Latest news with #HiddenTreasures
Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Indian Express
Postal department officer flags ‘suspicious' hirings, seeks CBI probe into ‘organised recruitment gang' in Haryana circle
Flagging 'suspicious recruitments' in the Haryana circle of the Department of Post, the Gurugram Post Master General has sought a CBI probe into the possibility of an 'organised recruitment gang' operating within the department, The Indian Express has learnt. According to sources, in separate letters to Sanjay Singh, the Chief Post Master General (C-PMG) of Haryana Circle and the CBI on July 11, PMG Gurugram Aakash Deep Chakravarti also alleged that no action has been taken despite repeatedly bringing these to the notice of senior officials of his department. When contacted, Chakravarti confirmed to The Indian Express that he had written to the department and CBI's Chandigarh unit. 'There are at least 70 cases of recruitment which raise many doubts. These indicate a big recruitment gang operating in the department, and this needs to be investigated,' he said. In his letter, Chakravarti further wrote: 'This issue is being vigorously pursued with you and your office since November 2024 but charge memo has not been issued… Since no action has been taken by your office, it is presumed that you are protecting (the said employee)… In such a scenario, the case is being marked to DIG, CBI, Chandigarh as organised gang is operating in Haryana Circle for a long time and jobs given to persons who are not qualified to hold the post.' The letter also cites a recent case in which an employee allegedly mentioned his qualification as 'Intermediate from Delhi University'. The department reached out to the Registrar of Delhi University, who clarified that there's no such degree, it goes on to say, adding that the employee did not respond to the letters and the show-cause notice issued to him. An FIR in the case was registered in March 2024. According to sources, of these 70 posts, some are in the feeder category – that is employees who can be promoted to higher, and in this case, gazetted roles. Others, meanwhile, are clerical roles. Sanjay Singh confirmed that he had received the letter. 'We will inquire about the matter from our department,' he said. According to sources, the alleged 'suspicious' recruitments were done in the last five years. Shyamlal Yadav is one of the pioneers of the effective use of RTI for investigative reporting. He is a member of the Investigative Team. His reporting on polluted rivers, foreign travel of public servants, MPs appointing relatives as assistants, fake journals, LIC's lapsed policies, Honorary doctorates conferred to politicians and officials, Bank officials putting their own money into Jan Dhan accounts and more has made a huge impact. He is member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). He has been part of global investigations like Paradise Papers, Fincen Files, Pandora Papers, Uber Files and Hidden Treasures. After his investigation in March 2023 the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York returned 16 antiquities to India. Besides investigative work, he keeps writing on social and political issues. ... Read More
Gulf Today
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Why are rubber ducks mysteriously appearing on thrift store artworks?
Minnesota: Attention, Louvre Museum: It might be a good idea to keep Seamus Liam O'Brien away from the Mona Lisa. Otherwise the St. Paul man might be tempted to paint a bright rubber duck somewhere on the famous painting and add his signature to da Vinci's. O'Brien is a scenic artist, sign painter and muralist with fine arts degrees from Ohio State and the University of Florida. For the past few years he's also been conducting a quirky sort of performance and visual art project. He buys a piece of framed art for a few bucks at a thrift store. He paints a rubber duck somewhere on it and adds his name to the signature of the original artist. Then he sneaks the painting back on the shelf at the thrift store to amuse, delight or puzzle store employees or customers. Thus, in O'Brien's hands, a nautical scene by British painter Hugh Knollys of a three-masted, square-rigged sailing ship bravely shouldering its way through the tossing seas is enhanced by a cheerful yellow rubber duck bobbing in the foreground. According to O'Brien's website, the project started when he bought the framed print of the Knollys painting on April 10, 2021, for $3 at the Hidden Treasures Thrift Store in St. Anthony. After painting in the rubber duck, he altered the signature to read 'Hugh Knollys + Seamus Liam O'Brien.' Then at 4:30 p.m. on April 17, he hung the picture back on the wall at the thrift store and wrote on his website, 'A successful collaboration! Thank you Hugh for your contribution to the work.' O'Brien has repeated the process about 15 times, adding a rubber duck swimming with a towel to a nature scene by wildlife artist Guy Coheleach, substituting a rubber duck for a dog in a Norman Rockwell print of a boy fishing with his faithful pet, and reinterpreting a still life of a pitcher, tomatoes, grapes and garlic with a rubber duck modeled after Ben Franklin. Artist Seamus Liam O'Brien poses for a portrait. Tribune News Service O'Brien isn't sure what happens to the artwork after he places it back in the store. But they appear to be snapped up by thrift store customers or employees when the pictures re-hit the shelves. 'Oh, gosh, we love getting those in here. It's hilarious,' said Justin Rohr, an employee at the Hidden Treasures thrift store where O'Brien has placed several of his collaborations. 'One of our own staff here has one, probably displayed in the living room of their house.' The reaction is also mainly positive when he has posted on social media about ducking up thrift store finds. 'I saw this this morning and couldn't wait to get off work to track it down!' according to one reaction on the Nextdoor neighborhood app. That was for a rubber flamingo O'Brien painted on a $1.99 tropical beach scene found at Hidden Treasures. 'I absolutely love it! Now to find a place to hang it,' the commenter added. Some commenters liken O'Brien's unannounced art placements to the satiric England-based street artist Banksy. But a few say they don't get it. 'Why would you mar this beautiful work? Because it was cheap? What's the point of this?' said one Nextdoor commenter about an O'Brien post showing a giant rubber duck in sunglasses dwarfing a family of deer in a print of an idyllic mountain landscape. 'It's getting attention,' O'Brien said. Eye-catching rubber ducks are not far removed from the unusual world O'Brien inhabited as a kid: His parents, Terry and Camille O'Brien, were circus performers with a juggling and slack wire act. Terry O'Brien learned to juggle as a kid in Massachusetts. He ended up performing at the Gay 90's nightclub in Minneapolis in a bawdy vaudeville act to pay his way as a student studying German at Hamline University in St. Paul. Terry and Camille met in Washington, DC, where they both worked as linguists and and cryptologists with the National Security Agency, according to their son. Improbably, they got married, ran off to the circus and raised a family travelling around the country as performers. When Seamus came along, he was recruited into the family act. He also performed as a costumed character at the Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, portraying Tigger, Goofy and Pluto. Later, Seamus O'Brien did scenic artwork for amusement parks, theaters, trade shows, retail stores and museums, and art production, installation and management work for art studios and galleries. Maybe putting ducks into the world for people to discover satisfies an instinct to create something visually entertaining. 'It's in my blood,' O'Brien said. 'I'm getting probably more out of this than the audience.' O'Brien, 49, currently has a day job with Target Corp. as a project manager, designing and building sets for product photo shoots and commercials. But his history with rubber ducks predates his thrift store project. He once created a large-scale exhibit called 'Happiness' of about two dozen 6-foot-tall drawings of individual rubber ducks. O'Brien said the giant cartoonish ducks are a reflection of the Barnum & Bailey world of his youth. There's awe and wonder, but also a touch of menace and unease. Cute, but also creepy. For his thrift store project, O'Brien browses thrift store art works for something that would be complemented by the addition of a rubber duck. 'You never know when you go in what you're going to find,' he said. 'It's got to have the right look,' he added. 'Nautical scenes are great. Landscapes are great. I can work with a portrait.' He tends to be attracted to obscure images by relatively unknown artists. 'I guess I could put a duck on Mona Lisa's head if I could find that piece,' he said. 'Though that might be too much. I'd have to think about it. If they're too well known, it's not fun at that point.' One example that inspired him was a $2.99 print that he got at a Savers in Columbia Heights that originally showed a hunter releasing a duck decoy into a shimmering body of water. 'This was begging for it,' O'Brien said. His alteration replaced the duck decoy with a truck-sized rubber duck that dwarfed the hunter, his boat and his dog. He typically uses acrylic paint to add a rubber duck to a picture, using one of the actual toy rubber ducks he's acquired as a model. 'I need to look at something when I paint,' he said. 'I can't make things up.' He sometimes mimics the style of the original painting to better integrate the duck into the image. Tribune News Service
Global News
29-06-2025
- General
- Global News
Hidden Treasures: Saskatchewan's Government House, the introduction
Global News is presenting a new monthly series called Hidden Treasures: Saskatchewan's Government House, provincial affairs reporter Katherine Ludwig will be diving into the rich history of one of Saskatchewan's oldest buildings. Each segment will focus on something different, like how the house evolved through the 19th century, the Edwardian Gardens, its political significance and the mysteries that live within its walls. A new segment will air on Regina and Saskatoon's evening newscasts that will be followed with an online article including the video near the end of every month. To start off the series, we're taking a trip through time… Hidden Treasures: Saskatchewan's Government House, the introduction Before the province of Saskatchewan was created in 1905, the Government House of the Northwest Territories was built in 1883, where Luther College Highschool now stands within what's currently known as the McNab neighbourhood in Regina. Story continues below advertisement At that time in 1883, a quick and easy Government House needed to be built and purchasing a couple of kit houses that were easy to conjoin together seemed like a good idea. However, it quickly gained a reputation as the worst home and so plans were made to replace it. Construction then began on the Government House that still stands today began in 1888. At a cost of $50,000, it was completed in 1891 when it officially opened. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy It was then the home and office of lieutenant-governor of the Northwest Territories Amadee Forget and his family. Forget then became the first lieutenant-governor of Saskatchewan in 1905 when the province was first created and he appointed Walter Scott as the Saskatchewan's first Premier. However, in 1945, operations in the House changed. The lieutenant-governor took up residence and office at the Royal Saskatchewan Hotel while the house was leased to the Department of Veterans Affairs and transformed into a convalescent home, looking after Canadian soldiers. It remained that way until 1957, when the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre opened and took over those responsibilities. After that, it became Saskatchewan House and operated as a centre for adult education until 1977. There was a bit of a lull period for the House and discussions of demolition began circling, but some locals knew the history that was tied into its foundation and did not want to let it go. Story continues below advertisement The Government House Historical Society was then formed and won in its fight to preserve the building. The organization then turned it into a museum in 1980. The office of the lieutenant-governor returned to the House in July of 1984. Today, Government House is a vibrant living heritage national historic site that continues to operate as a museum and the offices of the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Fox44 Team Celebrates Founders Day by Giving Back
Waco, TX (FOX 44) – On Friday, June 20th, Fox44 News will celebrate the 28th annual Founders Day by giving back to the community! The Fox44 News parent company, Nexstar Media celebrates each annual milestone in the business by dedicating time for affiliates to participate in community service. Last year the Fox44 News team was hard at work at Hidden Treasures by Caritas and this year we'll be back again, pricing items, hanging clothes, and sorting those hidden treasures. With every sale Hidden Treasures makes the profits will go towards the programs Caritas offers to those in need. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iconic Dorset site to feature on BBC series airing tonight
Clouds Hill will be in episode one, in the third series of the BBC's Hidden Treasures of the National Trust, airing at 9pm tonight. The hugely popular series shines a light on the experts and volunteers who look after the properties and collections in the National Trust's care. Returning to BBC Two and iPlayer, the series will feature other National Trust places in the south west – Dyrham Park, Corfe Castle and Lanhydrock. Scheduled for 9pm, the programme will explore the work going on behind the scenes to look after the incredible objects and properties in the charity's care. The series introduces viewers to the passionate staff and volunteers who care for some of the 500 places in the Trust's care, all narrated by actor and national treasure himself, Toby Jones. Clouds Hill, the small cottage used as a retreat by T.E. Lawrence or 'Lawrence of Arabia', has been cared for by the National Trust since 1937, following his tragic death 90 years ago this year. The episode explores whether a beautiful youth depicted in one of the paintings on display is in fact Lawrence. The painting by Henry Scott Tuke, an artist that Lawrence very much admired, hangs above the fireplace in Lawrence's tiny four-room cottage. Following the painting as it is cleaned and conserved, the episode also captures the detailed research undertaken by Senior National Curator for paintings, John Chu, as he tries to discover once and for all whether the man in the painting is indeed Lawrence. Visitor Operations & Experience Manager, Rachael White, says 'it is a beautiful painting and our team of volunteers have often wondered whether the painting had been altered to look like Lawrence, or whether it was actually based on him. It is great we now know – but you need to watch the episode to find out.' We would also like to thank the National Trust South Dorset Association supporter group and the T.E. Lawrence Society for supporting us with funding towards the conservation of the Tuke painting' Amanda Goodman, Commissioning Executive BBC Arts, says: 'It's a joy to bring another series of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust to life, showcasing all the intricate and specialist work going on behind the scenes. And to hear from the passionate staff and volunteers who help care for these incredible objects and buildings for us all to enjoy.' Tarnya Cooper, Conservation and Curation Director of The National Trust, says: 'Each of these programmes provides access inside our incredible historic interiors, gardens and parks for everyone to enjoy and offers truly inspiring moments of curiosity, wonder and joy. 'Our conservators and external specialists spend thousands of hours every year looking after the places and collections in our care. Hidden Treasures of the National Trust is a brilliant way of showcasing their expertise, patience and passion. 'This series has particularly highlighted the research that goes into understanding the meanings of our collections, their places in our lives and their national significance.' Clouds Hill is open to visitors on Wed, Thurs, Sat & Sun until 30 October 2025 for visits by guided tour. Booking is recommended to join a guided tour. Tickets can be booked via the National Trust website or by phoning the booking line 0344 249 1895.
