Croatia

Plitvice, a watery paradise in Croatia

Wherever you look, there's a scene worth capturing on film and framing; Plitvice, the best known of Croatia's national parks, is a paradise of lakes and waterfalls. With its range of habitats and microclimates, it is also a haven for wildlife.

In recent years, Croatia has changed from a relative unknown to one of the trendiest destinations in Europe. To a great extent this is due to the country's rocky littoral, which, washed by the Adriatic, is considered one of the most beautiful of the Mediterranean coastlines. Then there is the rich history and cultural heritage of medieval towns such as Dubrovnik, Split and Sibenik. But the well-deserved popularity also depends on the protected natural areas, which make up some ten per cent of the country's area. Eight areas enjoy national park status – a very high number for a relatively small country. Of these, Plitvice is the best known. It owes its fame to the 16 lakes of crystal clear water in all shades of green, grey and blue linked by nearly a hundred tumbling cascades, as well as to the dense forests of beech, fir and pines where bears and wolves roam, and which are home to a great variety of birds. Plitvice is classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a network of trails allows visitors to roam freely and explore. If you're a lover of nature, take a look at our gallery and see if it appeals for your next getaway.

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Plitvice Lakes National Park is in the Lika region of Croatia and lies in a plateau surrounded by three mountains, not far from the border with Bosnia 

The park is criss-crossed by a series of paths and trails that allow visitors to explore the area and observe the flora and fauna 

Although the park is best known for its lakes and waterfalls, it is home to a wide range of birds and animals 

Plitvice is the best known of the eight national parks of Croatia, a country where around ten per cent of the area enjoys some kind of protected status 

The park is a watery paradise in all different shades of blue, green and grey; the light and shadow on the moving waters cause the colours to change constantly 

Visitors explore the park on foot, following marked trails and wooden bridges 

Some of the rivers in the park can also be travelled in boats 

With its variation in altitude, climate and soil types, the park offers a wide range of habitats for different species of wildlife 

There are 16 lakes in the Plitvice Park, linked together by rivers and around 100 waterfalls 

The area where the park lies is karstic rock, mostly dolomite and limestone, and there are marvellous rock formations and caves 

13 Secrets Airline Pilots Won’t Tell You

Posted on September 4, 2013 by postroad | Comments Off

“Good Morning America ” is teaming up with Reader’s Digest on a special series, “13 Things Experts Won’t Tell You .” This month, Reader’s Digest unveils the 13 secrets your airline pilot won’t tell you that will change the way you fly, plus one bonus tip.

We asked 17 pilots from across the country to give us straight answers about maddening safety rules, inexplicable delays, the air and attitudes up there—and what really happens behind the cockpit door. What they told us will change the way you fly.

“We miss the peanuts too.” –US Airways pilot, South Carolina

What You Don’t Want to Know

“I’m constantly under pressure to carry less fuel than I’m comfortable with. Airlines are always looking at the bottom line, and you burn fuel carrying fuel. Sometimes if you carry just enough fuel and you hit thunderstorms or delays, then suddenly you’re running out of gas and you have to go to an alternate airport.” -Captain at a major airline

“Sometimes the airline won’t give us lunch breaks or even time to eat. We have to delay flights just so we can get food.” -First officer on a regional carrier

“We tell passengers what they need to know. We don’t tell them things that are going to scare the pants off them. So you’ll never hear me say, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, we just had an engine failure,’ even if that’s true.” -Jim Tilmon, retired American Airlines pilot, Phoenix

“The Department of Transportation has put such an emphasis on on-time performance that we pretty much aren’t allowed to delay a flight anymore, even if there are 20 people on a connecting flight that’s coming in just a little late.” -Commercial pilot, Charlotte, N.C.

“The truth is, we’re exhausted. Our work rules allow us to be on duty 16 hours without a break. That’s many more hours than a truck driver. And unlike a truck driver, who can pull over at the next rest stop, we can’t pull over at the next cloud.” -Captain at a major airline

What We Want You to Know

“Some FAA rules don’t make sense to us either. Like the fact that when we’re at 39,000 feet going 400 miles an hour, in a plane that could hit turbulence at any minute, [flight attendants] can walk around and serve hot coffee and Chateaubriand. But when we’re on the ground on a flat piece of asphalt going five to ten miles an hour, they’ve got to be buckled in like they’re at NASCAR.” -Jack Stephan, US Airways captain based in Annapolis, Md., who has been flying since 1984

“The two worst airports for us: Reagan National in Washington, D.C., and John Wayne in Orange County, Calif. You’re flying by the seat of your pants trying to get in and out of those airports. John Wayne is especially bad because the rich folks who live near the airport don’t like jet noise, so they have this noise abatement procedure where you basically have to turn the plane into a ballistic missile as soon as you’re airborne.” -Pilot, South Carolina

“At some airports with really short runways, you’re not going to have a smooth landing no matter how good we are: John Wayne Airport; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Chicago Midway; and Reagan National.” -Joe D’Eon, a pilot at a major airline who produces a podcast at flywithjoe.com

“I may be in uniform, but that doesn’t mean I’m the best person to ask for directions in the airport. We’re in so many airports that we usually have no idea.” -Pilot for a regional carrier, Charlotte, N.C.

“This happens all the time: We’ll be in Pittsburgh going to Philly, and there will be a weather delay. The weather in Pittsburgh is beautiful. Then I’ll hear passengers saying, ‘You know, I just called my friend in Philly, and it’s beautiful there too,’ like there’s some kind of conspiracy or something. But in the airspace between Pittsburgh and Philly there’s a huge thunderstorm.” -Jack Stephan

“You may go to an airline website and buy a ticket, pull up to its desk at the curb, and get onto an airplane that has a similar name painted on it, but half the time, you’re really on a regional airline. The regionals aren’t held to the same safety standards as the majors: Their pilots aren’t required to have as much training and experience, and the public doesn’t know that.” -Captain at a major airline

“Most of the time, how you land is a good indicator of a pilot’s skill. So if you want to say something nice to a pilot as you’re getting off the plane, say ‘Nice landing.’ We do appreciate that.” -Joe D’Eon

“No, it’s not your imagination: Airlines really have adjusted their flight arrival times so they can have a better record of on-time arrivals. So they might say a flight takes two hours when it really takes an hour and 45 minutes.” -AirTran Airways captain, Atlanta

13 Secrets Airline Pilots Won’t Tell You – ABC News.

Guide to Florida's Notorious Law Enforcement Agencies

A Visitor's Guide to Florida's Most Notorious Law Enforcement Agencies

• MIKE RIGGS
• AUG 19, 2013
Florida criminals have a well-earned reputation as some of the strangest in the country, possibly the world. But as the Escambia County Sheriff's Department demonstrated late last month, when it shot an unarmed man in his own driveway, it's not just Florida perps who are out of line. A number of the state's police and sheriff's departments are every bit as notorious for employing weird, backwards, and even criminal Floridians. 

Mark Byrnes
1) Escambia County Sheriff’s Department
Two Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies made headlines late last month when they fired 15 rounds at an unarmed man in his own driveway. Roy Middleton, 60, was looking for a cigarette in his mother’s car when the deputies asked him to turn around, then unloaded their weapons when he did so (hitting him twice in the leg). A week later, as Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick notes, Escambia deputies climbed through the window of a couple’s home, cuffed them, and killed their dogs. They were looking for a suspect, didn’t have a warrant, but saw an overturned bucket and assumed the suspect used it to the enter home. (He hadn’t.) While such abuses are not that uncommon, the reaction of Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan is. In the wake of Middleton’s shooting, Morgan said that “the tragedy of this is the noncompliance to the directions of law enforcement officers.” A week later, before a Rotary Club audience, Morgan suggested that the bigger problem is that whites are not allowed to talk about how inherently violent black people are. With leadership like that, it’s no wonder Escambia deputies feel empowered to shoot black people who turn around too quickly. And dogs.
2) Lakeland Police Department
Saying that the Lakeland Police Department is “facing a sex scandal” is sort of like saying the Titanic “faced an iceberg.” An investigation that started earlier this summer after someone saw a Lakeland PD cop having sex with a colleague at a Lakeland church, has expanded to include10 officers total, nine of whom are now out of a job. The woman with whom the officers stand accused of having on-the-job-sex, Sue Eberle, says she consented because she felt her career was on the line, and also because she’d been sexually abused as a child. The long-time Lakeland PD captain put in charge of investigating the network of consensual-or-maybe-not trysts “retired” after he was found to have used Eberle’s phone to take a picture of his genitals. As if the department’s internal affairs weren’t bad enough, a dashcam video was recently released showing a Lakeland PD officer forcing a Lakeland resident to expose her breasts during a traffic stop.
3) Crestview Police Department
The trial of former Crestview PD Major Joseph Floyd began August 12, and the prosecution “spent about 40 minutes reciting for jurors the long list of crimes” Floyd is accused of committing. From 2007-2012, Floyd basically had the run of Crestview, whose police chief hired him despite Floyd’s long history of getting fired and/or investigated while employed by other Florida law enforcement agencies. The grand jury indictment of Floyd listed every imaginable kind of crime: falsifying reports and records, abusing suspects, sexual assault, intimidating co-workers and other city employees, extortion, and even forcing a pregnant woman to miscarry when he intentionally rammed and flipped her car. The March 2012 indictment, which forced the resignation of Crestview Police Chief Brian Mitchell, led to Mitchell being arrested and charged last month for helping Floyd cover up his employment history as a dirty cop. While technically only Floyd is only trial, Tom McLaughlin of the Northwest Florida Daily News saysthe rest of the department will "literally and figuratively, be tried with him," as 90 percent of the department has been subpoenaed. 
4) Miami Police Department
Any big city police department is going to have its fair share of bad apples, but the Miami PD's problems transcend rotten fruit. A July report from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division found that in recent years the Miami PD “engaged in a pattern of excessive force that led to a high number of shootings by officers”; and, that there were “delays in completing investigations of officer-involved shootings, questionable police tactics and a lack of adequate supervision.” Speaking of delays: The Justice Department says its report took longer than expected due exclusively to the Miami PD’s “frequent inability to produce necessary documents in a timely fashion.” How bad, exactly, is Miami’s trigger-happy cop problem? “In 2010...there was one fatal shooting for every 4,300 officers in New York, compared with one for every 220 in Miami.”
5) Lee County Sheriff's Department
In March 2012, after a journalist called him on his cell phone to ask about a federal lawsuit pending against the Lee County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Mike Scott announced new rulesfor local media in and around Fort Myers, Florida. Scott suspended morning press briefings with the department’s public information official, where local reporters asked questions about burgeoning cases, and instituted a new policy requiring every media outlet to make an appointment to review publicly available logs, then submit a written request for information, which would be personally reviewed by Scott. In addition, Scott’s officers were to have no contact whatsoever with The News-Press, Southwest Florida’s largest and most widely read newspaper. But the department’s shortcomings don’t stop there. In 2009, a year after Scott was elected, employees at the Lee County jail tortured a mentally ill man to death, then cleared themselves of wrongdoing. In 2010, the National Police Misconduct Reporting Projectdetermined that the Lee County Sheriff’s Department had the highest misconduct rating among law enforcement departments its size—meaning Lee County beat out the Pittsburgh and Oakland PDs, as well as Joe Arpaio’s Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department.
6) Orange County Sheriff’s Department
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department declaration that it is a “paramilitary organization,” made last week by the department’s recruiting manager, would be slightly less chilling if the Orange County Sheriff’s Department didn’t have a history of indiscriminately treating their territory like an actual battleground. In fact it was just last year, in March 2012, that the department announced “deputies will now be trained to weigh the risk to the public before opening fire.” That recommendation came from a citizen review board convened after the very high profile 2010 shooting of suspected car thief Torey Breedlove. Orange County deputies fired more than 130 rounds at Breedlove after he allegedly rammed a deputy’s vehicle. More troubling than the number of bullets? The deputies—nine of whom had fired on suspects before—decided to unleash this torrent of gunfire in the parking lot of an apartment complex, hitting a residential unit in the process. After the review board’s recommendations were made public, retired Boca Raton Police Chief Andrew J. Scott remarked that when it came to responsible policing, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department “seem[s] to be a little bit behind the eight ball."
7) Opa Locka Police Department
Over the course of two decades, Sergeant German Bosque of the Opa Locka Police Department survived 40 internal affairs investigations as well as six firings and five re-hirings, leading theSarasota Herald-Tribune, at the start of a nine-part series on police accountablity, to declare that Bosque's personnel file “looks more like a rap sheet than a résumé.” While the Opa Locka PD fired Bosque in October 2012 for the sixth and (likely) final time, the incident that led to his firing—lending his department-issued AR-15 and bullet proof vest to his girlfriend's dad—suggests Bosque was fired for the bad publicity he generated. After all, prior to lending out his gear, Bosque got away with stealing drugs from evidence, beating suspects, assaulting a minor, and covering up a car accident. The implications of his arrest, which happened in June 2013, are even more damning. When Bosque turned himself in to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement earlier this summer, it was for a crime (kidnapping) he committed inside the physical confines of the Opa Locka Police Department in 2011. Bosque may finally be gone, but what about the culture that allowed him to thrive for two decades? Recent reports don’t bode well. Opa Locka’s new police chief (the son-in-law of the last one) is already under fire from local media.
Keywords: Miami, Corruption, Police, Crime, Shootings, Florida
Mike Riggs is a staff writer at The Atlantic Cities.
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http://www.diananyad.com/

Boudoir

I’m Bringing Sexy Back: 10 Hot Tips For A Fabulous Boudoir Photo Shoot

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Shawna Kaye

Are you ready to break out of your shell and reveal that inner diva in you? Well, I have the perfect idea for those who want to own their inner pin-up-girl; a boudoir photo shoot! The motivations for the shoot may range from anniversary, birthday, weight loss, maternity, etc. However, there is nothing more empowering as having a boudoir photo shoot for the hell of it, and having photos of yourself all glammed up and owning your sexy!

You may even want to give these one-of-a-kind images to your hubby or boyfriend as a gift for his birthday, Valentine’s, anniversary, or any special occasion. You’ll offer up some sexy photos for his eyes only, that’ll have him viewing you in a fun and flirty way, and that may even spice up your love life.

Doing a boudoir photo shoot can give you a great boost in self-esteem and confidence. Anyone can do a boudoir session, and it doesn’t require you to look like a supermodel or fit into a size 0. If you’re not familiar with boudoir photography, I will further explain this exciting trend.

www.kaydaily.wordpress.com

Welcome to the wonderful world of boudoir photography! Boudoir photography is simply designed to show a woman in a beautiful, intimate, and sultry state. The term “boudoir” is French, and refers to a woman’s bedroom or private dressing room, but the term has been coined to describe a genre of glamour photography in which nudity is implied by showing women in a state of undress or wearing alluring lingerie. The pictures are usually taken in a romantic setting such as a bedroom or even an elegant hotel room. Boudoir photography has become popular trend for the modern belle to capture her alluring essence.

Your girl here knows a thing or two about boudoir photo shoots since partaking in one myself, and I’m here to proudly divulge 10 hot tips to prepare you for a great boudoir photo shoot experience.

1. Book the shoot in advance to give yourself the opportunity to acquire a great photographer you feel comfortable with and trust. Scout out photographers that have boudoir photo shoot experience, and check out their portfolio of previous work to see what best suits you and the mood you want to have. The further in advance you schedule the shoot the better, so you will have the photographer available for your requested date and time. Also, the time in advance may allow you to possibly workout to get toned or loose weight. I booked my shoot 8 months in advance so I had plenty of time to get my body in tip-top shape, and it gave me a date to work towards.

2. There are a few things that should be done in advance of your shoot to ensure that it goes successful. Drink lots of water and eat healthy in the weeks leading up to the shoot; this will give you healthy glow from the inside out. Get plenty of sleep the night before so that you’re well rested. I would also suggest for you to eat a light meal before the shoot, so your not bloated during the shoot.

3. Pamper your body from head to toe. To guarantee flawless skin for my shoot, I made exfoliating my skin a daily ritual. Another important thing to remember is to wax or shave your legs, bikini area, and underarms, and tweeze your eyebrows or any obvious facial hairs. Be sure to do your hair removal two or three days prior to the shoot to ensure that there is not redness and irritation. Moisturize your skin a few hours before the shoot, preferably baby oil because it gives you a nice glow for the shoot.

4. What to wear too the shoot? You’ll want to wear loose clothing to prevent any skin markings, irritations, or traces on your body that might occur from wearing tight clothes. For example a button down shirt, and some loose jeans or shorts, or a simple dress would work just fine.

Kara Boudoir Photography

5. What clothes you should bring to the photo shoot? Now, for the actual photo shoot depending on how much time you have scheduled, you want to pack a few options. If you have an hour photo shoot that will give you ample time for just about 3 looks, and you’ll also want all the outfits to coordinate together or have a similar theme.  Not to mention, you’ll want to bring the proper shoes to complete the look, and your best bet is to bring more than one option.

Here are some great options for boudoir outfits:
- lingerie (sexy bra & panty set, garter belt, corset, bustier, baby doll nightie, teddy nightie, fishnet/stockings/ thigh high stockings, chemise, camisole, thongs/g-string, boy shorts, or any novelty lingerie)
- your wedding veil
- your guy’s favorite button up shirt… unbuttoned
- vintage nurse uniform
- nothing but a sports jersey                                                                                                     – jewelry options can be pearls or any delicate jewelery                                                         - your free to bring props related to your hobby, job, or personality. (feathers/ feather boa, bows, gloves, rose petals, bird cage veil, broach, sparkling hair clips, etc.)

Lux Mode Boudoir

6. Leave your face bare for the makeup artist. If your shoot includes a professional makeup artist, then come to the set with no makeup and a clean face. If you are getting your make up done elsewhere be sure to do the same as well. Makeup removal usually takes up time and you wouldn’t want it to cut into your photo session time. I would also advise that you have an idea of what type of makeup look your going for prior to your appointment; you can even bring magazine clips to show the makeup artist an idea of what you desire. I also suggest that you set your makeup appointment 11/2 to 3 hours in advance to allow time for makeup application and time to get to the set, therefore it doesn’t take time away from your session. Makeup application can take some time, but luckily for me my makeup artist and photo studio was all in walking distance of each other. Ultimately, you’ll want to get to your shoot early.

In addition, you may want to give yourself enough time to style your hair at home or if you will have a hairstylist you have to factor in enough time to spend with the stylist as well.

7. Be aware of your whole body when posing. A great photographer will suggest poses and adjustments to your pose, so you don’t have to figure it out on your own. The first thing to consider when it comes to posing is good posture, which means to pull your shoulders back suck in your stomach. To create a pleasing silhouette the photographer may even want you to exaggerate your poses by arching your back, pop your hip to one side, or pop your butt out. As far as your arms are concerned, you may want to place your hands on your hips, thighs, shoulder, sides of your face, or even use them to play with the straps of you lingerie. All in all, you want to keep your posses soft and sexy.

Warwick Boudoir

8. Be mindful of your facial expressions when posing, because this is how you convey the mood. Your best bet for a boudoir photo shoot is a relaxed smile and smizing (smiling with your eyes). I have mastered art of smizing and as you can see from any of my pics, I do it well. You’ll want to consider what feel your going for whether it be the cute girl-next-door or the seductive temptress, and that will determine what your overall facial expressions would be. Your best bet in posing and facial expressions is to flip through a magazine or go online and study posses that you like and the models expressions.

9. Enjoy your boudoir shoot. Embrace your sensuality and channel your inner sex kitten.   Be present and cherish this candid moment to the fullest, since this day is designed to cater just to you. You’ll want to let loose and be comfortable in your own skin, and to ease your nerves you may want to play music during your shoot; find out if the photographer has music, or bring your own.

10. You may have the option of photo retouching. Most photographers will offer some level of basic image editing as a standard. However, air-brushing and retouching may cost extra. Be sure to check with your photographer to figure out their policy and prices regarding retouching. You might want to factor it into the cost of your shoot. In spite of that , who knows you might just love the au naturale pics of yourself, flaws and all!

“I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. Demille”.

Boudoir By Lily

Boudoir photo shoots are fun, and offers an invaluable experience to get in touch with your intimate self and discover that flirty feminine side that each woman has. I’m sure you would enjoy getting dolled up for this awesome opportunity. I totally loved my experience with my shoot, and it was my first, and certainly won’t be my last.  If you live in the NYC area or plan coming to NYC, and your looking to do a session I can personally recommend French Kiss Boudoir Photography. In addition, if you need some boudoir inspiration check out my Pinterest board Boudoir/ Pin-Up Inspiration, you’ll find sexy ideas for all things Boudoir! “I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. Demille”.

Have you done a boudoir photo shoot, or are you interested in doing one? If you’ve done one before, how was your experience? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Love,

Shawna Kay ( Blissed Out Belle )

Kay is a Lifestyle & Empowerment Enthusiast, and the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Blissed Out Belle™. Connect with her on Facebook here, and follow her on Twitter @BlissedOutBelle

The Titanic

17 Beautifully Colorized Photos Of The Titanic

These vibrant pictures will capture your imagination.posted on August 23, 2013 at 5:02pm EDT

Via retronaut.com

Photo of the Titanic under construction. The ship was built by the firm of Harland & Wolff at their shipyard on Queen’s Island, in Belfast, Ireland.

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Via retronaut.com

The Titanic was built alongside her sister ship, the Olympic.

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Via retronaut.com

The sheer size of the ships forced Harland and Wolff to demolish three existing slipways and build two new ones.

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Via retronaut.com

Construction of the ships bow.

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Via retronaut.com

The Titanic leaving Belfast while being guide by two tug boats.

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Via retronaut.com

Photo taken on April 10, 1912, as the Titanic left Southampton, England, bound for New York.

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Via retronaut.com

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Via retronaut.com

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The luxurious, first-class, Café Parisien:

What the café was like as described by The Shipbuilder magazine:

“…a Café Parisien, which is an entirely new feature on board ship, has been arranged in connection with the restaurant, and here lunches and dinners can be served under the same excellent conditions and with all the advantages of the restaurant itself…it will be seen that this café has the appearance of a charming sun-lit verandah, tastefully decorated in French trellis-work with ivy and other creeping plants, and is provided with small groups of chairs surrounding convenient tables.”

Via en.wikipedia.org

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First-class room B-64, decorated in the Empire style.

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Via retronaut.com

First-class room B-38.

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Via retronaut.com

First-class room B-59, decorated in the Modern Dutch style.

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Via retronaut.com

First-class room B-60.

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A photo of the ship’s gymnasium, which include a punching bag, a rowing machine, and exercise bikes.

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The first-class smoking room, was men only. The room was built in the Georgian style — which was a style popular with gentlemen’s club at the time.

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Via retronaut.com

The first-class dining saloon, at over 114 feet, was the largest room on the ship and could accommodate up to 554 passengers.

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Brian GalindoBuzzFeed Staff