Category Archives: Sealand

Hallmark movie fans may wonder why director Ron Oliver calls himself Sir Ron Oliver, and Ryan Paevey, Sir Ryan Paevey. Is this an inside joke?

No.

The smallest country in the world knighted both the actor and director. Moreover, are you ready to learn more?

Back on September 6, 2021, Ryan Paevey and Ron Oliver were photographed outside Hollywoods iconic Magic Castle. The director and actor were dressed to the nines. Normally, Oliver likes to wear tropical shirts but instead was sporting a suit and tie in mostly creams and whites. Meanwhile, Paevey was dressed in all black, including his suit, shirt, and tie. Although he sported a huge smile, his look was dark and provocative.

Ron Oliver wrote on Instagram, Sir Ronald OMS and Sir Ryan OMS celebrate their respective Knighthoods at The Magic Castle. (No dragons were harmed in the taking of this photograph.) #sirronaldandsirryan #sirronaldoliver #sirryanpaevey #magiccastle #hollywoodknights #hollywood #christmasattheplaza #atimelesschristmas #hallmarkchristmasmovies #knightsofsealand #sealand

What is the Christmas At The Plaza director referring to? Moreover, where is Sealand?

Turns out, the pair have been knighted by the tiny island of Sealand.

The tiny country of Sealand gave knighthood to Ryan Paevey and Ron Oliver. According to Olivers IMDb, the Picture Perfect Mysteries director was knighted in 2019 by the sovereign nation of Sealand, and is now referred to as Sir Ronald Robert Oliver OMS.

There is no date or other information on Ryan Paeveys knighthood.

According to the Sealand official website, the tiny nation started as an offshore platform built during World War II. It was an anti-aircraft, gun platform. The structure is only 120 feet by 50 feet. Two hollow concrete legs hold up the structure. Lastly, the platform resembles a giant PI () symbol.

Sealand is located just seven nautical miles from the British coast. The closest town is Suffolk. Sealand is located on international waters. Moreover, Sealand had a purpose. The British built this platform as protection. They were looking for German mine-laying aircraft. Many years went by without any sort of change.

However, in the 1960s, the micro-country was occupied by Army Major Paddy Roy Bates. In addition, he called himself His Royal Highness Prince Roy Of Sealand. Although Bates did die in 2012, there have been up to five inhabitants at one time. The Principality of Sealand includes HRH Roys family and his friends. Sealand even has its own flag.

However, Roy fought an unsuccessful battle against the British government to make Sealand its own country.However, no country has ever recognized Sealand.

You could have a noble title like Sir Ryan Paevey and Sir Ron Oliver. Sealands website offers an array of noble titles from Lord, Lady, Baron, Baroness, Duke or, even Duchess! They even can make you an official Coat of Arms.

Georgia Makitalo has been a freelance writer for 14 years. She enjoys writing about Hallmark, Lifetime, GAC, British Series, as well as Netflix series like Emily In Paris, The Witcher, Lucifer, and anything Austen. In her free time she enjoys traveling, hiking and learning about Pre-Raphaelite art.

Read more here:

'GH' Alum Ryan Paevey, Director Ron Oliver Knighted By Tiny Country - TV Shows Ace

CALLS have been made for a solution to fix the missing link in a path which runs along the Flintshire coastline.

It follows senior councillors backing proposalsto improve access and create jobs in communities along the Dee estuary by creating a coastal park.

The countys coastline stretches for approximately 25 miles, most of which forms part of the Wales Coast Path.

However, there is currently a gap in the trail between Connahs Quay and Flint, where walkers are forced to divert along the A548 before returning to the coast.

Flintshire Council leader Ian Roberts now wants to see plans drawn up to address the situation after a previous bid to create a boardwalk was rejected.

The Labour politician said the decision was taken due to concerns about the impact on birds which live on the estuary.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting held yesterday (Tuesday, 18 January), he said:One of the key issues which we all need to resolve fairly urgently is the missing link in the coastal path between Connahs Quay and Flint.

Currently, it runs along the A548 on one of its narrowest sections through Oakenholt and past Flint, and across the very narrow bridge.

There were various proposals to resolve this issue, including the path running across parts of the area on a boardwalk, similar to what theyve got in Cheshire around Burton Marshes.

Unfortunately, these were rejected at the time by the RSPB and Countryside Council Wales, who were concerned it would clip the site of special scientific interest.

Plans to designate the area along the estuary as a single entity like a regional park were first drawn up in 2014 in a bid to attract visitors.

The move followed the creation of the Wales Coast Path two years earlier, which the council said had led to more interest in the county from tourists.

While the local authority said some progress had since been made, officials believe renewed momentum is required to push the plan forward.

Cllr Roberts said improving the path between Connahs Quay and Flint could form a key part of the proposals.

He said:Despite all the development thats gone on along the River Dee, the birds are still there and theyre remarkably resilient.

We really do need a sensible solution with the RSPB and Natural Resources Wales to the issues between Flint and Connahs Quay.

This potentially is a fantastic area and could be used for walking, cycling and recreational activities.

Andrew Farrow, the councils chief officer for planning, environment and economy, said he would be happy to set up a meeting with the relevant public bodies to discuss the issue.

Cabinet members also approved the submission of two multi-million-pound bids to the UK Governments Levelling Up fund at the same meeting.

They said the aim of the applications was to regenerate deprived coastal communities in Flintshire.

Initial proposals includemodernising the Flint Castle and Greenfield business parks, transforming Connahs Quay Dock and restoring the John Summers clocktower building in Sealand.

View original post here:

Calls for solution to address 'missing link' along Flintshire coastal path - The Leader

news, local-news,

On behalf of Council Happy New Year to everyone. Christmas was a very quiet time for most of the community this year. The Christmas Lights in Lindsay street proved to be a very popular event. There were 1,500 presents given away to children as well. A huge thank you to Polly and her crew who gave a cooked breakfast to our homeless people on Christmas day. I am sure many people appreciated this gesture as well. A memorial service was held for Alex Ariston in the new building on Gorge road that will be opened this year. Alex and Petrina built the new building in time for the tourist season. Alex was a huge influence in the Tourism Industry for Katherine and will be greatly missed. Our condolences to Petrina and the family. OTHER NEWS: There have been some complaints on Facebook about the new signs around the street corners in town. These signs were put in for the visitors to town. Katherine has over 200,000 visitors to town every year and so many want to know where everything is. It was not meant for drivers but for the walkers in town. The writing on the signs could not be any bigger as it would have been hard to fit the place names on them. Street signs were not taken out as reported - they are still there. If there are any missing it is due to other reasons but not for the new signs. The signs were paid for by a grant that council had applied for. It has taken a very long time due to a number of factors but has finally been put into action. Emungalan bridge is almost completed. It needs the last road seal and the guard rails in place. In the meantime residents have been using the bridge a little earlier due to the wet season. The library had to be closed this last week due to a COVID contact. We do not have enough staff to fill the void so the library had to close. Council apologises for any inconvenience. The recent cyclone Tiffany did bring much needed rain to our region. It is also a reminder to residents to be prepared in the event of flooding in town. It is handy to have medical supplies, torch, drinking water and dried or tinned food just in case the power goes off and something for your pet. We need to maintain our mask wearing and keep up with the check ins as well as using the hand sanitiser as much as possible and please consider being immunised if you have not already done so. It will protect you if you catch COVID which is very likely now. Everyone please stay safe and look out for one another. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?: Send letters to the editor or story tips to editor.kathtimes@austcommunitymedia.com.au

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OPINION

January 17 2022 - 11:38AM

On behalf of Council Happy New Year to everyone. Christmas was a very quiet time for most of the community this year. The Christmas Lights in Lindsay street proved to be a very popular event. There were 1,500 presents given away to children as well.

A huge thank you to Polly and her crew who gave a cooked breakfast to our homeless people on Christmas day. I am sure many people appreciated this gesture as well.

A memorial service was held for Alex Ariston in the new building on Gorge road that will be opened this year. Alex and Petrina built the new building in time for the tourist season. Alex was a huge influence in the Tourism Industry for Katherine and will be greatly missed. Our condolences to Petrina and the family.

There have been some complaints on Facebook about the new signs around the street corners in town. These signs were put in for the visitors to town.

Katherine has over 200,000 visitors to town every year and so many want to know where everything is. It was not meant for drivers but for the walkers in town.

The writing on the signs could not be any bigger as it would have been hard to fit the place names on them.

Street signs were not taken out as reported - they are still there. If there are any missing it is due to other reasons but not for the new signs. The signs were paid for by a grant that council had applied for. It has taken a very long time due to a number of factors but has finally been put into action.

Emungalan bridge is almost completed. It needs the last road seal and the guard rails in place. In the meantime residents have been using the bridge a little earlier due to the wet season.

The library had to be closed this last week due to a COVID contact. We do not have enough staff to fill the void so the library had to close. Council apologises for any inconvenience.

The recent cyclone Tiffany did bring much needed rain to our region. It is also a reminder to residents to be prepared in the event of flooding in town. It is handy to have medical supplies, torch, drinking water and dried or tinned food just in case the power goes off and something for your pet.

We need to maintain our mask wearing and keep up with the check ins as well as using the hand sanitiser as much as possible and please consider being immunised if you have not already done so. It will protect you if you catch COVID which is very likely now.

Everyone please stay safe and look out for one another.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?: Send letters to the editor or story tips to editor.kathtimes@austcommunitymedia.com.au

See more here:

New year kicks off in Katherine with signs of the times - Katherine Times

PHOENIX The CDC is considering changing its mask recommendation to better protect ourselves against the omicron variant. Experts say the highly protective N95 or KN95 masks are the best options.

Right now, you can find both types of masks at hardware stores all across the Valley, but they are more expensive. Prices range from about $1 a mask to over $3 a mask.

N95 masks are designed to filter up to 95 percent of particles, according to the CDC, and are approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH. You want to make sure the packaging says "NIOSH-approved."

KN95s are supposed to meet a comparable Chinese standard.

"As the transmissibility and infectious of the virus continues to mutate with new variants, we need to have better quality masks in indoor public spaces. That's why we have to use these masks that have this nice seal and basically create the barrier that we need," said ABC15 Health Insider Dr. Shad Marvasti from the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix.

The CDC's current recommendation says masks should fit snugly, have two layers of breathable fabric and a wire bridge around the nose.

Dr. Marvasti said a new recommendation is overdue.

"This recommendation should've been made when delta variant came on the scene because of increased transmissibility and the known fact that COVID-19 is airborne," he said.

ABC15 called around and found masks were in stock at many Home Depots, Lowe's, and Ace Hardware stores in the Phoenix area.

For Home Depot, you can call a specific store, and using the automated phone system, you can request that they send you a list of all the N95 masks they have in stock at that location.

There are plenty of options on Amazon.

If you don't have access to N95 or KN95 masks, you can also double up by using a surgical mask under a cloth mask.

Read the original here:

If CDC changes mask recommendations, where can you find N95 & KN95 masks in the Phoenix area? - ABC15 Arizona

Rome Italian law enforcement authorities seized 412 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a container coming from the Dominican Republic and destined for the Spanish port of Valencia at the port of La Spezia, in the northwest of the country.

412 kilos of cocaine destined for Valencia seized in an Italian port, external sourceThe result was due to a joint operation carried out by the Customs agency, the Guardia di Finanza and the Carabinieri following a complex and articulated transnational investigation carried out under the coordination of the fight against the mafia Genoa, explained a joint communiqu.

The drug, cocaine of extremely high quality and purity, was hidden in a container from the Dominican Republic with a forged seal and among blocks of paper for recycling.

It consisted of 359 packages of drugs for a total of 412 kilograms which were destined for Valencia and which would have been worth around 100 million Euros on the market.

The operation is part of the constant surveillance by Italian law enforcement of goods coming from South America, which had already resulted in the seizure of drugs two years ago when 338 kilos of cocaine were discovered hidden in granite panels coming from Brazil.

Original post:

412 kilos of cocaine from Dominican Republic seized in Italy - Dominican Today

Several talented children from across the country will be seen in Bosco Martis's directorial debut Rocket Gang.

Starring Aditya Seal and Nikita Dutta and featuring the participants and winners of the Zee TV dance reality show Dance India Dance, Martiss upcoming film is a dance fantasy drama with horror and comedy elements.

The choreographer-turned-director is excited to provide a platform for kids with immense potential via the film, that has been shot using virtual reality technology.

These kids have a crucial part in the narrative of Rocket Gang. It is their film, Martis said in a statement.

We picked them from all corners of the nation based on an extensive process of auditions and, if I may add, our country is booming with incredible talent. It indeed was a hard call to make.

According to the statement, Martis had an incredible time working with the children. Kids have an infectious energy that lights up the set. The same is reflected on the screen, and I am sure the audience will have a blast watching them perform, he added.

Produced by Zee Studios, Rocket Gang is slated to be released in theatres on 6 May.

More:

Audience will have a blast watching kids perform in Rocket Gang, says Bosco Martis - Cinestaan.com

White distilled vinegar has become a reliable cleaner for households across the country. It can be used in all kinds of situations, from unclogging a drain to cleaning a glass stove. This is because its effective at dissolving stains, removing limescale and leaves streak-free results. On top of this, its a more sustainable option than using alternative chemical cleaners.

While the acidity of vinegar makes it such a good cleaner, this property unfortunately also adds a pungent smell. Its so strong in fact, that it can deter some from using white distilled vinegar as a household cleaner, particularly if youre cleaning in anticipation of guests. However, this doesnt have to be the case. Here, we break down how you can neutralise the smell of vinegar and still clean with it. With these methods, theres really no reason not to clean with vinegar.

What you will need

Essential oils

Empty spray bottle

OR

Herbs, citrus peels and spices

Mason jar

Strainer

Empty spray bottle

This is the most convenient method for masking the smell of vinegar as you can apply it immediately. All you need are essential oils, of which you can choose the scent(s) based on your preference. We recommend the Lagunamoon Essential Oils Gift Set ($9.99, Amazon) if you dont already have this. To use essential oils, follow these steps:

1. Dilute your vinegar with cold water in an empty spray bottle. You can vary the measurements depending on how much vinegar you want, however for general guidance you can use and .

2. Depending on the strength of fragrance from your essential oils, youre going to want to add 10-20 drops to the solution. Start with 10, then seal and shake the bottle to combine and try a spritz to check the effect. Add more drops as required.

3. Label the bottle so you dont confuse it in the future.

Thats all you have to do. Just remember that this will never fully mask the vinegar smell, but it will certainly help keep it in check. If youre not sure which fragrance of essential oil to use, we recommend a citrus, peppermint or lavender essence.

Alternatively, you can also use herbs, citrus peels and spices if you have those handy. Just bear in mind that this method requires 4-5 days to finish, so if you need the cleaner for the weekend, you will need to prepare it on the prior Monday. Youre essentially going to steep the vinegar with a mix of heavily scented herbs and spices to overwrite the aroma.

This is great because you can choose exactly what you want to use any citrus peels, such as oranges, lemons and limes will work well. In terms of herbs and spices, think of everyday ingredients such as lavender, cinnamon, mint and rosemary for example. Just make sure you avoid any herbs with a dark, predominant color as this could dye your vinegar, and any surfaces you clean it with.

1. Find an empty mason jar and sterilize it if necessary in boiling water. Then leave it to cool completely.

2. Now youre going to want to fill the jar to about full with a combination of your peels, herbs and spices. You will need the peels of about three oranges or four lemons for general guidance.

3. Now add your white distilled vinegar to the jar and fill it to the brim.

4. Seal it tightly and rotate it to mix.

5. Leave it to sit for 4-5 days, shaking it occasionally to further mix.

6. Once time is up, you need to strain the solution carefully into an empty spray bottle. If you remove the lid from your jar and notice the vinegar aroma is still strong, leave it for a further few days.

There you have it, a home-made scented cleaner.

Today's best Heinz All-Natural Distilled White Vinegar deals

Read more here:

How to clean with vinegar without the smell - Tom's Guide

ATLANTA (AP) In defending itself against a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, Fox News is seeking access to an expert report filed under seal in a separate Georgia lawsuit that the author says details vulnerabilities in the companys touchscreen voting machines.

Election security expert J. Alex Halderman spent 12 weeks examining the voting machines used in Georgia and more than a dozen other states and said he identified multiple severe security flaws in the machines that would allow attackers to install malicious software. His report was filed in federal court in Atlanta in July in support of a long-running lawsuit filed by election security advocates and voters who want Georgia to scrap the electronic voting machines in favor of hand-marked paper ballots.

Dominion in March filed a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News in Delaware, where both companies are incorporated, arguing the cable news giant falsely claimed that the voting company had rigged the 2020 election. A judge last month rejected Foxs motion to dismiss the suit. The lawsuit cites Halderman, saying he told Fox explicitly, There is absolutely no evidence, none, that Dominion Voting Machines changed any votes in this election.

A voting technology specialist and director of the University of Michigans Center for Computer Security and Society, Halderman is an expert witness in the Georgia case and his report was filed under seal and designated attorneys eyes only, making it off limits even to the actual parties to the Georgia lawsuit. Only their lawyers and experts could see it.

Now, Fox News is asking to see Haldermans report, writing in a motion filed in federal court in Atlanta Wednesday that, among other things, it wants to determine the extent to which it contradicts his purported statement to Fox News. The motion asks U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg to allow six lawyers and consulting experts for Fox to have access to the report and says they would abide by the confidentiality requirements in the courts protective order.

Halderman, who is an ardent supporter of hand-marked paper ballots, has said in declarations filed with the court that his mission as an expert witness in the Georgia case was not to show any malicious activity in past elections but rather to determine whether the machines have security flaws. He said in an interview with The Associated Press last year that he had seen no evidence the vulnerabilities were exploited to change the outcome of the 2020 election.

Halderman has said the information in his report should be made public so that officials in places that use the equipment can work to mitigate the problems. To that end, he created a version of the report that is redacted to exclude specific portions that show how hacks could be carried out, lawyers said during a November hearing in the Georgia case.

Lawyers for the Coalition for Good Governance, a plaintiff in the case, asked during the hearing for permission to share the redacted report with the organizations executive director, but Totenberg said she wasnt prepared at the time to address that.

She has so far expressed an unwillingness to make the report public, saying during the November hearing that the information isnt to be disseminated to just anyone who somehow has some interest in it. She did say she wouldnt object to the report being shared with Dominion.

Dominion did not immediately respond Thursday to an email asking if the company or its attorneys had seen the report or had its contents explained to them. The Georgia secretary of states office declined to respond when asked whether anyone in that office had seen or asked to see the report.

Louisiana uses the Dominion system in question for early voting. The secretary of state there last month filed a motion asking Totenberg for access to the report for purpose of discovering unknown potential vulnerabilities and taking the requisite mitigation measures and procedural steps to address any potential security flaws in the system.

In a filing opposing that access, lawyers for the state argued that Halderman was given access to Georgias voting system for the purpose of the lawsuit, not so that he could provide reports to various governmental entities and other individuals. They wrote that the report contains sensitive, non-public information about Georgias voting system.

Totenberg on Monday rejected the Louisiana secretary of states request, writing that she remains concerned about the risks associated with further dissemination of the report. She worried that if she granted access to the Louisiana secretary of state, it could open the floodgates to similar requests from others, which would also increase the the potential for hacking and misuse of sensitive, confidential election system information.

Original post:

Fox News, others seek access to report on voting machines - Associated Press

Planning chiefs have approved proposals to permanently convert a former day centre into homeless accommodation.

The Mulberry Centre off Sealand Road in Chester has been used temporarily to house rough sleepers during the pandemic as part of the governments everyone in policy.

But that policy expired at the end of 2021 and the council has now taken the decision to continue operating the facility, which features 27 bedrooms and provides employment for 10 staff.

Read more of the top stories from across Cheshire here.

At a meeting of the councils planning committee on Tuesday, Alison Amesbury, head of housing at Cheshire West and Chester council, said there had been no objections to the proposals.

She told members: Its provided a safe environment with staff on site 24 hours a day.

The staff are really proud of the way the residents have taken ownership of the outside space, creating a growing area for herbs and tomatoes.

She added: I think its tribute to the management by ForFutures (homeless service) that theres been no complaints or objections to this planning application.

The former day centre had provided non-residential community support and social care services to adults with complex special needs until its closure.

The original planning application said there had been concerns from local residents when it was converted into temporary accommodation in 2020, but said this was not helped by the Covid pandemic limiting the consultation phase by preventing in-person meetings.

Committee member Cllr Charles Fifield, said: As a council we do have a statutory duty in relation to helping some of the most vulnerable in our community and I do recall the issue of this sort of use cropping up before.

Im really pleased that weve been able to get on top of it and theres been no objections to this, because I do recall that when its cropped up before its been quite controversial.

He added: I hope when we look back at the pandemic we can see this as a silver lining because I think this is a really good thing.

The plans were approved unanimously.

See the rest here:

Chester's Sealand Road homeless shelter gets the green light - Cheshire Live

If you've lived in Suffolk your entire life, you'd be forgiven for thinking that you know everything there is to know about the county.

However, not many people know that Suffolk is just a few kilometres away from another 'country'.

That statement may seem absurd, but Sealand, at just 550 square metres big, operates as a family-run micronation in the middle of the North Sea.

Read more: Latest news in and around Suffolk

To geography geeks, Sealand has become a legendary curiosity with an immensely interesting history.

During the Second World War, the British government built several fortress islands in the North Sea to defend its coasts from German invaders.

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In the 1950s, with the war over and the steel and concrete towers rendering little use, they were abandoned.

That was until 1965, when a British Army Major named Roy Bates found a use for the towers for the first time 20 years.

Bates set up a pirate radio station in one of the towers, known as Knock John Tower, but faced a legal battle with the UK government, who claimed that he wasn't legally entitled to occupy the structure.

In a bid to keep his offshore radio station going, Bates was smart enough to move to one of the other towers which was outside of UK jurisdiction.

On Christmas Eve 1966, Bates moved to Roughs Tower and declared independence from the UK on the basis that the fortress island in international waters was nobodys land.

But the peace and quiet Bates hoped for was short lived, with British military forces soon despatched to destroy the remaining towers and remove the occupants from Roughs Tower.

Thanks to a few warning shots, the military retreated and the Principality of Sealand survived, but the other towers weren't so fortunate.

Fast forward forward 50 years, and Sealand is still standing tall in the North Sea.

Speaking to CambridgeshireLive earlier this year, Sealand's Prince Michael, son of Roy, said: "Weve never actually asked for recognition [as a sovereign state] but it would be a nice thing."

If you're enchanted by Sealand, you can join its nobility; becoming a Lord or Lady of Sealand will set you back just 30, or 500 if youve got your sights on a duchess or dukedom.

The micronation also claims to have recorded zero Covid cases since the start of the pandemic, which it puts down to "minimising risks, being practical and alert but above all respecting the health of others".

At present, no travel companies run trips to Sealand, but becoming a Duke or Duchess will undoubtedly create an affinity with the people of Roughs Tower.

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Originally posted here:

The micronation off the Suffolk coast that claims to be the world's smallest country - Suffolk Live