Day: February 16, 2014

Horror of the brave young mum raped by her evil dad

Brave sex abuse victim Cherie Thunder has told of the horrifying moment she faced her paedophile father in court.
Cherie revealed she suffered a panic attack when she saw monster Andrew Durran for the first time since he got her drunk at a house party and then raped her when she was just 15.
Today the Irish Sunday Mirror unmasks vile Durran after Cherie, 22, took the courageous decision to waive her right to anonymity as a victim.
Durran, 41, was caged for five years after he pleaded guilty to the defilement of a child at Parlickstown Drive, Mulhuddart, on January 21, 2007.
Back in November Cherie faced Durran in court for the first time since he attacked her and she has been suffering crippling anxiety since.
She said: “It was horrible. I was trying not to look. I was fine just before we went in, and going into court, but as soon as I got there I started getting a panic attack.

“I had never had one before, but I’ve been having them since November.”
Her vile estranged father took advantage of Cherie after she decided to contact him because she was desperate to forge a relationship.
Durran tried to escape justice by fleeing to Spain in 2009 and Cherie thought she would never get justice.
And although her dad is finally behind bars, Cherie has not been able to move on and still suffers from her horrific experience.
She explained: “The conviction doesn’t change anything for me really.
“No matter if he is in Spain, or locked up, it doesn’t really change anything. What happened happened. I think about it every day.”

But she explained: “It doesn’t really change anything, it’s still there, it’s still the same. I do feel relieved in a way because at times I used to think he’s out and he could be doing it to other children, and I’d feel very guilty over it.”
Cherie had very little contact with her dad growing up, having been raised by her mum Antoinette along with her brother and three sisters by the same dad.
She said: “I never really did like the weekends that he would take us. I used to hate going but I loved him at the time.
“I just didn’t like spending time with him. My sisters used to always be upset leaving him and I just didn’t like that.”
When Cherie was just 10, her mum split from Durran and moved to a different part of Dublin.
Antoinette explained: “We never lived together and the children would sit there waiting for him to show up, and sometimes he didn’t.
“They were never happy.
“Then he got a new girlfriend and they used to beep the car horn outside the house at all hours.
“That girl used to call my daughters all sorts of names. We got so much hassle from them that gardai actually advised me to move, so we left Blanchardstown.”
She says she made contact with her father as she was angry he had not been around to protect her.
She recalled: “I rang him and we were both crying.
“And I was telling him what had been happening to me over the years he wasn’t there, that I blamed him for it.
“After we met up the first time, we were closer. I’d probably see him every second day.” Cherie says looking back now she realises her disgusting father was grooming her.
She explained: “He was always asking me to have drinks. He used to keep buying me vodka and he was always getting me smokes. I wasn’t asking for any of it.”
The petite brunette even rowed with her dad at the time as he was clearly more interested in spending time with her than her siblings.
The night she was raped Cherie was due to meet up with her dad along with one of her sisters, who then couldn’t make it.
The court heard Durran went to stay with a friend at the house in Mulhuddart where he plied his daughter with six glasses of vodka and Red Bull during the party.
Cherie, who felt intoxicated, went upstairs to a spare bedroom.
She later heard her dad come into the room and get into bed. He removed her underwear and raped her.
When her ordeal was over, Cherie ran out of the room and woke up a female occupant of the house, asking her for a phone.
She told her what had taken place, but the woman refused to believe her.
Cherie said: “I knew he was only going to be gone for a minute because he was going to have a smoke. I woke her up, told her about it, and she said, ‘Your daddy loves you, he wouldn’t do that to you’.
“I was trying to get away but she held me there until he came back up.
“So I just pushed past him, ran downstairs and grabbed a phone.”
She added: “I tried to get through to my mum. I couldn’t so I rang my boyfriend at the time and he didn’t really understand what I was trying to say, but he got through to my mum anyway.
“My mam rang me. I didn’t really know where I was because it was so dark.
“I just had to run. There was a big field next to the house. I was behind the wall when I was talking to my mum. I didn’t know where to go.”
Antoinette was horrified when she heard her daughter screaming down the phone. The mum-of-six said: “She was hysterical on the phone. The first thing that came into my head was she had been in a car accident – that’s the worst thing I could think of.
“And then she told me what her dad had done. I was so shocked I asked her three times what had happened.
“I told her to hide, she started screaming, and she said to me, ‘I think he’s coming, I think he’s coming’.
“I just said, ‘run as fast as you can’.
“The first place I thought of was for her to go to his mother’s. I stayed on the phone and when she got there I asked her to put Andy’s mother on the phone.
“I said to her, ‘I’ve never asked you for anything in my life but I’m asking you now to take my daughter, your granddaughter, in’.
“I got off the phone and rang the gardai straight away.”
Cherie was taken to hospital where a medical examination confirmed Durran had sexually assaulted her. The young mum has slowly been able to rebuild her life thanks to her three young children.
An emotional Cherie said: “My children are the only thing that keep me going.
“I suppose they will have to know one day, but I’m not looking forward to having to tell them.”
The 22-year-old started attending a class in make-up artistry last year but the pressure of the trial forced her to quit. She hopes to take it up again in the near future.
She attends weekly counselling sessions which have been helpful, but she believes she will never be able to overcome her abuse.
She said: “I think about it every day. I wouldn’t trust anyone.”
She admitted she doesn’t think of Durran as her dad any more. Cherie said: “He never apologised. His barrister said he wanted to apologise but that’s it.”
She believes the sex offenders’ register should be made public, and she still doesn’t know how her dad managed to flee the country for three years because she was told his passport had been taken from him.
The young mum hopes to raise awareness of victims of sexual abuse by taking part in a skydive this summer for Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, which runs a helpline, available on 1800 77 8888.

Graphic Design: Turn Your Picture To Old School Photo

My Old School Picture

I was recently introduced to a magic photo application called Absolute vintage studio lite, an application that transforms photos into vintage pictures. This app turns your current photos to  old school pics
Check out how I transformed my current photos to old school photos.

My Old School Photo
Original Picture

To get started, all you need is the Absolute Vintage Studio LITE app by David Sandonato. The app is available as free download for Android and IOS devices
Get yourself a vintage look! Take a picture or pick an existing one and add items. There are only few templates since it’s a free app but you can still enjoy. The vintage picture can be saved on your Camera Roll, sent by email or posted on Facebook.
The free version has 2 sets available. Choose a template you like.
I’ll use this template.

Now adjust the location and size of your face.
You can select up to 3 items. Now adjust the location and size.
I added a cigar and glasses! Once you’re done, save it on your Camera Roll or send it by email or post it on Facebook.
Its fun! you too can try it. Share with your friends.

Natural Ways to Make Hair Grow Faster

Who doesn’t love the idea of rich, thick hair? Hair care with the proper tools is important, and it’s essential to find the right natural remedies to care for your hair. But, it’s not just about caring for your hair, it’s also about helping it to grow.

Want to make your hair grow more quickly? You’ll find that there are a few simple things you can do to speed up the growth rate of your hair naturally.

Snip It
Everyone knows that regular trims are what help to make your hair grow more quickly, but how often should you trim? According to most experts, every 6 to 8 weeks. Take off just ¼ of an inch, and it will remove most of the split and dead ends – keeping your hair growing at a healthy rate.

Try Potatoes
Leave a few potatoes soaking in water overnight, and use that potato water to rinse your hair. The peels of potatoes are loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and a number of B vitamins that your scalp and hair need to be healthy.
Drink Up
A glass of water can go a long way towards healthy hair – or more like 8 glasses of water. Water will keep your hair hydrated, and will reduce the risk of drying. Water also helps to flush toxins from your body.
Brush It
Brushing your hair is an important part of the hair care process, as it stimulates the scalp to release the oils that protect your hair. 100 strokes are far too many, but a few dozen in the morning and again at night will ensure that it grows well.
Eat Protein
Your hair is made from keratin, a form of protein that is produced by your body. You need to eat more protein-rich foods if you want your hair to grow, so stock up on more legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, eggs, chicken, and red meat for your hair’s sake.
Brandy Aloe Vera
Mix brandy together with one egg, and add some aloe vera pulp squeezed fresh from the leaf. Leave that on your hair for an hour or so, and wash it off. It will leave your hair in great shape!
Oil Up
Using essential oils like lavender, thyme, jojoba, and cedarwood can all help to stimulate healthy hair growth, as well as keep your scalp healthy. A simple massage with these essential oils will ensure that your hair grows as a steady rate.
Apply Egg Whites
It’s certainly not the most pleasant treatment, but a few egg whites can go a long way towards keeping your hair growing. Egg whites are loaded with the protein that your hair needs to grow strong, and the whites can heal, replenish, and restore your hair to its original glorious shine.
Use Hot Oil
A hot oil massage can help to keep your scalp healthy, and promote hair growth. Keeping your scalp healthy keeps those hair follicles healthy and stocked with nutrients, and regular hot oil massages will ensure that your hair grows in thick, rich, and strong.
Try Onions
Leave some onions to boil in water for a while, and use that water as a rinse once it has cooled off. The onions contain sulfur, which will leave your hair looking glossy and beautiful. The bad smell will be easy to wash off.
DIY Mask
Toss a few potatoes into the juicer, and mix in some honey and raw eggs. Apply that to your scalp like a mask, and let it sit for a few minutes. The nutrients from the honey, eggs, and potatoes will get that hair growing like a champ.

Actress Ellen Page Comes Out As Gay: “I’m Tired of Hiding & Lying by Omission”

Tired of “hiding” and “lying by omission,” actress Ellen Page publicly came out as a gay woman while giving a speech Friday at Time to THRIVE, a national LGBT conference for teens held annually in Las Vegas.
“I’m here today because I am gay,” 26-year-old Page announced at the beginning of a moving and deeply personal speech she delivered at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Vegas, according to The Hollywood Reporter, who first broke the the news.
“And because maybe I can make a difference, to help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility.
“I am tired of hiding and I am tired of lying by omission,” Page proudly and defiantly declared. “I suffered for years because I was scared to be out. My spirit suffered, my mental health suffered and my relationships suffered. And I’m standing here today, with all of you, on the other side of all that pain.”
Page first shared the inner turmoil she’s felt since she was thrust into the Hollywood limelight following the blockbuster success of 2007′s Juno.

“It’s weird because here I am, an actress, representing — at least in some sense — an industry that places crushing standards on all of us,” Page said. “Not just young people, but everyone. Standards of beauty, of a good life, of success — standards that, I hate to admit, have affected me.
“You have ideas planted in your head, thoughts you never had before that tell you how you have to act, how you have to dress and who you have to be. I have been trying to push back, to be authentic, to follow my heart, but it can be hard,” she admitted.
Page, who paused frequently to collect herself as her emotions swelled, added that reading about herself in the tabloids can be a trying ordeal.
She mentioned one article, accompanied by a paparazzi photo of her wearing sweatpants on the way to the gym, that asked, “Why does this petite beauty insist upon dressing like a massive man?” (The answer: “Because I like to be comfortable,” a line that drew laughter and applause.)
That kind of gender stereotyping serves “no one,” Page said. She then went on to single out examples of “courage all around us,” naming “football hero Michael Sam,” Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox and musicians Tegan and Sara Quin for their contributions to furthering LGBT visibility and pride.
A tearful Page concluded her eight-minute speech by wishing the audience a happy Valentine’s Day, sweetly adding, “I love you.” The remarks were met with a rousing standing ovation.