Animal News: 2016

Well, it's not long until 2016 ends in the usual blink of an eye. It's been another crazy year, what with the loss of quite a few celebrity icons, not to mention Andy Murray actually winning Wimbledon...

But it's not all about the humans!! What about our friends in the animal kingdom?


Year Of The Tiger

It was great to hear from WWF that there are now nearly 3900 tigers in the world, an increase of about 700 since 2010. This is the first time in a century that the numbers have risen, and I couldn't be more pleased. Fingers crossed they can hit their target of doubling the numbers by 2022.

Promising for Pandas?

2016 was also a good year for Giant Pandas, with their status being changed from "endangered" to vulnerable. This is mainly due to China's efforts. Sadly, this could be short-lived due to bamboo habitats being destroyed. Approximately one-third could be wiped out in the next 80 years, mainly due to climate change.

Everyone Knows A Dave.....

Worms don't normally hit the headlines, but Dave the Worm did! The largest earthworm ever found in the UK, he measured an incredible 40cm and weighed 26g!

Invasion of the Moths

After stadium workers left the lights on all night, the Euro 2016 final saw a swarm of moths fly in. Maybe they just wanted to play too!

Paws for Palmerston

On the 13th April, Palmerston the cat arrived at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to begin his role of Chief Mouser. He made the news in May when he caught his first mouse. He also keeps getting into trouble! As well as sneaking into Number 10 Downing Street, he's also had a few fights with Larry, the cat at Number 10. To be fair, I think Larry starts the fights.....

By Source = <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://twitter.com/DiploMog/status/720236191958855681">https://twitter.com/DiploMog/status/720236191958855681</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50160102">Link</a>

By Her Majesty's Government - https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/government/assets/history/buildings/larry-the-cat-a47549e08bdbc6cd0e3e042eea943f65b7a4590d95642586e51acb44bb2dcea2.jpg, OGL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46634105

Smoking Vs. Vaping: How Much Could We Save?

Smoking Vs. Vaping: How Much Could We Save?

I'm a smoker. A heavy smoker. On a good day, I probably get through about 10g of tobacco. On a bad day, up all day and working nights, I probably go through 15g. I used to smoke normal cigarettes, and still treat myself to a pack now and again, but it got far too costly.

So I buy a pack of tobacco for around £4. I probably buy 7 a week. That comes to £28. You could say that's £112 a month, but add in the odd pack of ciggies or extra tobacco, it's more like £150. 

It's not just my pocket that's suffering, it's my health too. But despite all that, I still haven't found the willpower to give it up. I've tried the gum, which made my mouth itch, and an e-cigarette which I hated. 

Now, everywhere I go, people are vaping. They look like dragons, with a cloud of smoke obscuring their heads. At first, I'd shake my head at them and roll my eyes. But....maybe it's worth a go......

Now, if it works, how much would I be saving? According to my research, I could save around £23 a week. Apparently, after I've purchased my starter kit, my average spend would be as follows:

£155 a year for liquid

£20 a year on batteries

£72 a year on clearomisers (originally I thought this was a cleaning product, but apparently it's the part that converts the liquid into vapour)

All in all, this sounds brilliant. And they smell nicer too! So come payday (unless I give up before I start) I'm going to invest in a vapey whatsit and do my very best dragon impression. If I can last at least a week, there just might be hope for me yet.

Courtney Barnett

Recently I had the pleasure of working at a live music gig for Courtney Barnett. I say a pleasure because I really enjoyed the music, which doesn't happen often at work.

I'm not a professional music reviewer, so I won't try and be poetic here. All I'll say is this: CHECK HER OUT.

Her new album is called Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit. She's an Australian artist and her music will appeal to those primarily into Indie and Rock (no wonder I liked her).

You can find her music in various places, including Spotify and iTunes.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/courtney-barnett/id479276137?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Definitely one to watch out for!

Bestsellers 2005 & 2015 (so far)

This is the list of bestsellers (1-5) for 2005:

 1. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling. 

2. The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century by Thomas L. Fried man. 

3. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Seven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. 

4. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't by Jim Collins.

5. YOU: The Owner's Manual by Michael F. Roizen.

This is the list of bestsellers so far in 2015:

1. Deliciously Ella: Awesome Ingredients, Incredible Food That You and Your Body Will Love by Ella Woodward.

2. Davina's 5 Weeks To Sugar-Free: Yummy, easy recipes to help you kick sugar and feel amazing by Davina McCall.

3. Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey.

4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.

5. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton.

There's quite a difference between the books, and I'm intrigued as to how this list will look in another 5 years time. 

Getting the Nation Sleeping Again 

With National Sleep Awareness Week running 2-9 March, and being a lifelong bad sleeper myself, it's a good time to try out some traditional and non-traditional methods of getting enough shuteye.

With more than half of the UK struggling to get a full night's kip, it's no wonder us British have a reputation for being a nation of moaners (and not in the good way!).


ACUPUNCTURE: This is believed to alleviate sleeplessness by increasing melatonin, a hormone that aids sleep. It can also reduce sympathetic nervous system activity, which will reduce stress and induce relaxation.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY: CBT is used for long term sleeping problems. It can help the patient change thoughts and behaviour that could be affecting their sleep. If you don't have time for a few sessions with an actual person, you can try out Sleepio, an online CBT sleep improvement programme.

Sounds: Relaxing music and background noise have been proven to help. Some of us can drift away with the tide, or slither deep into the Amazon rainforest.

Cool & Dark: Your bedroom should ideally be dark and quiet, with the temperature at 16-18 C.

NATURAL SOLUTIONS: If, like myself, you're not a fan of sleeping pills, there are several alternatives. These can include Vitamin B, which controls the release of tryptophan, essential for sleep. And also the herb Valerian. Research in Germany found it reduced insomnia symptoms after a month.

CATNAP: If you're able to nap, or lucky enough, keep it to 20-30 minutes and before 3pm.


Of course, there are so many other things to try. Give them a go and, hopefully, happy sleeping all!

What are authors reading right now?

What are you all reading right now? Or are you struggling to find decent reading material?

Perhaps you could try the following, which are being read by authors from around the world.

John Satisfy, author of the erotic Sin City Stripping, is over halfway through Klondike: The Last Great Goldrush by Pierre Berton.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Klondike-Last-Great-Gold-1896-1899/dp/0385658443

Chris Sanders, author of the thrilling The Thief's Son, has his head buried in: The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. 

Scarlet Flame, whose works include Bound for Passion, is struggling to put down Twisted: Book 5 in the Blood & Roses series by Callie Hart.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Twisted-Blood-Roses-Book-5-ebook/dp/B00MUXSBBA/ref=la_B00JEI9IYS_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424872798&sr=1-3

Matthew Peters, author of The Brothers' Keepers, is reading Murder Under the Tree: Book 2 of the Kay Driscoll series.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Under-Tree-Driscoll-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00P8ACREE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424873999&sr=1-1&keywords=Murder+Under+the+Tree

The author of Destination Anywhere, Felicity Brandon, is reading The Gentlemen's Club by Emmanuelle de Maupassant.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Gentlemens-Club-Volume-Noire/dp/1507528825

Myself, I have a new book lined up to read after being gifted it by the author, Ian Sutherland. It's called Social Engineer and I can't wait to get stuck in!


P.S. Currently blogging on my phone, so apologies if this post is less than perfect.

4 Quick Reviews

Well, I'm back! For now, at least....

Once again, my life is having an Eastenders moment, but one thing that keeps me going is a good book to read when I have a spare few minutes here and there.

These are the 4 I've read most recently.

First up, Roadrage by M.J. Johnson. This is a story about a widower, Gil, whose life is once again thrown into turmoil, after he's targeted by an unknown enemy.

The story is well written and certainly keeps you guessing until the end; definitely worth a read.

Next we have The Wilds by Kit Tinsley. As people start mysteriously disappearing in rural Lincolnshire, the local journalist investigates, suspecting a wild animal is to blame. Unfortunately, there are some who don't want him poking his nose in....

An enjoyable read with good characters, I do recommend this. However, I feel more focus could have been spent on tidying the story up a bit.

Thirdly, Red Written by Philip Mayes. This has become a favourite of mine; I absolutely loved it!

An urban fantasy, this story focuses mainly on two characters and their struggle to survive when the human race are Revealed. When everyone mysteriously has every sin written on their skin, society crumbles.

We follow the accounts of Michael and Eva as they each leave behind everything to survive. Their lives change forever, and they change too...

This is a thrilling and exciting story to read. So much so that I forgave the typos and errors, which really should be rectified as the plot is first rate.

Lastly is Flotilla by Dan Haight. I will admit first up that this book isn't something I'd usually read. However, it was enjoyable and I did want to keep reading to find out what happens next.

It focuses on a teenage boy, who is sent to spend Summer with a father he barely knows. His dad lives in an ocean colony, where he's looking to make a quick buck. Jim is soon finding himself in dodgy situations, which soon become very dangerous for everyone.


You can find all these books on Amazon or check out the authors' websites.