“A Nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but it’s lowest ones” Nelson Mandela, “The Long Walk to Freedom”

Many years ago, I traveled to South Africa with a dear group of friends. It was one of the most profoundly life altering trips of my life. In the passing of Nelson Mandela, the impact of that trip has been rolling around a lot inside of me.

My friend Liz and I coordinated our first wedding (for strangers – in less than 24 hours), were awakened by a shofar blasts at the strangest hours, had our earrings stolen by monkeys, and were pretty sure that we heard two syllable name of one child repeated in the hallway outside of our room no less then 7 million times – per morning.

We stayed in a beautiful village called Wellington outside of Cape Town.  We worked in a…

At 7pm on Thursday night, Steven Connelly was sitting at home with his wife Jackie. By 8pm, half of his house had disappeared into the sea, obliterated by the biggest storm surge to hit Britain in 60 years. “It’s devastating. We’re in a state of shock,” said Mr Connelly, 54, standing outside the now empty plot on the Hemsby cliffs he had called home for the past seven years. His was one of several houses in the Norfolk town washed into the North Sea or damaged beyond repair by the raging waters. Even the local lifeboat station, a sturdy brick building, was consumed by the violent surge, its fragments strewn across the beach on Friday. Hundreds of communities along Britain’s east coast were pounded by the storm surge on Thursday night, in which a deep depression coincided with spring tides to threaten sea defences. The worst affected areas were Boston…

You’ve waited breathlessly for the announcement, and today it came. Pantone, the gold (no pun intended) standard for color in many industries, has announced its Color of the Year for 2014. Like it or not, Radiant Orchid probably will be seen a lot in fashion, beauty, home design and consumer products over the next twelve months.

Personally, although I’m fond of purples, I generally prefer the deep jewel and plum tones. This lighter shade works for me in certain places though. I don’t wear it much because I feel like it’s too stereotypically “grandmother,” but I decorate with it. Bath towels and rugs. Bedroom accents.

I’ve not been crazy about Pantone’s recent past choices, from 2013 to 2008 respectively:

Of these, Honeysuckle is probably my favorite. Normally I’d opt for any teal or turquoise, but I don’t care for this one…

Tory MPs have been accused of imitating ‘bums and breasts’ with their hands in the House of Commons.
Women speaking during debates face ‘utterly appalling’ behaviour from MPs opposite, a Labour claimed.
Sarah Champion condemned the ‘insidious’ culture in Parliament, which female MPs are forced to ignore.
The claims by one of the newest women MPs will again turn the spotlight on behaviour in the Commons, after MailOnline revealed letters written to the Speaker John Bercow complaing about the ‘morons, donkeys and tw**s’ heckling during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Miss Champion claimed some Conservatives were responsible for trying to degrade women during debates.
The first woman MP for Rotherham said the abuse across the Chamber was ‘awful’ and ‘really bad’ but admitted she did not know if Labour MPs did the same to female Tory MPs.
She told BBC Radio Sheffield: ‘Some Tories are very good at gesticulating about females’ assets.’