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Your face is the most important thing in your beauty routine. One of the best ways to get the most gorgeous complexion is through a facial massage, which is one of the best-kept secrets. Stimulating the pressure points on your face and neck is one of the techniques used. If you want to improve your skincare routine, you should use a product that will condition your skin, and use a crystal or roller that will give your skin a relaxing massage.
A massage is one of the best ways to relax the body and mind. It’s perfect for people who are exhausted after a long day. Face massages are a great way to relax your face. They aid in sleep and help to reduce stress. Face massage is a good way to get your face in shape. It’s possible to work out your face with a little practice, but experts recommend using your fingers. It can help to improve blood flow, reduce puffiness, and a lot more.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About 7 Types of Facial Massage
There are many different massage techniques and different types of massages. You can do them yourself, or have them done by professionals such as Kelly Orientals. To get to know facial massage treatments and techniques here are 7 types of facial massage treatments you must try:
Anti-aging facial massage techniques
A fast spritz of stimulating skin care oil is a quick facial rejuvenation and helps to promote healthy skin. You’ll have a great skin care regimen every time you go through your routine. This is an anti-aging facial massage technique you can try at home. It will help you feel refreshed and relaxed!
After applying a product, you should sweep your fingers along the bridge of the nose. You can sweep the fingers under the eyes and out to the sides by moving your hand across the face.
Next, place your fingers over the cheekbones and sweep them outward. The same motion should be repeated under the cheekbones.
There is a way to move to the forehead. It is possible to use the same sweeping technique from the centre of the head. To perform horizontal and vertical strokes, you need to keep the rest of your fingers close to each other.
The chin should be swept from the bottom lip down to the jawline with the sides of each finger. Move from the centre of the chin to the ears.
Use two fingers on each hand to sweep from the center of the chin to the ears. One finger should be above the face.
Don’t forget your neck and neck area. If you want to lift the skin in these areas, you need to perform light strokes up the neck to the jawline and then use small, circular movements with your fingertips. Wrinkles can be created from sleeping on one’s side.
Lymphatic Drainage Facial Massage Technique
Using massage is a great way to help get the products or serums into the skin. It’s also great for circulation and helps to release sinus congestion. You can do lymphatic drainage at home with the knowledge of pressure points. You’ll have much better success using a jade roller than using a pore-minimizing brush.
It is a good idea to apply a light cream to the neck and face.
Roll the jade roller from the center of your face outward to drain the fluid.
You should be gentle and move in the direction of your face.
For best results, Ettner advises repeating at least once per month. This treatment is typically done monthly.
Anti-wrinkle facial massage technique
If you’d like your facial massage to be a little more targeted toward wrinkles, you can try these techniques:
First, s applying a facial oil that works for your skin type all over a clean face.
Next, press your middle finger on the center of your forehead. This facial expression exercise will relax your face and make your skin look smoother. To avoid frowning, it’s good to get rid of the stress and headaches.
When applying pressure, apply it for three seconds, then repeat for three sets. Use your middle finger to press down on the exact spot between your eyebrows, which is right below your nose.
Massage it up from the chin
Your hands should rest on either side of your face. Your fingertips should gently brush across the temples and then down the sides of your face. Repeat three times. The focus of this exercise is softness, not firmness.
Massage it out over the forehead
Your fingertips should be placed right in the middle of your forehead, pressing firmly. You should hold your hands and fingers as you move them outward to the sides and back again. Doing this exercise three times a day is said to make your skin smoother.
Massage around the eyes
Work up over the eyebrows, down the center of the nose, and under the eyes using only a minimal amount of oil.
Massage under the cheekbones
Start at the center of your forehead, where you would normally touch your forehead with your fingers, and move outward to the sides of your forehead. The sequence is repeated four times. The movement is done as part of the technique. The temple’s muscles have many nerve endings. The exercise allows you to focus on the task at hand.
Facial massage benefits you must know
Facial massage is a term that has a wide range of meanings. It can be used as an individual treatment, to refer to a massage performed on the face and neck area. It may also be applied to a massage of the entire body, including the face. Does facial massage work? Well, the practice of facial massage can be traced back to ancient civilizations, with the Egyptians performing it as a ritual for their pharaohs. It was considered to be an important part of the health care of the people. Here are the benefits of doing facial massage as your skincare routine:
Facial massage absorbs the beauty products faster
Face massage is an effective part of the skincare routine. Apply a serum or moisturizer, then massage the face to help it to absorb better into the skin. If you want to maximize the effectiveness of your yoga workout, use circular or tapping movements instead of straight up and down ones
Help reduces signs of aging
If you want to improve the look of your face, you should use a face massage. It tones the facial muscles and makes them appear younger. Pollution, stress, and a sick lifestyle have taken their toll on our skin. That’s why it’s important to care for your skin. Wrinkles, dark spots, and pigmentation can be reduced by a regular face massage.
A facial peel can increase blood flow and enhance the skin’s ability to produce collagen, which makes the skin more structured. A facial massage is a wonderful way to help your skin look younger and reduce wrinkles. Your skin will look better all day long with the help of Kelly Oriental’s skin care products. They help keep your skin looking supple and moisturized. Natural oil treatments are best for this treatment.
Help you resolve your acne problems
Stimulating the skin may help with blood circulation. Massage therapy does help relieve other skin conditions, but there is no direct evidence that facial massage improves acne. People who have done facial treatments and facial massages show that they heal their skin faster. If you want to try it out, test it out. Don’t be aggressive when doing this treatment. A gentle scrub can be used.
Help you relieve tension
People often hold tension in their faces, so it is important to use facial exercises to relieve stress. When you’re stressed or tired, you tend to frown, which will make wrinkles appear on your forehead and around your eyes. Getting a facial massage will help to release tension and keep your face tight and energized. You may want to try a face massage after using a sheet mask. Use a mask that suits and soothes the skin.
What’s more exciting is to indulge yourself and your skin from Kelly Oriental’s professional facial massage treatment and let our licensed therapist takes care of the treatment and ur professional facial massage techniques will help you reset the day. With our high-quality herbal ingredients, you’ll get yourself a relaxed and healthy skin and body.
Makes your skin glow
If you want your skin to look better, you need a facial massage. More than half of women who had a facial massage reported feeling refreshed. Half of the respondents said they had a healthy complexion, while the other half said they experienced skin tightening. According to anecdotal evidence, using facial muscles can help increase blood flow to the skin, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and strengthen the muscles of your face.
What’s greater than getting a professional facial massage while also using the latest advanced technology in the beauty industry? You can get all of this treatment at Kelly Oriental. Our beauty products are also great for all skin types because we use high-quality herbal ingredients that are safe for sensitive skin and acne-prone skin types.
Get the best facial treatment from the best!
The latest technology has changed the face of modern beauty, and it has finally made it faster and better for you to experience your best self every day. With Kelly Oriental’s latest technology in beauty, here are the things that you’re going to get:
Faster results and recovery time in the non-surgical aesthetic procedures
Provide Immediate, youth-generating results, healing, and rejuvenating
High-tech modalities allow spas to provide addressing multiple concerns in one treatment
With Kelly Oriental, you have put yourself in the best beauty treatment service from Asia for Asia. We give you Kelly herbal ingredients that will make your skin glow naturally. What are you waiting for? book your appointment with us now

domain: health


hansom cab, low, two-wheeled, closed carriage patented in 1834, whose distinctive feature was the elevated driver’s seat in the rear. It was entered from the front through a folding door and had one seat above the axle with room for two passengers. The driver spoke to the passengers through a trapdoor on top.
Though named for its original designer, Joseph Hansom, the cab was redesigned and patented by John Chapman in 1836, after which it became the most popular cab in London. After additional improvements were made by coach builder F. Forder in 1873, the vehicle was introduced successfully in New York City and Boston.
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By Sarah Tully. This story originally appeared on the K-12 Parents and the Public.
About 80 percent of parents reported that they support the ability to choose a public school, regardless of where they live, in a national poll conducted by a charter school advocacy group.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released the results of its survey of 1,003 parents about their attitudes toward school choice and charter schools. The support for school choice was higher among African American, Latino and low-income parents, the poll states.
“This survey confirms to us the importance of all parents being able to choose the public school that best meets their children’s needs,” said Nina Rees, the alliance’s president and chief executive officer, in a statement. “We are listening to parents and will continue to fight so that all families have the option to send their child to a high-quality public school.”
The poll, released Thursday, also showed about half of respondents have a positive view of charter schools. That number rose when they were read a definition of charter schools. But between 15 and 20 percent of respondents consistently responded that they oppose charter schools, whether they existed in their communities or not, according to the results.
About 70 percent of participants said they would welcome having charter schools in their neighborhoods.
Nationwide, about 3 million students are in charter schools, making up about 6 percent of public school enrollment.
The opinions expressed in the survey are similar to those reported in last year’s PDK/Gallup poll. About two-thirds of those respondents said they back charter schools and parents choice in selecting any public school in their community for their children.
- How to Choose a School: Advice From Two School Choice Consultants
- At Charter School Network Rocketship, Parents Help Hire Teachers
- Poll: Many Americans Don’t Understand Charter Schools But Favor Them Anyway
A version of this news article first appeared in the Charters & Choice blog.


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Melodic and always unafraid of taking it to the bridge, Caroline Sky is the kind of songstress that can make any song easy on the ear and it is therefore no surprise that “Dancing in July” is both polished and sonorous.
Quirky in a good way, “Me Myself and I” ricochets between 8 bit and Celtic with the angular lyrics easily keeping the song on course and marking Fieldsy as more than a just a big city festival favourite. Let there be an album forthcoming!
It has been a week for happy songs but “Daydream Blues” most certainly isn’t a happy song. Nonetheless, Cherry White infuse their song with more than enough angst and melancholy to ensure your attention does not wander.
Girl power is here to stay, and Grace Otto duly kicks the walls hard with her song “You’re The Worst”. There’s acid in her words and, with her sledgehammer delivery, she soon moves ahead of the crowd. Shifting gear!
“Special Place in Hell” has the trendy retro vibe of the time when the mall was the place to be yet Suzi Moon injects enough modern hard edged cynicism to move her guitar powered song through time into today.
Robust in the way that songs of the big city usually are, “Kill Me Sweetie” resonates through those very streets with the female vocals, guitar riffs and pounding drums proving that Shadow Monster can run any traffic light they might encounter.
If you seek the comfort of the conventional then “If I Leave” by Canada’s Stefani Parnell will provide you with that which you seek. The song is a ballad and is moves neatly and sweetly from start to finish. One for the radio.
Kandle takes a confident walk down sentimental street with “Misty Morning”. Piano led and pleasingly free of modern day cynicism, this is the kind of song that is makes directly for the heart. Old fashioned perhaps but worthy nonetheless.
Some songs just sound like they were born to live in the shadows and “The Devil (Lives In My Flat)” is such a song with Polar Klub idolising all the many facets of retro lo-fi reverb in his search for the perfect dystopian atmosphere.
Endearingly energetic, Deva St. John whips up a rock fuelled sonic snack called “Preacher” and sets out to make the world a better place in just over three minutes. It’s valid thing to do and she has no trouble making it happen. Riff me right now.
It’s finger on the pulse time with “Never Leave The Basement” demonstrating that Nadia Vaeh both knows her way to the mall and the less than spiritually invigorating way back home. Pop music can be smart and this is the evidence.
Perhaps something of a stylistic throwback to simpler times, DuncanC goes all homebrew minimal and acoustic with “The Sceptic” while still putting enough substance into his lyrics to make the song worthy of a listen.
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domain: artistic


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I can see that both the Republicans and Democrats are playing the 'dance card' for Wall Street, but I think the most sickening thing about what is going on now, is that in the end, they are both playing on the same team, which means:
Main Street loses...........again, and Wall Street wins............again...I keep wondering why? Don't you?
In the end, we can blame the media, we can blame the gridlock in our system, and just say that the Republican party of 'No' is to blame, and for the most part, I admit they are, but can we at least admit, as the Democratic Party, the Party known as the 'Working Man's/Woman's Party' that this financial reform package, on both sides of the isles is a sham? Because it is, and so I want to open a discussion today about what this bill will actually do, what 'secret deals' are being done behind our backs, and where you stand, as a Democrat and an American.
Thanks to another truth teller (SageBrush Bob) I am starting this diary, again. Never be afraid to this great idiom: You can start your day all over again no matter what the time is: Listen and listen carefully if you dare to:
Let me ask you, what part of this video do you not agree with? Can we be honest now with each other? Stop pretending that Obama and Biden all of a sudden showed up for the Miners that died today, to 'weep' with their families, while expanding 'Drill Baby Drill' as 42,000 gallons of oil an hour are ruining the Gulf Sea Beds, all the sea life, the food for fisherman and families, and we still hold dear to not hold our government...no matter what or who are leaders are..because they are 'so called' Democrats?
I guess if I wrote a diary with the words fuck you, fuck everything fuck fuck fuck, like Shiz did the other day it might get some attention for the point I am trying to make. Wake up people....we are being 'had'...do you get that at all?
First of all, I would ask that you stop saying: that you can do nothing about this. That is false. You can and you will if you want change. Let's start this debate on the right note: We are the change. Do you believe that? If not, then you are in the wrong diary.
I never thought the day would come when I would long for Woodward and Bernstein, but here it is. You say: Well, things have changed..now the media is in control...now we do not have a say...now the two party system is no longer viable, but does that give us just another excuse to 'give up' and not face reality, when so many others are fighting for the very life of our Democracy?
I think not.
What would you, personally, like to see happen as a result of this Financial Reform Bill?
Be specific. Please stop with the excuses. We do not have time for that anymore. Let's all put our cards on the table, ok?
How do you think we can make this happen? Do you believe the President Obama is supportive of real change and accountability? If not, please voice your concerns....if so...voice your support, but please consider the outcome of your willingness 'to make compromises' to 'just get a deal' and ultimately what that 'deal' will cost Americans, and more importantly, what it has already cost.
I've watched over the past 18 months as so many brilliant commentators and experts keep pointing out the same issues time and time again, such as William K. Black, Simon Johnson, Joe Stiglitz, Elizabeth Warren, and even former and present day members of the Federal Reserve, which is all falling on deaf ears, and I keep wondering, where is our President? He has truly surrounded himself with the 'golden boys of Wall Street,' Geithner and Summers who are adverse to breaking up the Banks, and are adverse to strict oversight and transparency of derivatives, yet President Obama comes out and simply makes 'pretty speeches' while behind the scenes there are deals being 'done' that you and I apparently have no say in. It's all Cris Dodd's fault? I think not, do you think the President does not meet with Senator Dodd? Do you really think that?
I ask you, who's side is the President on? Do you know? Do you care? Does it matter to you?
Take a moment to review: ("William Black Warns That Financial Reform Bill Won't Stop the Wall Street Crime Wave," Dan Froomkin, HuffPo, April 21, 2010)
How many warnings do we need? How many 'rationalizations' will it take before we are finally able to understand the seriousness of where American has come to? Janet Tavakoli has it exactly spot on:
I urge the President to play the race card--the human race card. The Founding Fathers sought to protect the Republic from this tyranny of private interests. This was meant to be a place where all members of the human race have a fair opportunity to thrive. These show trials and faux 'investigations" distract us from the real job of reform and protect Wall Street's interests. It's time to bring back Black--or regulators like him--and truly give us our "Pecora" moment.
Here it is plain and simple people: There is FRAUD being allowed to take place by our government and by the President Obama and AG Eric Holder and the Department of Justice.
You can deny it if you want to, but that is simply not the case. Every single fact that is out there, will prove it otherwise.
Failed Regulators Are Still in Charge
Our financial "investigations" aim to miss. First, the media writes breathless articles portraying Washington's financial "investigators" as "tough." Each new commission is billed as our "Pecora" moment. The "investigators" hire teams of staffers who badger people like me for charity with insightful questions like: "What's a CDO?" Treasury, Federal Reserve, and Wall Street notables loudly complain about "unfair" and "harsh" investigators. Then everyone marches to the Hill where the committee pelts Wall Street executives with verbal marshmallows. Here are just four examples:
The FCIC: Phil Angelides, Chairman of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, had Robert Rubin, Citigroup's former senior advisor (also former Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton, and former Co-Chair of Goldman Sachs), and Chuck Prince, former CEO of Citigroup, in the palm of his hand. He failed to question them about Citigroup's sales of complex CDOs and a $200 million loan to the failed Bear Stearns hedge funds, even though it was public information and a classic situation for securities fraud. The SEC: The SEC filed a recent complaint of alleged fraud in a civil lawsuit against Goldman Sachs. The complaint did not mention that Goldman may have used the subprime mortgage-linked security at issue to unload other complex bonds it created. The complaint strikes me as an SEC publicity stunt. Wall Street banks had deep ties (and often ownership) with corrupt mortgage lenders and created phony securities that funded loan fraud. Corrupt finance--enabled by the SEC's multi-year failures--amplified the problem. The SEC (rating agencies, and more) behaved as collaborators, and now they seem to want credit for bringing one seemingly incomplete complaint against a sapling, while the forest fire rages on.
For more on this 'truth telling article see:'
Strange thing is, I keep waiting for that 'one moment in time,' like Watergate, where 'Deep Throat' finally came forward, and the damn to break, where one decent single American will come forward and lead us all out of this 'madness' and 'chaos' and pretension that we are not on the complete abyss of finally being forced into a corner to decide right from wrong in our nation.
We try so hard to make it more than this, but that is simply not the case. We keep blaming it on the media, and on politics, but that is not the case. We have come to this place in our nation, where we must decide from this point on:
Do we allow President Obama and the Department of Justice to simply ignore the FRAUD and CROOKS that have taken over our nation, or do we stand up and fight for what is right?
Do we keep blaming it on the Republicans, when they are 'protecting' the same people that Senator Dodd, Timothy Geithner, Larry Summers and Ben Bernanke are protecting?
What happened to transparency? What happened to a nation of 'Laws' not of men?
We cannot keep blaming this situation on our two party system any longer, because both parties are hiding the 'nation wide cover up' that William K. Black and others have had the courage to stand up to.
The big mystery for the moment is how come a few good men of stature in important places have not stepped forward to say the right thing or do the right deed. How come no US congressperson challenged the knavish behavior of Republicans who condone malicious idiocy that they know to be false like the so-called "birther" activity. How come no putative "progressive" has called the Democrats on their disingenuous failure to call illegal immigrants what they are. How come no state attorney general has filed charges against TBTF bank misconduct even if the US attorney general lies in state over at the US DOJ. How come no political figure of any stripe has called for the resignation of Summers, Rubin, Gensler and other Goldman Sachs "sleepers" infesting high levels of government. How come Dylan Ratigan is the only visible figure in any major newsroom willing to identify the precise nature of the meta-swindle.
When this sucker goes down, our primary task will be reorganizing American life on a much more local and de-complexified basis. It's a very big assignment and especially daunting against a possible background of political disorder. The losses will be epic and the changes severe, but it doesn't have to mean the end of recognizably American culture. There will be very little money around, and it may end up being a certificate backed by gold issued by a bank other than the Federal Reserve. Or maybe we'll just be swapping stuff for the makings of dinner.
So many forces are roiling around 'out there' now that it's hard to believe that the authorities in government and banking can keep the illusion of normality going a whole lot longer. The possible litigation against Goldman Sachs-style frauds by a thousand aggrieved victims is enough to paralyze the system. Meanwhile, trillions in credit default swaps are ticking away like dirty bombs. Greece is going down, with Portugal, Spain, Ireland, and the UK standing by to go next. Nobody can pay their bills. Before long, the old folks won't get their checks. Then the poor folks. Lately, I wonder if there will even be an election six months from now.
Sometimes, I think the 'real' problem is that we are so busy 'protecting' our particular 'political parties interest' that we forgot how to be Americans, and to be courageous enough like William K. Black to just speak the truth, and demand that our leaders, actually 'Lead' us back to a state of sanity.
This includes: The rule of law, this includes, holding those accountable that led us to this place, to demand that our 'Leaders' stand up for the tried and true 'protections' of the first 17 pages of the Glass-Steagall Act, for demanding transparent derivative trades in our markets, for demanding that those that have 'committed fraud' whatever their 'contributions' to the White House of either party, be held accountable, and for all of us to:
Stop blaming this on the media.........stop blaming it on either party, and start demanding change and sanity again.
That is why, it is called: The Rule of Law. Laws are exactly what have kept all 'civilizations' intact and sane for thousands and thousands of years.
Without them, we are lost, we are left open to the hands of the very Robber Barons that fought tooth and nail to make certain that the very heart and soul of the Democratic Party...the Unions..would never survive to have a decent home, a decent wage, a chance at the American dream.
Do you have any stories of your parents or your grand parents that died in those struggles? I do.
Let's share them again. Let's remember again...
Because whether or not you may not realize it now, we are right back where we started in when the Unions of this country first came into being.
Man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all.
Criminals do not die by the hands of the law; they die by the hands of other men.
George Bernard Shaw
The good of the people is the chief law.
Just a reminder, as a fellow Democrat...don't forget where we came from:
"Rally and March WITH AFL-CIO PRESIDENT RICHARD TRUMKA — NEW YORK CITY— FINANCIAL DISTRICT," the flier says.
"Wall Street tanked America’s economy ... We’re 11 million jobs in the hole, and it’s time for Wall Street to pay up to create them. Join AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and thousands of union and community activists from across the country in the heart of the financial district on April 29th to MAKE WALL STREET PAY."
I welcome all thoughts and views on this debate....but I would ask you to view the present day argument, that addresses this single issue:
Where is Rico?
Where are the Hand cuffs?
Where is the FRAUD being addressed?
Where is the Real Reform in this 'secret bill' that so few of us know about, and who, is going to make out in the end?
Where does President Obama 'really' stand on these issues?
Do you know?

domain: politics


text:
Part 1: Stranded in Cambodia
I happened to be taking a little break from my Shanghai-based job to get a little R&R in sunny Cambodia when two weeks into my trip the Covid-19 virus hit the news. After a few scary days unsure if I would be going back, my employer said work was canceled for the next few weeks at least and I am looking a nice little extended vacation.
Problem is, the virus is going abroad too. So now I feel like I'm actually running from it. I just got off a boat from an island in southern Cambodia when things started to get wonky.
Stick it out in Asia or get far away?
I figure my options are: stay here and ride it out, go back home to the US or go to Europe, or travel around SE Asia till it's safe to return to my apartment in China. My paranoia gets the best of me when it comes to Asian airports and planes at the moment so flying sounds like a bad idea. I also get antsy staying in one place too long but at least that way I could make some money online perhaps. Traveling locally is probably the best option.
As of today I'm undecided but I have been making some interesting observations about everything from China's impact on Cambodia, first through Belt and Road development and now through viruses. I also made observations on getting my finger almost chomped off by an alligator gar and spending a few weeks visiting Cambodian hospitals for stitches, treatment and battling my own infection. Here's part one of the exile in video.
Be sure to check out my podcast about unusual expat lives at Rootabaga.org.
Part 2: Covid in Kampot, Cambodia 2020
After getting my finger nearly bitten off by an alligator gar in Sihanoukville, I made my way over to Kampot where I had some friends running a guesthouse and had wanted to visit anyway.
I could have stayed in Kampot forever it had such a chill vibe and lush, beautiful nature along the river. Not to mention a great music scene. But the corona virus was starting to make its way out of China and a bit of panic was striking neighboring countries in the form of mask and hand sanitizer hoarding.
Here's what being in Kampot Cambodia was like in the very early days of Covid-19.
Part 3: Crossing into Vietnam
On day 4 of being officially in exile from my job in China I decided to go to Vietnam from Cambodia. I ran into some cool Serb dudes on the bus to Ho Chi Minh City and found out they were in the same boat - can't go back to their jobs in Suzhou and are just traveling SE Asia until they can figure things out.
Also check out my podcast about unusual expat lives at Rootabaga.org
Part 4: a month in Saigon
aka early days of getting your temperature checked everywhere you go.
Part 5: (Literally) riding out Covid-19 - southern Vietnam by bicycle 2020
Gearing up in HCMC
I was in Cambodia on vacation from my job in China when Covid-19 broke out and my company told me not to come back any time soon. At first I saw this as more of a blessing than a curse. Who wouldn't want an extended vacation in SE Asia? After a couple of weeks more in Cambodia keeping an eye on the virus situation in China and Cambodia, I decided to go to Vietnam and try my luck at a bicycle ride from south to north.
I was unprepared and had never done a long bike trek but figured this was a good opportunity to try. I spent a couple weeks with a friend looking for a bike and gear and getting ready. I read about Bui Huu Nghia, a street full of bike shops, and ended up with a super cheap Vietnamese brand mountain bike. Nothing really was right about it for me, except the price. It was heavy, too small and had no front rack, which would have helped with my load. But whatever. It would do the trick.
If you are looking for a bike in HCMC, there are better options, including a cluster of bike shops on Vo Thi Sau Street in District 1 and a handful of high-end bike shops around the city.
Here's a little video about getting ready for the trip in Saigon.
Day 1: Saigon to Bihn Mihn
I didn't make it far but some interesting moments - like my teeth cleaning. I only made it about 60k from my room near the center of Saigon. Before I was out of the city I spotted a small dental clinic. I had been meaning to get my teeth cleaned in Saigon where I knew it was cheaper than Shanghai and I knew this would be my last chance for a while. The dental clinic was taking coronavirus precautions but the guy who cleaned my teeth seemed to have no idea what he was doing. Super painful and he seemed to have no method.
It took a while to get to some scenery heading east out of Saigon.
It was a fairly hot and boring ride on busy roads through industrial areas but using bikemaps app, I was able to ride some nice back streets and even some dirt roads. Met lots of friendly people who offered help and one lonely retired Brit expat in a small village who could barely contain his joy at having someone to talk with. Sweet guy and it was hard to pull away after I charged my phone a bit and rehydrated.
Payoff near the end of the ride
At one point after about 40k I thought I was going to have a heat stroke but pulled over at a little shaded cafe. Couldn't believe my luck when I found a row of hammocks by a little pond surrounded by flowers and the owner set me up with an extension chord to charge my phone, a fan, without me even asking.
Rush hour, factory town
At about 5 pm in some satellite town of Saigon, I started seeing hundreds of workers pouring out of factories and plants. Everything from micro-chips to steel pipes. And everyone got off at exactly the same time and for some reason, in one village, they all needed get through one tiny hole in a wall. We all had to wait our turn to squeeze through.
And later, near sunset there were dozens and dozens of kites flying in a very rural area and couldn't help but go off course to find them. Ran into some little gangstas playing elsewhere while their kites flew high tied to bikes and things.
Accommodations are not always ideal on the road
After doing only about 60k I ended up in the only in I could find, a disgusting fleabag hotel that I think was actually a brothel. (US$6) There was an attached massage parlor but I wasn't expecting to find used condoms in the waste basket, stains on the sheets and little flea-like bugs in the bed. I ended up sleeping on the floor on my sleeping pad in a a sleeping bag liner. Oh well, they had cold beer so I survived. Discretion advised.
Day one done, a nice sleep on the floor (next to a filthy bed) and it was time to ride again. Or so I thought. Day 2 next.
Day 2: Ride interrupted
After a rough night's sleep on the floor in a dirty brothel the road was sounding pretty good. My goal was to get to Phan Thiet on the coast but I knew that would be a good 2-day ride. First I grabbed a quick street banh mi and stopped at a roadside cafe for an iced coffee. After I finished my sandwich the sweet woman at the cafe gestured to one of the hammocks in case I needed a nap, which I thought was funny since it was about 8 am. I must have I looked like I had been riding all night. (Don't miss Day 1)
A busy Highway 1 meant plan B
I started out following my bikemap app route again. It was doing a good job so far keeping me off busy roads. But today it took me to a dead end into what looked like a company or government compound and the guard wasn't about to let me pass through. I spent a good couple of hours looking for an alternate route which would not put me too long on National Route 1A, which I was loosely following. 1A was scary as hell with massive trucks and buses changing lanes, passing dodging bikes and scooters.
Not the kind of hitchhiking I had planned
After a while reluctantly trying to ride 1A, I stopped for lunch at a trucker diner. Sitting there I decided to try to hitchhike to Phan Thiet, which would save me a day and keep me off an ugly, dangerous stretch of highway. At the truck stop I found some cardboard and borrowed a marker to make a sign. A friendly teen grabbed the marker from me and wrote out Phan Thiet for me.
I should have asked people there for a ride and most of them were aware of me and my plan but I was a little timid about it and hopped on my bike and road to the nearest gas station. I was standing there with my sign when gas station attendant walked over. Thought he was going to run me off but he grabbed my sign and stepped out to flag down a ride. Only he had a bus in mind, and in about 30 seconds he'd stopped a sleeper bus.
The driver's assistant hopped off, looked at me like he thought I was crazy and after a few minutes agreed to take on me and bike. I was tired and frustrated and not in the mood to bargain so I agreed to the first price he named - 400,000 VND ($16). It was a bit of a rip off but he knew I needed the ride. So off we were to Phan Thiet.
The bus driver was pretty insane and was chatting on his phone the whole time, often with both hands on the phone and steering with his elbows.
Coastal city, an abandoned theme park, spirits lifted
The driver pissed me when he dumped me well short of where I was trying to go and where the bus was supposed to go. I guess he didn't want to get caught by his company with a passenger he was pocketing the money for. But it was all cool since the minute I got off the bus I felt a different vibe. It no longer felt like an industrial suburb of Saigon and I could feel the fresh breeze off the sea. Before I even got a kilometre on the bike I saw an abandoned building with some weird stuff going on, not least of which was an acre of coconut husks drying in the parking lot. Snooping around a bit I realized this was the entrance to some sort of abandoned park surrounded by a moat.
I hid my bike and climbed to the top of the 5 or 6 story building, looking for a way into the park or somewhere to fly my Mavic Air without drawing too much attention. The park was wicked and full of weird sculptures but I could see a couple of people inside who looked like groundskeepers. The only bridge over the moat was gated off and had no entry signs. I did manage to do a little flying but the wind was hard and I almost couldn't control the Mav so it didn't last long.
After another 20k ride through the scenic little town of Phan Thiet I got a room at a guesthouse on the edge of town with a room looking over an inlet, had pho in someone's home/restaurant and got a good night's zzzs.
Day 3-5: Up the coast
Epic, grueling bike tour of Vietnam
I felt a little guilty for taking a bus the previous day and felt the need for a good long ride but the town of Mui Ne was only about 30 kilometers up the coast from Phan Thiet and I had read good things about the beaches there and that was my goal for the day. So this was not starting out to be a super physically challenging tour.
A late breakfast in an open-air cafe that would not have been out of place in a trendy Seoul neighborhood was not a good omen for progress. But it was my first time to have a DIY Vietnamese banh mi, all the ingredients on a plate and a super crispy, fresh baguette ready to stuff. And some insane coffee to wire me for a ride.
Famous dunes of Mui Ne
My spirits were much higher riding up the coast with sweeping views of the sea and fishing villages and fresh air. Something about the landscape here really reminded me of southern California. Dry and hot, cactus and bright flowers, and low, tile-roofed houses. One of the most striking things was the dunes of almost mars-red sand that was soft as baby powder. I don't think I'd ever seen or touched such soft and such red sand.
Actually I had checked it out on Google earth days earlier, trying to figure out if it was worth a swing through. I was seriously puzzled by the color from satellite images. I was even worried it was just a massive concrete swat, it looked so barren and dead. Was so relieved to find out it was natural. Turns out the dunes are a big tourist attraction and lots of money is made off one area where tourists pay to slide down the dunes on sleds.
About halfway to Mui Ne, a young dude with a giant backpack draped over the rear of his bike rode up beside me. He was heading to Mui Ne too so we rode the rest of the way chatting and comparing road stories. A few days later Max, from Amsterdam, and I would ride the same route together.
Mui Ne going to be home for a few days
After I found a cozy inn next to the beach I decided to stay for a a few days. What was the rush? No work in China until at least March. (How optimistic that sounds now). Mui Ne was a trip. Most of the tourists were Russian and menus and signs were mainly in Vietnamese and russian. English seemed to be a third language. The motel reminded me of a roadside motel in Florida when I was a kid - bright beach colors, ocean motifs painted on the walls.
Despite feeling a bit like an outsider I was enjoying the beach, some epic sunsets, and exploring the area, with one run-in withe local wildlife. Not sure what the hell got me but I was covered in a painful itchy rash I thought was sand fleas, but a pharmacist insisted it was jellyfish. And I did one pretty hard 25 kilometer ride up some hilly coastal roads to keep in shape, took a lot of photos and started planning the next part of the trip.
Corona virus was the talk
The corona virus was the dominant topic among the tourists but I don't think anyone had any idea the havoc it was about to wreak globally. Mainly people were talking about the source, which was rumored to be exotic animals and wet markets in Wuhan. Ironically, the most popular bar near me in Mui ne didn't seem to have gotten the memo according to its menu.
Amsterdam Max had suggested taking a bus up into the mountain town of Dalat so that he could enjoy the 25+ kilometer cruise down. I was hesitant to cheat again and thought it would be better to just stay on the relatively flat coast going north. But finally Max convinced me it would be fun so after about 3 days on the beach I put the bike on a bus and went to Dalat where he had already arrived.
Day 6-9: Dalat to Nha Trang - Central Highland Days
Dodging disease in Dalat
A few days in Mui Ne (previous post) and I was getting a little beach and fishing village overload. The coastal road north sounded flat and easier but I worried that the ride would become too repetitive. Plus I was suddenly in the mood for cooler temperatures and some mountain scenery. A Dutch cyclist I met, Max, had the idea of going to Dalat in the Central Highlands and riding the long downhill to the coastal plains and that was starting to sound like a good plan. Plus I had been to Dalat more than 10 years ago and I was curious to see how much it had changed. Dalat is known for being a cool, summer hill station retreat for the French during the colonial era and being a coffee growing area. So I took Max's advice and hopped on a bus up to Dalat to skip the hard ride up. It was a scenic ride and I was stoked to be getting into those hills. If you missed earlier posts go here.
Not sure if the town was feeling the effects of the corona virus yet but I was, on my psyche at least. I was getting pretty depressed at how the trip was turning out. Unsure if I should keep going north and wondering why I was even doing the trip when I could have joined friends who live in Hanoi instead of doing this crazy thing alone in uncertain times. The plan was to join Max and ride to Nha Trang, a ride that would include an amazing 26+ kilometer continuous downhill cruise from the highlands to the coastal plains. But I started remembering visions I had of cycling Vietnam years ago - riding through rural villages and encountering people with not much contact with foreigners, especially some of the many ethnic minorities that make Vietnam so unique. The coastal route was filled with tourist towns and the busy north-south highway, making that hard to get.
I started looking at options on a more inland route that would change the dynamic of the trip. I got in touch with Max and told him I might not join him for the ride to the coast and to my surprise he thought my idea might be better. We met for drinks and talked about the options but in the end he convinced me to join him on the downhill to Nha Trang. I could have kept going solo but was feeling a little depressed about the whole virus situation and how I was somehow managing to miss seeing my friends up North again. It felt like I needed to travel with someone.
Here's me pondering the decision and trying to make vlog content (and rejoicing when I found an ATM that would accept my Chinese card when I was almost out of cash)
Dalat looked like it would be a super fun town to chill in, but the mood was weird under the circumstances. The one time I felt at ease was drinking local infused rice wine with the guys at Cù Rú, a giant bar set up in a green house on the outskirts of town. The people who run it are artsy Saigon transplants and they have the hippest bar in town with great music, lounge-y vibe, interesting conversationalists, and connections to the local live music scene.
We agreed to meet the next morning with aim of getting near the pass where the long downhill ride started and stay one night. The first day did not do much to make me feel better. It wasn't a hard ride but it was pretty boring at first. Farm after farm, green house after green house and a little dead looking since it was winter. Everything looked the same for miles. Not ugly but not that great either.
Note to self: some wicked guesthouses in the middle of nowhere
After about 30km we started looking for a place to stay based on some pins we'd placed at what looked like promising villages or potential guesthouses. We stopped at one homestay guesthouse Max had found and it looked amazing but it was only early afternoon and we felt like we had not covered enough road. Plus the owners were away. They were super friendly on the phone and wanted to come help us but we decided to move on. I'd love to go back some day because it looked to cool.
Riding on we came to an area that felt like a decent stopping point and saw a billboard for rooms at a coffee coffee "resort". We decided to check it out and it turned out to be perfect. Chappi's is a coffee growing plantation run by a Swiss guy and his Vietnamese wife whose family has been coffee growers for several generations. Rustic hand-built cabins, stunning central highlands scenery, lots of pets, good coffee, good people and the promise of home-cooked food and we were sold.
Chappi Mountains Coffee Guesthouse
We didn't have much time to explore the coffee plants or learn much about the operation but they did show us several dead coffee and banana trees and said it was the first time they could remember temperatures dropping low enough in winter to kill the plants. Lovely place I'd like to visit again.
To the sea
The next morning after two cups of locally-grown rocket fuel we were ready for some uphill before the insane long downhill. The day before, Max and I had fallen into the groove. He's a younger, former cycle racer and was riding a better bike so he naturally would get ahead, and then stop and wait, a pattern he didn't seem to mind.
This day it kind of messed with us because when he got to the pass he pulled into a scenic view point pull-off that I somehow missed and he was chilling with a park ranger. So when I got to the top I rode right past him. That resulted in pretty much a half a day of riding without ever seeing each other. What sucks is that Max, being the loyal and attentive riding partner he proved often to be, went back downhill a couple of kilometers to check on me. Sorry bro.
On the grueling climb up to the pass a couple of interesting things happened. For one, ever since I had arrived in Cambodia, and then Vietnam, I had not heard any tropical birds or wildlife. But for the first time, on the ride up which was through a national forest and very dense jungle I started hearing some amazing sounds. Birds for sure, monkeys likely. I stopped to make a little recording.
Near the top of the climb to the pass, I saw an older gentleman cruising down the opposite direction. I was stopped taking a break so he pulled over. It was Jean Francois (if I remember correctly), a road-weathered but incredibly energetic 70-something French man with a gaping smile (after a brutal climb up the other side!). He told me he'd seen Max ahead and a little bit about how he'd cycled in pretty much every continent on the globe. Amazing dude and I am so sad I did not take his photo. Ride on my beautiful friend. (He brought up the lack of wild life and I told him about my bird recordings. He just laughed and told me about his rides in Borneo)
So anyway. I had a beautiful ride down the other side but without my buddy Max. Here's a little video recap of the day.
30k of downhill thrills in the Central Highlands
I made frequent stops to take photos and set up my Xiaomi Yi action cam but somehow Max never caught up with me. Bizarrely, at the very bottom, moments after I had decided that he had just gotten tired of riding with me, and I had started booking on towards the coast on the plains, I got a message saying he was at the bottom at a diner, and we managed to connect again.
Downhill in images
Max picked up a third cyclist along the way, the energetic Gabriella from Czech Republic, who was riding an insane triangle route mostly the same we had ridden, including the uphill to Dalat that we had bussed - with only a tiny backpack with barely a change of clothes. Made me feel like the biggest wuss.
To make matters worse, she was an expert at finding every swimming hole along the way and was constantly swimming, something I sorely wanted to do but kept missing the swimming holes she was so adept at spotting when she pedalled way ahead of us. We only heard about them later.
Finally the three of us cruised into rush hour in Nha Trang. Riding seemed at the time like an extreme sport. I'd ridden my bike for days in Saigon and I've spent a good bit of time in Hanoi scooters but this was insane and I was actually worried for the first time that one of us would get hurt. But after 70 kilometers I was in little mood to set up cameras. So to our respective guesthouses we rode.
Nha Trang was weird. My hotel was weird (I had to go through a foot massage shop to get the elevator and there no sign to the hotel), the vibe was weird with almost only Russian families to be seen, and my state was weird with continuing news of the virus and no end in sight.
I'd been to Nha Trang and Dalat both many years ago. Neither seemed anything like what I remembered but I wasn't in the mood to dwell on what the differences were. I do remember reading warnings about Nha Trang that one needed to be careful on the beach at night because ladyboy muggers would accost you on the beach or walking home, or just that crime in general was rampant. I'm pretty sure this was no longer an issue. Here's what the first day or two looked like in snapshots.
Po Nagar Champa Shrine
History and museums had been lacking on this trip so when I heard that Nha Trang had been a center of the ancient Champa culture I did squeeze in a visit an amazing old Champa shrine complex, Po Nagar Tower. The structures and views from the hilltop setting were pretty awe inspiring and the interior of the main shrine is an active place of worship of the goddess Yan Po Nagar. I've seen a few temple interiors in my 23 years in Asia but I can honestly say this one blew me away with its intensely smoky and mysterious vibe and vivid reds, yellows, sparkly stones and gilt details. No photos are allowed and I can't even find on online. We were required to wear robes over shorts and tee shirts to enter. I did at least get some exterior shots.
Beautiful town, dismal vibe
I don't know whether it was the virus vibe or just being a winter resort town that affected the mood among locals here but in my hotel and surrounding shops the mood was grim. I had two horrible massages here where the masseuses were more interested in their phones than giving a decent massage. But I soon realized massages are a terrible idea anyway during a pandemic so I gave up on my usual partaking.
Anyway, I got a little bike maintenance done, got some good rest, ate well, did some laundry and planned the next ride (kind of) with Max. That's up next.
Day 10-15: Back into the hills - Buon Ma Thuot
@sonyalpha #sonya7ii #sonyalpha @tamronusa #tamron #tamron1728 #solocycling #vietnam #kites #cyclevietnam #binhminh #biketour #diy #gear #cycle #bike @decathlon_vietnam #hochiminhcity #saigon @trekkingbyforclaz @_____btwin_cycles_____ @xiaomi.global #blackburnpannier #etc #cyclegram #vietnam @garmin @bikemap @fornixbicycles #dalat #cambodia #kampot #HCMC #Vietnam #covid19 #Serbians #expat #exile #coronavirus

domain: geography


text:
The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest have revealed four different scenarios that would see Rotterdam host the show next year, after the coronavirus crisis caused the cancellation of the 2020 contest.
Scenario A: A normal Eurovision Song Contest
In this situation, the Eurovision Song Contest will be organized as normal from Rotterdam’s Ahoy Arena with 9 shows (including the dress rehearsals) in a packed venue, with delegations and artists from all the participating broadcasters and numerous activities in and around Rotterdam.
The feasibility of this scenario largely depends on the roll-out of a possible vaccine for COVID-19 or the availability of reliable testing.
Scenario B: Socially distant Eurovision Song Contest – at 1.5 meters
Everyone present at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam would need to practice social distancing and remain 1.5 meters from each other at all times.
Again, there would be 9 shows, with an audience in the arena, but with limited capacity to allow for social distancing.
Teams from each participating broadcaster would travel to Rotterdam, but with limits on the number of people in each delegation and on the number of press who could attend. Activities in and around Rotterdam would be adapted accordingly.
Because there would be less space for the audience in this scenario, a new seating layout would have to be made. If that happens, a fair draw will be held to decide who can still attend each show.
Scenario C: A Eurovision Song Contest with travel restrictions
A Eurovision Song Contest, probably also socially distanced, from Rotterdam’s Ahoy Arena as in scenario B, with 9 shows and a limited number of audience members in the arena.
If there are any delegations who cannot travel to Rotterdam, their artists will perform from their own country.
All performances in the shows will be brought together in Rotterdam. The entries of the countries that are allowed to travel and the opening and interval acts will still be performed live.
Scenario D: Eurovision Song Contest in lockdown
Should the Netherlands end up in a lockdown-like situation again, there will be a Eurovision Song Contest without an audience and probably without activities in and around Rotterdam.
A definitive choice between scenarios will be made based on the situation in the early months of 2021.
Time for a reboot
It was also confirmed that the theme for the 65th Eurovision Song Contest will remain the same – Open Up.
The slogan ‘Open Up’ was originally intentionally incomplete when it was chosen for Eurovision 2020. “Feel the freedom to complete the slogan in your own way. We found it important to choose a theme that reflects the spirit of our times. With the slogan we warmly invite people to open up to others, to different opinions, each other’s stories and of course to each other’s music,” said Sietse back in 2019.
Chantal Janzen, Jan Smit, Edsilia Rombley and Nikkie de Jager (NikkieTutorials) will return as presenters in 2021. They were set to host Eurovision 2020, and presented Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light in May.
During the press event, it was also announced that the stage design for Eurovision 2020 will come back in 2021: “The stage will be carried over to next year because that was already prepared. Apart from that, a lot depends on what is possible at that time, on the availability of all those involved and on what fits the spirit of 2021″ Sietse told us.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 will take place in Ahoy, Rotterdam in The Netherlands on 19, 21 and 23 May 2021. Eurofans in New Zealand can watch all three shows live on the official Eurovision YouTube channel, without commentary.

domain: news


text:
This really is the peoples park. Visited in January and it was really cold - went for a walk in the park not long after first light - the lake was frozen over apart from the bit that the ducks and swans had kept clear by paddling around. Didn't really expect to see anyone but there were groups of joggers, loads of dog walkers, solo walkers, couples, even mothers with babies in prams ! Impressive. There are lovely paved walks right down around the playing fields and down to the lake - complete with a really pretty waterfall. A lovely woodland area goes down to a gated access to the Dodder River walk -the river is pretty wide and there is a stepping stone crossing to the path on the other side. Lots to see and do here and so worth a visit .
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The Hollywood Reporter has revealed a first look at some of Mattel’s exclusives based on the DC Comics brand, which will be released at San Diego Comic Con 2018. First, Mattel will be releasing a special Hot Wheels set based on Superman Action Comics No. 1, which was released in 1938. As a homage to the cover, the set will feature a mini Superman figure holding up the iconic green sedan. This special set will retail for $20. The second exclusive will feature new comic based DC Multiverse 6 inch figures. The set will include Aquaman, Ocean Master, Black Manta, interchangeable hands, and a variety of other accessories. The setRead More
Entertainment Weekly has revealed a first look at Black Manta in the upcoming live-action Aquaman film. While a full look of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in costume has not been shown, the photo reveals David Kane aka Black Manta working on his armor. For those who have not been following, the film’s main antagonist will be King Orm aka Ocean Master,who will be portrayed by Patrick Wilson. The film also stars Amber Heard who will return to portray her role as Princess Mera, Nicole Kidman as Queen Atlanna, and Dolph Lundgren who is portraying King Nereus. James Wan, director of the Aquaman film had this to say about Black Manta. “He’s partRead More
ANN has recently reported that the Batman Ninja film will be receiving a manga adaptation by Masato Hisa. The manga will be published in the July issue of the Monthly Hero magazine in Japan this Friday. For those who are unaware the manga is based on the direct to home video Batman Ninja animated film that was released on May 8. The film will debut in Japanese theaters on June 15 and will feature a Japanese voice dub cast. Warner Brothers provided a synopsis. Batman Ninja takes a journey across the ages as Gorilla Grodd’s time displacement machine transports many ofRead More
The official Lego Youtube channel has updated with a reveal trailer for the LEGO DC Super-Villains video game. The game is exciting to see specially since the last standalone Lego video game based on the property was Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham in 2014. While DC characters prominently appeared in Lego Dimensions, it has been some time since they had a standalone title. Unlike the previous games, which were mostly based on the heroes on the DC Universe, the latest game will mostly focus on the villains. Warner Brothers provided an official synopsis for the game. LEGO DCRead More
DC Entertainment has recently announced that a new Doom Patrol TV series will be joining the lineup for their DC Universe streaming service. The series will be produced by Berlanti Productions with the help of Warner Bros. Television. The first season of the series is currently set to 13 episodes and is said to start production later this year with the series releasing on the service in 2019. Greg Berlanti, Geoff Johns, Jeremy Carver, and Sarah Schechter will serve as executive producers on the project. DOOM PATROL is a re-imagining of one of DC’s most beloved group of outcast Super Heroes: Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-GirlRead More
IGN has recently updated their official Youtube channel with the debut trailer for the upcoming DC animated film, “The Death of Superman.” Longtime DC animated film fans should recognize this story for both the “The Death of Superman” comic storyline as well as the 2007 film, “Superman Doomsday.” While the original film was inspired by Superman: The Animated Series, the new film however, will feature the story playing out in the connected Justice League animated movie continuity that began with Justice League War. The Death of Superman will be released on Digital and Blu-ray this Summer. The all-star cast is ledRead More
After the initial announcement last year, details have been scarce for the upcoming DC Entertainment streaming service. Today DC finally revealed the first details about the service The streaming service will be known as DC Universe, and will allow subscribers to have unlimited access to several exclusive content. Some highlights include the long awaited Young Justice: Outsiders animated series, the live-action DC’s Titans series, and DC’s Harley Quinn animated series. DC Universe is also working on a television series called Swamp Thing that will also premiere on this platform. We also have the logo for the upcoming series.Read More
DC Entertainment has updated their official Youtube channel with a new trailer for Teen Titans Go! to the Movies. The latest trailer features at the premise for the film and features a look at Deathstroke who will played by Will Arnett. Teeen Titans Go! To the Movies will premiere in theaters on July 27.
Several new outlets have reported that Cathy Yan is set to direct the next DC spinoff film, which will focus on Harley Quinn. The film will be based on the Birds of the Prey comic series and Margot Robbie will return to reprise the titular role. LuckyChap Entertainment and Kroll & Co Entertainment will be producing the film alongside Bryan Unkeless’ Clubhouse Pictures. Seeing as the project is still early in development no other details are confirmed at this time so stay tuned for updates.
Entertainment Weekly has reported that Matt Ryan, aka John Constantine, is set to become a series regular if DC’s Legend of Tomorrow gets renewed for a fourth season. The character has appeared within the CW verse several times in the past so it will be interesting to see him more as a major contributor to the show. The character will appear in tonight’s episode of DC Legends of Tomorrow, and will also appear in the season finale, which will premiere on April 9. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. No other details are confirmed atRead More
It has recently been reported via various media outlets that Ava DuVernay is set to direct DC’s “New Gods,” which is the latest project in the DC Extended Universe. It has also been revealed that Kario Salem is set to to be the head writer for the project. The film is based on the comic series with the same name by Jack Kirby that was released in 1971. The New Gods have also appeared in other various comic storylines throughout the years. For those who are unaware, the New Gods are natives to two planets in the DC universe known as NewRead More
Den of Geek recently reported that Dwain Murphy is set to portray Larry Trainor aka Negative Man in the upcoming DC’s live-action Titans series. Den of Geek provided a description for the character. A pilot in the Air Force, Larry Trainor crashed his plane and was exposed to a mysterious “negative” energy. Wrapped in bandages to protect those around him, Larry struggles with this new strange power. As Negative Man, Larry has the ability to project a “soul-self” that has the ability to fly and use energy based attacks. and later joins the Doom Patrol. Negative Man and theRead More
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text:
WASHINGTON, (NEXSTAR) — The Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday that the Department of Justice is taking new steps to protect voting rights.
Garland said his department will push back against new voter laws in Republican-led states that he says restricts access to the ballot, as voting rights continues to be a top priority of the Biden administration.
Garland said upholding voting rights is not up for debate.
He says his office will use every tool available to uphold that promise, but that it’s going to take an act of Congress to ensure every American has access to the ballot.
“The right to vote is the corner stone of our democracy,” Garland said. “Where we see violations, we will not hesitate to act.”
Garland announced the DOJ will double the numbers of lawyers in its civil rights division to push back against what he calls a wave of voter suppression laws.
He said recent voter laws passed in 14 Republican-led states will make it harder for millions of Americans to vote, especially Americans of color.
“In some jurisdictions non-white voters must wait in line substantially longer than white voters,” Garland said.
Garland and President Joe Biden are also calling on Congress to reinstate the 1965 voting rights act, but Republicans call that effort political.
“So many polling locations in majority Democrat areas were shut down before the election,” said Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill.
“Where was the outrage from Democrats,” Bryan Steil, R-Wis, said.
At a Friday hearing, Republicans argued Democrats are mischaracterizing the problem to push forward their own agenda.
“There are, I think, really common sense solutions that don’t involve a federal government takeover of our election system,” Steil said.
Republicans say they are open to passing bills to address long wait lines, but say Democrats are refusing to bring their bills to the floor.
Garland say his staffing surge will happen within the next 30 days.

domain: sociology


text:
Plot – Boyd Mitchler and his family must spend Christmas with his estranged family of misfits. Upon realizing that he left all his son’s gifts at home, he hits the road with his dad in an attempt to make the 8-hour round trip before sunrise.
Release Date: Non Set in UK
Being one of Robin Williams last film you have to wonder if it will be a fitting finish to his career?
Do you think this looks funny?
I for one am not a big Christmas film fan but will this have enough to interest me?
Will I Be Watching? Yes
Will You Be Watching?
My Anticipation Rating – 50%
My Guess Rating – 60%
Will It Be Number One In UK? – No


text:
and Biography For Lynn D. Ketchum, M.D.
Doctor Ketchum received his medical degree in 1960 from Tulane University
in New Orleans, Louisiana after which he took a General Surgery residency at the Ochsner
Clinic, also in New Orleans, followed by a Plastic Surgery residency at the University
of Kansas Medical Center, in Kansas City, Kansas which he completed in 1966. After
serving two years in the Navy during the Vietnam conflict, he returned to the
University of Kansas Medical Center, where he was a Professor in Plastic Surgery
for 11 years.
In 1979, Dr. Ketchum went into private practice in Overland Park, Kansas,
where he established a Hand Surgery Fellowship program and has trained 20 physicians in
surgery of the hand.
Doctor Ketchum has been injecting nodules of Dupuytren’s
contracture with Triamcinolone and doing
dermofasciectomies for established contractures since 1970. He has been doing flexor
tenosynovectomies for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and appropriate indications
for that procedure since 1990.
To date, Dr. Ketchum has produced 64 medical publications
regarding Plastic and Reconstructive Hand Surgery.
Lynn D. Ketchum, M.D.

domain: medical


text: Tonight’s Monday Night Football game features two NFC teams. The Seattle Seahawks will travel East to Pennsylvania to take on the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles, who reside in what is the worst division in football, the NFC East, once again registered a loss last week in Cleveland at the hands of the Cleveland Browns by a 17 to 22 score. Last week also marked the second loss in a row for the Eagles. The Seahawks, who by contrast, reside in one of the better divisions in football, the NFC West, are coming off a divisional win last week.


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It's no secret that Colorado gardener's have some tough soil to deal with! But don't let that slow you down, because our hardgoods experts give us several ways to test and amend your soil, to make a blissful home for your plants!
Soil pH is one of the most important factors influencing your gardening success, because it affects the availability of nutrients to plants, as well as the microbial activity in your soil. No matter the quality of the fertilizer or supplement you apply, the plant can’t use it if the pH is too high. Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a soil. On the pH scale, 7.0 is neutral, above 7 is alkaline, below 7 is acidic. Bleach for example is very alkaline. Lemon juice is very acidic. Most plants prefer a pH of between 6 and 7. Our soils are typically 7 or greater.
There are several ways to check your soil pH. Home test kits are a quick and relatively easy way to get a reading on pH. Soil test meters are an economical way to test pH. A meters lets you test your soil in multiple locations (yes, it can vary greatly across the garden), quickly and easily. Meters come either with a digital or an analog readout. You don’t have to mix anything and you can do the test as often as you like in a short period of time. There are also kits which utilize a capsule system to accomplish the test. You combine soil, water and a test capsule in the test tube provided, and then compare the color with the included chart to get the answer. You can buy test kits specifically for pH, or kits that include pH plus Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K).
Home test kits are easy and handy, but to get a more complete understanding of your soil, we recommend you get a soil test analysis from the laboratory at Colorado State University. You can get a mailer and test instructions in the Hardgoods section of the store. The mailer is free, but you do pay a fee to CSU for the test (around $30). You will receive a comprehensive analysis of your soil.
Here’s another quick test for you to determine the makeup of your soil. You need a mason jar, some dish soap and water. Put a cup of the soil you want to sample in the mason jar. Add 1-2 cups of water and ½ tsp of dish soap. Shake well and let it sit undisturbed for 24 hours. You’ll see that the soil has settled into layers. The first layer will be sand. The second layer will be silt and the third layer clay. Organic material will float to the top. Calculate the percentages by volume to see what your soil structure is made up of. For example, If you have equal parts sand and silt with a smaller layer of clay and some organic material floating on top, your soil would be 40% sand, 40% silt, 20% clay. Most of the time, you’re going to see a small amount of sand and silt and a large percentage of clay.
When you’re testing, bring the results in to the store. Depending on the outcome of your tests, we’ll be glad to make recommendations for products to help correct the problems you have.

domain: agronomy


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Should people lose rights because they are sympathetic to, but do not actually help, terrorist groups? Should law enforcement be the arbiter of those sympathizers who should be placed on "watch lists"?
Democrats said "yes" to both questions recently as they released a report showing that 35 gun purchases during the first half of last year were made by people on terrorist "watch lists" and called it a major public security risk. Their solution? Ban the sale of guns to people law enforcement places on the "watch list."
Evening news broadcasts, such as CBS’, led their segments on the report denouncing the sales: "As incredible as it sounds . . . ." Democratic Senators such as Hillary Clinton, Jon Corzine, Ted Kennedy, Carl Levin, Charles Schumer, and Frank Lautenberg quickly came out strongly saying that "suspected" individuals should be prohibited from buying guns.
The 35 "suspected" purchases, out of 3.1 million total transactions, were allowed because background checks found no prohibiting information. No felonies or disqualifying misdemeanors, for example. They were neither fugitives from justice nor illegal aliens. Nor had they ever disavowed their US citizenship.
The FBI was alerted when these sales took place, but the transactions weren’t stopped because the law didn’t prohibit them. "Suspects" didn’t have to be foreigners. They may have simply been individuals classified by law enforcement as sympathetic to militia groups or other undesirable domestic organizations. Ironically, this debate occurred as the U.S. Supreme Court slapped down state laws that use police reports to set prison sentences because police reports are not reliable. Being on the "watch list" would also just rely on police reports. There would be no adjudication by a judge, no trial by jury, before being placed on the list.
Some politicians have recently experienced being on a "watch list" firsthand.
Sen. Ted Kennedy was understandably upset last year and publicly complained to the Senate Judiciary committee when he was prevented from flying on an airplane because his name was placed on just such a "watch list." Rules did not allow him to be told at the airport why he was being denied a ticket, but fortunately for him being a U.S. senator meant the problem was solved with a few telephone calls.
Ultimately, though, despite all the fears generated, background checks simply aren’t the solution. The Federal Brady Act has been in effect for 11 years and state background checks even longer. But despite all the academic research that has been done, a recent National Academy of Sciences report could not find any evidence – not a single published academic study – that background checks reduce any type of violent crime.
Surely, it would be nice if these regulations worked. But it’s hard to believe they will be any more successful stopping terrorists. Criminals and terrorists share a lot in common, starting with the fact that what they are doing is illegal. In addition, terrorists are probably smarter and engage in vastly more planning than your typical criminal, thus making the rules even less likely to be successful.
Yet Sen. Carl Levin, for example, has been more solicitous of the constitutional rights of foreign combatants held in Guantanamo to "due process" then he is to the rights of Americans. He believes Americans can lose their rights to own a gun without an evidentiary hearing.
Democrats may think that people on "watch lists" should be denied their rights to own a gun, but what is next? Why not just make the system much "more efficient" and simply put all people "watch lists" directly in prison?


Today the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) released a report following an investigation into the status and management of longfin eel.
Longfin eel are not a protected species and under the New Zealand threat classification system are listed as being ‘at risk – in decline.’
Longfin eel have been fished commercially for many years and were brought into the Quota Management system from 2000. The longfin eel fishery is managed by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
The Department of Conservation is responsible for the management of native fish species and freshwater habitats in the areas that we administer.
The report lists three specific recommendations to Parliament. These are:
- That the Minister for Primary Industries suspends the commercial catch of longfin eels until longfin eel stocks are shown to have recovered.
- That the Minister of Conservation directs his officials to use the policy mechanisms available to them to increase the protection for longfin eels and other threatened migratory fish.
- That the Minister of Primary Industries directs his officials to establish a fully-independent expert peer review panel to assess the full range of information available on the status of the longfin eel population.
The report was tabled in Parliament today at 2 pm.
DOC will not be commenting further until we have considered the recommendations and determined a course of action which will involve working with MPI.


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On Saturday night, Duke will begin ACC play against Clemson. The Blue Zone breaks down three aspects of the game that could tilt the contest in the Blue Devils’ last game before conference play:
Get the outside shot, and Alex O’Connell, going
It’s no secret—this year’s Blue Devils simply can not get their outside shots to fall consistently. Duke’s 32.4 percent clip from beyond the arc ranks as the 256th best mark in the nation, and is nearly 5 percentage points below last season’s 3-point percentage.
While most efforts to solve the Blue Devils’ 3-point woes seem to focus on Cam Reddish, the team’s highest volume outside shooter, improving, the solution may come elsewhere, particularly from reserve guard Alex O’Connell. With a 48.9 percent conversion rate, O’Connell led Duke in 3-point percentage last year. Although the Roswell, Ga., native is down to a more pedestrian 37.5 percent clip from outside this year, O’Connell could be key as an offensive spark for the Blue Devils against the Tigers and as conference play progresses.
Control the paint
With Zion Williamson, Javin DeLaurier, Marques Bolden and Jack White, Duke has perhaps the best interior defense in all of college basketball, leading the country in blocks by a wide margin. However, this Clemson team has some of the strongest finishers in the ACC, and boasts the No. 10 offense nationally in terms of 2-point field goal percentage.
Although Marcquise Reed averages more than 20 points per game, it is the inside scorers that truly power the Tigers’ offense. Elijah Thomas and David Skara both rank in the top 30 in the country in terms of effective field goal percentage, posing perhaps the biggest challenge inside for this vaunted Blue Devil defense so far. If Duke can continue its stellar defensive play in the paint, it should coast to victory in its first action of 2019.
Shake off the cobwebs
With a 16-day break since its last contest, Duke will need to avoid looking rusty in its conference opener against Clemson Saturday night. In fact, the top-ranked Blue Devils have played in just two contests since Dec. 8, with victories over Princeton and No. 11 Texas Tech on Dec. 20 and Dec. 22, respectively. Despite Duke opening ACC play as a 15-point favorite, it needs to avoid an early conference loss, like its 96-85 defeat to unranked N.C. State 364 days ago, in order to be in pole position for the regular season ACC title.
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August 01, 2018 | Cbonds
|Ukraine’s Finance Ministry raised UAH 1.0 bln at its weekly local bond auction held on July 31 after UAH 5.0 bln were raised last week. At the auction, where 6M, 1Y and 3Y bonds were offered, the lion's share came from the sale of 6M bonds, while the sale of 3Y bonds brought only UAH 12.7 mln.|
The six-month bonds were sold to three bidders at an interest rate of 18.00% – the same as for three-month bonds sold last week. The government satisfied two out of three bids for 3Y bonds at a weighted average interest rate of 16.82% (vs. 16.70% two weeks ago).
Evgeniya Akhtyrko: The demand for UAH-denominated local bonds is typically weak during the slow summer season. High interest rates for local bonds increase the risks both for holders and the issuer, so budget financing needs are being covered mostly by 3M and 6M bonds, which offer the shortest terms. We are not likely to see any significant moves on the primary local bond market through the end of the summer.
|Full company name||Ukraine|
|Country of risk||Ukraine|


West Perry parlayed lock-down pitching, sound defense and a go-go offense into 20 regular-season wins and an 8-0 knockout of Palmyra in the opening round of the District 3-AAA baseball tournament.
When the first two parts of that formula failed, the third proved insufficient and the Mustangs went down ... hard ... and out.
On May 23 at Wenger Field in Fredericksburg, West Perry committed three costly errors that led to four unearned runs in the first two innings, starting pitcher Tregg Liebel got roughed up for eight hits in 1.2 innings and Lampeter-Strasburg ended the Mustangs’ fine season with a 10-8 defeat.
“We made too many mistakes early on and we ended up asking a lot of our offense,” said Mustang coach Jeff Sanno. “(The offense) kept bailing us out. We just couldn’t answer (the Pioneers’) last rally.”
Liebel, a control artist dependent on pinpoint location and defensive support, had neither against L-S, the No. 7 seed from the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
The left-hander was in trouble from the start.
Pioneer catcher Regan Hershey reached on an infield error and went to second on a single. Liebel picked Hershey off second, but the Pioneers kept attacking.
After Liebel got an out on a fly to right, the Pioneers extended the inning on a second Mustang error, Michael Warfel followed with a run-scoring single and, when Cameron Enck singled, a run scored.
The Mustangs got a break when the throw home sailed over catcher Brandon Hower’s head. Warfel, trying to score from second, was thrown out at the plate, Hower to Liebel.
As they would three times, West Perry answered.
Taking advantage of Enck’s wildness, the Mustangs packaged three two-strike hits, a hit-by-pitch and two walks into four first-inning runs and a 4-2 lead.
The Pioneers tied the game in the second with three straight two-out hits, then went up 6-4 on a third Mustang error.
After the fifth hit of the inning, Sanno replaced Liebel with Joel Clabaugh, who fanned the only batter he faced, stranding two baserunners.
Again, West Perry answered.
Deric Ellerman walked to open the second and Ryan McMillen singled to right-center chasing Ellerman to third.
Ellerman scored on Hower’s sacrifice bunt and McMillen, who’d moved to third on the bunt, crossed the plate on Ben Dum’s groundout.
Clabaugh and Enck traded zeroes over the next three innings, but the Pioneers scored twice in the sixth.
The Mustangs got those runs back on a walk, Clabaugh’s double to deep left field, Liebel’s fielder’s choice groundout and McMillen’s infield hit.
L-S was back for more in the seventh, scoring twice to go up 10-8.
The Mustangs, despite getting runners on first and third, failed in their attempt to tie the game.
“Joel battled and battled. He pitched his tail off, Sanno said. “He came in and shut them down for a while. (The game) just kind of slipped away.”
Sanno, whose senior class played an important role in accumulating 72 wins over four years, shrugged off his fourth quarterfinal loss in six years with, “There’s a lot of teams sitting home who would like to be here. I’m proud of these kids for what they accomplished.”
Ben Dum pitched West Perry into the quarterfinals with a dazzling performance against Palmyra. The sophomore right-hander gave up a bloop single to center with one down in the first, then after Ellerman snagged a line drive and doubled the runner off first to end the inning, Dum set down the final 18 batters in order.
As sharp as he’s been all season, Dum completed his one-hit, no-walk, three-K gem with just 72 pitches, 47 which were strikes.
The Mustang offense slowly ground into production, having gone the first three frames without scoring a run.
West Perry scored two runs in the fourth on one hit, Ellerman’s RBI double. It tacked on three in the fifth with Clabaugh and Ellerman delivering run-scoring singles.
Sanno unwrapped his small-ball game for the sixth inning and popped for three runs.
Dum opened with a single. One out later, Ryan Olszewski, running for Dum, scored when Zach Smith bunted for a hit and Palmyra threw the ball away. Smith and Clabaugh, who had walked, later scored — Clabaugh on Liebel’s hit.


The second floor of the Miami-Dade County Library in downtown Miami buzzes with conversation. It's a space where talking is encouraged.
Eight people seated around a table are discussing the day’s news. Min Shaheen, a librarian, brings up the Trump administration’s plans to end a deal between Major League Baseball and Cuba.
“What’s the take of the potential players?” Shaheen asks Carlos Fernandez, who moved to South Florida from Cuba three years ago.


Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MAHATRANSCO) exam previous years papers for Assistance Engineer (AE) related notification will going to notify in a short duration of time. All candidates who are waiting for exam syllabus of MAHATRANSCO for Assistance Engineer exam will soon check out related information so keep visiting it’s in mahatransco.in official website online as well as our webpage also.
MAHATRANSCO Previous Year Papers – AE | Check
Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited in simple term pronounces as (MSETCL), and in other words called MAHATRANSCO is a government owned electricity Transmission Company. Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited was starts it’s functioning June 6, 2005, as MSEB was trifurcated. The Headquarters of the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited located at Bandra, Mumbai city of Maharashtra state in India.
MAHATRANSCO provide its service area in throughout the Maharashtra state. The current Managing Director of the MAHATRANSCO is Shri Rajiv Kumar Mittal and Chairman is Shri Chandrashekar Bawankule. The primary motive of establishment of the Maharashtra MAHATRANSCO is to transmission of electricity all over the Maharashtra state. The parent organization of the MAHATRANSCO is government of Maharashtra.
Web Portal: https://www.mahatransco.in
MAHATRANSCO AE Previous Years Papers,
MAHATRANSCO AE Exam Syllabus


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Lesbian Couple Sues North Carolina Over Anti-LGBT HB2
A lesbian couple has filed a lawsuit against the state of North Carolina over the recently introduced HB2.
Beverly Newell, 45, and Kelly Trent, 39, say that a fertility clinic turned them down based on their sexual orientation.
They have joined a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which alleges that the highly controversial HB2 has led to discrimination.
In a statement released on Friday, Newell said: “It’s unnerving to know that we could be turned away by any business for being a same-sex couple and have no recourse because of HB2.
“HB2 has encouraged this type of conduct and we no longer have the ability to file discrimination complaints when this type of thing happens in our home city of Charlotte. The bill has made it OK to harm LGBT people. The state of North Carolina is better than this.”
The lawsuit was filed last month in a US District Court in North Carolina, and was modified on Friday to include the names of the new plaintiffs.
Among others, Governor Pat McCrory was named as a defendant – he signed the bill, and has continually defended it against swathes of criticism from across the US and beyond.
“HB2 has exposed them to discrimination based on sexual orientation,” ACLU Senior Staff Attorney Elizabeth Gill told ABC News.
“It was their experience that all of the discussion about HB2 and its effects was basically giving license to businesses in the state to discriminate. They did experience discrimination and are worried it would happen again.”

domain: law


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Photo via CityRealty
Maple East New York Housing, located where the Crown Heights and East Flatbush neighborhoods of Brooklyn meet, is accepting applications for 16 affordable apartments. The building, found at 918 East New York Avenue, contains a blend of affordable and supportive housing, offering a mix of studios, one and two bedroom units. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the $1,017/month one-bedrooms and $1,224/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
Photo via CityRealty
If you are a single New Yorker earning $58,450 or less per year, you fall under the low income category, according to 2018 estimates released last month by the U.S. Department of Housing (HUD). These income limits are established by the government to help figure out if residents are eligible for subsidized and affordable housing. Even though the median family income in NYC and its surrounding area slightly increased this year to $70,300 from $66,200 in 2017, the high cost of living continues to place a significant burden on New Yorkers (h/t Curbed NY).
More this way
As 6sqft previously reported, after getting the green light for La Central, a new development that would bring nearly 1,000 units of affordable housing to the site of the Bronx Zoo-bordering Lambert Houses, construction on phase 1 of the project is well underway. Welcome2TheBronx reports that a 160-unit building D at Bergen Avenue and 152nd Street, a supportive housing building for formerly homeless individuals, is almost topped out and is scheduled to be finished by the summer of 2019. Two more buildings in the 992 unit, 1.1-million-square-foot Hudson Companies, Inc, development have broken ground.
Find out more
Rendering of the Sumner Houses Senior Building, courtesy of the Architect, Studio Libeskind (via NYC Housing Authority)
Though he has called New York home for decades, noted Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind has yet to see a NYC building to completion. But it appears that may soon change, as CityRealty reports that his first ground-up building will be a 197-unit affordable housing project on Site 2 of the Sumner Houses in Bed-Stuy. A January press release announcing the selection of the project’s developers credits Studio Daniel Libeskind as the designer of the 10-story building-to-be, and a rendering shows an angular white-colored building done in the firm’s signature un-orthogonal style.
Find out more
According to a recent article by the Wall Street Journal, New York City housing may, in fact, be consuming less of our hard-earned dollars. Housing costs are responsible for an increasingly smaller chunk of New Yorkers’ monthly budget, a new U.S. Census Bureau survey shows. The survey, conducted every three years, points to a record amount of new housing and a rental vacancy rate that’s the third-highest since the survey first began in 1965. The Census Bureau survey found that the number of housing units had increased by 117,000 since 2011, a number that includes over 35,000 more rental apartments and 15,000 condos due to arrive in 2018 and 2019.
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development on Wednesday released an interactive map of housing lotteries currently accepting applications. Users can click icons displayed on the NYC Housing Connect Map for more information on a lottery, including required income levels, household size and the application deadline. Earlier this week, the department launched a map that displays all of the affordable housing units, buildings and projects which count towards Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Housing New York 2.0 plan.
Explore the map
In addition to upping the number of affordable housing units created or preserved in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio is pushing for greater transparency of his ambitious plan to bring 300,000 affordable units to the city by 2026. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) launched an interactive map on Monday that displays all of the units, buildings, and projects that count towards the mayor’s Housing New York 2.0 plan (h/t Curbed NY). The counted units, with data starting with units from January 1, 2014 on and will be updated quarterly, are shown by the number of units and occupancy size.
See it here
Proposed site; Image via Google Maps.
Housing organization Grand Street Guild has announced plans to build two 15-story towers as part of a 100 percent affordable housing project that will bring 400 new apartments–including over 150 reserved for seniors–to the Lower East Side. The not-for-profit group, which was formed by the Archdiocese of New York, is the owner of the 26-story Grand Street Guild towers, built in 1973 and home to over 1,500 residents, that surround St. Mary’s Church on Grand Street. According to The Lo-Down, one of the proposed sites for the new towers is the corner of Broome and Clinton streets (now a parking garage) and another is 151 Broome Street, currently housing the Little Star Daycare Center.
Find out more
Photo via Wikimedia
During its last full-body meeting of the year, the New York City Council passed a bill Tuesday that makes it easier for low-income renters to find apartments by creating a user-friendly online portal. Under the new legislation, landlords who receive tax breaks in exchange for renting below-market units will be required to register units each year with the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development. As the Wall Street Journal reported, the department would list these units online and match potential tenants by their income with apartments.
Image: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
Calling it “Housing New York 2.0,” Mayor Bill de Blasio has just released a new road map to his goal of building and preserving 300,000 affordable New York City homes–100,000 more than his previous pledge. The plan accelerates and expands the production of new housing, fights tenant displacement, creates more housing for seniors and working families and provides new home ownership tools. Among the more technologically advanced strategies outlined are plans to use innovative smaller homes on vacant lots that are too small for traditional housing and the expansion of modular buildings and micro-units.
Mitchell-Lama, vacant lots, modular building and micro-units, this way


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Kate Morris, the CEO and founder of Adore Beauty, Australia’s leading online shopping destination for beauty and cosmetics, has become the first woman to win the ‘Industry Recognition Award’ at the Startrack ORIAS in its nine year history, for being a pioneer and active campaigner for women in leadership roles and technology. “I’m honoured to be the ﬁrst woman to win the award and hope this will pave the way for other female leaders. It’s diﬃcult for women to succeed in male dominated industries that can be characterised by bias and harassment. I hope to inspire change by helping industries look at the cultural problems that are discouraging and limiting women’s careers,” says Kate.
The award recognises Ms Morris’ endeavours, including the recent launch of the Adore Beauty Women in Tech scholarship aimed at female ﬁnal year university students looking to embark on careers in computer science and technology. The $2000 scholarship also includes a one month’s paid internship at Adore Beauty. “Many people wouldn’t think science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) can lead to a career in beauty, however without these skills Adore Beauty wouldn’t exist. Programming is a creative ﬁeld and very exciting, but many tech companies have cultures that are not supportive of women. I want to demonstrate that women don’t have to ﬁt themselves into these ‘blokey’ environments when pursuing a tech career”.
The accolade also includes Kate Morris being recognised for her ground-breaking innovation ‘Findation’, a software tool to assist women all over the world in ﬁnding their perfect foundation match online, without needing to try the product ﬁrst. Findation currently returns results based on over 1200 global brands, 7866 products, 40,206 shades and nearly 2 million shade matches.
Kate Morris made a hearty speech on awards night reﬂecting on her 17 years as an online beauty retailer. Also with Amazon’s pending arrival, Ms Morris showed support for other Australian retailers, ﬁnishing her speech by paraphrasing a quote from Sir Winston Churchill: “We shall ﬁght in content marketing and social media, we shall ﬁght with growing conﬁdence and growing strength in data, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be… and we shall never surrender – so Amazon, come and get us!” ended Ms Morris.