Latest news with #Dominicans
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Elon Musk again accuses Chuck Schumer of corruption, calls him ...
has responded to a Senator Chuck Schumer who has publicly criticised the Tesla CEO , stating that his past actions will cause "lasting damage to the American people." Schumer's comments specifically targeted the Musk's DOGE , asserting that he should apologise to the US citizens. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Over and over again, what Musk did with his DOGE is going to cause lasting damage to the American people," Schumer stated in an interview in an interview on "Morning Joe". He dismissed the idea that Musk's current position outside the administration negates responsibility, calling it "ridiculous." "...and just saying, now, he's out of the administration, and he's in a bind. That's, that's ridiculous. He ought to be apologising to the American people for what he has done," he said. Schumer then outlined his expectations, saying, "If for some reason he sees the light. I don't know if he does or not, but that's what we need an apology and him to tell Trump to undo the damage that he has done." Musk calls Chuck Schumer 'Scumbag' In response, the entrepreneur posted on social media platform X, directly addressing Schumer's comments. Replying to a post by a user's post, Musk stated, "@DOGE did 'lasting damage' to his graft and corruption. Chuck Scumbag ." This is not the first time that Musk has called Schumer corrupt. In April, Musk hit at Schumer, accusing him of potentially being involved in government fraud. When Schumer said, 'Trump has unleashed chaos on America', Musk replied, saying, 'Chuck, I'm starting to think you're getting a piece of the action with the government fraud. But no, that couldn't possibly be the reason, could it?…' Schumer was reportedly called 'Scumbag' last year in videos circulating online which showed the an calling him names at the Dominican Day Parade in New York City. "Hey, Chuck. You know Dominicans actually hate your guts, because you're a scumbag. You know that right?" the unidentified man said.
The Independent
26-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Discovering Lyra's Oxford on a ‘His Dark Materials' walking tour
'Lyra's Oxford has the same street-plan as ours,' says Steve Fisher, of Oxford Official Walking Tours. 'So the influence of the urban landscape is obvious. But the university's intellectual and academic history also spurred Pullman 's imagination.' The quad of the Bodleian Old Library embodies 17th-century education, with doorways to the three schools of philosophy (metaphysics, moral, natural) and seven liberal arts (arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy, logic, grammar and rhetoric). 'Before the Age of Enlightenment, this was the curriculum of European universities,' explains Steve. 'Most Oxford students were in religious orders, like the Dominicans or Benedictines, and the goal of education was to reconcile Greek philosophy with Christian theology. He continues: 'In Lyra's Oxford, the scholars explore science as 'experimental theology'. But the religious Magisterium sees this as a challenge to its authority and tries to put an end to the research, just as the real Catholic Church attacked academics who questioned papal cosmology.' We pass the domed Radcliffe Camera and stroll down St Mary's Passage – believed to have inspired the wardrobe and streetlamp of CS Lewis 's Narnia – towards the High St. 'Remember how Lyra and her mates scrap with the 'townies' in the book?' asks Steve. 'That's a more benign version of the 'town and gown' violence between students and locals in the 1300s. Back then, Oxford was the murder capital of England and the students, most of whom were clergymen, were usually the instigators.' He points toward the crenellated Carfax Tower, which is all that remains of a 12th-century church. 'There used to be a tavern near there,' he says, 'In February 1355, two students started a brawl with the owner, because they were unhappy with the wine. It turned into a three-day riot that killed 90 people. Medieval student life was more Game of Thrones than Fresh Meat.' Pullman studied at Exeter College (which became Jordan College in Lyra's world), which was founded in 1314 and constitutes the fourth-oldest college of the university. Less than a minute away is the History of Science Museum, home to the world's largest collection of astrolabes: astronomical instruments that calculate time and latitude using star charts carved into brass, which inspired the alethiometer – a golden 'truth reader' of needles and cogs that Lyra uses to outwit the Magisterium. The production company behind the BBC television adaptation have gifted their prop alethiometer to the museum, and it sits alongside antique telescopes, microscopes and globes from the museum's collection. It's a reminder that real instruments of scientific inquiry were once a direct threat to religious dogma in our own world, just as the alethiometer is in Lyra's. Lyra's adventures bring her to our world where she visits the weird and wonderful Pitt Rivers Museum (free). Its entrance is hidden at the back of the Natural History Museum – an understated archway that takes visitors from an airy gallery of natural light to a sunken gallery of dark wooden cabinets. 'It always makes me think of the portals in Pullman's books,' says Kieran Brooks, a guide at the Pitt Rivers Museum. 'A hidden doorway between parallel worlds, taking you from a world of nature and geology, to a world of culture and anthropology.' In this atmospheric space, items are arranged by function and type, rather than age or place of origin. So, gas lamps from 19th-century north America sit alongside ancient pitch-torches from southeast Asia, to show how different societies solved the challenge of lighting. We pass cases of 'charms' and 'sympathetic magic', filled with sprigs of pine, amulets of stone, birch twigs and animal totems, before pausing at a case of fur-coats and Arctic sleds. 'The Pitt Rivers was both a setting and inspiration,' says Kieran, 'Lyra comes to this very corner to see these items, and the birch, pine and talismans are associated with her world's witches and polar bears.' In a later book, a witch sends Lyra to the north Oxford Jericho neighbourhood and the Eagle Ironworks, which once existed in the real world. The factory has since been converted into flats, but the terraced houses that were home to factory workers remain, as does the canal that transported goods to the city. I follow it to the Thames, then cross the boggy Port Meadow to Godstow Abbey. The nunnery here fell into ruin during the Civil War, but in Lyra's world it survived until 1986. Across the river is The Trout pub (the Trout Inn for Lyra), but I head back into town along the right bank of the Thames, stopping at the magnificent garden of The Perch pub in Binsey for devilled eggs and ale. His Dark Materials ends with the portals being closed, and Lyra being separated from her love, Will, who lives in our world. They promise to visit the Oxford Botanic Garden in their respective worlds at noon on Midsummer's Day, to sit on a particular bench. The bench is a real one, overlooking the river beneath a Cornelian cherry tree. In 2019, a sculpture was unveiled there, featuring Lyra's pine marten daemon and Will's cat daemon. They are watched over by a raven – Pullman's own daemon – which he chose because ravens steal things for good use. Pullman may have stolen some of Oxford for his books, but by remixing its history and legends, he has made this old city feel more storied than ever. How to do it The former Boswells department store on Broad Street has been revamped as The Store hotel and is unbeatably located. The highlight is its rooftop bar, which overlooks Oxford's dreaming spires, including the Exeter College rooftops that Lyra scampers across. Doubles from £285 including breakfast.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How New York's UBS Arena Is Helping to Raise the Commercial Ceiling for Caribbean-Headlined Shows
While stadium shows dominate this year's live music headlines, there's another interesting trend occurring at the arena level that's signaling a new frontier for the live music industry – and it's steeped in the sweet riddims of the Caribbean. Vybz Kartel's victorious comeback has dominated most of the conversation around Caribbean music this year, but Worl' Boss' two-night stint at Brooklyn's Barclays Center came nearly a year after a string of historic headlining shows that have made Elmont's UBS Arena New York's hottest new venue for Caribbean acts. Elmont (a neighborhood that sits on the edge of Queens and Long Island) and Brooklyn are two New York City areas densely populated by Caribbean-Americans, which echoes the incredible impact of Caribbean immigrants across the city. You'll find Dominicans in Manhattan's Washington Heights; Jamaicans, Lucians and Trinis galore in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood; and at least one flag from every country in the West Indies along Eastern Parkway in BK. More from Billboard The Return of Vybz Kartel: After 13 Years in Prison, Dancehall's King Reclaims His Throne — And Reveals How He Made Hits Behind Bars Tory Lanez Is Being Transferred to a New Prison After Being Stabbed, His Dad Says Aaron Paul Opens Up About Tracking Down Tour Managers to Get Bands to Perform in His Living Room Last spring (April 14, 2024) — about eight months before he made history with NPR's very first Tiny Desk soca set – Machel Montano headlined UBS Arena for a 40-year career anniversary concert hosted by Caribbean Concerts & Sonjay Maharaj Events. Coming two years after the King of Soca teamed up with Jermaine Magras, president and CEO of Jay Upscale Marketing and Promotions, for Barclays Center's first-ever soca headlining concert, Machel's sold-out UBS show grossed over $885,000 from 8,350 tickets sold, according to Billboard Boxscore. That show kicked off a head-turning run of Caribbean-headlined shows at the four-year-old arena. Just three months after Machel lit up Elmont, Grammy-winning reggae and dancehall legend Buju Banton mounted a pair of sold-out shows that served as his first U.S. concerts since his 2011 incarceration. The two shows grossed $4.5 million from nearly 30,000 tickets sold, setting the scene for a historic close to UBS Arena's 2024 run of Caribbean-headlined shows. 'Stepping into UBS Arena for the first time in my life was much more than I expected,' reflects Montano, who's previously performed at NYC's two other major arenas. 'I hadn't heard about the venue before, and I was in anticipation to see what the vibe [would] be. The production setup was wonderful, the backstage experience in the dressing rooms, the staff, everybody [and everything] was professional and on point to welcome soca music and the soca vibration.' A few days before the world rang in 2025, iconic Haitian konpa band Carimi reunited for its first live performance in eight years at UBS Arena. Comprised of founding members Richard Cavé, Mickael Guirand, and Carlo Vieux, Carimi is something like 'the Jackson 5 or the Backstreet Boys of the Haitian community,' says Magras. 'They're [their] R&B boy band.' In the nearly two-and-a-half decades since they formed in NYC back in 2001, Carimi has achieved international success through its blend of sociopolitical commentary and traditional konpa rhythms. Their 2013 Invasion LP reached No. 2 on World Albums, and their eight-album strong catalog continues to enamor konpa lovers across generations. While their Dec. 27 concert didn't launch a full comeback, the show did mark the first U.S. arena show headlined by a Haitian act – and the band completely sold out the venue. With over 15,000 tickets sold, Carimi's reunion show grossed over $2.4 million. The Carimi show is an interesting nexus point for many reasons, mostly because of the band's connection to the demographic breakdown of the Elmont neighborhood in which UBS resides. In Elmont, you'll find a large Haitian population that's even bigger than the already sizable number reported by the U.S. Census. The nature of cities like New York is that the census only tells a part of the story regarding the demographic breakdown of the city's residents. 'With the Caribbean community, a lot of people tend to look at the census — but if you're undocumented, you ain't trying to give the government your information. It's a benchmark, but it's not that accurate,' explains Magras. 'When we did a heat map of ticket sales for the Carimi show, a majority of people buying tickets came from Queens, in and around UBS [in Elmont].' Now that America's Caribbean population – spearheaded by a massive post-Civil Rights Era immigration wave, and, later, a 1980s and '90s wave — has established itself across several generations, they have the numbers and buying power to assert themselves as dedicated consumers in the live music space. Before his current position as senior vice president of programming at UBS Arena, Mark Shulman spent over 25 years promoting shows across New York, including storied venues like Hammerstein Ballroom and Kings Theatre – two spots with smaller capacities that Caribbean acts often frequent. While Caribbean acts still headline those venues, alongside newly renovated music halls like the Brooklyn Paramount, their graduation from theaters to arenas signals 'a maturing of the music and fan base,' according to Shulman. 'When we speak of the maturing of the audience, Caribbean shows were always late-selling events,' he explains. 'Now, we're seeing more advanced sales, and that enables the artist to plan better. They get to add a second show and plan accordingly, because the audience is being so proactive in their buying patterns.' The original fans of acts like Carimi and Machel Montano and Buju Banton are, by and large, in more favorable economic positions than they were two decades ago. They've gotten to root themselves in their new homes, and they likely have the disposable income to buy pricier arena tickets. But their maturation only tells half of the story of how UBS, in particular, has become such a hotbed for Caribbean headliners. For Valentine's Day 2025 (Feb. 14), Grammy-nominated reggae giant Beres Hammond, Billboard Hot 100-topping reggae icon Shaggy and Grammy-winning dancehall legend Sean Paul teamed up for a joint concert that grossed over $1.6 million from 12,980 tickets sold. The following month (March 28), WAV Music Fest – featuring Spice, Dexta Daps, Chronic Law, Kranium, Skeng, Kraff and Valiant – grossed over $1.2 million from 10,360 sold. With five $1 million-grossing Caribbean-headlined shows in eight months, UBS Arena has emerged as not just a go-to spot for Caribbean acts stopping in NYC but also as a key venue in the evolution of Stateside Caribbean music consumption. And the arena's management did it by embracing the existing immigrant population in an era where rampant gentrification seeks to stifle New York's quintessential diversity. Before UBS opened its doors in 2021, most arena acts across genres chose between performing at Midtown Manhattan's Madison Square Garden and Downtown Brooklyn's Barclays Center, which has only been around for 13 years. Prior to the turn of the decade, very few, if any, Caribbean acts were playing arena shows, period. Thanks to the increasing Stateside popularity of contemporary reggae, dancehall, soca and konpa music — and the opening of UBS — Caribbean acts are now getting an opportunity that they weren't granted in the past. Of course, NYC's Caribbean population doesn't exclusively attend Caribbean-headlined shows. If they wanted to see arena acts before 2020, those folks, who primarily live in Brooklyn (outside of downtown) and Queens, would either have to trek into the city to hit The Garden or waste away hours in downtown traffic. Thanks to its location, UBS is a venue that's comparatively more easily accessible for the city's Caribbean crowd. It's also the only NYC-area arena with its own parking lot, a key draw for attendees who would rather hop in their cars than deal with the subway. 'When you get [to Barclays], you gotta look for parking,' says Magras. 'The time that it takes me to [travel within] Brooklyn is probably the same time it takes me to jump on the belt and head to UBS. I think the customer weighs all those things out.' While consumers get to cut down on travel time, promoters and artists also get to save a few dollars when mounting shows at UBS instead of Barclays or The Garden. Promoted by George Crooks' Jammins Events, Banton's dual comeback shows, which cost around a million dollars each, would have been at least $500,000 more expensive had they gone up at The Garden. 'You're paying for the location and the brand, you can't take that away from [MSG],' he said. 'But it's very expensive. UBS is a lot more reasonable, and I hope it stays that way.' As the arena continues to grow in popularity, it's certainly likely that it'll become more expensive to mount shows there, which is probably why UBS banks on their accommodating nature to keep artists at their venue. Ahead of the Carimi show, Shulman 'personally got on a Zoom with all the band members [to] hear their thoughts and hopes for the show and how [UBS] could accommodate them in any way possible.' Magras, whose Jay Upscale company promoted the Carimi show, seconds that sentiment, noting how willing the UBS team was to educate themselves on the band via the decks he pitched. '[UBS] was more accommodating than probably any other venue that I've worked with,' he tells Billboard. 'It was never 'no' as a final answer — they always helped find a way to make things work. [To help promote the show, they helped secure] comedians, a conference with about five media houses, the Carimi guys, lights and everything.' Crooks also echoes those feelings, saying, 'Mark understands the business because he comes from doing business with a lot of Caribbean acts.' But it's not just Shulman's experience that helped UBS so quickly become a stronghold for Caribbean headliners; it's also the care he and his team take in listening to the arena's staff, a notable chunk of whom are local Caribbean-Americans themselves. '30% of our staff come from the local community,' Shulman says. 'I would have conversations with them about soca music and reggae and konpa, and it was great to hear from them. I can [call on] my music experience, but it's so much more validating when I can speak to members of the community who live with this music. That type of knowledge and experience can't be replicated just by doing some research.' UBS' open relationship with their staff also mirrors the dynamic they've fostered with local vendors, navigating the present-day live music venue ecosystem with a distinctly Caribbean and community-centric approach. When Caribbean shows visit UBS, the arena rotates its in-house food and drink vendors with items that correlate to the nationality of the headlining act; they also invite local food trucks and businesses to set up activations in their expansive parking lot. It's a relatively minor move that only makes the arena feel more 'of the people' than its competitors. (Crooks acknowledges that the venue's efficacy in this area still can vary between shows, saying he and his team head 'some interaction with local vendors [for the Banton shows], but not as much as [they] would have liked to.') And the arena's staff also understands the importance of not overstepping its bounds when it comes to engaging with the culture. 'When you look at Caribbean people, they're natural entrepreneurs,' notes Magras. 'Once we see that there's something big going on, we all converge and find [different] ways to make money. There [were] about 10 after-parties [for the Carimi show] — we [hosted] none. Why? Because we understand the ecosystem and what it means for other people to make money as well. We could have sold flags, but we allowed the flag man to sell his. We [also] brought in Haitian food vendors and liquors and barbeque brands.' With two additional Caribbean-headlined shows this year – Aidonia (May 3) and Beenie Man (May 24) – UBS is looking to continue its hot streak in 2025 as various styles of Caribbean music ride a crossover wave that's carrying the next generation of stars. From Yung Bredda's Zess-infused soca hit 'The Greatest Bend Over' and Moliy's Billboard chart-topping Afro-dancehall smash 'Shake It to the Max' to YG Marley's reggae anthem 'Praise Jah in the Moonlight' and Joé Dwèt Filé's globe-conquering konpa banger '4 Kampé,' the 2020s are offering up a slate of stars that could be the next Caribbean headliners to grace UBS – and arenas across the country. They could even make that jump in the next 12 months, according to Shulman, as the success of Caribbean legacy acts eases promoters' qualms about taking on younger stars – like Shenseea or Dexta Daps – looking to make the leap from support acts to headliners. In just four years, UBS has become a preferred New York tour stop for Caribbean headliners – so much so that scheduling conflicts were the only barrier stopping the arena from hosting Kartel's comeback shows – by leveraging its location, nourishing their relationship with the local population, and understanding the limitless potential of Caribbean talent. As the arena has established a distinct identity, it's also helped buoy an entire region's music, which was already creeping into a new era of Stateside crossover success. But what about arena stops outside of New York? Last year, Buju Banton announced his Overcomer Tour, which was initially set to visit 14 arenas across the U.S. Ultimately, three shows were outright cancelled while a further five engagements have yet to have their rescheduled dates announced. Of the seven shows that he did perform on the tour, Banton grossed an average of $1.5 million per show from around 10,800 tickets sold. Notably, those seven shows visited North American cities with sizable Caribbean populations – NYC, Atlanta, Tampa, Toronto and Washington, D.C. — signaling that future Caribbean tours might not yet have accrued the power to headline arenas outside of specific areas. Nonetheless, a Caribbean act headlining seven North American arenas on a single tour indisputably marks a new era for West Indians in the live music space. 'I think the sky's the limit [for Caribbean acts in the live music space],' stresses Shulman. 'I've seen the growth and I've seen the performances. The shows are energetic, the fans are enthusiastic, and there's an incredible vibe. It's hard to envision any limit to just how high it can go.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
NDTV
20-05-2025
- General
- NDTV
At 112, World's Oldest Living Nun Has 4 Words Of Advice
Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella of Long Island, New York, is the world's oldest living nun. At 112, she has only four words of advice for anyone hoping to live as long as she did. Ms Piscatella has been enjoying her senior years on the South Shore of Long Island and has served in the Catholic Church for 94 years. She has advised people to follow the virtues they have witnessed in their loved ones. Sharing her advice, Ms Piscatella told The New York Post, "Teach until you die," before adding, "You have to be a saint before you get to heaven." Ms Piscatella currently resides in the Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse in Amityville and has had a long journey of faith and fate over the years. Her life changed when she was two years old and was involved in an accident with a speeding train in Central Islip. The accident resulted in the loss of her left forearm. She claimed not to have let her siblings help her. "My mother refused to let them assist me because 'you're not going to have your sisters forever, so you better just shape up and do things for yourself,'" Ms Piscatella told The Post. Her calling to Catholicism stemmed from the love she witnessed her family show for one another and the community. However, Ms Piscatella had to physically demonstrate that her disability would not prevent her from serving. It was difficult to find a convent in 1931 that would admit her with only one arm. Ms Piscatella said that the convent was not a place for handicapped people, and one has to "drive work" when they go to the convent. "It's not a vacation area," she said. It was not until another nun, who was looking for a change and had a teaching job open, that Ms Piscatella got into the Dominicans. Ms Piscatella worked in administrative positions from the age of 17 to 84, teaching from the heart on an array of subjects, including maths, history and arithmetic. Nowadays, Ms Piscatella is loved by the Catholic community on Long Island, with whom she celebrated her 112th birthday. She enjoys praying and spending time with them.
New York Post
19-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Long Island nun — the world's oldest at 112 — shares four words of advice after a lifetime of service
There ain't nun older than her. Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella, the world's oldest nun at 112, has four words of advice for anyone who wants to match her longevity 'Teach until you die,' Piscatella, who celebrated her birthday in late April, told The Post. Advertisement 5 Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella, 112, is the world's oldest nun. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Piscatella, who is enjoying her golden years on the South Shore of Long Island in her 94th year of service to the Catholic Church, said people should follow the good they've've seen from their loved ones. 'You have to be a saint before you get to heaven.' Advertisement Now living in Amityville's Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse, Piscatella had a long journey of faith and fate throughout her years. 'For some reason, God doesn't want me yet,' the longstanding member of the Dominican order said. 'I feel normal. I never gave my age a thought, it just happened to be.' When she was just 2-years old and living in Central Islip, she lost her left forearm in an accident with a passing train — a life-altering event that Piscatella made the most of. 5 Piscatella celebrating her 112th birthday at the Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse in Amityville. Sisters of St. Dominic Advertisement 5 An old family photo on the desk in Piscatella's room. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 'I was the second oldest of seven children. My mother wouldn't let them help me because 'you're not always going to have your sisters, so you better just shape up and do things for yourself,'' she said. 'That's what I did. Nobody really ever had to help with anything,' the centenarian added. A blessed life Advertisement Growing up in a large family of Italian immigrants, the calling to Catholicism came from the love she saw her family extend to the family and community. Her father, a foreman with the Long Island Railroad, brought daily sandwiches his wife made for a worker who showed up routinely empty-handed at lunch, and her mother was known to frequently cook 'a big Italian meal' for the nuns in town. Growing up in that environment, it became an easy call for Piscatella to join the order right out of high school, she said. 'It was normal for me to help people, and I liked helping them,' the super senior said. However, finding a convent that would accept her with only one arm in 1931 proved challenging, and Piscatella had to physically show that her disability would not be a hindrance to service. She only found her way into the Dominicans thanks to another nun seeking a change of scenery and leaving a teaching position in the void. 5 Piscatella with her close friend Sister Francis Daniel Kammer. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 'The priest said, 'Well, can she teach?' And the sister said, 'Oh, she's a great teacher,' said Sister Francis Kammer, Piscatella's close friend, former student and roommate for 45 years. Advertisement 'And he said, 'Then she stays.' And she never looked back.' Piscatella taught from her heart on all sorts of subjects, from math to history and arithmetic, while working in administrative roles since that fateful day at age 17 — until she was 84. 'Well, I don't want to brag, but I was a pretty good student in everything. I was a good teacher because I was teaching myself too. I was knocking it into my own head,' said Piscatella, who spent much of her tenure at Dominican Commercial High School in Queens and Molloy College in Rockville Center, along with several New York City schools. 5 Piscatella told The Post her advice to people looking to live a long life is to 'teach until you die.' Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Advertisement Nowadays, Piscatella enjoys deep prayer and connection with God while setting an example that's being adored by the Catholic community on Long Island — many of whom she celebrated turning 112 with. 'She accepts the will of God. Her whole life, I never heard her complain about anything,' Kammer said. 'She had a brain bleed 11 years ago, and they thought she was never going to walk again and never going to talk again. She accepted it, and here she is walking and talking.' Advertisement Piscatella — said she is happy she 'can still think' at her advanced age. 'I could still teach, or at least I think so,' Piscatella said.
