Italian company fires women so they can stay home with the kids

An engineering company in Northern Italy, Ma-Vib, fired 13 out of their 18 female employees, all between the ages of 30-40. None of their 12 male employees were fired. According to the guardian.co.uk, the company reported to the small business association, “We are firing the women so they can stay at home and [...]

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Greek guard faces tear gas ?like a boss?

It?s possible moments after the photo was snapped that he wiped his eyes, but something about that ?bring it, bitches? expression says otherwise.

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10 years of drug decriminalization in Portugal has reduced addiction, crime

More evidence that treatment beats incarceration when it comes to drug crimes.

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Crossing Dublin without passing a pub: Joyce's puzzle solved

Software developer Rory McCann charts pub-free route across the city"Good puzzle would be cross Dublin without passing a pub," muses Leopold Bloom in James Joyce's classic novel Ulysses. It's a conundrum that has intrigued literary visitors to the city for years and, until now, frustrated them.The Joycean quandary has just been solved by software developer Rory McCann, who came up with an algorithm to help him chart a pub-free route through Dublin's streets. Starting by plotting out 30 points around the city's canals, to represent the size Dublin would have been when Ulysses was published, he used data from the online editable map, OpenStreetMap, to pin down the locations of Dublin's 1,000-plus pubs,. He then set his algorithm to work to find a winding path across the city that does not pass within 35m of a pub.A few changes were made after people pointed out pubs which weren't on the map, but McCann is now satisfied that he has solved Bloom's 89-year-old puzzle ? just in time for Bloomsday (the annual celebration of all things Joyce and Ulysses) on 16 June."I started about a year ago, for Bloomsday last year, but didn't get the programme finished in time. I picked it up again about a month ago and worked on it in my spare time again. Once I'd finished writing the programme, it takes about 15 minutes before it found the route in question," he said. "I haven't done all of it myself yet, but I know people who have cycled it, and said it was good. I checked it on Google Street View."He was moved to create his algorithm, he said, because it sounded "like an interesting problem", but he has never read Ulysses, coming at the puzzle "from the technical 'hey-that's-an-interesting-problem' side, rather than the literary side"."I'm a big OpenStreetMap fan, and fan of open data. It's a well-known problem in Dublin, and many people have tried to solve it themselves in pubs," he said. "Among the OpenStreetMap community here in Dublin, it's something that we've thought we could solve (thanks to open data). I started thinking about it, and could see it coming together in my head, so had a stab at it, et voila!"Next up, he's said, might well be the opposite challenge: a route around Dublin which passes as many of the city's drinking houses as possible.James JoyceFictionAlison Floodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Readers' tips: beachside campsites

Been there readers reveal their favourite places to camp with your feet in the sandWINNING TIP: Glenbrittle, Isle of SkyeThis site is in a stunning setting at the foot of the Black Cuillins on the shore of Loch Brittle, with easy access to spectacular walking and climbing ? you can spend a week or so here and never need to drive anywhere. The Talisker distillery (malts.com) up the glen at Carbost welcomes visitors with a tour and a dram. This is as near to wild camping as you can get while still having toilets, showers and shop. 01478 640404, tinyurl.com/6abdwlh, adult �6.40, child �4.20AnshirUKFidden Farm campsite, MullThis site sits at the end of the Ross of Mull near Fionnphort. The sand is white and fine-grained and the water is crystal-clear. The views across to Iona are beautiful. You could sit outside your tent looking across the bay, watching seals if you are lucky, forever.Knockvologan Road, 01681 700427, tinyurl.com/642ve6f, adult �6, child �3AshyardsArdmair Point Holiday Centre, near Ullapool, Ross-shireArdmair Point is on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by sea. The site is grassy and well-kept with all the usual facilities, but it's the location that makes it. The sheltered bay is the perfect starting point for exploring the rocky coast by kayak or boat. You can fish for mackerel, explore uninhabited islands, or just glide among the otters, porpoises and seabirds. The campsite has a private mooring, and you can launch kayaks from the beach. After a day on the sea or in the Assynt hills, sit by the tent and watch the sun turning the cliffs of Ben Mor Coigach gold.01854612054, ardmair.com, pitches from �8karemessrutherMossyard, Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries and GallowayThis is a small, family-run site by a bay with clear water off two sandy beaches. There are dunes for sheltered sunbathing, and a little island to walk to at low tide. Mossyard is on a working farm, is surrounded by beautiful, rolling countryside perfect for walking. There are great views to the Isle of Man, and the absence of light pollution gives amazing starlit nights. 01557 840226, mossyard.co.uk, pitches from �13 YarrowmanNash Point, South GlamorganA carefully positioned tent at Nash Point will be flicked by the beam from the lighthouse every 10 seconds. Below the cliffs are limestone pavements studded with fossils, and to the west stretches a clean, yellow sand beach with gentle water but no crowds. A farmer makes the grassy land available and the site (there are no facilities) is organised by a local family who serve strong tea and homemade Welsh cakes in the entrance to the clifftop car park. Car parking charge �2, informal camping fees at farmer's discretionHerbalwalksCaerfai Bay, PembrokeshireThis lovely family-run campsite is right on the edge of the cliff and boasts breathtaking panoramic views of the coast. An empty sandy beach is only 200m away, and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park runs past the site entrance. Next door to the campsite there is a great farm shop selling organic produce and freshly baked croissants.01437 720274, caerfaibay.co.uk, pitches from �11rachbrownTristram Campsite, Polzeath, CornwallTristram Campsite is situated in what must be the best cliffside location in Cornwall, with direct access down on to the beach. The site is made up of three fields, all fenced off so it is secure and safe for your family and belongings.01208 862215, polzeathcamping.co.uk, pitches for two from �20BrackenheartTreloan Coastal Holidays, CornwallYou don't want to tell anyone about this campsite on the Roseland peninsula, because it is magic. We have just spent half term there. Wednesday night was a "fireside session", with poets, storytellers and songs ? and toasted marshmallows. My kids made new friends, climbed trees and played Swingball, all with a sea view.01872 580989, coastalfarmholidays.co.uk, pitches from �13.50rosefamilyPinewoods Holiday Park, Wells-next-the-Sea, NorfolkThis is an excellent site with a choice of camping or mobile homes. There are beach huts to rent too, and a lovely cafe and good-value shop. The amazing beach goes on for miles. It's a lovely one-mile walk or cycle ride into Wells, or you can walk along the beach or through the woods to Holkham. Beach Road, 01328 710439, pinewoods.co.uk, from �20 for a pitch LoulouleedsFranceCamping Municipal de Lit-et-Mixe, Cap de l'Homy, south of BordeauxThis is possibly the coolest place I've ever been. Sitting in my campervan, surfboards everywhere, drinking beer and listening to the ocean ? what could be better? It's a minute from the beach, where you can watch spectacular sunsets and eat fresh fish until you explode. It's a little-known wonderful place, where everyone feels at home.+33 5 5842 8347, camping-cap.com, pitches from ?12.90KaySmytheSardiniaBaia Blu La Tortuga, AglientuThis is one of the most appealing campsites we have stayed at. It's right on the the sea, and listening to the waves in the early morning, or soaking up the setting sun, is unsurpassable. This coast is dotted with white sandy coves where jet-setters' yachts sit on an azure sea. +39 079 602200, baiaholiday.com/en/la_tortuga, pitches from ?34NgenevierNew ZealandHahei beach campsite, CoromandelThis no-nonsense, quiet campsite is yards from stunning Hahei beach. There's plenty of room to pitch, lots of communal barbecues and super retro wood chalets if you fancy. Swimming in the sea at 7am we could see tui birds in the trees, and bunnies hopping about. You can walk to Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach from here. +64 7 866 3889, haheiholidays.co.nz, pitches from �25 NwhittingtonThailandMo Ko Surin National Park campsite, Phang NgaMo Ko Surin National Park, 55km from the mainland, contains the Surin Islands and surrounding waters ? of the total area, 80% is sea. There is a brilliant campsite on one of the islands. Our tent (sheets provided) was pitched on the edge of a white-sand beach and provided great sea views and beautiful sunsets. The co-op restaurant by the campsite is a great place to chill out, meet people and enjoy locally caught or grown fish and veggies. You can go snorkelling off the beach or from longtail boats. Book trips from Khao Lak on the mainland.+66 7647 2145, surin-islands.com, ready-pitched tents �11.50 a nightChongqingBluesKenyaTwiga Lodge, Tiwi BeachTiwi Beach lies on the coast of Kenya between chaotic Mombasa and package tour destination Diani Beach, but it is a universe apart from either. It's hard to believe that the wide expanse of white sand lined with tall palm trees leaning gently out towards the Indian Ocean is not a computer enhanced image. At Twiga Lodge, you can camp on the edge of the beach, beneath trees frequented by hornbills and monkeys. As the sun sets, you can head over to the lodge bar for a cold beer, and perhaps buy a just-caught red snapper from a fisherman on an ancient bicycle. Later, you can bake your fish on coals in the sand under a star-crammed African sky.+254 721 577614, twigalodge.comMtafricaGhanaStumble Inn, ElminaStumble Inn is a traveller's rest in Elmina in Ghana, with accommodation in rondavels, dormitories and tents. You can walk straight from your tent onto the beach, have an open air shower with water heated up by the sun, and grill your freshly bought fish from Elmina market on the camping BBQ. The fish market and Elmina castle are a 30-minute beach stroll away. You can get dinner and a Ghanaian beer at the lodge's bar.+233 54 146 2733, stumbleinnghana.comrosycheerCampingBeach holidaysFamily holidaysUnited KingdomScotlandWalesCornwallFranceItalyThailandGhanaNorfolkKenyaNew Zealandguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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High finance for HomeAway says a lot about travelers

Filed under: Business, North America, United States, Hotels and AccommodationsAs the travel industry claws its way back from the depths of the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent consumer credit hangover, bright spots are already beginning to emerge. And unsurprisingly, it's the non-traditional sort that seems to be leading the charge. After all, stung by layoffs, pay cuts and other personal austerity measures, we've had to find ways to spend less while still traveling. So, it's no surprise that HomeAway got popular ... and that investors are rewarding it.

What does all your HomeAway use mean?

Well, for starters, it translates to $216 million raised in one day. HomeAway went public yesterday, and its shares shot up 49 percent to just over $40 each. Now, the vacation rental company is worth $3.2 billion. Trading at 19 times 2010 revenues, HomeAway's valuation is more generous than that of Priceline (8.1X 2010 revenue) and Expedia (2.3X 2010 revenue).

So, what's all this financial stuff have to do with us, the traveling public? To me, it signals behavior. For HomeAway to be valued so richly, investors must see a lot of potential. Look for more people to look at the vacation rental alternative to hotel rooms and other traditional lodging options. High finance for HomeAway says a lot about travelers originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Edinburgh's hidden cycle paths

The Innertube Map website is using volunteers and social media to make the cycle network more accessible and easier to useEdinburgh has an amazing network of cycle paths that cut through the city like rabbit warrens. But you can live in the city for years and not even know they exist.Old converted railway lines with deep embankments will take you from near the city centre down to the Port of Leith, to Granton, or to the seaside at Cramond ? routes that go for miles with barely the sight or sound of a road or car. You can ride from a housing estate near the Scottish Parliament right down to the seaside resort of Portobello, passing through a dramatic tunnel over 500m long. The first time I found one of these paths, having lived in Edinburgh for five years, it was like being teleported to another part of the city. Apart from anything, I had no idea where I was, or what parts of the city I had passed through. There were no signs, and the landmarks were new to me.Fast forward five years, and we've just launched the Innertube Map website, an interactive map and blog which uses citizen journalists, smartphones and geo-tagging to help bring these routes to life.The map itself is a stylised version of the cycle paths based on the London tube map, and was the brain child of Mark Sydenham, manager of Edinburgh bicycle recycling charity the Bike Station. The idea for the interactive map and blog was the result of my work as a beatblogger for the Guardian last year and my longstanding interest in community radio and media.Here's how it works. Entrances and exits to the paths have been changed to "stops" on the map, such as Ferry Road, Fountainbridge or Holyrood Road.Stories, audio, video and photos can be tagged to any of these stops, either by using a keyword, or by geo-tagging your content ? with a smartphone, for example. Alternatively, you can post directly onto a stop on the website, or just email the content in.The map then shows when and where new stories have appeared, whether they've been written by members of the public or by our team of eleven volunteer Innertube Ambassadors. They're there to report interesting events and stories affecting the communities around the routes, and to relay problems like fly-tipping, vandalism, poor signage or barriers for bikes, pedestrians, wheelchair users or horses (yes, really).Our ambassadors are a pretty varied bunch: there's Jackie Jack, a tall blonde police officer from the mounted division of Lothian and Borders Police; Mo from Portobello, a blogger and wheelchair user who is training to be a cox; Alasdair, a dispute resolution lawyer who commutes into work every day; and Gary, a founding member of the Spartans FC cycle club (four members so far). They're a great bunch.I've been out training them for the last couple of months, teaching them how to blog, tweet and interview people using smartphones. For example, Sue was out recently covering the opening of a new cycle path in Granton with audioboo: she had her report up on the site within two hours.Of course, not everyone has a smartphone, so we bought kit for about half our ambassadors as we didn't want that to be a barrier to participation. Luckily, we've had a good budget for equipment and to build the website as we won?�98,000 of funding for the project from The People's Postcode Lottery to do the project, and do it well.Some of that money has gone into developing the site and training and equipping the ambassadors. Most of it, however, will be spent on conservation work on the cycle paths by a local NGO, Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust, and on creating clear, colourful new signs that will match the map - another way to help people find the routes.Maybe then people visiting the city, students and locals will be able find out about this amazing network of routes more easily, and not stumble across them by chance. We're already hearing that the map is helping people (including Labour MSP Sarah Boyack) who know the city well find routes they didn't know existed.And if you already know the routes like the back of your hand? Well, maybe you'd like to tell us about what's happening on them.CyclingEthical and green livingEdinburghTom Allanguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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