Secret recordings made by a top aide to former president of France Nicolas Sarkozy in 2011 have been leaked to French media outlets. The best revelation of the so-called Sarkoleaks is first lady Carla Bruni interrupting a discussion about real estate to joke about how she had to put all her cosmetics contracts on hold during his presidency — and just as she was entering her anti-aging years! Read a transcript of the conversation at Atlantico.fr if you don’t trust the Cut and the Daily Mail’s translation.
CARLA BRUNI SARKOZY : No. Just that I can do my job already, like that… to support… very expensive… I’m telling you I am crazy about him… well… we’re losing our minds, huh?
Although many found Sarkozy’s ability not to be emasculated by Bruni’s earning power and Bruni’s memory for celebrities’ ages somewhat charming, the couple plans to sue for breach of privacy.
Democratic legislative candidates Joe de la Cruz, left, and Christine Conley embrace as results come in at the Groton Democratic headquarters on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Peter Huoppi/The Day)
Groton — Democratic challenger Joseph de la Cruz on Tuesday ousted Republican incumbent Aundré Bumgardner from his state representative seat in the 41st House District.
De la Cruz received 4,936 votes, while Bumgardner received 4,130. Absentee ballot results were not yet available.
"I feel good," de la Cruz said. "I am excited. It was a lot of work. I did 500 miles on a scooter this summer. A borrowed scooter. I've got to pay the girl back that I borrowed the scooter from."
De la Cruz, 45, a member of the Groton Town Council, ran on a platform of understanding the plight of struggling, working families.
"Everything I've done, I've started at the bottom," he said during the campaign. De la Cruz, who lives in Groton, grew up in the housing projects of New London, worked two jobs and climbed from welder to manager of Hillery Company, a custom metal fabrication shop.
He and his wife, Tammy, founded Community Speaks Out, an organization focused on getting substance abuse treatment for people struggling with addiction.
Bumgardner, 22, known for his relentless door knocking and conversations with constituents, focused on the need for budget reform in the state and the experience he'd gained during his first term on the legislature. The Groton resident was elected in 2014 at age 20, becoming the youngest member of the Connecticut General Assembly.
Bumgardner also revealed during the campaign that he had been diagnosed with a tumor under his skull last year. During the illness, he underwent surgery, had the growth removed and maintained a perfect voting attendance record.
Both candidates expressed their respect for one another even as they disagreed, in contrast with other races.
Bumgardner argued that state taxes are "out of control" and the business climate needs reform. General Electric's decision to leave Connecticut represented a substantial loss, he said.
De la Cruz said he was shaken by an Appropriations Committee proposal last spring to cut $4.56 million in state education funding to Groton. Although most of the cut was later rescinded, de la Cruz said it demonstrated that the budget discussion must change.
Candidates for the 41st District seat, Democrat Joe de la Cruz, left, and Republican Aundré Bumgardner, right, share a laugh as they speak with voter Sam Linder, center, outside the polling location at Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School in New London on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Tim Cook/The Day)
Bentley arrived at the Pennsylvania SPCA's Philadelphia location in October 2016, after being removed from his home by Humane Law Enforcement. The shelter wasn’t given much detail about his past home life due to the confidentiality of the case, but the staffers could tell he had been through a lot, as poor Bentley was afraid of absolutely everything.
“Bentley was shy, stressed, and uncomfortable when he first came to the shelter,” Kayla Dorney, behavior lead at the Pennsylvania SPCA, told The Dodo. “He sat in the back of his kennel and just laid there. He’d face the back of his kennel, and didn’t seem to want much interaction with humans.”
While Bentley was scared of the shelter and all the dogs in it, he was also scared of all the people working there. He seemed to have trouble trusting new people, and was taking a while to warm up to everyone around him. He always looked so sad and confused sitting in his kennel, so the behavior team at the shelter came up with a plan to try and help him.
The behavior team decided that instead of keeping Bentley in a kennel, they would start keeping him in their office instead. They wanted to give him a chance to come out of his shell and give themselves an opportunity to get to know him better — and it worked so much better than anyone could have expected.
“The more time he spent with us, the more comfortable he became,” Dorney said. “His tail began to wag and we began to see more of who he was — a goofy, caring dog who is more intuitive than most. He knows when we are sad and we feed off of his happiness — he’s become more than just an office dog to us.”
Bentley still gets a little nervous around new people, but he’s come so far since arriving at the shelter two years ago. He’s now super close with all of his human friends at the shelter, and has even made some doggy friends as well. The behavior team is continuing to work with him on his anxieties and fears, but they have so much faith in the progress he’s made and how much he’s capable of — and now all he needs is a family to give him a chance.
All of Bentley’s friends at the shelter have a hard time believing that he still hasn’t been adopted yet. They even made a parody video in the style of “The Office” in hopes of catching the attention of potential adopters, but so far, no one has expressed any interest in sweet 6-year-old Bentley.
Bentley’s ideal family would be one with all adults who are experienced in dealing with dogs who have anxiety. They’ll need to be committed to continuing to help him make progress once he leaves the shelter. Most of all, though, Bentley just wants people to love and hang out with.
While he adores going hiking and rolling around outside in the grass, his favorite thing is curling up on the couch for a nice long Netflix marathon. Bentley makes the best cuddle buddy and confidant, and all his friends at the shelter are hoping his incredibly lucky future family will find him soon.
Alexander Wang meets adidas to create a connection between American streetstyle and the world of deluxe unisex sportswear. The adidas Originals codes and iconography are taken and returned in a new interpretation, the iconic logo is overturned. Hoodie, jumpsuits, sweatpants and sneakers - purely sportswear mixed with the designer's edgy touch.
The two automakers did not however disclose the cost of the transaction, which is awaiting regulatory approvals, but maintained it will not impact on jobs.
The auto industry in East Africa is gearing for a realignment after American giant General Motors (GM) announced its exit from the region.
The motor dealer said it will sell its entire 57.7 per cent stake in General Motors East Africa (GMEA) to Isuzu Motors Ltd of Japan, marking an end to its operations in the region spanning more than four decades.
GMEA chairman Mario A. Spangenberg, who is also president and managing director of GM Africa, termed the sale as a natural next step for the business given that about 95 per cent of its sales in Kenya are Isuzu products.
GMEA locally assembles and sells Isuzu buses, pick-ups and trucks. The firm also sells GM Chevrolet cars.
“We are responding to a request from Isuzu, which will enable it to be fully integrated into the company and apply more focus on its brand,” he said.
Once the sale is concluded, GM is likely to withdrawal the Chevrolet franchise from GMEA which will now be known as Isuzu East Africa.
But Mr Spangenberg said Isuzu will continue to offer aftersales and service support to its Chevrolet customers.
With the acquisition, Isuzu will become the largest shareholder holding a 57.7 per cent stake. Its partners, who will retain their current shareholding, include Kenya’s Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC) with 20 per cent, Centum Investments with 17.8 per cent and Itochu Corporation with 4.5 per cent.
The Japanese automaker said it hopes to expand its commercial vehicle production and sales in the region.
“We have planned a training programme for Kenyan staff and technical support from our mother plant to further enhance quality and production. We will also focus on the aftersales business, where we see many opportunities,” Isuzu Motor's Shinsuke Minami said.
GMEA has dominated the Kenya auto market increasing its market share to 35 per cent last year from 33.5 per cent in 2015 despite a decline in unit sales.
Latest data by the Kenya Motor Industry Association shows that GMEA maintained its market leader position in 2016 after selling 4,858 units of the 13,869 new cars sold by the entire industry. However, the units sales had dropped from 6,690 units in 2015.
The 5.11 6” ATAC Boot offers superior performance and durability while maintaining a professional profile. The toe is crafted from high-shine full grain polished leather, while the nylon upper offers rugged resilience and breathability that stands up to tough patrol environments. The moisture wicking lining and dual density foam cushioning offer support and comfort, while the oil-resistant no-squeak outsole ensures stealth and stability. The 6” ATAC Boot also incorporates our revolutionary 5.11 Shock Mitigation System® to provide maximum compression and rebound, increasing your speed, stamina, and traction on any surface.
These boots are unisex, please reference the chart within the product description for the coordinating sizes.
Ideal for fire departments, rescue squads, and private ambulance services, these EMS shorts provide great comfort and performance for warm weather seasons. The two-pleat front offers maximum freedom of movement. Made from 100% cotton twill. Certified to meet NFPA 1975.
A UK-based engineer has developed a prototype device that could allow expectant mothers to measure a foetal heartbeat without visiting hospital.
Alongside movement of the baby in the womb, foetal heartbeat is a primary indicator of the health of an unborn child. During high-risk pregnancies in particular, where factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes or preeclampsia are at play, regular monitoring of the baby’s cardiac activity is vital. Currently, however, these checks are almost exclusively carried out at hospital, leading to numerous potentially stressful visits.
The new device, developed by Sussex University’s Dr Elizabeth Rendon-Morales, enables in utero foetal electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring by simply placing a sensor on the woman’s abdomen. It is an electrometer-based amplifier prototype that uses Electric Potential Sensing (EPS) technology, accurately isolating the baby’s heartbeat from the mother’s and helping to detect congenital cardiac diseases such as arrhythmia.
“Currently expectant mothers with health concerns about their babies have to go through the stress of going to hospital to check on the heartbeat of their child,” said Dr Rendon-Morales, a lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Sussex University. “With this new technology, they will be able to do this from the comfort of their own home, which will be much better for the welfare of mother and baby.
While there are some home-based foetal electrocardiograms available commercially, Rendon-Morales believes the new device is a significant improvement. Her detector also removes the need for a special gel to be applied to the skin, which is necessary when using the traditional silver chloride electrodes associated with ultrasound scans.
“Although the ultrasound procedure is described as being non-invasive, having gel rubbed on your skin and then an electrode pressed against your womb is invasive and can be an uncomfortable experience for mothers,” she said. “With this new heart monitor, expectant mothers can get reassurance that their baby is doing fine within a few seconds, removing the unnecessary stress and worry that waiting for a hospital scan currently involves.”
This is a factual history of England’s most famous fossil hunter Mary Anning and her major finds, which included ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and a pterodactyl. It also includes notes on other major pioneering palaeontologists of her time, including William Buckland, Henry de la Beche and William Conybeare, who were her friends and mentors.
On the 21st of May 1799 a baby girl was born to Richard and Mary Anning, Lyme Regis, Dorset. The daughter was christened Mary and she grew up to become one of the most famous fossil hunters of her age. She collected and studied fossils found in the surrounding cliffs of the Jurassic coast. Mary’s contribution had a major impact when scientific enquiry was leading to a change in the way people thought about the evolution of life and our planet - a story that would culminate with Charles Darwin's; ‘On the Origin of Species', published in 1859.