Posts tagged with "covid"

VERY HANDSOME STUDIO

Listen to the creators of a Very Handsome Studio on 360 MAG Apple/Spotify podcast HERE.

In 2020, Vy Truong and Han Dang, co-founded the emerging Houston-based architectural design firm, Very Handsome Studio [VHS]. Together, the duo, like Megan and Beyoncé in Savage, has a decade of industry experience, specializing in the areas of housing, education, hospitality and commerce.

Truong was born in Houston and attended Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, majoring in interior architecture. Truong’s mother was a real estate agent and often remembers visiting open houses, “Not so great homes.” Upon witnessing numerous lackluster spaces, Truong became interested in transforming them, “After you see so many, the first thing you kinda wanna do is [ask yourself the question] … how do I improve this space?” It was then that she started her journey as an interior designer. Thus, once she finished her academic career, she quickly concluded that staying in her hometown would be financially advantageous. After all, this is Act I of their renaissance.

Dang, a Vietnamese native, also studied at Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design and holds a degree in Interior Architecture. In the course of adolescence, her insatiable desire for placement and texture was evident. She has a memory of collecting design magazines and cutting pages. While in college, she studied abroad in Central Europe. This tour was an eye-opener for interior inspiration.

When Covid-19 struck, completely locking down Houston’s city center, it adversely affected multiple businesses within a variety of sectors. On the upside, the economic downturn allowed Dang and Truong to solidify their atelier at a much lower price point. Nevertheless, the design dyad remained positive and became more sensitive to the growth and development of their enterprise, “You win some, you lose some.” To date, their agency has witnessed an increase in new accounts, resulting in more than twenty divestitures since its inception.

Very Handsome Studio enthusiastically works in tandem with a plethora of establishments as well as a myriad of restaurants flourishing in the vicinity of their headquarters. Still in its infancy, Truong and Dang of VHS are far beyond achieving what they never imagined.

About Very Handsome Studio:

VHS projects include a conceptual Smash Burger with a bodega theme, children’s academy, speakeasy slash sushi bar alongside an Italian seafood restaurant. At last, Truong and Dang are ecstatic to share their eclectic conceptions with the world, “We are knocking on wood until the doors open.” And soon, they will be at the podium receiving a Cooper Hewitt, the Smithsonian Design Museum’s National Design Award.

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Very Handsome Studio is a design firm based in Houston featured in 360 MAGAZINE

Very Handsome Studio design firm project in Houston via 360 MAGAZINE

Article: Vaughn Lowery, Lana Heaney

August Top Stories

2022 has been a significant year for the history of planet Earth. Making it past the halfway point of the year, 360 reviews the leading stories for the month of August.

Brittney Griner receives nine-year sentence in Russia

United States’ WNBA player Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years of prison on Thursday August 4 in Russia. Griner pled guilty to cannabis possession charges earlier in the year after mistakenly breaking Russian law. When travelling to Russia in February of the year, Griner had vape cartridges that carried less than one gram of cannabis oil in them.

In the courtroom before hearing her sentence, Briner stated, “I want the court to understand that this was an honest mistake that I made while rushing, under stress, trying to recover from COVID and just trying to get back to my team.”

Moments after Griner was sentenced, the White House released a statement, reportedly in the name of US President Joe Biden. The statement read, “Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney, […] It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates.”

Monkeypox outbreak continues to swarm the US

The viral disease known as monkeypox was recognized as a national health emergency in the US. After the first case was contracted around May of 2022, the virus has only continued to spread. Over 6,600 probable or confirmed cases have been reported in the states, with only Montana and Wyoming not having any reported cases.

Alex Jones defamation trial begins

Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ defamation trial commenced after years of claiming that the 2012 mass elementary school shooting at Sandy Hook was not real.

In 2018, 10 families of victims from the Sandy Hook shooting sued Jones, resulting in two suits in Texas and one in Connecticut. Since then, in 2019, Jones admitted that the shooting took place, but he continued to communicate false claims surrounding the event.

With the trial taking off in the beginning of August 2022, Jones has already lost the three cases by default judgement. The happenings inside of the courtroom have gained widespread attention, as videos of a victims’ family confronting Jones’ years of lies went viral online.

Jones attorney, also, accidentally sent the prosecution copies of Jones’ phone records that included his texts and emails – important documents that Jones has refused to hand over for years, resulting in his losses in three cases.

FLORIDA: Police arrest a woman for committing “sexual acts” with her dog for eight years while her ex-partner recorded it

As stated by the Pinellas County Sheriff, the 36-year-old woman “voluntarily participated in sexual activities with her dog”. Christina Calello, and her ex-boyfriend, Geoffrey Springer, 39, have been arrested in Florida. The woman is accused of having sex with her dog for eight years while Geoffrey recorded it, videos that were later stored on a hard drive. He will also face legal charges for having recorded the acts of his ex-partner and having “saved them on a flash drive”.

Four injured in lightning strike near White House

Four people have been seriously injured after being struck by lightning that struck this Thursday (August 4) near the White House, the residence of the president of the United States in Washington. At the press conference, the spokesman for the fire department of the US capital, Vito Maggiolo, stated that two adult men and two women received medical attention and were taken to hospital after receiving the “apparent impact” of lightning.

A man shoots a McDonald’s worker in New York for serving him cold fries, New York City

An employee of a McDonald’s in New York is in serious condition in the hospital after being shot during an altercation with a customer and his mother after an argument because the fries were cold, reported this Wednesday (August 3) the Police and the New York Post newspaper.

In a city where gunshots are frequent, this new episode took place on Monday night (August 1) in Brooklyn. Police confirmed to AFP that a 20-year-old man is charged and detained with “possession of firearms” and “attempted homicide.”

Balenciaga are now selling ‘the worlds most expensive trash bag’ for $1,790

The luxury brand has unveiled a brand new it-bag for Winter 2022 – dubbed ‘the worlds most expensive trash bag’ by the fashion house itself. The Balenciaga Trash Pouch retails for $1,790 and can be bought in Balenciaga’s boutiques and online now.

Khloe Kardashian & Tristan Thompson have welcomed their baby boy

The couple have become parents for the second time. The athlete and the celebrity announced last July that they were expecting their second child together, this time through a surrogate mother. “We would like to ask for kindness and privacy so that Khloé can focus on her family,” says the statement from the television businesswoman.

‘JOKER 2’ will officially be released in theaters on October 4, 2024

‘Joker 2′: Folie à Deux’ finally has a release date. The film starring Batman’s archenemy will be released in theaters on October 4, 2024. The film will be filming in December, with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in talks as Joker and Harley Quinn.

Huge Breakthrough as CANCER ‘disappears’ for all patients in drug trial

A new drug being tested for colorectal cancer has left doctors stunned after it returned 100% success rate in clinical trials. Dostarlimab (a drug with molecules made in a laboratory) works by exposing cancer cells, allowing the immune system to identify and destroy them. During those six months, patients received a dose of the drug every three weeks. Each of them cost about $11,000.

Conor Mcgregor is making his acting debut in Jake Gyllenhaal’s new movie

UFC star is headed to the big screen. Conor, who last fought in 2021, will star alongside actor Jake Gyllenhaal in Amazon Prime’s remake of the 1989 action/suspense movie “Road House.” “Conor McGregor is very excited to expand his storied career to Hollywood and join with Jake Gyllenhaal in this reimagining of ‘Road House,’ a beloved classic,” McGregor’s spokesperson Karen J. Kessler said.

Olivia Newton-John dies at the age of 73

Olivia Newton-John has passed away this Monday (August 8) at the age of 73. The Australian actress and singer was diagnosed with cancer more than 30 years ago and it was her husband, John Easterling, who was in charge of communicating the actress’s death to the world: “Olivia Newton-John passed away at her home in Southern California, surrounded by family and friends. We ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

F.B.I. Searches Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Residence in Florida

FBI searches Trump’s Florida residence for official documents. “These are dark times for our nation, as my beautiful home at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach is now being besieged, raided and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” the Republican wrote in a statement. Trump expresses that “something like this has never happened to a president of the United States before” and that’s right: there is no precedent for a search of the house of a former president in US history.

Spain: Drug jabs in nightclubs

The cases of alleged chemical submission by jabs do not stop increasing. The common element in all the cases was the jab and that, in general, the victims are young girls. Some people perceive the jab at the moment of receiving it, while others see it more late or even the next morning. Some report symptoms include nausea, arm pain and confusion.

New virus of animal origin detected in China, 35 cases in humans

Henipavirus, that’s what the new virus of animal origin detected in China is named. The cases, none of them serious, were found in Henan and Shandong, according to the ‘Global Times‘ newspaper, which cites an article published by Chinese and Singaporean scientists in the ‘New England Journal of Medicine‘, one of the most recognized in the world.

United States expands availability of monkeypox vaccine manufacturing

The United States declared this August 4 a health emergency throughout the country due to monkeypox. The first states to declare a monkeypox health emergency were California and New York. Now the health agency, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has received emergency use authorizations for the monkeypox vaccines.

“Last week, I declared monkeypox a public health emergency to unlock additional tools that will help us contain and end this outbreak and to signal to Americans that we are taking our response to the next level,” Xavier Becerra (US Secretary of Health) said in a statement from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Africa: William Ruto wins the elections in Kenya

The Electoral Commission of Kenya has announced the winner of the elections to William Ruto, the current vice president, with 50.49% of the vote over candidate Raila Odinga, who received 48.85%. “I am going to work with all the political leaders,” in a “transparent, open, and democratic” country, assured William Ruto upon learning of his victory.

Australia: Man arrested after shooting at Canberra airport

A man was arrested as the alleged perpetrator of several shots at the main terminal of the Canberra airport (Australia’s capital), with no injuries reported, Australian police said. In pictures released on social media platforms, a police officer could be seen reducing a man to the floor inside the terminal, while the airport alarms sounded. From outside it was possible to observe the bullet impacts on the front window of the airport, according to images published by ABC public television.

US first lady Jill Biden tests positive for coronavirus

Jill Biden has tested positive for coronavirus and is suffering from mild symptoms, her spokeswoman reported on Monday (August 15), confirming that she will remain isolated for at least five days. The American first lady will remain isolated in her house in South Carolina and Joe Biden will return to the white house alone to continue with his agenda.

Life sentence for Shafee El Sheikh, the leader of the Islamic State commando who executed several journalists

The terrorist El Shafee el-Sheikh, leader of the ‘Beatles’, a jihadist group of the self-styled Islamic State and known for its cruelty and specialty in the torture, capture and execution of Western hostages, has been sentenced this Friday (August 19) to prison life by a United States court.

WHO confirms new Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

The World Health Organization has confirmed a new outbreak of Ebola in the North Kivu region, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after the worst forecasts were found for a case classified as suspicious. There is a lot of concern and tension in the African country due to these data. The head of the WHO, Matshidiso Moeti, sees this type of resurgence “worrying and alarming”, which is “appearing more and more frequently”.

Post-Covid Aviation Chaos – Should You Drop the Summer Vacation Plans?

In this emerging post-Covid world, there is still a lot of travel disruption happening, especially in terms of flights.

So, should you drop your summer vacation plans?

Mishandled Luggage Is a Big Problem at Present

The aviation chaos that is currently happening in the U.S. and many countries around the world does not just concern delayed and canceled flights and changing rules about entry requirements to different countries.

Mishandled luggage incidents are also causing disruption.

For instance, incidents of mishandled luggage were up by 60% from April 2021 to March 2022.

So, if you are looking at flying to a vacation destination this summer, be prepared for potential problems with your bags. Make sure you take all of your essentials in carry-on luggage.

Several Other Factors Are Contributing to Aviation Chaos

Unfortunately, thousands of flights are still being canceled around the world every day. According to Bloomberg, there are around 20,000 delayed and canceled flights each day at present.

On top of that, airports around the world are seeing long queues, longer times to get through security, travelers missing connections, and largely inflated prices for travel.

The reasons for such chaos are mostly to do with supply chain issues and labor shortages, as a result of the Covid and lockdown era of the last couple of years.

Furthermore, there is an unprecedented demand for international travel, which is contributing to airline and airport issues.

There Is a Silver Lining

It is not all doom and gloom. While, yes, the aviation industry is continuing to experience various problems, it is very good news that many people can now fly to various countries, unlike in the last couple of years.

Countries are continuing to reopen to international travelers. For instance, New Zealand has just reopened its borders to international travelers who are fully vaccinated.

While many countries still require people to be vaccinated or produce a negative Covid test to gain entry, many countries are starting to disband Covid entry requirements altogether.

Indeed, many governments around the world think disbanding all Covid requirements is the way forward, seeing as vaccination programs have now been rolled out.

In recent months, dozens of new countries have dropped Covid entry requirements. Other countries are remaining cautious, though.

For instance, Greece has suspended border rules for the summer, but if Covid rates become too high, restrictions may be put back into place in September.

In many countries, you no longer need to do pre- or post-arrival tests or quarantine.

If You Are Planning on Flying, Make Sure You Get the Latest News and Updates

At the end of the day, there is still no central hub to inform travelers of exactly what the requirements are for entering different countries.

That means if you are considering traveling abroad this summer, you will have to spend some time finding out what protocols are or are not in place for the particular country you are planning to visit.

You need to stay updated about the latest occurrences with international flights, too.

The good news is you can stay up-to-date with all the latest flight information about a United Airlines flight status, for instance, by using the flight tracker on iFly’s website. You can quickly and accurately discover whether a flight is canceled, delayed, or on time.

The Takeaway

Yes, the aviation industry is still in chaos in these post-Covid times. However, that does not mean you should drop your summer vacation plans.

Just make sure you are organized.

Check out the requirements for traveling to the country you are planning on visiting, put valuables and essentials in carry-on luggage, and use a flight tracker to find out the status of your flight.

Then, you can relax in the sun by the poolside on your vacation and forget all about the post-Covid world for a couple of weeks.

MENTAL HEALTH – DR. ALEX ALVARDO

Even though we have made great progress in bringing people into therapy during the pandemic, there is still a huge stigma about therapy – that it doesn’t work. In order to really change this perception, we must do more upfront work to make sure people are being matched correctly to qualified therapists and psychologists who can care for, and treat, that person’s individualized needs. To achieve this successfully requires more than a simple Internet search or app signup.

One of the biggest missteps someone can make when searching for a therapist is blindly accepting the most convenient option. This could come in the form of a quick Internet search (just because something pops up in the No. 1 position on Google does not mean it is the best option for you); or taking a referral from a friend or family member (just because a therapist is right for someone else, does not mean it is the best match for you). Additionally, skipping the therapist interview step, and rushing to the hiring step (or signing up on a mental health app), can make you feel committed or trapped with a therapist that was never the right match for you in the first place. It is true that the year 2020 will likely be known as one of the most stressful years in our time, and the first time that many Americans sought out a therapist. While this is a good thing and shows progress for improving mental health, we now face a lesser-talked about “second pandemic” of mental health issues – of which includes finding the right therapist – that could affect our future perception of mental health and our willingness to seek help.

Compounding this problem is the anxiety, financial stress, politics, substance abuse, isolation, job worries, relationship problems, health concerns and other issues that have intensified since the start of the pandemic, which has overwhelmed therapists with new patients, many of whom go on a waiting list or get referred out to less qualified resources. Mental health professionals are not immune from the stress of the pandemic either, often citing burnout and fatigue from heavy patient loads, while also struggling to handle their own stress at home.

All of these factors contribute to a more complicated and challenging mental health environment that requires increased navigation and guidance from the mental health industry to make sure that those seeking help are receiving evidence-based therapies from qualified professionals who have the bandwidth to invest in the client for the long run. To improve first-time encounters with therapy, I developed a free online matchmaking platform at Thriving Center of Psychology that vets and validates licensed professionals, then matches them to individuals seeking help, based on the person’s specific therapy needs and the professional’s area of expertise and therapy process.

To begin the process of finding the right therapist is simple. Start by filling out a 3-minute questionnaire that helps uncover the style of therapist that may be the best fit for your specific situation and preferred type. Questions cover everything from therapy approach to gender and ethnicity, including what specialty of a therapist are you seeking? Are you looking for a goal-oriented or reflective therapist? Do you want your therapist to have a holistic approach (including recommending yoga, meditation, and journaling)? and so on.

This filter then quickly matches individuals seeking help to a vetted database of qualified therapists who are licensed to work in the state in which the person lives. I developed this therapist matchmaking platform because so many friends and family members would ask me for therapist referrals. What I came to realize was that when people finally decide they should find a mental health therapist, they are often faced with a huge hurdle: finding a qualified therapist. Finding a therapist is not easy, especially if you are not a professional in the mental health industry and do not know all the right questions to ask. Mistakes can be easily made as many people either skip or rush through the research and interview step of finding a therapist.

If it is a person’s first time in therapy and it is a bad experience, it is most likely they will never return to it.
Once you find your therapist match, you should still interview 2-3 therapists before
committing to a paid session with anyone. Face-to-face office visits or video sessions
are ideal. During the interview, be sure to check the therapist’s credentials with state government sites, and have a clear understanding of his or her treatment style, therapy process and verify whether or not that therapy approach is evidence-based as defined by the American Psychological Association. Also, ask the therapist if he or she has ever treated anyone with similar concerns to yours. This will give you a clearer picture on the therapist’s treatment approach. It is important in this initial interview with the therapist, that you do not do all the talking.

You can share at a high level about what is going on (like, I’m grieving from the death of my mother), but do not get into the
details. Let the therapist do the majority of the talking so you can get a really good feel for his or her compatibility to you and your needs. Additionally, make sure that the therapist you select is licensed to work in your state. The increased popularity of virtual sessions since the start of the pandemic has opened many more options for people
seeking counseling, but if you go the virtual route, you still need to make sure the therapist is licensed to work in the state in which you reside. Ultimately, to live a truly fulfilled life, remember that it is just as important to place a high
priority on your mental health as it is for your physical health. You deserve the chance to unlock your true potential and live the life you have always dreamed of so do not let anything get in the way of your mental health, which is part of your overall health.

Start with the research step and find the therapist that is the best match for your specific needs – then the rest of the journey will be less stressful from there.

Dr. Alex Alvarado

Shanghai Navigates COVID Lockdown

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On March 28, the urbanist city in China of Shanghai began to lockdown. As of now, all people continue to be quarantined at home, with schools and businesses closed.

During the extended quarantine of Shanghai, the number of infections has continued to climb. A few things about the gravity of the lockdown are worth noting.

First is the treatment of positive patients. In most countries, people with mild infections only need to be quarantined at home to wait for self-recovery. China differs from often countries as they have adopted centralized quarantine, which includes quarantine of close contacts.

After the outbreak, countless shelter hospitals were built in Shanghai, with some schools, office buildings, and stadiums were requisitioned to build shelter hospitals. Because the speed of construction could not keep up with the spread of the virus, many covid positive patients waited at home for more than a week for treatment and were later sent to shelter hospitals even after testing negative. Many patients even spend whole days in transfer cars because all the shelter hospitals are full.

The conditions of shelter hospitals are also very diverse. Some places have sufficient food supply, and the environment is very hygienic. However, the sanitary conditions of some hospitals are shocking. Hundreds of people share one restroom, and in severe cases, toilets may even be filled with excrement.

Next, it is important to dicsuss the lack of food, specifically outage of all packages and restaurant delivery. The government issued a statement on March 28th, which entailed the Pudong district being locked down from March 28th to April 1st. Remaining areas would be locked down from April 1st to April 5th. Many people stored food for four days as directed by the government, but Shanghai’s lockdown was not lifted by the fourth day.

The government distributes food and daily necessities to residents, but the food everyone received could not sustain a month-long confinement. Some open supermarkets began taking orders in the morning hours, but a community with tens of thousands of people can only take hundreds of orders, leaving most citizens with no way to order food.

As a result, some people spontaneously initiated group purchases, with a resident of the community as the leader, negotiating with food suppliers, and then ordering the food needed by the entire community, and then distributing them by themselves. In communities with few households, everyone can only rely on supermarket deliveries.

Lastly, non-COVID-19 patients have not been receiving adequate treatment. During the quarantine period, all citizens were unable to leave their homes, which led to the difficulty of seeing a doctor for patients with underlying diseases. There are many patients who need hemodialysis, chemotherapy, and surgery that cannot be treated in time.

For emergency patients, it is even more difficult, because hospitals need Covid PCR test reports within 24 hours before they can accept patients. There are some acutely ill patients, such as myocardial infarction, renal failure, etc., who died at the hospital gate because they were waiting for the PCR test report.

As April 21, Shanghai had been closed for 24 days, with the number of infected people beginning to slowly decline on April 17. The government declared that “Zero-Covid policy” must be implemented. It remains to be seen where Shanghai will go in the future.

Article by: Hannah Zhong

Shanghai during COVID-19 lockdown via Hannah Zhong for use by 360 Magazine

The Bourbon Room Hollywood

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The Bourbon Room Hollywood is set to officially reopen this Saturday, Feb. 5 as Hollywood’s hottest new live music, entertainment, and dining destination, debuting two new rock supergroups and a lineup of the best in rock n’ roll tribute acts in the country. Kicked off by the global sensation Rock of Ages, The Bourbon Room brings the best in live music, nightlife, comedy, and theater to Hollywood with the same edgy, rock and roll attitude that built The Sunset Strip. If Joe’s Pub and The Troubadour had a baby, it would be The Bourbon Room.

Originally built for the hit musical Rock of Ages in July of 2019, The Bourbon Room was also home to a 10-week, sold-out run of Tarantino Live in partnership with For the Record. The venue was off to a great start until July of 2020 when Covid hit and Rock of Ages tragically lost the lead star, Nick Cordero after complications from Covid, and everything came to a screeching halt.

“After the loss of our talented, dear friend Nick, and being denied financial assistance from Save our Stages, and repeated shutdowns; it has been an uphill battle,” said Matthew Weaver, Owner of The Bourbon Room Hollywood. “Although the pandemic has been devastating, we used the opportunity to remodel and rebrand; and are ready to present locals and tourists with the ultimate live music and culinary entertainment experience.”

This stunning 8,000 square-foot entertainment venue is unlike any other venue in Los Angeles paying tribute to The Sunset Strip and bringing together the best in rock n’ roll music, great food, live entertainment, and craft cocktails. Overlooking the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame, The Bourbon Room is a gateway to a 200-seat custom theater, flooded with neon lights and signs from iconic clubs that made The Sunset Strip. It features a million-dollar, state-of-the-art sound and lighting system and cutting-edge production for the ultimate live music experience. The walls display guitars and platinum records with zebra print carpet, paying further homage to The Sunset Strip.

The February entertainment line-up starts on Saturday, Feb. 5, with Travis Haley (Lexxi Foxx), the ex-bassist from Steel Panther with the LA debut of Hollywood Gods N’ Monsters (HGNM)—”the biggest smash-up band in the world.” The band features Travis along with singer Dave “Diggity Dave” Aragon (“Pimp My Ride”), rapper HYPE, singer Kris “7even” Aragon, drummer Daniel Adam Parker, and guitarist Brian Jennings. HGNM smashes together the songs every generation has grown up with, mixing songs of the ’70s bands Chic with Queen, Aerosmith, The Sugarhill Gang, Blondie, and DMX.

Starting Wednesday, Feb. 23, Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses) debuts his new band The Keef Richards with a weekly Wednesday residency. The supergroup features Kenny Arnoff (Smashing Pumpkins, Chickenfoot, etc), Teddy Zig Zag (Guns N’ Roses, Alice Cooper) and Sean McNabb (Dokken) along with different big named special guests weekly. Early arrival is recommended. You never know who is going to show up!

Other confirmed shows include Spazmatics on Feb. 18; Pettybreakers on Feb. 20; English Beat on March 4 & 5; The Dan Band on March 18; and Punk Rock Karaoke on February 25th featuring an amazing line up of punk rockers including Greg Hetson (Bad Religion, Circle Jerks) Stan Lee (The Dickies), Randy Bradbury (Pennywise), and Darrin Pfeiffer (Goldfinger, Sum 41).

The venue will also introduce new residencies such as Broadway at The Bourbon Room, a brand new monthly musical cabaret celebrating the songs, stories, and stars of Broadway. Guests can sing along to their favorite songs, discover new talent, and hear stories from artists’ time spent on and off the stage.

Designed by BUILT Inc., the same team behind popular LA venues such as Guy’s Bar, Trousdale, The Nice Guy, The Peppermint Club, and Pink Taco, The Bourbon Room is by far one of the sexiest venues in Hollywood. Upon entering, you head through a nondescript set of wrought iron doors and up a set of stairs before being greeted by an edgy, full-service speakeasy cocktail lounge adorned with exposed brick walls, HD TVs, swanky chesterfield sofas, and a leopard print stage. The Lounge is the perfect place to sip cocktails and enjoy a bite before the show.

The menu features upscale comfort and bar food from Executive Chef Frankie Guerrero, craft cocktails, and a large selection of fine wine. Chef Frankie brings years of culinary experience with a focus on bar and comfort food. He has worked at some of Los Angeles’s most notable popups and restaurants supporting high-profile chefs like Tim Hollingsworth at Field LA and Free Play, Ludo Lefebvre at Trois Familia, and Ludo Bird and at Neal Fraser’s Fritzi Coop, later morphing into Arts District Brewery. His most recent project was supporting B.J. Novak‘s pop-up restaurant Chain for Tim Hollingsworth.

Some of Chef Frankie’s signature items on The Bourbon Room menu include Frankie’s flavorful Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich that is brined and served with an in-house spread of slow-roasted garlic confit, olive oil, and herbs and The Bourbon Room Cheeseburger built with a mixture of Snake River Farms Wagyu beef and brisket on a potato bun.

ROLLS-ROYCE MUSE PROGRAMME

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“Lineage for a Phantom Zone marks an important milestone in Rolls-Royce’s creative history. The newly commissioned work by artist Sondra Perry, sees Muse, the Rolls-Royce Art Programme’s inaugural award, the Dream Commission, come to fruition. Initiated to advance the medium of moving image art, the Dream Commission has consisted of a two-year process during which leading lights of the artistic world selected Sondra Perry to create an entirely new work. I am pleased to confirm this work will be shown at the prestigious Fondation Beyeler in Switzerland, before travelling to Serpentine, London. On behalf of Rolls-Royce, I congratulate Sondra Perry on this exciting commission, and we look forward to sharing her installation this year.”

Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

American artist Sondra Perry joins forces with the Rolls-Royce Art Programme Muse to produce the immersive experience known as Lineage for a Phantom Zone. The program was shaped in support of the Dream Commission, and will open for one full month from February 13 to March 13 at Foundation Beyeler, Switzerland.

One of the most powerful mediums in art today is moving image art. This new program promises to embrace and highlight nothing but that, with film, animation, artificial intelligence and virtual reality pieces incorporated throughout the course. The emergence of social media combined with the affects of the COVID-19 pandemic have altered our world as we knew it, pushing for the rise of the digital age.

In support of the Dream Commission, Rolls-Royce aims to back developing artists in the field of art creation. The establishment of this new platform of moving image artwork expands the realm that we previously knew. With constant visualization of revolutionizing technical and conceptual boundaries, Rolls-Royce fulfills this through their exploration in cooperation with the Dream Commission.

May 2021 Dream Commission winner Sondra Perry works as a moving medium artist specializing in pieces relating to the topics of race, identity and technology. Perry received this honor out of a limited four differing artists in the same field, chosen by a Jury of modern-day art figures. Lineage for a Phantom Zone navigates through Perry’s journey of life highlighting the importance of dreaming. The philosophies of memory, lineage and longing are touched as well, explored through sensory elements that induce the physical, emotional and mental feelings of dreaming.

The 2022 inaugural Dream Commission was made possible through cooperation with Fondation Beyeler, Basel and Serpentine, London.

Explore Dream Commission content HERE.

Nursing Home Staff Shortages

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Amidst the perseverance of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry has taken a massive blow. There are intense staffing shortages in the field, and the public is suffering from these scarcities. The Washington Post gave a detailed report on these worsening staff deficiencies, more specifically in long term care facilities.

Nursing homes tend to lessen the stress on hospitals as recovered patients typically move there after being released. Without proper staffing, though, facilities have not been able to take in patients from hospitals. A specific example of this misfortune stems from the Terrace View nursing home in Buffalo, New York. The home is currently not running at full capacity, and there are up to 22 beds not being used due to lack of staff.

The Washington Post article elaborates on this disaster, highlighting another facility affected. “That means some fully recovered patients in the adjacent Erie County Medical Center must stay in their hospital rooms, waiting for a bed in the nursing home. Which means some patients in the emergency department, who should be admitted to the hospital, must stay there until a hospital bed opens up. The emergency department becomes stretched so thin that 10 to 20 percent of arrivals leave without seeing a caregiver — after an average wait of six to eight hours, according to the hospital’s data.”

Many long-term care facilities across the country are facing these same troubles. The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) found 58% of nursing homes are cutting down on arrivals, again, because of the shortage of staff members.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that 425,000 long term care workers left the industry since February 2020. Though other industries have seen economic growth since the onset of the pandemic, nursing homes have not had the same luck. “Remarkably, despite the horrific incidents of death and illness in nursing homes at the outset of the pandemic, more staff departures have come during the economic recovery. As restaurants and shops reopened and hiring set records, nursing homes continued to bleed workers, even as residents returned.”

These troubles are heightened in more rural areas. The article, too, depicts the story of Diakonos Group in Medford, Oklahoma, that had to shut down since there was simply not enough staff. The facility provided care for patients with mental health needs, but after the pandemic started, they found that their staff had endured too much. Diakonos Group CEO Scott Pilgrim explained that although the business offered a raise in hourly wages, bonuses and overtime, employees continued to leave, and they could not withstand these absences.

AHCA/NCAL urges lawmakers to work with the long term care division of healthcare to fix this staffing crisis and devote resources to employ caregivers. As hospitals continue to be directly affected by this catastrophe, change must be made as soon as possible. AHCA/NCAL encourages Congress to take action and ease these tensions placed on both hospitals and long term care facilities.

Virtual Meeting w/ Biden × Xi

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By: Conan Zhang

US President Biden and China’s Chairman, Xi Jinping had their first virtue summit on November 15th. This summit was set towards the improvement of bilateral cooperation but there was no concrete action after three and a half hours of the conference.

The summit had its focus on a wide range of issues, including human rights, climate change, and the economy. However, among all the topics, the future of Taiwan has been one of the major focuses of the globe.

Since the uncertainty of the global pandemic and political concern, Xi has canceled all his traveling plans since January 2020. The two leaders have spoken through telephone twice this year, nevertheless this time they were intended to lead a more exhaustive discussion of the previous issues.

Although the summit was taken place virtually, the place was carefully selected. Xi along with his allies was at the East Hall in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Biden and his team were at the Roosevelt Room at the White House.

During the conference, each side has mentioned their dispute which concerns them the most. While the disservice has been deeply rooted which offered little room for compromise. Although Xi called Mr. Biden “my old friend” at the beginning of the summit and used a metaphor that compared the two superpowers to ships that navigate together in the ocean’s wind, under the water, there is disagreement and conflict which is hard to be resolved.

Spotlight focus: Taiwan Affairs

Taiwan affairs are always the most significant issue among China and US. The White House and Xinhua News Agency, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, have individually quoted Biden and Xi’s speeches, which demonstrated their respectively different opinions.

According to a statement issued by the White House, Biden said that “the United States is still committed to the ‘One China policy, which is implemented under the guidance of the “Taiwan Relations Act”, the three joint communiqués and the six guarantees.”

While on the other hand, Xinhua News Agency quoted Biden as saying, “The U.S. government is committed to pursuing the long-term and consistent one China’ policy and does not support Taiwan independence.

Despite the fact that Xi Jinping always mentioned Taiwan in the past, This time his words are tougher, and more sounds like a warning. He warned that “Taiwan independence” is “very dangerous. It is playing with fire, and you will burn yourself if you play with fire.” He emphasized that the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués are the foundation of China-US relations.

Seek common ground while reserving differences

It is impossible to solve the enormous divisions that occur among the world’s two superpowers through just one meeting. While the virtual summit between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden obviously has removed the concern whether China-US would spiral into a new Cold War. The relationship is rebounding from the Trump era which there was a great misunderstanding. Cooperation of the world is urgently needed, since the COVID pandemic, economic recession, and climate crisis.

Although there is dissension in many ways, the communication was structural and honest, The fact that the summit has taken place for almost four hours is a clear sign that both leaders are putting a great amount of effort to achieve substantive and constructive results. They showed a strong desire to eventually find a way to reach a consensus. And Biden in his word said that we need to have “commonsense guardrails” and prevent the China-US competition from “veering into conflict”.

Conclusion

China-US collaboration and benign competition are appreciated by the world. History has witnessed the benefits of both superpowers working together from the Financial crisis of 2007–2008 to the joint declaration on enhanced climate actions announced recently in Glasgow. Just like what Xi mentioned at the begging of the summit, “Humanity lives in a global village, and we face multiple challenges together. China and the US need to increase communication and co-operation.”

For The Love of Comic Con

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By: Rodney Ramlochan × Elle Grant × Vaughn Lowery

New York City’s Comic Con is a key annual fan event dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, movies, television and more. First held in 2006, this classic event was canceled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, devastating fans who look forward to this mainstay of popular culture. Yet this year, Comic Con made its triumphant return, though it looked a little different in the attendance of both its exhibitors and fans. 360 MAGAZINE got the full scoop from well-versed fan Rodney Ramlochan on how this event has changed. He offers comments on the good, the bad, the Covid, and the in between for 360 readers. Read Ramlochan’s full testimony below:

To say that I love New York Comic Con is an understatement. For over a decade, as a pop-culture geek, I’ve enjoyed the fantastic guests, panels, original art, unique exhibitors, industry merchants, and one-of-kind exclusives. It has always been one of my favorite events to cover, and as a die-hard fan, I was deeply disappointed that the pandemic caused last year’s convention to go virtual. However, I was thrilled to hear that the event was coming back in person this year. Since much had changed over the past eighteen months, I thought it would be cool to experience the event as a fan rather than cover it as press. I also wanted to test-drive ReedPop’s Metaverse membership for ordering in-person tickets and focus on the overall fan experience, including Covid safety precautions and notable differences between this year and cons from yesteryear. Here are my post-Comic Con impressions.

I purchased tickets a few months ago in July using the MetaVerse presale process. Of course, this was before the uptick caused by the Delta variant strain. I didn’t expect any issues with purchasing online as I’ve never really had a problem buying 4-day or single-day passes in the past. Still, I was interested in trying out the new Metaverse Membership that gives you first access to NYCC badges, photo ops & autographing tickets. My mission this year was to get both an autograph and photograph with William Shatner, epic space captain of the Starship Enterprise and now a real-life astronaut. In addition to getting first dibs on NYCC in-person tickets, the Superfan membership allows you to buy MCM Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con, and C2E2 tickets. You can also get paid digital experiences, exclusive access to video content and celebrity panels, access to exclusive NYCC merchandise online.

The Superfan Membership process was relatively seamless. I signed up at the end of June using the Metaverse Membership email and bought tickets using a dedicated link on my profile page within a few days. I purchased single day passes for each day of the convention, and I was contacted for the opportunity to purchase photo ops and autographs in addition at the end of September. Overall, I’d say the membership was worth it. It’s perfect for the fan who would rather have a more significant window of time to purchase tickets. Outside of remembering to click on the notification reminder emails and follow the presale, photo ops, and autographs links, ordering is straightforward. There are no worries about getting tickets for the exact days you want to attend. If you are good with the allotted time frame afforded by the standard ordering process, then paying for the Superfan membership may not be beneficial at this time. However, I do wonder what the future holds for purchasing tickets in the future. Suppose the Superfan method of buying in-person tickets becomes more popular. Will it impact the standard order process and make it more challenging to obtain single-day passes post-pandemic? Only time will tell.

As far as Covid safety protocols, enforcement, and logistics, the ReedPop and the Javitz Center team did a great job managing this. Before attending, I was uncertain why New York Comic Con needed a partnership with CLEAR Health Pass. Especially since vaccination proof was a requirement for attending and could be validated using vaccine cards and existing apps like the NY Excelsior Pass. In hindsight, standardizing the application that everyone uses for admission was a smart move. At the very least, it streamlined the process and expedited entry for most. I picked up my green ReedPop vaccine wristband at the Javitz Crystal Palace a few nights before opening. It took me less than 5 minutes to show the CLEAR app and retrieve the band, and in many ways, this process foreshadowed the overall feel and attendance for the convention. NYC began requiring proof of vaccinations in early September, and the event was following suit. The mandate may have impacted attendance, as I read many social media comments from individuals that stated they wanted to return or sell their tickets because they didn’t know the vaccine would be mandated before purchasing. But, as a whole, most people in attendance complied with the requirements. I was there all four days and only encountered two individuals not wearing masks on the main floor. I didn’t notice security enforcing the mask mandate, but I did hear that a vendor and few individuals had been removed from the showroom floor for not following the rules. At my William Shatner autograph and photo ops sessions, plexiglass partitions protected Shatner and the fans. Partitions were used at all reserved signings and photo op sessions. According to ReedPop, 150,000 paid in-person attendees were at the event this past weekend compared to 250,000 in previous years. Even with 100,00 fewer people, this was the largest indoor in-person event held in New York since 2019, showing a great evolution from where things were at the start of the pandemic. It was good to see that all of the proper safety protocols were in place.

One of the most significant differences between this year’s Comic Con and past shows was the notable absence of large exhibitors like Disney, Marvel, DC, Image, Sony, Amazon, SYFY, and distributors like Funko and Midtown Comics. Of course, it didn’t come as a surprise, as we had been receiving no-show notices practically every week leading up to the event. I’m sure it deterred some folks from attending, but I think it helped provide a unique experience for those who did. It minimized the crowd and offered other smaller exhibitors an opportunity to showcase their properties and spend more time with fans. As a result, I spent a lot more time than I would typically have at smaller booths. For example, I met the great folks at Plunderlings, a boutique toy line presenting a fresh take on fantasy universes from a Caribbean perspective. Although some of the major players weren’t present, there was an excellent turnout for anime fans from Toei Animation, Funimation, VIZ Media, and Tamashii Nations. Without having to compete for floor space, it seemed as if their exhibits doubled in size. If you were a fan of these companies, it was probably the first time in years that you could casually stroll through their exhibits without waiting in line. Although it was less crowded, the show floor did not feel empty. As expected, Saturday and Sunday saw an increase in volume of attendees, but nothing compared to the previous years.

One of the most extraordinary changes this year was the unveiling of the new Javits Center expansion project. It took a few minutes to figure out exactly where floors 4 and 5 were, but once you found them in the building adjacent to the old center, you were treated to the fantastic skyline and river views on the way up to the panel rooms and the new Empire Stage. There were a few blockbuster live panels, including Ghostbuster and The Boys; however, many panels like Sandman Act II and Wheel of Time were pre-recorded videos. I did sit in on the Sandman panel, but post-viewing, I felt a bit underwhelmed – watching a video of writer Neil Gaiman, audiobook director Dirk Maggs, actor James McCoy (who voices the title character), and actor/filmmaker Kevin Smith (who voices Merv Pumpkinhead) was not the same as seeing them in person. In addition, ReedPop introduced a new reservation system for the larger panels instead of the “badge tap-in” process used in the past. I have mixed feelings about this, as it didn’t appear that anyone’s reservations for the panels were being checked. It may have been because there was excess capacity remaining at the events I attended. However, I will note that the folks at the Tamashii Nations booth to purchase their exclusive Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Son Goku figure did check for reservations.

Overall, expanding the panels to the new venue resulted in two significant outcomes. First, it allowed more space to return to smaller fan-focused panels, which featured creators interacting with their fandom instead of pitching major studio events. Second, moving the panels out of the main building allowed for Artist Alley to take back a prominent role I felt it had lost over the past few years. This year, the Alley was front and center, featuring principal mainstays like Fabian Nicieza, Chris Claremont, Rob Leifeld, and Scott Synder amongst many others. I especially enjoyed chatting with Ben Bishop, one of the key artists on TMNT’s The Last Ronin.

Undoubtedly, many of this year’s Comic Con changes resulted from how best to host an event during a pandemic, but many of the changes also focused on improving the fan experience. As a result, NYCC 2021 felt more like the NYCC of 2011, but with a few notable improvements. Creators were able to connect more with their fandoms, fans were able to stop and appreciate exhibitors and artists more, and ReedPop unveiled a few new processes to streamline crowd control and help fans maximize their time at the event. It wasn’t perfect, but as a fan, it exceeded my expectations, and I’m even more looking forward to a pandemic-free NYCC next year.