Tag: <span>wales</span>

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When you think of home, what comes to mind is a place of rest, comfort, peace, serenity, and joy.

Is it? But do you know that your home may have more than a dozen hidden hazards that can turn it into a place of doom at the blink of an eye?

And seniors, especially those 65+, are more often hapless victims because of failing eyesight, poor balance, and diminished cognitive functions.

To prove the point, here are some startling figures that can make you give your home a second look:

o In 2009 in England and Wales, alone, 7,475 people aged 65 and over died from home accidents, with 49% of those were due to falls. – rospa.com;

o According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), millions of people 65 +, or one out of three elderly, suffer from falls. – cdc.gov.

Home accidents involving elderly people have become a great concern for government institutions, and regulators because some of these are preventable. But because of complacency, carelessness, or ignorance, they end up in emergency rooms, or meet untimely death.

To avoid becoming a figure in home accident statistics, these tips are very useful to you or your love ones.

1. List down all emergency numbers:

Have all the contact numbers of your children, close relatives, 911, poison control, fire department, your personal doctor, or a suicide help center.

Put the list in your wallet or a secure and easily accessible place, or in your phone’s Contact list.

If you are hi-tech savvy, load Apps in your phone so you can get in touch with them fast and easy.

2. Check for possible sources of falls:

Check for frayed floor carpets, power cords, lamp stands, wobbly dining table chairs, stepladders, porch welcome rug, high cabinets or cupboards, living room extension wires, foot stools, etc.

Don’t take them lightly. Even if you can move around your home with eyes

close, these can easily make you trip and fall.

In addition to the above, add these to your precautionary list:

o Sleep in the ground floor, if possible;

o Have handholds along the walls of your home – from the living room, kitchen, to your bedroom;

o Secure the carpet edges to the floor, or remove it;

o Put shoes and books where they should;

o Keep food items on kitchen counter tops so you won’t have to reach up when you need them.

3. Identify possible sources of fire:

In 2010, 143 people died in the U.K. due to fire-related accidents.

Home fires are normally caused by faulty electrical wiring, overloaded electrical outlets, using inferior plugs and sockets, unplugged electric appliances, smoldering cigarette butts, oily rugs thrown near a hot source, failure to turn off the gas, etc;

To remove these potential hazards:

o Use certified wires, sockets, plugs and outlets;

o Turn off appliances before going out or going to bed; properly store flammable items, don’t overload sockets;

o Install smoke alarms in your home and make sure they are functional;

o Have fire extinguishers in your bedroom, living room and dining room And be sure you know how to use them or that they are always fully charged;

o Don’t attempt to douse a fire if it has already started. Get out and call 911.

4. Burns and scalds:

Burns and scalds can come from radiators, cookers, kettles, hot bath, or even a cup of hot chocolate you drink before going to bed at night.

Don’t take this lightly. Contact burns among people over 65 can be fatal if they get infected.

To avoid this risk,

o Do not take hot drinks more than you need to;

o Arrange your tea or coffee utensils as near to each other as possible.

o Handle your cooking utensils with extreme care;

o Use gloves all the time when working around hot items in the kitchen;

o When taking a shower, always turn on the cold water first, before slowly turning on the hot water knob to prevent burning.

5. Is your bathroom safe?

Bathrooms, as small as they are, are big when it comes to home accidents.

Accidents happen around the toilets, shower stalls, and bathtubs.

To avoid these risks, be sure to:

o Use non-skid mats;

o Have grab bars installed;

o Set the thermostat no higher than 1200F to minimize the risk of scalding;

o Use special chairs if you have difficulty getting in and out of toilets and bathtubs;

o Have your cell phone nearby to dial an emergency number should you need to.

6. Get rid of toxic substances:

Seniors are especially prone to poisoning because of weaker immune system and lower metabolism.

Accidental poisoning or drug overdose happens if you have no adequate knowledge of your prescription drugs, or taking drugs not meant for you.

Storing partially opened canned goods too long in the ref can also cause food poisoning.

Don’t’ stretch your food budget too thin to eat stale or moldy foods. This can give you food poisoning, too.

To help avoid this home risk:

o Always wash hands before working around food;

o Avoid recycling food that has been in the ref for more than two days;

o When buying canned goods, always check their expiry dates;

o Don’t store canned goods in partially opened cans;

o Throw away moldy fruits and other food stuff;

Regarding your medications:

o Always buy from credible and reputable pharmacies;

o When asking for prescriptions, ask your doctor possible adverse reactions with other medications you are talking;

o Never experiment with drugs. Be sure you are taking what is prescribed by a doctor, not suggested by a friend;

o Don’t take medications of others just because you have the same illness. Different people react to medications differently.

Last year I ate something at dinner that gave me a severe case of food poising. I had diarrhea starting 5am in the morning, until late in the afternoon. Every hour on the hour, I had to rush to the toilet to discharge.

It subsided when my daughter and son-in-law, both doctors, IV-fed me with saline solution.

Last night, while attending the wake of an aunt who died four days ago from a bad fall, I met a young girl who was also attending the wake of a neighbor.

She was already in her 60s, alone at home, and died from a fall while using the bathroom.

When relatives found her she was already bluish, with a large gash on her head.

No matter how safe you feel at home, accidents can happen at the most unexpected time and circumstances.

The safety of home can easily turn into a disaster; your retirement days can easily be cut short by a sudden fall, a stale food, or a smoldering cigarette butt on your mattress as you slowly drift into sleep.

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Source by Joseph Dabon

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Steeped in centuries of History, the countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, collectively known as Great Britain have so much to offer the tourist. I am originally from England now living in Canada and to be honest I never appreciated the beauty and history of Britain when I lived there. Now after living in Canada for many years I’ve come to appreciate the history and culture of these magnificent islands that make up Great Britain.

Canada where I now live is a wonderful Country and has much to offer as well, but in a different way as a young country of just over 200 years it just doesn’t have the History offered in Great Britain.

The quaint, scenic country British roads inevitably lead to an historic pub or a cute Bed and Breakfast. Britain is steeped in extremes, the Yorkshire Moors with it’s stone cottages and wandering sheep, the Lake District with it’s magnificent lakes, numerous Castles dotted throughout the countries, the many Art Galleries and tourist sites, unique cities like Chester with it’s Tudor Buildings, walled cities like York. Centuries of history mixed with modern day cities.

My all time favorite tourism spot is Hampton Court, just north of London and originally the home of Henry the Eighth and his unfortunate wives. The expansive grounds offer beautiful gardens, a maze and an English Tearoom. The Historic buildings still house some of Henry’s original furnishings, paintings and the opulence of the time. Animators can be found throughout the property and the kitchens are well worth a visit. Not for the Squeamish but we can’ forget the hallway that Anne Boleyn’s Ghost purports to still walk the hallways with her head under her arm!!!!

Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory rests in the Portsmouth Dockyard. Having been in the WRNS (Womens’ Royal Navy) I’ve always had a yen for the ocean so I was thoroughly fascinated with this historic ship. All the decks are painted red to cover up any blood lost by the crew during battles, and the whole ship appears to have been made for kids as the bunk beds and dining tables and chairs are child size. The reason being that the average height of men in the days of Nelson was between 4- 5 feet, dwarves by today’s standards.

Fish and Chips in newspaper, and afternoon strawberry, cream teas with scones are still an ingrained part of the culture. There is so much to see, the Blarney Stone in Ireland, the Llangollen Music Festival in Wales, the Edinburgh Tattoo in Scotland, Stonehenge and the Roman Baths in Bath.

And of course not forgetting the wonderful city of London with the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, The Royal Jewels at the Tower of London, the world famous London Eye – Ferris Wheel, St Pauls’ Cathedral, the Tate Art Gallery, Soho, great Theatrical performances and Picadilly Circus. Just a few of the things worth seeing in London alone. Enjoy shopping on Oxford Street and Regent Street, check out Harrods for world class goods or stop by the market stalls at Petty Coat Lane were you can get bargains galore.

I suggest if you are going for the first time that you take one of the many escorted tours. You will definitely get to see more and get more out your experience. Plus remember that the Brits drive on the other side of the road, so it can be a little scary as there are many narrow country roads and the highways are super busy. Public Transportation, trains, buses, and the Tube are great throughout Britain and a great way to get around without worrying about the driving and parking.

HOW TO GET THERE:

Great Britain is readily accessible from anywhere in the world, the main Airport being, Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin.

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Source by Avril Betts

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Man, by virtue of his instinct to survive, is naturally a gambler. Given the risks of living day-to-day life, it was considered an act of skill to stay alive until the sun sets, especially during the Stone Age. As the human race began to develop systems that would facilitate the physiological need of survival, the gambling instinct that was inherent in man did not dissipate. Rather, it became stronger with the passage of time.

The gambling instinct, simply put, is displayed early into the history of human civilization. The Romans were notorious for their fierce and unforgiving gladiator matches, which were mainly violent at least and visceral at best. By 80AD, the emperor Titus then conducted the first official ceremonies at the Colosseum, and thus the festivities had begun. Slaves were pitted against each other in mostly battles to the death, and sometimes against wild beasts as well. Spectators relished the thought of betting on their favorite gladiator, hoping that he would live to see the end of the glorious battle.

But as time progressed, the violence of the human sport had proved to be too much for some, and gambling has been reduced to animal fights. Of course, this has been around even before the human blood sport of gladiators, but they had become highly popularized in certain parts of Europe -particularly Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, France, and even some parts of Asia such as the Philippines and Indonesia. Among these fights were bullfighting, cockfighting, and fox hunting.

As European influence spread more and more all throughout the continents of the world, the thrill of betting soon became a worldwide phenomenon. Gradually, the hunger for the sight of blood was soon surpassed by the promise of amassment of wealth. The stakes were high, but made more appealing by the rise of establishments such as casinos. Betting was never more enjoyable.

But alas, the collected momentum of sports betting was halted abruptly by the coming of the two World Wars since activities such as race meeting and lotteries became severely restricted. Its return only came in the mid-1950s and soon flourished again.

Not to be outdone, sporting events still remained strong in gambling circles, as events such as horse races, basketball matches, and baseball games just seemed to beg for more incoming bets. The rise of communications technology also facilitated the development of sports betting, with phone betting becoming an attractive option to those who live far and away from the games. Companies such as Intertops in Antigua started this as far back as 1993.

When the Internet finally came out for public access and personal use, the betting world evolved into a more closely-knit community. Globalization served its purpose in connecting the world in ways previously thought inconceivable -after all, who would have thought that you can bet on a game halfway across the world with such ease? In 1996, a company in Gibraltar called Microgaming took advantage of this trend and began developing software for use in other gaming companies all over the world. Others soon followed suit, and thus online sports betting as we knew it was born.

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Source by Hamish Davidson

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Unless you have been living under a rock recently you would have noticed that Prince William of Wales, the second in line for the British throne, got married. As is traditional for men of royalty, he got married in a military uniform. He stepped out of the car at the church with his brother and was greeted to a rock star reception.

Most of the adoring crowd comprised of women watching the world’s most eligible bachelor pass on that title to his younger brother. If you were a single man watching that telecast (and it is okay to admit it – 2 billion people watched that historical event including myself), did you catch the lesson you can learn for your dating life? Now you might be thinking “what in the world has a Prince getting married got to do with me scoring next Friday night?” Pay attention, as this is the most important pickup advice you will ever read.

Prince William was wearing red.

Prince William is a honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards in the British Army. The dress uniform for the Colonels is a scarlet jacket and black pants.

The color red is associated through history with status and power. In Williams’s case, his Royalty is one of the pinnacles of status and power as it is a title that cannot be bought or sold. It can only be inherited or married into. Reach for the history books and you will see this association repeated through the millennia. In ancient Rome, the most powerful citizens wore red. The same account can be seen through Asia where red is a color of prosperity and it is so even today.

You don’t have to be a royal prince or even wealthy to take advantage of this fact. You can use it to pick up women with just a subtle change to your wardrobe. A 2010 study by the University of Rochester published in the Journal Of Experimental Psychology shows that just about any man who wears red will be seen as more attractive and sexually desirable to women. The study, titled Red Rank And Romance in Women Viewing Men, conducted 7 separate tests on how women view men. The researchers found that “… women view men in red as higher in status, more likely to make money and more likely to climb the social ladder. And it’s this high-status judgment that leads to the attraction…”

The most interesting part of the study is that the effect is subconscious. Women are unaware of the effect that you wearing red will have on them. The effect also crosses cultural borders as well. The 288 heterosexual or bisexual women involved in the study were from United States, England, Germany, and China. In other words, this will work in Beijing as well as it will work in New York or Dusseldorf.

Now Prince William’s appeal might not just have been due to his red jacket. Being a prince, belonging to one of the wealthiest families in the world, and having his mother’s good looks may have played a part. But that does not matter. You are not trying to impress an entire generation of single women. You are just after one or two phone numbers. So go shopping, buy a well fitting or tailored red shirt and have fun.

One final tip though. Don’t share this secret if you really want to succeed. It will look awkward if everyone wears red. You want to stand out and get attention. Only when you have achieved your goal should you pass on this knowledge to a worthy apprentice.

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Source by Alex Madison

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According to recent estimates, almost a third of all schools in England and Wales are faith schools, and almost a quarter of all children are educated in a faith school. These types of schools were a key plank in the labour government’s strategy for education, and the Coalition has indicated that it will continue to increase the amount of educational services which are provided by religious groups.

There are three types of faith schools: voluntary aided, voluntary controlled and independent religious schools, and different rules apply to each of these.

Voluntary Controlled Faith Schools

These are schools which are funded by the state and where the state is responsible for the day-to-day management and control of the school. The buildings and land are owned by a religious group, and that religious group has the right to appoint the governors and often the head teacher, but other teachers are employed by the local education authority. The appointment of these teachers is subject to the same conditions as teachers in regular state schools and there is no requirement that the teachers profess the same faith as the religious group which established the school.

In voluntary controlled faith schools, the admissions policy is set and administered by the local education authority. This means that these types of schools are usually open to all students and there is no requirement that the student has an attachment to the faith held by the religious group which established the school.

Voluntary Aided Faith Schools

These are schools which are funded by the state but are managed and controlled by a religious group. The religious group owns the land and buildings, appoints the governors of the school and selects and appoints teachers. All teachers are directly employed by the religious group, and it is lawful for the religious group to require teachers to profess the same faith and to discipline staff for breaching religious principles or acting in a way which is inconsistent with the schools ethos.

In voluntary aided faith schools, the admissions policy is determined and enforced by the governors of the school. This means that very often prospective students are required to demonstrate some adherence to the religious principles on which the school is founded.

Independent Faith Schools

These are schools which are entirely funded and controlled by a religious group. The religious group appoints the governors and employs all of the staff as well as setting the admissions policy. Independent faith schools often require both teachers and students to be professing members of a particular religious sect or denomination, and can discipline both staff and students if they act in a way which is inconsistent with the schools ethos and religious values.

Teaching in Faith and Religious Schools

Both voluntary aided and voluntary controlled faith schools are required to teach the national curriculum, and students will cover the same subjects as pupils in other state maintained schools. The only exception to this is in the case of religious education, where faith schools are allowed to set their own curriculum which will usually focus on the religious beliefs held by the charity or church which founded the school. Voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools are also entitled to insist that religious education is taught by a professing member of a particular faith or denomination.

There is no requirement for independent faith schools to teach the national curriculum and these schools will set their own subjects and studies.

For a variety or reasons, ranging from smaller class sizes to higher standards of discipline many faith schools have better league table results than other state run schools and this makes them highly desirable. Many parents will consider legal challenges to admission criteria to try and get their children a place.

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Source by Bradley Askew

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A hobbit is a measure of weight equal to 168 pounds (or 4 Welsh Pecks). Probably, you expected a different definition for a hobbit. I have read that English writer J.R.R. Tolkien was fascinated with the Welsh language and customs, to the point that he designed his fictional Elf language on Welsh meanings, words, and traditions. When Wales became part of the United Kingdom in 1707 (after a long and difficult transition), that did not mean that the Welsh people got in line and did what they were told to do. In particular, very independent Welsh language and culture endures today, and this is not just OK, cultural identity, once put down as rebellion, is now encouraged in all members of the United Kingdom.

Tolkien said that he worked on “The Hobbit” manuscript for 2.5 years, intending the story to be a fairy tale for adults to read to children. Indeed, his creation of a “halfling” relative of mankind resulted in child-sized adults who had physical features that seemed to belong on full-sized humans (large feet, noses, ears, and sometimes hands). In that, he walked a fine line as a writer. The hobbits, in appearance and in their simple ways were intended to amuse children, and possibly enable their parents to explain the importance of accepting and loving people who look different. Still, some prejudices against little people crept into Tolkien’s hobbit adventures when both humans and other humanoids (elves, dwarves, orks, etc.) considered hobbits to be unwise, uncommitted, and that they generally did not matter. Even Bilbo Baggins wrote down such observations about his own kind in his book.

How did an intended children’s story become a series of violent tales of war? I have read that Tolkien placed his horrifying experiences as a British soldier in WWI into the stories. I don’t see that. He began writing The Hobbit 12 years after WWI ended and before WWII began. My theory is that The Hobbit had to contain action and tales of human misery in order to appeal to adults. After all, the adults who would purchase the book would see that it contained way too much detail for children to comprehend or to sit still and have it read to them. The horror in the book seemed to work for those who read it (Many adults could not sit still to read it either). But, there was a low hum of public interest in the story that Tolkien wrote, a measure of its success through constant badgering that Tolkien endured, driving him to continue the tale in one or more additional books.

As Tolkien revived The Hobbit, the story evolved into the darker “Lord of the Rings” series. A fiction writer typically begins with a theme, then adds a setting and characters to bring the theme alive. It is the plot that intrigues the reader, and good writers obscure the plot or even hide it, so that the story unfolds in an unpredictable way. This is how the reader is kept interested, on edge, forced to imagine where the story is going, because the author did not give the answer early in the book. Tolkien gave away the plot early in “The Lord of the Rings.” The entire story was about another hobbit who agreed to save “Middle Earth” by agreeing to toss a ring into lava. But, remember that Tolkien thrived on creating details. By revealing the plot, he permitted himself to explain the entire made up history of walking talking trees, ruined elves, wizards that arise from death, dwarves that mine armored clothing, etc. He also empowered himself to breath life into many characters in the series.

As characters act out their roles, something unexplainable happens that only another writer can appreciate it. The characters tend to take on a life of their own, and it is they, acting within their character, who wrestle with the author about what they will do next. They will “attempt” to take the story to a conclusion different from the one the author intended. A disciplined writer reigns them in. An author will rewrite a nearly finished work of fiction if he or she realizes that the story has unfolded untrue to the plot. But, how could undisciplined characters ruin a plot that simply requires a ring to be tossed into lava? They can’t. Problem solved.

I think that writing gave Tolkien, the aging war veteran and professor, another world in which to take his mind. Fantasy writing simply interested him. Editing what he wrote did not interest him (Note: Author James Michener also abstained editing). This is why his books are so voluminous (door stop size). They contain expansive pages of details about languages and other trivia that can put insomniacs to sleep. He had trouble with book publishers, many of whom believed the story would not sell. Indeed, Tolkien’s books did not become wildly successful until after his death in 2001 and much later, when Barrie M. Osborne produced, and Peter Jackson directed the film version of the books.

It was the films that turned the stories into bloody nightmarish war that should terrify children. Even the diminutive and innocent hobbits were turned into killers – War Hobbits. Why? People will pay money to watch that stuff, just like the Roman people did to watch blood-letting in the arena. Do you think Tolkien would care about that? I have no idea how he would feel about it. I do think he accomplished his personal mission with the stories. He wrote them to have something to do with his wandering mind. Once he got tired of it, a hobbit dropped a ring into lava.

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Source by Tony A Grayson

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Today Christmas stamps are sold by many countries during the holiday season and are used to add a little color and cheer to Christmas cards and letters. But how did this tradition start?

In December 1898, Canada issued a 2-cent stamp celebrating the introduction of imperial penny postage and inscribed with the words “XMAS 1898.” This stamp is usually regarded as the world’s first Christmas stamp, but it wasn’t actually released to celebrate the holidays. Instead, as legend goes, Postmaster William Mulock suggested to Queen Victoria that the stamp should be released in November “to honor the Prince” (meaning the Prince of Wales). But when the queen showed obvious displeasure with the idea and asked which prince he was referring to, Mulock quickly answered, “Why, the Prince of Peace, ma’am”. So when the stamp was issued in December, it bore not only the image of a world map, but also the words “XMAS 1898” at the bottom of the stamp.

It wasn’t until nearly 40 years later that another country issued a Christmas stamp. This time the country was Austria. In 1937, it issued two stamps billed as “Christmas Greeting Stamps,” but neither had a Christmas theme. One showed a zodiac sign and the other one depicted a rose. Brazil was next in line, issuing four semi-postal stamps in 1939, and Hungary followed suit with a semi-postal stamp in 1941. Semi-postal stamps are ones that are sold above the stamp’s value to raise money for a specific cause.

So it wasn’t until 1943 that Hungary issued the first Christmas-themed stamp that was sold specifically as a holiday stamp. Now many nations of the world issue postage stamps with a Christmas theme that are intended for use on seasonal mail.

The first Christmas stamp issued by the United States came was a 4-cent stamp issued in 1962. The green and red stamp featured a wreath, two candles, and the words “Christmas 1962”. The postal service anticipated a huge demand for the new stamp and ordered 350 million printed, the largest number ever produced up until that time for a special stamp. But it wasn’t enough. When the initial supply quickly ran out the Bureau of Engraving and Printing began working around the clock to print more. By the end of the season, one billion of the first Christmas stamps were printed and distributed.

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Source by Lisa Howard

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Most are aware of the baby who died in England this week after appeals by the parents who fought to keep him alive. The facts are what were they really trying to achieve? While no one wants to see their infant taken surely one must look to the future to understand the life that one would live. There is also the question of who would look after him when the parents are no longer in a position to provide for him?

In New South Wales there is a huge reaction to the government’s decision to privatise group homes in which severally disabled people are housed. This presents the other side of the debate.

Handicapped children are usually placed in homes designed to look after them. Parents on the average can’t cope with the demands of such a child, let alone when he or she grows into adulthood.

The weight of a handicapped person who has no ability to move without support and cannot even use a toilet without help is impossible for aging parents to manage. They are dependent on providers who can deal with this. So why are these people allowed to live when death in early life would, surely, be a better option?

Religious principles are at stake here if children are allowed to die because of a handicap. Then there is the measure of disability and the arguments of right and wrong would stir the population even further. One can see that by the level of support from the public for the parents of the above mentioned child who died just before his first birthday.

This is an issue communities need to come to terms with especially as the cost of long-term care for such people is growing out of proportion. The bottom line is what kind of life does such a person live. If there is no possibility of a life beyond requiring someone to do every task for them is it such a bad thing for the parents to surrender them to their fate.

Keeping children alive on life support and being caught up in the emotions of the moment is not practical. The question is who is to decide when life is not worth living? It is surely too big an issue for even a court to rule over. It takes this into the realm of mercy killing and the awful consequences of thinking one has made a mistake. This is a test for all and only when one knows all the circumstances can such a decision be made.

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Source by Norma Holt

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Diamonds are definitely going to last forever, whether the couples last or don’t. The world has seen innumerable high-profile engagements and marriages. Some of them last, some don’t. But that doesn’t take away the beauty of the diamond etched in our mind. So today, we are going to talk about some of the most famous diamond engagement rings we have ever seen. Let’s start the journey.

1. The Blue Sapphire Diamond Halo- Princess Diana and Kate Middleton

When the Prince of Wales proposed to Lady Diana 1981, he made sure he presented something as royal as the family, and as beautiful as the lady herself. So went for a beautiful ring bedazzled with a halo of solitaire diamonds around a stunning oval-shaped blue sapphire. The band was made of shiny white gold. It turned out the ring was chosen by Princess Diana herself! The ring wasn’t custom made, so it did raise a few eyebrows then. But then again, you can’t question her choice; the ring is as beautiful as the woman who chose it.

29 years down the line, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with the same ring in 2010. When we think of timeless beauty, this is the ring that comes to our mind.

2. Emerald and Diamond Ring: Jacqueline Kennedy

The 35th President of The United States proposed to Jacqueline Bouvier for marriage on June 24th, 1953. Known for his style statement, he made sure the First Lady-To-Be got something that takes the spotlight. So John decided to go for an open halo setting engagement ring boasting of 2.84 carat emerald and a 2.88 carat diamond. The ring was designed by Van Cleef & Arpels.

3. The Big Emerald Cut Diamond: Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor got married eight times. And of-course, she received a total of eight rings! Among all of them, it has to be the one she received from her third marriage. The ring is truly worthy of being the talk of the town. Famous producer Mike Todd proposed to Elizabeth Taylor with a massive 29.4 carat emerald cut diamond. The size of the rock being so massive, it was correctly nicknamed “ice skating rink” by the wearer.

4. Baguette Eternity Band: Marilyn Monroe

The platinum eternity band Monroe got from the Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio was adorned with 35 baguette cut diamonds. It wasn’t an engagement ring though; it was a wedding band, as she received it on January 14, 1954, the day she got married to DiMaggio.

The simplistic design and elegant diamond setting makes the ring an eternal beauty. Their wedding, and Monroe’s tragic life are a different story altogether.

5. Emerald Cut Diamonds: Angelina Jolie

When Mr. and Mrs. Smith, affectionately called Brangelina tied the nuptial knots, Brad Pitt made sure the love of his life adorns a ring as beautiful as she is. So he asked the famous designer Robert Procop to design a ring that suits the personality of this strong lady. He waited for a year and the result was worth the wait.

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Source by Roxy ML

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Fishing for High Sierra Golden Trout

One of the primary factors in determining my backpacking destinations is centered on fishing for Golden Trout. The California Golden Trout was designated the official state fish of California in 1947. Hatchery- raised fish extended the range of the golden trout to many waters at high elevation in the Sierra Nevadas and also other states.Their native populations are now strained due to the introduction of invasive species and habitat destruction and their introduction in to the high elevation lakes has strained other native plant and animal species.

The coloration of the California golden trout is spectacularly bright. The belly and cheeks are bright red to bright orange, the lower sides are bright gold, the central lateral band is red orange, and the back is deep olive green.

Early Sierra settlers were as enamored with golden trout as modern anglers are today. Beauty such as this, they reasoned, shouldn’t be limited to such a small area.

Early 1900s Kernville resident Ardis Walker wrote;

“Many of the pioneer visitors to golden trout waters reacted with a desire that was almost compulsive; they shared a common missionary urge to spread the golden beauty and life of this native habitat to the barren waters of more elevated and more easterly and northerly lakes and streams.”

It was common practice for settlers to carry golden trout in buckets of water on the backs of mules for up to a week at a time, stocking thousands of fish along the way. Some kept meticulous records; others none at all.

Studies on the impact on vegetation and the Yellow Legged Frog due to stocking of trout in otherwise fishless high sierra lakes led to the end of this activity and now golden trout are found only in high lakes (10,000+ feet). They are no longer stocked and are only found in lakes where they are self sustaining.

To reverse the damage done to the Yellow Legged Frog and other plant life non native trout species have been removed by gill netting. The best fishing has historically been in lakes at, or near the Kern headwaters and to the south. These include Lake South America, Crabtree Lakes, Wright Lakes, Wallace and Wales Lake among others. Recent trips have found the fishing not as good in some of these lakes but still very strong in others.

I release most of the fish I catch because it is illegal to have camp fires at the high elevations where the fish are found and cooking them on a stove is challenging. If you like the taste of fresh trout it is worth it. On a recent trip I spoke with a veteran backpacker and fisherman who said that she poaches them. That is another option which I have not tried.

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Source by Dan Franklin