Northern Ireland's Refurbished Hillsborough Castle Re-opens to the Public

Various views of Hillsborough, and functions held there. Credit: girlgetswed.co.uk

We love England and we love castles and today, Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland reopened to the public. The only thing is, it's not really a castle. It's an estate. Here's the story:

RE-OPENS TODAY! - BBC News reported that the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have officially reopened Hillsborough Castle after its extensive five-year £20m makeover. The Georgian mansion, dating back to the 1770s, is set within 100 acres of grounds . The County Down site is the Queen's official residence in Northern Ireland and home to the secretary of state. The castle and its new visitors' centre opens to the public today,April 18th.

TO VISIT: Explore the late Georgian house built by Wills Hill, which is still in use as a Royal residence in Northern Ireland, with up to 100 acres of stunning gardens to enjoy throughout the seasons.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/hillsborough-castle/

WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF THE "CASTLE"? Hillsborough Castle, which is located in the village of Hillsborough in north-west County Down, is not a true castle. It is a Georgian country house built in the 18th century for the Hill family, Marquesses of Downshire, who owned it until 1922, when the 6th Marquess sold the mansion and its grounds to the British government.

Hillsborough Castle. Credit: BBC.Uk

ALL THE RED TAPE BEHIND THE CASTLE - Under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 a new, distinct region of the United Kingdom called Northern Ireland had been created within the traditional province of Ulster but minus three counties—Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan—which became part of the Irish Free State. Executive authority had been vested for both Northern Ireland and sister region Southern Ireland in the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who was supposed to be one of two all-Ireland features (along with the Council of Ireland) in the new home rule structure. However, that office was abolished in a law change following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which in effect aborted Southern Ireland (which had in reality only existed on paper) and established the Irish Free State.

A new office for Northern Ireland alone was created, that of Governor of Northern Ireland.

SO WHY HILLSBOROUGH? - The Viceregal Lodge in Dublin became unavailable, physically and politically, so a new residence was needed. Hillsborough Castle, though outside the largest city of Northern Ireland, Belfast, was deemed a suitable location. After some renovations, the first governor, The 3rd Duke of Abercorn, moved in during 1925. Upon becoming the official residence of the governor, the building was officially renamed Government House.

Bravo, Puerto Rico! 2 News Items You May Have Missed

Puerto Rico has had it rough since the landfall of Hurricane Maria devastated the island. But, the residents are resilient and tough, and in the news recently, the Governor has done 2 things to make people proud. First, he won't put up with being bullied by the bully in Chief, and second, he passed a law to protect LGBT youth from the ridiculous "conversion therapy."   Bravo, Puerto Rico. You can teach these southern U.S. states a lot.


PUERTO RICO BANS LGBT CONVERSION THERAPY  
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló signed an executive order on Wednesday banning the medically denounced practice of “gay conversion” therapy for minors across the island. “Today we take a step forward to raise awareness among the people about this type of practice that causes pain and suffering,” Rosselló said, adding that the ban would help “protect children.”

Story: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/27/us/puerto-rico-conversion-therapy.html

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Puerto Rico Gov. Rosselló to Trump admin: 'If the bully gets close, I'll punch the bully in the mouth.'

March 28, 2019, 3:33 PM EDT, NBC NEWS By Nicole Acevedo

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said Thursday that he won’t allow his officials to be bullied by the White House at a time when President Donald Trump and his administration have doubled down on their opposition to granting the island hurricane recovery funding.

"If the bully gets close, I'll punch the bully in the mouth," Rosselló told CNN, referring to Trump.

His remarks come after the president told Republican legislators at a closed-door Capitol Hill meeting Tuesday that Puerto Rico had received too much money to rebuild after Hurricane Maria. The amount “is way out of proportion to what Texas and Florida and others have gotten,” Trump said, according to Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida.

While Rosselló told CNN that "it would be a mistake to confuse courtesy with courage," some critics questioned why the governor didn’t show this kind of “courage” when Trump first visited the disaster area in October 2017. During that visit, Trump said Puerto Rico was not a “real catastrophe" like Hurricane Katrina was in New Orleans.

United Kingdom Firefighters rescue hundreds of people stuck in toilets

firefighters rescue dogs, cats and people in toilets!

BBC News covers everything, from history to politics, travel, crime and even oddities like this story. Of course, I couldn't share a story on firefighters without a couple of "hot" (pun intended) pictures of them.

Firefighters rescue hundreds of people stuck in toilets

Firefighters have rescued more than 650 people from locked toilets since 2016.

London Fire Brigade urged members of the public to "use common sense" before dialing 999 after receiving 659 calls from people locked in loos [public toilets].

It said firefighters also had to rescue a child with their head wedged in a potty, a woman stuck up a tree and a pigeon trapped inside a chimney.

As well as the "unusual" calls, the brigade had more than 30,000 malicious hoax calls in the last five years.

Deputy Commissioner Tom George said: "No matter how strange a call may seem, we will always attend if there is a genuine emergency but you should always think carefully about how to use our resources.

"A number of the more unusual calls we attend involve children or animals so we would always urge Londoners to keep an eye on their youngsters or pets to ensure they aren't getting themselves into sticky situations which could be avoided."

4 year old rescued from toilet seat Cr; So.Yorkshire fire and rescue

Some calls to the brigade in the past few years have included:

• 56 cats and dogs in need of rescuing
• 17 children with their heads stuck in toilet seats
• A woman stuck in a tree while trying to retrieve a cat in Hillingdon
• A child with their head stuck in a potty in Westminster
• A bus driver locked in a toilet at a bus stand in Lambeth
• A pigeon stuck in a chimney in Richmond

Over the five year period the Brigade has seen a drop in the number of malicious hoax calls.

NRA In the News: Lots of Stupidity

When an organization who claims to offer benefits to Americans spreads lies, harasses people who suffered from a mass shooting, and wants to put women's lives in jeopardy from male abusers, who does that help? Well, that's what the National Rifle Association has been doing for years, and continues to do. Read these news articles and see if they don't make you angry. 

EXPOSED: NRA STAFFER PUSHED PARKLAND HOAX An official with the National Rifle Association corresponded with a prominent Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist to call into question the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, emails obtained by HuffPost show. NRA officer Mark Richardson emailed Wolfgang Halbig, a noted harasser of parents of Sandy Hook Elementary School victims, to float a conspiracy theory about the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where 17 people were killed last year. [HuffPost]

NRA COMES OUT AGAINST VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT The National Rifle Association is opposing the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act over provisions designed to keep domestic abusers from having access to firearms. Under federal law, individuals convicted of domestic violence offenses against their spouses or family members are already barred from owning firearms. But the law does not apply to individuals who abuse their dating partners. The VAWA reauthorization bill would fix that, closing the so-called “boyfriend loophole.” The NRA has called the bill “a poison pill.” [HuffPost]

Idiots of the Week: Fox News graphic refers to “3 Mexican countries.”

Screen capture from Fox News "Mexican Countries"

It's no surprise that Fox News would make "Idiot of the Week." In fact, they've earned that title many, many, many times for the lack of geographical knowledge, false news, prejudice, bigotry, misogyny, and support white supremacists, etc..
  Remember this BLUNDER?  when Aretha Franklin died, they showed a photo of Patty LaBelle. You can google it. 
 This week, though, they earned it once again because they think Mexico has "countries." SIGH.
Here's the story:
Fox News host apologizes for ‘3 Mexican Countries’ chyron: ‘It never should have happened’

By Herman Wong, Washington Post

  

March 31 at 5:33 PM

“We want to clarify and correct something that happened earlier in the show,” Ed Henry, host of “Fox & Friends,” said Sunday. “We had an inaccurate graphic on screen while talking about this very story. We just want to be clear, the funding is being cut off to the three Central American countries. We apologize for the error.”

But before the apology came the tweet, the disbelief, the jokes and the reflection. And before all that, there was the chyron.

On Sunday, “Fox & Friends” quickly jumped to news of the president’s plans to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to three Central American countries over the flow of migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump has already warned of closing the border.

Skin Care Chemicals Part 5: Ferulic Acid

This is the final and 5th blog about skin care chemicals. Today's blog features Ferulic acid, and you'll learn what it is, what it does, and who should use it.

Ferulic Acid

What is it?  Like vitamin C, ferulic acid is used as an antioxidant that helps fight the effects of free radical and oxidative damage, Greenfield said. It’s also said to be able to prevent and treat photodamage of the skin caused by exposure to the sun’s UV rays.

“It’s used usually in serums and can also be found in creams,” she said, adding that she recommends people use it before their moisturizer and sunscreen each morning.

Who should use it?  Most skin types react well to ferulic acid, Greenfield said, but again urged those with darker skin tones to proceed with caution.

Lamb also said it’s good for individuals who want anti-aging products. She pointed out that it’s one of the main ingredients in Skinceuticals C E Ferulic serum, which she said she uses on her skin every other morning.

Ferulic acid is “mildy potent,” Gmyrek added. She also clarified that it’s used more as a stabilizing agent and the actual percentage is not typically listed on product labels.
Malic, Citric, Mandelic And Tartaric Acids And Willow Bark Extract

Gmyrek said malic, citric, mandelic and tartaric acids are among the lesser-known and lesser-used AHAs in skin care, while there is a lesser known BHA found in willow bark extract. She noted that they’re used for the same purposes of other AHAs and BHAs, but said they don’t seem to be as effective as glycolic or salicylic.
Is there anyone who shouldn’t use acids?

If you’ve got extremely inflamed, cracked, flaking or open skin, Gmyrek advised against applying acids.

When skin is cracked or flaking, the skin barrier is open, which means products that would typically be well-tolerated could cause irritation because they aren’t being absorbed the way they were intended. Instead, Gmyrek said, they could be “passing through the breaks in the skin and can cause further irritation and redness.”

And of course, as Greenfield noted multiple times, those with darker skin tones should approach acid use with caution to avoid any unwanted discoloration.



A few more notes to keep in mind:

As you now know, most of the popular acids in skin care exfoliate the skin, which means they get rid of the outer layer of dead skin cells. As a result of that, skin might become more sensitive to sunlight, Gmyrek said.

“So always, always apply SPF 30 plus, broad spectrum (UVA plus UVB) sunscreen and reapply every two to four hours!” she added.

Additionally, acids shouldn’t burn or leave your face in pain. Gmyrek said it’s normal to experience a slight tingle when the product is applied. She also said patience is key when it comes to seeing results with acid use.

“You should see improvement in the skin within a week or two of use — not for fine lines and wrinkling, which takes at least 12 weeks, but for brightening and radiance as the dead skin layer is exfoliated,” she said.

It’s also always beneficial to consult with a dermatologist before trying new acid-based (or any) skin care products, as they can help determine what will best suit your skin. Greenfield said this is always the best practice, and advised everyone to avoid at-home remedies for any skin care.

Free Pet Grief Lecture Tomorrow-Washington DC Metro Area

Attn: Washington DC Metro Area- For anyone who is grieving from the loss of a pet- I'm giving a free lecture tomorrow in Bethesda on how pets communicate from the afterlife (based on my 2 books). Here are the details:

TIME/DATE: Saturday, April 13 at 3pm

*WHERE: 8002 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda, MD - Intuitive Wellness

Contact - Sherri at 301-461-3189 to let her know you're coming OR email: Sherri@intuitivewellnesscenter.com 

 

In the News: Louisiana’s Disappearing Coast

Over the past 150 years, the Isles Dernieres have undergone very rapid erosion and land loss due primarily to natural processes of relative sea-level rise, storms, and sand loss by coastal currents.Credit: USGS

To people who don't believe the seas are rising, global ice is declining, temperatures are climbing and
pollution is on the rise - you need to get your head out of the sand. If you want proof, look at Louisiana. Recently, the New Yorker did a story about the changing and shrinking coastline of Louisiana.. and you'll be surprised that some parts of the coast have now been submerged and the state loses half a football field a day to rising waters!! Here's an excerpt of the article with a link to the rest.

Louisiana’s Disappearing Coast
The New Yorker


Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana has the distinction—a dubious one, at best—of being among the fastest-disappearing places on Earth. Everyone who lives in the parish—and fewer and fewer people do—can point to some stretch of water that used to have a house or a hunting camp on it. This is true even of teen-agers. A few years ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officially retired thirty-one Plaquemines place-names, including Bay Jacquin and Dry Cypress Bayou, because there was no there there anymore.

And what’s happening to Plaquemines is happening all along the coast. Since the days of Huey Long, Louisiana has shrunk by more than two thousand square miles. If Delaware or Rhode Island had lost that much territory, the U.S. would have only forty-nine states. Every hour and a half, Louisiana sheds another football field’s worth of land. Every few minutes, it drops a tennis court’s worth. On maps, the state may still resemble a boot. Really, though, the bottom of the boot is in tatters, missing not just a sole but also its heel and a good part of its instep.

 A few years ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officially retired thirty-one Plaquemines place-names, including Bay Jacquin and Dry Cypress Bayou, because there was no there there anymore.

 A variety of factors are driving the “land-loss crisis,” as it’s come to be called. But the essential one is a marvel of engineering. Thousands of miles of levees, flood walls, and revetments have been erected to manage the Mississippi. As the Army Corps of Engineers once boasted, “We harnessed it, straightened it, regularized it, shackled it.” This vast system, built to keep southern Louisiana dry, is the very reason the region is disintegrating, coming apart like an old shoe.

Since the 1930s, Louisiana has shrunk by more than two thousand square miles. If Delaware or Rhode Island had lost that much territory, the U.S. would have only forty-nine states. 

Full article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/01/louisianas-disappearing-coast
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USGS Report:

Louisiana's 3 million acres of wetlands are lost at the rate about 75 square kilometers annually, but reducing these losses is proving to be difficult and costly.

Approximately half the Nation's original wetland habitats have been lost over the past 200 years. In part, this has been a result of natural evolutionary processes, but human activities, such as dredging wetlands for canals or draining and filling for agriculture, grazing, or development, share a large part of the responsibility for marsh habitat alteration and destruction. Louisiana's wetlands today represent about 40 percent of the wetlands of the continental United States, but about 80 percent of the losses. The State's wetlands extend as much as 130 kilometers inland and along the coast for about 300 kilometers. Not all the wetlands are receding; in fact some wetlands are stable, and others are growing. But, at the present net rate of wetlands loss, Louisiana will have lost this crucial habitat in about 200 years. Considerable effort has been expended, and will continue to be expended, on understanding the processes that control wetlands evolution.

For more information from the U.S. Geological Survey, visit:
https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/la-wetlands/

We're Celebrating Tyler's "Gotcha Day"

Tyler today, checking his calendar for appointments

Back in 2013, on April 11th, we decided to adopt Tyler after fostering him since December 2012.
When you adopt a dog or cat, it's called a "Gotcha Day." Today we celebrate Gotcha Day for this amazing, personable, lovable, smart, handsome pup.

Here's the story from 2013:

WELCOME TYLER!

We fell in love with him, and officially adopted him on April 11, 2013.    It’s been a busy Winter and Springtime with dog rescues.  We've worked with the Weimaraner and Dachshund rescues for a couple of years now, because we have 2 dachshunds (Franklin & Sprite) and a Weim (Dolly) of our own.  Our latest foster was Tyler, a 2 year old black and tan, mini-dachshund  who came to us last December.

Tyler in Dec 2012 when we started fostering him

   Tyler was turned in to a shelter in North Carolina by his former owners - a middle-aged couple and their young adult daughter.  Tyler was never allowed to go outside to do his business, so he was not housebroken.   He didn’t know any voice commands.  He wouldn’t cuddle.  Tyler was also HEARTWORM POSITIVE, which means that he never received monthly heartworm preventative.  We’re happy to report that he is now well on the way to recovery:  he’s had several months of medical care and treatment that has included pills and injections to get rid of the pesky heartworms.

   Tyler is now housebroken and he sleeps through the night, which he didn't do for the first month with us. He's not anxious, and he loves to cuddle on a chair with us, or on the bed with Dolly, Franklin or Sprite. He loves toys, balls, and nylabones.

   Like our other "kids," Tyler also has a nickname.  He loves to jump up and down.  A LOT.  So we’ve given him the name "Bean," which is the abbreviated form of "jumping bean."  Of course, that also becomes "Beaner," or "Beanimus," and we think he's just "Beantastic!"   We are really excited about making it official, and welcome Tyler into our family of “Canine kids”!  On August 19, 2013, we’ll be able to get him tested one last time to see if the heartworms are all gone.  Once he’s been given the “all clear,” we can finally get him neutered, and hopefully get him to stop being so amorous with everyone! 
 

Tyler and Dolly