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Kirkenes Snowhotel - Freezing warm

snohotellThe Kirkenes Snowhotel opened for the first time in 2006. Snow and ice are disappearing in an ever warmer climate. Enjoy this while you can !

The Kirkenes Snowhotel uses the snow's insulating abilities. Snow is a very good insulator, when it is minus thirty degrees outside it will still be relative warm inside the snowhotel, a stable minus five degrees celsius. This special ability of the snow is also known by mother nature. The Ptarmigan creates caves in the deep snow during winter and thus saves a lot of energy inside this shelter, the same can bee seen with the Husky dogs they let them self snow down to keep warm.

Every room in Kirkenes Snowhotel is a small treasure. The rooms are five metres in diameter, and they are equipped with everything needed for a comfortable night. The pictures looks like you are sleeping on ice, but that would be too cold and to hard for your back, The beds are framed with ice blocks and the beds have comfortable mattresses with thermal insulation on top. You sleep inside a sleeping bag graded for -35 degrees Celcius.

Humans produce a small amount of heat and moisture through breathing, That’s why the rooms have curtains instead of doors, to make the air circulate. In every room you will find decorations and sculptures made from ice and snow. These arts are created by artists from the Chinese city of Harbin.

All of the hotel's 20 snowsuites have a different theme from Arctic culture or nature. The lighted ice sculptures give the snowhotel a very cosy and special atmosphere.

In the construction of the hotel's ice-bar and sculptures, more than 15 tonns of ice were used, and the expertise of the Chinese ice artists were responsible for the decorations

All the ice comes from the frozen lake next to the snowhotel. The ice was cut with chain saws and pulled it with snowmobiles into the snowhotel. In the middle of winter this ice is 70 centimeters thick. The icebar and the sculptures are designed differently each year. It’s always exciting to see what kind of sculptures the artists find hidden in the ice.

The Kirkenes Snowhotel

Humidity: 32%

Wind: 35.40 km/h

  • 25 May 2018 28°C 6°C
  • 26 May 2018 22°C 14°C
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SAS and Norwegian are hesitant to the new airport in Helgeland

SAS cancels 100 departuresSAS airlines. Photo: SAS

Neither SAS or Norwegian can promise that they will set up flights to and from the planned airport in Rana  in Helgeland.

SAS fear that the traffic base of the new regulars airport will be too low, according to NRK.

– As of today, the airport development does not benefits us. With a so thin traffic basis, we believe this development is a wrong priority, says Ove Myrold, director of public affairs and infrastructure in SAS.

Both SAS and Norwegian believes the new airport will entail increased costs for the airlines, which in turn will affect passengers.

– All major transport projects has a price tag, and we are concerned that a development like this will lead to increased fees for airlines and thus also higher ticket prices for customers, says communications director Lasse Sandakerveien-Nielsen.

The government and support paries secured in March majority in Parliament to allocate a half billion to a new main airport in Rana.

The money will however be note phased in until the second part of the plan period – at the earliest in 2024. It is assumed that the municipality and local businesses contributes  600 million NOK in the beginning. It is hoped that construction can start next year and that the airport should be completed in 2024.

CEO Torbjørn Lothe NHO Aerospace fear that the new airport in Rana will be a loss project – running a deficit of around 50 million annually.

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today

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#186: Allie's Cafe

Ahh yes, another diner. But really who's complaining? Certainly not me; I've found myself (more than once) googling "brunch in South Bend" just to make sure that I haven't missed any. And, well, Allie's is certainly not one to miss. Located on Mishawaka Ave. just down the street from the IUSB campus and across the road from the now-defunct but well-loved Bryan's Piano Barr, the Cafe is a staple of the River Park neighborhood.

When we stopped in last Sunday a little after noon, the place was bustling. Families, in front-row church finery, mingled with college students who had possibly just rolled out of bed.  Retirees on a leisurely weekend brunch mingled with those undefinable but ubiquitous "regulars". We had to wait several minutes to get a table (or rather booth, thank you very much), but as we did, we admired the eclectic, homey decor (showcased below).

Yes, we considered the bottom option.
After we were seated, we took an even longer time poring over the menu. The breakfast options are extensive with several specials that caught our eye. Our waitress recommended the "German Breakfast", with a secret sauce, as one of the absolute best, and, after ordering, I think we would agree. The rest of the menu showcases what one might call "comfort food" for both breakfast and lunch. I'd recommend visiting during their peak hours, for people-watching alone, but Allie's does offer (and is well-known for) their catering services as well.

Location: 2323 Mishawaka Ave.
Hours: Tues-Sat, 6:00am-3:00pm     Sun, 6:00am-2:00pm
Website (with menu): http://www.alliescafe.com/index.html


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Friday, 19 December 2014

Clothes Show Live! HUGE HAUL + New Beauty Bits

On Tuesday the 9th of December I went to the Clothes Show in Birmingham which is basically one massive shopping trip and a cat walk, and if you like that sort of thing, it's heavan. We got there at about 11 which gave us a good 2 1/2 hours of shopping before watching the show and then we had an hour after the show. The show itself was so good, I'd never been to a cat walk before and it was amazing, there were dancers, models to really loud music and some people from made in Chelsea so everyones self esteem went down the toilet but still amazing none the less.

Here are a few things I bought:

Everything was soo cheap, in a good way, I got some public desire shoes for £27 and they're so comfy and pretty 😍 a Barry M goody bag worth £65 for £10, a Lee Stafford goody bag for £5, W7 for £10, Rimmel for £5 and Models own for £10! Everything was such a good price.

I've also included a few little beauty bits in this haul I got because there's not enough for an individual one.

Reccently I've found my hair being really itchy, turns out I'm allergic to fabric softener but I picked thi treseme shampoo and conditioner from ASDA and after 3 uses I feel like it's already started to help! I also got not your mothers way to grow conditioner £6 because my hairdresser cut my hair shorter than I would have liked so it'd be nice if it helped encourage growth and I'll definitely write a review soon! I also bought this FACEFINITY primer from max factor as I've found my makeup coming of my face leaving it blotchy and as a result got a free gift worth £35! I keep finding myself looking at EOS balms so it just slipped it in my basket and clicked pay before i could say do I really need this, really moisturising, bit pricey at £6 though. I also decided to get a light up Budha because you know, why not, trying to reduce my anger but the lighty up switch broke now it's just a blue Budha. I actually only got the soap and glory spray as it was in a 3 for 2 and I wanted to get my friend two of the products. Next is a fast dry OPI top coat, it dries really fast but does make the nail more inclined to chip because of how brittle it is, and last is a MAC lipstick I got for a friend but decided to keep, oops sorry.

Rachel xoxo

Sunday, 30 November 2014

Fave Winter Yankee Scents✨

As tomorrow is the first day of December I thought I'd get a bit festive and share my favourite yankee candle scents for winter.
The first one is called icicles which is kinda a light floral scent, I think it'd be perfect for a cold frosty day to light for a bath and a good wind down. The second is silver birch which kinda smells like a watered down men's aftershave which is why I think I like it, again this ones so subtle and so nice and the grey just gives it a winter feel, the last one is Angels wings, this has kind of a vanillary scent to it but also reminds me of marshmallows (idk???). These three look so good next to each other, they all have such winter colours and not too over powering, I'd definitely reccomend if you're looking for a lighter scent this Christmas! Let me know what othes to try!

Rachel xoxo

Sunday, 26 October 2014

What I got for my Birthday 2014🎉

Yesterday I turned 17, it's a bit of an unsubstantial birthday inbetween sweet 16 and the big 18 so I thought I'd try make the best of it anyway, the Parentals said I could have a ParT but all my friends unfortunately had other plans so I had a cute night in with my favourite person.
This blog post is in no way bragging, I just really wanted to share how lucky I feel and give you all. Few ideas of things to ask for / give people😊

Off of my parents I got a new phone which I've needed for a very long time bc mine was rubbish and wouldn't let me text or call anyone ever. so I got the iPhone 5c in pink, I also got the Benefit bathina perfume set with some socks, a hamster onsie and the 5 Tinkerbelle movie collection.
From my grandparents I got this lovely coat and my auntie put money towards it too I really have a coat fetish going on, it needs to stop 😂
From my friends I really got a bit spoiled, from my lovely boyfriend I got public desire shoes, Bobbi Brown shimmer, and some lush thingsI got some halloween socks, a pug plug and a pug make up bag from my lovely pops, socks earrings and chocolate from jodie, lush things from many, the importance of being earnest dvd from Joanne, pug slippers from tashy, (do you see the reoccurring theme) and a nice big basket for lush from Megan and Claire and one of the lovely girls I work with got me some cupcakes which I really did not expect.
I am honestly so grateful for all of this 🙈 thankyou x

Rachel xoxo

Saturday, 18 October 2014

NARS Lipstick - Raquel: Review

Reccently I've kinda been a bit insecure about wearing lipsticks because I'm always conscious of the yellow contrast with the red as I normally buy red colours but then I thought why not buy one good quality one that I'll actually use so I decided to buy this NARS lipstick in the shade Raquel, it was such a pretty colour and my name is very close to Raquel I bought it.

This lipstick is so nice it doesn't feel sticky on your lips, it lasts for a good few hours before having to reapply and it's so subtle it does what make ups supposed to do an enhances natural beauty. I'd recommend to anyone. 5/5.

Rachel xoxo

Friday, 3 October 2014

Lush Haul ~ NEEDED!!!!

Photo credit to Instagram @lushliverpoolstreet

Today was the lush autumn/winter14 launch and I'm seriously so excited, I love love love lush so much I've genuinely spent every moment I can on the website and on their instagrams. I absolutely adore the Halloween Christmas collection, it's perfect but I don't have time to go down there to my local store because of school and work, cries, so I thought I'd share my wish list instead:

1: Sparkley Pumpkin
2: Northern Lights
3: Sparkler
4: Lord of Misrule
5: Golden Wonder
6: Santas Lip-scrub
7: Butterbear
8: Father Christmas
9: Christmas Eve

(Not in the right order, oops)

I'm sure I'll get round to going soon, it's pay day on Friday anyway

Rachel xoxo

Sunday, 21 September 2014

Mini Haul

 I kind of have a shopping addiction.
I can't help it, things call to me and I have to have them, so I thought I'd share with you what I bought and how much I like it etc.

Here are just a select few of all the things I've bought, actually, it's everything that isn't clothes or jewellery or has private details on like my NUS card (wooo).

First off; Real Techniques Core Collection and Complexion Sponge ~ everyone always raves about Real Techniques and so far I actually really like the stuff I've used but I can't get out the habit of using ecotools because that's what I've been using since I was like 12, they were my first ones so it's habit but I do like a change and I do like these brushes / sponge and will be getting more.

Benefit ChaCha Balm & Baby Lips Electro Oh! Orange ~ I do really like the chacha balm it's very moisturising and smells very refreshing but not over powering, so it's good but doesn't add any colour, not that that's a bad thing but if you wanted a tint don't go for that. And the baby lips hasn't actually been opened yet because I saved it for the picture, oops, more to come with that I guess.

Bourjois Dissolvant and Healthy Balance Powder ~ these two have now become staple pieces for me! the Dissolvant gets nail varnish off so easy and your fingers smell so good after, and the powder gives me a really good matte finish in any foundation I've tried and stays on for quite a while.

Nina L'eau
This smells so good, it's the perfect blend of fruity and floral and it was actually pretty cheap, at John Lewis it was £24.99 for the 30ml but it was also that price for the 50ml which I don't get but I went for it and I love having different smells and stuff.

Garnier Micellar Water ~ I actually only bought this because I thought my sister had taken my Nivea Micellar one  to France with her, she hadn't, but I found that out after, and I found this one in boots after seeing VelvetGh0st use it on her YouTube and I actually really like it, it gets make up off so easy and it was quite cheap considering the size.

Charles Worthington Shine Booster ~ I only found out reccently that Charles Worthington had repackaged and I remember I had this a while back and it smelt so good, however I do think it's a little bit different though, yet to try it.

Urban Fudge Dry Shampoo ~ I've wanted this for a while and it smells so good I couldn't resist when boots had a 3 for 2 on, quite pricey though but my hair does feel refreshed and smell good, I am the worst at remembering to wash it, oops.

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Mask ~ I love the smell of Lee Stafford products it's subtle yet beautiful, I got this because I had the leave in treatment and it really helped to grow my hair a bit longer so I thought I'd try the hair mask this time now I've ran out and I can't wait to see results.

Babyliss Turbo Shine ~ basically because I don't like to share, 😂

Rachel xoxo

Sunday, 14 September 2014

Jersey Boys😍

Oh what a night, early September back in 2014, (September 13th) I saw Jersey Boys on tour at the palace theatre Manchester, and it was soooo good, I love musicals,and everyone who knows me will know I love musicals, but this was just fabby. I knew it was Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons but I didn't know the plot or anything, I just loved it that much I had to buy a tshirt. So if you haven't already seen this tour, go! I sat in the grand tier at the front with my friends so I had quite a good view too. Deffenitely would go again.

We actually had the understudies on our particular show and I seriously would not have changed that, I found they go for it a lot more because they don't perform as much so they don't lose the spark, amazing. However there was a woman sat next to me absolutely loving it, getting ver excited about it, clapping along so hard she hit me in the head, there is no room for this in grand tier kind lady, calm.

Rachel xoxo

Thursday, 4 September 2014

Back To School - //Essentials//😴

I started sixth form last Tuesday and I've fastly discovered that there are certain things that I need and I'm gonna share them with you in this blog post incase you've just started too;

First off, you're gonna need a huge bag for all the stuff you need to carry around and fit in it, mine was £19.99 from New Look and looks quite pretty I think, always a bonus, if you need a bigger bag, i reccommend New Look! To go in your bag gotta have, a pencil case, mines like a clear orange one from WHSmiths for £7 and I've filled it with all sorts of stationary e.g. Sharpies, colours, pens and pencils etc. Note pads for any lesson and although I don't recommend taking it everywhere a laptop to type things up and revise on. You're also going to need lever arch files for every subject so far it's been a week and I've been given soo much leaflets and booklets galore. If your place of study doesn't provide you with a journal, get one, it'll help you keep everything organised and keep you up to date whether it's with school or social events because being a teenager is hard balancing everything. Paracetamol is always a good shout too, never know when that headache is going to hit! It's always good to read ahead too so make sure you have all the books you'll need for your classes.

You may not know this but you also have a life outside of school take your camera everywhere to make memories with, obviously use your frees for homework and study time but also it's okay to have a break, I reccomend dedicating a night to yourself for pampering, listen to music, run a lush bath, moisturise, take care of yourself, just use that time to rejuvenate. You should also consider an emergency supplies pack, with pads, tampons, emergency make up, hand sanitiser, plasters, bobbles, pins, you know the drill. Keeping yourself hydrated is also key too, I personally forget to drink water so I bought a tinkerbell bottle from the disney store for £5 to make drinking more fun. Student ID is also your best friend if you're a shopaholic like me, which bris me onto clothes, my sixthform dress code is quite formal so a black blazer is a good shout because you can throw it on on top of anything and look smart, but also if you dress nice, you'll feel good hence you can focus more on your work, but I must add, go for comfy shoes, there's quite a bit of walking. And never forget your key so I have mine on a star wars keyring so I can't forget.

Then when that's all done, I think you deserve a nap, just get out a blanket and go for it.

Rachel xoxo

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

Perfect (Kinda Healthy) Smoothie

Returning to school in less then a week so it's kinda time to get healthy again so I can managage full days without a nap. Despite being a 16 year old girl, this is something I find very difficult, so having more fruit and veg is my first step to getting healthier.

1 handful of raspberries
1 handful of de-leaved strawberries
1 handful of blueberries
1 banana
75ml of cranberry juice
2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
2 tbsp of Greek yoghurt (depends how you feel)

And oh my gosh, it was good!

Rachel xoxo

Friday, 15 August 2014

Holy Grail // Breakout Products

Pretty much almost every teenager gets spots, it just happens. Could be because of the stress we get from trying to balance school and work and social lives and eating and sleeping and relationships etc, it's hard, or it could be because of hormones, get a lot of them, spontaneous crying sessions happen to a lot of people don't worry, but it could always just be your skin type. Here are my tips, as a teenager for when I have a break out (which if often):

Here are all the products I use excessivly~

First off, I always make sure I wear no make-up, because that can cause it sometimes and fully cleanse using Nivea's sensitive 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water, then give my face a once over with a Tea Tree skin care wipe and then use the Pixi Skintreats Glow Tonic.
If after that I'm still breaking out I will wear Lush's Mask of Magnaminty for about half an hour and wash off in the shower. When that's off, I will then use the Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit facial wash, dry my face and put Soap&Glorys Doctor Spot on the specific ones.
Because all these things take 3-4 days to work with my skin which is quite fast but very annoying if you have an event in a day, I'll use Quinoderm 5, this literally gives me results in a day, however it does make my skin very dry, because that's how it gets rid of spots so I have to use an extra moisturising foundation after, etc.
Once every week, I'd also use a Bioré Ultra Nose Strip to make sure my pores don't clog up and I get horrible blackheads.
Because I am a teenager with copious exams, I get stress spots on my chest/back so I try and keep that clear so I don't have to wear too many turtle necks with boots' Tee Tre Witch Hazel Body Spray, this is a new product to me and since I've used it my back has virtually been clear.

I'd reccomend all these products as they make my skin feel so good and keep it clear, and if you have any products you think are really good too and I should try, let me know in the comments.

Rachel xoxo

Wednesday, 6 August 2014

Completing The Bucket List // Update

This post is kind of an update for me about where I'm at with all the things I wanted to do over summer, sort of like a tick off for my summer bucket list before I start college~

I have really tried to make the most of my time this holiday, obviously lazy days are needed from time to time but if I've had a day free I've filled it with a trip to the gym or work etc. So far I have;

Played Messy Twister~ I really recommend this! it's a cheap easy way to have fun with friends! providing you're okay with a little bit of mess
We also had a Paint Fight~ went hand in hand with the messy twister
Party's and Gatherings~ it's just nice to see all your friends in one place! plus if someone has a house free, it's absolutely free
Made Cake Pops~ these were harder than anticipated, the cake tasted gorgeous but I had no idea what I was spins so I made the wrong icing :(
More Fairy Lights~ adds a little bit of pretty to any situation doesn't it?
Picnics~ again very easy to do, just bring the food your parents are trying to get rid of, yano, like the last three biscuits in the packet, and if you all do that it's cheap, you see all your friends, and your parents can buy more food, winning

I'd still like to do a few things, maybe like make macaroons or try real techniques brushes or even go th next stage lighter on my hair etc, I'll keep you posted

Rachel xoxo

Wednesday, 30 July 2014

Public Desire Love

In my family, we love shoes, between my sister and I, we own over 70 pairs (oops), but my most reccent obsession is public desire shoes, the first time I saw them I was a bit like oh, didn't really think much on them but I kept seeing them and seeing them as primark and topshop etc have their own replicas and oh my gosh I have never loved a shoe more than my size 4 white kelis'. They are so comfy and utterly stunning but of course I had to go for the originals first and I'd defiantly be able to wear these for a night out without hanging on people saying my feet hurt, seriously reccomend. 😍😍😍

Be expecting a lot more from these on this blog,
Rachel xoxo

Review: The Purge | Anarchy & Guardians of The Galaxy

We've established I go to the cinema a lot (oops), the two movies I've seen most reccently and will review for you are The Purge: Anarchy and Guardians of The Galaxy.

The Purge: Anarchy~
I was really actually quite nervous going to see this because I saw the first one when it came out just over a year ago and it genuinely made me scream, I'm a mess. If you don't know what any of the purge movies are about, one night every year for 12 hours, I think it's the 22nd of March??? In the not too distant future, like 2023, all crimes including murder become legal just for those 12 hours, and every other day of the year is allegedly crime free. So people go out and get revenge 'release the beast' and 'cleanse their souls' but it's really quite political about the founding fathers decreasing the population by killing off the poor etc but I won't get into that. I did quite enjoy this film but I didn't scream, it wasn't quite as jumpy as the first movie to be honest but I still had moments of watching behind my hands, so still scary. I have to say this was the first scary movie I'd seen which had a happy ending though, so that was quite a nice surprise in contrast to the first movie where all the main cast died??? All in all I enjoyed this film, probably wouldn't buy the DVD but May watch again if it ended on netflix. If you liked this movie, you'd probably like The Purge (but who watched the second one first???) or maybe Insideous or maybe even the Scream trilogy + 1 another scream film.

Guardians of The Galaxy~
I was really really really excited to watch this I'm such a Marvel/DC fanatic with X Men being one of my all time favourite film series' (even if they did start again, BUT I don't care because I love everything about it, bring on X Men: Apocalypse). Back to Guardians of The Galaxy (oops sorry), I really didn't know what to expect and the only thing putting me off was the talking raccoon, Rocket, but I have to say the film was actually perfect. I honestly never thought I'd fall in love with a tree the way I did, especially when he was in the pot😍. This movie is probably the funniest movie Marvel have ever made and the funniest movie I've seen reccently (not hard in comparison to the purge or the fault in our stars etc). It's about 5 ~criminals~ (I use that term lightly), who come together and escape prison and try and sell this orb they have because star lord stole it at the beginning of the movie and find that it contains the power to destroy everything, standard. Out of all this they sort of make kind of an odd friendship when the orb is stolen, and end they wind up saving the galaxy hence the name. I really really loved this, and I can't wait for the DVD to come out which might be anywhere between Christmas and February, so not that longer wait. Deffinetely going to see the next one, I can't wait to see more of all the guardians, especially Groot the tree <3. If you have seen it and want more like it, maybe try other Marvel movies like X Men (personal fave), The Amazing Spider-man, The Avengers, you know the gang, but if you haven't seen it, go! Do it. Now!

Rachel xoxo

Thursday, 24 July 2014

Review: The Fault In Our Stars, Maleficent, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

Most people who know me will know I'm a little bit of a film fanatic having maybe 600+ DVDs and netflix and the ability to borrow from friends. Recently I've been going to the cinema a lot with a good friend of mine and seen Maleficent and The Fault In Our Stars with him and Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes with my boyfriend.

The Fault In Our Stars
I had never read the book before seeing it, I had absolutely no idea what this was about, I know it's John Green because I love John Green but I'd never gotten around to reading this particular title. I knew it'd be sad bc just if snippets of things I'd heard from friends or seen online but I didn't not expect to cry like I did at various occasions in the film, if you've seen it, you know what I mean. A little bit about it as breif as possible, boy meets girl who is dying, they fall in love, they live their life as much as they can, twist ending, sadness. This film is genuinely really cute, like a few friends including my English teacher said it could be a bit cringey when portrayed on film which is fair enough as sometimes things work on paper but not on film and vice versa but I didn't find it cringy I think it could have been but because the acting was as good as it was, we're safe. However I did cringe when Hazel called the writer a douche something or other but we all say stupid things in the moment of anger don't we? This movie is good for a girly night where you all just need a good cry because a good cry can be the answer to all your problems or if you want a light ish but interesting film to cuddle up to. You'll always get those people who swear blind that the book is better but as I've not read the book it was a good film overall. Similar films to watch; My Sisters Keeper, The Notebook, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button etc.

Maleficent actually came out a while ago, may 30th but I was in the middle of my GCSEs then so I couldn't go and see it due to revision taking over my life and replicating in my cells, but I really wanted to see it so thank disney it's still in cinemas, even if the cinema was empty but I'm not complaining. It's about the villain from sleeping beauty and why she is how she is and why she cursed the baby. I actually expected some really dark twisted back story and I don't know why considering it was a PG however I really loved what I got instead more, very disney, *spoilers* (maybe), with how she fell in love with Stefan and he betrayed her to be king. I think it taught a very good lesson of love>greed and how man sometimes forgets that! But Maleficent wasn't all that bad really she was just mad at the humans and how they could be so greedy. I can relate to Maleficent with her good intentions but fierce aura it's how all women should live I mean aside from cursing people but not all of us have that kind of power. Oh but the dragon, it was beautiful what good story doesn't have a dragon in the end, love it. The ending was perfect, it really showed the true colours of all the characters but I don't wanna give too much away. Similar films to see; Sleeping Beauty (of course), Enchanted, Mirror Mirror, Red Riding Hood etc.

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
I literally only saw Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes a week ago and that's because I'm trying to get out my rom com musical disney comfort zone and have a wider range of films in my collection and I really loved it so 3 days later I saw the next one along which is Dawn (we shall call from now on due to ver long title). For those who don't ken what it's about here's a ver basic synopsis, these apes are ver cleaver and escaped from captivity with Ceasar as their lead who had been tested on when younger to make him ver ver cleaver but his owners fell in love with him he fell in love with them so because he defended one who had alsimers, he got put into captivity where he wasn't treated well so he rallied up the other apes and they escaped to leave us where we are now, Ceasar is like king with a family very separate to humans but peaceful until invaded. I wasn't expecting it to be as further away in the future than Rise as it was but I'm not complaining, but I did question how long apes lived for then realised it probably wasn't that far in the future as I thought,they just got a flesh eating virus is all and the people alive and the apes were genetically immune, stupid Rachel. I really liked the apes to be honest like, I genuinely exhaled with excitement when the baby ape was on screen, it was so adorable. But I didn't like koda, watch it and we can hate koda together. If you liked this you could like; Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, The Hunger Games, any of the X men movies, The Dark Knight Trilogy etc

Be expecting more movie posts as all I do is watch movies and I love it,

Rachel xoxo

Sunday, 20 July 2014

Tigi BedHead Style Shots Extreme Straight Review

For a very long time I kept going on about tigi products and still do just in general because I heard such great reviews and one of my favourite pass times is hair care but I'd never used anything from it before, so for my birthday a very lovely friend of mine bought me these salon size bottles. My birthday was a ver long time ago (October) but as it was an everyday kind of a shampoo I thougt a review after a long time would be best. First off it smells absolutely lush, kind of like maybellines baby lips cherry, after 9 months I still haven't got fed up of it. On the bottle it claims that it gives 'over the top smoothness', 'perfectly clean feel' and helps 'out of control frizz'. Naturally my hair is very curly, thick and very frizzy so extreme straight was probably not right for my hair type but when blow dried straight from the shower it was very smooth so that ones a tick, and my hair did feel perfectly clean for days after using it so that's also true however it did not really help the frizz, but that's just my hair type, natural frizz that can't be tamed. Overall if you have naturally straight hair you want to enhance, this is the one for you, but I absolutely love tigi and want all their products.

Rachel xoxo

Friday, 4 July 2014

Nandos Virginity

Even with all the reccent buzz about nandos over the past, what? 3 years, I'd never been to nandos until yesterday. They way everyone went on about it I was expecting this massive posh thing but really it was just enough casual meets fancy that I really like it, if I was a restaraunt I'd wanna be nandos js.
It was one of my beautiful best friends 16th birthday so we went for that and I really loved it, I am a big fan of spicy food now. I had the grilled chicken burger in medium with two sides of chips and corn on the cob, which I wouldn't have chosen had I been on a date, there is no lady like way to eat corn on the cob no matter how hard you try, so I'll keep that one in mind - life tips. I would have taken a picture of my meal but I'm just not one of those girls... Yet.
This was my last chip right here and we captured it🙌

Before we went for our nandos meal, the sixth form I've chosen for next year put on a social event BBQ with some other treats as a nice mixer ready for next year now we've all finished our GCSEs and it was so nice to be at school in a chilled environment with the people I'm spending the next two years with. We had things such as gladiator inflatables fighting which was so fun, I went on against my friend and won, but it was so hard to just get on the podium especially if you're 5ft3 but the fierce in me made up for it.

As well we had the sumo suits, however I was not brave enough to face this one, couldn't bear to think of who'd been in it before, oh the horrors😫, however a few friends of mine did go in and it was horrific it really brings out the fighter in you.

That's it for now, take care

Rachel xoxo

Tuesday, 1 July 2014

Prom night 💫

Friday June 27th at 18:00 was my end of high school prom and it was probably the best night of my life!

My friends and I all met for pictures and a family gathering before hand and it was so sweet I really don't know what else to say about it but here are a few pictures.

 (Here's the hair and makeup)**

 (The dress)

 (The car)

There are so many more people I wish I got pictures with but didn't so I can't really put those pictures on bc I'm not in them but it was such an amazing night thanks to everyone who helped arrange it

Rachel xoxo

** makeup:
Benefit pin up lashes
Benefit benetint
Benefit high beam
Benefit hello flawless oxygen wow foundation in ivory
Maybelline Baby skin pore eraser
Rimmel natural bronzer
Rimmel clear complexion powder in transparent
Maybelline falsies mascara
Smash box liquid liner pen
Revelon lip butter in candy apple

Extentions in caramel blonde from lush hair extentions

Friday, 6 June 2014

Leaving High School - Baby Steps & Teenage Bucket List

Recently, I haven't been posting as much as I like to and that's because of all my GCSEs at the moment, I've spent night after night revising as hard as I can for all of them, here is a list of how many I've had:

(November 5th 2013 - Maths Non - Calculator)
(November 6th 2013 - English Language)
(November 8th 2013 - Maths Calculator)
April 1st & 28th - Textiles
May 12th - French Listening and Reading
May 13th - Geography
May 14th - ICT
May 15th - Drama (Final Performance)
May 19th - Biology B1 B2 B3
May 20th - English Literature Unit 1
May 22nd - Geography Skills & English Literature Unit 2
June 6th - Chemistry C1 C2 C3
June 10th - Physics P1 P2 P3
June 12th - Biology B4 B5 B6
June 16th - Chemistry C4 C5 C6
June 19th -Physics P4 P5 P6

(Plus various pieces of coursework but lets not talk about that one)

As you can see, that's a lot, so I apologise for not being consistent in posts, however right now I only have 4 GCSEs left, we left school for study leave on Wednesday and now we only have 4 exams to sit and then we're done, how scary is that?!?!? Very scary for someone who knows nothing but the comfort having someone to check up on you to see if you've done your homework, or who needs the pressure to do the work, or who's staying at the schools sixth form and the majority of their friends are leaving to got to fancy collages far away so I guess it's kinda time to become independent. Don't get me wrong, I still have a few lovely friends staying, but still, there's about 250 in the year and 50ish people staying.

For those of you going through the same as me or going to be going through the same in a few years, I bet you've had the panics, oh have you had the panics: WHAT IF I LOSE CONTACT WITH EVERYONE AND DIE ALONE!?!? or WHAT IF THEY REPLACE ME?!?! or WHO WILL I SIT WITH?!?! I genuinely promise you, that's not going happen. The people who matter will still be around in 20 odd years and they may even have a little kid that calls you aunt or uncle which is so weird to think right now because well, we're teenagers, but my point is a friendship cannot be one sided, if someones trying to make an effort to keep in touch with you, you should too because they obviously care enough to try with you. Also, you've been friends with these people for the best part of 5 years, collage is only 2 years, your friends aren't going to forget that, even if you don't see them that often the friendship will still be there, don't worry.

The long summer holiday that's coming up could potentially be one of the best in your life, before taxes and debt and having major responsibilities so make the most of it (plus it's like 11 weeks!!1!), here's what I intend to do, a summer bucket list if you will:

1)  Messy twister

 2) Go on an adventure with my best friends

3) Decorate someones garden with so many fairy lights, we can't tell when it turns dark

4) Sleep all day, and party all night

5) Paint fight (why not?)

6) Picnics

7) Make a blanket fort

8) Make cake pops

These among many other things that I'll probably blog about when I do them - I can't believe it starts in 2 weeks, so don't do what I normally do and sit in side all day everyday in my pyjamas, get out and do something you'll never forget!

Rachel xoxo

Thursday, 29 May 2014

I Have a Problem

It seems that I have a problem when it comes to buying new clothes and make up and hair products, when I haven't actually used or worn the stuff I have already. I just love stuff and I need it all. I have about 7 complete outfits in my wardrobe I've never worn, however when I get invited to a party or gathering or something I'll buy maybe two or three more outfits claiming 'I have nothing to wear!' which is a complete lie, the problem isn't i have 'nothing' to wear but I have too much to wear, and no way am I bragging at all, but this problem I have is 10x due to the fact my sister and I are the same size. And I can't get rid of anything, what if I need it in 17 years when it comes back in style?!?! Exactly. And I am sure that I am not the only one with this problem, however it has to stop, and I will try not to buy anything more until I've use / worn everything, but don't hold me to that...

Rachel xoxo

Friday, 9 May 2014

On Seeing the 100% Perfect Show One Beautiful May Evening

For those of you who know me, you will know that I am an absolute muscial fanatic, I can't get enough and see every thing I can from uk national tours to local productions, and it helps my best friends love it too so we go together like ramalamalama kading a dee ding dee dong.

The most reccent show I saw was Rock of Ages on the 7th May 2014 at the Palace Theatre and oh my god it was my favourite so far (possibly, who can have favourites?). It was absolutely hilarious, the cast was flawless and the voices 😍 and I think I possibly had the best Lonnie ever, he was played by Stephen Lipkin on the night I saw it, I'm not sure why because he's not swing or anything and I know he's played him before but I'm not complaining at all! Personal favourite was Can't Fight This Feeling, had me I'm stitches and maybe even happy tears??? but I'm not going to that (THE LIFT THO), and because my friends and I were sat grand tier on a night when the City match was on it was practically empty with no one behind us to disrupt, it was great to stand up and clap along during the finale, which it why I love the theatre, the atmosphere is so chilled and you get a great show. I can't wait to see the next one!

On a side note, how weird is it that the same guy who played Drew (Noel Sullivan) played Galileo in the production of We Will Rock You in 2011 at the exact same place? Needless to say he's still amazing.

Rachel xoxo

Friday, 25 April 2014

The other week a very good friend of mine had her 16th birthday party, (Okay so this is a bit belated, but the outfits cute)
I'd been seeing these daisy print skater skirts for a very long time on places like tumblr and wheretogetit and I reaaally wanted one because it's such a lovely pattern and it looks so flattering on all these girls I've seen so when I was looking in H&M and saw one I was very excited, especially since I had 25% off.
I paired it with a simple tank top from primary, my topshop leather jacket, Chelsea boot high heel shoes and a statement flower necklace from forever 21.

Rachel xoxo

Tuesday, 22 April 2014

Hair Extentions

It's quite a common misconception that every one who wears hair Extentions looks cheap and tatty and I have to say I disagree, not all girls do look tatty and cheap and by wearing hair Extentions they're probably trying to achieve the exact opposite look and you will look classy and worth a million pounds if you just make sure you do as follows:

- when buying hair extentions, never but more than 8" longer than your natural hair
- make sure the colour is an exact match or could at least pass for 'I got a lot of sun'
- make sure you buy enough clips to match the thinkness of your own hair, it's no use if your natural hair is lovely and think and you have a couple of this extensions poking out the bottom
- quality over price always, spending just that little bit more could make them go a lot further, I've had mine for 8 months and they're still like new
- make sure you take care of them, brush and wash like normal hair or the ends will go ratty and you'll look like you have dreads, I mean unless you want dreads then that's cool too
- check if you can style with heat, if you can't 1) they're probably no good and 2) they won't exactly match what your hairs doing and you'll look a bit odd.

I wear hair Extentions and most if the time people don't notice I'm wearing them, they'll say my hair looks nice or it looks longer but that's it, let it be your secret, keep them guessing.

P.S. I am the laziest person I know, and if I can look after them, so can you

Rachel xoxo

Recent Purchases

Reccently I've made quite a few purchases that I'm really quite excited about ~

I wrote a review on the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail paint in 'green berry' the other day and I loved it so much I bought another in the colour 'watermelon' which is like the deep green that I think is stunning. I'll be sure to try it out and post about it ASAP but with school and GCSES, probably won't be for a while.

I also bought the Barry M touch of magic lipstick, it's green in the tube but turns pink and the natural alkali level of your lips will determine how pale or rich the shade of pink will be to most flatter your look, so I can't wait to try that, also because it was 3 for 2 on Barry M at super drug I got the Gelly Hi-Shine lips in a very bright red (not sure on the name, oops).

Further more I got the Sleek i-Divine au naturel pallet which is good for just simple every day use.

Another thing I was very excited about was the Jelly Belly airfreshioner, people who know me will know how much I love jelly belly products and on my I just can't help but spray it 24/7.

The last thing is the Aussie 3 minute miracle conditioner which I haven't had in like 3 years so when it was on offer I had to buy it and it smells so good I don't want to wash it off!

Rachel xoxo
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May 26, 2013

Work in Progress

 Work in progress. Photoshop CS5 & Cintiq 12WX

I always have ongoing personal projects brewing beside everything else. My brain NEVER rests ;)

These are two of those. Not sure what I'm gonna do with the lizard one. Toss or keep, toss or keep? Hm.  I dunno.

The tiger is fun to work on though! Been lying around for a while now, so I guess that I gotta put myself together and finish it up. It's sooooo close to be finished...
It looks finished when you squint, ha...

- Andrea

Work in Progress. Photoshop CS5 & Cintiq 12WX

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Mar 17, 2016

Changes are coming

Hey thanks guys for the previous comments on my previous posts! You're the best.

Apoo. I'm still feeling better and better for every week, and I can actually barely understand that I was on the bottom only a year ago. So strange how things can turn around like that.

How are things at your end? Good?

I'm really well!  I'm still inspired and feel the urge to draw almost every day now and it feels AWESOME. Been enjoying playing with ink lately, as you can see on my pics above reposted from Instapoop.

Speaking of poop. I'm thinking of leaving both Instagram and Facebook.
To be honest I really loved it and I'm such a social media junkie, but it's starting to eat me up. I've realized that I consume waaay to much crap when I should direct my energy elsewhere. Also, now that the algorithms have changed on both platforms, it gets harder and harder to reach out to everyone. I dunno it's just really disappointing. I've put so much work into reaching out to people, and now I actually need to PAY in order for my followers to see my content in their feeds. So much hard work for so little. Plus, I miss out on so many people that I follow. I only see a few everyday, and that's probably because the rest is filtered out.

Nah, alright I'm done ranting. Still trying to get used to me being more transparent, haha. Haven't found the right balance yet ;)

I think, that I'll stick to Tumblr, Behance and Youtube from now on. Would you hate me if  I did this? Would you miss blogspot if I abandoned it? I'm only considering this right now. I know that there's something I need to give up, and I definitely need to stop consuming and start producing more. And also start LIVING. Otherwise there's nothing to talk about and no stories to tell. I'm addicted to my phone. Dude, if you could see me during the day, I can't stop checking my apps, I do it every minute. Not kidding, it's almost become an OCD. Somebody will die if I don't check my phone.

Haha, allright I'm out for now.

See you sooon! Love ya all, thanks so much for sticking around, I can't say this enough.

// Andrea

  1. It can help to organize people on FB into groups, because these groups aren't filtered in the same way. Blogspot is fine for text stuff and it is nice to get an email notification, but Tumblr works for me too.
    Maybe you can put your phone out of sight to help this habit too ;) It works for me.

    1. Ah interesting! I'll look into that.

      Really? Do you get e-mail notifications when there are new posts?

      Haha yup started doing that. I usually have it in the pocket of my coat at the closet. I keep reaching for the phone on my desk that's not there anymore hahaha.

  2. One thing I like about Blogspot is the ability to comment without being a member, like I'm doing now. :)

    1. Yeah you've got a point. I really love the interaction on blogspot, and it's so easy to chip in with opinionws in a discussion!

  3. I'm glad to hear you are feeling better! And I completely understand you on Facebook – I left that energy-draining, algorithm-driven, shallow popularity contest many years ago. :3

    I hope you will stay on Blogspot, simply because it's easier and more convenient to leave and read comments here than on Tumblr. But Tumblr is great for quick posts and for getting shared a lot, which is important too.

    1. You did a wise move haha. I agree, it's very energy-draining and it steals your time while you could've done something more meaningful in real life.

      That's true, I would miss the ability to comment.. Hmm. And I love the discussions we can get going! Maybe I can keep Blogspot, Tumblr, Behance, and Youtube then haha. Perhaps I can make some sort of combo with blogspot and Tumblr... Ahh I still need to think this over :)

  4. I think facebook is shitty as I previously told you on actual facebook haha! I prefer blogger because you can see people are finding your stuff, if I type in your name to google your blog comes up. Personally with Tumblr I feel you HAVE to have an account to look at stuff because they keep telling you to get it and I am like, nah I am not getting ANOTHER thing! Are you on artstation? I am on Instagram, Twitter, Blogger, Artstation and Facebook. I find it's doable but I get obsessed looking too, oh and I also use Linkedin because every professional person is on there that I want to see my work :) short story- you are not alone!

    1. Hm yeah it has def been pff-putting lately... Such a shame :( Ah right, that's probably since my domain name is connected to it! Maybe that's why it shows up. And what you mentioned about Tumblr is actually true as well. I dislike communities where they force you to sign up in order to see all the content. No, I don't have Artstation actually, it would be too much for me to maintain, I lurk around there sometimes but it reminds me too much about CGHub, which I also left eventuelly :P But I do use LInkedin! I don't use it that frequently, other than accepting invites haha. And I'm a lot more selective there, I tend not to accept people I don't know in person. Just to keep things extremely professional. Thanks for sharing and thanks for coming with suggestions! Feels good not to be alone haha. I know how addictive all the social media platforms can get, we gotta fight it!!

  5. This blogg is the only way I´m following you, hope you keep it up. Like your work. There are too many social media "gadgets" in my humble opionion, cant keep up with them. I do like blogs still though. RSS feed is a good thing too know when a new post is available.
    From time to time I´m also fighting the social media thing (or just say the Internet and other light entertainment).
    I should be producing right now I guess.. :)

    1. Thaks for your kind words and for following! And I agree, it's easy nowadays to get lost in the noise from all the platforms :) And touché, instead of working I'm here checking my comments! No discipline what so ever :p Wishing you a more productive day!

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April 30, 2018 Partners

Nova Bus Awarded Contract with Regional Transit Service in Rochester, NY

Nova Bus, Volvo Group’s North American bus division, is proud to announce it has been awarded a five year contract to supply replacement public transit buses for use in Monroe County, NY by Regional Transit Service (RTS).

February 8, 2018 Partners

Nova Bus / Prevost to offer FuelSense 2.0 technology from Allison Transmission beginning in March

Available in three packages, fuel-saving software offers a combination of upgraded features to optimize fuel economy and performance to specific needs.

May 23, 2017 Partners

Nova Bus equips the city of Montreal with its first fully electric buses

Nova Bus is proud to announce that, since this week, Montreal is the first city in North America to put Nova Bus 100% electric buses in service.

February 9, 2017 Partners

ABB and Nova Bus announce collaboration on electric transportation

February 9, 2017 – Montréal, QC: ABB, an engineering company specializing in automotive energy technologies and Nova Bus, the North American buses manufacturer and division of Volvo Buses, announced today a business collaboration that consists of …

May 15, 2015 Partners

Electrification of transportation: Volvo-stm city mobility project presented to local economic players

The City Mobility program is intended to bring together the expertise of public and private-sector players in a joint transportation electrification project.

April 14, 2015 Partners

Guelph transit renews its trust in Nova Bus with a four-year purchasing agreement for new Nova LFS buses

Nova Bus confirms a new order from Guelph Transit for four clean-diesel 40-foot Nova LFS buses, with options for up to five additional vehicles per year, from 2016 to 2019. The first vehicle delivery will …


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Gov. Rauner Calls Pension Decision "Right and Fair"

May 8, 2015

Gov. Bruce Rauner says the Illinois Supreme Court's decision striking down the state's public pension overhaul was ``fair and right.''

The Republican governor says he has long believed that the 2013 law aimed at reducing a $111 billion shortfall was unconstitutional.

That was the view of the justices who unanimously ruled against it Friday. They said the measure violated the state constitution because it would leave pension promises ``diminished or impaired.''

Rauner argued in a statement Friday that the state now needs a constitutional amendment to clarify the distinction between earned benefits of existing employees and future benefits of new workers.

That could clear the way for a Rauner proposal to switch public employees to a 401k-style retirement system to reduce the debt.


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09 September 2017

Sil Redi verdict an indictment to Sri Lanka’s 1.4m Government Servants

While one wrong does not make another wrong right, only those who have not & does not sin can cast the first stone. That leaves not many with a moral right to hold any stone! Those taking files certainly have soiled hands which have not been investigated to determine their own guilt. In legal parlance the unclean hands doctrine is also applicable. Nonetheless, the verdict has certainly shaken the 1.4million Public Sector. Today, everyone claims to be champions against corruption but how many of them are guilty themselves! The Public Sector, Government servants and in particular the civil servants need to now seriously address their role and future resolve. Yet, is there greater agendas behind the indictment given that by its own appeasing actions pressure is on the present government to prune the public sector while privatizing state assets leaving Sri Lanka with no hold over state resources in time to come.

It is without a doubt that the spine of the public servants and civil servants was broken during the reign of the UNP regime – judiciary was influenced and those that did not consent had their houses stoned, the culture of worshipping the politicians came into being turning the much respected public service into an appeasing bunch of secretaries and those that appeased more got the plum jobs.

Abuse of state property – media, vehicles, officials, offices for elections is nothing new and political influencing surged following 1978 where rigging/ballot box stuffing became a new feature alongside intimidation of candidates and even voters and not to mention the birth of the mafia and underworld gangs. All these evolved during the reign of the UNP and unpalatable as it is to accept it became the new norm of governance followed by all other parties as well. Every political party has been indulging in the very allegations that they charge others of. This resulted in a gradual decline of the state apparatus where previously astute officials like N Q Dias, M D R S S Gunawardena were found no more and in their place a bunch of ‘yes’ men evolved. The prestige of the public sector and civil servants had been degraded by the politicians and they need to get their respect back by earning that respect through a new policy of actions which all secretaries and public sector must now mutually consent to.

While it is agreed that no political party should abuse state property or influence state officials the fact that every political party in power does so, goes without question. In 2016 Anura Kumara Disanayake accused Kabir Hashim and Harin Fernando of renovating their official residence for a cost of Rs.600 lakhs each, plenty more renovated houses have been re-renovated because the spouse of the Minister did not like the colour of the walls or furniture! Luxury vehicles have been dished out to MPs do these not qualify as misappropriation of funds when the country is cash-strapped and debt ridden? However, Wimal Weerawanse ends up in jail for misuse of 40 state vehicles. When both UNP and SLFP rallies and conventions have seen state buses plying party supporters to their venues. While Nalaka Godahewa was also arrested and put into prison for financial fraud when the first bond scam took place in 2015 and before the COPE report was released Parliament was dissolved to prevent it from being tabled and that file is now missing! So where is the unbiased justice? We having Ministers raping forests, felling trees, creating ethno-ghettos, bringing narcotics into the country while the Minister associated with the Bond Scam who was forced to resign has landed himself a cabinet appointment & is presently functioning from Temple Trees doing rural development. So where does the buck stop? Is the norm and principle that only Opposition Members and their Secretaries are to be filed charges and sent to prison? That insider trading and bond scam has resulted in various ministers being dished out new homes, funding of wedding for ministers daughter, buying of electronic media and print outlets and many more irregularities all of which if put to investigation would end up taking years to complete with a heavy burden of expense on the State (tax payer).

A government that complained about cronyism and nepotism is today committing worse offences. The scale of irregularities and illegalities are too long to list but the manner that by gazette notifications bodies had been brought under the PM and the high handed manner governance is taking place should leave any to wonder what is this good governance the government is actually preaching. The Australian government is even investigating bribe scandals involving the highest in office. We have recently heard of the spouse of a cabinet minister signing 30 letters of appointment while the fact that Sri Lanka has become 95 in the corruption index where previously Sri Lanka was placed 83 in 2015 goes to show the present government is corrupt and that indirectly means that secretaries of ministries would also be held accountable for violations of state property and illegalities where they have placed their signature. This is extremely poignant for all public servants to take note of as the spoon of justice is often served unfairly.

A minister pleaded guilty recently to 2 charges of corruption but was only fined Rs.2000. Another former deputy minister pleaded guilty for 3 acts of corruption and he too was fined Rs.3000. Mr. Weeratunga has got 3 years rigorous imprisonment and has to pay Rs.52million not for taking any money but for his signature! While the foreigner that indulged in insider-trading leading to 2 bond scams remains a free man still enjoying state privileges!

The verdict will mean state sector will now be mortally scared and petrified to sign any order by politicians knowing their own fate! Can a state run in this manner where public servants will now be working in fear?

On the logic of clean hands – whose hands are unsoiled to be casting the first stone? Politicians are not the only culprits of corruption. The bribe giver and bribe taker are both guilty. How many companies influence politicians for their benefit? How many lobbying groups also use a variety of similar influences? How many of those bragging about corruption don’t even pay their taxes? How many others undervalue their shipments to avoid paying taxes? The scale of the bribe does not matter – a bribe is a bribe. How many others are guilty of even giving a small handout just to get ahead of the queue, to pass a file in the municipality, to ‘donate’ to get one’s child to a school. Is there a country that no corruption exists?

However, we do need self-regulation and regulatory authorities that are tasked to be independent and by independence it does not mean that they should be from NGOs or funded by foreign governments for most of these representatives earning dollars and pounds are paid to disturb and destabilize the country. None of them have shown themselves to be squeaky clean either. Public sector, private sector, media and even NGOs are all guilty of some malpractice or the other. Can they be then pointing fingers?

Retributive justice would mean going back in time to unearth all the dirty garbage. If relevant to the state apparatus it would mean who signed papers that gave arms to the LTTE, how many others have benefitted by LTTE money, who signed approvals for treacherous agreements and MOUs that placed a terrorist group on par with a national army thereby giving legitimacy to a non-state actor. Who signed approval papers that enabled LTTE to get sophisticated telecommunication equipment and even vehicles for which the GOSL had paid Customs duty, surcharge, and excise duty, PAL, VAT & BTT? Will all these secretaries end up in prison too?

How much can a country spend on eliminating corruption. Do we have the resources and money to spend and more importantly let’s not forget that the government now in power is a result of a regime change! Today, more statements on the internal affairs of Sri Lanka are being issued by the US envoy than from the country’s leaders. It is in this context that the speech delivered by Ms. Tamara Kunanayagam is poignant and food for thought for all. http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2017/09/07/constitution-making-process-an-american-project-tamara/ and this must be read in context with this article http://srilankaexpress.org/usaid-invasion-civil-society USAID invasion of civil society in Sri Lanka. Preaching democracy and promoting anticorruption looks to be part of a bigger gameplan meant to obviously get rid off and replace with stooges into every important governance position and turn Sri Lanka into another South Korea or Philippines.

However, no external entity can interfere or take over governance if the People are united and the People are able to read the writings on the wall.

As a starter the startled Public Sector must now determine its own future by refusing to succumb to any illegal instructions of any politician. The next problem arises in the reality that the politicians end up appointing their own family or friends into positions where through them the illegalities take place and mechanisms must be in place to report at least tabulate these irregularities. However, with the recent indictment it is very clear that while politicians will scratch their own backs for survival they will not come to the aid of any public servant who has been held accountable for follies committed by politicians.

It is a tragic reality that all public sector and secretaries in particular need to come to terms with. However, it cannot be ONLY two public officials who should take the fall as other secretaries still living have committed far greater treasonous sins using their signature and these need to be pursued and punished if unbiased justice is the name of the game.

Shenali D Waduge


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Following a Mediterranean diet for 6 months reduces oxidative stress in older Australians: results from the MedLey study (368)

Karen J Murphy 1 , Courtney R Davis 1 , Janet Bryan 2 , Carlene Wilson 3 , Jonathan M Hodgson 4
  1. Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity , University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  2. School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy, University of South Australia, Magill, South Australia, Australia
  3. Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, School of Medicine, Flinders University , Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
  4. School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Background/Aims: The MedLey trial is a 6 month dietary intervention study comparing the effects of a traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) with habitual diet on cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive performance in Australians aged 65 years and over. We aim to present the effect of a MedDiet versus a habitual diet (HabDiet) on an oxidative stress biomarker (F2-isoprostane; PGF2a).

Methods: One hundred and fifty-two volunteers (mean age 71 ± 5 years) were randomly assigned to follow either a MedDiet (n=80) or continue their habitual diet (HabDiet; n=72) (control) for 6 months. Plasma PGF2a was measured by GC-MS at baseline and 3 and 6 months. Data were analysed using a linear mixed effects model with age and gender as covariates.

Results: One hundred and thirty-seven volunteers completed the trial (n=70 MedDiet, n=67 HabDiet). Mean plasma PGF2a values for the MedDiet group were 808.5±27.5, 729.3±26.7, 730.4±50.0 pmol/L, at baseline, 3 and 6 months, respectively. Mean plasma PGF2a values for the HabDiet group were 787.8±34.8, 805.9±32.9, 776.4±33.5 pmol/L, at baseline, 3 and 6 months, respectively. There was a significant change over time within the MedDiet group (P<0.0001, 95% CI 34.8,109.3) however, there was no significant difference over time for the HabDiet group, nor was there any difference between dietary group.

Conclusions: Following a traditional MedDiet for 6 months may help reduce oxidative stress in vivo in older Australians which may assist with healthy vascular function and cognitive ageing.

Funding source: NHMRC


text: Protecting our skin from the sun is important, but there is plenty to know about SPF before applying it to your skin. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and a common myth is that the higher the SPF, the better it is for your skin. SPF values above 50 may coax you into believing they […]


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The Fog That Ate New York

Fog halts pickling efforts across Brooklyn. Photo: null/@alifewortheating

This morning, the fog was getting thicker and your commute time was getting laaaaarger, with the MTA announcing service disruptions for the entire system. And no wonder: As you can see in the photo above, which was taken from the New York by Gehry tower in Manhattan by software engineer Adam Goldberg and posted to Instagram, the cloud of fog utterly engulfed the city. Please alert 3-1-1 if you come across any leprous, vengeful ghosts.


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Tabla For Two

Just when the city seems about to drown in a sea of mediocre Indian food, along comes Tabla -- with its two tiers and two complete menus -- to turn the tide.

Maybe I've just never gotten over Gandhi beating out E.T. for Best Picture, but I just can't bring myself to love Indian food. Surely, as a critic, it is wiser to hold one's cards a fork-length from one's chest, but it's dishonest to pretend an equal preference for all the world's kitchens, especially since I've continually feared that if I fail to live honorably in this world, my purgatory in the next will be a perfect facsimile of Sixth Street between First and Second Avenues. Of course, there are exceptions. I've had fine meals at Chola and Jackson Diner. And each time the wheel of trendy-restaurant fortune stops on Indian food, I head to a fresh outpost, like Ismail Merchant's Pondicherry, full of optimism. And then I encounter more Raj-kill -- a chicken breast shrouded in sauce the color, density, and flavor of English banker flannels -- and resume my apparently futile search.

Finally, it's over. It would be diminishing to categorize Floyd Cardoz's deliciously clean Goan-spiced Maine crab cake or his exquisite, indulgent pairing of Hudson Valley seared foie gras with a black-pepper, anise, and pear compote as nouvelle Delhi. However, at Tabla this angelically shy yet enthusiastic young chef has forged a fascinating and often deliriously satisfying union of this country's abundant produce with the strong, heady spices and bewitchingly pungent condiments and marinades of his homeland. Purists can carp that Cardoz's wondrously rich duck-and-potato samosa and his bone-suckingly superb braised oxtail with tapioca and beets are not authentic. And they're right -- just as Jean-Georges Vongerichten's irresistible victuals at Vong aren't really Thai. God help those who choose pedigree over pleasure. What matters is that Tabla is a delightful surprise, unlike anything else in town. So, live without the mulligatawny for one night. You won't miss the sitar music or Siva statues either.

Much has already been written about Tabla, since it's the second of two new restaurants in the historic Metropolitan Life Tower (the first being Eleven Madison Park) created by Danny Meyer, the relentlessly attentive proprietor of Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern. Breitling-dependable as Union Square is, it's a cool place, functioning as if cued to a metronome. Gramercy Tavern and Eleven Madison Park conform to the same impeccable, every-slicked-back-hair-in-place image.

But Tabla's not like that. What you note first is the radical departure in design; right angles begone. With its suspended second floor built around a "viewing well" that sneaks a peak at ground level, Tabla is all curves and swoops. White is banished, replaced by deep brushed metals, abundant redwood stain, and sponged walls in rich, vegetable-dye pigments that are a bit easier to deal with in the evening. It's a busy landscape, and the overhead halogens upstairs can cast unkind facial shadows (only Dietrich ever benefited from being lit this way), yet this uncharacteristic lack of moderation has produced two rooms, upstairs and downstairs, that are more relaxed and convivial than any other Meyer space. Even his rigorously trained waiters appear more at ease, revealing appealing personalities along with their expected cascades of information.

But one hopes Meyer & Co. are gracious enough to understand that for all their successfully atypical efforts, it is chef Cardoz who has made Tabla such a winning departure. You could eat his tandoori quail with black-pepper glaze in a hosed-down barn and still be stupidly happy. His taro-dusted halibut with white beans is simply spectacular, the ultimate fish and chips. The airy greens and sheep's-milk fritters in the house salad might float away if it weren't for piquant droplets of curry-lime vinaigrette. And a devilish mustard-oil-red-pepper coulis allows seared scallops to start velvety, then bite back.

Occasionally, the East-West alchemy becomes forced, like one of those scenes in American remakes of foreign-language films when the humor just doesn't translate. Braised lamb shank in black pepper is curiously flat, as if the meat's natural flavor has been neutered. The wild-mushroom soup has a balance so subtle it can't be detected piping-hot, and by the time it cools, interest has waned. Beautifully aged sirloin resists a coriander-and-mustard crust. And mustard fettuccine with braised veal, baby spinach, and tomato kasundi is almost as busy as the first-floor ceiling's metallic basket weave. Something's got to go (in both cases). But veal loin with marrow-and-garlic jus is lushly distracting. A roasted poussin is vividly enhanced by black spice and yellowfoot chanterelles. Black bass in a maple-tamarind glaze, flaked with rice and seated precariously atop pea greens, has the sleek elegance of a vintage XKE on a straightaway. And thanks to a brazen coconut-coriander curry, going to City Island for lobster won't ever be as exciting again.

For the no-reservations dining area downstairs in the Bread Bar, Cardoz's completely separate menu lets you pile spiky grape-pine-nut and tomato-kalonji chutneys, a spunky lemon-chive raita, or guacamole with toasted cumin atop a host of chompable breads: horseradish taftan, buckwheat-and-honey or pumpernickel-caper roti, wheat parantha, plus a tantalizing rosemary-olive-oil naan. The lower-level combinations are lighter and more playful than those upstairs, as in a feisty rabbit pan roll with apple chutney, a spotlight-grabbing bowl of mussels steamed in kokum and ginger, and a chilly-scenes-of-winter-ridding bowl of lentil soup thickened by basmati rice. Cardoz's spice-rubbed tandoori lamb downstairs is superior to its second-level cousin, and the tandoor black bass is its upper-bunk rival's equal.

The two dessert menus had me debating whether to run up for the crunchy chocolate date cake, down for the triumphant vanilla-bean kulfi bathed in glistening blood-orange rose water, back up for crackling caraway crust surrounding a lovely apple tart or the spicy cornmeal crust under an unnervingly fine sweet-potato cheesecake, or to descend again for a special cardamom-tarted carrot cake. But then I realized there's no hurry; I'll be coming back. I have found my passage to India.

Tabla, 11 Madison Avenue, at 25th Street (889-0667). Mondays through Thursdays noon to 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays till 11:30 p.m. (At the Bread Bar, entrées are $14.50 to $21; at Tabla, lunch entrées are $17 to $23 and dinner is prix fixe only, $48). All major credit cards.

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Displaying all articles tagged:

Buddha Bar

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Life Is Not Exactly Nirvana for Buddha Bar Employees

According to legal papers filed last week, meatpacking district restaurant-lounge Buddha Bar hasn’t exactly been following the Noble Eightfold Path when it comes to its pay policies. A server, bartender, busboy, and six other employees have filed a class-action lawsuit accusing owner David Kay, CEO Nina Zajic, and GM Peter Jastimi of numerous stingy practices: withholding portions of their tips, redistributing tips to employees who weren’t entitled to them, failing to pay minimum wage, withholding a portion of “service charges” that diners assumed were paid to waiters, and forcing employees to pay for walkouts, uniforms, and credit-card fees. By the looks of these papers, it looks like the restaurant’s giant Buddha is the only thing sitting pretty. Reyes, Goins, and Peralta v. Buddha Bar

Visiting the Pachinko Parlors at Tao

Last week we took a trip to the Far East to hit the loos at Sapa. Now let’s travel even farther east and a little bit north (Madison Avenue at 55th Street!) to Tao, an eatery that’s so authentically Pan-Asian it boasts an enormous Buddha. But then again, so does every other restaurant in town. So how is Tao to distinguish itself from Megu, Buddakan, Buddha Bar, and the rest of them? Via its restrooms, of course!


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Oakland Athletics

Oakland Athletics claim Jairo Labourt, designate Brandon Moss for assignment

Oakland A's / Photo by Chris Lockard

The Oakland A’s addressed an area of depth chart weakness, claiming hard-throwing left-hander Jairo Labourt off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. To make room for Labourt on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated veteran Brandon Moss for assignment.

Labourt joins his third team in less than a week. The Reds claimed him off of waivers from the Detroit Tigers on Friday after the Tigers removed him from the roster to make room for Francisco Liriano.

Labourt turns 24 next week. Originally a member of the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization, Labourt joined the Tigers as one of the players the Blue Jays sent to Detroit for David Price at the 2015 trade deadline.

A starter for much of his career, Labourt pitched exclusively in relief last season. In Double-A and Triple-A, he had a 2.17 ERA with a 79:33 K:BB in 66.1 innings. Labourt threw six innings for the Tigers in September. He walked seven in those six frames and allowed three runs.

Labourt throws very hard, with his fastball clocking in as high as 97. He has swing-and-miss stuff, but has struggled to control the strike-zone consistently. In 481 minor league innings, Labourt has walked 270.

With the A’s thin on left-handed relievers in the upper levels, Labourt will give the A’s some additional depth. He will need to learn to throw strikes more consistently but has the raw stuff to be a big league contributor eventually.

Moss isn’t likely to be claimed on waivers and could return to A’s camp as a non-roster invitee. The left-handed hitter is blocked currently in the corner outfield, first base and DH, but an injury could open an opportunity for him before the end of camp.

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Friday, October 24, 2008

Injury report: N.C. State-Maryland

N.C. State linebacker Nate Irving, offensive tackle Julian Williams and wide receiver Geron James are scheduled to miss Saturday's game at Maryland, the school announced Thursday.

Irving and James have ankle injuries. Williams will miss his third straight game with a shoulder injury.

-- Ken Tysiac

Anonymous said...

NC State is the worst program in the state.

Anonymous said...

LMAO at the bottom feeding pirates fan who had the audacity to put that comment up. Tell your guys to lay off throwing the beer bottles and work on throwing the football. NC State already put you out of your misery weeks ago. Oh, I forgot you're still pulling grass out of your face from the temper tantrums you guys had that night. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Anonymous said...

NC State 30
ECU 24

Anonymous said...

Pirates: Worst program in the state.

Skip Holtz: Fastest ever from white hot to total flame out.

Greenville: Nasty armpit of NC.

ECU girls: Doctor visit.


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Hidden Meaning Behind How you Do this to Your Partner

If you are in a love relationship with someone then you must read this article to know at what stage your love is.

We all know that k!ssig is the first step of a relationship.It heightens the similarity in any case, and individuals can talk more over an enthusiastic level. The kind of hug additionally uncovers about exactly the amount somebody cares to your different.
You can test your relationship compatibility by how you and your partner k!ss initially in a relationship. Following is the list of different type of k!sses with their hidden meanings.

On Cheeks: It shows that your partner is precious for you and it further will lead to a close relationship with high understanding. Now expect thhis you both are now will going to hug each other in next date.

On Forehead: It shows that you love and care for your partner. This shows a close and respected relation between two people.

The Eskimo K!ss: It Is An amicable loving k!ss. When you wipe noses in reverse and advances with eyes, It’s closed. It’s absolute stunning and enthusiastic!

On Earlobe: Most Personal partners do this. Ears are a sensual and fragile zone of the body which embrace is really a private motion by your partner. When you get k!ss there you can unquestionably surely go on it as a sign of strong interest.

On hand: This infers that you are cherished and perspectives by each other. It’s an indication of maybe being polite, profound respect or appreciation.

On Neck: This shows you both want to cross the limits. Your partner and you may likewise k!ss like this because they feel you for some reservation. They likely need to get the opportunity to be free and information more appreciation.

The Frnch K!ss: It’s very much viewed as the most energetic k!ss. Your partner’s tongue touches yours-known as tongue k!ssing. This k!ss with the individual is more energized and sensual than generally others.

Sudden: When there is a high level of trust in your relationship, then you suddenly k!ss your partner. This shows a sudden devotion surge on your life partner and it infers that you find them powerfully appealing.

Also read: The Most Dangerous Sex Positions That You Should Definitely Avoid!

The Most Dangerous Sex Positions That You Should Definitely Avoid!

Also read: The Most Dangerous Sex Positions That You Should Definitely Avoid!

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2much 2handle? Schools, social networks, and cyber bullying

by Tracey Burns
Analyst and Project Leader,  Innovation and Measuring Progress Division, Directorate for Education and Skills

“I’m really worried but I don’t know how to react” my friend told me over coffee the other day. Her daughter, 11, had told her that she was being bullied online, but would not say by whom.

“What can I do? And how do I know if it’s serious or not?”

A just released OECD publication looks at how rapid technological development has changed the way we interact with each other and our communities. Despite the enormous potential of the Internet to reshape our world, there is a downside to infinite connectivity. Internet fraud, privacy concerns and identity theft are all part of the online world. For parents and children, worries about cyber bullying and protecting children from explicit content and online predators are crucial.

Cyber bullying occurs when a child, preteen or teen is threatened, harassed, or embarrassed by another young person using the Internet. A number of high–profile tragedies, for example teens who committed suicide as a result of cyber bullying, have brought this topic to the top of policy, education, and parental agendas. However the extent of cyber bullying is hard to estimate, varying from more than 10% of surveyed internet users aged 9 16 years in Australia, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden and the Russian Federation to between 2- 3%, in Italy, Portugal and Turkey. While cyber bullying is worrisome, bullying offline is still reported to be more common.

Interestingly, the bully and victim roles are often interchangeable and related: those who admitted bullying others were more likely to report being bullied themselves, both online and offline. Guides to protecting Internet users make it clear that the best preventive strategies involve awareness, constant vigilance, and keeping an open dialogue about children’s concerns and online lives. For education, this poses a series of tough questions. What responsibilities do educators have in monitoring student’s time online during school hours? How can different parental standards of safety be accommodated?

The advent of cyber bullying is just one example of technological changes sweeping OECD countries. Trends Shaping Education 2013 looks at 14 of these trends and their possible impact on education, including:
  • Social networking: Founded in 2004, Facebook had over 1 billion active users by September 2012. Should schools see social network sites as an opportunity to extend the learning process/experience beyond the classroom?
  • Increasing diversity of local content: Since the mid 2000s the diversity of languages on the Internet has increased dramatically. There are now over 250 languages online, with English, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish comprising the top five. Does local diversity of Internet content lead to better or worse quality of information available for students?
  • The evolution of the Internet: In January 2009, there were 15 000 downloadable applications, or “apps” available. By September 2012, this figure had grown to over 1.5 million. Is there a market for educational apps to improve learning in the classroom and extend it beyond?
The transformation of the Internet is felt throughout the entire world, including the poorest regions. Trends Shaping Education 2013 provides a powerful snapshot of these trends and links these data to the evolution of our classrooms and schools. How can educators develop their students’ critical capacity to use and contribute to the wealth of information available at the click of a button? What kind of quality control should we expect from e-learning? How can teachers make the best use of ICTs for teaching and learning?

These are just some of the questions we must ask ourselves when planning for the medium and long term of technology in our education systems. Our world is changing. The question is: are our schools evolving too?

This is the second of a series of blogs issued for the release of Trends Shaping Education 2013. You can find the first one here:
The weight of nations: the shape of things to come?

Popular posts from this blog

How Japan’s Kosen schools are creating a new generation of innovators

Educating our youth to care about each other and the world

“Digital literacy will probably be the only kind of literacy there is”


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Home01616191, Bar

01616191, Bar

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This is a bar, front end-right hand, for Cadillac automobiles. It fits for Cadillac Deville, Fleetwood brougham, Fleetwood coupe, Fleetwood limousine, Fleetwood sedan, Eldorado, Seville, and Commercial chassis for the U.S.. It's a genuine General Motors part with an OEM part number 01616191. Please keep in mind that this bar is discontinued for the U.S. market since September 1, 1989.

This part has a standard 12 months GM warranty on replacement parts.

This bar 100% fits for General Motors cars. It's made of top quality materials, it has passed not only all manufacturer's tests but also General Motors quality control and has to endure rough road conditions over a long time.

In spite of higher price of genuine parts buying this bar will be a smart decision because you will be absolutely sure that it will serve you longer and will provide maximum safety and performance for your car.

Part 01616191 has been superseded

  • 01616191 is discontinued since September 1, 1989 for the U.S. market;
  • 01609469 was replaced with 01616191 on June 1, 1982 for the U.S. market.

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Friday, July 21, 2017

Pride of a Viking by Sky Purington Spotlight Tour #Giveaway!

Genre: Time-Travel Fantasy/Shifter Romance

Date of Publication:  July 9, 2017

Number of pages: 260 pages

Word Count:  82,000

Cover Artist:  Tara West

Two men tore Erica’s world apart in another life. One was the man she loved and the other the enemy. Now both are back, and it’s up to her to make sure an ancient blood feud doesn’t destroy everyone she cares about. That means steering clear of her dragon mate. But sometimes memories are too strong and the past too powerful. Or so it seems when she slips back in time and ends up on an unexpected journey with a man she was determined to forget.

Having confronted who he once was and what he did in a previous life, Kodran Sigdir sets out to seek answers. He needs to better understand his part in an age old war and to keep his distance from Erica. They should remain apart. Yet destiny seems to be drawing him back to her. How he once felt. All he gave up. Could things go differently this time? Or will the risk to their people be too great? Find out as Erica, Kodran and their kin go up against the enemy one last time in Pride of a Viking, the epic conclusion of Viking Ancestors’ Kin.

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“Are you sure Hallstein was your mate in another life?” His eyes held hers as he spun her so that they were facing each other. “Do you have memories of your time with him?” He shook his head, spoke through clenched teeth and worked hard to keep rage from taking over as he caught glimpses of what she had endured. “He did things to you, Erica. Terrible things. Things that make no sense given you were Maeva…his mate.”
She leaned back, clenched her jaw and averted her eyes. “Yes, he was my mate. I’m sure of it.”
“Then why can’t you look at me when you say that?” He tilted her chin until she had no choice but to meet his eyes. “What aren’t you telling me? What’s the missing piece?” He frowned. “Because something’s not adding up.”
“It doesn’t…you just...” She frowned as well. “You need to let this go. You need to let me go. It’s the only way this is going to work. It’s the only hope we have.”
“And where am I supposed to let you go to?” He glanced around to remind her where they were before his eyes returned to hers. “Because it’s out of my control, yes?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Do I?” He stepped a bit closer and never removed his fingers from her chin. “Because as far as I can tell you want me to believe you desire Hallstein when that’s the furthest thing from the truth. I think you’re trying to push me away so that you can somehow save everyone all on your own.”
Because he was remembering his last life, he remembered what Maeva had looked like. While they shared the same tall, lithe build with curves in all the right places, he found Erica more stunning in this life. Her eyes were varying shades of striking green that seemed to shift with her mood, and her warm skin tone was luminous. He wanted to feel her soft skin against him. Touch every last inch of her.
She went very still as their eyes held. Or so one would think if they couldn’t detect the slight tremor that went through her. Shivers that only translated to another dragon. He also noticed that she had gone from momentarily vulnerable to completely closed off despite her physical reaction.
“You’re good at that,” he murmured, shifting even closer to see if he could bring out that tremor even more. “Trying to be strong for everyone else all the time. How long have you played that part?” While he should have remained compassionate and thankful, his inner dragon was flaring. The jealousy that reared whenever he thought about her in the enemy’s arms. “How long have you been playing the part of a woman trying to convince Hallstein that you’re his? How long have you been—”
“No,” she cut him off, yanked her chin away and narrowed her eyes. “What I’ve done to help our people is not because—”
“Because you’re meant to be together?” he cut her off just as readily, as he turned things around on her. “Because you’re not, are you?” He shook his head and narrowed his eyes as well. “You’re not supposed to be with him.” His voice dropped to a whisper as the truth hovered just out of reach. Like a memory he was right on the verge of remembering. “You never were, but something happened…”
Something he needed to understand, so he thought fast. If one thing had been proven true with his kin and their mates it was that intimacy seemed to speed up their mental connections. So why not get things moving in that direction?
It seemed Erica followed his line of thought because a moment later she started to move away but he caught her. With an arm around her lower back, he yanked her against him, cupped the back of her neck and kissed her.

The moment he did, everything changed.

Sky Purington is the bestselling author of over thirty novels and several novellas. A New Englander born and bred who recently moved to Virginia, Sky was raised hearing stories of folklore, myth and legend. When combined with a love for nature, romance and time-travel, elements from the stories of her youth found release in her books.

Purington loves to hear from readers and can be contacted at

Interested in keeping up with Sky’s latest news and releases? Visit Sky's website, to download her free App on iTunes and Android or sign up for her quarterly newsletter. Love social networking? Find Sky on Facebook and Twitter.

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  1. Thanks so much for featuring Pride of a Viking. Have a fabulous weekend! :-)

    Sky Purington

  2. Hi Sky very happy to take part in this tour! You too have a beautiful weekend!