Latest news with #Sandi
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Surely Cambridge can do better than Gina Miller?
The opportunity not to vote for Sandi Toksvig should never be lightly passed over, so I shall be casting a ballot in the elections for the chancellor of Cambridge. Excitingly, you can do so online, though I'd prefer to be obliged to turn up in person. Browsing through the manifestos is a dispiriting experience. It's not just Sandi whose mission is to further diversity and inclusion; everyone is determined to engage in outreach and brag about being at a state school. But the former host of the News Quiz also makes quite a thing about being a woman: 'The first known chancellor of Cambridge was Richard of Wetheringsett who served sometime between 1215 and 1232. After that we have had a plethora of other Richards, many Johns and an awful lot of Stephens. After over 800 years I wonder if it isn't time for a change?' No, Sandi. Not if it means having a really annoying broadcaster representing the university. Another candidate not to vote for is Gina Miller. She'll go down well in some bits of Cambridge on account of Brexit, but the notion of having someone at the helm who says 'I have spent my life speaking truth to power' is not inviting. I mean, one previous chancellor who really did speak truth to power was Bishop John Fisher and he had his head chopped off. His successor, Thomas Cromwell, was a good fundraiser (another big issue), though unfortunately at other people's expense; he too was quite a name to reckon with. But that's the thing. The list is gloomily unimpressive, from the bloke who wants to 'champion inclusive excellence' (which is either meaningless or contradictory) to the one who declares that 'the university's powerful brand enables it to generate significant income, which ought to be reinvested into its core mission'. Brand? Mission? It's a university, not a business; at least, not wholly, not yet. Or there's the candidate who wants 'flourishment'. Is flourishment a thing? What, exactly, is it? Or how about the one who declares: 'Cambridge is more than a university – it is a living idea. It speaks through the rustle of books in dawn-lit libraries, in the quiet authority of our porters, the resilience of our cleaners and caterers, the curiosity of our students'. Dawn-lit libraries? No undergraduate I know has ever seen a library at dawn. The 'quiet authority' of the porters is funny, and I remember when half had been in the military. Lord (John) Browne, ex-BP, tells us about being a closet homosexual. Do we really need to know? If this selection is indicative of the quality of our public life, let alone our academic life, we have a problem. Hardly anyone on the list is an individual of real substance. I remember when the chancellor was Prince Philip (he was very good at it) and the vice-chancellor was a formidable scientist, Rosemary Murray (who would have been a brilliant chancellor herself). That was more like it. By comparison with past chancellors, from Prince Albert to Stanley Baldwin, our lot are dire. In fact, the Cambridge chancellorship is quite a good way of estimating the kind of establishment we have, and it looks to me like a collection of unfascinating technocrats or media showoffs. It looks then like I shall have to vote for Chris Smith, who pushed it a bit when he said that as Culture Secretary he made all the national galleries and museums free (quite a few were free already) but at least he cared about culture and can write English. But it's a single transferable vote system…Lord knows whom I should pick for the rest of the selection. At least I know whom I'm not voting for; that's a start. Looking at the competition, I have to ask stopped me throwing my hat in the ring? 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.
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Scots singer sneakily put her CD through top DJ's letterbox in a bid to become a star
'I remember getting hold of his address and going to deliver a CD to his letterbox at like midnight at his home in central London where he lived at the time' PUNK SHOCKER Scots singer sneakily put her CD through top DJ's letterbox in a bid to become a star SINGER Sandi Thom has revealed how her incredible ride to the top of the charts all started 20 years ago when she took a clandestine drive to the home of broadcasting legend Johnnie Walker. The musician from Banff, Aberdeenshire, had just independently pressed her first single I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers in my Hair) when she made the cheeky decision to pop a copy through Johnnie's letterbox. 6 Sandi Thom as she is now and the single that started it all. 6 Sir Sean Connery was a fan of the Scots singer. 6 Sandi graduated from Sir Paul McCartney's Liverpool music school and went on to play the same stage as Queen's Brian May. 6 The Scot landed her big break after popping her indy single through the letterbox of DJ Johnnie Walker. The next day the late DJ played her track for the first time to his millions of listeners on his Radio 2 Drivetime show - which eventually led to it topping charts in the UK and around the world. Sandi - who is on the comeback trail - says: 'Johnnie was the first person to play that song on air. 'I remember getting hold of his address and going to deliver a CD to his letterbox at like midnight at his home in central London where he lived at the time. 'You had to physically deliver CDs at the time because in 2005 you couldn't just send them as an audio file. 'I put the CD through his letterbox and drove home and the next morning he listened to it, loved it, then played it on his show. That was the start of everything for me.' That breakthrough hit took Sandi on an incredible journey that saw her support George Michael and play on the same stage as Queen's Brian May. While she also performed in front of Sir Sean Connery and future President Donald Trump at a star-studded bash in New York. She even duetted with the late SNP chief Alex Salmond in Aberdeenshire. But Sandi maintains that she was no 'overnight success' and it had actually taken her 10 years of 'hard graft' to achieve her dream. Sandie, 43, explains: 'I have been performing since I was 14, so that's nearly 30 years ago. Paul McCartney wows the crowds in Manchester with stonking three-hour set - and Beatle John Lennon makes an appearance too 'I'd play in local pubs in the northeast of Scotland - that's where I cut my teeth performing. 'I had already been performing for about 10 years when I popped that CD through Johnnie's letterbox.' Sandi trained at Sir Paul McCartney's prestigious Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts where the former Beatle personally gave her tips on launching her career. But the canny Scot also seized the opportunities presented by the new world of streaming, when she began broadcasting 'concerts' from her flat in Tooting, London on the now defunct platform MySpace. She recalls: 'I was part of that initial digital revolution as nobody had ever heard of streaming anything live at the time.' The success of those shows led to her landing a major recording deal with music giants RCA who then formerly released I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers in my Hair) which went to No1 in the UK, Ireland and Australia in May 2006. She followed that up with her chart topping debut album Smile…It Confuses People and soon found herself living the rock star life she had always dreamed of. Sandi says: 'I always knew since I was little that this was what I wanted to do. 'I made so many amazing records with people all over the world including in Nashville, Los Angles, New York and London. 'I lived in Malibu and stood on the same stage as George Michael as I was his support act and opened up for him in stadiums all across Scandinavia playing to 80,000 people a night. It was amazing. 'I also shared a stage with Brian May at the Royal Albert Hall. I've done some really fantastic things.' In 2007 Sandi took to the catwalk at the Dressed To Kilt fashion show as part of the Tartan Week Celebrations in New York. 6 Sandi even performed a bizarre duet with then First Minister Alex Salmond. She says: 'I was invited there by Vivienne Westwood to model a tartan outfit because she was renowned for that punk look that a lot of it incorporated tartan and I obviously sang about being a punk rocker. 'There were many people there and one of them was Donald Trump and also Sean Connery. 'I never have ever had a conversation with Trump, but I did have many conversations with Sean Connery. 'Not only just at that event, but also I once performed at the Library of Congress in Washington for Scottish delegates. 'Sean had such a great presence, as he's got such stature, height and everything, and his wife (Micheline Roquebrune) was like the cutest little thing ever.' In 2009 she performed an unusual duet with then First Minister Alex Salmond - who passed away suddenly last year aged 69 - when they sang Caledonia on stage in her hometown of Banff. Sandi, who was raised by helicopter pilot dad Sandy and marketing manager mum Josie, says: 'That was such a great informal evening. 'I performed duets with many people that night including my dad. But it's a great memory.' SANDI'S KID IS EVER PRESENT AT MUM'S GIGS SANDI has lived in such diverse places as Wales, Malibu and the Middle East since finding fame 20 years ago - but reveals she moved home to Scotland's northeast again. The singer who was born in Banff and raised in MacDuff, Aberdeenshire, has returned to her roots to raise her nine year old son Logan. And now that she's found contentment back in the family fold with her folks Sandy and Josie, she is ready to unleash a new musical direction for her fans. Sandi: 'I live really close to my mum and my dad lives a little bit further north. 'We're all very close and it's great for me because obviously I'm a singer, but I also have a nine year old son and dogs. So I need the support network. 'But Logan comes with me to many of my shows. He has been to loads of my gigs. 'He's the kid that'll sit on the drum riser at the back of the stage in front of a crowd of 15,000 people being as cool as a cucumber.' She adds: 'But I was in the studio yesterday and what I will say is that my next album is going to challenge me - in the respect that I might sing in a different language. 'So that's going to challenge me as a singer more than anything else.' However Sandi's pop star bubble burst in 2015 when she blasted Radio 2 - who had launched her career - for failing to play her new single Earthquake. The singer posted a Facebook video, ranting: 'Honest to God I'm f***ing sick to death of the bulls**t. Enough I'm done. F**k you Radio 2.' Sandi later blamed the outburst on being pregnant with her first and only child Logan, but she did turn her back on the music industry and move to Bahrain where she set up a sanctuary for stray dogs. But now she's back , relaunching herself on the music scene this time without the help of her radio pal Johnnie, who died on Hogmanay last year aged 79. She says: 'The music industry has held so many greats, not just artists, but also people like Johnny who are broadcasting legends. 'I think it was such a compliment that Johnnie gave me his blessing even if he did only get to hear about me from a CD through his letterbox.' *Sandi will play Banff Castle Rocks festival on August 30. For more info visit:
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Nashville children's hospital names NICU floor after couple following $5M donation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A $5 million donation from 'longtime friends' of Monroe Carrell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt will be committed to supporting the neonatal intensive care program, the Monday. The NICU unit at the Nashville children's hospital is reportedly among the largest in the nation, treating between 1,500 to 1,600 infants each year. Parkinson's disease clinical trial underway in Middle TN According to the hospital, the multi-million dollar gift, pledged by Scott and Sandi Borchetta, reportedly adds to the couple's ongoing support for the NICU program. 'Sandi and Scott's generous gift allows us to expand our premier neonatal intensive care unit's services to provide even more specialized care for our most vulnerable patients,' said Jeff Balser, President and CEO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Dean of the School of Medicine. 'Their gift supports crucial programming, neonatal equipment, space and staffing. We are grateful for their longstanding commitment to Monroe Carell.' According to a Monday morning press release, there are now 131 NICU beds on a recent four-floor expansion. A portion of those beds will reportedly be located on the hospital's new 14th floor, which will named the 'Scott & Sandi Borchetta Floor.' In March 2020, the Big Machine Neighborhood—a 23-bed NICU wing made possible by the Borchetta and Big Machine Label Group—opened on the 11th floor. | READ MORE | 'Children should never be sick, let alone not being ensured a safe entry into life in their golden hour' said Scott Borchetta, Founder, Chair & CEO of Big Machine Label Group. 'Sandi and I have taken great joy in the extraordinary success stories of the Big Machine Neighborhood, and we know the great team at Monroe Carrell will put every dollar toward saving more lives.' The hospital said the Scott & Sandi Borchetta Floor will include 'specialized NICU care and created a new model of care to create a Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD)/Complex Airway Center of Excellence.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Citizen
15-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Unashamed uplifts Burgershoop's homeless
A group of friends and caring volunteers, known as the Unashamed initiative, make it their mission to help out the needy where they can. • Also read: Unashamed initiative brings comfort to Krugersdorp's needy Sandi Botha said their most recent project was lending a helping hand to the homeless residents of the Burgershoop tent camp. 'We randomly chose a camp and went there for an outreach. We provided a meal, clothing and blankets, and now we started to also help the people who have light cuts and clean them and their wounds,' she explained. She continued to say this was their second time there to help the tent camp's residents, where they try to reach out to those in need once a month, but hopes to start doing it twice. We have seen a great need for this type of work. It has always been a passion of mine to feed and give to the needy. I have a strong belief in sharing my blessings with those in need. 'I talked to some of my friends and realised that they too share my passion, and it was at that point that we all decided to put our hearts and our passion into this drive,' she said. She added they usually do these outreaches in the Krugersdorp West and tent camp areas. 'It is an amazing feeling to see the utter appreciation in their faces; the smiles, and the thank you from them is never-ending. People are so quick to say that they will sell even the food we give them. This is not true. They devour it right in front of us, it is heartbreaking to see but yet it is also heartwarming. The care they have for each other, the way they share and give to each other, is an eye-opener,' she expressed. She mentioned that it is unfortunate that you get people who ruin things for others, and as such, a general perception is taken over by everybody. There are people in need and people who are suffering, these are the people that we want to help, these are the people that drive our passion, even if it is just to make a small difference in their lives for one day a month. 'Today you are full, healthy and have money … tomorrow you are left hungry, sick and without money … what then?' Sandi asked. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Business Insider
01-05-2025
- Health
- Business Insider
I quit my job 6 years ago to take care of my daughter. Now my side hustle brings up to $25,000 a month.
Francisco Montaño quit his job six years ago when his oldest daughter was sick. Last year, he started building video game modifications to connect with his kids. He now makes $15,000 a month or more selling the mods. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Francisco Montano, who creates game mods under the name Sandi. It has been edited for length and clarity. When my oldest daughter was about 12, she started having seizures. The doctors weren't sure what was causing them, and there was no way to predict when they could happen. I would start work for the day and have to leave suddenly to take care of her. It was too heavy to balance a job and a sick child, so I quit. That was about eight years ago. I worked in marketing and only made about $30,000 to $40,000 annually. It wasn't much, especially considering the high cost of living in San Diego. My wife worked in insurance and was able to support the family on just her income. Plus, we needed the great health insurance her job provided to treat our daughter's seizures. After I quit, I was able to better support my daughter, and she started experiencing fewer seizures. I knew it was the right decision to stop working. Even as she got better, I continued to stay home with my kids, who are 20, 14, 11, and 3 today. I started building mods for my daughter during naptime My kids love video games, especially my 11-year-old, Sophia. Playing games is a way for us to spend quality time together. Last year, I started to think it would be run to build a game modification (better known as a mod) to surprise Sophia. A mod allows you to change the experience of a game. I started reading textbooks and watching YouTube to learn how to build mods. I would work on them while my baby napped since I wasn't used to having an hour of free time. I loved creating something that Sophia enjoyed. Then, I started thinking, "If she likes it, other people might too." I can make up to $25,000 a month selling mods My background in marketing was useful. I posted free mods in the game we like to play, "Ark: Survival Ascended." If people liked them and interacted with them a lot, I would expand them. Eventually, that led to the creation of premium mods that people pay for. I never expected people to enjoy them as much as Sophia and I do, but I was wrong: people love them. My mods have had about 37 million downloads on CurseForge, the platform I use to sell them. I make a residual monthly income of $15,000 to $17,000. When I release a new mod, I make about $10,000 in additional income in the first month. It's so rewarding to make money while creating something my kids love It's unbelievable to me that in some months I'm making almost as much as I earned in a full year working a traditional job. Generally, I spend two to three hours building mods each night, usually after the kids are in bed. I don't work on the weekends since that's family time. When I first started making serious money, I bought my wife a new car. Other than that, I've been very responsible about saving. Most of the money is in a high-yield savings account. I want to grow this as a business, so I'm also contracting with professionals, including a film crew and designers. Of course, the money is really nice. But building mods also gives me something to keep my brain engaged. My youngest loves to watch Disney movies on repeat, and without a challenge for my mind, I can find myself singing the "Encanto" soundtrack on repeat. Now, I plan new mods during the day to occupy my mind and build them later at night. The best things the mods have given me are a way to connect with my kids, especially Sophia. She's about to be a teenager, and I know distance will come, so it's incredibly rewarding to create something for her.
