does planet 7 casino payout Jardine’s Lookout is a mountain in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district rising above Happy Valley. Named after William Jardine, founder of Jardine Matheson, it has a historic past. Now a global business conglomerate, Jardine Matheson was one of Hong Kong's original trading houses dating back to imperial China. From here, Jardine watched out for the sails of the company’s clippers bring goods and traders from India and London. Today, Jardine’s Lookout is a popular hiking trail with the reward of Victoria Harbour views at the peak. “Jardine’s Lookout is a verdant residential area known for its tranquillity and scenic views,” said Alex Ho, who co-founded Hong Kong-based interior design firm Soil Studios with his wife and business partner, OJ Miu. The studio was also behind the design of Wyndham Social – Centrals’ newest art and cultural space. The sprawling nature and low density of Jardine’s Lookout is miles away from Hong Kong’s general ultra-dense real estate stock, but it’s only an efficient five-minute drive down to Causeway Bay. High-end shops and amenities like schools catering to residents make this a sort of bubble only the most privileged can enter into. Not surprisingly, it is also where Hong Kong’s most affluent choose to stay. Residents include tycoons, celebrities, government officials and expatriates on the higher rung of the pay scale. This is the setting of a home designed by Soil Studios, located in a luxury condominium development called Duke’s Place. There are only 15 units in the building designed by UK- and Hong Kong-based Studio PDP, with most being duplexes. In each unit, four-metre sliding corner glass doors are incorporated into the continuous ribbon windows so one feels entirely connected to the outdoors. The ribbon windows also mean that natural light travels deep into each apartment. “The mountainous landscape visible from the home is a highlight, providing a serene backdrop that enhances the feeling of retreat and connection with nature,” said Ho. With such a spectacular view, how can one create an interior that enhances rather than compete with the scenery? ? The solution was to mirror the surroundings, using plenty of organic materials and earth tones “to reflect the natural beauty of the environment”, Ho responded. Wood, leather, marble and glass meld elegantly, alongside exquisite detail and interesting touches. Ho said: “Features like the sculptural light fixture in the stairwell mimic the fluid forms of the hill’s contours. This harmony between the architecture and its setting enhances the tranquil atmosphere, making the home feel like a part of the lush landscape.” At the private lift lobby, geometric green, black and ivory wallpaper make a refreshing and bold first statement. The design team inserted a fabric-laminated glass screen between this zone and the common areas to diffuse daylight into the originally dark space. The geometric print is seen again inside the common area, as the backing of a bespoke glass cabinet to display artful paraphernalia. In front of it, two plush armchairs from Poliform and a small glass table from Potocco define an informal sitting area. In the common area, the palette comprises beige and brown, with spots of cobalt and navy in the furnishing and joinery. They mimic the colours of nature and sky from outside the expansive windows. In one corner is the dining area, anchored by a round, 10-seater walnut timber dining table from Giorgetti. Behind it, walls are detailed as with repetitive profiles and wrapped oak timber veneer, giving the surface a three-dimensional effect. The family’s dedication to belting out musical hits as a communal activity is facilitated by a karaoke lounge with a superior sound system and a dedicated television set, backed by indigo fabric. The main television set is incorporated into a feature wall behind the living space, wrapped in high-gloss red mahogany wood in a book-matched pattern. Ho shared that this design feature was inspired by a gentleman’s cigar lounge, hence the masculine and more ornate aesthetic. This wall also demarcates the public and private zones of the apartment as it hides the staircase to the bedrooms. In this home, no wall is left untouched, even the transitional spaces. The stairwell wall is decorated with metallic silver wallpaper, whose subtle sheen is repeated in the aforementioned custom chandelier of interlocking bronze forms, dangling from the ceiling like a giant necklace. It was conceptualised as a piece of art installation, Ho highlighted. The artistic ambience continues upstairs, where a lightly stuccoed wall becomes the backdrop for artwork. In a small sliver of wall between the doors of the two bedrooms, Ho inserted a slim, orange lacquered shelf that becomes a stage for a petite floral arrangement, flanked by curved timber walls and accented by ambient illumination. The master bedroom also boasts abundant textures. Among dark timber walls and earth-toned fabrics, a panel of backlit, monochromatic wall with geometric prints adds interest to the vertical surfaces. Ho highlighted that it was intended to bring a dose of exuberance into the space. The blue ombre curtain does that as well, while a bamboo silk rug adds softness to the timber floors. The use of the colour blue continues into the walk-in wardrobe, screened off from the sleeping area with a glass panel inlaid with fabric. This functional area is given a craft sensibility with blue lacquered joinery and blue vinyl leather shelving. The second bedroom has a more subdued mood. Beige fabric panels on the walls and a silver-toned bamboo floor rug lend softness underfoot. A round, top-hung mirror atop a ‘floating’ table lends lightness to a corner; likewise, a family of bronze-tinted glass pendants illuminate the bedside. Ho explained that the apartment was designed with dual personalities – as a family space in the day and entertainment area at night. “The family spend weekends enjoying time together in the open living areas or hosting friends in the sophisticated dining space.” The dining area was conveniently located next to the karaoke corner for this purpose. During the daytime, ample light streams in, highlighting the many textures. At night, when illumination is lowered, these fade into the background and only some key accents become the focus. One of them is the dining’s bespoke chandelier, conceived as a cluster of stainless steel rings with crystal-encrusted edges in a complex tangle. Ho added that the interior design adheres closely to feng shui principles. But there are no gaudy colours or awkward parts. The aim is to incorporate good aesthetics and functionality with a sense of harmony. Some examples are seen in the placement of the bed and the ample use of the colour blue. Like in a high-end hotel, there are plentiful luxurious touches in the apartment but they are designed for everyday comfort rather than as showpieces. Finesse comes in the careful deliberation of materials as well as the painstakingly designed details that extend to doorway thresholds and cabinetry profiles. With every jointure, corner and surface well thought out, there is good visual flow to the entire apartment. It is just like nature’s work – beautiful, harmonious, and with plenty to see and feel.AP: Fishermen Seeks Formation of Welfare Board

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search has galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. And neighbors like Tammy Murray, who had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues' van towards reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim had come to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter, for stealth. Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades have prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something. He's doing that too,” she said. Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by multiple projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. “I wholeheartedly believe the gangster-ass cats were messing with him,” Murray said. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96Nordic Semiconductor: And We're Down AgainWith Universal Orlando's Epic Universe on the horizon and more technology and characters to explore, the time is right for Disney to announce a "fifth gate" in Florida.

Trump's 'strategy' is to create economic uncertainty in other countries: Freeland OTTAWA — Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says with Donald Trump as president, the United States has an open strategy of creating economic uncertainty in other countries to discourage investment outside U.S. borders. Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press Dec 13, 2024 1:01 PM Dec 13, 2024 1:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks with reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. Freeland says under Donald Trump as president, the United States has an open strategy of creating economic uncertainty in other countries to discourage investment outside U.S. borders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA — Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says with Donald Trump as president, the United States has an open strategy of creating economic uncertainty in other countries to discourage investment outside U.S. borders. Freeland says the incoming Trump administration is proudly economic nationalist and Ottawa is realistic in recognizing that's the case. She says there is a global fight for capital, investment and the jobs they bring, and Canada needs to be assertive in fighting for capital. Freeland promised to elaborate on those comments in the government's fall economic statement, which is scheduled to be released on Monday. The federal and provincial governments are working out how navigate Trump's threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all imports from Canada when he takes office in January. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said earlier this week Ottawa is preparing retaliatory tariffs and threatened to restrict electricity exports from Ontario. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More The Mix S&P/TSX composite down more than 100 points, U.S. stock markets mixed Dec 13, 2024 1:32 PM Nova Scotia non-profit groups trying to save huge Acadian church now facing lawsuit Dec 13, 2024 1:30 PM Court approves The Body Shop Canada sale, about 100 to lose jobs as some stores close Dec 13, 2024 1:21 PM Featured FlyerCanadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) Stock Position Lessened by Caprock Group LLC