By Holly Thomas
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She was spotted heading to the pool at the weekend looking as though she'd spent the entire morning getting ready for the sunbathing session.
So it was refreshing to see Sam Faiers looking rather more relaxed yesterday as she enjoyed a little downtime with her on-off beau Joey Essex at their Marbella resort.
The couple looked perfectly at ease with one another, at one point nipping off to grab a bite to eat without their TOWIE castmates.
In their natural state: Sam Faiers and Joey Essex were looking relaxed by the pool at their Marbella resort yesterday
Filming taking its toll? Both looked a little tired, but glad to chill out in each others' company
Sam didn't bother to wear make-up, and covered her bikini-clad frame in a comfy t-shirt now and then when the sun became too much.
She did get up to stretch her legs and show off her tanned figure at one point however, looking far more relaxed in flip flops than she had done in heels over the weekend.
Joey looked a little restless on the sun lounger, shifting around from time to time, but ever attentive when Sam leaned over to share a quiet word.
Tender moment: Sam used her boyfriend's chest as a pillow as they drifted off together
A little help? Sam used an unconcerned Joey as a support to sit up
He was briefly distracted when a couple of young female fans came over to have a chat, but quickly resumed his prone position once they had left.
Sam was clearly quite happy to sit back and take a break from her usual role of Essex glamour queen.
Over the weekend the blonde boutique owner was spotted filming scenes for the Only Way Is Essex looking more her usual self, wearing a slashed to the navel black swimsuit.
Laid-back look: Sam didn't bother with make-up, and covered up with a loose top when the sun got too much
Ready to take a dip? Sam appeared to be contemplating a swim, while Joey hardly seemed able to move
Getting fidgety: Joey seemed to have trouble finding a comfortable position
She accessorised with a huge, gold neck piece, featuring a large circle in the middle which hung off the main plate and nestling between her breasts, drawing attention.
Sam wisely protected her face from the sun’s rays at Sisu Club and Hotel in Puerto Banus, pairing her skimpy outfit with a giant black and white striped hat and large sunglasses.
A crocheted waistcoat and sky high clogs which elongated her legs completed the look.
Bit of a distraction? Joey looked a little weary as he sat up to greet a couple of young female fans
Ready to make a move? Both looked as though they were feeling the effects of the last few days in Marbs
Blending in with the crowd: Sam was sporting none of her usual TOWIE bling, with unstyled hair and no jewelry
The overall look was significantly more high-maintenance than her low-key poolside look yesterday.
But Sam's more casual appearance clearly wasn't an issue for Joey, who was undeterred in his attentions.
The pair made a touching display of their affections during the final episode of season five last week when Joey penned a heartfelt love letter to Sam.
Time to head for the shade: Even the sun-loving pair needed a break at one point
Joey made Sam laugh as he reminded her of memories they share from when they initially got together, and displayed his childlike handwriting.
His closing words were: 'I love you and you're the love of my life.'
Joey's gesture appeared to make up for the distress he caused when he was photographed getting into a cab with another girl.
Grabbed a bite: The enamored pair went to get some food without their TOWIE castmates
What a difference some slap makes: Joey and a made-up Sam out last Thursday
Dressed to the nines: Sam's look was much more high-maintenance on Sunday
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Essex v Gloucestershire - Clydesdale Bank 40 - Group A - Live Score and Update - Bettor.com
Essex v Gloucestershire - Clydesdale Bank 40 - Group A - Live Score and Update
Gloucestershire 224/5 (40/40 ov) v Essex 225/2 (36.5/40 ov) - Essex won by 8 wickets (with 19 balls remaining)
On Monday, June 04, 2012, Essex won their Group A match against Gloucestershire by eight wickets in the ongoing Clydesdale Bank 40 tournament at County Ground, Chelmsford, thanks to an enormous innings of 120 runs jabbed by RS Bopara, who steered his side to a sensational triumph as Essex chased a mammoth tally of 225 runs in 40 overs.
After winning the toss, Essex put Gloucestershire into batting in order to restrict them on a low total.
Gloucestershire had the worst possible start to their innings when they lost their first wicket with only a run on the board as opener, WRS Gidman, had his stumps destroyed by GR Napier before he could open his account.
Opener HJH Marshall and number-three batsman BAC Howell then took charge as the duo clobbered the bowlers out of town without a hint of remorse.
Finally after conceding 41 runs, Essex made a comeback in the match by dismissing Marshall, who had his stumps obliterated by TS Mills after playing an innings of 24 runs.
Howell was the third wicket to fall as he departed after scoring 28 runs, leaving his team standing on a total of 69 runs.
In the later part of the innings, KS Williamson and IA Cockbain hammered stinging knocks of 77 and 52 to leave the bowling side flabbergasted as they belted some of the finest cricketing shots, to give their fans something to cheer about.
The side consequently ended their innings with a massive total and seemed well set to secure an impressive win.
Their road to victory seemed ever so near when they dismissed Essex opener ML Pettini on the third delivery of the innings without a run on the board.
However, this was all the glory they were going to get as Bopara and T Westley stood defiant like two stubborn kids refusing to budge.
While Player of the Match, Bopara, stayed unbeaten, Westley lost his wicket after scoring a knock of 82 runs, which was enough for the team to win the match as Essex reached the required target in 36.5 overs.
Source: blogs.bettor.com
Singapore to allow more foreign law firms - Daily Telegraph
There is already a strong US contingency in Singapore with Latham & Watkins and White & Case holding QFLPs. They are keen for more Asian presence to service their high net worth US clients based here.
The number of international law firms in the city state has risen from 70 in 2007 to 110 this year as more expats and foreign companies settle in the former British colony.
Singapore's law minister K Shanmugam said: "We want to make sure of the quality, we are looking for firms that can add value and bring new work from overseas into Singapore and add a significant premium to our legal scene."
But there is another route for a foreign law firm to practice in Singapore, which is home to the world's highest proportion of millionaires.
Instead they can enter into a joint law venture (JLV) with a local firm. This allows them to practice all branches of law including corporate, litigation and retail conveyancing.
This is the route US legal giant Baker & McKenzie, the world's largest law firm by revenue, took.
South Korea has also recently opened its legal markets to American and European law firms as both continents battle it out for Asian business.
Both Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy have signalled their intentions to enter the lucrative Korean legal scene.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Efficiency law could 'triple' energy services market - EurActiv.com
The draft bill contains the strongest incentives to date for triggering a boom in the market for energy efficiency services, according to a number of experts working in the field.
In its current form, the draft directive requires central governments to achieve a 3% renovation rate for the buildings they occupy, on a yearly basis. It also imposes an obligation on power utilities to achieve 1.5% annual energy savings among their final customers - including large commercial and public building owners.
As a result, power companies are expected to change their business model by seeking profitability in selling energy services rather than supplying energy only.
"If the final text is somewhere between what the Parliament is proposing and what the [member states] are recommending, then I think we're going to have something fairly solid," Brook Riley of green group Friends of the Earth Europe said after the latest round of 'trialogue' talks which took place between the EU's three institutions on 29 May.
This would be enough jump-start the energy efficiency services market, he added.
Market set to 'triple'
Adrian Joyce, senior policy expert at EuroAce, a trade group representing companies involved in the energy savings goods and services industry, was equally optimistic. With the right incentives in place, "the demand for and supply of energy-efficiency services is set to double or even triple in five years' time," he told EurActiv.
For Brook Riley of Friends of the Earth, only legally-binding measures will create room for the market to find the appropriate investors. "If we make it obligatory, we will have a market for energy savings," Riley said. "State guarantees is what investors need," he added, giving as an example the growing appetite for energy efficiency investments in the Unites States, where there are state-level laws to foster them.
In Europe, on example is Denmark, where the public sector played a role in guaranteeing a return on investment. As the price for fossil fuels went up, Danish company Dong Energy found that they were actually making more money from selling energy efficiency services than from selling energy itself.
This resulted in a boom for the energy efficiency services market in Denmark. Coupled with national awareness-raising campaigns and change in consumers' behaviour, this all reflected in better insulation and automation of buildings and in the end, lower energy bills.
Not everyone is applauding, however. The Danish Energy Association told EurActiv they understand why EU governments are sceptical when it comes to funding energy-efficiency schemes, which come at a high costs for national public finances at a time when all governments are trying to cut spending.
“With energy savings, you will always experience initial costs, plus with the austerity measures taken all over the EU, it all translated into an eternal discussion of whether this investment pays off,” a spokesperson of the Danish Energy Association said.
These measures were taken in Denmark some time ago, far from an economic crisis like the one Europe is experiencing today, but during the 1970s oil crisis which pushed for urgent action. Whilst hard to introduce at first, evaluations of the Danish system have so far been positive.
Private sector already taking steps
If government incentives do help, some companies have not waited for binding laws to offer services for large commercial or public buildings owners.
“It's important for governments to offer incentives”, Maureen Lally of energy service provider Trane told EurActiv. However, she added, many building owners are moving on their own by asking for the services of specialised companies.
An initial energy-audit shows tenants where they are wasting the most energy, and how they can save money from electricity or gas bills. “After the audit, we identify areas of improvement,” said Michel Rozendaal, energy expert for Trane. “This could mean putting controls in or more equipment or taking energy conservation measures, for example. Then we do a cost-benefit analysis and determine whether it is or not economically feasible and then we model to predict how their building will operate over time,” Rozendaal explained.
Companies like Trane have developed their analytical models over time, based on their existing projects and taking into account factors such as weather, geographical conditions, humidity, the duration of daylight and nighttime.
From the customer end, the biggest obstacle is scepticism over the period of time needed to recoup the investment. But reluctance to invest in projects with long investment-return can sometimes be addressed by experts equipped with the right tools. “There are many customers who realise they need to save energy and are looking for solutions, but also many who have no idea about the potential,” Rozendaal said.
Most investments Trane makes in fact have a two to five year payback, he added. Then, buildings start saving money from their reduced energy bills, making up entirely for the initial financial effort.
Social benefits are also considerable, experts argue. The productivity of workers increases in a better insulated, more comfortable and healthier commercial or public building, according to Adrian Joyce, energy expert for industry group EuroAce.
Source: www.euractiv.com
Law requires Ga. cities to submit tax records - Tifton Gazette
Law requires Ga. cities to submit tax records
TIFTON — A state law aimed at making the budget process more transparent has so far met with mixed success, according to a report by Morris News Service.
Morris News Service reported Sunday that, under the law, any local government with a budget totaling more than $1 million must submit copies of their taxes and expenses to the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government. Most governments have until the end of June to comply with the law.
So far 117 of 535 cities have submitted the records, while 76 of 159 counties and 169 of 180 school districts are in compliance, according to Morris News Service. Some of those not complying could be exempt because their budgets are too small.
Smaller cities have expressed frustration over the law. They say reports can be difficult for small governments with few staff members.
"We don't mind providing the information, but we think it's come to the point where the state government doesn't have anything better to do other than asking local governments to submit information," said Carter Crawford, city manager in Sylvania. "It's just aggravating. It takes time away from duties that we can do elsewhere."
And the documents aren't easy to find. The website doesn't come up in a simple Google search, so the public has to go to the UGA website and search there to view anything that's been submitted.
The Vinson Institute doesn't track how many people actually visit the site or view the budget documents.
Angela Palm with the Georgia School Boards Association said many local education officials see the law as unnecessary because the same information goes to the state departments of revenue, education and audits.
"We keep making more information available or available at other places, but I don't that the general public knows or uses it," she said.
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To view local government documents online, visit https://ted.cviog.uga.edu/financial-documents/
Source: tiftongazette.com
Indian law on teen sex ‘regressive’ - Independent Online
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New Delhi - India is raising the age of consent for sex to 18 under a new law seen by some children's rights activists as being out of step with social changes and open to abuse.
Under a provision in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act approved by parliament last month, sex with a person under the age of 18 will be deemed as statutory rape and subject to prosecution.
Once formally signed into law by the president, the new legislation will supersede a clause in India's Penal Code that previously set the age of consent at 16 and will carry sentences ranging from three years to life imprisonment.
Critics say the change is open to misuse by police and overprotective parents, puts India at odds with other countries and is further proof of a government run by elderly politicians out of touch with most of the country.
“We can't pretend children are not sexually active when they are adolescents,” says one senior child welfare official working for a government body who did not want to be named. “This law is plain regressive.”
The third National Family Health Survey, the most recent comprehensive government study from 2005-2006, states that 43 percent of women aged 20-24 had had sex before they were 18.
In rural areas, the high proportion is because of the prevalence of child marriage - more than 47 percent of women aged 20-24 were married by 18 - while in urban areas attitudes on everything from religion to sex are changing.
Surveys from news magazines such as India Today and Outlook find young urban Indians are increasingly open to pre-marital intercourse and more exposed to sex through pornography or steamy films and television shows than ever before.
For Shantha Sinha, the chief of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, a state-funded body, the law was open to abuse.
“It can be used to the disadvantage of children if one has to settle scores,” she says, raising the scenario of under-age girls using the law against former partners even if the sex was consensual.
The police may be able to use it to “harass young couples in parks”, Sinha says, while partners who elope - a common occurrence in India where arranged marriages are the norm - could also be targeted.
“You have cases where young people in love elope to escape parental objections and censure. The parents can use this law and make it legally tough for them,” she said.
A trial court judge in New Delhi made the same observation during a hearing in the case of a man accused of kidnapping and raping a girl of 15. The judge acquitted the defendant and ruled the girl had eloped voluntarily.
The change in the law “will open the floodgates for prosecution of boys for offences of rape on the basis of complaints by girls' parents irrespective of whether the girl was a consenting party”, noted the judge.
But experts in favour of the change say it will help protect the most vulnerable sections of society, including the millions of girls and young women who work as servants in Indian homes.
Amod Kanth, a former police officer who was part of the drafting process, argues that this consideration must override any other concerns in a country where child abuse is rife.
“We carried out a study in 2007 and found that nearly 53 percent of children had suffered some kind of sexual abuse,” Kanth said.
“We felt such children needed to be protected and that there should be a specific law for this.
“Tomorrow the same people who are asking for 16 as the legal age of consent will ask for 13,” he added.
The age of consent across the world ranges from 13 to 18, with many countries, including Britain, Norway and Canada setting it at 16, according to Avert, a British charity that works in sexual health.
A few states of the United States, including California, fix the age of consent at 18, but they include a “close-in-age” reprieve for teenagers who have consensual sex.
For Zafar and his friends, who study in a private school in New Delhi, the new law is a fresh example of restrictions imposed on youngsters by “insensitive” adults.
“Most of my friends have already made their sex debut,” said Zafar, 17, who asked to be identified by his first name only.
“Some are in serious relationships, some are doing it for fun, others because they are simply curious.”
The Childline Foundation, a non-profit agency that runs an emergency phone service for children in need of care, says the most important thing is making sex education compulsory in all schools across the country.
“This will help children make informed choices and avoid the pitfalls,” Komal Ganotra, advocacy and training specialist at the Foundation, said. - Sapa-AFP
Source: www.iol.co.za
Kent County Cricket Club all-rounder Azhar Mahmood praises young batsman Sam Billings - Kent Online
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Experienced Kent all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has praised youngster Sam Billings for his match-winning knock against Warwickshire Bears at the St Lawrence Ground on Friday night.
Billings hit an unbeaten 58 to lead Kent Spitfires to a crushing 10-wicket win under the lights and Mahmood, who was playing in his first game of the season since returning from the Indian Premier League, was impressed with the 20-year-old’s display.
He said: "It was a very good win against Warwickshire and while any win is a win, it’s good to have got it in the manner that we did.
"It’s been great coming back and playing for Kent, it’s always been a great place to play and we have done well with Sam Billings showing the tremendous talent he has with that knock. He played particularly well, along with Rob Key, and all the bowlers put in a good performance apart from me, which is a good sign for us for the rest of the season."
Mahmood struggled with the ball, going for 26 runs off his two overs, while team-mate Mark Davies conceded just 10 runs in his eight overs on the way to figures of 3-10 as the Spitfires restricted Warwickshire to 94-7.
Mahmood said: "Mark Davies has been brilliant and the way he bowled, taking 3-10 and conceding just 10 runs from eight overs was exactly what you want.
"We seem to be gelling very well and are playing some good cricket as a team."
Kent, fourth in Clydesdale Bank Pro40 Group C, have a chance to climb the table when they take on Unicorns at Garon’s Park, Southend today.
Skipper Rob Key has selected a 12-man squad with Ben Harmison and Mike Powell, both yet to feature in the CB40 this season, included, while Mahmood has been rested ahead of the Tunbridge Wells Festival, which begins on Wednesday.
Kent from: Billings, Key, Powell, Nash, Stevens, Northeast, Jones, Coles, Tredwell, Ball, Davies, Harmison.
Tuesday, June 05 2012
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Source: www.kentonline.co.uk
She is rough as toast without all that slap caked on
- just reading the news, Manchester, 05/6/2012 18:02
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