Latest news with #December2024
Fast Company
2 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
These companies are paying designers the most
As Fast Company wrapped up its latest report on the state of the design jobs market, we wondered which companies paid the highest premium for designers. We looked at the 40,000 job listings we'd gathered from Google's job search engine, over a period between December 2024 and February 2025, and zeroed in on the salaries that companies were offering to prospective employees across various different experience levels (entry level, 2–3 years, 4–5 years, 6–7 years, and anything above 8 years). We then averaged the salaries for all jobs that a company posted across these various experience levels and identified the seven highest spenders from each of seven categories: architects, game designers, graphic designers, urban designers, interior designers, product designers, and UX designers. The good news: Not every designer needs to be in the latter half of their career to reach the highest salaried heights. The bad news: All architects actually do need to be.
Geek Vibes Nation
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
HBO Max Pulls the Plug on Bookie After Two Seasons
In a surprising move, HBO Max has decided to end its well-received comedy series Bookie after just two seasons, leaving fans of the show disheartened. The series, which wrapped up its second season in December 2024, will not return for a third, marking the end of its run on the streaming platform. A Brief but Memorable Run Bookie first premiered in November 2023, captivating audiences with its sharp humor and gritty take on the world of sports betting. Created by Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, the show followed a high-stakes narrative filled with chaotic and comedic moments. Its debut season set the tone for a story that blended laughs with the unpredictable nature of its characters' lives. The second season, released a little over a year later, upped the ante with even more daring plotlines and complex situations, further endearing the series to its loyal fanbase. Despite its popularity, the show's fate was sealed, as HBO Max opted not to renew it. The decision reflects the often unpredictable nature of the streaming industry, where even fan-favorite series can face abrupt cancellations, leaving viewers without closure. HBO Max's Statement on the Cancellation In a statement shared with Variety, an HBO Max spokesperson expressed gratitude for the show's creative team and cast, led by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco. 'For two seasons, creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, along with their talented cast, brought laughter and insight into the world of sports betting,' the spokesperson said. 'While we won't be proceeding with a third season, we're thankful for the opportunity to have worked with such an incredible team on this hilarious comedy.' A Stellar Cast Bookie boasted a talented ensemble, with Sebastian Maniscalco at the helm as the lead. The cast also featured Omar Dorsey as Rayfield 'Ray' Ballard, Andrea Anders as Sandra, Vanessa Ferlito as Lorraine Colavito, Jorge Garcia as Hector, and Maxim Swinton as Anthony. Additional notable performances came from Rob Corddry as Walt Dinty and Selina Kaye as Janelle. The show also included recurring appearances by actors like Arnetia Walker, Toby Huss, and Dale Dickey, adding depth to its vibrant world. The Streaming Landscape and Fan Reactions The cancellation of Bookie highlights the challenges faced by shows in the competitive streaming market. Fans have taken to social media to express their disappointment, with many praising the series for its unique premise and strong performances. While the show's conclusion is a loss for its dedicated viewers, its two seasons remain available on HBO Max for those looking to revisit or discover its comedic charm. As the streaming giant moves forward with new projects, the end of Bookie serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of even the most promising series. For now, fans can hold onto the laughter and chaos of the show's memorable run, while hoping for future projects from its talented cast and creators.
Screen Geek
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
HBO Max Cancels Fan-Favorite Series After Two Seasons
The second season of a fan-favorite series on HBO Max came to an end late last year. Sadly, for fans hoping that an additional season would be announced this year, it looks like that's not the case. In fact, HBO Max made the decision to cancel this fan-favorite series after releasing only two seasons. The first season dropped in November 2023, setting the stage with a story full of high stakes and messy situations. A little over a year later, the second season arrived in December 2024 – picking up with even bigger risks and complications. As is the case with many shows in the age of streaming, it is always unclear whether or not a series that viewers have invested their time in will be canceled with little to no warning. While it would have been great for fans to have been treated with a third season by the end of this year, it seems the story of this particular series has come to an end. 'For two seasons creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay and their hilarious cast, led by Sebastian Maniscalco, made us laugh while pulling back the curtain on the world of sports betting,' an HBO Max spokesperson stated to Variety regarding the series – which is none other than Bookie. The spokesperson further confirmed that Bookie would not be returning for a third season: 'We won't be moving forward with a third season, but we are grateful to have worked with such a brilliant team on this laugh out loud comedy.' In addition to Sebastian Maniscalco, the cast of Bookie also included Omar Dorsey as Rayfield 'Ray' Ballard, Andrea Anders as Sandra, Vanessa Ferlito as Lorraine Colavito, Jorge Garcia as Hector, Maxim Swinton as Anthony, Rob Corddry as Walt Dinty and Selina Kaye as Janelle. There were also several recurring cast members including Arnetia Walker, Toby Huss, and Dale Dickey. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for more news regarding the latest trending shows and which titles have been renewed or canceled as we have them. For now, however, it looks like fans of Bookie will have to settle for the two existing seasons of the series since there won't be a third.
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- The Guardian
Two teens accused of six-hour gang-rape of 17-year-old girl in Sydney denied bail
Two men accused of gang raping a teenage girl for hours in a vehicle remained expressionless while denied bail for being deemed a danger to the community. Adam Abdul-Hamid, 19, and an 18-year-old male who cannot be legally named are among four youths accused of the six-hour-long sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl at multiple Sydney locations in December 2024. Both appeared by audio-visual link at separate court hearings on Tuesday when their bail was denied. At Campbelltown local court, magistrate Peter Thompson found the risk that Abdul-Hamid posed to the community if he was released from Silverwater prison could not be mitigated. Magistrate Rosheehan O'Meagher at Parramatta children's court made similar findings against the 18-year-old. Bail was rejected despite a raft of strict conditions proposed for each co-accused by their barrister Troy Edwards SC. Crown prosecutor Abby Lee van der Velde argued Abdul-Hamid should not be released because he was the only adult present during the alleged 'prolonged and sustained sexual assault'. The barber shop employee had not tried to intervene and had allegedly taken the victim's phone to send himself a text message, Thompson heard. Material provided by his family to the court describing the 19-year-old as a responsible and affectionate person lay in contrast to the seriousness of the charges, van der Velde said. Edwards unsuccessfully tried to argue the bail conditions were enough to mitigate any risk his client posed. He described the case against his client as 'weak', saying there was no evidence he agreed to participate in the alleged crime. 'Do you want to have a turn?' Abdul-Hamid was allegedly asked, according to a police facts sheet seen by the court. 'No, I'm alright,' he allegedly replied. In a later covertly recorded phone conversation, Abdul-Hamid inculpated the other males involved in the alleged assault, the court was told. Despite seven months elapsing since the alleged assault, the 19-year-old had not tried to contact the complainant or his co-accused, Mr Edwards said. Abdul-Hamid has been hit with five charges of aggravated sexual assault in company but has yet to enter any pleas. Two of these alleged offences involve the use of a hair brush. Outside court, the 19-year-old's mother and two brothers wore face masks and shielded themselves with umbrellas, swearing at reporters before getting into a waiting car and driving off. The 18-year-old male - who has been hit with nine charges of aggravated sexual assault in company - allegedly joined the sexual assault after being told about it through Facetime, Ms O'Meagher was told. As his mother and partner watched in court, van der Velde said the youth had been captured on CCTV, placing him at the scene. Police allege that the girl was initially approached by a 16-year-old boy, unknown to her, at a shopping centre in Liverpool on a Sunday evening. The boy allegedly asked to be driven to a park at a nearby suburb, which the victim agreed to, on the understanding he would get out of the car. At the park, two other males got into the car and allegedly also sexually assaulted her. A fourth male arrived in another car and the assaults continued as the girl was driven around for six hours, investigators allege. The 16-year-old alleged instigator of the rape has been charged with 19 sexual assault offences and five sexual touching offences. A 14-year-old has been charged with 10 offences including seven aggravated sexual assault offences. Abdul-Hamid's matter will return to court on 13 August. His three co-accused will have their cases briefly heard on 11 August.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Shocking new allegations emerge about the alleged gang rape of a girl in Sydney - as two of the accused front court
Two men accused of gang raping a teenage girl for hours in a vehicle remained expressionless while denied bail for being deemed a danger to the community. Adam Abdul-Hamid, 19, and an 18-year-old male who cannot be legally named are among four youths accused of the six-hour-long sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl at multiple Sydney locations in December 2024. Both appeared by audio-visual link at separate court hearings on Tuesday when their bail was denied. At Campbelltown Local Court, Magistrate Peter Thompson found the risk that Abdul-Hamid posed to the community if he was released from Silverwater prison could not be mitigated. Magistrate Rosheehan O'Meagher at Parramatta Children's Court made similar findings against the 18-year-old. Bail was rejected despite a raft of strict conditions proposed for each co-accused by their barrister Troy Edwards SC. Crown prosecutor Abby Lee van der Velde argued Abdul-Hamid should not be released because he was the only adult present during the alleged 'prolonged and sustained sexual assault'. The barber shop employee had not tried to intervene and had allegedly taken the victim's phone to send himself a text message, Mr Thompson heard. Material provided by his family to the court describing the 19-year-old as a responsible and affectionate person lay in contrast to the seriousness of the charges, Ms van der Velde said. Mr Edwards unsuccessfully tried to argue the bail conditions were enough to mitigate any risk his client posed. He described the case against his client as 'weak', saying there was no evidence he agreed to participate in the alleged crime. 'Do you want to have a turn?' Abdul-Hamid was allegedly asked, according to a police facts sheet seen by the court. 'No, I'm alright,' he allegedly replied. In a later covertly recorded phone conversation, Abdul-Hamid inculpated the other males involved in the alleged assault, the court was told. Despite seven months elapsing since the alleged assault, the 19-year-old had not tried to contact the complainant or his co-accused, Mr Edwards said. Abdul-Hamid has been hit with five charges of aggravated sexual assault in company but has yet to enter any pleas. Two of these alleged offences involve the use of a hair brush. Outside court, the 19-year-old's mother and two brothers wore face masks and shielded themselves with umbrellas, swearing at reporters before getting into a waiting car and driving off. The 18-year-old, who was 17 at the time of the alleged offences, appeared by audio-visual link at Parramatta Children's Court on Tuesday. The 18-year-old male - who has been hit with nine charges of aggravated sexual assault in company - allegedly joined the sexual assault after being told about it through Facetime, Ms O'Meagher was told. As his mother and partner watched in court, Ms van der Velde said the youth had been captured on CCTV, placing him at the scene. What was allegedly done to the 17-year-old girl was outlined in a nine-page police statement of facts. The 18-year-old applied for bail through his barrister, Troy Edwards SC, who had earlier unsuccessfully sought release for his client's alleged co-offender, Adam Abdul-Hamid. Mr Edwards tendered an affidavit written by the accused rapist's mother, who was sitting in court next to the boy's father. Asked by magistrate Rosheehan O'Meagher about the strength of the Crown case, Mr Edwards said: 'It's not submitted it's a weak prosecution case.' A prosecutor said the 18-year-old had been present when a 16-year-old approached the alleged victim at Westfield Liverpool on December 15 last year. The alleged victim had later been subjected to a 'sustained and serious assault' in which the 18-year-old taken part, the court heard. The prosecutor said the 18-year-old contacted the other males by phone after leaving the scene of the alleged rapes. Mr Edwards said the strength of the prosecution case depended in part on whether the person seen with the victim at Westfield was the same person who later assaulted her. He said his client had no criminal record convictions and had spent seven months in the community until his arrest on June 17. In that time, the 18-year-old had made no attempt to contact the alleged victim, Mr Edwards said. Each of the charges of aggravated sexual assault in company carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. Ms O'Meagher described the Crown case as 'strong' and said there were no bail conditions which could offset the risk to the community if the teen was released. If the rape allegations were proven, the 18-year-old was 'well and truly involved, in my view, including in some of the more serious offending'. Ms O'Meagher refused bail and adjourned the matter to Campbelltown Children's Court on August 11. The 19-year-old is the only one of four teens accused of taking part in a six-hour rampage who can be named, as the others were 14, 16 and 17 at the time. The four face a total 69 charges over the alleged attack, including multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault, with the 16-year-old accused of raping her nine times. Dramatic police footage showed Abdul-Hamid, who was 18 at the time of the alleged rapes, being arrested at his Heckenberg home in Sydney's south-west on June 17, while his family protested and swore. One of Abdul-Hamid's sisters screamed at police, 'don't sexual assault me', as she jostled with the officers. Detectives arrested the 17-year-old alleged rapist - now aged 18 - at a Sadleir property, also in Sydney's south-west, on the same day. The two other alleged rapists, 14 and 16 at the time and now 15 and 17 - were arrested on December 20 and refused bail when they faced a children's court the next day. Abdul-Hamid, described as a 'quiet' presence in the suburban cul-de-sac where he lived, has had an active online presence since he was about nine. Videos he posted to social media as a youngster showed him dancing, lip-syncing and kicking a footy, sometimes wearing his Sadleir Public School uniform or a Canterbury Bulldogs jersey. On one of his accounts, he proudly displayed a photo of himself hugging his mother. As the self-described 'soulja of Allah' grew older, the content he shared changed to photos of him doing wheelies on a dirt bike, working out, and showing off his physique with his hair tied up in a ponytail. Last year Abdul-Hamid started working as a barber at Blurry Blends Barbershop, a business apparently registered in his sister's name. The shop was located on Norfolk Sreett in Liverpool, at the shopping centre where police say his alleged victim's ordeal began in December. Social media accounts for the business have been scrubbed since Abdul-Hamid's arrest. Police allege the 17-year-old girl was approached by the 16-year-old boy, who was not known to her, at 5.30pm on December 15 at Liverpool's Westfield shopping centre. The 'charismatic' 16-year-old allegedly followed the girl to her car where she reluctantly let him inside before he began sexually assaulting her. A short time later, the 16-year-old asked to be driven 5km to Wheat Park at Sadleir and the victim agreed on the understanding he would get out of the car when they arrived. At the park, two other males entered the car, and they also allegedly sexually assaulted the girl. A fourth male then arrived in another vehicle, and the alleged sexual assault continued as the girl was driven around 'erratically', with one of the youths at the wheel. The alleged six-hour ordeal ended about 11.30pm when the males departed and left the girl in her car. The teenager immediately contacted a friend who took her to Liverpool police station to report the attack. Sex Crime Squad commander Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty said last week: 'It beggars belief that in this day and age men would think to act this way towards a girl.' 'The four of them [allegedly] acted together, creating fear on the victim, degrading her, whilst the others offended against her, and at times, there was more than one person offending against this poor young girl,' she added. 'They haven't stopped at any point during that six hours and said, 'This is wrong' to any of their co-offenders. 'That's the difficult part to come to terms with - that four people could act together and keep going at that type of offending over such a long time.'
