Latest news with #Flynn
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nick Offerman Burns Michael Flynn Jr. For Using 'Parks And Rec' Clip To Attack Pride Month
MAGA influencer Michael Flynn Jr. apparently thought the best way he could 'celebrate' the start of Pride month was by posting an anti-gay meme. But his trolling efforts failed because of his choice of meme ― a doctored clip from the beloved sitcom 'Parks and Recreation' showing character Ron Swanson tossing a Pride flag into a dumpster. That's because Nick Offerman, the actor who played Swanson, responded to Flynn with some truths about his character's relationship with gay people. It all started Sunday when Flynn — the son of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who briefly served as President Donald Trump's national security adviser during his first term — posted the 'Parks and Rec' clip. In the original scene from the Season 4 episode 'The Trial Of Leslie Knope,' Swanson throws a computer into the dumpster. Flynn Jr.'s version covered up the computer with a Pride flag, and he wrote: 'Good morning and Happy Sunday! No quotes today. Just wanted to post how I feel about 'pride' month.' Good morning and Happy Sunday!No quotes wanted to post how I feel about 'pride' month. — Michael Flynn Jr (@realmflynnJR) June 1, 2025 Because Swanson's character was written as a loving spoof of manly, taciturn guys, he became an unironic favorite character of conservatives during the show's seven-season run between 2009 and 2015. Offerman, the actor who played Swanson, is definitely more liberal than the gruff director of the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department. But he responded to Flynn's anti-Pride post by noting that Swanson had no problem with gay people ― and pointed out that 'Ron was best man at a gay wedding you dumb fuck.' Ron was best man at a gay wedding you dumb fuck. #HappyPridehttps:// — Nick Offerman (@Nick_Offerman) June 2, 2025 Offerman is referring to a scene in the show's series finale that shows some of the characters in the future, including Swanson standing up as best man at the wedding of his barber, Typhoon, to his husband, Craig. You can see a clip of that scene as well as other exchanges between Swanson and Typhoon here. Not surprisingly, many people had thoughts about Offerman attempting to set the record straight about his character's live-and-let-live philosophy while simultaneously burning Flynn. 😂😂😂😂😂 — Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) June 2, 2025 HELL YEA HAPPY PRIDE — Nerds | @valcommentator on tiktok (@NerdsCasts) June 2, 2025 You're such a king — Sycamore's Source (@sycamoressource) June 2, 2025 I mean out of all the actors they thought they'd use. — Michael Buckelew (@MichaelBuckelew) June 2, 2025 — Steven Spohn (Spawn) (@stevenspohn) June 2, 2025 Sorry about people lacking self awareness Nick.I pity the worms that are gonna eat their broken hearts. — Jee Thundershag 🛸🇨🇦 (@GeeNrk) June 2, 2025 I think it's funny that I hear more about Pride month from homophobes than from actual members of the LGBTQ community — Matt, self loathing specialist (@Matt2517) June 2, 2025 New England Patriots Prompt Right-Wing Freak-Out With Pride Post Indiana Lt. Gov. Is Terrified Of Pride Month: 'The Rainbow Beast Is Coming For Your Kids!' Elon Musk's Ex Cancels Pride Performance Due To Undisclosed 'Family Issues'
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Kildare just about see off Sligo's fightback
A windy afternoon in this roller coaster of an Irish summer led to yet another huge second-half turnaround this Tailteann Cup contest in Roscommon between Sligo and Kildare. In the end Sligo didn't quite complete their comeback from 15 points adrift against the Lily Whites, so it was Kildare who secured a home quarter-final in the competition and Sligo will instead have to play host to either Carlow, New York or Antrim next weekend in a preliminary quarter-final. For a Kildare side that is high on talent but equally afflicted with doubt and weak spots, this was a mixed bag of a performance. Concerns over their inability to score goals has been a feature all year long but the return of Daniel Flynn has certainly made a huge difference in that regard. The rampaging full-forward added 2-3 today to his 2-4 haul against Tipperary last time out, and even with Darragh Kirwan still absent, Brian Flanagan's attack looks a lot more potent with Flynn back in harness. Against that however must be considered their ongoing issues with two-pointers, as they only scored two in the first half, despite playing with a ferocious breeze that saw Cian Burke easily hit a couple of kickouts down to the Sligo 45m line. One of those was an Alex Beirne free for a 'breach', and that wasn't the first time Sligo were to pay heavily for that infringement. Late in the game when the 15 point lead was cut to two and Sligo had their opponents on the rack, another three-man-up breach allowed Beirne to kick a relieving point that stemmed the tide. Moreover, Flanagan will look at how Sligo took over at centre field for the final quarter, and how his side coughed up far too many chances. Wides from Alan McLoughlin and Lee Deignan were to prove crucial in the dying minutes, as was Cian Lally's refusal to pull the trigger from 45 metres out with time and space. Lally scored once in the game, a stunning goal that immediately lit a match under this contest. Daniel Flynn replied in kind, collecting a pass from Alex Beirne and scoring at the second attempt, after his first effort was parried by Aidan Devaney. Colm Dalton set up James McGrath for their second with Alex Beirne hammering the ball into the roof of the net for their third after 15 minutes. Crucially however, Kildare struggled to tack on enough points to really and truly put Sligo away. 3-11 to 1-7 at half-time was far from game over, though points from Callum Bolton and Flynn at the start of the second half added an extra few degrees of incline to the hill that Sligo had to climb, and when Flynn got on the end of a team move and finished to the Sligo net with his left ten minutes into the second half, the was soon to be pushed out to 15 points (4-15 to 1-9). When they sit down to reflect on the game, Sligo will regret that it took them so long to take meaningful bites out of that lead. With just 15 minutes remaining the gap was still 11, Sligo had yet to kick a two-pointer from play, and Kildare were picking off enough scores on the break to keep their Connacht opponents at bay. But in the modern game, no lead is safe, and three doubles in the space of five minutes, two from the boot of Pat Spillane, gave the crowd plenty to shout about in the closing stages. By then, Sligo had taken control at midfield where Cian Lally and Canice Mulligan were winning the kickout battle, and despite some touch-tight defending from Mark Dempsey, Niall Murphy seemed to be able to find the posts from all sorts of angles. With five minutes to play, Murphy lobbed up a shot and let the wind do the rest to reduce the gap to two points, 4-17 to 1-24. Kildare supporters might like to think that when the pressure was on, their side stepped up and did what was needed to see out the win. To those in attendance, it felt a lot more like Sligo had the chances, but they just didn't take them. In a Tailteann Cup where Kildare are the uneasy favourites, both of these counties have the talent to be contenders, but they have shortfalls they'll need to address too. Kildare: Cian Burke; Mark Dempsey, Brian Byrne, Harry O'Neill; Tommy Gill (0-02), David Hyland, James McGrath (1-00); Kevin Feely, Brendan Gibbons; Colm Dalton (0-03, 1tp), Alex Beirne (1-06, 1tpf, 0-01 45, 0-01 free), Ben McCormack; Ryan Sinkey (0-02), Daniel Flynn (2-03), Brian McLoughlin (0-01). Subs: Jimmy Hyland for McCormack (2), Niall Kelly (0-01) for Hyland (28), Callum Bolton (0-01) for Gibbins (half-time), Kevin Flynn for Bolton (49), Jack McKevitt for Gill (67). Sligo: Aidan Devaney; Paul McNamara, Eddie McGuinness, Evan Lyons; Brian Cox, Darragh Cummins, Jack Lavin; Alan Reilly, Patrick O'Connor (0-03); Cian Lally (1-00), David Quinn (0-02), Canice Mulligan (0-02, 1tp); Alan McLoughlin (0-02 frees), Shane Deignan, Niall Murphy (0-10, 1tpf, 0-02 frees). Subs: Luke Towey for McNamara (half-time), Ross Doherty for Lavin (43), Donal Conlon for Deignan (49), Pat Spillane (0-05, 2tp) for Reilly (49), Lee Deignan for Cummins (67) Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon).
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
No one more to blame for cost of living crisis than Nigel Farage
Flynn claimed that no one is more responsible for the cost-of-living crisis, which independent analysis has previously shown that Brexit was among the leading causes, than Farage. Flynn has called on Farage to apologies to Scots ahead of his visit to Scotland on Monday, claiming that the Reform leader is the cause of the cost-of-living crisis and not the solution. He said: 'People feel that the economy isn't working for them right now, and it's no wonder given the mess the UK is in – but nobody has contributed to that mess more than Nigel Farage. 'For decades, Farage was Brexit's biggest champion, and we all know it has made us poorer. All the data and research backs this up – and people across Scotland feel it every time they go to the shops or pay their bills.' Farage was an integral part of the campaign to leave the EU and claimed that the UK spent an alleged £350m on EU membership which would be freed up for the NHS. (Image: Newsquest) However, just hours after the Brexit vote in 2016, Farage backpedaled his claim, which had been repeatedly criticised as inaccurate by the UK Statistics Authority. Prominent economists have cited Brexit as one of the main reasons for soaring bills and rising food costs, with the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) stating in October last year that the UK's status outside the single market is costing the UK economy billions of pounds every year. Flynn added: 'Farage is the cause of the cost of living crisis, not the solution. He should have apologised to the people of Scotland long ago for the damage inflicted by Brexit – and he should take the opportunity to apologise when he makes his daytrip to Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse tomorrow. 'Compare Farage's record of decimating living standards to the SNP's record of delivery: cutting living costs through free prescriptions, restored Winter Fuel Payments, and scrapping Peak Rail Fares. 'Only the SNP are supporting people through the cost of living crisis and only the SNP are standing up to Farage and his brand of politics.' Analysis by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) published in January found that Brexit had 'permanently diminished trade efficiency in the UK by introducing customs checks, rules of origin requirements, and regulatory divergence from the EU.' It said: 'These barriers increase costs for both exporters and importers.' Ahead of Farage's visit to Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, the SNP's candidate for the by-election in the constituency, Katy Loudon, said people in the area already know the damage the Reform leader has caused to the UK. (Image: PA) She said: 'Nigel Farage has done more than most to harm Scotland's economy and send costs soaring for Scottish households. 'People across this constituency know the damage he has caused because they feel it everyday in higher prices, but the once architect of Brexit is now portraying himself as the answer to the challenges facing people across Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
San Francisco office towers sell in City's biggest deal since 2022
[SAN FRANCISCO] A pair of San Francisco towers was sold on Friday in the highest-priced deal for the city's battered office market in three years. The skyscrapers, known as Market Center, were acquired by restaurant franchise magnate Greg Flynn and investment firm DRA Advisors, who took over a distressed US$417 million mortgage at a discount. They paid about US$177 million, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be named discussing private figures. The transaction marks the second nine-figure office deal in San Francisco this year and the largest since 2022, according to brokerage CBRE Group. After being hit hard by vacancies following the pandemic, the city has started to see renewed interest from investors looking to score bargains and capitalise on the tech hub's artificial intelligence boom. Still, the sale represents a massive drop in value for Market Center, which Paramount Group and a partner purchased from Blackstone for US$722 million in 2019. Four years later, Paramount wrote its value down to zero, citing the 'tough leasing environment and upcoming debt maturities' in a 2024 earnings call. The company stopped making payments on the loan that summer and defaulted on the mortgage in January, according to its annual report. Flynn and DRA took the loan over in what's known as a deed in lieu of foreclosure. 'We are buying it at a price that allows us to invest heavily to take it from good to really great,' Flynn said in an interview. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up The two office towers, the 22-story 555 Market St and 40-story 575 Market St, were 44 per cent leased as of April. Flynn said he is planning an extensive build out to attract tenants, including an activity centre called 'The Breakroom.' The plans include a full-sized basketball court with a climbing wall on the first floor. On the second floor, he'll add a gym with changing room and studios for workout classes, along with multiple pickleball courts and a big golf suite. While many of San Francisco's recent office renovations, like the Transamerica Pyramid, focused on luxury amenities, Flynn wants to take the approach of making it the 'funnest and most activated building' in an appeal to tenants with younger workers. Tenants will also be given generous improvement allowances to customise their spaces, he said. 'San Francisco has never seen anything like this,' Flynn said. 'New York is way ahead of San Francisco in amenities.' Along with his restaurant franchise business, which operates more than 2,900 Pizza Huts, Panera Breads and other restaurants around the world, Flynn has expanded his real estate portfolio through his Flynn Group. He bought the 103-year-old Huntington Hotel in 2023 for about 70 per cent of its assessed value and last year purchased 631 Howard St, an office building in the tech-heavy South of Market area. While office vacancies remain near a record, San Francisco has seen a recent uptick in leasing activity in the amid demand from AI companies and tech giants recommitting to staying in San Francisco. CBRE forecasts that AI companies may take an additional 17 million to 21 million square feet of office space in San Francisco by 2030 – an expansion that would cut its office vacancy rate in half. BLOOMBERG
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Government urged to end to tax barriers of moving companies into employee ownership
IPSA has long argued the current tax structures represent an obstacle for business owners seeking to move their company to employee ownership through Employee Ownership Trusts (EOT). The group has called for Ireland to replicate the EOT model in the UK, where there has been significant uptake through a generous relief on Capital Gains Tax (CGT). The group recently met with officials at the Department of Finance and is calling for targeted reforms to reduce the 'tax obstacles' for EOTs in Budget 2026. It hopes reforms will incentivise succession planning through broader use of the trusts and, ultimately, protect jobs at companies that could otherwise be dismantled after a sale. Marie Flynn, chairperson of IPSA, said gaining political engagement on EOTs was a priority for the organisation. 'It is crucial for convincing the Government to follow the advice of the 2024 Indecon Review to reform the taxation of EOTs in Ireland so that business owners and employees can benefit from an economic model that has proven popular and successful in the UK, US, Australia and Canada.' Flynn said that when owners look to exit their business, sale options typically include trade buyers, private equity firms or the next generation in the family. A third-party sale usually attracts CGT of 33pc. However, with EOTs, there are question marks over whether selling shares to such a trust would just attract CGT. Due to what Flynn called 'unhelpful anti-avoidance legislation', the tax bill when someone sells to an EOT in Ireland could hit as high as 55pc. Flynn added that EOTs are considered 'discretionary trusts' and attract a tax that kicks in when the person who sold their shares to it dies. This means a 6pc tax charge is placed on the trust, with a 1pc levy applied yearly. IPSA wants the Government to remove these tax obstacles through a mix of Revenue guidance and an exemption from the discretionary trust tax regime for EOTs. IPSA calculates that this would result in no revenue loss from 'levelling the playing field.' IPSA's plan also includes the Government implementing a recommendation in the 2024 Indecon review to reform the taxation of Irish EOTs in line with their treatment in the UK. Business owners in the UK have relief from CGT on selling a controlling, or 100pc, stake to an EOT. ADVERTISEMENT Flynn said there was massive potential for EOTs in Ireland. She believed several hundred companies could become employee-owned over the next number of years should the Government support it. An EOT is a trust that enables a company to become owned by its employees. It can be set up by a company's existing owners as part of their exit or succession planning strategy. Founders starting a new business can also set one up if they wish to be employee-owned. IPSA argues that EOTs would benefit Ireland as their wider use would help secure workers' jobs and ensure a company remains in its community. It argues that sales to a competitor can often result in businesses being dismantled or relocated, with an accompanying loss of jobs.
