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MoreoverDec 11th 1999 edition
By Fred Kaplan.
Doubleday; 848 pages; $35.
Bloomsbury; £25
ARTHUR SCHLESINGER once remarked that Gore Vidal does not dislike America: he is disappointed by it. A sense of disillusionment and even betrayal underlies much of Mr Vidal's finest work. A committed liberal, he cared about national politics enough to run (unsuccessfully) for public office. Yet he apparently feels so alienated from modern American values that he chooses to live permanently in Europe. Some understanding of how Mr Vidal came to feel this way about his country is of the first relevance to a full appreciation of his writings.
Any examination of Mr Vidal's background dispels the old canard that there is no such thing as an American upper class. His mother's family, the Gores—Mr Vidal is what southerners call a "kissing cousin" of the vice-president—are an American dynasty. In colonial times they literally owned the land on which Washington, DC was later to be built. Gore's grandfather, Senator Thomas P. Gore of Oklahoma, came back to Washington as a conservative but populist senator. True, Mr Vidal's father, Eugene Luther Vidal, came from a more modest background, the descendant of immigrants, possibly Jewish, who settled in South Dakota. But Gene Vidal was admitted to the upper class by virtue of a nomination to West Point, his fame as a football star, his good looks, his achievements as a pioneer of aviation, and of course his marriage to the blue-blooded Miss Nina Gore.
Mr Vidal is famously well-connected. He grew up in a mansion overlooking the Potomac, among Washington's so-called "cave-dwellers": an insular provincial elite of permanent residents, who, over the centuries, have been rather put out that their cosy small town has grown to become the political capital of the world. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy was his stepsister. His father's mistress was a Whitney—while another member of the same family was among his mother's lovers. His parents eventually divorced. After a violent row over her alcoholism and disgraceful behaviour when he was 32, Mr Vidal said he would never speak to his mother again, and never did.
In the post-war years Mr Vidal set about making a name for himself in literary New York. He published a novel, "Williwaw" (1946), based on his own experience as a sailor during the war, which was well received. He got a job at a publishing house and had an affair with Anaïs Nin. He was also an enthusiastic explorer of New York's bisexual underworld. He was a regular customer at the Astor Bar in Times Square, a notorious pick-up joint for off-duty military men. Mr Vidal's homosexual experiments had begun as a teenager. He has always spoken of his relationship with school-friend Jimmy Trimble as the love of his life—a love, moreover, that has remained untarnished in the writer's memory, as Trimble was killed on Iwo Jima in March 1945.
Mr Vidal worked for a spell as a scriptwriter in Hollywood. But he soon returned to New York where, flush from his movie hackwork, he set himself up, at the age of 25, in a Greek Revival mansion overlooking the Hudson. In due course he acquired an entire block of apartments. Though equally at home in New York, Washington and Hollywood, the three capitals of the new, imperial America, he decamped, in 1963, to Rome. In 1971 he bought a house in Ravello, high above the Amalfi coast. There he has lived ever since, in the company of his dogs, an endless stream of visitors of high and low degree, and his companion of many years, Howard Austen.
The way Fred Kaplan tells it in his enormous new biography, it sounds like an enviable life. Mr Vidal seems always to have lived in the utmost luxury, in beautiful places, surrounded by talented, affectionate and often famous friends, from Princess Margaret and Claire Bloom to Christopher Isherwood and Tennessee Williams. Yet in evaluating Mr Vidal's relationships with these figures Mr Kaplan's perceptions are by no means always reliable. His judgment of character, especially once the scene has shifted to Europe, is all too often hopelessly skewed. His praise is lavished on the good and great and the dull and pretentious alike. In one egregious howler he promotes the socialist firebrand Nye Bevan to the rank of prime minister of Great Britain.
In addition to all the frantic socialising, Mr Vidal's life has been one of hard, disciplined work. He has tried his hand at novels, essays, short stories, plays, film and television scripts. When he arrived in Hollywood he worked so fast that he had to be taken aside by a senior colleague, whom he refers to as "the Wise Hack", and told not to spoil the patch for the others by writing more than three pages a day.
The quality of his writing is another matter. In this respect, too, Mr Kaplan is regrettably undiscriminating. Mr Vidal's prodigious output has been, as even his warmest admirers must concede, wildly uneven. The distance between his best work, such as the extraordinary essay "Pink Triangle and Yellow Star" (1976), and his worst, "Duluth" (1983), is tremendous. Like many wits, he has wasted much sweetness on the desert air. But his quick-fire repartee could be devastating. On one memorable occasion he was called a "pinko queer" by William F. Buckley during a television interview. "I shall always treat Bill Buckley like the great lady he is," was his characteristically lethal comeback.
Mr Vidal's finest achievements are to be found among his essays. These have addressed, with great style and verve, all manner of subjects, from Oscar Wilde to Nancy Reagan. His novels, some of which are also excellent, fall into two categories: the historical and the proselytising. "Washington DC" (1967), "Burr" (1972) and "Lincoln" (1984) stand out among his historical novels for their courage and fiercely intelligent iconoclasm. "Julian" (1964) is an eloquent protest against what Mr Vidal sees as the exhaustion of the Judeo-Christian tradition. "Myra Breckinridge" (1968) and his other high-spirited "inventions", as he calls them, have been read by some, surely far too solemnly, as serious meditations on the notion of bisexuality as an inescapable fact of human nature.
Whatever one thinks of his achievement, Mr Vidal is in many respects an exemplary figure: a model of the genteel American, an outstanding literary stylist, and a man with the unflinching courage to say what he believes, though the heavens fall. Mr Kaplan's biography recounts, in a plodding and not wholly reliable fashion, the salient events of Mr Vidal's colourful life. But it does little to improve our sense of the significance of his work. For an infinitely more engaging version of many of the same events, one could not do better than Mr Vidal's own gem of an autobiography, "Palimpsest" (1995).
This article appeared in the Moreover section of the print edition under the headline "Comeback kid"
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National reconciliation
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You don't have to be Jewish to live there
Japanese ghosts
The bloodier the better
The choice of Senator Joe Lieberman, a devout Jew, as a vice-presidential candidate has raised a wide-ranging discussion about religion and Jewish identity in the United States. We review two timely books on this topic
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If you have a trusted friend or family member who is a broker or salesperson, working with them can be a good option when you want to buy or sell a home. But, just as you can't get a "private surgery" or "private legal advice" that aren't subject to rules of professional conduct, there is no such thing as a private real estate service.
If, for example, you hire your brother, it doesn't change the fact that he is a registered real estate professional. This means that he has to follow the rules and regulations that the Ontario government created to protect consumers.
One of the most important provisions requires brokers and salespeople to provide conscientious and competent service to the buyers and sellers they represent. In addition, they have to treat everyone they deal with in the course of a real estate trade fairly, honestly and with integrity.
Search their name on RECO's website. This will allow you to check their registration status and whether they have ever had disciplinary actions against them.
Whether you are buying or selling a home, they will have to disclose their personal relationship to you in writing to the other parties to a trade. They have to do this at the earliest practical opportunity, and before any offers are made.
Remember that your family member or friend can only trade in real estate on behalf of the brokerage that employs them. That means they have to provide their brokerage with copies of all documents related to the transaction.
Your family member or friend's brokerage may have policies on commissions. That means they may need to get approval from their brokerage if they plan to waive or reduce the commission the brokerage would normally charge for their services. And, keep in mind that if you're selling your home, you may have to pay commission to the buyer's brokerage.
As you would with any real estate salesperson, it's important you sit down and discuss the services that they will provide. Will they organize showings or list the home through Realtor.ca, for example? These are services that real estate professionals often provide, so find out if they can offer them to you.
And remember, before you sign anything (including a buyer representation agreement or listing agreement), ensure you first fully understand and agree to everything in the document.
Using a trusted relative or friend to buy or sell a home can be a good approach, but it's important to sort out expectations ahead of time. With everyone on the same page, you're much more likely to have a positive experience.


Say thanks to mom, show her just how particular she is and how much she seriously signifies to you on this Mother's Day with lovely decorative accents. Didn't comprehend their shipping times were so slow, so emailed asking to cancel order. I opted to go for it. He also threw in a Variegated Haworthia, which was a pleasant surprise, considering I enjoy variegaated plants. Because of cold temperatures, Fred held my shipment so plants would not freeze on their extended journey. I wanted the plants but you do not order plants on line to acquire over two months later (and in the meantime cancelling the order WAY ahead of them sending).
I've been ordering from Accents about 3 years now and under no circumstances been dissatisfied with any of plants received. Plants arrived quick, not lengthy just after ordering. You have many plants on your web-site, so, from time to time I miss seeing a specific variety. Like just about every other plant ordered from Accents, the Impatiens arrived a couple of days right after ordering, even though it really is their busy time of the year.
Didn't comprehend their shipping occasions had been so slow, so emailed asking to cancel order. I opted to go for it. He also threw in a Variegated Haworthia, which was a pleasant surprise, considering I adore variegaated plants. Since of cold temperatures, Fred held my shipment so plants wouldn't freeze on their extended journey. I wanted the plants but you never order plants on the net to acquire more than 2 months later (and in the meantime cancelling the order WAY ahead of them sending).
Received my final plant order ahead of winter, today.
Say thanks to mom, show her just how special she is and how a lot she actually signifies to you on this Mother's Day with lovely decorative accents. I've been ordering from Accents about three years now and by no means been dissatisfied with any of plants received. Plants arrived fast, not extended immediately after ordering. You have quite a few plants on your web site, so, at times I miss seeing a certain variety. Like each and every other plant ordered from Accents, the Impatiens arrived a few days right after ordering, even though it really is their busy time of the year.
I've been ordering from Accents about three years now and under no circumstances been dissatisfied with any of plants received. Plants arrived fast, not extended immediately after ordering. You have quite a few plants on your web-site, so, from time to time I miss seeing a distinct wide variety. Like just about every other plant ordered from Accents, the Impatiens arrived a couple of days right after ordering, even although it really is their busy time of the year.
Did not recognize their shipping occasions were so slow, so emailed asking to cancel order. I opted to go for it. He also threw in a Variegated Haworthia, which was a pleasant surprise, taking into consideration I appreciate variegaated plants. Since of cold temperatures, Fred held my shipment so plants would not freeze on their lengthy journey. I wanted the plants but you don't order plants on-line to acquire over 2 months later (and in the meantime cancelling the order WAY prior to them sending).
Wrought iron garden accents nation garden gate etsy beautiful art wall. Shipping was super-quick, and plants effectively-packed. The plants had been prepared to go, he'd send them the following day. Plants arrived promplty and nicely-packaged. When hundreds if not thousands of orders come in, our plants are extremely unlikely to arrive a couple of days right after the initial order. All plants arrived in great overall health, pest-free, and great-size.
Accents For Home And Garden – The plants had been prepared to go, he'd send them the following day. Fred emailed me explaining each plants were out of stock, and gave me an choice of a refund or wait till they were offered.


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Style & Stuff
Let's Pay Tribute to Male and Nonbinary Celebrities Who Know How to Rock a Dress
Written by Alexander Kacala on September 30, 2021
We'll never forget when one of our favorite queer celebrities of the moment, Keiynan Londsale, epically clapped back at a troll who mocked the Love, Simon star for wearing too many dresses. Of course, there are plenty of popular male celebs who have worn or wear dresses, and we love them all.
The online bully tweeted, "Dude, you gotta stop wearing dresses… Come on!!!!" Lonsdale wasn't having any of his petty ignorance, and responded, "Dude, you gotta stop tweeting me about it and just go try one on yourself. It's only a piece of clothing and it's fun. It also allows the balls to breathe and therefore will chill ya out."
Keiynan Lonsdale
How pitch-perfect is that response? Lonsdale's sassy and informative response amassed thousands of likes and retweets, prompting a wave of support from fans of the actor and musician.
We couldn't help but think of other celebs who are currently pushing gender boundaries and those who paved the way for people to express their identity in a myriad of ways that don't fall into simple boxes of male or female.
Here are six more male celebs who wear dresses and look really good doing it:
Jaden Smith has become a poster child of gender fluidity. So much so, we brought up their name when we questioned Vogue's huge misstep of naming Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik the cover stars for their gender fluid issue in 2017.
More recently, Smith felt the need to defend himself on social media for choosing to wear dresses, tweeting, "If I wanna wear a dress, then I will, and that will set the new wave."
Fans were quick to support the performer, with one writing, "You would look good no matter what you wear," while another added, "I still remember how back in the early Drake days my friends would make fun of me for listening to him. Now everyone riding his wave, acting like they was about that life."
Smith honestly doesn't need support from anyone to be himself. As he has proven time and time again, he is a true individual not worried about what other people think of him. Regardless, we see you, Jaden, and we appreciate you.
Nico Tortorella
Nico Tortorella, who identifies as pansexual, has for a few years been exploring gender in his own way, especially with clothing. On probably one of the biggest days of his life — his wedding to longtime partner Bethany C. Myers — he wore a gorgeous white dress that left many fans gagged.
In an interview with Euphoria magazine, he dished about his exploration of gender identity, saying, "There is not one label that I'm saying this is who I am for the rest of my life. I love language and I just wrote a book of poetry. I'm obsessed with words and how we use them."
"I think they can either be used as medicine or weapons. I feel like I'm getting my doctorate in the medicine right now. I'm exploring the world of gender and what it means to me. I think the more work I've been doing in the space, the less I believe in gender as binary, as the construct that it is."
If the late, great Kurt Cobain were alive today, he may be surprised to see that he left an indelible mark on fashion in more ways than one. Cobain, an outspoken feminist and gay rights advocate, would often dress in feminine pieces of clothing. Leopard-print faux-fur coats, women's blouses and floral dresses worn over his jeans were all staples of his wardrobe. These items suggest he wanted fluid ideas about dressing and gender roles in the mainstream.
A large reason why some men aren't afraid to don these looks today is because Cobain paved the way for them to express themselves in more ways than one.
David Bowie practically invented rock music's notion of men playing with gender. He used fashion as a way to liberate himself and his music from the confines that mainstream tried to place upon them. "I loved how he challenged people about how gender was represented," says Adam Lambert of Bowie's contributions to fashion.
The out designer has never been afraid to push boundaries with his own work, or what he puts on his own body. To the 2012 Met Gala, one of the most important nights on the fashion world's calendar, Jacobs wore a "controversial" lace dress, saying, "I just didn't want to wear a tuxedo and be boring." The long black tunic by Commes des Garçons was worn over a pair of white boxer shorts, black socks and pilgrim shoes.
As this writer points out, Marc Jacobs holds the title as "the designer with the most obvious preference for wearing skirts."
"And here's the thing: He wears them (and dresses) very well," she continues. "Better than I do. And better, I'd venture, than many women out there do. When you see Marc Jacobs in a skirt, you can't help but think, 'Yes, this makes sense.'"
Young Thug did a cover shoot for Dazed and Confused back in 2015 that is a perfect representation of what "androgyny" can look like in pop culture.
Especially being in hip-hop, Young Thug has more obstacles to overcome than David Bowie in glam rock or Marc Jacobs in fashion to express himself this way. But the eccentric rapper known for wearing leopard-print dresses has gotten respect from his peers and fans for expressing himself in an original and authentic way.
Another rapper known to don a dress, Kid Cudi stunned us all when he wore an ankle-length floral dress during his April 2021 Saturday Night Live performance.
"The goat @KidCudi killing it on SNL one of the best ever to do it in a dress," one person tweeted. "I've always been a Kid Cudi fan but omg this dress is so cute and I'm a fan all over again!" tweeted another.
The dress, created just for Kid Cudi by Off-White CEO Virgil Abloh, was intended as a tribute to Kurt Cobain.
The former One Directioner and current successful solo artist made a ton of headlines back in 2020 when he did an entire Vogue cover shoot wearing dresses and other typically feminine fashions. His appearance marked the first time someone who isn't a cisgender woman was put (solo) on Vogue's cover, and the accompanying article focused largely on Styles' love of androgynous fashion.
"I find myself looking at women's clothes, thinking they're amazing," he told the magazine.
Following the cover, he's been considered by some to be a leader in the current crop of gender-nonconforming fashions, while others have questioned whether the pop-rock star is getting too much credit.
Did we miss one of your favorite male celebs who wear dresses?
This story was originally published on June 29, 2018. It has since been updated.
David Bowie gender Marc Jacobs myfemmeself Nico Tortorella
Let's Take a Deep Dive Into What It Means to Identify as 'Two-Spirit'
'Supernatural' Has Proven There's a Right Way and a Wrong Way to Explore Gay Storylines
This App Has Developed a Special 'Pride Month Meditation' for LGBTQ People
Let's Play a Game Called 'Communist Propaganda Posters or Gay Couple's Vacation Pics?'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Coutts hosted its fifth Auction Days on Thursday 14th September and achieved a strong 100% clearance rate with three of the four properties selling under the hammer while one property sold prior to the auction. Coutts continues to demonstrate that bringing commercial and industrial properties to the local market through auction achieves optimal results, in what is an under supplied market.
Properties from Richmond, Riverstone, Castle Hill and Penrith all went to the market and received great interest from many parties. An industrial warehouse/office space in Castle Hill generated interest among many potential purchasers with a number of groups inspecting the property which set up for an electrifying auction. The hammer fell at $1,305,000.
In total, over $3.5m of commercial property was secured by excited purchasers. Multiple back and forth bidding created excitement in the room which in turn resulted in the some great results. Vendors and purchasers, as well as the agents were most pleased with the results.
Coutts are now seeking entries for its Summer Auction Day which will be held on 15 November 2017.


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More Than 1 Million People Agree To 'Storm Area 51,' But The Air Force Says Stay Home
U.S. Implementing '3rd Country' Rule On Central American Migrants Seeking Asylum
Tennessee Governor Faces Backlash for Honoring Confederate General And KKK Leader
Customs And Border Agency Halts Many 'Zero Tolerance' Detentions, Citing Workload
President Trump's zero-tolerance policy left the CBP struggling to process the number of people it detained — and the agency says it will temporarily stop turning immigrant parents over to prosecutors. Here, a mother migrating from Honduras holds her 1-year-old child as she surrenders to border agents on Monday. The two had illegally crossed the border near McAllen, Texas.
Bill Chappell | NPR | June 26, 2018
Despite pressure from President Trump for the U.S. to arrest and prosecute anyone caught crossing the border illegally, Customs and Border Protection says its agents will temporarily suspend the practice of detaining adults who arrive with children — something that had been a tenet of Trump's "zero-tolerance" policy.
CBP agents will no longer refer migrant parents and children for prosecution when they're caught at the U.S. southern border, Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said, telling reporters that the system — which was widely criticized for separating families, until Trump eased his policy somewhat last week — hasn't worked out.
"A much better system would be to keep families together through their immigration proceedings," McAleenan said. "That's what the Obama administration did in 2014. That's what the president has asked Congress to help us do now."
The Trump policy was billed as a deterrent — using federal agents to draw a line at the border and stop illegal immigration. Instead, it spurred outrage over images and sounds of children who were forcibly taken from their parents. It also put new logistical and record-keeping burdens on the government, which is working to reunite families whose members are being held hundreds of miles away from each other.
The zero-tolerance policy left the CBP struggling to process the number of people it was detaining, while still fulfilling its core mission of securing the border.
"It's a huge challenge operationally for our agents," McAleenan said.
Citing a background briefing from a CBP official, NPR's John Burnett reports that the agency's holding facilities are now overwhelmed: "Kids are waiting in cage-like holding cells, while their moms and dads go to court in shackles."
Detained in cavernous buildings and temporary camps, parents and their kids have languished through separations that in some cases have already lasted a month or more — exceeding the 20-day limit on holding children in federal custody. That limit is part of a decades-old settlement called the Flores agreement.
Several immigration experts say the government could speed up the process by adding more judges to the immigration system. But Trump disagrees, saying on Monday, "I don't want judges. I want ICE and border patrol agents."
Theresa Cardinal Brown of the Bipartisan Policy Center — who also worked on immigration policy under Presidents Obama and George W. Bush — tells NPR's Morning Edition that even before Trump took office, the U.S. was already struggling to deal with the number of immigration and asylum cases.
In April, the Justice Department said that nearly 700,000 cases were pending in immigration courts — a rise from 519,000 cases in 2016. The figure has steadily risen over at least the past decade.
"The backlog started in the Bush administration, but it really accelerated under Obama, because of the Central Americans arriving," Brown said. "Most Mexicans can be deported pretty immediately; Central Americans, again, often have due process — that created the backlog. The president saying he just wants to do away with the courts, you know, obviously [he] can't do that without Congress."
Brown says that while enforcement efforts developed a large security apparatus along the border, there was no correlating growth in the legal and justice system there.
"That's resulted in this backlog that takes two years," Brown said. "If we were to add more judges, reduce that backlog to a couple months — that would probably help with the problem the president is trying to address."
On Monday, Ashley Tabaddor, president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, told NPR that immigration courts' budgets have not increased along with those of law enforcement agencies:
"So we've seen a situation where, if you imagine a one-lane highway with one exit ramp being now built out to a three- or four-lane highway, and the exit ramp remains a single lane — and then trying to blame the exit ramp for the traffic."
For now, the border agency is one of many parts of the Trump administration that is calling on the Republican-controlled Congress to solve the problem, by passing a comprehensive immigration law.
When NPR asked CBP for clarification of its new approach to Trump's policy on Tuesday, the agency sent this statement from Andrew Meehan, assistant commissioner of public affairs:
"U.S. Customs and Border Protection is working through implementing the President's Executive Order in conjunction with the Department of Justice and is taking temporary action until Congress can find a lasting solution to family separation and we encourage them to act."
Court orders government to reunite families by deadlines
Detained mothers file lawsuit seeking reunion with children
Judge Bars Migrant Family Separations, Orders Return Of Children Within 30 Days
View this story at NPR
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Suresite
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Home / News / Awards / Suresite Group is service business of the year finalist
Suresite Group is service business of the year finalist
Suresite Group has once again been shortlisted for a prestigious regional business award.
We are one of eight Lancashire companies hoping to be named the BIBA service business of the year.
The winners of all 18 award categories will be announced at a Blackpool Tower Ballroom ceremony on Friday 13 September 2019.
It will not be Suresite Group's first attendance at the BIBAs awards night. In 2014, we took home the small business of the year trophy. Every year since then, we have been shortlisted for one of more awards.Francis Egan, chief executive of the awards' headline sponsor Cuadrilla Resources, said every one of the shortlisted companies had achieved a great deal to reach the BIBAs' finals.
"Each year we look forward to the BIBAs' judging rounds because we get to meet so many inspirational people from businesses across the spectrum of Lancashire's business community.
"Despite all the challenges which face our businesses every day, there are people out there who are passionate about delivering the best service and the best products to really make a difference.
"That is what Lancashire's business community is all about, the people who make it so special."Keith Bevan, chief business development officer, Suresite Group, said: "We are over the moon that our commitment to customer service has once again been recognised by the BIBAs judges."The ethos of all four Suresite Group companies is about meeting customer need. Profit is never the driver, but a by-product of serving our customers well. "We aim to consistently improve the service we offer through meaningful customer feedback and investing in our employees and in new technology. It is in this arena – service excellence – that we have always chosen to differentiate ourselves."
Oliver completes sales squad
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Here's Why J. C. Penney is Down More Than 50% in 6 Months
Dec 17, 2018 12:26PM EST
Credit: Shutterstock photo
J. C. Penney Company, Inc . JCP has been in troubled waters for quite some time, losing customers to cheap sellers. Though it has been making turnaround efforts to revive its lost sheen, none seem to be working out. Earlier, the company changed its logo, store designs, advertisements and pricing model to attract consumers. But these strategies failed to deliver desired results.
Further, the company's comparable sales (comps) don't paint a rosy picture. Although the metric improved by 0.3% and 0.1% in the first and second quarters, it declined 5.4% in the third quarter of fiscal 2018, crushing all hopes of a turnaround. Also, the company anticipates comps for fiscal 2018 to decline low-single digits compared with the prior view of remaining almost flat.
Moreover, it has been struggling with shrinking gross margin, which is likely to remain under pressure in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. Management plans to right size inventory levels, which may hurt gross margin for the next few quarters.
Moving on, the company witnessed sales decline of 5.9% in the nine months ending Nov 3, 2018. Adding to the woes, it lost $330 million in the same time frame. Amid such downsides, the company had a soft start to the recent holiday season, which was touted as a golden opportunity for it to get back on track. Per media reports, the company had a showdown on Black Friday with flat traffic year over year compared with 3% growth at Macy's M , 12% growth at Walmart WMT , and 16% growth at Target TGT .
Apart from these, the company has long-term debt of $4 billion that has marred its operational performance over the past few quarters. Also, it is not producing enough free cash flow to repay debt.
This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company has lost 56.5% in the past six months, underperforming the industry 's decline of 21.9%. Further, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter fiscal 2018 earnings have moved south in the past month from 20 cents to 19 cents. This indicates exceedingly bearish analyst sentiment, reflected by five downward estimate revisions versus none upward over the past 60 days.
Nonetheless, management is not sitting idle, and looking at every nook and cranny for growth prospects. In this regard, J. C. Penney has taken up several strategic initiatives to transform from a brick-and-mortar retailer to an omni-channel company. In order to enhance customers' shopping experience, the company has been focusing on remodeling, renovating and refurbishing its stores. J. C. Penney has introduced a new value proposition, "Get Your Penney`s Worth", under which selected items of private brands are available for just a penny.
The company is also taking initiatives to boost sales with special size offerings. In this regard, J. C. Penney unveiled Shaquille O`Neal XLG brand, especially designed for big & tall customer. It also launched fashion tween brand, Obsess, and redesigned Okie Dokie children's private brand. Further, the company has collaborated with Fanatics, Inc. to launch Fanatics shops to attract sports fans to purchase the newest and popular team apparel inside their local J.C.Penney store. Additionally, the in-store Sephora departments continue to outperform by drawing more customers. Sephora is doing exceptionally well and is one of the best performing categories.
The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All
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CONSPIRACY MYTHS
Scientists 'prove' coronavirus wasn't made in a lab – silencing conspiracy theories
Lucy Jones, Digital Health & Fitness Reporter
10:34 ET, Mar 19 2020
Updated: 15:34 ET, Mar 19 2020
DANGEROUS conspiracy theories about coronavirus seem to be spreading faster than the deadly bug itself.
Online rumours have claimed the virus was created in a lab and is the work of the US military, while other wacky webizens allege the outbreak was designed to stop Brexit.
Scientists say they can 'prove' coronavirus wasn't made in a labCredit: AFP or licensors
However, scientists claim they can now put these bizarre myths to bed - and prove that Covid-19 wasn't made in a lab.
Experts analysed the genetic make-up - or genome - of the virus causing Covid-19 for a new study, published in the journal Nature Medicine on Tuesday, and determined that there was no evidence that the virus was made in a laboratory or otherwise engineered.
They claim that by comparing it to other known coronavirus strains including the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the 2012 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that they can confirm Covid-19 originated naturally.
One of the lead authors of the study, Dr Kristian Andersen, an associate professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research, said: "By comparing the available genome sequence data for known coronavirus strains, we can firmly determine that SARS-CoV-2 originated through natural processes."
Tap to see where COVID-19 is near you
The scientists were able to analyse the virus causing Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) as shortly after the epidemic began, Chinese scientists sequenced the genome of the bug and made the data available to researchers worldwide.
Andersen and collaborators at several other research institutions used this sequencing data to explore the origins and evolution of the virus by focusing in on several tell-tale features of it.
They analysed the genetic template for spike proteins, armatures on the outside of the virus that it uses to grab and penetrate the outer walls of human and animal cells.
And the scientists found that the spike proteins had evolved to effectively target a feature on the outside of human cells which blood pressure.
And the spike proteins were so effective at binding the human cells, in fact, that the scientists concluded it was the result of natural selection and not the product of genetic engineering.
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This evidence for natural evolution was supported by data on the bug's backbone - its overall molecular structure.
If someone were seeking to engineer a new coronavirus as a pathogen, they would have constructed it from the backbone of a virus known to cause illness.
However, the scientists found that the backbone of the new coronavirus differed substantially from those of already known coronaviruses and mostly resembled related viruses found in bats and pangolins.
"These two features of the virus, the mutations in the RBD portion of the spike protein and its distinct backbone, rules out laboratory manipulation as a potential origin for SARS-CoV-2" said Andersen.
Josie Golding, PhD, epidemics lead at UK-based Wellcome Trust, said the findings by Andersen and his colleagues are "crucially important to bring an evidence-based view to the rumours that have been circulating about the origins of the virus causing Covid-19."
She added: "They conclude that the virus is the product of natural evolution ending any speculation about deliberate genetic engineering."
The most common signs of coronavirus in confirmed cases of Covid-19 from China up to February 22, 2020
The scientists also revealed that the most likely origins for Covid-19 followed one of two possible scenarios.
In one scenario, the virus evolved to its current state through natural selection in a non-human host and then jumped to humans.
This is how previous coronavirus outbreaks have emerged, with humans contracting the virus after direct exposure to civets in SARS and camels in MERS.
The researchers suggested bats as the most likely reservoir for Covid-19.
In the other proposed scenario, they say the virus could evolved within a human host, possibly via limited undetected circulation in the human population prior to the beginning of the epidemic.
Study co-author Andrew Rambaut cautioned that it is difficult if not impossible to know at this point which of the scenarios is most likely.
More on coronavirus
MPs call for Boris to QUIT as PM & Tory chairman 'disgusted' by No10 scandal
'MIRACLE'
Grandad 'paralysed for 5 years' claims he can now walk and talk after Covid jab
WAY TO CO
UK daily Covid cases plunge to lowest for a MONTH as 70,924 Brits test positive
'WINTER PLAN'
UK Covid Plan B - face masks, working from home and vaccine passports
Worldwide, there are currently 226,344 cases of coronavirus and 9,310 deaths.
Currently, there is no vaccine to protect people against the virus.
Antibiotics do not help, as they do not work against viruses – only bacteria.
Man tries to escape coronavirus quarantine by dressing in a T-rex costume


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Everybody always wishes a nice and attractive bedroom. Because the design of a good bedroom certainly gives us a sense of comfort and can improve our mood. A cluttered and dark bedrooms certainly make us uneasy. This will make our sleep not optimal. Obviously nobody wants to sleep in a bedroom like this.
Many homeowners are happy to have a coordinated and bright bedroom. Yes, it would really be wonderful to have a bedroom just like this one. But occasionally, it's really hard how to manage and layout our bedroom design. So you need to search the ideas online. If you've already done with that, you just have to plan you bedroom design for next.
For now, we will showcase a listing of grey white yellow bedroom designs. It will give you ideas of how this style looks like and if you like it, you can use this round-up as an idea your bedroom design. Let us take a look at the grey white yellow bedroom images below.
I trust that all the pictures on this site have been carefully curated from the public domain. But if you find a photo or some that belongs to you, do not hesitate to contact us.


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ANT-MAN AND THE WASP Might Bug You
by Nadia Hayford · July 17, 2018
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP is like most Marvel movies these days. If you saw and liked the last one, you'll probably see and like this one well. It's entertaining, and you likely won't regret watching it. Paul Rudd's Scott Lang has been under house arrest for the past two years since CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, and is now returning to work with Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) to find Hope's long-lost mother (Michelle Pfeiffer). It's particularly refreshing as the story takes place before the events of AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, therefore backtracking to a simpler time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where we can focus on smaller problems than the impending destruction of the entire universe. As with every Marvel movie, it does almost everything right, but have we reached a plateau as a result?
There's not much use in complaining that Marvel movies are becoming tired and repetitive. The act of complaining about Marvel tropes is becoming a trope in and of itself. This seems to be the result of Marvel essentially becoming its own genre. Of course the superhero genre has already been a thing for decades, but Marvel on its own has developed such a distinct style that it can be deconstructed to base elements comparable to the western. A big argument about formulaic entertainment such as pop music and romantic comedies are that they are too predictable and polished. But whether or not an individual viewer enjoys that predictability is often beside the point. The structure is rooted in the genre and these forms of entertainment exist for people who value that repeated structure. The same goes for Marvel. You go see ANT-MAN AND THE WASP and you know Scott Lang is going to play the fool a whole lot of times but ultimately step up to every challenge. You know his squad of ex-cons (played by Michael Peña, T.I., and David Dastmalchian) are going to have some funny quips and bits. You know there'll be romantic tension. You know there'll be a big showdown.
If you came for thinly veiled jokes about male size, you will not be disappointed
But even the most seasoned superhero aficionado can't know every move Marvel is going to make. It's plain to see that they've mixed it up quite a bit. Because just when things get a little too same-y, Marvel does something to spice it up a bit—they give the people what they want. Since childhood I have oft heard complaints (and sometimes made some myself) about how tropey and repetitive superhero movies can be. There aren't enough complex female leads. There aren't enough people of color. The villains are too one-dimensional: too predictable, too intense and serious. The stakes are too high. The list goes on and on.
In the past few years, Marvel (and Disney in general) have attempted to right the wrongs. To put a new spin on things and address our concerns. And in many ways, it's been a success. You want strong women and people of color? Here's BLACK PANTHER! You want complex villains? Here's Loki and Killmonger! You want funny? Guardians of the Galaxy! You want lower stakes and a more intimate story? Heeeeeere's ANT-MAN AND THE WASP! DC has attempted to copy this pattern recently, with admittedly less success overall. But from WONDER WOMAN to THE LAST JEDI, the pattern of reclaiming stories of yore is front and center in contemporary Hollywood.
It's like Marvel has bugs that crawl into my brain to harvest my complaints just so they can address them to make more perfect movies (alas, I now wish there was a movie out there about bugs that harvest thoughts). But despite the effort to make me laugh and cry, some slight giggles and a half-hearted "awww" is all ANT-MAN AND THE WASP seems to get out of me. As always, Marvel has succeeded in entertaining and introducing new ideas, but doesn't take enough stylistic risks to push the viewers' emotions to the edge. And this is not necessarily a bad thing, but if you've seen most or all Marvel movies, the formula might not be enough for you anymore.
90% of this movie is just visual gags about size, but then again, if this doesn't make you smile you're lying
As Marvel continues to keep it fresh by addressing these concerns, they are simultaneously perfecting their formula. And the formula is as clean as a new pair of Jordans at this point. We're becoming spoiled children—we've had cupcakes for dinner one too many times and our tummies are starting to hurt. And we complain because we're being pandered to and it drives an itch to rebel against it all (just as a spoiled child might do in their teen years). I have always enjoyed Marvel movies. Even with the growing superhero fatigue, for the most part I still very much enjoy the experience of going to see most of these movies upon release. But I wonder if ANT-MAN AND THE WASP signifies a breaking point. It was so well done and just so Marvel. To point out any issues I have feels redundant by now.
I will admit there are a lot of delightful moments in ANT-MAN AND THE WASP. It's awesome to see seasoned actors like Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Laurence Fishburne having fun in a movie like this. Notably, Michael Peña shines in every scene he's in, providing pretty much every moment that is most likely to get an audible laugh out of you. You get a tragic villain that you can sympathize with, Ghost, and the always anticipated mid-credits scene is certainly worth waiting for this time.
The movie is good, not great. I'm reaching the adolescent years of Marvel movie watching—the magic is fading and it's getting a little harder to get excited about things. ANT-MAN AND THE WASP doesn't do much to change my mind, and though it's entertaining, it serves as a reminder of my ever-growing lukewarm feelings towards the MCU.
Nadia Hayford
Nadia Hayford is a Canadian artist/writer who spends way too much money at Tim Hortons. She loves collecting Archie Comics and hates when people talk too much during movies.
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