Whether you're a renter, homeowner or potential buyer in South Florida, the new year may present you with some favorable changes in the housing market, according to real estate experts. This could include better prices in 2025, as well as more options to choose from when deciding where to live, whether that's renting an apartment or buying a house. South Florida will remain a high-cost, high-demand region. But many renters and buyers — both current and prospective — still could look forward to leaving behind a real estate market marked by the presidential election and anxiety about a potential market crash. What's to come Prices have actually begun to level off, by dropping altogether or rising at a rate that isn't as high as it was in previous years, and that is expected to continue into the beginning of 2025. "We're actually seeing this in both the buying and the renting," said David Serle, Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors' president. "We're looking at more renters coming into the market and more buyers coming into the market as they perceive that this is a good time to buy or a good time to rent." In Palm Beach County, for example, the median sale price for a single-family home in October of this year was $621,500, as opposed to being $622,733 in October of 2023, according to data from the Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors. Similarly, the median price for a townhome or condo was $305,000 in October of this year, which is a decrease from the median price in October 2023 of $315,000. "The properties that are priced right and are renovated or new have been still flying off the shelves, and it continues to be a robust market," Serle said. Whitney Dutton, the residential sales director for Native Realty, a South Florida real estate agency, agreed with the notion that prices are becoming more palatable, particularly in the rental market. Dutton used an example of the Waverly, a residential building in Fort Lauderdale, to illustrate this trend. In February, a two-bedroom was renting for about $3,200; now, a two-bedroom at the Waverly is renting for about $3,000, he said. "Between now and in January, yes, I think that prices have absolutely relaxed a little bit," he said. The driver behind the favorable price conditions has a lot to do with increasing inventory and supply. Earlier in the year, more than 14,000 new apartments were forecast to enter the South Florida market by the end of year. And the months' supply of inventory — which is how many months it would take for an area to reach "zero inventory" if no new listings were added — increased in both Palm Beach and Broward counties this year in comparison to 2023, according to the Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors. Homes also are staying on the market longer on average, which means buyers have more flexibility, Dutton said. "If you can put your buyer hat on or your shoes on, you could say, 'Oh OK, I went out and looked at three homes this week, and I didn't really like any of them, but I've been noticing there's more properties coming on. I see more signs up,'" Dutton said. "It completely removes a sense of urgency and fear of loss from the market. And when you remove sense of urgency and fear of loss, the buyer gets to be a little more picky." This "pickiness" can lend itself to more negotiating power for a buyer or renter, Dutton said. "I'm telling a lot of our buyers, don't be afraid to make offers," he said. Edgardo DeFortuna, the president, CEO and founder of Fortune International Group, a South Florida real estate firm, said that even though buyer urgency has slowed, demand has not, and he predicts that will continue into the new year. "The demand has really increased very significantly since the end of the pandemic," he said. "And it continues to a great degree, having a more balanced market, meaning that we have a lot of U.S. buyers in addition to the typical foreign buyer that was always present in the Miami, especially in the South Florida market," he said. He added, "More importantly, people are moving here to both work and reside in, in South Florida. So it's significantly more stable and creating jobs and economic activity." What's getting left behind Dutton believes two primary factors influenced market conditions in 2024: high interest rates and the election. Political speculation led to hesitancy in buyers and sellers, he said, and while people are still waiting to see how the economy might shift under Donald Trump's administration, the real estate market will no longer heave under the weight of an upcoming election. Interest rates have lowered slightly in recent months, and are hovering around the "low-to-mid sixes," Dutton said, and what it's led to is houses taking longer to sell. "Whenever houses are taking longer to sell, sellers get more motivated and buyers get better deals," he said. For the next several months, Dutton doesn't see the market changing much for sellers. "I don't think waiting right now is going to help sellers out. I think if you cannot sell your house today in this market, I don't necessarily know that in six months it's going to be worth 5% more," he said. "If you can sell now, sell now." What's still lacking in both the rental and housing market the most is supply of medium- and low-income housing, DeFortuna said. "We need to try to address that because a lot of the people that are moving to Miami, especially the middle-range people, not the top executives, but the people that are really working in these company need housing and need places to live," he said. DeFortuna is hopeful, though, that initiatives such as Florida's Live Local Act, which provides financial incentives to developers who allocate portions of residential projects to workforce or affordable housing, will help alleviate that problem in the new year. Overall, DeFortuna is optimistic about the state of the real estate market in 2025 with persistent demand, a tapering of prices, rental availability and the announcement of more development projects. "The market is going to continue to do very well here in South Florida," he said.WASHINGTON — The House passed a $895 billion measure Wednesday that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. The bill passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. The Pentagon and the surrounding area is seen Jan. 26, 2020, from the air in Washington. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators wanted to increase defense spending about $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions in the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many nondefense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, proved effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., responds to reporters Dec. 6 during his weekly news conference at the Capitol in Washington. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January. Rising threats from debt collectors against members of the U.S. armed forces are undermining national security, according to data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal watchdog that protects consumer rights. To manage the impact of financial stress on individual performance, the Defense Department dedicates precious resources to improving financial literacy, so service members know the dangers of notorious no-credit-check loans. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Andrew Cohen, the director of financial readiness in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. But debt collectors are gaining ground. Last quarter, debt collection complaints by U.S. military service members increased 24% , and attempts to collect on “debts not owed” surged 40%. Complaints by service members against debt collectors for deceptive practices ballooned from 1,360 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 1,833 in the first quarter of 2024. “There’s a connection between the financial readiness and the readiness of a service member to perform their duty,” said Jim Rice, Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Laws exist to protect the mission readiness of U.S. troops from being compromised by threats and intimidation, but debt collectors appear to be violating them at an alarming pace. “If they’re threatening to call your commander or get your security clearance revoked, that’s illegal,” says Deborah Olvera, financial readiness manager at Wounded Warriors Project, and a military spouse who’s been harassed herself by a collection agency that tried to extort money from her for a debt she didn’t owe. But after she requested the name of the original creditor, she never heard from them again. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities.” —Andrew Cohen, Director of Financial Readiness at the Pentagon Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, it’s illegal for debt collectors to threaten to contact your boss or have you arrested because it violates your financial privacy. The FDCPA also prohibits debt collectors from making false, deceptive, or misleading representations in connection with the collection of a debt, even for borrowers with bad credit scores. But according to the data, debt collectors are increasingly ignoring those rules. “Debt collection continues to be one of the top consumer complaint categories,” said a spokesperson at the Federal Trade Commission. The commission released a report earlier this year revealing that consumers were scammed $10 billion in 2023, a new benchmark for fraud losses. In his book Debt: The First 5,000 Years, David Graeber argues that debt often creates a relationship that can feel more oppressive than systems of hierarchy, like slavery or caste systems because it starts by presuming equality between the debtor and the creditor. When the debtor falls into arrears, that equality is then destroyed. This sense of betrayal and the subsequent imbalance of power leads to widespread resentment toward lenders. Photo Credit: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock The debt collector reportedly harassing military service members most was Resurgent Capital Services, a subsidiary of collection giant Sherman Financial Group. The company tacks on accrued interest and junk fees and tries to collect on debts purchased for pennies on the dollar from cable companies, hospitals, and credit card companies, among others. Sherman Financial Group is run by billionaire Benjamin Navarro, who has a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. Sherman Financial also owns subprime lender Credit One Bank and LVNV Funding, which outsource collections to Resurgent Capital. According to CFPB data, the second worst offender is CL Holdings, the parent company of debt-buyer Jefferson Capital Systems. The company has also been named in numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau for alleged violations of the FDCPA, such as failing to properly validate debts or update credit reports with accurate information. Under the leadership of CEO David Burton, Jefferson Capital Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CompuCredit Corporation, which markets subprime credit cards under the names Aspire, Majestic, and others. The third most referenced debt collector is publicly traded Portfolio Recovery Associates [NASDAQ: PRAA], which was forced to pay $27 million in penalties for making false representations about debts, initiating lawsuits without proper documentation, and other violations. Portfolio Recovery Associates is run by CEO Vikram Atal. Fourth place for alleged worst offender goes to Encore Capital Group [NASDAQ ECPG], which was required to pay $42 million in consumer refunds and a $10 million penalty for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Encore collects under its subsidiary Midland Credit Management Group. These debt collectors all operate under a veritable shell game of company and brand names, almost none of which are disclosed on their websites, sending consumers on a wild goose chase to try and figure out how they’re related to each other. But despite their attempts to hide their tracks behind a smoke screen of subsidiaries, a leopard can’t change its spots, and the CFPB complaint database makes it harder for them to try. Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock Although widely considered a consumer-friendly state, complaints spiked most in California, which saw a 188% increase in complaints filed from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. California is home to 157,367 military personnel, making it the most populous state for active-duty service members. The second-largest increase in debt collection complaints was in Texas, which saw a 66% jump from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. The U.S. Department of Defense reports 111,005 service members stationed in the Lone Star State, which is the third-most populous state for active-duty military. The rising trends do not correlate to the number of military personnel by state. Complaints against debt collectors in Virginia, the second most populous state with 126,145 active duty personnel, decreased by 29% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. And complaints filed quarter-over-quarter in North Carolina, the fifth most populous state with 91,077 military personnel, decreased by 3% in the same period. The third largest percentage increase in debt collection complaints was from service members stationed in Maryland, where alleged harassment reports jumped 112% from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. Maryland ranks number 12 with just 28,059 active duty service members. Fourth place goes to Ohio – the 28th most populous active-duty state – where complaints doubled, followed by Arizona – the 15th most populous military state – where complaints were up 70% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. Photo Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / Shutterstock In 2007, Congress passed the Military Lending Act to cap the cost of credit to a 36% annual percentage rate, inclusive of junk fees and late charges, for active duty military service members. That rate is still considerably higher than average credit card rates, which range from 8% for borrowers with excellent credit scores to as high as 36% for borrowers with bad credit. But lenders still get hauled into court for violating the MLA. Don Hankey, the billionaire subprime auto lender who funded Donald Trump’s $175 million appeal bond , is among those violators. His company, Westlake Financial, which markets high-interest car loans for bad credit, has been sued twice by the Department of Justice for harassing military service members. In 2017, the DoJ alleged Hankey’s Westlake Financial illegally repossessed at least 70 vehicles owned by military service members. Westlake Financial paid $700,000 to settle the charges. In 2022, Westlake Financial paid $250,000 for allegedly cheating U.S. troops out of interest rates they were legally entitled to. Westlake Financial continues to receive complaints from military service members alleging abusive debt collection practices on its no-credit-check loans. A steady year-over-year increase in the number of complaints filed against Westlake Financial continued from 2020 to 2023. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data shows a 13% increase in the number of complaints against the company from 2020 to 2021, a 28% increase from 2021 to 2022, and a torrential 119% surge from 2022 to 2023. The numbers suggest systemic complaint-handling processes and inadequate customer service resources. Photo Credit: Cynthia Shirk / Shutterstock On May 16, 2024, a deceptively named predatory lending industry front group dubbed the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) lost a legal attempt to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In an effort to deprive Americans of essential consumer protections, the lobby group argued that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure was unconstitutional. But the Supreme Court denied its claim. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court held that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure is indeed constitutional. That means the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot be defunded, but it does not mean the agency cannot be defanged. The New York Times suggested that Hankey’s incentive to finance Trump’s $175 million bond could have been a reciprocity pledge to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election. If Trump wins a second term, he could replace Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Rohit Chopra, an American consumer advocate, with a predatory lending advocate. In 2020, the Trump Administration secured a Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for the president to fire the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling struck down previous restrictions on when a president can fire the bureau’s director. Like other federal agencies, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also been confronted for overstepping its bounds, pushing too far, and acting unfairly against entities it regulates. Photo Credit: Lux Blue / Shutterstock Seasonality and rising interest rates do not explain the increase in debt collection complaints from service members. The surge in complaints is not tied to predictable seasonal fluctuations or changes in interest rates. The increase in debt collection complaints by service members may point to underlying systemic issues, such as aggressive and predatory debt collection practices that exploit the unique financial vulnerabilities of service members, who face frequent relocations and deployments. Debt Complaints by Service Members The 24% spike in debt collection complaints exhibits no correlation to fluctuations in interest rates. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Pandemic stimulus checks were also not a factor. COVID-19 relief benefit checks went through three major rounds during the pandemic. The final round of Economic Impact Payments went out in March 2021 . To better understand the rising trend of debt collection complaints, we calculated the increase in the total number of complaints and the percentage increase quarter-over-quarter. For example, New Jersey has the second largest percentage increase in complaints quarter-over-quarter, but the total number of complaints increased by just 16. The data for this study was sourced from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint database. The dataset specifically targeted complaints filed by U.S. military service members, identified using the tag “Servicemember” within Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. Readers can find the detailed research methodology underlying this news story in the accompanying section here . For complete results, see U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors on BadCredit.org . Homelessness reached record levels in 2023, as rents and home prices continued to rise in most of the U.S. One group was particularly impacted: people who have served in the U.S. military. "This time last year, we knew the nation was facing a deadly public health crisis," Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, said in a statement about the 2023 numbers. He said the latest homelessness estimates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development "confirms the depth of the crisis." At least 35,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness in 2023, according to HUD. While that's about half of what it was in 2009—when the organization began collecting data—things have plateaued in recent years despite active efforts to get that number to zero. Although they make up just 6.6% of the total homeless population, veterans are more likely to be at risk of homelessness than Americans overall. Of every 10,000 Americans, 20 were experiencing homelessness. Of veterans living in the United States, that number jumps to 22, HUD data shows. Complicated by bureaucracy, family dynamics, and prejudice, the path from serving in the military to homelessness is a long one. According to a 2022 study by Yale School of Medicine researchers, homelessness typically occurs within four years of leaving the military, as veterans must contend with the harsh reality of finding a job in a world where employers struggle to see how skills on the battlefield transfer to a corporate environment. These days, veterans also deal with historically high rent and home prices, which causes many to rely on family generosity while figuring out a game plan. Stacker examined academic studies, analyzed government data, and spoke with members of the Biden administration, experts, and former members of the armed forces to see the struggles members of the military face when leaving the armed forces. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers transition assistance to the roughly 250,000 service members who leave each year. However, those programs can be burdensome and complex to navigate, especially for those who don't have a plan for post-military life. Only a small portion of veterans have jobs lined up when they leave, according to 2019 Pew Research. Many also choose to live with relatives until they get on their feet, which can be longer than anticipated. Some former service members are unsure what kind of career they'd like to pursue and may have to get further education or training, Carl Castro, director of the Military and Veteran Programs at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California, told Stacker. "It takes years for that kind of transition," Castro said. Many have trouble finding a job after leaving the service, even if they are qualified. Some employers carry misconceptions about those who have served. A 2020 analysis from the journal Human Resource Management Review found that some veterans face hiring discrimination due to negative stereotypes that lead hiring managers to write them off as a poor culture fit. Underemployment, or working low-wage jobs below their skill level, is also an issue. While the unemployment rate for veterans was 3% in March 2024, a study released by Penn State at the end of 2023 found three years after leaving the service, 61% of veterans said they were underemployed because of perceived skill mismatches . This phenomenon can have long-term economic effects, and eventually, that frustration can boil over, strain relationships, and potentially lead to housing instability. Working, especially a low-wage job, is not protection against homelessness. A 2021 study from the University of Chicago found half of people living in homeless shelters and 2 in 5 unsheltered people were employed, full or part-time. For veterans, housing costs certainly play a role, but those who leave the military also face systemic barriers. "It's worrying there are people that continue to fall through the cracks," said Jeanette Yih Harvie, a research associate at Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Just under a quarter of adults experiencing homelessness have a severe mental illness , according to 2022 HUD survey data. They are also likely to have chronic illnesses but are unable to maintain preventative care, which only exacerbates these problems. Veterans facing homelessness are more likely to have experienced trauma , either before or after joining the military, according to Yale researchers who analyzed the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Childhood trauma was among the most significant commonalities among vets who become homeless. Substance use disorder is also widespread and can indicate an undiagnosed mental illness . Racial and ethnic disparities are at play, too. A 2023 study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research showed that Hispanic and Black veterans were more likely to screen positive for PTSD, and Hispanic veterans were more likely to report having suicidal ideation. Overall, access to mental health care has improved in the last decade or so. In December 2023, the VA announced it would open nine additional counseling centers. However, the stigma of getting help remains, especially after years of being conditioned to be self-reliant and pull oneself up by their bootstraps. That help, in the form of public policy, is slowly working to catch up to the need. In 2023, the Biden administration invested millions into research programs and studies on suicide prevention by the VA office in addition to a proposed $16 billion to improve quality and lower-cost mental health care services for veterans. And, in February of this year, HUD and the VA announced they would give up to $14 million in vouchers to public housing agencies for veterans experiencing homelessness. The program would also offer case management and other services. Still, with a culture that pushes people to keep going, it can be challenging for servicemembers to take advantage of these opportunities, Harvie said. "When you've been doing that for the last 15 or 20 years, it's difficult to stop and say, 'I'm the person that needs help.'" Story editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Cal staves off Sacramento State for third straight winFingal East General Election 2024 updates: ‘I’ve the best team in the country’ – Minister Darragh O’Brien and Labour’s Duncan Smith set to retain seats after third countSaints hope to ride the Rizzi factor back to relevance after their bye week
Support Independent Arts Journalism As an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider becoming a member today . Already a member? Sign in here. Support Hyperallergic’s independent arts journalism for as little as $8 per month. Become a Member DÜSSELDORF, Germany — The first comprehensive survey in Germany of the American feminist artist and video pioneer Lynn Hershman Leeson, at the Julia Stoschek Foundation, Düsseldorf, is an exhilarating, if anxiety-inducing, experience. As an early adapter of video technology, the artist was one of the first to grapple with the fraught potential of digital tools. The survey, featuring video installations, photography, and mixed media, sees the artist wielding a camera in an intimate and confessional way, using it to probe notions of authenticity and truth, and critiquing digital images themselves as a rapidly proliferating means of surveillance. In this sense, the show’s title, Are Our Eyes Targets? , is particularly apt, and chilling: Eyes, the saying goes, are the windows to the soul — but in our age, baring one’s soul to the camera carries a hefty price tag. The more advanced digital tech becomes, Hershman Leeson seems to warn, the more vigilant we must all be against its lurid seductions. Upon entering the space, visitors are immediately confronted by multiple portraits: The artist’s face populates all six video channels showing excerpts from Hershman Leeson’s seminal video-art series, The Electronic Diaries of Lynn Hershman Leeson 1984–2019 (1984–2019). Transparent glass partitions divide the screens, so that the images seem to interpenetrate one another. The visual cornucopia is a striking embodiment of how the artist saw herself: as an enigma, splintered by trauma. In imagistic snippets, aided by expressionistic, dreamy clips from early cinema, she tells of domestic sexual and physical abuse she suffered as a child. Heartbreaking, dark, and brave, the work powerfully breaks the taboo of speaking of such trauma outside a psychoanalyst’s office. But it is the video’s intimacy that is most compelling: The whisper, the close-up, the averted gaze — all enhance a sense of a diaristic, confessional closeness, in a way that builds a kind of conspiracy between artist and viewer. Other snippets depict Hershman Leeson’s self-described “private apocalypse”: divorce, wildly fluctuating weight, binging, sudden life-threatening illness. Yet a sense of healing is also felt in these voiceovers, such as when she narrates the experience of a sudden feeling of déjà vu upon her abusive father’s death, as well as descriptions of her daughter’s birth and her new marriage. Elsewhere, she expands the scope of Electronic Diaries to include interviews with scientists. Taking a cue from her own intimate relationship with video, she imagines a Cyborgian future in which humans merge with technology. At first, this merger sounds vaguely optimistic. But by the end of the project, she’s clearly ambivalent: In 2019, the last year of the series, she encoded the series’s video archive onto a strand of DNA to create a durable archive (the lifespan of the genetic material is longer than that of a hard-drive), yet bemoans the invasiveness of that very procedure. Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily Weekly Opportunities The dark note shouldn’t come as a surprise. In the acerbic “Paranoid,” (1968–2022), which opens the Stoschek show, a wig with butterfly pins nested inside a glass harrasses visitors as they approach with words like: “You think you’re so clever,” “Please go away,” and “Look at someone else. Look at yourself.” And as early as 1994, the artist was delivering grim messages of digital dependency, aggression, and intrusiveness in works such as “Seduction of Cyborg,” also included at Stoschek, which follows a young woman who gets sucked into her computer screen. Another work, “CybeRoberta” (1996), comprised of a seemingly ordinary doll sitting inside a glass vitrine, allows viewers to access a designated website via a QR code displayed on the wall and then to change the position of “Roberta”’s digital eye to see real-time images of themselves in the gallery. Needless to say, finding myself so thoroughly surveilled by a seemingly benign toy was morbidly riveting, but also genuinely disconcerting. A more recent video, “Shadow Stalker” (2018–21) confronts the controversial surveillance software Predpol , which uses data analytics to allegedly predict crime. In it, a Black woman revolutionary, played by Tessa Thompson, decries a culture of paranoia created from racialized data-assisted policing. In portraying the escalation of techno-social dystopias, Hershman Leeson reminds viewers that digital technologies and the images they help capture and disseminate were never neutral receptacles of private truths, but instead have always been political battlegrounds. Lynn Hershman Leeson: Are Our Eyes Targets? continues at the Julia Stoschek Foundation (Schanzenstraße 54, Düsseldorf, Germany) through February 2, 2025. The exhibition was organized by Lisa Long and Line Ajan. We hope you enjoyed this article! Before you keep reading, please consider supporting Hyperallergic ’s journalism during a time when independent, critical reporting is increasingly scarce. Unlike many in the art world, we are not beholden to large corporations or billionaires. Our journalism is funded by readers like you , ensuring integrity and independence in our coverage. We strive to offer trustworthy perspectives on everything from art history to contemporary art. We spotlight artist-led social movements, uncover overlooked stories, and challenge established norms to make art more inclusive and accessible. With your support, we can continue to provide global coverage without the elitism often found in art journalism. If you can, please join us as a member today . Millions rely on Hyperallergic for free, reliable information. By becoming a member, you help keep our journalism free, independent, and accessible to all. Thank you for reading. Share Copied to clipboard Mail Bluesky Threads LinkedIn Facebook
Colorado's 2-way star Travis Hunter eyes Big 12 title and more before 'for sure' entering NFL draftThere are over 58,000 illegal migrants who are convicted felons or facing criminal charges roaming NYC — and close to 670,000 across the country, startling new data obtained by The Post shows. Of the 759,218 illegal-border crossers living in the Big Apple the feds were aware of as of Nov. 17, a jaw-dropping 58,626 – 7.7% — were either previously convicted of crimes or had criminal charges pending, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency data. And of the 58,626 migrants with rap sheets, 1,053, nearly 2%, are “suspected or known gang members,” according to the agency. “These numbers make it clear what everyone but our elected officials already know: sanctuary city laws are endangering New Yorkers by shielding criminals instead of protecting law-abiding citizens,” said Councilman Robert Holden, a moderate Queens Democrat. Nationwide, the numbers are just as galling. Of The nearly 7.8 million illegal immigrants in the United States, 662,586 – or 8.6% — are convicted criminals or have charges pending, according to ICE data through July 21. It’s unclear how many are suspected gang members. Kenneth Genalo, who heads the ICE’s New York City office, told The Post last week he’s hoping to get additional resources to weed out criminal migrants. Last week, he estimated the number of migrants criminals to be in the thousands in The Post’s exclusive front-page story, while saying he’s “frustrated” over how New York’s sanctuary laws have prevented many of them from being rounded up and deported under his watch. “In New York City, it would take a lifetime to clear the city of the criminals that we have” if the status quo remains the same, said Genalo in his first interview since Donald Trump was elected president. More than 223,000 migrants alone have poured into the Big Apple since the immigration crisis began in the spring of 2022 — and at least 58,000 are still being cared for by taxpayers in city-funded shelters. Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli (R-Staten Island) said he’s “shocked and appalled, but not surprised” by the newly released data. “What does any criminal do?” Borelli said. “They run away to somewhere else.” He pointed blame at the Biden administration’s weak border-control policies. “The Democratic Party, top to bottom, is responsible for every single one of these criminals and should be financially responsible to compensate crime victims,” he said. In 2014, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio teamed up with the Council and signed a bill into law barring the NYPD from working with federal immigration officials when they’re seeking to boot dangerous migrants from the US. Then, in 2018, the avowed Marxist took it a step further by issuing citywide guidance and new NYPD protocols to codify the Big Apple’s policy of not cooperating with the feds. The revisions have had serious consequences. Murdered Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, who was murdered by an illegal migrant who had been in custody in NYC on child-endangerment charges but set free, might still be alive if the woke rules were not in effect, critics have told The Post. Both Holden and Borelli co-sponsored legislation in June to repeal migrant-friendly sanctuary laws that limit NYC law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with the feds on immigration matters, but it stalled before Councils far-left majority. Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly called for the sanctuary rules to be loosened so migrants “suspected” of “serious” crimes could also be turned over to ICE. He’s also insisted he doesn’t have the political support needed on the City Council to change the laws. However, Holden isn’t buying the matter is totally out of the mayor’s hands. The pol on Friday insisted “City Hall refuses to take action,” pointing blame at an Adams-appointed Charter Revision Commission that snubbed requests by him, Borelli and other like-minded pols and citizens over the summer to have voters decide the matter through a ballot question. The commission by law is supposed to make its decisions independently based on input from New Yorkers, including elected officials. Holden last week also wrote a letter to Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to back the stalled bill but said as of Friday he’s not received any responses. “Mayor Adams has repeatedly said that while we will continue to respect our city’s sanctuary laws, we must also have a serious conversation about the small number of individuals who repeatedly commit violent crimes in our city and the consequences they face,” said mayoral spokesperson Kayla Mamelak. “We must also fix this nation’s unsuccessful border policies that have led us to this place.”Canadiens' Mike Matheson out against Utah with lower-body injury MONTREAL — Montreal Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson was not available for Tuesday's game against the Utah Hockey Club due to a lower-body injury. The Canadiens announced his injury half an hour before puck drop. Canadian Press Nov 26, 2024 3:55 PM Nov 26, 2024 4:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Montreal Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson (8) lines up for a faceoff during the second period of an NHL game against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. Matheson was out for Tuesday night's game against the Utah Hockey Club with a lower-body injury. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Jeffrey T. Barnes MONTREAL — Montreal Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson was not available for Tuesday's game against the Utah Hockey Club due to a lower-body injury. The Canadiens announced his injury half an hour before puck drop. Jayden Struble took his place in the lineup as Montreal (7-11-2) faced Utah (8-10-3) for the first time. Matheson participated in the morning skate but missed practice on Monday. The 30-year-old from nearby Pointe-Claire, Que., leads all Montreal blueliners with 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 20 games as the lone defenceman on the team's top power-play unit. Struble has one goal and three assists in 15 games this season. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Health Nebraska judge's ruling moves the state closer to legalizing medical marijuana Nov 26, 2024 3:59 PM Australia's House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media Nov 26, 2024 3:59 PM Australia's House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media Nov 26, 2024 3:47 PM
Kenyan President William Ruto cancelled two deals with Adani Group worth about $2.6 billion over alleged corruption, hours after company founder Gautam Adani was charged by the US authorities in a separate bribery scheme. Ruto ordered his ministers to "immediately cancel the ongoing procurement process" involving the billionaire's companies to manage the nation's biggest airport and build high-voltage power-transmission lines. "I have stated in the past, and I reiterate today, that in the face of undisputed evidence or credible information on corruption, I will not hesitate to take decisive action," Ruto told lawmakers in a state-of-the-nation address in the capital, Nairobi, on Thursday. The decision was "based on new information provided by our investigative agencies and partner nations," he said. Adani Group wasn't immediately available for comment. Adani Airport Holdings earlier this year sought a 30-year concession worth $1.85 billion to operate Nairobi's main airport, while another unit in the vast conglomerate secured a $736 million contract to construct and operate power lines in the East African nation. While Ruto previously endorsed the transmission pact, saying Kenya urgently needs private investment for capital-intensive projects, his govt faced public criticism that the awards of the contracts were opaque. The President had no choice but to abandon the deals after the US indictment of Adani, according to Kenyan lawmaker John Kaguchia. "With Adani having been indicted in the US, it technically becomes impossible for Kenya to continue dealing with the group," Kaguchia said on Citizen TV, a Nairobi-based broadcaster. "If it continues, then the US will discontinue all support, any financial partnership we've had with them, including the IMF and World Bank." In his speech, Ruto reiterated a previous pledge to fight graft and wastage of public resources in the country that ranks 126th out of 180 on Transparency International's corruption perceptions index. "Of the many difficult assignments I have undertaken, the fight against corruption is one I now take on with resolve going forward," Ruto said. Thousands of Kenyans took to the streets earlier this year to protest against govt mismanagement and excessive taxation. More than 60 people died in the demonstrations. Bloomberg Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET's Workshop is just around the corner!Lebanese civilians return home to shattered lives and cities after ceasefire
House GOP blocks release of Gaetz ethics report detailing allegations of sex with minorNoneQatar tribune PA Media/DPA Doha British driver Abbi Pulling has been crowned champion of the F1 Academy - the all-female racing series - after she finished second in Qatar on Saturday night. Alpine’s Pulling, 21, has taken eight victories from 11 races this season to claim the title ahead of next weekend’s concluding round in Abu Dhabi. Pulling, from Gosberton in Lincolnshire, will be rewarded with a fully-funded season in GB3 – the United Kingdom’s number one single-seater category – with the Rodin team. “It is nice to hear those words,” said Pulling when informed she had won the second edition of series which aims to discover the first female F1 driver in almost half-a-century. “It has been a tougher season than most would think. I had to win this year, I had no choice. I have struggled financially so to get the prize next year makes me so happy. “There are so many people in my corner to thank, my family, the sacrifice my dad has made, it is just a sigh of relief and a weight off my shoulders. I am going to really put in the work and make the most of the opportunity. I will not leave any stone unturned.” Copy 01/12/2024 10
Great British Bake Off backlash as fans claim finalist was ‘robbed’ of winArticle content VICTORIA — The B.C. Conservatives got ahead of the New Democrats this week in meeting with seven industry associations over concerns about economic growth and private sector employment. The Business Council of B.C., B.C. Chamber of Commerce and five other industry associations raised those issues in an open letter to the government on Oct. 30. They flagged the loss of manufacturing jobs, the lag in private sector employment and affordability. The New Democrats, continuing a slow-motion approach to their postelection agenda, have yet to set up a meeting with the seven or release a formal response to the letter. Nine Conservatives, led by Gavin Dew, MLA for Kelowna-Mission and the party’s critic on jobs, economic development and innovation, met with the business organizations on Tuesday. “I think it’s quite notable we’ve made the effort to put together nine critics to go and meet with those folks and establish a relationship and get down to work on our approach to supporting private sector job growth,” Dew told Rob Shaw of the Orca online newspaper. “It’s equally notable the NDP has not responded, and is totally silent, as to any indication of how they intend to shift direction.” Not every NDP minister has been slow off the mark on economic matters. On Tuesday, I was on a panel at the First Nations Energy Summit, put on by Clean Energy B.C. The room was buzzing over the previous day’s presentation by Adrian Dix, the new minister of energy and climate solutions in the NDP government. Though two other ministers were in attendance, Dix got the most attention for his emphasis on building clean energy projects in partnership with First Nations. One of the organizers told me he’d lost count of the number of times Dix emphasized the need for “urgency.” In that regard, B.C. Hydro is expected to announce by mid-month the successful respondents to this year’s call for independent power projects. The hard part is getting them built in expedited fashion. But I gather Dix acknowledged as much Monday. If every minister in government were as on top of his files as Dix, the New Democrats would be living up to the premier’s postelection promise to “hit the ground running.” Back to the Conservatives and their meeting with the industry group. “Throughout the meeting, Dew and his fellow critics emphasized their commitment to working collaboratively with industry leaders to develop a comprehensive recovery plan,” according to the Opposition news release. “Discussions also highlighted the province’s growing fiscal challenges, including a projected $9 billion deficit for 2024-25, the largest in B.C.’s history.” No mention there of the corresponding lapse in the Conservative election platform. After declaring that “B.C. is drowning in a sea of red ink,” the Conservatives said it was their intention to top up the sea with another $2.3 billion in spending. Only after winning a second term of government (which presumes a lot) would the Conservatives “return the budget to balance.” In the meeting with business leaders this week, “the Conservative economic team reaffirmed its commitment to an inclusive and collaborative approach, ensuring that all voices are heard in the development of policies that drive long-term prosperity and job creation,” according to the news release. Speaking of inclusivity, the Conservatives have not been in any evident rush to address lingering concerns about Brent Chapman, their winning candidate and MLA for Surrey South. Chapman was dogged during the campaign over some deeply offensive social media posts he’d made against the Muslim and Palestinian communities. He apologized, but also ducked media questions, a practice that has continued to this day. One of his few interviews since the election was with Tom Zillich of the Surrey Now-Leader. “Chapman initially agreed to a phone interview, but later asked that questions be emailed, due to his busy schedule,” according to the Nov. 15 posting in the Now-Leader. Zillich asked Chapman if he had “reached out to Muslim groups” over his posts on social media. In writing, Chapman pretty much ducked the question: “I was fortunate to have Muslim people in Surrey South vote for me. Some told me that they voted for me in the hope that I would get SOGI out of schools, recriminalize hard drugs, bring safety back to our streets, help people experiencing homelessness, and bring down the cost of living. “I intend to honour their support, the support of the rest of my voters and work hard for all the people of Surrey South.” Last week, several advocates in the Muslim community told the Tyee that Chapman has yet to respond to their invitations to meet with them. Reporter Jen St. Denis also wrote that “Chapman did not respond to the Tyee’s request for an interview for this story.” Conservative leader John Rustad appointed Chapman critic for transit and ICBC. Both are major portfolios given persistent concerns over funding for rapid transit and the fallout from “no fault” auto insurance. Opposition critics are sometimes referred to as members of a “shadow cabinet.” If Chapman continues to avoid the overdue reckoning with the Muslim community, he risks making his post all but invisible.
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