Latest news with #Paley
Hamilton Spectator
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Honouring the Past, Celebrating the Present: Burlington's Heritage Week Returns Aug. 2–9
From August 2 to 9, 2025, Burlington will celebrate Heritage Week. The celebration brings together over 35 individuals and organizations who help create the week's itinerary of events. According to the City of Burlington's website, Heritage Week is 'a time to celebrate the many aspects of Burlington's various heritages.' Marsha Paley, chair of the Heritage Burlington Advisory Committee, said that the event has been celebrated since 1988, but has shifted from being a day to a month, and finally, a week. It was originally celebrated in February during Ontario's Heritage Month, but was moved to August for better weather to enjoy outdoor events. The week is meant to represent various types of heritage, including architectural, built, cultural, economic, natural, and social. Paley said that the week 'helps to preserve, promote and protect the City's unique history, culture and traditions, and fosters pride and understanding across cultures and generations.' The theme for Heritage Week this year is 'Living with Our Natural Heritage, Naturally,' which is woven through all scheduled events, Paley explained. This year's Heritage Week features eighteen events, some of which are new and some that have been brought back due to popular demand. 'One of them that's been quite popular is the trivia night,' Paley said. 'That's put on by the Burlington Historical Society. It was [originally] held at a pub, and we would have around 20 people coming out for it. When The Queen's Head changed leaseholders, an opportunity arose, and we contacted the Burlington Performing Arts Centre and asked if there was a room that we could use for trivia. They offered it up, and that 20 people grew to over 90 attendees.' Paley spoke about how the event has expanded since it began, despite shrinking from a month to a week. 'Right now, I believe we have more events, or just as many events, in one week as would be held in a month,' Paley said. 'So that's a lot of effort put out by the various organizations and our volunteers to support the celebrations. And we make all of the events at no cost, so a lot of these organizations put up [money] and recognize the value of celebrating heritage, so they support us in so many different ways.' Paley acknowledged the critical role of the Burlington Historical Society (BHS) in Heritage Week: the event committee relies on the BHS for all of the historical and archival information used throughout the week. The group also runs their own events for the celebration of heritage; BHS will host the Railway and Historic Houses Walking Tour at the Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) on August 2 and the Greenwood Cemetery Tour on August 4. The event is an opportunity to 'build bridges' for mutual respect, Paley noted, and is 'part of the acknowledgement and reconciliation process.' '[It's about] how we can recognize and honour the contributions of all who came before us, as well as the current individuals, groups, organizations, and businesses in the development of the community,' Paley said. The economic aspect is also recognized; Paley said that heritage is an important financial boon for the city. 'Heritage tourism provides a lot of dollars for communities,' Paley said. 'I think it's important to have a way of recognizing that our heritage offers so much for communities, and show that there's a reason why we need to protect and maintain it.' Heritage Week will commence with an opening ceremony on August 2 at the AGB, where various Burlington businesses and organizations will celebrate milestones and anniversaries and receive a certificate from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. The AGB itself is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and events held at the gallery will bookend the week. To find out more about Heritage Week, visit . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
27-07-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Burlington Heritage Week ushers in August with 20 events in 8 days
Burlington Heritage Week returns the first week of August with a schedule of 20 events and presentations during eight days. This year's celebration of local heritage begins and ends at the Art Gallery of Burlington, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary . It features the guiding theme 'Living with Our Natural Heritage, Naturally' and runs from Aug. 2 to 9. The week kicks off Saturday, Aug. 2 at 10 a.m., with an opening ceremony at the art gallery ( 1333 Lakeshore Rd. ). Local organizations and businesses marking significant milestones will be recognized. Three heritage displays will be available for public viewing at Burlington City Hall ( 426 Brant St. ). As the busy week approaches, Heritage Burlington advisory committee and Heritage Week subcommittee chair Marsha Paley thinks about the effort put in by at least 35 individuals and groups that came together to organize the weeklong celebration. 'I never fail to be thrilled with all the groups that come together for heritage week, are willing to do an event or activity or try something new,' Paley said, in a telephone interview. 'I'm so impressed by all the organizations that want to celebrate heritage.' In addition to the city's heritage advisory committee, Burlington Historical Society, Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington Public Library, Museums of Burlington, Burlington Halton Black History Awareness Society, Beach Canal Lighthouse Group and Kilbride History Group are among the groups that organized events. Paley said support for, and participation in, the annual Heritage Week continues to grow — and the driving force is building new connections between people. 'How can we get more people out and interested in the heritage of Burlington?' Paley asked. 'It's all around us. I think there are wonderful opportunities for heritage tourism.' Paley said Burlington began celebrating a Heritage Day in 1988. 'At some point, it moved to be a month of activities in February until 2020,' she said. 'In 2021 it changed to be a week of events in August. There appears to be more events in a week as was previously done in a month.' For the full Burlington Heritage Week schedule, including more information on all events, visit the City Burlington's Heritage Week website . All events are free, but some may require registration in advance. Check the website for details. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Axios
25-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Venture capitalist Eric Paley accepts Mass. econ post
Eric Paley is moving on from venture capital, 16 years after helping to launch seed-stage firm Founder Collective and backing from such companies as Uber, Trade Desk, Cruise, Airtable, and Whoop. Driving the news: He's agreed to become the next Massachusetts secretary of economic development, with the switch effective after Labor Day. What they're saying: Paley tells Axios that the first outreach was from Yvonne Hao (ex-PillPack, Cove Hill Partners), shortly after she announced plans to step down from the post. "She said she was going to put me at the top of a short list requested by Governor [Maura] Healey, but that I could tell them no," he recalls. "My reply was that I could tell her no now and tell them no later. I felt I had the perfect career set-up." "But then I truly couldn't sleep that night, thinking about making a bigger societal impact and how this was an opportunity for me to serve within the constraints of what I'm good at and in a community I care deeply about." By the next morning, he wanted in and began doing research.
Boston Globe
24-06-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Healey taps venture capitalist Eric Paley to lead economic development
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's just a huge catch,' said Diane Hessan, an entrepreneur who has known Paley for years. 'It shows how serious we are about economic development in Massachusetts. [Paley] is highly respected, he's razor sharp, and he has a great nose for ideas that really have the potential to be transformational.' Advertisement Hao came to know Paley when she helped lead Somerville startup PillPack, which counted Founder Collective among its investors. (Amazon acquire PillPack in 2018.) After she announced she was leaving the Healey administration, Hao reached out to Paley and suggested he apply for the job. He was reluctant at first, but then decided to reconsider. Advertisement Paley said he had a tough time sleeping the night after being pitched for the job. Paley said he realized much of his professional success is due to the state's unique innovation ecosystem. 'I owe a lot to this state and to the people and the capabilities and the talents and the resources,' said Paley, who lives in Lexington with his family. 'At some point, you want to find a way to give back.' Former economic development secretary Yvonne Hao (right) alongside Ashley Stolba, the state's current interim economic development secretary. LEISE JONES While studying at Harvard Business School in the early 2000s, Paley began working with Micah Rosenbloom and David Frankel to launch Brontes Technologies, a Lexington company that specialized in 3D dental imaging with technology spun out from MIT. (Manufacturing conglomerate 3M acquired Brontes for $95 million in 2006.) Paley was the CEO, HBS classmate Rosenbloom was chief operating officer, and Frankel was an early investor. Paley, Rosenbloom and Frankel teamed up again to launch Founder Collective in 2009 to focus on early stage, or seed, funding for promising technology startups. In addition to PillPack, the firm was also an early investor in Uber, Omada Health, Cruise Automation, Whoop, and Formlabs, among other startups. Paley also launched an annual innovation conference, called Collective Future. As he enters state government, Paley will relinquish any control over the firm's investment decisions, but retain his existing equity in the firm's funds. 'I don't know if I would get another opportunity to do something like this,' Paley said. 'They don't come up very often.' Hao said Paley was the first person she contacted about the economic development secretary job. 'He understands startups and founders and the innovation economy,' Hao said. 'He [also] cares deeply about Massachusetts. ... He's always been generous about trying to do more for the broader ecosystem.' Advertisement David Shapiro, chief executive of the YMCA of Greater Boston, had recruited Paley to join the Y's board. Now, Paley will have to step down from that role as well. 'This guy is brilliant as a strategist and a connector,' Shapiro said of Paley. 'Ultimately, I want the commonwealth to be an economically dynamic and vital place. I'm excited that this guy will be in that role.' As economic development secretary, Paley will directly oversee a staff of 700 people and will chair the boards of quasi-public agencies such as the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency (aka MassDevelopment) and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (aka MassTech). Paley's staff is starting to implement elements of last year's Hao's top lieutenant Ashley Stolba has been running the department on an interim basis, and the Healey administration expects her to stay in a senior leadership role. Paley isn't a complete stranger to state policy debates: He's been active in pushes to end or reform noncompete agreements, for example, and to try reining in bad-faith patent litigation. 'He's been at the forefront of our future economy,' said Katie Rae, chief executive of the Engine Ventures VC firm in Cambridge. 'If there's a problem to be solved, he's definitely a thinker people go to and somebody who will lend a hand.' Jon Chesto can be reached at
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The $200,000 height-enhancing surgery from 'Materialists' is real — and more common than you might think
In Celine Song's new romantic drama, Materialists, Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is perpetually on the hunt for a tall man. Not for herself, however — Lucy is a matchmaker, and her clients have height requirements they refuse to budge on. It's why, early in the film, Lucy says she understands why some men choose to go through with a $200,000 surgery that gives them up to 6 more inches of height: It adds to their value on the dating scene. Without spoiling too much, this surgery comes up for a second time in the film — a twist that reframes what it means to be a catch in today's dating market. But this height surgery isn't just a plot point. It's a real way some people are coping with body image issues around their stature. Dr. Dror Paley, founder of the Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute's Stature Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., told Yahoo that he's done more than 25,000 limb lengthening surgeries over the course of his 38-year career. Most of these are done in order to correct imbalances in the body — if one leg is shorter than the other, for example. But on average, he said, he performs about 100 surgeries per year on patients who are just hoping to inch up in height. Paley explained that limb lengthening involves gradually pulling apart a broken bone (the tibia or the femur) so that new bone grows in the gap. Traditionally, this was done using external metal frames, but now, it's typical to use implantable devices with motors or magnets that go inside the bone and are controlled remotely and adjusted slowly over weeks. With each adjustment, the devices extend the bone — no more than 1 millimeter per day — and the body naturally generates new bone and soft tissue to fill in the space. Recovery is about five months long, Paley said, and physical therapy is required in order to get back functionality. Depending on the device used, some people may need a walker or crutches to move around initially. As an orthopedic surgeon, Paley corrects 'pain and disability,' not aesthetics, which is why he was initially concerned about being judged by others in his industry for the procedure. 'It's very odd for us to treat patients for cosmetic reasons,' Paley said. 'It took a long time to figure out what the plastic surgeons knew all along: that they were treating body image issues.' The price tag on such a procedure can vary but starts at around $80,000 to lengthen just the tibia, which can give a patient around 3 more inches of height, Paley said. But if a patient wants more height by lengthening the femur as well, that effectively doubles the cost of the surgery. With physical therapy and other recovery costs, Paley said that the $200,000 price quoted in Materialists is more or less accurate. But for many patients, that cost is more than worth it. Paley recalled one patient, a young man fresh out of law school who could barely look him in the eye during their initial appointment. Paley performed the limb lengthening surgery on him, adding 3 inches to his tibia. A decade later, Paley said the patient came back to thank him with a firm handshake. He told the doctor that due to the surgery, he found the confidence to pursue a career in TV writing — something that he said he never would have done had he not had the surgery. 'We're looking to change how patients feel about themselves,' Paley said of the surgery. 'It changes their life.' Alyson Curtis, a New York City-based mental health counselor specializing in body image issues, told Yahoo that she believes many straight men are 'suffering in silence' with body image issues, and that height tends to be a major insecurity for men on the shorter side. 'As a therapist, I fully validate that 'pretty privilege' is real, like no matter who you are,' she said. 'Our clients are swiping on the dating apps, and height is one of those metrics where you might not even be considered if you don't meet a certain requirement. And I think that the movie really accurately portrayed that.' Ultimately, Curtis explained, the society we live in is 'obviously patriarchal' and 'made by men.' 'Their definition of masculinity is to be big and powerful still, and height represents that,' she said, noting that at the same time, many men expect and desire women to be 'very small,' leading to women experiencing body image issues around thinness. (In Materialists, a client tells Lucy that he doesn't want any 'fatties,' while another insists on dating a woman with a BMI no greater than 20.) 'We do live in a world that prefers people in a certain body type, or a taller height, or whatever,' she said. While Curtis said she always validates her clients for feeling bad about the ways in which society judges us, she noted that these standards don't have to define who we are. 'It can be very tormenting to sort of always feel inferior. But is it enough to hate yourself for the rest of your life? Is it enough to undergo a really intense surgery that not everyone has the means to do anyway?' Instead, Curtis said, her work with patients comes from a place of finding acceptance in the things you can't or don't want to change. 'There are people in this world who want to change things about you, who are going to judge you — whether it's a personality attribute or even other features like the color of our skin,' she shared. 'There's so many things about us that people are going to reject that we just can't please everyone.'
