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After giving all of her staff a fantastic present, one woman has been dubbed the finest boss in the world.
CNN reported last week that Blackstone, an investment management firm, had bought a controlling ownership in Spanx, valuing the shapewear business at $1.2 billion.
Spanx’s creator and CEO, Sara Blakely, surprised her employees with two first-class tickets to anywhere in the world during a celebration of the deal. She’s also giving each of them $10,000 to use on the vacation.
Blakely shared a video on social media of the happy moment she announced the gifts, and the staff were stunned by the news, with some crying and others slack-jawed.
In her late twenties, Sara Blakely started Spanx as a side hustle while selling fax machines door-to-door.
Sara Blakely, who will hold a’significant’ financial position in the company and become its executive chairwoman, said, “This is a tremendously critical moment in time for female entrepreneurs.” She established Spanx in 2000 with just $5,000 in savings.
“I started this firm with little business expertise and very little money,” she revealed in a statement. “But I cared most about the consumer, and that gave me the guts to establish the company.”
Two decades later, the corporation is celebrating the purchase of a controlling interest by Blackstone.
Spanx will be able to grow its worldwide reach and product portfolio as a result of the agreement, according to the firms.
Shapewear is a figure-hugging undergarment that smooths, slims, or otherwise changes the contour of the body.
According to Allied Industry Research, the worldwide compression and shapewear market is estimated to reach $7 billion by 2030.
Sara Blakely, the inventor of Spanx, was named the youngest self-made female millionaire by Forbes in 2012. She added at the time, “My desire is for there to be many more female innovators.” “Women’s involvement is critical.”
Spanx was valued at $1.2 billion in the purchase.
Blackstone and Spanx have also stated that they want the clothing company to have an all-female board of directors.
According to a 2019 Harvard Business Review research, just approximately 12% of decision-makers at VC firms are women, and the majority of businesses still don’t have a single female partner.
Some argue that the epidemic has made investors more wary of risks and more inclined to adhere to their old networks, which are typically “boys’ clubs” and difficult to get into for women.
Blakely threw a party for her staff to celebrate the sale.
She also informed the employees that they would each receive two first-class jet tickets to anyplace in the globe, as well as $10,000 in spending money.
Employees were screamed at, cheered for, and cried for.
Several trips to Croatia, South Africa, and Bora Bora were discussed.
“Never underestimate what you can achieve if you sincerely care,” she said on Instagram.
Blakely’s generous offering is reminiscent of Dan Price’s famous philosophy. Gravity Payments, the firm he founded in his teens, had roughly 2,000 clients and was valued at millions of dollars. Price used to make $1.1 million a year, but he cut his compensation by 90% a few years ago to raise his company’s basic salary to $70,000.
Then there’s Madeline Pendleton, who has a clothing line and a vintage boutique in Los Angeles and likewise took a significant wage reduction to ensure that her staff could live well.
These activities may not fix all of capitalism’s ills on their own, but they may alter hundreds of lives and can sometimes be all that is required to start a systemic shift.
At Spanx, people were excited for everyone.


The problem: It is important to control mice infestation at an early stage in order to avoid proliferation of mice as well as damage and contamination.
The product: The topsnap-trap is made out of high-quality stainless steel and solid plastic. Thanks to its sophisticated mechanism, the trap is very user-friendly and efficient for the control of mice in indoor- and outdoor-areas.
- High quality product made of stainless steel and solid plastic
- Easy, fast and secure activation of the trap from the outside in one single movement
- Contact-free removal of catch
- Efficient, thanks to two independent trapping mechanisms allowing successful catches from both directions
How to use: Place trap in area of known or suspected rodent activity, for example runs or around the outside of a room. Set both entrances of trap with external handles. Empty trap after catch as indicated by easily visible red flags.


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Kauai, the Garden Isle of Hawaii
There are few places on earth where, the second your feet touch the ground, the stress drains away. Hawaii is my #1 place in that regard.
Kauai is the northernmost island, not as developed as Oahu, Maui or the Big Island, and less visited. its natural beauty is legendary, and recognizable from films such as Jurassic Park.
Here is a typical vista, with the Pacific Ocean, lava rocks, and palm trees. This is in Princeville, on the North Shore of Kauai.
Also in Princeville is the St. Regis Hotel that I walked by. Its lobby area leads out to stunning views of the beach, which can also be reached by a long stairway off to the side.
The botanical gardens in Princeville are vast and beautiful. There, I saw for the first time a rudraksha tree, with bright blue fruit containing the seed that is made into a rudraksha bead. More on that, and a Hindu monastery on Kauai here.
The lobby, grounds and views at the Wyndham Bali Hai, Princeville.
So many lovely beaches: Hanalei Bay, Hideaway beach and Anini beach.
Queen's Bath is a rocky and sometimes slushy walk from the road. It was a joy to see turtles in the ocean, and a rainbow.
It is also a dangerous place: there is a tally of the number of people who have died while bathing in the nearby treacherous King's Bath. Signs abound to respect the power of nature, but have not sufficed to temper the foolhardiness of some.
A helicopter ride is the only way to see parts of the interior of the island where there are no roads. Waimea Canyon or "Jurassic Canyon", and aerial views of the Napali coast and Hanalei bay.
A hike in the Waimea Canyon: red dirt, deep canyons, wild crocosmia, sprawling vistas, eucalyptus trees, waterfalls
On a sightseeing tour: a blowhole, Kauai Coffee Plantation, a walk to Fern grotto, boat ride down the Wailua river, hula dancers and Hawaiian songs accompanied by ukulele,
A boat tour along the spectacular Napali coast offered incomparable views of the coastline as well as views inside sea caves.
Poipu offer calm beaches with the occasional sleeping seal.
#Images #Kauai #Hawaii #Princeville #StRegis #WyndhamBaliHai #WaimeaCanyon #Hideawaybeach #Aninibeach #HanaleiBay #FernGrotto #WailuaRiver #QueensBath #BlueHawaiianHelicopter #Napalicoast #KauaiCoffeePlantation #Poipu

domain: geography


Where the Cooler Heads?
It’s time for any remaining sober officials in the federal government to tell Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson that enough is enough:
The Treasury Department yesterday officially abandoned the original strategy behind its $700 billion effort to rescue the financial system, as Bush administration officials acknowledged that banks and other institutions were as unwilling as ever to lend to consumers.
With a little more than two months left before President Bush leaves office, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is hoping to put in place a major new lending program that would be run by the Federal Reserve and aimed at unlocking the frozen consumer credit market.
The program, still in the planning stages, would for the first-time use bailout funds specifically to help consumers instead of banks, savings and loans and Wall Street firms.
The bailout funds were not intended (and/or should not have been intended) as mere sand to dump into the economic swamp in the hopes that it would fill in a passable bridge. (For one things, the rats are to expert at digging trenches to receive it.)


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domain: design


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domain: travel


Car Equipment and Supplies: Fuel Injectors, Sub Woofers and Car Oil Filters
There are many car parts and equipment available online and in-store for superior car functioning and performance, such as auto body parts, brakes, clutch, cooling system, car audio, sub woofer, electrical and mechanical engine, exhaust, fuel injector, steering, suspension and transmission. Let us discuss some of the car parts and equipment available in the market today.
Basically, a fuel injector or fuel line is a hose which brings fuel from the car tank to the car pump, then from the car pump to its carburetor or nozzles of fuel injection. Buying and installing a fuel injector increases a vehicle’s performance, to allow optimum gas mileage, thereby developing additional horsepower, for cleaner and better emissions. Using fuel injector is the first step in changing your engine’s exhaust components and high-flow intake, and it is considered as one of the standard equipment of every vehicle. A constant supply of petrol is the only requirement of vehicle’s fuel injector. Fuel injector help ensure your car’s power and optimum performance because these are engineered to maximize and improve your car’s performance. High performance and superior quality can be met with quality inner car parts with good flow of fuel and with utmost precision. When it comes to inspecting your fuel lines, It is important to make sure that your fuel lines or fuel injectors are still in good shape, and once it develops leaks or cracks, you should immediately visit a trusted and reputable auto parts dealer near you.
When it comes to your vehicle’s recreational equipment, many use sub woofers which are speakers that reproduce low frequencies whether you like your music loud or soft, giving you an overall and superior listening experience. The different kinds of sub woofers such as component sub, enclosed sub, powered sub and a vehicle-specific sub. Specifically, an enclosed sub is usually pre-mounted, a component sub is simply a speaker that is mounted to a sub woofer box, a vehicle-specific sub is usually tailored fit for any type of vehicle, and a powered sub is a combination of woofer and amplifier.
For a beginning mechanic, the auto-mechanic tools list for a beginning mechanic may include wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, breaker bar, extension bars, socket swivels, pry bar, ratchets and hammers.
The oil’s main job provides cushioning film separating metal components, and viscosity is not the only choice, you need to also compare regular oil versus synthetic oil, buying a good filter, and the right oil for high-mileage cars.
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Attributed by: find out here now


text:
Recent Motor Sports News
Fernando Alonso’s form is putting just about everyone on notice. Oakley’s former Formula 1 Champion, flying high with a competitive Ferrari F138 car, is in the thick of the battle for the top of the field – making his presence felt with a recent triumph in Shanghai. It almost looked too easy, actually. Claiming Scuderia Ferrari’s first victory on the season in China, Fernando smoked the field by more than 10 seconds – with fellow Oakley driver Kimi Raikkonen grabbing second.
Fernando Alonso was painfully close to claiming a glorious third World Title last season. Every racing fan would tell you that it was clearly his talent that catapulted him into contention, despite a slow start to the season with a less-than-ideal car. Coming down to the wire as the series raged into Brazil for the final race, glory was clearly within his grasp despite a sluggish early season. But this year, it’s a whole different ballgame.
The defending back-to-back Supercross Champion is reminding everyone just why he’s now accustomed to owning the field. Oakley’s Ryan Villopoto retook the standings lead with authority, claiming an impressive victory over fellow O ripper, Ryan Dungey, for his third straight Daytona triumph in four years.

domain: news


text:
Former Economy Inn residents get help from Nicholtown church while rebuilding lives
Thomas Smith dug through a large black plastic bag of clothes in the fluorescent lighting of the rec hall at Nicholtown Baptist Church. He pulled out pants and jackets like prizes, beaming as he examined each donated item.
"I'm rocking them," he said, laughing, as he held a pair of pink polka-dot pajama pants up to his legs
It's been a little over two weeks since Smith and about 149 others were suddenly displaced when the motel where they were living, the Economy Inn on Augusta Road, was condemned by Greenville County for multiple code violations. Since that time, some continue to receive assistance from community groups that stepped up to help, including Nicholtown Baptist, where 11 former motel residents currently are staying.
Among them are Maria Randle and her husband, Craig, who said the church treats people right.
Two folding tables were stacked with food in the hall, along with bags of clothing and other items, all donated by the community to help the displaced residents.
"They're all action — a lot of churches are all talk and not a lot of action," Maria Randle said.
Executive Pastor Brian Bowie said the church originally anticipated sheltering the former motel residents for about a week. While one person has found long-term housing, Bowie said he quickly realized it would take awhile for most of the group to get back on their feet.
Small classrooms typically used for youth programs have been converted into makeshift quarters in the church basement, where people sleep on air mattresses and cots. They can take showers at Redemption Church between 9:30 and 10:30 each morning.
While there's some privacy, and people have been making do fairly well under the circumstances, there's inevitably some strain from living in close quarters with a group of people who were essentially strangers before circumstances threw them together, Maria Randle said.
Craig Dunbar, who's also staying at the church, said he's dubbed the group "the Economy Family," and "just like any family, everybody bumps heads."
Bowie said the church doesn't want anyone to leave until they've found a long-term housing solution, so they don't wind up homeless again. But "at the end of the day, we're not a shelter," he said.
Dunbar gets that. He's set a personal deadline to find a new place to live by next week, even though the church hasn't told him he has to be out by a certain time.
"I have to be a man and step up," he said.
JC Wright had a similar take, saying his pride wouldn't let him stay there much longer.
"They say it's not a burden — it's a burden," he said.
But the question remains: Where do they go? If finding a place were easy, he wouldn't be staying there, Dunbar said.
Wright is planning to move into another motel, but beyond that, he's not sure what his long-term options are.
He's applied for apartments in the past, but hasn't been successful.
"It's kind of dang if you do, dang if you don't," he said. "You're stuck."
At least at a motel, you know what you'll be paying each month and don't have to worry about utilities, he said. Still, "I can't tell you where I'm going to be after a week," he said.
Complicating the issue for many of the former motel residents is the need to find housing close to a job or transportation. Many don't have cars, and as a result, some had to change jobs after leaving the Economy Inn.
In the meantime, several at the church said they're just taking things day by day.
"I'm just trying to get my life together," Dunbar said, nudging a piece of cake onto his dinner plate next to a sandwich as he prepared for his second day working the night shift at a chicken processing plant.
Dunbar and others said some good has come from the situation. He said being surrounded by positive people at the church has been a "life-changing blessing," and led him to get baptized and become a member.
And Maria Randle said she's thankful for the new relationships that have formed — her husband and Smith have become friends.
"Everything happens for a reason," she said.

domain: sociology


text: I'm looking for a personal finance application. I found a thread on replacements for Quicken and I've also come across brief reviews for finance applications, but I find them to be a bit confusing. I have not used Quicken or other finance software before, so I'm not sure what features are standard. The biggest feature that I need is automatic synchronization with my bank (for deposits and expenditures). If I have to enter that sort of data manually then I feel that I might as well just keep a spreadsheet. I've seen some programs claim that they can import monthly bank statements, but I'd prefer it if this happened automatically and if it could be updated more frequently than monthly. For what it's worth, my bank supports Quicken access. Being able to group expenditures by category and graphically represent them, as well as managing some accounts manually, are features that I'd also like. Those seem to be supported by nearly every program I've looked at, though. Something like Dropbox syncing might be nice (so that my wife and I can both work on the same file), but I don't care about iOS partner applications. Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? As long as it does what I need and works well then I don't mind paying for a pricier application, although cheaper applications with the same functionality are always welcomed! Thanks in advance for any advice you can give - I appreciate it.

domain: finance


text:
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1 results for "katz andy"
Contrary to some published reports and speculation, Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson is not leaving College Park for Stanford. Anderson told ESPN's Andy Katz he is staying with the Terps. Anderson issued the following statement through Ma...Blog | July 16, 2012


A CELEBRATION WITH THE KING NOV 18 11/7/2018 4:15:14 AM
Grab your blue suede shoes and head to the Saxonia Hall in Aylmer on Sunday November 18th for "A Celebration with the King." The event will feature performances by local Elvis tribute artists Tim "E" Henry and Zach Peddie.
The event is in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters St. Thomas - Elgin and Second Stage Housing.
Big Brother Big Sisters Executive Director Barb Matthews says that this year's show will be in the afternoon.
Matthews says that Tim "E" Henry is reigning Elvis Collingwood competition champion.
If you don't have your tickets yet that's alight they are still available.
Make sure you Call Big Brothers Big Sisters or Second Stage housing to get yours so you don't end up crying in the chapel.
Photo courtesy Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Thomas-Elgin Facebook


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In the Season 2 premiere episode of Midnight, Texas, “Head Games”, the big news is that there’s a new hotel opening in town. It’s called Crystal Desert and the owner is Kai Lucero (Nestor Carbonell, Bates Motel). He’s not your regular Texan businessman — he’s a holistic energy healer, too. His wife Patience Lucero befriends the Midnighters and warms up quickly to Manfred (François Arnaud).
Patience is portrayed by Jaime Ray Newman. She’s known for her roles on Imposters (Linda), The Magicians (Irene McAllistair), The Punisher (Sarah Lieberman, see photo below), Major Crimes (Wildred Darnell), Bates Motel with Nestor Carbonell! (Rebecca Hamilton), Drop Dead Diva (Vanessa), Eastwick (Kat), Veronica Mars (Mindy), and General Hospital (Kristina Cassadine), among many others. Newman will appear next on the big screen in the 2019 film Valley of the Gods opposite Josh Hartnett and John Malkovich. Midnight, Texas airs Fridays at 9 pm on NBC, right after Blindspot and right before Dateline.
Jaime Ray Newman (The Punisher) pic.twitter.com/n7vZN5DhiN
— MCU Hotties (@MCUHotties) October 14, 2018

domain: entertainment


Jun 25, 2013 9:24 AM by AP
CARENCRO, La. (AP) - Carencro residents could see increases in their water, sewage and natural gas bills to cover annual operating losses in the city's utilities department that rose to $162,277 last year.
Mayor Glenn Brasseaux said Monday the city council is expected to introduce proposed rate increases next month.
The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/131E9fa ) the amount of the rate adjustments has yet to be determined, but the goal is to bring rates up enough to cover the losses.


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Rare Solar Eclipse Sunrise Will Soon Be Visible In The Binghamton Area
I was a bit disappointed that our part of the country missed out on the recent lunar eclipse. OK, I probably wouldn't stay up that late to check it out anyway. Something to do with being lazy. But our next chance is coming soon, not as a lunar eclipse, but rather a partial solar eclipse.
Forbes reports that the first eclipse of the sun since 2017 is about to return on June 10th. This solar eclipse will be visible in parts of the United State and Canada, along with a few other countries. It's a rare solar eclipse that has only occurred twice in the past 150 years according to the Hudson Valley Post.
The Forbes article also mentions that some remote areas will get to observe a ring of fire around the moon as well. It doesn't mention that will be visible anywhere in the United States though.
This solar eclipse will be visible to so few since it's happening just after sunrise in North America and it will be very low on the horizon. So boo-hoo to you Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones.
But the Forbes article explains that for our Northeastern part of the United States, we will only see a portion of the eclipse, stating that New York City will observe 72% of the eclipse and Rochester 78%. So that puts us somewhere in the middle of those two percentages.
If you plan on catching this partial solar eclipse on June 10th, as always, remember to be cautious and wear protective eyewear. As your mother might say, "If not, you could go blind!"


Making Connections: As I read the section “A filtered world” I’ve made several connections to my personal life through Facebook (Michael Reitz’s Facebook), my own personal memories, and certain websites. On my personal facebook, I noticed that several of my past friends frequently tried to bully me in the past, and as a result, I ended up feeling incredibly insecure, and believe it or not, it caused me to abandon what I used to be and as a result, I “filtered” out that part of my life because I didn’t want to deal with it. To support it, I’ll bring you to a personal photo (Michael Reitz’s Facebook photos) of mine on Facebook. If you look at the one that was posted on February 1, 2016 that has me smirking with a bowl-esque haircut and slouching slightly, you’ll notice that someone said “who did your hair and why do they hate you?” At the time I thought nothing of it, but little did I know, later on it would get a lot worse and he would be relentless with his bullying, so I ended up “filtering” that part of me out by taking him off of my facebook. It also affected me a lot because when I took the friends off that did bully me, I ended up becoming less of a bully myself (yes I know I still am to an extent, but I’m a lot less relentless unless you push me too far). This also brings me to another article I found online. On page 12 Section 4.1, they note that cyber bullying is extremely frequent now because of how accessible it is to everyone and how easy it is to pose as someone they’re not. I also realized this is also me to an extent because I’m extremely impressionable, so if I do go online, I refuse to acknowledge people when they try to bully me, and when they go too far, I unfriend them and not deal with it. I will admit the article does bring up some very valid points about what is termed “Facebook depression” and that actually is something I dealt with in the past due to me constantly wanting attention, and as a result, I ended up doing risky behavior like give attention to people that I should never have (if you want to know, I will tell you), almost turned to aggressive behaviors myself because I learned from people that do it themselves (point in case, my earlier words about bullying).
Overall, I learned a lot about how many connections I made, and how my past has impacted me to this day. Sure, I still have work to do, but overall, I think I made a lot of changes for the better, and that, everyone, is too sweet.


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Breakfast cereal manufacturer Kellogg is in “late stage talks” with Diamond Foods over a potential acquisition of the company, according to a report in the New York Post.
The newspaper quoted sources as saying that the value of the deal would be more than $1.5 billion, equivalent to $35 to $40 per share.
The deal would see Kellogg move further away from its traditional territory of breakfast cereals and more towards the more vibrant snacks market, sources added, noting additionally that Kellogg had been the company showing the strongest interest in Diamond Foods and was possibly the only player seeking to acquire the entirety of business.
Kellogg previously purchased the snack brand Pringles in 2012 as it sought to diversify its business against a backdrop of sluggish breakfast cereal sales.
Based in Stockton, California, Diamond Foods produces snack foods and culinary nuts under brands such as Diamond of California, Kettle Brand, Kettle Chips, Emerald and Pop Secret.
Source: New York Post / Diamond Foods


text:
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is still failing UK taxpayers, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has argued in a report released this morning.
Although PAC’s Sixth Report of 2015-16, which examines how HMRC performed during 2014-15, praises the UK’s tax authority for increasing taxes collected while cutting running costs over the last five years, it also expresses disappointment about the lack of progress being made on issues previously raised by PAC.
The report also highlights the committee's concerns about how few individuals have been prosecuted for tax evasion, saying the low levels of prosecution effectively mean there is nothing to deter people from breaking the law in this way.
“HMRC must do more to ensure all due tax is paid,” said Meg Hillier MP, chair of the PAC. “The public purse is missing out and taxpayers expect and deserve better.”
She continued: “We are deeply disappointed at the low number of prosecutions by HMRC for tax evasion. We believe it is important for HMRC to send a clear message to those who seek to evade tax that the penalties will be severe and public.”
Criticisms in the report include the number of prosecutions for offshore tax evasion, which is described as “woefully inadequate”, and the quality of HMRC’s customer service, which the report describes as so bad that it could be having “an adverse impact on the collection of tax revenues”.
Hillier remarked: “It beggars belief that, having made disappointing progress on tax evasion and avoidance, the taxman also seems incapable of running a satisfactory service for people trying to pay their fair share.”
PAC’s recommendations in the report include reporting the value of all tax avoidance schemes, defining the different types of tax relief available and reporting the additional amount of revenue generated from compliance work in simpler terms.
A HMRC spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that the Public Accounts Committee has overlooked HMRC's record results, which include collecting a record £517bn in tax revenues and further reducing the UK's ‘tax gap’ – the difference between what is due and what is collected – to ensure it remains one of the lowest in the world."

domain: law


text:
A friend left this behind on our bookshelves after staying with us. It's a collection of short stories all about the collapse of families and communitA friend left this behind on our bookshelves after staying with us. It's a collection of short stories all about the collapse of families and communities with the Greek economic crisis. The first thing to be said is that the writing is beautiful. It is poetic and rhythmic, with striking images, and with most of the stories told in the first person, has this urgency about it, these incantations against illness and death and small hopes for the future. I earmarked a passage where a narrator is observing a friend: 'the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes look like prints left by small birds on wet earth, so many tiny wrinkles, like carved likes, like the prints of birds that took fright at something and rose up into the air.'
I mean, wow. He makes an unusual simile, infusing the earthiness of age and wet earth into this character, and then twists the simile to add anxiety and flight.
And yet the stories seem like extended poems, all on the same themes. They are people in trauma, losing their jobs or having lost their jobs, surrounded by urban violence and poverty, in the midst of struggles or injustices. The narrators change from young to old, from male to female, from pensioner to laid-off factory worker, but I found the sameness of tone oppressive. And in fact, I couldn't make it past two-thirds through. I never used to leave books unfinished. It could be a sign of my shortened attention span, honed in the last years towards short, journalistic articles and addictive TV shows; or a lack of empathy: I found myself turning away rather than towards these narrators' misery.
A final note: it's been a while since I've held in my hands a book that is such a beautiful object. A tactile, textured cover, high quality paper, an unusual shape and format. It just felt good to hold it. ...more
There was a phase in gay fiction where authors (or their fictional stand-ins) seemed to be lauded for writing about their encounters with poor, roughThere was a phase in gay fiction where authors (or their fictional stand-ins) seemed to be lauded for writing about their encounters with poor, rough sex workers. The books were always 'brave' and 'edgy' yet never seemed to really explore questions of power and who gets to speak. Sure, the narrators felt confused and sometimes guilty, but we never really got to hear the other side. One voice that promised authenticity turned out to be the literary scandal JT LeRoy.
So, I was a little worried about delving into this much-lauded novel, about an American teacher in Sofia and his encounters with the hustler Mitko. The good news is that my fears were unfounded. I didn't find this to be the clichéd hustler story. The setting, Sofia, is foreign to me, so I found that interesting. The relationship is singular, rather than a narrator going through various hustlers. The narrator felt honest in his description of a complex relationship.
Originally, the story was a novella, or short story, and so was expanded. I think the second part brings needed depth and richness to the first. And yet, I didn't click with all the praise and hype. I like Greenwell's writing style enough, and was engaged by the story, but not a lot happened. I wanted either a deeper and fuller history, or else for the prose to excite me as much as it seemed to for other reviewers. I felt at the end somewhat unsatisfied. ...more
I received a very charming book in the mail the other day.
Punctuation..? is a short, handsome book from User Design, a typesetting and illustration buI received a very charming book in the mail the other day.
Punctuation..? is a short, handsome book from User Design, a typesetting and illustration business based in Leicester, United Kingdom.
With 21 explanations of punctuation marks, all accompanied by fun illustrations, the book would make a nice stocking stuffer or Happy Day Surprise with the word geek in your life (e.g. editor, writer, young human with an interest in words)...
Su Tong is the author of Raise the Red Lantern, which was made into a rather famous movie, which I have to admit I never saw. However, I have come acrSu Tong is the author of Raise the Red Lantern, which was made into a rather famous movie, which I have to admit I never saw. However, I have come across a translation of his first collection of first stories, Madwoman on the Bridge, and an interesting artefact it is. Expertly translated by Josh Stenberg, the stories have the quality of fable, though with ambiguous moral lessons. They tend to end abruptly, and may offer a framing device where the story is being told in the setting of another story.
Most fascinating to me were simple, throw-away lines that described a culture unfamiliar to me, without need to go into detail: hints of the social standing of those under communism, a parent’s whim that it was good for children to socialise with ‘the proletariats’, a society that was changing through migration, commerce and evolving politics. On the other hand, some of the characters felt crude and simple. Two different characters become obsessed with a material object (a dress in one, a toy train in another). Nearly every story has a character that suffers a dark, gothic fate: death in a car accident, locked in a mental asylum, a hand maimed by a parent.
And like fairy tales, the details don’t always make sense. A truck driver witnesses an accident that happens in an instant in the pouring rain and drives off; but he describes the man killed and situation in close detail, granted a literary omniscience. In any case, it really is an interesting collection. ...more
I've been meaning to read something by Modiano since he won the Nobel prize. I finally decided, as I've just arrived back in Paris, to start with PariI've been meaning to read something by Modiano since he won the Nobel prize. I finally decided, as I've just arrived back in Paris, to start with Paris Nocturnes. It was a surprise though that after only one session of reading, I noticed I was more than halfway through. So, this short, compact book took me no time at all to read.
Modiano reminded me of many years ago, when I was exploring new writers, and came across Milan Kundera at the same time as Umberto Eco's 'If on a Winter's Night, a Traveller'. Though the voices are not the same, I was reminded by the male protagonists, and the short declarative and philosophical sentences. I mean, you know some North American writers have extremely wordy and descriptive styles.
But the book didn't feel slight; instead, it was dream-like, filled with repetition and memory and grasping and not quite grasping, uncovering a mystery and doling out, sparingly, details about the narrator's life and background. It is also, in its precise description of locations in Paris, a literary map: one could construct a day of exploring based on the addresses within.
While I enjoyed the book, I don't feel I've read enough of Modiano yet, or have a strong enough sense of him. Which one should I read next to get that better picture?...more
I've got a long history with Margaret (or Peg as her friends call her). I think I even wrote a university essay on her first book, 'Surfacing', and I'I've got a long history with Margaret (or Peg as her friends call her). I think I even wrote a university essay on her first book, 'Surfacing', and I've read her books over the last almost-three decades at various important times in my life. So, I think I'm objective when I say that I didn't much like this latest novel.
Yes, I think the theme is interesting: prisons, imprisonment, the rampant greed that controls our society (and covers up crime and tragedy). Another main theme of jealousy and betrayal I feel she's treated in a much more interesting way in her books about friendship, say 'The Robber's Bride'. And I admit that part of the problem may have been that I read the short excerpts of this book a year or two when they were first published, so neither the theme nor story felt new, because I'd been introduced to them already.
The main problem for me lies in the protagonists. Atwood has created many amazing heroes in her books. They are often subversive and witty, sarcastic but humane. There often is a real heroes' journey as well: to uncover a mystery, to understand the past or why a friendship or relationship has been lost, to find freedom, to survive. I was blown away by both the narrators and the stories in her last two novels, 'Oryx and Crake' and 'Maddadam'.
But in this book, Atwood's created (purposely, obviously) a somewhat dimwitted couple. She allows Charmaine to think in metaphors like 'she would have melted like a microwaved Popsicle at his smallest touch'. Charmaine constantly remembers advice from her cheery grandparents, though says 'Sometimes she wishes Grandma Win would bug off out of her head.' Mostly though, she's a Pollyanna, a foil to the more cynical Stan who is maybe 'ungrateful by nature' and has some insight that his desires are 'plain bone-ass dumb' but still, whose compulsion is for Charmaine to be dirtier and more enthusiastic in sex, or to find a woman who is dirtier and more enthusiastic than Charmaine is. Some heroes' journey. He also has a tendency in his head to wish violence upon women (possibly men too), which I found distasteful. Jian Ghomeshi anyone?
The other drive of the story – a controlled environment or society, a resistance movement, people who can help free trapped people – well, that just seemed a lesser version of Atwood's classic The Handmaid's Tale'.
Still, what I've always loved about Atwood is her readability and though this was a miss for me, I'm not sorry to have read it, partly because so many of my friends are fans of hers and we'll be able to share with each other what we thought of it. ...more
I really had some rather high hopes for this book, being a copy editor. It started with great promise, and Norris showed some fantastic and colourfulI really had some rather high hopes for this book, being a copy editor. It started with great promise, and Norris showed some fantastic and colourful recollection. But after hinting about getting some great gossip about working behind the scenes of the New Yorker and working with various authors, the chapters felt a bit scattered, a more complicated version of Eats, Shoots & Leaves with diversions into types of pencils and the bequest of a surprisingly wealthy copy editor. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. I'm probably disappointed that they previews and reviews had me peg my expectations higher than were met. ...more
A deeply emotional, beautifully written novel: full, complex and harrowing. It speaks with depth about our relationships of friend*Non-spoiler review*
A deeply emotional, beautifully written novel: full, complex and harrowing. It speaks with depth about our relationships of friendship and love, and also our relationship with life itself, told across such a substantial time period that gives an affecting weight to this novel about a character who I fell in love with, but cannot love himself.
*Review with spoilers (really, this is written for others who have read the book)*
I forgive you, Hanya, really I do: for putting me through the wringer like the last season of Six Feet Under, for making me cry aloud with a reading experience I don’t recall having gone through, for revealing or inflicting so much pain on your protagonist that I wondered if it would be worth it. But of course it was, though in a way too deep and complex to describe in a book review. To get some idea of that, someone would have to read the book themselves, and then all of us would have our own individual responses and reactions, but I’m pretty sure that yes, we would all forgive you.
I downloaded Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life to read on holidays because I wanted something substantial to read; I’d read about the book’s awards; I like her name (c’mon, admit it; it’s a cool name); and I was intrigued by what little I’d heard about the book: about four friends, some of them gay, in and around New York City. While I was trying to avoid reading any substantial reviews (and thus influence my reading), I did read a line about her cruelty to her characters, and a pal on Facebook mentioned he found it too hard to read or finish.
So, my experience of the book was interesting in light of this. I was first interested in her storytelling. The last major novel I’d read, Jonathan Franzen’s Purity, was so wordy, with huge long sections and chapters, without break, I found it a relief that Yanagihara’s storytelling seems straightforward and clear, moving back and forth between focusing on different characters, and expertly and unusually moving into the second-person at times (with one character addressing another). There is a clear focus on a particular time period in the character’s lives, with stories from the past slowly and expertly revealed, and the breadth of time portrayed, taking the characters from late teens to late middle-age, gives such a feeling of substance: of complex lives lived, and of the not inconsiderable genius to capture them in such an ambitious novel. I also found her writing addictive, and because I was so interested in her characters and stories, I found the book hard to put down.
After the initial impression that her writing was straightforward, I was then more and more impressed with how beautiful it is. It’s not showy but occasionally moves into unusual metaphor and lovely poetic qualities, though what’s most impressive is how she employs it: she is interested in describing emotional lives, and friendships, the ways we become closer and move away from each other, as well as memory and the passage of time. After I read the book, I read an interview where she spoke of her specific intentions to write about the inability of men to communicate with each other, a lack of an emotional vocabulary, and I definitely felt this through the whole book without being able to actually say what was happening. So masterful.
And the story! My god. I didn’t expect it to be so emotional and intense, and build and build. I found myself with physical reactions, cringing and revulsed, nearly cried out to stop one character from doing something and, yes, I was crying or near tears many times (although flying does make me a bit emotional).
It is an incredible and powerful story, not one I’ve come across or read about before. In fact, about three-quarters into the book, I did start to wonder whether the author was being too cruel to her protagonist: how much pain and misfortune can one person take? Not one, two, or three trials, but I'd count five. FIVE.
It was then that I felt a contradiction: because the emotions feel so real and authentic, the intelligence so lively and grounded in an understanding of how people move around us, I found myself questioning the shape of the story, the incredible tragedy of the main character, revealed and compounded, and even his friends: ridiculously successful in their chosen careers. In the end, it allowed me to appreciate the novel more by thinking of it as a fable, a novel, a fairy tale of sorts, so the exaggeration is more myth than melodrama.
A final comment is about the multiracial cast of characters of various sexualities. I came of age reading gay literature, written by gay men, as well as writing by those of us from different ethnic backgrounds exploring (and celebrating) our cultural backgrounds. So, a Japanese-American woman writer crossing genders to write about men, with characters who are naturally from a diversity of cultural backgrounds, and all expressing complex sexualities seems to represent a brand, new world for me.
I detected not a false note, and to have created a protagonist (as I discovered, this book involves a group of four friends, but the story really belongs to one of them) whose sexuality is a result of circumstance and emotional connection (not from a gene or orientation) also feels particularly contemporary, even moreso because the writing and themes aren’t forced with a political imperative, but come from a literary imperative to create a powerful story.
I’m still a bit stunned by this book. Some books I love because I admire them, or the writing, or I like the themes and stories. This book surprised me, drew me in and has left me emotionally exhausted. Phew.

domain: artistic


Hoist The Colors
The first-person co-operative pirate simulator Sea of Thieves has been going from strength to strength since leaving early access – coming to Steam in 2020 caused a huge surge in player numbers, and between a number of successful updates and a newfound public eye thanks to the recent sea shanty fad, leaving Sea of Thieves doing very well indeed. Now, though, the game is set to get its biggest update yet, featuring a few familiar faces.
The upcoming Season Three update will include A Pirate’s Life – a crossover between Sea of Thieves and Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise. A new set of Tall Tales will bring the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow and the rest of the Black Pearl’s crew over the horizon to lead players on a brand-new adventure. Along the way, they’ll meet plenty of characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean series, from Calypso to the dreaded king of the seven seas, Davy Jones. The reveal trailer, shown off at this year’s Xbox/Bethesda E3 showcase, displays some impressive impressions by the voice cast, along with a glimpse of what the crossover’s plot will be:
Along with the reveal trailer, a few screenshots have been released that show off the game’s new, eerie locations – from Davy Jones’ ghost ship The Flying Dutchman to underwater caverns full of mutant fish-people and giant crabs. While we haven’t gotten a proper look at how the update will look in practice quite yet, we’re set to see some A Pirate’s Life gameplay at the Xbox Games Showcase: Extended broadcast on June 17.
Sea of Thieves Season Three, including A Pirate’s Life, will launch on July 22nd on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Players who have already bought a copy of the game on one of these platforms will get the update for free.


text: Erythrocyte Na–K ATPase and sodium pump site numbers were estimated in groups of depressed, manic and recovered patients. The activity of Na–K ATPase per pump site was lower in the depressed group than in the recovered group. In the manic group Na–K ATPase was lower than that of the recovered group, whereas there was no difference in the pump site numbers. In the more severe manics the activity of Na–K ATPase per pump site was significantly lower than that of the recovered patients. Therefore, the change occurring in the erythrocyte membrane cation carrier in manic-depressive psychosis is probably in the activity of individual Na–K ATPase molecules and not in the number of Na–K ATPase molecules per cell.

domain: health


text:
Published 12:00 am Sunday, December 29, 2013
GRANITE QUARRY — On a tour of the Old Stone House on Saturday, volunteer Theresa Pierce told guests how, in the 1700s, German immigrants and their families started celebrating Christmas on Christmas Day.
They kept celebrating through Epiphany on January 6. Thus, the “12 days of Christmas” we sing about.
On the fourth day of Christmas, the people of Rowan County and beyond turned out for the 29th annual Old Christmas Celebration at the Old Stone House.
The celebration continues today from noon to 4 p.m. at the historic home, located at
With holly sprigs and candles in its windows, the 1766 stone house had all the warmth of home.
Kaye Hirst, executive director of the Rowan Museum, said that each year she comes to the Christmas celebration, she meets first-time visitors.
“Many wish they hadn’t waited so long to come,” Hirst said. Wearing period costume, she sat in the kitchen of the Old Stone House as tour participants walked by.
As kids and adults strolled the grounds, volunteers demonstrated the traditions that would have been celebrated by the Braun family, who built the house, and other immigrant families in the area.
For example, Pierce said, sprigs of holly were put in the windows “to keep the witches out.”
“Witches were renowned for trying to wreak havoc on your celebrations,” Pierce continued, “and it was known that witches had to stop and count all the needles on the greenery.”
Outside, where campfires were set up to create a makeshift kitchen, a basket of holly sprigs waited for another Christmas tradition.
One takes a sprig of holly, green leaves and red berries, and burns it in the fire.
By doing so, “you are burning away all your troubles and maladies for the past year, and it also brings you good luck for the new year,” Pierce said.
Rosemary, another traditional Christmas herb, was in good supply not only for its sweet scent and flavor, but for its evergreen beauty.
Shortbread cookies flavored with rosemary were on hand for sampling, as were black walnut cookies, potato soup, hot apple cider and stollen, a traditional Christmas bread.
Hirst said that many local residents’ ancestors would have brought these foods and traditions with them from the Rhineland, in Germany.
Other traditional folkways were demonstrated, including spinning, weaving and candle-dipping.
“It was not an easy life,” Hirst said, “but they still took time to slow down and celebrate.”
Uta Braun, a longtime Rowan Museum guide who retired this year, still came out for the Christmas celebration.
Braun said the annual event is simple, but draws many people because of its simplicity.
“For a big portion of Rowan County, it has become a family tradition to come here,” Braun said.
Quite a few people also come from outside the county, including Jenna Crawford, who traveled from Asheboro with her aunt, Megan Carrouth, and others.
Carrouth, a teacher, plans to take what she’s learned about 18th century life back to her English classroom, where she said she can connect it to works such as “The Scarlet Letter.”
Ron Willis, of Davidson County, stood by as his grandson, Adam Willis, showed visitors how to shape wood with a draw knife on a shaving horse – both traditional carpentry tools.
The elder Willis explained how people would have used those tools to make furniture, shingles and any number of other items from wood.
“It’s a lot more interesting than people would have imagined, how resourceful early folk were,” Ron Willis said. “They had to be, there was no one else to turn to.”
As the Windsong Recorder Ensemble struck up Christmas carols in the front room, kids played outside – rolling hoops with sticks, sampling cookies while clusters of adults talked and swapped stories.
Standing near the outdoor kitchen fires, Hirst’s father, Benjamin Brown, stood with his cane and gestured toward the lawn.
“We used to have a reunion here, years and years ago,” said Brown, 91. He’s a sixth-generation descendant of the Braun family that built the Old Stone House.
Brown remembers how, when he was young, the Old Stone House was in disrepair.
But even then, it was a gathering place for special occasions.
Today, restored to near its original state, the holly and candles in the windows are still calling people home.
“I’ve been out here for Christmas every since they’ve been doing this, I suppose,” Brown said. “I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Contact Hugh Fisher via the editor’s desk at 704-797-4244.

domain: history


Key diplomat changes testimony and admits quid pro quo with Ukraine
Posted November 5, 2019 1:29 p.m. EST
Updated November 5, 2019 3:26 p.m. EST
CNN — In a significant reversal, a top us diplomat has changed his testimony Monday to the impeachment inquiry to now admit there was a quid pro quo linking US aid to Ukraine with an investigation into President Donald Trump's political rival.
Attorney for US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland's sent the committee a three-page addition to his testimony on Monday, in which Sondland said he had remembered a September 1 conversation that occurred on the sidelines of a meeting between Vice President Mike Pence and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he told a top aide to Zelensky that the security aid and investigations were linked.
"I now recall speaking individually with Mr. (Andriy) Yermak, where I said resumption of U.S. aid would likely not occur until Ukraine provided the public anti-corruption statement that we had been discussing for many weeks," Sondland said.
Sondland's new testimony, which was included in the public release of his closed-door deposition transcript on Tuesday, adds to Democrats' evidence that the President connected the freezing of US security aid to Ukraine to investigations into the 2016 election and former Vice President Joe Biden, which cuts to the heart of their impeachment case against Trump.
The House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight Committees released deposition transcripts of Sondland and former US special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker on Tuesday as they shifted toward the public phase of their impeachment inquiry.
In his deposition last month, Sondland testified that he did not ultimately know why the aid to Ukraine was withheld. But he told lawmakers that efforts from the President's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani to persuade Ukraine to open an investigation into Trump's political rivals "kept getting more insidious" as time went on, and he suggested Giuliani's efforts might have been illegal, according to the deposition transcript.
Sondland testified that it would be "improper" for Giuliani to push the Ukrainians to investigate Biden or get involved in the 2020 election. Asked if it was illegal, Sondland said: "I'm not a lawyer, but I assume so."
In his testimony, Volker said that the Ukrainians had asked to be put in touch with Giuliani — whose efforts have been described by other witnesses as a shadow foreign policy outside of State Department channels — because they believed "that information flow would reach the President." He said he was surprised and troubled by what was said on the July 25 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"It creates a problem again where all of the things that we're trying to do to advance the bilateral relationship, strengthen our support for Ukraine, strengthen the positioning against Russia is now getting sucked into a domestic political debate in the U.S., domestic political narrative that overshadows that. And I think that is extremely unfortunate for our policy with Ukraine," Volker said.
Still, Volker's testimony also provided Trump and his allies with fodder, as they've been pushing for it to be released publicly. Volker told lawmakers that he didn't know about any "quid pro quo" linking US military assistance to the announcement of Ukrainian investigations into Biden and the Democrats.
"You asked what conversations did I have about that quid pro quo, et cetera," Volker said. "None, because I didn't know that there was a quid pro quo."
He testified that after learning about the holdup of US military aid, Volker worked to get the assistance resumed, and that he never believed it was linked to Trump's desire for a probe of the Bidens.
Volker also said that the Ukrainians didn't know about the holdup of military assistance until after the Trump administration stopped pressing them to announce an investigation into the Bidens. This testimony bolsters a key tenet of Trump's defense -- that there was no "quid pro quo" with Ukraine because the new government in Kiev was not aware that military aid was being withheld.
"To my knowledge, the news about a hold on security assistance did not get into Ukrainian Government circles, as indicated to me by the current foreign minister, then diplomatic adviser, until the end of August," Volker said. "And by the time that we had that, we had dropped the idea of even looking at a statement."
But Volker appeared to be unaware that on September 1, Sondland told Zelensky's political aide that the security aid and the announcement of a public investigation were in fact linked.
House Democrats have now released transcripts from four of the 13 closed-door deposition they've conducted thus far as Democrats shift toward public hearings in the impeachment inquiry, which could begin as soon as next week.
Volker and Sondland, along with Energy Secretary Rick Perry, dubbed themselves the "three amigos" who handled US-Ukraine policy. Text messages provided to Congress from Volker, who resigned last month from his post as the Ukraine scandal was unfolding, show his exchanges with Giuliani and senior State Department diplomats. He denied participating in any effort to dig up political dirt on Biden, but the texts revealed that he had talked to Ukrainian officials about launching politically charged investigations.
Democrats seek clarification from Sondland
Democrats, meanwhile, have called on Sondland to clarify his testimony after he appeared behind closed doors on October 17. Sondland's initial testimony appears to have been contradicted by at least two other witnesses, according to CNN reporting and publicly released statements. At the heart of the discrepancy, which Sondland's clarification appears attempting to address, is whether Sondland ever explicitly linked US actions to requests for Ukraine to launch investigations into the Bidens, and whether he had dangled White House visits or US military aid as a potential quid pro quo.
In his October testimony, Sondland said the President had told him directly that "there is no quid pro quo."
But Sondland told the House committees that he eventually became aware that Ukraine aid was held up to entice Ukrainian corruption investigations, and eventually realized the investigation was linked to the Bidens.
"Finally at some point I made the Biden-Burisma connection, and then the transcript was released," Sondland said during his testimony. He said he couldn't remember specific dates, and for some time hadn't made the connection between the Bidens and Burisma, the Ukrainian natural resources company for which Hunter Biden sat on the board.
Sondland described "a continuum," beginning with a May 23 meeting and "ending up at the end of the line when the transcript of the call came out."
"It started as talk to Rudy, then others talk to Rudy," he explained. "Corruption was mentioned. Then, as time went on— and, again, I can't nail down the dates — then let's get the Ukrainians to give a statement about corruption. And then, no, corruption isn't enough, we need to talk about the 2016 election and the Burisma investigations."
Former US envoy illuminates key meeting
Volker's testimony provided more detail into the May 23 meeting with Trump in which the President directed his aides to "talk to Rudy" about Ukraine. In that meeting, Volker and other administration officials recommended Trump schedule an Oval Office meeting with the newly elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But Trump was skeptical.
"They are all corrupt, they are all terrible people," Volker recalled Trump saying. "I don't want to spend any time with that."
Volker said he became aware of the hold on aid on July 18 -- before the Trump-Zelensky call -- but he did not find out the reason for the hold.
"Nobody ever gave a reason why," Volker said.
Volker explained that he advised the Ukrainians to drop a public announcement of an investigations into the 2016 election and Burisma after learning that the Justice Department had not requested them, despite what Giuliani was promoting.
"It died. I mean, no one—once we started seeing a tempo of engagement with Ukraine, we had first the sense that Rudy was not going to be convinced that it meant anything, and, therefore, convey a positive message to the President if it didn't say Burisma and 2016," Volker said. "I agreed with the Ukrainians they shouldn't do it, and in fact told them just drop it, wait till you have your own prosecutor general in place. Let's work on substantive issues like this, security assistance and all. Let's just do that. So we dropped it."
Volker testified that he personally told Giuliani that the source of many of those theories was "not credible." Giuliani has spent much of this year spreading theories about former Vice President Biden and the Democrats peddled by former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsnko.
This story has been updated with additional developments Tuesday.


text:
By PNA and Philippine Times of Southern Nevada
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the MIMAROPA Region held a one-day media forum in this city in a bid for an information and dissemination campaign partnership for the second round of assessment of the Listahanan or the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR).
The DSWD’s Listahanan, which carries the tagline “Talaan ng Pamilyang Nangangailangan”is “an information management system that identifies who and where the poor are in the country.”
Social welfare development Regional Director Wilma Naviamos explained in the media forum that Listahanan makes accessible to national government agencies (NGAs) and other social protection stakeholders a catalogue of poverty-stricken families that they may use in identifying prospective beneficiaries of social protection programs (SPPs).
“We are enlisting the help of the media community in Palawan in spreading the news about the Listahanan so that when we conduct the second round, they are prepared. This database project is important as it will give the government the leeway for the equitable distribution of resources and services to the poor,” Naviamos said.
The second round of the Listahanan will be held January to March next year involving a national target of 242,633 households in the MIMAROPA. Of this figure, the target for Palawan is 95,952 households identified as poor.
“Our target is ‘no one will be left behind’ in Listahanan, and the help of the media people in Palawan, who can translate its goals into local dialects so that people will understand, will be highly appreciated. We want you as partners in identifying who are the poor and where are they located in your places so that interventions can get to them,” Naviamos said.
During the media forum, the DSWD-MIMAROPA explained the Listahanan Project Cycle through Crisostomo Valenzona III, National Project Development Coordinator; the rationale and the history of the Listahanan logo through Krupska Lenina Apit, NHTO Social Marketing Specialist; the social safety net Proxy Means Test (PMT) used in identifying the poor through Edwin Libo, Regional Information Technology Officer, and the Listahanan 2nd Round Nationwide Assessment through Editha Ocampo, Listahanan Deputy Regional Project Manager.


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Antony Starr has captivated audiences worldwide with his exceptional acting skills and versatile performances. As a renowned actor, Starr has garnered significant attention not only for his talent but also for his personal life and net worth.
In this article, we delve into the intriguing aspects of Starr's life, exploring rumors about his sexual orientation, providing insights into his net worth, and highlighting his notable contributions to movies and TV shows.
Is The Rumor Of Antony Starr Being Gay True?
In My Father's Den actor, Antony Starr has garnered significant attention and admiration for his acting skills. However, his personal life remains a subject of curiosity among fans and enthusiasts.
One particular aspect that has fueled speculation is Antony's reticence when it comes to discussing his romantic affairs and personal relationships.
Due to his guarded nature regarding his personal life, numerous fans have begun to speculate about Antony's sexual orientation, with many suggesting that he might be gay. The absence of a clear affirmation or denial from Antony himself has led to further rumors and conjecture circulating within his fan base.
While numerous rumors circulate about Starr's sexuality, he has not made any official statements regarding the matter. As fans, it is essential to focus on his talents as an actor and appreciate his work rather than speculating about his personal life.
Is Antony Starr Single Or Dating?
Antony Starr, the talented actor known for his captivating performances, is currently in a long-term romantic relationship with Lucy Mclay, an American costume designer, social media consultant, and actress.
While the exact timeline of their relationship remains undisclosed, the couple prefers to keep their partnership away from the limelight, maintaining a private personal life.
Limited information is available about their journey together, including the specifics of their initial meeting or the start of their romance.
Despite their inclination for privacy, occasional public appearances provide glimpses of Antony and Lucy as a couple, showcasing the happiness and connection they share.
A Quick Look At Antony Starr's Net Worth
Antony Starr, an actor of remarkable talent, has undeniably achieved financial success throughout his illustrious career in the entertainment industry. Through his hard work in the entertainment field, he has earned an estimated net worth of $2 million.
Starr's ascent to prominence in the acting world has been marked by his consistent presence in various television shows and movies, which has significantly contributed to his financial prosperity. His notable roles in popular productions have garnered critical acclaim and captured the hearts of audiences worldwide.
Through his exceptional performances, Starr has solidified his position as a sought-after actor, earning him opportunities that have undoubtedly bolstered his financial standing. Brand endorsements, sponsorships, and participation in lucrative projects such as merchandise collaborations or appearances at conventions and events can further augment an actor's earnings.
Starr's Role As Homelander In "The Boys"
Antony Starr takes on the captivating role of Homelander in "The Boys" TV series. As the leader of The Seven, a group of corrupt superheroes, Homelander represents the ideal image of a superhero in public but hides a dark side.
Starr's performance brilliantly captures Homelander's charisma, intensity, and vulnerability, revealing a deeply flawed and morally ambiguous character.
With gripping storytelling and Starr's powerful portrayal, "The Boys" offers a refreshing take on the superhero genre, leaving audiences eagerly anticipating each episode. Stream this thrilling series exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Antony's Movies and TV Shows
Starr's acting prowess shines through his remarkable performances in both movies and TV shows. One of his most notable roles is that of the superhero Homelander in the hit TV series "The Boys."
Starr's portrayal of Homelander, a complex character with immense power and a twisted personality, has earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base.
His ability to bring depth and nuance to this role has solidified his position as a versatile actor in the industry. Apart from "The Boys," Antony has also showcased his talent in other TV shows such as "Banshee," where he portrayed the lead character Lucas Hood.
In this action-packed series, Starr demonstrated his range as an actor, portraying a former criminal assuming the identity of a sheriff in a small town. His performance received praise for the intensity and authenticity he brought to the character.
About Antony Acting Journey
Antony embarked on his acting career in the 1990s, starting with a small role in Shortland Street and guest appearances in Xena: Warrior Princess. He later secured a guest role in Mercy Peak and a part in the soap opera Shortland Street.
Starr's television credits also include Hard Out, P.E.T. Detectives, Street Legal, and Serial Killers. Notably, he won awards for his portrayal of twins Van and Jethro West in Outrageous Fortune. He also ventured into film, appearing in works such as No. 2, The World's Fastest Indian, Without a Paddle, and In My Father's Den. He took on stage roles in productions like Sex with Strangers and Closer.
Starr joined the cast of Rush and starred in the series Banshee and American Gothic. He gained significant recognition for his portrayal of The Homelander in the series The Boys.
Is Homelander A Evil Character?
Homelander, the main character portrayed by Antony Starr in the TV series "The Boys," is undeniably an evil character. While he presents himself as a hero to the public, his true nature reveals a malevolent villain who engages in nefarious activities behind the scenes. Homelander flagrantly abuses his superhuman abilities for personal gain, showing a complete lack of regard for others.
In his true persona, Homelander is characterized by apathy, selfishness, and a complete absence of empathy. He displays a ruthless and sadistic nature, deriving pleasure from inflicting pain and tormenting those around him.
His psychopathic tendencies further highlight his troubled and disturbed psyche. Cold and devoid of compassion, Homelander exhibits a vile and hypocritical disposition, often using his heroic façade to manipulate and control situations to his advantage.
For more exciting news and talk about other celebrities, please visit, Glamour Path.

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Counselling with Dawn Gregory gives couples the opportunity to understand and explore the relationship issues they are facing.
Working with an impartial, supportive and skilled counsellor, couples can deal with communication problems, major life events and other issues causing unhappiness.
Similar to marriage counselling, couples therapy focuses on creating a safe, non-judgemental space. Individuals are able to freely express their own unique feelings and emotions.
Like any form of relationship counselling, couple counselling is not about being told what to do. I will take an impartial and balanced perspective.
I will encourage and facilitate a process where the couple are able to decide upon the right course of action to take. I will never judge or take sides regarding your relationship by supporting positive communication. Counselling can help you and your partner come to your own decisions about how to progress.
This might involve changing how you interact with each other, the ways you spend time together or how you deal with specific issues as a couple.
In some cases this process might require ‘homework’ to be completed outside your counselling sessions. This will be unique to each couple but can take the form of topics to discuss, alternative ways of dealing with certain situations or completing a specific task together
No matter your gender, stage of relationship, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion Dawn Gregory Counselling is available to help. I believe passionately in the importance of early intervention and encourage couples to consider counselling before relationship issues escalate.
Why To Try Couples Counselling
The motivations to seek support through couples counselling are unique to each relationship. However several issues are common including:
- Major life events like starting a family, bereavement or relationship breakdown
- Communication issues
- Mental health problems
- Financial issues
- Parenting styles
- Family conflict between parents and kids or within an extended family
- Trust or jealousy issues when an affair is suspected or has been discovered.
- Falling out of love, losing connection as a couple
Increasingly couples are using counselling on a semi-regular basis to enhance their relationship.
Couples counselling is not purely for relationships in crisis and can help deal with smaller issues before they become significant.


Here at CPS Gas, weoffer a wide range of gas services for the commercial sector across the Southof England. Our team of gas safe registered engineers specialise carry out allwork required to a professional standard. Our services include the installationand repair of gas interlock systems, catering gas certificates and lpg gasservices.
When you hire theexpertise of CPS Gas, you can guarantee quality workmanship with professionalcustomer service. All work carried out adheres to official regulations and allof our engineers are gas safe registered. For more information on any of theservices we have mentioned or require any further information, get in touchwith our experts today.
A deeper dive into cpsgas.com
Common questions asked about cpsgas.com:
1. What services does CPS Gas provide?CPS Gas provides a range of services including appliance repairs and installations, gas interlock systems, commercial gas safety certificates, LPG gas work, and commercial catering engineering. Their highly skilled gas safe registered engineers can handle various commercial gas and catering work to ensure professional standards are met.
2. How can I request a quote?To request a quote, you can call CPS Gas on 0800 211 8082 or email your enquiries to firstname.lastname@example.org. Their team will be happy to assist you and provide you with a fully qualified gas engineer you can rely on.
3. Why should I choose CPS Gas for commercial catering services?CPS Gas has become the go-to source for customers due to their industry-leading services and superior levels of expertise. Their experienced team of gas catering engineers ensures safety, efficiency, and quality in the installation of gas and electrical catering equipment. They can handle complex tasks and provide bespoke integration of LPG or gas-powered catering equipment.
4. Which areas does CPS Gas cover?CPS Gas covers Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and Kent. Their commercial catering engineers are available in these areas to provide their services and ensure your gas equipment is set up or restored to its original running order.
5. Are CPS Gas engineers gas safe registered?Yes, all CPS Gas engineers are gas safe registered. This means they have the necessary qualifications and certifications to work safely and legally on gas appliances and installations. You can rely on their fully qualified gas engineers for your commercial gas work and catering needs.
Some reasons to choose cpsgas.com
CPS Gas Knew What They Were DoingI called CPS Gas Services as I have a large commercial take away and kitchen where a few of my gas appliances stopped and started working intermittently. Right from my initial contact with CPS Gas I got the impression they knew exactly what they were doing and within 30 minutes of the engineer being on site he had identified the problem and ordered the correct part to repair the fault. My kitchen was back to full strength the next day which is absolutely invaluable to my business. I now regularly use CPS gas for all of my gas related work, and would not hesitate to recommend them to anybody.
Appliance Repairs & InstallationsCPS Gas offers reliable and efficient appliance repairs and installations. They have the expertise to quickly identify and fix any issues with gas appliances, ensuring that businesses can continue their operations without any interruptions.
Gas Interlock SystemsCPS Gas specializes in the installation and maintenance of gas interlock systems. These systems provide an added layer of safety by automatically shutting off the gas supply in the event of a fault or leak, protecting both the premises and the people inside.
Commercial Gas Safety CertificatesCPS Gas provides commercial gas safety certificates, ensuring that businesses comply with all necessary safety regulations. These certificates demonstrate that the gas appliances and systems have been thoroughly inspected and meet the required standards.
LPG Gas ServicesCPS Gas offers LPG gas services, catering to businesses that use liquefied petroleum gas as their energy source. They have the knowledge and experience to handle LPG gas installations, repairs, and maintenance, providing businesses with a reliable and efficient energy solution.
0800 211 8082
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|Line Served||Cross Island Line|
Elias MRT Station (CP2) is an underground station located along the Cross Island Line (CRL) Punggol Extension. It will be built to the north of Pasir Ris Drive 3, bounded by Pasir Ris Drive 10 and the existing Pasir Ris Farmway 1.
The station is targeted for completion and opening in Year 2032.
In a written answer to parliamentary questions in May 2021, Transport Minister Mr Ong Ye Kung mentioned that construction for rail projects were delayed by up to a year due to material supplies and manpower disruption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the revised opening year for Cross Island Line Punggol Extension will be in 2032 instead of the originally announced 2031.
- Eastbound: Cross Island Line (Punggol Extension) towards CP1CR5EW1 Pasir Ris
- Westbound: Cross Island Line (Punggol Extension) towards CP4NE17PTC Punggol via CP3PE4 Riviera
Elias Station will be constructed as part of Contract P102 – Design and Construction of Elias Station and Tunnels for CRL-Punggol Extension.
External Links & References
- Cross Island Line – Punggol Extension: Better Rail Connectivity for Punggol and Pasir Ris Residents – LTA
- 跨岛线从白沙延伸至榜鹅 将建四地铁站 – Zaobao
- Written Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung to Parliamentary Question on Updates on Thomson East Coast Line, Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line – Ministry of Transport
Back to Cross Island Line


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Picking our way down a steep and rocky trail from the summit of Mt Murray in the Victorian High Country, trying to make it back to camp before the coming rain arrived, we rounded a bend to find a 200 Series Land Cruiser off to the side of the track. To the side stood the owner, a distinguished lady of certain years, expensive camera in hand, all on her own, capturing images of the white remnants of dead snow gums across the steep landscape.
Was she okay? Yes, certainly. Did she need a hand? No, no, all okay. Plainly we’d met someone of self-assurance and confidence in their own ability to deal with the environment.
You know there’s rain coming? Yes, yes, I’ll be fine.
We headed on.
Later that afternoon as a gentle rain fell, we sat under the awning with this same lady, Louise Hackett; a resident of Melton outside Melbourne and a keen camper trailer owner and photographer who has been taking on the bush in her Vista Crossover XL for some years.
Louise moved from Melbourne to the Northern Territory in the 1960s, “...so every road except for half a kilometre in the middle of Alice Springs was dirt or mud or covered in water, so you just did it. We didn’t have 4WDs, and if the water in creek crossings was below your knees and it wasn’t too slushy you could probably get through”.
What was once a necessity is now a recreation.
“Now, I just enjoy being out in the bush and seeing what’s happening. Taking photographs is always high on the list of things to do.”
Louise’s love of horses and show jumping — often with a measure of success — has begun to wane as they are very time consuming, though she still retains a couple of what she refers to as “paddock decorations”.
The Vista is now her choice of residence when on the road. She takes it out probably once every couple of months, though she feels that there are probably few truly remote places left in Australia; aside from a couple of spots such as the Canning, except when the weather changes and you can be rained in and stuck for a few days.
Louise was attracted to the Vista by the absence on canvas, the combination of a roomy interior and modest external size and the ease of use.
“Plus, it’s extremely well made, you just buy it and it works,” she added. “While there are quite a few hybrid-type campers around today, that wasn’t the case in 2012, and a lot of them are bigger and ergonomically not as good. I’ve had six people inside in a storm.
“I could change a tyre, but I suppose that’s about it. If it did anything else I might be stuck, but that’s why I bought one, because they are strong. That’s why I bought the Land Cruiser.”
Louise likes her long trips up north, including the Cape and The Kimberley.
“I thought Gunshot was pretty good, though I chickened on the difficult descent, but it was still Gunshot. I slid sideways into the water, turned left and drove out. I don’t mind water crossings, as long as someone else goes first or else I’ve walked it myself.
“Nolans was good, but I did it a bit too fast and built up an excessive bow wave. It got a bit white knuckle for a minute. But when we got to Seisia there were a whole bunch of cars which had gone in without a bra and ripped the fan blades off because they’d been drawn into the radiator.
“The guy in Seisia with the garage has a roaring trade. I had a fan belt that was squealing quite badly. It was fine, nothing wrong with it, just with dust in it, but it was squealing. He said he had way too much work to do to fix it, so just went and parked next to his office and left the engine running and it squealed and squealed until he finally came out and fixed it. I know he was busy, and he was a nice man but I needed it fixed.”
Plainly this is a person who isn’t put off by any problems she encounters in the outback.


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Thread Vein Removal
Unsightly broken veins or thread veins are a common problem which effect many people, especially as they get older. They tend to appear on the legs and can be a considerable source of embarrassment. The tendency to thread veins is often hereditary and can be very difficult to prevent. Fortunately, at The Alexandra Clinic we have a highly effective, non-surgical way of eliminating thread veins and restoring your confidence, called Sclerotherapy.
What are the benefits of the thread vein removal treatment and who is it suitable for?
Sclerotherapy is suitable for men and women of any age, and is an affordable solution for people who want to get rid of thread veins. It is a simple, non-surgical procedure, which can be performed quickly and easily at our clinic in Chester.
What does the thread vein removal treatment involve?
A sclerosing fluid is injected through a very fine needle into the vein in the area being treated. This flushes and blanches the thread veins in the immediate area. The injections are repeated if necessary at four to six week intervals until all the veins have been treated. The injected solution causes the thread veins to shrink together and disappear.
How long does thread vein removal treatment take?
This is dependant on how many areas are being treated, but it usually only takes 20 – 30 minutes.
What results can I expect from thread vein removal treatment and how long do the results last for?
The number of treatments required is dependant on the extent of the problem. Sometimes one treatment is sufficient, while other times it is necessary to repeat the treatment at four to six week intervals. Once a vein has been treated, it will disappear and won't need to be treated again.
What is the recovery time following the thread vein removal treatment?
No recovery time is necessary and you may return home immediately. You may resume all normal activities, although we would recommend that you avoid strenuous exercise or long periods of standing for the first 24 hours.
Does thread vein removal carry any associated risks or side effects?
There may be mild swelling or redness in the treated area, but this will settle within a few days.
Can this treatment be used in conjunction with other treatments?
Sclerotherapy is normally used in isolation to get rid of thread veins. If you are considering other cosmetic procedures, we can provide you with advice during your consultation.
Who will be performing the thread vein removal treatment?
Our highly trained nurse therapist, who has been performing this treatment for many years and also trains other doctors and nurses in injection techniques.
How does the process work?
The first step is to arrange a free consultation at our Chester thread vein removal clinic with the nurse therapist. She will assess your requirements, talk through the procedure and give you all the thread vein removal information you need. If you decide you would like to proceed with the treatment, an appointment can be arranged for you to have the procedure at our Chester Clinic. It is important to us that you feel entirely comfortable with every element of the treatment, so there will be no pressure to proceed and we will be happy to answer any queries you may have.

domain: medical