#top real estate agents southern california

[robinsantos]

BASIC INFORMATION.

full name: robin santos

nicknames: ro, robbie, santos

age: thirty

birth date: june 24th

birth place: aurora bay, california

nationality: american

gender: cis woman

pronouns: she/her

orientation: bisexual

neighbourhood: seabrook quarter

occupation: private investigator

length of stay: from birth until the age of twenty two, returned to town seven years later

@aurorabayaesthetic

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

face claim: camila mendes

hair colour: dark brown that fades into a lighter brown

eye colour: dark brown

height: 5'2"

build: athletic

scars: none

tattoos: none as of yet

piercings: orbital and lobe piercings

FAMILY.

mother: marisol santos

father: roberto santos

brother: tiago santos

PERSONALITY TRAITS.

+ meticulous, supportive, compassionate, driven and protective - obsessive, assertive, paranoid, jaded and resentful

HISTORY.

aurora bay native who grew up on seabrook drive in what seemed like the picturesque family—her mother was a top real estate agent in southern california, her father a bail bonds man and her brother was on just about every committee possible in high school—but behind closed doors infidelity ran rampant between her parents and her brother was struggling with his own demons.

robin grew up to be free spirited and independent with a penchant for sticking her nose into other people's business, which her mother partly blames herself for. if their family had not been so dysfunctional, perhaps her daughter might not have found it fascinating to eavesdrop on others conversations from the bottom of the stairs, racing up to her bedroom only when she heard footsteps

it was how marisol santos had first learned of her husband's infidelity, when robin had been eavesdropping on a conversation between her father and another woman over the phone in the study.

marisol had dismissed robin's accusations in the beginning, grounding her daughter for spreading such dangerous lies about her own father until robin took matters into her own hands and hand delivered the evidence of her father's affair to her mother in a manilla envelope.

roberto santos blamed her for the downfall of his marriage, marisol resented her for not being able to mind her own business and tiago was too wrapped up in his own romantic affairs to notice his family unravelling and his sister being unfairly painted as the lynchpin in the end of their parents marriage

robin moved out at seventeen years old, unable to sleep under the same roof as her parents anymore, shouldering the blame for their impending divorce despite her only crime being bringing her father's infidelity to light

tiago, having moved out over a year ago, offered her a room until she graduated senior year and started as a freshman at aurora bay college where she would eventually move into aurora bay towers.

robin spent the next four years studying for her bachelor's degree in journalism, laser focused on graduating and getting the hell out of aurora bay and putting the beach town as far behind her as possible

her dream finally came true at twenty two years old, several months after graduating and moving to los angeles for an internship at a local news station to give herself a foot in the door.

during her time working in los angeles, robin met the love of her life—ravi. though she would soon come to learn that he was no prince charming. in what robin deemed as the universe giving her the middle finger, she discovered that she was as unlucky as her mother had been in finding love and ravi had slept with his business partner.

it was this devastating revelation—and the dissolvement of her parents marriage—that lead robin into a change of career from journalist to private investigator and what brought her home to aurora bay four months ago.

TIDBITS.

loves thunderstorms and curling up in front of the window with her kindle to read the latest sarah j. mass book

owns a black gecko named espresso

isn't forthcoming about the nature of how her engagement ended, only that it has ended and she's five by five ( denial is a river in egypt lmao )

speaks fluent portugese

has been arrested several times since becoming a private investigator for harassment, trespassing and disturbing the peace

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

GENERAL

friends from growing up in aurora bay / high school friends / colleagues from summer jobs growing up / somebody wanting to hire her for her private investigator services / friends of her brother / best friends / ride or dies / my circle is small but we're all gay / college friends / people that she met while living in los angeles / rivals / enemies

ROMANTIC

first kiss / unrequited love / tinder matches / exes / one night stands / flirtationships / situationships / bad dates / friends with benefits / enemies to lovers / high school exes / first love / etc

ESTABLISHED CONNECTIONS.

after living at coral cottage b&b for the last four months, robin has finally decided to seek a more permanent solution and recently met @ziggykyeons to view one of his spare rooms and became room mates with him and @julianxpark

old friends with @atticuscortes from growing up in aurora bay together and crashing on her sofa when she was in college

every rose has it's thorn @blake-michaels

old high school friends with @dancingdanvers / dance class buddies

a friend of @gracecromwell from los angeles

right person / wrong time college romance with @is-it-gabriel turned an unwelcome ghost from his past in los angeles

high school friends of @pytndyer

ex-fiancée of @ravirussell

formerly best friends with @solaadisa until she slept with ravi

once investigated @dxnielibxrra at the request of his ex-husband

daughter of @delilahcarreno's former best-friend, delilah and robin's mom drifted apart once robin's mom learned delilah was an adulterer like her ex-husband

hunting cock block of @caleb-majhi

client / friend of @victoriaxsanchez

one night stand with @reggiellewellyn

EXTRA

pinterest

[insideoutvietnam]

Christie’s International Real Estate’s 2024 Masters Circle and Agents Summit Brings Top Luxury Agents To Beverly Hills

BEVERLY HILLS, July 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Top luxury real estate agents from Christie’s International Real Estate gathered in Southern California for the network’s annual Masters Circle and Agents Summit, held at the Beverly Wilshire June 25 and 26. The two-day gathering included panel discussions with some of the network’s most accomplished luxury agents and presentations from leading…

[prithvirajkdz]

Your Guide to Buying a Home in the Coachella Valley: What You Need to Know

Your Guide to Buying a Home in the Coachella Valley

Explore the allure of the Coachella Valley, a Southern California desert oasis known for its stunning landscapes, top amenities, and vibrant lifestyle. This guide covers essential factors for purchasing a home in this sought-after region.

This company will guide you WILDER PEREZ

Coachella Valley Highlights

Sunny Climate: Enjoy over 350 sunny days annually, ideal for year-round outdoor activities.

Diverse Neighborhoods: From upscale Palm Springs to charming small towns, find communities to fit every lifestyle.

Luxury Living: Experience world-class golf courses, spa resorts, and upscale shopping and dining.

Key Considerations When Buying

Location: Optimize convenience with proximity to dining, entertainment, and work.

Home Features: Assess size, layout, and condition to match your needs.

Outdoor Living: Seek homes with pools, patios, and landscaped spaces for outdoor enjoyment.

HOA Fees: Understand costs and benefits associated with homeowners associations.

Navigating the Market

Stay Informed: Monitor trends, prices, and inventory to make informed decisions.

Local Expertise: Partner with a knowledgeable agent specializing in Coachella Valley real estate.

Act Promptly: Be prepared to move quickly in a competitive market.

Financing Options

Explore Mortgages: Consider conventional, FHA, VA, and jumbo loan options based on your needs.

Pre-Approval: Strengthen your offer with a pre-approval letter from a lender.

Choosing Your Ideal Neighborhood

Golf Enthusiasts: Explore communities with renowned golf courses.

Wellness Seekers: Enjoy access to spas, yoga studios, and outdoor activities.

Luxury Shoppers: Discover upscale shopping destinations like Palm Desert's El Paseo.

Families: Find neighborhoods with excellent schools and family-friendly amenities.

Home Buying Process

Get Pre-Approved: Demonstrate financial readiness with a pre-approval letter.

Search with an Agent: Collaborate to find homes matching your criteria.

Make an Offer: Submit a competitive offer and negotiate terms.

Close the Deal: Finalize paperwork and move into your Coachella Valley home.

Conclusion

Embrace the Coachella Valley lifestyle with its natural beauty, luxury amenities, and diverse communities. Partner with experts to find your perfect home that aligns with your needs and aspirations.

[georgesmith00x2]

Sell Properties in Los Long Beach

If you're trying to promote houses in Long Beach, California, you're in success. Long Beach is a colourful town with a robust actual estate marketplace, making it an extremely good vicinity to promote residences.

There are some key steps to consider whilst promoting a property in Long Beach. First, it’s important to find an informed real estate agent who is aware the neighbourhood market and let you price your own home competitively. A good agent can also be capable of marketplace your private home efficiently, reaching potential consumers both locally and beyond.

Second, make certain your private home is in pinnacle circumstance earlier than setting it on the market. This can also contain making necessary maintenance, decluttering, and staging the assets to appeal to consumers.

Lastly, remember the timing of your sale. While the actual estate marketplace in Long Beach is distinctly strong year-spherical, sure instances of 12 months may be more superb for selling a asset.

Overall, promoting properties in Long Beach can be a hit venture with the proper guidance and steerage. By following these recommendations and working with a good actual property agent, you can make the promoting method as clean and profitable as viable. Sell Properties in Los Long Beach.

Los Long Beach is a vibrant and diverse metropolis located in Southern California, regarded for its lovely seashores, thriving downtown region, and wealthy cultural historical past. With its best region close to major freeways and only a short pressure faraway from Los Angeles, Los Long Beach is a top vacation spot for those looking to put money into real property.

One of the most profitable opportunities in Los Long Beach is the buying and selling of houses. Whether you are a seasoned actual estate investor or a first-time consumer, there are plenty of alternatives to be had to suit your needs and budget. From luxury waterfront homes to fascinating historical cottages, there's something for everybody in this dynamic market.

When it comes to promoting residences in Los Long Beach, it's far essential to work with a good actual property agent who has a sturdy information of the neighbourhood market. A skilled agent will be capable to help you showcase your house within the high-quality viable light, attracting the eye of potential consumers and maximizing your sales charge.

In addition to operating with a certified real property agent, there are some key techniques you could use to sell your home fast and for top greenback. One of the maximum essential factors in selling a belonging is pricing it effectively. Your agent can provide you with a comparative marketplace evaluation to help you decide the proper asking price for your home.

Another critical element of promoting an asset in Los Long Beach is advertising. In contemporary digital age, it is critical to have a strong on-line presence to attain as many potential consumers as feasible. This can consist of professional, virtual tours, and social media marketing campaigns to show off your property to a much wider target market.

In addition to online marketing, traditional advertising techniques such as open homes and print advertising and marketing can also be powerful in attracting customers. By utilizing a aggregate of each online and offline marketing strategies, you could boom the visibility of your property and generate more interest from ability customers.

When it involves negotiating gives and last the deal, having a skilled real property agent to your side can make all the difference. Your agent can help you navigate the negotiation system, making sure that you get the pleasant viable terms and conditions on your sale.

In end, promoting residences in Los Long Beach may be a profitable and worthwhile venture for those willing to put inside the effort and time. By running with a knowledgeable real estate agent, pricing your own home effectively, and using effective advertising strategies, you can successfully promote your own home and acquire your financial goals. So, if you are seeking to Sell Properties in Los Long Beach, don't hesitate to reach out to a nearby actual estate agent and begin the process today.

[gomezalvaro]

Luxury meets lifestyle Buy real estate Marbella

A combination of luxury and lifestyle may be found when buy real estate in Marbella, one of Spain's most sought-after seaside towns. Marbella draws in investors and homeowners looking for the best Mediterranean experience because of its breathtaking beaches, energetic culture, and first-rate amenities. 

A wide range of possibilities to suit different tastes and budgets can be found in the Marbella real estate market, from luxurious villas with views of the sea to contemporary apartments in the city centre. Buying a house becomes easy when you have competent real estate agents and solicitors that specialise in Spanish property law on your side. 

Invest in real estate in Marbella to live a lavish lifestyle in a stunning seaside community. Buy Property Marbella provides access to the pinnacle of opulent Mediterranean living. Tucked away on the southern coast of Spain, Marbella offers immaculate beaches, first-rate facilities, and a thriving arts and culture scene. 

A wide variety of possibilities are available for discriminating purchasers in the Marbella real estate market, ranging from luxurious villas with expansive views of the sea to stylish flats in busy neighbourhoods. 

Purchasing a property becomes easy when you have knowledgeable legal counsel and real estate professionals that are familiar with Spanish property law. Purchasing real estate in Marbella ensures a sophisticated, laid-back, and elegant lifestyle, whether one is looking to use it as a vacation home, investment, or permanent home.

Buy property Sotogrande gives you a unique chance to live the opulent lifestyle of one of the most renowned resort areas in all of Spain. Sotogrande, a coastal community in southern California, is well-known for its immaculate beaches, first-rate facilities, and luxurious homes. Sophisticated buyers seeking elegance and tranquilly can find what they're searching for Buy real estate Sotogrande, from modern apartments overlooking the marina to magnificent villas set within lush surroundings.

Sotogrande, with its world-class golf courses, polo grounds, and marina, is the pinnacle of luxury and leisure living. Sotogrande provides a range of choices to accommodate different tastes and lifestyles, whether you're looking for a vacation house, investment property, or permanent residence. The guidance of knowledgeable real estate brokers and attorneys versed in Spanish property law simplifies the complexities of buying property in Sotogrande. With their knowledge, you can safely search the market and locate the ideal home to realise your aspirations of living by the sea in one of Spain's most sought-after locations. Invest in Sotogrande real estate to experience opulence, leisure, and refinement in the stunning Mediterranean environment.

For people and companies engaged in real estate transactions, a real estate lawyer Spain offers crucial legal counsel and knowledge. These experts, who specialise in Spanish property law, provide advice on leasing, purchasing, selling, and settling conflicts to safeguard customers' interests and facilitate smooth transactions.

Buy real estate Villa Padierna gives you a unique chance to become the owner of an opulent home in one of the most esteemed neighbourhoods in all of Spain. Amidst the splendour of the Costa del Sol, Villa Padierna offers a lifestyle of grace and sophistication with its breathtaking landscapes, top-notch amenities, and luxurious villas.

[teamyeagerrealestate8544]

Navigating the Huntington Beach Real Estate Market: Tips for Choosing the Right Agents

Introduction

Huntington Beach, known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, and attractive properties, is a sought-after location for real estate investment in Southern California. Whether you're buying or selling a home in Huntington Beach, the expertise of a real estate agent can be invaluable. In this article, we will explore the key factors to consider when searching for Huntington Beach real estate agents who can help you achieve your property goals.

Local Knowledge is Key When it comes to Huntington Beach real estate, local knowledge is paramount. The city's neighborhoods can vary significantly in terms of housing styles, price ranges, and amenities. A real estate agent who is familiar with the nuances of each neighborhood can provide invaluable insights into the best areas that align with your preferences and budget.

Experience Matters Experience in the real estate market is another crucial factor to consider when choosing an agent. Agents with years of experience often have a deep understanding of market trends, negotiation strategies, and local regulations. They can leverage this experience to your advantage, whether you're buying or selling a property.

Reputation and References Word-of-mouth recommendations and online reviews can provide valuable insights into an agent's reputation. Ask friends, family, or colleagues for recommendations and conduct online research to read reviews from previous clients. A reputable agent will have a track record of successfully helping clients achieve their real estate goals.

Effective Communication Clear and effective communication is essential when working with a real estate agent. You should feel comfortable discussing your preferences, concerns, and questions with your chosen agent. They should be responsive and keep you informed about market updates, property listings, and any changes in your transaction.

Technological Proficiency In today's digital age, technology plays a significant role in real estate transactions. Look for agents who are tech-savvy and utilize online tools and platforms to streamline the buying or selling process. These agents can provide virtual tours, online document signing, and other tech-driven solutions that make your experience more convenient.

Negotiation Skills Negotiation is a critical aspect of real estate transactions. A skilled agent can help you secure the best possible deal, whether you're buying or selling. They should have a track record of successful negotiations and be able to advocate on your behalf to achieve your desired outcome.

Local Networks and Resources Established real estate agents often have extensive networks of professionals, including mortgage brokers, inspectors, contractors, and other industry experts. These connections can prove invaluable when navigating the complexities of a real estate transaction.

Conclusion

When it comes to Huntington Beach real estate, choosing the right agent can make all the difference. With local knowledge, experience, a solid reputation, effective communication skills, technological proficiency, negotiation prowess, and a network of valuable resources, a top-notch agent can help you successfully buy or sell your property in this desirable Southern California destination. Take the time to research and interview potential agents to ensure you find the perfect fit for your real estate needs.

[paulborst]

Realtor Hollywood CA

Marcel Cuschieri is a Top Real Estate Agent in Southern California.

[showlongteam]

Premier ADU Real Estate Agent in Southern CA

Description: Are you looking for a trusted and experienced ADU real estate agent in Southern California? Look no further! Our top-rated agent specializes in Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and is committed to providing exceptional service, expert guidance, and personalized solutions to meet your unique needs. With an in-depth understanding of local regulations and market trends, we will help you navigate the complexities of ADU investments, ensuring a seamless and successful experience. Trust the best ADU real estate agent in Southern CA to maximize your investment potential and unlock the full benefits of ADUs. Contact us today to get started.

[hakesbros]

Las Cruces New Mexico Properties Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices

Additionally, nearly every drive in the Las Cruces area is nice and beautiful. Take a cruise toward the mountains, or close to the river. If you’ve lived in larger metropolitan cities, you know the ache of long commutes and bumper-to-bumper visitors. You can sometimes drive from one aspect of town to the other in about 20 minutes. By transferring to this stunning city and cutting out the commute in your life, you’ll have extra time to spend with household, and associates, and on leisure actions.

Our top-rated actual property agents in High Range are local experts and are able to answer your questions about properties, neighborhoods, colleges, and the newest listings for sale in High Range. Redfin has an area office at 314 S Guadalupe St., Santa Fe, NM 87501. Beautifully designed Tuscan fashion home in fast rising University Meadows neighborhood. This 3-bedroom, 1.75 bath house is currently under development and scheduled to be accomplished in October 2022.

The Las Cruces homes for sale between the finances of $500,000 and $599,999 saw a 160% increase in sales. Redfin is redefining real property and the house buying course of in High Range with industry-leading expertise, full-service brokers, and lower charges that provide a greater homes for sale in las cruces nm worth for Redfin buyers and sellers. Redfin is redefining real property and the home buying process in with industry-leading expertise, full-service agents, and decrease fees that provide a greater worth for Redfin patrons and sellers.

Enjoy two household rooms, cozy up with a hearth, grill up in your spacious back yard with mature trees. Work from home with home builders in las cruces your built in desk/office area. No worries, your personal home comes with a 10X10 storage unit & garage!

A home for ballet lessons in the living room, taking half in together with your food within the kitchen, or humorous canine snores during naptime. Coming from all over the world, our IKEA co-workers share a special set of values and a imaginative and homes for sale las cruces prescient to enable individuals to reside a better, extra sustainable on an everyday basis life. They come together within various, inclusive, open IKEA work environments, the place every of them offers something distinctive.

With granite counters, an open floorplan and an award-winning builder, you won't want to miss this opportunity. With over 20+ years of combined actual estate experience, the Z Real Estate group can help you buy or promote a house or property within the Las Cruces area fast and efficiently. With current security measures in place, attention to element homes for sale in las cruces new mexico in relation to pricing and advertising, and working on the customer's behalf we will provide devoted service to all our clients. Searching low-cost houses for sale in Las Cruces, NM has never been easier on PropertyShark! Sturtevant, of Bright MLS, predicts that costs will rise 0.3%.

Las Cruces is situated within the picturesque Mesilla Valley, between the majestic Organ Mountains and the mighty Rio Grande river. As the second-largest city in New Mexico, Las Cruces serves as the economic and geographic hub of the southern half of the state. Home to New Mexico State University, White Sands National Monument, and a charming downtown district, the city is rich in tradition, history, and journey.

Both dwellings will want work to have the ability to be habitable but with the right vision may be a perfect funding property. BHH Affiliates, LLC is a Delaware limited legal responsibility company. Its principal workplace is located at Von Karman Ave, Suite four hundred, Irvine, California USA.

Many builders are certainly attempting to make use of this seller’s market to add extra homes to the list. The spike in demand increases the asking price, making the patrons wonder if it is the right time to buy. In a typical real property market, the vendor would obtain approximately 96% of the asking worth after a discount. Today, the consumers of Las Cruces are gaining a median of 98% of their asking price, and this trend would improve. The median home costs issued by Realtor.com may exclude much, or even most, of a market's homes. The worth and volume characterize solely homes that are single-family homes, condominiums or townhomes.

Las Cruces, NM has a very affordable price of residing in comparison with the national common.Sperling’s Best Places breaks it down in a chart. BankForeclosuresSale.com does not guarantee the availability of any property listed herein and does not promise that there are listings for each new homes las cruces area. This charming home has a grassy again yard with mature shrubs great for entertaining household and pals, and desert landscaping in... … completely designed, customized and constructed to be everything you want it to be.

[timeless-hollywood-classics]

Julie Adams (born Betty May Adams; October 17, 1926 – February 3, 2019) was an American actress, billed as Julia Adams toward the beginning of her career, primarily known for her numerous television guest roles. She starred in a number of films in the 1950s, including Bend of the River (1952) opposite James Stewart and Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). She was also known for her small screen role as Paula Denning on the 1980s soap opera Capitol and recurring role of Eve Simpson on Murder, She Wrote.

Julie Adams was born as Betty May Adams on October 17, 1926 in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Arkansas-born parents Esther Gertrude (Beckett) and Ralph Adams, who was a cotton buyer. Her family moved a great deal; the longest she lived in one town was eight years in Blytheville, Arkansas. In 1946, at the age of 19, she was crowned "Miss Little Rock" and then moved to Hollywood, California to pursue her acting career. Adams worked as a part-time secretary and began her film career in B movie westerns.

She used her real name until 1949, when she began working for Universal-International, the same studio where she met future stars such as James Best, Piper Laurie, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis. She then became "Julia" and eventually "Julie". In 1954, she explained the latter change, "The studio picked Julia, but I never have felt comfortable with it. I just like the name Julie better, and the studio has given me permission to make the change."

Her first movie role was a minor part in Red, Hot and Blue (1949), followed by a leading role in the Lippert western The Dalton Gang (1949). Adams was featured as the bathing beauty Kay Lawrence in the science-fiction film Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954).

Adams co-starred in 1950s films opposite some of Hollywood's top leading men, including with James Stewart in 1952's Bend of the River, with Rock Hudson in The Lawless Breed (1953) and One Desire (1955), with Tyrone Power in The Mississippi Gambler (1953), with Glenn Ford in The Man from the Alamo (1953), with Charlton Heston in The Private War of Major Benson (1955), with Dan Duryea in Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (1957) and with Joel McCrea in The Gunfight at Dodge City (1959).

Adams co-starred with Rory Calhoun, known for his role in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), in the film The Looters (1955), the story of a plane crash in the Rocky Mountains. Part of the picture was filmed about Tarryall Creek at what is now Eleven Mile State Park in Park County in central Colorado. The advertising poster reads: "Five desperate men ... and a girl who didn't care ... trapped on a mountain of gale-lashed rock!"

Adams also starred in 1957's Four Girls in Town, a romantic comedy about four young women competing for the leading role in a new movie, featuring an international cast. She appeared with Elvis Presley in the musical-comedy Tickle Me (1965). Adams thought highly of her co-star, noting: "Despite his status as a superstar singer and stage performer, Elvis took his acting very seriously. He was always prepared, and did a good job in the roles he was given. When he did his musical numbers in Tickle Me, sometimes walking from table to table in a nightclub set, he did them perfectly in one take."

On television, Adams appeared on The Andy Griffith Show portraying Mary Simpson, a county nurse and romantic interest of Sheriff Andy Taylor in a 1962 episode. She also made four guest appearances on Perry Mason, perhaps the most notable being the 1963 episode, "The Case of the Deadly Verdict," when she played Janice Barton, Mason's only convicted client during the show's nine-year run on CBS. In 1963, she starred in "The Case Of Lovers Leap.” In 1964, she played Janice Blake in "The Case of the Missing Button." In 1965, she played the role of defendant Pat Kean in "The Case of the Fatal Fortune." Adams appeared on The Rifleman as a dubious vixen and romantic interest of lead character Chuck Connors. She guest-starred in five episodes of 77 Sunset Strip, three ofAlfred Hitchcock Presents, and two ofMaverick.

More guest-star roles in popular television series followed, including One Step Beyond, McMillan & Wife, Police Woman, The Streets of San Francisco, The Incredible Hulk, Cannon, Quincy, M.E., and Cagney & Lacey. Adams co-starred with James Stewart in The Jimmy Stewart Show on NBC in 1971-1972. Stewart played a professor, and Adams played his wife. She was cast in the recurring role of real estate agent Eve Simpson for ten episodes of CBS's Murder, She Wrote.

Adams, along with her son, Mitchell, authored a book on her life and career, The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From The Black Lagoon, which was published in 2011. A limited test print run of 100 copies with an interview DVD of the audio book version was completed. Her son served as producer.

Adams joined three other cast members from Creature from the Black Lagoon for a 50th anniversary celebration of the film at Creaturefest in November 2003. The festival was held at Wakulla Springs, just south of Tallahassee, Florida, where underwater scenes were filmed in 1953.

In August 2012, she was a guest of honor at the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention held at the Shrine Auditorium. (She attended the same convention in May 2012.) She also appeared at the CineCon Classic Film Festival on August 31, 2012 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel. She was a scheduled guest at The Hollywood Show in Chicago from September 7–9, 2012. An additional book signing was held at Century Books in Pasadena, California, on September 20, 2012. On October 13, 2012, she was back in Berwyn, Illinois for a book signing party.

In October 2012, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selected Creature from the Black Lagoon as one of 13 classic horror films to screen to honor the 100th anniversary of Universal Pictures. The film was shown (in 3D format) on October 16 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California. After the screening, Adams appeared on stage for a Q&A session where she shared personal memories of her role in the film, as well as several other career projects on which she had worked.

Adams was married to screenwriter Leonard B. Stern from 1950/1951 to 1953. She was then married to actor-director Ray Danton from 1954 until their divorce in 1981. They had two sons: Steven Danton (b. 1956), an assistant director, and Mitchell Danton (b. 1962), an editor.

Adams died on February 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California, aged 92. She is survived by her two sons. Her remains are buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Malvern, Arkansas.

In 1999, Adams received a Golden Boot award for her work in Westerns. She was inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame in 2000. At CineCon in 2011, Adams was honored with a Film Career Achievement Award. In 2012, she won the Rondo Award for the Monster Kid Hall of Fame at the annual Wonderfest in Louisville, Kentucky.

[lezziemanville]

So I’m moving to Las Vegas soon and leaving Southern California. My wife and I have had a fairly sweet deal here living on a millionaire family’s ranch for 16 years (me for 8 since I arrived here from Canada). We’ve been living in a great cottage in a semi-secluded area, with a huge fenced in yard and a guest home on the property. These houses would have cost us $15,000 a month (I’m not joking that’s right from the real estate agent’s mouth) if it weren’t a perk of my wife’s job.

But the ranch sold.

We knew it was coming and have been waiting for the penny to drop for years, because it’s been for sale for a long time. But now that is has sold and we’re frantically trying to downsize and pack up all of our belongings, it’s become so melancholy. I don’t want to leave our home because we built a life here and were happy here (for the most part). We’ve been through a lot of location related trauma recently, with wild fires touching the borders of the ranch and driving us into evacuation. Then floods that made deadly mudslides ruin lots of the town and destroy part of the ranch leading to more evacuations for months at a time.

The ranch went up for sale the year we were married. So our whole married life we’ve been worried about our future, since her job is tied in to it.

We’ve taken Covid very seriously. We were quarantined, working from home and seeing no one. My wife’s very high risk so it is necessary. So we thought it for sure wouldn’t sell at a time like this. Well, it has, and it’s forced us to be around literally 45 different inspectors coming in and out of our home as well as my wife being around auctioneers, movers, etc, emptying out the abandoned 52 room antiquated mansion on the property.

We are ready to move on in many ways. My wife is a workaholic and unwilling to retire despite the fact that she just turned 69. We own a home in Las Vegas that we purchased a couple of years ago to be prepared for when the tide changed here. So we have a gorgeous house that we haven’t been able to live in yet. We will be getting away from the constant disasters that afflict this state, particularly the devastating wild fires. I will be glad of this being that we have a grove of eucalyptus trees across from us, olive trees beside us and giant live oaks all over top of our home. There is safety in Las Vegas.

But this is a huge change of events. All of our income is gone in one big swoop with her job floating away with the ranch and my business in town unsustainable at a distance. So I have to start again, during a pandemic in a tanking economy. Luckily, I’ve already been offered a job with a private family. It’s more in line with the type of work my wife does, but it’s kind of become something I’ve learned to help with and do over the years alongside her. I’m excited for it. But I’m nervous.

I’m so scared about the election. We are lucky because we have an escape hatch in Canada. And as much as I love this country I’ve come to call home, I don’t want to watch it burn. So if we get another 4 years of Red Senate and this dictator, we will be seriously weighing our options. I’d just like to live in our home for awhile. I’m not one for prayers but I’ve been praying every night that if anything — our country gets the salvation it needs.

What a time. Listen, I know Tumblr isn’t what it once was in terms of friends, and personal space. But due to non disclosures, I’m not even allowed to tell people technically that the ranch has sold just yet. I suppose technically it won’t change ownership until we’re off the property at the end of the month. Either way we’re just struggling a little right now and I needed somewhere to get it out of my head.

I’m proud of everything my wife has accomplished working for this family for sixteen years. They appreciate her but they don’t even realize just how much she does for them. We have to stay on in California until January because she agreed to stay and help them finish the year. We’re moving into a tiny postage stamp sized cottage in the dirty dancing style employee digs for a few months at the family’s guest ranch. It’s literally so dirty dancing like, that the dude across from us asked if we could help carry a watermelon.

With change comes the opportunity to bloom in richer soil. I hope that’s what’s in store for us. Either way, I just want to enjoy my life with my wife and our dogs and for the world to get a little gentler and a little kinder.

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Pair of studies confirm there is water on the moon (Washington Post) There is water on the moon’s surface, and ice may be widespread in its many shadows, according to a pair of studies published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy. The research confirms long-standing theories about the existence of lunar water that could someday enable astronauts to live there for extended periods. One scientific team found the telltale sign of water molecules, perhaps bound up in glass, in a sunlit region. Another group estimated the widespread prevalence of tiny shadowed pockmarks on the lunar landscape, possible shelter for water ice over an area of 15,000 square miles. Moon water has been eyed as a potential resource by NASA, which created a program named Artemis in 2019 to send American astronauts back to the moon this decade. Launching water to space costs thousands of dollars per gallon.

Colleges Slash Budgets in the Pandemic, With ‘Nothing Off-Limits’ (NYT) Ohio Wesleyan University is eliminating 18 majors. The University of Florida’s trustees this month took the first steps toward letting the school furlough faculty. The University of California, Berkeley, has paused admissions to its Ph.D. programs in anthropology, sociology and art history. As it resurges across the country, the coronavirus is forcing universities large and small to make deep and possibly lasting cuts to close widening budget shortfalls. By one estimate, the pandemic has cost colleges at least $120 billion, with even Harvard University, despite its $41.9 billion endowment, reporting a $10 million deficit that has prompted belt tightening. Though many colleges imposed stopgap measures such as hiring freezes and early retirements to save money in the spring, the persistence of the economic downturn is taking a devastating financial toll, pushing many to lay off or furlough employees, delay graduate admissions and even cut or consolidate core programs like liberal arts departments. “We haven’t seen a budget crisis like this in a generation,” said Robert Kelchen, a Seton Hall University associate professor of higher education who has been tracking the administrative response to the pandemic. “There’s nothing off-limits at this point.”

Thousands Forced to Evacuate From California Fires (NYT) Two firefighters were gravely injured and tens of thousands of Californians were forced to flee their homes on Monday as two new fires ripped through Orange County. About 90,800 residents in Irvine were put under mandatory evacuation orders because of the Silverado Fire and the smaller Blue Ridge Fire, said Shane Sherwood, a division chief for the Orange County Fire Authority. High winds and low humidity fueled the fires’ rapid growth. About 4,000 firefighters were fighting 22 wildfires across the state on Monday, according to Cal Fire, the state’s fire agency. As evening approached, the Silverado Fire had burned about 7,200 acres and the Blue Ridge Fire 3,000 acres. Later Monday night, the Orange County Fire Authority said that the Blue Ridge Fire had grown to 6,600 acres

Why N.Y.C.’s Economic Recovery May Lag the Rest of the Country’s (NYT) New York, whose diversified economy had fueled unparalleled job growth in recent years, is now facing a bigger challenge in recovering from the pandemic than almost any other major city in the country. More than one million residents are out of work, and the unemployment rate is nearly double the national average. The city had tried to insulate itself from major downturns by shifting from tying its fortunes to the rise and fall of Wall Street. A thriving tech sector, a booming real estate industry and waves of international tourists had helped Broadway, hotels and restaurants prosper. But now, as the virus surges again in the region, tourists are still staying away and any hope that workers would refill the city’s office towers and support its businesses before the end of the year is fading. As a result, New York’s recovery is very likely to be slow and protracted, economists said. “This is an event that struck right at the heart of New York’s comparative advantages,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Analytics, a Wall Street research firm. “Being globally oriented, being stacked up in skyscrapers and packed together in stadiums: The very thing that made New York New York was undermined by the pandemic, was upended by it.”

Asylum-Seekers Face Violent ICE Coercion (Foreign Policy) U.S. immigration officers have threatened, pepper-sprayed, beaten, and choked asylum-seekers from Cameroon to coerce them to sign their own deportation orders, the Guardian reports. A coalition of advocacy groups, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, filed a complaint earlier this month describing a “pattern of coercion” by ICE agents at a Mississippi detention center that it called “tantamount to torture.” According to multiple accounts in the complaint, immigration officials used the coercive tactics to compel detainees to sign documents that would waive their rights to further immigration hearings. At least one individual was hospitalized as a result. One man, identified by the initials C.A., described how officers broke his fingers as they sought to force his fingerprint onto a document. “Officers grabbed me, forced me on the ground, and pepper-sprayed my eyes. … I was crying, ‘I can’t breathe,’ because they were forcefully on top of me pressing their body weight on top of me. My eyes were so hot. They dragged me outside by both hands,” said the individual, who was prevented from speaking to his lawyer before signing the document. C.A. was placed on a deportation flight on Oct. 13 but was one of two Cameroonians pulled off the plane moments before takeoff, as an investigation had begun into the allegations of abuse. At least 100 asylum-seekers, including many from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, were deported on the same flight. For two consecutive years, the Norwegian Refugee Council has deemed Cameroon the world’s most neglected displacement crisis due to an insurgency in the north and a brutal government crackdown on two English-speaking separatist regions. Since 2016, the two conflicts have killed over 3,000 people and displaced more than 700,000.

Belgium’s former King meets estranged daughter for first time (Reuters) Belgium’s former King Albert has met his daughter Delphine for the first time, after she won a seven-year legal battle to prove that he is her father, earning recognition as a princess. The two met Albert’s wife, Queen Paola, last Sunday at their royal residence, the Belvedere castle, in the Brussels suburb of Laeken, the royal household said on Tuesday. “This Sunday October 25, a new chapter has opened, filled with emotions, calm, understanding and also hope,” the king, the queen and Delphine said in a statement. “Our meeting took place at the Belvedere Castle, a meeting during which each of us was able to express, calmly and with empathy, our feelings and our experiences.” “After the turmoil, the wounds and the suffering, comes the time for forgiveness, healing and reconciliation. This is the path, patient and at times difficult, that we have decided to take resolutely together.” Delphine Boel, 52, a Belgian artist, fought a seven-year legal battle to prove that the former king is her father. After a DNA test confirmed that, a court granted her the title of princess earlier this month. Albert, 86, who abdicated six years ago in favour of his son Philippe, had long contested Boel’s claim.

Germany cautions Thai king (Foreign Policy) Pro-democracy protesters in Thailand marched on the German Embassy in Bangkok to deliver a letter asking German authorities to investigate whether King Maha Vajiralongkorn “has conducted Thai politics using his royal prerogative from German soil or not.” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, speaking from Berlin, said the German government was “examining” the issue “and if there are things we feel to be unlawful, then that will have immediate consequences.”

Belarus Opposition Calls General Strike, as Protesters Gird for Long Fight (NYT) When Belarusians took to the streets in the hundreds of thousands in August, after Mr. Lukashenko claimed a re-election victory that was widely seen as fraudulent, many predicted that it was only a matter of days or weeks until the longtime authoritarian leader stepped down. Instead, Mr. Lukashenko and the large swath of the public that is arrayed against him have settled into a drawn-out test of wills, with their country’s future on the line. Protesters continue to turn out in the tens of thousands every Sunday, chanting “Go away!” and waving the white-red-white flag of the opposition. Mr. Lukashenko responds with waves of crackdowns by the police and, backed by Russia, appears determined to wait the protests out. “In such a tense situation, absolutely anything could turn out to be the trigger that topples the system,” said Artyom Shraibman, a Minsk-based nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Moscow Center. “It could end in the course of a week, or it might not die for a year. No revolution has ever gone according to plan.” The authorities’ use of violence to try to put down the protests appears to be escalating, further feeding the anger in Belarusian society. It was a bout of severe police violence early in the uprising that supercharged the protests.

World’s largest IPO shows power of mobile payments in China (Washington Post) Go to a store, hop in a taxi, or even stop by a street peddler’s cart in China, and you will see QR codes strung up on colorful laminated squares. These mobile payment codes are the default way money changes hands in China these days, and the reason Ant Group’s initial public offering is set to be the world’s largest. China’s Ant Group—the Alibaba spinoff behind the ubiquitous blue QR payment codes across the world’s second-largest economy—announced plans on Monday to raise more than $34 billion in a joint listing across Shanghai and Hong Kong. This would trounce last year’s listing of oil titan Saudi Aramco, the reigning IPO champion. Mobile payments have replaced cash and credit cards in China as the preferred payment method, thanks to easy-to-use apps made by Ant Group and its closest rival Tencent. Ant Group’s Alipay and Tencent’s WeChat Pay are similar in spirit to wildly popular U.S. stock trading app Robinhood, in that they are user-friendly enough that anyone with a smartphone and bank account can make complicated financial transactions with a click or swipe.

China sanctions U.S. weapons manufacturers (Foreign Policy) China will impose sanctions on three U.S.-based weapons manufacturers after the U.S. State Department approved the sale of $1.8 billion worth of weapons and equipment to Taiwan last Wednesday. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the sanctions were necessary “in order to uphold national interests.” It’s not yet clear what form the sanctions will take. More sanctions could soon be on the way, as the State Department approved a further $2.37 billion in weapons sales to Taiwan on Monday.

Vietnam evacuating low-lying areas as strong typhoon nears (AP) Vietnam scrambled Tuesday to evacuate more than a million people in its central lowlands as a strong typhoon approached while some regions are still dealing with the aftermath of recent killer floods, state media said. Typhoon Molave is forecast to slam into Vietnam’s south central coast with sustained winds of up to 135 kilometers (84 miles) per hour on Wednesday morning, according to the official Vietnam News Agency. The typhoon left at least 3 people dead and 13 missing and displaced more than 120,000 villagers in the Philippines before blowing toward Vietnam. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered provincial authorities late Monday to prepare to evacuate about 1.3 million people in regions lying on the typhoon’s path. Phuc expressed fears that Molave, the latest disturbance to threaten Vietnam this month, could be as deadly as Typhoon Damrey, which battered the country’s central region in 2017 and left more than a hundred people dead.

Vaccines, not spy planes: U.S. misfires in Southeast Asia For months, by Zoom calls and then by jet, Indonesian ministers and officials scoured the world for access to a vaccine for the coronavirus that Southeast Asia’s biggest country is struggling to control. This month, their campaign paid off. Three Chinese companies committed 250 million doses of vaccines to the archipelago of 270 million people. A letter of intent was signed with a UK-based company for another 100 million. Absent from these pledges: the United States. Not only was it not promising any vaccine, but months earlier the United States shocked Indonesian officials by asking to land and refuel its spy planes in the territory, four senior Indonesian officials told Reuters. This would reverse a decades-long policy of strategic neutrality in the country. Washington’s campaign to buttress its influence in the region—part of its escalating global rivalry with China—has been misfiring, say government officials and analysts.

Bomb at seminary in Pakistan kills 8 students, wounds 136 (AP) A powerful bomb blast ripped through an Islamic seminary on the outskirts of the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar on Tuesday morning, killing at least eight students and wounding 136 others, police and a hospital spokesman said. The bombing happened as a prominent religious scholar during a special class was delivering a lecture about the teachings of Islam at the main hall of the Jamia Zubairia madrassa, said police officer Waqar Azim. The attack comes days after Pakistani intelligence alerted that militants could target public places and important buildings, including seminaries and mosques across Pakistan, including Peshawar.

Hopes for peace in Libya (Foreign Policy) The two main factions in Libya’s civil war agreed to a nationwide cease-fire at U.N.-backed talks in Geneva on Friday. Previous attempts to broker an end to the yearslong conflict have failed, but the new agreement has cautiously raised hopes that it will lay the groundwork for a peace deal. The cease-fire, signed by the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord and Gen. Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army, calls for all front-line forces to return to their bases and all mercenaries and foreign troops to withdraw within three months. The Libyan conflict has drawn in a multitude of international players, including Russia, Turkey, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. Their actions in the coming months could make or break the cease-fire.

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/ap-news-in-brief-at-604-a-m-est-national/

AP News in Brief at 6:04 a.m. EST | National

States submit vaccine orders as coronavirus death toll grows

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — States faced a deadline on Friday to place orders for the coronavirus vaccine as many reported record infections, hospitalizations and deaths, while hospitals were pushed to the breaking point — with the worst feared yet to come.

The number of Americans hospitalized with COVID-19 hit an all-time high in the U.S. on Thursday at 100,667, according to the COVID Tracking Project. That figure has more than doubled over the past month, while new daily cases are averaging 210,000 and deaths are averaging 1,800 per day, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Arizona reported more than 5,000 new COVID-19 cases for the second straight day Friday as the number of available intensive care unit beds fell below 10% statewide. Hospital officials have said the outbreak will exceed hospital capacity this month.

The state expects to get enough doses of new coronavirus vaccines by the end of the year to inoculate more than 383,000 health care workers and long-term care facility residents, the state’s health director said Friday. Next in line are teachers and other essential workers, followed by older Arizonans or people otherwise at higher risk of serious cases of COVID-19.

Nevada reported 48 new deaths from the coronavirus Thursday, marking the deadliest day since the onset of the pandemic as cases and deaths continued to rise more than a week after new restrictions were implemented on businesses. One hospital was so full it was treating patients in an auxiliary unit in the parking garage.

Is Georgia a swing state? Groups spend millions to find out

ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs don’t take place until Jan. 5. But there are already some clear winners.

At the state’s most influential television station, Atlanta’s WSB, an ad that cost candidates $8,000 in July now goes for about $18,000. In the smaller market of Savannah, ad rates have soared nearly twentyfold.

With control of the Senate, and the scope of President-elect Joe Biden’s agenda in the balance, the millions in political spending verges on something close to an unlimited budget.

The contest will test the limits of how far money can go in a political climate in which both sides are entrenched and few voters seem open to changing their minds. And President Donald Trump has complicated the contest by claiming baselessly that the November election in Georgia was beset by fraud.

Also at stake: whether Georgia, long a Republican stronghold, may be on the road to swing-state status, particularly after Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate since Bill Clinton in 1992 to carry the state.

Biden weighs pick for agriculture chief from diverse slate

WASHINGTON (AP) — One leading candidate for agriculture secretary hails from Cleveland, has the backing of progressives and has worked for years to boost food stamp programs. Another is a former senator from farm-state North Dakota who has championed production agriculture and boasts of a voting record squarely in the middle.

Three other possible selections have similarly varied backgrounds — one helped write and implement federal regulations for organic foods, another is California’s agriculture secretary and represented wine grape growers, and a third has spent his career ensuring protections for farm workers.

President-elect Joe Biden’s choices for secretary of agriculture are as diverse as the department of 100,000 employees that she or he would represent — and is especially critical this year as USDA provides extra aid for the hungry and oversees food production amid the pandemic.

For Biden, the emerging choice between Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio, former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and several other potential candidates seems like another test of his vision for the Democratic Party — a contest between urban and rural and liberals and moderates, with the pick potentially placing an added emphasis on anti-hunger programs, farm subsidies or worker protections.

Besides Fudge and Heitkamp, other candidates mentioned for the post — and who have been pushed by some advocacy groups — are Kathleen Merrigan, deputy agriculture secretary under President Barack Obama and one of the architects of federal organic rules; Karen Ross, California’s agriculture secretary, former USDA chief of staff and a former longtime president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers; and Arturo Rodriguez, the former president of the United Farm Workers.

Pressure mounts on Biden to make diverse picks for top posts

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is facing increasing pressure to expand the racial and ideological diversity in his choices for Cabinet and other top jobs. A month and a half before he takes office, he’s drawing rebukes from activists who fear he’ll fall short on promises to build an administration that looks like the country it governs.

Of the nine major picks Biden has made so far, only two — Secretary of State choice Antony Blinken and chief of staff Ron Klain — are white men. That’s a historic low that so far outpaces the historically diverse Cabinet that Barack Obama assembled in 2009.

But civil rights leaders are grumbling that none of the “big four” Cabinet positions – the secretaries of state, defense and treasury and the attorney general – has yet gone to a person of color. And Biden is declining to commit to doing so.

“I promise you, it’ll be the single most diverse Cabinet based on race, color, based on gender that’s ever existed in the United States of America,” the president-elect said instead during a news conference Friday.

That came after Congressional Hispanic Democrats expressed dismay during a call with Klain and other Biden advisers on Thursday about the treatment of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who reportedly removed her name from consideration to be the new administration’s interior secretary. They urged that she remain a candidate to head the more prominent Department of Health and Human Services, but it’s not clear she will.

Swiss slopes buzz as those of neighbors sit idle in pandemic

GENEVA (AP) — Two weeks after beating COVID-19, Thierry Salamin huffs as his ski boots crunch through Swiss snow near the Matterhorn peak, readying for a downhill run with his mood as bright as his blue and fluorescent yellow ski getup and the sun overhead.

The 31-year-old real estate agent from the southwestern Swiss region of Wallis can’t believe he is skiing during a pandemic, let alone one that he personally endured — and which has driven a wedge between his country and its Alpine neighbors over where people can ski, and where they can’t.

While the coronavirus resurgence has led Austria, France, and Italy to shut or severely restrict access to their ski stations this holiday season, Switzerland has kept its slopes open — a move that has fanned grumbling about an unlevel playing field when it comes to Alpine fun.

“It’s true, we’re privileged,” said Salamin, enthusing about the “paradise” of the Zermatt slopes and gesturing over the ridgeline toward Italy. “It’s too bad that people can’t go skiing on the Italian side, because those slopes are magnificent.”

The discord among countries during the worst pandemic in a century cuts across issues of health, business, economy, culture and wellbeing. But it also violates one of the key tenets that the World Health Organization promotes to help fight COVID-19: solidarity.

California on the brink: Virus rages and closures imminent

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Much of California is on the brink of sweeping new restrictions on businesses and activities, a desperate attempt to slow the frighteningly rapid escalation of coronavirus cases that threatens to overwhelm hospitals.

Five San Francisco Bay Area counties imposed a new stay-at-home order for their residents that will take effect Sunday. Southern California and a large swath of the central portion of the state could join this weekend.

Those two regions have seen their intensive care unit capacity fall below the 15% threshold that under a new state stay-at-home order will trigger new restrictions barring all on-site restaurant dining and close hair and nail salons, movie theaters and many other businesses, as well as museums and playgrounds.

If their capacity remains below that level when the data is updated Saturday, the closures will take effect Sunday and stay in effect at least three weeks.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the new plan Thursday. It is the most restrictive order since he imposed the country’s first statewide stay-at-home rule in March.

COVID-19 relief: What’s on the table as Congress seeks deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — After numerous fits and starts and months of inaction, optimism is finally building in Washington for a COVID-19 aid bill that would offer relief for businesses, the unemployed, schools, and health care providers, among others struggling as caseloads are spiking.

Under pressure from moderates in both parties, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have initiated late-game negotiations in hopes of combining a relief package of, in all likelihood, less than $1 trillion with a separate $1.4 trillion governmentwide omnibus spending bill. The duo were the architects of the $1.8 trillion CARES Act, the landmark relief bill passed in March.

Success is not certain and considerable differences remain over items such as aid to states and local governments, liability protections for businesses and universities reopening during the pandemic, and whether to issue a second round of $1,200 direct payments to most Americans.

But renewing soon-to-expire jobless benefits, providing a second round of “paycheck protection” subsidies, and funding to distribute vaccines are sure bets to be included in any deal.

Here are the top issues for the end-stage COVID-19 relief talks.

Japan awaits capsule’s return with asteroid soil samples

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft successfully released a small capsule on Saturday and sent it toward Earth to deliver samples from a distant asteroid that could provide clues to the origin of the solar system and life on our planet, the country’s space agency said.

The capsule successfully detached from 220,000 kilometers (136,700 miles) away in a challenging operation that required precision control, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said. The capsule — just 40 centimeters (15 inches) in diameter — is now descending and is expected to land Sunday in a remote, sparsely populated area of Woomera, Australia.

“The capsule has been separated. Congratulations,” JAXA project manager Yuichi Tsuda said.

Hayabusa2 left the asteroid Ryugu, about 300 million kilometers (180 million miles) away, a year ago. After it released the capsule, it moved away from Earth to capture images of the capsule descending toward the planet as it set off on a new expedition to another distant asteroid.

About two hours later, JAXA said it had successfully rerouted Hayabusa2 for its new mission, as beaming staff exchanged fist and elbow touches at the agency’s command center in Sagamihara, near Tokyo.

Moscow opens dozens of coronavirus vaccination centers

MOSCOW (AP) — Thousands of doctors, teachers and others in high-risk groups have signed up for COVID-19 vaccinations in Moscow starting Saturday, a precursor to a sweeping Russia-wide immunization effort.

The vaccinations come three days after President Vladimir Putin ordered the launch of a “large-scale” COVID-19 immunization campaign even though a Russian-designed vaccine has yet to complete the advanced studies needed to ensure its effectiveness and safety in line with established scientific protocols.

The Russian leader said Wednesday that more than 2 million doses of the Sputnik V jab will be available in the next few days, allowing authorities to offer jabs to medical workers and teachers across the country starting late next week.

Moscow, which currently accounts for about a quarter of the country’s new daily infections, moved ahead of the curve, opening 70 vaccination facilities on Saturday. Doctors, teachers and municipal workers were invited to book a time to receive a jab, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that about 5,000 signed up in a few hours after the system began operating on Friday.

Russia boasted that Sputnik V was the world’s “first registered COVID-19 vaccine” after the government gave it regulatory approval in early August. The move drew criticism from international experts, who pointed out that the vaccine had only been tested on several dozen people at the time.

Kuwait votes for parliament amid economic, virus challenges

KUWAIT CITY (AP) — Kuwait began voting Saturday for its National Assembly, the first election since the death of its longtime ruling emir at a time the oil-rich nation struggles with serious economic problems during the coronavirus pandemic.

This tiny country’s hundreds of thousands of voters will select lawmakers for 50 seats in the parliament, the freest and most-rambunctious of all of the Gulf Arab countries. However, Kuwait’s parliament has tamped down opposition to its ruling Al Sabah family since the 2011 Arab Spring protests that saw demonstrators storm the chamber.

Parliaments typically don’t serve out their full terms in the stalwart U.S. ally, but this one did.

Kuwaitis are voting across 102 schools in the nation the size of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Authorities said masks and social distancing will be required due to the pandemic. Several schools will take those with active cases of the virus, with the sick first receiving permission from the government to vote.

Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

[justjensenanddean]

CW Star Jensen Ackles Invites AD Inside His Family Home in Austin

Jensen and his wife, Danneel, worked with a local Austin team to devise a lakeside home with tongue-in-cheek touches and a musical through line

 Kathryn Romeyn

NOVEMBER 27, 2018 10:30 AM

There’s a lot going on inside the Lake Austin home of actors Jensen and Danneel Ackles—a lot of color, a lot of texture, endless elements begging their stories to be told. If you need a quick snapshot: The living room is scattered with guitars and, on the shag rug, Technicolor floor pillows; antique Venetian dioramas of Lilliputian-sized rooms are embedded into the white-oak walls, while a hanging cage traps gilded Barbie dolls by Micky Hoogendijk; on top of a shelf housing a record player, a photograph of Tom Waits sits next to a chicken skeleton; a regal white peacock perches on the side of the mercantile-style bar. There’s the master bedroom swaddled in Trove wall covering bearing vintage photography of 1920s opera boxes. And the two-story screened-in porch holds a table crafted from a 2,000-year-old cypress sinker log, a storied Boyd Elder cow skull, and four-foot glass lanterns from Tony Duquette’s estate.Indeed, Danneel and Duquette share a similar philosophy. “More is more is more!” Danneel says emphatically. “More is the most.” Still, the Ackleses' five-bedroom, 7,500-square-foot residence isn’t actually an ode to opulence but rather an evocative tribute to key passions at the core of their personalities: the music and aesthetics of the late ’60s, Austin’s art scene, and imaginative oddities and occultist ephemera, perhaps appropriate considering Jensen’s longtime role on the CW’s Supernatural.After deciding to leave Brentwood, California, and coming this close to putting in an offer on a Lake Austin fixer-upper, the couple set their gaze on a house three doors down, sans “for sale” sign. “As we drove by, Danneel and I both looked at our real estate agent and were like, ‘See, that is the kind of house we’re looking for,’” recalls Jensen. Adds Danneel, “we wanted something less ostentatious.” Fortunately, the owner was willing to sell, but the property was far from turnkey and required an overhaul to go from what Danneel calls the “Texas Tuscan look"—generic stuccoed track mansion—to a wood-clad ranch-style stunner.

Danneel, a Tony Duquette superfan, was over the moon when Santini brought the stained glass pendants she’d bought from his estate. Photo: Douglas Friedman 

The slightly sunken living room with the deep blue banquette couch, white shag rug, macrame chair, and muscular oak beams is Jensen’s favorite space.Photo: Jeff Wilson

Jensen and Danneel enlisted Austin architect Paul Lamb and Abode principal interior designer Fern Santini to kickstart what ended up being a very collaborative renovation—even the Ackleses' eldest child, five-year-old JJ, got into the fun, choosing everything in her Pinterest-worthy bedroom. At their initial meeting with Santini, the potential for partnership was evident when she pulled up in an auspicious 1967 E-Type Jaguar. “I mean, it’s just like the coolest thing ever,” says Jensen of the car, which was made in the same year Danneel had said she wanted to recreate in the Austin home so as to pay tribute to the Laurel Canyon bungalow where the couple once lived. “People like Carly Simon had played guitar there,” Danneel says. “It was a magical little place. So when Fern pulls up in that car ... We just bonded over music and a love of that time period and had our vision right off the bat.” 

Executing that vision involved blowing out the majority of the house’s interior, taking it down to the studs, and reconfiguring it. “It was very closed and very ‘90s,” says Santini. Extensive structural work was devised by Lamb, one of Santini's frequent creative conspirator. “Paul is from New Orleans and I’m from Louisiana, and we have the same odd sense of humor and style,” says Danneel, who saw a residential elevator he’d done entirely in red velvet and said, “That’s the guy for me!” The foursome worked beautifully together—that is, after Jensen learned early on to keep his mouth shut if and when he doubted any stylistic choices. When shown the idea for a rich, royal blue sofa, “I was like, ’Y’all are crazy!’” says Jensen. “But then I just thought, I’m not going to get in their way.”

Smart man, considering a highly personalized space began to unspool under Santini and Lamb's direction. “It was imperative that the house express the Ackleses—young, bold, and irreverent,” Lamb says. “It had to be full of humorous and endearing eccentricities and it needed to radiate a comforting yet exotic familiarity.” He simplified and opened spaces, flipped the feel from a masonry house to a wood-framed home—thanks to exposed beams, larger expanses of windows, and rich wooden ceilings—and, perhaps most transformational, added a breezy two-story screened porch that altered the entire profile. “The former house was straight-laced and vaguely Mediterranean,” Lamb says. “Now it is an eclectic, free-spirited, Austin-style lake house.” Santini calls it “a cross between Joni Mitchell and the Serge Gainsbourg–Jane Birkin thing that was going on in Paris at the same time. It’s very hip but it’s low-key.”

Musically, the home is rich with sound, thanks to Jensen’s collection of guitars and the McIntosh turntable Santini says she “has real fetish for, after spending my entire career trying to hide stereo equipment.” There’s also a surfeit of historical and meaningful music-related artwork—think photographs of Yasgur’s Farm in Woodstock and a house where Bob Dylan recorded. “The hand-scraped wood floors undulate quite heavily, and we’ve got these giant beams and wood all around that feel like you’re in the hull of a giant ship,” Jensesn says. “What that does is it creates an amazing acoustic sound. We’ve always had music in our lives, and we wanted to pass on that tradition.”

The parents of three also are active supporters of local art. “We’re not the type who need it to all be the same. That’s criminal to me, almost,” says Danneel of their home full of diverse pieces from Austin and Marfa, including female artists from galleries like Women and Their Work. Santini describes the pair as risk-takers who both led the charge on outside-the-box thinking and let her push the limits. In their third home together, the Ackleses hit their stride, nailing a personally reflective infusion of edge, humor, and spirit.

“It goes to that having a history, having a story,” says Jensen, who, with his wife, selects works based on a gut feeling as opposed to popularity or perceived value. It’s the same way Danneel approached design. “We have so many friends who come into the house and are like, ‘Oh my gosh, I love this—it’s so crazy and unexpected. But man, I would have never picked out all these things, and I wouldn’t have been brave enough to do it!’” she says. “I’ve heard this over and over, and I wish more people would just be brave and go with what makes them happy.” 

The home’s entry was designed to feel like an outdoor living space according to Santini, who sourced an 1850s English table and unusual Swedish lantern from the 1820s to anchor the room. The woven stools are from Tidelli, and the headless deer with ferns are by Italy’s Imperfetto Lab.  

Architect Paul Lamb’s significant removal of walls led to a feel-good expansiveness where there are no boundaries. “It all kind of flows,” says Jensen. “You never feel like you’re in just one room.” In the media room, they did the least amount of work, painting the dark ceiling trusses to lighten the space and putting a German smear on the orange-y fireplace to tone it down. 

The most Texas room in the house is the Marfa-imbued dining space, where the couple’s cherished Boyd Elder bull skull hangs. It’s part of a 10-piece series from the ’70s, the most famous of which was on the cover of the Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits album. “Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s bands on tour wanted to have an artist with them, and Boyd was like the muse for the Eagles,” says Danneel, adding of the late artist, “I believe he dated Joni Mitchell, and she has one of the pieces.” 

The slightly sunken living room with the deep-blue banquette couch, white shag rug, macrame chair, and muscular oak beams is Jensen’s favorite space. “There are just so many textures in that living room and vibrant colors, and it’s all surrounded by this amazing wood. I can just sit there and pick away at a guitar or play records all day long,” he says. 

Behind the sofa is a gold birdcage artwork by Austin artist Micky Hoogendijk. It’s an observation on “women who seem to be trapped by money and possessions and they’re OK with it; they like living in that gilded cage,” says Danneel. “It looks intense but when you get close to it they’re all smiling and happy and unaware that they’re in this cage because they’re gold and perfect. For me that’s just somewhere I never want to be, so I was really attracted to that.” 

Danneel spends a lot of time in the babies’ room (22-month-old twins Zeppelin and Arrow) and the kitchen, where the kids’ favorite toy is a rolling acrylic table from the ‘50s. (“Fern would have a heart attack,” she laughs.) They tore the space down to nothing and built it back from scratch. “It was a totally different feel, and very kind of country looking, which didn’t blend well with the rest of the house,” Jensen says. Now, to Lamb, “the kitchen’s glossy painted wood boards look like pinstripes, crisp and good-natured, like a happy kitchen in the Hamptons.”

“There’s not a space they don’t use,” says Santini of the house she worked on with Jensen and Danneel. The reimagined pool room taps into their proclivity for spooky oddities with framed tarot cards and a game table that could work for board games or even séances, says Lamb, who added a secondary kitchen for big gatherings with access to a barbecue area on the lawn, and a wine room. 

A native Southerner, Danneel fought hard for the addition of a screened-in porch, which Lamb had the vision—inspired by Greenwood Plantation in St. Francisville—to make two stories tall. “I wanted more than anything to be able to sit out there, not get eaten alive by mosquitos, and look at the lake and watch the boats go by,” says the actress. Jensen’s favorite piece in the house is the long table, custom made using a 2,000-year-old cypress log that had sunk and was buried on the West Bank of New Orleans. 

The bar—black walnut with black and white veined marble—is on one end of the large living room and is the site of frequent small parties involving music, either live or from the McIntosh turntable. The cabinets were specially made to light prized bourbons, and on the side is a white taxidermy peacock Santini tracked down over months. Flooring throughout the house is hand-scraped Texas post oak with character to spare. 

The master bedroom and the adjacent sitting room are clad in reclaimed barn wood, juxtaposing the whimsical wallpaper covered in sections by Japanese-inspired barn door panels that allow for flexible boundaries. Jensen said of the scheme, “You guys are losing me, but it sounds awesome, so knock it out!” Danneel already owned the two petrified wood and resin log tables that sit in front of the vintage ‘50s daybed with Mongolian lamb, though the majority of what’s in the home was selected or made specifically for it. 

Inspiration for their master bathroom shower came from an Architectural Digest story featuring a steel and glass shower in the home of Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka. Lit by Apparatus fixtures, Lamb conceived a simple vaulted space with a white oak board ceiling and fumed and cerused walnut cabinets with a slight Tansu feel. A Kyle Bunting cowhide rug is centered on the room, and Holly Hunt ombre-dyed handkerchief linen window treatments frame the lake view.  

The pair’s five-year-old daughter, JJ, helped pick out all her own bedroom decor. “The more color the better,” says Danneel. Santini calls it “hippie in training.” Like in the rest of the home, her walls are plaster. 

The ultra-private home looks out at a nature preserve across the water. Durable throw pillows around the house were made of old quilts purchased online. “We bought a lot of them and mixed them all up,” says Santini. “There’s nowhere in the house where you feel like you have to tip toe around or can’t sit. That was definitely intentional.”

Inside and out, Lamb and Santini ensured that the Ackleses’ Austin home “expresses them—young, bold, and irreverent. It had to be full of humorous and endearing eccentricities and it needed to radiate a comforting yet exotic familiarity.” 

architecturaldigest

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