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Month: March 2023

ADVENTURE

Ryan Reynolds says Wrexham soccer adventure is ‘greatest experience’ – Entertainment

by Tracy J. Chu

AFP


Wrexham, United Kingdom   ●  
Mon, January 30, 2023

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Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds has hailed his involvement with non-league side Wrexham as the “greatest experience” of his life after he jetted in to watch his team in the FA Cup.

Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney took over the National League side in 2020 and Reynolds spoke of his affection for the club ahead of their fourth-round match against Sheffield United at the Racecourse Ground on Sunday.

“Genuinely speaking it has been the greatest experience of my entire life,” Reynolds told the BBC on Sunday.

“This adventure has been unlike anything else. I love it because it’s a project that’s going to be multi-decades.

“I met a supporter the other day whose grandfather’s ashes were scattered across the pitch. I look at this place as like a church.

“In Canada, where I am from, people are obsessed with this club. It’s been pretty remarkable. We’ve sold something like 24,000 jerseys and so many of them went to North America. We can’t get them any more. I can’t get one.

“The part I find most gratifying is the support from the community outside the club. The fact Wrexham have become a tourist destination for so many folks and they are showing up here. There is something special about this town.”

Wrexham, in Wales, have been on an upwards trajectory ever since the nigh-profile takeover, reaching the National League play-offs last season and finishing as FA Trophy runners-up.

This weekend’s FA Cup tie is a break from Wrexham’s main goal of winning promotion back to the fourth tier after a 15-year absence.

Phil Parkinson’s side sit top of the fifth-tier National League, level on points with Notts County.

Sunday’s game against second-tier Sheffield

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TRAVELLING

Yassin’s Falafel House owner raises over $188K, travels to Syria to help earthquake victims

by Tracy J. Chu

As nonprofits, nongovernmental organizations and humanitarian groups rush to help with earthquake rescue and relief efforts in turkey-earthquake/?id=96913081″ data-ylk=”slk:Turkey and Syria;elm:context_link;itc:0″ class=”link “Turkey and Syria, one Syrian refugee-turned-restaurant owner in Tennessee has amassed over $188,000 and counting in donations.

After hearing about the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked northwestern Syria and southeastern Turkey, killing more than 20,000 people, Yassin Terou sprang into action to help on the ground.

The owner of Yassin’s Falafel House in Knoxville — which won the Reader’s Digest Nicest Place in America accolade in 2018 — traveled from the U.S. to Turkey on a mission to help provide food relief, medical care, fuel and shelter to those in desperate need.

Terou has provided updates at the scene on Facebook live with videos showing the barren camps where families are in need of basic essentials like blankets to stay warm and milk for their children.

“We have no blanket, we have nothing to warm up,” Terou translated for a local man in the video. “This is what it looks like … we have nothing.”

Terou said “it’s very sad seeing how people are living right now” in the shelter camps.

“There is a lot of need right here … we’re just doing everything we can and changing our plan one or two times a day because every time we do something they need more,” he explained.

Before he left the U.S. to help, Terou told “Good Morning America” that his motivation was “helping people” who have been impacted “to keep building bridges of love between different communities.”

MORE: How to assist quake victims in Turkey, Syria

Terou launched a digital fundraiser to start an emergency soup kitchen and offer medical care, with money going directly to two organizations: CelebrateMercy and Syria

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ADVENTURE

Retired Orpington couple plan bucket list of adventures after winning National Lottery Set For Life draw

by Tracy J. Chu

A retired couple are planning a bucket list of experiences thanks to a National Lottery win that sees them bank £10,000 every month for a year.

Angela and Steve Hathorn, from Orpington, are still in shock after they matched all five main numbers in the Set For Life draw on January 23.

Angela, 63, used to work with children with special educational needs at schools and nurseries and 68-year-old Steve was a design draughtsman.

They are now planning a series of adventures including a cruise, luxury trips to London and more visits to historical and heritage sites across the UK.

Angela explained how she was initially worried there was a problem with her ticket when she asked for it to be checked at her local shop.

She said: “Every Sunday I buy my Set For Life tickets for the coming week and normally get both checked at the end of the week in the shop, I never check the numbers online.

“Unusually, I went into the Co-Op on Carlton Parade on the Tuesday and asked the lady to check the numbers for the Monday night draw.

“She had a puzzled look on her face as she stared at The National Lottery terminal and then she asked her colleague to take a look.

Angela and Steve Hathorn from Orpington celebrate winning £10,000 every month for a year on The National Lottery Set For Life. Picture: James Robinson/Camelot
Angela and Steve Hathorn from Orpington celebrate winning £10,000 every month for a year on The National Lottery Set For Life. Picture: James Robinson/Camelot

“I was starting to get nervous, worried there was a problem and not helped by a large queue behind me, before the shop assistant said they couldn’t pay out over £100, and I should go call the National Lottery line to claim my prize.

“I didn’t even ask how much, I just went back to my car to drive home.”

The 63-year-old was parked

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TRAVELLING

Curl Clean activation to be held at World Juniors

by Tracy J. Chu

The World Curling Federation will be delivering an Anti-Doping Outreach Programme at the World Junior Curling Championships 2023 from 24-28 February to promote clean sport.

During the championship, athletes, coaches and support personnel will have the chance to visit the Outreach Booth promoting #CurlClean and take part in fun, educational activities. Athletes are invited to pledge their loyalty to the clean sport movement by signing the Clean Sport Pledge.

Photographs and videos can be posted on social media during the championship to promote hashtags #CurlClean and #PlayTrue.

#CurlClean logos will be inserted in-ice.

Outreach programmes build awareness among athletes, coaches and support personnel to the dangers and consequences of doping; and relates to athletes’ rights and responsibilities under the World Anti-Doping Code.

Outreach activities focus on creating a positive experience with anti-doping, increasing visibility at events to enhance understanding, and providing an outlet for athletes and support personnel to engage with anti-doping organisations’ staff.  Questions or concerns can then be addressed. Outreach can help to create positive attitudes towards anti-doping.

Engage with the World Curling Federation in the lead up to the World Junior Curling Championships 2023 on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Weibo and by searching the hashtags #WJCC2023 #curling

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VACATION

National plan your vacation day: it’s never too early

by Tracy J. Chu

BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) – January 31, 2023 is plan your vacation day, but it’s never too late to plan your next vacation.

As the world re-opened in 2022, the number of travelers booking flights through the American Automobile Association (AAA) jumped more than 150%. The number of travelers booking cruises and tours, mostly to international destinations, exploded as well, and all indications are that the upward trend will continue in 2023.

Almost 30% of respondents to a recent survey by Destination Analysts said they would likely travel outside the United States this year.

“Travel bookings continue to climb. There is not only pent-up demand, but the dollars saved during the pandemic are now being invested in more extravagant travel. As an example, many of our cruise partners tell AAA that Black Friday was their number one day for bookings ever.”

Lori Weaver Hawkins, AAA Blue Grass

National Plan Your Vacation Day is a reminder for people to actually plan a vacation and then take it. American workers left an average of four work days – 29% of time off – on the books. Leaving those days unused is like leaving money on the table.

At the same time, 64% of people say they need a vacation. Avoiding burnout was the top-rated motivator to book a trip in the next six months—ranked even higher than travel discounts or deals.

On National Vacation Day, January 31, use #PlanForVacation on social media to join the national conversation encouraging Americans to map out their time off for the year ahead.

AAA has also compiled a list of tips to help anyone planning a trip this year.

Here are AAA’s Six

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ADVENTURE

From extreme neglect to new life of love and adventure make room for ‘Nakey Jakey’

by Tracy J. Chu

At the Kentucky Humane Society, a terrier mix suffering from heartbreaking neglect arrived. His severe disease and infections left his skin so raw and inflamed, all of his fur had fallen away. In fact, his skin was so raw and painful on arrival, the staff had not even been able to even comfort him.

In addition to his raging infections almost all over his body, the dog dubbed Jake’s front legs were deformed as a result of carpal hypertension – a condition caused by long term malnutrition. His nails were some of the longest and most painful the veterinarians treating him had ever seen. His condition is similar to animals who have been confined for most of their lives.

Despite all he’s been through, he is sweet, a little goofy and gentle. We named him Jakey, but everyone has fallen so in love with him that we are affectionately calling him Nakey Jakey! Our vet team is treating his skin infections and managing his pain and we are making sure he is getting all the nutrition he needs. We’re already beginning to see some fur come in! Once his infections are under control and he is on the road to recovery.

Facebook

From now on, Nakey Jakey will be receiving the care and love he needs, although he does have a long road to recovery ahead of him.

Updates to follow.

To help Nakey Jakey and other dogs in desperate need, please click here.

Follow the National Pet Rescue on Facebook for the latest animal related news.

Learning how to howl.

Don’t mess with me.

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TRAVELLING

Hogwarts Legacy: How To Complete ‘Weasley After Class’ & ‘Professor Ronen’s Assignment’ | Walkthrough

by Tracy J. Chu

Everything you need to know to complete the ‘Weasley After Class’ and ‘Professor Ronen’s Assignment’ quests in Hogwarts Legacy.

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So you have finally finished your first day of Hogwarts – or at the very least, you have done a fair chunk of your first day. There is more Hogwarts in Hogwarts Legacy, and you haven’t even made it to Hogsmeade yet. Thankfully, Professor Weasley assured you that Hogsmeade was on your cards for the day. 

As to be expected, there are things standing between you and a frothing tankard of Butterbeer, and Professor Weasley is one such hurdle. You have assignments to complete and interrogations to endure before you can even think about kicking back and relaxing. Let’s dive into the two quests, ‘Weasley After Class’ and ‘Professor Ronen’s Assignment’. 

More Hogwarts Legacy content: 

Quiz Answers | Beginners Guide | Gear Slots | House Token Locations

weasley-after-class”Completing Weasley After Class

This quest is very short, and it is a type of quest that occurs often in Hogwarts Legacy. These are the ‘go here, talk to this person’, quests, and they are pretty darn straightforward, as you can imagine. 

In this case, you need to report to Professor Weasley and update her on your progress in both Charms and Defense Against The Dark Arts. This conversation will take a turn for the suspicious when she starts to interrogate you about your unusual arrival. If you recall, Professor Fig asked you to keep their business secret, and you have the chance to either reveal all to Professor Weasley or keep her in the dark. 

You will also get to choose who you want to take with you to

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VACATION

Is it time to rein in vacation rentals? Pensacola council may look into rental regulations

by Tracy J. Chu

Pensacola City Councilman Charles Bare wants to take a closer look at vacation rentals in the city.

Bare is asking the council to hold a workshop to discuss short-term rentals in the city and see what fellow council members think of any enacting regulations around the business.

“One of the things I committed to during this campaign was that I was going to pursue this in doing a workshop and at least get the Council to talk about it,” Bare told the News Journal on Friday.

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Short-term rentals, referred to under Florida law as vacation rentals, are rental units available on websites like Airbnb and VRBO. Some are often second homes rented out for extra income, while other owners may own multiple units and run a full-time rental business.

Bare, who won election to the Council in November, said he’s spoken with several neighborhood groups who are concerned about short-term rentals and compliance with existing city ordinances such as parking in yards or leaving garbage cans on the street.

Florida law prevents municipalities from banning vacation rentals or regulating the required length of stay, but cities can pass regulating the rentals as businesses.

Bare noted that the city of Hollywood, Florida, passed new regulations recently on vacation rentals.

Hollywood’s regulations require each owner to obtain a vacation rental license, and last year added the requirement that vacation rental owners had to install noise detection devices at their property. The regulations also limit parking and require additional trash containers.

Bare said he felt most vacation rental owners are good neighbors, and only a few cause problems.

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ADVENTURE

Former U-T reporter pens bio on the incredible life of Black Civil War veteran in new book, ‘The Sergeant’

by Tracy J. Chu

Shortly after 9/11, a group of Palestinian students had some questions for an American reporter about the lives and history of Muslims in America that sent him on a decadeslong journey, researching and writing about Muslims who had been in the United States since a few years after the Mayflower came ashore, through the American Revolution and the Civil War. Dean Calbreath, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and former reporter with The San Diego Union-Tribune, ultimately focused on one man, featured in his new book, “The Sergeant: The Incredible Life of Nicholas Said.”

“Initially, my plan was to do a book about all of these Muslims that I encountered from history. … I actually did a whole anthology of these people that I found, looking for Muslim names,” said Calbreath, who was part of the Pulitzer-winning team that broke the story of former U.S. Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham taking more than $2 million in bribes. One of the names Calbreath searched for was Mohammed, coming across Mohammed Ali ben Said, whose name was later changed to Nicholas. “That’s how I stumbled across his name and immediately felt drawn to him because of his wit, his urbane intelligence and sense of character, and also his love of travel, his love of learning languages. These are things that I also have, and I felt very close to him.”

Said (pronounced Sy-eed) was born in the kingdom of Borno, today known as northern Nigeria, to a famed general in about the 1830s. He was the 13th of his mother’s 19 children, his mother being among the four of his father’s wives. As a young teen, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery, which would eventually lead to his traversing Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States. Here, he would join one of the first

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VACATION

‘When You Left Me On That Boulevard’ and ‘The Vacation’

by Tracy J. Chu

Filipino-Americans left an indelible mark on the 2023 Sundance Film Festival with their unique and personal short films.

Kayla Abuda Galang, a talented filmmaker born in Olongapo City and raised in San Diego and Houston, received the Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival for her short film When You Left Me On That Boulevard. Meanwhile, Jarreau Carrillo, a filmmaker of Filipino and African American descent, was also honored with the Short Film Special Jury Award for Directing for his outstanding work on The Vacation.

With their recent success, Galang and Carrillo have now firmly established themselves as rising filmmakers in the industry. Both are now looking forward to bringing their stories to the big screen with the creation of feature-length films. 

Galang plans on developing two features: ’06-’07, a coming-of-age comedy set in mid-2000s southeast San Diego, and On Earth as It is in Heaven, a comedy about familial grief set in present-day Houston. Carrillo, on the other hand, made The Vacation as proof of concept for his debut feature film entitled The Last to Survive in America, which has now been picked up by Range Media Partners.

See below the reviews of each Sundance short film:

When You Left Me On That Boulevard

Kayla Abuda Galang’s tribute to mid-2000s teenage life portrays the rich tapestry of Filipino-American heritage, where the fondness and affection of its people are on full display.

Set in 2006, Boulevard follows the delightful escapades of teenage girl Ly (Kailyn Dulay), as she indulges in weed along with her cousins before a lively Thanksgiving dinner. Aside from that, Ly must navigate the tumultuous waters of her own heart as she struggles to decipher the mixed signals from her crush and contend with her boisterous yet loving auntie.

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