Latest news with #RichardThomas
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Jefferies hires Lazard's Thomas for activism defense, sources say
NEW YORK, June 4 (Reuters) - Jefferies (JEF.N), opens new tab has hired a veteran Lazard banker as global head of the firm's activism defense practice, people familiar with the situation said on Wednesday, as more corporations face pressure from activist investors. The New York-headquartered bank is bringing on Richard Thomas, a managing director who has served as co-head of Lazard's Equity Advisory practice, the people said. Thomas will replace Chris Young, who had been the head of activism at Jefferies and is leaving the bank, said the people who were not authorized to discuss personnel matters publicly. Thomas will report to Chris Roop, who is head of mergers and acquisitions for the Americas. Bloomberg first reported the news of Thomas' move. A Jefferies representative declined to comment. Thomas and Young did not respond to requests for comment. The move comes as many banks are paying more attention to defending their clients from the overtures of investors flexing their muscle and demanding a host of changes from selling the company to switching out the chief executive officer. While protecting companies against pushy investors was once a nice-to-have add-on service, it has become a lucrative business that major investment banks and many boutiques are scrambling to offer clients. In April, JPMorgan hired two managing directors to beef up its activism defense group and other banks are said to be looking to make new hires, bankers and lawyers said. Jefferies ranked 10th in Bloomberg's tally of Global Financial Advisers last year, trailing Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Bank of America, which claimed the top three spots in defending companies against activists last year. At the same time, Jefferies has been on a broader hiring spree, having most recently poached four senior tech bankers from Guggenheim Partners.
CTV News
24-05-2025
- CTV News
Author to honour 50th anniversary of Chi-Cheemaun
This marks the 50th season of the Chi-Cheemaun ferry bring passengers from the Bruce Peninsula to Manitoulin Island. Ian Campbell reports. This marks the 50th season of the Chi-Cheemaun ferry bring passengers from the Bruce Peninsula to Manitoulin Island. Ian Campbell reports. It's an iconic symbol of summer, the Chi-Cheemaun, and it's about to be memorialized in a book for all to see as it sets sail for its 50th year. Historian and author Richard Thomas has been busy working on the project, in coordination with the Owen Sound Transportation Company, and is looking for help from those who have memorable stories involving the Chi-Cheemaun. 'It's a great story and I ride Chi-Cheemaun probably about a dozen times every summer myself,' said Thomas. 'So it's a subject that's near and dear to my heart.' For decades now, Chi-Cheemaun (otherwise known as *Big Canoe*) has been making the trek to Manitoulin Island and back ferrying summer lovers across the Georgian Bay and cutting hours off car trips. 'Chi-Cheemaun really is an iconic symbol of Great Lakes travel. For many people, it's the biggest ship they'll ever be on in their lives and so it's a special trip,' he said. According to Thomas, the biggest issues with Chi-Cheemaun's predecessors was the line-ups. They couldn't keep up with demand which led to it's creation at a Collingwood shipyard. 'I've heard lots of great stories so far, people are very generous with reaching out. I'm up to three couples who were married on Chi-Cheemaun who have shared photos and stories with me so I'll be including some of those,' he said. 'There have been a number of people talking about the iconic nature of Chi-Cheemaun, they remember as little kids travelling on Chi-Cheemaun with grandma to go over to the cottage and now as adults they take their own children on board. It's a real generational story.' Thomas says he's hoping to gather information about special trips they've had on the ferry, whether it was the good or worst passage ever along with any other interesting tidbits. 'I've gotten up to the point where Chi-Cheemaun is being built and I've actually interviewed about a dozen men form the shipyards who worked on Chi-Cheemaun back in 73 and 74 and I've got some great stories about them and the one thing I'll say that came through loud and clear from the shipyard workers was the sense of pride that they all have that Chi-Cheemaun is still sailing,' he added. No word yet on when the ferry plans to launch for the summer season. To reach Richard Thomas or to contribute to his work, he can be reached at chicheemaun50@
The Independent
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Mea Culpa: Struggling to recall
When we moved from being a print newspaper to a digital one, we naturally had to let go of conventions that worked on paper but didn't translate to the new medium. Some that were kept are curious even to those in the newsroom. The pull-quote – a line reprinted in the body of its parent story, in larger font than the main text – is one such curiosity. I think it was an effective tool in print, where it could jump off the page and draw a reader into a story. It can't do this in a digital story, where it is hidden until a reader scrolls down the page to a point where they can see it. Not to mention they have already clicked on the story. But the pull-quote still has its advocates, who say it can break up a wall of text and draw attention to a line that might have been skimmed over. The latter argument was pushed to an extreme in a recent feature, where we placed a pull-quote directly above the same words in the body of the text. Thanks to Mick O'Hare, who did not skim over this shoddy placement. I spy: Poor Greenland is back in the news for its trouble with the US president. A headline for a news in brief item read: 'Denmark recalls US ambassador over Greenland spying report.' This suggests that Denmark was calling back its ambassador from Washington. Denmark was actually summoning Washington's ambassador to report to the foreign office in Copenhagen. We managed to get this right in the article. As Richard Thomas notes, only the US has the power to recall its diplomats. If it were to do so at this time, Denmark would have to wait. New direction: In a report on a murder trial involving a body buried under concrete we wrote: 'A forensics officer said he became suspicious after he noticed poured concrete that looked different and newer to other cement on the ground under the stairs [of the house]...' We've used 'different to' interchangeably with 'different from' for years – not without controversy – but 'newer to' wouldn't be correct even if we swapped in 'from'. In the US it would be acceptable to keep the pooled positional by writing 'different and newer than' but this would be unsightly to some readers in Britain. We could have gone with 'different to and newer than'. But there was a simpler way: to say 'it looked different and newer' and allow the context to tell the reader that we meant this was in relation to the other concrete. Thanks to Paul Edwards for flagging this one. Messing about in boats: Speaking of things that would be acceptable in the US, we once again used 'careened' in place of 'careered'. 'Careening' used to mean turning a boat on its side to clean it and, understandably, does not get used much in this sense. As has been said before in this column, 'careen' has been misused as 'career' enough that it is now widely accepted to mean 'moving swiftly and in an uncontrolled way'. But there are many who prefer 'careering'. We have repeatedly pledged to stick with the original to keep everyone happy. Roger Thetford held us to our word.
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 70s star from America's beloved TV family is unrecognizable on rare outing with husband... can you guess who?
Fans of The Waltons were in for a treat when one of the show's beloved stars made a rare public appearance in Los Angeles, stepping out with her husband for a casual day of shopping. The actress, now 59, played a member of the tight-knit Virginia family living through the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II. Nearly five decades after the iconic series first aired, she looked radiant and relaxed on her stroll, rocking a breezy black-and-white skirt, a sporty zip-up, and a floppy sun hat—worlds away from her character's life in the rural Appalachian Mountains. But it was her signature ginger-tinged hair that gave her away to longtime fans as she strolled arm-in-arm with her British-born husband, with whom she shares two children after more than two decades of marriage. After stepping away from Hollywood, the former child star traded scripts for textbooks, earning a degree in Social Sciences and later launching her own education consulting business. Can you guess the reclusive star? The actress, now 59, played a member of the tight-knit Virginia family living through the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II If you said Kami Cotler, you're right! The real-life Elizabeth Walton, who was just six when she landed her breakout role, still charms today—only now in a very different spotlight. Kami's much-loved family drama ran from 1971 to 1981 (with three subsequent movie spin-offs). At the heart of the series was eldest son John-Boy (Richard Thomas), an aspiring writer, along with his hardworking parents John Sr. (Ralph Waite) and Olivia (Michael Learned). The family also included strong-willed Mary Ellen (Judy Norton), fun-loving Jim-Bob (David W. Harper), and the youngest, Elizabeth (Kami Cotler). Beloved grandparents Zebulon 'Zeb' Walton (Will Geer) and Esther Walton (Ellen Corby) added wisdom and warmth, becoming fan favorites for their humor and heart. It remains famous for its much imitated 'Goodnight John Boy' closing sequence where each member of the family says goodnight to the others. The show was such an example for American family life at the time, that President George Bush once even said in a speech in 1992 that he wished to make families in the United States 'more like the Waltons and less like the Simpsons'. The program earned two Golden Globe Awards as well as an Emmy Award for outstanding drama series. Its lasting popularity brought the cast back together for six reunion TV movies, which aired between 1982 and 1997. And Long Beach native Kami wasn't the only performer in the family—her brother Jeff Cotler also ventured into acting during the 1970s and early 1980s. He appeared in several television series, including The Waltons, Mork & Mindy, Falcon Crest, and Galactica 1980. However, Jeff eventually stepped away from the entertainment industry, later working as a projectionist at Sundance Cinemas in San Francisco. As for the rest of the beloved cast, many have continued to thrive in new chapters of their careers. Thomas, who played John-Boy, went on to earn acclaim in adult roles with standout turns in The Americans, NCIS: New Orleans, and Ozark. Jon Walmsley (Jason) focused on music, releasing a blues-inspired solo album, Goin' to Clarksdale, in 2017. The program earned two Golden Globe Awards as well as an Emmy Award for outstanding drama series It remains famous for its much imitated 'Goodnight John Boy' closing sequence where each member of the family says goodnight to the others At the heart of the series was eldest son John-Boy (Richard Thomas), an aspiring writer, along with his hardworking parents John Sr. (Ralph Waite) and Olivia (Michael Learned) Judy Norton (Mary Ellen) embraced writing and directing, appearing in indie films like Inclusion Criteria and developing her own projects including the upcoming Shoot Like a Girl. Mary Elizabeth McDonough (Erin) became a successful author and women's health advocate—her novel Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane was even turned into a Hallmark movie in which she had a role. Eric Scott (Ben) now runs a courier business in Southern California, while David W. Harper (Jim-Bob) left acting and reportedly works as an art dealer in Los Angeles. Michael Learned (Olivia) returned to TV with recent roles in General Hospital and Netflix's Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. The show's patriarch, Ralph Waite (John Sr.), continued acting until his death in 2014, with memorable appearances on NCIS, Bones, and Days of Our Lives.
New York Times
06-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
I'm Wirecutter's Laundry Expert, and My Favorite Cleaning Cloth Is a Diaper
Before microfiber cloths became ubiquitous cleaning tools, humble household rags reigned supreme. Rags could be anything: old cotton undershirts, accidentally bleached towels, or a holey (and embarrassing) pair of tighty-whities. When I was growing up, my family's favored rags were plump, cotton cloths, which we used for everything from dusting furniture to polishing brass. These cloths also happened to be diapers — reusable cloth diapers, to be specific. When I asked my neat-freak father, Richard Thomas, why cloth diapers have been his rag of choice for 45 years, he answered enthusiastically: 'They're absorbent, they don't leave lint — they really cannot be beat!' Cloth diapers — Gerber Prefold Birdseye Cloth Diapers in particular — have also become my default household rags for the same reasons my father uses them: They clean up spills, they dust well, and the cotton weave leaves no fuzz. Due to their interlacing birdseye weave, my favorite cloth diapers are especially absorbent and terrific for cleaning. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Gerber Birdseye Prefold Cloth Diapers consist of three layers of 100% cotton. The interlacing birdseye weave makes the fabric especially absorbent, explained Karen Leonas, a professor of textile sciences at Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. Cotton is also biodegradable, a detail I appreciate when I'm cleaning with cloth diapers. I've found that these diapers are great for mopping up spills. This might sound pretty obvious, but they really do soak up large amounts of liquid. I've used cloth diapers to clean up many different kinds of vibrant spills, like coffee, tea, and red wine. One downside is that cloth diapers tend to hang onto these types of stains if they aren't laundered quickly. A cloth diaper will thoroughly absorb spilled coffee. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter I recommend washing cloth diapers in cold water, with Wirecutter's top-pick powder laundry detergent; the added kick of oxygen bleach helps manage odors and stains. You can use warm water for an extra stain-removing boost, but I've had good results using cold water. I swiped this frame with a cotton diaper, and it easily picked up dust. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter When it comes to dusting, the birdseye weave creates a durable cloth that produces very little lint. And for dusting, cloth diapers wipe away debris as well as single-use dust pads. But if you're like me and you'd prefer not to throw away something every time you dust, cloth diapers are a great alternative. Cloth diapers don't leave behind the streaks of fuzz you often get when wiping down a mirror with a paper towel. And this is ideal when you want a speckless shine. A cloth diaper leaves a mirror shiny and free of streaks and lint. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter They're also great for spot-cleaning carpets, upholstery, and clothing. The first line of defense for treating fresh liquid stains is to soak up as much of the fluid as you can. Despite being small enough for a baby's rear end, Gerber's cloth diapers can easily absorb a surprising volume of fluids before needing to be wrung out. In our testing, they easily held about 4 ounces of liquid. I used a cotton diaper to soak up as much spilled wine from this carpet as possible. The diaper absorbed a lot of the red wine stain, making it much easier to spot-clean. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Cloth diapers also come in handy in the laundry room. As Wirecutter's resident laundry expert, I've found time and time again that for fresh clothing stains, it's typically best to blot up the excess liquid before you pretreat and wash the item. I used a trusty cloth diaper to mop up excess berry juice from a pair of leggings before pretreating the stain. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter. And cloth diapers can quickly soak up pretty much any moisture or fluid from fabrics. They are ideal when you're handling fine or delicate materials that are not colorfast; quickly absorbing moisture from these garments can help prevent excess dye from bleeding. Cloth diapers will also do this without leaving lint on your favorite delicate vintage item. This large, tarnished silver tray had seen better days. With the help of a cloth diaper and some silver polish, the tarnish began to wipe away. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Cloth diapers are great for polishing fine metals that are easily scratched, such as silver, brass, and gold. The soft material is gentle on surfaces, and it handles metal polish well, so the tarnish can be effortlessly wiped away. (Be warned that for a particularly grimy item, you may need to use more than one cloth diaper.) Once the tarnish was completely gone, I used a fresh cloth diaper to buff the silver tray to a shine. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Cleaning with reusable cloth diapers might sound odd, but even Gerber suggests holding onto them for tasks other than diapering, including cleaning, dusting, and even washing your car. Wirecutter editor Signe Brewster first started using cloth diapers as burp cloths for her children, and now they've become her go-to cleaning rags. One downside is that cloth diapers need to be laundered fairly often. And, as with any rag, reusing cloth diapers without washing them could potentially allow nasty microbes to flourish — or, worse, you could accidentally spread them from surface to surface in your home. According to Sean Cormier, chair of textiles development and marketing at Fashion Institute of Technology, cotton fibers take longer to dry than the synthetic materials typically used in other cleaning cloths. This extra moisture creates an environment that can allow bacteria to flourish, especially if a cloth diaper is crumpled into a ball and thrown in a hamper. So be mindful of what you use the diapers for. I'd suggest reaching for something else to clean smelly food spills, bodily fluids, or other pungent substances that are prone to bacterial growth. (If you won't be washing your cloth diapers for a while, you can prevent odor and stretch the time between laundering by rinsing them in hot water with a little bit of dish soap and hanging them to air-dry.) Otherwise, clean away. My dad was right. These diapers really can't be beat. This article was edited by Ingrid Skjong and Megan Beauchamp. If you harbor a morbid curiosity about what exactly makes up the grayish, fluffy stuff that accumulates in your home, we've got you. Most microfiber cloths are essentially the same, but after weeks of testing, our cleaning writer liked Fixsmith Microfiber Cleaning Cloths best.
