Paxos, Greece: The Charming Island You Must Visit – TravelAwaits

Where To Stay

Paxos Club Resort, secluded off a country road, is a four-star resort and hotel with many amenities.

The spacious pool area has various types of seating, including chaise lounges, daybeds, and hammocks, and nestled inside the saltwater pool, theres a small Jacuzzi, perfect for two.

Rooms range from a double to a family suite, featuring two-bedrooms and sleeping room for six with a kitchen. All rooms have air conditioning and private terraces that face the garden filled with oregano plants and bougainvillea trees.

An expansive spa on the lower level of the hotel offers a workout room weight machines and cardio equipment, spa treatments, including massages and facials, plus a Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, and hydrotherapy treatments. They use organic extra virgin olive oil, red wine, lemon, and organic honey in their treatments.

Breakfast, which is included in the price of your room, is a tempting buffet with the usual breakfast foods but also fresh, local honey, Greek cheeses, and yogurt.

The hotel offers free shuttle service in the morning and the evenings to Gaios, and free transfers to and from the hydrofoil to Corfu.

Paxos Resort Hotel, easy walking distance from Gaios, is one of the only hotels with a private beach on the island. The rooms are either suites or bungalows, and some room categories have terraces overlooking the sea and floor-to-ceiling windows. Spread over a 12-mile hilltop property lined with olive and pine trees, the hotel also has a full-service restaurant, outdoor pool and Jacuzzi, pool bar, and tennis courts.

If renting a villa suits your needs better than a hotel, Paxos Retreats offers some of the most exclusive rental properties on Paxos.

Fully furnished villas range in size from two bedrooms to six bedrooms, and all of them contain a sheltered, private swimming pool overlooking the sea.

If you require something on a smaller scale, Paxos Retreats also rents studios and apartments.

Paxos Retreats automatically assigns a personal concierge for every rental, and he or she can arrange all your travel needs on the island, including car rentals, chef and cooking services, massages and beauty treatments, boat rentals, boat transfers, and pre-stocking your pantry and kitchen before you arrive.

Still considering where to go? These are the nine best beaches in Greece, from the mainland to the islands.

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Paxos, Greece: The Charming Island You Must Visit - TravelAwaits

Richard Branson explains why he’s refusing to sell his private island and asking for 500m government bailout instead – indy100

Richard Branson has offered up his private island in the Caribbean as collateral in the hopes of securing a government bailout.

In an open letter to Virgin employees, Branson promised to "raise as much money against the island as possible" as well as his other businesses.

The UK government rejected Branson's initial plea for 500m of commercial loans to keep the his company afloat through the pandemic. Branson claimed that Virgin Atlantic needed this cash injection of taxpayers'money to "keep going", but others pointed out that his personal fortune of 4.7b might help.

The businessman now wants to convince the government, and his employees, that he's willing to put his own wealth on the line in the hopes of receiving government money.

The private island home Branson says he is putting upto save his company is tax free.But that's not why he lives there, according to his blog post:

Joan and I did not leave Britain for tax reasons but for our love of the beautiful British Virgin Islands and in particular Necker Island, which I bought when I was 29 years old, as an uninhabited island on the edges of the BVI. Over time, we built our family home here. The rest of the island is run as a business, which employs 175 people.

As with other Virgin assets, our team will raise as much money against the island as possible to save as many jobs as possible around the Group.

In his blog, Branson addressed several of the criticisms made about him and Virgin throughout the pandemic.

1) Branson sought a government bailout despite his staggering net worth.

Last month, Branson promised $250m from "Richard and the Virgin Group" as a rescue package to protect his 70,000 employees. But he says the economic recovery of Virgin depends "critically on governments around the world".

In his blog post, Branson also pointed out that his billions aren't in a bank account ready to go.

Ive seen lots of comments about my net worth but that is calculated on the value of Virgin businesses around the world before this crisis, not sitting as cash in a bank account ready to withdraw.

Forbes puts his cash mound atsomething more like 520m($600m).

The Guardian estimates his personal contribution to save Virgin, and particularly his airline Virgin Atlantic, amounts to about 5 per cent of his net worth.

2) Branson asking for money from the samegovernment he does not pay income tax to

Branson has repeatedly denied being a tax exile, a claim he repeated in his most recent blog post. Branson bought Necker Island in the 1970s, but moved there permanently the late 2000s.

He has previously claimed that the move was to benefit his "health", but now says he was inspired by his "love" of the beautiful Caribbean island.

3) Branson 'suing' the NHS.

In 2017, the NHS made an undisclosed private settlement withVirgin Care, Branson's private healthcare group. Virgin Care sued the NHS after losing out on an 82m contract to provide children's healthcare in Surrey.

In his blog post, Branson wrote that:

Some will say it was unwise for Virgin Care to do this, but the most important thing is that Virgin Care was never intending to profit from it and 100 per cent of the money awarded went straight back into the NHS.

Is this true? According to a blog post by Virgin Care's chief executive, the damages were "invested into delivering the services were commissioned to by the NHS to pay the salaries of doctors, nurses, other health professionals and colleagues delivering healthcare services."

So it might be more accurate to say they were re-invested, rather than going "straight back" to the NHS.

4) Virgin Money Giving profiting from funds raisedto charities fighting coronavirus.

But Virgin is not directly profiting from donations made through Money Giving.

Often, the justifications Branson offers for criticisms levelled against him is that he did not pocket any money. But this is an easy deflection from a businessman whose billions were raised by continual investments in aviation, healthcare, trains and a mobile network to name a few.

No, Richard Branson may not have a 5m pot of gold ready to be dished out to Virgin employees. But does anyone really expect him to?

It's up to the government to decide whether to grant him the bailout he points out is a taxpayer loan to be paid back, "not a handout".

Whether or not Branson loses his private island remains to be seen. What can be confirmed is that Virgin staff face eight weeks unpaid leave across six and a half months as Branson struggles to save his Virgin empire.

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Richard Branson explains why he's refusing to sell his private island and asking for 500m government bailout instead - indy100

Richard Branson Will Use His Private Island as Collateral – InsideHook

James D. Morgan / Contributor / Getty Images

As noted last week, Richard Branson was asking for loans and government help for his various Virgin companies due to the ongoing economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Some industry leaders supported the help, but the billionaire entrepreneur faced some backlash, given his own personal wealth and the fact that he was staying at his private estate in the British Virgin Islands, where he pays no personal income tax.

In a new open letter to employees, Branson has countered the criticism with some more detailed explanations on what his companies need and his own economic situation. Most importantly, hes pledged to raise as much money against the island as possible to save as many jobs as possible around the [Virgin] Group.

Besides putting his Necker Island home up as collateral, Branson discussed why the Virgin Group is looking for a government loan (it wouldnt be free money and the airline would pay it back) and points out what the potential loss of Virgin Australia would mean for the airline industry (If Virgin Australia disappears, Qantas would effectively have a monopoly of the Australian skies).

As a counterpoint, some people on Twitter have noted that Virgin Australia is primarily foreign owned but also that the company employs upwards of 10,000 people.

Over the five decades I have been in business, this is the most challenging time we have ever faced, Branson writes. We are operating in many of the hardest hit sectors, including aviation, leisure, hotels and cruises, and we have more than 70,000 people in 35 countries working in Virgin companies.

As Branson explains, the companys already committed a quarter of a billion dollars to help the businesses. He also defends himself from articles that have pointed out his own fortune: Ive seen lots of comments about my net worth but that is calculated on the value of Virgin businesses around the world before this crisis, not sitting as cash in a bank account ready to withdraw. He also points out that the wage reduction taken by Virgin Atlantic employees was a virtually unanimous decision made by Virgin Atlantic employees and their unions.

And finally, Branson points out that two of his subsidiaries, Virgin Care and Virgin Money Giving, do not operate as profit-making ventures.

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Richard Branson Will Use His Private Island as Collateral - InsideHook

Luxe Villas That Will Inspire You To Travel Again – Luxury Travel Magazine

A private villa vacation might seem like its a getaway that only the high-net worth will be able to afford when this is over, but even these affordable luxury villa options are seeing an unexpected increase in requests and future reservations.

CAYO ESPANTO, Belize

Located three miles off the coast of Belize, Cayo Espanto is a private island resort that creates a sense of secluded paradise for every visitor. Each of the resorts seven villas includes a private dock, pool, a butler and personalized meal and concierge services. All the resorts villas are luxurious but the one that literally stands out a little bit above the rest is Casa Ventanas. Casa Ventanas is Cayo Espantos exclusive over-the-water bungalow, the one-bedroom villa is the most intimate and requested accommodation on the island. As a bonus, a glass floor section of the villa provides guests with the unique experience of taking a glimpse at the Caribbean sea life below. The glass window to the ocean below also features a light that can be turned on in different colors to provide additional filters to the vast waters.

FRANGIPANI BEACH RESORT, Anguilla

Anguilla, ranked as one of the best beaches in the Caribbean, is home to Frangipani Beach Resort, a premier luxury boutique resort located on the soft white sands of Meads Bay. Offering an exquisite island getaway, the resort features an impressive 5,000 square feet beachfront villa, specially designed to host special beach escapes in a private sanctuary for families and groups. Separated from the resort, the private villa offers four ocean-facing bedrooms equipped with bathtub, indoor shower and outdoor shower. Occupying two floors, guests will find two bedrooms upstairs along with an entertainment area and second floor balcony with sweeping views of Meads Bay Beach. The kitchen located downstairs, is equipped with state of the art appliances and when guests are craving a delicious Anguillan feast they have the option of hiring a private chef for their stay. Additionally, the Villa includes a spacious living room, indoor dining area and two other oceanfront bedrooms. Once outside, guests can spot their own private pool and pool deck to lounge peacefully.

Canouan Estate Villas & Residences, Grenadines

Located on the secluded and unspoiled island of Canouan (ka-no-wan) in the chain of Grenadine islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is Canouan Estate Villas and Residences. A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the intimate resort is a quintessential example of five-star Caribbean luxury offering a wide selection of elegant accommodations that range from stylish, generously appointed one and two-bedroom suites to a unique collection of stately standalone villas and residences. Each villa comes with its own private butler who can arrange pre-stocking of food items, event and celebration planning, tours and excursions as well as offering panoramic views of the entire estate, golf course, beaches and coves. Great for groups, families, weddings and celebrations or just a relaxing romantic Caribbean escape, the resort also features indulgent spa services, four restaurants and bars as well as a complimentary kids and teens club and offers babysitting services, at an additional charge.

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Luxe Villas That Will Inspire You To Travel Again - Luxury Travel Magazine

This Tiny Island Is Often Topped With Its Own Mystical Cloud – Simplemost

If youre fantasizing of escaping to your own private island, Ltla Dmun should play a role in your daydreams. Its the smallest of the Faroe Islands 18 main islands there are 779 in total in the North Atlantic, located 320 kilometers north-northwest of Scotland and about halfway between Norway and Iceland and it has one very interesting feature.

The island is oftencapped by a lens-shaped cloud, making it look, well, like something out of a fairytale.

According to Atlas Obscura, Ltla Dmuns floating cloud is a lenticular cloud, a type of cloud that forms when moist air travels over the top of a protruding geological feature, like the top of a mountain.

Heres the science bit: As the wind moves up the mountain and hits the air immediately above it, a kind of wave forms on the downwind side of the mountain. The moist air evaporates, then condenses into a large cloud on the top of the mountain peak.

The result is impressive and the Visit Faroe Islands Facebook page is keen to show off their little diamond.

One warning before you attempt to escape toLtla Dmun: No humans live there (although plenty of sheep do, and theyre said to produce some of the best sheep meat in the world), and getting ashore can only be done in perfect weather.

According to the Facebook post, people sail to the island in wooden boats to get to the sheep. About 40 people then climb the rocky island, where they then form a chain across the island, driving the 200 or so sheep into a pen on the north side of the island, says the caption to a photograph of Ltla Dmun with its floating cloud.

The sheep are then caught, restrained by tying their feet together, put in nets five at a time and then lowered by ropes to the awaiting boats a few hundred meters down, and then sailed to the nearest village where the sheep is distributed among the locals.

So, perhaps Ltla Dmun is best admired from afar.

The Faroe Islands are certainly worth touring remotely, however, which is an option offered via Facebook Live on the Visit Faroe Islands Facebook page now while traveling is restricted due to the coronavirus crisis:

Happy travels!

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This Tiny Island Is Often Topped With Its Own Mystical Cloud - Simplemost

6 Obnoxious COVID-19 Spends For The Rich – SafeHaven.com

In the American economic shutdown, the poor are suffering loss of jobs because theyre not benefitting from wealthy spending sprees amid COVID-19, while the rich well, theyre just on an extended vacation.

Celebrities are making fools of themselves as they try to play the everyman, and the non-celebrity wealthy are obnoxiously bingeing on things that will make the not-so-wealthy cringe at a time when hard-working people are wondering how much longer they can hold out.

They dont necessarily want hand-outs, and theres no place in their world for sushi-to-go that costs nearly as much as rent, nor do they have the option of buying their own private island to wait it out.

Heres the SafeHaven.com list of top wealthy buys on their COVID-19 vacations:

#1 Private Chefs for an Expensive One-Off Meal

The wealthy are under quarantine like everybody else, but it seems theyve realized they are not cut for cooking, even if their long-lost inner baker is calling them.

During the pandemic, inquiries to hire in-house chefs have surged and several new companies have emerged as a result across New York City and California, connecting prospective clients with private, recently unemployed, home chefs.

For instance, the private cooking company the Culinistas charges as much as $250 a meal, not including the cost of groceries. The chefs procure the necessary groceries and bring them to cook in the client's kitchen, and they clean up afterwards, too.

#2 Were All In Food Delivery Together (Not Really)

Were all in this together, many marketers and celebrities are telling on TV. But it is clear that we are togethering in a different way. Since the start of the pandemic, food delivery services and apps are experiencing a surge in demand, but the super-rich are doing it differently.

Those quarantined are reporting weeks-long waits on Instacart, Shipt and other leading platforms as demand is far outpacing supply. But for the wealthy, the wait is much shorter. Thats primarily because they use special grocery delivery services that cater specifically to the rich.

For instance, with orders of $275 or more, Regalis Foods will throw in a free ounce of caviar. The company, which catered upscale restaurants before the pandemic, is now delivering to peoples homes, and its not just when you run out of flour or toilet paper: Theyll even deliver live king crab for $395.

Sushi eatery Masa, one of the priciest restaurants in the country, which was closed down in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, has begun selling takeout meals for the price of $800. Only 20 box-sets are available per week.

The price appears to be a bargain, as the restaurant explained that it box feeds up to four people, making it about $200 per person, compared to the regular price which runs for $595 per person.

#3 Cant Travel Safely? Book An Entire Hotel/Motel

Vacation rental platforms have seen the majority of their bookings canceled in a trend that has already been dubbed AirBnB Apocalypse. Several cities in the US and Canada have also banned short-term rentals. However, there are few lucky hosts who have managed to lure in the wealthy by renting out their entire complex.

While overall reservations have dropped between 50% and 60% a week since the outbreak, reservations in more remote areas have still been consistent.

CNN Travel reported that wealthy families are booking out entire hotels to wait out the quarantine. One of them is the Blantyre Country Resort, available for a small group or a single family for $38,000 a day. Several other hotels and inns across the country are offering unique packages for families.

#4 Private Islands, Why Not?

In the last two months, upscale real estate agencies have been reporting a massive increase in inquiries for private islands for sale or rent in the Caribbean.

One agency reported receiving a lot of desperate inquiries from people on yachts, who after being stranded offshore for weeks, are circling islands trying to find a safe place to go and are willing to pay a premium.

#5 Survival Condos for Wealthy The rich are literally hunkering down.

Related: Coronavirus And The Coming Financial Revolution

Bunker and bomb shelter manufacturers have seen business increase fourfold compared to the same period last year. U.S.-based bunker maker Survival Condo offers several models and the unit prices range from around $500,000 to $2.4 million and include facilities such as indoor pools, gyms and even rock climbing walls.

#6 The Travel Bag You Simply Must Have

Hand sanitizer is in short supply. People are piling toilet paper even if they aren't sure why. And every household should have an air purifier. But hunkering down and isolation is nothing without the ultimate survival bag.

Anyone with an extra $5000 can now bug out in style. Emergency kit maker Preppi, whose sales increased 5,000% last month, is offering a bag that includes a satellite phone, night vision glasses, sleeping bagsand a Caviar Cooler Case and serving set. The basic model costs only $445.

For a more sober take, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends having at least one gallon of water per person per day, and a three-day supply of food--no caviar necessary.

Earlier this week, the CDC warned that the novel coronavirus could have a second wavewhich could be even more catastrophic than the last. According to historians, the 1918 pandemic also came in two waves. The first wave hits the poor, the second wave hits the rich, according to the academic research.

By Josh Owens for Safehaven..com

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6 Obnoxious COVID-19 Spends For The Rich - SafeHaven.com

Video: Where is the UFCs Fight Island? – Bloody Elbow

Explore the possible locations of UFC President Dana Whites Fight Island and its fictional and real-life influences. From Bruce Lees Enter the Dragon to Bodogs forgotten island fight night.

The journey to Fight Island has been one of the most surprising twists in MMA as the UFC continues to navigate the rocky waters of COVID-19. SBN MMA explores the past, present and future of Fight Island in the new video, Where Is Fight Island? | From Bruce Lee to UFC.

One of the best examples of a fight island comes from Enter the Dragon. In the film, Lee journeys to a private island owned by Hana former Shaolin monk turned renegade opium kingpin, who hosts an international martial arts tournament at his compound every three years.

In 2006, the United States passed a law banning online gambling and slapped Bodog gambling magnate Calvin Ayre with federal felony charges for continuing to operate. Unable to enter the U.S. without getting arrested, Ayre staged a number of MMA events on the island of Costa Rica. A crop of rising stars took part including Jorge Masvidal, Eddie Alvarez, and Chael Sonnen.

White is keeping the location of Fight Island very close to his chest. Some outlets assume it will be in the Carribean, but others think it may also be off the northern coastline of the United Arab Emirates. The government of UAE owned a 10 percent stake in the UFC between 2010 and 2018, and maintain a good relationship with the UFC. Not even an offer of $100 million from Saudi Arabia to host a rematch between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor could convince the UFC to switch regional partners. The UFC has held three events in the countrys capital of Abu Dhabi, most recently UFC 242 in September of 2019. That event took place on Yaz Island.

Yaz Island is home to Ferrari World and the countrys largest waterpark and mall. It may be too busy for a locked down fight location, but there are other island possibilities in the region. Tourist islands like Nurai and Reem maybe viable, as well as more isolated islands like Delma.

UFCs parent company Endeavor represents some of the biggest entertainment talent in the world. Leonardo DiCaprio owns a 104 acre island off the coast of Belize, and UFC fan Mel Gibson owns a volcanic island in Fiji. Johnny Depps island in the Bahamas has beaches named after Hunter S. Thompson and Marlon Brando, so why not the UFC?

In the meantime, UFC is pressing forward with UFC 249: Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje at a to-be-determined location in Florida, reportedly.

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Video: Where is the UFCs Fight Island? - Bloody Elbow

Have you noticed the billionaires are quiet about some things? – The New Daily

Has anyone else noticed that the billionaires are quiet at the moment?

They certainly havent had much to say once you subtract the requests for handouts, tax cuts, deregulation that benefits their business, or special treatment on travel quarantines.

Yet if you start scanning the coronavirus news for community-focused largesse flowing from their ample coffers pretty much zip.

And thats not to say billionaires dont love making huge donations to their own tax deductable charitable foundations mining magnate Andrew Forrest, made a whopper, with $100 million for COVID-19 response.

A private foundation means the donor retains all control, including the foundations mission, the board, and where, how and when money is allocated.

But, beyond this gift to themselves, where are the visionary and inclusive big investments in nation-building projects to fund the next generation of economic growth?

Or, dare we say it, paying a tax bill that looks a lot like the percentages the average pay-as-you-go wage earner stumps up?

Surely one of our cashed-up OAMs want to provide solar-fed EV charging stations through regional areas or a really, really fast train if not a very fast one.

Anything big picture that may have been thought up by someone else rather than the billionaires.

Because its not like things have yet gone bad for the top end of town in the big bust.

In the March update of its top 10 rich list, theAustralian Financial Review calculated that only six of Australias highest-worth individuals had lost more than 3 per cent of their wealth not a bad number when you ponder how many gig economy workers are eating into super balances right now.

Maybe their billionaire employers will top them up again with an extra 3 per cent to the long recommended 12 per cent mark to ensure theres still a happy retirement ahead.

It really is time to be offering cash, instead of just wisdom.

Gina Rinehart may have a few bob, but she is also one of our richest profferers of advice about who she thinks we should be.

Soon after the COVID-19 outbreak Ms Rinehart had Professor Ian Brighthope file to her personal website some timely advice on the benefits of vitamins C and D in boosting the immune system.

No vitamins were distributed to the apparent hordes of immune-deficient Australians, but our $18.5 billion agony aunt did find the time to complain about supply chain deficiencies and the lack self-sufficiency in defence procurement.

We must cut the biggest part of those costs, taxes and [red] tape, to encourage investment, she told Sky News.

History has shown that propping up industries with government handouts isnt the best solution.

So no doubt Ms Rinehart is ready to start building stuff instead of digging up ore and shipping it overseas?

Endless arrays of solar power in the vast WA outback perhaps? Or new methods for storing and monetising the energy?

Well, not exactly.

Tax reform and cutting red tape are apparently the answer to everything from drought to bushfires.

Still, dont fret, kids, vitamins will be available on the shelves again soon.

Probably not hydroxychloroquine though.

Over at No.2 rich lister Anthony Pratts Foundation theyre probably not talking too much about the $1 million donation to the Australasian COVID-19 Trial which was widely touted in the media at the end of March.

Led by Royal Melbourne Hospital researchers at the Doherty Institute, the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine surprisingly a particular favourite of the US President, a friend of Mr Pratts was to be trialled with others.

Australias own self-styled Trump, Clive Palmer also climbed aboard with $1 million to distribute the drug.

US trials have since shown no benefit. Anyone for more of Ginas vitamins?

Still, only-just-a-billionaire Gerry Harvey of Harvey Norman share-house furniture fame also has form in trying to pick medical winners.

Having offered an emphatic who cares about the Italians and Chinese who were dying of the flu-like COVID-19 he famously gloated on 60 Minutes about how much money hed make through panic-buying.

Our sales in freezers are up 300 per cent. And what about air purifiers? Up 100 per cent, he chortled.

Harvey Norman stock fell from$4.87 in mid-February to $2.63 on Thursday.

Forbes magazine actually has a real-time rich list tracker where you can see how much Mr Harveys wealth fell yesterday $492,376 as it turns out.

Which is probably comforting for media mogul Kerry Stokes, who can at least check his daily loss of wealth in comfortable home isolation after he and his wife were given special exemption from Australias 14-day quarantine rules on medical grounds.

The couple had reportedly returned to Perth from the United States on their private jet two weeks ago, but WA Police deemed that the usual quarantine in a supplied hotel need not apply to them. After their quarantine they jetted to Canberra for Anzac Day services with the PM.

Of course it is not just our home-grown billionaires who manage to make self-interest a spectator sport.

UK showboat Richard Branson was at his squirm-inducing worst when seeking a UK government bailout for his Virgin Atlantic airline this week even offering up as collateral his regularly hurricane-hit private island in the Caribbean.

Even with only 10 per cent of Virgin Australia, Branson tried the same sad story on our government, but to no avail.

He was appalled at the thought he was considered a tax exile and wrote in pleading terms about his love of the British Virgin Islands.

Still, theres some hope that younger billionaires are a bit more savvy in sharing the wealth.

The young guns at technology giant Atlassian, Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes, say they are continuing to pay their hourly service workers and have made distance learning programs available free to teaching staff, while cutting fees on its academic licences to educational institutions and teaching hospitals.

Apple also seems to be doing the right thing by its workers.

In Australia staff that are no longer in offices are reportedly working from home on full pay completing online training courses via the secretive Apple University.

However, its probably best not to talk about Amazons Jeff Bezos, whose wealth has gone up by some $30 billion during the pandemic, while his staff in the US have been refused paid sick leave.

Not to mention wannabe Martian and Tesla EV manufacturer Elon Musk who, in trademark style, decided what the US needed was ventilators provided from his personal supply.

CNN reported that the equipment supplied was not full ventilator units but much cheaper bi-level machines that had been manufactured by Australian company Resmed and which were previously used to aid sleep apnea.

Musk has form in the Thai cave rescue in providing equipment he thinks the experts need in an emergency, only to turn on a hero diver when he offered less than fulsome praise.

On Thursday, Musk moved from tweets about ventilators to his Starlink satellite service that he claims will provide broadband to the worlds poor a project that astronomers say could result in unredeemable light pollution that will obscure many observations from Earth.

Once again the noisy billionaire reckons he knows what we all want, but fails to follow through with what we really need.

After all, even a dying man should get to choose between a failing breathing apparatus or one last view of the stars.

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Have you noticed the billionaires are quiet about some things? - The New Daily

If the UK government brings in a new round of austerity to pay for Covid-19, itll spark civil unrest that will see cities burn – RT

George Osborne, the former Tory chancellor and architect of the post-2008 austerity regime, this week advocated a new round of swingeing cuts to state spending once the pandemic is over. But the poor wont stand for it this time.

Many of us are now looking out to the future and when I say that I mean the next few weeks and months. Ill be honest: Im not hopeful. In fact, I am full of fear.

The UK governments Covid-19 financial package will not last for as long as it will be needed. So far, the furlough scheme, in which the Government will support businesses in keeping their workforces going at 80 percent of their wages, is only in place for three months. We are already a month into that scheme, and it is pretty obvious that there will be thousands of businesses that will never open again.

What we can expect is that there will be mass unemployment over the coming months and years. The country is about to enter the worst depression it has probably ever known.

Im a social scientist a sociologist and I know from 15 years of research in working-class communities that working-class people in the UK have suffered cruelly over the last 12 years since the 2008 banking crisis. The governments response to that was not to punish the bankers who caused the collapse, but to put in place a deep and unprecedented programme of austerity affecting poor people.

Local governments all over the country have had their budgets slashed, and have cut local services in some of the poorest communities by over 60 percent. The welfare reforms that were implemented by Iain Duncan Smith as Minister for Work and Pensions (and architect of the hated Universal Credit) have had devastating effects on working-class families while the wealthiest people in the UK have seen their wealth increase over the same period.

What austerity has done is redistribute wealth from the poorest to the richest this is not a secret; it is well known and well researched. Since 2008, the wealth of the richest one percent has been growing at an average of six percent a year and, in 2016, academics from the London School of Economics published research showing clearly that austerity had been selective, with cuts falling heavily on the poorest.

I have been feeling apprehensive for a few weeks now about what British society will look like and will have to offer the working-class when this pandemic is over. This week, my anxiety turned to white-knuckle fear as I read that George Osborne the former Tory chancellor who I thought always looked sadistically happy about the pain his government was causing to working-class people said in a webinar at a Confederation of British Industry event that a new programme of austerity would be needed after Covid ends, to bring down the debt caused by governments huge spending to try to tackle it.

This was the man who launched a so-called We are all in this together budget in 2012 what a lie that was: we knew that we would not all be in this together. We never are, as its one rule for the rich, and nothing for the poor. This was clearly demonstrated in 2016 when The Panama Papers were released, showing millionaires, business tycoons, politicians and celebrities hiding their money from the tax man, while working-class people were having their wages cut, their public services destroyed and those claiming benefits sanctioned for minor discrepancies such as being 10 minutes late for a job-centre appointment.

I have seen over the past few years some of the worst poverty that I have ever seen. Mothers and children living in homes with no heating on in mid-winter because they were afraid of the bills. People dying of starvation after having their benefits cut, such as a 57-year-old found dead in his flat weighing just four-and-half stone (30kg).

The British working class have nothing else left that can be taken and they can see through the faux kind words of the celebrities asking them to donate their own money to support the most vulnerable.

It needs fundamental change, not charity from hypocritical tax dodgers like the pop star Gary Barlow and the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber asking for donations on the BBCs Big Night In programme this week.

Without real structural change and the drastic redistribution of wealth (just for clarity, for any Tory chancellors reading this, I mean redistributed downwards, not like last time), I fear that what little security the working class have now in already sub-poverty-level welfare benefits and wages, will be further destroyed.

But I have a warning for those politicians who think they can keep causing economic depressions and then bring in round after round of austerity on poor people: if you take everything away from people and leave them with nothing, they have nothing to lose.

They will not be tricked again. You cannot batter the working class into further submission Austerity Mark-One taught them we are not all in this together. With millions already unemployed, and enduring, shameful levels of absolute poverty and demeaning, degrading welfare benefits systems, people know that politicians are not to be trusted and the rich despite their periodic feel-good acts of charity are happy to take food from their children's mouths.

My prediction is that we will have Austerity Mark-Two, then we will see widespread civil disobedience and riots on the streets of Britain's towns and cities, and the rich will need all their private jets, private Islands and safety bunkers to try to escape from the thing they fear the most the angry mob seeking justice.

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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

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If the UK government brings in a new round of austerity to pay for Covid-19, itll spark civil unrest that will see cities burn - RT

Princess Diana: 6 of Her Sweetest Moments With Prince Harry and Prince William – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

The late Diana, Princess of Wales had many sweet moments with her sons, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex before her tragic death in 1997. Ahead, were taking a look back some of the most heartwarming times Diana and her sons shared.

While Diana didnt like Highgrove House she did have some happy memories there. Below she can be seen pushing Harry down a slide in their garden while William waited at the bottom.

What makes this photo even cuter are the matching outfits wore for the occasion.

Another moment at Highgrove House, William rode a pony while Harry and Diana walked beside him.

Known for bringing a sense of normalcy to the British royal family, Diana took William and Harry to do all types of normal things such as going to the movies, eating at McDonalds, and visiting amusement parks. Here they are at Thorpe Park grinning after taking a spin on a ride.

Its been reported by royal sources that William and Harry talk about the fun times they had with their mom trips to the amusement park included when they get together on the anniversary of her death to honor her memory.

They talk about the little things about Diana that made them laugh: the ski trips and outings to Thorpe Park [a British amusement park]; the effort she went to on their birthdays all of it, a source told Us Weekly in Aug. 2019.

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of Diana with Harry and William, maybe even the most memorable moment, is when they hugged each other on the deck of The Royal Yacht Britannia. William and Harry had joined Diana and their father, Charles, Prince of Wales on an official visit to Canada.

Below, see just how excited they had all been to be together.

Captured in photos and on video by the press, this particular moment is one of the most replayed in documentaries about the royal family and Diana.

During a family vacation to Necker Island, a private island in the British Virgin Islands owned by Richard Branson, the billionaire CEO of Virgin Group, Diana, William, and Harry relaxed on sandy beaches and soaked up some rays.

See a young Harry sitting in Dianas lap while William sat nearby playing in the sand.

Heres the trio again walking barefoot in the sand. Harry had with him a shovel and a bucket while William carried flippers for snorkeling.

On a winter ski vacation a tradition the family kept up separately after Diana and Charles separated in Austria, William and Harry were both in good spirits as they sat in between Diana on a sleigh ride.

For more on the royal family, check out photos of Diana with Sarah, Duchess of York.

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Princess Diana: 6 of Her Sweetest Moments With Prince Harry and Prince William - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Own three private islands off the Connecticut coast for $5.3M – 6Sqft

Photo of Belden Island (top left) by Dan Milstein, photo of Jepson Island (top right) by Planomatic, and photo of Wheelers Island (bottom) by Dan Milstein

Take social distancing to its full extent by living on a private island (or three). A trio of private islands off the coast of Connecticut has hit the market for a total of $5.3 million. The properties, part of the Thimble Islands and located in the Long Island Sound, was last for sale in 2016 aspart ofa $78 million eight-island package.

Just 75 miles from New York City, the islands include Wheelers Island, listed for $3 million, Belden Island, listed for $1.5 million, and Jepson Island, listed for $800,000. Each has a home, a private beach, solar power, and generators, makingeach move-in ready. The islands are most easily accessible via water taxi or boat from Stony Creek village.

The largest home of the bunch is located on Wheelers Island: an eight-bedroom Victorian-style home with two wrap-around porches set on just under an acre of land.Measuring nearly 2,500 square feet, the home is flexible in space and includes an eat-in country kitchen andmultipleguest bedrooms.

In addition to the stunning views and outdoor areas, amenities include city water, a laundry room, an outdoor fireplace, and a granite dock.

For $1.5 million, the four-bedroom home on Belden Island comes fully-furnished. Described in the listing as a summer home, the property has ample outdoor space, including a beach and a private dock. Inside, the Colonial-style home, which was built in 1912, boasts beautiful wainscotted walls and ceilings, as well as wooden floors. Included in the sale includes two acres of adjacent shellfish beds.

The smallest and least expensive of the three islands is Jepson Island, which includes a cute two-bedroom vacation home. Sold fully furnished, the house features cathedral ceilings, skylights, and exposed beams. A wooden porch provides incredible views from nearly every room.

Two of the eight islands sold in 2016, Rogers Island and Cut-In-Two, with owners Christine and Edmund Stoecklein deciding to keep the remaining properties. Christine, who is the widow of John Svenningsen, the founder of Amscan Holdings, boughtmost of the islands 20 years ago.

There are about 80 housesacross the Thimble Islands, which became a popular summer resort spot in the late 1800s, according to the Wall Street Journal.

[Listing: Wheelers Island,Belden Island, andJepson IslandbyMargaret Muir for William Pitt Sothebys Realty]

RELATED:

Photos of Wheelers Island and Belden Island courtesy of Dan Milstein, Photos of Jepson Island Courtesy of Planomatic

Tags : private islands, Thimble Islands

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Own three private islands off the Connecticut coast for $5.3M - 6Sqft

Home of the Week: Legend Says This $3 Million Private Island Mansion Is Home to a Pirates Buried Treasure – Robb Report

Looking to really socially distance yourself in the time of coronavirus? Consider this tiny private Connecticut island, complete with a family-friendly, eight-bedroom mansion, thats just been listed for $3 million.

Wheelers Island is a three-quarter acre rock in Long Island Sound thats part of the Thimble Island archipelago, close to the artsy colony of Branford, Conn.

And the best part: If youre handy with a snorkel and flippers, Wheelers Island could end-up costing you nothing, as in zip, zilch, nada.

Legend has it that back in the 1600s, swashbuckling pirate Captain William Kidd buried a chest of gold somewhere in the Thimble Island chain as he fled pirate hunters. Find it and consider your mortgage paid.

Known originally as Pages Island, passionate yachtsman Frank Wheeler acquired the rock in 1885, with his family owning it until 1998. Thats when it starts to get interesting.

Along comes wealthy widow Christine Svenningsen. A year after her husband John Svenningsen died in 1997, at age 66he was president and CEO of New York-based Amscan Holdings, one of the worlds largest suppliers of party goodsshe snapped up Wheelers Island for a reported $520,000.

She didnt stop there. Between 2003 and 2007, she went on to acquire 10 of the Thimble islands. That included splashing an astonishing $22.3 million for the 7.7-acre Rogers Island, with its 13,000-square-foot Tudor-style mansion, tennis courts and putting-green designed by golfing great, Jack Nicklaus. In total she spent more than $33 million on her island-buying spree.

The colorfully designed living room.Photo: William Pitt/Sotheby's International

Following her marriage to former architect Edmund Stoecklein in 2015, Svenningsen tried to offload eight of the islandsincluding Wheelerfor a combined $78 million. With no takers, she dropped the price a year later to $50 million.

Now the so-called Island Lady, with an urge to spend more time in Washington State where she and her husband own property, is trying again. Shes listed Wheelers Island along with two others close byBelden Island and Jepson Island. Buy all three for a combined $5.3 million.

The kitchen.Photo: William Pitt/Sotheby's International

Without doubt, Wheelers is the flagship; its often referred to as the Queen of the Thimbles. Svenningsen leveled the original house in 2001 and replaced it with a stately, three-story, cedar-shakes home with 2,462 square feet of living space.

This is a leave-the-world behind sort of place, yet you are still close to the shoreline so youre not isolated, says listing agent Margaret Muir, of William Pitt Sothebys International Realty.

The dining room.Photo: William Pitt/Sotheby's International

Take your boat, or water taxi, from the nearby, quaint harbor at Stoney Creek and step off at Wheelers Islands private jetty. Steps lead up into the main house with its huge family room and fireplace, spacious eat-in country kitchen and cozy hideaways for reading or just gazing out at the water.

Steps lead up to a second floor with its master suite and myriad of bedrooms. More steps lead to a third floor with its whimsically-decorated guest bedrooms. Muir explains that this top level could easily be converted into a spectacular, one-floor master bedroom suite.

One of the guest rooms.Photo: William Pitt/Sotheby's International

Svenningsen, who is an artist, obviously had fun decorating the house in colorful and patterned themes throughout; it is being sold fully-furnished.

Outside, the island comes with its own, albeit small, beach thats perfect for launching kayaks, or taking a dip. Surrounding the main house is a combination of manicured lawns, towering trees and high hedgerows for privacy.

One of eight bedrooms.Photo: William Pitt/Sotheby's International

This is a home that that was built for fun, relaxation and escaping the worries of daily life, explains Muir.

A bath.Photo: William Pitt/Sotheby's International

The view out into the Long Island Sound.Photo: William Pitt/Sotheby's International

The private beach.Photo: William Pitt/Sotheby's International

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Home of the Week: Legend Says This $3 Million Private Island Mansion Is Home to a Pirates Buried Treasure - Robb Report

Pro sports may come back and even welcome fans, but would fans go? – USA TODAY

This is the Morning Win. Nate Scott is filling in for Andy Nesbitt this week.

For a while now, sports fans have wondered when on Earth we're going to get our pro sports back. A global coronavirus pandemic has shut down most sporting events worldwide, with the UFC the latest to fall with its postponement of UFC 249.

With fans itching to get sports back, and millions (if not billions) in television revenue up for grabs, the pro sports leagues are desperately trying to figure out ways to get up and running again. Playing in empty stadiums? Quarantining entire leagues? Hosting combat sportson private islands? It's all on the table.

Right now the general consensus is that pro sports leagues are hoping to get back in some form, perhaps in empty stadiums, this summer, with leagues assuming a more regular schedule in the fall. As of now, I'll admit, I just assumed that the virus will have gotten enough under control that the NFL would be able to take place normally this fall.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize how preposterous this is. The United States doesn't have nearly the capacity to test enough people quickly enough to safely get tens of thousands of people in a football stadium. Maybe massive technological advances will be made by September, but I'm not betting on it.

On top of that, most experts say 2021 is the earliest we could expect a vaccine. And a new poll fromSeton Hall University's Stillman School of Business shows that 72% of the people polled wouldn't attend a sporting event until a vaccine is developed. For people who self-identified as sports fans, the number was 61%.

Granted it was only a poll of 762 people, which is a somewhat small sample size. (They listed a 3.6% margin of error.) But still, 61% is not a small number. Even if the leagues do come back this fall, and MLB has a World Series, and The Masters takes place ... would people go? Would you go?

I'm not sure I would. It just all seems too risky. And this, I think, is something not enough of us are thinking about. This isn't going to be a light switch that goes off and our lives all return to normal. It's going to take time, a long time, for things to get right.

UFC president Dana White(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

Dana White was forced to call off UFC 249 when, he says, execs from Disney and ESPN called him and told him to knock it off and stop trying to host a UFC event in the middle of a global pandemic. His plan to host a fight night on a private island, however? He says it's still on. "Fight island is real" is a real thing he said.

- The Rams and Texans did a trade for Brandin Cooks which was somehow a disaster for both teams. It's rare to see such a thing, but they did it. Everyone is unhappy!

- Katie Nolan played a game where everyone on a Zoom call had to send the link to the most famous person they knew, and it got totally and completely out of control.

- Dog mascot Zoom? Dog mascot Zoom.

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Pro sports may come back and even welcome fans, but would fans go? - USA TODAY

Gordon Monson: Turns out, Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen are just like you and your spouse well, sort of. – Salt Lake Tribune

At a lot of levels, its difficult for sports fans to relate to the athletes they either root for or against. They may feel some kinship to or dislike for said players because of the uniform they wear, the team they play for, the brilliance or struggles they demonstrate on the field, on the court, on the diamond.

This is especially true of superstar athletes.

Joe and Jill Sixpack might adore or despise them, but relate to them?

On the ground level, they have everything in common except for millions and millions of dollars, mansions and/or estates, limos, Ferraris, private yachts, private aircraft, private islands and all manner of usually unattainable entitlements.

And then, Tom Brady, whos typically as private a sports icon as there is, a star whose exploits achieved and championships won on the field are as well-known as anyones and whose private life is kept as airtight as possible, comes out and connects completely with the common man.

In a burst of candor, he reveals in a recent interview with Howard Stern what so many married men have experienced themselves that he wasnt meeting expectations at home. Not only was he not meeting expectations at home, his wife complained to him, to the point where she wrote her feelings down in a letter, about not doing necessary duties around the house.

Lets get this straight the quarterback who had led the Patriots to six Vince Lombardi trophies, the best QB of all time, the guy who owned all of New England, a sports hero to millions of fans from coast to coast and internationally, too, wasnt getting the garbage out to the curb with regularity, wasnt keeping the garage swept out, wasnt getting to the dishes quick enough, wasnt switching out lightbulbs in a timely manner, wasnt playing enough hide and seek with the kids?

Yep. Something like that.

The wife doing the complaining was and is Gisele Bundchen.

Brady told Stern that over the past few years he had skipped the Pats organized team activities not on account of any dispute with coach Bill Belichick, rather because Gisele had concerns about his inattention to details around the house when football season was over, and therefore she was growing unhappy with their marriage.

At different times, like any married couple, things need to be changed, he said. A couple of years ago she didnt feel like I was doing my part for the family. She felt like I would play football all season and she would take care of the house and then, all of a sudden, when the season ended, I would be like, Great, lets get into all my other business activities. Let me get into my football training. And she is sitting there, going, Well, when are you going to do things for the house? When are you going to take the kids to school and do that?

That was a big part of our marriage that I had to, like, check myself because shes like, I have goals and dreams, too, so you better start taking care of things at the house.

So, two years ago, as it even related to football for me, I had to make a big transition in my life to say, I cant do all the things I wanted to do for football like I used to. I gotta take care of things with my family because the family situation wasnt great. She wasnt satisfied with our marriage, so I needed to make a change there.

Brady went on to say Gisele wrote him what he called a heartfelt letter, spelling out that he needed to do more and to help more with the family. He said he keeps the letter and pulls it out of a drawer every so often to re-read it, stirring him to remember what he might otherwise forget in the hubbub of his professional life the significance of pulling his weight at home.

Its a good reminder for me that things are going to change and evolve over time. What worked for us 10 years ago wont work for us forever because were growing in different ways. Were not together all the time. Then, when you come back together, she may have moved on an opinion or a feeling or a thought. I may have moved on an opinion, on a feeling, or on a thought and then how do you figure out a way to get it together?

Brady is not Joe Sixpack and Gisele isnt Jill Sixpack.

Hes the GOAT and shes a supermodel.

They may have a huge house, a house on every continent, they once had a house with a moat around it. But they also have kids and, as it turns out, they have many of the same concerns that most couples have about their own relationship, about the inner workings of their family, about lightbulbs getting screwed in, about garbage getting put out, about the mess in the garage, about kids getting dropped off at school.

They make the same mistakes a lot of folks make, maybe only in exaggerated forms.

Either way, its pretty cool that they care enough to work it out, to balance it out, to hit the reset button, and to move forward. Just like everybody else who does the best he or she can outside the home, but focuses, again, on what matters most, what should matter most.

GORDON MONSON hosts The Big Show with Jake Scott weekdays from 2-7 p.m. on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM The Zone.

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Gordon Monson: Turns out, Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen are just like you and your spouse well, sort of. - Salt Lake Tribune

Cayman Islands Added to the EU Blacklist Private Fund Sponsor Update – JD Supra

Updated: May 25, 2018:

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Cayman Islands Added to the EU Blacklist Private Fund Sponsor Update - JD Supra

The 20 Best Sports Movies That Have Ever Been Made | TheThings – TheThings

The majority of the sports landscape worldwide has been wiped out. Over here in North America, we are still getting football news, and the UFC is buying private islands to keep their sport going.

But for the most part everything else has been shut down. While that's unfortunate for all of the sports fans in us, we can still keep up to date reading the latest articles and catching the latest headlines, wherever we consume our sports news. However, we realize that outside of the previously mentioned options, sports and the entertainment surrounding it are slim pickings right now. That's why we made a list of the 20 best sports movies of all times, so you can pass the time missing sports, catching up or re-watching some of the best sports flicks that have ever been produced.

Starting off the list could be one of Adam Sandler's best movies if we're not counting his most recent Uncut Gems which was stellar. Happy Gilmore has to be one of the best sports movies that would fall under the golf category. One of Sandler's first feature film's is an all-time fan favourite of a hockey player turned golf pro. With cameo's from Bob Barker, Kevin Nealon, and golf play by play announcer Verne Lundquist, Happy Gilmore should be on any "best sports movie's" list out there.

The first football entry on the list, Denzel Washington, Will Patton, and Wood Harris star in this heartbreaking, motivating, and enthralling film. Washington plays as a new Head Coach of the T.C. Williams High School football team in Alexandria, Virginia. In times where racial tension was through the roof in this part of the world, Remember The Titans sucks you in from the beginning to the end, and you might need the tissue box.

"Again!!! Again!!!"

If you've seen the movie you'd understand. If not, it's one of the best lines in the movie from Team USA's Head Coach Herb Brooks (played by Kurt Russel). Based on a true story of the "Miracle In Lake Placid" where a massive underdog team USA ended up winning the Gold Medal in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Fun fact: yours truly also won a Gold Medal on the same ice surface, just of much smaller magnitude.

RELATED:10 Craziest Records Broken At The Winter Olympics

"Dodge... Duck... Dip... Dive... and Dodge." The 5 D's of dodgeball. The wise words of Patches O'Houlihan played by both Hank Azaria and Rip Torn at different points of the movie, the title of the movie explains this underdog dodgeball team and their quest to win the World Dodgeball Championships. Vince Vaughan, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor and Justin Long also star in this gut-buster.

Margaret Whitton plays the new Owner of the Cleveland Indians and is purposely trying to lose games. When Ricky Vaughan (Charlie Sheen) Willie Mays Hayes (Wesley Snipes) and company find out her plan they start to get on a hot streak in spite of her and to prove her wrong. The first baseball movie on this list but hardly the last.

Based on a true story of Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane redefining how the game of baseball was and now is measured in statistics and advanced statistics. Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane and Jonah Hill plays Peter Brand, who was Beane's right hand man in the developing of the term "sabremetrics" in baseball. Chris Pratt and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman also star in this baseball love affair.

Pick any of the three Mighty Ducks films and I won't argue with you which one is the best. You want the kid version? Pick the original. You want to see the Ducks in their prime? D2 does the trick. You like the Eden Hall Junior Varisty Warriors in the culmination of the trilogy? So do I. Emilio Estevez, Joshua Jackson, and Jussie Smollet are all featured across the three films and they are all pure hockey gold.

It's a hot topic of debate which Rocky movie is the best. I'm going to shy away from my personal opinion but Rocky I and the stair running scene may be one of the most iconic scenes in any sort of film period. Sylvester Stallone, the star and writer of the films, wouldn't sell the film to producers for $325,000 because he wouldn't take the deal if he couldn't star in the film. He eventually took $35,000 to star in his own film.

A cult classic for anyone from the ages of 25-35, if you fit this age range, the Sandlot is probably an all-time favorite for you. Kids playing baseball in the summer months in their free time, smacking home runs over neighbors fences, the legendary PF Flyers. What's not to like about that? We all wish we could do it.

Going back to the hockey world. Hank Azaria returns to the list as Charles Danner and Russel Crowe leads as John Biebe. The hockey team from Mystery, Alaska manages to get the New York Rangers to come to town to play them in an exhibition game outside. Mike Meyers even makes a couple of quick cameos in this one. A must watch for sports fans or those who aren't so sports inclined.

One for the racing fans and a relatively more recent film on the list. Based on a true story, Matt Damon and Christian Bale star as Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles respectively. They are representatives of Ford in the racing world and constantly chasing excellence while trying to top the vaunted Ferrari team. This high speed movie keeps you on the edge of your seat and if you're like me, it might make you want to go get your favourite racing game for XBOX/PS4.

The first of the next and last four baseball films on the list. Kevin Costner makes two of them. My Mom would approve. Field of Dreams brings you back to a different era. Costner as Ray Kinsella, and Iowa Corn Farmer, hears voices in his head throughout the film. "If you build it, they will come." He builds a baseball field in his corn field, and the 1919 Chicago White Sox come to play on his field.

RELATED:16 Athletes & Sporting Figures That Are Banned From Their Sports

Keanu Reeves finds his way back onto the list as a coach of an inner city youth baseball team. Outside of his job with the kids, Connor O'Neill (Reeves) is a gambling, alchohol, and ticket scalping addict. But the way he is with his kids on the field and in their lives has the viewer battling emotionally between what is right and wrong, and another film on the list of which you may need the tissue box for. This was also one of Michael B. Jordan's first feature films he was in.

Kevin Costner reappears on this list as the notorious Crash Davis, Susan Sarandon stars as Annie Savoy, Tim Robbins most famously known for his role in The Shawshank Redemption, stars as Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh. The trio makes for one hell of a love triangle full of drama and has the viewers belly's shaking. Don't forget to add this one to your list.

Tom Hanks and Geena Davis lead the film as Manager Jimmy Dugan and Catcher Dottie Hinson. Dottie's sister Kit Keller (Lori Petty) and her join a female baseball league while America's men are at War. The two end up splitting up and are pitted against each other in a heated rivalry. Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell also star in this film. For all the ladies out there who want to show men that you can swing the bat too, this one is for you.

RELATED:Tom Hanks Has The Coronavirus... And The Simpson Might Have Predicted It

A little bit more of the hockey flavour on the list. If you've seen "Goon" from recent years, you would love Slapshot. A failing hockey team is going under and could be shut down. A whole bunch of violence and hockey debauchery follow as the team attempts to stay afloat. The movie that glorified hockey violence is a must for any fan of the game played on ice.

Gene Hackman returns to the list in Hoosiers. The tale of a high school basketball team led by a coach with a questionable track record to become a contender for a state championship. Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman). Indiana has always been a hotbed for basketball from the high school to college to professional levels and Hoosiers does a great job of exemplifying that culture throughout the film.

Based on a true story, a very young Sean Astin (Rudy) and an equally young Jon Favreau (D-Bob) star in this football classic. Rudy has been told his entire life that he's too small to play college football. But his determination and stick to it attitude puts him line to potentially live out his dream to play college football at Notre Dame.

A heartbreaking film based on a true story of the Marshall football team and thedeadliest tragedy affecting any sports team in U.S. history. After Marshall lost to the East Carolina Pirates they were returning home on Souther Airways Flight 932. 37 players and 8 members of the coaching staff as well as 30 other people died when their plane crashed. Matthew McConaughey stars as Head Coach Jack Lengyel tasked with piecing back together the Marshall football team.

Director and Producer Martin Scorsese has never been a big fan of sports. He's been quoted saying "anything with a ball, no good" or "I always thought boxing was boring." That makes it even more surprising that he teamed up with Robert De Niro to make this all-time great film. Raging Bull was the movie that won De Niro his first and only Best Actor award at the Oscar's. The film itself also won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing and was nominated for 6 others, including best picture. Raging Bull is a must watch film for those who love sports and those who don't and it definitely makes our list.

NEXT:10 Best Live-Action Disney Movies So Far (And 5 We Can't Wait To See)

SOURCES: IMBD, USA Today Sports, Twitter, Youtube, 20th Century Fox

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The 20 Best Sports Movies That Have Ever Been Made | TheThings - TheThings

Should I Hold My Wedding or Honeymoon During the Coronavirus Pandemic? – Fodor’s Travel

Ahh, love in the time of a pandemic.

A couple got married on a New York street with their officiant self-isolating on his balcony five floors above them. Princess Beatrice was supposed to get married on May 29 and then have a Buckingham Palace garden party, but is postponing the wedding due to COVID-19. The new coronavirus is severely affecting daily life around the worldand even love isnt safe from it.

Whether youre planning a wedding at home or abroad, or want a honeymoon further than your bedroom, the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting you.

Small weddings are becoming tiny, if theyre taking place at all. The CDC recommends canceling U.S. events of more than 10 people. In the U.K., the bride and groom can each have a witness, and the officiant brings you to the max of five. In Germany, its just two people, so youd need an officiant on a balcony like that NYC couple. In Italy, weddings are completely postponed for the time being.

If youre planning to fly somewhere, thats almost impossible right now too. Borders are closed to non-nationals, international flights are mostly for repatriation as more and more airlines hit the pause button, and most countries require two weeks of quarantine or self-isolation upon arrival from abroad. Some countries are under complete lockdown (which might be ok for your honeymoon, but certainly not your wedding).

Knowing when normal lifeespecially happy gatherings like weddings and dream trips like honeymoonscan start again would make self-isolation a little easier. Unfortunately, experts dont know when the COVID crisis will abate.

Theres evidence that there might be a few waves of illness and that it might last until spring 2021 or maybe beyond. Its pretty hard to plan weddings and honeymoons right now, and it will be at least several weeks before we have a clearer picture of what the next year might look like. Some studies say that social (physical) distancing may need to last for months. That means happy hugs with all your guests after you say I do might be off the table.

For at least a month or two, you should expect travel bans of non-nationals, mandatory quarantine periods, bans against group gatherings, and flight cancellations to continue. Slowing the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible and preventing deaths is the most important consideration. The Government of Canadas advice on risk-informed decision making for large events might help your considerations.

Slowing the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible and preventing deaths is the most important consideration.

Do you already have a wedding date and venue booked? Katie Patnode, at Hotel Canandaigua in New Yorks Finger Lakes Region, says couples need to decide whats most important to them for their wedding. If thats having guests from abroad, she says consider postponing or making accommodations to keep those guests present in spirit. You could use technology to have a video call so your guests from afar can still watch your ceremony, even if they cant be there in person.

Being as flexible as possible will help. Patnode, who will oversee Hotel Canandaiguas wedding bookings when it opens in October 2020, says that given the unprecedented times, she hopes hotels and venues [are] willing to postpone dates and even process cancellations without penalty, and adds that, those of us working in the hospitality industry realize how important the special day and honeymoon are for couples.

A wedding planner helps make destination weddings, no matter how far distant in time or place, incredibly smoother. Planners at private islands like Cayo Espanto in Belize can take care of every detail you can imagine. You can minimize exposure to others by booking the entire island with its seven villas for yourself and your wedding guests if you want. Grand Palladium resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean have dedicated wedding coordinators who can help you evolve your plans as COVID circumstances change. They also have outdoor wedding venues to help your guests maintain physical distance protocols while admiring the bride and groom in the stunning scenery.

It is possible to get wedding cancelation insurance, but it doesnt cover everything. In the midst of the pandemic, many types of insurance are almost impossible to buy. In normal times, wedding insurance covers things like a flood at your venue, a fire at your wedding dress shop, and sometimes the illness of a member of your wedding party. It doesnt cover last-minute decisions to elope, changing your mind about the wedding altogether, or new laws prohibiting gatherings of groups. Read the small print carefully, whether you have an existing policy for your wedding or are planning for the future.

Most couples who plan a honeymoon dream trip right after their wedding can attest that they wish theyd done it differently. Weddings are exhausting, even if you had a wedding planner take care of everything. Many brides and grooms just want to stay in bed after their wedding, and thats to catch up on sleep more than anything else!

So having to postpone your dream honeymoon because of COVID-19 means youll be well-rested when you can finally go. Youll have the energy to swim with the whale sharks in La Paz, Mexico, hike a volcano or go surfing in El Salvador, ride every rollercoaster in Orlando, wake up for dawn game drives on safari in South Africa, climb every hill in Cusco, Peru, and try a new-to-you Thai dish at every single meal in Thailand. Looking for #TravelSomeday inspiration? Here are 10 gorgeous places for a destination wedding and 10 under-the-radar honeymoon destinations in Asia.

Maybe your romantic beach wedding in the Maldives doesnt work out. Maybe your far-flung family can only witness your vows via Skype. Maybe your honeymoon has to be next year or in five years. Whats important is that you love each other, that youre together, and that youre healthy.

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Should I Hold My Wedding or Honeymoon During the Coronavirus Pandemic? - Fodor's Travel

Best Easter Cruises to Book When This Is All Over – World of Cruising

With all non-essential travel postponed for the foreseeable future, 2020 will sadly see much of the country celebrating Easter at home.

However, that doesnt mean we cant get excited about the possibility of cruising next Easter. Heres our pick of the best 2021 Easter cruises to book now.

Gardens of spring

For an Easter weekend with a difference, Cruise & Maritime VoyagesMagellansets sail in search of a stunning springtime garden or two. A newfound appreciation for some of the prettiest destinations in Britain awaits, with stops in Le Havre and Rouen adding a little French flair. Amsterdam adds to the flavour and provides the perfect opportunity to take a canal boat ride or venture into the countryside in search of springtime flowers and picture-perfect windmills.

Get on Board

7-night Springtime Gardens & Charms cruise from London Tilbury to Liverpool aboard Magellan, departing 1 April 2021, from 559pp, cruiseandmaritime.com

A perfect family break

If fun, sun and sand float you and your familys boat, then Royal Caribbean has the perfect cruise. Fly to Miami where you will embark one of the largest and cruise ships in the world, Symphony of the Seas. Sail into the Caribbean sun with stops on the idyllic islands of Antigua and Puerto Rico where a slice of paradise awaits. Your final stop? None other than a Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbeans exclusive private island.

Get on Board

7-night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day cruise aboard Symphony of the Seas, roundtrip from Miami, departing 3 April 2021, from 881pp, excluding flights, royalcaribbean.com

A cruise through Norways fjords

A wonder from Mother Nature, experience the magnificence of the Norwegian fjords in springtime aboard Fred Olsens Braemar. The coastal towns of Bergen and Stavanger offer charm and character, while sailing through the Fjords toward Olden and Eidfjord provides plenty of opportunity to revel in the spectacular scenery that unfolds before your eyes. Being smaller in size than traditional cruise ships, Braemar is able to take you closer to the dramatic cliffs and lush-green valleys than many others an experience that is bound to leave you breathless.

Get on Board

8-night Springtime Scenery of the Fjordlands cruise aboard Braemar, departing 1 April 2021, roundtrip from Southampton, from 1149pp, fredolsencruises.com

A very Greek Easter

If you fancy a taste of Greece, then MSC Cruises has the perfect itinerary. Set sail from Istanbul as you discover the best that Greece has to offer with ports of call including Piraeus, Corfu, and the quaint, seaside town of Katakolon where you can take an excursion to the ancient lands of Olympia. But thats far from all. Other ports include Trieste and Bari where youll dock aboard the stunning MSC Fantasia, your stylish and sophisticated home away from home.

Get on Board

9-night Mediterranean cruise calling in Greece and Italy aboard MSC Fantasia, departing 1 April 2021, roundtrip from Istanbul, from 939pp, excluding flights, msccruises.co.uk

Springtime in Spain

If family fun in the sun sounds just right but youre looking for something closer to home, why not head south with P&O Cruises on board Ventura next Easter? With seven ports of call taking in Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar, there will be plenty of time to explore the local culture and historical sights on offer, as well as a number of sweet treats along the way. Notable stops include the ancient city of Cartagena, picturesque resort of Valencia, and the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. A firm family favourite, Ventura is the perfect choice for spending the Easter break with the whole family.

Get on Board

14-night Spain and Portugal cruise aboard Ventura, departing 3 April 2021, roundtrip from Southampton, from 949pp, pocruises.com

A hop around the Canaries

Golden dunes, rugged mountains and year-round sunshine, the Canary Islands are a popular spot for British cruisers. Fly to Tenerife where you will be met by the ultra-stylish Marella Explorer. Set sail around the Canary Islands as you take a panoramic tour of Gran Canaria, La Palma and Lanzarote. A visit to Agadir, Morocco, adds a touch of spice along the way with its glittering sands and sparkling trinkets just waiting to be discovered.

Get on Board

7-night Colourful Coasts cruise aboard Marella Explorer, departing 30 March 2021, roundtrip from Tenerife, from 1116pp, all-inclusive, tui.co.uk

Easter with Iona

Spend Easter aboard P&O Cruises newest addition, Iona, as you explore the jewels of Northern Europe. An overnight stop in Amsterdam provides extra time to explore this vibrant city. A match made in Easter heaven, there will also be the opportunity to head into Bruges where youll find an abundance of chocolate shops and cafs; perfect for treating the little (and not so little) ones to a sweet treat or three. All this in the knowledge that P&O Cruises super-ship Iona is waiting to welcome you back on board.

Get on Board

7-night Northern Europe cruise aboard Iona, departing 3 April 2021, roundtrip from Southampton, from 549pp, pocruises.com

A Mediterranean odyssey

One for those looking for a touch of luxury and romance, you will begin your adventure in Barcelona with an overnight stop before setting sail on a Mediterranean odyssey like never before. As you sail towards Venice aboard the Scandi-chic Viking Jupiter, you will explore some of the Mediterraneans most historic ports and towns, including Tuscany and ancient Rome, and the hidden medieval jewel of Dubrovnik.

Get on Board

13-day Mediterranean Odyssey from Barcelona to Venice aboard Viking Jupiter, departing 1 April 2021, from 4,590pp, vikingcruises.co.uk

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Best Easter Cruises to Book When This Is All Over - World of Cruising

Bryan says private boaters are being monitored, have not led to new infections yet – Virgin Islands Daily News

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. on Wednesday assured the public that private boats offshore are being properly monitored and have so far not contributed to any COVID-19 infections in the territory.

None of the positive cases in the territory have traced back to any people coming from our seaports, Bryan said at a Government House press briefing on St. Croix. [Cases have] either been community transmission, came through our airports or otherwise came in contact with people who traveled through our airports.

While several boats have appeared at local bays and beaches since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, Bryan said his administration has assembled a Marine Task Force to register and track every single one of them using GPS coordinates.

The task force comprises the Coast Guard; Customs and Border Protection; the V.I. Police Department; and the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources.

To date, the territory has registered 90 new vessels in the St. Thomas-St. John district; and 12 new vessels in the St. Croix district all of which are required to pay mooring fees.

Bryan said 35 vessels have already left and more are scheduled to leave next week.

We understand the anxiety of the public but I assure you that everything that we have done in our response to this pandemic has been based on the facts and the science, Bryan said.

The governors assurances came as residents and even members of the Legislature voiced concern over the enforcement and monitoring of private vessels offshore.

Senate Majority Leader Marvin Blyden recently questioned the governors decision to close all public beaches, while still opening additional areas for private boats to moor.

Bryan on Wednesday said the territory has no control over these boats or where they travel. However, he said, all boaters are subject to the territorys state of emergency and stay-at-home order, to include a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

To date, 322 individuals in the territory have been tested for the COVID-19 virus of which, 45 tested positive; 242 tested negative; and 35 are pending results.

Of the 45 positive cases 29 on St. Thomas, 14 on St. Croix and two on St. John 39 have recovered.

Luis Hospital on St. Croix has one positive case, while Schneider Hospital on St. Thomas discharged two of its three cases Wednesday.

The territory suffered its first COVID-19-related death on Saturday after an 85-year-old St. Thomas man with underlying medical conditions reportedly came into contact with a positive case from Anguilla and died in his home.

For more information on the location and demographics of cases, visit doh.vi.gov/covid19usvi.

Bryan urged residents to stay home, and businesses to prevent any gatherings of 10 people or more in their area.

The territory is under a stay-at-home order through April 30.

Bryan said the territorys state of emergency, declared on March 13, can be enforced by any peace officer.

A police officer can shut down your business, can force you to shut down your gas pumps or your grocery store if you are not complying with the social distancing or mass gathering guidelines, he said.

Individuals who show symptoms like fever, cough or shortness of breath, and who recently traveled to an area where person-to-person spread was identified, should self-quarantine at home and call the Health Department at 340-712-6299 or 340-776-1519.

Residents can also sign up for push notifications about the coronavirus in the territory by texting COVID19USVI to 888-777.

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Bryan says private boaters are being monitored, have not led to new infections yet - Virgin Islands Daily News

The Maldives Are Still Open, and You Can Have the Run of the Raffles Resort There for $1 Million – Robb Report

With most of the resorts in the Maldives set on private islands that have been designed for discretion and seclusion, the destination seems purpose-built for this age of social distancing. (Note: As of this writing, there are no travel restrictions to or from the Maldives for US residents, and flights are still operating via the international airport in Male.) But one five-star resort is taking private to new levels with the option to buy-out the whole placeincluding a second nearby island you can use for custom experiences. Dubbed You Run Raffles Maldives, the $1 Million package grants you exclusive access to RafflesMaldivesMeradhoo for five days and four nights.

The resorts 21 villas are scattered on the beach and over the waterCourtesy Raffles Maldives Meradhoo

Available through the end of the year, the package includes a total buy-out of the resortwhich is located in the pristine Gaafu Alifu Atoll, an 80-minute boat ride from the equatorand its 21 beach and overwater villas. The experience begins with a private charter flight from Male or transfer from the private jet terminal at Kooddoo airport. Once at the resort, pretty much everything is included, so over the five days you will enjoy things like Biologique Recherche facials, Aromatherapy Associates massages and other treatments at the Raffles Spa, unlimited water sports, the services of a both a butler and Marine Butler (the latter to set up excursions like snorkeling along the resorts two house reefs), and unlimited use of the house yacht, the Azimut, for dolphin-spotting cruises, fishing or diving expeditions, complete with drinks and canapes.

Hit the Long Bar at sunset for gin-based Maldives Sling cocktailsCourtesy Raffles Maldives Meradhoo

On the food front, the resorts culinary team will create custom menus and tailored dining experiences that can be enjoyed wherever you chooseso get ready to sit at sunken tables that have been carved from the sand, or gather around the Long Bar for Maldives Slings, a take on the signature Raffles cocktail made of gin, coconut, cinnamon and clove. As part of the buy-out, youll also have access to a nearby deserted island on which the team can set-up everything from a castaway picnic and romantic champagne-and-stargazing session guided by a personal astronomer to a sunset concert or a DJ-led party (additional costs for these events may apply.) When its time to leave, each guest will receive personalized robes, gourmet treats and other mementos of this unforgettable stay. The $1 Million You Run Raffles Maldives Package is available for up to 70 guests. The rate includes a 5% charitable donation split between the Maldives Marine Center and the Olive Ridley Project, an NGO that works to protect sea turtles. To book, emailreservations.maldives@raffles.comor call +960 6828800.

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The Maldives Are Still Open, and You Can Have the Run of the Raffles Resort There for $1 Million - Robb Report