Latest news with #BIG
Extra.ie
4 days ago
- Health
- Extra.ie
Top comedian Alison Spittle speaks out on fat jabs and online abuse
Comedian Alison Spittle has spoken publicly about life as a 'fat b***h', (her own phrase), and how she has changed her life by taking the weight loss jab Mounjaro. Speaking to Brendan O'Connor on RTE Radio 1 this morning (Saturday) the popular comedian broke down in tears when describing her life as an overweight woman, the reactions of the world around her, and the difficulties when people only see you as 'fat' and don't see you for who you are. Taking the listener back to her childhood she recalled a memory of when she had to attend a doctor after catching her hand in a car door, and the doctor made comments about her weight, as an eight-year-old child. Comedian Alison Spittle has spoken publicly about life as a 'fat b***h', (her own phrase), and how she has changed her life by taking the weight loss jab Mounjaro. Pic: RTE She says in her experience doctors are the worst for judging people on their weight, citing an experience when she asked a medical professional about the possibility of being prescribed weight loss injections, the doctor replied 'I don't believe in easy outs'. It's as if doctors want to punish people for being fat by making them work harder to lose weight. Alison recalled being hospitalised with cellulitis last year and being told while there that she was pre-diabetic and needed to lose weight. The London-born funny woman told how her cellulitis – a skin infection which affects deep layers of tissue, actually turned into septicaemia which left her very unwell and completely bedridden for several months. Taking the listener back to her childhood she recalled a memory of when she had to attend a doctor after catching her hand in a car door, and the doctor made comments about her weight, as an eight-year-old child. Pic: RTÉ Admitting she had never tried to lose weight before, but realising this was best medical advice, she was prescribed the weight loss injection Mounjaro and it has changed her life. 'I miss less buses now' she joked. The title of Alison Spittle's new show is quite daring, entitled 'Fat B***h', Alison says the name of the show is very fitting as she has endured this name calling all her life, but the show sees Alison reflect both on her own experience of life as a bigger woman, and society's unhealthy attitudes to size, all wrapped up in what can be best described as 'a joyful comedy show' Admitting she had never tried to lose weight before, but realising this was best medical advice, she was prescribed the weight loss injection Mounjaro and it has changed her life. She has since had to modify the name for her shows in Edinburgh as the council there wouldn't allow the title Fat B***h on posters around the city. She has renamed the show 'BIG'. Speaking to the Anglo Celt newspaper earlier this year, Alison reflected on her life as a child and said 'If I wasn't fat when I was younger I don't think I'd be a comedian now, because I don't think I'd bother trying to be funny. Trying to be funny is the thing you pick up when you're younger and it's always to deflect from something.' But what about the attitudes of people to the popularity of weight loss injections like Mounjaro and Ozempic, Spittle finds it difficult to understand why anyone would have a negative reaction to it, and when people say its the easy way out, she retorts 'What? Do you want someone to have a hard time'? 'I explain my instinctive reaction against such drugs would be the fear that perfectly healthy people would take it when they have no need'. She believes the huge popularity and surge in the use of weight loss jabs provides a valuable insight into how society treats 'fat people'. 'If they feel that scared about being fat, it's because they feel that scared about being treated like s**t and we have to then acknowledge that fat people don't get treated that nicely.' Alison Spittle, much loved and still as funny as ever, takes to the stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from July 29th to August 24th before returning to Ireland for the Big Dublin Fringe September 16th to 20th.
Extra.ie
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Top comedian on life after massive weight loss
Comedian Alison Spittle has spoken publicly about life as a 'fat b***h', (her own phrase), and how she has changed her life by taking the weight loss jab Mounjaro. Speaking to Brendan O'Connor on RTE Radio 1 this morning (Saturday) the popular comedian broke down in tears when describing her life as an overweight woman, the reactions of the world around her, and the difficulties when people only see you as 'fat' and don't see you for who you are. Taking the listener back to her childhood she recalled a memory of when she had to attend a doctor after catching her hand in a car door, and the doctor made comments about her weight, as an eight-year-old child. Alison Spittle – Pic: RTE She says in her experience doctors are the worst for judging people on their weight, citing an experience when she asked a medical professional about the possibility of being prescribed weight loss injections, the doctor replied 'I don't believe in easy outs'. It's as if doctors want to punish people for being fat by making them work harder to lose weight. Alison recalled being hospitalised with cellulitis last year and being told while there that she was pre-diabetic and needed to lose weight. The London-born funny woman told how her cellulitis – a skin infection which affects deep layers of tissue, actually turned into septicaemia which left her very unwell and completely bedridden for several months. Alison Spittle – Pic: RTÉ Admitting she had never tried to lose weight before, but realising this was best medical advice, she was prescribed the weight loss injection Mounjaro and it has changed her life. 'I miss less buses now' she joked. The title of Alison Spittle's new show is quite daring, entitled 'Fat B***h', Alison says the name of the show is very fitting as she has endured this name calling all her life, but the show sees Alison reflect both on her own experience of life as a bigger woman, and society's unhealthy attitudes to size, all wrapped up in what can be best described as 'a joyful comedy show' She has since had to modify the name for her shows in Edinburgh as the council there wouldn't allow the title Fat B***h on posters around the city. She has renamed the show 'BIG'. Alison Spittle at Electric Picnic 2018. Copyright Nick O Donnell Speaking to the Anglo Celt newspaper earlier this year, Alison reflected on her life as a child and said 'If I wasn't fat when I was younger I don't think I'd be a comedian now, because I don't think I'd bother trying to be funny. Trying to be funny is the thing you pick up when you're younger and it's always to deflect from something.' But what about the attitudes of people to the popularity of weight loss injections like Mounjaro and Ozempic, Spittle finds it difficult to understand why anyone would have a negative reaction to it, and when people say its the easy way out, she retorts 'What? Do you want someone to have a hard time'? 'I explain my instinctive reaction against such drugs would be the fear that perfectly healthy people would take it when they have no need'. Diabetes and Weight loss injection pen Ozempic She believes the huge popularity and surge in the use of weight loss jabs provides a valuable insight into how society treats 'fat people'. 'If they feel that scared about being fat, it's because they feel that scared about being treated like s**t and we have to then acknowledge that fat people don't get treated that nicely.' Alison Spittle, much loved and still as funny as ever, takes to the stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from July 29th to August 24th before returning to Ireland for the Big Dublin Fringe September 16th to 20th.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Places Of The Heart: Wander and wonder at Changi Airport with architect Jonathan Christian Chin
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Who: Mr Jonathan Christian Chin, 34, is a Singapore-registered architect who has amassed an award-winning portfolio that includes public, residential, mixed-use and civic space design through his local and international stints. He graduated from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Department of Architecture in 2017 with a master's degree in architecture. During his time there , he garnered honours such as the Lee Kip Lin Medal for Best Graduation Dissertation in History and Theory of Architecture, and the Aedas Medal and Prize in Architectural Design. After graduating, he worked at acclaimed architectural practices such as DP Architects (DPA) in Singapore and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in Copenhagen. In 2021, outside of work, he co-created a place-making installation, called Park Yourself, with his wife Pearlyn Chang, who is 31 and a landscape architect. Their design of an Instagrammable, pandemic-resilient playground – which was shown at indoor and outdoor spaces around Singapore – won the URA-Redas Spark Challenge award in 2021. It also received the Singapore Good Design Award in 2023, attesting to Mr Chin's commitment to inclusive, community-focused design. Architect Jonathan Chin with his wife Pearlyn Chang, a landscape architect, at their award-winning installation Park Yourself. PHOTO: COURTESY OF JONATHAN CHIN In 2022, he joined BIG, headquartered in Denmark's capital, to expand his perspective on sustainability and radical innovation. In Copenhagen, he collaborated with some of the brightest minds in the industry and worked on architectural projects across Europe and Asia, gaining insights into differing design methodologies and cultures. Mr Jonathan Chin at Bjarke Ingels Group's office in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2023. PHOTO: PEARLYN CHANG Based in Singapore, Mr Chin works independently while giving back to the architectural community by mentoring students as a guest reviewer at NUS. He also serves as a council member at the Singapore Institute of Architects, where he champions young architects and fosters a culture of appreciation for good design in Singapore. 'My first choice of a place of the heart would definitely be Changi Airport. It is a space in Singapore where architecture, emotion and memory converge. We all seek different kinds of reprieve. Some people find it in nature, some in retail therapy, others in special architectural spaces. But I have always felt that Changi Airport brings all those worlds together, especially in a city like Singapore, where heat and rapid pace are constants. One gets the greenery without the sweat, the quiet without isolation and the motion without chaos. It is not just about the airport facilities, but also what the space allows: a moment to breathe. In 2022, my wife and I took the big leap to Copenhagen, where both of us were fortunate to join the Bjarke Ingels Group, one of Europe's top design firms, to grow professionally and explore the world. When living abroad for long spells, opportunities to return to Singapore for a break become quite emotional. Walking through Changi after being overseas, I still feel quiet pride. Whenever I return home, I prefer to linger rather than rush to the exit. Sometimes, I wander through Jewel, not to shop or sightsee, but just to walk, wander and wonder. It does not just mark my journeys, but also quietly holds the 'in-between' moments. Those intervals are often where I find the most meaning. Architect Jonathan Chin at Jewel Changi Airport on July 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Changi Airport also holds a treasury of nostalgia for me. As a student, I used to spend late nights at the viewing gallery of Terminal 2 (T2), one of the few 24-hour sanctuaries in Singapore. I would study through the night while watching aircraft take off and land, mindful of the irony that the constant motion of planes against the sky seemed to nudge me to be more focused in my thinking. There is something therapeutic about plane-spotting – the rhythm of arrivals and departures mirroring the cadence of life. Also, my relationship with the airport is both personal and inherited. When I was growing up , my father Ignatius Chin worked at Changi Airport Group (CAG) as part of a team involved in the construction of Jewel from 2014 to 2019, a chapter of his career he is incredibly proud of. Although he is no longer with us, those scenes are etched in memory, shaping my understanding of urban spaces and belonging. He regaled us with tales about Jewel's design process, the immense coordination that went on behind the scenes and tiny details such as how they designed the Skytrain to pass through what is now called the Shiseido Forest Valley; and the complexity of the contiguous grid shell of the dome that had an outsize design impact. At the time, I did not fully grasp the significance, but I remember how animated he became when recounting his experiences. Through him, I later had the rare opportunity to meet the architect behind Jewel, Mr Moshe Safdie. As a student back then, I was still trying to understand what architecture meant beyond drawings and deadlines. Mr Safdie was warm and insightful, and the encounter left an indelible imprint by humanising architecture for me. Mr Jonathan Chin with Mr Moshe Safdie at Changi Airport in 2014. Mr Safdie led the design of Jewel Changi Airport. PHOTO: IGNATIUS CHIN It then became clear that Jewel was not just a building. It was also an idea that brought people together through light, landscape and scale. When friends visit from overseas, I do not just pick them up from the airport. I also guide them through the different terminals, starting from Jewel. If it is an early morning arrival, the tour starts with a leisurely breakfast at Ya Kun Kaya Toast, with cups of locally roasted coffee and pillowy toasted bread. Stepping into Changi Airport, whether travel-related or simply for a quiet break, helps me to reset my perspectives. Today, even when I am not travelling, I visit Changi regularly as I live in the eastern part of the island. I find that cycling via the Jurassic Mile helps me decompress after a long day at work. Other times, I catch a late-night film at the basement of Terminal 3, which has round-the-clock screenings of movies and live sports events. Growing up with the aviation landmark in the background shaped how I view space today. My father's stories and my own quiet rituals are fragments that form a larger collage centred on connection. Changi Airport is the place where I first learnt that architecture can move people – both literally and metaphorically. '
Indianapolis Star
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
President Trump says Indiana will get $15.1M for disaster recovery efforts from spring storms
In a post on the social media platform True Social, President Donald Trump promised Indiana $15.1 million to go toward disaster relief from storms that hit the state earlier this year. The federal money comes after Trump said he talked to Indiana Gov. Mike Braun. "I just finished speaking with the Governor Mike Braun, of the Great State of Indiana, which I won BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024. We are approving $15.1 million dollars for severe flooding and tornadoes, which took place in the early Spring. I know the State, under the leadership of Braun, will make a rapid recovery!" The post said. He also announced he granted funding to Michigan, Kentucky and West Virginia. Braun responded to the post on X, formerly Twitter, thanking the president for his leadership and approval of the critical funding. He said the money will enable Hoosier communities to recover and rebuild "stronger than ever." In April, Braun declared a state of emergency for 18 counties in the wake of storms that spawned tornadoes and heavy rain through the state and pushed rivers out of their banks. He had previously activated the Indiana National Guard to assist 41 counties with storm recovery. The order was for Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Crawford, Dearborn, Delaware, Gibson, Hamilton, Harrison, Lake, Madison, Marshall, Martin, Owen, Perry, Posey, Spencer and Warrick counties. Declaring a state of emergency allows the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to offer financial assistance under the State Disaster Relief Fund to help cover expenses caused by the storm damage. Braun later asked for federal assistance. At least two people died during the storms.
Bangkok Post
17-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
BIG, PTT to jointly develop new air separation unit
BIG, a Thai low-carbon industrial gas manufacturer, has joined hands with PTT Plc to develop a new air separation unit in Rayong, aimed at further strengthening an eco-friendly process used to produce low-carbon gases. The facility, known as MAP2, comes after its predecessor, MAP1, which has significantly driven industries towards net-zero targets aimed at achieving a balance between greenhouse gas emissions and absorption. The air separation unit utilises cold energy from the liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification process in BIG's industrial gas production. "The success of MAP1, which delivers low-carbon industrial gases, including low-carbon oxygen, low-carbon nitrogen, and low-carbon argon, enables industries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move towards net-zero goals, and also offers solutions and technologies that help customers and industries reduce their carbon footprint," said Ramani Velu, managing director of BIG. These solutions have been certified by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization for their ability to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 50%, compared to conventional industrial gas production, resulting in an average reduction of 93,000 tonnes of CO2 per year between 2022 and 2024. "This carbon-reducing technology will be further enhanced in MAP2 for even greater efficiency, driving BIG to expand its efforts in the MAP2 project," said Mr Velu. The collaboration with PTT, the national oil and gas conglomerate, reinforces BIG's business strategy of "Generating a Cleaner Future" to create a clean and sustainable future, he added. By integrating BIG's expertise in industrial gases with PTT's energy capabilities, BIG is confident that MAP2 will be another crucial step forward in enhancing the competitiveness of Thai industries at an international level. MAP2, which reflects the commitment of both companies to drive Thailand towards a low-carbon society, employs advanced and environmentally friendly industrial gas production technology by maximising the utilisation of cold energy from the LNG receiving and regasification process. This will significantly reduce energy consumption, lower production costs, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. MAP2 will serve as another key mechanism to support various Thai industries, such as petrochemicals, metals, automotive, electronics, and food, by providing access to high-quality low-carbon industrial gases produced through carbon-reduction processes. This is a crucial global trend. Both PTT and BIG are committed to working closely together to ensure the successful completion of the MAP2 project, contributing to the sustainable growth of the country's economy based on environmental technology and innovation.
