Latest news with #Hibiscus
Scoop
4 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Construction Director And Engineer, Yang Kang Hong Qu, Selected As ACT Local Candidate For Hibiscus And Bays Local Board
ACT Local has selected Yang Kang Hong Qu – a construction director with an electrical engineering background, as its candidate for the Hibiscus Coast Subdivision of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board in this year's Auckland Council election. Yang, 30, is a North American expat of Chinese descent who brings an international outlook alongside practical experience in engineering and construction. As director of a local construction company, he's used to working with people from all backgrounds, solving challenges on the job, and making sure projects stay on track and on budget. He believes that same practical mindset – thinking ahead, working smart, and delivering what's promised, is exactly what council needs to better serve local people. "I'm running because I know how hard people work to pay their rates. As a construction director, I've spent years planning projects, solving problems, and keeping budgets on track, and I believe our local board should do exactly the same. Families deserve to see their money go into things that really matter in our community, like wellmaintained parks and facilities, safe local roads, and good services. A strong local board doesn't just make decisions on these things; it also advocates to council for the projects and investment our area needs. Together, we can make sure every dollar counts and build a community that works for everyone." – Yang Kang Hong Qu Earlier this year, ACT New Zealand announced it would be standing Common Sense Candidates for local government for the first time — after hearing from New Zealanders across the country who are sick of rising rates, ballooning budgets, and councils that ignore the basics while chasing ideological vanity projects. When you vote ACT Local, you know what you're getting: Fixing the basics Cutting the waste Ending race-based politics Restoring accountability ACT Local Government spokesperson Cameron Luxton says: ' ACT Local candidates are community-minded Kiwis who've had enough of wasteful councils treating ratepayers like ATMs. It's time to take control on behalf of ratepayers — to restore accountability and deliver real value for money. ACT Local is about getting the basics right: maintaining roads, keeping streets clean, and respecting the people who pay the bills. Our candidates won't divide people by race or get distracted by climate vanity projects. They're here to serve, not lecture." – Cameron Luxton
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mirror
Add a tropical touch to your garden with half price 'candy pink' flowering trees
Green-thumbed shoppers looking to add some tropical colour to their garden this summer won't want to snooze on this pair of candy pink flowering trees that are now 50% off Elevate your garden with an exotic twist this summer. A vibrant pair of flowering trees has just been slashed to half their normal price in this Gardening Express sale. Boasting bouquets of candy pink flowers, these flowering trees would normally set shoppers back a steep £59.99, but they are currently up for grabs for the reduced price of £29.99 while this deal lasts. This duo of 'Candy Pink' Hibiscus Trees is sure to make a fabulous addition to any summer garden. Their tropical-looking flowers will bestow colour, intrigue, and transport your outside space to a Spanish island. Delivered in containers, these well-established trees boast an overall height of approximately 3-4ft and are ready to be planted straight into your garden or into your desired planter on a patio, decking, or driveway. If ordered in season, they may even be bursting into flower by the time they arrive on your doorstep. Perfect in planters on either side of a pathway or door to accent your home and add a tropical flair, these Hibiscus plants make spectacular specimens for borders and containers and centrepieces in your outdoor area. A unique form of Mediterranean beauty, these trees are promised to thrive in your garden or on your patio, providing all the charm and vibrant colours of the continent without the need for the sunnier and warmer climate found in other European countries. Each stunning tree has been 'grafted' to provide the highest-quality, strongest-growing plants possible. It will produce masses of wonderful summer blooms in shades of candy pink and offer a stunning addition to your outside space that's set to live for decades and be a talking point among the neighbourhood. If you fancy adding these divine, candy-pink trees to your garden but would rather shop elsewhere, you can find this Hibiscus syriacus 'Woodbridge' at Thompson & Morgan for £34.99. For the same bright and bold shades of pink but with a different variety of plant, Gardener's Dream is currently offering this Camellia 'Spring Festival' Patio Tree for £39.99, or head over to You Garden to shop this Oleander 'Shades of Pink' Standard for £34.99.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
The long road from madness to mental health
Long before Tamil Nadu had its first book of psychiatry, 'Manimekalai', a second century Buddhist text by Seethalai Sathanar, describes a 'madman' crying, blabbering, falling, shouting and picking fights with his shadow. Chennai psychiatrist Dr O Somasundaram (1926-2024), who wrote the first Tamil book on psychiatry in 1982, says in a 2008 research paper that the description fits the modern diagnosis of schizophrenia — delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech, grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour — as defi ned in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses (DSM V). From exorcisms and madhouses to opiates, Tamil Nadu's approach to mental health has evolved over centuries. An exhibition by not-for-profit mental health organisation Hibiscus Foundation (that's on today) traces these milestones. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai 'Ancient rock-cut caves such as those in Mamallapuram and Mamandur don't just depict mythological tales, but also show grief, serenity, devotion and struggle in great detail. It shows that Tamil culture has always held space for emotional expression, which is how we came up with the idea of hosting an exhibit,' says Aksheyaa Akilan, founder of Hibiscus. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo While public campaigns and awareness drives have had success, word-of-mouth, says Aksheyaa, has helped destigmatise mental health. 'After Covid, people finally paused and gave thought to mental health,' says Dr Poorna Chandrika, professor of psychiatry at the Institute of Mental Health. 'That shift in awareness shows how we've come a long way as a society.' Here's a look at mental health in Tamil Nadu down the ages. PSYCHOSIS IN ANCIENT VERSE The 7th-century Sanskrit farce 'Mattavilasa Prahasana' by Pallava king Mahendravarman I follows two drunken Shaivite mendicants, one of whom loses his skull begging bowl. A 'madman' later appears, finding it in a dog's mouth. He rants at the dog, talks to a plant and a frog, weeps, eats scraps, and screams about demons in his stomach that are vomiting tigers. 'These are clear signs of psychosis,' says Dr Vijaya Raghavan of Schizophrenia Research Foundation. 'The character is possibly experiencing visual and auditory hallucinations, delusions and emotional dysregulation, symptoms consistent with schizophrenia. The imagery reflects a lived and terrifying experience for the character, which is a hallmark of psychosis.' THEN CAME THE ASYLUM OF THE FEARFUL The earliest record of a community mental health centre in Tamil Nadu appears to date to 11th-century Kanyakumari during the Chola period, where Jain monks set up 'anjuvaan pugalidam' (an asylum for the fearful) near monasteries to shelter those suffering from fear, trauma, or distress. The asylums received royal and merchant patronage, especially during famines, wars and natural disasters. Among the most well-known was the asylum run by the Jain ascetic Naminadha in Thirukovilur, Kallakurichi, which was supported by the Shaivite queen mother Chembian Mahadevi. Temple inscriptions at Vedaranyeswarar in Vedaranyam attest to their existence. NOTES FROM THE JESUITS Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Jesuit missionaries in TN documented cases of what they perceived as 'demonic possessions'. These accounts, preserved in the Madurai Mission Annual Letters, describe people 'tormented by spirits' with symptoms such as convulsions. Portuguese officer Manuel de Moraes wrote of brahmin ceremonies where a man 'disguises himself as a demon' to aid childbirth, complete with drumming, feasts and theatrics. INSIDE DALTON'S MADHOUSE In 1794, the East India Company appointed Dr Valentine Conolly to run a 'house for persons of unsound mind' with just 20 inmates. By 1804, under Dr Dalton, the asylum was renovated and renamed 'Dalton's Mad Hospital,' housing 54 inmates. The Madras Lunatic Asylum opened on May 15, 1871, with 145 patients. The asylums housed men, women, children and criminals (kept in solitary confinement), while those exhibiting suicidal tendencies were monitored. While a few recovered and returned home, most remained institutionalised for life. Anyone could commit another to an asylum until officer Daniel Defoe forced the govt to come up with regulations for admissions. 'Several are put into mad-houses without being mad,' he wrote. 'Wives put their husbands in them that they may enjoy their gallants; husbands put their wives in them, that they may enjoy their whores; children put their parents in them that they may enjoy their estates before their time.' His efforts led to the Mad House Act of 1828, which made wrongful detention illegal and laid the foundation for regulating mental institutions. Some of the first mental asylums in India were established in the 18th century by the British 'with the sole guiding principle of separating the mentally ill patients from society', says the 2018 report 'History of psychiatry: An Indian perspective' published in the Indian Psychiatry Journal. In the 1920s, 'to promote the illness model and reduce stigma, asylums were renamed mental hospitals'. Owen Berkeley-Hill, medical superintendent in Ranchi, was instrumental in changing the word asylum to mental hospital by a govt notification in 1920.
Wales Online
03-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Wales Online
Next slashes price of 'perfect summer evening' dress by 25%
Next slashes price of 'perfect summer evening' dress by 25% For a limited time only Next has reduced this stunning FatFace Hibiscus Black Lace Midi Dress from £60 down to £45 As the weather warms up a chic midi dress is just the ticket for effortless style. With this in mind Next has slashed the price of its stunning FatFace Hibiscus Black Lace Midi Dress from £60 to a more affordable £45 for a limited period. At the time of writing the dress is available in sizes 6-24, although sizes 14S, 18S, and 20s are currently out of stock. The dress, which is machine-washable, measures 49 x 124cm from the side neck to the hem. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here The full product description on the Next website reads: "From golden-hour parties to spring afternoon weddings, our Hibiscus midi dress is a match made in lace, ideal for the social calendar of the season. "Boasting an intricate border and trimming, floaty frill sleeves and pleated skirt, it looks and feels like a dream." For those seeking something a bit lighter, Roman is offering a White Lace Bodice Shirred Midi Dress for £38. Customers have lauded the dress as "perfect for holidays" due to its "floaty material". The dress features beautiful lace detail (Image: Next ) Meanwhile, back at Next one satisfied customer shared: "Bought in a size 12 petite fit as only 5ft 3 and the fit is perfect. "Very flattering and comfortable to wear. "Skims over my mid section which has become a recent concern. "The lace detail is lovely can dress up with heels or down with trainers." Another review read: "Perfect dress for summer evenings!" Another review stated: "I brought this a few weeks ago a bit miffed that it was reduced, the very next weekend. "I guess that this is just bad luck, I had been looking at it for a while and missed the first discount opportunity. "It is a lovely fit and very flattering, the zip is a little stiff and hard to do up over the lacy bit, it is my no means tight, I am hoping that it doesn't get stuck in future. Article continues below "It arrived very creased, the dress is quite heavy, but it is well made being fully lined."
Scottish Sun
02-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Lidl's £2 gadget keeps plants watered whilst you're on holiday – it takes seconds to set up & great for houseplants too
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LIDL has a clever £2 gadget to keep your plants watered, even when you're on holiday. It takes just second to install and can be a great for houseplants through intense heatwaves. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Lidl has a clever gadget which is great for your garden lawn Credit: Alamy 2 The Parkside Plant Watering Spikes can be set up easily Credit: Lidl Lidl's Parkside Plant Watering Spikes are tiny devices which can be easily planted in the soil, through its ergonomic stand. All you need to do is fill the container and choose from one of the device's eight settings. The settings range from one, which gives a slow release of water, and eight, which allows water to flow freely. Continuous watering whilst you're away Over time, the devices dribble water into the ground - allowing for a continuous irrigation of your plants. They can be used indoors and outdoors too and have a capacity of 0.5L, which is roughly equivalent to a store-bought bottle of water. The watering spikes also come in green, allowing them to easily blend in with your lawn. The clever creations cost just £1.99 and will be available from July 6. Lidl often goes viral for its low-cost, high-quality products. The German retailer's plant range is a firm-favourite amongst shoppers, with many of its products selling for £1.99. What else is in store? Plants like the beautiful Hibiscus are available to buy in the store's popular middle aisle, where it keeps homeware and discount items. Five Lidl rosés you need this summer, according to a wine expert - a £6.99 buy is as light & crispy as £22 Whispering Angel On July 7, a new range of plants will become available - at the same time as the watering spikes. British bedding plants are only £1.99 for six plug plants, whereas garden hydrangeas are £8.99 each. If you prefer a fragrant plant, why not add English lavender into a pot or border - only £3.99. There's also an assortment of clematis hitting stores on the same day for £4.99. Mini roses and campanula are £2.99. Interest in products like the watering spikes and its plant range has surged after the UK sizzled in roasting heatwaves. Temperatures in the South East have soared in recent days, with highs of 33.6C being recorded in Kent. The Wimbledon Championships had its hottest start on record, with temperatures of 32.9C being detected at the nearby Kew Gardens.
