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A construction worker was killed Saturday morning while setting up for First Night Boston in Copley Square, according to Boston Police and a First Night Boston spokesman.

Police responded to reports of a traumatic injury on Saturday morning at 9:47 in the area of 560 Boylston St.

Something had fallen and hit the worker. The identity of the man, who was in his late 20s, has not been released.

Boston EMS transported the patient to the hospital but he was pronounced dead on the way, according to police.

The man was an employee of a company, United Staging & Rigging, assisting First Night with setup for the annual event, according to a First Night Boston spokesman.

Jon Sharpe of United Staging & Rigging issued a statement on the incident.

We are devastated by todays tragic accident that occurred while constructing a lighting tower for the First Night stage in Copley Square. One of our employees was killed this morning when a 3,500-pound ballast dislodged from a forklift and landed on his chest.

Although emergency responders arrived quickly, he was pronounced dead onsite.

The health and safety of our employees is our number one priority and we are working with the Boston Police and OSHA to determine how this could have happened. We will respond to the findings when the investigations are complete. Tonight, our focus and prayers are with our employee, his family and co-workers.

Boston Police, the Occupational Safety and Health Association and the office of Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins are investigating the death. OSHA did not immediately respond to request for comment.

This morning there was a fatal accident in Copley Square at setup for First Night Boston involving a construction worker, read a statement from First Night Boston. We are deeply saddened by the occurrence and are sending our prayers to the family of the worker.

First Night Boston is a New Years Eve arts festival that begins in Copley Square at 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday and continues all day and night until the last musical performance ends at 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2020.

The event features ice sculptures, musical performances, fireworks and childrens activities. The public celebration is free and open to all, and has been running since 1975.

The event has several local sponsors including Boston Properties, Plumbers and Gasfitters Local 12 Boston and The Boston Foundation.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of the victim in Copley Square this afternoon, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh said in a statement issued by his office.

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Construction worker dies during First Night setup in Copley Square - Boston Herald

captionThe stained glass wall inside Trinity Church in New York City.sourceCourtesy of Tiani Jones/Trinity Church

In the universe of the film National Treasure, Trinity Churchs imposing dark brick and skyward spire hide secrets and treasure.

In Disneys 2004 movie, Nicholas Cage plays a historian and treasure hunter who uses a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence to track down an assortment of gold, jewels, and artifacts buried in the catacombs of Trinity Church. The treasure was, according to the films plot, hidden there by the Free Masons a real secret society whose membership boasted revolutionaries like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton.

The true story of Trinity Church, which is located in the heart of Manhattans financial district, involves a lot less gold and lot more history, according to church archivist Joseph Lapinski.

Fifteen years after National Treasure hit theaters the movie came out in November 2014 queries about the churchs connection to the Free Masons treasure have finally died down, Lapinski told Business Insider. (Nearly everything depicted in the movie pertaining to Trinity Church is untrue, he said.)

Oddly enough, I dont get too many questions about National Treasure to have a queued up list anymore, Lapinski said. He has worked at Trinity since 2013.

These days, visitors are more interested in the churchs role in the American Revolution, since Alexander Hamilton and his wife Eliza (made newly famous by the musical Hamilton) owned a pew, worshipped there, and were buried in the adjacent cemetery.

Heres what National Treasure got wrong about Trinity Church and the real secrets the building holds, according to Lapinski.

The main thing I usually stress is that theres no crypts underneath Trinity Church, Lapinski said. There are some burials under the altar, but theyre not formal crypts in the way the movie portrays.

The cemetery on the north side was created before the churchs construction in 1697. It started as a Dutch burial ground.

The Ludlows, the Bleeckers, the Livingstons all the people whose names are on New York street signs were people who attended Trinity Church, he added.

Many of the people buried there were Free Masons.

The organization eventually took on a more clandestine air as its members assumed influential roles in business and society. Of the 39 people who signed the US Constitution, 13 were Free Masons. However, while the group played a key role in forming the United States, its members did not actually transport any secret treasure.

Today, the all-male order is the worlds largest secret society, with at least 2 million members.

One such headstone marks the grave of a man named James Leeson, and it has a cryptogram that, when deciphered, reads Remember Death a common warning used on 18th-century headstones, Lapinski said.

Beneath the cryptogram are engraved Masonic symbols, including an hourglass, a compass, and a flame rising from an open vessel.

Beyond this indication that Leeson was a Mason, no further record of him can be found, according to Lapinski.

Rather, many powerful male professionals in New York during the 1700s were also part of the Free Masons, and when they were buried at Trinity Church, their headstones included Masonic symbols.

Prominent New Yorkers like Robert Fulton, who invented the steamboat, and Albert Gallatin, who founded New York University, are also buried there.

During the Revolutionary War, the churchs rector even wrote a loyalist response to patriot Thomas Paines pamphlet, Common Sense, which advocated for the colonies freedom.

But according to Lapinski, not all parishioners were loyalists.

Hamilton and fellow patriot John Jay both owned pews at Trinity Church.

There was an interesting dynamic of tension, Lapinski said.

After the American Revolution ended, the churchs new rector, Samuel Provoost, deleted the line in Trinity Churchs charter that stipulated clergy members had to be loyal to the British crown.

On the night of September 20, 1776, a devastating fire destroyed an estimated 10% to 25% of the buildings in Manhattan. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

The third version of the church was built in 1846 and remains standing to this day.

Captain William Kidd, a Scottish sailor executed for piracy in 1701, lent parts of his ship for use during Trinity Churchs construction.

According to Lapinski, there are two references to Kidd in the church archives. Hes mentioned in a short line: Captain Kidd helped with construction of first church by loaning buildings his runner and tackle to pull up stones.

The pirates name is also written on the list of church pews. Kidd shared ownership of the first-row pew with Trinity Churchs rector.

To me, the treasures arent gold and silver and jewels its the documents that get to share the story of where Trinity came from, Lapinski said.

It was signed by King William III in 1697.

These are great resources that tell us who was here and when, Lapinski said.

Archives reflect how we administered services to a growing and changing city, he added.

In the late 1800s, the part of Manhattan near Trinity Church was known as printers row or newspaper row, since it was home to the big-name publications of the day (including The New York Times).

According to Lapinksi, the church accommodated the schedules of people working in these printing presses by hosting 2 a.m. services.

Trinity Churchs central location and immutability has attracted many historians particularly those researching Alexander Hamilton, Lapinski said.

But the interior of Trinity Church is currently closed for construction work.

Trinitys nave, with its 66-foot vaulted ceilings, has been closed to the public for 19 months. According to Tiani Jones, the churchs media relations manager, the nave should reopen in February or March.

The Trinity Church Cemetery therefore includes three separate burial grounds at St. Pauls, 155th street, and the original church. Between those sites, the church owns the last active cemeteries left in Manhattan.

John James Audubon, one of the most prominent ornithologists in history, is buried at the Trinity Church Mausoleum and Cemetery on 155th Street.

St. Pauls Chapel, meanwhile, is famous in part because George Washington went there for services on the day of his inauguration in 1789.

Its assets are estimated at around $2 billion. So the church does, in a sense, hold ample treasure.

Read the rest here:
15 years after National Treasure came out, heres the real story of the Manhattan church that the movie suggests hides buried loot - Business Insider

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authoritys (MARTA) development partners for the King Memorial Station transit-oriented development (TOD), Place Properties and H.J. Russell Company, have closed on financing to begin construction.

With $6 million in grant funding from Invest Atlanta, the $62.5 million project is a collaboration that will create 100 affordable housing units of 300 total units and complement development efforts occurring along Memorial Drive and the surrounding historic community.

The King Memorial Station development will offer affordable housing alongside the public transit-focused lifestyle TOD seeks to facilitate, said Jeffrey Parker, MARTA general manager and CEO. We are excited about the partnership with Place-Russell and Invest Atlanta. With one-third of the units being affordable, we have been deliberate about supporting the mayors affordable housing goals.

Located on approximately 4.4 acres of underutilized parking space on the south side of the station, the King Memorial TOD, which seeks to increase riders at a station with the second lowest ridership system-wide, is a part of MARTAs broader TOD initiative. The development plan also includes ground floor retail and an arts project for the Grant Street Tunnel.

Were going into the new year with the prospect of bringing 100 affordable housing units and 10,000-square feet of retail space to the King Memorial Station. Thats exciting, said H. Jerome Russell, president of H.J. Russell & Company.

Cecil Phillips, Place Properties CEO, added, This is a transformational development for MARTA and this part of the city. It is indeed a project that we can all be excited about.

The site is conveniently located between the neighborhoods of Old Fourth Ward, Grant Park, downtown and Cabbagetown. The station, just two stops from downtown Atlanta, is in the historic Grant Park neighborhood and due west of Oakland Cemetery. The station serves the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and Ebenezer Baptist Church. It is approximately three blocks south of the Atlanta Streetcar.

Adding affordable housing along Atlantas transit lines is a key part of economic mobility by providing easier access to employment centers and reducing transportation costs for more city residents, said Eloisa Klementich, Ph.D., president and CEO of Invest Atlanta. On average, 63 percent of a familys income is spent on housing and transportation. Making an impact on this through transit-oriented development like at King Memorial station helps to drive investment while decreasing a familys spending, allowing them to focus on other family needs.

This marks the second multifamily development project financed this year on MARTA land with set aside for affordable housing. The Link development at Edgewood-Candler Park station was the first.

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MARTA and partners move forward on King Memorial Station TOD construction - MassTransitMag.com

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The past year saw development again a key talking point in Granville. The year also saw construction or openings of new structures including a new medical center at the east end of the Village, and the launch of the Michael D. Eisner arts center at Denison University.

Following, are some of the most significant events making Granville news in 2019.

January

The Village of Granville, Granville Township Trustees and officials from Denison University discussed partnering to help fund enhancements to the new, wider Ohio 37 bridge, construction of which is slated to begin in 2020.

Also in January, Granville Township officials were expressing doubt that an existing service contract to provide fire and EMS services to Union Township had much future left as Union and Hebron discussed forming a new fire district.

During one of its first meetings of the year, Granville Council also heard the first pitch for a new cidery to be located in a downtown barn, a proposal that would eventually find approval later in 2019.

February

Granville Council approved a tax subsidy or TIF for a new medical complex currently nearing completion at the east end of the village, close to the Newark border. The medical center being constructed by Hplex Solutions was described as a $5.3 million state of the art orthopedic center, expected to result in a $2.5 million payroll.

Council also approved an 18-acre annexation to establish the Glenshire residential development on Newark-Granville Road.

March

Granville Township Trustees, working with Kendal, announced a new traffic light at Ohio 16 and Kendal Drive. That signal went live the week of Thanksgiving.

Granville Schools announced a plan to partner with a community group to begin work on field improvements at Granville High School. The district also hired a new district treasurer, Brittany Treolo.

Granville police began enforcement of the villages new Nathans Law, prohibiting use of mobile communication devices while driving in the Village.

April

April brought announcement of plans by Welsh Hills Schools to construct a new high school, and the first home in Granvilles solar community, Village Roots, was completed and showcased with an open house. The community is located on Old Sycamore Lane in Granville.

Village Manager Steve Pyles resigned his position in April, and Kim Keethler Ball became the new owner of Readers Garden Book Store.

May

Granville Township Trustees announced plans to break ground for a new fire station at 1833 Lancaster Road, estimated to cost approximately $6 million.

Actress and Denison University grad Jennifer Garner delivered the 2019 commencement address at her alma mater, telling students, You are responsible for your own happiness, so attack it!

Lt. Suzie Dawson announced she was retiring from the Granville Police force to accept a position as an Ohio Senate Sergeant at Arms.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Newark Advocate today to access all of our content online at offers.newarkadvocate.com.

June

Granville Council approved emergency funds for dental repair of a K-9 officers teeth, as well as allocating money to contribute to the repair and partial replacement of a bulging Old Colony Burying Ground Cemetery wall in danger of collapse. That work was completed in July.

The Granville Kiwanis announced that the years annual July 4 festival would be built around a moon landing theme.

July

Denison unveiled its nearly completed Michael D. Eisner Center for the performing arts. The 108,000, structure is the first Denison building to front the villages main thoroughfare, as pointed out by DU President Adam Weinberg.

Longtime Granville Village Clerk of Council Mollie Prasher announced she was leaving Granville for a similar post in Reynoldsburg.

The Granville Library announced that in answer to public requests, it would begin to offer Sunday hours.

August

The Village of Granville held an open house for its newly completed service department headquarters at 1552 Columbus Road. The old service complex on Lancaster Road was to be razed shortly after to clear the way for a new Granville Township Fire Department.

Granville Boosters held a special community event to reveal the intended name of its new stadium The Walter J. Hodges Stadium in honor of a 1951 GHS graduate, as well as to announce its funding goals.

After a number of Licking County-area candidates petitions were rejected by the Licking County Board of Elections, including those of incumbent Granville Township Trustee Dan Van Ness and his intended challenger, it was announced the seat would be decided by write-in vote.

September

Dan Finkelman resigned his post as Granville Council member during the Sept. 4 meeting. He had earlier made clear his intent not to seek re-election in the looming November races.

Ann Lowder also announced she would be retiring from her position as executive director of The Robbins Hunter Museum.

Granville Schools scored nearly straight-As on the annual state report card, the only district in Licking County to receive an overall A-grade.

October

The Village of Granville seated a new council member by appointment, selecting Laura Mickelson to fill the seat earlier vacated by Dan Finkelman. The Village also hired Herb Koehler to become the communitys new village manager.

The United Church of Granville marked its 200th year.

Bryn Du Mansion welcomed its first artist in residence, Poet Jennifer Hambrick, who was provided living space in the newly restored former laundry house located at the rear of the mansion.

Union Township and Hebron official voted to form a fire district, despite opposition from Union residents served under contract by the Granville Township Fire Department. Those opposing the new fire districts formation soon announced an effort to try and move a portion of Union into Granville Township.

November

Granville Schools began demolition of its high school stadium to prep the site for construction of a new complex expected to be completed in time for the start of the 2020-21 school year.

Granville Council saluted longtime member Jackie OKeefe, who began serving in 2003 and chose not to seek office again in the fall 2019 elections.

December

Granville Council approved a tax incentive or TIF agreement aimed at simulating development in the area of Weaver Drive and River Road on Dec. 4.

On Dec. 7, The Granville Area Chamber of Commerces annual Christmas Candlelight Walking Tourblessed with warmer weather and sunny skies once more filled the downtown with shoppers and sightseers.

Read or Share this story: https://www.newarkadvocate.com/story/news/local/granville/2019/12/28/new-granville-construction-tax-incentives-among-top-stories-2019/4410785002/

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New Granville construction, tax incentive agreements among top stories of 2019 - The Newark Advocate

Walking into the green campus of the All Saints Church on 1, Hosur Road, Richmond town, Bangalore, which lies at one of the busiest intersections in town, is like stepping into a time machine. Traffic noises fade away, muffled by the leaves and trailing branches of the over 100 trees some over 150 years old that fill the space. A lawn glows green under the sun-dappled shade. The quaint, steeply-gabled, tiled church with rubble stone masonry walls rising just seven feet to meet the roof, the typical arched windows transport you into an earlier century. As you step into the carpeted interiors, the roof, resting on artistically-wrought iron trusses, attracts the eye upwards, the carved teak pews, woodwork, the pipe organ all take us to a time when the world was a calmer, more serene place. The air is filled with birdcalls of dozens of the species, some rare, which live in the precincts. Church records say that the land was gifted by the Maharaja of Mysore, Chamaraja Wodeyar, and later expanded to include space for an orphanage.

It was completed in 1870 by Rev. Samuel Pettigrew who was an important institution builder in Bangalore those days. He was the chaplain at St. Marks Cathedral at the time, and also warden of the Bishop Cotton Boys School. Estimated to cost Rs 10,000, its original design was rejected by the Church Building Society of Madras, as being unsuitable for a church and too small. The present building was then designed by well-known government architect Robert Chisholm, who is famous for pioneering the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, which incorporates Indo-Islamic decorative and design elements with western styles. But All Saints Church has none of those elements in its design. Two earlier ones submitted by Chisholm were rejected and only the third was accepted. Rev. Pettigrew for his part struggled to collect the funds for its construction. The foundation stone was finally laid down in 1869.

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End of road for 150-yr-old Bangalore Church? - National Herald

LESS WHITE, LESS MODERN ON LISPENARDCityLand reports that the new building proposed for the corner of Church and Lispenard has been approved by the Landmarks Commission originally for being too white and too modern: At the November 12 public hearing, David Gross of GF55 Architects presented the modified design for the building. In the modified design, the front faades color was toned down and changed from white to limestone. The horizontal bands were replaced with horizontal reveals carved into the building. Gross stated that the framing of the building was changed to have more symmetry and the height of the buildings base was increased to make the building appear wider at the base.

VINOLY BUILDING ON GREENWICH NEARLY COMPLETEWork is almost entirely complete on the reflective curtain wall of 125 Greenwich Street, number 14 in [New York Yimbys] countdown of the tallest projects under construction in New York City. The only sections awaiting faade work are the podium and the portion where the exterior hoist is still mounted. Designed by Rafael Violy and developed by Bizzi & Partners and Vector Group, the slender 88-story residential skyscraper stands 912 feet tall over the Financial District.

MOTHER CABRINI COMING TO BPCBecause I cant resist quoting The Tablet, the Brooklyn and Queens Roman Catholic Dioceses newspaper that has been around since 1908: St. Frances Xavier Cabrinis statue will be built in Battery Park City on a spot facing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a fitting place for the Italian-American saint, known as the patroness of immigrants. The Dec. 13 announcement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo came months after campaigning by local Catholics for a public monument for Mother Cabrini. The funding and construction of the $750,000 project is being overseen by the Mother Cabrini Memorial Commission, a 19-member committee that includes Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, John Heyer of the Diocese of Brooklyns Italian apostolate and Joseph Sciame, president of the Sons of Italy Foundation.

INSIDE THE TREE BUSINESSInside Edition interviews the Scott Lechner, who founded the Christmas tree vendor SoHo Trees in 1982 and now has eight locations in the city.

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In the News: Landmarks approves building on Lispenard - Tribeca Citizen

The Herald

Court ReporterBISHOP Tudor Bismarks New Life Covenant Churchs bid to construct a state-of-the-art building on a wetland in Newlands has been thwarted after a civil society organisation, Harare Wetlands Trust (HWT), successfully contested its legality.

The church intended to build the structure along Boundary Road, but residents and environmental rights campaigners objected.

Newlands Residents Association and the HWT opposed the move and sought the intervention of the High Court.

They argued that the structures were being built on a wetland and that the church had not complied with environment regulations.

Justice Webster Chinamora heard the dispute in which New Life Covenant Church, the Harare City Council, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, the Environmental Management Agency, the Minister of Environment, Climate Tourism and Hospitality and the Upper Manyame Catchment Council were listed as respondents.

He found that the church had not complied with the law after it failed to apply for a permit from Upper Manyame Catchment Council

Justice Chinamora declared the construction of a church by New Life Covenant Church on the wetland as unlawful and ordered the church to stop all developments.

The first respondents ongoing development on Stand 1892 Boundary Road, Harare . . . be and is hereby declared unlawful, said Justice Chinamora.

The first respondent shall immediately cease all developments and remove all machinery on Stand 1892 Boundary Road, Harare.

The church resisted the application insisting it had the necessary permit to proceed with the development.

It also produced a letter written by the local authoritys director of works as the authority upon which it acted.

But after examining the letter, Justice Chinamora formed the view that it was not a permit within the contemplation of Section 24 (1)(d) of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act.

In their application, the HWT and residents wanted the High Court to issue an order stopping the work and directing the removal of all the construction machinery on site.

Advocate Fadzayi Mahere, who acted for the applicants argued that the church did not obtain the requisite permits for the development of the property in terms of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act and Section 46(2) of the Water Act.

Government in 2016 partially allowed the church to construct the structures on the site on condition that the structures only covered land of up to 0,8 hectares.

However, the residents argued that the church exceeded the 0,8ha limit in violation of the ministerial directive and they wanted the church to stop the construction.

It was further argued that the stand fell under an area declared to be a wetland and the church should comply with the stipulated pre-conditions to lawfully erect structures.

It was also feared that constructing the church on the wetland would result in irreparable harm to the environment.

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High Court stops churchs wetland construction works - The Herald

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 07: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Oakland Raiders runs the ball in for the winning touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth quarter at RingCentral Coliseum on November 07, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Josh Jacobs has been the glue to the Raiders offense right out of the gates, rushing for 86 yards and two touchdowns in his first NFL game against the Denver Broncos. In Week 17, the Raiders will once again take on the Broncos, but this time without their star running back.

In the first quarter of the Raiders Week 7 against the Green Bay Packers, Jacobs fractured his shoulder during an attempt to fight for extra yards. Since then, he's been limited in many practices throughout the season, but has just missed two games.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, those two games have come within the last three, as the team has been very careful with their prized running back. Jacobs has been an incredible addition to this offense even with his hurt shoulder, and many believe he will run away with the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

On Saturday, the Raiders officially ruled Jacobs out (shoulder/ illness) for Sunday's Week 17 game against the Denver Broncos with playoff implications in sight.

Josh Jacobs (shoulder/illness) has been downgraded to OUT for Sundays game at Denver. #OAKvsDEN

As the season inches closer to the finish line, Jacobs will have a lot of hype surrounding his name as a nominee for theoffensive rookie of the year. He'll finish the season carrying the ball 242 times for 1,150 yards and 7 touchdowns. In the passing game, Jacobs caught 20 passes for 166 yards.

Next: What does this mean?

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Oakland Raiders need all hands on deck with Josh Jacobs out - Just Blog Baby

Starting Monday at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET, fans can click on to Marvel HQ to take in the special holiday takeover, featuring festive episodes starring their favorite superheroes. Watch online here!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Jingle Bell Rock.When the Guardians realize theyre on the wrong side of a bounty, they stage a Christmas Carol-inspired con job to frighten a superstitious despot out of his ill-gotten riches and free his enslaved people.

Marvels Avengers Assemble: Under the Spell of the Enchantress. Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel travel to an icy asteroid to rescue Thor from the Enchantress.

Marvels Spider-Man: Spider-Man on Ice. When Blizzard steals new technology and freezes New York, an unprepared Spider-Man has to upgrade his gear to stop the villain before the city is put into a new Ice Age.

Ultimate Spider-Man: Nightmare on Christmas. Spider-Man sees what the world would be like without him when Nightmare takes the web-slinger on a journey through his past, present and future.

Ultimate Spider-Man: The Moon Knight Before Christmas. While house sitting for Dr. Strange on Christmas Eve, Spidey teams up with the mysterious moon knight to confront his own Ghost of Christmas Past.

Marvel Super Hero Adventures: The Toys are Back in Town. Spidey teams up with the famous Captain America to track down a toy thief known as the Tinkerer! As our heroes rescue the stolen toys, Captain America reminds Spider-Man that being a hero means doing the right thing, no matter what.

Marvel Funko Presents: Cosmic Sleigh Ride, The Collector sends Taserface to re-capture Groot and his collection and ends up on a slippery snow chase on a frozen alien planet with Groot & Star-Lord.

Marvel Mash-Ups: Spider-Man & Amazing Friends: Burrito. In this Spider-Man Marvel Mash-Up, Ice Man is dangerously good at a game of freeze tag against Spider-Man and friends.

Marvels Avengers Assemble: Under the Spell of the Enchantress

Marvels Spider-Man: Spider-Man on Ice

Marvel Funko Presents: Cosmic Sleigh Ride

Read more from the original source:
Holiday Takeover Decks Marvel HQ Halls with Toons - Animation Magazine

Throughout the autumn as the project dragged on though false starts, do-overs and delays, I was hatching a plan. I would very carefully catalog and annotate everything that had gone wrong, sit down with the contractor and negotiate a smaller number on the bottom line.

The facts were not in dispute. Id have him over a barrel. I would sleep well at night knowing I had been wronged and I had made it right. (Spoiler alert: Take note of the half-dozen Is in the first two grafs of this column).

In our household, CY 2019 evolved rapidly into the Year of Home Improvement. It started innocently enough as my wife and I sat in our living room on New Years Day a year ago and decided we should paint one living room wall. It escalated quickly. All the living room, dining room, hallway walls painted, along with the ceiling, new furniture, new carpeting, new appliances, new artwork, purposeful purging of all manner of household accoutrements that, it turns out, we could live without, a partial kitchen remodel, etc., et al, ad infinitum.

Like many homes in Manhattan, ours is built into a Flint Hill, with the front and back doors opening to divergent elevations, bringing not only enhanced aesthetic real estate value, but real-world practical attributes to a deck.

We bought the house on the day of our wedding 21 years ago. Its a mid-century home, but the deck was 1970s vintage. Over the decades, as the deck began listing to starboard, our time-buying and resuscitation efforts eventually and finally expired. The clincher came when, shopping for contractors, one pro gave it a hard look, offered, Im not walking on that thing, turned on his work boot heel, mounted his half-ton and drove away into the sunset.

Hmmph. Thanks for nothing.

Everything felt right with the contractor we landed on. As we traversed our way around the existing rickety deck, he offered creative design thoughts and we each visualized the bright and shiny end game. Sold. Firm handshake. Direct eye contact. He would start the first week of October and be done in a week and a half. Two months later, on our wedding anniversary, December 23, the last screw was turned.

When the problems started cropping up, the man did everything right. When there was a mistake, he acknowledged it, owned it and made it right. That did not stop my seemingly innate tendencies to believe I had been wronged, to seek an edge, and the mental setback cataloging began.

Throughout the fall, my wife and I would compare notes and waffle between hoped-for outcomes. Negotiate or suck it up? Weve each lived long enough to know outcomes hoped for can become outcomes delivered with careful planning and execution. Frustrated over the fits and starts, but our frustration never spiraled up (or down) to anger with the contractor.

In hindsight, those were two significant data points: No outcome consensus and no anger.

Heres a young man trying to build a livelihood in our community. He has skills, ability and a dream. He struggles with the same things all small business owners struggle with: Workforce issues, managing expectations, communication with clients/customers, relationships with regulators, the vagaries of subcontractors, etc., et al, ad infinitum. In short, human nature.

Our consensus began to emerge when my wife posited that maybe we were channeling her mother, a generous soul who died a year ago, the first of a dozen losses of loved ones and friends over a year. All those funerals, writ large, also proved valuable decision-making data, as it turned out. Life is short. Dont muck it up with anger. Walk a mile, or at least up and down a Flint Hill while envisioning a new deck, in the other guys steel-toed work boots.

There is also the First world problems argument which infuses some reality. If this is the worst of my problems

Some would argue it is human nature to take otherwise simple problems and make them difficult. Maybe. I do not believe it is human nature to seek an edge, to one-up to my benefit. Thats learned behavior that can become my nature, if I allow it.

Mike Matsons column appears every other Sunday in The Mercury. Follow his blog at mikematson.com

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MATSON | Building a new deck leads to the autumn of my discontent - Manhattan Mercury