We’ve also got on the scoop on which hotel Mary Katrantzou stole a pen from, a photographers pics of PUBLIC Chicago and a Polaroid-esque Instagram camera in our weekly round-up of cool URLs.
When you think about going to your area zoo, odds are really good that children come to mind. Zoos are traditional entertainment for children, after all. So don’t you need to be a child — or have them — to want to go to the zoo? Aren’t zoos mostly for children?
The zoo’s attraction to children is undeniable, but adults should not be deterred and miss out from the many things zoos offer them.
What does your area zoo offer adults?
Education. Many zoos, like New York City’s Central Park Zoo (http://www.centralparkzoo.com/) and Bronx Zoo (http://www.bronxzoo.com/) are focused on teaching patrons of all ages about Nature and the Natural world. In the past twenty to thirty years in particular, zoos focus on re-creating accurate eco-systems, allowing patrons to see animals in as natural a context as possible. Zoos like Omaha, Nebraska’s Henry Doorly Zoo (http://www.omahazoo.com/), often create separate large exhibits featuring diverse wildlife from the same or similar ecosystems. Two of my favorites are Henry Doorly’s “Lied Jungle” and Central Park Zoo’s “Tropic Zone.”
Connection. Many zoo eco-system exhibits allow adults to walk very close to the animals-without glass barriers. There is nothing like watching conures soar over your head or fish swim inches from your feet in a lagoon. You may even find yourself pursued on your walkway by free range peafowl or a Victoria crowned pigeon. These close-up experiences of wildlife are truly magical and best appreciated by adults. Invite animals close up to you by touring exhibits with quiet voices, avoiding sudden movements and loud outbursts. You will make the animals more comfortable with your presence and encourage them to check you out.
Romance. There is something intrinsically romantic about the bonding you experience as you explore and discover together. Waterfalls offer seclusion and privacy for those moments you want to be close. Exhibits encouraging feeding, such as some ponds and aviaries, are also romantic hot spots — as long as you choose a less occupied spot! Many zoos also feature gourmet restaurants, allowing couples to snuggle over a candle-lit dinner.
Exercise. A trip to the zoo involves a lot of walking, much more than most people are inclined to do on a normal basis. We all know that walking is good for our. So go to the zoo and get healthy while you explore nature.
Fun. Zoos are fun places. Depending on the zoo, you may be treated to IMAX films, rides, safaris, animal shows, and beyond. The activity options are limitless!
So next time you are wondering what you want to do this weekend or on vacation, consider the area zoo! Whether it’s a big zoo like the Cincinnati Zoo (http://cincinnatizoo.org/) or a small zoo like the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn, New York (http://www.prospectparkzoo.com/), there is something for everyone at the zoo — even and especially for adults!
Ron Paul’s bid for the GOP presidential nomination has entered a new, scaled back phase that may signal the practical end of his campaign. In a letter to his supporters, Paul explained the position of his campaign moving forward: “Our campaign will continue to work in the state convention process. We will continue to take leadership positions, win delegates, and carry a strong message to the Republican National Convention that Liberty is the way of the future. Moving forward, however, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted. Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have.”
The letter is entirely consistent with Paul’s larger message of fiscal responsibility. Rather than continuing to spend the campaign funds provided by his supporters on contests that he doesn’t deem winnable, Paul is choosing to focus on continuing his campaign without the massive overhead of direct campaign spending. The chances of Paul actually winning the GOP nomination are as remote now as they were a few months ago.
The reality is that the GOP nomination is going to Mitt Romney and the Vice Presidential running mate that he selects. Paul’s role at this point will be to force an acknowledgement of his message by the GOP establishment, and perhaps from the Romney campaign as it tries to mount a challenge to President Barack Obama’s bid for re-election.
Ironically, it will probably not be until after the upcoming election that people start to understand exactly what Ron Paul was trying to tell them for the better part of the last year. By then it won’t really matter, of course, but Paul’s message may be even more important in 2013 than it is in 2012.
ATLANTA — The new $ 1.4 billion international terminal at the world’s busiest airport is set to open in Atlanta.
The sleek launching pad for millions of passengers is designed to help Atlanta grab a growing share of the lucrative market for global travelers.
The 1.2-million-square-foot terminal is opening Wednesday after years of planning.
The building’s wavy lines, expansive windows and eye-catching artwork offer a stark contrast to the boxy design of the rest of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Airport managers are already expecting an increase in international travelers over the next decade, and they hope the terminal will convince airlines to route even more of their overseas flights through the city.
___
May 16, 2012 09:31 AM EDT
Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
If you are one of those people who grew up not sure if you’d ever want kids, and now you find yourself married to the perfect spouse and thinking children might be in your not-so-distant future, you are not alone. If you are worried that having these kids will ruin your marriage, you are not alone, either. While it will take some work, and while it will certainly change your life, having a baby doesn’t have to ruin your marriage. You just have to get a little creative about how you think of spending time together, and you have to make the most of the time you have.
After Bedtime
Remember when you were a little kid and you used to complain about having to go to bed earlier than all of the adults? There was a reason your mom and dad made you go to sleep earlier than they did. They use the after-bedtime hours as adult time. This is the time for moms and dads to watch what they want on television, or to watch a movie not suitable for children. You might be exhausted when you put your kids to sleep, but enforcing a strict bedtime is good for the child and the parents. It gives the child a sense of routine, and a good night’s sleep, while it gives the parents some quality time together in the comfort of their own home.
Hire a Babysitter
Some parents may be wary of hiring a babysitter who is not a family member, but sometimes it is necessary if you ever want to get out of the house with just the two of you. Find someone you trust by asking a trusted neighbor or by consulting online babysitting and nanny searches. These internet babysitting profiles often run background checks and allow you to interview people before hiring them, which can put your mind at ease. Hiring a babysitter can really add up, though, from a cost standpoint. If hiring a babysitter is too expensive, see if you can trade off nights with the parents of your child’s friends. You take all the kids for a night one week, and then the next week, the other parents take their turn. This can be beneficial for everyone involved, because it allows you to spend less money while still being able to have someone you trust watch your kids, and your kids get to play with their friends every week.
Schedule Date Night
Those mommy calendars are no joke. When you have little kids running around, you need to schedule every minute of every day. Before kids, you probably had spontaneous date nights all of the time, but after kids, this can be much harder than it used to be. There is no shame in scheduling a date night. Put it on the calendar, and make sure everyone knows that you and your spouse are going out of town for a night, or maybe just dinner. It doesn’t matter what you do; what matters is that you do it alone.
Family Cuddle Time
While it’s definitely not the same as spending time alone, having quality family time every night is important for everyone. When you spend time with your kids, talking to them and sharing stories about your days and being excited about each others projects, this can foster a sense of companionship among the family. Even if you don’t feel like talking one day, pick a favorite movie or television show and cuddle up each other with a great blanket. You’ll feel great having spent quality time together with your family.
BEIJING (Reuters) – China‘s foreign direct investment inflows dropped 2.4 percent in the first four months of 2012 versus last year, the longest period of declining inflows since the depths of the global financial crisis and a sign of the external headwinds facing the economy.
The Commerce Ministry said on Tuesday that the country drew $ 37.9 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) between January and April, down from $ 38.8 billion attracted in the same period in 2011. April’s inflow alone was $ 8.4 billion, down from $ 8.5 billion a year ago.
“We believe the negative trend reflects concerns over China’s lower growth potential, lack of confidence in the global growth outlook, and poorer access to funding from deleveraging banks,” Dariusz Kowalczyk, senior economist and strategist at Credit Agricole-CIB in Hong Kong, said in a note to clients.
“It is worrying that despite very favorable base effects, foreign direct investment is continuing to shrink,” he said.
FDI is an important gauge of the health of external economy, to which China’s vast factory sector is oriented, but it is a small contributor to overall capital flows compared to exports, which were worth about $ 1.9 trillion in 2011.
A weaker-than-expected reading from economic data released last week raised investor concerns that a five-quarter long slide has not bottomed and more must be done to support growth.
China’s central bank said on Saturday it would cut the proportion of cash that banks must hold as reserves by 50 basis points, effective from May 18. It should free an estimated 400 billion yuan for lending to head-off the risk of a sudden slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy.
Economists in the latest Reuters poll see the annual rate of economic growth dipping to 7.9 percent between April and June, the first time it will have fallen below 8 percent since 2009, a level regarded by many investors as the minimum growth needed to ensure sufficient job creation.
China has been fine-tuning economic policy setting since the autumn of last year as the outlook for the global economy darkened, export growth sank and capital inflows – a core component of money supply – stalled.
Beijing has an official target for M2 money supply growth of 14 percent. Data last week showed that the annual rate of growth had slowed to 12.8 percent in April, implying that either capital inflows have to rise or local banks have to ramp up credit creation to meet the target.
China drew a record $ 116 billion in foreign direct investment in 2011. The Commerce Ministry aims to attract an average of $ 120 billion in each of the next four years.
(Reporting by Aileen Wang and Nick Edwards; Editing by Ramya Venugopal)
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The last time you were at the pet store, did you end up spending a small fortune on your furry friend? You probably went there for one or two small items, but ended up grabbing all those fun-looking, fuzzy toys on your way out, right? Well, never fear. There are plenty of ways that you can cut back on spending on your cat or dog, and the tips are a lot easier than you might think.
Toys Cats and dogs are often like children; you buy them an expensive toy and they end up playing with the box it came in. If this is the case with your pet, go ahead and just buy him the box – metaphorically, of course. If you pay attention to your pet at play, though, you will find what makes him or her happy and what they just ignore. Some dogs, for example, really love squeaky toys but ignore ropes for tugging. Some cats love playing with ribbons but don’t like the laser lights. If your cat or dog likes a specific kind of toy, buy them a few of those but don’t buy more until they run out. If your pet likes to play with things that aren’t toys, like ribbons or socks, keep some of those handy and don’t buy toys at all.
Medication You can save a bundle on medication for your pet by buying in bulk online. Of course, you should always see your vet before giving any medication to your furry friend, but once you get the prescription, there are a bunch of online suppliers where you can get your pet’s medication for cheap if you buy a big supply of them at a time.
Food and Treats Food and treats for your cat or dog can be very expensive, and you usually don’t want to compromise on quality in order to save a few bucks. Lower quality pet food can be made with lots of fillers that aren’t very good for your pet’s health. Luckily, though, there are some great bargain brands. Compare the ingredient lists to price and find what works best for you and your wallet. Also, dry food is almost always cheaper – and healthier. Wet food doesn’t help your pet’s digestive tract at all, so you may want to switch to dry food if you can. There is also the option of making your pet’s food yourself. This is the healthiest way to feed your pet, after you do a little research about what is good for them to eat and what is not. However, even though this is cheaper, it can be very time-consuming.
Bedding Bedding is a necessity, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy it from a pet store. Bedding from your local pet store can cost a lot of money, especially when you can go to your local department store and get blankets and pillows for much less. Dogs, especially, love fleece blankets, and you can always get some fleece and make your own. Similarly, you can get foam padding and make pads for crates and carriers without spending much at all.
Grooming Grooming is a huge expense when it comes to your pet. If you feel comfortable trimming your own pet’s fur, you can absolutely do that at home. If not, there are ways to save. People usually have their pets groomed in the spring and fall, when shedding becomes intense. If you brush your pet every day, this will cut down on the number of times you have to bring him or her to the groomer.
Also in this week’s hyperlink round-up: tips for getting around Amsterdam and the best baguettes in America.
For those who didn’t attend the MET Gala in New York City this week, there was the live stream (where the paparazzi peanut gallery stole center stage from the glitzy celebs). And for those who didn’t watch the live stream, there’s the red carpet photo gallery. – NY Times
Rihanna will have a role in the upcoming movie Fast & Furious 6. Writers were impressed with her acting debut in Battleship and felt the villain role would suit her perfect.
Rihanna will be racing cars alongside Dwayne Johnson & Vin Diesel out in England where the movie will be filmed. The filming will start early next month.
If you are looking into losing weight safely and effectively, you should learn numbers, as in calorie counting. But let me give you a heads up now. It is not that easy. There are several things you should remember and will learn along the way. What you need is to raise your knowledge and your caloric awareness. Let me remind you again that, before you embark on any type of weight loss products, you must first seek the advice of your primary care physician. In doing so, you will be better equipped with knowledge about a healthy weight loss and avoid unnecessary health problems, if any, related to your weight loss goals.
In my quest to a healthier lifestyle, I have learned how to calorie count. Calorie counting is challenging yet fun at the same time. Here is a list of the ten things I have learned about it:
1. Forget calorie counting if your heart is not really into losing weight and becoming healthy. Know what you are getting into. Calorie counting requires a lot of discipline on your part. The first seven days will be the hardest. Anything after that requires repetition and motivation.
2. Learn to read the labels. Every label of any food that you will be putting into your mouth should be read first. If you are serious about calorie counting, it is about reading labels after labels.
3. Understand the words “servings per container.” When you look at a label of a soup, and it says 80 calories per serving, stop! You have not finished reading the whole label yet. Don’t forget to check the servings per container information; if it says 3 servings per container, then you should multiply 80 calories to three. Should you choose to consume the whole can of soup; then you will be looking at 240 calories right there.
4. Maintaining weight vs. losing weight. Your recommended daily caloric intake is usually between 1500 to 2,000 calories a day, depending on your gender, age and whether or not you are simply maintaining your current weight or trying to lose a pound or two a week. So, before you start counting your calories, know where you stand.
5. Do not skip a meal or wait too long for your next meal. When you skip or wait too long before a meal, your body suffers. Starving yourself to lose weight is not part of caloric counting, and should not be associated with it.
6. Say no to sugary stuff or sweets. Adding sugar or sweets into your diet is not a good idea if you are calorie counting. Sweets will make you pack on some unwanted pounds and will not help you lose weight.
7. Know your fast food. From the time I have learned calorie counting, I have become more mindful of what I order at a fast food chain. I opt for smaller portions or healthy meals. The great thing about fastfood nowadays is that they now post all the calories information next to the food you are about to order. You don’t need to second guess on this one, what you see is what you actually get…in pounds later!
8. Stay away from oils and salad dressings. As much as they add a lot of flavor in your food, staying away from oils and salad dressings should be practiced. Opt for the lower calories alternative.
9. Do not over reward yourself on the weekend. It is perfectly OK to eat your “recommended” daily caloric allowance once a week, but never overeat.
10. Consume plenty of vegetables, fruits and fiber. Adding these food groups in your diet, even if you are calorie counting is good. They are healthy options and fiber gives you that “full” feeling, too.
