Latest news with #Valentine
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Influencer Who Dished Out $33K on 250 Tattoos Reveals How the Transformation Impacts Her Daily Life (Exclusive)
A content creator details her five-year journey to achieving her tattoo "body suit"NEED TO KNOW An Australian woman has gone viral on social media for showing her 250 tattoos, which cover nearly her entire body, from her chest to her feet (and yes, her butt) Over five years, she's spent around $32,600 on her themed ink, which she reveals are done over multiple seven-hour tattooing sessions Speaking about her transformation, she reveals how her appearance has impacted her confidence and everyday interactionsThis woman's love for tattoos is permanent. Melbourne, Australia-based content creator Blue Valentine has garnered a following online for sharing her tattoo journey, which, today, includes around 250 works of art that've cost her $50,000 AUD (which is approximately $33,000 USD). "I always knew I wanted tattoos," says the 28-year-old, who describes herself as "an all-or-nothing kind of person." Still, when she decided to get her first tattoo five years ago, she approached the process slowly and steadily. "I was initially scared I wouldn't be able to handle the pain, as I don't like regular needles or taking blood. I did a small traditional tattoo flower on my ribs, so if I tapped out, I wouldn't have to look at it too much." But that wasn't the case. Despite the "horrible" pain that occurred during that very first session, she wasn't deterred. "As I left the studio, I got over it and booked in my first sleeve about a week later." There's more than what meets the eye with what Valentine calls her "body suit" (because the majority of her lower half — including her chest, stomach and butt — are, in fact, covered in tats). Each sleeve and collage are designed in different themes: Diner, Military, Sailor, Circus, Garage, Western and Vintage. The one thing they have in common? Illustrations inspired by 1950s pin-up culture, which also influences how Valentine dresses day to day. "I knew I wanted to do themes straight away. I like the organization of it. I picked my top themes, assessed which ones had the most images I wanted and they got the larger portions of my body," she explains. "My favorite tattoo is my throat tattoo. [It reads] 'Not your Valentine', Valentine being my last name. I think it's a bold statement and is a strong representation of my personality. My others would be the ones I have representing my family, such as images of my parents [she revealed in a TikTok tattoo tour that she has an depiction of them as "conjoined twins" as a part of her circus-themed sleeve], brother, grandparents and dogs. 'All Bark, All Bite' across my chest is also another favorite of mine," she says. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. While Valentine's tattoo count may be mind-boggling, she puts thought into every single one she gets. First, she sketches her concepts on an iPad, then gives her moodboard of sorts to her tattoo artists. She's worked with three Australian-based artists, Ben Tuckey, Ben Koopman and Allegra Maeva, over the years (but has never done a tattoo on herself). Then come the time-consuming — and pricey — tattoo shop visits. "I would book six to seven-hour full-day sessions and go either weekly or bi-weekly until we completed whatever sleeve or themed section we were on. I'd then take a month break or so to draw up the next sleeve if I didn't already have it ready. Usually in a full day you could get two big pieces or three medium pieces [completed]. There would also be full-day sessions just focused on filler pieces to close up any gaps, which were usually just free-handed by the artist." She says she's dished out around $800 AUD or $522 USD per session. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Valentine's transformation has cost her much more than money. She tells PEOPLE that her appearance sometimes receives negative responses from people she meets in real life. "Men definitely stare and ask inappropriate questions. I also work in a bar so there's not a night that goes by without some form of harassment and comments made towards me and my tattoos," says Valentine, who works in bar management. "I don't take anyone's opinion of it seriously, as my tattoos are everything I planned out and wanted. I'm very proud of what me and my artists have achieved, and I've become incredibly confident in my skin because of it." She also says she has a loving partner who supports her tattoo journey as she does hers. That means she really (yes, really) doesn't have any regrets about her ink. "I'm so glad I waited until I was 23 to start getting tattooed or, my god, I would have some shockers! Everything was planned and everything worked out the way I envisioned thanks to my artists," she says. The lingering question: Does she have any more room for a few more tattoos? "I only have the bottoms of my feet, face and ears free," she says, though getting her ears done is next on her to-do list. She does have one body part that's absolutely off limits: "I want to keep my face naked." Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- Health
- NZ Herald
Kāeo's decade-long boil-water notice raises health concerns
Valentine said the colour of the water had improved in recent years, but it was still no good for drinking. In July 2015, Northland's Medical Officer of Health issued a boil-water notice because of levels of E. coli bacteria found in the water. That notice had never been lifted. Kāeo Water supplies just under 30 customers – a mix of homes, businesses and public facilities such as the toilets and community hall – on State Highway 10, the town's main street. Rather than face the cost of constantly boiling water, the Valentines have rigged up a tank for catching rainwater and every day they use it to fill up bottles for drinking water. Valentine said she had organised public meetings and lobbied the council in the past, but little had changed. 'The water needs to be drinkable out of the tap, for the kids that go to the community hall, and the people coming through town. They don't know that it's not drinkable. The businesses in town, a lot of them have installed their own rainwater tanks because they just can't rely on the water.' Kāeo chef Anna Valentine says her children have never known what it's like to drink out of a tap. Photo / RNZ Until the year 2000 Kāeo's water supply was owned by the Far North District Council. The council sold it to Doubtless Bay Water, which quit in 2008, saying it was not economically viable. It was then taken on by Wai Care Environmental Consultants. Kāeo Water operator Bryce Aldridge said it was difficult keeping up with ever-changing drinking water standards, especially for a small scheme like Kāeo's. 'And the Government's not assisting with the upgrading that's needed to meet those standards, because of the size of plant that we are.' Aldridge said he had never put up the price of water, and only a small minority complained about the quality. 'It's actually only one client … I have spoken to the other clients, and this is their fear [if the system is upgraded]: the water price going up, and the battle of having to put fluoride in our water, so a boil water notice actually protects us there.' The Ministry of Health has recently ordered the Far North District Council to add fluoride to its Kerikeri and Kaitāia town water supplies, but a spokesperson told RNZ the ministry did not order fluoridation of privately-owned water supplies. Aldridge said the discolouration was caused by iron and manganese naturally present in the source water from the Waikara Stream. Removing iron and manganese completely was difficult and required multiple treatment stages. He said the next step for the water scheme would be to move the plant to a new location, and introduce UV treatment. He told RNZ he had secured a new location just last week, but that had yet to be confirmed. Kāeo's private water treatment plant, on School Gully Road, draws from the Waikara Stream. Photo / RNZ Aldridge said he welcomed media scrutiny because it had caught the attention of Taumata Arowai, the national water authority, and had bumped Kāeo's water supply up its priority list. Taumata Arowai head of operations Steve Taylor said even a small private drinking water supply such as Kāeo's had to meet the requirements of the Water Services Act 2021 and other rules. The authority had sent a letter outlining its expectations in March, but a meeting scheduled that month had been cancelled by the supplier. Expectations included boil-water notice communication with consumers, and providing a confirmed, funded plan for achieving compliance with legal requirements. Taylor said those expectations had not yet been met. The authority had set a new date of July 23 for meeting the supplier and inspecting the plant. Taylor said boil water notices were only meant to be a temporary solution, because over time people could forget and risked drinking contaminated water. The authority could take action if it believed a supplier was not responding adequately to concerns about unsafe drinking water or failed persistently to comply with legal requirements. That could include requiring the local authority, in this case the Far North District Council, to take over the supply. All Kāeo Water's customers are based on the Far North town's main street. Photo / RNZ Te Rūnanga o Whaingaroa pou arahi, or cultural manager, Raniera Kaio said the scheme had suffered from buck-passing between the council and the operator as to who was responsible. He believed the only way to fix it was by the council, the operator and iwi working together. 'My personal opinion, indeed my professional opinion, is that the operator lacks the resources to fix it. Lacks the resources to fix it alone. It has to be a collaborative solution.' Kaio said the water plant had been inundated in the 2007 floods and never fully recovered. The boil-water notice also had a financial effect on the rūnanga, which spent $300-$400 a month on bottled water for staff and manuhiri [visitors]. He said Kāeo's water woes were emblematic of the neglect suffered by many rural, Māori-majority towns. The effects went well beyond the cost and inconvenience of having to boil water or buy it by the bottle. 'It's about the dignity of Kāeo, the mana of Kāeo. And whānau in Kāeo have lived with daily anxiety around whether their water is safe to drink, that really affects not only your health, your hauora [wellbeing], but it sort of affects your own self-worth and your identity as being from Kāeo.' However, Kaio said he was buoyed by news that Taumata Arowai was about to meet the operator, and hopeful a solution could be found. Meanwhile, Anna Valentine just hoped one day soon her children would be able to drink water out of the tap. 'I mean, we live in New Zealand, but it feels like we're in a bit of a third world country up here in Kāeo, having to go out every day and fill our plastic bottles from a water container that we collect off the roof. It's just crazy, actually.' Kāeo's boil-water notice is not the longest-running one in the country. A 2024 Drinking Water Regulation Report stated 74 long-term 'consumer advisories' – which include boil-water notices – were in place at the end of last year, and 20 council supplies serving a total of 7000 people had advisories in place for three or more years. 'The persistence of long-term consumer advisories represents a significant regulatory and public health challenge,' the report stated.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Elon Musk unveils raunchy Grok companions, teases ‘Valentine' bot for X users
Elon Musk has again captured the tech world's attention by releasing a bold new set of AI 'companions' for his chatbot, Grok , including a suggestively styled 'Valentine' bot and an anime-inspired AI girlfriend . Musk's move marks a notable departure from the conservative approaches of rival AI giants and is igniting conversations across the internet about artificial intelligence, adult content, and the future of digital companionship. Grok goes risqué: From 'Ani' the anime girlfriend to 'Valentine' the AI boyfriend This week, users of Musk's Grok platform—developed by his company xAI—were introduced to two headline-grabbing personalities: Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category MBA Data Science Degree Cybersecurity Technology Digital Marketing CXO Design Thinking Leadership MCA Public Policy healthcare Product Management PGDM Data Analytics Finance Operations Management Project Management Healthcare Data Science Others Management others Artificial Intelligence Skills you'll gain: Financial Management Team Leadership & Collaboration Financial Reporting & Analysis Advocacy Strategies for Leadership Duration: 18 Months UMass Global Master of Business Administration (MBA) Starts on May 13, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Analytical Skills Financial Literacy Leadership and Management Skills Strategic Thinking Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Online MBA Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details 'Ani', a sexualized anime girlfriend, characterized by her sultry voice and provocative fashion—including a short black dress, fishnet tights, and lacy choker. Ani's often flirtatious and playful banter has drawn immediate attention, especially since she's currently available on all Grok accounts—even with 'kids mode' enabled. 'Valentine', an AI 'boyfriend' bot inspired by characters like Edward Cullen ( Twilight ) and Christian Grey ( Fifty Shades of Grey ). Musk confirmed that Valentine's name is a homage to Valentine Michael Smith from Robert Heinlein's 'Stranger in a Strange Land'—the very book that originated the concept of 'grokking.' The appearance of Valentine sparked remarks about his resemblance to a youthful Elon Musk and features a gothic aesthetic. Musk's decision to launch these characters isn't just a stunt—he has stated that users will eventually be able to design their own AI companions, ensuring that 'no two will be the same'. A first for big AI: Raunchy chatbots enter mainstream platforms While smaller companies have experimented with adult-focused AI bots, Musk's initiative is the first by a major tech player to launch overtly 'raunchy' AI companions. Character traits range from flirtatious and dreamy to 'Bad Rudi'—a red panda programmed to toss graphic insults (which can be toggled off for milder conversation). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search Ads Get Info Undo Grok 4, the engine powering these bots, is Musk's latest version and was announced July 9 as the 'world's most powerful AI model'. User customization is a leading feature, with Musk promising a variety of archetypes—from Mr. Darcy–inspired romantic leads to fully original, user-created avatars. Controversy and pushback: A fall toward kid-friendly AI Grok's adult-themed bots have not been without backlash. Critics flagged the inclusion of sexually suggestive AI in 'kids mode' and raised concerns about safety, particularly in light of challenges faced by other AI companionship platforms. Live Events In apparent response, Musk announced plans for 'Baby Grok,' a new, kid-friendly version of the AI app aimed at providing child-safe content and a safer user experience. There is no launch date yet, but the move is widely seen as an answer to mounting criticism as Grok's adult personalities spark heated debate.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Musk unveils new AI animated ‘companion' named Valentine
Elon Musk 's artificial intelligence company, xAI, has launched new AI -powered chatbot companions. These features enable users to interact with customizable animated characters, driven by xAI's Grok chatbot. One new companion, named Valentine, is described by Musk as having a personality inspired by Edward Cullen from Twilight and Christian Grey from 50 Shades of Grey. Two other controversial AI companions, Ani and Bad Rudy, have also been introduced, with Ani exhibiting sexually explicit behavior and Bad Rudy responding with vulgar and violent language. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation has called for the removal of the Ani chatbot due to concerns over its 'childlike' appearance and promotion of high-risk sexual behavior.
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Carrington Valentine is Packers best cover corner but must improve run defense in 2025
As a former seventh-round pick, Carrington Valentine has already exceeded expectations as a pro, and he may boast the highest upside of any of the Green Bay Packers cornerbacks in 2025. Entering his third season, here is Valentine's statistical profile based on his play in 2023 and 2024: Strengths It is truly impressive how well Valentine has fared in coverage ever since he first set foot on an NFL field, defying his low draft status. He has scored extremely well in various coverage statistics across 2023 and 2024. Among qualified NFL corners, Valentine ranks in the 77th percentile in NFL passer rating allowed (NFLPR), the 74th percentile in snaps per reception allowed (S/REC) and the 73rd percentile in yards allowed per snap (Y/SNAP). Corners are one of the positions most prone to giving up penalties, but Valentine has also performed well in that area, not giving up free yardage regularly. He ranks in the 75th percentile for penalties per snap, committing just three of them in 2023 and two in 2024. Valentine has been best used in zone coverage in his short NFL career so far, grading out in the 90th percentile for S/REC and the 77th for Y/SNAP when in zone. The lowest he ranked in any of the stats used to build his zone profile was the 48th percentile – still right around average – in reception percentage allowed (REC%). He has been one of the better zone corners in the league according to the numbers. He also ranks in the 71st percentile for NFLPR when in man coverage though, showing his bona fides in that scheme. Weaknesses Most of Valentine's deficiencies have come in the run game, where he has frankly been a bit of a liability. He falls in just the 10th percentile for stops per game, which are tackles causing a failure for the offense, and the 14th percentile in solo tackles per snap against the run. His issues in the run game threaten to reduce the amount he sees the field in base defense or when it is not an obvious passing situation, especially as his teammates Nate Hobbs and Keisean Nixon are much more trustworthy as run defenders. In coverage, Valentine does not prevent receptions all that regularly, ranking in the 31st percentile in forced incompletion rate (FI%). His issue of allowing catches too regularly has mostly shown up in man coverage, where he grades out in the 21st percentile in FI% and the 16th in REC%, compared to the 57th and 48th percentile respectively in zone coverage. It is not an outright problem, more a feature of Valentine's style as a cornerback. He allows a lot of receptions when he is targeted, but as seen from his NFLPR and Y/SNAP numbers, quarterbacks are not exactly picking up big chunks of yardage when they throw at Valentine. Valentine also lacks versatility, as he is strictly an outside corner, having played only 36 snaps in the slot in his NFL career. This is not an issue for the Packers specifically though, as they have plenty of other players capable of manning the slot position. Trending up The most obvious area of growth in Valentine's game in his second NFL season was his performance in man coverage, as he went from a well below average corner in man to an above average one, which is a very significant jump. Valentine's NFLPR ranking improved from the 51st to the 91st percentile, while his Y/SNAP and S/REC both went from the 26th percentile to the 93rd and 99th percentile respectively. While his overall FI% was still under the NFL average in 2024, ranking in the 37th percentile, this was up from the 24th percentile the previous year, indicating some growth in Valentine's ability to contest passes. After grabbing the first two picks of his career in 2024, Valentine's ranking in terms of interceptions per target (INT/TGT) naturally improved significantly, from tied for last in the league in 2023 (due to having zero interceptions) to the 93rd percentile last year. Trending down Valentine was a poor run defender as a rookie, but he actually got even worse in 2024. His stops per game and solo tackles per game rankings both declined, but more importantly, his ranking in terms of missed tackle rate nosediving from the 61st percentile to the 13th between 2023 and 2024. In coverage, Valentine's only notable statistical regression helps to explain the volatile nature of the cornerback position year to year. After ranking in the 82nd percentile in REC% as a rookie, he dropped all the way to the 1st percentile last season, 125th out of 127 qualified corners. He was able to make up for it in other ways, and was slightly better in coverage overall in 2024, but the rate of receptions Valentine is allowing is something he will want to work on. In terms of his overall profile, Valentine is a well above average cover corner who has been consistently very good in zone and in 2024 took a big leap to being a just above average man corner as well. He profiles as Green Bay's best cover corner. He is also by far their worst run defending cornerback though, and this drops his overall value to right at league average, which is fine, but Valentine is doing himself a disservice if he does not work on his run defense, as it could mean his snaps are more limited than he would like. If Valentine stays exactly how he is, he was still a fantastic selection in the seventh round, but entering his age 24 season, the sky could be the limit for him in coverage. If he can keep developing in that aspect while bringing his run defense to an acceptable level, he may become an extremely valuable player for Green Bay.
