By JLNJ Staff | January 02, 2020

(StatePoint) From the Big Game to awards shows, youll want to ensure that you are prepared to host all the greatest television events of the season.

Here is how to upgrade the viewing experience for you and your guests well before kickoff:

Stadium seating: When it comes to maximum visibility for all, nothing beats stadium seating. While you are unlikely able to build out levels in your living room or den, you can replicate the concept in any space by using chairs of differing heights. To create the back row, use stools. The next row can consist of the couch, folding chairs or other seating of standard height. Finally, create a first row on the floor by adding comfortable seating options such as pillows and bean bags.

Consider a projector: Whether you are on a budget or you simply want the best viewing experience, consider a home theater projector. You can get a projector and 100-inch screen for under $1,000, whereas an 80-inch TV is going to run you at least $1,500, if not much more.

The LampFree projectors from Casios SLIM series are ideal for any home theater environment. Weighing in at five pounds, they are only 1.7 inches thick, making them the thinnest high-brightness projectors in the industry. Now in its eighth generation, the improved laser and LED hybrid light source offers a 30 percent increase in light output, in addition to an estimated 20,000 hours lifespan with minimal brightness degradation and continuous operation. Each model is fitted with a fully connectable interface, including three types of video and audio inputs, as well as HDMI, RGB and RS-232C terminals.

Better audio: There is no better way to experience your favorite televised events than with surround sound. For easy installation and versatility, consider a wireless speaker system.

Room Selection: For crisper images, youll ideally create your home theater in a low-lit room. If thats not possible, there is good news. These days, high-quality projectors can produce sharp images using intelligent light control that perceives the rooms brightness and adjusts accordingly.

With a few upgrades, you can roll out the red carpet for guests, making your home theater the go-to destination for must-watch events.

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Home Theater Tips for The Big Game and More - Jewish Link of New Jersey

The biggest problem with even the smartest robovacs is that theyre not actually that smart. They can navigate your home and avoid collisions with large pieces of furniture, but smaller obstacles, like hazards left behind by pets, theyll simply plough right through creating even larger messes. Lucy, a new robot vacuum from a company called Trifo, thinks an extra camera, and AI powered smarts, could finally put an end to encounters of the turd kind.

Revealed today just ahead of CES 2020 getting under way in Las Vegas next week, Trifos Lucy distinguishes itself from an ever-growing list of robotic house cleaners with several features that could potentially improve its independence. That starts with a pair of cameras that should see the world in 1080p, even at night, thanks to a depth sensor that can detect objects and obstacles with minimal ambient light.

Being able to accurately gauge distances would also bolster Lucys ability to intelligently map a room which, in turn, should improve cleaning efficiency. If it knows where its already been while cleaning floors than it wont go over the same areas twice, so its not wasting battery life. Using AI-powered image recognition Lucys cameras can also supposedly recognise objects like beds allowing the robovac to automatically divide a house into pre-labelled rooms based on the furniture detected. This then allows users to specify which room needs cleaning, either using an accompanying mobile app, or through voice commands courtesy of Amazons Alexa smart assistant. It also makes it easier to designate areas the robovac should avoid without having to install unsightly wires or infrared barriers around a home.

Lucys 5,200 mAh battery promises runtimes of up to 120 minutes, but that will vary on the level of suction selected, the terrain it has to navigate (maybe its time to finally ditch the shag carpeting), and the amount of dirt its already picked up, hauled around, and is waiting to empty. More than likely, youll see a full two hours of performance while Lucy is in its autonomous surveillance mode, serving as a roaming security camera for your home that lets you remotely select areas to keep an eye on while youre out.

Most impressive, however, are Lucys claimed obstacle avoidance capabilities. Its cameras and sensors should be able to spot objects as low as an inch off the ground, so items like slippers, Hot Wheels toys, or books, wont get run over and chewed up by the robovacs spinning brush bar. It also means that, at least for larger pets, Lucy could have a better chance of spotting poop before dragging it across the floor as it continues its routine.

Lucy is en route for some time in 2020, and will be priced at $800 ( 610, UK pricing TBA), which puts it on the more expensive end of robot vacuums.However, as anyone with a robovac already roaming their floors will attest, improved smarts could be the game-changing upgrade these machines are more desperately in need of.

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Poo-Spotting Cameras Could Be This Robovac's Secret Weapon - Gizmodo UK

When considering a home improvement project, homeowners must decide whether they should hire a professional or attempt the work on their own. Taking the DIY approach can save you money and give you the satisfaction of completing a renovation or repair with your own two hands. Of course, if you don't have the skills necessary for the job a DIY approach can backfire spectacularly, causing damage to your home and forcing you to spend even more on professional services to remedy the issue.

A recent survey of 991 adults by HireAHelper, a resource assisting homeowners with moving, looked into Americans' willingness to complete home tasks by generation. While a majority of respondents were comfortable taking on simpler repairs, a significant share of the youngest respondents said they would prefer to hire a professional.

Respondents were most likely to say they would assemble furniture on their own, with 86.5 percent saying so. HireAHelper noted how respondents were undaunted by such assembly despite the option of hiring someone through TaskRabbit or a similar gig platform for the work.

Most respondents85.3 percentsaid they would unclog a toilet on their own. However, one-third of Generation Z respondents said they had not completed this task before, and one in four said they would prefer to hire a professional rather than attempt it on their own.

A total of 77.1 percent said they would consider replacing a showerhead to be a DIY task. For the jobs of caulking a bathtub, patching a hole in the wall, or repairing a running toilet, roughly two-thirds66.7 percent, 65.9 percent, and 65 percent, respectivelysaid they would make the repair themselves.

A considerably smaller share40.3 percentsaid they would be comfortable installing a ceiling fan on their own. This process is more complex than other repairs in the survey, as it involves the installation of a new electrical box.

Men identified handiness or DIY skills as the most useful skill type a person can have, beating out financial savviness and auto repair knowledge. Women were most likely to consider financial skills to be valuable, followed by auto repair and handiness.

However, home improvement skills rarely made the list of skills most likely to be identified as useful by respondents. Unclogging a toilet was the second most useful skill named among baby boomers, while Generation Z respondents believed assembling furniture was the third most useful skill they could have. Respondents were more likely to consider skills such as tracking spending, creating a budget, or changing a tire to be useful.

Younger respondents were less likely to say they have passed on handiness or DIY skills to their children. While 63.8 percent of baby boomers had done so, the share fell to 59.8 percent among Generation Xers and 39.7 percent among millennials. HireAHelper noted that millennials were less likely than older generations to say they have passed on skills to their children, but also that many children of millennials are too young to grasp such topics.

A similar survey of 2,000 people by the home improvement resource ImproveNet from November 2018 looked at the regrets of homeowners who had attempted a DIY job. On average, respondents had attempted eight projects, with 63 percent regretting at least one of those attempts and one-third having to call in a professional to redo their work.

Respondents in that survey were most likely to say they regretted trying to install floor tiles, replace ceilings, refinish a hardwood floor, or install carpet. They had more success installing lighting, adding trees or shrubs to their landscaping, or putting in countertops, moldings, or trim.

Fifty-five percent said doing the project on their own took longer than they anticipated, while half said it was physically harder than expected and 48 percent said it required more technical expertise than they realized. Among those who were disappointed with the end result, 55 percent said it didn't look good while 24 percent said it wasn't functional and 21 percent said it didn't hold up over time.

Originally posted here:
Survey explores generational willingness to take on DIY home improvement tasks - theday.com

The installations of the carpet on the pavement of the Chausse de Gand and the Rue de Ribaucourt were carried out without complying with public procurement legislation. Credit: Facebook/Amet Gjanaj

The red carpet that was placed over a distance of 2 km in the Brussels municipality of Molenbeek last week, does not comply with the necessary legislation, according to the cdH party.

The installations of the carpet on the pavement of the Chausse de Gand and the Rue de Ribaucourt were carried out without complying with public procurement legislation, the party said.

Several Christmas decorations were also installed in addition to the carpet, such as light spots in the trees and on the facades, and cost a total of 27,500, reports Bruzz.

A whole series of administrative rules have been circumvented. Normally, it is the non-profit association COM2MOLEM (which will change its name to Millenium), whose budget of 70,000 is supposed to be used for projects for the end-of-year illuminations. But that has not been done, said Ahmed El Khannouss, a member of the cdH, reports DHnet.

It turns out that since the available budget to the economic development department was not used until November, they panicked and broke a series of rules. It was an employee of the aldermans office who bought the 2,000 metres of carpet at 4 per metre without asking, but by directly calling on two shopkeepers associations to cover it up. I have therefore carried out the usual checks, and it turns out that all the legal rules have been broken, he added.

This is a tempest in a teapot. This is a partnership with the two associations mentioned above, no more and no less. We have given them a clear and established mission and the commune will check all the bills. The procedures were well-respected, because it is a mission given to complete the end-of-year illuminations by giving visibility to these commercial cores, said Amet Gjanaj, the Alderman for Trade and Economy.

If we did not call upon the usual organisation, it is simply because the budgets are only now being released following a situation inherited from the previous legislature. The accounts will be released soon, and in the meantime, we have drawn on the economic development departments budget to proceed with these facilities, he added.

Math ChiniThe Brussels Times

Link:
Molenbeek residents find a 2 km red carpet placed on pavements - The Brussels Times

Q: My apartment on the 12th floor, with southeast exposure is wonderfully sunny. Plants do well, and I enjoy the light and the view all day. However, the sun has bleached both wood and upholstered furniture and some carpet. I don't want to close the drapes and live in the dark. Can my windows be treated? Who does this work and what is the expected cost

A: Having window film installed on the inside of your windows could be the solution. These films come with a wide variety of characteristics, enabling them to let certain wavelengths of light through while reflecting or absorbing other wavelengths.

Window film cannot totally prevent fading because other factors, such as humidity, account for about 5 percent of the problem. But depending on the window film you select, it can go a long way toward reducing the problem. All films block virtually all ultraviolet rays from the sun, which are responsible for about 45 percent of fading. Films also can block the rays that together cause about half of fading: visible light and infrared light, which causes heat.

Because you live in a tall building with many other units, begin by checking with the building managers about whether there are restrictions on window films. Some types make windows a lot more reflective on the outside. Some buildings have no rules on this, and let occupants decide how to treat their windows. Others want a uniform exterior appearance and rule out highly reflective films.

Once you know the rules, make an appointment to have a window film installer visit your apartment. Installers typically bring samples so you can see the differences in how the films affect your light and your view. Installers can also recommend suitable options if you have double-pane windows, because films that absorb infrared light can cause glass to heat up enough to break the seals of glass and void warranties. Be sure to ask the installer to leave you with a sample or two of films you like so you can check the effect in different conditions: sunny and cloudy and on different times of the day.

Before the visit, read up on the basics about window films. It will help you ask better questions and help keep you from wondering later whether you got an honest sales pitch. One good place to start is the Efficient Window Coverings website (efficientwindowcoverings.org), which allows you to compare the benefits of various window treatments from films to drapes to awnings and then drill down to the highest-rated products in each category. This website is focused on energy savings, which you didn't mention as a prime consideration. But solving your fading issue can also save energy, so failing to factor that in would be shortsighted. And one benefit of using this website as a starting point is it doesn't have a financial stake in its recommendations. It was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in partnership with Building Green (buildinggreen.com), a consulting and training company that began as the publisher of Environmental Building News, a newsletter that played a pivotal role in developing the green building movement.

This website uses the term "applied film" to distinguish the type of film you might want from "seasonal film," which is the shrink-wrap-type plastic that people sometimes put up in the winter to cover drafty windows. Of all the many interior window treatments, applied film ranks highest if you select "view" and "visible transmittance" (i.e., the amount of visible light) as crucial factors and "solar heat control" and "glare control" as important ones.

For window-film manufacturers, the site lists only companies that meet two criteria. Their products must be tested according to standards from the National Fenestration Rating Council, the same industry group that ensures uniform comparisons of the energy issues related to windows. And the manufacturers must warranty their products for at least 10 years. The site says only three companies meet these standards Johnson Window Films (johnsonwindowfilms.com), Solar Gard (solargard.com) and Solutia Performance Films, which recently became part of Eastman Chemical Co. (eastman.com/pages/solutia.aspx). The manufacturers can point you to installers in your area.

Estimating the installed cost of window film is difficult without knowing all the specifics the size of your windows, how high they reach up from the floor, and whether the glass consists of large panes or small panels. And, of course, the cost varies by the type of film you select. The sales manager at General Solar Co. in Gaithersburg, which carries Eastman's Llumar line of window films and others, said that for 100 square feet of windows, the cost of film and labor could run $9 to $24 a square foot. The Efficient Window Coverings website estimates costs based on a single window 30 inches wide by 60 inches tall at $80 for standard films and $125 for ones that let more visible light through while rejecting other wavelengths, such as infrared.

If you can afford it, professionally applied window film is definitely the way to go. The product selection and warranties are better, and there's less risk of having hair, lint or other debris trapped between the film and the glass. But for people on a tight budget, especially for renters who aren't sure how long they will stay, do-it-yourself installation is an option. Efficient Window Coverings estimates the DIY-installed cost for that 30-by-60-inch window at $10. DIY films include ones that are glued on via an adhesive backing and ones that grip the glass through static cling. Gila Platinum Heat-Control Window Film blocks UV, lets most visible light through, and cuts down on heat. It's $37.97 for a 36-inch by 180-inch roll at Lowe's. Gila is an Eastman brand, one of the companies recommended by Efficient Window Coverings, but in this DIY product it comes with a two-year warranty, including against breaking seals on glass in double-pane windows, provided the windows are still covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

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Stop the sun from bleaching upholstery and carpets - Worcester Telegram

Plans were announced last week to convert Meadowlark Commons, a transitional housing facility at 100 W. Second, into a new 20-bed social detoxification and drug and alcohol abuse treatment center for Hutchinson.

The move, however, is dependent on New Beginnings, the nonprofit that owns and operates the facility, coming up with some $200,000 to make necessary improvements to the aging building, including adding a fire sprinkler system.

Officials hope to have beds available by March or April.

The decision was one of two major announcements in the battle against drug and alcohol abuse in Reno County made during a meeting of the Community Drug Task Force on Tuesday.

The other is that Summit Surgical is now hosting a residential medical detoxification program within its facility on East 23rd Avenue. Itopened last week.

Conversion

While their primary focus for the past 30 years has been on housing, Shara Gonalez, executive director of New Beginnings, said shes been working with others to bring a detox center to Hutchinson since 1998.

Gonzales noted that Meadowlark Commons was repurposed in 2004 from a former hotel into transitional and emergency housing using 15-year tax credits. As those tax credits expire on Dec. 31, the agency will own the buildings free and clear, enabling it to modify its use.

It made so much sense that it becomes a detox center, Gonzales said. Its centrally located and has got a drive-through.

New Beginnings will be partnering with the Substance Abuse Center of Kansas, or SACK, to provide services. That agency has had an office at New Beginnings for 14 years and operates the 14-bed Recovery Center in Wichita.

In order to do it, there are adaptations that need to happen to the building to make it licensable for a treatment facility, Gonzales said. Thats part of why we were waiting to say anything, to get some ideas of what that would look like. At this point, its about $200,000. Thats money we have to find to be able to make this into a detox and treatment facility.

When they originally converted the building into emergency and transitional housing, it was grandfathered in so fire sprinklers didnt have to be added. With the change in use, however, now a system will be required. That will account for about half the remodeling cost, Gonzales said.

Another need will be drilling wells and installing pumps to deal with persistent under-flooding from the high water table created by last years floods.

Social detox

The priority will be establishing the social detox, said Harold Casey, president and CEO of SACK.

The highest risk person is the one coming from a hospital after being stabilized, he said. Two or three days after being back from the hospital they begin to withdraw from the depressants given at the hospital to stabilize them.

They hope to have beds available by March or April.

Initially, theyll try to open with 20 beds and over time expand it to 30 or 35.

They will put two people to a room and, in some larger rooms, up to three.

They expect to employ 17 or 18 people.

Theyll likely designate at leastfive or six beds for detox and the remainder for treatment, though some roomscould be swing beds that can be used for the greatest need.

We might have four detox beds one day and the next day need eight, Casey said.

The maximum detox, he said, would be 15, because more than that would require increasing staff.

The wait for an in-patient bed is currently as much as two months, Casey said, though a pregnant woman can usually get in within 48 hours.

If youre uninsured and not a priority, youre going to wait, he said. Thats why opening recovery services in Hutchinson is so important.

While the community will be losing those transitional housing beds, Gonzales said they'llbe able to move all those currently in that housing to Fox Run on West Second Avenue.

Thats been a concern of the organization, which was one of the reasons why we havent announced it until now, she said. We had to resolve that. But we havent been full since the roof was taken off in a storm a year and a half ago. The number just never came back up. So, we can accommodate everyone in our other facility.

The back half of the facility, she said, will remain affordable low-income apartments.

Length of stay

The average length of stay, Casey projected, will be three to five weeks.

For detox, the average length of stay is five days, but some of that might be determined by the state, he said. They have to go through a managed care process. There is no charge for detox for the individual. Anyone can come in. We bring them in to serve them and refer them to treatment.

After three to five days of detox will be three to five weeks of treatment. It will more often be three weeks, and then the can go into intensive out-patient at a place of their liking. If they have family in Liberal, theyll go to Liberal, or Topeka, or wherever it might be best supportive.

What were looking for is an 18-month commitment to provide services to them, Casey said. Nationally, according to SAMSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), recovery rates have less to do with residential or outpatient treatment, but more to do with the length of time theyre provided treatment. Eighteen months seems to have the greatest success.

A unique aspect of the collaboration by New Beginnings with treatment is the ability to move people out of treatment into housing, Gonzales said.

Besides its more traditional transitional and low-income housing, New Beginnings owned six of the citys 10 Oxford Houses.

People will not be left to their own devices to figure out where to go after leaving treatment, she said, and they wont have to have money saved to pay upfront to get into housing.

Operating challenges

SACK has operated the Recovery Center in Wichita for five years.

Were pretty much full every day, Casey said. We do get referrals from Hutchinson to detox in Wichita, but its iffy at times because at 10 a.m. we could be full, at 2 in the afternoon we could have three or four beds, and at 10 that night, be full again. Its a transient population.

Some 70% of their admissions are for methamphetamine addictions, Casey said.

"Generally, we do 550 assessments a month at SACK, Casey said. Fifty of them have a medical card, the other 500 have nothing. Theyre uninsured. One-third of them are homeless.

The Recovery Center receives about $550,000 a year in outside funding, Casey said, including $100,000 from Sedgwick County. And it operates at a loss every year. That loss has declined from $100,000 the first year, to $30,000 to $40,000 this year.

Our fiscal year ends in June, he explained. We hope next year to break even.

The danger, Casey said, is getting too many patients covered by federal block grants, because it doesnt cover costs.

Because they are a nonprofit, they continue to take clients even when theyve reached their cap of beds funded by federal block grants, he said, though most other facilities in Kansas do not.

Medicaid doesnt pay for social detox, he said, and most clients dont have money.

What were hoping is to get a combination of clients covered by Senate Bill 123, Medicaid and self-pay, and then indigent or federal block grants, he said. Well work with as many as we can afford, based on the revenue streams we have. We know there is a waiting list for SB 123. We hope to be supported by referrals.

Our goal is to serve as many as we can and break even while paying staff a fair wage, Casey said.

Donations needed

This is what weve been after for a long time, Gonzales said. This is a major announcement. But it cant happen if we dont get started covering our costs. Its not an annual cost. This one time. But it will ensure were able to move forward on opening this facility. Weve been talking for a year and a half and we didnt have a focus where to go. We do now.

The public, in general, has to step up, Gonzales said. The city and county need to step up. There are private donors weve talked about, but we hate to keep going back.

Having such a facility in the community, Casey emphasized, will ultimately save the community more than it costs.

A study by Wichita State University estimated the savings from operating a local drug and alcohol treatment program there are around $10 million a year.

Thats savings to local hospitals, state hospital, police departments, and incarcerations, he said. The other part of detox is, if the police pick someone up, its not a medical problem Its a community-wise and safety-wise place to take people thats more appropriate and where they can be monitored. In Wichita, if theyre at our facility, theyre not in a police car, theyre not in jail, theyre not in an emergency room, theyre not in your front yard urinating on your porch.

Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson noted that providing detox and treatment within the community is key to fighting drug abuse in the community.

We fight drugs on several fronts, he said. We fight it on the street with law enforcement, doing drug busts and working drug cases. We do it in the schools with Rise Up Reno County and educating our kids."

"One thing thats always stuck in my mind, when I was working narcotics years ago, President Bush 1 told the Mexican president you need to keep your people from bringing drugs to our country,'" Henderson said."He told our president When people quit wanting it, well quit bringing it in. Thats what our focus is now. Take that desire away.

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Meadowlark Commons to be converted into detox, drug treatment center - The Hutchinson News

I was a kid, eleven or so, the time I was locked in the church overnight. We were gathered in the hall consuming massive quantities of cookies and punch after the Easter Vigil when my mother embarrassed me. Who knows what she said? She was unpredictable and I was on the cusp of puberty. It was a ripe combination and our clashes were frequent, so perhaps its no surprise that something she said sent me flying up the stairs, through the vestry, into the musty walkway behind the altar, past boxes of blue-glass candles and into a cabinet of altar servers robes. I folded myself under the line of white cotton hemlines and waited, taking a childs cruel pleasure in ignoring the sound of my mother calling. Only the scrape of keys in the lock an hour later woke me to the gravity of the situation. I sprung from the cupboard and looked around the room in which Id been accidentally locked. A carpet was rolled along the length of one wall. A throng of religious statues leaned against the others their frozen features and glass eyes looking menacing in the dark. The gang of plaster saints and a thud from the church caused me to stuff myself, like prepubescent pimento, into one end of the carpet. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for morning to come.

It was not quite daylight when the jangling keys returned. I slinked from my carpet and emerged heart-thumping near the altar of Mary. I didnt want to be discoveredand knew I should run toward the heavy wooden doorsbut I hesitated. I was not sure what I would find at home. Even when I wasnt an ecclesiastical stow-away, I never knew what Id find at home.

I turned toward the Virgin. Shed stood in the same spot my whole life. Id looked at her thousands of times, but the light slanting through stained glass was low and golden. Her face was lit with a soft glow, as were her open hands, and the sweep of her sky-blue cloak. Which is how, just before sunrise on Easter morning in the early 1980s, the statue of the Blessed Mother snagged my heart.

* * *

My heart was not so snagged that I remained at church. Like nearly everyone my age, I left in my twenties. Unlike everyone else, I returned a few years ago. It was Christmas Eve. The choir sang Joy to the World. Poinsettias lined the altar. And I stood staring toward the right-side altar, rubbing my eyes to be certain I was not imagining things. I blinked and checked again. I was not mistaken. My Mary was gone. Another statue stood in her niche. Crowned and set upon a globe, Id later learn that the new Virgin came from a nearby church that had closed. But then I only looked around, mystified.Wheres Mary? I asked the priest after Mass, but he only shook his head and backed slowly away.

The movement of statues is not so unusual. As parishioners continue to abandon their pews and churches close, sacred objects are reshuffled, discarded, or sold. My Marys twin is currently for sale on eBay, for instance. Cast from the same mold, the eBay Mary has been repainted with darker hair, comes with a money-back guarantee, and awaits shipment from Danbury, Connecticut. But I wasnt interested in replicas. I wanted to know what became of my Mary and made myself into some combination of church lady and Nancy Drew to find out. I searched closets and vestries and hounded people with my questions. The best guess anyone had was that shed been sold to someone in the next diocese over, which meant the Blessed Mother was lost somewhere in Buffalo.

* * *

Buffalo is not the easiest place to track down a Virgin. Thousands of blue-caped figures grace bathtub grottos and garden plots. Because I undertook my quest at the height of the Christmas season, an additional flock of Marys appeared in outdoor Nativity scenes. This did not deter me. What is a deluge of BVMs against a full-blown case of Statue Fever?

I must stop here to assert my levelheadedness. I was then and am now a mix of progressive optimism and cynical realism. A feminist who attended Lilith Fair back in the day and more recently celebrated Hillarys pantsuit a woman who leaves violets on Susan B. Anthonys grave whenever I pass, which is more than one might expect. Now, suddenly, at mid-life, Id worked myself into a froth over a figure regarded by some as the antithesis of feminine agency.

Youre a freakshow, I said to myself as I booked the hotel room to serve as the headquarters for my search. But even as I said it, I tore a sheet of paper from my notebook and plotted my course.

I searched old churches and new chapels and basements during coffee hours. What Id do if I found her, I did not know. I moved through the world in a churchy fog. I woke early for Mass, lit candles, and sat in near-empty sanctuaries. Snowstorms waged. Roads iced. I ate pierogi and cutout cookies and listened to the 24-hour Christmas station as I drove from Lackawanna to Lockport to Niagara Falls.The more I could not find her, the more I could not let her go.

I encountered marble Marys, Marys so old their capes puckered and flaked, and Marys cut from a single French oak, but the one I sought wasmore run-of-the-mill. She was not crowned or haloed. You had to squint to see the gold-leaf detail along her hemline. A chin that rounded into a babyish swell was the only hint of indulgence that, and her mantle, which was the color of oceans on old globes, of swimming pool tiles and the sky on certain winter mornings when everything is new. The blue is what I remembered as I walked into sanctuaries and out again into the snow.I became someone from an English novel sweeping the moors for a lost love except the moors were North Tonawanda and my love was fashioned of plaster and horsehair.

* * *

Cast in the 1930s by Chicagos Daprato Studios, my Mary was cut loose from her mold, sanded and cured, painstakingly painted and dried again, before being shipped from the shore of Lake Michigan to Erie and east again to Ontario, where she landed at the mouth of the smallest Great Lake. She was unloaded by the sons and grandsons of Irish immigrants whod come west on the Erie Canal 50 years earlier and installed beside the main altar of Corpus Christi Church.

My quest to find her followed the traditional pattern. I searched and searched until the searching broke me open with longing. Only when Id given up and headed back east along the Thruway did I receive the final clue that sent me back to Buffalo. It almost does not matter whether I found her, whether her face was even sweeter than I remember, whether her cloak was a thousand morning glories, and whether I set my hand upon her while something like violins went off in my head.

* * *

That my Mary is not alive does not sway my affection. Stability counts for something and fixedness is what statues do best. Unlike the house of seven children and the overworked single mother I came from, Mary is not subject to whims. Unlike the clerics whose outdated notions of purity make it difficult to attend Mass, Mary is locked into a position of unflinching love. Shes a statue, yes but a statue is no small thing. Shes amore identifiable and enduringsymbol of Catholicismthan even the pope and abeacon of humility in the face of an increasingly bombastic Christian world.

As a child I unthinkingly adored her. As a young woman from aneighborhood where girls were more likely to have babies than graduate high school,I rejected her unyielding acquiescence. As a woman at mid-life, Ive begun to see that her features are cast not so much in submission as in luminous contemplation as if Mary has something on her mind and has been chewing it over for two thousand years as if shes caught forever in the moment the angel appeared and rocked her world with the news that she, a nobody girl from a Podunk town, could give herself over to something larger than the snare of her surroundings.

Perhaps thats what I saw all those years ago as I emerged from a rolled carpet after a night of tears and shame and fear. Not an obedient virgin so much as a young woman, hushed and lowly in the eyes of the world, blooming in the front of church. A statue, yes. But more than that. A sign of how wondrous even a poor girl could be.

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My obsessive quest to solve the mystery of a missing Virgin Mary - Salon

We entered this decade in Snooki poufs and gladiator sandals. Trends reigned above personal preference or taste, a fact made evident by the fact that everyone wore low rise jeans despite the fact that no one looks good in them.

Things loosened up in the 2010s. Blame it on the Lady Gaga, Instagram, or Trump, but over the course of the last 10 years, tastemakers have encouraged women to dress exactly how they want, thank you very much.

Much has changed, but one thing hasnt: The people who make, model, or sell our clothes continue to screw up, as dramatically as possible.

The best-laid plans of marketing majors often go awry, leaving the rest of us to wonder who could have possibly OKd that racist advertisement or sexist T-shirt. The men who capitalize on the female form get outed as abusers. And simple black leggings will continue to make people very, very angry. Such is the decade.

The Red Carpet Goes Wild

Where were you when Lady Gaga wore her infamous meat dress to the 2010 MTV VMAs? Designed by Franc Fernandez, the get-up was criticized by PETA and remains one of the very few outfits to have its own Wikipedia page. (In this writers humble opinion, we talk more about about the frock and not enough about its accompanying flank steak fascinator.)

The outfit, which Gaga has said was both a protest against Dont Ask Dont Tell and a reminder to the world that she was not a piece of meat, got rightfully lampooned after its debut.

But the decidedly un-pretty style ushered in a wave of looks that livened up the red carpet, which until very recently was just a forced march of princess gowns and snoozy tuxedos. The meat dress suggested that celebrity fashion could be an art form.

An argument could be made that without the Meat Dress, there would be no Rihanna in her very meme-able yellow Guo Pei cape, or no Madonna in assless Givenchy at the Met Gala. And who wants to live in a world without those?

The Long Fall of Bad Men

By 2010, we knew full well that Dov Charney, who founded American Apparel in 1989, was a total predator. Hed already masturbated in front of a reporter, admitted to sleeping with employees, and encouraged store managers to fire unattractive staff.

This decade, he was sued for discrimination, accused of sexual assault, battery, and using homophobic slurs. But it took until 2014 for the company to revoke his title as chairman.

Likewise, Terry Richardson flaunted his creepy reputation as a photographer for years, allegedly pressuring models to get nude on set, publishing naked photos without their consent, and coercing some to have sex with himoften on camera.

Uncle Terry, as he sometimes asked to be called, was beloved by enablers like Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Beyonc, and Kim Kardashian. Only after #MeToo swelled into a cultural juggernaut did Cond Nast, Valentino, and Bulgari drop the photographer in 2017. Last year, the NYPD opened an investigation into his misdeeds, years after many women first made their allegations.

Though Dior axed John Galliano and he was fined by the French government for his remarks, the designer staged an Anna Wintour-approved comeback in 2013.

John Gallianos Career Rises from the Dead

The decade of cancel culture did little to dull the legacy of John Galliano, a French designer beloved by many insiders for his long career at Givenchy, Dior, and his eponymous label. But in 2011, a viral video found the creative director spewing anti-Semitic remarks and declaring his love for Hitler in a Paris bar.

Though Dior axed Galliano and he was fined by the French government for his remarks, the designer staged an Anna Wintour-approved comeback in 2013. Since 2015, he has reclaimed his insider status as creative director for Maison Margiela.

The Decade in Dolce

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have seemingly never met a controversy they didnt like. The Italian design duo delight in their status as provocateurs, whether it be through their overtly sexy advertising or derogatory comments about female celebrities looks.

But in 2015, many accused the menwho are both gayof going too far, due to their comments about same-sex couples adopting children. We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one, they told the Italian magazine Panorama, also calling babies born from IVF synthetic. Backlash ensued, some from the likes of Elton John and Ricky Martin, and #BoycottDolceandGabbana began trending. It would not be the first time.

Three years later, the founders would be accused of anti-Chinese sentiment due to an ad campaign seen as racist, which showed an Asian model eating spaghetti with chopsticks. Then, industry watchdog Instagram account DietPrada posted screenshots which appeared to show texts from Gabbana equating Chinese culture to the poop emoji and suggesting that Chinese people eat dogs.

Though the designers would later post an apology video, the damage was done; social media posts showed customers burning their products.

Since rediscovering religion this year, West set his sights on hawking $235 Holy Spirit hoodies and $50 Church socks.

Kanye West Plays Fashion Designer

Yes, this was the Kardashian decade (see cultural appropriation, below), but Kanye West, a family member by extension, also made his markand his money. The rapper became a clothing designer through launching Yeezy, first as an Adidas sneaker collaboration in 2013, then as ready-to-wear two years later.

His seasons, all staged in extravagant Fashion Week installations (minus the one on Roosevelt Island that gave attendees heatstroke), followed the same beige-and-brown color scheme, and West has a talent for drawing in thousands of dollars for simple sweaters and bland boots.

Since rediscovering religion this year, West set his sights on hawking $235 Holy Spirit hoodies and $50 Church socks. Whether through divine intervention or smart branding, the clothing sells.

Cultural Appropriation

Kim Kardashian in cornrows. Katy Perry as a geisha. Nicki Minaj performing on SNL with chopsticks in her hair. Perhaps no two words dominated fashion talk in recent years as cultural appropriation havean accusation leveled at celebrities or brands for capitalizing off dressing, acting like, or designing clothes that echo the clothing of various marginalized peoples.

Accused perpetrators in the last decade have included everyone from Miley Cyrus to Bruno Mars. Over the years, more people felt emboldened to say something when they saw a performance or cover spread that didnt sit right with them.

Still, some mainstream tastemakers were slow to address the sensitivity, such as Marc Jacobs, who said he didnt see color when he sent white models down the runway in dreadlocks, or Vogue magazine editors, who were accused of putting Kendall Jenner in an Afro as recently as last year.

The revolving cycle of these kinds of stories is familiar by now: A brand or star poses in perhaps-offensive garb, people get angry, an apology is issued, and we move onuntil the next Twitter moment.

The Slow Death of Victorias Secret

In 2009, the reign of Victorias Secret seemed long and endless. But by now, the underwear brand has become plagued with scandal. For years, its runway show full of supermodel Angels were dubbed sexist, with its models supposedly promoting unrealistic beauty standards.

The empire began to truly crumble last year, when CEO Ed Razek told Vogue he didnt think that plus-sized or trans models fit the companys idea of fantasy, and he would not have hired them for the annual show. To make matters worse, the brand got caught up in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal when it was revealed L Brand CEO Les Wexner was a close friend and client of the late businessman and sexual predator.

Razek later stepped down from his post, and VS hired a trans model named Valentina Sampaio, who told The Daily Beast This is just the beginning.

Except it wasnt. The brand opted out of hosting a show for 2019, and sales have reportedly fallen from $8 billion to $7.4 billion in one year.

Fashion Fails at Feminism

Post-#MeToo, post-Womens March, it makes sense that the fashion industry would want a piece of the populist pie that is modern feminism. Though some of the attemptslike Diors We Should All Be Feminists shirtswere laudable, the movement had its fair share of questionable players.

Who would have guessed that a man who was the CEO of a company called Feminist Apparel would confess to sexual misconduct? Or, who was truly surprised to see mega-retailers like Forever21 and Amazon rip off independent brands hawking girl power slogan shirts? These instances served as a reminder of what happens when resistance goes corporate.

Do you see anything wrong with putting a black child in a sweatshirt which reads, Coolest monkey in the jungle? H&M execs didnt.

Who OKd This?!?!

Can Urban Outfitters interest you in a $129 blood-stained Kent State sweatshirt? What about Zaras Holocuast prisoner uniform T-shirt? Do you see anything wrong with putting a black child in a sweatshirt which reads, Coolest monkey in the jungle? H&M execs didnt.

One of this decades most frustrating dosey-does became the predictable shuffle of watching high street brands release thoughtlessly inspired clothing and then claim ignorance or that there was never any intention to offend.

That was probably true, but this trend got many wondering, who exactly makes these kinds of decisions? And why didnt anyone speak up sooner?

Leggings. Just Leggings.

Forget Trump, forget the climate crisisperhaps no subject was more divisive this decade than the debate that refuses to die: Are leggings appropriate for work? Or school? Or airplane travel?

Leggings have become the miniskirts, or denim jeans, of our timeyouve got to fight for your right to wear them without being sent home by the school principal, shift supervisor, or flight attendant. No matter the season, a story about a woman kicked out of [x] for wearing the spandex bottoms remains evergreen, because it happens so damn much.

So as we enter the future, 2020, a blank slate of 10 more years, may we do so comfortably, and uncontested.

See original here:
Leggings, Creeps, and Cultural Appropriation: The Biggest Fashion Scandals of the Decade - The Daily Beast

MD Rajesh Punjabi (right), CEO Sonia Punjabi (2nd right) together with Directors Michael Polak and Kamala Kumpu Na Ayuthaya perform a religious ceremony to sanctify and install the sacred statue of Lord Brahma, creator of the universe on the holy altar.

It was another remarkable day for the condominium business in Pattaya when on Saturday 14 December, the Universal Group proclaimed the successful completion of the Seven Seas Cte dAzur project.

Early in the day, Brahmin monks chanted as MD Rajesh Punjabi, CEO Sonia Punjabi together with Directors Michael Polak (Director) and Kamala Kumpu Na Ayuthaya performed a religious ceremony to sanctify and install the sacred statue of Lord Brahma, creator of the universe on the holy altar.

Guests and the media were given an exclusive tour of the expansive 1.5 billion baht property which features 1,308 units in 6 luxury condo buildings on 24,800 sqm (15.5 rai) of land.

The evening reception was a Red Carpet affair. Guests were welcomed and walked on a bright crimson carpet to the reception area where they enjoyed cocktails and hors doeuvres and entertainment.

The proceedings were hosted by actress, singer and supermodel Pancake Khemanit and a mini-concert was held by talented singer Yingyong Yotbuangam.

Raj Punjabi, MD of the Universal Group, introduced his company by saying, Universal Group is a multinational company with a strong position in several business sectors around the world. Our core businesses include manufacturing, international project development, import & export, and property management. We stepped into Thailands property market in 2012 with one of the biggest themed condominium projects in Pattaya, the Seven Seas Condo Resort Jomtien.

After the resounding success of the first project, we launched two more projects here Seven Seas Cte dAzur and Seven Seas Le Carnival.

Asked where they got the concept of Cte dAzur, Michael Polak, the director said, One of the most beautiful places I have ever visited is the French Riviera. The architecture and atmosphere there are simply breath-taking. We wanted to bring that same carefree vibe and French experience to Pattaya which is what led to the birth of Seven Seas Cte dAzur.

Sonia Punjabi, the effervescent and charming CEO added, Not everyone can afford to buy a house in Cannes, Monaco or Marseille, as those types of places are for the top 1% rich and famous of the world. But you dont need to be a millionaire to experience luxury Mediterranean living right here in Pattaya at Seven Seas Cte DAzur.

We have 6 low rise buildings that provide a true South of France flavour; i.e., Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Marseilles, Monte Carlo and Montpelier.

From marinas and glamorous yachts to boulevard style shopping and stylish promenades, we have it all! Not to forget amazing restaurants and cafes, an arcade style games room, a fully equipped gym and a peaceful library is also located on the property.

Sonia concluded by saying, The project is now complete and handovers will start in January 2020 when the new owners can move in. We are now focusing on our 3rd project Seven Seas Le Carnival, a stunning condominium project with resort style pools, a rich mix of indoor and outdoor amenities, and iconic lifestyle offerings all year round.

Seven Seas Cte dAzur rolls out the Red Carpet

Hundreds of guests and clients attended the launch party.

Link:
Seven Seas Cte d'Azur rolls out the Red Carpet - Pattaya Mail

Frank Herbert, American science-fiction author best known for the novel Dune and its five sequels, once said"There is no real ending. It's just the place where you stop the story." So it is we stop the story on 2019 in Forsyth County.

Heres a rundown of some of the years top stories:

Barry Head became the countys fourth fire chief in January. Head, 43, began volunteering for the Forsyth County Fire Departmentat age of 18. He has served in various capacities within the department, most recently as interim fire chief, a position he was appointed to in 2018, following the retirement of Chief Danny Bowman. Head earlier served as division chief, field operations. He also served with the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office.

County clamps down on rentals

After more than two years of debate among residents, in April, the Forsyth County Commission voted 3-2 to place greater restrictions on short-term rentals in neighborhoods zoned for residential.

The code does provide for operations lying within areas zoned for agriculture or agriculture-residential, lots generally much larger than those in residential areas. Still, even these operations must go through a zoning process to receive a conditional use permit.

The vote followed more than an hour of debate over an issue that has stalked officials for more than two years and divided property owners.

Forsyth County has about 250 properties operating as short-term rentals, a classification defined as residences leased to tenants for fewer than 30 days.

Within a month of the vote, two groups representing short-term renters filed suit against the county arguing that new zoning restrictions violate the rights of property owners.

Cumming City Center breaks ground

When summer rolled around, many people headed to Lake Lanier for all sorts of water activities. Others headed out of town on vacation. There was a group that worked tirelessly in the Georgias sweltering temperatures to break ground on the Cumming City Center project during a ceremony in August.

Seeing the City Center start to take shape has been one of his greatest joys since becoming mayor, said Troy Brumbalow.

Establishing this facility has been not only my most prominent goal as mayor, but also my hearts greatest desire, because I believe it will truly become a place where we can all come together to enjoy our community as neighbors and friends just like we used to during simpler time, Brumbalow said.

The City Center is slated to open in 2021.

Once completed, the Center will provide sophisticated retail and restaurant facilities and a wide range of public amenities including walking trails, an outdoor amphitheater, picnic areas, and a town green area with a prominent water feature.

City improves fairgrounds

Another highlight of the summer of 2019 for the city of Cumming was the installation of the Cumming Fairgrounds new pedestrian sky bridge across Castleberry Road. The foot bridge is completely ADA-compliant and the ramp allows patrons to safely cross the busy highway while also greatly reducing traffic congestion in this area during major Fairgrounds events, like the Cumming Fair in October.

The construction projects took place on either side of Castleberry, until September when part of the road was closed in preparation for the bridge.

Weighing almost 90,000 lbs., the bridge was lifted by two huge cranes and set in place and bolted down. Once secured, concrete was poured, electric lines were run and landscaping was installed.

A big, colorful mural now provides an artistic touch to the cement wall surrounding the fairgrounds, courtesy of dedicated volunteer artists who werent put off by the heat, humidity and traffic.

Animal shelter earns award

Ending the year on a purr-fectly grand note, was the award-winning Forsyth County Animal Shelter being designated an Emerging Gold Standard Shelter for the state in September.

The Georgia Pet Coalition and the Humane Society of the United States, HSUS, recognized Cindy Iacopella, Forsyth County Animal Shelter manager and the shelter staff for the work done on behalf of animals in the county.

It was a great opportunity to discuss big-picture issues affecting animals in Georgia and local issues, Iacopella said.

The Coalition and Humane Society wanted to highlight the achievements of Forsyth County and its support from the commissioners, Iacopella said.

Included in the accomplishments were the reduction of euthanasia, the implementation of progressive programs, SPLOST funding for a mobile spay/neuter unit, partnerships with other agencies for unwanted pets and Pups With a Purpose, a partnership with the Sheriffs Office in which inmates work with shelter dogs.

Theres so much support from the commissioners, Iacopella said. Its great. Theyre all animal lovers.

Northside makes way for growth

Forsyth County took care of the well-being of its humans in 2019, with Northside Hospital Forsyth planning ahead for the next decade. Anticipating a population growth, Northside Hospital Forsyth filed a Certificate of Need application with the state to convert 16 existing rooms at Northside Hospital Forsyth to inpatient beds to be used for obstetrical patients in the hospitals Womens Center in November. The beds are needed to help Northside Forsyth meet patient demand in 2024, according to the application. The addition will bring the hospitals number of obstetrical beds from 16 to 32 and the hospital-wide inpatient bed count from 304 to 320. A decision on the project is expected in March. Over 3,000 babies were born at Northside Hospital Forsyth last year.

The hospital also opened six new operating rooms in the hospitals Center for Advanced Surgical Technology and expanded pre-op and PACU space in November. The new operating rooms support robotics, neuro and orthopedics/spine surgeries. More than 400 surgeries have taken place in the new ORs to date and surgeons have expressed that the new space exceeds their expectations. The hospital now has 24 ORs. More than 14,400 surgeries were performed at Northside Hospital Forsyth in 2018.

Cumming adds to landscape

The new City of Cumming water tower off Ga. 400 went into operation this year. The message "Cumming Home" is painted on the basin in red and black lettering.

The project included installation of a water pipeline along Castleberry Road, Hutchinson Road and Deputy Bill Cantrell Memorial Road. The new tower is double the capacity of its predecessor with a 2-million gallon tank. It was approved by the City Council in 2018 and constructed by John D. Stephens Inc. for a $7.5 million bid.

In a plot twist of sorts, Forsyth County has a connection to the 2020 Miss America competition after Victoria Hill made two appearances here as she campaigned for foster children across the state.

Hill was crowned Miss Georgia in June.

The Canton native performed in Foster the Cause, a red-carpet event in September at the Polo Golf & Country Club. The evening included a formal chef dinner and musical entertainment featuring Miss Georgia performing Broadway and classical numbers.

Foster the Cause, was the initiative of Forsyth County residents Wayne and Sally Richards and Cindy and John Moon who hosted the benefit.

Foster the Cause is designed to raise funds for two local homes that provide housing, guidance and support to foster children: Bald Ridge Lodge for boys in Cumming and North Georgia Angel House for girls in Canton.

Hill returned in September to share details of her campaign with the Lanier Forsyth Rotary Club.

Her platform, Flip the Script on Foster Care, has set three main goals that include raising awareness of the need of the Georgia foster care system, engaging businesses and organizations to help children in foster care and encouraging mentorship for the young adults aging out of the system.

Read the original here:
Forsyth: Year in Review | Forsyth Herald - NorthFulton.com