Lifestyle

England ranks ‘high’ on the peace map of the world.

Vision of Humanity released the new map of the most dangerous countries in the world. Luckily, the UK is at the other end, being ranked as one of the most peaceful in the world.

The entire map is based on three main criteria:

  • the level of safety and security in society
  • the extent of domestic and international conflict
  • the degree of militarization.

United Kingdom is on the 122 spot, from 163 countries in the analysis, far away from the top 20 most dangerous. More details in the article on Atlas and Boots.

 

Source of photo: Vision of Humanity.

Sources:

Most dangerous countries in the world 2017 – ranked

Global Peace Index

Read more

Do you have some extra time this summer and you want to spend it on doing something nice for your living room? We suggest re-modelling the bookshelves and maybe keeping only the books you would recommend in your library.

Source: https://ro.pinterest.com/pin/70228075422308647/

Cleaning the bookshelves can give you the sensation that you have been using your entire holiday time smartly.

First step would be to choose from your library the books you would never recommend to somebody else. Pile them up and take them to the closest books re-seller or antiquarian. You could end up with some extra money.

Use the extra money to buy a new bookshelf or maybe try to build one yourself. Here is a great video on how to build an original bookshelf in your living room or open space.

We found some more interesting ideas that you could find interesting on Pinterest.

Photo source: Pinterest post
Read more

“Your home is your castle” or “Your castle is your home”? In some very fortunate cases, the later is also true for real castles and their inhabitants. 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle Labeled for reuse.

All across Europe, castles have been built as a sign of fortune and fame. Queens, kings and their children – princes and princesses, lived once in the most fortified and beautiful buildings in their land.

In those times, only royalty could live the fairy-tale of having a home that included: a dance hall, at least one dining room with an enormous table, bedrooms for themselves and the servants, more than one bathroom, a library, dressing rooms, and stables. Well, this is the kind of house you want to play hide-and-seek in as a child.

Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Krakow_Wawel_20070804_0930.jpg Labeled for reuse.

However, those fortunate (and we mean this in the most literal way, as in owning a fortune) enough can still live in a castle today. Europe has castles that can be lived in today in countries like Italy, Germany, France, and UK. The largest inhabited castle is the Windsor Castle in Berkshire, for example. One can also sleep in the Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire, and maybe feel like the Sleeping Beauty waiting to be awakened by a prince.

These type of properties usually have prices that exceed 2,000,000 GBP. Just like in the case of a normal property, the price depends on the number of bedrooms. An indoor garden the size of a park or a football field rises the value of the property, just like a big balcony might raise the value of an apartment.

If you are one of the potential buyers of a castle, to get a clear picture of what your life will be like, please read this article. It will give you a sense of the burdens, not only the advantages of living in a castle. Like the “agonizing five (5) minute walk to the home from the car” or the “We forgot the butter” problem.

Read more

  • Researchers found that journeys over half an hour were damaging for the mental health.
  • Commuters with a one hour journey in either direction fare the worse.
  • 33% more likely to suffer depression in a pole of 34,000 adults.

These facts and figures are frightening, especially as most of us endure commuting day-in day-out, year-in year-out. Either by train, bus or behind the wheel of a car… This journey has to be endured.

A study of more than 34,000 working British adults found journeys upwards of half-an-hour are damaging the nations health and productivity.

People most at risk of depression are those who have the longest commute times: more than an an hour in each direction. They were 33% more likely to suffer from depression and 12 % more likely to report work-related stress.

Results following the research showed that they have a 46% greater risk of getting less than seven hours sleep each per night, as recommended.

This is a real eye opener and something to seriously think about if you are thinking of relocating to the country and intend to commute each day.

Read more