Ice cream cake is delicious, but buying one is usually too much for you and a friend, and piling up the layers of cake and melting ice cream can get messy fast if you make your own. Use a muffin tin to give everyone their own individual cakes and cut down on the prep mess.
Jim PaullMmm
Need something quick and delicious for dinner tonight? Sheet pan meals to the rescue again! This one — with chicken, veggies, and a flavorful "stir-fry" sauce — definitely doesn't disappoint.
In the moment, you can justify pretty much any purchase decision. Maybe you do need a third coffee maker and more flannel shirts—they’re 40% off! But wait, do you really? This flowchart helps you figure out if your desire to buy is actually out of necessity or just an impulse.
At the heart of a cheese ball is, of course, the cheese, so it's important that the cheese used is a great one if you want stellar results. Almost any cheese can be transformed into a party-friendly ball, but we have a few favorites that we always turn to when building our creation. Here are our top five picks.
Jim PaullmmmM
It might be basic and it might be expensive, but damn it, brunch is irresistible. To that end, BrunchCon is the food festival you've been waiting for.
Heavy rains have been hitting the town of Lircay, Peru and its surround hard in the last several days, leading to significant structural damage to a number of buildings in the town. One particularly tragic casualty of the eroding river’s edge was the total collapse of a three-story hotel.
In this crazy travel video, you’ll see the La Hacienda hotel completely collapse into the swelling Sicra river below. The hotel’s location adjacent to the river left it vulnerable to the rising waters, and eventually the foundation completely gave out and the hotel crumbled right into the river rushing by. Luckily, as the situation worsened, the 50-room hotel was evacuated and no one was injured when it crashed into the water.
Here are nine of the best photos that readers added to the Consumerist Flickr Pool in the last week, picked for usability in a Consumerist post or for just plain neatness.
Want to see your pictures on our site? Our Flickr pool is the place where Consumerist readers upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click “Join Group?” up on the top right. Choose your best photos, then click “send to group” on the individual images you want to add to the pool.
Jim PaullGo to Toms.
PARIS: A rush of women going under the knife for designer genitals has taken even plastic surgeons by surprise and divided medical professionals on the ethics and benefits of “labiaplasty”.
In 2015, more than 95,000 women worldwide underwent the procedure, according to data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS).
Most often, labiaplasty involves trimming back the inner “lips” or labia minora flanking the vaginal opening, in a procedure that is also known as nymphoplasty.
It was the 19th-most popular surgical procedure in 2015, followed by “vaginal rejuvenation” — usually tightening of the vaginal canal — in 22nd place with just over 50,000 procedures.
“I trained in the ’80s and if you had told me that you could imagine that this is happening know, I would think you were crazy,” Renato Saltz, a plastic surgeon from Utah and ISAPS president told AFP.
In the United States alone, 2015 saw nearly 9,000 labiaplasties done — a 16 percent increase from the previous year, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).
Older data is not available — growth in the sector has been explosive in the past few years.
“Women have become much more concerned about the appearance of their genitalia,” ASAPS board member and New York plastic surgeon Nolan Karp told AFP.
Why? The internet.
“How many nude women, before the internet, would a woman see in her lifetime?” he asked. “Not many, you know, very carefully looking at… genitals.”
People today, he added, “understand what is pretty, what is normal, what looks good, what doesn’t look good.”
Much of what men and women see, however, does not in any way resemble the variety of shapes and sizes in which the female genitalia exist.
The ‘Barbie look’
“It’s very concerning,” said Dorothy Shaw, former head of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), referring to the “standard” being pursued.
Designer vulva resemble those of a young girl.
“They have no hair and they’re very flat, so you just see sort of a slit,” Shaw explained.
In reality, “it’s not as though the majority would look like a young girl. They don’t.”
A study published in 2005, found “far greater diversity” in genital shape and size than had ever been documented in scientific literature.
In the 50 women studied, labia minora length varied from two to 10 centimetres (0.8-3.9 inches), and width from 0.7 to five centimetres.
Given the variety, the authors said, it was “surprising that surgeons feel confident that surgery has the potential to achieve a ‘normal’ female genital appearance.”
Yet, the fad has taken root like many others before it.
While women can suffer real discomfort from protruding inner labia chafing, many use it as an excuse, the experts said.
“We know that in about 40 percent of cases when women ask for a nymphoplasty to relieve pain… they lie,” gynaecologist and plastic surgeon Nicolas Berreni told AFP.
“What they really want is the ‘Barbie’ look. On Barbie, you don’t see the inner labia,” he said on the sidelines of the IMCAS aesthetic congress in Paris.
Chronic pain
It’s not just a question of personal taste — there are health risks too.
“I have colleagues who see women who have chronic vulvar pain” after labiaplasty and other cosmetic procedures, said Shaw, a retired gynaecologist.
“Any time you cut off a piece of tissue, there’s a chance of bleeding, of infection and then subsequently of scarring,” she explained.
“When you get scarring… you have a risk of catching nerve endings in that scar tissue which will then cause pain or discomfort going forward.”
Shaw expressed particular concern about teenagers having labiaplasty before their physical development is complete.
“The inner lips in normal development become much more prominent (in adolescence), and as the outer lips grow, that changes,” she explained.
“We need a way to help particularly young women understand that their bodies are still developing, they may not look like that in a few years, and that they may be harming themselves in a way that could be permanent.”
Shaw helped develop guidelines for female genital cosmetic surgery for the SOGC.
The document stresses there is little evidence of surgery improving either sexual satisfaction or self image.
And it warns such procedures must “not contravene laws regarding female genital mutilation.”
FGM involves the removal of the clitoris and labia, sometimes of very young girls against their will, in a misguided effort to reduce libido and keep women “chaste”.
It is often performed in the name of religion, and is controversial in countries trying to save girls and women from genital mutilation — some of the same countries where labiaplasty is becoming a fashion statement.
IHG Rewards Club is about to launch their next round of PointBreaks hotels that are available for bookings and stays January 30 – April 30, 2017, although the most popular hotels will drop off the list fast.
IHG Rewards Club just shared with us few PointBreaks properties and they will make the full preview available on Friday around noon. These hotels will then be available for bookings on Monday morning US time.
You can access IHG’s web page for PointBreaks hotels here (note that this page is updated sometime on Monday with the new hotels).
UPDATE: IHG Rewards Club PointBreaks January 30 – April 30, 2017 (FULL LIST)
READ MORE: IHG Rewards Club Rate & Bonus Points And Miles Promotions
IHG Rewards Club is currently selling points with a bonus (read more here) that could be interest of those that may need some more points for good redemptions.
Here are some of the properties available:
Remember to participate our giveaway for 100,000 IHG Rewards Club points (access here) that ends tomorrow!
Here are three videos of rooms at the Holiday Inn Silom that I have taken (check out LoyaltyLobby YouTube channel here):
Premium Suite
Premier Room
King Room
Conclusion
The Holiday Inn Bangkok in Silom is a solid hotel and I have stayed there several times if going out in the area. The hotel is mostly used by the Emirates crews based on my observations.
I would like to hit the Indigo Krakow Old Town and the InterContinental hotel in Santo Domingo, but my travel schedule is pretty much full until the end of August.
We will have separate post up here on LoyaltyLobby once IHG Rewards Club has made the entire PointBreaks preview list available tomorrow and once they are available for bookings on Monday.
Jim PaullSoon to have halal pork chicken.
Jim PaullNice
What do you do when you have three beautiful curved ultrawide displays? Mount them side-by-side for a glorious, pixel-packed super-wide experience, like elliotvs did with his workspace. Here’s a closer look.
Jim PaullGov't going broke.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s decision to stop holding Formula 1 Grand Prix auto races from 2018 will not be a loss to the country, according to a Forbes report.
Even sponsors, teams and the federation in Paris which runs the races are not likely to see it as a loss.
The report quoted Mark Thomas, founder and managing director of the sporting event organiser and consultancy S2M Group, as saying that both teams and sponsors saw Malaysia as one of racing’s less popular locations.
One reason was that they were somewhat put off by the heat and rains here.
The report also said Malaysians had found the Sepang circuit inaccessible and preferred Grand Prix motorcycle racing.
Thomas was quoted as saying: “The theory goes F1 will promote a country or city on the global stage by increasing awareness via its massively potent TV platform.
“This should in turn help the brand awareness of a country which should help their respective economies. However, this may be difficult to quantify and given F1’s relative lack of popularity across the region and huge cost, it is sometimes difficult to justify.”
Tourism Minister Nazri Aziz had last November been reported as saying that the races had become too expensive to host.
He said F1 attendance was dropping and it was less attractive now.
He said the country was spending RM300 million a year but it had not been able to recoup the money spent on hosting the event. Ticket sales have been declining and Malaysia has not produced quality F1 drivers in all the years that it has hosted the race.
The Forbes report quoted Trinh Nguyen, the Asia-based senior economist with French investment bank Natixis, as saying: “I think this simply reflects the cost and benefit analysis and not necessarily about politics.
“When revenue is less than cost, then the decision to not keep the race in Malaysia is really just about the fact that it is no longer economical for the country to do so. We don’t think it will have a significant impact on the country’s performance.”
Japan and South Korea have also stopped hosting car races because of the cost factor. Singapore is the only nation in the region that will be hosting such races after 2018.
Jim PaullSo what I gather from that is hilton loves purple and has no regard for tapestries.
Hilton made an announcement today that they would be launching a 14th brand called Tapestry Collection that intends to get independent hotels to sign up while maintaining their uniqueness.
Hilton already has another soft brand called Curio Collection that was launched in 2014. The hotels joining this Tapestry are supposed to be one step lower in quality than Curio ones.
You can access Hilton HHonors here.
READ MORE: Hilton HHonors Rate & Bonus Points And Miles Promotions
Here’s the press release from Hilton:
MCLEAN, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the launch of a vibrant new brand that offers guests a refreshing choice for an independent hotel stay: Tapestry Collection by Hilton. Tapestry Collection by Hilton marks the 14th brand and second collection brand for Hilton, the world’s fastest-growing hospitality company on an organic net unit growth percentage basis.
Tapestry Collection by Hilton was curated due to customer and owner demand for original upscale hotels that cater to guests seeking reliability and value in their independent hotel choices. Each hotel will maintain its individual spirit, offering guests an experience that is approachable and familiar as well as different from other hotels. In addition, each stay is backed by the reassurance of the Hilton name as well as its unmatched commercial engine and award-winning Hilton HHonors program.
“The launch of Tapestry Collection by Hilton extends Hilton’s proven growth strategy, which focuses on developing clearly-defined brands organically to grow our global footprint, create more hotel options for existing guests and attract new guests,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. “Tapestry Collection by Hilton will enable us to provide the best of both worlds to travelers who are looking for an independent hotel experience but also want the consistency and reassurance they expect from Hilton.”
Seven hotels have signed letters of intent with the collection in the following cities: Syracuse, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Nashville, Tenn.; Warren, N.J.; Hampton, Va., and two in Indianapolis, Ind. The collection has an additional 35 deals in process, with the first property expected to convert to Tapestry Collection by Q3 2017. Further additions to the collection will be announced in the coming months.
The Tapestry Collection by Hilton is positioned in the upscale segment just below Curio – A Collection by Hilton, which has been highly successful since launching in 2014. Curio today operates more than 30 upper upscale hotels in seven countries with another 45 in the global development pipeline.
According to Bobby Bowers, Senior Vice President, Operations, for industry research firm STR, the supply of independent properties in the upscale market is estimated to be more than 15,000 hotels globally. “Considering the size of the market, Tapestry Collection by Hilton should find ample opportunity for conversions well into the future,” Bowers said. “This move is consistent with Hilton’s strategy of creating and developing original brands that fuel organic growth.”
Hilton’s Organic Growth Strategy
While numerous brands compete in the luxury and upper upscale segments, Hilton’s extensive consumer feedback and competitive data analysis have revealed a white space opportunity in the upscale market segment, especially for a collection brand.
Hilton has launched several brands in the past decade including Home2 Suites by Hilton in 2009, Curio – A Collection by Hilton in 2014, Canopy by Hilton in 2014 and Tru by Hilton in 2016. Combined, they have added 20,000 rooms to the Hilton footprint, with another 66,000 in the pipeline.
“With Tapestry Collection by Hilton we are responding to our guests’ and owners’ desire for a compelling new choice for an upscale collection brand,” said Mark Nogal, global head, Curio – A Collection by Hilton and Tapestry Collection by Hilton. “A ‘tapestry’ is a one-of-a-kind, woven piece of art, making it the ideal name for our new collection of hotels that are dedicated to being different.”
Tapestry Collection by Hilton guests will be able to benefit from Hilton HHonors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton’s 14 distinct hotel brands that serve an ever-growing footprint of 60 million members in 104 countries. Hilton HHonors members who book directly with Hilton save time and money and gain instant access to the benefits they care about most, such as an exclusive member discount, free Wi-Fi, and the ability to earn and redeem Points for free nights. They can also access digital amenities like digital check-in with room selection and Digital Key (in select locations), available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors mobile app.
Media may access additional information about Tapestry Collection by Hilton at news.tapestrycollection.com, by visiting tapestrycollection.com or by connecting with Tapestry Collection by Hilton on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Tapestry Collection by Hilton™ is a gathering of original upscale hotels that caters to guests seeking reliability and value in their independent hotel choices, with each stay backed by the reassurance of the Hilton name and award-winning Hilton HHonors program. Learn more about Tapestry Collection by Hilton at news.tapestrycollection.com or by visiting tapestrycollection.com. Connect with Tapestry Collection by Hilton on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Conclusion
Not sure why Hilton felt that they needed a second soft brand aimed at independent hotels? They already have the Curio Collection that has attracted a mere 30+ hotels in less than three years since the launch back in 2014.
If this “Tapestry” is aimed at lower quality independent hotels (looking at the Curio Collection Ansel in Buenos Aires), I cannot see what is the point?
I understand getting high quality independent hotels joining Hilton HHonors (like what Marriott has done with their Autograph Collection and SPG with Tribute and Luxury Collection).
Why would these lower quality hotels pay the fees associated with Hilton and their loyalty program (20% to 30% of the revenue)? High quality independents don’t have the need while struggling ones probably do.
Jim PaullOpium den.
Ah, Yankee Candle: The brand that goes from lovely smelling to headache-inducing faster than you can say “Fresh Balsam.” If you need to replenish your candle stash, take up to 40% off large jar and 2-wick candles during today’s Amazon Gold Box. But this is a one-day sale, so get your wax on before this burns out.
Jim PaullmmmmmmM
There are few things our readers love more than a good slow-cooker recipe. After all, the set-it-and-forget-it kitchen gadget makes getting dinner on the table so much easier. We've rounded up slow-cooker recipes countless of times (like here, and here, and here), but we're always on the lookout for more.
Are you in the same boat? We're stoked to have recently found out the most popular slow-cooker recipe on Pinterest. Have you tried it yet?
Jim PaullYou need this.
Android: If you prefer Microsoft’s OneDrive to backup your photos, you can now save space on your phone. When you upload more than 1GB of photos, the beta version of the app will ask if you want to delete the local copies.
Juicing is a relatively new diet trend that focuses on juicing fruits and vegetables, using the juice as a meal replacement or a supplement to meals. There are variety of health benefits that have been associated with juicing, including weight loss and increased consumption of vitamins and minerals.[1] In addition, juicing can be a simple and tasty way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet (especially for people who aren't a big fan of fruits or vegetables or don't have time to prepare them daily). Following a diet based on juicing may lead to weight loss, especially when combined with physical activity.[2] Follow the steps below for a safe and well-balanced juicing plan.
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
Professor Lant Pritchett
SUBANG JAYA: Malaysian graduates have been equated to Danish high school dropouts, despite the government having invested sufficient funds in education and impressive teaching tools in schools.
Harvard professor Lant Pritchett said he had carried out research in Indonesia and found the Indonesian situation to be similar to Malaysia’s.
“Research was done on graduates in Indonesia on literacy, creative thinking and on other aspects and the results were the same as junior high school dropouts in Denmark. The same features appear in Malaysia.
“The reason is because students leave primary school without mastering the subjects and the same with secondary (school students). By the time they reach the tertiary (level), they are left far behind. There is no deep understanding of the materials. Instead, it is rote memorisation, applying theory and regurgitating it during exams,” he told FMT.
Pritchett was in Malaysia for the Asia Public Policy Forum 2016 co-hosted by Harvard Kennedy School and the Jeffrey Cheah Institute of Southeast Asia here.
He said the real measure of education should be mastery of the subject with practical application, and which was not confined to rote memorisation of the subject.
Professor Michael Woolcock
Redefine role of education
He added the system should redefine the role of education “to not just schooling that focuses on butts and seats but on ideas and hats so that children emerging out of the schooling system were adequate for the 21st century.”
Another Harvard University professor, Michael Woolcock, said the big challenge for Malaysia was making sure the system worked for everybody.
“(Take) the European system (for example). They have been doing it for 200 years and it has worked very well for them. They have developed a good traditional practice and a strong sense from the community and parents to help students learn critical thinking skills and apply what they learn.”
Gaps between the rich and poor
He said in Malaysia, the system worked well for the middle class and the rich but the bottom half of the population was unable to catch up.
“The needs of the rich, middle (class) and the poor in Malaysia are wide (ranging). The different layers and gaps need to be enriched to close the gap.”
Woolcock will return to Washington today after 18 months of researching the Malaysian education system.
He said a study showed that 51% of those from the lower classes, who work in factories, were unable to read manuals or perform basic procedures.
“They are unable to apply theory or understand English. It is not a geography issue. In Malaysia, it is a class issue. For a system to work really well, it has to work for everybody.
“The education system works fine for the top half but the big challenge is to make it work for everybody, including rural villagers and isolated communities.”
English a big barrier
One of the biggest barriers was proficiency in the English language. Woolcock said that just like in European countries, debates raged on whether using English would compromise use of the mother tongue.
“These debates always happen but they have figured out how to do both. They teach English very well. So much so Europeans are good at both (English and their native language).”
For instance, in Iceland, they take their mother tongue seriously. But they recognise that they are from a small country and if they could only speak Icelandic, their economy might not be functional and meet the needs of the world economy.
“Everyone (there) speaks Icelandic and English. They learn English to do deals with the Italians, Spaniards and others.”
He said in Malaysia, those who spoke English were from the upper and middle classes, and were the ones who attracted foreign investors into the country.
However, Woolcock said an education system should find ways to benefit all.
For instance, he said his study in Palestine showed that a school in the middle of a war zone, and located in a desert, scored high marks of international standard.
“That was a phenomenon. We later found out the community was coaching students to apply what they learnt. It worked for them.”
Better tracking system
He said Malaysia needed a system to track the reasons why a school performed better or worse than others so as to close the gap between schools.
He added Malaysia had all the right ingredients for an efficient education system but that the problem lay with policy implementation.
Woolcock added it was good that Malaysia spent large sums of money on education and on tools like the blackboard and smart boards. “All the raw materials and money are there but the implementation is not there.”
Teachers need space to work well
He pointed out that the state of education in the country was not the fault of individual teachers. “It is not that they are not smart or capable or diligent in doing their job. The problem is the system they are part of. If we want to change the system, you got to change the rules and practices.”
He said teachers needed space to try something different. This was because in some countries like India, a teacher was only considered good when he or she completed all the chapters of a textbook. They were not judged on whether the child had learnt anything.
“If a teacher has to show that all the subjects are completed to get a salary increase, then that is what the teacher will do. The prioritising is crucial.”
He praised the government for implementing higher order thinking skills as well as the dual language programmes in national schools and hoped these would be filtered down to the system.
“Because again, there may be variations with the top half class taking off well. Some schools might pull through and others might be diabolically off.”
Upworthy has 25 positive things you can do during, and instead of, the inauguration.
Film School Rejects has what you should watch on television/netflix/dvd instead of the inauguration.
We the Unicorns lists what you should watch on YouTube instead of the inauguration.
DGOMag (Durango) has a list of political albums to listen to instead of....you get the idea.
Round up by Blue Gal / Frances Langum of The Professional Left Podcast and you bet your sweet internet kitty we'll have a show up by end of day. But it won't be about the inauguration.
Jim PaullIn my 48 years of life I've done a lot of things with my penis but I can honestly say that I have never tried to stick it into a bottle.
KLANG: It was 90 minutes of agony for a 21-year-old man who cut himself with a saw while trying to free his penis stuck in a mineral water bottle.
The youth called the emergency line for help when the attempt to free himself went wrong, resulting in profuse bleeding in the 4am incident.
The emergency rescue team from the Andalas Fire and Rescue Department arrived at 5.25am following a distress call at 4am.
They took about 10 minutes to cut open the plastic bottle and stop the bleeding before taking the man to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said the man claimed his penis got stuck in the bottle when he tried to urinate into it at home in Gong Badak, Port Klang.
Jim PaullI can't even get my head around this.
Today is National Cheese-Lover's Day and, while pretty much every day feels like a good day to celebrate (and eat!) cheese (lots and lots of cheese), today is an especially good day for it. You may find yourself leaning toward a decadent triple-crème or a slightly salty blue or maybe something sharp and hard.
Whatever the case, if you are like me and planning to make a meal of it, you may also find yourself wondering: What should I drink with my plate of cheese and accoutrements?
Now, the first answer that probably comes to mind is wine. I like wine, you most likely also like wine, and, most importantly, cheese likes wine. But is wine the best mate? Maybe, but also maybe not.
Allow us to present a case for pairing your cheese with tequila.
Airline passengers who kick the seatback in front of them and inattentive parents are the top culprits for ruining a flight experience. These revelations are courtesy of the annual Expedia Airplane Etiquette Study.
To determine the most aggravating behaviors aboard an airplane, Expedia partnered with independent research company GfK to poll 1,005 Americans over age 18 on which in-flight behaviors they found the most reprehensible.
According to the study, these are the top offenders for bad in-flight etiquette:
The Rear Seat Kicker: This was the most aggravating passenger to contend with, as nearly two-thirds of respondents identified kicking the seat as the worst behavior. Passengers also use the seat back as a retaliation tool; 25% of respondents said they would fully recline their seat if the person behind them was being rude or aggressive.
Bad Children and Inattentive Parents: Coming in a close second were children, and ultimately their parents. 59% of those responding ranked “parents who have no control over, or pay no attention to, their crying, whining or misbehaved children” as their biggest frustration in the air. The situation has caused some carriers, including AirAsia and Singapore’s Scoot Airlines, to create “child-free” zones on aircraft.
Poor Hygiene: Over half of those surveyed said passengers with poor hygiene or those who wear too much cologne were among the worst flyers in the sky. Odors may not necessarily be limited to personal habits, as certain foods can also create an unpleasant cabin.
TIE: The Loud and The Drunk: Tied for fourth were two habits that can sometimes go hand in hand. Nearly half of passengers said the “audio insensitive” (those who spend their flight talking or listening to music too loud) and those who drink too much were equally aggravating. Although drunken flyers have caused passengers and crew to take action, the publicized incidents may be more of the exception than the rule. When asked, only 12% of passengers said they have more than two drinks when flying.
The Talkative: The “Chatty Cathy,” or the over-talkative passenger, ranked fifth on the list of most annoying passengers, with 40% rating this passenger as the most annoying. While there’s nothing wrong with breaking the ice with a rowmate, over one-third of passengers said they would just as well sit in a designated quiet zone of an aircraft.
The Line Jumper: Passengers who are in too much of a hurry to board their aircraft are also considered an annoyance to fellow flyers. 35% of flyers found line jumpers to be at the top of their frustrations. Good etiquette dictates falling in line when the boarding agent calls for it and not forming unnecessary lines ahead of time.
On Seat Reclining: Americans also found frustrations in the issue of whether or not to recline their seats during a flight. While more than half of passengers admitted to reclining their seat at cruising altitude, just over one-third of passengers would be okay if reclining seats were banned on flights. However, more people are becoming more cognizant of the seatback battle, as nearly one-quarter of respondents said they don’t recline the seat because it is “poor etiquette,” while another 11% said they feel uncomfortable when the seat is reclined.
Deal or No Deal: How do people deal with rude flyers in the air? The majority of those asked said they would alert the flight attendant to deal with the situation, while one-third said they would deal with the annoyance in silence. One in 10 would deal with the situation head-on, while 13% said they would record the situation with their cell phones (although only 5% would air their grievances or shame fellow passengers on social media).
The Friendly Skies? Although the list of annoyances seems to grow every year, passengers polled still say flying is an enjoyable experience. An overwhelming 79% of those polled said passengers are overall considerate of one another, while three out of four say they clean their seat area before deplaning. And clearly some actions are more excusable than others. Among the behaviors at the bottom of the aggravation list are the “single and ready to mingle,” the “mad bladder” passenger and the “amorous couple.”
Featured image courtesy of craftvision via Getty Images.
Jim PaullMmmm
When cream cheese and the happy hostess met, a magical cocktail party food was born. I'm talking about the cheese ball. Creamy, dreamy, and cheesy, this centerpiece of a cheese tray or standalone snack with crackers was the elegant update on dips. The combination of the mildness of cream cheese and the sharpness of the grated cheddar, all amped up with a dash of Dijon and a splash of Worcestershire, made it oh so inviting.
Now it's your turn. The cheese ball may be retro, but there's a reason that cheese balls have a hallowed place in the hors d'oeuvre hall of fame. Here's how to master the art of the cheese ball and make it your very own.
Jim PaullHaha. He says "Please think of parents who may have to send two or even three children to college at the same time" Or think about the child who needs to go two or three times to get the same level of education as Danish drop-outs.
Jim PaullAnd the Malays will be bitching that there are no squat holes to go in.
TOKYO: Japan’s toilet chiefs say they have come up with a plan to stop tourists getting their knickers in a twist over the country’s mind-bogglingly high-tech loos.
Under new guidelines, manufacturers will use the same eight pictograms to tell users which button flushes, which one fires a frighteningly accurate jet of water at the backside and what to press to close the lid.
Japan has been drawing record numbers of tourists in recent years and Tokyo is expecting millions of visitors when it hosts the Olympic Games in 2020.
The Japan Sanitary Equipment Industry Association hopes that ensuring all toilets have standardised images will prove just the job, ensuring millions of non-Japanese speaking visitors know the difference between a big and a small flush.
Japan’s most state-of-the-art toilets offer everything from seat warming and bidet functions to motion sensors, variable jet strengths and powerful deodorisers.
Celebrities such as Madonna, Leonardo Di Caprio and Will Smith have raved about the smart loos, which are a big hit among visiting tourists, particularly the Chinese.
But there has been no standardised set of symbols for their many buttons and different manufacturers often use their own images, representing something of a pain in the backside for unaccustomed users.
Among the eight drawings are what looks like a woman sitting on a fountain for bidet function, a pair of splayed cheeks being sprayed with water for backside wash and something resembling a tornado for a big flush.
Jim PaullUnless you really need paper.
Gone are the cumbersome cassette sets that could cost three times as much as an old-fashioned book and often featured only excerpts to cut down on costs.
Now, audiobooks are just a click away and can be uploaded onto a smartphone for the same, if not lower, price as the print edition.
Mary Beth Roche, president and publisher of Macmillan Audio, says their reader feedback suggests many use audiobooks as a “multitasking tool,” a way to “consume books when their eyes are busy.”
For others — whose work lives may involve long stretches at the screen — they are a way to unplug.
“It’s sort of nice to sit back, and relax and have a story told to you,” said Roche.
Some 35,574 audiobook titles were released in the United States in 2015, according to the Audio Publishers Association, an eight-fold increase over five years.
That year, sales of books read out loud reached $1.77 billion, an annual jump of 20%.
According to the Author Earnings website, Amazon largely dominates the market — even more so than for the print book industry — with around 119,000 audiobooks sold per day in January 2016.
At the core of its earnings is industry leader Audible, which Amazon bought in 2008. The tech and retail giant also offers subscription deals, including one book per month for $14.95.
Most major publishers now have dedicated audiobook teams.
A favorite in the car
In the United States, audiobooks have long been serious business — simply because Americans on average spend so much time in their cars.
“What we found out is that’s a way for consumers to make that time in traffic, quality time,” said Roche.
“Even way back when it was the cassette and then the CD, the number one place that people listen is in the car. We do find that a long car trip or a long commute is often what triggers someone to try an audiobook and to experience it for the first time and then they find other places where they can listen.”
When audiobooks became available in digital format, people started using them during other activities — when out shopping or jogging, performing household tasks or crafting.
‘Lose myself’
For thriller author John Hart, gyms and shops are not necessarily the best place to enjoy a book.
“But if it’s a quite contemplative type of environment, driving or working in a quiet manner, it’s probably a great way to experience these books,” he said.
“Driving your car on a long trip I find for instance an audiobook is every bit as satisfying as sitting in a quiet room and reading and in fact it can even become more so completely immersive. I’d lose myself in the experience.”
The audio rights for Hart’s first book were sold to Recorded Books. After that, his publisher Macmillan sought to retain control of the audiobook as well as the print rights.
Anthony Goff, senior vice president at Hachette Book Group, noted that authors today have a much keener interest than before in the audiobook version of their works, sometimes suggesting readers or offering to do the reading themselves.
Most celebrities who recently published autobiographical works in the United States also provided recordings of the volumes, including Bruce Springsteen, Carrie Fisher and Bernie Sanders.
On average, audiobooks account for 10% of sales of the print version, said Roche. But the figure is greater for some genres, such as science fiction, fantasy and especially self-help works.
Roche estimates that at least 1,000 copies of a given audiobook must be sold in order to start making a profit. That’s because they can be expensive to produce.
“We still count on print to lead the charge, but I do believe that audio sales are helping to expand the market and finding new fans for our authors,” said Goff.
Jim PaullDoes this have to do with the moon changing orbit or something more logical?
KUALA LUMPUR: The date for Awal Muharram (Maal Hijrah) this year has been shifted from Thursday, Sept 21 to Friday, Sept 22.
The Cabinet, Constitution and Inter-Government Relation Division of the Prime Minister’s Department said the matter was notified by the Islamic Development Department in a letter dated Jan 9.
“As such, the 2017 federal holiday calendar has been amended accordingly,” it said in a statement today.
Jim PaullMmmm
I recently shared a simple slow-cooker chicken and potato dinner with you all, and while you can't beat the convenience of that recipe, this one-pan chicken is a close second. Made in a cast iron pan with sweet potatoes and green beans, you'll definitely want to add this to your weeknight rotation.
Jim PaullmmmM
Thailand’s airports and their insufficient security continue to make headlines as now three facilities are in danger of losing their International Flight Privileges, partly due to missing X-Ray machines.
Krabi, Surath Thai and Udon Thai were found to have insufficient installations that are the required minimum to handle international flights.
A new inspection by the Universal Security Audit Program is just around the corner, due this summer, and the respective machinery has still not been installed.
Local website Thairath (see here – in Thai) quotes officials saying that the x-ray machines for the security checkpoints and baggage screening have been ordered but not yet delivered and it’s uncertain they’d be in operation before the inspection occurs.
Two of the three airports, Krabi and Surat Thani, are tourism destinations with and especially Krabi is popular with foreign tourists. You can fly to Krabi for example with SilkAir via Singapore.
These international flights would be in jeopardy should the auditors let the facilities fail. Two years ago ICAO red flagged Thailand’s entire aviation sector as a whole due to lack of oversight and safety standards and the country has yet to be re-certified. LoyaltyLobby reported about this back then (see here).
Conclusion
Thailand’s airport security is a hit and miss depending which facility you use and that pretty much goes for the entire airport experience including immigration. I don’t even want to know how it looks like behind the scenes. That being said I don’t think this is an issue limited to Thailand alone but many of these developing countries and below. And wasn’t there recently a case in the U.S. where an employee used a security bypass door to smuggle drugs and other contraband?
Given Thailand’s recent run in’s with international regulators I wouldn’t count on the auditors giving these three airports a pass should they miss the standards required. Especially in the case of Krabi this would have inconvenient consequences for international travelers.
