Friday, July 3, 2015
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Nomzky – Tungba
Solo Dolo Music presents new music titled “Tungba” by fast rising act Nomzky for you to download and listen to.
How can one woman be SEVEN different bra sizes? The infuriating truth about lingerie fittings revealed
- Model Charlotte August was given bra sizes ranging from a 34B to a 30E
- Lingerie expert Becky John explains why the measurements differ so much
- Body shapes have changed, brands are competing, and style plays a role
There was a time when a woman’s most vital statistic was one of the few certainties in life. But now, go in to the lingerie department of any High Street store and it’s a minefield, with one shop’s B cup another’s DD.
To show what a lottery buying a bra has become, we sent model Charlotte August to eight different shops for a fitting.
In just one day, she was given seven different bra sizes ranging from a 34B to a 30E with only two stores recommending the same one. So what is going on and why do the measurements differ so much?
Charlotte wears green Intimissimi bra, SIZE 34B (left) and Debenhams b.tempt’d Ciao Bella bra - SIZE 30E (r)
According to independent lingerie expert Becky John, this is due to several factors.
‘Women’s body shapes have changed dramatically since standard measurements were first introduced in the Thirties,’ she says. ‘The average bust size is now 34D instead of 34B.’
But Becky suspects there could also be some vanity sizing at play as bra brands and lingerie departments compete for custom.‘It is certainly fashionable to have a big bust at the moment and that makes an A and B cup more difficult to sell,’ she says.
Fitters can get round this by advising customers to go down a back size and up a cup size — encouraging a woman who used to be considered a 34B to wear a 32C for example — making the consumer feel better about themselves and, consequently, more likely to make a purchase.
‘It’s important for the band to be snug as that gives 80 per cent of the support, so going down a back size and up a cup size is not necessarily a bad thing.’
But, adds Becky, it’s a fine line at the other end of the scale.
House of Fraser Maison Lejaby bra in SIZE 32C
‘Young women in particular don’t want to be too big because that’s considered mumsy, so in some shops, instead of the E or F of old, you will often now find a DD and a DDD instead because psychologically it feels better to the customer,’ she says. But those bras may not actually be the best fit.
The style of the bra can also make a huge difference, say experts.
‘It’s important that women realise there are discrepancies between manufacturers’ sizes and they may be a different size in different shops, just as they would be with clothes and shoes,’ said scientist Jenny White when she headed a study into the accuracy of bra sizing at the University of Portsmouth.
At luxury lingerie boutique Rigby & Peller, famous for the accuracy of the fit, staff have abandoned their tape measures altogether, preferring to assess each bra individually rather than tell women they are a particular size.
That’s great if you have the time, not to mention the budget, but surveys repeatedly point to the fact that most women fit their own bras, so is it any wonder that 85 per cent of us are thought to be wearing the wrong size?
All in all, bra-shopping seems to have become something of a gamble.
Certainly, our guinea pig Charlotte, 31, is more confused than ever. She normally buys a 34B and says: ‘During our experiment I was fitted with anything from a B to an E and the two bras that fitted me the best were, bafflingly, totally different sizes.’
Using a traditional tape measure, we found that Charlotte is 30in under the bust and 34in round the fullest part. The inch difference between the two measurements gives the cup size — so A cup for 1in, B cup for 2in etc.
In Charlotte’s case the 4in difference suggested a 30D, yet only one shop gave this as her size — and that was Rigby & Peller, where they didn’t even use a tape measure.
Here are her verdicts on the eight different bras she was sold — while bra expert Becky John gives her verdict on each fit, too.
INTIMISSIMI - SIZE 34B
Green padded bra, £38 down to £19
CHARLOTTE SAYS: Instead of taking me to a changing room, an assistant insisted she measure me over my clothes in the middle of the store. She then declared I was a 34B and pointed me in the direction of rails with that size. No help was given in the changing room nor did she ask me if the bra fitted at the till. If she had, I would have said how uncomfortable it felt.
BECKY SAYS: This is a terrible fit. The band is so big, you could fit two hands under it at the back and it has really flimsy straps. At the front, it is not actually sitting flush with the skin and the lace is puckering where it hasn’t been sewn straight to the boning. The cup is too small, which means Charlotte has side boobs.
2/5
Marks & Spencer white soft plunge bra in SIZE 34C
DEBENHAMS - SIZE 30E
b.tempt’d Ciao Bella, £32
CHARLOTTE SAYS: After aimlessly wandering around the huge lingerie department, I was finally directed to the changing room for a fitting. A brusque assistant appeared holding a tape measure but didn’t use it. Instead she pulled the straps and band on my existing bra (34B). She brought me three different bras, though she fitted only one. She asked me to stoop forward and lower my breasts into the bra. She then did up the back, but didn’t check the straps or cups. I couldn’t believe it was a 30E.
BECKY SAYS: The back is a good fit. It has three sets of hooks and Charlotte is on the furthest one out so there is room to take it in as it gets worn. The fit of the band is very important as it gives 80 per cent of the support. However, the cups are too big — so much so that the top is gaping. The wire, meanwhile, is digging in. Not a great fit.
3/5
HOUSE OF FRASER - SIZE 32C
Maison Lejaby bra with Dentelle lace, £57 reduced to £34
CHARLOTTE SAYS: A lovely assistant measured around my rib cage with a tape measure and declared I was a 32 but added I could fit in a C or D cup. She went off to find some styles and returned with seven different bras — all lovely. She told me to always check how the wire is sitting so that it’s not digging in as she checked the fit of each bra. Some good advice but was it a good fit?
BECKY SAYS: This is a very pretty bra but French sizes do tend to come up smaller, so in my opinion, Charlotte needs to go up a cup size. There is also too much give at the back. It is not providing enough support so wouldn’t be suitable as an every day bra. The side wire is very flimsy —maybe the assistant was trying to sell this one because it is in the sale. I think it is going to dig in under the armpits. Pretty but not the best fit.
3/5
MARKS & SPENCER - SIZE 34C
White soft plunge bra, £18
CHARLOTTE SAYS: After waiting a good few minutes for an assistant who could do a fitting, I was shown into a changing room and asked to take my top off. The woman measured me under the bust and said I was a 34 and then said that one of my breasts was a B and one a C, but I should go for the bigger cup.
I was taken aback because I’ve never been told my boobs are different sizes before
I was taken aback because I’ve never been told my boobs are different sizes before. She came back very quickly with a bra — I bet she just grabbed the nearest. She didn’t help to put it on and said it was good fit even though it felt loose.
BECKY SAYS: This moulded style bra is too big. It’s a shame, because it’s good quality. There is no way that Charlotte is a 34 as you can fit your entire hand under the strap. The bra itself is soft to the touch and the cup size is a good fit so the underwire is sitting nice and flat at the front. It would work well under a T-shirt.
2.5/5
JOHN LEWIS - SIZE 30DD
Sophia plunge John Lewis Collection, £25
CHARLOTTE SAYS: Despite being told there was a walk-in service, a harassed-looking assistant said I was looking at a three-hour wait. Thankfully, the lingerie manager said they could squeeze me in for a bra check. A full fitting, she explained, can sometimes take half an hour or more. The rather grumpy assistant ushered me into a changing room and asked me to take my top off. She immediately said the bra I was wearing wasn’t the right size. She said I was a 32D and showed me where to look for bras but when I tried one and asked her to check the fit, she went out to the shop floor herself and returned with a 30DD which was much better.
BECKY SAYS: This is a really good fit as the band is snug and supportive. The straps are well made with metal buckles which are easy to adjust. There is a side wire and light padding and it’s hugging the body really well and gives a good shape under clothes. A good result even if the customer service wasn’t quite what you’d expect at John Lewis.
A helpful guide on how your bra should fit from Curvy Kate
John Lewis Sophia plunge John Lewis Collection - SIZE 30DD (l) and Victoria's Secret bra - SIZE 32D
VICTORIA'S SECRET - SIZE 32D
Dream Angels Push Up, £42
CHARLOTTE SAYS: Most of the assistants have tape measures hanging round their necks but I asked for a fitting in the changing room and was measured over my existing bra by an assistant who was darting between women in two other cubicles.
She put the tape around the fullest part of my bust and then, curiously, above the breast rather than below. She then returned from a side room with a tester bra and declared I was a 32D in most Victoria’s Secrets styles and a 32E in a couple. The bra certainly gave me some va-va-voom but the straps felt weak.
BECKY SAYS: There is quite a lot of give in the band which is too loose in my opinion. The straps are a bit flimsy and difficult to adjust. There is not much support but it’s a good shape. The straps look a bit cheap which is a shame and I don’t think they would last well after a couple of washes.
3.5/5
Rigby & Peller Marie Jo padded plunge - SIZE 30D (l) and Fenwick Simone Perele padded white bra Size 32C
RIGBY & PELLER - SIZE 30D
Marie Jo padded plunge, £85.50
CHARLOTTE SAYS: This was not like any bra fitting I’ve ever had. After phoning for an appointment, I was offered tea and coffee on arrival before being ushered into a plush changing room. I was asked to remove my top, but not my bra. The friendly assistant assessed me by eye and said I was a 32D — no tape measure in sight.
She returned with a small selection and held the straps as I slid my arms through. With a polite ‘excuse me’ she placed her hands in the cups to position my breasts correctly. When this was too loose at the back, she tried a 30D. This felt comfortable and gave a rounded shape — even if the price is eye-watering.
BECKY SAYS: A good fit and a pretty, practical style for everyday. The band is completely straight at the back — if it rises up, then it means the cup size is too big or too small. The straps look good, no digging in, and the underwire is flush against the rib cage, which is excellent. This is a perfect T-shirt bra.
4.5/5
FENWICK - SIZE 32C
Simone Perele padded white bra, £65
Charlotte says: After assessing me by eye, the assistant returned with three styles which she then examined me in at the front and back. She stressed I should be fitted every time I buy a bra because different styles and brands fit differently. The 32C bra she chose did fit quite well, although I could feel the wire slightly rubbing against the breast tissue.
Becky says: The band is not quite snug enough. The straps come with a clip so that you can pull them into the middle to wear under racer-back tops which is a useful feature for summer. The cup size, though, is too small — the wire is not flush with the chest. A pretty bra with nice features but not the right size.
The creepiest and most bizarre stories told by people who explored the internet's hidden websites
Someone on Reddit recently asked the simple question "What's your Deep Web story?"
In other words, the Reddit user was asking people to share any weird experiences they had encountered while using anonymous web services to access secret websites.
Such services, including Tor, have been around for years, letting people obfuscate their IP address to make it harder to be tracked.
They also provide access to a slew of websites known as the Dark Web (or Deep Web), which can be reached only through services such as Tor. Silk Road is the prototypical example of a Dark Web site. Though it has now closed, with its notorious founder in prison, new online black markets have surfaced to take its place.
But here's a look at some of the bizarre and creepy things you can stumble on when accessing the dark underbellies of the web, as told by the people who actually experienced them.
The Dark Web may seem scary, but sometimes it's quite innocuous ...
Though people tell tales of drugs and other illicit sites, sometimes people use the Dark Web just for silly purposes.
A scavenger hunt ...
One user was playing what was called an Alternate Reality Game. This game, "No Love Deep Web," had users accessing Tor to hunt for various things.
This user got engrossed in the game. It ended with "me driving to New York to answer a pay phone at 3:00AM. That was cool."
"The next stop is ..."
Sometimes you find weird forums. Take this user's example:
I once found a forum dedicated to sharing recordings of the automated messages that tell you the next stop on trains. People would post the recordings that they presumably made themselves and then they would discuss them.It haunts me to this day. I have so many questions.
But sometimes things can a bit creepy ...
Though Tor is said to hide your online identity, some people have found that to not be the case. Here are a few examples.
"We see you"
A Redditor writes this creepy tale about using the internet before Google. The user was following the online trail of a site he or she found. Then he or she found a document made just for the user, making it known that the Redditor was not alone. "We see you," the message wrote.
The whole story goes that the user came upon a random page of what seemed to be "random thoughts from different people." So the Redditor decided to press further. Looking through the source, compiling the IP addresses of all the comments, this user was trying to figure out what connected the people on this site.
Then, something creepy happened:
I finally came upon a web server with a huge directory of HTML files and TIFF images, with a few smaller sub directories containing the same. nslookup returned no reverse records for the IP. A VisualRoute traced it as far as Colorado. The HTML files appeared to be records a psychologist or similar mental health professional would keep. The images were of faxes, apparently of both military and medical nature.As I browsed from a sub directory back to the parent, at the top of was a new HTML file named something like "1-.HELLO-THERE.html". The time stamp was from right that minute. I opened it, and in plain text was the message "we see you". No quotes, all lower-case. About 15 seconds later the server dropped.
"That's very astute of you ..."
Even if you're using Tor, you can still be tracked. At least, that's what one Redditor says. The story:
I posted a comment on a video, and when I went back to that page to watch the video later, someone replied to my comment saying: "That is very astute of you Mr. (insert my last name)"I didn't internet for like a week. my last name is not a common one.
But what about the things you can buy?
Sure, you can find some weird things for sale on the Dark Web. But how weird? Some users have some pretty bizarre tales ...
For the DIY surgeon ...
Sometimes you can find the everyday things on the Dark Web. But what makes it "illicit" is how you market it. Take this (very gross) example of something for sale on Silk Road:
DIY vasectomy kit on SR. it was a kit of weird dentist tool looking hooks and some tube thing. $20.
A digital zoo.
Sometimes you may need something specific and you have nowhere else to turn. If that's the case watch out for a steep price tag. This Redditor explains:
A few years ago I went searching for rhino horn for a story, one guy said he had a couple of whole horns he'd sell for six figures. I had to pass.
A mind-blowing experience ...
Surprises are often in store. And so are vendors with senses of humor. As is showcased with this story:
Silk Road. Circa 2013. Purchased what was promised as a "mind-blowing" experience. Received a Dust Buster two days later. Strangely, no complaints on my end.
Rick Ross finally granted bail and released from jail
Rick Ross is a free man. The MMG rapper-CEO has been released from jail in Fayette County, Georgia, after being arrested for assault and kidnapping.
He got - $1 million equity from the ex-Holyfield mansion he owns, and another GA property, $500,000 surety bond (from a bail bondsman) and $500k in cold hard cash.
Ross' attorney also promised his client would forfeit the entire Holyfield property (which is worth $5 million) to the county ... if he does anything to obstruct justice or intimidate any witness.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Abuja BBQ Carnival (July 4th 2015) - Performing Live @Kefchild and @gospel on the Beat
#ABC2015 just got bigger with the trend , award winning producer and artiste Gospel-On-The-Beat, and the newest kid on the block +KEFCHILD OLUWA @keffchild are billed to perform at the star studded, Abuja bbq carnival. it is a one day exhibition of exquisite grill spots, eateries etc within the FCT scheduled to hold at Tobix gardens opposite Alibert furniture beside Next cash and carry superstores on the 4th of July 2015. It is a carnival of standard which is designed and planned to be an essential platform for sales of grills, edibles and exclusive drinks
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