. Write it down and read it out loud before bed. Forgive yourself for having a fantastic idea that kind of follows what someone else is doing.

Keep going. Keep creating. The world needs both your dreams and your actions.

Read more: http://ift.tt/2bcFGdU

How ‘Copycat Syndrome’ Is Plaguing This Generation’s Creativity

[andremcaldwell]

What Your Zodiac Sign Says About The Kind Of Parent You’ll Be

For some people, stars aren’t complicated. They’re made ofplasma and gas. They float in space and give off light.

For others, they’re crystal balls. And ifyou’re one of these people, youprobably look to horoscopesforrelationshipand career advice.

But have you ever considered what your zodiac sign says about you as a parent?You may be too young to think ofhaving kids — let alone how you would raise them.

However, it’s possible that the stars form a picture of the type of parent you’ll be and constellations connect the dots to parenthood.

Here’s a peek into your future caregiving style:

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

As a parent, you’ll help your children be both ambitious andhumble. You’re a fire sign, so your passion will drive your kids’success. But don’t forget to have fun! Your kids willlook forward to your impulsive road trips.

Your stubbornnessmight harm your relationship with your children. If you’re too tough on them, they mightthrow their hands upand rebel. Remember that you’re a ram. Butting heads is natural for you.If you’re not careful, your children might see you as overbearing.

Taurus(April 20 – May 20)

A very affectionate parent, the Taurus likes to create as much security and contentment in the homeas possible. A Taurus loves staying indoors and spending time with family. As anearth sign, youlike to teach children about their planet and the importance of recycling.

ATaurus parent is probably more patient than most people. But — like your symbol the bull — you’re stubbornand prone to fights. Though you may argue frequently, your kids will always know you’re faithful to them.

Gemini (May 21 – June 21)

You’re animpulsive, fun and inspiring caregiver. You love to take your children to museums and parks to keep them as mentally and physically active as possible. When your children ask the tough questions,you answer with the logic characteristic of a Gemini. You want to teach your kids all that you know — and you’re a great listener, to boot.

The only drawback to your parenting style? You tend to be anxious, so if your children hurt your feelings, you might put on a front and hide your pain. But children have a way of knowing when something is wrong, and your house might becometense with what goes unsaid. If this becomes a habit, try to be more open with your loved ones.

Cancer (June 22 – July 22)

A Cancer parent loves family traditions. You like to makepizza in the kitchen on Sundaysand carve out Fridays for movie night.You’re game for any kind of family activity: kayaking, white-water rafting, puzzles, board games. To you, what’s important is being together.

The only drawback to your need for inclusionis that you might suffocate your children. Avoid becoming overly involved in your children’s relationships and lives.You’re a water sign, and your love flows freely. Just make sureyour children aren’t drowning in attention.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

As the proud lion, you’ll love braggingabout your children’s accomplishments. You’ll celebrate every student-of-the-month certificate and mountevery trophy. You’re indulgent, and you like to buy your children whatever they desire. Your son has blue sneakers but wants ones that light up? No problem. You want to give your children the world.

But you can also be arrogant. In your worst moments, you lose sight of your children’s needs while trying to satisfy your own. Small argumentsare personal attacks on your self-worth, which you guard closely. Butdespite your flaws, your children will treasure your loyalty and fierce protection.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

A Virgo’s house is never dirty. You’ll lose your mind if you see muddy footprints in the living room or crayonscribbles on the wall. Your kids will learn responsibility from the chores you dole out. (And they won’t put it past you to draw up a spreadsheet of who’s cleaningwhat.)

You’re a curious, selfless parent, and you respect your children’s opinions. From you, they learn to value what they give the world.

At your worst, you’re picky and critical. Your children complain about your standards and might leave underwear on the floor just to push your buttons. If you don’t curb your paranoia, you might annoy your children with frequent visits to the doctor. But at the end of the day you’re onlyoverlyattentive because you care so dearly about your children and would do anything for them.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Libras are lenient. You cave easily; you’ll give yourchild the toy he so desperately wants — and is screamingfor — in the middle ofToys “R” Us. But your devotion to your children’s needs extends beyond the small stuff: You seek out the best education you can afford. You’re also very chill,so your children tell youeverything — there are no secrets in your family.

Ruled by Venus, you value beauty and appearance. This can be draining for your children, who wantto wear sweatpants to the mall just once.But your love of physical beauty makes you an expert onarts and crafts, and your household is a creative oasis. Youdragyour childrento museums (they’ll thank you later), gardens and musicals.

But all your attentioncomes at a cost. You expect your children to give back, and when they don’t, you might feel deflated. You dream of giving your children a mansion, but you’ll be angry if you only get aninvitation to moveinto the pool house.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Scorpio parents love to keep their children occupied.You’ll setthe alarm all week; on Saturday at 10 am, your kids are dressedand ready for theirkarate/ballet/clarinet lesson.

The Scorpio parent loves to create a balanced life, and your children will benefit from healthy meals and enough exercise to send them off to a peaceful sleep. You value family time and love to keep everyone close. (Just make sure not to get jealous when your children grow up and start wanting to spend more time with their friends.)

But your insistence on maintaining a balanced lifestyle could backfire. Your children might find your involvement stressful and work too hard in school to satisfy your expectations. If you see that you’re expecting too much of your kids, try backing off a bit. Let them sleep until the afternoon on some days. Relax your Internet controls.

You may not bevery physically affectionate by nature, so be sure to shower your children with hugs!

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

The Sagittarius parent loves life. You only hope that your children will inherit your enthusiasm, so you takethem onas many trips as you can afford. If yourcompany sends you to China, why not pull your kids out of school for a week? For you, travel is as much of an education as regular school, and your children learn outside the box.

Be careful, though: You don’t wantyour children to disrespect formal education. Sometimes you forget your role as a parent and talk too freely — and with too many curse words — around your children. If you do this, theymight start to cravea more traditionalparent-child relationship.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Capricorns are hard-working, and their persistence extends to their parenting.You teach by example, and your children follow your lead as a breadwinner.

You love givingyour kids anything educational — books, movies, instructive toys. Like any parent, you want the best for your children, but you haveno problem saying no. Parenting is serious business; you’re raising little humans here!

Just remember not to betooserious, since you don’t want your mini-me’s to remember you as a stern and uncompromising parent. When they want to have a playdate instead of doing their homework, humor them. Their education is important, but so is being a little soft on them oncein a while.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

The Aquarius parent is the progressive, open-minded hippie on the block. As an aquarius parent you will want to be your child’s best friend. You will tell your children crazy stories about your past and hope that they have as much of a humanitarian bent as you do. You command family dinnerswith your tales of camping in the rain at music festivalsand doing volunteerwork overseas.

Even though you love to communicate, you can often be insensitive to what other people are feeling. The Aquariussometimes lacksemotional intelligence, which can be damaging to a parent-child relationship. Trust what your children are saying, and believe them when they tell you how they feel.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

The dreamy Pisces parentencourages their children to express creativity wherever possible. The play room isn’t outfitted with a clean, fluffy rug and neatly-ordered boxes; it’s covered in paint and pieces of Play-Doh. Above creativity, though, the Pisces parent values kindness. People often describe your children as angels.

Pisces can also be serious. One must remember that even a shark is a fish. And when it comes to protecting their children Pisces don’t mess around. They are unrelenting and would do anything to ensure their children’s safety and happiness.

Pisces is also lenient. But lenience isn’t all good, though: Pisces parents need to make sure they’re not beingtooeasygoing. If you’re not careful, yourchildren might resent your relaxed attitude and crave more structure. Even though your kidswill ultimately remember a childhoodfull of light and love, you want them to planconstructively forthe future, too.

Read more: http://ift.tt/1OKGS5m

What Your Zodiac Sign Says About The Kind Of Parent You’ll Be

[andremcaldwell]

This Cat Lover Took A Normal Wicker Chest And Turned It Into Something Clever

Cats are smart, strange, independent creatures, and that’s exactly why we love them. Whether you have an 800-square-foot apartment or a sprawling house out in the country, cats make the perfect roommates. They don’t need to be entertained all day, but they’re also down for a good snuggle session.

That being said, there’s one not-so-nice thing about bringing cats into your home: the litter box. While it’s pretty great that you don’t have to take them outside 10 times a day to do their business, having to look at a litter box — especially if you’re living in close quarters — isn’t exactly ideal. That’s why this project is so great. Redditor THR33ZUS_BANGS came up with what he calls the Stealth Litter Box, and it effectively solves that pesky problem.

1. It started with a wicker chest. He didn’t know what to do with it, but when he looked at the cat box, he had an idea. Why not convert the chest into a litter box?

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

2. Aside from the chest, he gathered up some plywood for the base and door, the door itself, adhesive, velcro strips, and some crafting turf.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

3. First, he cut the plywood to fit into the base of the chest.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

4. He did the same for the door panel, and then cut another square out of that piece to accommodate the actual kitty door.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

var OX_ads = OX_ads || []; OX_ads.push({ slot_id: “537251602_56eb95c715e87”, auid: “537251602” });

5. He noticed that the frame was too wide for the plywood.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

6. No problem! All he had to do was add a few more blocks of plywood to make up for the missing space.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

7. Once the door panel was ready to go, he started working on the chest. First up was the door opening.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

8. He placed the wood panel and door inside the chest and fitted them to the opening.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

var OX_ads = OX_ads || []; OX_ads.push({ slot_id: “537251604_56eb95c715ff6”, auid: “537251604” });

9. For a little kitty comfort, he added some turf on the inside. He made sure to fasten it with velcro so that he could remove the turf and keep it clean.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

10. After finishing the floor, he cut another strip of plywood that was the width of the lid to make a shelf. That way he could store everything he’d need when cleanup time rolled around.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

He should probably put that sifter handle-up next time, but you get the idea.

Pretty nice, right? The cat gets some privacy, and the humans don’t have to deal with a big, clunky litter box killing their decor vibe.

Reddit / THR33ZUS_BANGS

Other Redditors have suggested that he add some plastic panels along the inside to avoid soaking the wicker if the cat sprays, so if you decide to try this out at home, keep that tip in mind. If your cat is older and has a harder time getting around, the door can be adjusted.

That’s the beauty of projects like this. You can easily tweak them to fit your needs!

Read more: http://ift.tt/1RdlXTL

This Cat Lover Took A Normal Wicker Chest And Turned It Into Something Clever

[andremcaldwell]

Delta To Honor Accidental Fares As Low As $25

View this image ›

Twitter: @Delta

Because of a technical glitch, Delta air fares on its website and other booking sites plunged to as low as $25 for cross-country flights from around 10 a.m. to noon ET on Thursday, Dec. 26.

Delta said it would honor the “mistake fares.” In a statement to ABC News, Delta said:

“For a portion of the morning today, some prices on delta.com and other booking channels were incorrectly displayed, resulting in lower than usual fares for customers. The situation has been resolved, and the correct prices are being displayed. Delta will honor any fares purchased at the incorrect price.”

People booked round-trip flights from Cincinnati to Minneapolis for $25 while a round-trip from New York To Los Angeles cost $58. People also booked tickets to Hawaii for as low as $68.

While Delta’s own policy states that the company reserves the right to cancel ticket purchases and refund or reissue the correct ticket in cases of “erroneous fares,” new Department of Transportation regulations require airlines to honor any fares offered.

3. Twitter users posted screenshots of the super low mistake fares.

Arturo Sanchez @nycfurby Follow

Proof of the Delta blowup lol with first class and business to Final Round damn

BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { if (bfjs.isMobile() || !isIE8()) document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199244”).setAttribute(‘title’, ‘Time posted: ‘ + UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 18:07:25 +0000 2013’, ‘UTC’) ); }); BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199244”).innerHTML = UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 18:07:25 +0000 2013’, ‘tweet’); });

Reply

Retweet

Favorite

Mario Diaz @MarioPIX11 Follow

$58 bucks from #NYC to #LA on @Expedia right now via @delta , but again, provide personal info & sale doesn’t happen.

BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { if (bfjs.isMobile() || !isIE8()) document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199257”).setAttribute(‘title’, ‘Time posted: ‘ + UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 17:19:42 +0000 2013’, ‘UTC’) ); }); BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199257”).innerHTML = UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 17:19:42 +0000 2013’, ‘tweet’); });

Reply

Retweet

Favorite

Annie Paul @MsAnniePaul Follow

Hey @Delta: There SHOULD be a way to honor the deals caused by your mistake (screenshots!) >>

BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { if (bfjs.isMobile() || !isIE8()) document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199262”).setAttribute(‘title’, ‘Time posted: ‘ + UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 17:39:12 +0000 2013’, ‘UTC’) ); }); BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199262”).innerHTML = UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 17:39:12 +0000 2013’, ‘tweet’); });

Reply

Retweet

Favorite

6. Others celebrated their slightly delayed Christmas miracle.

Marc Drummond @MarcDrummond Follow

I usually hate website glitches but this one got us three first-class flights to Hawaii for $220 total. Delta says they’ll honor the fares!

BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { if (bfjs.isMobile() || !isIE8()) document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199270”).setAttribute(‘title’, ‘Time posted: ‘ + UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 19:49:09 +0000 2013’, ‘UTC’) ); }); BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199270”).innerHTML = UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 19:49:09 +0000 2013’, ‘tweet’); });

Reply

Retweet

Favorite

John Gesimondo @jmondo Follow

Also if delta honors their mistakes this morning, I’m going to Hawaii for $70 in March!!

BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { if (bfjs.isMobile() || !isIE8()) document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199274”).setAttribute(‘title’, ‘Time posted: ‘ + UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 18:55:40 +0000 2013’, ‘UTC’) ); }); BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199274”).innerHTML = UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 18:55:40 +0000 2013’, ‘tweet’); });

Reply

Retweet

Favorite

Laney Austin @laneytrue Follow

My family just tickets to Hawaii for < $100 thanks to a glitch on the Delta website DREAMS DO COME TRUE

BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { if (bfjs.isMobile() || !isIE8()) document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199281”).setAttribute(‘title’, ‘Time posted: ‘ + UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 17:13:22 +0000 2013’, ‘UTC’) ); }); BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199281”).innerHTML = UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 17:13:22 +0000 2013’, ‘tweet’); });

Reply

Retweet

Favorite

Dave Tucker @TestudoDave Follow

Thank you Delta glitch. Got my parents 2 1st class tickets to Hawaii for $81 each. #Winning Also $34 flight to NO & $50 flight to Orlando

BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { if (bfjs.isMobile() || !isIE8()) document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199277”).setAttribute(‘title’, ‘Time posted: ‘ + UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 17:50:06 +0000 2013’, ‘UTC’) ); }); BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { document.getElementById(“update_tweet_posted_time_2199277”).innerHTML = UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(‘Thu Dec 26 17:50:06 +0000 2013’, ‘tweet’); });

Reply

Retweet

Favorite

10.

LINK

United Airlines Glitch Lets People Buy Tickets For As Little As $10, Again

buzzfeed.com

11.

LINK

United Airlines Does The Noble Thing, Will Honor Super Cheap Tickets Sold Via Epic Online Glitch

buzzfeed.com

Read more: http://ift.tt/2aJMeNg

Delta To Honor Accidental Fares As Low As $25

[andremcaldwell]

Top 10 Prestigious Bottles of Champagne

No other drink on Earth can capture the romance and euphoria of a single moment of celebration into such a tangible act as when the seal of a bottle of champagne is broken. The cork pops, the bubbles fizz and the wine bursts out of the bottle with the enthusiasm of lava erupting from Krakatoa. Like all good wines, champagne possesses the depth, character and prestige to command a special place on the dinner tables of many royals, celebrities and businessmen in the uppermost echelons of society. Because of its unparalleled position in the global wine market, this list focuses exclusively on sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France, there are no Cavas, Sekts or Spumantes to be seen here. Oh – and happy New Year! Hopefully you are able to enjoy some delicious champagne while reading this New Year’s list.

This very unique prestige cuvée was introduced, in 1984, by Pol Roger, in honour of their most loyal and ardent customer, Sir Winston Churchill. From the time he ordered his first case of the 1895 vintage, in 1908, right up until his death, in 1965, the former British Prime minister insisted on drinking Pol Roger champagne at every occasion. So much so, that in the time of war, borrowing one of Napoleons slogans, he stated that “In defeat I need it, in victory I deserve it”. His love affair with the wine was further enhanced in 1944, while attending the British Embassy’s Armistice Day party in Paris. Here he met the stunningly beautiful Odette Pol-Roger, who as Grande dame of her family’s champagne house, captivated a fascination from him through her charm and finesse. After this meeting, she would send a case of his favorite vintage to him every year on his birthday. In the last ten years of his life, he managed to work his way through over 500 cases. As a sign of respect, after his death, all Pol Roger bottles bound for the U.K. would receive a black border around the label. This Sir Winston Churchill cuvée has been created to reflect a personal style the great man most adored, possessing a rich and full-bodied flavor. Usual retail price is around $215.

This huge 3 liter Jeroboam of Moët & Chandon’s prestige cuvée, Dom Perignon, appeals to the more extravagant and cavalier of Champagne buyers who love to show off in front of their friends and family. The primary factor commanding the enormous price tag starting at $11,200 lies in a plated white gold bottle sheath, as opposed to the actual wine itself. The 1995 vintage, of which there were only 100 produced, is laser engraved with the Dom Perignon label, and is available to purchase at Harrods, London, for just over £7,750 [$12,000.] The Jeroboam is four times larger than a standard champagne bottle, of which the more ubiquitous 1999 Dom Perignon is priced at around $150. And just for the record, it is pronounced “mow-ette” not “mow-eh”.

Krug, one of the more exclusive champagne houses, unveiled this extraordinary Ambonnay cuvée to the world, in 2008. It is an exception to Krug’s unique and traditional style of champagne cuvées because it is produced from a single grape variety, a single year and a single vineyard. Although it was preceded by the 1979 Clos du Mesnil, which is of a similar nature, Krug’s prestige cuvée and main product line, the Grande Cuvée, is a non-vintage blend of up to 50% reserve wines. As the Clos d’Ambonnay name suggests, the grapes are sourced from a tiny 0.685 hectare Grand Cru vineyard near the village of Ambonnay, Montage de Reims. With production limited to only 3,000 bottles, and a price tag of $2,500+, this is certainly not your average bottle of bubbly. It is, in fact, Krug’s only blanc de noirs cuvée [white wine made with red grapes] at 100% Pinot Noir. The Krug family actually purchased the Ambonnay vineyard in 1984, but did not announce the acquisition for more than twenty years, until they were ready to reveal their first vintage from this vineyard, the 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay.

For a short time only, this particular brand of bubbly offered an experience to its purchasers like no other witnessed in history. One hundred very wealthy clients from across the globe were invited to spend the day at Perrier-Jouët’s headquarter’s, the Maison Belle Époque, to create their very own personal cuvée and receive a champagne experience dedicated solely to them. Patrons were taken on a guided tour of the premises by the Maison’s 7th Celler Master, Hervé Deschamps. After the perfect blend had been selected, their twelve champagne bottles, designed by the exquisite artist Émile Gallé, were allocated an optimum spot in the Maison’s cellar to age for several years. The sets were sold for $50,000 each. Like Moet and Chandon, Perrier Jouet is pronounced “zhew-ette” not “zhew-eh”.

To give you an idea of significance, the exquisite 1928 vintage Krug was described by the Head of Sotheby’s Wine Department, Serena Sutcliffe, as “one of the greatest champagnes ever made”. In 2009, a standard size 75cl bottle was taken from the “Krug Collection” [the Krug family’s ultimate library of wines] and auctioned off in Hong Kong for $21,200. Previously, in 2004, another bottle, signed personally by the brothers Henri and Remi Krug, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in London for $2,100. Joseph Krug, the grandfather of the brothers, once stated that engineering the 1928 vintage from the outstanding variety of grapes available to him at the time was one of his greatest achievements. It was served for King George VI and his guests at the first royal banquet at Buckingham Palace after the Second World War had ended in Europe, and featured at the great Millennium tasting of champagne in Sweden, 1999.

Cristal, for many wine lovers, is the most opulent prestige cuvée. The most widely accepted theory over the wine’s origin rests with the paranoia of Alexander II of Russia. During the late 19th Century the political climate in the Tsar’s home country was becoming increasingly unstable. Fearing an assassination attempt using the dark glass of a wine bottle to conceal a weapon, he commissioned a Flemish glassmaker to create a clear, flat bottomed bottle. Due to the intense gas pressure, all champagne bottles needed to have a bell shaped bottom to avoid the glass breaking. To overcome this issue the Flemish glassmaker had to use a type of lead crystal to make the bottle, which resulted in the wine becoming known as “Cristal”. As a result, this champagne has a truly royal and exclusive heritage, which is reflected in the superior presentation of the bottle. A bottle of Methuselah [8 times larger than standard size] 1990 Cristal Brut Millenum cuvée was sold at Chrisites, New York in 2005 for $18,800.

Now this vintage cuvée has some serious history to brag about. During the middle of the First World War, the wooden freighter Jönköping was chartered on a course from the Swedish port of Gävle to deliver fine spirits and wine to the Imperial Court of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. On 3rd November, 1916, en-route to its destination, the ill-fated ship was struck on its hull by a projectile fired from a deck gun on the German submarine U-22. Predictably, the vessel flooded and began to sink, eventually falling to its final resting place 67 metres below the surface of the Baltic Sea. Onboard were over 2,000 bottles of Heidsieck 1907 Diamant Bleu cuvée. The ideal storage conditions of the cold, dark and relatively low pressure sea floor preserved the bottles for over 80 years, until the shipwreck was discovered by Swedish divers, in 1997. In a moment of pure excitement, members of the diving team opened some bottles to test their quality, and were elated to discover the content was delicious. The rest of the bottles have been sold in various auctions around the world, averaging a price of $3,700 each. That makes this bottle of bubbly an ultimate purchase for many wine collectors.

In July 2010, Swedish divers discovered a collection of 168 bottles of champagne on a shipwreck 55 metres below the surface of the Baltic Sea. Although the exact vintage of the champagne is unknown due to extensive label damage, many experts agree they originate from the early part of the 19th Century. The extremely cold and dark storage conditions of the sea floor preserved the bottles in ideal conditions for the duration of the 150+ years during which they were lost. Quite astonishingly, when initial tastings were conducted, it was discovered the sparkling wine was still drinkable. Further examination, in November of 2010, revealed that, of the bottles discovered, only three originated from the world famous Veuve Clicquot Grand Marque. The other bottles were produced by the now defunct champagne house Juglar. Local authorities have recently decided to auction off all of the bottles. They are expected to sell for in excess of $62,000 each.

Seventy feet underground, deep within Perrier-Jouët’s cellars, resides a collection of champagne second to none on Earth. Since the earlier part of the 19th Century, the prestigious champagne house has saved and stored bottles of wine from its greatest vintages. In the third month of 2009, twelve of the world’s top wine tasters were invited to a very special tasting session. Twenty bottles from different vintages were taken from the cellar and opened in a once in a lifetime event. One of these bottles was the oldest drinkable wine on Earth, the 1825 Perrier-Jouët. At the time there were only three bottles of this vintage in existence, of all which resided in the same cellar. Once the cork had been popped by cellar master Hervé Deschamps, the legendary tasters which included such distinguished wine personalities as Michel Bettane, advised the wine had lost most of its fizz but was still a very enjoyable beverage, with a distinctive flavor of truffles and caramel. Other vintages at the tasting were the 1846 and 1874, the latter of which was still very sparkly.

In July of 2008, while hiring a locksmith to cut a key and open an antique piece of furniture in the Scottish residence of Torosay Castle, owner Chris James discovered a treasure chest of alcoholic delights. The crown jewel of this discovery was a bottle of 1893 Veuve Clicquot in near perfect condition, including the famous hallmark yellow label. After also finding a bottle of claret, brandy and a port decanter, it became fairly obvious that the aged sideboard was a personal drinks cabinet that had been locked since the late 19th Century. Upon contacting the Grand Marque Champagne house directly, Mr. James was informed it was the only known such bottle in existence. It is considered by many to be priceless and is now on display at the Veuve Clicquot visitor centre in Reims, France. Ultimately, champagne is all about exclusivity, and by that measure as there is only one example in existence, this bottle of 1893 Veuve Clicquot is the most exclusive champagne in the world.

Read more: http://ift.tt/2bcFj3h

Top 10 Prestigious Bottles of Champagne

[andremcaldwell]

26 Pictures Of Politicians When They Were Younger

Show business for ugly people? Check out that haircut.

1. George Osborne.

Tom Beardsworth

Pool / Reuters

  2. Boris Johnson.

BBC

PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP / Getty Images

  3. John Prescott.

REX USA/ITV / Rex

Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

  4. Ed Miliband

Jim Waterson

Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters

  5. Ann Widdicombe.

Stuart Wilson / Getty Images

  6. Tony Blair.

REX USA

Olivia Harris / Reuters

  7. Louise Mensch.

Tom Beardsworth

Reuters

  8. Edwina Currie.

Tom Beardsworth

Chris Jackson / Getty Images

  9. Ming Campbell.

REX USA/Daily Mail

Oli Scarff / Getty Images

  10. Alex Salmond.

PA/PA Archive/Press Association Images

Russell Cheyne / Reuters

  11. Michael Heseltine.

John Cole/Evening Standard / Getty Images

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

  12. Danny Alexander.

Danny Alexander

Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters

  13. David Cameron.

redfellow.wordpress.com

REX USA

  14. Damian Green.

Tom Beardsworth

Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

  15. Nick Clegg.

telegraph.co.uk

Toby Melville / Reuters

  16. Michael Howard.

REX USA

Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images

  17. Michael Portillo.

ITV/REX USA

AP Photo/Ben Stansall, Pool

  18. Hilary Benn.

Alex Dellow/Picture Post /Hulton Archive / Getty

Matt Cardy / Getty Images

  19. Diane Abbott.

REX USA/Jenny Goodall / Associated Newspapers / Rex

Oli Scarff / Getty Images

  20. William Hague.

REX USA/Daily Mail / Rex

Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters

  21. Ken Clarke.

REX USA

Oli Scarff / Getty Images

  22. Alistair Darling.

news.bbc.co.uk

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

  23. Michael Gove.

Jim Waterson

Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters

  24. Jacob Rees-Mogg.

REX USA/Bill Cross / Associated Newspapers / Rex

en.wikipedia.org

  25. Gordon Brown.

CameraPress

Russell Cheyne / Reuters

  26. Eric Pickles.

Alex Ross

Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters

  Read more: http://ift.tt/2bcFV97

26 Pictures Of Politicians When They Were Younger

[andremcaldwell]

This Tiger In Louisiana Proves We Need Stricter Animal Welfare Laws

Recently, I have had the great pleasure of road tripping from Massachusetts down to Texas. This is truly a wonderful experience because you get to see many of the beautiful sites this country has to offer. We drove through the beautiful, open landscape of Virginia, were dwarfed by the skyscrapers of New York City, mystified by the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and then abruptly disgusted by a tiger being kept in a cage at a truck stop in the Louisiana bayou.

Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. Just in case you didn’t process it (because I still really can’t), there is a TIGER being kept in a CAGE at a TRUCK STOP in Louisiana. There are only about 2,500 left in the wild, but don’t worry. There is one at a freaking truck stop in the boondocks.

Part of me wanted to turn around just to go spit in the faces of the people who think it’s OKto keep a tiger in a cage at a truck stop, but part of me thought they might be the kind of people wholiked that. So, instead, I researched and decided to give Tony a voice instead.

Tony The Truck Stop Tiger is a Siberian-Bengal Tiger that has lived at the Tiger Truck Stops in Grosse Tete, Louisiana for more than a decade. He lives in isolation, constantly breathing in exhaust fumes. Aside from breathing in hazardous air, his cage is not enriched and not large enough to support the type of lifestyle tigers typically live. In the wild, tigers are solitary animals that travel hundreds of miles a day. They have very acute hearing, so the constant sounds of large truck engines and the taunting of truck stop visitors is very disruptive to Tony.

The lack of space to exercise, on top of the toxic fumes and constant noises, have left Tony in very poor condition. Vets report that he paces around the cage, which is a behavior tigers partake in when they are stressed. This is a clear sign that action needs to be taken soon for Tony’s welfare.

With the wonders of social media nowadays, huge progress has been made for animal rights. Awareness is spread, good information is falling on listening ears and caring hearts and it is benefitting the welfare of animals everywhere. The best example of this is “Black Fish,” the documentary that ultimately resulted in SeaWorld no longer being able to imprison orcas in bathtubs. However, it seemed strange to me that I had heard about the tiger that just died in Indonesia’s death zoo. Yet, until this road trip, I had not heard of Tony The Truck Stop Tiger.

In today’s world, where we know so much about animal welfare, it blows my mind that this atrocity can even happen, especially sincelaws like theBig Cat Laware in place to prevent backwoods tool bags from privately owning big cats. So, how is it that something like this can even happen? Why does it happen? And, most importantly, how can we stop this?

The why is simple. Tony is being exploited for the same reason all animals are exploited by humans: Money. The owner of the Tiger Truck Stop, Michael Sandlin, has been exploiting tigers for decades because it lines his pocket. In a state like Louisiana, the tiger business is booming due to state pride in the LSU Tigers (the university has no involvement with Tony).

However, paying for the cost of properly caring for a tiger is obviously not part of Mr. Sandlin’s agenda. In 2003 the USDA cited Sandlin for failure to provide veterinary care for the tigers (he used to have more than just Tony, but was ordered to give them up), improper shelter for the tigers, lack of clean drinking water and lack of qualified employees to care for the tigers. At this point in time, three tigers were removed from Mr. Sandlin’s care. Tony was left behind.

So, how is it that Sandlin is still allowed to keep Tony? Again, this answer is fairly obvious: money and corrupt politics. The Louisiana Department Of Wildlife And Fisheries was successfully sued in 2010 by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) for illegally issuing Sandlin a permit to exhibit Tony. Although Sandlin appealed, the higher court stuck with the decision to revoke the permit because they had Tony’s best interest at heart.

In 2014, however, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed an act that provided Sandlin an exemption to the 2006 law that prohibited the private ownership of dangerous and exotic large cats. Sandlin is still in the midst of countersuing to obtain a permit, but continues to display Tony as a gimmick in the meantime.

Now, here’s the one question I do not have an answer for: What can we do? For now, the ALDF is fighting the legal war with Michael Sandlin for Tony’s release. Much like the legal war that was fought with SeaWorld, it is going to be an exhausting battle. But hopefully Tony can get the happy ending he deserves.

Giving him a voice, however, is something we can do. I had not heard of Tony The Truck Stop Tiger until I passed a billboard advertising him on I-10W in Louisiana. It’s not a nice story to have come across, but hopefully it will now fall onto listening ears and caring hearts, and we can play a role in getting Tony into a sanctuary to live out the rest of his days in a prideful, dignified way that he and all tigers deserve.

Read more: http://ift.tt/1TEhUUB

This Tiger In Louisiana Proves We Need Stricter Animal Welfare Laws

[andremcaldwell]

No, This Isn’t the Entrance to a Secret Military Base. It’s Actually Something Even More Unexpected.

Bruce Townsley was a man with a vision, albeit a strange one. In the mid 80s, he saw a guest on the Johnny Carson show that explained anyone with the money could buy a nuclear missile base for themselves. Anyone. It was an idea that was just too cool to forget. So, he tracked down the nuclear missile base real estate mogul that was on the late night show named Ed Peden. Bruce was determined to have a missile silo, a “20th century castle,” to call home.

With the help of Ed’s business, Bruce bought an Atlas F site in the middle of Texas.

Wired

That particular kind of silo housed missiles vertically. The only evidence of life you see here are the solar panels on top of the silo.

Wired

Bruce bought the property in 1997 for $99,000, 30 years after it was deactivated.

Wired

Most of the site was decommissioned and cleared out, but Bruce still had the two giant overhead silo doors. They cover the 185-foot hole in the ground where a missile armed with a nuclear warhead used to be.

Wired

A stairwell leads down to Bruce’s subterranean living quarters are.

Wired

This space is where the old crew quarters used to be.

Wired

All of the blast doors in Bruce’s silo are still working, giving a nice contrast to the modern design inside.

Wired

This living space is about 1,100 square feet and completely round. This large room is basically a concrete bubble suspended from the large column in its center.

Wired

The room used to be attached to massive springs that would help absorb the shock of an attack explosion.

Wired

But his living space is tiny compared to the rest of the 185 foot-deep silo.

Wired

The main tunnel ends about 2/3 up the silo. It’s a loooooong way down.

Wired

There are still remnants of the silo from when it was active, like the big doors and large mechanical pieces.

Wired

This silo has enough space and objects left within that it could keep Bruce busy for a long, long time.

Wired

Wired

Not many people can say that their house is full of history… but Bruce’s house IS history.

Wired

Wired

Wired

Wired

Most other fixer-uppers pale in comparison to this old missile silo. Added bonus? If there’s ever an apocalypse, Bruce has a house that’s ready for it. Source: Wired Share this awesome bachelor pad with your friends by clicking below.

Read more: http://ift.tt/2bcFJqs

No, This Isn’t the Entrance to a Secret Military Base. It’s Actually Something Even More Unexpected.

[andremcaldwell]

5 Reasons It’s So Much Harder To Find Love On LGBTQ+ Dating Apps

About a year and a half ago, I grew comfortable with the idea of dating a woman for the first time.At that time, college was a chapter of my life. But it was slowly closing by the day, and the real world was gradually creeping into view.

With all my new-found responsibilities and professional goals on the horizon, I turned to online dating with the hopes of meeting someone.Unbeknownst to me, the virtual dating sphere has proven to be far more challenging than I ever anticipated.

In some ways, I feel my sexuality inadvertently creates more obstacles to grapple with, in contrast to my heterosexual peers.Now, to be clear, Idon’t view myself as a victim, and I don’t expect a pity party.I’m just stating the facts:

1. Less Fish In the Sea

According to a 2011 report by the Williams Institute, lesbian or gay people make up roughly 1.7 percent of the human population.From there, if you separate out all the lesbians and narrow them down using attraction, mindset and education level, you are left with a very small batch of potential candidates to choose from.

From a business perspective, this is really good news. From a consumer’s perspective, not so much.

The sites where quality people can be found expect you to pay. Believe me: It isn’t cheap.

2. Three’s a crowd.

Heterosexual couples love to placethemselves in my pool of dating applicants because they’re looking for a threesome.

I don’t exactly know what’s going through people’s minds with this one. Just because I’m attracted to women, that does not mean the pendulum swings to men as well.

I’m looking for a committed relationship, not a hookup.If people actually read through my profile, they would know that. Although, they might message me regardless.

3. LGBTQ+ Dating Sites

Depending on who you ask, this may be a pro or a con.Some dating sites will create partner platforms that cater to specific sexual orientations.

For example, eHarmony has created a partner site called Compatible Partners, designed to meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. I personally find the divide to be a little discriminatory.It’s important for me to find love on the same dating site as my straight peers do.

I find peace by not beingwithin the LGBTQ+ community, per say. I find comfort in simply living in the wider community and doing the things everyone else does.

4. Where are those conservative lesbians, anyway?

I’m not a huge fan of labels. But if I were to pick, I would pin “lesbian” and “conservative” onto my shirt.Ben Carson is my pick for president, despite the fact he suspended his campaign. Fox News is always on in my home.

I can date someone with a different political viewpoint, but I am moredrawn to someone who can watch Justice with Judge Jeanine on Fox with me, or listen to Milo Yiannopoulos debate SJW college students.

On the other side of the coin, I’ve read profiles that have expressly stated that these people won’t date Republicans.

5. Millennials And Their Communication Skills

This last one can be applied to all of Gen-Y, whether someone is gay or straight.

Technology has enhanced our lives so much. Smartphones make it easy for us to quickly look things up online and text our roommates to make a liquor run before they come home from work.

Heck, I’m typing this article on my smartphone. Is that ironic or what?

However, my experiences with online dating has revealed that Millennials have become so acclimated to flicking their thumbs, they have lost the ability to have coherent conversations over the phone.

“I hate talking on the phone,” someone said to me not too long ago.With that, this college-educated woman axed herself off my list.

How did we get here? College degrees are sought after by millions. Yet, a simple phone conversation is a long-lost art?

How am I supposed to get to know you if we can’t talk on the phone, never mind meet up in person?

Full disclosure here: I have no patience for textaholics.If you have trouble going beyond a screen, you need to apply for a customer service job and grow up.

Still, despite these drawbacks, I’m confident I will find that special someone.Maybe it won’t be through online dating. Perhaps I will find someone on a social Meetup group or through an acquaintance.

But when Ifind her, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Read more: http://ift.tt/22MWJmW

5 Reasons It’s So Much Harder To Find Love On LGBTQ+ Dating Apps

[andremcaldwell]

17 Signs Princess Unikitty From “The Lego Movie” Is All Of Us

Everything is awesome, especially you!

1. You’re a really positive person.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via ask-crazy-zero.tumblr.com

2. Like, really positive.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via rebloggy.com

3. But you aren’t afraid to get in touch with your other emotions.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via rebloggy.com

4. Even if it means not being positive.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via rebloggy.com

5. You’ve even had a rage moment or two.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via ask-angry-unikitty.tumblr.com

6. You’re honest with yourself.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via tumblr.com

7. You’re appreciative to a fault.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via the-lego-movie.deviantart.com

8. Personal hygiene is important to you (even if that means grooming in public).

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via nextlevelgoogly.tumblr.com

9. You’re a gracious host.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via heckyeahthelegomovie.tumblr.com

10. You’re business savvy.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via thelegomovie.wikia.com

11. And it doesn’t hurt that formal attire looks great on you.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via ponychan.net

12. You like to include everyone.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via bolin-boy.tumblr.com

13. With a few exceptions of course.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via tumblr.poohbear.me

14. You can pull off any style.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via heckyeahthelegomovie.tumblr.com

15. You get along with everyone.

View this image ›

Warner Bros.

16. And you are always up for a good laugh.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via nextlevelgoogly.tumblr.com

17. Basically, you’re awesome.

View this image ›

Warner Bros. / Via whatculture.com

Read more: http://ift.tt/2bcFiw4

17 Signs Princess Unikitty From “The Lego Movie” Is All Of Us

[andremcaldwell]

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Source Link: http://ift.tt/2b9XqFD

In my last post entitled ‘Would You Flunk The Test?’ I feel like I skated over something that I consider to be absolutely essential for great mental health and general success and happiness.

Self esteem.

Not putting yourself first can reduce self esteem as we look for external validation in order to decide whether we are worthy of love and compassion or not.

This is not a good strategy, because it’s out of your control and your happiness is dictated to by the vagaries of others.

Every time I send out a newsletter I get a dozen or so e-mails back thanking me and telling me that the post made a positive difference to the person who had read it.

There have even been occasions with a real good missive where I have had closer to 50 people contact me.

The e-mails are welcomed, appreciated and very nice to get. After all, I do what I do to help others and it’s great to know it’s working for some people.

However, I read them once, reply to thank the person who went to the trouble, and then (for the most part – I do keep a few), delete them.

It’s Time To Move On

I don’t dwell on them and they don’t really effect my mood in any significant way.

This almost indifferent approach is intentional and the reason is this.

If I take them as being important to what I do, then I must by definition take any criticism just as seriously.

Both can, if I let them, influence how I write, and they are only a tiny sample of the people who read each article.

I have no idea what the other 99% are thinking or what their opinion is, and that’s fine because it’s really none of my business.

Primarily I write for myself. I write on topics that interest me, I use humor that makes me laugh and I use bad language in exactly the same way as I would in real life – presuming I wasn’t trying to give traffic directions to a car full of hearing impaired nuns that is.

Technically speaking I’m not a great writer, but I am good at telling stories and delivering messages in a way that most people can digest.

The Importance of Self Esteem

Self esteem is such an underrated commodity.

People think that loud, arrogant and brash people are afflicted with too much self esteem, but usually the opposite is the case.

The more arrogant somebody is, the stronger the chance they don’t like themselves that much and are over compensating in the hope that others will not notice their shortcomings.

There’s a fairly well known exercise in self development that I still use a decade or more after I started coaching.

The reason I use it, is because it’s a great indicator of what a person truly thinks of themselves.

You may be familiar with it, but it bears repetition and I’d also encourage you to try it out.

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Stand in front of a mirror, look at yourself and simply say, ‘I love you’

Don’t laugh, don’t be sarcastic and don’t worry what others may think if they saw you.

If you can do that without a problem and presuming you don’t stand there admiring yourself for two hours, in which case you may have a tad to much self esteem, well done, you’ve nailed it.

If you laugh because it’s silly then you are probably suffering from low self esteem because it isn’t silly.

So say it again.

If you laugh again or feel slightly anxious by what you consider to be this flagrant act of tomfoolery.

Say it again.

And again and again.

I don’t care how many times you have to say it to elicit a flat response (presuming it’s not days and you are suffering from severe dehydration and the cat is trying to eat you), just do it.

Eventually it will feel normal to accept that you love yourself. And that is a good thing because you most definitely should.

Maybe you know you could do this easily. If so, well done, but give it one go just to make sure.

But if the thought causes you discomfort or even blind panic then you really need to do it.

So go on, be off with you, you have some loving to do.

The post Mirror, Mirror On The Wall appeared first on A Daring Adventure.

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

[andremcaldwell]

Facebook Shuts Down Law Enforcement/Veteran-Based ‘Tactical Sh*t’

http://ift.tt/2b29Grq

On August 7, Facebook shut down ‘Tactical Sh*t’–an online community for military, veterans, law enforcement, and supporters of the Second Amendment.

Facebook Shuts Down Law Enforcement/Veteran-Based ‘Tactical Sh*t’

[andremcaldwell]

Macy’s CEO Talks 20-Somethings, Amazon And The Future Of Malls

Terry Lundgren spoke at length with BuzzFeed on these topics and more during last week’s Global Retailing Conference in Arizona. Here are excerpts from the conversation.

View this image ›

Carlo Allegri / Reuters

Macy’s has been on a tear since Terry Lundgren took over as CEO a decade ago.

Under Lundgren, the company, which operates more than 800 namesake and Bloomingdale’s stores, has increased sales to $27.9 billion in the year through Feb. 1, from $24.9 billion five years earlier, with profits also soaring. Macy’s stock, which took a beating from the recession, has rallied 450% since 2008, four times the gain in the S&P 500. According to Lundgren, Macy’s is now the 10th-biggest U.S. internet company by revenue after Netflix.

Lundgren believes part of Macy’s success in an extremely competitive environment, especially for department stores, stems from its practice of giving district managers the power to stock merchandise they believe will appeal to local shoppers, making each location unique and quick to identify trends.

With more sales moving online and a new generation of consumers to appeal to, Lundgren is still working hard to keep Macy’s ahead of the competition. The 62-year-old spoke with BuzzFeed about twentysomethings, the Affordable Care Act, the threat of Amazon, and more in a wide-ranging conversation at the Global Retailing Conference in Tucson, Ariz., on Friday. Here are excerpts from the interview:

1. You’ve said previously that Macy’s is thinking a lot about how to cater to twentysomethings and the growing Hispanic population. What are you doing differently?

You can talk about millennials and the changing character and diversity of the population in the same breath, because as the millennial population is the largest group that we’ve ever seen, so will be the minority population. It’s young people who are the diverse population, so we think about what needs and desires this group will have that’s going to be different from my age demographic, what we wanted.

It starts with the product, so we have to first understand that we have to tweak certain products a little bit or emphasize certain brands, or change the fits in some ways.

For an Asian consumer, and this is a generalization, but for many Asian consumers, it’s a smaller, tighter fit. For the Latina consumer, it’s different for the Mexican-American versus the Mexican national, for example, which is different from the Latin-American [consumer]. So you can’t even put all that into one category. It’s important to us to listen closely and add a diverse population to our consumer research groups and learn what it is you want from us and how we can provide those services.

View this image ›

Brendan Mcdermid / Reuters / Reuters

2. Tell me about the monthly breakfast you have with twentysomethings at your company. How did they come about?

When people are three, four years into the company, they’re most vulnerable [to leave] because they’ve been with us for a long enough time to get some experience, so their resume is stronger than when they came to us out of college. They may be wondering, well, What else is there for me, what’s outside of the company, and should I try something else? I felt that way when I was in my mid-twenties, so I said, well, why don’t I just have us identify those high-potential individuals who are three to five years in our company — 25-, 26-, 27-, 28-year-olds — and I’ll have breakfast with however many fit into the room next to my office. There happens to be 14 seats, so I’ll sit with 14 of them every month. I’m curious how it is for them, how is it for a 26-year-old living in New York City, you moved here from Tucson, Ariz., and how is that adjustment, and what are you doing about it? How many roommates do you have, or can you handle it on your own? Tell me about the highlights of your job: What do you love the most, what do you wish could be better, what would you like to see more of? I just get so much more information from young people in our company, and it’s influenced me.

3. These breakfasts have influenced you. How so?

One way that always comes to mind is probably five years ago now, this group was challenging me on what Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s are doing to become an environmentally friendly company. I said, “Oh, you know, we recycle our plastic bottles, we recycle our paper,” and I was giving these really standard weak answers and they wouldn’t get off this subject. It ended up becoming a really good discussion … I said, give me your best and most creative ideas that are good for the environment and won’t cause the company to make less money in the end, give me those ideas first. They agreed to go away as a group on their own and came back with a list for me, and I have to tell you, it was fantastic.

They said, it’s very generous the company pays for all these Poland Spring bottled waters and Macy’s water bottles in our offices, but what if you didn’t do that and you got a filtered machine that purified the water and we all just used our own cups and drank out of those instead? The company would save money and it would be better for the environment. The next day, we ended it and I said fabulous, give me another one. So they said if you invest in copy machines that duplex, you can cut your printing paper in half. Done. Absolutely. Next. They kept coming back with more and more ideas, and now it’s got its own set of momentum that’s built around it.

I give this young group of millennials the credit for really pushing me to do exactly what I thought we couldn’t do…and do them in a way that I don’t have to tell shareholders that I’m going to make 3 cents less a share next quarter because I’m going to be a really good person.

4. How are you dealing with costs tied to the Affordable Care Act and health care costs in general?

We’ve been working on this for a long time. Personally, I’m very involved on a national level on this subject, and I’m trying to focus on the things we can control because I can’t control government regulation or the price of a particular health operation or something that will be charged by doctors in a particular state or a city. One thing I can clearly tell you is that the subject of health care is on the agenda of every CEO who has several employees. I have 172,000 employees so it’s clearly on mine.

Ten years ago, I wasn’t really tuned into health care. I knew what I paid and I complained about it — “Hey, it keeps on going up, and this is a big expense” — but then you go to the next subject and work on merchandising and being a good influence. Today you can’t just sit back and ignore the cost. Health care costs are going up and so we have to figure out, what can we do to offset that? I’m working very hard to listen to other companies, learn from other companies, what are they doing, and, in our case, try to encourage a healthier lifestyle.

5. What are your thoughts on raising the minimum wage?

We did this in 2009, that was the last time, and I think there was half a million jobs lost that were attributed to that raise. What you really have to be careful of is you don’t want to raise the wage and lay people off in order to be able to afford it because that would be the opposite of what we are all trying to do here. So if your costs go up by X million by taking an initiative like this, what are companies going to do? It doesn’t mean their sales are going to get better, it just means that you’re going to have to offset that expense and how are you going to offset that expense? The worst thing that can happen is we end up laying off people.

One of the biggest problems we have in our economy is we’re not adding jobs, and so before I would jump to say that’s a good idea, I would say, let’s first and foremost think about ideas that are going to create jobs. There are a lot of companies that are performing well but are afraid to invest back into our economy because the tax structure in America has been broken for a long, long time. And I’m not a big international player, but many of the Fortune 500 companies are, and more and more, they’re driving their business overseas because the tax structure there encourages them to do so. They would bring the money they make there back to the United States, but once they pay the tax in a foreign country, they bring that money back and they get taxed again.

So I think the president is behind the business community on this subject, I think he supports this idea of reducing the corporate tax rate. This is not my company, but I’m talking from a general business perspective — companies would bring money back into the United States, invest in the United States, and that in turn would create jobs. So to me those are some of the things that I think we could be looking at and working on that would be very positive for the country if we could get it done. And what’s keeping us from getting it done is the challenges of getting a lot of things done in Washington.

6. What’s different about how young people shop today versus earlier generations?

Value is very important. I do believe there is a reason that a handbag costs $20 versus a handbag that costs $200. Having said that, it may be totally satisfying for someone to buy that $20 one. Or the $200 may just be out of the question, they just don’t have the money so they have no choice. They’d like to have the $200 bag but they can’t afford something like that, and that’s totally understandable. We’re not seeing a big run-up in bad debt or heavy debt from young people. We are seeing people buying value prices.

View this image ›

7. Will there be shopping malls 10 years from now? What will they look like?

I don’t know what the number will be, but let’s say 100 — there will be 100 fantastic shopping malls that you’ll always go to. Those are the obvious ones because they’re just in the best locations, they’re where the people live, they’re where the tourists go, and so those centers will continue to invest and keep them fresh and keep them exciting. Then the next 200 to 400 need some new ideas and some freshness to them. They have potential, but you’re just going to have to work to compete with alternative ideas.

I am actually very involved in this subject with the mall developers. Westfield, Simon, General Growth, Taubman, they’re all coming together, and myself and some other retailers, and we’re going to try to sit down and challenge all of us, openly — what can we do about this next group of shopping centers? How can we make them more exciting? There are some that we need to just tear down and start over, and there are some [where] we need to open up the ceilings and create a different kind of atmosphere. Should we bring more movie theaters in, should we bring a different type of restaurant into these centers that make them fun and interesting, should we bring in different retailers? What are other ideas we’ve got? We’re working on that very subject.

8. How much of a threat to you is Amazon?

If you would have asked me that question probably five years ago, I would have been much more concerned about it than I am today. Amazon has obviously been a very successful company that’s gotten the attention of all of us. I think that we have a huge advantage over Amazon and that is, in fact, our stores.

Today all of my stores are fulfillment stores, or will be by this summer with our final rollout. Amazon has 84 fulfillment stores; I have 650 plus the eight I have that are dedicated to macys.com and bloomingdales.com, so I think it’s a very big advantage for us. Plus, the research says people still prefer to start the journey of their shopping experience on their phone but go in and touch the product, they want to touch the clothes, touch the fabric, they want to try on the jacket, they want to sit in the chair to see how comfortable it is before they buy it, they want to have a beauty adviser tell you about the makeup that’s right for you, and all of those are very, very positive experiences that you just can’t get with an online experience, not to the same degree. That personal touch is going to be very hard to replace electronically. Today the research clearly states the large majority of consumers want to shop that way. And the fact we’re the 10th-largest internet company in America tells you we’re aggressively pursuing the online business and extremely proud of how much we built this business.

9. To that point, will all retailers eventually have to offer same-day delivery?

I think we’re moving towards that. You can do that, it’s just expensive to do it. If other competitors are going to offer same-day delivery, then ultimately, we will as well.

We do have to become more efficient and figure out how to deliver faster — but then also how to do it less expensively. We’ve talked about this with the shopping centers, as a matter of fact. Maybe bringing the products together in a zip code and having UPS pick it up every night and delivering to local neighborhoods, maybe we can get it done that way. We just have to keep thinking through breakthrough ideas on speed and efficiency for delivery.

View this image ›

Cindy Ord / Getty Images for Macy’s

Read more: http://ift.tt/2aMol9E

Macy’s CEO Talks 20-Somethings, Amazon And The Future Of Malls

[andremcaldwell]

40 Dead Tiger Cubs Were Just Found In Freezers At This Famous Temple

It has not been a great week for endangered species.

At least 40 dead tiger cubs were discovered stored in a freezer at Thailand’s Tiger Temple in Bangkok on Wednesday, The New York Times reports.

The Tiger Temple is an already controversial tourist attraction in Thailand. The temple allows tourists to pay to come in close contact with tigers, and animal rights activists have long accused the business of mistreating the animals for money.

Thai wildlife authoritiesfound the dead cubs while in the process of removing adult tigers from the temple as part of an initiative to shut down the business in response to allegations of trafficking endangered species.

Officials said only one of the 40 cubs found had been reported dead to the government, which is required by law. Police will continue investigating before charges are pressed.

In a Facebook post from March, temple officials claim it is normal for some cubs to die naturally. But why they preserved the corpses in the freezer remains unclear.

Tiger parts are in high demand in Asia, often used for traditional medicine. However, none of the cubs discovered were missing any body parts.

Below is a video of the discovered cubs and the officials removing adult tigers from the temple. By Wednesday night, over 64 tigers had been removed, and officials hope to remove the remaining 73 by Saturday.

Warning: This contains graphic content.

Public reaction to the news of the dead tiger cubs has been a mix of shock and anger.

Burn it to the ground #TigerTemple

— TechniDeb (@Technideb) June 1, 2016

Humans are horrible #TigerTemple https://t.co/KBimyW7eph

— Tony (@darealveggieman) June 1, 2016

Anyone that has pics with drugged tigers at tiger temple, Thailand has aided & funded the abuse & torture of endangered animals #TigerTemple

— Jm (@99JMS) June 1, 2016

We are the worst kind of animals are we not #TigerTemple #Humanrace

— Antony Stobbs (@Anth040) June 1, 2016

Absolutely shameful! Horrible and so sad. To those responsible…..hang your heads in shame! #TigerTemple

Vicky Davies (@torypops) June 1, 2016

So, heads up, if you’re ever a tourist in a foreign country and you get offered the chance to get a killer Instagram with a tiger or other endangered animal, maybe pass. For the animal’s sake.

Subscribe to Elite Daily’s official newsletter,The Edge, for more stories you don’t want to miss.

Read more: http://ift.tt/1r2NhxU

40 Dead Tiger Cubs Were Just Found In Freezers At This Famous Temple