Monthly Archives: March 2012

How to Have a Successful Date

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What Makes A Successful Date?

eHarmony.co.uk reveals the Great Date Indicators (GDI) that switch us “on” and “off” to a potential mate

Based on communication habits of thousands of British singles, relationship site eHarmony releases six key indicators that can increase your dating potential.

Laughing at certain jokes, having a passion for vegetarian food or playing the guitar may sound harmless enough but according to analysis of millions of connections on relationship site eHarmony®, certain hobbies and habits definitely affect a single’s potential with the opposite sex.

Whilst studying how compatible singles connect and communicate on eHarmony.co.uk, computational scientists have found a series of indicators that impact attraction and connection online. Although two people can be incredibly compatible, the Great Date Indicators (GDI), as eHarmony scientists call them, provide an additional layer to determine whether two people will click when they meet in person. They reveal that:


1. We don’t like people with the same sense of humour

Far from seeking out someone with the same sense of humour as ourselves, the GDI show that online, we will often choose to connect with people who have a very different sense of humour to our own. For example, men with dark or political humour are often attracted to women with slapstick, wisecracking humour.

2. Traditional gender types have a big part to play in our attraction to a partner

Even though we live in an open and liberated society, men and women who conform to gender stereotypes receive more interest online. For example, fewer women communicate with men who enjoy feminine pursuits (like shopping) whilst fewer men communicate with women who seem to be in a position of authority. Also, men care less about the income potential of a woman only if she earns less than they do.

3. Spending habits influence the dating potential for women online

How much a woman spends or saves may impact her dating potential online. Women who spend freely view many profiles but do not communicate often. eHarmony scientists term this the “window shopping effect”. More men will talk to a woman who saves, whilst fewer men will talk to a woman who says she spends freely. The exception is that men who spend freely will talk to women who spend freely – surely a recipe for an empty joint bank account.

4. The universal appeal of yoga

Stretching and bending is THE most popular form of exercise in terms of appeal to the opposite sex whether you’re a man or a woman. Regardless of gender, men and women who mention yoga in their profiles receive significantly more communication than those who don’t.


5. We all want active partners – even if we’re a couch potato

Most people search out and connect with people who have active lifestyles. It is very appealing to the opposite sex. Be warned if you sit in front of the TV. Couch potatoes are universally unappealing, even to other couch potatoes.


6. A varied palate is appealing to the opposite sex

A varied diet and openness to try new foods is appealing to the opposite sex but a McDonalds habit could seriously damage your dating potential. Enjoying fast food is a big turn off to other singles, even if they’re fast food eaters themselves. And being a vegetarian is definitely a big attraction for other vegetarians online.

As part of the patented scientific match making process, eHarmony members complete a relationship questionnaire where they are asked to record their passions, interests, likes and dislikes. Since its launch in the UK, eHarmony has been building a comprehensive picture of the personalities and habits of the two million singles who have completed the questionnaire. Then using Compatibility Matching System® quantitative analysis models, eHarmony’s computational science team search for trends in how members decipher the profiles of matches and connect with them online.

Joseph Essas, Chief Technology Officer at eHarmony says:

Meeting singles you’re going to have chemistry with is what makes dating exciting, and even more importantly, worth investing time and energy in. In any given day there are millions of communications taking place on eHarmony. By analysing all of these interactions we’re able to learn what behaviours and hobbies can make sparks fly between our singles and provide them with matches that are even more tailored for them.

We Face Forward: Art from West Africa Today

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We Face Forward: Art from West Africa Today

Manchester celebrates London 2012 Festival

2 June to 16 September 2012

· City-wide exhibition of leading contemporary artists from West Africa

· Major new installations commissioned for galleries and parks

· Concerts with many world-renowned musicians, including AfroCubism

· Further exhibitions of fashion, photography, football and storytelling

· African art bus to tour creative activities around Greater Manchester

We Face Forward is a season of contemporary art and music from West Africa, celebrated across Manchester’s galleries, museums, music venues and public spaces, from 2 June to 16 September as part of London 2012 Festival.

The exhibitions, concerts, events and community activities recognise both the historic and contemporary links between Manchester and the various countries that make up West Africa. They will explore ideas of economic and cultural exchange, environment and sustainability, and the place of tradition in contemporary culture.

The core of the season is a city-wide exhibition of contemporary art from the region, the first major collaboration between Manchester Art Gallery, Whitworth Art Gallery and Gallery of Costume, Platt Hall. It will feature painting, photography, textiles, sculpture, video and sound work from a wide range of internationally acclaimed artists, including Georges Adéagbo, Meschac Gaba, Romuald Hazoumè and George Osodi. The exhibition will also be the first major display in the UK of work by emerging artists such as Lucy Azubuike, Emeka Ogboh, Charles Okereke, Nyani Quarmyne and Victoria Udondian.

New, large-scale installations have been commissioned from Barthélémy Toguo at Manchester Art Gallery, and from Pascale Marthine Tayou at Whitworth Art Gallery.

The Gallery of Costume will show work by three esteemed Malian photographers, Malick Sidibé, Abderramane Sakaly and Soungalo Malé, whose archives are being preserved by the National Museum of Mali. Their extraordinary studio and social portraits will be shown alongside West African dress from the gallery collection, photographs by Hamidou Maiga and contemporary fashion pieces from British-Nigerian designer Duro Oluwu.

A music programme, curated by Band on the Wall and The Manchester Museum, will feature world-renowned acts including: AfroCubism (the new international supergroup formed by Eliades Ochoa of Buena Vista Social Club and Toumani Diabaté); a multi-media concert by Niger supergroup The Endless Journey (Mamane Barka and Etran Finatawa); Angelique Kidjo; Jaliba Kuyateh; Kanda Bongo Man and many more to be confirmed. Taking place in music venues and galleries across the city, the season will open with AfroCubism at Bridgewater Hall on Sunday 3 June.

Exhibitions and events will also take place at The Manchester Museum and the National Football Museum. The city is hosting nine football matches during the 2012 Olympics and the National Football Museum will present African artists for whom football gives a means to explore protest, politics and social engagement.

The Manchester Museum is working with the African Caribbean Carers Group to present a re-interpretation of the Anansi spider stories using the Museum’s natural history and anthropology collections. The programme will be launched with Big Saturday: Manchester Anansi Spider on Saturday 2 June where the story will be performed by the Men’s Room community group, working in partnership with the Royal Exchange Theatre Company.

A summer-long creative programme will engage with a range of people right across Greater Manchester. Modelled on the highly decorated taxi-buses that ferry people across Dakar, Accra and Bamako, an art bus will take creative activities out beyond the participating galleries and parks to other locations across the city.

To draw the different locations together, artist Meschac Gaba has been commissioned to design an artwork which incorporates the flags of all the West African nations. This colourful motif will be on display at participating galleries and venues.

The title for the season is taken from a speech by Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, made in 1960. Stating his resistance to Cold War super powers, Nkrumah’s full quote is “We face neither East nor West: we face forward.” The festival takes its direction from Nkrumah’s statement of independence, deriving inspiration from his sense of West African cultural dynamism.

Dr Maria Balshaw, Director of Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester City Galleries, said: “Manchester’s connections to West Africa are part of its industrial and trading history. This exhibition brings the dynamism of West African art today to Manchester, as the world comes to the UK for the Olympics.”

Ruth Mackenzie, Director, London 2012 Festival, said: “I am particularly delighted that this exceptional exhibition of art from West Africa will be part of the London 2012 Festival programme bringing once in a lifetime opportunities to experience culture to people across the north west.”

www.wefaceforward.org

Londoners! Bring our beach back!

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Some things you just do without thinking about it and taking a pebble from a beach is one of those things. So when the following reached my inbox I had an ‘ah’ moment. If everyone who ever went somewhere took something from it, of course it would have less and less. So, people, stop taking pebbles from Brighton beach!, and even bring some next time you visit.

Brighton Tourism Alliance Urges Visitors to Bring a Pebble Back to Brighton

Well known for its famous pebbly beach, visitors to Brighton have often taken a pebble or two away with them as a souvenir of their trip.

Now visitors to the city are being urged to help preserve its coast line by bringing a pebble with them when they visit – and leaving it on the beach.

The ‘Bring a Pebble Back to Brighton’ initiative is spearheaded by the Brighton Tourism Alliance, a group of like-minded businesses, passionate about the City, who work in partnership to improve the quality of the Brighton & Hove visitor experience.

Commenting on the scheme, spokesman Claire Ottewell said: “We say NO to sand and want to ensure Brighton’s iconic pebbly beach is around for people to enjoy for many years to come.

“We are urging all those Londoners who will be visiting Brighton over the summer to bring back a pebble and just leave it on the beach – and hopefully we will be able to replace the many thousands that have been taken away over the years.”

And Londoners are the worst of all, says Claire.

She continues: “We have no problem with the Welsh or the brummies. But it is the Londoners who always to want to take a little bit of Brighton away with them. Maybe it is because Brighton is known as London by the sea.”

Since its formation the TA has been successful in directly influencing council policy on road traffic management in the city. Representatives sit on various forums such as the Wind Farm Consultation Group and the Station Gateway Consultation Group and are involved with the Seafront Strategy for the city and the Events Strategy for the city.

Portas review gets government approval

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The Government has accepted recommendations from Mary Portas that are aimed at reviving the high street.

Under the recommendations, dedicated ‘town teams’ will manage high streets, a £10 million high street innovation fund will bring life back to empty shops and a National Markets Day will be created.

Natasha-Rachel Smith, spokesperson for TopCashBack, said, “It’s extremely important that the UK’s high streets are productive as a competitive environment in today’s retail sector. Although the most attractive deals and savings will almost always be found online, consumers will always need the requirement to access goods on their doorstep. This is particularly true for essential products and services in situations where the items aren’t available online as immediately as shoppers need them.

“Consumers will always be lured by online bargains but they will continue to need the high street to be the background canvass of their communities.”

Hatcham Social – About Girls | Music Review

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I like About Girls. It’s a record that reminds me of the time when I first got into music, in the late 1990’s, and went to shows. It was a time when Britpop was dying and the last of the scene was coming through. The likes of the Warm Jets and Gay Dad. It’s a time that most people look back on with regret and perhaps a little bit of a snigger. Nobody’s going to describe being there in the same way they do as San Francisco in the 60’s or New York in 1977 but, d’you know what – it’s my Hacienda and I rather like it.

About Girls captures the post-Britpop sound brilliantly. It’s a better effort than their debut,You Dig The Tunnel, I’ll Hide The Soil, released in 2009 which tried to hard and had too much going on. About Girls is a less complicated and straightforward album. Less try-hard. Nobody likes a try-hard. The album works best when played as a complete album in the order it was intended. I’ve listened to this album a dozen or so times and it sounds best when you turn shuffle off on your mp3 player and play it from 1-13 with each song telling the next chapter of the story.

It begins with NY Girl, the archetypal tale of lost love, which could be Olympian-era Gene and with its driving bassline it begins with a confidence and swagger, which dissipates as the song goes on and it becomes clear this won’t end well. Nicola Tells Me is a slice of Shed Seven-esque jangly pop, Lois Lane is built entirely around a beautiful swooning bass. Little Savage appears to have borrowed heavily from the Johnny Borrell songbook but setting that aside is two and a half minutes of nice catchy hooky pop. Escape From London is that moment, committed to tape, where once in a while you need to escape the business of living in the big city and run to the hills.

About Girls isn’t just a record that’s borrowed heavily from the dying days of Britpop, it’s a record that’s the soundtrack to your emotions. Every emotion. It’s about growing up, something the band have clearly done on this record. It’s about life. It’s about love. It’s about loss. It’s about whatever emotion you want it to be, it’s got everything on here. Buy it and enjoy it and whatever you do don’t put it on shuffle!

 

About Girls is released on 2nd April 2012 by Fierce Panda Records

 

 

 

 

 

Business For Sale?

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Ever wondered how you could buy a business? Well, its easy: you just hire in a business broker. Knowledge is power when it comes to both life and business. It pays to hire a specialist who can guide you and keep you away from any pitfalls in the process. A business is not a pair of shoes that you can just take back. You need help to make sure you are getting a good deal. It is a scary time full of potential mistakes, not to mention the unscrupulous people out there.

Of if you have built up a business that you want to sell, or you have a law firm for sale you will need someone who knows all about that niche area as well as every step of the sales process. It pays to bring in the professionals. One of the companies you could choose are Business Brokers UK, who are a dedicated UK specialist who can help you if you have physiotherapy practice for sale or a dental practice. They don’t get paid until they work with you to achieve your goal whether you are a buyer or a seller. Which I personally find impressive. Definitely people who work for their money. Good luck whether you are buying or selling.

Summer Wine Review

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Stowells Cabernet Merlot

I really like this red wine. Red wine is not usually my thing as the wrong one gives me a headache, but I think I have found a winner. This one is reasonably priced and medium-bodied and a little sweet. It is very smooth. A really good fruity red wine. It goes down very easily so you might drink too much. Never put red wine in the fridge. It is not meant to be drank cold.

Nottage Hill Chardonnay 2011

This is a nice white wine. Quite light. It doesn’t taste cheap or like acid as some white wines do. Has a very good, fruity flavour. Eat with white meat and always keep white wine and rose in the fridge.

Has tastes of melon and tropical fruit with subtle oak characters.

Hardys Crest Sparkling Rose

This is not my favourite Rose. I like my Rose sweet and this is the least sweet Rose I have ever tried. It is much drier than most rose’s but is perfect if you want some fizz. However, I know a lot of people who would love Hardys Crest Sparkling Rose because it is not overly sweet. It is an affordable, sparkling wine which is good for summer. Just not to my tastes.

Does it Work? | Chlorella

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I am an actress and since nearly every film and TV show is now filmed on HD I am always looking for ways to make sure my skin looks perfect. Here is the first of my ‘Does it Work?’ reviews on beauty and health products. We tell you whether or not it actually works.

 

Chlorella: The new Crème De La Mer?

 

I have to be honest here, I have never tried Crème De Lar Mer, but I do know it works because some of my rich friends told me. So when I was sent Chlorella to review and they said it was the new Crème De Lar Mer I got excited about finding something that works for a fraction of the price. Sun Chlorella ‘A’ also has a celebrity fan club, Miranda Kerr describes her beauty regime as such “To keep my skin in check I always eat lots of greens and take Chlorella supplements and drink lots of water”. Victoria Beckham, Fergie and Sadie Frost are also fans.

 

But did it work for me? Yes, my skin did become clearer and I felt better. One of my friends said I was ‘glowing’. I also felt like I had more energy. My nails even seem to stop splitting. So I am converted. It actually did make me healthier and improve my skin.

Sun Chlorella ‘A’ is a single-celled green algae . It is entirely natural and balanced and is packed with vitamins. It also has the iron equivalent of nine cups of spinach. If you can afford £21.95 per month I would definitely include this in your beauty regime.

 

Available from www.sunchlorella.co.uk or www.victoriahealth.com