Latest news with #Boylan
Sunday World
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
DJ and ex-election candidate reveals ‘valuable life lesson' he learned after month in hospital
'I spent 60 years of my life feeling well, so to suddenly face multiple problems at once feels completely alien to me' DJ and former election candidate Niall Boylan has revealed how he 'learned a valuable life lesson' having spent nearly a month in hospital. The 'shock jock' who had left his Classic Hits radio show, Nighttime Talks to run in the European Elections last year, told fans he was 'recovering slowly'. Without referring to the reason why he ended up in hospital, he did say that over the last five months he had 'been unwell'. 'At one point, I was very ill and spent nearly a month in hospital,' he posted on X. 'My wife has been by my side and my support through it all. Why am I telling you this? Because I've learned a valuable life lesson.' He said the lesson he had learned was that 'many of those you thought cared about you couldn't give a s**t, and many people you least expected turned out to care the most.'. 'The other lesson is, don't always trust the medical profession. In my case, they had no idea what was wrong with me, even after literally hundreds of blood tests, CT scans, and ultrasounds, until I demanded certain specific blood tests (long story), and I was right.' He added: 'Thankfully, I'm recovering, but it's a slow process and hard to deal with. I spent 60 years of my life feeling well, so to suddenly face multiple problems at once feels completely alien to me. 'You do wonder if you'll ever normal again.' Last year, Boylan described his run for Europe as 'an experience of a lifetime' although he ultimately fell short, earning 50,416 votes. He also ruled out a general election run despite having 'no doubt' he would be elected after just narrowly missing out on an MEP seat. He laughed off the suggestion of launching a presidential run as he is 'very opinionated' and also ruled out running for European election again in five years' time. 'It was an amazing experience – and I kept the Green Party out. I was happy that I kind of upset the political establishment because I made it more difficult. There was about 50,000 votes that I took away from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. If I hadn't been there, they may have got the quota quicker.' Boylan, who feels there should be stronger curbs on immigration into Ireland and believes people are sick of 'woke culture', said he knows some people view him as an extremist but denies that is the case. 'People think I'm some sort of radical right-winger, I'm not. I voted yes to marriage equality.' He said he did feel that the EU was too left-wing. 'I think for far too long it's been far too left. I think that's going to change and you're going to see a shift slightly to the centre. I don't want to see a radical extreme right-wing Europe either.' Boylan added that got a lot of abuse online during the campaign because of his outspoken views. 'I've been a pretty loud outspoken voice for 30 years on radio and I tend not to care what other people think of what I say. I'm not politically correct and I want to be a loud voice for people in Dublin and Ireland in Europe 'There was some really nasty stuff put up about me online, most of it, 99.99 percent, completely untrue. Some of it was derogatory and defamatory. 'I didn't react to it. You just can't have that kind of stuff knocking you off your target. I only realised [during the campaign] how toxic Twitter was, I knew it was toxic, but I didn't realise how toxic it was.'
Boston Globe
15-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
‘It seems like no matter what happens, prices go up.' Why is Boston's spring housing market at a standstill?
Advertisement All of that together has brought them to an uncomfortable realization. 'Unless it magically gets way cheaper, we can't really afford to buy here,' said Boylan, who is 30. 'Which feels completely insane given the fact that we objectively make more than a lot of people.' Such is the reality of Greater Boston's housing market, which has become so stratified in recent years that even people who may otherwise be considered wealthy can barely afford to buy here anymore. Spring is typically a busy time for homebuying. Sellers put their homes on the market as the ground thaws and trees begin to bud, and buyers tour open houses and make offers. Not in Greater Boston. Instead, the combination of sky-high prices and elevated interest rates are extending a three-year-long housing market malaise during which sellers simply haven't been putting their homes up for sale. Consider: Just 750 single-family homes across Greater Boston were listed for sale in February, according to the Greater Boston Association of Realtors, down 13 percent from last year and 34 percent from February 2020. And now? Deep uncertainty about the state of the economy and stock markets is sidelining even more would-be buyers and sellers alike. Advertisement Add it all up, and it feels like the gears of the housing market, which have already been turning slowly since interest rates rose in early 2022, have ground to a halt. And that has people like Boylan — and many, many people who are not well-paid tech workers — stuck in limbo. Graham Boylan in his home office in Cambridge. Despite earning a six-figure salary as an engineer, Boylan plans to leave the area after failing to find an affordable home to buy. Erin Clark/Globe Staff Of course, housing costs have been high in Greater Boston for decades. That's nothing new. But a wave of population growth in the 2010s, followed by a surge in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, sent prices soaring, putting the region among the most expensive in the country. Between 2015 and 2024, home values in the region grew by nearly 50 percent, according to For most of that time, interest rates were historically low (the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dipped below 3 percent in the second half of 2020 and most of 2021); that kept buying within reach for many, at least relative to paying the region's steep rents, because it meant monthly house payments stayed relatively low. No longer. And it's not difficult to see why. In February 2021, when the median home price in Greater Boston was around $650,000, the monthly mortgage payment on that median-priced house was around $2,100, according to Bankrate's mortgage calculator. Four years later, the median-priced house costs $887,000, interest rates have roughly doubled, and that monthly payment has soared to $4,700. Late last week, the rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage soared to 7 percent, according to Mortgage Daily News, driving that payment even higher. Advertisement 'What is staggering about what we're seeing now is that it wasn't by any stretch affordable to buy a home here before [interest rates rose],' said Paul Willen, a senior economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. 'Typically, when you see rates go up like they did, you expect home prices to drop a bit. But it seems like no matter what happens prices go up in Boston.' Why? A seemingly endless shortage of supply, coupled with demand that never seems to fade. People still come in droves to open houses, said Mary Gillach, principal of the Gillach Group at William Raveis in Brookline. There is still intense demand for the homes that do go on the market, especially multimillion-dollar properties in Newton and other well-off western suburbs, because their buyers can afford to buy despite unfavorable economic conditions and probably aren't borrowing much or at all. But for most everyone else, today's housing market is mostly untenable. Melvin Vieira Jr., an agent at the Re/Max Real Estate Group in Jamaica Plain, sees the current state of the market like this: interest rates have sidelined many would-be sellers, because they have a low mortgage rate now and don't want to pay a higher rate on their next house. That means there's little supply going on the market and because prices are so high and demand so intense, many buyers are sidelined, too. Buying can be manageable here when you're putting up a big down payment and keeping monthly costs low, said Vieira Jr. But the combination of both high down payments and high monthly costs push buying out of reach for most people. Advertisement And now, Vieira Jr. said, he has clients who were finally ready to stomach both after three years of waiting for interest rates to fall, but are now pulling back because of volatility in the economy. Buying a home is a huge investment, said Gillach, in many cases the biggest someone will ever make. It is not difficult to understand, she said, why wild swings in the markets caused by a trade war that may drive up the cost of living would give people pause. With so much in flux — like 401ks and long-term investments — buying a home can go from something that feels like a safe investment to a huge risk. Real estate agent Rosanne Coric walks through the master bedroom of a home in Newton during a recent open house. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff 'I was here for 9/11, and while that was a national tragedy, it had a similar effect, where nobody wanted to make such a major decision because they didn't know what was going to happen in their lives,' said Gillach. 'It's this massive uncertainty that naturally leads to 'I don't know if I want to commit to that house.'' The most vexing part of the housing market's current logjam is that there is no immediate path out of it, said Viera Jr., no indication that interest rates will fall and no sign of prices in Greater Boston going anywhere but up. Now the cost of many building materials is expected to increase, which may push prices even higher. Advertisement 'We are looking for a little glimmer of hope, or for the door to be cracked open just a little bit,' said Viera. 'Usually you can find that somewhere with prices or rates. But honestly, the door is not cracked at all right now.' Andrew Brinker can be reached at
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PJ's Coffee parent company CEO to retire
This story was originally published on Restaurant Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Restaurant Dive newsletter. Ballard Brands CEO and president Peter J. Boylan will retire in April, the company said in a press release emailed to Restaurant Dive this week. Boylan will continue on in an advisory capacity. Boylan has been with Ballard Brands, the parent company of PJ's Coffee of New Orleans and Wow American Eats, since 2009 when he joined the board of advisors. In 2010, he assumed the role of chief development officer, ascending to the role of president and CEO in 2016. Ballard Brands has also appointed David Mesa, current executive vice president and chief development officer, as president of the franchise development overseeing the growth of both brands. Under Boylan's leadership, the restaurant brands expanded into 26 states and several international markets, and boasted double-digit unit and revenue growth. It joins other coffee chains like Dutch Bros, Biggby and Caribou Coffee that have significant growth plans. Starbucks, which has had a new CEO since September, also is planning to grow its domestic store count. PJ's Coffee, which has more than 180 locations, has at least 300 locations in development, according to its franchising website. In 2023, PJ's Coffee opened 28 locations in nine states. Last year, the chain aimed to bring 39 new franchisees into the system that would result in over 85 licensed units, according to Nation's Restaurant News. The chain has also opened a number of non-traditional locations, including shops in military bases and government agencies, healthcare facilities and airports, a strategy that has helped increase sales and improve the company's market position. Mesa has been with the company for over eight years and has expertise in franchise development and operational strategy, according to the press release. Prior to Ballard Brands, he served as president of franchise operations at Planet Beach Franchising Corporation, which he helped grow from 60 units to over 350 units. 'David is the right leader to continue driving growth within the franchise division,' Boylan said in a statement. 'His deep understanding of franchising, strategic mindset and dedication to our brands make him the ideal choice to guide the team into the future.' Recommended Reading Rock N Roll Sushi hires experienced franchise exec as CEO Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arts and crafts stores prepare for tariff impacts
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — As tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada make their impact, local craft stores are eyeing the results. That's because yarn is brought in from all over the world. Robin Ferguson owns the Knittin' Coop in Salem and says she's avoiding sellers whose products might be affected. 'Prices have not gone up as of yet, but the one line that I'm not purchasing right now is a favorite and I can't order it right now out of fear I'm going to get hit,' said Ferguson. She doesn't want to pass any added costs down to her customers. Fellow yarn shop owner Ellie Boylan realized too late that one product was impacted. 'While the artist who makes the bag, she makes all the artwork in England, the bags were produced in China and that was nowhere apparent to me,' said Boylan, who owns House Mountain Yarn Company in Lexington. What are tariffs and how do they work? 'The pre-tariff price is $19 for this bag,' she said, holding it up in a Zoom call Wednesday. 'This one came in after the tariff, and because I adjusted the price for what I had to pay, $35.' Boylan says the added price came with the shipping invoice, and when she contacted the vendor and courier, she was told it was a result of tariffs. She took to Facebook to inform her customers. 'A couple people responded with 'Why don't you just buy American-made products' and I do,' she said. Boylan pulled out another bag and held it up to the camera. 'Here's one that's locally made, pretty similar, very cute,' she said. 'It's $33. So, it's the price of the tariff bag. When you make things locally and handmade and it's a more manual process, you pay more, and people want the lower prices, so I found them.' While the point of the tariffs is to buy American, some American companies haven't answered the call yet. Even when local stores like Boylan's and Ferguson's buy from U.S. brands, the sourcing or manufacturing may be done abroad. China hits US with retaliatory tariffs 'The needles are manufactured in China but come out of Michigan,' said Ferguson, showing a set of knitting needles she ordered from an American business. When she buys local, there may still be impacts. 'The indie dyers that I have here local, I can get yarn from them but the base that they use is coming from overseas,' she said. Both Ferguson and Boylan say their stores are gathering places, where people learn techniques, meet other crafters, and of course, buy supplies. 'I love that people are crafting,' said Boylan. 'I want to make it accessible no matter what your income level is and that's my priority, but with tariffs the way they have been I'm really worried that that's in jeopardy.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Millions urged to 'thoughtfully consider' new car purchase amid worrying Aussie trend
Young Australians are being encouraged to carefully consider their car choices after new research revealed they face a higher risk of crashes due to poor braking performance in the vehicles they drive. Nationwide, road crashes are responsible for one in five deaths among people aged 15 to 24. According to a recent study led by James Boylan at Swinburne University, this in part can be attributed to the fact that younger drivers are more likely to purchase less safe vehicles. Younger drivers are more likely to drive older, cheaper and less-maintained vehicles due to financial constraints and limited access to safer, newer models. Studies show that budget-conscious young drivers often prioritise affordability over safety features, leading them to purchase cars with outdated braking systems, lower crash safety ratings, and worn-out components. Boylan said those driving modern cars with higher engine power tend to experience fewer harsh braking incidents. Speaking to Yahoo News, Boylan urged young Aussies to "thoughtfully evaluate" their car choices and to fully understand how vehicle characteristics can influence their driving. "We found that young drivers who owned vehicles with higher engine power and higher safety ratings tended to have better and safer braking behaviour," he told Yahoo News. "We recommend that young drivers thoughtfully evaluate a vehicle's features, opting for models with higher safety ratings and avoiding models with very low or very high engine power." Poor braking can be influenced by several factors, including brake system design, vehicle weight, tyre condition and the responsiveness of the braking components. One key issue is longer stopping distances, where a vehicle takes more time and distance to stop after the driver applies the brakes. This can be particularly dangerous in emergency situations where split-second reactions are required to avoid a crash. Older or lower-quality braking systems may struggle to generate enough stopping power, especially when combined with worn-out brake pads or inadequate tyre grip. Brake fade is another problem, which occurs when a vehicle's brakes become less effective after repeated use, such as during long downhill drives or in stop-and-go traffic. This happens because excessive heat builds up in the braking system, reducing friction and making it harder for the car to slow down. Inconsistent braking response is also a concern, particularly in older vehicles or those with poor maintenance. Some cars may have brakes that feel spongy or unresponsive, making it difficult for the driver to gauge how much pressure is needed to stop safely. "[The research] suggests that the safety rating of a vehicle and the engine power of a vehicle are the most influential traits," Boylan said. "We hope that the results of this research incentivises young people to take the characteristics of a vehicle into account before they buy a vehicle, and also that financial incentives be considered to promote the adoption of safer, easier to drive vehicles for young people." Push for more speeding cameras as millions face crackdown Older drivers 'exposed' on Aussie roads after major shift Major change to speed cameras as drivers told to expect 'letters' The study of 35 young drivers used in-vehicle telematics (which involves GPS tracking, onboard sensors and wireless communication to monitor driving behaviour) over a month, to track harsh braking events. Researchers applied linear mixed models (LMM) to assess whether factors like vehicle weight, engine power, model year and safety ratings influenced braking behaviour. The findings showed that vehicles with higher engine power and better safety ratings had fewer harsh braking incidents. The research findings come as Australia introduced a sweeping new mandate at the start of this month, forcing all vehicles sold in Australia to be equipped with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems. The AEB technology automatically applies the brakes if a collision is imminent, reducing impact severity or preventing crashes altogether. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
