An Italian actress who was one of the first women to speak out against disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein said Thursday that the #MeToo movement is "the most important thing" to happen to women since the right to vote. Asia Argento spoke at the opening panel of the Women in the World summit in New York City. She was joined by Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, an Italian model who has accused Weinstein of groping her, and Laura Boldrini, a member of Italy's parliament who is an outspoken advocate for women's rights. The panel was moderated by Ronan Farrow, who wrote the New Yorker magazine article in which Argento and others spoke out. The three women talked about backlash they have faced since coming forward, particularly in their home country of Italy. Battilana Gutierrez did not discuss Weinstein with Farrow, saying she could not because of legal issues. Instead, she talked about earlier experiences she had as a teenager in Italy after speaking out against former Italian Prime … [Read more...] about Asia Argento and other Harvey Weinstein accusers lead panel about #MeToo movement
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Garden News: It fig-ures these trees would grow well in the South
Figs, one of the most popular fruits grown in southern backyards, was one of the first fruits people cultivated.Archaeological evidence dates fig cultivation to about 4000 B.C. A native of ancient Asia Minor (today's Turkey), figs were taken to Greece and other Mediterranean countries where they became so widely used fresh and dried they became known as “poor man’s food.”Fig trees were imported to the United States sometime during the 16th century. They grow well in the south Atlantic and Gulf Coast areas and in parts of California.Botanically, figs are one of the most fascinating fruits you can grow.The fig is actually a fleshy, hollow branch, modified to bear numerous small flowers and fruit on the inside. At the tip of the fig is an opening called the eye or ostiole, which enables its pollinator, the fig wasp, to enter.Interestingly, the fig wasp does not exist in Louisiana so fruit here is only produced by female plants that do not require pollination. Because … [Read more...] about Garden News: It fig-ures these trees would grow well in the South
Aircraft carrier Carl Vinson returns home from Asia
ost of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group sailed home to North Island and San Diego Thursday, but a pair of Navy warships remain at sea.The carrier Carl Vinson parked at the Naval Air Station North Island pier shortly after 9 a.m., with the destroyer Wayne E. Meyer arriving at Naval Base San Diego shortly after, completing a three-month deployment highlighted by an historic visit to Vietnam.Homeported in San Diego, the guided-missile cruiser Lake Champlain and Hawaii-based destroyer Michael Murphy are slated to conduct exercises in the Pacific Ocean before wrapping up their truncated tours, too.Carrier strike groups typically will deploy to sea for more than six months after revamping the ships and retraining crews for a year or more at home.The Carl Vinson’s 46,000-mile tour across the Western Pacific began only six months after returning to North Island but the Navy capped the deployment at three months to ease the burden on sailors and their families.“It was a very … [Read more...] about Aircraft carrier Carl Vinson returns home from Asia
Tom Brady news: New England Patriots QB could miss start of offseason program (report)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is leaving for Qatar on Thursday to work for his Best Buddies charity, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. Brady is expected back on Monday, the day his Patriots open their 2018 offseason program. In past years, Brady has sometimes been the first player to arrive for Day One of the offseason program. This will be unlikely next week, given that he'll be flying back from Asia. To this point, there's not much reason to worry about Brady's status for the 2018 season. The offseason workout attendance of other players, specifically tight end Rob Gronkowski, could be telling, though. Gronkowski has flirted with retirement since the Patriots' 2017 season ended with a crushing Super Bowl LII loss to the Eagles. He has given no public indication that he'll return next year, although ESPN's Jeff Darlington recently reported that Gronkowski is leaning toward playing in 2018. It's unknown if Gronkowski plans on showing up for the first day of … [Read more...] about Tom Brady news: New England Patriots QB could miss start of offseason program (report)
Facing Censorship and Stigma, Asia’s #MeToo Movement Fights For Change
Opinion MeToo feminism Sexism Sexual Harassment China Korea Asia Japan When Luo Qianqian posted about how she was sexually assaulted by her PhD supervisor on Chinese social networking site Sina Weibo, she could have hardly imagined the response. She had suffered in silence for 15 years since the attack, finally coming forward in January this year. “[There’s] no longer any need to be afraid,” she wrote. “we need to stand up bravely and say ‘No!’” She ended with the hashtag # 我也是 (#WoYeShi or #MeToo). Within weeks, thousands had shared her post, other students had come forward to tell their own tales of abuse, and the professor responsible was allegedly dismissed. Sadly, stories like Luo Qianiqian’s have been the exception rather than the norm in China, and across Asia as a whole. #MeToo has—by and large—been a slow starter across the continent. From Beijing to Kuala Lumpur, women have faced many of … [Read more...] about Facing Censorship and Stigma, Asia’s #MeToo Movement Fights For Change