#homes for sale west island

[billa-billa007]

Galveston East End District is a historic neighborhood located in Galveston, Texas. It is known for its well-preserved architecture and charming streetscape, which includes a variety of Victorian-era homes and commercial buildings. The district is situated on the eastern side of the island, close to the harbor and the Strand Historic District.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Sympathy for the spammer

Catch me in Miami! I'll be at Books and Books in Coral Gables on Jan 22 at 8PM.

In any scam, any con, any hustle, the big winners are the people who supply the scammers – not the scammers themselves. The kids selling dope on the corner are making less than minimum wage, while the respectable crime-bosses who own the labs clean up. Desperate "retail investors" who buy shitcoins from Superbowl ads get skinned, while the MBA bros who issue the coins make millions (in real dollars, not crypto).

It's ever been thus. The California gold rush was a con, and nearly everyone who went west went broke. Famously, the only reliable way to cash out on the gold rush was to sell "picks and shovels" to the credulous, doomed and desperate. That's how Leland Stanford made his fortune, which he funneled into eugenics programs (and founding a university):

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/malcolm-harris/palo-alto/9780316592031/

That means that the people who try to con you are almost always getting conned themselves. Think of Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) scams. My forthcoming novel The Bezzle opens with a baroque and improbable fast-food Ponzi in the town of Avalon on the island of Catalina, founded by the chicle monopolist William Wrigley Jr:

http://thebezzle.org

Wrigley found fast food declasse and banned it from the island, a rule that persists to this day. In The Bezzle, the forensic detective Martin Hench uncovers The Fry Guys, an MLM that flash-freezes contraband burgers and fries smuggled on-island from the mainland and sells them to islanders though an "affiliate marketing" scheme that is really about recruiting other affiliate markets to sell under you. As with every MLM, the value of the burgers and fries sold is dwarfed by the gigantic edifice of finance fraud built around it, with "points" being bought and sold for real cash, which is snaffled up and sucked out of the island by a greedy mainlander who is behind the scheme.

A "bezzle" is John Kenneth Galbraith's term for "the magic interval when a confidence trickster knows he has the money he has appropriated but the victim does not yet understand that he has lost it." In every scam, there's a period where everyone feels richer – but only the scammers are actually cleaning up. The wealth of the marks is illusory, but the longer the scammer can preserve the illusion, the more real money the marks will pump into the system.

MLMs are particularly ugly, because they target people who are shut out of economic opportunity – women, people of color, working people. These people necessarily rely on social ties for survival, looking after each others' kids, loaning each other money they can't afford, sharing what little they have when others have nothing.

It's this social cohesion that MLMs weaponize. Crypto "entrepreneurs" are encouraged to suck in their friends and family by telling them that they're "building Black wealth." Working women are exhorted to suck in their bffs by appealing to their sisterhood and the chance for "women to lift each other up."

The "sales people" trying to get you to buy crypto or leggings or supplements are engaged in predatory conduct that will make you financially and socially worse off, wrecking their communities' finances and shattering the mutual aid survival networks they rely on. But they're not getting rich on this – they're also being scammed:

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4686468

This really hit home for me in the mid-2000s, when I was still editing Boing Boing. We had a submission form where our readers could submit links for us to look at for inclusion on the blog, and it was overwhelmed by spam. We'd add all kinds of antispam to it, and still, we'd get floods of hundreds or even thousands of spam submissions to it.

One night, I was lying in my bed in London and watching these spams roll in. They were all for small businesses in the rustbelt, handyman services, lawn-care, odd jobs, that kind of thing. They were 10 million miles from the kind of thing we'd ever post about on Boing Boing. They were coming in so thickly that I literally couldn't finish downloading my email – the POP session was dropping before I could get all the mail in the spool. I had to ssh into my mail server and delete them by hand. It was maddening.

Frustrated and furious, I started calling the phone numbers associated with these small businesses, demanding an explanation. I assumed that they'd hired some kind of sleazy marketing service and I wanted to know who it was so I could give them a piece of my mind.

But what I discovered when I got through was much weirder. These people had all been laid off from factories that were shuttering due to globalization. As part of their termination packages, their bosses had offered them "retraining" via "courses" in founding their own businesses.

The "courses" were the precursors to the current era's rise-and-grind hustle-culture scams (again, the only people getting rich from that stuff are the people selling the courses – the "students" finish the course poorer). They promised these laid-off workers, who'd given their lives to their former employers before being discarded, that they just needed to pull themselves up by their own boostraps:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/10/declaration-of-interdependence/#solidarity-forever

After all, we had the internet now! There were so many new opportunities to be your own boss! The course came with a dreadful build-your-own-website service, complete with an overpriced domain sales portal, and a single form for submitting your new business to "thousands of search engines."

This was nearly 20 years ago, but even then, there was really only one search engine that mattered: Google. The "thousands of search engines" the scammers promised to submit these desperate peoples' websites to were just submission forms for directories, indexes, blogs, and mailing lists. The number of directories, indexes, blogs and mailing lists that would publish their submissions was either "zero" or "nearly zero." There was certainly no possibility that anyone at Boing Boing would ever press the wrong key and accidentally write a 500-word blog post about a leaf-raking service in a collapsing deindustrialized exurb in Kentucky or Ohio.

The people who were drowning me in spam weren't the scammers – they were the scammees.

But that's only half the story. Years later, I discovered how our submission form was getting included in this get-rich-quick's mass-submission system. It was a MLM! Coders in the former Soviet Union were getting work via darknet websites that promised them relative pittances for every submission form they reverse-engineered and submitted. The smart coders didn't crack the forms directly – they recruited other, less business-savvy coders to do that for them, and then often as not, ripped them off.

The scam economy runs on this kind of indirection, where scammees are turned into scammers, who flood useful and productive and nice spaces with useless dross that doesn't even make them any money. Take the submission queue at Clarkesworld, the great online science fiction magazine, which famously had to close after it was flooded with thousands of junk submission "written" by LLMs:

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/24/1159286436/ai-chatbot-chatgpt-magazine-clarkesworld-artificial-intelligence

There was a zero percent chance that Neil Clarke would accidentally accept one of these submissions. They were uniformly terrible. The people submitting these "stories" weren't frustrated sf writers who'd discovered a "life hack" that let them turn out more brilliant prose at scale.

They were scammers who'd been scammed into thinking that AIs were the key to a life of passive income, a 4-Hour Work-Week powered by an AI-based self-licking ice-cream cone:

https://pod.link/1651876897/episode/995c8a778ede17d2d7cff393e5203157

This is absolutely classic passive-income brainworms thinking. "I have a bot that can turn out plausible sentences. I will locate places where sentences can be exchanged for money, aim my bot at it, sit back, and count my winnings." It's MBA logic on meth: find a thing people pay for, then, without bothering to understand why they pay for that thing, find a way to generate something like it at scale and bombard them with it.

Con artists start by conning themselves, with the idea that "you can't con an honest man." But the factor that predicts whether someone is connable isn't their honesty – it's their desperation. The kid selling drugs on the corner, the mom desperately DMing her high-school friends to sell them leggings, the cousin who insists that you get in on their shitcoin – they're all doing it because the system is rigged against them, and getting worse every day.

These people reason – correctly – that all the people getting really rich are scamming. If Amazon can make $38b/year selling "ads" that push worse products that cost more to the top of their search results, why should the mere fact that an "opportunity" is obviously predatory and fraudulent disqualify it?

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/29/aethelred-the-unready/#not-one-penny-for-tribute

The quest for passive income is really the quest for a "greater fool," the economist's term for the person who relieves you of the useless crap you just overpaid for. It rots the mind, atomizes communities, shatters solidarity and breeds cynicism:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/24/passive-income/#swiss-cheese-security

The rise and rise of botshit cannot be separated from this phenomenon. The botshit in our search-results, our social media feeds, and our in-boxes isn't making money for the enshittifiers who send it – rather, they are being hustled by someone who's selling them the "picks and shovels" for the AI gold rush:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/03/botshit-generative-ai-imminent-threat-democracy

That's the true cost of all the automation-driven unemployment criti-hype: while we're nowhere near a place where bots can steal your job, we're certainly at the point where your boss can be suckered into firing you and replacing you with a bot that fails at doing your job:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/11/robots-stole-my-jerb/#computer-says-no

The manic "entrepreneurs" who've been stampeded into panic by the (correct) perception that the economy is a game of musical chairs where the number of chairs is decreasing at breakneck speed are easy marks for the Leland Stanfords of AI, who are creating generational wealth for themselves by promising that their bots will automate away all the tedious work that goes into creating value. Expect a lot more Amazon Marketplace products called "I'm sorry, I cannot fulfil this request as it goes against OpenAI use policy":

https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/12/24036156/openai-policy-amazon-ai-listings

No one's going to buy these products, but the AI picks-and-shovels people will still reap a fortune from the attempt. And because history repeats itself, these newly minted billionaires are continuing Leland Stanford's love affair with eugenics:

https://www.truthdig.com/dig-series/eugenics/

The fact that AI spam doesn't pay is important to the fortunes of AI companies. Most high-value AI applications are very risk-intolerant (self-driving cars, radiology analysis, etc). An AI tool might help a human perform these tasks more accurately – by warning them of things that they've missed – but that's not how AI will turn a profit. There's no market for AI that makes your workers cost more but makes them better at their jobs:

https://locusmag.com/2023/12/commentary-cory-doctorow-what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai/

Plenty of people think that spam might be the elusive high-value, low-risk AI application. But that's just not true. The point of AI spam is to get clicks from people who are looking for better content. It's SEO. No one reads 2000 words of algorithm-pleasing LLM garbage over an omelette recipe and then subscribes to that site's feed.

And the omelette recipe generates pennies for the spammer that posted it. They are doing massive volume in order to make those pennies into dollars. You don't make money by posting one spam. If every spammer had to pay the actual recovery costs (energy, chillers, capital amortization, wages) for their query, every AI spam would lose (lots of) money.

Hustle culture and passive income are about turning other peoples' dollars into your dimes. It is a negative-sum activity, a net drain on society. Behind every seemingly successful "passive income" is a con artist who's getting rich by promising – but not delivering – that elusive passive income, and then blaming the victims for not hustling hard enough:

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2023/12/blueprint-trouble

I'm Kickstarting the audiobook for The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, narrated by @wilwheaton! You can pre-order the audiobook and ebook, DRM free, as well as the hardcover, signed or unsigned. There's also bundles with Red Team Blues in ebook, audio or paperback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/15/passive-income-brainworms/#four-hour-work-week

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[colinodonoghue]

222aghoststory & colinodonoghue1: 🚨 MEET YOUR DUBLIN CAST 🚨 @shonabmx @birdspotting @colinodonoghue1 @thewhitmore will be taking #222AGhostStory to Dublin’s @3olympiatheatre this Summer, 21 June - 11 Aug. For a strictly limited run 🚨Do you dare to join us? Book your tickets now! Link in bio 👻📸 @seamusphoto

Colinodonoghue1: Woohoo!! So excited to be a part of this show!!

[Get your tickets here!!!]

Runaway Entertainment in association with 3Olympia Theatre presents

2:22 - A GHOST STORY

Shona McGarty, Jay McGuiness, Colin O’Donoghue, Laura Whitmore, Announced for The Very Special, Standalone Irish Production

The smash hit play by Danny Robins Makes Irish Debut At 3Olympia Theatre This Summer For a Strictly Limited Run

Directed by Matthew Dunster & Isabel Marr

“A slick, chilling, romp of a play” The Guardian

‘A modern classic’ Sunday Times

Producer Runaway Entertainment is delighted to announce the stellar cast for the critically acclaimed, smash hit, supernatural thriller 2:22 - A Ghost Story opening at Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre this summer for its debut Irish performances.

Shona McGarty (Eastenders) will play Jenny, Jay McGuiness (The Wanted, BIG! The Musical, Rip It Up), who is currently on the UK tour in 2:22 - A Ghost Story, will play Ben, Colin O'Donoghue (Once Upon A Time, The Tudors, The Right Stuff, The Gray House) will play Sam with Laura Whitmore (Love Island, Finding Joy, Queenie, and Jenny in 2.22: A Ghost Story in her West End debut) stepping into the role of Lauren.

The very special, standalone Irish production, produced for Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre, will open on Thursday 20th June 2024 with performances until Sunday 11th August 2024 - for a strictly limited run only.

Full list of performances below. Age Suitability: 12+ 

Tickets priced from €26.50 including booking fee and €1.50 restoration levy on sale now with Ticketmaster Ireland

2:22 - A Ghost Story began in summer 2021 at the Noël Coward Theatre, starring Lily Allen, Julia Chan, Hadley Fraser and Jake Wood, and where it won the WhatsOnStage award for Best Play. It then transferred to the Gielgud Theatre for 10 weeks from 4 December 2021. The production there starring Stephanie Beatriz, James Buckley, Elliot Cowan and Giovanna Fletcher completed its run on 12 February 2022. For the first season at the Criterion (May - September 2022) the cast was Tom Felton, Mandip GIll, Sam Swainsbury and Beatriz Romilly. In late September Laura Whitmore, Matt Willis, Felix Scott and Tamsin Carroll took over. 

The box office record-breaking run at the Lyric starring Cheryl, Jake Wood, Scott Karim, and Louise Ford, concluded its run on 23 April. The West End season at the Apollo Theatre starred Sophia Bush, Frankie Bridge, Ricky Champ, Clifford Samuel and Jaime Winstone, and set off on its UK tour in Autumn 2023 with Joe Absolom, Charlene Boyd, Nathaniel Curtis and Louisa Lytton in the cast. Current cast on the UK tour: Vera Chok (Lauren); Jay McGuiness (Ben); George Rainsford (Sam); Fiona Wade (Jenny).

2:22 is written by award-winning writer Danny Robins, creator of the hit BBC podcast The Battersea Poltergeist, and is directed by Matthew Dunster and Isabel Marr; it’s an adrenaline-filled night where secrets emerge and ghosts may or may not appear…

Danny Robins said: ‘I'm really looking forward to seeing how Dublin audiences respond to 2:22 this summer. The tour continues to be a great success and I can't think of a better place to round off the journey in 2024 than here with a brand new cast to be announced soon!'

What do you believe? And do you dare discover the truth?

“THERE’S SOMETHING IN OUR HOUSE. I HEAR IT EVERY NIGHT, AT THE SAME TIME"

Jenny believes her new home is haunted, but her husband Sam isn’t having any of it. They argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and new partner Ben. Can the dead really walk again? Belief and scepticism clash, but something feels strange and frightening, and that something is getting closer, so they’re going to stay up... until 2:22... and then they’ll know.

2:22 - A Ghost Story features set design by Anna Fleischle, costume design by Cindy Lin, lighting design by Lucy Carter, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound and illusions by Chris Fisher. Casting by Matilda James.

2:22 - A Ghost Story is produced by Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Isobel David and Kater Gordon.  [source]      

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Cute little 1918 bungalow on Key West in Florida is pricey (b/c it's on Key West). 2bds, 2ba, $1.530M.

It's old and a little worn, but it's got charm.

The buyer can negotiate to buy the furnishings.

The galley kitchen is pretty big and it has a purple retro fridge.

There's a hallway that leads to the bedrooms and ends with a door to the garden.

Cute bedroom.

Isn't this an adorable bathroom? Love the tub.

Going up the stairs to the 2nd level.

I think that this large 2nd fl. room is the primary bedroom. It also has a big 2nd level porch.

Isn't this nice?

The en-suite has a jetted walk-in tub.

Large deck on the back of the house.

At the end of the deck is a guest house.

The guest house has bunk beds and a small sink.

Tropical garden.

And, this is a salt water pool.

According to the description, this is a rare property b/c it's on a large 51'x94' lot.

[weirdowithaquill]

Traintober 2023: Day 18 - Blueprints

Crovan's Gate Works is Home to many Blueprints:

Crovan’s Gate Works is one of, if not the, largest steamworks in the United Kingdom – and the single best equipped. It services steam locomotives from all four of Sodor’s railways, as well as engines from across the country and further. Many of the engines who appeared in the infamous ‘The Great Race’ movie – especially those from Europe – were actually engines being overhauled at Crovan’s Gate when Mattel sent people to do research for the film. The works has machines that can make any part needed for an engine on the Fat Controller’s railway, and beyond – but that’s not all they have.

In a dark, slightly dusty room underneath the main offices, there are filing cabinets. Row upon row of the things which stretch out through the basement. And in these filing cabinets are the blueprints. There are thousands of these blueprints carefully sorted and filed away in this room. Everything from the designs of the A1X Terrier through to the Streamlined Coronation class. It’s all in this one room.

And it was originally the folly of Sir Topham Hatt I, back in 1897.

When he was the CME of the Tidmouth, Knapford & Elsbridge Light Railway (TK&ELR), Topham Hatt began collecting old blueprints. Some people collect stamps, others collect coins – but Topham collected blueprints. He had already copied many of the Great Western’s blueprints during his time as an apprentice at Swindon Works, and these he kept with new plans sent to him by his friend William Stanier in his office.

When building the TK&ELR Coffee Pot engines, he consulted a huge number of blueprints, trying to find something he could build considering the extremely low amount of resources he was allocated. And he did utilise some ideas from the various blueprints he had acquired – specifically a redrawing of the ‘blueprints’ used for the Novelty from the Rainhill trials… only the blueprints Hatt had were extremely well-drawn fakes, which did a bit of messing with the exhaust system. Topham Hatt mixed these blueprints with several others, but the exhaust system became infamous for spewing out dirty brown water.

This led to Topham Hatt deciding that the best way to avoid such an embarrassment in the future was to get more blueprints. He managed to bargain the blueprints of almost every engine he ever bought into the deal, with one notable exception: Henry.

Henry was built using stolen blueprints which were muddled and half-right. Hatt never managed to nab the stolen blueprints for himself, which made diagnosing Henry all the more difficult. It was actually Richard Hatt – Topham’s great grandson – who found the formerly stolen blueprints. He managed to find them in a garage sale!

Percy was another engine whose blueprints did not fully arrive with the engine. The warehouse Hatt bought him from had a grand total of around 59% of his original blueprints, with the other 41% being scattered across the West Country, the Midlands and Wales. If you can believe it, Topham Hatt went on the hunt for these blueprints all throughout the 1930s, and was able to snag the last one from the wreck of a bombed house in Cardiff in 1941.

When British Railways was formed in 1948, the now Sir Topham Hatt utilised his new position on the board of the company to gain access to every blueprint British Railways had under its control. Carriages, trucks, engines – even railway adjacent lorries, ships and buses all had blueprints that Sir Topham was able to have copied and sent to Crovan’s Gate. These were all placed in a special room and have been updated since.

Sir Charles Topham Hatt also added to this collection – but for a very different reason. In the 1960s, as Sodor gained more independence – and more diesels – it became increasingly clear that the island had to repair its engines on its own. To this end, Sir Charles began having copies of engines he bought sent to Sodor so that in the event of repairs, the works at Crovan’s Gate would be able to use the original blueprints before beginning the overhaul, saving time and allowing the workers to know what parts the engine might need. Sir Charles also had updated blueprints of all of his engines drafted, as many of his older engines had been heavily modified since arriving (such as Edward, Henry and Gordon), meaning that new, accurate blueprints were required. The first of these would be Edward’s when he went in for an overhaul after his ‘Exploit’ in 1965.

Today, there are thousands of blueprints kept at Crovan’s Gate Works, with new ones added each year. These are often copies of blueprints for locomotives built outside of the UK, as it is believed that Crovan’s Gate Works has a copy of the designs for every British locomotive, carriage, and wagon to have ever run – bar those which never had blueprints.

Back to Master Post

[mcattacksims]

· · ──────── ·𖥸· ──────── · ·· · ──────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

  Have you ever been in the position, where it’s lashing rain outside and the wind is howling its ghostly cry. You could wind down to a good film but you just feel like playing The Sims, and are in dire need of a legacy with a more story-driven aspect. That’s the position I found myself in the other evening, so I set out to put together this legacy challenge!

    "Seanchas" is the Gaelic word for "Folklore", and so this legacy is very loosely inspired by some famous Irish prose and poems with some elements of Irish mythology thrown in. Please note this legacy contains three supernatural-themed generations. If you are not a fan of supernatural gameplay, you may skip these if you wish. But without further ado, let's get into the rules!

· · ──────── ·𖥸· ──────── · ·· · ──────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Basic Rules:

No cheats allowed unless specified in the challenge rules. However if cheating needs and weather with UI Cheats for storytelling purposes is your thing then feel free, I do it myself.

There is no hard or fast rule when it comes to inheritance, however unless otherwise stated in the rules of the generation, anything in the range of §10-20k will do fine to get your sims started. Just make sure you leave enough for your previous heir!

For the best possible immersion, I suggest fleshing out your sims, their family and friends as much as possible with their own stories and personalities.

Have a keepsake item to represent each generation and store it in the Keepsake Box, items may be displayed during each generation before being returned to the box before the beginning of the following generation. (Credits to the amazing @windslar for this idea. It’s a great way of reflecting on your past sims!)

You must live in the prescribed worlds and lots of each generation. If no lot is prescribed you may choose a lot to call your home.

I highly suggest using @simkhira’s custom lifespans with MCC however the regular normal and long lifespans will suffice.

I recommend using custom save files and holidays to further spice up your gameplay. (I personally adore Ratboy and Simlicy’s save files as well as OshinSims’ guide to custom holidays).

Finally, just have a bit of craic, this legacy is story-heavy, however feel free to tweak your sims story to your liking. Go wild! Use as many mods as you’d like my suggestions are linked below.

If you notice any discrepancies or find this challenge difficult, please let me know. I will be playing through it myself, however I’m open to tweaking it if needs be.

If you decide to play this challenge and post screenshots here please use the #seanchaslegacy. I’d love to see your gameplay!

· · ──────── ·𖥸· ──────── · ·· · ──────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Suggested Mods:

MC Command Centre

UI Cheats

Storytelling Toolkit

Dine Out Fixes

All Mods by Lumpinou

All Mods by Adeepindigo

All Mods by TwistedMexi

All Mods by Maplebell

All Mods by Plumlace

All Mods by Utopya

All Mods by Kuttoe

Wonderful Whims or Wicked Whims (18+)

Basemental Alcohol and Drugs (18+)

· · ──────── ·𖥸· ──────── · ·· · ──────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Generation 1: An tEarrach Thiar

(‘Springtime In the West’ by Máirtín Ó Direáin)

You began your story as a youth who grew up in the bustling city of Ciudad Enamorada. You had an exemplary upringing, but as vibrant, loving and warm as the townfolk were, you couldn't help but feel a strong desire to break away from your hometown. To reconnect with nature and dwell on an island just like the poet's you've always read about. As luck would have it, an old abandoned cottage came up for sale one day on an island near the idilic lakeside village of Windenburg. And so, naturally you packed your bags and made off for a new adventure amidst the gentle quiet of the lapping lake waters. On arrival you find your new dwelling wholly inspiring. "If the walls of this cottage could talk," the auctioneer remarked as they handed you over the key. You spent the rest of that evening on your old typewriter, a family heirloom. Scribing your every thought and emotion you felt and turning them into enveloping stories and thought-provoking poems. However, your uncanny ability to see others and immerse yourself in their stories may just prove detromental for your relationships with friends, family and lovers alike...

Aspiration: Bestselling Author

Career: Freelance Writer or Writer (Author)

Traits: Loner, Loves Outdoors & Bookworm

Goals:

Start out on the 'Mid-NoWhere' lot on the island in Windenurg with §20k simoleons to build or place an old cottage. The more rundown the better and use of live-edit and debug objects is recommended.

Visit Granite Falls at least once a year on a writing retreat and befriend the hermit.

Join the 'Avante Gardes' and schedule a meeting once a week.

Acquire the 'Outdoorsy' lifestyle.

Complete the Frogs collection.

In late young-adulthood, get married just one week after meeting your spouse.

As an adult, a rift begins to form between yourself and your spouse, as you find yourself confiding in your books more often than your partner these days. Perhaps your relationship was a 'kindling flame' rather than a 'roaring fire'. It is up to you whether you file for a divorce or try to make ammends with your them.

Master the Writing and Herbalism skills.

Master the career of your choice and complete the Bestselling Author aspiration.

Generation 2: An Spailpín Fánach

(‘The Wandering Labourer’ - Unknown Poet)

As much of a grá as you had for your homeland, growing up you always knew you'd have to leave. There was nothing for you on the island. You were never a creative like your parents, in fact you were always quite the opposite. Fascinated by animals, particularly horses and by extension, cowboys. In school you picked up a penpal from a small, western town known as Chestnut Ridge. As a land which was renowned worldwide for its mastery in horsemanship, you just couldn't imagine yourself moving anywhere else. And so, one day, you wrote a letter to your penpal begging them to allow you to go and work on their family ranch. They accepted! And now your must graft and learn the ropes to becoming the town's new champion rider...

Aspiration: Championship Rider

Career: Farm Hand & Odd Job Connoisseur

Traits: Horse Lover, Rancher & Ambitious

Goals:

As a teenager, build up a friendship with your penpal from Chestnut Ridge. They may even travel to Windenburg on a school trip if you wish!

Once you reach young adulthood, move to your penpal's family farm. You will be earning §1,750 per week as a farm hand including your accomadation and food expenses for you and your horse. All other expenditure will come out of your own account. (I highly suggest using the SNB mod or recording your sims funds on a spreadsheet or piece of paper.)

You may use the bulletin board beside the riding centre to earn additional income with odd jobs.

Once per season, you must schedule a Ranch Gathering or Ranch Animal Day.

Buy a horse as soon as you can afford it and have them reach the maximum level in all four skills, (Temperament, Jumping, Agility, and Endurance.)

Complete the postcard collection.

If you wish, you may choose to eventually fall in love or become best friends with your penpal. If you choose to become lovers, your penpal's family will become furious and kick you both out of the household. Otherwise you must have a house of your own by the time you reach adulthood.

Master the Riding skill.

Complete the Championship Rider aspiration.

Generation 3: An Chailleach Bhéara

(‘The Hag of Beara’, Folklore Tale - Various Authors)

Growing up in a small town was never going to be easy. It must be exhausting trying that hard to live in the pockets of others. Either you toed the line and worked the land or you were treated like an outcast. As someone with an intrigue for the art of magic and a flair for flower arranging, you were exiled from society, spat at by some and avoided entirely by others. One day, whilst in high school the local bully decided it was your turn to be picked on. Let's just say they picked on the wrong pissed off lad that day! You stared at the bully in anger and frustration and all of a sudden, the fence they were leaning on snapped, sending them into a pile of horse dung the far side! Scared witless and confused, all you could do was make haste, for a land that was said to be full of 'strange' individuals like yourself known as Glimmerbrook. You had nearly arrived to your destination when you stumbled upon an overgrown archway in the evergreen woods. The stench of pine was almost insufferable however it soon became evident that this was no ordinary woods nor ordinary archway, it appeared to be calling your name, and so you put your hand forth into the abyss only to find it was a portal... Mages! Potions! Wands! You have dreamt of this day since you were a child. Now is your chance to prove them all wrong back home and become the great spellcaster you were always destined to be!

Aspiration: Spellcraft and Sorcery or Purveyor of Potions

Career: Gardener (Florist)

Traits: Hot-Headed, Vegetarian & Socially Awkward (Change for Wise as an Elder)

Goals:

In the latter stages of teenagehood, run away from home and move into an empty lot of your choice in Glimmerbrook.

Enter the portal in the woods and become a spellcaster.

Adopt a black cat as your familiar.

Complete the Magical Artifacts collection.

Build a greenhouse and fill it with magical flowers and plants.

Befriend all three sages.

Reach the 'Virtuoso' rank as a spellcaster.

Fall in love with a human have one child with them and marry them as an elder.

Master the Flower Arranging skill.

Master the Florist career and complete the aspiration of your choice.

Generation 4: Mise Éire

(‘I am Ireland’ by Pádraic Mac Piarais)

You have always had great time for the literary geniuses of our past. Moreover a great appreciation for the various languages and by extension, cultures which define each and every one of us. Your mortal parent always spoke fondly of their hometown, Copperdale, and one day you realised that’s it! That is where I see my future! Learning about my nations past, its language and songs. Then spreading your knowledge and to giving an inspiring education to its youth. And so as a young adult you set off for the historic university town of Britechester, where you hoped to earn a distinguished degree in Language and Literature. Here you meet your some of your best friends, worst enemies and ultimately your soulmate. Later on in life as a teacher you naturally hold your spouse, as well as your own children to incredibly high standards, a fatal flaw which could cost you your relationship with them…

Aspiration: Academic

Career: Education (Professor)

Traits: Perfectionist, Snob & Overachiver

Goals:

As a young adult, attend the University of Britechester and study Language and Literature.

Join the Secret Society.

Host a gold rated keg party whilst at university.

Achieve all A’s and B’s in your final University grades.

Meet three good friends, one arch nemesis and your future spouse whilst at university.

Foster a ‘Strict’ family dynamic with your children. Whether your relationship with them worsens or improves with time is up to you…

Master the Logic and Research & Debate skills.

Master the Education career and complete the Academic aspiration.

Generation 5: Géibheann

(‘Captivity’ by Caitlín Maude)

If you were to sum up your childhood in one word it would be… torturous. With unrealistic expectations, constant criticism and an overall genuine fear of your parents, you nearly left your dreams for dusk. Nearly did, but not quite. Instead of becoming a doctor as your parents always hoped, you decided you’d be better fit to look after four-legged patients instead. And so, you set off to the seaside town of Brindleton Bay, known for its remarkable advances in animal care. Whilst there you will live with your elderly grandmother who for many years has taken care of the town’s lighthouse. She was so chuffed to hear of your coming that she built a wee shed at the back of her home for you to open your first veterinary practice. It’s a real shame that those back home were never this supportive. Escaping was the only way, you keep telling yourself. I suppose the salt air will do you good if nothing else…

Aspiration: Friend of the Animals

Career: Veterinarian

Traits: Animal Lover, Gloomy & Loyal

Goals:

Once you reach young adulthood, move in with your grandmother who resides in Brindleton Bay.

Open your first practice in the back garden before relocating to a new lot once you reach a 3 star rating.

Become best friends with your grandmother and take her out for lunch once a week because she deserves it!

Have the clinic reach 5 stars.

Adopt at least one stray dog and one stray cat.

Have at least one pet master all the tricks that can be learned.

Complete the feathers collection.

Meet your future spouse at the clinic, cliché I know, but their dog was class…

Become good friends with all your children. You don’t want a repeat of the relationship you had with your own parents…

Master the Veterinary and Pet Training skills.

Complete the Friend of the Animals aspiration.

Generation 6: Cú Chulainn

(Folklore Tale - Various Authors)

You always loved helping out in the clinic at home. But you had a particular grá for dogs, especially the wilder ones. Werewolves always peaked your interest, with their ferocious howls and bloodthirsty stares. It was always rumoured that a pack of werewolves roamed around the woods of Moonwood Mill, so naturally you had to go and discover the truth for yourself. Whilst wandering the dark forests, you came across a rather rundown homestead with a sign outside stating ‘BEWARE OF GREG’. But who is Greg? You soon found out and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. The day after your encounter you can’t help but shake this ravenous feeling, you just can’t keep yourself full, then the intense hair growth started. One night, as the moon rose on the eastern sky, your change was completed… Your legs grew until it was as if you were on stilts and your ears pointed like spears. Was this really happening or is it just a bad dream? I suppose all one can do now is embrace the fury…

Aspiration: Werewolf Initiate (Followed by any one of the four branches of your choice)

Career: Jeweller

Traits: Dog Lover, Erratic & Glutton

Goals:

Move to Moonwood Mill and pay Greg a visit to initiate the werewolf transformation process.

Complete the Moonwood Relics collection.

Join the werewolf pack associated with your aspiration branch and reach the ‘Alpha’ rank.

Make money through jewellery crafting and fishing.

Go on a family fishing trip to a world of your choosing once per week. It can be on vacation or just as a day trip.

Adopt two child or teenage werewolves, (these may be created in CAS), however your heir must be a human related by blood.

Master the Gemology and Fishing skills.

Complete the aspiration of your choice.

Generation 7: Dís

(‘Couple’ by Siobhán Ní Shúilleabháin)

You grew up idolising the wolf pack, despite not being a wolf yourself. Yet when the time came you knew you’d have to leave. Becoming a singer has always been the dream, werewolves make very excellent musicians believe it or not! You spent your ternage days with your best friend, a fellow mortal, writing songs and perform them live at the Grimtooth Bar & Bunker. So on your 18th birthday, you and your best friend made for the big city of San Myshuno to fulfill your dreams of becoming musicians. As the years go by, your fame grows. You meet the love of your life and leave your best friend for dusk. Then the morning of your wedding, you wake to see a closeup of your partner caressing another in a tabloid! Heartbroken, you leave your partner at the alter and make a B-line for your ex-best friend’s apartment in the spice district, but will they be able to find it in their heart to forgive you? I hope so. The baby has to sleep somewhere…

Aspiration: Musical Genius

Career: Entertainer (Musician)

Traits: Music Lover, Insider & Lovebug

Goals:

Once you reach young-adulthood, move to San Myshuno with your best friend.

Attend all festival invites.

Hold a karaoke night once a fortnight with your friends.

Go busking in the city with your best friend to earn some extra simoleons.

Reach fame level 5 and win a starlight accolade.

Complete the poster collection.

Meet your partner (a music producer) whilst busking in the city, you fall madly in love and move in with them the following week.

Leave them at the alter after you find out about their infidelity.

Move back in with your best friend following your breakup, only to find out you or your ex is pregnant!

Master the Piano and Guitar skills and reach level 5 of the Singing skill.

Master the Entertainer career and complete the Musical Genius aspiration.

Generation 8: Hurlamaboc

(‘Commotion’ by Éilís Ní Dhuibhne’)

Your upbringing was about as far from normal as you could get. Let’s just say the limelight of your parents shone a bit too brightly for your liking. On top of that they fought constantly and were always spiteful of each other. They never told you why. Instead you found out by means of someone plastering that cheating picture all over your school locker! Yikes… And so you sought to give your family a perfectly ordinary upbringing. In the perfect suburban town of San Sequoia, with a childhood full of love, hugs and who could forget the packed lunches? Certainly not you! Especially with your new pizza and waffle makers! However as time passes you find that helicopter parenting is perhaps not always a good thing. With a partner (your high-school sweetheart) that is so laid back that they’re only short of falling over half the time, can you put manners on your spoilt children before it’s too late or will parenthood get all too much for you…

Aspiration: Super Parent and/or Home Chef Hustler

Career: Home Chef

Traits: Family Orientated, Jealous & Foodie

Goals:

Marry your high-school sweetheart and move into a small home in San Sequoia. Grow the house slowly overtime so it fits your ever-growing family!

Complete the MySims collection (you can start collecting them as a teen).

Host a yard sale three times per week where you will sell your baked goods to earn some simoleons.

Host a gold rated dinner party with all your neighbours and closest friends.

Have at least three children.

Your heir must grow up with all their character traits maxed out.

Have a stay over once a month. It can be with your family or your children’s friends.

Build a treehouse for your kids to hang out in.

Once your eldest child becomes a teenager, have them start rebelling (you can go wild and use Basemental if you wish), it is up to you whether your sim can calm their child or if they will spiral out of control.

Master the Cooking and Parenting skills.

Complete the aspiration of your choice.

Generation 9: An Gnáthrud

(‘The Usual Thing by Cathal Ó Searcaigh’)

You got the perfect upbringing. Your creativity was allowed to shine and your parents loved every inch of you. You always had great plans of going to Britechester and studying Art History, that was until news came out of your uncle’s mysterious disappearance. He left his farm in Henford-On-Bagley to your parents, however the pain of his passing was all too much for them to bear. You didn’t want to go, but your uncle was always so good to you as a kid that you felt you must go and investigate his sudden death instead. On arrival all the villagers seem friendly. The Watson’s do seem a bit suspicious though, and why are the Crumplebottom’s looking at me like that? It is up to you to restore your uncle’s farm and uncover the truth about his disappearance…

Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire (Switch for Country Caretaker once you move.)

Career: Farmer and Freelance Artist

Traits: Art Lover, Paranoid & Squeamish (All Parenthood Reward Traits also.)

Goals:

As a child, complete the Creative Genius aspiration.

Once you become a young adult, move to your uncle’s farm in Henford-On-Bagley. It must have the ‘Simple Living’ and ‘Wild Foxes’ lot challenges.

Win at least once in each category at Finchwick Fair and complete the Village Fair Ribbons collection.

You must have at least one chicken, one cow and one llama at all times.

Befriend wild birds and bunnies, these will act as your spies (just kidding).

Run at least one errand for every townie in Henford as a means of getting to know them and gaining their trust.

Option 1 - The Watson’s poisoned your uncle as he refused to sell them his farm. You find out through a bundle of old solicitors letters from the Watsons threatening legal action if your uncle refused to sell up. You bring your evidence to the police and upon further investigation the head of the family is found guilty of your uncle’s murder and is jailed for life.

Option 2 - Your uncle was eaten by the cowplant in the garden (a classic I know). You find out one day when you forget to feed your cowplant and be dies revealing your uncle’s remains!

Master the Painting and Gardening skills.

Once you find out the truth about your uncle you may choose to sell the farm, move into a small tigín with your family and resume the Painter Extraordinaire aspiration or stay on the farm and complete the Country Caretaker aspiration.

In either case you must complete the second level of both aspirations and complete at least one.

Generation 10: Tír na nÓg

(‘The Land of Youth’, Folklore Tale - Various Authors)

Growing up in a well to-do, tight knit village, people were often nasty and spewed uncensored opinions when it came to keeping up appearances. As a teenager this took a serious toll on you. Beauty and skincare became a ritual. You got up at 6am most mornings to go for a run out of fear that people may call you ‘unfit’ or ‘undesirable’. One morning, whilst out on your morning run, you meet two dark figures. They greet you with kind waves and one of the figures ask you what you’re doing jogging at such an ungodly hour. Without thinking you tell them your every insecurity. The pair laugh and offer to take you to a place which was said to offer eternal youth and beauty to its inhabitants. A land known as Forgotten Hollow. You jump at the opportunity and follow the pair back to their homestead. A large haunting estate greets you on arrival and before you know it, you feel a pair of sharp, dagger-like objects sinking into the side of your neck. Teeth!! Before you know it, you drift into a deep slumber. On awakening you rub your eyes to see the same two figures you saw in the woods, except this time they one of the figures appear to be holding a pouch filled with a red substance. Blood? Your lips begin to tremble as they approach. So… thirsty... For the first time you look around and find that you’re sitting in a coffin! “Caleb”, one of the figures remarks as he hands you the pouch. You shake his hand. “And this is my sister, Lillith”, she gazes at you, and to your shock horror two large fangs emerge from her dazzling smile. “It’s so lovely to have company” she spits out. And so began your journey as a vampire, whether you can escape the grasp of the twins or decide to stay and marvel in your newfound beauty and power is entirely up to you…

Aspiration: Master Vampire (Linked to Option 1) or Good Vampire (Linked to Option 2).

Career: None (Linked to Option 1) or Paranormal Investigator (Option 2)

Traits: Self Absorbed, High Maintainence & Evil (Linked to Option 1) or Good (Linked to Option 2)

Goals:

As a teenager, wake up at 6am three mornings per week to go for a jog.

Whilst out on your jog one morning, summon Lillith and Caleb to the lot (using MCC) and follow them back to their manor in Forgotten Hollow.

Whilst there, get bitten and move into the Vatore household.

Option 1: When you age up into a young adult, your thirst for blood envelops your every thought and feeling. You want to become a Master Vampire with the help of Caleb and Lillith.

Option 2: After two sim weeks, one night, whilst hunting the Bramblewood for victims, you stumble across a family member. They convince you to come home. Your family give you a sum of money and you run away to Willow Creek to pursue a career as a Paranormal Investigator.

Option 1: You marry one of the Vatore twins. Jealousy grows between the twins until one day, Lillith locks Caleb outside, causing him to burn to death!

Option 2: You fall in love with a member of the Goth prodigy (note all original Goth family members will be 10 feet under by this stage) whilst cleansing their mansion. You convert them and the two of you live happily for the rest of eternity raising a family of vampires.

Master the Vampire Lore and Pipe Organ (Option 1) or Medium (Option 2) skills.

If you choose Option 1 master the Paranormal Investigator career and complete the aspiration of your choice.

· · ──────── ·𖥸· ──────── · ·· · ──────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

[olympic-paris]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more …

August 17

1893 – On this date Mae West, the American actress, sex-positive, gender-blurry icon, was born (d.1980). West was born Mary Jane West in Bushwick, Brooklyn, delivered at home by an aunt who was a midwife. She was eldest surviving child of John Patrick West and Matilda "Tillie" Doelger, who had emigrated with her family from Bavaria.At five years old, West first entertained a crowd, at a church social, and she started appearing in amateur shows at the age of seven. She often won prizes at local talent contests. She began performing professionally in vaudeville in the Hal Clarendon Stock Company in 1907 at the age of fourteen. West first performed under the stage name Baby Mae, and tried various personas including a male impersonator, Sis Hopkins, and a blackface coon shouter. She was was said to have been inspired or influenced by female impersonators Bert Savoy and Julian Eltinge, who were famous during the Pansy Craze. Her first appearance in a legitimate Broadway show was in a 1911 revue A La Broadway put on by her former dancing teacher, Ned Wayburn. The show folded after just eight performances. She then appeared in a show called Vera Violetta, whose cast featured Al Jolson.

Her famous walk was said to have originated in her early years as a stage actress. West had special eight-inch platforms attached to her shoes to increase her height and enhance her stage presence. Though she had not yet matured, the slinky, dark-haired Mae was already performing a lascivious "shimmy" dance in 1913 and was photographed for a song-sheet for the song "Everybody Shimmies Now." She was encouraged as a performer by her mother, who, according to West, always thought that whatever her daughter did was fantastic.

She began writing her own risqué plays using the pen name "Jane Mast." Her first starring role on Broadway was in a play she titled Sex, which she also wrote, produced and directed. Though critics hated the show, ticket sales were good. The notorious production did not go over well with city officials and the theater was raided with West arrested along with the cast. She was prosecuted on morals charges and, on April 19, 1927, was sentenced to 10 days in jail for public obscenity. While incarcerated on Welfare Island (now Roosevelt Island), she was allowed to wear her silk panties instead of the scratchy prison issue and the warden reportedly took her to dinner every night. She served eight days with two days off for good behavior. Media attention to the case enhanced her career.

Her next play, The Drag, was about homosexuality and alluded to the work of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs. It was a box office success but it played in New Jersey because it was banned from Broadway. West regarded talking about sex as a basic human rights issue and was also an early advocate of homosexual rights. She famously told policemen who were raiding a Gay bar, "Don't you know you're hitting a woman in a man's body?" — a daring statement at a time when homosexuality was not accepted. During her entire lifetime she surrounded herself with Gay men and stood up for Gay rights at any and every opportunity.

In 1932, West was offered a motion picture contract by Paramount Pictures, when she was 38 years old (although she kept her age ambiguous for several more years). She made her film debut in Night After Night starring George Raft. At first, she did not like her small role in Night After Night, but was appeased when she was allowed to rewrite her scenes. In West's first scene, a hat check girl exclaims, "Goodness, what beautiful diamonds." West replies, "Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie." Reflecting on the overall result of her rewritten scenes, Raft is said to have remarked, "She stole everything but the cameras."

She brought her Diamond Lil character, now renamed Lady Lou, to the screen in She Done Him Wrong (1933). The film is also notable as one of Cary Grant's first major roles, which boosted his career. West claimed she spotted Grant at the studio and insisted that he be cast as the male lead. The film was a box office hit and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. The success of the film most likely saved Paramount from bankruptcy.

She appeared in a series of hits, many of which caused controversy because of their risque nature. They included I'm No Angel, Klondike Annie, and Go West Young Man. In 1939, Universal Pictures approached West to star in a film opposite W. C. Fields. Having left Paramount eighteen months earlier and looking for a comeback film, West accepted the role of Flower Belle Lee in the film My Little Chickadee (1940). Despite their intense mutual dislike, and fights over the screenplay, My Little Chickadee was a box office success, outgrossing Fields' previous films.

West appeared in her last movie during the studio age with The Heat's On (1943) for Columbia. She remained active during the ensuing years. Among her stage performances was the title role in Catherine Was Great (1944) on Broadway, in which she spoofed the story of Catherine the Great of Russia, surrounding herself with an "imperial guard" of muscular young actors, all over six feet tall. The play was produced by Mike Todd and went on a long national tour in 1945. She also starred in her own Las Vegas stage show, singing while surrounded by bodybuilders.

When Billy Wilder offered West the role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, she refused and pronounced herself offended at being asked to play a "has-been," similar to the responses he received from Mary Pickford, Greta Garbo, and Pola Negri. Ultimately the more amenable Gloria Swanson was cast in the role. In 1958, West appeared at the Academy Awards and performed the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Rock Hudson. Her autobiography, titled Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It, was published by Prentice-Hall in 1959.

The famous West quip "Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" is accurately attributed to her. She made it in February 1936, at the train station in Los Angeles upon her return from Chicago, when a Los Angeles police officer was assigned to escort her home. She first delivered the line on film in My Little Chickadee, and again to George Hamilton in her last movie, Sextette. It is one of the most quoted lines in movie history. Another favorite, said to Ezra Pound, no less, "An ounce of erection is worth a pound of allure."

After a 26-year absence from motion pictures, she appeared in the role of Leticia Van Allen in Gore Vidal's Myra Breckinridge (1970) with John Huston, Raquel Welch, Rex Reed, Farrah Fawcett, and Tom Selleck in a small part. This movie failed at the box office, despite popular excitement. It became a camp classic, however, due to its sex change theme. It has since been re-released several times doing much better than originally and has also had successful multiple releases on DVD and VHS. Near the end of her life, she was known for maintaining a surprisingly youthful appearance. She stated in her autobiography that she spent two hours every day massaging cold cream into her breasts to keep them youthful. West continued to surround herself with virile men for the rest of her life, employing hunky companions, bodyguards and chauffeurs. Mae West is buried, with her family, in Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

1907 – Roger Peyrefitte (d.2000) was born in Castres in south western France and educated in Catholic boarding schools in the region. The most lasting effect of this religious education was his life-long hostility to the Roman Catholic Church. He went on to study at the University of Toulouse and in Paris.

He had his first homosexual experience at eighteen and thereafter led an active sex life, hunting for teenage boys across Europe. He also had occasional affairs with women, whom (by his own account) he introduced to the delights of anal sex.

Peyrefitte entered the French diplomatic service in 1931 and served as secretary at the French embassy in Athens from 1933 to 1938. Forced to resign in October 1940 because of his relations with a fourteen-year-old boy, he was recalled to duty three years later to serve the collaborationist Vichy government in German-occupied Paris.

After the Liberation, France's provisional government dismissed him on suspicion of collaborationism in February 1945. Peyrefitte later appealed his dismissal and the Council of State finally ruled in his favour in 1962, but the Foreign Ministry refused to reintegrate him. He was by then, in any case, a professional writer with no desire to return to state service.

Peyrefitte's first, best, and best-known novel, Les Amitiés Particulières (Special Friendships), tells the story of love between two teenage boys in a Catholic boarding school. The book may have been based on his own experience. Peyrefitte later explained, 'I was a young diplomat, and I wanted to show the origin of those things: [i.e. homosexuality] that it was not simply under the influence of a disgusting adult that young boys could feel that sort of attraction.'

Critically well-received, the novel won the Prix Renaudot. It caused a first scandal when it appeared in 1944 and a second when made into a movie in 1964. During the making of the film, Peyrefitte befriended a fourteen-year-old extra, Alain-Philippe Malagnac, who eventually became the great love of his life as well as his secretary and business partner.

In the course of his long life (he died at 93), Peyrefitte published dozens of books, including numerous novels, a three-volume fictionalised biography of Alexander the Great, and two volumes on Voltaire (whom he claimed to have been homosexual). He also wrote about Baron Jacques d'Adelsward-Fersen's exile in Capri (L'Exilé de Capri, 1959) and translated Greek pederastic love poetry.

Much of his work provoked scandal for his wide-ranging accusations and implications that various people (and popes) were homosexuals, Nazi-collaborators, or both.

In his memoirs Propos Secrets, he wrote extensively about his youth, his sex life (homosexual mainly and a few affairs with women), his years as a diplomat, his travels to Greece and Italy,] and his troubles with the police for sexually harassing male teenagers.

In two volumes of oral memoirs (1977 and 1980), he divulged the secrets (especially sexual) of numerous celebrities, including himself. Among those he portrayed in a negative light were Alain Delon, André Gide, and Marcel Proust.

Peyrefitte appeared to value the commercial success of his books far more than he cared about their quality.

Peyrefitte was certainly no radical gay liberationist, but he did support gay businesses - he financed a gay nightclub, Le Colony, and Paris's first gay sex bar, Le Bronx, both of which opened on the Rue Sainte-Anne in late 1973.

His political views were deeply conservative: 'I have a profound respect for order. . . . I hate all revolutionary movements. . . . I am too bourgeois . . . to approve of . . . the enemies of the bourgeoisie.' In his last years, he came out in open support of the extreme right-wing politician Jean-Marie Le Pen and his xenophobic and homophobic party, the National Front.

Peyrefitte died on November 5, 2000, in Paris, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Wesley Eure, Then and Now

1951 – Wesley Eure is an American actor, singer, author, producer, director, charity fundraiser, and lecturer. He is best known for appearing as Michael Horton on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives from 1974 to 1981, during which he also starred on the popular children's television series Land of the Lost. He later hosted the popular children's game show Finders Keepers in 1987 and 1988, and co-created the children's educational television show Dragon Tales in 1999. He subsequently published several books (for children and adult), and has produced plays and raised funds for HIV/AIDS and other causes.

Eure wanted to be an actor since the age of five. While the family lived in Illinois, he enrolled in a summer program at Northwestern University, where he took acting lessons. His first break came when he was 17 years old and working part-time at the New Frontier Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas selling artwork. He was hired as a driver for Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence during their summer tour. He spent most of 1968 and 1969 as their driver.

Eure moved to Los Angeles in 1973 after discovering it was cheaper to live there but offered just as much opportunity to become an actor. He was hired to star in a pilot for a Kaye Ballard TV series, The Organic Vegetables, created and produced by the team behind The Monkees. When that series was not picked up due to the 1973 writers' strike, Eure answered an ad in an industry trade publication to audition for a television show. He learned that David Cassidy was threatening to leave The Partridge Family, and that the audition was for a role as a "neighbor boy" who would take over the lead in the family band from Cassidy. Eure won the audition, but never joined the show. Why is not clear, as Eure has said that Cassidy agreed to stay on the show but also that the show was canceled before the next season started.

Although his acting career seemed stalled, Eure continued to sing. He became friends with Shaun Cassidy and Leif Garrett, and some of his music was produced by Bobby Sherman. Motown Records placed him under contract, and he was in a boy band whose music was produced by Mike Curb. He also sang a few times with the Jackson Five.

In 1974, Eure tried out for and won a role on NBC's Days of Our Lives. Eure had previously met producer Sid Krofft and committed to do an audition for a new children's show he was working on. Eure flew to New York City at the request of Broadway producer David Merrick to try out for a role in a theatrical production of Candide, and didn't want to audition for Krofft due to his commitment to Days and because he'd be playing a 16-year-old boy. But Eure auditioned and won the role of Will Marshall on Land of the Lost. He kept his commitment to both shows after the Kroffts repeatedly asked him to star on Land of the Lost.

Although Eure had sexual relationships with women, he knew he was homosexual. He met movie star Richard Chamberlain in the early 1970s, and they entered into a serious relationship in 1975. According to Eure, the two men lived together until their breakup in 1976, after which Chamberlain met his long-term partner Martin Rabbett. During this time, Eure says, he lived a fairly open life with Chamberlain, with many of his co-stars, producers, and crew aware of their relationship and Eure's homosexuality. Eure says of the relationship, "It broke my heart. I was destroyed. I was a kid, and he was a much older guy. ... I remember we broke up and I was on Days of Our Lives, I couldn’t stop shaking. I was crying so hard. I was a kid, comparatively. I went to the studio that day, and I was sobbing in the dressing room."

Eure was fired from Days of Our Lives in 1981. According to Eure, he was given many reasons for the cancellation of his contract after nine years on the show. But Eure says he believes the real reason was his homosexuality, which attracted attention and threatened more deeply closeted producers and actors. Years later, Eure says he met Earl Greenburg, the head of NBC's daytime programming division at the time he was fired. Greenburg confirmed that Eure was fired because of rumors about his homosexuality. Eure also says one of the stars of Days of Our Lives confirmed that Eure's sexuality was the cause of his dimissal.

When Chamberlain was outed by a French magazine in 1989, Eure (who had already been named in one book as a closeted homosexual) feared he would be exposed as well. But with the assistance of a friend at the National Enquirer, Eure's name was kept out of the American tabloid press

Eure did not act in film or television for six years after leaving Days of Our Lives, and attributes this difficulty to Hollywood gossip about his sexual orientation. He continued to sing, however, and had a Las Vegas act at Harrah's casino. During this time, some of his recording was produced by singer Bobby Sherman, but a full album was never completed

It was during the premiere of the Land of the Lost film in 2009 that Eure decided to come out of the closet. He attended the premiere with a friend, Days of Our Lives production assistant Deanne Anders. While on the red carpet, Eure decided he would never again hide his sexuality. Already scheduled to do an interview with the LGBT news and lifestyle Web site AfterElton.com about his HIV/AIDS charity work, Eure decided to come out of the closet in the interview.

During the 1980s, Eure lost most of his gay friends to AIDS—including one of his best friends, the director John Allison. Subsequently, Eure became a fund-raiser for a number of HIV/AIDS causes. He has helped to organize and host the LalaPOOLooza HIV/AIDS fund-raiser in Palm Springs, California, for many years. He has also raised funds for and assisted with Project Angel Food, a nonprofit organization that feeds homebound AIDS patients.

1951 – Richard Hunt (d.1992) was an American puppeteer, best known as a Muppet performer on Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and other projects for The Jim Henson Company. His roles on The Muppet Show included Scooter, Statler, Janice, Beaker and Sweetums.

Hunt was born in The Bronx, New York City. The family eventually moved to Closter, New Jersey some years later. Hunt came from a family of performers. As a student in middle school and high school, he put on puppet shows for local children, and was a fan of the then-fledgling Muppets. After high school graduation, and a four-month stint of doing weather reports at a local radio station, Hunt pursued a meeting with Jim Henson. He cold-called from a payphone and was invited to audition.

After being hired to work on Sesame Street, Hunt mostly performed background characters. One of his first major performances was as Taminella Grinderfall in The Frog Prince, physically performing the character while Jerry Juhl portrayed the voice. Hunt performed Scooter and shared Miss Piggy with Frank Oz until the final quarter of the first season of The Muppet Show.

His characters on Sesame Street included Forgetful Jones, Placido Flamingo, Don Music, Gladys the Cow, and Sully; Hunt also briefly performed Elmo before Kevin Clash was cast in that role. On Fraggle Rock, Hunt's main role was the performing the facial expressions and voice of Junior Gorg; he also performed Gunge (one of the Trash Heap's barkers) as well as several one-shot or minor characters.

Hunt also worked as a director of several home video releases such as Sing-Along, Dance-Along, Do-Along and Elmo's Sing-Along Guessing Game, as well as an episode of Fraggle Rock. Hunt was close friends with fellow puppeteer Jerry Nelson. Several of their characters were paired, such as Nelson's Floyd Pepper with Hunt's Janice; the Two-Headed Monster; and Nelson's Pa Gorg to Hunt's Junior Gorg on Fraggle Rock.

Hunt was openly gay. When Rudolf Nureyev, also openly gay, made a guest appearance on The Muppet Show, Nureyev bluntly flirted with Hunt. Hunt was in a relationship with Nelson Bird, a painter from Alabama, until his death in 1985.

On January 7, 1992, Hunt died of HIV/AIDS related complications at Cabrini Hospice in Manhattan, aged 40. He was cremated, and some of his ashes were sprinkled over the flower beds at the Hunt Family home in Closter, New Jersey. The Muppet Christmas Carol was dedicated to his memory.

1960 – Sean Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his left-wing political and social activism (including humanitarian work). He is a two-time Academy Award winner for his roles in Mystic River (2003) and Milk (2008), as well as the recipient of a Golden Globe Award for the former and a Screen Actors Guild Award for the latter.

On February 22, 2009, Penn, a heterosexual, received the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film Milk. In his acceptance speech, Penn said

" ... I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone!"

1969 – An Atlanta art theatre was raided during a showing of Andy Warhol’s film Lonesome Cowboys saying it was a hotbed of homosexuality. Police photographed everyone in attendance as reference material for the vice squad. Written by Paul Morrissey, the film is a satire of Hollywood westerns. It won the Best Film Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival.

1982 – Ryan Driller, aka Jeremy Bilding, is an American pornographic actor, director, and model who has appeared in both straight and gay pornography. In 2016, he received the XBIZ Award for Male Performer of the Year. Men's Health has described him as "one of the biggest names in the industry".

Driller was born and raised in Littleton, Colorado. Driller was a member of the Boy Scouts. At 18, he moved to Key West, Florida, where he lived for seven years. Before entering the adult film industry, he worked as a radio promotions coordinator.

Driller entered the adult film industry after reaching out to agents about performing and receiving replies. He has performed in straight pornography under the name Ryan Driller and in gay pornography under the name Jeremy Bilding. He appeared in an episode of The Burn with Jeff Ross, in which Ross did a comedy skit during one of Driller's porn shoots.

1982 – Jon Lovett is an American screenwriter, speechwriter, television producer, and podcaster. After working as a speech and joke writer for President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Lovett co-created the NBC White House sitcom 1600 Penn, and served as a writer and producer on the third season of HBO's The Newsroom. He is a founder of Crooked Media and currently hosts the podcasts Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It.

Lovett was born to a Reform Jewish family in Woodbury, Long Island that operated a box factory started by his grandfather. He attended Syosset High School. Lovett graduated from Williams College in 2004 with a degree in math. His senior thesis, Rotating Linkages in a Normed Plane, led to a publication in American Mathematical Monthly. Lovett was also the 2004 Williams College Class Speaker at his commencement. After graduation, Lovett spent a year working as a stand-up comic in New York.

In 2004, Lovett volunteered for John Kerry's presidential campaign. He was asked to write a statement for the candidate, and his work led to an offer of a writing internship. He then briefly worked in Jon Corzine's Senate office. He was hired in 2005 to assist Sarah Hurwitz as a speechwriter for then-Senator Hillary Clinton, and he continued to write speeches for her through her 2008 presidential campaign.

When Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic primary contest, Lovett won an anonymous contest to write speeches for President Barack Obama in the White House. Lovett wrote speeches in the Obama administration for three years, working closely with Jon Favreau and David Axelrod. Prominent speeches that he wrote include policy speeches on financial reform and don't ask, don't tell, as well as remarks at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Lovett officiated the first same-sex marriage in the White House, secretly and counter to the policy of the Obama administration.

Before Barack Obama ran for re-election, Lovett moved to California to become a screenwriter. Lovett collaborated with Josh Gad and Jason Winer on 1600 Penn, of which Lovett was a co-creator, executive producer, and writer from 2012 until 2013. Lovett then worked as a writer, producer and advisor on season three of HBO's The Newsroom.

Starting in March 2016, Lovett co-hosted The Ringer's political podcast Keepin' it 1600 with former fellow Obama staffers Jon Favreau, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor.

Shortly after the November 2016 election, Lovett, Favreau and Vietor founded their own company, Crooked Media, and launched a new podcast, Pod Save America. In March 2017, Lovett began hosting Lovett or Leave It, a panel show podcast from Crooked Media, recorded in front of a live audience in Los Angeles. Lovett and Crooked Media have embarked on national and international tours featuring live versions of Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It.

Lovett's partner is Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow, son of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen.

Today's Gay Wisdom: Mae West

Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie. - in response to an exclamation, "Goodness! What lovely diamonds!"

I only like two kinds of men, domestic and imported. - I'm No Angel (1933)

When I'm good, I'm very good. When I'm bad, I'm better. - I'm No Angel (1933)

I used to be Snow White, but I drifted. - I'm No Angel (1933)

Between two evils, I generally like to pick the one I never tried before. - Klondike Annie (1936)

A man in the house is worth two in the street. - Belle of the Nineties

It's not the men in your life that matters, it's the life in your men. - I'm No Angel (1933)

When women go wrong, men go right after them. - She Done Him Wrong

One and one is two; two and two is four; and "five will get you ten" if you work it right! - My Little Chickadee

I feel like a million tonight. But one at a time. - Myra Breckinridge

To a young actor: How tall are you without your horse? Six foot, seven inches. Never mind the six feet. Let's talk about the seven inches! - Myra Breckinridge

An orgasm a day keeps the doctor away.

On handling men: Tell the pretty ones they're smart and tell the smart ones they're pretty.

Give a man a free hand and he'll run it all over you.

He who hesitates is a damned fool.

His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.

I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it.

I consider sex a misdemeanor; the more I miss, de meaner I get.

I do all my best work in bed.

It is better to be looked over than be overlooked.

Love conquers all things except poverty and a toothache.

Marriage is a fine institution, but I'm not ready for an institution.

Men are like Cigars, If you don't attend to them, they go out.

Sex is an emotion in motion.

Sex is like bridge; if you don't have a good partner, you better have a good hand.

Sex with love is the greatest thing in life. But sex without love — that's not so bad either.

She's the kind of girl who climbed the ladder of success wrong by wrong.

Too much of a good thing can be simply wonderful.

You can say what you like about long dresses, but they cover a multitude of shins.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.

[tomorrowusa]

A Conservative politician is making millions off of slavery 190 years after slavery was abolished in Britain and its territories.

Tory Richard Drax comes from a filthy rich family notorious for having established the model for slave-based sugar plantations in the Caribbean in the 1620s. Even by the standards of a slave-based economy, the record of the Drax family was appalling.

The Barbados plantation was worked by up to 327 slaves at a time, with the death rate for both adults and children high. Sir Hilary Beckles, chairman of the 20-state Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) Reparations Commission and vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies, estimates that as many 30,000 slaves died on the Drax plantations in Barbados and Jamaica over 200 years.

Thanks largely to their their ill-gained riches, the Drax family owns a 700 acre walled estate in Dorset which includes a deer park. And apparently they are getting even richer.

Despite threats to make Richard Drax pay reparations and seize his family’s plantation – described by one historian as a “killing field” of enslaved Africans – the government is now planning to pay market value for 21 hectares (about 15 football pitches) of his land for housing. The move has angered many Barbadians, especially those who say the Drax family played a pivotal role in the development of slavery-based sugar production and the Barbados slave code in the 17th century. This denied Black Africans basic human rights, including the right to life. Critics have called the planned deal an “atrocity” and said this is “one plantation that the government should not be paying a cent for”. Trevor Prescod, MP and chair of the Barbados National Taskforce on Reparations, said: “What a bad example this is. Reparations and Drax Hall are now top of the global agenda. How do we explain this to the world? “The government should not be entering into any [commercial] relationship with Richard Drax, especially as we are negotiating with him regarding reparations.”

It's baffling why the Barbadian government would enter into such a deal.

Drax, the MP for South Dorset, travelled to Barbados to meet prime minister Mia Mottley. It is understood he was asked to hand over all or a substantial part of Drax Hall plantation. If he refused, legal action would follow. Mottley’s spokesperson said the current Drax Hall purchase was not linked to reparations and the government “constantly acquires land through this process”. Mottley has pledged to build 10,000 new homes to meet demand on the island, where there are 20,000 applications for housing. A senior valuation surveyor said the market value for agricultural land with an alternative use for housing would be about Bds$150,000 (£60,000) an acre. At this price, the 21 hectares could net Drax Bds$8m (£3.2m). The land would be for 500 low- and middle-income family homes, which would be for sale.

I'd just grab the land and pay Drax a token £1 just so he legally can't claim he wasn't compensated at all for the transfer.

Barbados poet laureate Esther Phillips, who grew up next to Drax Hall, said the planned deal was an “atrocity” and a case of the victims’ descendants now compensating the descendant of the enslaver. “He should be giving us this land as reparations, not further enriching himself … at the expense of Barbadians. As Barbadians, we must speak out against this.”

And with the reported thousands of deaths during the 200+ years of slavery at the Drax plantation, how many people will be comfortable with the idea that their new home is built on what was essentially a forced labor camp which became a model for regional slavery? Isn't the Drax property on Barbados a large cemetery?

[freehawaii]

"THIS IS FOR US, GENOCIDE"

NATIVE HAWAIIANS FEAR MAUI WILDFIRE DESTRUCTION WILL LEAD TO THEIR CULTURAL ERASURE

     CBC News - August 17, 2023

 Keʻeaumoku Kapu has been handing out water, clothes, and emergency supplies to families in need out of the Walgreens parking lot in Lahaina, Maui. He said it is a way to keep himself occupied while he grieves the losses of his community. "I'm afraid we're not going to recover from this," said Kapu, speaking to CBC from his cellphone at the distribution centre Monday. Kapu is a Kanaka Maoli (a Hawaiian word for their Indigenous people) community leader in Lahaina, and head of the Nā ʻAikāne o Maui Cultural Center — which was destroyed by the fire that ripped through Lahaina. While members of the community are still grappling with their immediate needs and the death toll from the fire is still being counted, Kapu said he is "frantic" to make sure he is included in the conversations that are happening about what is next for Lahaina. "I'm hoping that we can get over this hurdle, but at the same time the fear of being erased ..." said Kapu. "Because our island is now turned into a cheaper commodity because there's nothing more important to save here, you have people coming in willing to buy burned-out places." Maui land grabs Kapu said his family and other members of his community have been contacted by realtors asking to buy their burned-up property. The office of the governor of Hawaii released a statement warning Maui residents about predatory buyers trying to capitalize on their fear and the financial uncertainty for those who have lost their homes. In a press conference Wednesday, Governor Josh Green said he is working with the attorney general to put a moratorium on property sales in West Maui. Social media posts from residents are pleading with people to not sell their properties to these realtors, fearing it will lead to Native Hawaiians being displaced from their homelands. A non-profit organization called Hawai'i Alliance for Progressive Action has started an online petition to call on governments to use their powers to stop Maui land grabs, support displaced families and ensure decisions are made with Native Hawaiians at the table. Kapu is urging people not to sell but is worried that people's fear and desperation may drive them to accept these offers. 

"You're gonna make our children tomorrow orphans within their own land," said Kapu. Lahaina holds deep cultural significance to the Hawaiian people and was once the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom. The city is where King Kamehameha III had his royal residence and modernized the Hawaiian central government with the creation of Hawaii's constitutional order. Many Hawaiians still recognize it as the original capital today, long after the capital was moved to Honolulu in 1845. The fire destroyed Lahaina's historic Front Street, where the cultural centre Kapu ran was located. Inside, the building held many cultural artifacts, like feather capes and helmets, implements, maps and documents. They were all destroyed. "Our place was a living place, it was a living museum. It was things that you could actually touch, books that you could actually read, maps that showed a lot of families where they originated from," said Kapu. But the loss is bigger than that. Kapu describes the centre as a gathering place for Indigenous people internationally, where culture was shared for the next generations and people could learn from each other. Kapu is heartbroken over the loss, and holds himself responsible for the care of the objects inside, though he barely escaped trying to save it, only having time to grab his laptop as he ran out. Ten minutes later the building was engulfed in flames. "For Lahaina, I'm afraid what this place can turn into now," said Kapu, who worries the historic buildings that have been lost could be replaced by private development. "This is, for us, genocide."  

Maui Fires Linked To Colonization The devastation of the Maui fires is directly tied to colonial greed, said Uahikea Maile, who is Kanaka Maoli from Maunawili, Oahu, and an assistant professor of Indigenous politics in the department of political science at the University of Toronto. Maile said pre-colonial Lahaina was a wetland ecosystem abundant with life and that was one of the reasons it was chosen for the royal residence. But Maile said in the late 19th and early 20th centuries white-owned sugar plantations on Maui started to illegally divert water to their crops, drying up the wetlands. "It's really devastating to think about the situation that over time transformed this place because it was strategically and purposefully altered to feed colonial forms of profiteering and wealth accumulation and greed," said Maile. These plantations also introduced non-native plant species for animal grazing that have helped fuel the Maui fires, said Maile. "The question of what to do next? How to heal? How to regenerate? And how to rebuild? Is a really crucial one that is on the minds of everyone," said Maile. Maile can see the island's colonial history repeating itself with realtors exploiting the wildfire devastation to generate future wealth. "It's a really important time in Hawaiian history to ensure that our people have a say in their own lands," said Maile. Native Hawaiian Land Control But how much control Hawaiians have over their land can be a complicated question. The first concept of private land ownership in Hawaii can be traced back to the Mahele, or division of lands, in 1848, where King Kamehameha III divided the land into three categories: Crown, government, and lands for the Hawaiian chiefs. Lance D. Collins is a private practice attorney in Maui who researches Hawaiian law during the American colonial period. Collins is also Kapu's attorney, representing him in cases to show his family's claim to their ancestral land in Kaua'ula Valley. Through the Mahele, about one-third of the land was given to Hawaiian families. That land has been passed down, usually to a person's children, but after several generations and for those without children it has led to confusion over who has interest in the land, said Collins. "Most Hawaiians know which lands they have an interest in, but as long as there's no contest over use, there's no issue," said Collins. The state is obligated to preserve and protect Native Hawaiian traditional and customary rights. Meaning if a private development was proposed on a parcel of land that was used for traditional practices, this right would limit the developers ability to exclude Hawaiians from the land. "There is a tremendous amount of opportunity for the Hawaiian people and for the Lahaina community, and there's also grave, grave danger," said Collins.

[gorogues]

Spoilers for comics in December!

These are from the official solicits for that month, which you can see in full at Adventures In Poor Taste.

Evan is back, and joining in the fun with the Folding Man.

THE FLASH #4 Written by SI SPURRIER Art and cover by MIKE DEODATO JR. Variant covers by MIKE DEODATO JR. and FRANY 1:25 variant cover by JAVIER RODRIGUEZ 1:50 variant cover by MATT TAYLOR Santa variant cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA $3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 12/26/23 As the Flash continues to explore the Gallery, he meets a living entity called the Resident that he feels drawn to. Can she aid him in his battle against the Folding Man…and even if she can, does she want to? Meanwhile, Mirror Master returns, unveiling even more upgrades since we last saw him in The Flash #800—but he’s not the only one with new powers, as Irey “Thunderheart” West is eager to show the world. Also, the Stillness decide to act upon humanity as the new chapter for the Flash Family continues!

SPEED FORCE #2 Written by JARRETT WILLIAMS Art by DANIELE DI NICUOLO Cover by MIKE DEODATO JR. Variant cover by SWEENEY BOO $3.99 US | 32 pages | 2 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 12/12/23 As Wallace and Avery race to uncover the mystery of the missing S.T.A.R. Labs scientists, something appears to be affecting their friends—is it tied to the bubbles popping up all over Keystone, or the “spooky Speed Force stuff” Mr. Terrific is warning everyone about? Also, a classic Flash character appears— and is really into EDM, but to what end? The young Speedster team-up continues!

Could it be Hartley who's gotten into EDM..?

TITANS: BEAST WORLD TOUR: CENTRAL CITY #1 Written by SI SPURRIER, A.L. KAPLAN, ALEX PAKNADEL, JARRETT WILLIAMS Art by A.L. KAPLAN, GEORGE KAMBADAIS, and SERG ACUNÑA Cover by MIKEL JANÍN Variant covers by CULLY HAMNER and TAURIN CLARKE $5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 12/19/23 Speedsters infected! The home of the Flash is not immune from the Starro spores, and as a member of the Flash Family is infected, it’s all hands on deck across both Central and Keystone City. Irey West has a plan that requires the help of her BFF Maxine Baker, while Avery Ho, Wallace West, and fan-favorite Circuit Breaker will all be working together with the entire clan to contain the infected speedsters causing chaos across the city. Oh, and the recent issues within the Speed Force haven’t gone away… This key chapter of the Beast World saga also contains important revelations for the Scarlet Speedster’s next steps as The Flash writer Si Spurrier is joined by Speed Force writer Jarrett WIlliams, Circuit Breaker scribe A.L. Kaplan, and Knight Terrors: The Flash writer Alex Paknadel!

As per a variant cover, it seems that Godspeed is the infected member (or one of them, since the solicit later says speedsters plural) of the Flash Family.

And because we know Len is in this series...

JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. GODZILLA VS. KONG #3 Written by BRIAN BUCCELLATO Art by CHRISTIAN DUCE Cover by DREW JOHNSON Variant cover by JONBOY MEYERS Variant cover by MIKE DEODATO JR. 1:25 variant cover by SIMONE DI MEO 1:50 variant cover by ARIST DEYN $4.99 US | 40 pages | 3 of 7 | Variant $5.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 12/19/23 Superman and Godzilla have gone head-to-head with devastating consequences in Metropolis as the Justice League scrambles to protect their homes from the monsters—Supergirl encounters Kong on Skull Island and Wonder Woman takes on Behemoth on Themyscira! Lost in the monster mayhem, though, are Lex Luthor and his Legion of Doom… what nefarious connection do they have to everything?

[kmp78]

“Yep, it's a big city with 40000 boroughs. 😂. “. - Actually there are only 5 boroughs in Manhattan (often mistakenly called neighborhoods) but over 350 actual neighborhoods throughout the 5 boroughs!! Here’s a slightly gossipy mini travel log some might enjoy. Humor me.

The old money billionaires (like Paris Hiltons family type) mostly live in mid-town Manhattan around Central Park and the exclusive Gramercy Park neighborhood with its resident’s personal key to a locked private park along with their apartment (highlighted in JL’s WeCrashed mini-series.) Gramercy Park was the home of Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, literature and theater luminaries of the early 20th century such as Truman Capote and Edith Wharton and is currently the home of celebrities such as Midler, Delevigne and assorted top models, J. Roberts, Lagerfeld, Fallon and Kate Hudson.

Lots of artsy folks and big film, sports and fashion celebrities; Timberlake, Swift, B and Jay Z, T Brady, Lewis Hamilton, DiNiro, ScarJo, J. Gyllenhaal, Reynolds and Lively, Styles and many more, live or have lived in the lower Manhattan neighborhoods that JL likes to hang out in when he is in town. These include neighborhoods like Tribeca, SoHo, West Village, the Bowery and Chelsea; all home to some of the best boutiques and endless areas to eat and mingle in NYC. FYI:The Bowery is the 7th most expensive neighbor-hood in Manhattan. Lewis Hamilton’s 12,000 sf penthouse in Tribeca recently sold for 50+/- million US dollars!!! Yes, you heard that right and he made somewhere around 6 million $ on the sale. 😵‍💫

Sparked by the influx of successful hip-hop artists and the Barkley Center, many musicians, athletes and successful actors live near or in Brooklyn in places like Dumbo, Red Hook, Park Slope or Williamsburg. Hathaway, Damon, A. Driver, Sarsgaard and M Gyllenhaal, Blunt and Krasinski, Bork, Nora Jones, Hawke, O Wilde, E. Murphy and many more all have homes in Brooklyn.

Queens has several less expensive neighborhoods like Sunnyside, Howard Beach and Astoria (one of the cheapest neighborhoods to live in). While there is an young active nightlife in Astoria and one or two other neighborhoods, Queens is a safer, less expensive place young people go to start out or raise a family. The Fresh Meadows neighborhood was the home of not famous at all, me. 😁

The Bronx has some of the poorest and toughest neighborhoods (around Yankee Stadium) though there are some very beautiful and well kept areas and many old stately stone homes. It’s trying hard to come back.

Staten Island is a much quieter more residential part of the city filled with highly ethnic (heavily Italian) blue collar working class families. (Think Jersey Shore on TV). While a few mid century actors lived there many years ago, no one famous except briefly Pete Davidson who was raised there, seems to want to live there now. Fun Fact: The characters in the movie “Working Girl” starring Harrison Ford and Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver, Alex Baldwin and Joan Cusak are in Staten Island for this flick. Don’t miss this 1988 rah rah rom com feel good movie classic!! (Free by Hulu or Disney subscription or 2.99 Amazon rental or 3.99 some other places in US. Maybe free somewhere but worth a few bucks) You will see the actual SI ferry from the island to Manhattan which you must take daily to get to NY and hear the true Staten Island classic NY accent at its best! Great story and music too !

Well, nobody asked for all this but it is a very awesome city in which I lived, worked for many years and know well ! Beautiful, very exciting, exceptionally cultural and immensely historic (don’t get me started) but expensive to live in for the most part. And now you can all trace JL and Thinnie’s whereabouts around town! 🤪

Thanks, anon! 🤭🙌

I wonder why JL decided not to splurge on a NYC pad anyway, after being on the look-out couple years ago. 🤔

Guess his deal with Bowery saves him a big penny! 🤷🏼‍♀️

[sage-nebula]

I finally got a copy of the Sonic Encyclo-Speed-ia since it was on sale, and I was reading through the entries for the classic era games and came upon something interesting for "Tails Adventure" for the Game Gear, in that it takes place at a different point in Tails' history depending on which region you play it in, and neither of them really . . . work for me.

In the original Japanese version, "Tails Adventure" takes place before Tails meets Sonic in "Sonic 2." Tails is still living on Cocoa Island in "Tails Adventure", living a peaceful life until the Battle Kukku Army comes to ruin things. This makes little sense to me, for a couple reasons:

If Tails had a peaceful life on Cocoa Island where he wasn't ostracized and bullied for his two tails, why did he move to West Side Island where he was?

In "Tails Adventure", Tails builds hella bombs and weapons to fight against the Battle Kukku Army, all on his own. This seems incongruous with the Tails that Sonic meets in "Sonic 2," who gets bullied and tormented and doesn't have the courage or mechanical know-how to fight back. (I mean I guess you could say he just didn't want to blow his bullies up with the napalm bombs he builds in "Tails Adventure" but like . . . to do nothing? Really?? Doesn't make sense.)

On the other hand, the English version of "Tails Adventure" says that the game takes place after "Sonic 2", and that Tails is on vacation on Cocoa Island when all this goes down. Which, okay . . . but why's he on vacation by himself? Not that he and Sonic never do anything apart from each other, because we know that Tails gets his workshop in Mystic Ruins and has his own solo adventures in SA1 and SA2, but Tails was still pretty little at this point and it seems weird that he'd be like "k I'm going off to a random island bye" immediately after meeting and bonding with Sonic.

So to try and make it make sense, this is what I'm going with: Cocoa Island was the prototype for what Mystic Ruins would later become.

Basically, at some point after "Sonic 2" (and probably after "Sonic 3 & Knuckles" as well given that those adventures happen right after "Sonic 2"), Sonic and Tails mutually decide to take a little break somewhere peaceful, since Eggman isn't destroying things right at that very second. Cocoa Island is very peaceful and relaxed, it's pretty remote and therefore pretty safe, and they get a little house there where Tails can get to work building up his tinkering interest and skills. Plus, they can fix up the Tornado if she's in any disrepair after the recent adventures (which she probably is). At some point though, something comes up that Sonic feels, for whatever reason, is perhaps too dangerous for Tails. Maybe all the near misses with the Death Egg have gotten to him, maybe seeing Tails in a safe environment where he has a warm place to sleep and room to work on his gadgetry has made Sonic reconsider bringing a 5 or 6yo along on dangerous adventures, but Sonic decides that he'll go take care of whatever Eggman is destroying this time while Tails chills at home. Maybe he calls it a vacation for Tails. And Tails isn't happy about it, not at all, but Sonic's mind has been made up and he promises he will come back. Tails makes it clear he's going to hold Sonic to that promise.

So Sonic leaves, and that's when the Battle Kukku Army invades the island, and at first Tails is alarmed because he hasn't handled something like this on his own before! (Assuming here that Sky Patrol happens at some point after this.) But he can't just do nothing while the Battle Kukku Army destroys the island and hurts the animals, so he works on his gadgetry (as Sonic encouraged him to do), and uses his bombs and other weapons to drive the army back. All by himself. (And I know that you "find" these powerups around the island since the game is a Metroidvania, but like, please. This is Tails we're talking about. From a story standpoint, he totally made them.)

When Sonic gets back, the place is a mess. I mean, battles happened here, with lots of explosives. Tails has so many different bombs and weapons to show Sonic! Look at his napalm bombs, and his night scope, and proton torpedo and anti-air missiles and rocket boosters and, look, he even has a little remote robot that he calls Mecha Tails, and—!

Sonic comes to the conclusion that maybe leaving Tails in such a remote location was not as safe an idea as his 12 or 13yo brain thought it was. So he's like, OK, how about you leave at least the vast majority of that stuff here, and we'll, uh . . . come back for it later.

But doesn't Sonic want to see what it can do? And maybe they can modify it to help repair some of the damage to the island and—!

They'll come back to it later! Time to get in the Tornado, Tails!! Time to leave this behind and never think about it again!!!

So the next time Tails gets a workshop / they get a home, it's in Mystic Ruins, which is much closer to civilization and thus much less likely to throw Tails into impromptu guerilla warfare that's him vs. an invading army where he needs to build an arsenal to rival Eggman's to fight them off.

That's my headcanon for how that fits in, and I'm sticking to it.

[ericgunther]

Palm Beach Island Takes Over as the Top Ultra-High-Net -Worth Property Market in the United States!

“Palm Beach is a niche market that consistently has the highest concentrations of appropriate properties and lifestyle for ultra-high-net-worth individuals,” says Eric Gunther President of Greenfield Waters Florida Realty on Worth Avenue Palm Beach.

Ultra-high-net-worth “UHNW”, is a level of ultra-luxury residential properties that trade for $50,000,000 or more. The market for these eight and nine-figure estates has significantly increased in the past ten years. 

New York, the Hamptons, Malibu, Los Angeles, Aspen, and Miami have all seen a sudden and profound transformation in the value of the most coveted properties. But nowhere in the U.S. compares to the small Island of Palm Beach which currently has 13 properties listed for sale asking over $50,000,000. This 16 mile long barrier island is a fraction of the size of its UHNW market peers, making the concentration of luxury real estate sales staggering over the comparatively small area. 

Over the last year of 2023, Florida’s two most expensive home sold on Palm Beach Island.  $170,000,000 was in first place at 589 North County Road Palm Beach, FL 33480 and $155,000,000 in second place at 1495 North Ocean Boulevard Palm Beach 33480 combined into a compound with 108 Mediterranean Road Palm Beach, FL 33480.

As the balance in middle market property prices and interest rates struggle to find common ground across the general U.S., solid activity in the Florida market and in the UHNW market of Palm Beach is understandable for emotional reasons but also backed by qualitative data. 

Buyers of properties in excess of several million dollars aren’t as affected by volatility in interest rates or the stock market like other buyers. Often paying in cash versus financing, these buyers see their real estate as tangible assets to be enjoyed but also bought, sold, and traded at the right times. 

Meanwhile, just across the Intracoastal waterway, select bordering neighborhoods of West Palm Beach are becoming “Palm Beach Island adjacent” with sales in excess of several million dollars being very normal.  Areas in West Palm such as Marina Park, El Cid, Howard Park, Phipps Park, and South of Southern (SOSO) are emerging in a very big way. As major financial firm and accompanying industries such as consulting, accounting, legal, and more keep moving to West Palm Beach, we expect these neighborhoods to continue growing in value and the beautification of Mediterranean revival and modern styled new construction homes. 

Palm Beach owners naturally enjoy the warm winters of our busiest season, when residents with multiple homes return for the climate. Many visitors come prepared to shop for real estate during this season making it ripe to sell for more. Spring and summer balance out the year as owners often list after enjoying a last winter season and demand to buy exits all year long in the Florida UHNW market. Typically, buyers even appreciate the downtime after buying so they can renovate and bring in the finest upgrades and décor of their personal choice which can take time after buying. 

This year more incredible properties are on the market and selling for more than anywhere else in the United States. Currently, the Island’s most expensive listing is 2.3 oceanfront vacant acres of land listed at $200,000,000 at 1063 and 1071 North Ocean Boulevard Palm Beach, FL 33480. They have 360 feet of width across the beachfront which is a rare luxury opportunity on The Island. These are owned by cosmetics heir William Lauder who listed the land on the market after buying the late Rush Limbaugh’s property. Both properties were torn down to achieve their amplified land value together. 

Traditionally, Palm Beach was perceived as a multigenerational closed circle. Today, this is no longer the case and sellers are aware of the vibrant new audience which needs to be reflected and focused on for marketing and advertising to sell a property of these price points in the economy of today. The Island does still maintain the exclusivity of high society, yet it's much more inclusive of people from a broader range of affluence, industries, and backgrounds which is very healthy.   

Here are five of our favorite finest properties on the market as of today on Palm Beach Island:

10 Tarpon Isle Palm Beach, FL 33480

Listed for $187,500,000

www.greenfieldwaters.com/search/details/1j5/0/

In 2021, Todd Glaser and his business partners made waves in the real estate world by acquiring the 2.3acre man-made Tarpon Island for a $85,000,000. After an extensive renovation, showcasing their commitment to luxury and opulence, they listed the island in 2022 for an eye-opening $218,000,000. Taking a strategic pause from the market which created incredible desire from real estate buyers, Glaser reentered the fray in November with an adjusted price. Originally designed by Howard Majors in 1930, the mansion underwent a dramatic transformation under Glaser's vision. Its footprint doubled to nearly 24,000 square feet, now boasting 11 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, and 7 half-bathrooms. The property is a veritable oasis, featuring two pools, a dock, a lighted tennis court, a cold plunge, steam room, sauna, salon parlor, massage room, gym, and a catering kitchen. This embodiment of luxury living epitomizes the pinnacle of exclusivity and grandeur.

101 Jungle Road Palm Beach, FL 33480

Listed for $59,950,000

www.greenfieldwaters.com/search/details/1j9/0/

The oceanfront mansion of the late Gerald and Elaine Schuster has emerged on the market. Gerald Schuster, renowned as the founder and CEO of Continental Wingate, a prominent real estate investment and development firm now recognized as the Wingate Companies, leaves behind a legacy of industry excellence. Notably, the Schusters shared a longstanding friendship with political powerhouses, adding to the allure of their estate. Constructed in 1955 on a sprawling 0.9 acre plot along Jungle Road, the mansion encompasses an impressive 10,000 square feet, comprising 5 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, according to property records. The price reflecs its prime oceanfront location spanning 200 feet of beachfront. With its rich history and unparalleled coastal charm, this estate represents a rare opportunity for discerning buyers seeking a slice of coastal luxury intertwined with prestige and influence.

315 Chapel Hill Road Palm Beach, FL 33480

Listed for $59,500,000

www.greenfieldwaters.com/search/details/1ja/0/

This waterfront estate, formerly owned by the late William Flaherty is an incredible property. Flaherty, a notable figure in the business world for founding the Horsehead Corporation, now recognized as American Zinc Recycling based in Pittsburg, passed away last year, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. Built in 1987 upon 0.8 acres of prime waterfront land, the estate boasts a 5,600 square foot main house adorned with 4 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and 1 half-bathroom, along with a charming 3,300 square foot guest house featuring 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. With its enviable position spanning 200 feet along the picturesque Intracoastal Waterway, this property presents an unparalleled opportunity for luxurious coastal living.

200 S Ocean Boulevard Palm Beach, FL 33480

Listed for $59,000,000

www.greenfieldwaters.com/search/details/1jn/0/

Earlier this month, David and Becky Gochman just listed their stunning oceanfront parcel. David Gochman's entrepreneurial journey includes the successful sale of his family's renowned sporting goods empire, Academy Sports & Outdoors, to the private equity firm KKR for a staggering $2,100,000,000 in 2011, as reported by Forbes. Following this achievement, he established Inclenberg Investments, based in Palm Beach, in 2012. The Gochmans' connection to luxury real estate began in 2014 when they acquired the South Ocean Boulevard property for $15,400,000 million, according to records. Demonstrating their commitment to refinement and elegance, they embarked on the construction of a new residence on the expansive 0.9 acre parcel in 2018. The resulting masterpiece spans 5,800 square feet, boasting 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and 1 pool, offering an unparalleled blend of coastal splendor and modern luxury.

690 Island Drive Palm Beach, FL 33480

Listed for $52,900,000

www.greenfieldwaters.com/search/details/1jo/0/

Situated on the picturesque Everglades Island, Diana Barrett has unveiled her exquisite waterfront residence, designed by the esteemed Marion Sims Wyeth. Constructed in 1949 on a lush 0.8 acre parcel, the house epitomizes timeless elegance and sophistication. Spanning 6,300 square feet, the residence boasts 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 1 half-bathroom, and 1 luxurious pool. Notably, Barrett's illustrious background includes tenure as a former professor, while her husband, Bob Vila, is renowned as the star of the beloved renovation show "This Old House." Furthermore, demonstrating their affinity for Palm Beach's charm, the couple recently acquired a 4,300 square foot house for $12,500,000 million in December, further solidifying their connection to the area's prestigious real estate landscape.

About Greenfield Waters Florida Realty

When it comes to navigating the intricate world of luxury real estate, Eric Gunther and Greenfield Waters Florida Realty located on Worth Avenue Palm Beach stand out as the premier choice for buyers and sellers alike. With a profound understanding of the market dynamics and a specialization in properties exceeding several million dollars, Greenfield Waters and their Realtors possess the intelligence, sophistication, and unwavering commitment necessary to cater to the discerning needs of high net worth individuals. Whether it's meticulously scouting for the perfect property or orchestrating seamless transactions, Greenfield Waters ensures a tailored experience that exceeds expectations, making him the trusted ally in Palm Beach's elite real estate realm.

Are you curious what your Florida property may be worth right now?  Feel free to try our complimentary special Florida specific valuation instantly online at https://www.greenfieldwaters.com/home-value/

Here to advise as always, 

Eric Gunther

President – Broker – Realtor

561-400-8474

eric.gunther@greenfieldwaters.com

Greenfield Waters

Florida Realty

205 Worth Avenue #125

Palm Beach, FL 33480

www.greenfieldwaters.com

Thank you for sharing our blog posts, articles and for your referral business! 

[laresearchette]

Friday, January 26, 2024 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: MASTERS OF THE AIR (Apple TV+) SAGO MINI FRIENDS (Apple TV+) 13 HOURS: THE SECRET OF BENGHAZI (Paramount +) THE LEBANESE BURGER MOVIE (Paramount +) HIGHTOWN (Starz Canada) 10:00pm

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA THE DAIGLE EXPATS THRILLER THE UNDERDOGGS YOU HURT MY FEELINGS

CBC GEM GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN

CRAVE TV 299 QUEEN STREET WEST ALI CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT THE CONJURING EASY A THE OTHER HALF PEPPA PIG: FESTIVAL OF FUN THE STAR TRANSAMERICA TRANSPLANT (Season 4) WATER

NETFLIX CANADA BADLAND HUNTERS THE BLACKLIST (Season 10) LOVE IS BLIND: SWEDEN SIT DOWN WITH STAND UP UDOM TAEPHANICH

PWHL HOCKEY (TSN/TSN5) 7:00pm: New York vs. Toronto

NHL HOCKEY (SN) 7:00pm: Panthers vs. Penguins (SN) 10:00pm: Blues vs. Kraken

DOPPELGÄNGERS: FACE TO FACE (documentary) 7:00pm: People meet their lookalikes and find out the resemblance is more than skin deep.

NBA BASKETBALL (TSN4) 7:00pm: Mavericks vs. Hawks (SN1) 7:30pm: Clippers vs. Raptors (SN Now) 8:00pm: Thunder vs. Pelicans

A.RTIFICIAL I.MMORTALITY (Crave 2) 7:40pm: Exploring the latest thinking and technological advancements in AI.

MARKETPLACE (CBC) 8:00pm: Putting electric vehicles to the test; Charlsie Agro hits the road to explore issues with range, charging infrastructure and reveals the challenges with repairs.

MILLION DOLLAR ISLAND (Discovery Canada) 8:00pm: Only 79 players remain, but that will soon change as two camps are put in a head-to-head arena battle; at the end of the epic war, the entire losing camp will be eliminated.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF JERSEY (Slice) 8:00pm: Tessa and Sascha renew their wedding vows; upset about not being invited, Kate and Margaret hold their own version, with Kate Taylor playing Tessa.

BOLLYWED (documentary) 8:00pm: Kuki and Sarab lay down an ultimatum with the second location; the kids think outside the box.

GARAGE SALE MYSTERY: THE MASK MURDER (Super Channel Heart & Home) 8:00pm: When Jennifer buys a storage locker at auction, she discovers a dead body inside -- along with a mask matching the deceased woman.

ABOUT THAT (CBC) 8:30pm

THE FIFTH ESTATE (CBC) 9:00pm: Search for the Smugglers: In 2022, smugglers left the Patel family to cross the Canada/U.S. border on foot during a snowstorm, an ordeal they would not survive; the pursuit of the men who Indian police allege planned the crossing leads to a surprising location.

PARADISE HIGHWAY (Crave) 9:00pm: To save the life of her brother, truck driver Sally reluctantly agrees to smuggle illicit cargo -- a girl named Leila. As Sally and Leila begin a danger-fraught journey across state lines, a dogged FBI operative sets out on their trail to save them.

THE SUMMIT AUSTRALIA (Discovery Canada) 9:30pm: The group falls a day behind; the remaining ten members have seven days to get to the summit with $785,000 left in the prize money on their backs.

NLL LACROSSE (TSN3) 10:00pm: Mammoth vs. Warriors

LITTLE BIRD (CTV) 10:00pm: Esther finds members of her family who help her put together the pieces of the past; Esther returns home to Montreal to confront Golda, her adoptive mother, about the revelations she's uncovered that shine a new light on their life.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Very unique house for sale in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Built in 1822, it was originally a 1 1/2 story home. Hans Haagensen came from Copenhagen to run the Bank of St. Thomas and acquired the property in 1837. He married Sarah, who lived next door on the property that was to be a part of an archaeological dig, so it  has five period exhibit rooms that display West Indian antiques of the era. $1.925M

The house was built in the Grand Charlotte Amalie town residence style considered Greek revival because of the pediments above the doors and windows.

They raised 9 kids in this house and the rooms are pretty large.

Nice dining room.

Most of the rooms are very long.

It has 7 bds. and 2 baths.

Shaded terrace with a beautiful view.

There is also another building that has potential.

The kitchen is in a separate building behind the house. It’s a cool, but very primitive, kitchen. 

Two of the exhibit rooms with the West Indian antiques that give a sense of how the merchant class lived in the 1800s. It doesn’t say if they convey with the property.

The grounds are on several levels.

It’s a fascinating property.

This is interesting, it has a brick oven down here.

The house is set high over the town, so it’s got a great view. 

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/30-31-29-Dronningens-Gade-Cir-Saint-Thomas-VI-00802/2061510581_zpid/

[ottawarealtor]

Happy Thursday Everyone!

We just listed this stunning End unit Townhome with 4 bedrooms and backing onto a park in the beautiful community of Avalon West Orleans! Built in 2018 so home is in great shape

212 WILLOW ASTER CIR, Ottawa K4A 1C9 Listed For Sale at $695,000 MLS#1356497 4 Bed/ 3 bath / End unit / No Rear Neighbors/ Built 2018 Lot Size: 26 x 82 Feet Taxes: $4717/2023

Welcome to this NO REAR NEIGHBOURS, backing onto George Dassyilva Park end-unit four bedrooms townhome. This beautiful home offers an Open concept living space with hardwood flooring throughout the main level, natural light, a stunning accent wall fireplace with windows on each side, and a gorgeous view of the park. The chef's kitchen with plenty of cabinets, steel stainless appliances, and Granite countertops in the kitchen and on the Island. The second level offers a primary bedroom with 4 piece ensuite and walking closet, 3 other bedrooms and a full bathroom. The laundry is conveniently situated on the second level, with the option to move to the basement. The excellent size basement with rough-in for bath and plenty of storage space is waiting for your personal touch.

Book your showing today with Sorin Vaduva Real Estate !

#ottawa #justlisted #avalonwestorleans #mattamyhomes #endunit #townhome #forsale #soldbysorin #martabreestrepo #KellerWilliamsIntegrity #ottawarealtor #ottawarealestate