Italian Ceramics By The Sea Will Wow You

By Acelya Yonac

Vietri sul Mare is the perfect place to start a drive on the picturesque Amalfi coast. Here lives a centuries long tradition of handcrafted floor tiles and ceramic arts. The family owned Ceramica Pinto was started by Vincenzo Pinto, and is run today by his grandchildren Rosaura and Carlo Pinto. Everywhere you turn you see the beautiful and eclectic designs for which this town is renowned. On a tile-shopping trip, we talked to Alessandro Giovanni, the CEO, about the company’s rich heritage.

Q: Ceramica Pinto has always pushed the boundaries when it comes to the design of ceramic tiles. Can you talk to us about the creative process?

AG: The synergy between all the phases of production is of the essence. Before introducing a new pattern, we take into consideration the needs and the requirements of the artisanal manufacturing process at the core of our business.

Q: The ‘20s and ‘30s were important for the ceramics industry in Vietri sul Mare and in particular the so-called “German period” when Italian artisans joined forces with their German colleagues to elaborate new ways of decorating ceramics. Can you tell us more about this particular historical period?

AG: Yes, the German artists introduced new folkloric motifs like the now famous donkey, the fisherman and the peasant girl, all of which were not previously used in the decoration of ceramics.

Q: The history of Ceramica Pinto is often associated with the art world, witness collaborations with important artists like Amerigo Tot, Giovanni Carrano and Gio Ponti. What is your current relationship with contemporary art?

AG: Our last major collaboration was with the now late artist Antonio Franchini. Nowadays, we are working with local artists who are given a lot of creative freedom in the experimental phase before we proceed to manufacturing.

Q: Living and working in a location like Vietri sul Mare which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, must be a special experience in itself. Could you share with us what this beautiful location means for you personally and professionally?

AG: It’s true, the atmosphere of Vietri sul Mare never ceases to amaze you, regardless of how used to the location you are. We could say that one downside of working in Vietri is that its beauty can at times be distracting, but we enjoy it fully. Being surrounded by the mountains and the sea, sets us apart geographically and helps us focus our craftsmanship on traditional techniques.

Q: If you had to choose one Ceramica Pinto piece that best represents the creativity and artistic heritage of the company, which one would it be?

AG: I am particularly fond of the tiles we developed in collaboration with
the painter Giuseppe Capogrossi in the ‘50s. In my opinion, Capogrossi understood perfectly the relationship between the creative mind and the artisan who makes the finished product. His designs for Ceramica Pinto were at once innovative and respectful of our tradition.

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You're Right, Hotel Sex IS Better Than Regular Sex. Here's Why.

If you ever had sex in a hotel room and thought, "Well, that was better than it usually is," you're not the only one.

Turns out there are chemical responses that occur in our brains when we have sex in a hotel bed, that don't necessarily happen in our personal bedrooms, says Ian Kerner, a licensed psychotherapist, sex counselor and best-selling author of "She Comes First" and "Passionista: The Empowered Woman's Guide To Pleasuring A Man."

When a couple engages in sexual acts in a hotel room, versus the bedroom, "the novelty of the hotel room is going to stimulate dopamine transmission in the brain, which pays a big role in arousal and sexual excitement," Kerner told HuffPost.

Hotels are an indulgence:

Because hotels are often designed to be luxurious and sensual -- there's good lighting, candles, expensive sheets, a big bed, it's designed to appeal to the five senses -- "there's a psychological mindset when people check into a hotel that they can pamper themselves. There’s something a little luxurious, languorous, sumptuous about a hotel that lends itself to feeling sexual."

Hotels help you check out of life:

Another factor Kerner points out is that "for sexual arousal to occur, especially in women, parts of the brain associated with anxiety and stress need to turn off," he said. "So I often advise couples to turn their bedroom into a love nest that’s free from distractions. I think a hotel -- as a sort of generic luxury -- automatically helps people tune out the anxiety. There aren’t photos of kids, bills that need to be paid, books that need to be read; you’re in a place out of time, out of your life. And the shutting down or the pushing away of that anxiety, creating a boundary of anxiety and stressors of everyday life, is going to contribute to sexual arousal."

And, perhaps best of all, you don't have to go very far:

You don't really have to be on vacation to reap the benefits. In perhaps the best argument for taking more staycations, Kerner says hotels inherently spice things up, just by being different than the norm.

"Sometimes sex therapists often advise patients to switch up their sex scripts and try having sex in different positions, or try having sex in different rooms," Kerner said. "So inherently, going to a hotel is going to provide a break in the routine that’s also going to be stimulating."

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Eco-Friendly Smart Cars Take Spotlight At Major Auto Show -- And They Look Awesome

TOKYO (AP) -- Visions of cars that drive themselves without emitting a bit of pollution while entertaining passengers with online movies and social media are what's taking center stage at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Japan, home to the world's top-selling automaker, has a younger generation disinterested in owning or driving cars. The show is about wooing them back. It's also about pushing an ambitious government-backed plan that paints Japan as a leader in automated driving technology.

Reporters got a preview look at the exhibition Wednesday, ahead of its opening to the public Oct. 30.

Nissan Motor Co. showed a concept vehicle loaded with laser scanners, a 360 degree camera setup, a radar and computer chips so the car can "think" to deliver autonomous driving. The Japanese automaker called it IDS, which stands for "intelligent driving system."

Nissan, based in Yokohama, Japan, said it will offer some autonomous driving features by the end of next year in Japan. By 2018, it said vehicles with the technology will be able to conduct lane changes on highways. By 2020, such vehicles will be able to make their way through intersections on regular urban roads.

Nissan officials said they were working hard to make the car smart enough to recognize the difference between a red traffic light and a tail light, learn how to turn on intersections where white lane indicators might be missing and anticipate from body language when a pedestrian might cross a street.

Nissan's IDS vehicle is also electric, with a new battery that's more powerful than the one currently in the automaker's Leaf electric vehicle. Although production and sales plans were still undecided, it can travel a longer distance on a single charge and recharge more quickly.

A major challenge for cars that drive themselves is winning social acceptance. They would have to share the roads with normal cars with drivers as well as with pedestrians, animals and unexpected objects.

That's why some automakers at the show are packing the technology into what looks more like a golf cart or scooter than a car, such as Honda Motor Co.'s cubicle-like Wander Stand and Wander Walker scooter.

Instead of trying to venture on freeways and other public roads, these are designed for controlled environments, restricted to shuttling people to pre-determined destinations.

At a special section of the show, visitors can try out some of the so-called "smart mobility" devices such as Honda's seat on a single-wheel as well as small electric vehicles.

Regardless of how zanily futuristic and even dangerous such machines might feel, especially the idea of sharing roads with driverless cars, that era is inevitable simply because artificial intelligence is far better at avoiding accidents than human drivers, said HIS analyst Egil Juliussen. It just might take some time, such as until the 2030s, he said.

Such technology will offer mobility to people who can't drive or who don't have cars, and it can also reduce pollution and global warming by delivering efficient driving, he said.

Other automakers, including General Motors, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota and Tesla are working on self-driving technology, as are companies outside the industry, such as Google and Uber.

Cars already can connect to the Internet. Automakers envision a future in which cars would work much like smartphones today, to have passengers checking email, watching movies or checking out social media and leaving the driving to the car.

Honda Chairman Fumihiko Ike, who is also head of Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association which is organizing the show, said the Japanese government was putting tremendous pressure on Japan's automakers to perfect self-driving features.

Japan is eager to showcase such technology in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, such as having driverless cars pick up athletes from airports and taking them to Olympic Village.

But Ike acknowledged he had doubts. Unexpected things could happen on roads, like a package falling out of a van, and the human brain has better powers of the imagination than the best artificial intelligence, he said.

"We have to see," Ike said on when self-driving cars might become common. "The final answer will be from the whole society."

Toyota President Akio Toyoda said the technology has clear benefits but also shared Ike's reservations.

"It's not that easy," he told reporters on the sidelines of the show. "We are pursuing the technology, but we are also just being realistic."

 

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Eco-Friendly Smart Cars Take Spotlight At Major Auto Show -- And They Look Awesome

TOKYO (AP) -- Visions of cars that drive themselves without emitting a bit of pollution while entertaining passengers with online movies and social media are what's taking center stage at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Japan, home to the world's top-selling automaker, has a younger generation disinterested in owning or driving cars. The show is about wooing them back. It's also about pushing an ambitious government-backed plan that paints Japan as a leader in automated driving technology.

Reporters got a preview look at the exhibition Wednesday, ahead of its opening to the public Oct. 30.

Nissan Motor Co. showed a concept vehicle loaded with laser scanners, a 360 degree camera setup, a radar and computer chips so the car can "think" to deliver autonomous driving. The Japanese automaker called it IDS, which stands for "intelligent driving system."

Nissan, based in Yokohama, Japan, said it will offer some autonomous driving features by the end of next year in Japan. By 2018, it said vehicles with the technology will be able to conduct lane changes on highways. By 2020, such vehicles will be able to make their way through intersections on regular urban roads.

Nissan officials said they were working hard to make the car smart enough to recognize the difference between a red traffic light and a tail light, learn how to turn on intersections where white lane indicators might be missing and anticipate from body language when a pedestrian might cross a street.

Nissan's IDS vehicle is also electric, with a new battery that's more powerful than the one currently in the automaker's Leaf electric vehicle. Although production and sales plans were still undecided, it can travel a longer distance on a single charge and recharge more quickly.

A major challenge for cars that drive themselves is winning social acceptance. They would have to share the roads with normal cars with drivers as well as with pedestrians, animals and unexpected objects.

That's why some automakers at the show are packing the technology into what looks more like a golf cart or scooter than a car, such as Honda Motor Co.'s cubicle-like Wander Stand and Wander Walker scooter.

Instead of trying to venture on freeways and other public roads, these are designed for controlled environments, restricted to shuttling people to pre-determined destinations.

At a special section of the show, visitors can try out some of the so-called "smart mobility" devices such as Honda's seat on a single-wheel as well as small electric vehicles.

Regardless of how zanily futuristic and even dangerous such machines might feel, especially the idea of sharing roads with driverless cars, that era is inevitable simply because artificial intelligence is far better at avoiding accidents than human drivers, said HIS analyst Egil Juliussen. It just might take some time, such as until the 2030s, he said.

Such technology will offer mobility to people who can't drive or who don't have cars, and it can also reduce pollution and global warming by delivering efficient driving, he said.

Other automakers, including General Motors, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota and Tesla are working on self-driving technology, as are companies outside the industry, such as Google and Uber.

Cars already can connect to the Internet. Automakers envision a future in which cars would work much like smartphones today, to have passengers checking email, watching movies or checking out social media and leaving the driving to the car.

Honda Chairman Fumihiko Ike, who is also head of Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association which is organizing the show, said the Japanese government was putting tremendous pressure on Japan's automakers to perfect self-driving features.

Japan is eager to showcase such technology in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, such as having driverless cars pick up athletes from airports and taking them to Olympic Village.

But Ike acknowledged he had doubts. Unexpected things could happen on roads, like a package falling out of a van, and the human brain has better powers of the imagination than the best artificial intelligence, he said.

"We have to see," Ike said on when self-driving cars might become common. "The final answer will be from the whole society."

Toyota President Akio Toyoda said the technology has clear benefits but also shared Ike's reservations.

"It's not that easy," he told reporters on the sidelines of the show. "We are pursuing the technology, but we are also just being realistic."

 

MORE ON HUFFPOST:

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The 10 Countries You Absolutely HAVE To Visit In 2016

 

Most of us are lucky if we can escape our desks long enough to visit one country per year... but it never hurts to have a list of 10 dazzlingly perfect options.

Today, Lonely Planet announced its Top 10 Countries for 2016, employing expert analysis to make travel recommendations for the year ahead (because let's be real, our travel budgets are pretty much maxed for 2015). The striking lineup includes nations that will be especially prime to visit next year, for reasons historical (Botswana), environmental (the U.S.), athletic (Greenland) and more. Take your pick, study up, and then take a trip:

Need help getting to these stunning locales? Follow our tried-and-true tips for getting the cheapest flight:

Also on HuffPost:

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The 10 Countries You Absolutely HAVE To Visit In 2016

 

Most of us are lucky if we can escape our desks long enough to visit one country per year... but it never hurts to have a list of 10 dazzlingly perfect options.

Today, Lonely Planet announced its Top 10 Countries for 2016, employing expert analysis to make travel recommendations for the year ahead (because let's be real, our travel budgets are pretty much maxed for 2015). The striking lineup includes nations that will be especially prime to visit next year, for reasons historical (Botswana), environmental (the U.S.), athletic (Greenland) and more. Take your pick, study up, and then take a trip:

Need help getting to these stunning locales? Follow our tried-and-true tips for getting the cheapest flight:

Also on HuffPost:

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/10/27/best-countries-to-visit-in-2016_n_8405966.html?utm_hp_ref=t ... and provided by entertainment-movie-news.com

5 O'Clock Somewhere: It Can't Be the End of the World If Happy Hour is Still On

On September 16th an 8.3 magnitude earthquake hit Chile, displacing one million people and killing five. On September 18th, Chileans toasted their Independence Day with earthquakes.

It takes a certain sense of humor to call a drink after a national disaster. It also takes a certain sense of humor to call ice cream floating in a liter of wine a national drink.

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Police Officers Give Family Car Seats Instead Of Tickets

When Texas police officer Justin Gower pulled over a driver on Oct. 17, he was dismayed to see that the man's three young daughters were sitting in the back without car seats. But rather than issuing a ticket, Gower and his fellow officer Cale Hawkins decided to help the family out. 

"I was upset because it’s extremely dangerous,” Officer Gower told KXAN. “I have kids and I know how fragile they are, especially how young these kids were."

Gower and Hawkins pooled together their money with other officers from the Cedar Park Police Department to purchase three car seats for the 1-year-old, 3-year-old and 4-year-old girls. According to Today, their father "was grateful."

Gower told KVUE that when he stopped the driver for a malfunctioning light and expired registration, he realized he had heard about his financial woes from other officers. 

After speaking with Officer Hawkins, who had pulled over the father earlier that month, Gower decided to do what he could to help. "We just kind of stepped off to the side and said we need to do the right thing and get these people some car seats," Hawkins said.

"They’re trying to get things going, they’re going in the right direction, and to issue them citations for each child, would just devastate them," Gower told KXAN.

The two officers purchased the three car seats at Walmart, and with a special discount from the manager, they paid a total of about 145 dollars. When the story hit local news airwaves, community members praised their good deed.

In response to the positive feedback, the Cedar Park Police Department shared a Facebook post about Gower's and Hawkins' actions.

"We are honored to wear a badge and even more so to serve this community," reads the post.

Great perspective!

H/T Today

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United Apologizes To Passenger With Cerebral Palsy Who Had To Crawl Off Plane

United Airlines apologized on Tuesday to D'Arcee Neal, a man with cerebral palsy who was forced to crawl off a plane when the airline did not have a wheelchair available for him.

Last week, United failed to provide an aisle-sized wheelchair to help Neal, who was flying to Washington's Reagan National Airport, exit the aircraft. After waiting some time for assistance, Neal had to use the bathroom, so he crawled half the length of the plane, from his seat to the doorway, to reach his regular wheelchair.

United said in its statement Tuesday that the aisle wheelchair had been available, but that a staff member had mistakenly removed it.

"We made a mistake," the airline said. "When we realized our error -- that Mr. Neal was onboard and needed the aisle chair -- we arranged to have it brought back, but it arrived too late. We've apologized to him for that delay." 

O'Neal previously called the incident "humiliating," adding that "no one should have to do what I did."

In its statement, United noted that it provides a "24-hour Disability Desk" for customers with disabilities to request assistance and accommodations. It also offered Neal $300 to compensate for the error.

"We hope that all of our customers understand that this situation doesn't reflect the level of service we provide to customers with disabilities each day," the airline said. 

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United Apologizes To Passenger With Cerebral Palsy Who Had To Crawl Off Plane

United Airlines apologized on Tuesday to D'Arcee Neal, a man with cerebral palsy who was forced to crawl off a plane when the airline did not have a wheelchair available for him.

Last week, United failed to provide an aisle-sized wheelchair to help Neal, who was flying to Washington's Reagan National Airport, exit the aircraft. After waiting some time for assistance, Neal had to use the bathroom, so he crawled half the length of the plane, from his seat to the doorway, to reach his regular wheelchair.

United said in its statement Tuesday that the aisle wheelchair had been available, but that a staff member had mistakenly removed it.

"We made a mistake," the airline said. "When we realized our error -- that Mr. Neal was onboard and needed the aisle chair -- we arranged to have it brought back, but it arrived too late. We've apologized to him for that delay." 

O'Neal previously called the incident "humiliating," adding that "no one should have to do what I did."

In its statement, United noted that it provides a "24-hour Disability Desk" for customers with disabilities to request assistance and accommodations. It also offered Neal $300 to compensate for the error.

"We hope that all of our customers understand that this situation doesn't reflect the level of service we provide to customers with disabilities each day," the airline said. 

Also on HuffPost:

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Source: http://feeds.huffingtonpost.com/c/35496/f/677550/s/4b0545ba/sc/7/l/0L0Shuffingtonpost0N0C20A150C10A0 ... and provided by entertainment-movie-news.com

Police Officers Give Family Car Seats Instead Of Tickets

When Texas police officer Justin Gower pulled over a driver on Oct. 17, he was dismayed to see that the man's three young daughters were sitting in the back without car seats. But rather than issuing a ticket, Gower and his fellow officer Cale Hawkins decided to help the family out. 

"I was upset because it’s extremely dangerous,” Officer Gower told KXAN. “I have kids and I know how fragile they are, especially how young these kids were."

Gower and Hawkins pooled together their money with other officers from the Cedar Park Police Department to purchase three car seats for the 1-year-old, 3-year-old and 4-year-old girls. According to Today, their father "was grateful."

Gower told KVUE that when he stopped the driver for a malfunctioning light and expired registration, he realized he had heard about his financial woes from other officers. 

After speaking with Officer Hawkins, who had pulled over the father earlier that month, Gower decided to do what he could to help. "We just kind of stepped off to the side and said we need to do the right thing and get these people some car seats," Hawkins said.

"They’re trying to get things going, they’re going in the right direction, and to issue them citations for each child, would just devastate them," Gower told KXAN.

The two officers purchased the three car seats at Walmart, and with a special discount from the manager, they paid a total of about 145 dollars. When the story hit local news airwaves, community members praised their good deed.

In response to the positive feedback, the Cedar Park Police Department shared a Facebook post about Gower's and Hawkins' actions.

"We are honored to wear a badge and even more so to serve this community," reads the post.

Great perspective!

H/T Today

Also on HuffPost:

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5 O'Clock Somewhere: It Can't Be the End of the World If Happy Hour is Still On

On September 16th an 8.3 magnitude earthquake hit Chile, displacing one million people and killing five. On September 18th, Chileans toasted their Independence Day with earthquakes.

It takes a certain sense of humor to call a drink after a national disaster. It also takes a certain sense of humor to call ice cream floating in a liter of wine a national drink.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Source: http://feeds.huffingtonpost.com/c/35496/f/677550/s/4b04078b/sc/26/l/0L0Shuffingtonpost0N0C20A150C10A ... and provided by entertainment-movie-news.com