Latest news with #JM
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Reader wonders where Rochester's traditional baccalaureate went
Jun. 9—Dear Answer Man. Do the Rochesters schools still do baccalaureate? If not, when did the practice end and why? Growing up in Rochester, it was a tradition back in my day. The religious service was paired with graduation — I'm a 1977 Mayo High School grad — that took place mid-week prior to graduation ceremonies. The baccalaureate program back then was held at Mayo Civic Auditorium and all three high schools attended (Mayo, John Marshall and Lourdes — this was pre-Century, I think) took part. The students wore their graduation caps and gowns and even the high school bands played for the ceremony. — We All Need Prayer. Dear Prayer, First, the big joint baccalaureate service is a thing of the past. Not that no one does it. I reached out to both Rochester Public School and Rochester Catholic Schools on this one. Let's start with Lourdes High School Principal Mary Spring. Spring said, yes, Lourdes still holds a baccalaureate service each year, COVID notwithstanding. The Catholic high school makes a point to send its graduates away with a little help from the Lord. As for when Lourdes stopped pairing its service with the public high schools, Spring did not know for certain. However, Rochester School Board Vice Chair Julie Workman previously worked in the district as a teacher when these services were still offered. Here's what Workman recalls: * The baccalaureate included students from Lourdes, JM, Mayo and — once it was built — Century high schools, and was held in late May each year. Since Workman started teaching at JM in 1982, the joint — or all-city — ceremonies extended into the 1980s. * For JM and Mayo choirs and orchestras, the performance and attendance were part of their final grade. The musicians and singers rehearsed on the day of the baccalaureate, which meant those students missed a half day of school. * Rochester's faith community determined who the adult religious speaker would be for the service. Though, in the 1970s and early 1980s, it was strictly a Christian church service and the hymns and message reflected that. As Rochester became more diverse religiously — or just less religious in general — changes started to come. But other roadblocks popped up as well. For example, as the baccalaureate grew each year, there wasn't enough room for the 200-plus orchestra students. Rehearsals for students from different schools were hard since they all had to learn to perform together in one afternoon. All this happened at the end of May, a hectic time for students and staff. Later, a survey of music students showed many were either indifferent or opposed to participation. Some objected for religious reasons, though if they did, they were excused with a note from a parent, Workman said. Then, there was the fact public school funds were being used to support a religious service — bus transportation, purchase of music books. Though teachers were not compensated for the extra duty assignment. Workman said, as a teacher she stopped participating in 2002, and she believes the whole thing ended after 2004. The district finally agreed that music students couldn't be coerced into attending, with many only doing so because it was part of their grade. Workman said after the district bowed out, SEMYO and the Honors Choir (not district-affiliated) provided the music for a year or two, and the Area Council of Churches organized it. However, it was still difficult to get enough students from SEMYO and the Honors Choir to participate since a large number of them were RPS students. Eventually, Workman said, the people who tried to run it gave up, and it just faded away as part of RPS's graduation festivities, though, as noted above, RCS still holds a baccalaureate each year. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to play some Beetles songs to get "Pomp and Circumstance" to stop playing in my head. Send questions to Answer Man at answerman@ .
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
'That was normal behavior': Victim recalls being trafficked, then the aftermath of abuse
Editor's note: Readers should be warned that this article contains details of sexual abuse. The identity of JM, the woman featured in this article, is known to The Tribune-Democrat. She met with reporter Dave Sutor for an in-person interview at her place of work. She wished to be identified only as JM in order to maintain her privacy. JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – JM used to wear multiple layers of clothes – three pairs of pants, three shirts and sometimes even more – to protect herself. To protect herself from memories of sexual abuse, rape, being used in pornography and domestic violence. Human Trafficking logo To protect herself from the original scar of being trafficked to her mother's drug dealers, starting around age 4 or 5. To protect herself from having any of it happen again. These days, with a smile and a laugh, she tells folks, 'You'll be happy to know now I just dress to dress.' Her mother primarily used heroin. And when she needed money for drugs, 'that's where the trafficking came in.' 'At 4 years old, I was in my mom's bedroom – we lived in the projects – and I was straddled over the drug dealer and in a pair of underwear, 4 or 5 years old,' JM recalled during an interview with The Tribune-Democrat. 'I know that I was in kindergarten at the time, so around 5. It's hard to pinpoint those ages.' The trafficking lasted until she was about 7 or 8 years old. 'At that age, for me, that was normal behavior,' JM said. 'There were men in and out of my mom's life that touched me inappropriately. There was sexual assault all the time at that age. I was taught that that's a normal way of life. I'll be very honest with you, I did not realize that it was trafficking.' Her mother testified against a dealer in 'a really, really big drug case.' JM was removed from the household – where she had not been the only child who was abused – and placed in kinship foster care. 'What I now know as trafficking made me really view my mother differently, my biological mother differently, in two ways,' she explained. 'One, as a child that was victimized, I held a lot of anger for her. But then also now … I do recognize that even though it wasn't the best choice, she was surviving in the worst situation in the best way she knew how. 'But that doesn't negate or take away what happened to us as children. It changed my view on men. It changed my view on society. It changed my view on having my children grow up and be outside.' Before her mother, who had been abused as a child, died, JM talked to her about the human trafficking and 'when that conversation happened, that is when I set the boundary that she is no longer in my life.' 'Candidate for re-victimization' Eventually, the trafficking stopped. But JM was a self-described 'prime candidate for re-victimization' who was groomed and abused from age 8 or so until her 16th birthday by her now ex-brother-in-law, who she said eventually served time in jail. She recalls three subsequent rapes in her later teenage years. Then came a 'pretty volatile, pretty strong domestic violence relationship' with a husband who was 'extremely narcissistic and also suffered from substance-use disorder,' she said. 'I will tell you this, yes, was my first marriage rocky, but I own 50% of that,' she admitted. 'I was not perfect in that marriage. However, my trauma is not a reason for me to be physically or emotionally abused. … I will sit here and say, I was not perfect. 'I broke his nose once. My actions were very reactive to what was going on. So, like, if he choked me, I came swinging, because that was the only way I felt that I could defend myself or keep myself safe.' 'Trauma' as gateway drug JM developed substance abuse issues, too, with cocaine and Ecstasy being her drugs of choice. 'You know how people talk about gateway drugs,' JM said. 'They'll say marijuana is a gateway drug. I am proof that marijuana is not a gateway drug. I am proof that trauma is. My story shows you that. 'At 7 years old, I was introduced to drugs. You're taking medications. I was given half a Benadryl to calm myself down or my mom would give me a quarter of a Xanax to make sure that I was appropriate for visitors.' In high school, JM was a 'nuisance to society' whose 'behaviors became intense.' Along with the drug use, she shoplifted, fought and acted out sexually. 'I had every red checkmark, every red flag that's there,' JM said. Throughout her life, she was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. 'Get my story out' JM finally reached a point, in her mid-30s, after living through 'abuse after abuse after abuse,' when she asked herself: 'At what point does someone love me for me? At what point do I love myself, more importantly?' So she made major changes to her life. JM is now sober and married in 'a healthy relationship for me' with 'amazing children.' She credits counseling and support from Victim Services Inc., which offers trauma-informed, client-centered assistance, for improving her life. She also benefited from practicing trauma yoga and reading 'The Courage to Heal,' a guide for survivors of childhood sexual abuse written by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis. JM also uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which helps people deal with disturbing life experiences. It 'really, really, really helps me' and 'blows talk therapy out of the water for me,' she said. In her current job, JM helps other survivors of abuse. For years, she has told her story to organizations and at events. But she has not come out publicly about the human trafficking experiences. 'I need to get my story out there because, for me, that's showing every other survivor or somebody experiencing a current victimization that they're not alone,' JM said. 'All of our stories are unique in different ways, but we're all together through that. 'For me, it was the empowerment factor of it, getting my story out there. But, most importantly, telling my story allows me to heal. It allows me to take a step back and be like, 'You know what, I'm a survivor.' '
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
We tried Singapore's best-rated Ipoh hor fun
My childhood was defined by a few routines, one of them being family dinners at the OldTown White Coffee 3 bus stops from our home every other weekend. The only thing I'd order is their Ipoh hor fun, in all its fragrant chicken, silky noodle glory. However, this review isn't about OldTown. As far as I know, not many stalls in Singapore sell Ipoh hor fun, let alone specialise in it. So imagine my surprise when I came across JM (Sisters) Noodle House Traditional Ipoh Hor Fun with a 4.9/5 rating and 192 reviews (at the time of writing) standing proudly below its name. No way lah… a near-perfect review? Shucksss, guess there was nothing I could do but go down and verify what is allegedly the 'most authentic bowl of Ipoh hor fun in SG' for you dear readers out there. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been on the North-East Line upwards from Little India, and this trip at 10am on a Wednesday puts another finger down. Located at The Promenade @ Pelikat in the Kovan-Hougang area, I was praying this bowl of Ipoh hor fun would make my journey as a Westie worth it. With only one dish — the soup variation of Ipoh Hor Fun — on the menu, you know it's legit. I opted for the Regular Set (S$9.30), which comes with a bowl of Ipoh Hor Fun regular (S$7.80) and a canned drink. Top up another S$1 for the large bowl to satiate your hor fun cravings. When my buzzer rang, I headed to the counter to retrieve my order from 1 of the 2 friendly sisters running the store. It came with a circular marbled tray supporting my bowl of piping hot noodle soup; how thoughtful of them! Enough yapping, I dived head-first into the broth. It was clean and fragrant with the classic chicken stock base that carried a slow-cooked sweetness, all without the support of MSG. It's nostalgic in the way your grandmother's chicken soup is when you stay home from school with a fever — simple yet deeply soothing. However, the layer of oil coating the top of the bowl started to get a little cloying towards the end of my meal. The noodles are where their 'best-rated' title stems from, in my opinion. These narrow flat rice noodles resembling kway teow are imported straight from Ipoh, staying true to the OG absurdly silky texture that glided down my throat with no effort at all. Each strand was soft but not mushy, posing as the perfect conduit for the broth's flavour. Ipoh Curry Mee 怡保咖喱面: Tasty curry CCF & Malaysian-style delights worth travelling to Yishun for Topping-wise, JM Noodle House doesn't go overboard, offering just the usual suspects. The main protein, a modest heap of shredded poached chicken, is tender and juicy, free from that dry, stringy texture you sometimes get with poorly handled breast meat. The shreds also soak up the broth beautifully, which serves to enhance that delicate chicken flavour further. There were also 3 mini de-shelled (thank goodness) prawns. They might look unassuming, but don't underestimate their prowess because they packed a surprising punch of umami while remaining sweet and springy. I had to ration them so that my perfect last bite had a prawn, too. Hais, if only they gave more! The fried shallots and chives that crowned the dish lent a subtle crispiness and vegetal note respectively, breaking up the richness of the bowl and finishing it off with perfect colour and balance. My only gripe about this meal was that the soup was a tad bit oily, but regardless, I scraped the bowl clean. #Beasted. Perhaps I'm just a sucker for the little things, but the fact that the sisters took the time to plate each order with a smile and greet each customer personally warmed my heart. I'm no Ipoh-rian, but this cosy 16-seater space and the back-and-forth conversations in Cantonese made me feel like I was visiting a relative's kitchen rather than a restaurant. The price is a little steep compared to your usual hawker stalls, and the eatery is quite a distance from my house. But would I visit again? Absolutely — for the nostalgia and sincerity that define Ipoh hor fun at its best. Expected damage: S$7.80 – S$10.30 per pax Order Delivery: Deliveroo Fatty Ipoh Noodles: Huge portions under $7 of crispy hor fun, moonlight hor fun & XO fried rice The post We tried Singapore's best-rated Ipoh hor fun appeared first on
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Farmer attempts to end life on SP's office premises in Dharmapuri
A 52-year-old farmer attempted to end his life inside the compound of Superintendent of Police's office in Dharmapuri, during the grievances redress day meeting on Wednesday. The attempt was made by Jayaraman of Rajathoppu village in Nallampalli, over his land deed that was pledged by his brother for loan. Jayaraman had handed over his land documents to his younger brother Selvaraj for a loan of ₹10 lakh. Selvaraj had pledged the document, and gave ₹3 lakh to Jayaraman and kept ₹7 lakh to himself. Further, he was delaying to retrieve the document despite Jayaraman's pleas. Jayaraman had approached Adhiyamankottai police seeking their help to retrieve the documents from Selvaraj. S.S. Maheshwaran, Superintendent of Police, Dharmapuri, told The Hindu Selvaraj had approached Adhiyamankottai police asking for his land documents to be retrieved. Police summoned Jayaraman's brother Selvaraj, who was then given time to return the two land documents. The first document was returned on May 2, 2025, while the second document was to be returned by Selvaraj on June 3, 2025. 'His own brother had pledged the document and was clearly unable to retrieve it. Yesterday was the second date given by the police. Today, he came to the office to petition us. The petition was handed over to us, and then he attempted to end his life.' Asked, why did the police not register an FIR on the complaint, said, 'it would be a civil suit in which police have no say. If we had filed an FIR, then Jayaraman would not have got his document. He only wanted the document to be returned and did not want any case to be filed against his brother. That was why a CSR was registered.' Jayaraman was admitted to Dharmapuri government medical college hospital with 60% burns. 'JM has taken his statement, and if the statement specifies Selvaraj as the reason for the abetment to suicide attempt, then we will file a criminal case,' Mr. Maheshwaran said. Mr. Maheshwaran also added that legal processes were time consuming and the public should be patient without giving way to emotions. (Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State's health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FTSE giant abandons bet on net zero jet fuel
British chemicals manufacturer Johnson Matthey (JM) has agreed to sell its net zero aviation fuel business for £1.8bn amid weak global demand and pressure from activist shareholders. On Thursday, the FTSE 250 company said it would sell its catalyst technologies division to American rival Honeywell, the sprawling industrial conglomerate. The offloaded division includes the company's interests in biofuels such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and bioethanol, as well as 'blue' hydrogen which is produced using natural gas. SAF has been touted by the aviation industry as the best way to reduce global carbon emissions from flying, but last year demand was just two thirds of what had been predicted. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has blamed lacklustre demand for SAF, which is more expensive than traditional jet fuel, on 'mixed signals' about its adoption coming from governments around the world. The sale comes as Liam Condon, the Johnson Matthey chief executive, faces pressure from the company's biggest backer, Standard Industries, to rapidly turn around the business. It follows accusations that he and the rest of the board have 'destroyed shareholder value' through poor investments. Demand for SAF has proved disappointing, according to airlines, with the IATA saying that just 1m tonnes was produced last year compared to forecasts of 1.5m tonnes. Mr Condon said: 'We will now fundamentally reshape Johnson Matthey into a more focused and leaner business.' He added: 'JM is a great company and we are confident that the actions we have announced today will deliver substantial and sustainable value to our shareholders.' Airlines claim they are keen to adopt the greener SAF but have been reluctant to pass the costs on to customers through air fares, instead arguing for governments to subsidise production to make the product cheaper. Johnson Matthey said the sale would deliver a large cash boost while leaving the main business more 'streamlined'. The company is holding on to its 'clean air' business, which primarily makes catalytic converters, as well as a platinum metals group division that is working on technologies related to 'green' hydrogen including electrolysers and fuel cells. Johnson Matthey's talks with Honeywell about a potential deal for its catalytic technologies division are understood to have taken place on and off since before Standard joined the shareholder register in 2022, though the deal will still be seen as a defensive measure. It came as the company reported an 11pc drop in sales and virtually flat profits, at £263m for the year to March 31. Johnson Matthey blamed 'challenging' global conditions, including cuts to production by car makers that use its catalytic converters. It also warned of a 'slowdown in the energy transition' which had hit demand for green hydrogen technologies. In the long-term, the company is betting that demand will continue for catalytic converters, primarily from larger vehicles that are difficult to decarbonise, even as governments encourage consumers to switch to electric cars. On Thursday, it said that the internal combustion engine's lifespan also looked longer than previously thought, due to slower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles and government policies that will continue to allow some hybrids to be sold. The company added: 'Over the past three years, we have seen a global slowdown in battery electric vehicle penetration and the regulatory environment has also supported internal combustion engine longevity.' Along with cars, the company said it also saw opportunities in the rapidly growing data centre market, as demand surges for back-up generators which also use catalytic converters, as well as direct air capture of carbon dioxide. Its platinum-based metals business, which refines key materials used in converters, is meanwhile hoping to tap into growing demand for metals recycling and future demand for hydrogen. The division also refines metals for the pharmaceutical, defence and agricultural industries. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Sign in to access your portfolio
