Monthly Archives: November 2025

Hospital openings in Irvine mean lots of new hiring in region

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When the sprawling City of Hope and UCI Health hospitals open in Irvine within days of each other early next month, it will be with approximately 1, 800 new staff. And Hoag is already hiring hundreds of additional employees to man an expansion of its Irvine campus with three new health institutes next year. Already, the region has “been feeling the impact of these investments,” Orange County Business Council President and CEO Jeffrey Ball said of the boom of jobs related to so much development and construction happening at one time. “Now, we’re moving into the more permanent clinical and administrative positions. “Many regions would give anything to have that in their area.” More than 18, 000 applications flooded City of Hope Orange County’s inboxes when it was hiring for the 740 positions its new 73-bed specialty hospital needs for its opening Dec. 1 in Irvine, said Annette Walker, president of the cancer care center’s expansion into the county. Just two years ago, her team opened a new 190, 000-square-foot outpatient center that also demanded a sizable hiring effort. Selecting staff for the new hospital, Walker said, was a laborious and intricate process one that spanned beyond browsing resumes and conducting interviews, but also making sure the needs of the county’s diverse communities are met, whether housing would be available and if Orange County could support the variety of skills needed. “It’s a big undertaking,” Walker said of building City of Hope’s new Irvine campus. “And I’ve always said that hiring would be the thing that worried me the most.” Who’s coming to Irvine? In 2018, City of Hope decided to expand into OC; for decades, it has offered Southern California its specialty cancer care from its Duarte campus, and this move into Irvine cuts the commute for so many. First, it built the outpatient care center that opened in 2022. Then it turned its attention, almost immediately, to the construction of the hospital just feet away. “So we’re gonna nearly double the number of people that we need to hire, and it’s going to be in basically a three- to four-month period that we’re gonna hire 740 people,” Walker said of the task that was at hand. Most of these are full-time positions of the more than 700 hires, just 69 are part-time and 37 are per diem. And the largest profession hired for was nurses more than 100 were needed. Dr. Carol Ann Friedman, interim associate dean of the Golden West College School of Nursing, anticipates the new hospitals making Orange County a more attractive location to stay for the school’s graduating cohort of 120 or so nursing students each year. “From the perspective of a nurse, it’s great to work at a hospital like UCI and City of Hope, which are of magnet status,” she said. “And to be able to get their first jobs, to be able to develop their skills at a high-quality institution, when you’re a new nurse, it’s really important to get that type of experience.” UCI Health’s new seven-story, 144-bed acute-care hospital, opening Dec. 10 in Irvine, was also “flush” with applicants, said Dr. Ryan Gibney, the medical director of the hospital’s emergency department. Overlooking the vast 300-acre San Joaquin Marsh Reserve from its spot on the edge of the UC Irvine campus off Jamboree Road, the 350, 000-square-foot facility the sixth in the academic health system that includes its founding UCI Medical Center trauma hospital in Orange will be the nation’s first all-electric hospital. “I had 51 (physician assistants) apply for five positions,” Gibney said. “I think there was 400 people in one of the job fair days for nursing alone. “People want to be here,” he said, “which is what I think we’re seeing when these jobs went up, people lining up out the door.” To care for the patients who will soon be visiting UCI Health-Irvine for its emergency room and operating rooms, about 180 physicians will be needed. But UCI Health also has the trauma center in Orange and, in recent years, acquired or opened several other medical centers around Orange County. So some physicians, such as surgeons, will float around, but it recruited 70 specifically for Irvine, spokesperson John Murray said. And when UCI Health-Irvine welcomes patients next month, it will be staffed with about “970 non-physician positions, including nurses, therapists and environmental services staff,” Murray said. A snapshot of UCI Health’s hiring logistics: For its emergency room, the hospital had about 40 positions to be filled. “About 30 of them were transfers, nurses in Orange that applied to move over,” Murray said. And that internal hiring “was enormously beneficial, because then we get an experienced staff that knows how to run an ER and understands all of our clinical policies.” Like City of Hope, which took into consideration language barriers and Orange County’s diverse communities while hiring, UCI Health was “intentional about who we hired, too,” Gibney said. “We have people that are native Korean speakers, Vietnamese, Arabic, Spanish. We have one that speaks Hindi. So all doctors are going to be able to interface with a population that exists around here,” he said. And as part of Hoag’s ambitious expansion at its Sun Family Campus in Irvine, which will add six new buildings, institutes dedicated to digestive health, cancer and women’s health and 155 new inpatient beds when complete next year, its leadership is in the midst of a staffing ramp-up. Hoag’s approach to hiring begins “long before a job is posted,” said Michael Krug, vice president and chief human resources officer. “We engage with future talent early through community partnerships, local schools, universities and career events well before they’re ready to apply.” All these jobs also start well before doors officially open, as departments and teams are built from scratch. And hiring for these hospitals is not limited to nurses and physicians; it takes cooks, janitors, security, ultrasound techs, phlebotomists, nursing assistants and an array of additional professions of all tiers and skill levels to oversee the day-to-day operations of all these facilities. Ball celebrates these hospitals coming to Irvine and the growing workforce brought on by such advancements in local health care. “You have more good jobs that are in the region and therefore you’re gonna have more opportunities for spending and that creates opportunities for our businesses as well,” he said. “So all of that is wonderful.” What about housing? The “ripples” of such a massive hiring wave, Ball said, will be enjoyed by the county at large, but also beg the inevitable question: How will these employers and the surrounding communities address the surging need for affordable housing? “When we think about the needed workforce and where they’re gonna live, this is not just an issue in Irvine,” Ball said.”This is a county-wide issue because they’re gonna be living in different places.” The financial goalpost for homebuyers in the county is ever moving further out. The required household income to buy a median-priced single-family home, which now is considered $1. 44 million, has surged this year to $367,600. Renters are also seeing overall hikes in Orange County. And in Irvine, tenth in the nation’s priciest places to live, renters pay an average of $3,090 monthly. Though these hospitals will bring “a lot of economic investment and growth” to the county, these openings will increase the demand for affordable housing and “exacerbate what is already a significant problem from a housing perspective,” Ball said. People inherently want to live near where they work. When approaching a massive workforce expansion like this, there are two elements community leaders must consider, Ball said. “One, is ensuring we have an adequate workforce for the positions that are being created, and they need to have access to attainable housing.” Even if developers want to quickly respond to this infusion of workforce, building is a lengthy permitting process, Ball said, “making it hard for our builders to really respond to the needs of the market.” One of the things Ball regularly lobbies for is the state loosening its California Environmental Quality Act regulations CEQA requires proposed projects to be evaluated for environmental impacts before being approved, which critics argue leads to delays. But the studies of impacts is necessary, CEQA supporters argue, to make sure communities aren’t overwhelmed by new developments. Ball referenced the recent Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles that scorched thousands of homes and displaced countless residents after the flames erupted in January. “And when that happened? What was the first thing the governor did? He waived compliance with California Environmental Quality Act rules,” Ball said. A housing problem spurred by a medical expansion “may not rise to the level of an emergency like a wildfire,” Ball clarified. “But the dynamics are the same,” and they raise the same question, Ball said: “How can we break down these barriers so that we can build much more effectively?” This question has been “very much on mind” for Walker and the City of Hope team. A little more than 70% of City of Hope’s new employee population lives in Orange County. The rest live in neighboring counties such as San Diego and Riverside, Walker said. “So how can we help these people who would really like to live here and like to live close to their work, but it’s not affordable or practical for them at this time?” One solution on hand, she said, is a $25 million commitment toward workforce housing from RSI Dream Communities, a nonprofit owned by local executive and philanthropist Ron Simon. Potential housing locations are up in the air, but Irvine City Manager Sean Crumby said the city has some ideas. The city recently updated its general plan to change up zoning and guidelines to add capacity for 57, 000 additional units, and Crumby said the boom in health care was front of mind. The majority of the new units will “focus in three major areas of the city,” including near the Irvine Spectrum area, Crumby said. The shopping complex is just two miles away from City of Hope’s campus at 1000 Fivepoint and Hoag’s development off Sand Canyon. “So we are having discussions with City of Hope and looking to identify any way that we can help them in the future,” Crumby said. “I think Hoag is also close enough to the Spectrum area where we can target them as well.” Still, the reverberations of this extensive health-care hiring, Ball said, pose enduring questions on housing to be answered. Rents are rising. Homes are growing increasingly expensive. And local communities must find a way to accommodate their continual growth in a county that is already one of the nation’s most expensive places to live. “It means that the employers are going to have to engage in different strategies related to housing,” Ball said. “If you’re talking about a doctor with a particular skill, you don’t want him having to drive an hour and a half to come in if there’s an emergency procedure.” But still, Ball reiterated, many regions would “give anything” to have these questions to wrestle with.
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/11/23/hospital-openings-in-irvine-mean-lots-of-new-hiring-in-region/

Sperry: Lawns of homeowner, neighbor plagued by invasive weed

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Dear Neil: My lawn is being taken over by this invasive weed. I’m also seeing it in the neighbor’s yard. Pulling it seems futile, as there always seem to be pieces left behind, plus I end up pulling up grass as well. I’ve tried using a vinegar spray, but it’s only helping a little. What is it, and what can I do? I have a big yard. You have Virginia buttonweed, one of the most challenging of all weeds. Herbicides aren’t as effective as we’d like them to be on it, and certainly not vinegar. It’s one of the weakest. Get rid of as many of the seed capsules as you can without shattering them and scattering the seeds across your lawn. Then I would suggest you go after it early next growing season with a mixture containing 2, 4-D and two other broadleafed weedkillers. Apply the herbicide with a tank sprayer so you can adjust the nozzle down to a fine droplet size. Stay after it until you have it all eliminated, then maintain a vigilant eye to be sure it doesn’t come back again. During the growing season you’ll see its four-pointed white star-shaped flowers that give rise to the fruit that you’re seeing here. Dear Neil: I know you write primarily for Texas, but I thought I’d give you a try. What is going on with my oak tree? Bark is peeling off. I don’t see any insects. The tree is in southern Alabama, very close to Pensacola, Florida. I’ll give it my best shot. We in Texas face similar problems with our live oaks, so this will probably be of value to our readers here, too. First of all, bark is a dead tissue. As a tree’s trunk and limbs grow and expand, it can only pop loose and fall to the ground. That’s normal, and the old bark is then replaced with new bark beneath. However, this trunk doesn’t look quite right. I do see the one branch stub where a small limb died and subsequently broke off. There probably is decay beneath the surface there. I also see many rows of holes from sapsuckers and/or woodpeckers. As the birds feed on the sap from the holes in the major limbs they keep coming back for more. Again, they usually do not do major damage. Since this seems to be showing down the trunk, there is a distinct chance that the problem overall may be farther down. Examine it closely for signs of insects or evidence of decay. At some point you very well may want to have a certified arborist stop by to examine the tree carefully. Dear Neil: How can I eliminate this weed that is showing up in all the local yards? I pull it out, but it keeps coming back. It grows just beneath the mowing height. This looks like prostrate knotweed (Polygonum aviculare). It resembles spurge, but its stems are not milky. University turf authorities recommend application of Dimension pre-emergent herbicides 2-3 weeks prior to the average date of the last killing freeze for your area to stop its germination for the next growing season. Maintain your lawn in a healthy, vigorous condition and it should be able to crowd out the invader in most cases. It looks like you’re trying to do that. Dear Neil: I have two large shade trees in my front yard. For 25 years the lawn has looked wonderful, but in recent years the shade has gotten so heavy that the grass has thinned out and now disappeared. One of the most respected lawn care companies can’t even make progress. What grass can I plant to replace the St. Augustine? It’s the most frequently asked question I get. Unfortunately, you have tried the most shade-tolerant turfgrass we grow here in Texas. Marketing companies will make big claims, but no other turfgrass measures up in ability to survive in reduced light to St. Augustine. However, even it has its limits. I had the same issue in my own lawn. I had lower branches removed from my trees. I even had a couple of unnecessary trees taken out entirely, but the older trees moved in to fill the voids. Eventually I switched over to shade-proof groundcovers like liriope, purple wintercreeper euonymus, ferns, and, most especially, regular mondograss (monkeygrass, or ophiopogon). Note than I did not mention dwarf mondograss. It’s too expensive and too slow growing. It’s also prone to soil-borne diseases. As things stand now, after several decades of dealing with this issue, I have thousands of square feet of mondograss. It gives much the same look as turfgrass without the mowing. Granted, we can’t play ball on it or chase the grandkids through it, but we have paths and patios for all of that. Dear Neil: I have a 12-year-old weeping willow tree. It’s been really pretty, but this year I’ve noticed that it didn’t have as many leaves as usual and one branch looks like it’s dying. What explanation might there be, and is there anything I should be doing to protect it? Think back to this summer and whether you saw any large beetles with long antennae swept back over their bodies. The insects would have been white with black markings making them look like finger-sized flying zebras. Those would have been cottonwood borers, and they’re responsible for the death of most willows by the time the trees are 8 or 10 years old. The trees fade out exactly as you described. Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do to protect them. The insecticides we once had available to prevent borer invasion are no longer on the market. If you liked your willow, and if you want another, you’ll probably want to root several 8-in. cuttings from it late in the winter so you’ll be able to plant them into your landscape next spring. They will root easily in water if you can be careful to insert the bottom end of each cutting into the bucket of water proper end down. (Remember that they probably were hanging upside down on the tree. The portion that grew closer to the roots must be stuck into the water.) Have a question you’d like Neil to consider? Mail it to him in care of this newspaper or e-mail him at mailbag@sperrygardens. com. Neil regrets that he cannot reply to questions individually.
https://tylerpaper.com/2025/11/23/sperry-lawns-of-homeowner-neighbor-plagued-by-invasive-weed/

All 14 Actors Who’ve Played Doctor Who Over the Show’s More Than 60-Year History

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01 of 14 William Hartnell as the First Doctor Starting the role as the First Doctor was Hartnell, who opted to portray the Doctor as stubborn, yet warm, for four seasons between 1963 and 1966. Hartnell reflected on one of the more challenging aspects of playing the Doctor, acting alongside the characters known as the Daleks. “They were difficult to play to, because they’re not . you’re not looking into human eyes, you know what I mean? You’re looking at a metal object moving about, with a voiceover,” he told the BBC in 1967. According to The New York Times, Hartnell died in 1975 at the age of 67. 02 of 14 Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor While it may be difficult to get fans on board with a new actor stepping into a beloved role, writers of the hit BBC show molded the Second Doctor into someone who can regenerate as Hartnell’s health began to fail, per Entertainment Weekly. That first regeneration came in the form of Patrick Troughton, who took over from Hartnell in 1966. Unlike his predecessor, who played the Doctor as somewhat straight-laced, Troughton brought some flair to the Time Lord, with a scruffier appearance and more eccentric disposition. Troughton played the role for three seasons until 1969, but made several appearances as the franchise carried on. The New York Times reported the actor died in 1987 at the age of 67. 03 of 14 Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor Occupying the role for five seasons, Jon Pertwee played the Third Doctor from 1970 to 1974. In addition to his flamboyant and vibrant portrayal of the Doctor, Pertwee was also the first to be broadcast on color television. Pertwee died in 1996 at the age of 76, according to The Irish Times. 04 of 14 Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor Devoted fans of the franchise might list Tom Baker’s whimsical portrayal of the Fourth Doctor as their favorite. Putting a stamp on the character with a signature hat and scarf, Baker occupied the role for seven seasons between 1974 and 1981, a record he still holds today. Baker only showed up in the franchise once more after his tenure ended. That was in 2013’s “The Day of the Doctor” special episode, which marked the show’s 50th anniversary. In November 2023, Baker shared what it takes to play the Doctor, telling RadioTimes. com, “Knowing anything is a bit dangerous when you play Doctor Who. It’s better to know nothing. And to be good-natured.” He added, “The trick is to respond generously to other actors, which halves your task because you don’t have to be driving it all the time.” 05 of 14 Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor Peter Davison took over as the Fifth Doctor in 1981 and occupied the role for three seasons, exiting the show in 1984. Davison’s Doctor was a lot more benevolent and was never scared to offer a helping hand, even in life-threatening moments. Like his predecessor, Davison also adorned the character with a signature wardrobe, often donning a cricket-inspired look. Davison returned as the Fifth Doctor on the 2022 episode titled “The Power of the Doctor” a celebration of the show’s 300th episode. The actor has opened up about the enduring legacy of the show in interviews, telling the BBC in November 2013 he’s “sure it will” come to an end but “the great thing about Doctor Who is that it’s got into the position of almost regenerating itself.” He continued, “The fans that grew up watching the programme are now running the programme, they are writing the programme, they are in it. As long as the programme maintains those high standards and inspires actors and writers and directors to want to be in it, I don’t see any reason why it can’t carry on.” 06 of 14 Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor Colin Baker’s portrayal of the Doctor was unfortunately not as upbeat as his bright ensemble suggested. According to Entertainment Weekly, the Sixth Doctor was known to be “arrogant, moody, and melodramatic,” a drastic switch in personality that didn’t go over well with fans. In fact, this version of the Doctor led to a dip in viewership numbers, resulting in the BBC forcing the actor out of the role. He played the titular character for three seasons, from 1984 to 1986. Baker opened up about the enduring legacy of Doctor Who in July 2020. “The reason Doctor Who endures, it’s about an eternal theme, which is the angel who comes down from heaven and saves you, or the cowboy who rides into town,” he told Den of Geek. “What’s his name? We don’t know. And he rides out again, having solved all your problems. And that’s who the Doctor is.” Baker also returned for the 2022 episode “The Power of the Doctor.” 07 of 14 Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor Bringing the original series to a close, Sylvester McCoy helmed the lead role as the Seventh Doctor for three seasons from 1987 to 1989. While his performance brought the original light-heartedness of the thrifty doctor, per The Hollywood Reporter, the BBC quietly dropped it from the schedules as fans were simply not responding the same. McCoy told RadioTimes. com in August 2023 that he “had no idea really what role I had been handed” when he was cast as the Doctor. “And then discovered I’d been handed one of the great television acting roles where you could do anything with it,” he continued. “The canvas was enormous, and you could do all sorts of things. And so that was a blessing.” Like Davison and Baker, McCoy returned for the 2022 episode “The Power of the Doctor.” 08 of 14 Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor Once the series went off air, producers made a film in an effort to regenerate interest with the 1996 TV film Doctor Who. At the helm was Paul McGann, who played the Eighth Doctor. Unfortunately, the franchise wouldn’t come back to screens for nearly a decade after failing to generate buzz. Despite it not directly leading to a revival of the series, McGann later said that “we did something right” with the TV film. “I’d like to think that . not that we needed vindicating, but we were part of the reason, perhaps, why it never quite disappeared,” he told Flicks and the City in October 2013. “We were perhaps partly responsible for its returning. I’d like to think so, anyway.” McGann reprised the Eighth Doctor on the 2022 episode “The Power of the Doctor.” 09 of 14 Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor Reintroducing Doctor Who to old fans and introducing him to the new generation was Christopher Eccleston, who took on the role as the Ninth Doctor when the series returned to the small screen in 2005. Modified for the new era, Eccleston’s leather-jacket-clad Doctor only lasted for one season. However, his portrayal is considered instrumental in audiences getting excited about the show again. Though Eccleston claimed in a March 2018 interview with The Guardian that he’d been put “on a blacklist” after his initial run as the Doctor, he brought back his version of the character for an audio drama in recent years. 10 of 14 David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and Fourteenth Doctor Piggybacking off the success of Eccleston’s portrayal, David Tennant took over as the Tenth Doctor and catapulted the series into a global phenomenon. Playing the role for three seasons and several specials from 2005 to 2010, the Scottish actor was a fan long before he stepped into the TARDIS. “I spent a lot of time in the back garden, making up TV shows, often Doctor Who-based,” Tennant said during a June 2019 interview on The Off Camera Show. The Broadchurch star continued, “The iteration of The Doctor that was around when I was young was played by an actor called Tom Baker, and he had a long, multi-colored knitted scarf. My granny knitted me one, so I would put that on and run around the garden.” Tennant returned to the Whoniverse in 2023 when he regenerated into the short-lived Fourteenth Doctor during a trio of 60th anniversary specials. During an April 2025 episode of his podcast, David Tennant Does a Podcast with., Tennant revealed that his former agent advised against taking on the role, telling him, “Don’t touch it. It’s not going to work.” Tennant’s wife, Georgia, is the daughter of Doctor Who alum Davison. The pair married in 2011 and share five children. 11 of 14 Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor People now know him from having played Prince Philip on the first two seasons of The Crown and Daemon Targaryen on House of the Dragon. However, Matt Smith was a newcomer when he stepped into the role of the Eleventh Doctor in 2010. Not only was he still on the rise in his career, but he was also the youngest actor to step into the role at just 26 years old. “I was turning up to work going, ‘F I can’t do this,’ he recalled to Rolling Stone UK in 2022 about his fear of stepping into the high-profile show at such a young age. “I used to phone my dad, going ‘I can’t do this.’ And he’d be like, ‘Come on, get your head down, you can.’ The Emmy-nominated actor continued, “The show is such a jewel in the BBC crown, and has such global appeal . if it doesn’t work, and you’re at the centre of it, then there’s nowhere to hide,” adding, “I remember walking down the street around that time and someone shouting, ‘Don’t break Doctor Who!’ Smith’s relative anonymity and age turned out to be non-issues, as fans quickly fell in love with his witty and adventurous portrayal of the Doctor throughout his three seasons until his departure in 2013. 12 of 14 Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor Adding some pragmatism to the character was Peter Capaldi, who took over as the Twelfth Doctor from 2013 to 2017. During his three-season tenure, fans got to see a more reflective and introspective Doctor. Capaldi likened playing the Doctor to being “kind of” like being the queen, telling The Guardian in January 2024 that most people can’t relate to the small group of actors who have played the larger-than-life character. “You’re kind of the face of the brand, and the brand is very big. You can’t be the cynical melancholic I naturally am,” the Thick of It actor said. “You have to pretend to be a version of yourself that’s far more amenable.” Capaldi continued, “You embody, for a time, this folk hero, this icon. I was able to comfort people in a way that would be beyond the powers of Peter. You could walk into a room and people gasped with delight. It doesn’t happen anymore.” 13 of 14 Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor Making history as the first woman to play the Time Lord, Jodie Whittaker led the franchise as the Thirteenth Doctor for three seasons from 2017 to 2022. Donning a whimsical rainbow-trimmed coat, Whittaker was heralded for her ability to bring the playful, frantic energy fans have long loved about the Doctor. When announcing her departure from the series, the former Broadchurch star told Entertainment Weekly in July 2021, “My heart is so full of love for this show,” and that this was “the best job I have ever had. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express what this role has given me. I will carry the Doctor and the lessons I’ve learnt forever,” Whittaker continued. “I know change can be scary, and none of us know what’s out there. That’s why we keep looking. Travel hopefully. The Universe will surprise you. Constantly.” Whittaker shares two children with husband Christian Contreras, whom she married in 2008.
https://people.com/all-the-actors-who-played-the-doctor-on-doctor-who-11854813

5 Ways to Avoid Family Feuds This Thanksgiving

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Every year at about this time I see some patients who are filled with anxiety at the thought of going home to family for the holidays. While, for some, Thanksgiving sparks memories of delicious foods, aromas, and warm family feelings, for others just the idea of seeing relatives produces an almost panicked reaction. Family can be a fraught topic and I don’t pretend that I can help patients work out all of their complex issues and past history before heading home for the holidays. Processing that stew of anger, ambivalence, disappointment, guilt, and other uncomfortable emotions takes time in therapy to examine and resolve. But there are practical steps you can take to prevent frustration, blow-ups, and discomfort with your family. The key: adjusting your attitude as you head into the holidays. I’ve formatted these recommendation using the word FEUDS so they are easy to remember: F=Forget. Your psychotherapy may involve delving into the hurts heaped on you when growing up. But why not consider letting go of those memories and feelings just for a day or two over the holidays? Sometimes I suggest that a patient close their eyes, fill an imaginary red balloon with the negativity they harbor toward relatives, and then let the balloon go and fly into the air. You can always come back to examining family issues but, for the holidays, try to Be Here Now, as Ram Dass, an American spiritual leader and yoga guru, advised in a book of the same title. By bringing all your emotional baggage to the holiday table, you set yourself up for an unhappy experience. By letting go of hurt and hostility, you give yourself a chance to enjoy the holiday. Don’t deprive yourself of a good time. E=Ease. If you feel tense as you enter into the holiday season, it increases the chance of that strain accelerating when surrounded by relatives with whom you have challenging relationships. De-stressing in advance may take the form of breathing deeply and relaxing one’s body the day and hours before, meditating, doing yoga, and/or setting your intentions. When we are relaxed, we are less likely to become irritated, jump to conclusions, engage in arguments, and escalate conflicts. Try easing your way into the holidays. The results may be surprisingly beneficial. U=Understanding. Inevitably, those who hurt us have been hurt themselves. The parent who is overly critical, the sibling with whom you feel competitive, the aunt who talks so much that no one else can chime in-all of these characters threaten potentially tumultuous encounters. It can be worthwhile to spend a few minutes before you gather for the holidays thinking about each of your relatives from their own perspective: Did your overly critical parent have a disapproving parent from whom they felt rejected? Is the sibling of whom you feel jealous envious of some qualities that you possess? Why does your aunt need to take command of the famiy table? By all means, family issues should be explored in therapy. But, for the holidays, it can be interesting to see what happens when you exercise empathy for others. You may feel more lovingkindness toward the relatives you might otherwise resent. D=Diagnose. Chances are, the negativity you feel toward your family is rooted in something within you or the relatives you disdain. Thanksgiving is a holiday that requires being thankful. If you are feeling negative about relatives as well as other aspects of your life, you may, in fact, be experiencing some level of depression. Or maybe the tensions in your family are due to conditions that others are suffering. Maybe your irritable father or grandparent is depressed, or your selfish sibling is a narcissist, or the cousin who needs everything to happen at a certain time or in a certain way has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or is on the autism spectrum. The point is that there may be biological conditions impacting your feelings about your family. Recognizing the roots of your or your family members’ attitudes and actions can be helpful in de-toxifying them.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/depression-a-guide-for-the-perplexed/202511/5-ways-to-avoid-family-feuds-this-thanksgiving

V1 protocol launch sets the foundation for 1,000% growth, here is why MUTM is the next big crypto

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Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is on the verge of a major breakthrough. With the upcoming V1 of the protocol launch, the platform is poised to reshape how lending and borrowing work in decentralised finance. Later on, the combination of a native stablecoin, dual lending models, and a buy-and-distribute token mechanism positions MUTM for extraordinary growth. Investors looking for the best cryptocurrency coin to buy will find Mutuum Finance (MUTM) uniquely structured to benefit from strong demand as adoption grows. Dual lending models to drive utility and adoption The presale has already captured significant attention. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) has a total supply of 4B tokens. Combined presale phases have raised around $18. 90 million so far, and with over 18, 100 holders across all phases, the platform is gaining a dedicated user base. The current Phase 6 price is $0. 035, with 95% of the 170M tokens already sold. Phase 7 will open at $0. 040, marking a 15% increase. For investors, this is the last sizable opportunity to secure tokens below $0. 04 before demand-driven momentum takes hold. For example, a Phase 2 investor who invested $10,000 at $0. 015 received 667K tokens. At today’s Phase 6 price of $0. 035, this position equals $23K in value, more than double the original investment. If MUTM reaches $1. 00, the value grows to $667K, and at $2. 00, it jumps to $1. 3M in value. This shows the life-changing upside of early participation. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is developing around two complementary lending systems. The Peer-to-Contract (P2C) model centralises liquidity in protocol-owned pools. Users deposit assets into audited smart contracts, and borrowers draw from the pooled funds based on algorithmic rules. Depositors receive mtTokens representing their share and accrued interest, which are also usable as collateral. Dynamic interest rates adjust according to pool utilisation, ensuring fair pricing and effective risk management. The Peer-to-Peer (P2P) system offers individualised loan markets. Lenders and borrowers negotiate terms such as rates, durations, and partial fills directly. P2P isolates volatile and illiquid assets, preserving the stability of the P2C pools while offering higher-yield opportunities for risk-tolerant participants. Together, these dual models balance security and reward, attracting a diverse range of users and increasing MUTM demand. V1 protocol launch sets the stage for mass adoption Mutuum Finance (MUTM) shared through its official X profile that the V1 edition of its protocol is planned to go live on the Sepolia Testnet in Q4 2025. This early-stage rollout will introduce the platform’s essential components, including the liquidity pool, the mtToken and debt token architecture, and an automated liquidator bot designed to keep the system secure and running efficiently. During this phase, users will be able to lend, borrow, and use ETH or USDT as collateral. Releasing V1 on the testnet gives the community an opportunity to explore the protocol before the mainnet launch. This phased approach enhances transparency, encourages early user participation, and allows the team to collect valuable insights for further refinement. As engagement grows and more users interact with the testnet environment, interest in the platform may increase, supporting long-term demand for the MUTM token. Real utility driving growth to 1, 000% The demand for Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is expected to surge due to its tangible utilities. The platform’s lending and borrowing capabilities create real use cases that attract users seeking income opportunities. Soon, users will lend, borrow, and stake their assets in designated pools to earn rewards. Every platform activity drives demand for MUTM, which will push token value higher. Early investors are already positioned to benefit from this rising interest. Post the V1 release, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) plans to offer a beta version of the platform. Early users will test key features like lending, borrowing, and staking before full launch. This hands-on access will encourage word-of-mouth adoption and expand the user base. As more investors engage with the platform, MUTM demand will rise, supporting upward price movement. Depositors in the platform will receive mtTokens, representing both their share of the pool and any accrued interest. These tokens can also be staked for additional MUTM rewards. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) will allocate a portion of platform revenue to buy back MUTM tokens from the open market and distribute them to mtToken stakers. This creates sustained buying pressure and rewards long-term participants, further driving token value. Community incentives and security Mutuum Finance (MUTM) offers an ongoing $100, 000 giveaway, rewarding 10 winners with $10,000 each in MUTM tokens. The platform also features a live dashboard for optimal UX experience and a Top-50 leaderboard, with a daily top prize of $500 MUTM. Social traction is strong, with 12K+ Twitter followers actively engaging. Together, these incentives will encourage participation and viral growth, further boosting demand for the token. Security is a key priority for Mutuum Finance (MUTM). The platform has undergone a CertiK audit, including manual review and static analysis, earning a Token Scan score of 90. 00 and a Skynet score of 79. 00. A 50, 000 USDT bug bounty program is in place to reward any reported vulnerabilities, with Critical, Major, Medium, and Low tiers reaching up to $2, 000, $1, 000, $500, and $200, respectively. Final chance to join before price jump Phase 6 is 95% sold, and Phase 7 will open at $0. 040, a 15% increase. Investors seeking the best cryptocurrency coin to buy now have a limited window to secure tokens at this price. The combination of V1 launch, beta access, staking rewards, and buy-and-distribute mechanics sets MUTM for rapid growth. Missing this opportunity may result in foregoing significant upside as adoption accelerates. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is not just another token. It is a platform with real utility, strong incentives, and a structural design for exponential growth. With the V1 launch on the horizon, demand-driven dynamics could propel MUTM toward multi-hundred per cent gains, making it one of the most compelling crypto projects of 2025. For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM), visit the links below: Website: Linktree:.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/crypto/v1-protocol-launch-sets-the-foundation-for-1000-growth-here-is-why-mutm-is-the-next-big-crypto/

Map Shows States Where COVID Is Rising Before Thanksgiving

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While the threat posed by COVID-19 remains relatively low nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that infections are growing or likely growing in 19 states across the nation. As of November 18, with a little over a week to go before celebrating Thanksgiving on November 27, COVID-19 cases were increasing or are likely to in Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, and West Virginia. In four other states, they were declining or likely to decline in California, Hawaii, Maine, and Washington. In 22 states, the number of infections was not changing. These numbers were based on data from incident emergency department (ED) visits across the country. It is important to note that, even in the states where COVID-19 infections were growing, the weekly percentage of ED visits diagnosed with the disease was “very low,” according to the CDC. In Indiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia it was “low.” Why It Matters COVID-19 is no longer the threat to public health it used to be when the epidemic broke out in late 2019-early 2020. According to the CDC, 49. 7 percent of the American population had been fully vaccinated as of August 2021, with 57. 9 percent having received at least one dose. USA Facts reports that, as of this year, 70 percent of the American population are considered fully vaccinated. The disease left a mark on the country-not only because of widespread lockdowns. While most people with COVID-19 had mild symptoms, many became severely ill, others developed so-called long COVID. As of June 1, 2024, nearly 1. 2 million people had died of COVID-19 in the U. S., according to the CDC. While the threat is not as urgent as it used to be, there are still people getting infected with COVID-19 across the country, with infections rising during the summer. An occasion like Thanksgiving, when big groups of people spend a long time in confined spaces, represents a chance for the virus to spread. What To Know As of September 27, the country’s test positivity-the percentage of total reported tests that are positive, was 6. 7 percent, based on CDC data. The higher rate this year was reported in late August, when it peaked to 11. 7 percent. In the same week, only 0. 7 percent of ER visits were diagnosed as COVID-19, and 1. 2 per 100, 000 people were hospitalized with the disease. COVID-19 was behind 0. 8 percent of all deaths in the nation during the week ending September 20, according to the CDC-one of the lowest rates reported in the past three years. At its peak in 2021, weekly deaths per 100, 000 people reached 6. 5.
https://www.newsweek.com/map-states-covid-rising-thanksgiving-11094753

Brock Lesnar to break unfortunate streak of 21 years at Survivor Series: WarGames

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Brock Lesnar is set to break an unfortunate 21-year streak at Survivor Series: WarGames. Lesnar will be making his debut inside a WarGames structure as part of Team Vision. Last week on RAW, The Beast returned to WWE television by aligning himself with Team Vision for Survivor Series. Roman Reigns also made his presence felt by confronting Lesnar and joining Team Punk to complete the men’s WarGames lineup. Thanks for the submission! According to Cagematch, this will be the first time in 21 years that Lesnar will be teaming up with someone for a match on WWE TV. His last tag team partner was Big Show back on the February 10, 2004, episode of SmackDown. They lost to the team of Eddie Guerrero and John Cena. It’s an unfortunate streak because Brock Lesnar never teamed up with many top names since returning in WWE, which could be considered missed opportunities. One big name Lesnar did team up with was Shinsuke Nakamura in February 2006, but it was under the NJPW banner. They defeated Akebono and Riki Choshu. Lesnar also almost teamed up with Cody Rhodes on the RAW after WrestleMania 39. However, the match never started after The Beast attacked Rhodes. The assault led to a feud between the two stars, with The American Nightmare winning and ending it at SummerSlam. Brock Lesnar set to appear on RAW WWE will hold RAW’s Survivor Series: WarGames go-home show at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns are set to appear, though it’s unclear if they are going to have a confrontation. Carnage could be expected this Monday night since the men’s WarGames advantage match is already scheduled. The only unknowns are the representatives from Team Punk and Team Vision. Lesnar showcased his power last week on RAW, tossing and suplexing both CM Punk and Cody Rhodes with ease. Reigns was able to kick The Beast out of the ring with a Superman Punch. They know each other really well just based on their history. Survivor Series: WarGames is scheduled for November 29 at Petco Park in San Diego, California.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-brock-lesnar-break-unfortunate-streak-21-years-survivor-series-wargames

Bitcoin Drops Hard — but Whales Buy 26K BTC on Dip

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Bitcoin trades through a sharp shakeout as ARK Invest shifts 39 million dollars into crypto stocks, whales ramp up accumulation, and the U. K. government sits on more than 5. 18 billion dollars in BTC. At the same time, the weekly RSI has fallen to its lowest level since 2022, showing how brutal the selloff has been even as major players move back into the market. ARK Invest Spends $39 Million on Crypto Stocks, Not Bitcoin ARK Invest, led by Cathie Wood, spent about 39 million dollars on November 19-20, 2025, buying shares of crypto-related companies during a market dip. The purchases did not include Bitcoin itself, despite claims on social media that the firm bought tens of millions of dollars’ worth of BTC. Cathie Wood ARK Stock Moves. Trade reports show allocations into listed companies with exposure to digital assets and blockchain, rather than direct spot Bitcoin positions. The moves came as Bitcoin traded roughly 30 percent below its recent high, after a sharp pullback in November. ARK’s activity added fresh exposure to the crypto sector through equities, signaling continued interest in digital-asset themes without altering the firm’s disclosed spot Bitcoin holdings. Bitcoin Whales Add Coins as U. K. BTC Stash Nears $5. 2 Billion Bitcoin’s largest wallets have swung back to net buying, with on-chain data showing more than 26, 300 BTC added by entities holding over 10, 000 coins, worth about 2. 3 billion dollars at recent prices. A 60-day “accumulation vs. distribution” chart from CryptoQuant highlights that the >10, 000 BTC cohort has shifted into accumulation, while bands tracking 100-1, 000 BTC and 10-100 BTC holders also tilt positive, signaling broader large-holder demand rather than a single group acting alone. Bitcoin Accumulation Distribution Chart 60D. K. government, valuing the stash near 5. 18 billion dollars at a reference price of 84, 624 dollars per coin. The dashboard tags the cluster as both a government account and a Bitcoin whale, grouping four addresses in one profile. UK Government Bitcoin Portfolio Dashboard. K.’s tracked holdings underline how major players continue to sit on, and add to, sizable Bitcoin positions despite the recent price pullback. Bitcoin Weekly RSI Sinks to Lowest Level Since 2022 Now, Bitcoin’s weekly Relative Strength Index has dropped to about 33, its most oversold reading in nearly three years, according to Barchart. The latest weekly candle shows BTC trading around the mid-80, 000 dollar area while momentum continues to lean sharply to the downside. This level signals that recent selling pressure has pushed the market into conditions that previously appeared only during major stress periods. Bitcoin Weekly RSI Chart. From that zone, BTC later advanced on the same chart toward roughly 126, 000 dollars over the next two and a half years. The comparison underlines how deep oversold readings have, in earlier cycles, lined up with longer recovery phases that unfolded gradually rather than in a single move. However, the current setup still reflects a market dealing with volatility and uncertainty after a steep drawdown from record highs. Traders now watch whether the oversold weekly RSI attracts fresh demand or if selling continues despite the stretched momentum signal. For now, the indicator simply shows that Bitcoin’s latest decline has pushed technical conditions to extremes not seen since the end of the previous bear market.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/bitcoin/bitcoin-drops-hard-but-whales-buy-26k-btc-on-dip/

В живота трябва да намерим баланс – колко да се трудим за себе си и колко да богатеем в Бога, каза отец Славчо в търновския храм „Св. Никола“

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В живота ни е от съществено значение да намерим баланс между усилията, които влагаме за личното си развитие, и тези, които посвещаваме на Бога, заяви ставрофорен свещеноиконом д-р Славчо Иванов по време на неделната си проповед в храма „Св. Никола“ в Търново. Когато този баланс е налице, успехите ни също нарастват, добави той. През тази неделя църквата разказва притча за богаташа, притежаващ много имоти, отбеляза свещеникът. Неговото поле произвело толкова много продукция, че той не знаел къде да я събира и решил да събори старите си хамбари, за да направи нови, по-големи. След това замислил да каже на душата си да се наслаждава на живота в продължение на много години. Имало много изобилие, но той не се замислил за нещо важно че талантите, които Бог му е дал, трябва да бъдат споделени с общността. Споменах на празника Въведение на Пресвета Богородица, че семейството й е отделяло само една трета от приходите си, а две трети давали на църквата и на нуждаещите се. Този мъж изцяло забравил за храма, за хората в нужда, за читалищата и училищата, мислейки само за себе си. Тогава Бог го попитал: ако душата му бъде поискана, как ще остави всичко това? Душата не търси пиршества, а се нуждае от храната, която Бог предлага, обясни отец Славчо. Светият апостол ев. Йоан подчертава, че Бог е любов. Четейки Химна на любовта, можем да осъзнаем какво значи да сме богати в Бога. Любовта е търпелива и добра, не се гневи, не мисли зло, не се радва на неправдата, а радва на истината. Тя всичко търпи и никога не отпада. В днешно време тези добродетели, за които толкова често се говори и изучават в училищата, показват как трябва да се развиваме и обогатяваме. Ако започнем да се страхуваме или ядосваме, това означава, че имаме какво да научим за любовта. Апостолът на любовта отбелязва, че любовта не завижда, не се самодоволява и не се разпилява. Ако проявяваме гняв, значи все още имаме работа по себе си и трябва да се обогатяваме в Бога. Можем да трупаме безброй имоти, но ако не мислим за обществото, не сме истински обогатени в Бога, акцентира свещеникът. Отец Славчо спомена имената на дарители, които са предоставили част от богатствата си за добри каузи. Ангел Попов, бивш ученик на църковното училище, след като станал фабрикант, дарил част от доходите си за построяването на Професионалната гимназия по строителство, архитектура и геодезия в Търново, носеща неговото име. Кольо и Мария Велкови, чиито паметник е в двора на църквата, също дарили средства за Дома за девойки, който днес са патрони. Свещеникът спомена и братя Герови в София, Димитър Ценов в Свищов и други, които, според него, са имали по-широк поглед не само за собствените си семейства, а и за целия български народ. След няколко дни ще отбележим 189 години от създаването на храма „Св. Никола“, заяви отец Славчо. На 5 декември вечерта ще има бдение, а на следващия ден сутринта елеосвещение, света литургия и курбан, който ще бъде раздаден на миряните, а част от него традиционно ще бъде изпратена и в областната болница във Велико Търново. Ще има и кратка програма с участието на хора на храма, децата от храмовото училище и хор „Царевец“, който ще гостува в църквата.
https://ekipnews.com/%d0%b2-%d0%b6%d0%b8%d0%b2%d0%be%d1%82%d0%b0-%d1%82%d1%80%d1%8f%d0%b1%d0%b2%d0%b0-%d0%b4%d0%b0-%d0%bd%d0%b0%d0%bc%d0%b5%d1%80%d0%b8%d0%bc-%d0%b1%d0%b0%d0%bb%d0%b0%d0%bd%d1%81-%d0%ba%d0%be/

2 cryptocurrencies to reach $100 billion market cap by 2026

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With market dynamics shifting, several major cryptocurrencies are now within a realistic range of hitting the $100 billion market-cap milestone over the next year. Strengthening fundamentals, rising adoption, and major protocol upgrades are positioning some digital assets for significant valuation growth as the broader ecosystem evolves. To this end, Finbold has identified two assets with the potential to reach the $100 billion mark. Solana (SOL) Solana (SOL), currently valued at roughly $72. 6 billion, would need to grow by about 38% to hit the $100 billion threshold. That trajectory appears increasingly plausible given the chain’s improving fundamentals. Notably, Solana is preparing for the Alpenglow upgrade, the most significant consensus overhaul in its history. The new architecture promises near-instant finality of around 150 milliseconds and far greater resilience through components such as Votor and Rotor, reforms that have already received overwhelming validator approval. Combined with the upcoming Firedancer validator client, which has demonstrated massive throughput capacity in testing, Solana is building the infrastructure required to support institutional-scale usage and high-frequency decentralized applications. Its expanding footprint in real-world asset tokenization, growing DApp revenues, and deepening staking activity further reinforce the bullish outlook. Meanwhile, following the recent market downturn, SOL is seeing short-term price relief, having rallied over 3% in the past 24 hours to trade at $129 as of press time. Over the past week, however, the asset has plunged more than 9%. Tron (TRX) Tron (TRX), meanwhile, sits at a market capitalization of approximately $26 billion, meaning it would need to nearly quadruple, rising by about 284%, to reach the $100 billion mark. While the growth requirement is significantly larger than Solana’s, Tron’s fundamentals continue to strengthen, especially in stablecoin settlement. The network has evolved into the dominant global infrastructure for USDT transactions, handling the majority of retail-sized stablecoin transfers thanks to its extremely low fees and high reliability. Reports indicate that Tron averages more than 2. 6 million daily active users, with most on-chain activity tied to wallet-to-wallet payments. Recent governance-driven fee reductions, upgraded virtual-machine efficiency, and expanding cross-chain integrations, including native MetaMask support, are positioning Tron as the backbone for fast, inexpensive digital payments across emerging markets. As of press time, TRX was trading at $0. 27, having gained about 0. 3% in the past 24 hours, while on the weekly timeline, the asset is down more than 5%. It is worth noting that despite strong fundamentals, both assets will ultimately depend on broader cryptocurrency market momentum to propel them toward the $100 billion milestone.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/finance/2-cryptocurrencies-to-reach-100-billion-market-cap-by-2026/