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My advice? Speak to a specialist early on, and get a realistic idea of what is and is not achievable given your specific circumstances. Sometimes it’s worth taking the plunge, and sometimes you are better off remaining as you are, but it’s always worth knowing you’re doing the right thing.
Anne Hathaway is standing up for fellow actress Jennifer Lawrence following the social media backlash against the Hunger Games actress.
Hathaway, who has had her own dealings with on-line criticism, took to Facebook to defend Lawrence after she was accused of being “rude” to a reporter at the Golden Globes.
“Dear the Internet, It’s become pretty clear that the Jennifer Lawrence ‘scolding’ was taken out of context and that she was dryly joking with a journalist who was indeed using his phone to take photos of her,” Hathaway wrote on Facebook.
“Please let us not punish her for these things,” the Alice Through the Looking Glass actress, who signed her post “A J-Law Fan,” concluded.
The post came after Jennifer was called out for telling a reporter to refrain from hiding behind his mobile phone.
After he apologised, the reporter went on to ask about the Academy Awards when Lawrence interrupted him.
In the meantime, Lawrence released a statement after being nominated for the best actress Oscar for her role in Joy.
Colombia said on Tuesday Farc guerrillas slit a state governor’s throat hours after they kidnapped him during a brazen raid in one of worst rebel strikes during President Alvaro Uribe’s government.
The kidnapping of Luis Cuellar, the Caqueta state governor, underscored how Latin America’s oldest insurgency remains capable of high-profile attacks despite being battered to its weakest level in decades by Uribe’s United States-backed offensive.
Armed rebels, dressed in military uniforms, blasted through the door of Cuellar’s house in a southern Colombian city late on Monday, killed a police guard and dragged the governor away from his wife and into a waiting jeep.
Cuellar’s body was found on Tuesday as troops scoured the remote jungle in hopes of rescuing him. The kidnapping was a reminder of the darker days of Colombia’s conflict when lawmakers were easy prey for rebel squads.
“He had his throat cut, they slaughtered him miserably,” Uribe said in a national broadcast after Cuellar’s body was discovered near the vehicle abandoned by rebels as they fled into jungle near Florencia city.
“As the armed forces were in pursuit, the terrorists cut the governor’s throat to avoid firing any shots,” he said.
The Farc, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, had yet to issue an statement on the kidnapping.
The rebel group once controlled large parts of the country. But urban bombings and kidnappings have eased as Uribe sent troops to take back areas from armed groups who fund their war with cocaine trafficking.
Foreign investment has soared in Colombia, Latin America’s number four oil producer, as cities became safer, kidnappings dropped and soldiers took back rural areas once off limits to petroleum and mining companies because of security risks.
Uribe, one of Washington’s staunchest allies in Latin America, is popular at home for the success of his security policies.
His allies are pushing for a constitutional change to allow the conservative to run for a third consecutive term.
His popularity remains high despite scandals over corruption, military involvement in civilian murders and paramilitary links to some of his lawmaker allies.
With about 9 000 fighters, the Farc is still a force in rural areas where state control is weak. But the rebels have increasingly turned to ambushes and the use of landmines as they are driven back deep into the mountains and jungles.
The Farc is holding 24 police and soldiers hostage—some kidnapped more than a decade ago—in jungle camps.
The governor’s kidnapping occurred after the guerrilla group announced a plan to release two hostages. His killing likely will scuttle the handover for now and Uribe has urged the military to attempt rescue operations.
After a long day of business meetings, sightseeing or catching up with old friends, travelers appreciate arriving at a comfortable and clean hotel room to rest their heads. And, generally, all anyone really wants is a clean and quiet place to shower, shave and sleep. Everything else is gravy.
Yet, I would argue that hotel staff and managers have the hardest customer service jobs out there. Travelers have all sorts of peculiar needs and expectations. And, in my experience, luxury hotels do an amazing job of providing them. Below, I’ve listed three things businesses can learn from the hospitality industry to ...
Some of the most impressive things hotels do go unnoticed. From the careful setting of toiletries to the thoughtful placement of furniture, hotel staff have paid close attention to dozens of minor details that collectively enhance the quality of your stay.
In 2012, travel writer Sarah Lee noted some of the neat extras that came with her room at the Shangri-La Toronto. These included an in-room iPad, a Nespresso machine, complimentary bottles of water, remote-controlled drapes and blinds, a nightlight, steam-free mirrors and under-floor heating.
Although these amenities may seem superfluous, they go a long way in making guests feel right at home.
Ritz-Carlton guest Chris Hurn relates the above-and-beyond customer service his wife and two children enjoyed when they returned home after a stay at the Ritz-Carlton. They arrived home only to realize that a family member named Joshie had gone missing.
Joshie, was, and is, none other than a stuffed giraffe; and Hurn’s son was particularly fond of the toy.
In a blog post, Hurn wrote, “[My son] was absolutely distraught when faced with the idea of going to sleep without his favorite pal.” So, to ease his son’s mind, Hurn fabricated a story about Joshie taking an extended vacation. By a stroke of luck, the Loss Prevention Team at the Ritz phoned the Hurn family that very e...
Pretty good customer service, if you ask me. But what the staff at the Ritz did next surprised everyone. “A couple of days went by, and we received a package from the hotel," Hurn says of what occurred. "It was my son's Joshie, along with some Ritz-Carlton-branded ‘goodies’ (a frisbee, football, etc.)."
Also included in the package: a binder that meticulously documented Joshie's extended stay at the Ritz. This quirky photo evidence of Joshie enjoying his time alone at the Ritz absolutely delighted the family. And by offering it, Ritz-Carlton transformed what could have been a family tragedy into an opportunity to...
So, what is your company doing to transform its customer service? The next time you stay at a fancy hotel, be mindful of the things the staff does to make your stay exceptional. Perhaps you'll learn something!
Flutterwave, a financial technology (Fintechs) company, yesterday said that Fintechs cannot disrupt banking activities in years to come.
Recall, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo voiced concern on the need for Nigerian banks to reform in order to survive the upspring of Fintechs.
The Chief Executive Officer, Flutterwave , Mr. Gbenga Agboola, speaking in a media parley in Lagos said: “From my perspective, the future is extremely bright for us. We don’t think Fintechs can disrupt banks, I don’t think so. At best they can complement banks. You may want to use me to send to your friend and family. ...
“We will innovate on how to make your life convenient and easy and fast and we will compliment the banks’ service that is what I see. I did not say the banks are not going anywhere, look at the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), with all the paypal in this world, you still have the big banks there doing ve...
While people like us focus on providing you the simple way to collect money from your customers, to send money to your families, to your friends, those simple things that we do every day, You want to buy airtime, , renew your rent, pay bills for your DSTV, etc.
Agboola mentioned that the company is set to extend and intensify its services to small businesses and merchants in the country thereby enabling them access to the global market.
A Chicago man was sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison for illegally buying handguns in Indiana and selling them in the city.
Ricky Hatch, 25, bought the guns from an unlicensed individual in a Bloomington on three separate occasions in 2015, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Norther District of Illinois.
Hatch, who is also known as “Rick Hatchet” and “Ricky Hatchet,” recruited someone from Indianapolis to serve as the buyer in the initial sale, prosecutors said. The seller reviewed the person’s driver’s license and listed some of her information on a purported bill of sale before selling the guns to Hatch, who paid for...
Hatch used aliases to conceal his identity in the other two transactions, prosecutors said.
After buying the guns, Hatch brought them to Chicago, prosecutors said. Chicago Police ultimately recovered five of the guns from other people.
Last year, Hatch pleaded guilty to unlawful transportation of firearms, prosecutors said. He was sentence to the 55-month prison sentence on Jan. 18.
Would you marry someone you've just met?
Because the dating scene is about to get a whole lot more interesting for unlucky- in-love singletons, as hit Channel 4 TV show Married at First Sight is back on the lookout for participants.
The dating programme which has captured the heart of the nation, sees two total strangers flung together in the hope of finding true love.
The compatibility of the couples is determined by a panel of relationship experts plus the results of three 'scientific' tests which decide who would make the perfect couple.
Will this love stand the test of time?
The show follows the lives of the strangers who meet for the first time at the top of the altar on their wedding day, including lavish honeymoons and living together for the very first time.
After several weeks of married life, each couple must decide whether to remain together or go their individual ways- the perfect get out of jail free card when you find out they cut their toenails in the living room.
Admittedly none of the UK newlyweds have stayed together and things are looking rather rocky for the current couples but you never know, it could be love at first sight.
Will it be love at first sight for the contestants?
If you want to sign up for the next series of the show, you must be over the age of 18, have no children and you can't have been married before.
Warning that its third-quarter results would be dismal, the Gillette Company said yesterday that it would cut 4,700 jobs, or 11 percent of its worldwide work force, as it reorganized its business.
The company, the world's largest maker of blades and razors, said earnings for the quarter would be down 20 percent from the quarter a year ago, largely as a result of a $535 million charge against earnings to pay for the cutbacks and reorganization.
Analysts said they were surprised by how bleak the earnings outlook was. Gillette was expected to earn 40 cents a share in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, based on a consensus of analysts polled by First Call, an investment research company, compared with 38 cents a share, adjusted for a stock split, a year earlier. ...
Gillette plans to close 14 plants and 12 warehouses and eliminate or consolidate about 30 office facilities worldwide. The company, which is based in Boston, did not say which plants and offices would be closed. The cost cuts, which are part of the company's second reorganization in five years, will result in annual sa...
The company also said its earnings would grow by the ''low double digits'' in the fourth quarter, but it had expected to earn 41 cents a share, based on the First Call consensus.
Gillette announced the profit warning and the cutbacks after the stock market closed. Earlier, its shares rose $1.6875, to $40, on the New York Stock Exchange. Third-quarter results are scheduled to be released on Oct. 15.
Calling it a ''very poor quarter we'd like to forget,'' Alfred M. Zeien, the chairman and chief executive officer of the company, said the results could be attributed to several factors. First, the company's strategy to accelerate the introduction its new Mach 3 shaving system resulted in huge one-time costs. At the sa...
In a conference call with financial analysts yesterday, Mr. Zeien sought to assure investors that the fundamentals of Gillette's business remained strong and that the Mach 3 shaver was meeting sales expectations. He also assured analysts that the reorganization would bring about a more competitive company.
But the assurances did little to pacify analysts, who said they had not been expecting an earnings drop of as much as 20 percent and had little warning from Gillette's management that estimates were so far off target.
In addition to the job cuts and factory closings, Gillette said it was realigning its management. The company, which manufactures the best-selling Sensor razor line as well as Duracell batteries and Oral B dental products, said its six global business management units would be organized under two executive vice preside...
The groups will sell the company's entire product line within their geographic territories instead of having distinct selling organizations with separate administrative functions in one territory. The four executive vice presidents will report to Michael C. Hawley, president and chief operating officer.
''Under the new organization structure, there will be one Gillette Company in each of the major geographic regions,'' Mr. Hawley said.
BREAKING: DreamWorks has acquired the upcoming sci-fi thriller novel Spark by John Twelve Hawks. Doubleday is publishing the book in the U.S. and UK in October 2014, and the deal was just made by UTA’s Kassie Evashevski. The author, also repped by Writers House, is well-known for being reclusive. He’s known to his fans...
Leroy E. Christner, 83, Meyersdale, died Jan. 16, 2005, at Beverly Healthcare, Meyersdale. Born June 7, 1921, in Garrett, a son of the late Harry and Edith (Grew) Christner. Also preceded in death by his wife, Betty D. Christner, Oct. 30, 1975. Survived by three children: Roger L. Christner, Meyersdale, Terry A. Christ...
After the tornado hit late Sunday morning, the Journal Star went into action, racing into the newsroom and out to the scene in Washington, Pekin and East Peoria.
It was a tragic day for many in our region. As a news staff, we responded with immediacy, depth and compassion in our reporting. Online and in print, we provided our readers with a complete package of stories, photos and graphics. I’m very proud of our work.
Many staff members came in on their day off, or called to offer assistance. Some were in the middle of or near the storm’s path.
Along with Laura and Mike, special thanks goes to newsroom staff members Anthony Smith, Adam Gerik, Chris Kaergard, Vikaas Shanker, Fred Zwicky, Ron Johnson David Zalaznik, Andy Kravetz, Matt Buedel, Nick Vlahos, Sally McKee, Brad Erickson, Phil Luciano, Katie Gaston, Troy Taylor, Robert Connelly, Scott Hinton, Matt Da...
Our team proved to be calm under pressure, professional and true news hounds. As many staff said to me yesterday, “It’s what we do, right?” Right.
We have a very aggressive coverage plan going forward. This event will continue to be a story for the coming weeks, months and years. If you have a story idea, tip or lead, please share it with us at news@pjstar.com.
The Post Independent, in conjunction with Valley Life For All, continues a monthly series of profiles about people in our community who have different disabilities. Twenty-seven percent of Americans experience some disability. One hundred percent are a part of our community. Each has a story.
Corey Mineo trains and coordinates Junior Volunteers for Valley View Hospital, holds a degree in psychology and loves pushing the limits of his abilities. His voice will change you.
At age 2, I was diagnosed with a degenerative muscular disease. I have been in a wheelchair since second grade. I have limited use of my arms and hands. Yet, in my mind, I don’t see myself as I look. When I’m talking to someone, or in my dreams, I don’t see myself in my chair. I would describe myself as having the mind...
There was a time when I was self-conscious about my physical presence, but no more. If people seem uncomfortable with that, I can pick up on that and I approach them. I admit that I might push their comfort level purposely. It might be kind of a jerk thing to do, but I find that opens up the gate to communicating. Thos...
I do want to use my voice to speak for those who cognitively or physically can’t speak for themselves. What I want people to know is that I just want to be seen and treated as any other person. We all have our strengths and quirks.
I can easily identify all the positives I got out of the negative. I am a realist. I know that the muscle degeneration that I experience puts limitations on my physical self, but it does not limit who I am.
I like to be a part of the community. I like to walk around town and stop in at the coffee shop and read the newspaper. There are physical barriers that keep me from being able to fully participate as others might. I was called to jury duty some years back. I am capable of serving on a jury, but I couldn’t because I co...
I recently graduated from the Roaring Fork Community Leadership Center with the class of 2018. I think that leadership is really about letting people organically grow and guiding them. To lead is to teach.
I hope adding my voice to the conversation helps educate and teach, and that it lets people grow in a new understanding of inclusion for all.
WASHINGTON — "All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware."
My aunt showed me this quote by German philosopher Martin Buber she had written on the front page of her travel diary as we boarded our plane in New York City for Eastern Europe. We didn't realize how true it would be to our own voyage.
More than a year ago plans were made between my dad's sister and our mutual paternal cousin to travel back to "the old country" and see where our ancestors had lived before coming to Americ a. (The first to come over on my father's paternal side was my grandfather's uncle in 1871; he changed our family name from Tikotz...
We would travel to Grodno, Belarus, where my grandfather was born (then part of Russia), and Sokolka, Poland, where HIS father was born. We would travel to Minsk, Belarus (also then part of Russia), home of my father's maternal grandparents. Our cousin's mother's side of the family was known to have perished outside Pa...
Posted on Tue, Mar 13, 2012 : 1:54 p.m.
A resident of the Arbor Meadows neighborhood of Pittsfield Township noticed people looking into vehicles early Tuesday, raising suspicions about the reason.
That resident called police - and minutes later, following a chase, three people were taken into custody for multiple auto break-ins.
Some of the items recovered after the early-Tuesday break-in spree in Arbor Meadows.
"They contacted dispatch and let them know someone was looking in cars," said Sgt. David Thomas. "It was a big help."
The incident unfolded in the manufactured home community located at Michigan Avenue east of US-23 just after 3 a.m. Tuesday.
The caller told a police dispatcher that four people riding in a blue car were approaching multiple vehicles in the parking areas, getting into at least one of them.
Patrols arriving on the scene had descriptions of the people, all of whom tried to run away when they spotted officers. Two were caught inside the complex, another was apprehended nearby and the fourth escaped. However, police said he's been identified as a 22-year-old Downriver Detroit resident and faces arrest.
The suspects - two men, ages 17 and 18, and a woman age 19 - were also all from various Downriver communities, police said.
Detectives from those areas have been in touch with Pittsfield, said Deputy Chief Gordy Schick, to determine whether the suspects have been involved in similar crimes elsewhere.
The suspects' car contained multiple items taken from several vehicles, police said. The items include electronics like GPS devices and iPods, and about 10 car stereos.

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