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NEW YORK (AP) — As a knot of journalists stood across from a mortuary witnessing a funeral for a child killed in the Uvalde school massacre, some people passing by didn’t disguise their anger.
“Y’all are the scum of the Earth,” said one woman, surveying the cameras.
When tragedy comes to town in the 21st century, the media follows, focusing the world’s eyes on a community during its most difficult hours. Columbine, Sandy Hook, now Uvalde, Texas — the list of places synonymous with horrible mass killings keeps growing.
Journalists are called upon to explain what happened, and sometimes to ask uncomfortable questions in places where many people want to be left alone to grieve. Is it possible to do it better, to co-exist within a moment no one wants to be part of?
Tempers have flared in Uvalde. One female journalist was told, “I hope your entire family dies in a massacre.” Some are threatened with arrest for trespassing while on public property. A group called “Guardians of the Children” blocked camera views, often with the encouragement of police.
Yet there are also people like Ben Gonzalez, who approached reporters near the mortuary after hearing the woman lash out to say that she doesn’t speak for everyone. “Thank you for documenting this tragedy,” he said. “We’ll look back at the photos you take and appreciate it.”
The shady courthouse square in Uvalde has been dotted by canopies erected by TV news crews. Journalists have been stationed at Robb Elementary School, where the shooting took place, near a makeshift memorial piled with flowers, stuffed animals and messages. At the local Starbucks, where many journalists go to work, tables are set aside for Uvalde residents.
These are the typical signs of the invasion of journalists that accompanies such events.
“I respect the wishes of people if they want me to leave,” said Guillermo Contreras, a senior writer at the San Antonio Express-News. “By the second day (after the shooting), the people were overwhelmed. The town has been overrun by reporters. There was pretty much nowhere you could go without running into the media.”
Like most colleagues, Contreras tries to be sensitive to what Uvalde’s people are enduring. He has a 10-year-old daughter at home.
“When you are at the epicenter of a situation like that, you really do need protection,” said Michele Gay, who lost her daughter Josephine in the Newtown school shooting a decade ago. “You are really not in a state of mind to be offering your feelings in front of the camera.”
Gay said she had no idea at the extent of attention given to the story until the state trooper assigned to protect her family drove them around town to see the memorials.
“At first, I was angry,” said Gay, co-founder and executive director of Safe and Sound Schools, an advocacy group. “It felt invasive. It felt hurtful … At the same time, there were members of the media who were so thoughtful, caring and compassionate.”
The sensitivity that most journalists try to bring to such assignments can be undermined by those who stick cameras in the faces of people crying, or ask a grieving parent how it feels. One parent who lost a child in Newtown saw someone outside her home with a camera peering into a window, said Monsignor Robert Weiss of the town’s St. Rose of Lima Parish.
In general, journalists do a poor job explaining what they do and a poor job putting themselves in the shoes of the people they are interviewing, many on the worst day of their lives, said Joy Mayer, a former journalism professor.
“It’s really valid for people in that community to feel overwhelmed and resentful,” said Mayer, the director of Trusting News, which helps members of the media improve their relationship with the public.
Kelly McBride, an expert on journalism ethics at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, advises news organizations to better prepare when assigned to these stories. Most interviews on the street indicate this work hasn’t been done; people in shock and trauma, she said, shouldn’t have to make an on-the-spot decision about dealing with a reporter.
She praised CNN for sensitively handling the interview of a young survivor of the shooting who smeared herself in the blood of a dead classmate to appear dead. CNN reported on what the girl said, but didn’t show her or play her voice.
Ana Rodriguez, who lost her daughter Maite in the shooting, sat at her dining room table to tell The Associated Press about how the girl aspired to become a marine biologist. She didn’t want her face to appear on camera to divert attention from her daughter.
Sometimes there’s little time to prepare. Tony Dokoupil of CBS News was told to get on a plane to Texas. Fast. Dokoupil said he tried to get away from the pack and knock on doors; in one case, he came upon someone close to a child who died who helped arrange an interview with her parents.
He found residents polite and respectful even when they didn’t want to talk. He was thanked by some people for being there and telling the stories.
Gay recommends journalists focus their attention on people who have lost their lives, not perpetrators. There has been a marked effort on the part of news organizations to minimize mentions of shooters, although Gay was concerned that she had seen more after Uvalde.
In Uvalde, questions raised about the police response to the shooting have lengthened the time the shooting has lingered in the news and increased hostility toward journalists. CNN used a tag team to stake out Pete Arredondo, the schools police chief who directed operations, and get an ambush interview.
“You have people who are supportive of law enforcement,” Contreras said. “It’s a small town; people know each other. All of a sudden people are pointing fingers at the officers you know, so there’s a division.”
For people in communities like Newtown and Uvalde in the immediate aftermath of these stories, the sheer repetitiveness is often wearing.
“If there’s been one interview out here there’s been 150,” said one downtown shopkeeper who, like many in Uvalde, didn’t want his name in a news story. “I mean, how many times can you interview people who don’t know nothing?”
There are some suggestions of what is known in the industry as a pool — where a handful of reporters ask questions of officials and report answers to a larger group. This is used most famously at the White House.
But McBride said this inevitably leads to less aggressive journalism. Most reporters are driven by the impulse to get things their competitors don’t. It was tried in a few instances in Uvalde and proved unsatisfying, Contreras said.
Things grew quieter in Uvalde by this past weekend. Only a television satellite truck remained at the Robb school, and just a handful of journalists were at the courthouse square Saturday as a Hawaiian group presented a giant lei and sang songs.
There’s no avoiding the shock an influx of journalists brings to a quiet community. Weiss recalls being swarmed by reporters after emerging from a meeting with parents. He didn’t know what to say. But in general, the Catholic monsignor said he found the press respectful and has come to understand the importance of its role.
“We needed to get the story out there and we needed to keep this story out there,” Weiss said. “Because in 10 years, what has changed? If anything, it has gotten worse.”
___
Associated Press journalists Acacia Coronado, Jae C. Hong, Adriana Gomez Licon, Jay Reeves and Eliot Spagat in Uvalde, Texas, contributed to this report. | 2022-06-06T12:37:53+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/entertainment-news/can-journalists-and-grieving-communities-coexist-in-tragedy/ |
DOVER, Del. (AP) — Twitter has set Sept. 13 as the date for its shareholders to vote on the company’s pending buyout by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The company said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday that it is recommending shareholders vote for the $44 billion deal to be completed.
The date is ahead of the yet-to-be specified start date of the October trial in the dispute between the billionaire, who is seeking to abandon the deal, and the San Francisco company. Twitter has sued Musk in Delaware after he said wanted to walk away from the deal.
“We are committed to closing the merger on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr. Musk. Your vote at the special meeting is critical to our ability to complete the merger,” Twitter said in a letter to its shareholders.
Earlier Tuesday, attorneys for Musk accused Twitter of slow-walking document production in advance of the trial to decide whether the Tesla CEO should be forced to complete the deal.
Musk’s lawyers also said in a court filing that Twitter Inc. attorneys have refused to consent to a proposed Oct. 17 trial date and are insisting on an Oct. 10 trial start, using the uncertainty over a trial date to delay other scheduling discussions.
Attorneys for Musk claimed that Twitter’s proposed case schedule is “an obvious attempt to squeeze defendants” after a Delaware Chancery Court judge agreed last week to hold an expedited trial in a lawsuit filed by Twitter.
“Given the compressed timeframe, guidance from the court is necessary to break the impasse to allow things to move forward promptly,” attorney Edward Micheletti wrote in asking Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick to grant Musk’s proposed case schedule.
A spokesman for Twitter said the company had no comment on Tuesday’s court filing.
Musk agreed in April to buy Twitter and take it private, offering $54.20 a share and vowing to loosen the company’s policing of content and to root out fake accounts. As part of the deal, Musk and Twitter had agreed to pay each other a $1 billion breakup fee if either was responsible for the deal collapsing.
Twitter shares closed Tuesday at $39.34, well off their 52-week high of $71.92.
Musk, the world’s richest man, indicated earlier this month that he wants to back away from the deal, prompting Twitter to file a lawsuit to hold him to what it describes as a “seller-friendly” agreement.
With an October trial looming, Micheletti told the judge Tuesday that Twitter has refused to begin producing certain categories of documents that are “plainly relevant” and “easily collected and produced.” He said Twitter lawyers instead have claimed that several categories of documents are not relevant, without identifying them.
The documents sought by Musk’s attorneys include Twitter board minutes and related materials, advertising sales and metrics, and manuals and policies regarding “Monetizable Daily Active Usage or Users,” or mDAU. That is a metric that Twitter uses to measure the number of people or organizations using its platform.
Musk has claimed that Twitter has failed to provide him enough information about the number of fake accounts on its service, but the company has estimated for the past several years that fewer than 5% of mDAU are spam or fake accounts.
Musk’s attorneys also contend that Twitter has refused to provide them with raw data that it maintains in the ordinary course of business, and which require significant “machine time” and software development to be processed and analyzed by expert witnesses by a proposed Monday deadline.
Twitter said last month that it was making a “fire hose” of raw data on hundreds of millions of daily tweets available to Musk.
Attorneys for Musk are asking McCormick to approve the Oct. 17 trial date, and to order Twitter to immediately produce “core documents” and to produce all raw data by Monday.
“Given the timeline until trial, every day counts,” Micheletti wrote.
Tuesday’s court filing suggests that Musk plans to file his answer to Twitter’s complaint later this week.
___
Ortutay reported from Oakland, California. | 2022-07-27T02:54:45+00:00 | wcia.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/business/ap-business/musk-attorneys-say-twitter-stalling-on-document-production/ |
PINE GROVE • Pine Grove’s unfortunate season has come to a close.
The Lady Panthers fell to Baldwyn 59-43 in the opening round of the Division 1-2A Tournament on Monday night, ending their season at 2-20 after dealing with a rash of injuries and other tough luck.
“It has been a tough, tough year. Tough schedule, Tough losses, tough injuries, tough breaks, you make it and it’s been tough,” said Pine Grove head coach Katie Bates. “We didn’t get to achieve a lot of what we set out to do but the thing I’m most proud of is that we finished with the group we started with. That says a lot about these girls. No matter how tough it got, they still showed up and they still played hard. Most kids would quit because they wouldn’t want to lose all of the time but these girls stuck it out.”
Baldwyn raced out to a 12-5 lead by the end of the first quarter and built that into a 29-11 advantage at the half, where it closed on a 9-0 run behind senior Sommer Tyes, who scored the final six points for the 18-point lead.
Tyes scored on a layup and Jada Shinault added a pair of free throws for a 21-point lead – the largest of the game – with 7:00 left in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Panthers made one last effort to extend their season with a valiant run. Madison Foster, Avery Wilder and Lana Rowland hit three consecutive 3-pointers, and the latter continued the offensive explosion with another layup and free throw to cut the Baldwyn lead to 49-39 with 3:14 to play.
“I was very proud, but definitely not surprised,” Bates said of the comeback effort. “This team knows nothing more than fighting and playing hard. They have done it all year long. Playing hard is a given, but fighting and never quitting is something they’re done over and over again. I was very proud, just wish we could have gotten a few more things to go our way to pull off the upset.”
Pine Grove’s hopes were dashed by Tyes, who answered with a personal 5-0 run over the next minute and change of play. Tyes dropped a team-high 20 points and eight rebounds for the Lady Bearcats, which shot 50% from the field and 24 of 40 from the free-throw line.
Rowland was slowed with foul trouble in the first half but bounced back to score 18 of her 20 points in the second half, including eight in the fourth.
She’s one of three seniors that leaves Pine Grove after winning a Class 1A state championship as freshmen in 2020 to cap a historic four-peat for the Lady Panthers’ program.
Rowland played through a knee injury suffered in the Tippah County Tournament in early January. Fellow senior Ellie Fryar wasn’t as fortunate, as the team’s leading scorer (16.2 ppg) from a season ago missed all but a handful of minutes this season after a torn ACL in August of 2022 derailed her senior year.
Wilder rounds out the senior group that embodies what Bates hopes continues to shine within her program.
“These seniors are some of the best kids to go through this program. They definitely didn’t get the senior year they deserved but that is life,” Bates said. “No one really remembers a player by their team’s record – maybe stats – but most often players are remembered for what they brought to the game.
“Ellie Fryar will always be remembered as the gritty, hard-nosed worker. She is always willing to do what others don’t want to do. She never met a challenge that she backed away from. Lana Rowland will always be remembered for her scoring ability and excitement she brought to the game on the offensive end, and how she brought some passion to the game. Avery Wilder will be remembered for giving every single ounce of ability she had, always being willing to step in and do what you ask, or at least try. They are all three great leaders and even better people. They showed up every day and never packed it in and never gave up. Wins and losses mean a lot, but the legacy you leave behind mean way more. These girls left some really good ones for future Lady Panthers to follow. I’m forever thankful that I got to coach them.”
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Which gel moisturizers are best?
Gel moisturizers are great for many skin types because they’re lightweight, not oily and easily absorbed into your skin. When you need to apply a moisturizer and go, or if your skin is prone to breakouts, a good gel moisturizer hydrates without leaving a film or feeling heavy. If you’re looking for a quality gel moisturizer, Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel is the top choice.
What to know before you buy a gel moisturizer
Rich in humectant ingredients
One of the main reasons to choose a gel moisturizer is to hydrate your skin without a heavy, greasy formula. Gels achieve this through humectant ingredients: those that attract and retain moisture. Hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe are popular choices.
Low in artificial additives and fragrances
Some people prefer to buy beauty products that are free of harsh chemicals and fragrances. This is especially beneficial for people with sensitive skin, as these types of ingredients can cause irritation.
Low in occlusives
A common ingredient in many moisturizers, an occlusive is a substance that helps keep moisture in. Most occlusives, however, tend to be on the oilier side. For example, the butters and oils we see in heavier creams can cause breakouts in blemish-prone skin. If you want a lightweight gel, look for one low in occlusives to keep it feeling light on your skin and stop it from blocking your pores.
What to look for in a quality gel moisturizer
Low in alcohol
When you’re looking at ingredient lists, be sure to check that alcohol, in any of its many forms, is not at the top. Ingredients are listed in the order of greatest amount to least, so having alcohol too near the top means that the moisturizer could be harsh or drying on your skin.
Made for sensitive skin
Gels tend to be more soothing and less irritating than other types of moisturizers, so they’re a great choice if your skin is sensitive or inflamed. Even if your skin isn’t particularly sensitive, it’s always a good idea to treat it with as much care as possible to not put undue stress on it.
Quick absorption
One of the key benefits of a gel moisturizer is that it absorbs quickly, making it a great choice for people on the go. There’s no need to spend a long time waiting for a heavy cream to soak in before applying primer. A good gel absorbs in minutes, preparing you to go on to your routine’s next step in record time.
Natural ingredients
Another benefit of gel moisturizers is that they add hydration without some of the chemical composition of heavier creams. Look on labels for natural ingredients such as aloe, vitamins and algae to help your skin get its moisture from healthy, sustainable sources.
How much you can expect to spend on a gel moisturizer
A great drugstore product costs $15-$20. A premium brand with a more complicated formulation can run upward of $50-$70.
Gel moisturizer FAQ
Can I use a gel moisturizer as a night cream?
A. Most gels are formulated for quick absorption, which is why they’re ideal as a day moisturizer to seal in moisture before you apply your makeup. They’re also fine for night wear, but if you prefer a thicker product for deep hydration, nighttime is the time to apply that.
Is gel moisturizer enough?
A. For most skin, it is. Don’t let the fact that it’s lightweight and nongreasy fool you; gel moisturizers can seal in as much moisture as their heavier counterparts. The only skin that may need a thicker, heavier moisturizer is one with dry, flaky patches or with a condition such as eczema that requires specialty ingredients.
What are the peptides listed in the ingredients of so many gel moisturizers?
A. Peptides are amino acids, the basic building blocks of all the proteins in our bodies. Peptides give your skin the building blocks for a healthy, refreshed complexion, so they’re a great ingredient to look for in a gel. Peptides support the production of collagen and elastin, basic to bright, youthful skin.
What are the best gel moisturizers to buy?
Top gel moisturizer
Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel
What you need to know: Murad’s science-based formulas are cutting-edge. This is one of its most sought-after and respected products.
What you’ll love: Various B vitamins, along with hydrating and skin-repairing vitamin E, make a foundation for this light, effective gel. Peptides and minerals round out the formula, which will leave your skin visibly refreshed.
What you should consider: This is not recommended for acne-prone skin.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty
Top gel moisturizer for the money
Fourth Ray Beauty Good Mood Gel Moisturizer
What you need to know: This oil-free gel moisturizer hydrates skin without leaving it greasy.
What you’ll love: It contains watermelon seed, rose water, hyaluronic acid and marshmallow extract to nourish skin, so it feels soft and can more easily retain water. You can use it morning and night.
What you should consider: A handful of buyers don’t like the scent.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty
Worth checking out
Dermalogica Calm Water Gel Moisturizer
What you need to know: This vegan, cruelty-free gel is soothing and suitable even for sensitive skin.
What you’ll love: It hydrates, softens and soothes skin. It’s suitable for all skin types, from dry to oily. The cactus pear extract is soothing for sensitive and irritated skin.
What you should consider: Some people with very dry skin didn’t find it hydrating enough.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora and Ulta Beauty
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Maria Andreu writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-02-13T21:05:10+00:00 | ksn.com | https://www.ksn.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/luxury-skincare-br/best-gel-moisturizer/ |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Steph Curry delivered another classic performance for NBA fans on Sunday in a decisive Game 7 win on the road in Sacramento, notching another legendary moment in a career full of them.
In a Monday edition of the Locked On NBA podcast, host David Locke was joined by Locked On NBA Insider Howard Beck to discuss Curry’s greatness and the Warriors’ path forward this postseason.
Curry is a one-of-one, and the unique style he used to take down the Kings on Sunday reinforced his special talent.
“We have leapers, we have giants, we didn’t have a Steph until we had Steph,” Beck said. “We’re still grappling with how to assess him and how to appreciate him.”
As Curry’s dominant peak stretches toward the decade mark, he remains the most approachable athlete in the sport.
“Steph is actually one of the few superstars you could do in the backyard or on the playground,” Locke said.
After Curry talked some trash at the expense of Sacramento’s beam-lighting tradition this season as the game ended Sunday, it was a reminder that while Curry may play a finesse style and stay out of trouble, he is no wallflower.
“The other part of him we don’t talk about enough is he’s a killer,” Locke added.
Coming out of the first round, the defending champion Warriors still face an uphill climb to return to the NBA Finals, but their chemistry and experience, combined with the fact that they seem to have finally gotten past their road woes, makes them a threat.
“The one team out of the foursome that really has the best case based on talent, experience, all of that, it’s probably still the Warriors,” Beck said.
For their full conversation, check out Monday's edition of the Locked On NBA podcast on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts! | 2023-05-02T20:59:24+00:00 | wthr.com | https://www.wthr.com/article/sports/locked-on/lo-national/locked-on-nba/steph-curry-climbs-ladder-nba-greatness-game-seven-golden-state-warriors/535-958089af-6302-4625-b532-5e084b839730 |
WFO SAN DIEGO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, September 12, 2022
_____
AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY
Flood Advisory
National Weather Service San Diego CA
338 PM PDT Mon Sep 12 2022
...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON...
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.
* WHERE...A portion of Southwest California, including the following
counties, Orange and Riverside.
* WHEN...Until 545 PM PDT.
* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 338 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to
thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin
shortly in the advisory area. Between 0.5 and 1 inch of rain
has fallen.
- Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are expected
over the area. This additional rain will result in minor
flooding.
- Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Lake Elsinore, Perris, Temescal Valley, Lake Mathews,
Menifee, Ortega Highway, Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Lakeland
Village and Sedco Hills.
- https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
...FLOOD ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...
The Flood Advisory is cancelled for a portion of central California,
including the following county, Kern.
The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-09-13T00:10:52+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SAN-DIEGO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17436926.php |
A young man in Colorado has been charged with terrorism-related crimes after attempting to board an international flight last week to join the Islamic State (ISIS) and serve as one of its fighters in Iraq, according to a complaint filed in a U.S. District Court of Colorado.
Davin Daniel Meyer, 18, was arrested and charged last Friday with one count of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization as he attempted to board a flight out of Denver International Airport shortly before 8 p.m. on July 14.
The 29-page complaint states Meyer came to the attention of federal agents in June of last year after a friend observed the suspect's "radical Islamic beliefs escalate as Meyer sought out more extremist videos and content online and openly discussed his violent intentions."
One such video, the friend told deputies with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, showed a child shooting a 22-year-old man in the head as punishment when the man was caught spying against an extremist group, which Meyer reportedly said was justified because the man had betrayed the extremist group by spying.
Meyer's friend also told deputies that the suspect had "previously followed white supremacist ideology but began practicing Islam, possibly as early as October of 2020," before he began searching out more radical content online in early 2021.
SEE MORE: Rep. Boebert out-fundraised by Democratic challenger Frisch
The friend said Meyer attended an eight-month long camp between 2021 and 2022 that focused on mental health and behavior treatment to address several diagnosed disorders, including autism spectrum disorder; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood; specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics; and major depressive disorder, which he experienced in recurrent, moderate bouts, according to federal agents.
Meyer reportedly refused to take any prescription medication prescribed to him because it would be against his Islamic religion, the complaint states.
Despite his stay at the camp, Myer's friend said, the suspect became more radical in his beliefs and began praying six times a day and also frequently watched radical Islamic sermons online and listened to them on his phone while on walks.
The suspect's behavior became more concerning when Meyer told his friend that he "wanted to travel to Syria and become a martyr, or if he did not make it to Syria, he wanted to kill people in the United States, including police and military members," according to the probable cause statement, because he believed that the U.S. military were killing "his Muslim people" and he was willing to kill himself and others.
Further, the friend no longer felt safe after Meyer made death threats against them – threats the suspect’s friend took more seriously after Meyer started asking how he could get access to the friend's safe, which had a rifle and a handgun inside.
Meyer's only plan for the future, the friend told authorities, "was to join the radical Islamic fight and … die in his early twenties for Allah."
While practicing Islam, Meyer also reportedly refused to attend the local mosque "because the imam did not let radical sects worship there," according to the complaint, which also stated that Meyer "had expressed his anger at a local Colorado-based mosque for allowing females into the mosque."
Soon after his 18th birthday, Meyer began talking to a person online whom he believed to be an ISIS facilitator, but who was in fact an undercover FBI agent. On Nov. 5, 2022, Meyer told the undercover FBI agent he had pledged his allegiance to ISIS and sent him a video a day later which purportedly showed his pledge to the terrorist organization, the probable cause statement shows.
Between November 2022 and June 2023, the documents show, Meyer continued to communicate with the undercover FBI agent and later on, a person he believed to be an ISIS-affiliated travel facilitator, but who was, in fact, a second undercover FBI agent.
The 18 year old met with the second individual three times in person, on December 9, 2022; February 3, 2023; and June 22, 2023, in the area of Castle Rock "to discuss the efforts Meyer was making to fund and prepare for his travel to join ISIS," according to the probable cause statement.
During that first meeting, the undercover FBI agent and Meyer talked about how the suspect developed his radical beliefs about Islam and asked him if he had access to weapons, which Meyer said he knew someone who "has guns which I don't have access to," arresting documents show.
At their second meeting in February, the undercover FBI agent asked Meyer if he had ever watched extremist videos before and if he had a problem with watching people die, to which Meyer replied that he had seen "mainly just beheadings with a sword and a knife," before showing the undercover FBI agent a long video "that depicted beheadings, a man getting burned, and gun battles," according to the complaint.
In their third meeting, Meyer reaffirmed his commitment to join ISIS and expressed he felt "nervous in an excited way."
"I feel like I'm ready. And I've been waiting for this for a while. And it's not like I'm just gonna get cold feet and back out. 'Cause I've been thinking, I've been waiting," Meyer allegedly told the second undercover FBI agent during their third meeting, arresting documents show.
The complaint goes into further detail about Meyer's preparedness for the trip to the Middle East, which agents said, "reflected careful planning and preparation," including the purchase of clothing for the weather in the mountains of Turkey and Iraq, lying to the Turkish government about his reasons for applying for a visa in the country, and securing a job to fund his travel to the Middle East.
On or about June 22, 2023, Meyer had booked a one-way ticket to Turkey, the complaint states.
"I am very happy this is happening, but at the time I feel sad because I will most likely never see my parents again, and I'm leaving the place I've grown up all my life and become attached to," Meyer reportedly wrote to the first undercover FBI agent, as he updated him on his plans to join ISIS soon. "It is a trial but it can be heavy on the heart. As many trials can be, Allah tests those whom he loves."
Nearly a month later, on July 14, Meyer checked in to the flight he had previously booked and "repeatedly expressed anxiety and hesitation" about his trip to the Middle East, but also "determination to go through with his plans," arresting documents show.
The suspect was seen by law enforcement arriving at DIA at around 5 p.m. on Friday where he first went into one of the religious prayer rooms before obtaining a boarding pass at a United Airlines check-in counter. He was observed passing through TSA with one piece of carry-on luggage, a black duffel bag, and showed his boarding pass to the gate agent nearly three hours later, at approximately 7:59 p.m.
Meyer entered the jet bridge but was arrested before stepping onto the airplane, the complaint shows. The suspect was then taken into custody by the FBI.
Meyer made his first appearance in federal court Monday. His next court appearance, a detention hearing, is scheduled for July 20 at 10 a.m. The case is being investigated by the FBI Denver Field Office, with help from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Friday's arrest marks at least the second time the FBI has stepped in to stop a Colorado resident from joining ISIS.
In 2016, a Colorado father spoke with Denver7 chief investigator Tony Kovaleski about how the terrorist organization recruited his then-15-year-old daughter and two of her friends on social media for more than a year before they boarded a plane from DIA bound for Turkey that was intercepted in Germany.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | 2023-07-18T22:54:24+00:00 | fox17online.com | https://www.fox17online.com/us-man-intended-to-join-isis-kill-us-citizens-federal-agents-say |
STAMFORD, Conn., Jan. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) (the "Company" or "Charter") will host a webcast on Friday, January 27, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) to discuss financial and operating results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2022. A press release reporting such results will be issued at 7:00 a.m. ET that day.
The webcast can be accessed live via the Company's investor relations website at ir.charter.com. The webcast will be archived at ir.charter.com approximately two hours after completion of the webcast.
About Charter
Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 32 million customers in 41 states through its Spectrum brand. Over an advanced communications network, the Company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet®, TV, Mobile and Voice.
For small and medium-sized companies, Spectrum Business® delivers the same suite of broadband products and services coupled with special features and applications to enhance productivity, while for larger businesses and government entities, Spectrum Enterprise provides highly customized, fiber-based solutions. Spectrum Reach® delivers tailored advertising and production for the modern media landscape. The Company also distributes award-winning news coverage and sports programming to its customers through Spectrum Networks. More information about Charter can be found at corporate.charter.com.
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SOURCE Charter Communications, Inc. | 2023-01-04T20:57:16+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/01/04/charter-hold-webcast-discuss-fourth-quarter-full-year-2022-financial-operating-results/ |
Bristol folks should be prepared for high temperatures. Temperatures are projected to be a steamy day today with temperatures reaching a high of 92 though it will feel even hotter at 93. Expect a drastic drop in temperatures though, with a low reaching 65 degrees. We will see a mix of sun and clouds. The UV index today is high. Be careful outside, especially during late morning through mid-afternoon. If your shadow is shorter than you, seek shade and wear protective clothing and generously apply sunscreen on exposed skin. The area will see gentle winds today, with forecast showing winds from the West, clocking in at 6 mph. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. Visit heraldcourier.com for more weather updates.
Here is today's weather outlook for Jul. 22, 2022 in Bristol, VA
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Bristol's evening forecast: Partly cloudy. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Sunday, Bristol folks should be prepared for high temperatures. … | 2022-07-22T10:29:28+00:00 | heraldcourier.com | https://heraldcourier.com/weather/here-is-todays-weather-outlook-for-jul-22-2022-in-bristol-va/article_30593b7c-3b18-5398-a821-f2e3b74f3769.html |
– Topline data from AUGMENT-101 KMT2Ar patients expected in the third quarter of 2023 –
–Topline data from the pivotal AGAVE-201 trial on track for mid-2023 –
– Two U.S. registrational filings expected by the end of 2023 –
– Company to host conference call today at 4:30 p.m. ET –
WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNDX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing an innovative pipeline of cancer therapies, today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2022 and provided a business update.
"With two pivotal data readouts expected later this year and potential regulatory filings to follow shortly thereafter, we expect 2023 will be an extraordinary year for Syndax," said Michael A. Metzger, Chief Executive Officer. "The fourth quarter was marked by significant progress on the clinical, regulatory and operational fronts and we expect this positive momentum to continue in 2023. We had a strong presence at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting where we presented positive revumenib results from the Phase 1 portion of the AUGMENT-101 trial and the axatilimab Phase 1/2 trial data were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. These data further support the potential for both our pipeline agents to be first- and best-in-class therapies that could meaningfully change treatment paradigms."
"For revumenib, we are on track to begin reporting topline data from the AUGMENT-101 pivotal trial in the third quarter of this year, with the first data expected to be in patients with KMT2A rearranged (KMT2Ar) acute leukemia and expect to file a New Drug Application (NDA) by year-end 2023. For axatilimab, we also remain on track to report topline results from our pivotal AGAVE-201 trial in chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) in mid-2023, with a Biologics License Application (BLA) filing expected to follow by year-end 2023. We look forward to providing updates on all of our progress as we continue to strive toward our mission of realizing a future in which people with cancer live longer and better than ever before."
Recent Pipeline Progress and Anticipated Milestones
Revumenib
- The pivotal Phase 2 portion of AUGMENT-101 is enrolling relapsed/refractory (R/R) patients across distinct trial populations: patients with nucleophosmin mutant (mNPM1) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), patients with KMT2Ar AML, and patients with KMT2Ar acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), each of which may serve as the basis for regulatory filings. Following the receipt of Breakthrough Therapy designation from the FDA for revumenib for the treatment of R/R acute leukemia harboring a KMT2A rearrangement, regardless of age or tumor type, and based on discussions with the FDA, the Company will pool data from the AUGMENT-101 cohorts enrolling R/R KMT2Ar AML and R/R KMT2Ar ALL to file a single NDA for the treatment of adult and pediatric KMT2Ar acute leukemia. The Company has completed enrollment of a sufficient number of KMT2Ar acute leukemia patients to support this filing strategy and expects to share topline data from the KMT2Ar cohort in the third quarter of 2023 and submit an NDA filing by the end of 2023. The Company also expects to complete enrollment of the NPM1 AML cohort in the second half of 2023.
- During two oral presentations at the 64th ASH Annual Meeting in December 2022, the Company reported updated positive data from the Phase 1 portion of the ongoing Phase 1/2 AUGMENT-101 trial. As of the March 2022 data cutoff date, 60 patients with R/R mutant NPM1 or KMT2Ar acute leukemia were efficacy evaluable. In the efficacy evaluable population, the overall response rate was 53% (32/60) with a CR/CRh rate of 30% (18/60), and 78% (14/18) of patients with CR/CRh attaining minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity. Additional analyses from the trial indicate that at doses which met the protocol defined criteria for a recommended Phase 2 dose, the CR/CRh rate was 27% in both the KMT2Ar (10/37) and the mutant NPM1 (3/11) patient populations. A total of 38% (12/32) of responders proceeded to transplant. The median time to response in the trial was 1.9 months, and the median duration of CR/CRh response was 9.1 months in the efficacy evaluable population as of data cutoff. Revumenib was well-tolerated, and there were no discontinuations due to treatment related adverse events.
- Two trials, BEAT-AML and AUGMENT-102, are ongoing and will assess the safety, tolerability, and preliminary anti-leukemic efficacy of revumenib, and establish an appropriate Phase 2 dose when used in combination with other approved agents. BEAT-AML is a front-line combination trial of revumenib with venetoclax and azacitidine being conducted as part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Beat AML® Master Clinical Trial. AUGMENT-102 is a trial assessing revumenib in combination with chemotherapy in patients with R/R mNPM1 or KMT2Ar acute leukemias.
- The Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG) has initiated the INTERCEPT trial of revumenib as monotherapy in patients with AML who are minimal residual disease-positive following initial treatment. The trial is a part of the INTERCEPT AML Master Clinical Trial, a collaborative clinical trial investigating novel therapies to target early relapse and clonal evolution as pre-emptive therapy in AML. Revumenib is the first menin inhibitor to be included in the INTERCEPT AML Master Clinical Trial.
- A proof-of-concept clinical trial of revumenib in patients with unresectable metastatic microsatellite stable colorectal cancer has initiated and the Company expects to report initial topline data from the trial by year-end 2023.
Axatilimab
- The Company and its partner, Incyte, expect to report topline data from the pivotal AGAVE-201 trial evaluating axatilimab in patients with cGVHD following two or more prior lines of therapy in mid-2023, with the expectation for a BLA filing by year-end 2023.
- The Company and Incyte announced that results from the Phase 1/2 trial of axatilimab in patients with recurrent or refractory cGVHD following two or more prior lines of therapy were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The article, titled "Axatilimab for chronic graft-versus-host disease after failure of at least two prior systemic therapies: results of a Phase 1/2 study," is available online.
- The Company plans to initiate a 52-week, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled Phase 2b trial to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of axatilimab in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in the first half of 2023. The primary endpoint will assess the change from baseline in forced vital capacity, which is the current registrational endpoint in IPF.
- The Company is working with Incyte to initiate a trial testing axatilimab in combination with ruxolitinib in steroid naive cGVHD. The Phase 1 trial is expected to begin later this year.
Corporate Updates
- In December 2022, the Company announced the appointment of Steve Sabus as Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Sabus brings to Syndax nearly thirty years of commercial experience launching drugs and building sales and marketing organizations within the biopharmaceutical industry.
Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Financial Results
As of December 31, 2022, Syndax had cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments of $481.3 million and 69.3 million common shares and prefunded warrants outstanding.
Fourth quarter 2022 research and development expenses increased to $31.8 million from $23.9 million, and for the full year increased to $118.5 million compared to $88.2 million for 2021. The increase was primarily due to increased clinical activities as well as employee related expenses and professional fees partially offset by decreased clinical and manufacturing expenses, in large part the result of axatilimab cost sharing benefits.
General and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter 2022 increased to $10.2 million from $6.9 million and for the full year increased to $33.3 million compared to $25.2 million for 2021. The increase is primarily due to increased pre-commercialization activities as well as employee related expenses and professional fees.
For the three months ended December 31, 2022, Syndax reported a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $39.2 million, or $0.62 per share, compared to a net gain attributable to common stockholders of $96.2 million, or $1.81 per share, for the prior year period. For the year ended December 31, 2022, Syndax reported a net loss attributed to common stockholders of $149.3 million or $2.46 per share, compared to a net gain attributable to common stockholders of $24.9 million or $0.48 per share for the prior year.
Financial Update and Guidance
In December 2022, Syndax issued 7,840,909 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $22.00 per share. This includes the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase up to 1,022,727 additional shares of common stock. As a result, Syndax received aggregate net proceeds of $162.0 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by Syndax.
For the first quarter of 2023, the Company expects research and development expenses to be $30 to $35 million and total operating expenses to be $40 to $45 million. For the full year of 2023, the Company expects research and development expenses to be $160 to $175 million and total operating expenses to be $225 to $240 million.
Conference Call and Webcast
In connection with the earnings release, Syndax's management team will host a conference call and live audio webcast at 4:30 p.m. ET today, Tuesday, February 28, 2023.
The live audio webcast and accompanying slides may be accessed through the Events & Presentations page in the Investors section of the Company's website. Alternatively, the conference call may be accessed through the following:
Conference ID: SNDXQ422
Domestic Dial-in Number: 800-245-3047
International Dial-in Number: 203-518-9765
Live webcast: https://www.veracast.com/webcasts/OpenEx/General/SNDXQ4.cfm
For those unable to participate in the conference call or webcast, a replay will be available on the Investors section of the Company's website at www.syndax.com approximately 24 hours after the conference call and will be available for 90 days following the call.
About Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Syndax Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing an innovative pipeline of cancer therapies. Highlights of the Company's pipeline include revumenib, a highly selective inhibitor of the Menin–KMT2A binding interaction, and axatilimab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks the colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) receptor, both currently in pivotal trials. For more information, please visit www.syndax.com or follow the Company on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "believe" and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Syndax's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about the progress, timing, clinical development and scope of clinical trials, the reporting of clinical data for Syndax's product candidates, the potential use of our product candidates to treat various cancer indications and fibrotic diseases, and Syndax's expected first quarter and full year research and development expenses, and expected first quarter and full year total operating expenses. Many factors may cause differences between current expectations and actual results, including: unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during preclinical or clinical trials; clinical trial site activation or enrollment rates that are lower than expected; changes in expected or existing competition; changes in the regulatory environment; the COVID-19 pandemic may disrupt our business and that of the third parties on which we depend, including delaying or otherwise disrupting our clinical trials and preclinical studies, manufacturing and supply chain, or impairing employee productivity; failure of Syndax's collaborators to support or advance collaborations or product candidates; and unexpected litigation or other disputes. Other factors that may cause Syndax's actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are discussed in Syndax's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the "Risk Factors" sections contained therein. Except as required by law, Syndax assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in expectations, even as new information becomes available
Syndax Contact
Sharon Klahre
Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
sklahre@syndax.com
Tel 781.684.9827
SNDX-G
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SOURCE Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 2023-02-28T22:45:57+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2023/02/28/syndax-pharmaceuticals-reports-fourth-quarter-full-year-2022-financial-results-provides-clinical-business-update/ |
Updated May 12, 2023 at 1:52 PM ET
Twitter owner Elon Musk announced in a tweet on Friday that Linda Yaccarino, a veteran media executive who led advertising at NBCUniversal for more than a decade, will succeed him as the platform's next CEO.
"I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter!" Musk wrote.
"[Yaccarino] will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design & new technology," Musk continued. "Looking forward to working with Linda to transform this platform into X, the everything app."
Hours earlier Friday, NBCUniversal announced that Yaccarino "is leaving the company, effective immediately," according to a statement.
"It has been an absolute honor to be part of Comcast NBCUniversal and lead the most incredible team," Yaccarino said.
Musk had tweeted Thursday that he had picked someone for the No. 1 job, the position currently occupied by himself. But left crucial details, like the person's identity, vague.
Yaccarino has led advertising at NBCUniversal for more than a decade, leading a team of more than 2,000 people, according to her LinkedIn profile. That's larger than Twitter's estimated workforce, now about 1,500 employees, or roughly 20% of the company's size pre-Musk.
Before NBCUniversal, Yaccarino headed ad sales and marketing at Turner Broadcasting System, currently owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, for more than a decade.
In December, Musk polled Twitter users about resigning as its chief executive. "Should I step down as head of Twitter? I will abide by the results of this poll," he tweeted.
Of the 17.5 million responses, 58% said "Yes."
Musk and Yaccarino shared a stage weeks earlier
Yaccarino and Musk appeared on stage together at a marketing conference in Miami in April.
She pressed Musk about Twitter's new "Freedom of Speech, Not Reach" safety policy, aimed at preserving the "right to express their opinions and ideas without fear of censorship."
Musk said that if someone wants to say something that is "technically legal" but "by most definitions hateful," Twitter would allow it to stay on the site but behind a "warning label."
When asked by Yaccarino how Twitter will ensure advertisements don't appear next to negative content, Musk said the site has "adjacency controls" to prevent that from happening.
Twitter has seen advertising sales plummet in a harsh economic climate for tech companies and the media industry.
In the weeks following Musk's acquisition last fall, more than half of Twitter's top 100 advertisers fled the site, citing warnings from media buyers.
Advertising had accounted for the majority of Twitter's revenue before Musk took the company private, according to SEC filings.
Yaccarino is the second executive to leave the network in recent weeks. Its parent company, Comcast, ousted NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell after an employee filed a formal complaint accusing him of sexual harassment.
Yaccarino was set to participate in a key marketing presentation for NBCUniversal next week in New York commonly called the "upfronts," where media companies aim to persuade brands to spend big dollars on commercial time.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-05-12T23:27:40+00:00 | lakeshorepublicmedia.org | https://www.lakeshorepublicmedia.org/2023-05-12/elon-musk-picks-nbc-advertising-executive-as-next-twitter-ceo |
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Thursday blasted the side deal that Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) struck earlier this summer to pass a controversial proposal to make it easier to develop fossil fuel-based energy projects.
Schumer told reporters Wednesday that he plans to attach Manchin’s permitting reform bill to the stopgap spending measure that needs to pass by Sept. 30 to prevent a government shutdown.
Sanders slammed the agreement as “a huge giveaway to the fossil fuel industry” and angrily warned that it would undermine President Biden’s pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 50 percent by the year 2030.
“I rise this morning to express by strong opposition to the so-called side deal that the fossil fuel industry is pushing to make it easier for them to pollute the environment and destroy our planet,” Sanders said.
He said the legislation crafted by Manchin would make it easier for the fossil fuel industry to receive permits and complete what he called “some of the dirtiest and most polluting oil and gas projects in America.”
He added the bill would speed the approval of a pipeline spanning from West Virginia to North Carolina that would “generate emissions equivalent to 37 coal plants or over 27 million cars each and every year.”
“Really, at a time when climate change is threatening the very existence of our planet, why would anybody be talking about substantially increasing carbon emissions and expanding fossil fuel production in the United States?” Sanders asked.
Sanders said he understood the power of oil, gas and coal companies “in our corrupt political system” but called on his colleagues to vote against the deal.
Pairing permitting reform to a continuing resolution gives it a very good chance of passing, even though opposition is building among progressive House Democrats.
Schumer said he promised to pass the bill in exchange for securing Manchin’s vote last month for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which will invest more than $300 billion in programs to combat climate change and further develop domestic energy production.
“Permitting reform is part of the IRA, and we will get it done,” Schumer said.
The Democratic leader admitted last month that he was not thrilled to agree to permitting reform, but he noted that it could help the development of renewable energy projects as well as those to extract fossil fuels.
“In terms of the permitting reform, I didn’t like it but it was something that Sen. Manchin wanted,” Schumer told reporters in early August. “And in fact it has some very good things for the environment. It’s going to make permitting easier for clean energy.” | 2022-09-08T21:56:31+00:00 | mytwintiers.com | https://www.mytwintiers.com/hill-politics/sanders-vows-to-oppose-controversial-schumer-manchin-side-deal/ |
(NEXSTAR) – Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce made a unique announcement in the days leading up to the Super Bowl: his wife, Kylie, would be bringing her OB-GYN to State Farm Stadium on Sunday.
Kylie is 38 weeks pregnant with the couple’s third child, Kelce said on Wednesday’s episode of the “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” podcast, which he hosts with his brother, Kansas City Chief’s tight end Travis Kelce.
“If she has a baby in the stadium, it’s officially scripted,” the center joked.
While speaking with People, Kylie said she would bring two OB-GYNs because she “didn’t necessarily want one to be by themselves.”
“I know they can’t like practice medicine in the hospital that’s out in Arizona, but they’ll be my support person because Jason is of absolutely no use to me in Arizona at any time, even before game time,” she added.
2023 Super Bowl halftime show: 3 things to know
Should Kylie have her baby on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, it would, most likely, be the first time a child is born at the Super Bowl.
Earlier Sunday, Kansas City Chiefs guard Nick Allegretti and his wife, Christina, welcomed twin girls. The Allegretti twins were born in Chicago at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, and Nick and his parents FaceTimed live from the Chiefs’ hotel, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.
Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman tweeted Sunday morning to announce his girlfriend, Chariah Gordon, had her water break the morning of Super Bowl LVII. He was listed as out for the game after being placed on injured reserve following the AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals. | 2023-02-13T02:00:06+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/sports/the-big-game/will-philadelphia-eagles-jason-kelces-wife-have-her-baby-at-the-super-bowl/ |
CORALVILLE, Iowa - After an exciting regular season, the best gymnasts in the Big Ten head to Iowa to compete for conference bragging rights on Thursday.
- Watch college gymnastics on FuboTV (7-day free trial)
The favorites heading into Saturday are the two schools that shared the Big Ten Regular Season Championship.
The Michigan Wolverines have been rated very highly throughout this entire season, and head into the championships as the No. 2 program in the country, going 17-2 in all competitions, with an 8-1 record in B1G action. The Wolverines are on a seven-meet win streak, which includes wins over No. 18 Georgia and No. 1 Oklahoma less than a week apart. They also finished first during their session of the Big Five Meet last month.
Michigan State also had an incredible regular season. In fact, it was the program’s best ever, as the Spartans earned their first gymnastics regular season crown after also going 8-1 during Big Ten action. MSU has finished first in each of their last three meets, including finishing first at the Big Five Meet as well.
MSU has one thing that the Wolverines don’t, and that is a win over their in-state rival. Michigan’s lone loss in Big Ten action came at the hands of the Spartans back in January.
BIG TEN WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- When: Saturday, March 18
- Where: Xtream Arena (Coralville, Iowa)
- Channel: Big Ten Network
- Stream: FuboTV (Free Trial), Sling, DirecTV Stream
Below are the start times for the two sessions, and which schools are going to be in action.
SESSION I (12 p.m. ET)
Penn State, Rutgers, Minnesota, Nebraska, Maryland, Illinois
SESSION II (5:30 p.m. ET)
Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Ohio State
- Watch college gymnastics on FuboTV (7-day free trial)
Find the full event schedule on the Big Ten website | 2023-03-17T21:42:06+00:00 | mlive.com | https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2023/03/how-to-watch-the-big-ten-womens-gymnastics-championships-channel-stream-time-schedule.html |
AMRA Medical will present "Two years of aging – initial results on changes in muscle composition in the UK Biobank imaging study" at SCWD, scheduled June 24-26, 2022.
LINKÖPING, Sweden, June 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AMRA Medical will present the results of their recent study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure muscle composition changes in individuals with metabolic disorders at the 2022 SCWD Conference. AMRA's research shows they can observe significant changes in muscle composition measurements after two years of aging. The results indicate that individuals with metabolic disorders experience more rapid wasting and that diseases may have a disease-specific wasting profile. Researchers can use AMRA's muscle-monitoring biomarkers to further study the progression, severity, and risks of metabolic diseases. This research could also have clinical implications, which could further enhance the utility of AMRA's currently available clinical service offerings that help monitor an individual's health and wellness.
The aim of this study was to describe changes in muscle composition in metabolic disease-free individuals and common metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
The study included 1,265 participants from the UK Biobank who were scanned twice approximately 2 years apart using a 6-minute MRI protocol. Using AMRA® Researcher, images were analyzed for thigh fat-free muscle volume (FFMV) and muscle fat infiltration (MFI) — a biomarker associated with all-cause mortality1. The participants were divided into cohorts based on metabolic disease. While no group had a significant weight change over two years, the researchers observed significant changes in muscle composition. Individuals with a metabolic disease had more rapid muscle wasting process compared with metabolic disease-free individuals. Notably, the rate of muscle wasting was distinct for each group, with CVD being associated with the most rapid muscle wasting profile followed by T2D.
Eric Converse, CEO at AMRA, commented: "These results are particularly exciting not only because of how they can advance metabolic disease research but also because they continue our path to proving the clinical utility of mapping the trajectory of an individual's muscle composition. For instance, for an individual with T2D or cardiovascular disease, physicians could longitudinally assess their muscle composition using AMRA's recently regulatory-cleared clinical service offering and determine if the results align with or differ from the wasting profile of others that are similar to them. This information could help inform or develop longevity plans for an individual."
To hear more about the study results and to connect with AMRA's team, SCWD conference attendees can observe the presentation titled: Two years of aging – initial results on changes in muscle composition in the UK Biobank imaging study.
- Linge, Jennifer, et al. "Adverse muscle composition predicts all‐cause mortality in the UK Biobank imaging study." Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle 12.6 (2021): 1513-1526.
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SOURCE AMRA Medical | 2022-06-23T17:19:29+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/06/23/amra-biomarkers-indicate-individuals-with-cvd-t2d-have-faster-muscle-deterioration-than-metabolically-disease-free-people-amra-medical-present-data-scwd/ |
Elon Musk’s 44-billion-dollar Twitter buyout offer now has the company’s blessing. The unanimous recommendation by Twitter’s board of directors was noted in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Musk has said there are three barriers to the deal going through.
Foremost among them is the number of fake accounts on the platform. He also needs to secure about three-and-a-half billion dollars in bank financing. The Board’s approval still needs to be voted upon by shareholders. | 2022-06-21T23:16:21+00:00 | kurv.com | https://www.kurv.com/twitter-board-approves-musk-buyout/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=twitter-board-approves-musk-buyout |
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Border Report) — Kansas City Southern could soon break ground on a second binational freight railroad crossing that will connect the border cities of Laredo, Texas, to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
Construction is expected to begin in October or November and will double the number of freight trains carrying goods between those two border cities, Oscar Del Cueto Cuevas, president and general manager of the railroad company Kansas City Southern de Mexico, recently told Border Report.
“It’s very important for both countries,” Del Cueto Cuevas said, adding that the project is being facilitated through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to promote trade between the countries.
“Rail is more and more important in Mexico and now we are offering this capacity, additional capacity, there in the border, the most important border, which is Laredo and Nuevo Laredo,” he said.
Del Cueto Cuevas was a panelist last week at the NADBank U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Forum in San Antonio. He says a new rail line across this port will increase the United States’ supply chain at a time when more routes for goods coming from Mexico are needed.
“This huge project will allow us to connect again Texas and Tamaulipas through Laredo and Nuevo Laredo with this second span on the bridge,” Del Cueto Cuevas said.
Kansas City Southern already operates a freight rail line connecting the two cities, called Class I, and this new line will run parallel, he said.
Currently, 28 to 32 trains cross this border every day and Del Cueto Cuevas said “this second span is to double the number of trains.”
The estimated cost for the rail bridge is $75 million, according to Freight Waves.
Del Cueto Cuevas said the project is expected to take two years to complete.
The rail project coincides with the proposed binational river park, whose renderings and proposals include schematics of the new rail crossing over the Rio Grande.
Presidential permits to build the rail bridge have already been approved by the U.S. and Mexican governments, but some final border permits are still awaiting approval, Del Cueto Cuevas said.
Also, by the time the rail bridge opens, the company is expected to have merged with Canadian Pacific to create Canadian Pacific Kansas City, the only single-line rail network that will link the United States, Mexico and Canada. Merger approval from the Surface Transportation Board is still pending, Del Cueto Cuevas said. | 2022-09-01T02:24:16+00:00 | mytwintiers.com | https://www.mytwintiers.com/border-report-tour/new-binational-rail-crossing-to-connect-northern-mexico-and-laredo-texas/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A man accused in last month’s attack on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges of attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting a federal official’s family member.
David DePape, appearing in orange clothes without handcuffs, was assigned a public defender who entered the plea on his behalf during a brief court appearance.
DePape, 42, of Richmond, a San Francisco suburb, was indicted last week on the federal charges arising from an Oct. 28 break-in at the Pelosis’ San Francisco home days before the midterm elections. The attack on Paul Pelosi happened as threats against lawmakers and election officials have been at all-time highs and authorities have issued warnings about rising extremism in the U.S.
DePape, who was drawn to conspiracy theories, also has separately pleaded not guilty to state charges of attempted murder, burglary and elder abuse.
The federal charges include assault upon an immediate family member of a U.S. official with the intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties. That carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
A second charge alleges DePape attempted to kidnap a U.S. official on account of the performance of official duties. That could bring a maximum 20 years in prison. The indictment alleges DePape intended to kidnap Nancy Pelosi.
Officers responding to Paul Pelosi’s 911 call found Paul Pelosi and DePape fighting over a hammer, the indictment alleges. An officer ordered DePape to drop the hammer but he responded, “ummm nope,” before forcefully swinging it at Paul Pelosi, it says.
The sequence lasted about 15 seconds, it says, but left Pelosi and DePape lying on the floor with blood swelling around Paul Pelosi’s head. He was treated at a hospital for a fractured skull.
Paul Pelosi told a 911 dispatcher that he was sleeping when a man he had never seen before entered his bedroom looking for Nancy Pelosi, who was in Washington, D.C. Officers later found a broken glass door to the back porch. They recovered zip ties, a roll of tape, white rope, a second hammer, and a pair of rubber and cloth gloves.
Christine Pelosi, one of the Pelosis’ children, sat in the courtroom during DePape’s appearance.
DePape is being held without bail in state custody. | 2022-11-16T12:10:56+00:00 | qcnews.com | https://www.qcnews.com/news/politics/election/ap-pelosi-attack-suspect-pleads-not-guilty-to-federal-charges/ |
CALGARY, AB, Dec. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Lycos Energy Inc. ("Lycos") is pleased to announce the completion of the previously announced business combination (the "Business Combination") among Samoth Oilfield Inc. (predecessor to Lycos) ("Samoth") (TSXV: SCD), Chronos Resources Ltd. ("Chronos") and 2470638 Alberta Ltd. pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") to form Lycos, an oil-focused, exploration, development and production company. The common shares of Lycos are expected to trade on the TSXV under the new name "Lycos Energy Inc." and the new stock symbol "LCX" as a Tier 1 oil and gas issuer at market open on Thursday, December 15, 2022, and the common shares of Samoth will be concurrently delisted.
Pursuant to the Business Combination, Lycos:
The TSXV has provided conditional approval for the Business Combination and listing of the Lycos Shares. The total number of Lycos Shares issued and outstanding at listing will be 318,147,806. The Business Combination did not result in a change of control (as defined in the policies of the TSXV) of Lycos as the new insiders of Lycos hold in aggregate less than 10% of the issued and outstanding Lycos Shares.
Chronos Financings
In conjunction with the Business Combination, Chronos completed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Subscription Receipt Private Placement") of subscription receipts of Chronos (each, a "Subscription Receipt") for aggregate gross proceeds of $53.0 million and its non-brokered private placement of units of Chronos (each, a "Unit") for additional aggregate gross proceeds of $12.0 million (the "Unit Private Placement", and together with the Subscription Receipt Private Placement, the "Chronos Financings").
The net proceeds from the Chronos Financings will be used to fund the business plan of Lycos and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Additional details in respect of the Transaction are disclosed in the joint press releases of Chronos and Samoth dated November 7, 2022. Advisors received aggregate compensation equal to $2,570,000 in cash and 1,117,144 in Units, at a deemed issuance price of $0.70 per Unit, with respect to the Business Combination and the Subscription Receipt Private Placement, as applicable.
The Subscription Receipt Private Placement
Chronos issued an aggregate of 75,714,285 Subscription Receipts at an offering price of $0.70 per Subscription Receipt under the Subscription Receipt Private Placement. Pursuant to the terms of the subscription receipt agreement (the "Subscription Receipt Agreement") dated December 6, 2022, between Chronos and Odyssey Trust Company, in its capacity as subscription receipt agent, each Subscription Receipt was automatically exchanged for one Chronos Share immediately prior to the Business Combination being effected. Each Chronos Share issued pursuant to the Subscription Receipts was acquired by Samoth in exchange for twenty (20) Samoth Shares, and subject to the Consolidation, resulting in each holder of Subscription Receipts receiving two and a half (2.5) Lycos Shares for each Subscription Receipt held.
The Unit Private Placement
Contemporaneous with the closing of the Business Combination, an aggregate of 17,142,858 Units were issued pursuant to the Unit Private Placement at an offering price of $0.70 per Unit. Each Unit was comprised of one Chronos Share and one Chronos Share purchase warrant (each, a "Chronos Warrant"). Each Chronos Share issued pursuant to the Units was acquired by Samoth in exchange for twenty (20) Samoth Shares, and following the completion of the Consolidation, resulted in each holder of Units receiving two and a half (2.5) Lycos Shares for each Unit held. Each Chronos Warrant was exchanged at the same ratio, resulting in holders of Units receiving two and a half (2.5) Lycos Share purchase warrants (each, a "Lycos Warrant") for each Unit held. Each whole Lycos Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one (1) Lycos Share for a period of five (5) years following the date of issuance at an exercise price of $0.28 per Lycos Warrant (the "Exercise Price") and shall vest and become exercisable as to one-third upon the 10-day weighted average trading price of the Lycos Share (the "Market Price") equaling or exceeding $0.42, an additional one-third upon the Market Price equaling or exceeding $0.49, and a final one-third upon the Market Price equaling or exceeding $0.56.
No fractional securities were be issued. Any fractional interest in Lycos Shares or Lycos Warrants that is less than 0.5 resulting from the Consolidation will be rounded down to the nearest whole number and any fractional interest in Lycos Shares or Lycos Warrants that is 0.5 or greater will be rounded up to the nearest whole number.
Additional Information for Samoth Shareholders
Registered holders of pre-Consolidation Samoth Shares will receive a letter of transmittal by mail, from the transfer agent of Lycos, Odyssey Trust Company, advising of the completion of the Consolidation, the Name Change and the Business Combination, and providing instructions to exchange share certificates or DRS statements representing pre-Consolidation Samoth Shares for their entitlement to Lycos Shares. Non-registered shareholders holding Samoth Shares through an intermediary (a securities broker, dealer, bank or financial institution) should be aware that the intermediary may have different procedures for processing the Consolidation and the Name Change than those that will be put in place for registered shareholders. If shareholders hold their Samoth Shares through intermediaries and have questions in this regard, they are encouraged to contact their intermediaries. For more information on the Consolidation and the Name Change, shareholders are encouraged to refer to the management information circular dated July 7, 2022, a copy of which is available on the Corporation's SEDAR profile.
About Lycos
Lycos was incorporated in the province of Alberta in 2012. Chronos is an oil-focused, exploration, development and production company based in Calgary, Alberta, operating high-quality, heavy-oil, development assets in the Gull Lake area of southwest Saskatchewan and heavy-oil assets in the Lloydminster area.
In connection with the Business Combination, KPMG LLP is anticipated to be appointed as the auditors of Lycos.
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
Certain information included in this press release constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", "project", "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking information in this press release may include, but is not limited to, statements concerning: the use of proceeds from the Chronos Financings; estimated assumed liabilities associated with the Lycos assets; expected production and cash flow related to the Lycos assets; expected number of future drilling locations related to the Lycos assets; decline rates; reserve estimates; future production levels; decline rates; drilling locations; future negotiation of contracts; future consolidation opportunities and acquisition targets; the business plan, cost model and strategy of Lycos; future cash flows; and future commodities prices.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Lycos, including expectations and assumptions concerning the receipt of all approvals and satisfaction of all conditions to the completion of the Business Combination, Name Change and Consolidation, the securities markets and general business and economic conditions, the timing of and success of future drilling, development and completion activities, the performance of existing wells, the performance of new wells, the availability and performance of facilities and pipelines, the geological characteristics of the Lycos assets, the successful application of drilling, completion and seismic technology, prevailing weather conditions, prevailing legislation affecting the oil and gas industry, commodity prices, royalty regimes and exchange rates, the application of regulatory and licensing requirements, the availability of capital, labour and services, the creditworthiness of industry partners and the ability to source and complete asset acquisitions.
Although Lycos believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because Lycos can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e.g., operational risks in development, exploration and production; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses, and health, safety and environmental risks), constraint in the availability of services, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, the current COVID-19 pandemic, actions of OPEC and OPEC+ members, changes in legislation impacting the oil and gas industry, adverse weather or break-up conditions and uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures.
Forward-looking information is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such information but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Lycos believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information because Lycos can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified in this press release, assumptions have been made regarding and are implicit in, among other things, the timely receipt of any required regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of all conditions to the completion of the Business Combination, Name Change and Consolidation. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which have been used.
The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and Lycos undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. The forward- looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
All dollar figures included herein are presented in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted.
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SOURCE Samoth Oilfield Inc. | 2022-12-13T01:14:11+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2022/12/13/chronos-resources-ltd-samoth-oilfield-inc-announce-closing-transformative-business-combination-form-lycos-energy-inc/ |
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — CSX and CPKC railroads announced a deal Wednesday that will allow them to beef up a little-used connection between their two networks in the southeastern United States to handle a significant amount of freight.
The deal involves a section of track linking the two massive railroads that is currently used only for local traffic. This could one day turn it into a major pipeline for all kinds of cargo.
CPKC CEO Keith Creel said the two larger railroads plan to invest in upgrades to the rail line, so it can handle more traffic and provide a shorter path between manufacturing plants his railroad serves in Mexico and the Southeast. Currently, trains crossing this section of track operated by a subsidiary of Genesee &Wyoming run only at 10-25 mph.
CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs said this deal “provides shippers with a compelling transportation option with access to markets in Texas and Mexico as well as into the heart of the thriving and dynamic U.S. Southeast.”
This new connection between CPKC and CSX will provide a new competitive option with the connection CPKC has with Norfolk Southern at Meridian, Mississippi.
As part of the deal, CPKC will acquire about 50 miles of track between Meridian, Mississippi, and Myrtlewood, Alabama, if regulators approve. CSX will take over the line it currently leases to the Meridian & Bigbee Railroad that runs east to Montgomery, Alabama.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed but the railroads said Genesee & Wyoming will receive certain Canadian properties owned by CPKC as compensation that will allow it to expand service in Alberta at one of its other small railroads. And the Meridian & Bigbee Railroad that had been operating the line in Alabama and Mississippi will be allowed to continue providing service to some of its local customers along the route.
In addition to announcing this deal, CPKC officials told investors that they expect the newly combined railroad’s earnings per share to grow this year at a mid-single digit rate over last year’s $3.77.
The railroad expects revenue to grow by high single-digit rates and earnings per share at a double-digit rate between next year and 2028 as the company continues to integrate Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads after this spring’s merger.
CPKC expects to invest between $2.6 billion to $2.8 billion a year in its network and equipment. | 2023-06-28T21:46:40+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/railroads-csx-and-cpkc-will-invest-in-connecting-their-networks-to-increase-traffic-in-southeast/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Shift Up Approach to Correlating Security Data to Speed Up Threat Detection and Response
WALTHAM, Mass., May 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Uptycs, provider of the first unified CNAPP and XDR platform, today announced an integration with Amazon Security Lake from Amazon Web Services (AWS). Amazon Security Lake automatically centralizes security data from across AWS environments, leading SaaS providers, on-premises, and cloud sources into a purpose-built data lake. Amazon Security Lake manages data throughout its lifecycle with customizable data retention settings and converts and conforms incoming security data to the Open Cybersecurity Schema Framework (OCSF) open standard, making it easier to automatically collect, combine, and analyze security data from AWS, security partners, and analytics providers. The integration with Uptycs helps organizations speed up threat detection and incident response by correlating Uptycs telemetry and events with data from a vast number of other security tools.
With the proliferation of technologies and environments, security teams need to spend time setting up one-to-one integrations between their tools to correlate threat activity. This is expensive and delays response to security threats. In contrast, a shift up approach to cybersecurity does not need complex integrations and intermediary systems to connect the dots. The premise involves getting the data in a standardized format right out of the gate, and streaming it up into a data lake so security teams can do cross-correlations that speed up threat detection and response.
The OCSF project offers a consistent approach towards cybersecurity telemetry by providing a standard schema for common security events, defining versioning criteria to facilitate schema evolution, and including a self-governance process for security log producers and consumers. This enables organizations to easily bring together data from multiple security tools.
"We are excited to bring the security telemetry from Uptycs into Amazon Security Lake," says Ganesh Pai, CEO and co-founder of Uptycs. "A key tenet of the shift up approach to cybersecurity is to stream normalized security telemetry into a data lake, moving security analytics processing power to the cloud. Uptycs and AWS customers can now enjoy enhanced protection and faster reaction time as they benefit from standardized OCSF-based telemetry across their on-prem and cloud workloads."
Using the OCSF format, Uptycs and Amazon Security Lake allow organizations to have a consistent telemetry, enabling them to easily correlate data from a variety of security, SIEM, and SOAR tools. Uptycs, an AWS Security Competency Partner, will send a wealth of OCSF-formatted data from on-premises and cloud assets to Amazon Security Lake, including behavioral threat detections from endpoints and cloud workloads, anomaly detections, policy violations, risky policies, misconfigurations, and vulnerabilities.
Uptycs prospects and customers can get started with the Amazon Security Lake integration by contacting Uptycs.
To learn more about how Uptycs supports AWS customers, please visit:
- AWS partnership page
- Uptycs AWS Marketplace listing
- Download the Uptycs for AWS datasheet
- Meet with us at re:Inforce in Anaheim on June 13-14
About Uptycs
Your developer's laptop is just a hop away from cloud infrastructure. Attackers don't think in silos, so why would you have siloed solutions protecting public cloud, private cloud, containers, laptops, and servers?
Uptycs reduces risk by prioritizing your responses to threats, vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, sensitive data exposure, and compliance mandates across your modern attack surface—all from a single platform, UI, and data model. This includes the ability to tie together threat activity as it traverses on-prem and cloud boundaries, thus delivering a more cohesive enterprise-wide security posture.
Shift your cybersecurity up with Uptycs. Learn how at Uptycs.com.
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SOURCE Uptycs | 2023-06-01T02:39:58+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/uptycs-integrates-with-amazon-security-lake-enable-correlation-its-cnapp-xdr-security-telemetry-with-vast-ecosystem-security-tools/ |
MMP's INCITE® Platform Enhanced by VSBLTY's Advanced Retail Analytics
PHILADELPHIA, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- VSBLTY Groupe Technologies Corp. (OTCQB: VSBGF) (CSE: VSBY) (Frankfurt 5VS) ("VSBLTY"), a leading software provider of AI-driven security and retail analytics technology today announced that it has signed a strategic integration agreement with Multimedia Plus®, a major training and communications technology company servicing leaders in the restaurant, hospitality and retail industries that has included Giorgio Armani, Ardene, Windsor Fashions, Steve Madden and David Yurman. The agreement will combine VSBLTY's computer vision retail analytics with the INCITE® platform from Multimedia Plus creating a powerful retail training and marketing communications tool.
VSBLTY Co-Founder & CEO Jay Hutton said, "We are excited to partner with Multimedia Plus to provide a powerful solution for brands and retail companies that combines training and consumer analytics. By using the INCITE platform together with VSBLTY's anonymous computer vision analytics, both brands and retailers can optimize their in-store marketing and training programs, gaining valuable insights into employee and customer behavior. This will help improve operations and communications ensuring the best customer experience."
Hutton also said that the new combined INCITE platform would be first deployed by H-Ventures, VSBLTY's partner headquartered in Milan, Italy. H-Ventures provides marketing, management, distribution and a variety of other services to pharmacies throughout Italy and will be the exclusive commercial partner for Italy and Continental Europe for the new platform. H-Ventures CEO Alfredo Sassi added, "We have been working side by side with VSBLTY for more than five years and are looking forward to using this new integrated technology platform to enhance the cooperation between healthcare brands and our local pharmacies that will be a great benefit to all parties."
VSBLTY technology provides enhanced customer engagement and audience measurement using machine learning and computer vision. Its industry leading VisionCaptor™ and DataCaptor™ software combine motion graphics and interactive brand messaging with cutting-edge computer vision measurement and insights. VSBLTY's AI driven software Vector™ provides enhanced facial recognition that is crucial to strengthening today's security requirements when recognizing weapons or suspicious persons in a crowd.
David Harouche, CEO of Multimedia Plus, said, "VSBLTY provides the added benefit of advanced analytics using computer vision for retail training and measuring customer engagement. Together with VSBLTY metrics, INCITE now will immediately benefit participating retailers by improving their performance and their customers' experience, as well as making in-store training more effective. We believe that this partnership will be a game changer for the retail industry."
Harouche explained that INCITE, the company's mobile-based communications platform, enables retail associates to receive product marketing communications directly on in-store, shelf-mounted mobile devices to share with their customers. These brand-sponsored activation modules enable associates to stay informed and engaged, and—while on the sales floor—share dynamic video and interactive content about health issues as well as product uses directly with their customers. The platform offers customizable content, interactive, gamified training and communications for brands, as well as data analytics to help brands and retailers assess the effectiveness of their in-store training programs.
Harouche also said that by combining the INCITE program with VSBLTY metrics, retail companies will be able to provide their associates with targeted, effective brand-supplied content that is customized based on data insights from customer interactions and engagement. This will help to ensure that associates are equipped with the content and the skills they need to provide improved customer service and increased sales. The new combined solution from VSBLTY and Multimedia Plus will be available to retail companies immediately through VSBLTY and its partners.
Investor Relations
CHF Capital Markets
Cathy Hume, CEO, +1-416-868-1079, x251
cathy@chfir.com
Harbor Access
Jonathan Paterson, 475-477-9401
Jonathan.Paterson@Harbor-Access.com
Graham Farrell, +1-416-842-9003
Graham.Farrell@Harbor-Access.com
CONTACT: Linda Rosanio, 609-472-0877
lrosanio@vsblty.net
About VSBLTY (http://vsblty.net/)
Headquartered in Philadelphia, VSBLTY (OTCQB: VSBGF) (CSE: VSBY) (Frankfurt: 5VS) (OTC: VSBGF) ("VSBLTY") is the world leader in Proactive Digital Display™, which transforms retail and public spaces as well as place-based media networks with SaaS-based audience measurement and security software that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning. Its proprietary technology effectively integrates with other digital retail solutions, including QR codes and mobile applications. The firm is also recognized for its leadership role in the growing Store as a Medium movement that enables brands to reach customers when and where buying decisions are being made while producing a new revenue stream for retailers.
About Multimedia Plus (http://multimediaplus.com/) 212-982-3229
Since 1997, New York-based Multimedia Plus (MMP) has been transforming the way brands communicate globally. High success rates of the program are due to condensed learning segments, fully customized programs and the ability to easily track live results that lead to improved communications and mentoring of staff. MMP's patented and award-winning technology platform, INCITE, ensures performance and execution of company strategies with consumers—where it counts. The platform correlates to business results, offers real-time skill building and utilizes low bandwidth video. MMP's programs are being used by brands globally and are translated into more than 22 languages.
CONTACT: Nataly Blumberg
NB Communications
natalyb@nbcommunications.net
About H-Ventures (h-venturessrl.com/)
Based in Milan, the Company specializes in commercial, marketing, IT and strategic consulting services with a focus on the healthcare and retail sector, as well as on integrated hospital logistic services. It supports drug distribution groups, wholesalers and pharmacy chains in the development of pharmacy services. The Company is also focused on the management of sales networks and "contact" forces (biologists, nutritionists, pharmacists, merchandisers, etc.) to promote products and services—particularly telemedicine services—to pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, parapharmacies and specialized stores. It also provides screening days and merchandising activities throughout Italy with the aim to improve in-store engagement marketing.
CONTACT: Alfredo Sassi, +39 334 974 6879
alfredo.sassi@hventuressrl.com
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SOURCE VSBLTY | 2023-04-04T13:00:29+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/04/04/vsblty-signs-strategic-integration-agreement-with-multimedia-plus/ |
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The chances of the winning the World Cup might have gone for Croatia and Morocco, but “immortality” is at stake when the two teams meet in Saturday’s third-place playoff.
Croatia forward Andrej Kramarić dispelled the notion it would be a meaningless contest at Khalifa International Stadium.
“I think if you ask this question to Moroccan players, I don’t think they will look that way,” he said at a news conference Thursday. “They’re fighting for their lives because if you win a medal at a World Cup you become an immortal hero in your country. That’s the same thing we are going to do.”
Morocco defied the odds to become the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals. But the Atlas Lions’ run came to an end with a 2-0 loss to defending champions France on Wednesday.
Croatia reached the final in Russia in 2018, but suffered a 3-0 loss to Argentina on Tuesday.
“Eight of us from (the tournament in) Russia understand that feeling of winning a medal at the World Cup and we have a lot of players who haven’t experienced that and would love to do that because it’s something that will stay with you for the rest of their life,” Kramaric said.
___
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-12-15T21:37:37+00:00 | cbs42.com | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ap-croatia-morocco-target-third-place-medal-at-world-cup/ |
No charges for Atlanta officers over May 2020 encounter with college students
ATLANTA (WGCL/Gray News) - The arrest affidavits for the police officers involved in an incident with two college students in May 2020 have been dismissed, according to a press release.
The arrest affidavits were issued for Lonnie Hood, Roland Claud, Mark Gardner, Armond Jones, Willie Sauls and Ivory Streeter.
Messiah Young and Taniyah Pilgrim were approached by police officers at 9:44 p.m. on May 30, 2020, after they violated curfew.
After the incident, attorneys for Pilgrim and Young claimed the police officers stormed their car, smashed the car windows and physically assaulted Young and Pilgrim. The incident was caught on camera and went viral after it was shared on social media.
According to the Cherokee Judicial Circuit District Attorney, the evidence in the case, which was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, shows that the involved officers’ use of force, including the use of a Taser, was the direct result of Young and Pilgrim’s resistance and refusal to obey the officers’ instructions.
The district attorney also says that as soon as Young and Pilgrim were subdued, any force used by the officers ended immediately.
Additionally, not only was law enforcement acting within the scope of their legal authority in their actions to obtain compliance, their actions were also largely consistent with the Atlanta Police Department’s own use of force policy, according to the district attorney.
The district attorney’s office says that the video that was distributed by the media in the days following the incident was not an accurate portrayal of the entire encounter between Young, Pilgrim and law enforcement.
The curfew was in place because of protests following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Young was reportedly filming protesters being arrested. Police told Young and Pilgrim to keep moving but they were unable to do so.
Young’s arm was fractured and cut during the incident and it required stitches. Pilgrim also claimed that she was injured. Both Young and Pilgrim claimed they suffered emotional and physical trauma.
Pilgrim was a student at Spelman College and Young was a student at Morehouse College at the time of the incident.
The following statement was issued on behalf of Young and Pilgrim by their attorneys, L. Chris Stewart, Justin Miller and Mawuli Davis:
“Messiah Young, Taniyah Pilgrim and their families are incredibly disappointed and disheartened by the decision announced today by the Cherokee Judicial Circuit District Attorney that charges against the Atlanta Police Dept. officers have been dismissed.
The world witnessed the outrageous and unjustified level of violence perpetrated against these college students. How can a broken arm and 25 stitches be deemed the appropriate response for an alleged curfew violation?
The fact that these students and their families had to wait in anguish and put their lives on hold for two years while this case was kicked around the legal system is equally outrageous.
The narrative that Georgia is on a ‘positive path’ as it relates to police accountability is a lie that should not be uttered or repeated. This decision only further erodes community confidence in the justice system.”
The following statement was issued on the behalf of officers Gardner and Streeter by their attorney, Lance LoRusso:
Copyright 2022 WGCL via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2022-05-24T01:14:36+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/2022/05/24/no-charges-atlanta-officers-over-may-2020-encounter-with-college-students/ |
FRISCO, Texas, April 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Careington International Corporation proudly announces a new facility for printing and fulfillment solutions, further expanding one of the company's many administrative services offered to its growing insurance carrier, TPA and employer clients nationally. The facility, located in one of three buildings across two campuses at Careington's corporate headquarters, is dedicated exclusively to digital printing, customized marketing materials, membership ID cards, fulfillment kits and mailing services.
The fulfillment center was previously housed in Careington's main corporate office. The new dedicated space is utilized solely for the Print, Production and Logistics Division, an in-house unit that oversees the printing and mailing of all materials for member, client and corporate needs. The team designed the layout of the new facility with innovation in mind, ensuring a linear workflow for printing and mailing efficiencies. One of the biggest enhancements to the facility was the addition of several new state-of-the-art printing machines, allowing for the production of a broader array of precisely customizable materials. The facility debuted a new generation of printers provided by Canon Solutions America, Inc. to North America that increased Careington's production capacity by up to 30 percent from previous models. Three of the new ImagePRESS V1000 innovative production printers are housed at the facility as well as many additional top-of-the-line machines with specialty functionalities, such as the Pro4100S large-format and full-color printing on high-quality paper, banners, canvases and other custom materials as well as folding, trimming and spot varnish. The newest innovations allow for significant expansion of Careington's printing capabilities.
Careington is a nationally licensed Discount Plan Organization and Third Party Administrator serving more than 30 million members across its companies, making private and white-label print collateral a pivotal solution offered to its diverse client base including employers of any size or industry, carriers, TPAs, Medicare Advantage companies, government municipalities, unions, school districts, college and universities, affinity groups, associations, brokers and benefits consultants. With this in mind, the company ensured the facility included a designated area for printing of insurance policies and certificates, ID cards and plan information. The new, secure facility is another testament to Careington's commitment to protecting PII and HIPAA data.
Beyond printing and fulfillment solutions, Careington also offers custom product development, dental network leasing, enrollment, specialty sales and retention, individual and group billing, dental claims administration, compliance and regulatory guidance, marketing and communications, project management and implementation, account management, IS and IT resources and customer service. Careington's administrative solutions support its expansive portfolio of more than 150 money-saving products and services.
"Our team collaboratively redesigned and reimagined this new space," Careington Assistant Vice President of Print, Production and Logistics Martin Schneider said. "We are excited that this facility allows us expanded printing and mailing capabilities for our many valued clients and customers."
The relocation and expansion took place during the Print, Production and Logistics Department's busiest quarter of the year without service interruption to clients. The new facility has produced more than 2.3 million pieces of print collateral since becoming operational in November.
"Careington is proud to have a new facility dedicated to one of our core administrative capabilities – printing and fulfillment solutions," Careington Chief Executive Officer Stewart Sweda said. "Our goal is to continually expand the products and services we offer as a single-source solution to support our clients and their customers throughout the nation."
About Careington International Corporation
Careington International Corporation is an established leader in the health and wellness benefits space. Founded in 1979, Careington is a nationally recognized product aggregator and full-service administrator and one of the largest privately held discount health care companies in the nation. Today, Careington serves more than 30 million members across all industry-best companies, brands, products and services. Dedicated to improving individual health and well-being by providing affordable access to care, Careington's national PPO and dental discount networks, flagship dental savings plans and growing portfolio of more than 150 health, wellness and lifestyle products and services are designed to deliver cost savings and service excellence across a spectrum of life needs. For information on Careington's products, services, administration and marketing solutions, visit careington.com.
Contact:
Jamie Saunders
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Careington International Corporation
Email: jamies@careington.com
Phone: (800) 441-0380 ext. 2902
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SOURCE Careington International Corporation | 2023-04-13T20:33:09+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/04/13/careington-announces-new-facility-expansion-printing-fulfillment-solutions/ |
THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — More than 1,500 mourners gathered in a Roma settlement in northern Greece on Thursday for the funeral of a teenager who died days after being shot in the head by a police officer during a chase over an unpaid gas station bill.
The shooting of 16-year-old Kostas Frangoulis, who was married and had a young child, triggered days of protests which often turned violent, despite calls for restraint by the teenager’s family and Roma community leaders.
“Today all of society must be united. Today we are all Roma,” said Theofilos Alexopoulos, the family’s lawyer.
Mourners crowded round the open white coffin in which Frangoulis lay, a white baseball cap on his head and covered to the neck with flowers. Some placed banknotes in the coffin, in keeping with Roma tradition. The crowd played traditional mournful music and a rap song that was one of the teenager’s favorites as they formed a convoy that followed the hearse to the cemetery for the funeral service and burial.
“Today is a difficult day, a sad day,” said Giorgos Stamatis, the Labor Ministry’s Secretary General for Social Solidarity and Fighting Poverty, who attended the funeral. “We bid farewell to a young person … who didn’t have time to live his life and who leaves behind an underage wife and an underage child.”
Stamatis said the government would support the family “and all these people, breaking their social exclusion and the ghettos they live in.”
The Roma community has denounced the shooting in the northern city of Thessaloniki as racially motivated. Several Roma men have been injured or fatally shot in recent years during confrontations with police while allegedly seeking to evade arrest for breaches of the law.
The case has shone a spotlight on the Roma community, which faces widespread discrimination and often lives on the margins of society in Greece.
“Social inclusion with destitute people who live — not live, survive — in inappropriate conditions in camps, is not possible,” said Vassilis Pantsios, president of the Confederation of Greek Roma. “Social inclusion for us is for us to be integrated in society as a whole, with targeted policies” for a vulnerable population, he said, adding that the Roma community suffered from unemployment of above 70%-80%.
Police have said the youth attempted to ram the police motorbikes chasing him with his pickup truck. The officer accused of firing the shot has said he fired because he feared the lives of his colleagues were in danger, but that he had been aiming at the pickup truck’s tires and not at the driver.
The 34-year-old police officer was suspended and is under house arrest pending a court decision on whether to remand him in custody until his trial or release him on bail. Members of the Roma community have made clear they expect him to be put on remand. A decision is expected in the coming days.
Frangoulis spent more than a week hospitalized in critical condition after the Dec. 5 shooting, before dying of his injuries on Tuesday. Motorbike police had given chase after he allegedly filled his pickup truck with gas at a Thessaloniki station and drove off without paying the 20-euro ($21) bill.
The officer was initially charged with a felony count of attempted manslaughter with possible intent and a misdemeanor count of illegally firing his weapon. The felony charge is likely to be changed to manslaughter with possible intent following Frangoulis’ death. | 2022-12-15T21:23:28+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/news/national-world-news/ap-greece-funeral-for-roma-teenager-shot-by-police/ |
WASHINGTON — The federal government plans to end in January the public health emergency it declared earlier this year after an outbreak of mpox infected more than 29,000 people across the U.S.
Mpox cases have plummeted in recent weeks, with just a handful of new infections being reported every week in the month of November, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the height of the outbreak, over the summer, hundreds of people were being infected weekly.
The virus has primarily spread among men who have sex with infected men.
The public health emergency is expected to end in January, said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in a statement.
“Given the low number of cases today, HHS does not expect that it needs to renew the emergency declaration when it ends on January 31, 2023,” Becerra said. “But we won’t take our foot off the gas — we will continue to monitor the case trends closely and encourage all at-risk individuals to get a free vaccine.”
The U.S. struggled to contain the mpox outbreak for many months. Tests were difficult to come by and the government botched its rollout of the vaccine, with weeks of delays in getting 800,000 doses of the shots to clinics in the major cities that were hit hardest.
The tide began turning in August, shortly after the government declared a public health emergency and the White House tapped two top officials — Robert Fenton, who led the Federal Emergency Management Agency's COVID-19 vaccination effort, and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis of the CDC — to lead the response to the virus outbreak.
Their strategy included reaching out to local clinics and vaccinating people at Pride events or parades. As the two-dose Jynneos vaccine became more readily available around the country, cases started falling.
Winding down the mpox public health emergency will be a test run of sorts for the Biden administration as it braces to declare an end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, which is expected to last at least through Jan. 11. The administration has given no indication of when it will declare an end to the coronavirus public health emergency but has promised to give at last 60 days notice.
Last month the World Health Organization renamed monkeypox as mpox, citing concerns the original name of the decades-old animal disease could be construed as discriminatory and racist. | 2022-12-02T23:09:04+00:00 | wfmynews2.com | https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/nation-world/mpox-public-health-emergency-ending-january/507-8e2c113a-0c10-43ab-8f9b-895e1ebd2db9 |
A bill working its way through the Kansas legislature would criminalize abuse of sports officials.
House Bill 2139 categorizes abuse as striking, shoving, kicking, spitting on or threatening physical abuse on a sports official. Approaching sports officials in a "menacing, threatening irate or violent manner" would also be criminalized if the bill passes.
Fans in Kansas would also want to be careful about what they say to referees at a game if the bill passes. Yelling obscene language could also get a fan charged with a misdemeanor.
If the official is an adult, the abuser would face a fine of up to $1,000 and six months in jail. That punishment would increase to $2,500 and a year in jail if the official is a minor.
John Dehan, who runs Call the Game, an organization that assigns officials in the Kansas City area, testified in support of the bill. He's an outspoken advocate of officials.
Recently, he responded to a person on Twitter who said they had to comfort a 14-year-old referee who was disrespected by adults.
"Next time you yell at an official just remember they are a father/mother. Husband/wife. Son/daughter. Would you let anyone yell at your player like that? We make mistakes as officials but we don't deserve what I hear as I watch those who work for me," he tweeted. | 2023-02-09T17:58:39+00:00 | ktvq.com | https://www.ktvq.com/news/national/bill-would-criminalize-abusing-referees-in-kansas |
RCMP Looking for Driver Involved in Hit-and-Run in Saint-Jacques, NB
The Saint-Leonard RCMP is asking for the public's help following an apparent hit-and-run involving a cyclist in Saint-Jacques, N.B. earlier this month.
Police responded to a report of a hit-and-run on June 2 around 6:25 p.m. on Chemin Rivière Madawaska, according to Sgt. J.P. Bouchard. Police say a dark grey or black flat-bed, pickup truck struck the cyclist and failed to remain at the scene. The 65-year-old cyclist sustained minor injuries.
No further description of the vehicle was provided. RCMP say a licence plate number is not available at this time.
Despite the limited information, police are hoping that anyone travelling in that area of Saint-Jacques at the time of the incident, or who witnessed the hit-and-run crash, may have information that can help identify whoever was involved.
If you witnessed this hit-and-run, or have dash-camera footage or any information that may be helpful in the ongoing investigation, please contact the Saint-Léonard RCMP at 506-473-3137.
Information can also be provided anonymously through New Brunswick Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
RCMP say the investigation is ongoing. | 2022-06-22T08:48:22+00:00 | q961.com | https://q961.com/rcmp-looking-for-driver-involved-in-hit-and-run-in-saint-jacques-nb/ |
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The Belarusian state news agency on Monday reported that a dissident journalist who was pulled off a flight that was forced to land in the country and was later sentenced to eight years in prison says he has received a presidential pardon.
“I literally just signed all the relevant documents that I was pardoned. This, of course, is just great news,” Raman Pratasevich was quoted as saying by the news agency Belta.
Pratasevich was convicted and sentenced May 3 for organizing unrest and plotting to seize power.
He ran a Telegram messaging app channel that was widely used by participants in mass protests against the disputed August 2020 election that gave authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term in office.
The protests, which lasted for months, were the longest and largest demonstration of opposition to Lukashenko since he took power in 1994. Belarusian authorities responded to the demonstrations with a brutal crackdown that saw more than 35,000 people arrested, thousands beaten by police and dozens of media outlets and nongovernmental organizations shut.
Pratasevich was living in exile at the time, but he and his girlfriend were arrested in May 2021 when their Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was ordered to land in the capital of Belarus, Minsk. Belarusian authorities said there was a bomb threat but later said no explosives were found on board.
Western countries condemned the flight diversion as tantamount to hijacking and imposed strong sanctions against Lukashenko and Belarus.
Pratasevich subsequently made several confessional appearances on state television that critics claimed were made under duress. He was later released from custody and put under house arrest.
His girlfriend, a Russian citizen, was sentenced to six years in prison in May 2022.
The Belarusian human rights organization Viasna says nearly 1,500 people have been put behind bars in Belarus in connection with opposition activities.
That includes Viasna’s founder, Ales Bialiatski, one of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureates. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in May. | 2023-05-22T14:49:38+00:00 | ksn.com | https://www.ksn.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-belarusian-dissident-who-was-pulled-off-forced-down-plane-says-he-has-been-pardoned/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The word “octopus” is the singular form of octopuses, and the word “spaghetto” is the singular form of spaghetti.
It should stand to reason, then, that a single candy from a package of M&M’s is as an “M&M,” or at least something that sounds like “M&M,” right?
Well, yes and no.
While it’s technically not incorrect to call an individual M&M’s candy an “M&M,” the brand’s parent company — Mars, Incorporated — refers to each colorful bit of candy-coated chocolate as a “lentil.”
“Yes, individual M&M’s are referred to either as lentils or candies,” a spokesperson for Mars, Incorporated, recently confirmed to Nexstar.
Looking at the brand’s official website, it’s easy to see why many of the candy’s consumers or casual fans might be unaware they’ve been snacking on “lentils” this whole time. The word seems to appear in only a few press releases, product descriptions or listings for M&M’s-themed merchandise, such as the official M&M’s Lentil Coin Purse, or the M&M’s Drip Lentil Stud Tee.
“Lentils,” however, appears to be a common term for all sorts of similarly shaped chocolate candies, with distributors and confectioners across the globe embracing the term for the last century or so. A European brand of candy-coated chocolates called Lentilky, for example, was first produced in Moravia, in the now-Czech Republic, over 110 years ago, according to the Prague Morning. And the inspiration for M&M’s may have even come from a candy first marketed by Nestle as “Chocolate Lentils” in the 1930s, Mashed once reported, citing Nestle U.K. archivist Alex Hutchinson.
There’s also plenty of evidence to suggest that the makers of Skittles, made by the Wrigley Company (itself a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated), refer to individual Skittles candies as “lentils,” according to data from the back end of the official Skittles website, as well as trademark applications available online.
The people behind the official Twitter account for Skittles, though, once appeared to refute this notion, stating that an individual Skittles candy “is called a Skittles,” despite a few confused users appearing to believe otherwise.
In any case, the term “lentil” appears to be widely accepted in the candy industry for all sorts of chocolatey, minty, or even fruity candies with lentil-like or lens-like shapes.
Consumers should probably be happy about that, too. Before “lentils” was the default term, French confectioners in the 18th and 19th centuries made a specific type of tiny chocolate candy that is believed to be a precursor to lentil-shaped candies to come — and it had an objectively worse name.
So, what were they called? According to candy historians cited by the BBC, these early candies were known as “crottes de lapin” — which literally translates to “rabbit droppings.” | 2023-01-14T19:16:22+00:00 | cbs42.com | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/do-you-know-what-individual-mms-candies-are-called/ |
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said the FBI has confirmed that she was the target of a plot to kill Jewish officials in the state after a man was arrested in connection with the plot.
“The FBI has confirmed I was a target of the heavily armed defendant in this matter,” Nessel said on Twitter, in reference to a recently revealed arrest by federal officials, who say the man they arrested was plotting to kill Jewish figures in the Michigan state government.
Jack Eugene Carpenter III, who was arrested in mid-February, made threats on Twitter to kill Jewish members of the Michigan state government, according to the FBI’s affidavit. The document also says that Carpenter threatened to use “deadly force” if police pulled him over for his expired license plates. The FBI also said it was believed that Carpenter owned a number of firearms, including handguns, shotguns and rifles.
The Twitter account that the FBI said is connected to Carpenter claims he was fired from the University of Michigan for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine. The university has around 6,500 Jewish students, according to Hillel International.
The alleged plot to kill Jewish leaders in Michigan comes after a highly-publicized plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) in 2020, which was thwarted by federal authorities. In late 2022, three men connected to the plot were convicted of all charges, which was seen as a considerable legal victory for state prosecutors.
Nessel made reference to the Whitmer case, saying she hopes federal authorities will take the threats to kill her as seriously as state officials took the plot to harm Whitmer.
“It is my sincere hope that the federal authorities take this offense just as seriously as my Hate Crimes & Domestic Terrorism Unit takes plots to murder elected officials,” she said on Twitter. | 2023-03-02T14:24:10+00:00 | wcia.com | https://www.wcia.com/hill-politics/michigan-attorney-general-says-fbi-confirmed-she-was-target-of-plot-to-kill-jewish-officials/ |
Continued growth and expansion for one of the top providers of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) services
SAN ANTONIO, Texas , Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HardRock Directional Drilling, LLC ("HardRock"), one of the top providers of horizontal directional drilling ("HDD") services in the United States and a portfolio company of Tower Arch Capital, is pleased to announce that it has partnered with J&J Raymond Construction, LLC ("Raymond" or "Raymond Construction") in connection with founders, James and JB Raymond. This partnership expands HardRock's reach into the natural gas utilities industry and adds high-quality crews and equipment to the HardRock fleet.
Headquartered in Center, Texas, Raymond Construction provides horizontal directional drilling services to natural gas pipeline and utility companies in the East Texas region. Raymond will be a wholly owned subsidiary of HardRock, and the Raymond family will continue as significant investors in the consolidated HardRock business.
Robert Myers, CEO of HardRock, said, "We are thrilled to partner with Raymond Construction and the Raymond family. There is a strong cultural fit between our teams, and we share a like-minded approach to our work—we focus on providing the best service while always putting safety first. The partnership will lead to significant geographic expansion for HardRock while also diversifying our customer and end-market reach. With the support of Tower Arch Capital, we are well-capitalized to continue investing in new and existing locations and services."
In step with this new partnership and to highlight HardRock's continued expansion of capabilities and end-markets, HardRock recently completed an extensive rebranding effort. At the heart of this rebranding is a change of the company name to HardRock Infrastructure Services.
"It's a major milestone for HardRock," said David Topham, Partner at Tower Arch Capital. "Since 2003, HardRock has been taking on challenging projects that others won't touch. This new name is in response to accelerated company growth and HardRock's expanded ability to provide a comprehensive range of turnkey services to the oil, natural gas, renewables, petrochemicals, municipal, civil, and utility sectors."
"Simply put, we are an infrastructure company," added Robert Myers. "Renewable energy has been one of the key end-markets driving this diversification. Our advanced renewables division is dedicated to meeting the demand for greener, more sustainable forms of energy, and we stand at the forefront of renewable infrastructure services for our customers."
To better communicate the breadth of its capabilities, the company has also launched a new website, www.hardrockis.com. The new site highlights the services HardRock provides, key projects they have completed, and their commitment to safety and quality.
"As we continue to expand our service offering, our commitment to safety and to the highest levels of service to our customers will continue to be paramount," said Myers. "It's our whatever-it-takes mentality combined with an impeccable safety record that has distinguished HardRock since its founding."
Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, HardRock Infrastructure Services is one of the leading providers of horizontal directional drilling ("HDD") services in the United States. HardRock specializes in supplying the oil, natural gas, renewables, petrochemicals, municipal, civil, and utility sectors with a comprehensive range of turnkey services that pave the way for safety and success. With four offices and over 150 employees, HardRock offers the people, capabilities, and vision to serve the needs of a growing and evolving industry. For more information, please visit www.hardrockis.com.
Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Tower Arch Capital is a lower-middle market private equity firm. Tower Arch seeks to partner with and grow high-quality family and entrepreneur-owned companies to deliver long-term value for their management teams and investors. Tower Arch brings operational, consulting, and financial expertise to companies to help them improve their operations, scale, and grow. Target investments include control positions in entrepreneur and family-owned businesses with revenue between $20 million and $150 million or EBITDA between $5 million and $25 million. For more information, please visit www.towerarch.com.
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SOURCE HardRock Infrastructure Services | 2022-12-01T17:37:03+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/12/01/hardrock-directional-drilling-partners-with-raymond-construction-changes-name-hardrock-infrastructure-services/ |
Ex-Navajo president honored in funeral procession, reception
LOW MOUNTAIN, Ariz. (AP) — Remembered as an inspirational, humble leader with a passion for education and commitment to his people, former Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah was honored Saturday with a funeral procession that stretched for 100 miles (160 kilometers) from western New Mexico into eastern Arizona.
People lined roads on the reservation to say their final farewells to a monumental leader who made education, family, culture and Navajo language the hallmarks of his life. He fought tirelessly to correct wrongdoings against Native Americans.
“He led with compassion and a crystal-clear vision of what is right for the people first,” said Robert Joe, Zah’s nephew who served as the master of ceremonies at a public reception Saturday afternoon. “He always put the people before him to do what was right and for the interest of the people.”
Crsytalyne Curley, Zah’s granddaughter who is now the speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, said Zah “spread hope throughout the whole Navajo Nation.”
Zah died late Tuesday in Fort Defiance, Arizona, surrounded by his family and after a lengthy illness. He was 85.
Zah was buried in a private service at his family’s cemetery in Low Mountain, Arizona, where he was born.
The procession passed through several Navajo communities, with people holding their hands to their hearts and displaying signs that declared Zah would be missed. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority hoisted flags from utility trucks along the route.
“All of Indian Country mourns with you today,” said Stephen Lewis, governor of the Gila River Indian Community. “We mourn the loss of his brilliant mind, his personality, his wisdom. … We are truly mourning the passing of an era.”
Zah was the first president elected on the Navajo Nation — the largest tribal reservation in the U.S. — in 1990 after the government was restructured into three branches to prevent power from being concentrated in the chairman’s office. At the time, the tribe was reeling from a deadly riot incited by Zah’s political rival, former Chairman Peter MacDonald, a year earlier.
Zah, who also served a term as tribal chairman, vowed to rebuild the Navajo Nation. Under his leadership, the tribe established a now multi-billion-dollar permanent fund after winning a court battle that found the tribe had authority to tax companies that extracted minerals from the vast reservation.
“President Zah never lost sight of his purpose: to stand up for the dignity and respect of the Navajo people,” President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden wrote in a letter to Zah’s family Saturday.
U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said in a statement that Zah “transformed the Navajo Nation, and with it, our state.”
Sometimes referred to as the Native American Robert Kennedy, Zah was known for his charisma, ideas and ability to get things done, including lobbying federal officials to ensure Native Americans could use peyote as a religious sacrament.
Zah also worked to ensure Native Americans were reflected in federal environmental laws like the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.
He was well-known for his low-key but stern style of leadership, driving around in a battered, white 1950s International pickup that was on display outside at the public reception Saturday.
Several speakers said Zah was instrumental in their determination to attend and graduate from Arizona State University or other institutions of higher learning.
“To say Peterson Zah was a champion of education is like saying there are a lot of stars in the sky. It’s an understatement,” said Charles Monty Roessel, a former director of the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Education who is now president of Diné College in Arizona.
“He understood the transformational power of education because he saw it in his own life,” Roessel said.
Buu Van Nygren, president of the Navajo Nation, said Zah had recently met with tribal leaders to emphasize the importance of continuing to prioritize educational opportunities for their children.
“He made sure education was at the forefront of everything he did,” Nygren said. “He touched many, many generations of young Navajo leaders like myself.” | 2023-03-13T00:59:58+00:00 | mynorthwest.com | https://mynorthwest.com/3855982/ex-navajo-president-honored-in-funeral-procession-reception/ |
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2023-01-26T03:10:46+00:00 | wtmj.com | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2023/01/25/ap-top-entertainment-news-at-717-p-m-est-3/ |
DALLAS, May 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT) today announced its financial results, for the third quarter ended March 29, 2023.
Third Quarter Fiscal 2023 Financial Highlights
Brinker International reported net income per diluted share of $1.12, in the third quarter of fiscal 2023, a 38% increase compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2022. Net income per diluted share, excluding special items (non-GAAP), was $1.23 in the third quarter of fiscal 2023, a 33.7% increase compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2022. Our results for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 were driven by an increase in company sales as well as improved food, beverage, and labor costs. Chili's comparable restaurant sales were 9.6% and Maggiano's were 21.6% resulting in a 10.8% increase for Brinker. Comparable restaurant sales improved due to menu pricing and favorable item mix. These operational improvements resulted in operating income margin increasing to 5.9% and restaurant operating margin (non-GAAP) increasing to 13.4% for the third quarter. Chili's initiated an updated marketing strategy focused on TV, digital, and social media advertising and continued to improve the guest experience by strengthening investments in restaurant facilities and labor.
"We are pleased to report quarterly operating performance for Brinker International that represents a nice step forward for our strategy, enabling us to make needed investments into the business, translating into an improved guest experience," said Kevin Hochman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Brinker International. "In the quarter, we also reengaged our Guests with a broader Chili's marketing campaign including TV, digital and social media. The campaign was well received by our Guests and is clearly a sales lever we can use to drive future results."
Third Quarter Financial Results
Comparable Restaurant Sales(3)
Basis of Presentation
Effective for the first quarter of fiscal 2023, we are presenting certain revenue streams within Company sales to better align with the presentation used within the casual dining industry. Our presentation of Franchise revenues will now include only revenues related to the franchise-operated restaurants. Comparative figures in prior years have been adjusted to conform to the current year's presentation. These reclassifications have no effect on Total revenues or Net income previously reported.
Company sales include revenues generated by the operation of Company-owned restaurants including food and beverage sales, net of discounts, gift card breakage, Maggiano's banquet service charge income, delivery, digital entertainment revenues, merchandise income and gift card discount costs from third-party gift card sales.
Franchise revenues include franchise royalties, franchise advertising fees, franchise and development fees and gift card program fees.
Third Quarter of Fiscal 2023 Operating Performance
Segment Performance
The table below presents selected financial information (in millions, except as noted) related to our segments' operational performance for the thirteen week periods ended March 29, 2023 and March 30, 2022:
Chili's
- Chili's Company sales increased primarily due to increased menu pricing, favorable menu item mix, and higher dine-in traffic, partially offset by lower off-premise traffic.
- Chili's Company restaurant expenses, as a percentage of Company sales, decreased slightly primarily due to sales leverage, offset by commodity price inflation, higher hourly labor expenses due to an increase in hourly wage rates and staffing levels, advertising, manager salaries and bonus, repair and maintenance expenses, utilities, and rent expense.
- Chili's franchisees generated sales of approximately $213.6 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to $190.4 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2022.
Maggiano's
- Maggiano's Company sales increased primarily due to higher dining room and banquet traffic, increased menu pricing and favorable menu item mix.
- Maggiano's Company restaurant expenses, as a percentage of Company sales, decreased primarily due to sales leverage. The decreases were partially offset by higher hourly labor due to an increase in hourly wage rates and staffing levels, commodity price inflation, manager salaries, repair and maintenance expenses, delivery expenses, property taxes, and utilities.
Income Taxes
- On a GAAP basis, the effective income tax rate was a benefit of 0.2% in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. The effective income tax rate is lower than the statutory rate of 21% due primarily to leverage of the FICA tip credit and the impact of aligning fiscal 2023 year-to-date tax expense with the current estimated annual tax rate. Excluding the impact of special items, the effective income tax rate was an expense of 2.5% in the third quarter of fiscal 2023.
Webcast Information
Investors and interested parties are invited to listen to today's conference call, as management will provide further details of the quarter and business updates. The call will be broadcast live on Brinker's website today, May 3, 2023 at 9 a.m. CDT:
For those who are unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay of the call will be available shortly thereafter and will remain on Brinker's website until at least the end of the day May 17, 2023.
Additional financial information, including statements of income which detail operations excluding special items, franchise revenues, and comparable restaurant sales trends by brand, is also available on Brinker's website under the Financial Information section of the Investor tab.
Forward Calendar
- SEC Form 10-Q for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 filing on or before May 8, 2023
- Earnings release call for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 on August 16, 2023
Non-GAAP Measures
Brinker management uses certain non-GAAP measures in analyzing operating performance and believes that the presentation of these measures in this release provides investors with information that is beneficial to gaining an understanding of the Company's financial results. Non-GAAP disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for financial results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other companies. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures are included in the tables below.
About Brinker
Brinker International, Inc. is one of the world's leading casual dining restaurant companies and home of Chili's® Grill & Bar, Maggiano's Little Italy® and the It's Just Wings® virtual brand: Founded in 1975 in Dallas, Texas, we've ventured far from home, but stayed true to our roots. Brinker owns, operates or franchises more than 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and two U.S. territories. Our passion is making people feel special, and we hope you feel that passion each time you visit one of our restaurants or invite us into your home through takeout or delivery. Learn more about Brinker and its brands at brinker.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements and tables contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are made only based on our current plans and expectations as of the date such statements are made, and we undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements are neither predictions nor guarantees of future events or performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical results or from those projected in forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the impact of general economic conditions, including inflation, on economic activity and on our operations; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; the crisis in Ukraine and related disruptions on our business including consumer demand, costs, product mix, our strategic initiatives, our partners' supply chains, operations, technology and assets, and our financial performance; the impact of competition; changes in consumer preferences; consumer perception of food safety; reduced consumer discretionary spending; unfavorable publicity; governmental regulations; the Company's ability to meet its business strategy plan; loss of key management personnel; failure to hire and retain high-quality restaurant management and team members; the impact of social media or other unfavorable publicity; reliance on technology and third party delivery providers; failure to protect the security of data of our guests and team members; product availability and supply chain disruptions; regional business and economic conditions; volatility in consumer, commodity, transportation, labor, currency and capital markets; litigation; franchisee success; technology failures; failure to protect our intellectual property; outsourcing; impairment of goodwill or assets; failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting; downgrades in credit ratings; changes in estimates regarding our assets; actions of activist shareholders; failure to comply with new environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements; failure to achieve any goals, targets or objectives with respect to ESG matters; adverse weather conditions; terrorist acts; health epidemics or pandemics (such as COVID-19); tax reform; inadequate insurance coverage and limitations imposed by our credit agreements as well as the risks and uncertainties described in "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Reconciliation of Net Income Excluding Special Items (in millions, except per share amounts)
Brinker believes excluding special items from its financial results provides investors with a clearer perspective of the Company's ongoing operating performance and a more relevant comparison to prior period results.
Restaurant operating margin is not a measurement determined in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered in isolation, or as an alternative to operating income as an indicator of financial performance. Restaurant operating margin is widely regarded in the restaurant industry as a useful metric by which to evaluate restaurant-level operating efficiency and performance of ongoing restaurant-level operations. This non-GAAP measure is not indicative of overall Company performance and profitability because this measure does not directly accrue benefit to the shareholders due to the nature of costs excluded.
We define Restaurant operating margin as Company sales less Food and beverage costs, Restaurant labor and Restaurant expenses. We believe this metric provides a more useful comparison between periods and enables investors to focus on the performance of restaurant-level operations by excluding revenues not related to food and beverage sales at Company-owned restaurants, corporate General and administrative expenses, Depreciation and amortization, and Other (gains) and charges. Restaurant operating margin as presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies in our industry.
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA (in millions)
Adjusted EBITDA is not a measurement determined in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered in isolation, or as an alternative to net income as an indicator of financial performance. Brinker believes presenting Adjusted EBITDA provides a useful measure of our operating performance, excluding the impacts of financing costs, capital expenditures and special items. We define Adjusted EBITDA as Net income before (Benefit) Provision for income taxes, Other income, net, Interest expenses, Depreciation and amortization and Other (gains) and charges.
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SOURCE Brinker International Payroll Company, L.P. | 2023-05-03T11:25:39+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/05/03/brinker-international-reports-third-quarter-fiscal-2023-results/ |
While world leaders from wealthy countries acknowledge the “existential threat” of climate change, Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano is racing to save his tiny island nation from drowning by raising it 13 to 16 feet (4 to 5 meters) above sea level through land reclamation.
While experts issue warnings about the eventual uninhabitability of the Marshall Islands, President David Kabua must reconcile the inequity of a seawall built to protect one house that is now flooding another one next door.
That is the reality of climate change: Some people get to talk about it from afar, while others must live it every day.
Natano and Kabua tried to show that reality on Wednesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Together they launched the Rising Nations Initiative, a global partnership aimed to preserve the sovereignty, heritage and rights of Pacific atoll island nations whose very existence have been threatened by climate change.
Natano described how rising sea levels have impacted everything from the soil that his people rely on to plant crops, to the homes, roads and power lines that get washed away. The cost of eking out a living, he said, eventually becomes too much to bear, causing families to leave and the nation itself to disappear.
“This is how a Pacific atoll dies,” Natano said. “This is how our islands will cease to exist.”
The Rising Nations Initiative seeks a political declaration by the international community to preserve the sovereignty and rights of Pacific atoll island countries; the creation of a comprehensive program to build and finance adaptation and resilience projects to help local communities sustain livelihoods; a living repository of the culture and unique heritage of each Pacific atoll island country; and support to acquire UNESCO World Heritage designation.
The initiative has already gained the support of countries like the United States, Germany, South Korea and Canada, all of which have acknowledged the unique burden that island nations like Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands must shoulder.
A U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report released in February spelled out the vulnerability of small island developing states and other global hotspots like Africa and South Asia, whose populations are 15 times more likely to die from extreme weather compared to less vulnerable parts of the world.
If warming exceeds a few more tenths of a degree, it could lead to some areas — including some small islands — becoming uninhabitable, said report co-author Adelle Thomas of Climate Analytics and the University of the Bahamas. On Wednesday, Natano noted that Tuvalu and its Pacific neighbors “have done nothing to cause climate change,” with their carbon emission contribution amounting to less than .03% of the world’s total.
“This is the first time in history that the collective action of many nations will have made several sovereign countries uninhabitable,” he said.
Representatives from other nations who attended Wednesday’s event did not deflect responsibility. But whether they will do enough to turn things around remains to be seen.
Several have pledged money to help island nations pay for early warning systems and bring their buildings up to code to better protect them from hurricanes and other weather events. But there was less talk of mitigating the problem of climate change and more about how to adapt to the devastation it has already wrought.
“We see this train coming, and it’s coming down the track, and we need to get out of the way,” said Amy Pope, deputy director general of the International Organization for Migration.
Germany’s climate envoy, Jennifer Morgan, who also attended Wednesday’s event, spoke of her country’s target to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. But while Germany remains committed to phasing out coal as a power source by 2030, it has had to reactivate coal-fired power plants to get through the coming winter amid energy shortages as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
For the president of the Marshall Islands, wealthy nations could be doing much more. During his speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, Kabua urged world leaders to take on sectors that rely on fossil fuels, including aviation and shipping. He pointed to the Marshall Islands’ carbon levy proposal for international shipping that he says “will drive the transition to zero emission shipping, channeling resources from polluters to the most vulnerable.”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has likewise encouraged going after the world’s largest polluters. During his opening remarks to the assembly on Tuesday, he pushed for richer countries to tax the profits of energy companies and redirect the funds to both “countries suffering loss and damage caused by the climate crisis” and those struggling with the rising cost of living.
In the meantime, as wealthy countries urge action instead of words in their own U.N. speeches, Kabua, Natano and their fellow island nation leaders will continue to grapple with their daily climate change reality — and try to continue to exist.
___
Pia Sarkar, a Philadelphia-based journalist for The Associated Press, is on assignment covering the U.N. General Assembly. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/PiaSarkar_TK and for more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly | 2022-09-22T14:35:52+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-drowning-island-nations-this-is-how-a-pacific-atoll-dies/ |
CLEVELAND (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the Ohio Lottery's "Pick 5 Midday" game were:
4-0-2-8-7
(four, zero, two, eight, seven)
CLEVELAND (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the Ohio Lottery's "Pick 5 Midday" game were:
4-0-2-8-7
(four, zero, two, eight, seven) | 2022-04-19T18:18:28+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/ohio/winning-numbers-drawn-in-pick-5-midday-game/D2QBPHWEEVDCRAYF7JQXCDT2YE/ |
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2022 Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, LLC. | 2022-08-23T22:03:03+00:00 | wtmj.com | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/08/23/ap-top-sports-news-at-1214-p-m-edt-2/ |
Man dressed as Michael Myers makes cameo in New Hampshire real estate listing
Man dressed as Michael Myers makes cameo in New Hampshire real estate listing
IT'S OCTOBER FIRST... WHICH MEANS WE'RE OFFICIALLY ENTERING 'SPOOKY SEASON.' ONE LOCAL REALTOR IS "CREEPING IT REAL" WITH A UNIQUE HOME LISTING. THIS HOME ON 'GUYS LANE' IN WEARE LOOKS NORMAL AT FIRST GLANCE. BUT TAKE A CLOSER LOOK... AND YOU'LL SEE 'MICHAEL MYERS' FROM THE 'HALLOWEEN' MOVIE FRANCHISE HIDDEN IN EVERY PICTURE. REALTOR TOMMY BOLDUC SAYS BOTH HE AND THE SELLERS ARE BIG HORROR MOVIE FANS... SO THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A FUN THING TO DO WITH HALLOWEEN LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY. <TOMMY BOLDUC // REALTOR: "IT WAS SOMETHING FUN THAT WE DECIDED TO DO. I BELIEVE THAT WE ALL NEED TO TAKE I
Advertisement
Man dressed as Michael Myers makes cameo in New Hampshire real estate listing
A man wearing a Michael Myers costume from the "Halloween" movie franchise is in the listing pictures of a New Hampshire home.The scary movie villain makes a cameo in the listing pictures for a home on Guys Lane in Weare.Realtor Tommy Bolduc said he and the sellers are big horror fans and thought the pictures would be fun to take with Halloween coming soon.Click the video player above to see the listing pictures. "It was something fun that we decided to do," Bolduc said. "I believe that we all need to take it easy and have a laugh every once in a while, and that was the intent."Bolduc said the house is still on the market and not haunted.
WEARE, N.H. —
A man wearing a Michael Myers costume from the "Halloween" movie franchise is in the listing pictures of a New Hampshire home.
The scary movie villain makes a cameo in the listing pictures for a home on Guys Lane in Weare.
Advertisement
Realtor Tommy Bolduc said he and the sellers are big horror fans and thought the pictures would be fun to take with Halloween coming soon.
Click the video player above to see the listing pictures.
"It was something fun that we decided to do," Bolduc said. "I believe that we all need to take it easy and have a laugh every once in a while, and that was the intent."
Bolduc said the house is still on the market and not haunted. | 2022-10-02T20:22:46+00:00 | wesh.com | https://www.wesh.com/article/michael-myers-costume-featured-in-real-estate-listing/41485748 |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Monday afternoon's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "All or Nothing Day" game were:
02-03-05-09-12-13-16-17-19-20-21-22
(two, three, five, nine, twelve, thirteen, sixteen, seventeen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two) | 2022-08-02T03:19:00+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-All-or-Nothing-Day-game-17344382.php |
HERNDON, Va., June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nacha has awarded Nacha Certified status for a second consecutive term to Paycor, a leading provider of Human Capital Management software.
Third-Party Senders using the ACH Network such as Paycor set themselves apart by becoming Nacha Certified. It shows their clients that they have met Nacha's rigorous standards in areas including ACH Rules compliance and risk management, and that they have demonstrated sound corporate governance. Upon being granted Nacha Certified status, a full review and recertification, such as the one Paycor recently completed, is required every two years.
"The modern ACH Network is a trusted, secure payment system, and its participants have a key role in keeping it that way. Nacha is recognizing Paycor's commitment to sound risk management and quality controls," said Michael Herd, Nacha Senior Vice President, ACH Network Administration.
"We are honored to become Nacha Certified for a second consecutive term, as this highlights our commitment to our customers and partners alike," said Adam Ante, Chief Financial Officer at Paycor. "The continued recognition from Nacha showcases Paycor's steady assurance to perform at the highest standards of ACH processing, compliance, and payroll security."
Learn more about the Nacha Certified program for Third-Party Senders by visiting nachacertified.org.
Nacha governs the thriving ACH Network, the payment system that drives safe, smart, and fast Direct Deposits and Direct Payments with the capability to reach all U.S. bank and credit union accounts. More than 29 billion ACH Network payments were made in 2021, valued at close to $73 trillion. Through problem-solving and consensus-building among diverse payment industry stakeholders, Nacha advances innovation and interoperability in the payments system. Nacha develops rules and standards, provides industry solutions, and delivers education, accreditation, and advisory services.
Paycor creates Human Capital Management (HCM) software for leaders who want to make a difference. Our HCM platform modernizes every aspect of people management, from recruiting, onboarding and paying associates, to developing and retaining them. But what really sets us apart is our focus on business leaders. For over 30 years, we've been listening to and partnering with leaders, so we know what they need: HR technology that saves time, powerful analytics that provide actionable insights and personalized support. That's why more than 29,000 customers trust Paycor to help them solve problems and achieve their goals.
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SOURCE Paycor | 2022-06-14T13:18:14+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/nacha-certified-status-renewed-paycor/ |
Airline passenger group's lawsuit seeks to compel the FAA to establish the seat size minimums required by the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act
WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FlyersRights.org, the largest airline passenger organization, on Monday argued its case in front of a three judge panel in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Section 577 of the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act states that the FAA "shall issue regulations that establish minimum dimensions for passenger seats…including minimums for seat pitch, width, and length, and that are necessary for the safety of passengers."
Nearly three years have passed since the 2019 deadline for this rulemaking. The FAA has stated it views the statute as optional if it believes that seat standards are not necessary to ensure passenger safety. Paul Hudson, President of FlyersRights.org, stated, "Congress and the public have made it clear that minimum seat standards are needed for passenger safety. Passengers have continued to grow taller, larger, and older while seats have continued to shrink. The FAA must examine how shrinking seats are jeopardizing passenger safety when it comes to deep vein thrombosis, emergency evacuation, and the brace position."
FlyersRights.org filed a mandamus petition in January 2022, requesting the court to set a deadline for the FAA's minimum seat size rulemaking. The FAA previously denied a 2015 FlyersRights.org rulemaking twice, in 2016 and 2018, claiming that seat size did not affect emergency evacuation times. In 2017, the D.C. Circuit faulted the FAA for relying on secret data to reach its conclusion that seat size does not and would not matter for emergency evacuations. In 2021, the DOT Inspector General found that the FAA had falsely claimed that the secret evacuation tests conducted by airplane manufacturers had tested for shrunken seats, when in fact, only one test was conducted at 28 inches or lower.
The FAA is currently seeking comments about the effect of airline seat size on just one aspect of passenger safety: emergency evacuations. The FAA request for comment does not seek comments on other safety issues such as deep vein thrombosis and the brace position. To date, the FAA has received nearly 12,000 comments. The docket can be found at: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FAA-2022-1001-0001
FlyersRights.org will be filing comprehensive comments in addition to an updated rulemaking petition calling for seat standards that allow 90% of the public to safely fit in airline seats rather than the current 50%.
To view the DOT Office of Inspector General Report, visit https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/FAA%20Oversight%20of%20Aircraft%20Evacuations%20Final%20Report%20-%2009-16-20.pdf
Michael Kirpatrick of Public Citizen argued the case for FlyersRights.org.
FlyersRights.org maintains up to date passenger rights information at www.flyersrights.org/know-your-rights/ and also provides passengers with legal information and appropriate contacts by phone, 877-FLYERS-6 and by email, hotline@flyersrights.org.
FlyersRights.org, established in 2007, is the largest airline passenger organization. It publishes a bi-weekly newsletter, operates a free hotline for airline passengers 877- FLYERS6, advocates for passenger rights and interests, represents passengers on the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee dealing with air safety and maintains a staffed office in Washington, D.C. See: FlyersRights.org or https://twitter.com/FlyersRights. Media line 800- 662-1859. FlyersRights.org, 4411 Bee Ridge Road, 274, Sarasota, FL 34233
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SOURCE FlyersRights.org | 2022-09-14T01:59:43+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/flyers-rights-argues-minimum-seat-size-standards-case-federal-appeals-court-asserting-that-faa-must-follow-law/ |
NEW YORK, April 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Summit Golf Brands, the leading manufacturer of high-end golf apparel and sportswear, today announced a partnership between two of their notable brands, B.Draddy and Zero Restriction, and world-renowned professional golfer, Patrick Cantlay. Patrick is currently the 4th ranked golfer in the world.
Patrick's first tournament as a Brand Ambassador for B.Draddy and Zero Restriction will coincide with the year's first major, The Masters. Cantlay has been a fixture among the top of the golf ranks throughout his career. A native of Long Beach, California, he turned pro in 2012 at age 20 after 54 consecutive weeks as the top ranked amateur and broke into the Top-10 of the OWGR in 2019. As a professional he has eight PGA Tour victories including a victory at the 2021 Tour Championship which solidified him winning the season long Fed-Ex Cup and being named the PGA Tour's Player of the Year.
His partnership with B.Draddy and Zero Restriction marks a continued commitment to his craft as he looks for exceptional, dependable high-quality apparel he can count on to both look good and perform at the highest level of competition.
"I am thrilled to be joining the B.Draddy and Zero Restriction family. They have mastered the art of making the highest quality products that provide comfort, style, and performance," says Cantlay. "Their passion to be the best at what they do aligns with my own goals, and those are the type of partners I look to surround myself with."
Cantlay has represented his country at the 2020 US Ryder Cup and 2019 and 2022 Presidents Cup teams. In 2022, Patrick continued his winning ways with victories mounted at the Zurich Classic and the BMW Championship. As Patrick continues to perform at the top of his game, the team at Zero Restriction and B.Draddy are excited to stand alongside and support as an apparel partner.
"Patrick is a perfect combination of dedication, hard work and sheer talent," says Chad Delp, President & CEO. "We are honored he selected B.Draddy and Zero Restriction in his search for the best apparel available to help him achieve even greater accomplishments going forward. We are excited for what the future holds for both Patrick and our company."
Drawing on 30 years' experience, Zero Restriction offers a full breadth of industry leading apparel and has been selected to outfit Team USA in the last two Presidents Cup events – Cantlay also was represented on each of these teams. Celebrating its 10th year and currently one of the fastest growing brands in golf, B.Draddy's guiding principle is to provide the highest quality products. Taking inspiration from the past but utilizing modern techniques in fabric construction and finishing, B.Draddy captures an aristocratic bohemian aesthetic.
More info can be found at zerorestriction.com and bdraddy.com.
Media Contact
Lauren Hannemann
lhannemann@summitgolfbrands.com
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SOURCE Summit Golf Brands | 2023-04-03T16:42:20+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/04/03/b-draddy-amp-zero-restriction-sign-ambassador-deal-with-patrick-cantlay/ |
LONDON (AP) — Buckingham Palace says Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the opening of Parliament on Tuesday amid ongoing mobility issues.
The palace said in a statement Monday that the decision was made in consultation with her doctors and that the 96-year-old monarch had “reluctantly’’ decided not to attend.
Prince Charles will read her speech, which sets out the government’s agenda for the coming parliamentary session. Prince William will also attend.
Elizabeth has attended only a handful of public events in recent months, though she continues to hold virtual audiences regularly.
In Other News | 2022-05-09T18:03:13+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/queen-wont-attend-parliament-opening-due-to-mobility-issues/ZWKEVFOUYNBA3GDJYYFV4Z3JSU/ |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department found Louisville police have engaged in a pattern of violating constitutional rights and discrimination against the Black community following an investigation prompted by the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor.
Attorney General Merrick Garland made the announcement Wednesday. A Justice Department report found the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government and Louisville Metro Police Department "engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of their rights under the Constitution and federal law."
The report said the Louisville police department "discriminates against Black people in its enforcement activities," uses excessive force and conducts searches based on invalid warrants. It also said the department violates the rights of people engaged in protected speech, like the street protests in the city in the summer of 2020 after Taylor's death. Garland said some officers have assaulted people with disabilities and called Black people disparaging names.
“This conduct is unacceptable, it is heartbreaking,” Garland said. “It erodes the community trust necessary for effective policing and it is an affront to the vast majority of officers who put their lives on the line every day to serve Louisville with honor.”
The sweeping probe announced in April 2021 is known as a “pattern or practice” investigation — examining whether there is a pattern of unconstitutional or unlawful policing inside the department. The city will sign a negotiated agreement with the Justice Department and a federal officer will monitor the progress.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the city “has wounds that are not yet healed.”
“We have to come to terms with where we’ve been, so we can get to where we want to be,” Greenberg said.
Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was roused from her bed by police who came through the door using a battering ram after midnight on March 13, 2020. Three officers fired shots after Taylor’s boyfriend, fearing an intruder, shot an officer in the leg. Taylor was struck several times and died at the scene.
The warrant used to enter her home is now part of a separate federal criminal investigation, and one former Louisville officer has already pleaded guilty to helping falsify information on the warrant. No drugs were found in Taylor's home. Two more officers are charged in the warrant probe, and a third, Brett Hankison, is charged with endangering Taylor and her neighbors with his shots into her apartment.
One of the attorneys for Taylor's family, Ben Crump, said the family was encouraged by the Justice Department's results.
“These findings, and LMPD’s expected cooperation with the DOJ’s recommended remedial measures, will help protect the citizens of Louisville and shape its culture of policing,” Crump said in a news release.
The report said Black motorists were more likely to be searched during traffic stops, and officers used neck restraints, police dogs and Tasers against people who posed no imminent threat. Garland cited one incident where two officers threw drinks at pedestrians and recorded the encounters. Those incidents happened in 2018 and 2019. Both officers are facing federal charges.
NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson applauded the Justice Department findings but said federal lawmakers have yet to step up and enact wider police reforms.
“While Congress continues to fail our country with police reform, at least the Department of Justice is taking their jobs seriously. Today marks a meaningful step toward police accountability and — should Congress now decide to step up — police reform," Johnson's statement said.
He added that the group lauded Garland and the Department of Justice for continuing a “pursuit of justice” and added, "Congress should take a page from their book, do their jobs, and pass the legislation necessary to save innocent lives.”
Louisville police have undergone five leadership changes since the Taylor shooting, and new Mayor Craig Greenberg is interviewing candidates for the next chief. The city has settled a number of lawsuits related to the incident, including a $12 million payment to Taylor’s family that ended a wrongful death lawsuit.
Garland also mentioned some reforms the city has undergone since Taylor's death, including a city law banning the use of “no-knock” warrants in 2020. The warrants are typically used in surprise drug raids. The city also started a pilot program that aims to send behavioral health professionals to some 911 calls, expanded community violence prevention efforts and sought to support health and wellness for officers, the report said.
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Credit: AP | 2023-03-08T20:19:18+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/after-taylor-shooting-feds-find-police-discrimination/TE5TCAPSHJG5FJ3SE5JZ6W7LZE/ |
Administrators at a Wisconsin elementary school stopped a first-grade class from performing a Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton duet promoting LGBTQ acceptance because the song “could be perceived as controversial.”
Students at Heyer Elementary School in Waukesha had prepared a rendition of “Rainbowland” for their spring concert, but school officials struck the song from the lineup last week. Parents in the district say the decision was made because the song encourages LGBTQ acceptance and references rainbows.
Superintendent James Sebert confirmed to Fox6 that administrators had removed “Rainbowland” from the first-grade concert because it might not be “appropriate for the age and maturity level of the students.” He also cited a school board policy against raising controversial issues in classrooms.
Sebert has previously prohibited rainbows and pride flags from being displayed in Waukesha classrooms and suspended the school district’s equity and diversity work in 2021.
“Let’s all dig down deep inside, brush the judgment and fear aside,” the song from Cyrus’ 2017 album “Younger Now” goes. “Living in a Rainbowland, where you and I go hand in hand. Oh, I’d be lying if I said this was fine, all the hurt and the hate going on here.”
First-grade teacher Melissa Tempel said she chose the song because its message seemed universal and sweet. The class concert’s theme was “The World” and included other songs such as “Here Comes the Sun,” by The Beatles and “What a Wonderful World,” by Louis Armstrong.
“My students were just devastated. They really liked this song and we had already begun singing it,” Tempel said Monday.
Administrators also initially banned the song “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppets but later reversed that decision, according to Tempel.
Parents have been angered by the song’s removal, Tempel said. But she was more concerned about what the ban and other district policies against expressing LGBTQ support meant for students.
“These confusing messages about rainbows are ultimately creating a culture that seems unsafe towards queer people,” she said.
Spokespersons for Parton and Cyrus did not immediately respond to emails on Monday asking the artists’ thoughts on the ban.
Wisconsin school boards races, including in Waukesha, have become increasingly partisan in recent years. Republicans saw big gains across the state’s school board races in 2022 and have used the positions to challenge policies from rules about transgender kids to COVID-19 restrictions. | 2023-03-27T23:11:24+00:00 | chicagotribune.com | https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/miley-cyrus-dolly-parton-20230327-2r4fvwdzfzfnpizczsooaugqmy-story.html |
Which Elf on the Shelf letter is best?
“The Elf on the Shelf” is a bestselling children’s book and a holiday tradition for many families. Letters from the children’s elf make this holiday tradition engaging and fun for the whole family. There are several ways for an elf to send letters to their children. Letters such as Official Elf Reports are a top choice for their versatility and ability to be used year after year. However, there are a wide variety of options you should consider when shopping for an Elf on the Shelf letter.
What to know before you buy an Elf on the Shelf letter
What is Elf on the Shelf?
An Elf on the Shelf is a special scout from the North Pole who encourages children to behave well during the Christmas season. Throughout the night, Santa’s little helper — the elf — returns to the North Pole to report whether the children have been good or bad. According to “The Elf on the Shelf” book, it’s forbidden for children to touch the elf, or they’ll lose their magic. The official Elf on the Shelf website recommends writing a letter to Santa and sprinkling a bit of cinnamon beside the elf if they’re touched by mistake.
In addition, the elf can’t talk or move while a child is awake; when the elf travels to the North Pole, it only moves at night. Upon returning home, the Elf takes up a new position in the house.
‘The Elf on the Shelf’ book
Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell are the authors and published the book “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition.” Originally released in 2005, “The Elf on the Shelf” caught the world’s attention and became a bestseller.
“The Elf on the Shelf” book is based on a holiday tradition started by the Aebersold family in the 1970s. According to their family’s tradition, an elf would come to their house every year after Thanksgiving to keep an eye on the children and prevent them from misbehaving.
How to introduce Elf on the Shelf
Parents should begin by deciding when the elf will start appearing. Typically, the elf shows up in December to keep an eye on the kids during the Christmas season. However, parents should keep in mind the elf must keep coming every day until Christmas Eve, so if parents forget or miss a day, there must be a good reason why the elf didn’t move.
Think of a name for the elf. Then, during their visit, introduce the elf by name and encourage kids to call it by that name. Kids love this because it makes the elf feel like a member of the family.
To introduce the elf to the family, set up the elf in an open area where children can see them one morning. Traditionally, Santa delivers the elf by writing a letter. This letter explains what the elf does, how long they’re going to stay and what rules the kids need to follow.
What to look for in a quality Elf on the Shelf letter
Elf on the Shelf arrival letter
An arrival letter is greetings from the elf on their first day back for the holidays. The letter informs the family that the elf has been resting up for the upcoming holiday season. To reacquaint the elf at home, hand the note to the kids on the first day the elf is back at home. Look for an arrival letter that lets the children know the elf is getting all moved in and is going to make their first appearance of the season soon.
Elf on the Shelf goodbye letter
The goodbye letter is a keepsake that children can treasure and reread. Typically, children receive a little goodbye letter from their elf on Christmas Eve. The best goodbye letters are comforting and help children process their emotions as they prepare to say goodbye to their elf until next year.
Elf on the Shelf reports
Elf report cards are given to children to determine whether their behavior has been naughty or nice. Traditionally, children receive a report after doing a chore such as making the bed and brushing their teeth. Parents can put their children on the nice list, which may make things easier around the house. Conversely, parents can use the report cards to warn children their behavior has landed them on the naughty list.
How much you can expect to spend on an Elf on the Shelf letter
A digital download Elf on the Shelf letter is very cost-effective and typically costs $1-$6. Cardstock Elf on the Shelf letters cost slightly more depending on the size, quantity and design quality, usually selling for somewhere from $15-$35.
Elf on the Shelf letter FAQ
What’s the best way to respond to the criticism of The Elf on the Shelf?
A. The Elf on the Shelf is viewed by some as a sham that threatens children’s trustworthiness and eventually causes them to become gullible. However, participating in Elf on the Shelf is known to foster imagination and creativity, just like believing in Santa. There’s an argument that imagination is about pretending, so pretending that the Elf on the Shelf comes alive at night feeds a child’s imagination and introduces them to the concept of what’s real and what is make-believe.
How can parents answer kids’ questions about stores selling Elves?
A. Parents should prepare for questions about why the elf is also in stores. Parents can tell children that there’s a long list of families waiting for an elf, and they were lucky to get one this year. Then explain that elves can be bought in the store for families who did not receive them from Santa.
What’s the best Elf on the Shelf letter to buy?
Top Elf on the Shelf letter
What you need to know: Parents and teachers can use these reports to note children’s behavior as naughty or nice during the holiday season.
What you’ll love: These notes pair well with the Elf on the Shelf and can be used in between the arrival and goodbye letters.
What you should consider: The manufacturer notes that the size and colors may vary slightly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Elf on the Shelf letter for the money
Elf on The Shelf Scout Elf Express Delivers: Letters to Santa
What you need to know: This Elf on the Shelf kit has everything needed for children to create letters for their elf to take all the way to Santa in the North Pole.
What you’ll love: The kit includes Mrs. Claus’ magic press paper that shrinks to elf-size so it can easily be carried by your elf.
What you should consider: Some found the process of shrinking the magic paper difficult.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Just Simply Mom Designs Printable Elf Welcome and Goodbye Letter
What you need to know: This digital download includes a personalized arrival and goodbye letter from your Elf on the Shelf.
What you’ll love: This 8.5-by-11-inch document can be personalized with the children’s names, the Elf’s name and body text.
What you should consider: Basic computer and editing skills are needed.
Where to buy: Sold by Etsy
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-18T12:19:59+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/holiday-br/best-elf-on-the-shelf-letter/ |
Stocks on Wall Street slip amid expectations for rate hike
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is slipping Monday in the first trading for stocks after a report raised speculation the Federal Reserve may tap the brakes a little harder on the economy.
The S&P 500 was 0.6% lower in early trading. It did not trade on Friday, when the U.S. government said that job growth across the economy slowed a touch more than expected last month but remains resilient.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 53 points, or 0.2%, at 33,432, as of 9:45 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 1.1% lower.
Stocks were catching up to the bond market, where yields rose Friday on expectations the jobs data would push the Fed to raise interest rates at its next meeting. The Fed has already hiked rates at a furious pace over the last year in hopes of driving down inflation.
Higher rates can undercut inflation, but only by slowing the entire economy in one fell swoop. That raises the risk of a recession in the future and drags down prices for stocks, bonds and other investments.
Traders are betting on a roughly 70% probability the Fed will raise its key overnight interest rate in May by 0.25 percentage points to a range of 5% to 5.25%, according to data from CME Group. A day before Friday’s jobs report, they saw a roughly coin flip’s chance that the Fed would stand pat at its next meeting.
The Fed has jacked up rates at every one of its meetings over the past year, forcing them up from near zero at the start of 2022.
In the bond market, Treasury yields were relatively stable. The 10-year yield, which helps set rates for mortgages and other important loans, slipped to 3.40% from 3.41% Friday.
While the jobs report raised expectations for another rate hike, it also showed a steady-enough labor market to bolster hopes among some investors that the Fed could pull off what’s called a “soft landing” for the economy. That’s where the Fed succeeds in raising rates just enough to stifle the economy but not so much as to create a severe recession.
The overriding bet within the bond market, though, seems to be that the economy will weaken so much that the Federal Reserve will have to cut rates as soon as this summer. Lower rates can relax the pressure on the economy and financial markets, but it also could given inflation more room to run. The Fed has so far said it sees no rate cuts happening this year.
Another report coming on Wednesday could have a bigger impact on expectations for the Fed. That’s when the U.S. government will release its latest monthly update on prices across the economy at the consumer level. Economists expect it to show inflation slowed last month but remains well above the Fed’s target.
Also this week, earnings reporting season will begin for the biggest U.S. companies. Delta Air Lines, JPMorgan Chase and UnitedHealth Group will be among the first of the S&P 500 companies to report how much profit they made during the first three months of the year.
Expectations are low, and analysts are forecasting the sharpest drop in earnings per share since the pandemic pummeled the economy in the spring of 2020.
Analysts forecast a particularly sharp drop for profits at technology companies, third-worst among the 11 sectors that make up the S&P 500, according to FactSet.
Tech stocks also tend to be among the hardest hit by higher interest rates, which often hurt the riskiest and highest-growth stocks the most.
Apple and Microsoft were among the heaviest weights on the S&P 500 Monday. Apple dropped 2.7%, and Microsoft fell 2%.
Tesla fell 3.7% in its first trading after the electric-vehicle company cut prices on its entire U.S. model lineup for the third time this year. It’s apparently trying to entice more buyers amid rising interest rates, which make auto loans more expensive.
In markets abroad, stocks were mixed across Asia.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 0.4% after the new governor of Japan’s central bank signaled he plans no drastic changes in its ultra-low interest rate policy.
In Europe, many stock markets were closed.
___
AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-04-10T14:13:18+00:00 | kob.com | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/stocks-on-wall-street-slip-amid-expectations-for-rate-hike/ |
The Cleveland Guardians can clinch the American League Central title with a sweep of the Texas Rangers on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.
The Guardians (85-67), who have six straight wins, will get to celebrate if they take the final game of a three-game set against the Rangers (65-86).
Oscar Gonzalez led the offense for the Guardians on Saturday night, hitting his 10th and 11th home runs of the season. The two-homer evening was the outfielder’s second multi-homer game of the month.
Andres Gimenez gave the Guardians a lead they would not relinquish with a go-ahead solo homer in the seventh inning, his 17th of a breakout season for the 24-year-old.
Guardians right-hander Aaron Civale (2-6, 5.29 ERA) is expected to get the starting nod in the finale, his second since missing returning from a forearm issue. The 27-year-old tossed five innings of two-run ball in Chicago against the White Sox on Tuesday before settling for a no-decision.
This will mark Civale’s first outing of the season against the Rangers. He’s made two starts spanning 12 innings in his career against them, going 1-1 with a tidy 0.75 ERA. His most recent start against Texas was his final outing of the 2021 season on Oct. 3, when he hurled six scoreless frames while allowing just three hits and a walk against four strikeouts.
Countering Civale for Texas will be southpaw Cole Ragans (0-2, 5.40), who is scheduled to make his eighth major league start of 2022.
Ragans has split his season between the minors and the Rangers. He went 3-2 with a 3.32 ERA across eight starts with Triple-A Round Rock before making his big-league debut on Aug. 4 against the White Sox, when he gave up one unearned run in five innings.
Ragans has yet to pitch more than five innings in any of his seven MLB starts.
Marcus Semien continued a strong second half for the Rangers on Saturday, giving the club an early 1-0 lead with his 24th homer of the season. Semien has hit .275 with an .825 OPS since the All-Star break after struggling to begin his Rangers tenure.
Texas interim manager Tony Beasley lamented his team’s inability to produce runs despite getting traffic on the bases. The Rangers were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position on Saturday.
“We haven’t been able to get a lot of timely hitting of late,” Beasley said. “Hopefully we can reverse that.”.
Between their victory and the Chicago White Sox’s loss to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, the Guardians’ magic number to win the Central fell to one.
“We all believe this is what we’re capable of this year, and it’s been fun to watch everyone jump on board,” said the Guardians’ Cal Quantrill (14-5), who was Saturday’s winning pitcher.
–Field Level Media | 2022-09-25T20:27:18+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/mlb/guardians-look-to-clinch-central-with-win-vs-rangers/ |
PORTLAND, Maine • A bargain hunter who went to an estate sale in Maine to find a KitchenAid mixer, a bookshelf or vintage clothing walked away with a 700-year-old treasure.
Instead of a kitchen appliance, Will Sideri stumbled upon a framed document hanging on a wall. It had elaborate script in Latin, along with musical notes and gold flourishes. A sticker said 1285 AD. Based on what he'd seen in a manuscripts class at Colby College, the document looked downright medieval.
And it was a bargain at $75.
Academics confirmed the parchment was from The Beauvais Missal, used in the Beauvais Cathedral in France, and dated to the late 13th century. It was used about 700 years ago in Roman Catholic worship, they said.
An expert on manuscripts said the document, first reported by the Maine Monitor, could be worth as much as $10,000.
After spying the unusual manuscript, Sideri contacted his former Colby College professor, who was familiar with it because there's another page in the college collection. The professor reached out to another academic who'd researched the document. They quickly confirmed the authenticity.
The parchment was part of a prayer book and priests' liturgy, said Lisa Fagin Davis, executive director of the Medieval Academy of America and a professor of manuscript studies at Simmons University in Boston.
The full missal was once owned by William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper publisher, before being sold in the 1940s and, much to the consternation of today's academics, was divvied up into individual pages, she said.
The practice was common in the early 20th century. "Thousands of unique manuscripts were destroyed and scattered this way," Davis said.
Davis has painstakingly researched The Beauvais Missal, and has tracked down more than 100 individual pages across the country. All told, the missal numbered 309 pages in its original form.
The page purchased by Sideri is of particular interest to scholars.
It's a treasure both because of its age and condition, which is far better than the other page in the Colby collection, said Megan Cook, Sideri's former professor, who teaches medieval literature at Colby.
The parchment is worth upward of $10,000, according to Davis. But Sideri said he has no intention of selling it.
He said he likes the history and beauty of the parchment — and the story of how he stumbled upon it.
"This is something at the end of the day that I know is cool," he said. "I didn't buy this expecting to sell it."
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Error! There was an error processing your request. | 2022-09-23T23:07:09+00:00 | djournal.com | https://www.djournal.com/news/nation-world/bargain-hunter-scores-700-year-old-medieval-times-document/article_dbc18fa2-5544-5a15-bb16-be70265649e6.html |
PHILADELPHIA, PA (SILVER STAR NATION) – The 4-1 Dallas Cowboys take center stage on Sunday Night Football against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Cowboys, winners of their last four consecutive games, will once again have backup quarterback Cooper Rush at the helm when they take on Jalen Hurts and his 5-0 division leading Eagles on Sunday night.
Cowboys insider Mickey Spagnola has his “Keys to the Game” this week and says it remains all about the defense and solid play from Cooper Rush.
Kickoff from Philly is Sunday at 7:15 p.m. Central Daylight Time. | 2022-10-15T23:53:18+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/sports/silver-star-nation/mickeys-keys-to-defeating-the-eagles/ |
Students ill after coming into contact with weed killer at Arizona elementary school
PHOENIX (KPHO/Gray News) - Firefighters in Arizona are evaluating nearly a dozen children who reported feeling ill after coming into contact with pesticides at a Phoenix elementary school.
KPHO reports that fire crews responded to Midtown Primary School, about 15 minutes north of downtown Phoenix, for multiple children not feeling well Tuesday morning.
Crews said 10 students were checked when they arrived at the school.
Currently, no one has been transported to the hospital with crews treating students at the school.
According to investigators, a pesticide company was working next door when weed killer was accidentally sprayed close to playground woodchips.
Additional units, including hazmat crews, were also called to the school.
Authorities did not release any further immediate information.
Copyright 2023 KPHO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2023-02-28T20:49:44+00:00 | kttc.com | https://www.kttc.com/2023/02/28/students-ill-after-coming-into-contact-with-weed-killer-arizona-elementary-school/ |
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Serbia and Kosovo must recognize each other in order to join the European Union, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Friday said as he expressed support for quicker integration of the Western Balkans into the bloc amid the war in Ukraine.
Scholz, on a visit to the Western Balkans, also pressed Serbia to join Western sanctions against Russia despite its historic and current ties to Moscow, which supplies most of Serbia’s energy needs.
“It is important that we all together show solidarity and help Ukraine defend against the aggression,” Scholz said during a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade. “It is our expectation that these sanctions must be supported by all those who are candidates for EU membership.”
Vucic said Scholz requested in a “decisive, clear and strict” way that Serbia join the sanctions.
While Serbia is formally a candidate for EU membership, it has maintained friendly ties with its fellow Slavic ally Russia despite the war. Russia has backed Serbia’s effort to retain claim on Kosovo, a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008 with Western backing.
Earlier Friday in Kosovo’s capital of Pristina, Scholz called for a clear commitment to reaching a lasting political solution to the long-standing dispute over Kosovo’s independence that has remained a source of tensions in the Balkans.
Scholz said Russia’s war in Ukraine made the region’s stability even more important. Kosovo and Serbia have held normalization talks facilitated by the EU for years, but the talks have had little impact.
“It is clear that an agreement must ultimately also clear up the question of the recognition of Kosovo, because it is not conceivable that two countries that don’t recognize each other become members of the EU,” Scholz said in Pristina.
Later in Belgrade, Scholz added that “our view on the Kosovo question isn’t new. It’s been known for a long time.”
But Vucic said Scholz’s remarks on mutual recognition was “the first time that we hear” this was a condition for EU membership, and that Serbia must consider what to do next.
“We have never heard from anyone in Europe that they are asking for mutual recognition,” he said, adding defiantly that “as much as you like (the territorial) integrity of Ukraine, that much we love Serbia’s (territorial integrity).”
Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, declared independence a decade after a brutal 1998-1999 war between separatist ethnic Albanian rebels and Serb forces. The war ended after a 78-day NATO air campaign that drove Serb troops out.
Most Western nations have recognized Kosovo’s sovereignty, but Serbia and its allies Russia and China do not.
The six Western Balkan countries are at different stages of their EU membership aspirations. Serbia and Montenegro have started full negotiations, while Albania and North Macedonia have faced delays in the EU launching their talks. Kosovo and Bosnia are in the early stages of the membership process.
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti earlier said the country would apply for EU candidacy status, which Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia have done. Kurti described joining the EU as “the only future.”
Scholz next flew to Greece, where he attended a dinner following a meeting of southeastern European leaders hosted by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the northern city of Thessaloniki. He was later due to travel to North Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Mitsotakis called for an “active commitment” from the EU that the Western Balkans’ accession bids will be accelerated.
“I … propose 2033 as the target date for all the countries (of the Western Balkans) to enter the EU,” he said. “It’s an ambitious target but I think it can be realistic if the idea of expansion returns to the union’s core values.”
In Tallinn, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer urged Friday that Western Balkan countries seeking EU membership should not be forgotten as Ukraine knocks at the EU door.
“We must give these states the same chance as Ukraine. They need this just as urgently and have been waiting for decades in some cases,” Nehammer said.
European leaders are expected to consider Ukraine’s bid for EU candidate status at the end of June.
——-
Semini reported from Tirana, Albania; Geir Moulson in Berlin, Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen and Philip-Moritz Jenne in Vienna contributed. Jovana Gec contributed from Belgrade, Serbia, and Nicholas Paphitis from Athens, Greece.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
___
Follow Llazar Semini at https://twitter.com/lsemini | 2022-06-11T02:48:12+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/news/world/germanys-scholz-urges-kosovo-serbia-to-commit-to-dialogue/ |
Also, announces Bluetooth connectivity in addition to Air Gap for transactions
CAMPBELL, Calif., Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- iCoin Technology, a U.S. based manufacturer of third-generation modern crypto hardware wallets, announced today full support for storing and viewing NFTs along with support for Stablecoins. With these added features, iCoin has made self-custody that much easier for cryptocurrency owners of all levels of experience to liberate themselves from exchanges and third-party custodians.
NFTs or "non-fungible tokens" are a very popular form of digital collectible, which can be bought and sold using cryptocurrency on a blockchain. NFTs can range from art and sound recordings to tickets, in-game content and more. The potential NFT use cases are limitless, but regardless of their utility, a simple to use modern hardware wallet is still required to safely and securely store them.
Typical first-time buyers tend to store their NFTs keys on free smart phone apps. However, storing NFT keys on smartphone apps incurs the risk of having them stolen by cybercriminals. Smart phones are connected to a network, and cybercriminals have had huge success creating malicious apps that look like normal apps whose only purpose is to steal private keys and alter transactions on mobile phone apps – essentially stealing the buyer's NFTs and other cryptocurrency.
Storing your keys on a cold storage hardware wallet dramatically increases protection against theft of NFTs and cryptocurrency because the wallet is never connected to the internet or cellular networks. The iCoin modern hardware wallet also has important useability features such as a large touch screen, keyboard, and camera for transferring information through QR codes. In addition, the wallet has superior processing power and memory for generating and storing an enormous number of private keys.
"iCoin believes liberating your cryptocurrency from exchanges and third-party operators by taking personal custody of your private keys is the cornerstone of Bitcoin innovation, and this approach should be applied to all cryptocurrencies. Our job is to remove the fear and complexity from this process and make it intuitive and simple to use for novices and experts alike, while improving security rather than compromising it."
- Chet Silvestri, CEO, iCoin Technology
Today, iCoin also announces support for Bluetooth communication to securely sign and communicate transaction information to their proprietary smartphone app, iCoin Mobile. This option gives customers the convenience of using Bluetooth as an alternative to using Air Gap. Even with Bluetooth functionality, private keys never leave the security of the hardware wallet.
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, iCoin Technology is a pioneer of a new class of hardware wallets for the digital economy, blending consumer-grade ease-of-use with industrial-strength security.
Learn more at https://www.icointechnology.com/ or follow us on Linkedin, twitter, Instagram. Purchase at the iCoin store.
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SOURCE iCoin Technology | 2022-10-25T17:50:57+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/prnewswire/2022/10/25/icoin-technology-announces-hardware-wallet-support-nfts-stablecoins-addition-existing-support-bitcoin-eth/ |
A link to the Great Lakes expedition cruise experience video can be found on the GLCA website greatlakescruiseassociation.com and the Great Lakes Cruise Association YouTube channel HERE.
KINGSTON, ON, Jan. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - An alternative destination for expedition cruise ships is making waves in the industry. One that offers an unrivaled variety of topography, vast nature-based experiences and the vibrancy of a diverse cultural mosaic. From cosmopolitan cities to lakeside villages, the boundless adventures are the envy of cruise destinations around the globe. The Great Lakes offers a world of exploration never before known by cruise operators. A new video produced by The Great Lakes Cruise Association (GLCA) presents an overview of the Great Lakes expedition cruise experience.
With the emergence and growth of expedition cruising, the decision was made to develop a new destination tailored to the burgeoning industry. The saltwater estuary at the mouth of the St. Lawrence Seaway yields to the world's largest volume of freshwater supplied by the "inland seas." This expansive region, from the first port of call of Montréal to northwestern terminus of Thunder Bay, provides a glimpse into the storied past of early settlers, the important strategic locations of historical forts and villages and an indelible impression of the original inhabitants of this pristine land. GLCA represents most of the ports and tourism suppliers in the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes. With the introduction of its new product brand, Great Lakes Expedition Cruising, Executive Director, Stephen Burnett states, "Our mission is to smooth the way for our cruise partners and to encourage them to sail into the communities we represent throughout the Great Lakes. Our new video demonstrates the exciting opportunities that our expedition product brand facilitates."
En route west, visitors soon discover the vast wilderness of the mighty St. Lawrence River — the so-called "main character" of Canadian history. In 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier happened upon the river and recounts in his journal, "Comme la vie était dure" how hard was the life of these first explorers. Burnett explains, "Fast forward five centuries and the seaway experience now sits in the lap of luxury aboard intimate expedition ships."
Expedition cruise ships are much smaller than their floating city-sized, ocean-going counterparts. With shallow drafts, they are able to navigate closer to more isolated ports and scenic wonders. Expedition cruising in the Great Lakes places the emphasis on experiences ashore, many of which are well off the beaten path. Cruise operators may offer their guests opportunities to discover remote regions and get up close and personal with the natural environment — the unique flora and fauna of each port of call — and learn of the territories with a team of experts. Guests may engage in ambitious hikes, view endemic wildlife, learn of the history of Indigenous peoples, indulge in local cultures and attend lectures from naturalists and scientists.
Burnett describes the experience, "This enormous eco-region hosts a variety of aquatic, wetland, forest and dune habitats. We invite cruise operators and their guests to explore the stunning, biodiverse Great Lakes region during an unforgettable journey aboard their expedition cruise ships."
A link to the Great Lakes expedition cruise experience video can be found on the GLCA website greatlakescruiseassociation.com and the Great Lakes Cruise Association YouTube channel HERE.
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SOURCE Great Lake Cruise Association, Expedition Tours | 2023-01-10T21:38:26+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2023/01/10/new-video-shows-how-expedition-cruising-is-making-waves-great-lakes-region/ |
IRVINE, Calif., June 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pavo Insurance Solutions, is thrilled to announce a strategic partnership with Agile Premium Finance. This collaboration aims to transform the premium financing landscape by delivering innovative solutions to the insurance industry.
Pavo Insurance Solutions, is at the forefront of innovation as the insurance industry's first premium finance marketplace. Pavo's comparative exchange introduces a next-generation connector that seamlessly integrates new financing solutions into insurance platforms, programs, and agency management systems. By embedding this cutting-edge experience within existing workflows, Pavo accelerates the quoting process, reduces errors, and provides a turnkey solution for brokers and insureds.
This strategic partnership between Pavo Insurance Solutions and Agile Premium Finance leverages the strengths and expertise of both organizations to create unparalleled value within the insurance industry. By combining Agile's national presence and lending capabilities with Pavo's innovative premium finance marketplace, insurance platforms and agencies can provide their clients with a seamless and enhanced financing experience.
"We are excited to join forces with Agile Premium Finance," said Katie Wexler, Founder and CEO at Pavo. "This collaboration represents a significant step forward in reshaping the premium finance landscape. Together, we will deliver enhanced solutions that simplify the insurance process, empower insureds with flexible financing options, and streamline operations for brokers and consumers."
"The partnership between Pavo Insurance Solutions and Agile Premium Finance marks a milestone in driving innovation and excellence within the premium financing sector," said Bob Przespolewski, President of Agile. "Both organizations are committed to revolutionizing the industry, empowering insurance platforms, and providing an exceptional experience for brokers and consumers."
For more information about Pavo Insurance Solutions, please visit pavoinsure.com.
Agile Premium Finance, a division of Valley Bank with a national footprint spanning 230 metropolitan locations, brings a wealth of experience to the partnership. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois, Agile is among the top seven national premium finance companies, serving clients across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. With expertise in lending to various commercial insurance risks, including the emerging cannabis industry, Agile's executive team combines knowledge derived from banking, insurance, accounting, and over 50 years of premium finance industry experience. For more information about Agile Premium Finance, please visit www.agile-pf.com.
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SOURCE Pavo Insurance Solutions Inc | 2023-06-12T19:19:38+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/06/12/pavo-insurance-solutions-agile-premium-finance-join-forces-revolutionize-premium-financing/ |
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, more than 350 companies and organizations including public and private sector employers, nonprofits, chambers of commerce, patient advocacy groups, insurers, brokers, unions, and multinational companies signed a letter urging Congress to extend the telehealth provision that allows employers the flexibility to offer telehealth services below the deductible to employees with a Health Savings Account (HSA). There is bipartisan, bicameral support in Congress to continue this flexibility (H.R. 5981/S. 1704).
The letter, signed by 358 stakeholders and organized by the Alliance to Fight for Health Care, reminds congressional leaders that "this popular provision expires at the end of this year. Without legislative action, employers will be required to charge employees more to access telehealth services, creating a barrier to care, including telemental health. Unfortunately, more Americans need access to affordable mental and behavioral health services, not less."
"Protecting access to affordable telehealth to address mental health care needs is critical," said James A. Klein, president of the American Benefits Council. "People value, and now rely upon, access to affordable telehealth services. With health plans in place for 2023, this provision must be extended before the end of the year. Health care coverage is planned prospectively and is already in place for 2023. It can't be adjusted retroactively."
The letter notes, "the support for affordable telehealth and telemental health is strong. Allowing employers and health plans to continue offering these important services pre-deductible improves affordability and expands access. … We laud the bipartisan cosponsors for their work and look forward to working with you to ensure that this important flexibility does not expire."
The Alliance to Fight for Health Care is a broad-based coalition comprised of businesses, patient advocates, employer organizations, unions, health care companies, consumer groups and other stakeholders that support employer-provided health coverage. Together, we are working to ensure that employer-provided coverage remains an effective and affordable option for working Americans and their families. The coalition (previously working as the Alliance to Fight the 40), led the successful effort to repeal the so-called 40% "Cadillac Tax" on health care coverage.
Contact: Tara Bradshaw | 202-441-8255
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SOURCE Alliance to Fight for Health Care | 2022-11-15T19:44:31+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/11/15/alliance-fight-health-care-coordinates-stakeholder-letter-urging-congress-keep-telehealth-affordable-working-families/ |
When I was very young, I remember my dad taking me outside to watch the Russian satellite Sputnik fly over. It was a little spot of light slowly moving across the night sky. All the neighbors gathered to watch. Sputnik was launched in 1957 and was the first satellite to orbit the Earth. Everyone was amazed and a little scared, since it was the Russians who had put it in the sky.
Since that time, more and more satellites have been launched by many nations. Satellites for communication, military use, weather observation, spying and even satellites to deliver your television and radio signals. Satellites are used for just about anything you can imagine these days, including internet service.
According to Space.com, the second half of the 20th century saw an expansion of satellite launches numbering from between 60 to 100 satellites each year until the early 2010s. By 2020, the number of satellites launched into orbit exceeded 1,000 each year. In 2021, 1,400 satellites were launched.
So, just how many satellites are now orbiting our planet? Well, as of September 16, 2021, a total of 7,941 satellites were known to be orbiting Earth!
Some of these satellites are small and some are pretty big. Not all of them are currently functioning, but they’re all orbiting our Earth like a great field of floating trash. The satellites are getting in the way of astronomers who are looking at distant stars and they are posing a threat to the International Space Station. In addition, space debris entering the atmosphere is a threat to commercial air travel.
So, what can be done? The answer may come from the people who started it all.
Weforum.org reports that in March 2021, a craft they describe as something looking like a washing machine with wings was launched from Kazakhstan on a Russian Soyuz rocket. Its mission is to retrieve old satellites and space debris in an effort to clean up the space above Earth. It will be a big task, but it’s a start.
When I think back to when my dad and I watched Sputnik fly over, we had no concept that it would lead to such a cluttering of the space above Earth. Yet, if my dad had lived to see what has happened, he would probably remind me that humans seem to scatter trash and pollute just about anything we touch. | 2023-01-28T17:21:13+00:00 | wthitv.com | https://www.wthitv.com/weather/kevins-weather/kevins-weather-our-cluttered-sky/article_7761ae6e-9f1c-11ed-802e-ab4a105964fd.html |
By GARY B. GRAVES (AP Sports Writer)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher has insisted throughout the NCAA Tournament that if his team plays to its strengths, it doesn’t matter what the opposition does.
The Aztecs certainly played the way they wanted to against the top overall seed in March Madness.
Darrion Trammell and San Diego State used a dominant defensive performance to knock Alabama out of the tournament, bottling up All-America freshman Brandon Miller in a 71-64 victory in the Sweet 16.
Trammell scored 21 points while Miller, whose outstanding season was marred by off-the-court complications, was held to nine points on 3-of-19 shooting and had six turnovers.
The fifth-seeded Aztecs (30-6) will face sixth-seeded Creighton on Sunday in the South Region final. Each program is seeking its first Final Four appearance.
Roughly 30 minutes after Alabama fell, the tournament’s final remaining No. 1 seed, Houston, lost 89-75 to Miami, leaving March Madness without a single top seed among its final eight teams for the first time since seeding began in 1979. The other top seeds, Purdue and Kansas, lost during the tournament’s opening weekend.
“It’s just parity,” Dutcher said. “That’s what it is. There’s not a lot of difference between the best team in the country and the worst team in the country. You’re seeing that on this stage.”
San Diego State trailed 48-39 midway through the second half before going on a 12-0 run and controlling the game from there. The Aztecs finished with eight blocked shots — five by Nathan Mensah — and forced 14 turnovers.
Trammell scored the first eight points of SDSU’s big run. He made a 3-pointer, stole the ball from Miller and converted a layup, and then buried another 3.
“We’re going to go on our run,” Trammell said, “and I just took the opportunities they gave me. I took my shot, and I just made a play on defense. From there, our team was in it. That’s when the momentum changed.”
So did the Crimson Tide’s season.
The March Madness run of Alabama (31-6) was clouded by its response to the Jan. 15 fatal shooting of a 23-year-old woman in Tuscaloosa, which led to capital murder charges against a then-Crimson Tide player, Darius Miles.
Miller was at the scene of the shooting and has not been charged, but police have said in court documents that Miles texted Miller to bring him his gun. Authorities have said Miller is a cooperating witness, and he did not miss any playing time. Miller received armed security protection during the tournament.
Mark Sears had 16 points and Jahvon Quinerly and Charles Bediako scored 10 each for Alabama, which shot 32% overall and a miserable 3 of 27 (11.1%) from 3-point range. The Crimson Tide fell short of the second Elite Eight berth in school history.
“We came to this game prepared as much as we could possibly,” Miller said. “I think our shot-making could have been better. Our shot choices could have been better, but it’s just that San Diego’s a good group of guys. They’re vets, so they have a lot of experience. I feel like they came out and played hard.”
San Diego State’s players knew they had to impose their will on Alabama’s deep and gifted roster.
“Alabama’s a great team. They have a lot of talented players and individuals,” Trammell said. “We knew it was going to be hard. It was a dogfight. Very physical.”
Sears’ layup got Alabama within 66-64 with 46 seconds remaining, but Matt Bradley made two free throws and Micah Parrish followed by making three of four attempts, including two with 17 seconds left.
After the final buzzer sounded, Aztecs players and coaches rushed the court and hugged each other in a joyous celebration.
Jaedon LeDee finished with 12 points for the Aztecs.
San Diego State shot just 38% overall and was outrebounded 52-48, but made clutch shots to rally when Alabama seemed in control behind a faster pace after halftime. A technical foul on Dutcher also seemed to spark his seasoned team, which maintained its physical play and thwarted every attempt by the Tide to rally.
BLOCK PARTY
Mensah and Johnson had emphatic rejections with San Diego State ahead 53-50.
Both blocks came on layup attempts by Quinerly. Mensah swatted the first and Johnson rejected a subsequent attempt seconds later. Trammell followed with a step-back jumper for a five-point cushion.
BIG PICTURE
San Diego State: The Aztecs never seemed fazed by Alabama or Miller. More impressive was their resilience when the game seemed to be slipping away.
Alabama: Other than the second-half run that put them ahead briefly, the Crimson Tide seemed out of sorts in multiple ways. The team’s reliance on 3-pointers showed its desperation.
___
AP March Madness coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | 2023-03-25T04:34:35+00:00 | denverpost.com | https://www.denverpost.com/2023/03/24/san-diego-state-ousts-top-seed-alabama-from-march-madness/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Rock singer Bret Michaels was taken to a hospital in Nashville before Poison’s scheduled performance at Nissan Stadium Thursday night.
Michaels’ band was set to perform in Nashville as part of their stadium tour with Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and L.A. band Classless Act.
The 59-year-old performer issued an apology to fans on Instagram.
“To the incredible fans in Nashville, thank you for all your well wishes!! I was truly fired up to get on stage in the Music City and perform, but due to an unforeseen medical complication & following hospitalization, it was not possible. I send my deepest apologies for being unable to rock the stage tonight!!! I’m working on being back 100% very soon & hope you rocked hard with my friends Motley/Leppard/Joan and Classless Act!!!
Bret Michaels
Michaels was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child and suffered a warning stroke in 2010.
The cause of his hospitalization in Nashville was not immediately released. | 2022-07-01T14:32:52+00:00 | cbs42.com | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/tennessee-news/bret-michaels-hospitalized-in-nashville/ |
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)
Marco Dehnert, Arizona State University and Joris Van Ouytsel, Arizona State University
(THE CONVERSATION) There was once a stigma attached to online dating: Less than a decade ago, many couples who had met online would make up stories for how they met rather than admit that they had done so via an app.
Not so anymore. Online dating is so mainstream that you’re an outlier if you haven’t met your partner on Tinder, Grindr or Hinge.
We bring up online dating to show just how quickly conventions around romance can change. With rapid advances in AI technology over the past few years, these norms may well evolve to include sex, love and friendships with AI-equipped machines.
In our research, we look at how people use technology to form and maintain relationships. But we also look at how people bond with machines – AI-equipped systems like Replika that essentially operate as advanced chatbots, along with physical robots like RealDollx or Sex Doll Genie.
We explore the different forms of sex, love and friendships that people can experience with AI-equipped machines, along with what drives people to forge these relationships in the first place – and why they might become much more common sooner than you’d think.
More than just a cure for loneliness
A common misconception is that people who are lonely and otherwise unsuccessful in relationships are the most likely to turn to AI-equipped machines for romantic and sexual fulfillment.
However, initial research shows that users of this technology differ in only small ways from nonusers, and there is no significant connection between feelings of loneliness and a preference for sex robots.
Someone’s willingness to use sex robots is also less influenced by their personality and seems to be tied to sexual preferences and sensation seeking.
In other words, it seems that some people are considering the use of sex robots mainly because they want to have new sexual experiences.
However, an enthusiasm for novelty is not the only driver. Studies show that people find many uses for sexual and romantic machines outside of sex and romance. They can serve as companions or therapists, or as a hobby.
In short, people are drawn to AI-equipped machines for a range of reasons. Many of them resemble the reasons people seek out relationships with other humans. But researchers are only beginning to understand how relationships with machines might differ from connecting with other people.
Relationships 5.0
Many researchers have voiced ethical concerns about the potential effects of machine companionship. They are concerned that the more that people turn to machine companions, the more they’ll lose touch with other humans – yet another shift toward an existence of being “alone together,” to use sociologist Sherry Turkle’s term.
Despite this apprehension, there is surprisingly little research that examines the effects of machine partners. We know quite a bit about how technology, in general, affects people in relationships, such as the benefits and harms of sexting among young adults, and the ways in which online dating platforms influence the long-term success of relationships.
Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of AI partners is a bit more complicated.
We are now in an age of what sociologist Elyakim Kislev calls “relationships 5.0” in which we are “moving from technologies used as tools controlling human surroundings and work to technologies that are our ecosystem in and of themselves.”
Therapeutic value is often mentioned as one benefit of romantic and sexual AI systems. One study discussed how sex robots for elderly or disabled folks could empower them to explore their sexuality, while almost half of physicians and therapists surveyed in another study could see themselves recommending sex robots in therapy. Robots could also be used in therapy with sexual offenders. But very limited research exists on these uses, which raise a range of ethical questions.
We also have very little knowledge about how human-to-robot relationships compare with human-to-human relationships. However, some of our early research suggests that people get just about the same gratification from sexting with a chatbot as they do with another human.
According to theories about how sexual relationships with artificial partners would work, one of the many factors that could affect the quality of the interactions – and, ultimately, the wider adoption of relationships with robots and AI chatbots – is the associated stigma.
While women are the main purchasers of sex toys – and their use has become a generally accepted practice – people who use what’s called “sextech,” or technology designed to enhance or improve human sexual experiences, are still stigmatized socially. That stigma is even stronger for romantic AI systems or sex robots.
Will you be my v-AI-lentine?
As we have seen with dating apps, technological advancements in the context of relationships initially face skepticism and disagreement. However, there’s no question that people seem capable of forming deep attachments with AI systems.
Take the app Replika. It’s been marketed as the “AI companion who cares” – a virtual boyfriend or girlfriend that promises to engage users in deeply personal conversations, including sexting and dirty talk.
In February, the Italian Data Protection Authority ordered that the app stop processing Italian users’ data. As a result, the developers changed how Replika interacts with its users – and some of these users went on to express feelings of grief, loss and heartbreak, not unlike the emotions felt after a breakup with a human partner.
Legislators are still figuring out how to regulate sex and love with machines. But if we have learned anything about the ways in which technology has already become integrated into our relationships, it is likely that sexual and romantic relationships with AI-equipped systems and robots will become more common in the not-so-distant future.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/sex-love-and-companionship-with-ai-why-human-machine-relationships-could-go-mainstream-201856. | 2023-04-03T13:21:23+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/sex-love-and-companionship-with-ai-why-17875367.php |
New York governor signs bill to legally protect doctors who prescribe abortion pills for out-of-state patients into law
Sabrina Souza and Kaanita Iyer, CNN
(CNN) — New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law Friday that legally protects doctors who prescribe and send abortion pills to patients in states where abortion services are outlawed or restricted.
“We are witnessing a shameful regression of women’s rights in this country as abortion access is restricted in states across the nation,” Hochul said in a news release, adding that the law will ensure that more women will be able to access reproductive health care.
The measure – passed by the state legislature Tuesday – will block out-of-state litigation, prohibiting prosecution against doctors in New York who provide telehealth services, prescribe medication abortion, or deliver reproductive health care to patients living in states with restrictive abortion laws.
Telehealth medication abortions have accounted for an increasing share of total US abortions since last year’s Supreme Court ruling that established there is no constitutional right to abortion, CNN previously reported. Prior to the June 2022 ruling, medication abortions provided by virtual-only providers made up 4% of all abortions in April 2022 and 5% in May 2022, according to data from the Society of Family Planning. However, between June and December 2022, the share of such procedure grew from 6 to 11%. And as of 2020, more than half of US abortions were conducted using medication.
Assemblymember Karines Reyes, a registered nurse who sponsored the bill, said Tuesday she was “proud to sponsor this critical piece of legislation to fully protect abortion providers using telemedicine.”
Hochul previously signed legislation aimed at expanding reproductive rights. Last month, the governor signed a bill to ensure that every student at a State University of New York (SUNY) or City University of New York (CUNY) college will be able to access medication abortion, along with another bill that allows pharmacists across the state to dispense contraceptives over the counter.
The governor’s recent moves demonstrate the changing abortion landscape nationwide. As Democratic-led states aim to expand access, states with Republican majorities have enacted widespread restrictions, including near-total bans.
Last month, North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature overrode a veto by its Democratic governor to ban most abortions after 12 weeks.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Annette Choi, Tierney Sneed, Celina Tebor and Shawna Mizelle contributed to this report. | 2023-06-24T00:54:51+00:00 | krdo.com | https://krdo.com/news/2023/06/23/new-york-governor-signs-bill-to-legally-protect-doctors-who-prescribe-abortion-pills-for-out-of-state-patients-into-law/ |
NPR's Elissa Nadworthy talks with John Della Volpe, author of "Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America," about young voter turnout in the midterm elections.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Elissa Nadworthy talks with John Della Volpe, author of "Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America," about young voter turnout in the midterm elections.
Copyright 2022 NPR | 2022-11-10T00:36:26+00:00 | upr.org | https://www.upr.org/2022-11-09/how-young-voters-became-the-wall-for-the-red-wave |
FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — Snowy, slick road conditions have led to multiple vehicle accidents, requiring that Interstate 79 northbound was closed at the Marion/Monongalia County line for several hours Tuesday morning.
The Valley Volunteer Fire Department said on its Facebook page at around 6:40 a.m. that the closure was at at the 139-mile marker, which is the Pricketts Fort exit, and was due to extreme, slick road conditions.
Its updated its post after 9 a.m., saying the interstate had reopened.
As of 9:20 a.m., WV511 was still showing slow traffic on I-79 throughout the Fairmont area. Drivers can check WV511.org before heading out to keep tabs on live road conditions. | 2023-03-14T14:30:46+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/weather/i-79-north-closes-amid-snowy-weather-vehicle-accidents/ |
Half of respondents say they are saving less money today; 32% say the amount of debt they owe has increased
LEHI, Utah, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MX, a leader in Open Finance, today released a new report on money habits and behaviors among Gen Z and other generations. Findings show that consumers are less confident in their financial futures due to rising costs — with 50% of respondents saying that thinking about money makes them anxious and 47% agreeing that money is their primary source of stress. Across generations, Gen Z may be most optimistic in the face of these economic challenges, while the majority of Baby Boomers are less confident.
"With so many people worried about their financial futures, it's an opportune time for financial institutions and fintechs to step up and assist in ways that only they can," said Shayli Lones, Vice President of Go to Market at MX. "We see Open Finance as the key driver to connecting the dots for consumers by enabling seamless account aggregation and a more complete picture of a consumer's finances so that they can better reach their financial goals. MX can help financial providers deliver the seamless connectivity and enhanced data that consumers need to become financially strong."
- Unprepared for Unexpected Expenses: Only 40% of respondents are confident they can cover any unexpected expenses.
- Retirement Confidence is Low: Only 38% of respondents are confident they will be able to retire comfortably. Additionally, 37% say they do not have retirement savings.
- Trust in Financial Providers: A full 67% trust their financial providers to protect them from fraud and other security risks. However, 26% of respondents have been victims of fraudulent transactions on a financial account in the past two years.
- Unrecognized Transactions are Frequent: When asked if they have seen a transaction on their financial accounts that they didn't recognize at first glance in the past two years, 27% of respondents said it happens sometimes or more frequently. This rises to 40% among Gen Z respondents.
- Gen Z Less Likely to Use Credit: Less than half of Gen Z respondents have a credit card (49%) — the only generation to drop below a majority. When asked what payment method they prefer when shopping online, debit cards are preferred 2:1 over credit cards (50% vs. 22%).
- Account Aggregation Still Needs Work: Nearly 1 in 10 respondents (8%) said no when asked if connecting an app to a financial account went smoothly the first time they attempted it. Forty-five percent of those who have been disconnected also say that their connected financial accounts and money-related apps regularly get disconnected.
The full report gives detailed insights into financial stress, spending and saving habits, and how consumers leverage mobile banking apps. It also shows a growing opportunity to build trust through the right proactive support, safeguarding personal data, and providing context to transaction data.
To access the full report, please visit:
https://www.mx.com/whitepapers/consumer-money-matters-debt-on-the-rise-savings-on-the-decline/
MX, a leader in Open Finance, helps organizations everywhere connect to the world's financial data and turn raw, unstructured data into their most valuable asset to deliver intelligent and personalized money experiences. MX connects more than 16,000 financial institutions and fintechs providing the industry's most reliable and secure data connectivity network. Additionally, MX powers 85% of digital banking providers, as well as thousands of banks, credit unions, and fintechs, with a combined reach of over 200 million consumers. To learn more follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn @MX or visit www.mx.com.
This survey of 1,000 American adults was conducted by MX in June 2022. Results included responses across each generation, with 25% of respondents identifying as Baby Boomers, 21% as Gen X, 21% as Millennials, and 33% as Gen Z. The respondents were evenly split between male (49%) and female (51%).
Contact:
Tom Cook
tom.cook@mx.com
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SOURCE MX | 2022-08-23T19:39:32+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/new-mx-research-shows-40-consumers-believe-current-financial-situation-has-changed-worse-due-rising-costs/ |
(Stacker) Black History Month is dedicated to celebrating the achievements and reflecting on the experiences of African Americans. What began as a week in 1926 has blossomed into 28 days of remembrance and lessons on the contributions of Black Americans.
Many Black Americans come from a lineage of captured and enslaved people who were forcibly brought to the U.S. to build the culture and infrastructure of a place in which they never asked to live. Forced immigration and centuries of cultural genocide have driven Black Americans to literally and figuratively rebuild a culture from the ground up. In the face of historical oppression and inequality—slavery, Jim Crow laws, and the police violence that ignited the #BlackLivesMatter movement—African Americans have continuously fought for their rights, reaching countless milestones, achievements, and freedoms in doing so. While being forced to exist largely on the fringes of society, Black Americans nevertheless have made many significant contributions to the arts, education, politics, technology, and numerous other fields.
The 1930s saw history from Olympic track and field star Jesse Owens and the eventual breakout moment of author-activist Zora Neale Hurston; in the ’50s, the first Civil Rights Act since 1875 was signed into law; and five decades later, in 2008, Americans elected the first Black president.
But in the theme of education—part of the function of this month for much of the country—you’ll learn of other, less-discussed moments and perhaps some unfamiliar faces in Black history: the desegregation of the armed forces in the ’40s, the first Black Miss America in the ’80s, and the 1995 Million Man March in Washington D.C., are a few remarkable moments.
Peruse Stacker’s list to learn more about some of the significant achievements and moments in Black history, from 1919 to 2021.
1919: Oscar Micheaux produces ‘The Homesteader’
Regarded as the first African American feature filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux produced the film version of his book “The Conquest” under the name “The Homesteader.” This silent film featured an all-Black cast and touched on the issues of race relations during that era.
Brian Stukes // Getty Images
1920: Zeta Phi Beta is established at Howard University
This historical, Greek-lettered sorority was created by five women Howard University students. Their vision was to effect positive change and raise cultural awareness within their community while promoting high educational standards. The sorority is still around today and remains based out of its Washington D.C. headquarters the sorority purchased in 1959.
1921: ‘Shuffle Along’ becomes the first major African American musical on Broadway
When “Shuffle Along” debuted on May 23, 1921, almost a decade had passed since an all-Black musical of any kind had graced a Broadway stage. The vaudeville-style play about a mayoral race launched the careers of Josephine Baker and Paul Robeson and is widely regarded as one of the first Black musicals to cross over to mainstream white audiences. As such, the musical’s success signaled a change and dismantling of sorts of racial segregation in the Broadway theater world.
1922: Abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ home becomes a national museum
In 1922, Cedar Hill, Douglass’ home until his 1895 death, became a certified historical site. Among the preserved sites visitors can see during a visit is his “growlery,” or man cave. Douglass would retreat to this private room with a stove, desk, and a bed whenever he wanted privacy to work on his writing.
1923: Jean Toomer’s ‘Cane’ is published
This series of vignettes explore the African American experience in the United States. Alternating in structure between prose, poetry, and script-like writing, most passages in the book are freestanding, though some characters are reoccurring. “Cane” sold under 1,000 copies upon its release but went on to become an important relic of Harlem Renaissance literature.
1924: National Bar Association is founded
The National Bar Association was founded out of two movements—the Greenville Movement and the Convention of the Iowa Colored Bar Association—after a number of Black lawyers were denied membership to the American Bar Association. Today, the association has more than 84 chapters and represents more than 60,000 law professionals.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1925: A. Philip Randolph and Milton P. Webster create the BSCP
Organized by African American employees of the Pullman Company, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) was the first labor union by and for Black employees. A first of its kind, BSCP is largely considered significant in both the labor and civil rights movements.
[Pictured: Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters display their banner at a 1955 ceremony celebrating the organization’s 30th anniversary. Asa Philip Randolph (1889-1979), Union president, seen wearing black and white shoes, holds up Brotherhood flag.]
1926: Negro History Week is formed
The precursor to Black History Month was the brainchild of historian Carter G. Woodson in collaboration with the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Corresponding with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, the week was initially erected to give Black Americans a sense of pride in their own history and has since been expanded to a whole month.
1927: Floyd Joseph Calvin hosts first Black radio show
“Courier Hour” was the first radio talk show that highlighted African American issues for its Black audience. His work inspired countless podcasts today that exist with the same mission of highlighting Black voices and issues.
1928: First African American elected to Congress
Oscar Stanton De Priest began his career in politics in 1915 with a stint on the Chicago City Council. More than a decade later, he made history when he was tapped as the Republican candidate for a seat in the House of Representatives representing the state of Illinois.
1929: Negro Experimental Theatre is established
The Negro Experimental Theatre (aka the Harlem Experimental Theatre) was the project of librarian and playwright Regina M. Anderson. The early theater company produced one-act plays and was one of the early companies to influence and encourage the arts in Black communities.
1930: Howard University Gallery of Art is established
Artist James V. Herring organized Howard University’s student gallery, a first of its kind. Howard University Gallery of Art was the first gallery on a Black campus, and the only gallery controlled entirely by African Americans.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1931: Scottsboro boys are falsely convicted
In March 1931, nine African American teenagers were falsely accused of rape while aboard a train in Alabama. Eight of the nine were convicted and sentenced to death. The cases were eventually appealed in the United States Supreme Court, raising questions about unfair court proceedings for Black defendants, like being judged by an all-white jury. Over the course of subsequent retrials (and reconvictions), the boys in total served in excess of 100 years in prison. Ultimately, it was revealed the boys had been illegally hopping trains in search of work and, while detained for a minor charge, deputies convinced two white women to accuse the boys of rape. One of the women, Ruby Bates, recanted her story and became an advocate for freeing the Scottsboro boys.
[Pictured: The young Black men accused in the Scottsboro rape case under the protection of National Guard on March 20, 1931, in Scottsboro, Alabama.]
1932: ‘Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male’ begins
The U.S. Public Health Service, in conjunction with the Tuskegee Institute, began studying the natural occurrences of syphilis in the human body on unassuming and ill-informed Black male participants. The experiment involved more than 600 men, many of whom were not informed of their infection. They were also not given adequate or correct treatment for the disease. The study ended at the hands of a whistleblower in 1972; President Bill Clinton issued a formal apology in 1997.
1933: Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s ‘The Mis-Education of the Negro’ is published
“When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions,” says Dr. Carter G. Woodson in his groundbreaking book, “The Mis-Education of the Negro.” Woodson asserted that Blacks were essentially being mentally controlled by the public school system. In 1998, singer and rapper Lauryn Hill would make reference to the book with her debut album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” In addition to launching Negro History Week and penning “The Mis-Education of the Negro,” Woodson was an accomplished author, journalist, American historian, and founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
1934: Maggie Lena Walker dies
Maggie Lena Walker grew up helping her mother, a former slave, with her laundry business. This early exposure to entrepreneurship made an impression; in 1903, Walker became the first African American woman to be president of a bank when she founded St. Luke Penny Savings Bank. In 1930, the bank became the Consolidated Bank and Trust Company, with Walker staying on as chairman. The bank continued on as a Black-owned institution following Walker’s death and was sold in 2005.
1935: National Council of Negro Women is created
The National Council of Negro Women, founded by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, continues to be influential in advocating on the behalf of African American women in the United States. Bethune was a champion of higher education: The school she founded, Bethune-Cookman University, became a four-year college in 1941.
Library of Congress
1936: Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at the Berlin Games
At the 1936 Berlin Games, track and field star Jesse Owens broke and equaled nine Olympic records, setting three world records. In so doing, Owens additionally thwarted Adolf Hitler’s theory of white superiority.
1937: ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ is published
Zora Neale Hurston’s Black feminist classic, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” tells the story of Janie Crawford and her personal changes over the course of her three marriages. Dismissed by many upon its release (and out of print for nearly 30 years), Hurston’s novel has become a crowning achievement about Black womanhood and the discovery of love.
1938: Artist Jacob Lawrence shows his first exhibition
Painter Jacob Lawrence’s brand of modernism depicted the various aspects of life in Harlem. His first solo exhibit was shown in February 1938 at the Harlem YMCA on 135th Street. A few years later, when he was just 24, Lawrence became one of the first Black artists to be presented by Downtown Gallery.
1939: Marian Anderson sings at Lincoln Memorial
Opera singer Marian Anderson was scheduled to sing at Washington’s Constitution Hall on Easter Sunday in 1939. But at the last minute, she was refused the opportunity because of her race by Daughters of the American Revolution (a move that caused First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to leave the group). Instead, Anderson gave a free open-air concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The moment brought even greater awareness to the issues of racial injustice during that time period.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1940: Hattie McDaniel wins an Academy Award
Hattie McDaniel made history as the first African American person to win an Academy Award for her role as Mammy in “Gone With the Wind.” She came under fire at the time for her portrayal of a maid, but the defiant McDaniel famously retorted, saying she’d rather play a maid than serve as one in real life.
[Pictured: Actress Fay Bainter (at right) presents Hattie McDaniel with the Oscar for her supporting role in “Gone With the Wind” on Feb. 29, 1940, at the Twelfth Annual Banquet of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles.]
1941: National Negro Opera Company is created
The National Negro Opera Company was the first of its kind when musician Mary Cardwell Dawson founded it in 1941. The Black music association was created with the vision of affording Black Americans opportunities for cultural development through classical music.
1942: Hugh Mulzac becomes the first African American captain to command an integrated crew
Hugh Mulzac, a Black member of the U.S. Merchant Marine, was offered the chance at the onset of World War II to operate his own vessel. That ship was the SS Booker T. Washington, the first Liberty ship named after an African American. Mulzac said no at first, citing Commission policies stipulating he would be commanding an all-Black crew. What followed were protests from Black organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which pressured officials to change course. Mulzac then became the first African American ship commander, doing so over an integrated crew. The milestone did little to change things long-term, however, as he found himself out of a job by the early 1950s.
1943: Detroit Race Riots
The great migration from South to North brought mass amounts of Blacks to Detroit in search of work and a better life. Despite the city having 200,000 African American residents, Black people were still treated as second-class citizens—especially where housing was concerned. When Detroit started constructing Black housing projects and factories began promoting Black workers, disgruntled whites decided to fight back against the changing of the times. What followed were racially motivated attacks involving more than 200 Blacks and whites, leaving 25 African Americans dead and hundreds more injured.
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1944: United Negro College Fund is created
Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, president of the Tuskegee Institute, put out a call to other leaders of historically Black colleges urging them to pool sums of money together in a fund for inbound Black college students in financial need. In the last 70 years, the fund has supported more than 400,000 students in earning college degrees.
[Pictured: Tuskegee Institute president Dr. Frederick D. Patterson and George Washington Carver on April 2, 1940.]
1945: Ebony magazine debuts
John H. Johnson published the first issue of Ebony magazine in November 1945, heralding a new era of putting forth a positive image of Black Americans in mainstream media. A smaller news magazine called Jet was founded a few years later in 1951.
1946: Morgan v. Virginia invalidates separate but equal on interstate bus transport
In a case predating the Rosa Parks bus boycott, Irene Morgan was riding on a Greyhound bus and refused to give her seat up to a white passenger. Morgan was arrested but refused to plead guilty to violating Virginia’s segregation law. That move presented an opportunity for Morgan’s lawyer to argue that the law unfairly got in the way of interstate commerce. The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor.
1947: 16 men embark on the ’Journey of Reconciliation’
Sometimes called “the first freedom ride,” 16 Black and white men embarked on a direct-action bus trip that flipped racial structures on their heads: Black protesters sat at the front of the bus, while white protestors sat at the back. Protests like these served as a tangible representation of the power of hands-on activism.
Toni Frissell/Library of Congress // Wikimedia Commons
1948: Desegregation of the US Armed Forces
In a step to dissolve segregated racial lines, President Harry Truman signed an executive order to integrate the U.S. Armed Forces, which effectively ended segregation across the military. There was significant pushback to the order; but by the end of the Korean War, most of the military was integrated.
[Pictured: Tuskegee airmen Woodrow W. Crockett and Edward C. Gleed in Ramitelli, Italy, in March 1945.]
1949: First Black-owned radio station
An accountant and professor by trade, Jesse B. Blayton Sr. made history when he founded WERD-AM in Atlanta, becoming the first Black man to own his own radio station. Blayton pioneered what he referred to as “Negro appeal” music, playing early R&B and soul cuts that didn’t get much airtime elsewhere. The radio station later became a supporter of the civil rights movement.
1950: Gregory Swanson is admitted to the University of Virginia Law School
With the help of a lawsuit, Gregory Swanson became the first Black student to attend the University of Virginia Law School. This historic victory allowed Black applicants to be permitted into the other University of Virginia professional programs as well.
1951: ‘We Charge Genocide’ petition is presented to the United Nations
Created by William Patterson and the Civil Rights Congress, the “We Charge Genocide” petition suggested the United States committed genocide against African Americans based on the outlines put forth by the U.N. Genocide Convention. More than 150 hate crimes that took place over the previous six years against Black people were documented, along with nearly 350 other violent crimes against Black Americans. The document, signed by 94 individuals and prominent civil rights leaders, was presented at the United Nations Convention in Paris.
1952: Cora Brown becomes Michigan’s first Black woman elected to state senator
Cora Brown’s successful 1952 campaign made her the first Black woman in the U.S. elected to a state Senate seat. She served as Michigan state senator through 1956, advocating on health issues, public utilities, and welfare. She became the special associate general counsel of the U.S. Post Office in 1957.
1953: Ralph Ellison wins the National Book Award for ‘Invisible Man’
The narrator of Ralph Ellison’s timeless classic is an unnamed Black man who reflects on all the ways he is not seen by society at large. “Invisible Man” delves into many of the everyday issues facing Black men in the first half of the 20th century, from identity politics and Black nationalism to race policies and ideas about individuality. It has been reported that Hulu has plans to turn the novel into a scripted series, in large part because of the continued relevance of the work.
1954: Davis et al. v. the St. Louis Housing Authority ends racial discrimination in St. Louis Housing Authority
Frankie Muse Freeman served as lead attorney in the landmark Davis et al. v. the St. Louis Housing Authority case that effectively put a stop to segregation in St. Louis public housing. Years later, Freeman led a task force to end segregation in St. Louis public schools.
[Pictured: Frankie Muse Freeman being sworn in as the first woman member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1964. She was the lead attorney in Davis et al. v. the St. Louis Housing Authority.]
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1955: Read’s Drug Store sit-ins begin
Local African American students of Morgan State College teamed up with the Committee on Racial Equality to stage a series of sit-in protests to desegregate the local lunch counter at Read’s Drug Store in Baltimore, Maryland. The peaceful, five-day protest was a success—after losing significant business, the drug store vowed to serve all customers.
[Pictured: A Civil Rights sit-in led by Clara Luper to desegregate the lunch counter at Katz Drug Store at Main and Robinson in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Aug. 26, 1958.]
1956: ‘The Nat King Cole Show’ challenges racial lines on TV
Jazz legend Nat King Cole was the first Black man to host a nationally televised show with “The Nat King Cole Show” in 1956. For a little more than a year, Cole serenaded viewers and featured top entertainers. The show ended after 13 months because advertisers were hard to come by. Cole’s programming, however, paved the way for successful nighttime series like “The Arsenio Hall Show.”
1957: Civil Rights Act of 1957
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1957 to protect civil rights, specifically Black voting rights. The act also established the Civil Rights Division in the Justice Department, giving federal officers the green light to prosecute those who deny or impede voter rights.
1958: Willie O’Ree is the first Black player in the National Hockey League
Willie O’Ree, the first Black player in the National Hockey League, is sometimes referred to as the “Jackie Robinson of Hockey.” O’Ree was influential in opening doors of professional hockey to Black players, including Dustin Byfuglien who led his team to a Stanley Cup championship in 2010.
1959: Motown Records is founded
With the opening of his Detroit-based label, Berry Gordy began churning out soul hits that left lasting imprints in the hearts of Americans everywhere. Over the decades, the label would go on to produce chart-topping musicians and groups like Diana Ross, the Supremes, the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye.
1960: Ruby Bridges integrates Louisiana schools
Six-year-old Ruby Bridges was selected by the NAACP to integrate an all-white New Orleans school. Desegregating the school was an uphill battle, as many white parents pulled their children from classes, forcing Bridges to do most of her learning alone. Over the years, many more Black students were enrolled in William Frantz Elementary School, and Bridges later graduated from an integrated high school.
1961: Whitney Young Jr. is appointed executive director of the National Urban League
The National Urban League (NUL) experienced significant growth under the leadership of activist and educator Whitney Young Jr. Those milestones included a nearly twentyfold increase in the organization’s annual budget, becoming a full partner in the civil rights movement, and an increase in staffing from a few dozen to more than 1,000. The NUL in 1963 also hosted planning meetings for A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King Jr., and fellow civil rights leaders ahead of the March on Washington, securing the organization’s significance in the growing civil rights movement.
1962: James Meredith integrates Ole Miss campus
When James Meredith applied to the University of Mississippi, he was accepted. That acceptance, however, was rescinded when his race was discovered. Following 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling, all schools were supposed to desegregate. As such, Meredith sued for discrimination. The Supreme Court ruled in his favor, and in October 1962, he became the first Black person to enroll at the school.
1963: ‘Letters from a Birmingham Jail’ is published
In April 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for leading a march urging the boycotting of white stores during the Easter holiday. A statement published by The Birmingham News prompted King to write a 7,000-word response forever remembered as “Letters from a Birmingham Jail.”
1964: Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party is established
The formation of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) was in direct response to the all-white Mississippi Democratic Party and its control of the state’s political process. MFDP advocated for Black Mississippians and their right to be included in the political process, and rallied against an all-white political party in a state that had a large Black population.
1965: Malcolm X assassinated
Human rights activist Malcolm X committed his life to the advancement of Black people with his “by any means necessary” philosophy. After making a pivot away from the Nation of Islam, he was gunned down in February 1965 by members of the same organization. Many decades later, the men convicted of Malcolm X’s murder, Muhammad Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam, were exonerated from their murder convictions in 2021 after a review found the FBI and the New York Police Department withheld key evidence during the trial.
1966: Stokely Carmichael promotes ‘Black power’
Civil rights activist James Meredith—the first Black student to attend the University of Mississippi—set out on a solo “Walk Against Fear” from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi, in June 1966. He was shot in Mississippi just a day into the walk and was hospitalized. Fellow activist Stokely Carmichael—along with Martin Luther King Jr., Cleveland Sellers, Allen Johnson, and several civil rights organizations—continued the march in Meredith’s name. Along the way, in Greenwood, Mississippi, Carmichael gave a speech that etched his name into Black history forever and became a slogan of resistance: “We’ve been saying ‘freedom’ for six years. What we are going to start saying now is ‘Black Power.’”
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1967: Loving v. Virginia strikes down interracial marriage ban in Virginia
After being wed in Washington D.C., Richard and Mildred Loving were banned from Virginia as their marriage violated the state’s Racial Integrity Act. The two avoided jail time by moving to the nation’s capital. After five years of living in D.C., the interracial couple longed to return to their hometown. The American Civil Liberty Union got involved with the case, moving it all the way up to the Supreme Court.
1968: ‘Julia,’ starring Diahann Carroll, hits TV screens
In the groundbreaking sitcom, “Julia,” Diahann Carroll pioneers the role of Julia, a widow and nurse raising a son in the early 1970s. Carroll’s role in this series was notable in that it was one of the first television shows featuring a Black lead who wasn’t a domestic worker.
1969: UNC food workers go on strike
The dining hall workers of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill went on strike, citing poor working conditions and inadequate pay for their labor. The strike, led by Mary Smith and Elizabeth Brooks, began in February and lasted until December and serves as a representation of the effectiveness of peaceful protests against larger institutions.
1970: Gail Fisher wins a Primetime Emmy
Gail Fisher is the first African American woman to win a Primetime Emmy. The award was for her role in “Mannix,” a detective series starring Mike Connors on CBS. Later nominees to follow in her footsteps include Debbie Allen and Nell Carter.
1971: Congressional Black Caucus is formed
Made up of mostly African American members of Congress, the Congressional Black Caucus has for the last 50 years been committed to ensuring Black Americans and other marginalized members of society have equal rights and opportunities. The Caucus uses constitutional power, authority, and finances to address pressing issues like the reformation of the criminal justice system, voter suppression, and racial health disparities.
1972: Shirley Chisholm runs for president
Laying the groundwork for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to run for leader of the free world, Shirley Chisholm made history by being the first Black candidate of a major party in a presidential race. As a Barbadian American daughter of immigrants, Chisholm was a fiercely independent and strong thinker. Her campaign slogan, “Unbought and Unbossed,” suggested as much.
1973: Combahee River Collective is created
The Combahee River Collective, a political group of Black feminists and lesbians, developed in opposition to mainstream feminism that heavily favored the needs and issues of white women. The group was named after the Harriet Tubman uprising that freed more than 700 enslaved individuals. This brand of feminism championed the idea that Black women were inherently valuable and the best in terms of advocating their own liberation.
1974: Henry ‘Hank’ Aaron hits his 715th home run
Hank Aaron kicked things up a notch when he hit a home run in the fourth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With that one swing, Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth’s home run record, cementing his position as one of the best in baseball.
1975: John Hope Franklin is selected as president of the Organization of American Historians
Historian and educator John Hope Franklin was the first African American to preside in the role of president of the Organization of American Historians. He held many distinctions in life and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1995.
1976: Barbara Jordan delivers keynote address at Democratic National Convention
Barbara Jordan, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, became the first Black woman to deliver a keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. Jordan’s speech is regarded as one of the best of the 20th century and is still relevant today: “We are a people in a quandary about the present. We are a people in search of our future. We are people in search of a national community. We are a people trying not only to solve the problems of the present, unemployment, inflation, but we are attempting on a larger scale to fulfill the promise of America. We are attempting to fulfill our national purpose, to create and sustain a society in which all of us are equal.”
1977: Andrew Jackson Young Jr. becomes ambassador to the United Nations
A former senior aide to Martin Luther King Jr., Andrew Young’s commitment to the civil rights movement made him a perfect candidate for ambassador to the United Nations. Young became the first African American to take on this position and served as the official representative for the Carter administration’s foreign policy program.
1978: Muhammad Ali wins heavyweight boxing title for the third time
With his defeat of Leon Spinks, Muhammad Ali became the first boxer to win the world heavyweight boxing title three times in his career. He retired just three years later, returning only briefly for select fights. His accomplishments include 56 wins and 37 knockouts—as well as years working alongside fellow civil rights activists and celebrities in their own right such as Sam Cooke, Malcolm X, and NFL star Jim Brown.
1979: Assata Shakur goes on the run
The revolutionary icon and former member of the Black Liberation Army Assata Shakur escaped from prison in 1979 and went off the grid before being found alive in Cuba five years later. Her initial charges (all steeped in controversy) were attempted murder, murder, bank robbery, kidnapping, and armed robbery. She was convicted of the murder of a police officer because of a loophole in New Jersey law saying it did not need to be proven that Shakur had fired a mortal shot. She was sentenced to life before her escape. She remains in Cuba, although President Donald Trump in 2017 said the U.S. would consider lifting new, stricter rules against visitors to Cuba if fugitives such as Shakur were returned.
1980: Robert L. Johnson launches BET
After years of working behind the scenes in cable TV, Robert L. Johnson created Black Entertainment Television (BET), the first cable television station geared toward an African American audience. The channel was a hit, and Johnson became the first Black billionaire when he sold his company to Viacom in 2001. The BET division of Viacom today is the most widely received network for African American audiences, with the paid channel reaching over 88 million American households.
1981: Mumia Abu-Jamal is arrested
A routine traffic stop ended with the death of a police officer. Activist Mumia Abu-Jamal was arrested for the crime and put on trial for a murder he says he did not commit. This event catapulted Abu-Jamal to the forefront of a social justice movement against racial bias in the judicial system.
1982: Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ is released
“Thriller,” the sixth studio album by Michael Jackson, went on to sell more than 33 million copies worldwide. “Thriller” is largely considered the best-selling record of all time. The following year Jackson released a 13-minute music video for the title song, changing the landscape of music videos forever.
1983: Vanessa Williams is crowned Miss America
Then 20-year-old Vanessa Williams made history by becoming the first Black Miss America. She would go on to reign for nearly 10 months before being forced to resign the title amid a nude photo scandal. Nevertheless, her star continued to rise as she made the transition to singer and actress.
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1984: Jesse Jackson runs for president
Civil rights activist and politician Jesse Jackson became the second African American to pursue a major campaign for president (after Shirley Chisholm), running as a Democrat. He ultimately took third place in the primaries and launched another unsuccessful bid in 1988. In spite of never securing the presidential nomination, Jackson laid the foundation for the election of America’s first Black president 24 years later.
1985: MOVE Black Liberation House is bombed
Philadelphia-based radical movement MOVE was headquartered in a house in West Philadelphia. On the morning of May 13, surrounding neighbors were evacuated by authorities before 500 police officers gathered around 6221 Osage to arrest collective members. MOVE members and the police exchanged fire, with the authorities bombing the compound and killing six adults and five children.
1986: Oprah Winfrey launches her talk show
“The Oprah Winfrey Show” catapulted news anchor Oprah Winfrey to stardom and went on to run for 25 years. The show was not only an influential platform for Winfrey, who had a rough childhood and worked her way up to co-anchoring the evening news and launching a production company but featured an array of topics and interests from thought-provoking guests. Winfrey’s work—as a talk show host, media empire, actress, author, and mentor—has left a permanent impression on young Black women and what goals they are willing to set for themselves.
1987: Dr. Ben Carson separates conjoined twins
Dr. Ben Carson was director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine when he became the first person in history to separate twins conjoined at the head. The risky surgery took 22 hours and was considered by many to be a medical miracle.
1988: The film ‘Mississippi Burning’ is released
“Mississippi Burning” is a crime drama is loosely based on the 1964 murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. The three field workers organized voter registration for African Americans when they were reportedly abducted and murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. The film showcases the hostility and backlash the case received.
1989: Colin Powell becomes chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Nominated by President George H.W. Bush, Army Gen. Colin Powell became the first African American and the youngest person ever to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this position, Powell helped pivot the U.S. military’s agenda away from the Soviet Union to focus on regional and humanitarian needs. Powell passed away from COVID-19 at age 84 in 2021.
1990: Lawrence Douglas Wilder becomes first elected African American governor
Nothing signals the changing times of the 1990s more than when Lawrence Douglas Wilder made history as the first elected African American governor. Twenty-eight years later, Stacey Abrams put up a good fight in her quest to become the first Black woman governor of Georgia.
1991: Julie Dash’s ‘Daughters of the Dust’ is released
A period piece set at the turn of the century, “Daughters of the Dust” tells the story of a group of Gullah women as they prepare to migrate north. Experimental in tone and imagery, Dash’s film is the first film directed by an African American woman to receive major distribution across the U.S. Years later, Beyoncé paid homage to the film in her “Lemonade” album.
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1992: Rodney King beating ignites the LA Riots
Four Los Angeles police officers were acquitted in April of the beating of Rodney King. The vicious beating was caught on tape, however, and showed the extent of police brutality. The acquittal touched off the LA Riots and started an expanded, nationwide debate on racial injustice.
1993: Toni Morrison wins Nobel Prize for ‘Beloved’
Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature before the third novel of her trilogy “Beloved” was published. The first was released in 1987, and the story follows a formerly enslaved woman named Sethe and was later turned into a movie starring Oprah Winfrey.
1994: Nas’ debut album ‘Illmatic’ is released
The debut album of New York rapper Nas cemented his place among hip-hop and rap royalty. “Illmatic” actually didn’t sell well upon its release, but it gained rave reviews amongst music fans and critics. The album is regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of all time.
1995: Million Man March is held in Washington DC
Called on by Minister Louis Farrakhan, this mass meeting had the aim of changing the perception of Black manhood. The march has since gone down in history as a positive occasion of brotherhood and personal atonement, though some criticisms regarded the exclusion of women.
1996: ‘Moesha’ premieres
For young Black girls growing up in the 1990s, “Moesha” was the show to watch. Starring R&B and pop singer Brandy, the show portrayed an average Black high school teen growing up in Los Angeles. “Moesha” aired for six seasons and birthed a successful spin-off called “The Parkers.”
1997: Tiger Woods wins his first major
American golf got a much-needed shake-up when 21-year-old Tiger Woods won the prestigious Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Many regard Woods’ monumental win to be one of the greatest performances by a golf pro in history. Since then, he’s won 14 more majors, including four more Masters.
1998: ‘The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer’ is canceled after the first episode
“The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer” ignited controversy before it even aired for its lighthearted take on American slavery. Chi McBride starred as the title character, a butler to President Abraham Lincoln. Groups like the NAACP quickly got involved, calling for a boycott of the show and its parent company United Paramount Network. As a result, only one episode aired before its cancellation.
1999: Serena Williams wins US Open
One-half of the dynamic tennis-playing Williams sisters, Serena Williams became the first African American woman to win a grand slam in an Open Era tennis match. She would go on to win a record—male or female—22 more majors.
2000: Venus Williams wins Women’s Singles at Wimbledon
The legacy of Althea Gibson received some company when 20-year-old Venus Williams became the first African American woman to win Wimbledon since Gibson in 1958. Venus and Serena Williams became the first sisters in the history of tennis to win the Wimbledon doubles title.
2001: Rev. Wilton D. Gregory becomes president of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
A man of God his whole life, the Rev. Wilton D. Gregory has held many positions in the church. None, however, were as important as the one he would take on in November 2001 when he became the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was the first African American to head an episcopal conference and was named Time’s Person of the Week in 2002 for his measured approach of defrocking priests embroiled in the sex abuse scandal of the Roman Catholic Church.
2002: Halle Berry wins Academy Award for ‘Monster’s Ball’
Halle Berry was the first African American to take home the Academy’s Best Actress Award for her portrayal of a grieving mother and widow in “Monster’s Ball.” Though the floodgates have opened for other women of color to be nominated in the same category, Berry holds the distinction of being the only Black woman to win.
2003: Dennis W. Archer becomes the president of the American Bar Association
Judge Dennis W. Archer made a name for himself in the world of law serving on the Michigan Supreme Court and also serving as mayor of Detroit for a time beginning in 1994. In 2003, his career was taken to another level when he was selected as the new president of the American Bar Association, the first African American to hold the position.
2004: Phylicia Rashad wins a Tony for Best Lead Actress in a play
Known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the 1980s sitcom “The Cosby Show,” actress Phylicia Rashad is no stranger to groundbreaking roles. She made history again playing the matriarch Lena Younger in “A Raisin in the Sun,” for which she earned the distinction of becoming the first African American woman to win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.
2005: Condoleezza Rice becomes US secretary of state
Condoleeza Rice worked as a national security advisor before becoming the first Black female Secretary of State from 2005 to 2009. During her time in the position, Rice dedicated herself to transforming diplomacy in the Middle East.
2006: Soulja Boy starts global dance craze with ‘Crank That’
The 16-year-old rapper known as Soulja Boy first recorded his hit “Crank That” in 2006 in his home. A year later he became an overnight sensation after uploading the video to YouTube. The video was viewed tens of millions of times, making it one of the first viral music videos. The song and its catchy dance routine were a hit, with some calling the “Crank That” dance fad the biggest since 1996’s “The Macarena.” Later that year, the unsigned artist was nominated for a Grammy.
2007: Barbara Hillary goes to the North Pole
Barbara Hillary was 75 years old when she became the first Black woman to reach the North Pole. A few years later, at 79, Hillary trekked to the South Pole as well, becoming the first Black woman to hold that distinction as well.
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2008: Barack Obama becomes president of the United States
With the campaign slogan, “Yes we can,” Sen. Barack Obama became President Obama after defeating John McCain in the 2008 election. Many monumental changes were made during his two terms in office, including the Affordable Health Care Act and the election of Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina and Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court.
2009: Disney’s first Black princess arrives
In a long-overdue move, Disney finally produced a film starring a Black princess to its catalog. “The Princess and the Frog” is set in 1920s New Orleans and follows a young woman called Tiana who dreams of opening her own restaurant. Her plans are dashed when she meets a two-faced prince who turns her into a frog. The film was a hit at the box office and was nominated for three Academy Awards.
2010: Dustin Byfuglien wins Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks
Fifty-two years after Willie O’Ree desegregated the hockey rink, Dustin Byfuglien had a memorable showing during the 2010 Stanley Cup. He tied for the team lead of the Chicago Blackhawks with 11 playoff goals, and his team eventually won the Stanley Cup over the Philadelphia Flyers.
2011: Charles E. Samuels Jr. becomes director of Federal Bureau of Prisons
Charles E. Samuels started with humble beginnings as a correctional officer in 1988. In 2011, he became the first African American man to oversee the Federal Bureau of Prisons. All his hard work paid off in 2015 when he was awarded the U.S. Department of Justice’s highest award, the Edward H. Levi Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Exemplary Integrity, which recognized his contributions to the law enforcement field.
2012: Fred Luter Jr. is elected the president of the Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention, founded in 1845, is considered by many to be an institution born out of slavery. So when the Rev. Fred Luter Jr. was elected as the group’s first Black president, it was a signal to many that a change had arrived at the doorsteps of many Southern Baptists still holding outdated views.
2013: Cheryl Boone Isaacs is elected president of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
PR and film-marketing exec Cheryl Boone Isaacs made a name for herself when she became the first Black president, and third female president, of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the group responsible for the annual Academy Awards. Isaacs had her start as a Pan Am flight attendant but changed gears when she followed her late brother Ashley Boone Jr. (a motion-picture marketing and distribution executive) to Hollywood.
[Pictured: Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs on stage during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards Nov. 16, 2013, in Hollywood, California.]
2014: Ava DuVernay earns a Golden Globe nomination
Ava DuVernay earned a Golden Globe nomination for her directorial work on the film “Selma.” She was the first Black woman director to be nominated for a Golden Globe. After the release of “A Wrinkle in Time” in 2018, DuVernay became the first Black woman to direct a $100 million-grossing film.
2015: Bree Newsome brings down the flag
Artist and activist Bree Newsome famously and boldly took down the Confederate flag in front of the South Carolina Capitol Building. Newsome’s act of defiance has gone down in history as one against hatred and oppression.
2016: Carla Hayden becomes Librarian of Congress
The first African American and first woman to lead the national library, Dr. Carla Hayden has been working in the information science field for decades. One of her biggest projects is collecting resources for the continued digitization of collections and materials.
[Pictured: Michelle Obama and Carla Hayden at American Library Association conference 2018 in New Orleans.]
2017: Tiffany Haddish hosts ‘Saturday Night Live’
The “Girls Trip” star made history when she hosted “Saturday Night Live,” becoming the first Black woman stand-up comic to do so in the show’s 43-season run. One year later, actor and musician Donald Glover served as host and musical guest.
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2018: Stacey Abrams runs for governor of Georgia
The minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives threw her hat in the ring in Fall 2018 with her bid for governor of Georgia. Despite losing by roughly 55,000 votes, Stacey Abrams’ campaign put a much-needed spotlight on voter suppression, which still runs rampant in American politics.
2019: ‘Black Panther’ achieves two milestones
Not only did the 2018 Marvel film “Black Panther” become the first superhero movie to star a predominantly Black cast, but at the 2019 Academy Awards, Ryan Coogler’s smash hit garnered two history-making Oscars. Ruth E. Carter became the first African American woman to win for Best Costume Design, thanking the Academy, in part, for “honoring African royalty, and the empowered way women can look and lead onscreen.” Hannah Beachler was the first to win for Best Production Design, remarking, “I stand here with agency and self-worth because of Ryan Coogler. … I stand here because of this man who offered me a better perspective of life.”
2020: Black Lives Matter/George Floyd Protests
Organizer Alicia Garza first used the phrase “Black lives matter” on Twitter in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, in 2012. The term became the rallying cry of a movement that gained momentum in 2016 when San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid, and Eli Harold took a knee during the national anthem before a football game as a way to shine a light on police brutality against Black people. Following the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020, when officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the neck of 46-year-old Floyd for more than eight minutes, protests kicked off around the country and world to honor Floyd and all other Black lives.
2021: Kamala Harris sworn in as Vice President of the United States
On Jan. 20, 2021, American politician Kamala Harris made history threefold when she was sworn into office as President Joe Biden’s vice president of the United States. This cemented Harris’ mark in the history books by becoming not only the first female U.S. vice president but also the first of Black and Asian ancestry.
2022: Michaela Jaé Rodriguez wins Best Actress Golden Globe
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, an actress of Black and Puerto Rican ancestry formerly known as Mj Rodriguez, is no stranger to making an impact with her powerful on-screen performance, particularly as Blanca Evangelista on FX’s period drama series, “Pose.” In 2021, Rodriguez became the first transgender woman to earn an Emmy Award nomination in a major category (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series). The following year, in 2022, Rodriguez carved another mark for herself in the history books when she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress at the 79th ceremony, making her the first transgender actor ever to win a category in the history of the awards. | 2023-01-12T19:20:21+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/hidden-history/black-history-month/moments-in-black-history-from-the-year-you-were-born/ |
SANTA FE, N.M, Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- La Fonda Holdings, LLC, is today providing notice of a data security incident at La Fonda on the Plaza that resulted in the removal of certain data from the hotel's computer systems.
On August 18, 2022, La Fonda on the Plaza became aware that an unknown third party had gained unauthorized access to the hotel's computer systems and disrupted access to certain servers and workstations. Upon discovery, La Fonda took immediate action to shut down unauthorized access and remediate the problem. The hotel retained outside IT security and forensics experts to assist in a thorough investigation of what happened and to restore secure operations. Within two days, primary computer systems and data were restored using available backups, and normal business operations resumed.
As part of the ongoing investigation, it was determined that the intruder appears to have removed certain company data from the hotel's systems. To date, La Fonda has received no indication that customer data was included. However, this is a recent incident, and the situation is subject to change.
Anyone with questions about this incident is encouraged to visit the La Fonda website, www.lafondasantafe.com, for more information.
"La Fonda sincerely regrets that this incident occurred and is treating the matter with the highest priority and urgency, as we take the security and privacy of the data entrusted to us by our hotel guests, partners and staff very seriously," said Rik Blyth, Vice President and General Manager. Blyth said the hotel is working with law enforcement and sharing information for their investigation, and also is notifying state regulators as well as the major credit reporting agencies.
In addition to independent IT security and forensics experts, La Fonda has retained data security legal specialists to conduct a thorough investigation and recommend all appropriate actions in response. The company has taken a number of steps to further safeguard La Fonda's systems, including isolating and rebuilding affected equipment, executing global password resets, enabling geo-blocking, and installing advanced threat detection using Carbon Black, which is monitored 24/7 by an outside security operations center.
The hotel encourages individuals to remain vigilant against identity theft and fraud and to seek protection against possible theft or financial loss by regularly reviewing their financial account statements, credit reports, and explanations of benefits for suspicious activity.
The following information is provided in accordance with certain state legal requirements.
Credit Reports. We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements, explanation of benefits, and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Under U.S. law, you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report.
Fraud Alerts. At no charge, you can also have these credit bureaus place a "fraud alert" on your file that alerts creditors to take additional steps to verify your identity prior to granting credit in your name. Note, however, that because it tells creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you, it may also delay your ability to obtain credit while the agency verifies your identity. As soon as one credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the others are notified to place fraud alerts on your file. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, or should you have any questions regarding your credit report, please contact any one of the agencies listed below:
Equifax
P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348 1-800-525-6285 www.equifax.com
Experian
P.O. Box 2002 Allen, TX 75013 1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com
TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016 1-800-680-7289
www.transunion.com
Security Freeze. You may also place a security freeze on your credit reports. A security freeze prohibits a credit bureau from releasing any information from a consumer's credit report without the consumer's written authorization. However, please be advised that placing a security freeze on your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prevent the timely approval of any requests you make for new loans, credit, mortgages, employment, housing, or other services. If you have been a victim of identity theft and you provide the credit bureau with a valid police report, it cannot charge you to place, lift, or remove a security freeze. In all other cases, a credit bureau may charge you a fee to place, temporarily lift, or permanently remove a security freeze. Fees vary based on where you live, but commonly range from $3 to $15. You will need to place a security freeze separately with each of the three major credit bureaus listed above if you wish to place a freeze on all of your credit files. In order to request a security freeze, you will need to supply your full name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, current address, all addresses for up to five previous years, email address, a copy of your state identification card or driver's license, and a copy of a utility bill, bank or insurance statement, or other statement proving residence. To find out more on how to place a security freeze, you can use the following contact information:
Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348 1-800-685-1111
www.freeze.equifax.com
Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com/freeze/
TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016 1-888-909-8872
freeze.transunion.com
Additional Information. You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, security freezes, fraud alerts, and the steps you can take to protect yourself against identity theft and fraud by contacting the Federal Trade Commission or your state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should be promptly reported to law enforcement, the Federal Trade Commission, and your state Attorney General. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a crime report or incident report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some kind of proof that you have been a victim. This notice has not been delayed as the result of a law enforcement investigation.
New Mexico Residents: You have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in your credit file has been used against you, the right to know what is in your credit file, the right to ask for your credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting agencies must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to your file is limited; you must give your consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; you may limit "prescreened" offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report; and you may seek damages from a violator. You may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You can review your rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
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SOURCE La Fonda Holdings, LLC | 2022-09-07T04:10:04+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/la-fonda-provides-notice-data-security-incident/ |
Fentanyl test strips may soon be declassified as drug paraphernalia in South Dakota
PIERRE — Materials that allow people to test street drugs for the presence of fentanyl soon may be exempted from South Dakota's definition of drug paraphernalia, after a bill passed out of a House committee Wednesday.
Fentanyl test strips are strips commonly used in harm reduction tactics to allow drug users to test any number of drugs for the presence of fentanyl.
"We're trying to prevent overdoses for those people that are at high risk populations," said Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt, R-Sioux Falls, who sponsored the bill.
Currently, if someone is caught with test strips, they could be charged with a class two misdemeanor under South Dakota law, which could result in a 30-day jail sentence.
Despite the risk, harm reduction organizations such as the Center for Family Medicine in Sioux Falls still distribute testing strips.
Rehfeldt said if someone wanted to purchase the strips over the counter, this bill would allow them to do so.
Proponents of the bill emphasized when drug users are allowed to test their drugs, it can lead to lower rates of overdoses that lead to death and overall lower drug use.
"The addiction crisis is on the rise," said Melissa Dittberner, a faculty member at the Department of Addiction Counseling and Prevention at the University of South Dakota. "With harm reduction techniques like the use of fentanyl testing strips, we can keep people alive long enough to get them the help that they need."
More:Center for Family Medicine sees dramatic increase in substances laced with fentanyl
Overdose rates in South Dakota have risen, according to Avoid Opioid SD, a program dedicated to raising awareness about opioid abuse in the state. At least 104 people in South Dakota had a death related to drugs in 2021.
Edward Krumpotich, the policy director for the Upper Midwest region of the National Harm Reduction Coalition, spoke remotely about his experience as someone who has used drugs.
He overdosed on a drug laced with fentanyl without his knowledge. He said testing strips could have led to safer behavior.
"If I had the control of testing substances that I had used on those days, my family who would not have almost lost their son, and my care team would have known how to treat me," Krumpotich said. | 2023-01-25T23:20:11+00:00 | argusleader.com | https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/25/fentanyl-test-strips-may-soon-be-declassified-as-drug-paraphernalia-in-sd/69841078007/ |
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Dont'a Hightower is making a quiet exit to a memorable career with the New England Patriots.
The veteran linebacker, who did not play last season, announced his retirement Tuesday in an essay posted on the Players' Tribune website.
It ends a decade-long run in New England that began with the Patriots selecting him 25th overall in the 2012 draft. It included three Super Bowl rings (2014, 2016, 2018) and a pair of Pro Bowl selections (2016, 2019). He also was named a second-team All-Pro in 2016.
Hightower called his decision “a happy day.”
“People always ask what makes the Patriots culture so different. Easy answer: it was about professionalism, period. You knew that you had to show up every single day — not just physically but more so mentally,” he wrote. "We had a saying, ‘If you do it right, you do it light.’ Being good was expected. Being great might even get you a thumbs up from (coach) Bill (Belichick). Luckily, I knew a thing or two about that from my time at Alabama under Coach (Nick) Saban.
“For nine seasons, I lived that mentality 24/7. Today, I’m totally at peace knowing that I gave this franchise every ounce of sweat I had left.”
Hightower appeared in 117 games in his NFL career, amassing 27 sacks and 353 tackles.
With his wife expecting their first child, he opted to sit out the 2020 season because of concerns about COVID-19. He returned in 2021, but his production was down. He played in 15 games, logging 64 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks.
He became a free agent that summer but didn’t sign a new contract.
Hightower likely will be most remembered for tackling Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch on the 1-yard line late in the Super Bowl following the 2014 season. The play preceded Russell Wilson's pass that was intercepted by Malcolm Butler in the end zone to clinch the Patriots' 28-24 victory.
“When I saw Seattle line up in that I-form, I knew Beast Mode was getting it, and I knew they’d been gashing us with that strong-side lead all game,” Hightower recalled in his essay. “I knew he was going to walk through a huge hole if I didn’t take a risk. ... I figured we had nothing to lose. So I ripped up under (Russell) Okung and shot my shot. All I saw was Marshawn’s two legs churning, and I just prayed to God that I could clip him up or something. I reached out ... and you already know what happened next.”
Two seasons later, he came up big again in the Super Bowl. With the Patriots trailing the Falcons 28-12, his strip-sack of Atlanta's Matt Ryan in the fourth quarter was recovered by Alan Branch. New England used a short field and scored to get within one possession. The Patriots ultimately tied it and capped off a historic comeback win in overtime.
“I’ll never get tired of inscribing ‘The Strip Sack’ on anything I sign,” Hightower wrote.
___
AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2023-03-21T17:37:28+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/dont-a-hightower-retires-from-nfl-after-decade-17851776.php |
The Baka Tribe on season 43 of “Survivor” is already down one player.
The next episode, called “Lovable Curmudgeon,” will air 8-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, on CBS.
- LIVE STREAM: CBS on fuboTV (free trial) and DirecTV
CBS says, “An unexpected storm hit hard and fast and kept tribes shivering all night in their shelters. Also, one castaway puts their tribe at risk of going to tribal council after failing to pull their weight in the challenge, on a special 90-minute episode of ‘Survivor’ ...”
Last week, Morriah Young, a teacher, was voted off the island at Baka’s Tribal Council.
The remaining 17 castaways competing for the title of “sole survivor” and $1 million are:
VESI Tribe (Red):
Cody Assenmacher, elevator sales
Jesse Lopez, political science PhD
Dwight Moore, graduate student
Nneka Ejere, pharmacist
Justine Brennan, cyber security sales
Noelle Lambert, US Paralympian
BAKA Tribe (Yellow):
Mike “Gabler” Gabler, heart valve specialist
Owen Knight, college admissions director
Sami Layadi, pet cremator
Elie Scott, clinical psychologist
Jeanine Zheng, UX designer
COCO Tribe (Blue):
James Jones, event planner
Ryan Medrano, warehouse associate
Geo Bustamante, project manager
Lindsay Carmine, pediatric nurse
Karla Cruz Godoy, educational project manager
Cassidy Clark, designer | 2022-09-28T18:39:34+00:00 | pennlive.com | https://www.pennlive.com/life/2022/09/how-to-watch-survivor-tonight-92822-free-live-stream-time-channel.html |
The laboratory provides Mexico manufacturers testing and certification services that address the automotive, electronics, engineered materials, retail and technology industries.
QUERÉTARO, Mexico, May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UL, a global safety science leader, has officially opened a new laboratory in Querétaro, Mexico. The facility, 221 kilometers (137 miles) northwest of Mexico City, is one of the first multi-national testing laboratories to open in Mexico. It tests for product safety and performance for the Mexico market, as well as for export to the United States, Canada and countries throughout Latin America.
"Today marks an exciting new day in our three-decade relationship with Mexico as we open UL's newest state-of-the-art laboratory in Querétaro," said Jennifer Scanlon, president and CEO, UL Inc. "Given our mission of working for a safer world, UL is dedicated to using its testing and certification expertise to help manufacturers in Mexico grow and prosper by helping to bring their innovations to market quickly and safely."
Located in the Kaizen Industrial Park complex and near the Querétaro International Airport, the new laboratory sits within one of Mexico's leading manufacturing hubs. The laboratory houses testing facilities for engineered materials, wire and cable, appliances, lighting, refrigeration and consumer technologies. With Mexico ranked as one of the world's top exporters in the automotive industry, UL's experts will utilize state-of-the-art customized equipment to provide automotive materials testing.
The laboratory offers local testing for the UL Mark for the U.S. and Canada. Upon accreditation approval, it will also offer the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas (NOM) mark in Mexico and Latin American testing services.
"Adding testing capabilities in Mexico will strengthen our ability to help customers export products to the United States, Canada and other Latin American countries while meeting safety and performance testing and certification needs in Mexico," said Weifang Zhou, UL's executive vice president and president of Testing, Inspection and Certification. "UL's presence in Mexico means that local manufacturers have a global partner to help them navigate regulatory landscape complexities throughout the Americas."
In addition to Scanlon and Zhou, the grand opening included a ceremony with Héctor Guerrero Herrera, undersecretary of Industry and Commerce, Office of the Mexico Secretary of the Economy, Steve Conlon, counselor for Science and Technology, U.S. Embassy to Mexico, Rodolfo Flores, UL's regional director for Latin America, and Todd Denison, UL's senior vice president of Global Regions. The event also included a special opening day visit by Mauricio Kuri, governor of the State of Querétaro.
The opening of the new laboratory builds upon UL's three decades in Mexico. UL has a well-established engineering and customer service office in Mexico City and an engineering team in Querétaro. The laboratory establishes UL's commitment to Mexico and the entire Latin America market.
"UL's Querétaro laboratory demonstrates our commitment to offering high-performance services to manufacturers in Mexico from a single source and at one location for testing and inspection," said Flores. "It also demonstrates our commitment to empowering manufacturers with shorter development cycles, a faster time-to-market and the ability to be more competitive in the global marketplace."
UL operates in over 140 locations in more than 40 countries across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Africa with more than 14,000 scientists, engineers, problem solvers and innovators who partner with customers to unlock their potential by empowering them to demonstrate safety, enhance sustainability and strengthen security. UL works with 60% of Global 500 and Fortune 500 companies, the largest companies in the world and whose quality standards are often benchmarks for other ones. In addition to UL's presence in Mexico, the company's Latin American operations include facilities in Argentina, Brazil and Colombia.
Learn more about UL in Latin America.
About UL
UL is a global safety science leader. We deliver testing, inspection and certification (TIC), training and advisory services, risk management solutions and essential business insights to help our customers, based in more than 100 countries, achieve their safety, security and sustainability goals. We believe our deep knowledge of products and intelligence across supply chains make us the partner of choice for customers with complex challenges. Discover more at UL.com.
Press contacts:
Steven Brewster
UL
ULNews@UL.com
+1.847.664.8425
Jaime Roa
Sherlock Communications
jaime@sherlockcomms.com
+52 55 17957802
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SOURCE UL | 2022-05-19T20:41:31+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/05/19/ul-opens-its-first-laboratory-mexico-empowering-regions-manufacturing-sector/ |
GREENSBORO — A former inmate and a retired prison warden worked together Monday with the same goal in mind: registering people with felony convictions to vote.
Such a goal would have been unreachable a year ago, but a recent N.C. Appeals Court decision allows people on probation, parole or post-release supervision for felony convictions to register and vote in elections. An appeal is pending before the state Supreme Court.
The ruling stems from a March 28 order by trial judges that struck down a state law passed in 1973. In a 2-1 decision, the trial judge panel declared the 1973 law violates the state constitution largely because it discriminates against Black residents.
For so many years, "it has been locked up that once you committed a felony that voting was not even on the table for you," Sharion Wanton said Monday while staffing a voter registration booth outside the Guilford County Courthouse in Greensboro. Wanton, who served eight years in a Florida prison for dealing in stolen property, now works as a peer counselor for the Guilford County Reentry Council.
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She sat at the booth alongside Charles Hinsley, who was a prison warden in Illinois.
"Whatever effort I can do to support initiatives that are going to reform our community, our criminal justice system, I try to become a part of it," Hinsley said.
He volunteers for Unlock the Vote, an initiative launched by Forward Justice — the organization that filed the lawsuit seeking to restore voting rights for more than 55,000 people convicted of felonies in North Carolina.
By 1 p.m. Monday — the first day the booth was in Greensboro — four people with a felony record were registered, Hinsley said.
A similar booth placed outside of the Guilford County Courthouse in High Point for three days last week resulted in about 13 voter registrations, according to Hinsley.
The voter registration booths will be set up in the plazas outside both courthouses — 505 E. Green Drive in High Point and 201 S. Eugene St. in Greensboro — from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through Oct. 13.
"We got a lot of people interested," he said. "A lot of people come to the table, curious, with lots of conversation about it. And many people say they are registered and others say what they want to think about it."
Hinsley said people are cynical that their vote will actually count. "I try to encourage them and give them the reasons for how valuable it is, as a citizen, to have such a right and to exercise that right."
According to a news release from Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers, the Reentry Council, You Can Vote and NAACP are conducting a voter registration campaign for those inside the Greensboro and High Point jails.
"Second chance is a big factor here," Wanton said. "We have to give people a second chance. And sometimes a third chance, but at least get an opportunity to make a change in life — not just with voting, but with employment, with housing, all that matters." | 2022-09-20T00:55:01+00:00 | greensboro.com | https://greensboro.com/news/local/guilford-county-voter-registration-drive-targets-people-convicted-of-felonies/article_8c5b1a1a-384e-11ed-8f3e-e7c63887dfc8.html |
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) — A 16-year-old helping his family. A custodian and father of two. A mother with wedding plans. A happy-go-lucky guy. A longtime employee.
That’s how friends and family described some of the six people killed at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, when a manager opened fire with a handgun before a Nov. 22 employee meeting.
Here are some details about those who were lost:
Randy Blevins, 70, of Chesapeake
Blevins started working for Walmart in the early 1990s after the five-and-dime he owned with his wife, Teresa, went under, his stepdaughter Cassandra Yeatts told The Associated Press.
“When Walmart came to town, they kind of drove their business out of business,” Yeatts said. “My mom contacted the manager of the Walmart at Sam’s Drive and said, ‘Hey, you put us out of business and my husband needs a job.’”
Blevins had an interview and got hired on the spot as an overnight stocker, a job that included unloading trucks, Yeatts said.
He liked the third shift because he had the days to himself. He attended Norfolk Admirals hockey games and watched professional wrestling and Washington Commanders football games on TV.
Blevins also took snapshots of people and places in nearby Isle of Wight County, according to a 1996 story in the Isle of Wight Citizen. The pictures were put on postcards and sold at a different five-and-dime that his brother managed.
Blevins never missed a day of work, his stepdaughter said.
“He never had any complaints about anyone that he worked with, and he enjoyed going into work,” Yeatts said.
Blevins leaves behind three stepdaughters. And although he and his wife Teresa Blevins divorced, they remained best friends, Yeatts said.
“Thanksgiving and Christmas were his favorite holidays,” she said.
___
Fernando Chavez-Barron, 16, of Chesapeake
Chavez-Barron was an honors student in the 11th grade who had just begun driving and had taken a part-time job to help out his family, according to city officials and a GoFundMe page set up for the family. The page’s organizer, Tamara Nelson, confirmed by phone that the page was authentic, but she declined to comment further.
“An outstanding son and excellent big brother, he loved building with Legos,” the GoFundMe page states. “He will always be remembered as humble, loving, responsible and hardworking young man. His loss is felt, not only by his family, but by so many others in his community.”
Chesapeake City Councilman Don J. Carey III said during a candlelight vigil on Monday night that Chavez-Barron “loved taking care of his family and adored his parents. He started working so that he could be responsible and lessen the burden for his family. He was so responsible, supportive and always helped his dad.
“His dad said, ‘He was my best friend,’” Carey said.
___
Kellie Pyle, 52, of Chesapeake
Pyle grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, and moved back to the Hampton Roads region from Kentucky after reconnecting with her high school sweetheart on Facebook.
She and Brian Baker planned to marry next year.
“I’ve never seen her this happy, except when she talked about her children,” said a cousin, William Pillar-Gibson.
“This was not just a new chapter for her — it was the best chapter,” Pillar-Gibson told the AP. “She was a grandmother. Her children were thriving. She was with the love of her life. She was back home.”
Pyle had two adult children in their 20s and a young granddaughter who was “the light of Kellie’s life,” her cousin said.
Pyle had been the caregiver for her parents when their health failed and for her brother when he had a stroke.
“She handled everything,” Pillar-Gibson said. “When something needed to be done, she did it. And she experienced a lot of loss.”
Recently, Pyle was extending her generosity and caregiving to the mother of her fiance, Gwendolyn Bowe Baker Spencer.
In a brief statement to the AP, Spencer said: “We love her … She was an awesome, kind individual — yes she was.”
___
Brian Pendleton, 38, of Chesapeake
Pendleton made sure to be punctual. Although his shift as a custodian started at 10:30 p.m., he was in the break room when the shooting started just after 10, according to his mother, Michelle Johnson.
“He always came to work early so he would be on time for work,” she told the AP last Wednesday. “He liked his coworkers.”
Pendleton had recently celebrated his 10-year anniversary working at the store.
His mother said he didn’t have any problems at work, except with a supervisor, Andre Bing, who was identified as the gunman.
“He just didn’t like my son,” Johnson said. “He would tell me that he (Bing) would give him a hard time.”
Pendleton was born with a congenital brain disorder and grew up in Chesapeake, his mother said.
“He called me yesterday before he was going to work,” Johnson said. “I always tell him to call me when gets off work.”
As she was getting ready for bed, Johnson got a call from a family friend telling her there was a shooting at the Walmart.
“Brian was a happy-go-lucky guy. Brian loved family. Brian loved friends. He loved to tell jokes,” his mother said. “We’re going to miss him.”
___
Lorenzo Gamble, 43, of Chesapeake
Gamble was a custodian on the overnight shift and had worked at Walmart for 15 years, the company said in a statement Tuesday. His greatest joys “were football and spending time with his two sons.”
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said during Monday’s vigil that Gamble was “a man of few words” and “a man of strength, who loved and worked hard for his family.”
Linda Gamble, his mother, told the AP on Sunday that she hadn’t been able to do much of anything, including eat, because she missed him so much.
“It’s been really hard because I never, ever in a million years thought it would be my baby,” Gamble said. “He’s gone, but he will always be in my heart.”
__
Tyneka Johnson, 22, of Portsmouth
Johnson was “full of life” and her smile could “light up any room,” Carey, the Chesapeake councilman, said at Monday’s vigil.
“She was so loved and will be missed dearly,” Carey said. “Her mom said, ‘I feel like my best friend has been taken from me.’”
Walmart said in its statement that Johnson “loved music, dancing and dreamed of attending college soon.”
“Education was in the forefront. Her family did whatever they had to do to make sure she got assistance,” Casheba Cannon, who tutored Johnson while she was in high school, told The Washington Post.
Johnson was willing to work to better herself, but she was also cheerful, helped younger students and “gelled” with everyone she encountered at Cannon’s Blessed Tutoring Services.
Cannon added: “Tyneka was a light in a dim room.”
A makeshift memorial to Johnson was placed in a grassy area outside the Walmart, with the words “Our Hearts are with you” and a basket of flowers.
The remembrance included a cluster of blue, white and gold balloons tied to a tree, alongside a stark yellow line of police tape.
___
Kelleher reported from Honolulu and Schoenbaum reported from Raleigh, North Carolina. AP news researchers Rhonda Shafner and Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report. | 2022-11-30T08:05:57+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/news/national/ap-walmart-shooting-claims-teen-young-woman-father-mother-2/ |
Funds support nonprofit's mission to bridge the gap between people of color and independent schools
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 250 guests gathered on Saturday, October 8 at SoLa Beehive in South Los Angeles for Private School Axis' inaugural Glow Up Gala. The event honored Reveta Bowers, former Head of School at The Center for Early Education and trailblazer for diversity, equity, and inclusion in independent schools. The gala raised more than $150,000 in revenue for Axis' mission to create pathways for underrepresented students and families of color to access, navigate, and thrive in private education.
Axis Founder and Executive Director Collette Bowers Zinn introduced her mother and inaugural honoree Reveta Bowers, a powerful tribute to the family's legacy of advancing equity in education. Upon accepting the honor, Bowers underscored the continuing need for diversity initiatives and equitable policies and practices in independent schools, saying, "We have to remember that all children benefit from, and deserve, teachers and friends who look like them – and who don't."
Collette Bowers Zinn announced the establishment of the Private School Axis Reveta Bowers Legacy Award, to be presented annually to an educator who is championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in education. The first annual Reveta Bowers Legacy Award was awarded posthumously to Gayle Gerber, a dear friend of Reveta Bowers who worked in lockstep with her for almost 40 years to advance DEI initiatives at The Center for Early Education.
School faculty and administrators from a host of Axis Partner Schools were in attendance, along with event sponsors including Pink Sparrow, One Race Films, JP Morgan, Don and Doreen Oleson, Cindy and Bob Broder, Samantha Vincent and Frank E Flowers, and Lisa Field and The Field Family Foundation. The event featured a live art activation, BIPOC-owned food trucks, interactive photo opportunities, and live and silent auctions.
Private School Axis is a people of color-led nonprofit that bridges the gap between POC and independent schools by guiding families of color through the admissions process, placing qualified educators of color in independent schools, and partnering with these schools to strengthen their DEI practices. Axis offers families of color highly individualized support for the duration of their education and DEI Accreditation and Professional Development to Partner Schools at no cost. For more information, visit privateschoolaxis.org.
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SOURCE Private School Axis | 2022-10-14T19:27:46+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2022/10/14/private-school-axis-raises-150k-inaugural-glow-up-gala-honoring-reveta-bowers/ |
Five new garage cabinet sets provide customizable storage possibilities
BENTON HARBOR, Mich., March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gladiator has created an all-in-one, versatile storage suite with the new Gladiator® Flex Cabinet System. In March 2023, the new Gladiator Flex Cabinet System will be available in five unique sets, giving homeowners the ability to organize with high-quality, versatile storage that will transform their garage.
The Gladiator Flex Cabinet System allows for customizing your garage using four different cabinets – the 30" Tall Cabinet, 24" Wall Cabinet, 24" 2-Door Base Cabinet and 24" 1-Drawer 2-Door Base Cabinet. Each cabinet comes with 24-gauge steel with welded construction providing exceptional durability and strength, fully adjustable shelves with hidden brackets, soft touch recessed handles, adjustable soft close doors and a multi-point locking mechanism to keep items safe. With five pre-configured garage cabinet systems that can hold up to 2,350 pounds of evenly distributed weight* homeowners are able to select the system that makes the most sense for their needs.
All Gladiator Flex cabinets are pre-assembled for easy setup and incorporate a variety of additional features including a durable powder coat finish offering protection and corrosion resistance, an integrated storage bin system on the 30" Tall Cabinet, integrated cable management holes to keep workstations neat, self-leveling feet and a pegboard panel on interior doors.
Complementing the new Gladiator Flex Cabinet Systems will be multiple new accessories that will launch alongside the garage cabinet sets:
- 24" Flex Cabinet System Worktop – A worktop that is the perfect, durable tabletop workstation for everything from household repairs to woodworking.
- Flex Cabinet System Caster Kit – A useful accessory to mobilize the Flex 24" 2-Door Base Cabinet or the Flex 24" 1-Drawer 2-Door Base Cabinet, making it easy to bring with you for projects.
- Flex Cabinet System Bracket – These brackets allow Flex cabinets to be off the floor and mounted on Gladiator® GearWall® Panels or GearTrack® Channels, freeing up additional floor space.
- Additional Flex Tall Cabinet Storage Basket – Neatly store smaller items and expand storage capacity with this basket built to hold up to 15 lbs.
"Something we hear often from our customers is they don't know where to begin when it comes to garage storage and organization," said Toni Sdao, General Manager of Gladiator. "The Gladiator Flex Cabinet System gives a solid starting point for those looking to modernize and elevate their storage. The system can truly transform your garage, creating an inviting and open space for hobbies, hosting your next neighborhood gathering or even a game day watch party."
The Gladiator Flex Cabinet System is the latest addition to the brand's existing Ready-to-Assemble and Premier cabinet lines. In recent years, the brand has expanded its offerings to include dedicated tool storage, garage-ready appliances such as its Beverage Cooler as well as continued improvements and extensions to their core products lines such as wall organization and more.
To learn more about the Gladiator® Flex Cabinet System and the brand's complete line of garage storage solutions, visit GladiatorGW.com.
*Weights are for Flex Cabinet System IV and may vary depending on the system.
About Gladiator
Since 2003, Gladiator has been a leader in garage and household organization systems. Pushing the boundaries of home and garage storage, Gladiator has developed a reputation for continually creating innovative, superior, customizable organization solutions. Gladiator offers a robust array of welded and ready-to-assemble products such as cabinets, workbenches, wall systems, shelving, tool storage, appliances and more. For more information on Gladiator® products, please visit www.GladiatorGW.com or through Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest or Instagram.
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SOURCE Gladiator | 2023-03-06T14:43:42+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2023/03/06/gladiator-introduces-flex-cabinet-system/ |
Fire and EMS career fair to be held at DMACC Thursday
Fire and EMS career fair to be held at DMACC Thursday
IOWA PLATE K-Y- P-6-7-7. CALL POLICE IF YOU SEE HIM. HAPPENING TOMORROW - D-MACC WILL HOLD A JOB FAIR FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN FIRE AND E-M-S CAREERS. THIS FAIR IS OPEN TO STUDENTS AND THE PUBLI
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Fire and EMS career fair to be held at DMACC Thursday
Des Moines Area Community College will hold a job fair for anyone interested in fire and emergency medical services careers on Thursday.The fair is open to students and the public. It will be held from 1-4 p.m. at the Ankeny campus.You can find more information on DMACC's website.
ANKENY, Iowa —
Des Moines Area Community College will hold a job fair for anyone interested in fire and emergency medical services careers on Thursday.
The fair is open to students and the public. It will be held from 1-4 p.m. at the Ankeny campus.
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You can find more information on DMACC's website. | 2023-04-06T02:43:54+00:00 | kcci.com | https://www.kcci.com/article/fire-ems-career-fair-to-be-held-dmacc/43524251 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Days after flocking to stores on Black Friday, consumers are turning online for Cyber Monday to score more discounts on gifts and other items that have ballooned in price because of high inflation.
Cyber Monday is expected to remain the year’s biggest online shopping day and rake in up to $11.6 billion in sales, according to Adobe Analytics, which tracks transactions at over 85 of the top 100 U.S. online stores. That forecast represents a jump from the $10.7 billion consumers spent last year.
Adobe’s numbers are not adjusted for inflation, but the company says demand is growing even when inflation is factored in. Some analysts have said top line numbers will be boosted by higher prices and the amount of items consumers purchase could remain unchanged — or even fall — compared to prior years. Profit margins are also expected to be tight for retailers offering deeper discounts to attract budget-conscious consumers and clear out their bloated inventories.
Shoppers spent a record $9.12 billion online on Black Friday, up 2.3% from last year, according to Adobe. E-commerce activity continued to be strong over the weekend, with $9.55 billion in online sales.
Salesforce, which also tracks spending, said their estimates showed online sales in the U.S. hit $15 billion on Friday and $17.2 billion over the weekend, with an average discount rate of 30% on products. Electronics, active wear, toys and health and beauty items were among those that provided a big boost, the two groups said.
CONSUMERS ARE SPENDING CAUTIOUSLY
Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all types of payments including cash and credit card, said that overall sales on Black Friday rose 12% from the year-ago. Sales at physical stores rose 12%, while online sales were up 14%.
RetailNext, which captures sales and traffic via cameras reported that store traffic rose 7% on Black Friday, while sales at physical stores improved 0.1% from a year ago. However, spending per customer dropped nearly 7% as cautious shoppers did more browsing than buying. Another company that tracks store traffic — Sensormatic Solutions — said store traffic was up 2.9% on Black Friday compared to a year ago.
“Shoppers are being more thoughtful, but they are going to more than a few retailers to be able to make a determination of what they are going to buy this year,” said Brian Field, Sensormatic’s global leader of retail consulting and analytics.
Danny Groner, a 39-year-old who lives in New York City, said he and his wife want to get a new TV to replace one they’ve had for about seven years. He spent some time on Monday searching for deals online and found some good discounts. Still, he says he wants to be intentional about what he buys and doesn’t mind spending a bit more for the right product.
Overall, online spending has remained resilient in the past few weeks as eager shoppers buy more items on credit and embrace “buy now, pay later” services that lack interest charges but carry late fees.
In the first three weeks of November, online sales were essentially flat compared with last year, according to Adobe. It said the modest uptick shows consumers have a strong appetite for holiday shopping amid uncertainty about the economy.
Still, some major retailers are feeling a shift. Target, Macy’s and Kohl’s said this month they’ve seen a slowdown in consumer spending in the past few weeks. The exception was Walmart, which reported higher sales in its third quarter and raised its earnings outlook.
“We’re seeing that inflation is starting to really hit the wallet and that consumers are starting to amass more debt at this point,” said Guru Hariharan, founder and CEO of retail e-commerce management firm CommerceIQ, adding there’s more pressure on consumers to purchase cheaper alternatives.
SHIFTING DEMAND
This year’s Cyber Monday also comes amid a wider e-commerce slowdown affecting online retailers that saw a boom in sales during most of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers who feared leaving their homes and embraced e-commerce during the pandemic are heading back to physical stores in greater numbers this year as normalcy returns.
The National Retail Federation said its recent survey showed a 3% uptick in the number of Black Friday shoppers planning to go to stores. It expects 63.9 million consumers to shop online during Cyber Monday, compared to 77 million last year.
Amazon saw its retail business thrive during most of the pandemic, but much of the demand waned as the worst of the pandemic eased. To deal with the change, the company has been scaling back its warehouse expansion plans and is cutting costs by axing some of its projects. It’s also following in the steps of other tech companies and implementing mass layoffs in its corporate ranks. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the company will continue to cut jobs until early next year.
Shopify, a company which helps businesses set up e-commerce websites and also offers offline software, laid off 10% of its staff this summer.
The company said Monday that its merchants have surpassed $5.1 billion in global sales since the start of Black Friday in New Zealand. And spending per U.S. customer went up $5 compared to last year, said Shopify President Harley Finkelstein.
Despite the bump, Finkelstein said shoppers were more intentional about their spending this year and waiting for discounts before making a purchase.
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AP Business Writer Anne D’Innocenzio contributed to this report. | 2022-11-29T10:49:04+00:00 | wivb.com | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/ap-cyber-monday-deals-lure-in-consumers-amid-high-inflation/ |
The British royal family’s Great Meghan Markle Experiment lasted all of 20 months, from her May 2018 marriage to Prince Harry until January 2020, when the couple gave up their royal duties before decamping to Montecito.
To Cambridge partisans, Markle was a wrecking ball masquerading as a smiley face emoji, impatient to bend one of history’s fustiest institutions to her iron will.
In her new book, “The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor — the Truth and the Turmoil,” Tina Brown, former editor of the New Yorker and the British magazine Tatler, and the author of the indispensable 2007 Princess Diana history, “The Diana Chronicles,” places herself squarely on the side of House Cambridge.
“The Palace Papers,” which focuses primarily on the Windsor women, is an episodic examination of the royal family’s difficulties since the death of Diana in 1997. Featuring a combination of preexisting press accounts and Brown’s own reporting, it’s high-minded and gossipy, and addictively readable, despite a slow first half spent revisiting the well-trod history of the Diana Years. Much like the royal family itself, it gets more interesting when Meghan comes along.
When Meghan met Harry, she was a co-star on the USA Network show “Suits.” At 34, she was aging out of leading parts, and her often-transparent ambitions had thus far exceeded her grasp. “Meghan was always so close,” Brown writes, “but never quite there.”
She and Harry, set up by a mutual friend, had much in common, according to Brown; troubled childhoods, a fondness for nourishing grievances and what a palace staffer described to Brown as “a mutual ‘addiction to drama.’ ” Markle was sixth on the call sheet of a basic cable show, something Harry, who was bumped further down the line of succession with each new Cambridge baby, could sympathize with, Brown writes: He was sixth on the call sheet, too.
In Brown’s telling, Prince Harry was mentally fragile, still traumatized by the death of his mother, and prone to angry, childlike outbursts. His growing obsession with Meghan alarmed and puzzled William, once Harry’s closest ally, and their father, the Prince of Wales.
The couple began to feel increasingly under siege, beset by a merciless press corps and equally unsympathetic palace courtiers. Some of the divide was cultural. You “had in Meghan someone who had no context through which to comprehend the institution,” a former palace insider tells Brown. “And in the palace, you had an institution that had no context for understanding Meghan.”
The couple, who made up in charisma what they lacked in self-awareness, brought out the worst in each other, Brown writes. “The Sussexes fueled each other’s distrust of everybody else,” she observes, “and Harry’s wife was as temperamentally combative as he was.”
In “The Palace Papers” as in life, Markle was constantly measured against her sister-in-law. The future queen, whom Brown dubs “Kate the Relatable,” has impossibly glossy hair and a Mona Lisa countenance, though her cheery public blankness does not necessarily suggest untold depths.
Middleton, raised in the picturesque village of Bucklebury, springs from what Brown delicately terms “unexalted origins,” which basically means her mother Carole was an air hostess. Kate met William at university, married him 10 years later and spent the decade between in limbo under the watchful eye of Carole, the Kris Jenner of Bucklebury.
The life of a Windsor is one of such drab constraint — endlessly tedious public appearances, gloomy holidays spent in drafty castles — even Brown can’t figure out why Kate would want it. After years together, William, humiliatingly, once broke up with her on the phone before eventually realizing her quiet forbearance and devotion to duty made her a natural for a life spent opening Tescos in Wales. They married in 2011.
Meghan had greater ambitions: She longed to be the Windsors’ answer to Angelina Jolie. She wanted to give speeches at the United Nations, and to beam warmly at refugee children in photo ops. “The Palace Papers” portrays her as dramatic and actressy, so brusque with employees that several of them accuse her of bullying, while Kate is serene and kind to staffers. Meghan is fond of expensive clothing, Brown argues in one of the book’s more dubious moments, while cost-conscious Kate recycles outfits.
“The Palace Papers” is as much a forensic autopsy as it is a history. Brown spares no one: The Queen is depicted as conflict-avoidant and increasingly remote. Prince Andrew, still her favorite child despite his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, and numerous allegations of financial and sexual impropriety, is described as fat-fingered, imperious and mean to his ex-wife, Fergie, possibly the only person who still likes him.
The hapless Prince Charles is “the male version of Calamity Jane,” his every press cycle upstaged by his more glamorous children. Only Charles’s second wife, Camilla, whom Brown depicts as horse-y and unflappable, escapes royal vivisection.
Brown applies a scalpel to most of the royals but takes a sledgehammer to Meghan, whose irony-free enthusiasm (she was known to spontaneously hug the guards outside Kensington Palace, Brown reports) is seen as un-British. It takes the public a while to sour on her, but by the first Christmas at Sandringham, it becomes clear that Brown has had it with Meghan.
It’s impossible to overstate the impact Markle’s race had on her treatment by the British press (“Harry’s Girl Is (Almost) Straight Outta Compton,” was one early headline), and by the royal family, hidebound colonialists with few people of color on staff. Any battle, even an imagined one, between English rose Kate and biracial divorcée Meghan was never going to be a fair fight, but Brown’s near-beatification of the Cambridges can seem a little much. Even Meghan’s father, who has a thriving side business betraying his daughter in the tabloids, comes off better than she does.
Yet: “The Palace Papers” is still the most essential book of the Markle interregnum, although it’s admittedly not a distinguished group. Brown’s powers of royal observation remain exquisite. Her recounting of the first Sussex/Cambridge couples’ event is one of the book’s greatest joys, and an explanation in miniature of everything that subsequently went wrong.
At a Royal Foundation event spearheaded by her more awkward sister-in-law, Meghan, an assured public speaker, “hogg[ed]” the spotlight, Brown writes. She even went off-script with a passionate, attention-grabbing speech about female empowerment “as Harry looked on with awe and his brother and Kate stood by with expressionless irritation.”
The Fab Four, the royal family’s version of a supergroup, arrived with the palace’s highest hopes, but it “was an awkward dynamic,” Brown writes. “It was later decided the Fab Four would not play onstage together as a band again.”
Allison Stewart writes about pop culture, music and politics for The Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune. She is working on a book about the history of the space program.
The Palace Papers
Inside the House of Windsor — the Truth and the Turmoil
By Tina Brown
Crown. 592 pp. $35
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. | 2022-04-23T10:24:24+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2022/04/23/meghan-markle-royal-family-book-tina-brown/ |
The 2023 Honda Civic Type R has set a new record for front-wheel drive cars at Germany’s Nürburgring racetrack—if you read the fine print.
The latest Civic Type R lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7:44.8, Honda confirmed Wednesday in a press release. That’s a slightly longer elapsed time than the 7:40.1 set by the Renault Megane RS Trophy R in 2019, but Honda is claiming the record under newer rules that redefine the length of the track for the purposes of official records.
A Nordschleife lap is still around 13 miles, but the record claimed by Renault was set over a slightly shorter distance. Under rules adopted in 2019, the official length of a full lap is 20.8 kilometers or 12.9 miles. Prior to that, it was 20.6 kilometers, or 12.8 miles, which is the track length at which Renault set its lap time. The Megane RS Trophy R’s lap time over the 20.8-kilometer distance was 7:45.3, so the Civic Type R was quicker in this apples-to-apples comparison.
This allows Honda to reclaim the front-wheel-drive Nürburgring lap record for production cars, but again it requires a bit of explanation. The FK8-generation Civic Type R broke the record back in 2017 with a 7:43.8 time over the shorter lap distance used at the time. The Civic Type R had set the record one other time prior to that, with a 7:50.6 lap in 2015.
The latest record was set using Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, which are not standard on the Civic Type R but are available through dealers, Honda noted. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are standard equipment on the $43,990 Type R.
That base price buys a hot hatch with 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque produced by its 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine and sent to the front wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission.
Moving to the 11th-generation Civic platform, the Type R has grown larger. The wheelbase has grown 1.4 inches over the previous generation, while the track width has increased by up to 1.0 inch. Honda also claims 8% increased torsional rigidity and 13% increased bending rigidity.
Honda in 2022 confirmed a front-wheel-drive lap record at Japan’s Suzuka International Racing Course, with a production-spec car lapping the 3.6-mile track in 2:23.1.
The Civic Type R was named the Motor Authority Best Car To Buy 2023.
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- 2024 Kia Stinger Tribute Edition costs $54,565 | 2023-04-20T19:27:37+00:00 | wearegreenbay.com | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/automotive/internet-brands/2023-honda-civic-type-r-sets-fwd-ring-record-over-longer-lap-distance/ |
TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares mostly fell Friday, tracking losses on Wall Street after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated increases in interest rates must be faster to fight inflation.
Major indexes cascaded downward in Asia. Japan's consumer price index data showed an increase for the seventh consecutive month, although the results were within market expectations.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 dipped 1.6% in afternoon trading to 27,106.56. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.6% to 7,473.30. South Korea’s Kospi shed 0.7% to 2,707.96. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.2% to 20,638.33, while the Shanghai Composite recouped earlier losses to edge up 0.4% to 3,091.79.
Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki made comments seen as a slightly more forceful pushback against “sudden movements" in exchange rates after meeting with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on the sidelines of G-20 finance ministers’ meetings.
The U.S. dollar fell to 127.91 Japanese yen early Friday from 128.36 yen. The euro cost $1.0850, inching up from $1.0840.
An intervention, particularly from the U.S., may be coming, said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management.
"The BOJ is likely to remain steadfast in its approach to ultra-dovish monetary policy relative to its peers that implicitly welcomes yen depreciation,” he said, referring to Japan's central bank.
But the main cause of the dollar's surge against the yen and other currencies — a growing gap between interest rates in Japan and some other Asian countries and rising U.S. interest rates — is unlikely to abate.
In a panel discussion held by the International Monetary Fund, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed must move faster than it has previously to tackle high inflation, which suggests sharp interest rate increases are likely in coming months.
Powell's remarks helped send stocks lower on Wall Street. The S&P 500 closed 1.5% lower at 4,393.66 after having been up 1.2% in the early going. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1% to 34,792.76 and the Nasdaq slid 2.1% to 13,174.65.
Smaller company stocks fell more than the broader market. The Russell 2000 gave up 2.3% to 1,991.46.
“Under the weight of war, global energy and food risk, equity markets may well begin to buckle, unfortunately in a rather spectacular manner. We have been saying for some time that the only way to protect your investment portfolio is to be cautious on equities and buying gold, oil and the U.S. dollar,” said Clifford Bennett, chief economist at ACY Securities.
The broader market has had a choppy week as investors review the latest round of corporate earnings amid lingering concerns about rising inflation and the Fed’s shift away from an ultra-low interest rate policy.
The Fed has already announced a quarter-percentage point rate hike and Wall Street expects a half-percentage rate hike at its next meeting in two weeks. Other central banks have also moved to raise interest rates to try and temper the impact of rising prices on businesses and consumers.
During the panel discussion Thursday, Powell suggested that “there’s something in the idea of front-loading” aggressive rate hikes as the Fed grapples with inflation that has reached a four-decade high.
That suggests a half-point rate increase could be on the table when Fed officials hold their next interest rate and economic policy meetings May 3-4, Powell said. In the past, the Fed has typically raised its benchmark short-term rate by more modest quarter-point increments.
Markets are also closely watching the presidential runoff election in France this weekend. President Emmanuel Macron appears to have widened his lead over far-right challenger Marine Le Pen, easing some worries about major change in Europe. Macron has received support from the center-left leaders of Germany, Spain and Portugal, who have urged French voters to choose him.
On Wall Street, more than 80% of the stocks in the S&P 500 fell Thursday, with technology stocks accounting for a big share of the decline. Pricey valuations for many of the bigger technology companies give them more sway in directing the broader market higher or lower. Microsoft fell 1.9% and chipmaker Nvidia slid 6%.
American Airlines gained 3.8% after telling investors it expects to turn a profit in the second quarter as more people return to travel.
Tesla rose 3.2% after after the maker of electric cars and solar panels reported strong sales and a seven-fold increase in profits despite global supply chain kinks.
Bond yields have been gaining ground as investors prepare for higher interest rates. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose significantly to 2.97% Friday from 2.92% late Thursday, hovering near its highest levels since late 2018.
Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.37 to $102.42 a barrel. It rose 1.6% on Thursday and is up roughly 40% for the year. That has made gasoline more expensive, which cuts deeper into consumers' wallets. Brent crude, the international standard, lost $1.39 to $106.94 a barrel.
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AP Business Writers Damian J. Troise and Alex Veiga contributed. | 2022-04-22T08:03:39+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Asian-shares-decline-after-Fed-chief-s-comments-17118733.php |
SHENZHEN, China, July 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TD Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLG) (the "Company"), a commodities trading service provider in China today announced that Ms. Renmei Ouyang, the CEO of the Company, was awarded the "2023 Brand Power Top Ten Businesswomen" (the "Award") at the Top 500 Chinese Brands Conference in the 2023 Brand Power Summit Forum (the "Forum") in Beijing on July 15, 2023.
The Forum was initiated and organized by Asiabrand, a renowned professional brand evaluation institution, and co-hosted by the China-Asia Economic Development Association, Global Times, and China Economic News Broadcast Network. The Forum brought together over 200 attendees, including leaders from relevant government departments, authoritative experts, industry leaders, media professionals, and business elites, and provided an invaluable platform for them to celebrate the rise of domestic brands and exchange insights on the future development of Chinese brands.
Ms. Renmei Ouyang, the CEO of the Company, expressed her gratitude and stated, "I'm honored to receive the Award, which represents a profound acknowledgment from domestic and international experts and communities. This recognition motivates us to continue enhancing our brand recognition, expanding our market share and partnerships, fulfilling our social responsibilities and missions, and contributing our strengths and distinctive features to make a meaningful impact in various fields. We aim to keep enhancing the brand's value and influence to make a greater contribution to global brand development."
About TD Holdings, Inc.
TD Holdings, Inc. is a service provider currently engaging in the commodities trading business and supply chain service business in China. Its commodities trading business primarily involves purchasing non-ferrous metal products from upstream metal and mineral suppliers and then selling to downstream customers. Its supply chain service business primarily has served as a one-stop commodity supply chain service and digital intelligence supply chain platform integrating upstream and downstream enterprises, warehouses, logistics, information, and futures trading. For more information, please visit https://www.tdglg.com/.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of TD Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary companies. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects" or similar expressions, involving known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: there is uncertainty about the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it will have on the Company's operations; the demand for the Company's products and services, global supply chains and economic activity in general; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances; and other risks and uncertainties described herein, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed from time to time in other reports and other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission by TD Holdings, Inc. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website at http://www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.
For more information, please contact:
Ascent Investor Relations LLC
Ms. Tina Xiao
Email: tina.xiao@ascent-ir.com
Tel: +1 917 609 0333
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SOURCE TD Holdings, Inc. | 2023-07-24T14:10:29+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2023/07/24/td-holdings-inc-ceo-ms-renmei-ouyang-received-2023-brand-power-top-ten-businesswomen-award/ |
16 great furniture designers of the last century inspiring today’s design trends
Wolfgang Kuhn/United Archives via Getty Images
16 great furniture designers of the last century inspiring today’s design trends
Le Corbusier poses in his studio.
The 20th century ushered in a time of technological advancements as the world continued to evolve in response to the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century and further technological advancements following the First and Second World Wars. In the architecture and interior design world, many embraced these new ideas, creating works that would continue to inspire their generation and the next with careful attention to functional and durable materials and aesthetics.
Many coveted furniture designs of the 20th century were conceptualized by the most influential architects, designers, and artists of their time. These designs continue to be a mainstay in present-day homes and spaces, inspiring purchases of Eames chairs and Noguchi Akari lamps or some contemporary iteration thereof. Even today, furniture remains a hot topic and a lucrative industry. In fact, furniture stores generated over $75 billion in revenue in 2022, according to an IBIS World report.
Lazzoni Modern Furniture has compiled a list of 16 furniture designers who continue to inspire today’s design trends. Many of these designers broke outdated fads and brought new design ideas to the masses, using blends of natural and industrial materials such as plywood, glass, leather, copper, aluminum, steel, and chrome. Research sources included articles from the New York Times, The Washington Post, and the BBC.
Tony Vaccaro/Hulton Archive // Getty Images
Frank Lloyd Wright
Close up portrait of Frank Lloyd Wright.
– Nationality: United States
– Born: 1867
– Died: 1959
Frank Lloyd Wright remains one of the most influential and well-known designers in American history. Over his lifetime, the architect designed 1,114 architectural works, 532 of which materialized, including Fallingwater in Pennsylvania and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. His embrace of new ideas and technologies, as well as his commitment to beauty, sincerity, and democracy, have cemented him as a visionary in the architecture and design field and earned his work a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
While best known for his architectural designs and being one of the originators of “Prairie style” modern spaces, Wright designed furniture and other home accessories such as fabric, graphic and glass artworks, lighting, dinnerware, and rugs until his death.
George C. Beresford/Hulton Archive // Getty Images
Eileen Gray
Studio portrait of Eileen Gray.
– Nationality: Ireland
– Born: 1878
– Died: 1976
While trailblazer Eileen Gray found recognition as a designer later in her life at the age of 94 before passing away at 98, her career spanned decades and produced unique and complex designs that fused elements of Japanese craft and sculptural geometry. Before delving into architecture in her late 40s, Gray gained notoriety within the art deco community for her lacquered screens and decorative panels after training with renowned Japanese sculptor and lacquer master Seizo Sugawara.
With no architectural training, she designed her best-known architectural work, E-1027, in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France. The home wove in moving screens with fixed walls and included furniture that could be adjusted—flexibility unheard of in 1929 when it was completed. Her distinct style is easily recognized in some of her most popular designs, such as the adjustable steel-and-glass E1027 table and the Bibendum chair, immortalized by Aram Designs, who were granted the rights to the manufacturing and distribution of her work by Gray herself in 1973.
Hans Namuth/Photo Researchers History // Getty Images
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe looking at architectural model holding cigar.
– Nationality: Germany
– Born: 1886
– Died: 1969
Regarded as one of the greatest architects of the 20th century, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe gained recognition in Germany for his modern designs and was the director of the Bauhaus school from 1930 to 1933 when he elected to close the school and move to America due to the rise of the Nazi regime. Mies found a home for the second half of his career in Chicago, redesigning the Illinois Institute of Technology’s campus while heading their architecture department.
His influence in architecture can be seen throughout Chicago’s cityscape, with his minimalist style and use of industrial materials like steel and glass defining what came to be known as International Style. His furniture designs use steel tubing paired with sleek leather and glass, the most recognizable being the Barcelona series and the Brno armchair.
Imagno // Getty Images
Le Corbusier
Portrait of Le Corbusier standing in his studio.
– Nationality: Switzerland
– Born: 1887
– Died: 1965
Le Corbusier embraced technological advancements and integrated modern industrial materials and techniques into his renowned urban designs that eschewed decoration and fluff in favor of order and geometry. The designer wore many hats during his lifetime: writer, architect, painter, and a critiqued and applauded urban planner. His most renowned furniture line is the LC series, easily distinguishable by the chrome-plated tubular steel substructure. The series exemplifies how ahead of his time Le Corbusier truly was, with pieces that felt futuristic from their debut in the 1930s to the present day.
V. Wright/Central Press // Getty Images
Arne Jacobsen
Arne Jacobsen pointing at a picture of one of the schools he designed.
– Nationality: Denmark
– Born: 1902
– Died: 1971
Arne Jacobsen remains an influential designer whose expertise included building and landscape architecture as well as furniture and industrial design. He also loved botany, a passion that inspired facets of his design work and a close connection between architecture and nature, seen at Munkegaard School, where classrooms included private courtyard gardens, or St. Catherine’s College in Oxford, where freestanding walls and yew hedges indicated its borders.
His furniture, fabrics, and other household and kitchen appliances, such as clocks, lighting, sink taps, and door handles, remain staples in modern design. Some of his most iconic and timeless furniture designs include the Egg, Ant, Swan, Drop, Series 3300, and Series 7 chairs, still commonplace and mimicked ideas in the design world.
Fine Art Images/Heritage Images // Getty Images
Marcel Breuer
Marcel Breuer seated in the Wassily chair.
– Nationality: Hungary
– Born: 1902
– Died: 1981
Marcel Breuer began his career in 1920, designing furniture at the Bauhaus, which remains classic staples of 20th-century design, such as the Wassily chair and other modular furniture. Breuer drew inspiration from the curves of bicycle handlebars and heavily utilized curved tubular steel throughout his furniture designs. After leaving the Bauhaus, he designed his most notable furniture style to date, the Cesca chair, still commonly seen in dining rooms to this day.
His architectural designs shifted and evolved into more sculptural work later in his career. He is noted for re-imagining the architectural possibilities of concrete, turning the raw material into a poetic centerpiece, as seen in his soaring UNESCO building in Paris and the sky bridges of New York University’s Bronx campus.
Raphael GAILLARDE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Charlotte Perriand
‘Les Arcs’ building and train station in winter.
– Nationality: France
– Born: 1903
– Died: 1999
At age 24, Charlotte Perriand was already making a name for herself with the debut of Bar Sous le Toit, or “Bar Under the Roof,” featured at the Salon d’Automne’s annual Paris art exhibition in 1927. The bar was originally retrofitted for her small studio apartment and used aluminum and nickel-plated finishes, geometric shapes, and glass shelving. These motifs remained relevant throughout her career and expanded to include wood and cane as prices for chrome became expensive.
While Perriand embraced the industrial and technological advancements of the time, her designs retain a playful element, with repeated patterns, pops of colors, and juxtapositions of rigid and fluid lines. Some of her most notable furniture designs include her collaboration with Le Corbusier on the LC3 Grand Modele armchair and LC4 chaise armchair, as well as the Tabouret Méribel stool.
Jack Mitchell // Getty Images
Isamu Noguchi
Isamu Noguchi poses with sculptures in his studio.
– Nationality: United States
– Born: 1904
– Died: 1988
A critically acclaimed sculptor, Isamu Noguchi was born to a white mother of Irish descent and a Japanese father. His political awakening came after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and seeing the subsequently misplaced maltreatment of Japanese Americans. A New York resident, he was exempt from entering the Japanese American concentration camps. Still, he voluntarily entered the Poston War Relocation Camp in 1942 in an effort to improve camp conditions.
Informed by his background; travels through Asia, Mexico, and Europe; and his incarceration; Noguchi constantly evolved his mediums and style while integrating himself into new cultures and practices worldwide. Noguchi experimented with many art forms throughout his lifetime, including mass-produced household items, large public sculptures, ceramics, set design, and architecture. Two of his most notable and continually mass-produced works are his glass-topped coffee table and Akari light sculptures.
Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Greta Magnusson-Grossman
Orange Cobra lamp and green task lamp.
– Nationality: Sweden
– Born: 1906
– Died: 1999
Greta Magnusson-Grossman was a pioneer in the Los Angeles modern movement, being the only female architect with her independent practice during the 1940s to ’60s. Upon her arrival in LA, she successfully opened her first studio and created designs for leading companies and celebrities, as well as designing 14 homes in the area between 1949 to 1959 following Case Study House design principles. She was regularly featured in the influential Arts & Architecture magazine.
Her sleek and stylized furniture designs maintain a modern-day presence despite Magnusson-Grossman’s departure from design in 1966, when she quietly retreated to her self-built house in Encinitas, California, to paint landscapes until her death. Her original works are now highly coveted and sought-after pieces, with true recognition of her work only being discovered after her departure from the design world.
Los Angeles Examiner/USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images
Charles and Ray Eames
Charles and Ray Eames pose with Russian toys and books.
– Nationality: United States
– Born: 1907 (Charles), 1912 (Ray)
– Died: 1978 (Charles), 1988 (Ray)
Husband-and-wife team Charles and Ray Eames established iconic designs that defined America’s middle-class homes from the 1940s and onward, utilizing functional and durable modernist design and bringing it into the mainstream. Charles and Ray were equaled creatively and brought their magic to each of their designs, with Charles contributing grandiose ideas and Ray adding human details, color, and joyful touches to create accessible works for the masses.
They designed practically and with purpose. For example, during World War II, the team developed splints for wounded soldiers, using what they’d learned from developing plywood molding for furniture production. Post-World War II, they created pieces beautiful in their practicality, with their Eames lounge chairs, tables, and home accessories remaining an inspiration for affordable and beautiful modern design.
Evikka // Shutterstock
Hans Wegner
Red three legged Wegner shell chair in museum.
– Nationality: Denmark
– Born: 1914
– Died: 2007
Hans Wegner has been referred to as the master of the chair, producing nearly 500 designs in his lifetime. A prolific and heavily awarded furniture designer and architect, his designs remain internationally acclaimed classics recognized for their combination of art, function, and comfort designed for the human form.
His roots in design began as a teen, when he worked as an apprentice for H.F. Stahlberg, a Danish master cabinetmaker, and then studied at the Copenhagen School of Arts and Craft and the Danish Design School. Wegner continued to implement wood into his designs throughout his career. Perhaps his most iconic chair design, the Wishbone chair, has been continually produced since 1950.
PhotoQuest // Getty Images
Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen talks into a microphone holding pipe.
– Nationality: Finland and the United States
– Born: 1910
– Died: 1961
Eero Saarinen was immersed in the design world from the moment he was born. His mother was a sculptor, and his father was an architect and the director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art; both were known internationally for their work. By his teens, Eero was already helping his father design furniture.
Considered a pioneer of second-generation modernists, Eero implemented curved and organic forms throughout his work and was heavily inspired by sculptural principles such as the John F. Kennedy International Airport and the gateway arch in St. Louis. Some of his most notable furniture designs include the Womb chair, Pedestal table, Tulip chair, and a collection of modern seating in his 70 Series Executive Seating Collection.
Ray Fisher // Getty Images
Florence Knoll Bassett
Florence Knoll Bassett sitting on table in studio with fabric swatches.
– Nationality: United States
– Born: 1917
– Died: 2019
Florence Knoll Bassett was highly influential in the postwar design of America’s offices and corporate spaces. Inspired by the Bauhaus school of design and learning and creating alongside modernist masters like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Eliel Saarinen, she championed the renowned Knoll Associates with her husband, Hans Knoll, and became the designer behind the company name.
Best known for her office designs, her groundbreaking style utilized open space while adding vibrant palettes and soft-shaped furniture with chrome legs, creating futuristic interiors and modern workspaces. She also acquired rights to designers’ creations to produce Knoll replicas, such as the Barcelona and Brno chairs by Mies and the Cesca and Wassily chairs by Marcel Breuer, paying them commissions and royalties while making their work available to the masses.
Daniel Naupold/picture alliance via Getty Images
Vico Magistretti
Three ‘Eclisse’ table lamps in red, blue, and yellow.
– Nationality: Italy
– Born: 1920
– Died: 2006
A pioneer in postwar Italian design, Vico Magistretti was influential in his use of plastic in furniture design toward the 1960s. The height of his experimentation with the material is best seen in his Selene chair, made from a single mold. Fun curved edges and bright colors are a staple in Magistretti’s work, with his use of plastic making many of his pieces easily reproduced and accessible. His most famous designs include the mushroomlike Atollo table lamp and the Carimate chair. In 1960, Magistretti began designing for Cassina, a luxury Italian brand producing designer furniture. Many of his works were produced for the company and remain international bestsellers.
Carsten Koall // Getty Images
Gillis Lundgren
Boerje Lindgre sitting between bookshelves in the Ikea museum.
– Nationality: Sweden
– Born: 1929
– Died: 2016
Creator of the iconic Billy bookcase and more than 200 other designs for IKEA, Gillis Lundgren was the fourth employee at the furniture company before being promoted to its first design manager role. Credited with creating IKEA’s logo and designing for the Swedish manufacturer, Lundgren saw a niche to be filled in the furniture design world.
He worked toward simple and practical designs the average consumer could use and championed the convenient “flat-pack” method of IKEA furniture, saving on storage space and providing affordable options for furniture that could be packed to and built in the buyer’s home. Other classic IKEA designs by Lundgren include the Ektorp Jennylund chair, the Magnarp lamp, the Klippan sofa, and the Lövbacken table.
This story originally appeared on Lazzoni Modern Furniture and was produced and
distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. | 2023-02-22T19:37:09+00:00 | krdo.com | https://krdo.com/news/2023/02/22/16-great-furniture-designers-of-the-last-century-inspiring-todays-design-trends/ |
SOUTHWICK — The Southwick-Tolland Granville Regional School District plans to soon close the district’s campus to the general public beginning next month as a safety measure for students.
Superintendent Jennifer Willard told the School Committee Tuesday evening that she met with police officials about campus security, and that they support closing the campus to the public during the school day. Current policies require visitors to sign in when they enter one of the school buildings, but there is no such requirement to enter the outdoor portions of the campus.
The campus covers just over 100 acres at the corner of Feeding Hills and Powder Mill roads in Southwick. It is the site of all three district schools, Woodland School, Powder Mill School and Southwick Regional School. | 2022-09-22T00:41:16+00:00 | masslive.com | https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2022/09/safety-concerns-will-restrict-access-to-southwick-campus-on-school-days.html |
WEST JORDAN, Utah (KSTU)— A person who wanted to make a difference found a way to provide relief to families who owed student lunch debt.
Tua Kealoha raised $12,050 to help pay off school lunch debt at Heartland Elementary in Utah.
“I believe that food is one of those things that kids shouldn’t have to worry about,” said Kealoha. “I see these guys as my kids, and these are anybody’s kids.”
For two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the students receive free lunches. But this year, their families had to pay for the meals. it’s on their families to pay for it.
“There’s always this middle ground of families that don’t qualify for free or reduced lunches, or their family situation has recently changed – a donation like that of Kealoha’s helps bless a whole bunch of families," said principal Buddy Alger.
When Kealoha learned about lunch debt, he made it his mission to help.
“I’m not from this district, but I believe when it comes to helping kids, there is no such thing as districts," he said.
“I also want to help spread awareness to this issue that there is such a thing as school lunch debt, so find it in yourself to pay off the lunch debt for a student or the whole school,” added Kealoha.
Kealoha hopes his good deed will inspire others to help out in their communities.
“It takes a community to help our community. Hnstead of looking for outside help, we have to just come together and unite and we can help each other out,” he said.
This story was originally reported by Mythili Gubbi on fox13now.com. | 2022-12-20T20:28:21+00:00 | wsfltv.com | https://www.wsfltv.com/news/national/man-raises-money-to-help-pay-off-student-lunch-debt-at-utah-school |
Top tech gadgets on Amazon under $100
If you’re itching to upgrade devices or invest in new tech, you don’t need to wait for a big sale. There are plenty of top tech gadgets on Amazon you can buy right now for $100 or less.
To help you snag the best tech products on Amazon under $100, we’re sharing this brand-new roundup of the best deals we found. From smart plugs to devices that help babies fall asleep, we’ve got all your needs covered. And if you’re just looking for fun new gadgets, we’ve got those, too.
Shop this article: Raycon Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds, Amazon Smart Plug and Amazon Kindle
What you need to know before shopping for the best tech under $100
Affordable vs. premium tech
There’s a big difference between affordable and premium tech when it comes to many devices. More often than not, when it comes to electronics, price does correlate to quality.
That said, there are exceptions if you shop smart. Focus your purchase on investing in a pared-down product that lacks bells and whistles you might not even use.
Take a pair of Bluetooth headphones as an example. An affordable pair might offer a great sound experience, but it’s not long-range like expensive Bluetooth headphones. If you plan on sitting in front of your computer while you use them, the long-range feature isn’t essential.
Device usefulness
Before you spring for a new tech product, think about its usefulness. Ideally, a tech product solves a problem, whether it’s making a task simpler or enhancing your enjoyment of other items in your home or office.
If you’re wondering how useful a device is, consider not only how often you’ll use it but also whether it’s practical to use. After all, if you won’t get much use out of a device, it might be an unnecessary purchase, leading you to waste money.
For example, a digital food thermometer is a solid investment if you cook or barbecue often. On the other hand, if you’ll only use it a handful of times, you might as well save money and buy a much cheaper manual thermometer.
Best Amazon tech under $100
Raycon Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds
These wireless earbuds offer six different sizes of ear tips and three sound modes. They’re compact, water-resistant and offer a powerful punch in a small package.
Where to buy: Amazon
If you’re slowly building a smart home, add this voice-control smart plug to the mix. It’s never been easier to turn off a light or turn on the coffee maker.
Where to buy: Amazon
Read distraction-free with this affordable Kindle e-reader. It holds thousands of titles, including books, newspapers and audiobooks.
Where to buy: Amazon
FunDirect Controller Charger Dock for Nintendo Switch
This charging dock can charge four Joy-Con controllers and two Pro controllers at the same time, making it a smart investment that saves time and increases efficiency. The light indicators keep you informed of the charge status.
Where to buy: Amazon
Boost your home’s security by investing in Ring video doorbell, which has motion detection, privacy zones and crisp night vision.
Where to buy: Amazon
Best gaming tech on Amazon under $100
This Corsair gaming mouse lets users customize their experience with an adjustable weight system. It has an 18,000 DPI optical sensor and 10 programmable buttons.
Where to buy: Amazon
Redragon K580 VATA RGB LED Mechanical Gaming Board
In addition to 104 responsive, anti-ghosting keys, this gaming keyboard has five programmable macro keys and dedicated multimedia controls.
Where to buy: Amazon
Best home tech products on Amazon under $100
GE Color-Changing LED Night Light
This nifty night light features eight vibrant colors with three light-changing modes. It also has light-sensing features to turn on at dusk and off at dawn.
Where to buy: Amazon
Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine, Night Light and Time-to-Rise
Hatch’s multifunctional sound machine grows with your child and supports sleep needs and goals. It’s easy to control via the parent-friendly app.
Where to buy: Amazon
Philips Sonicare Protective Clean 4100 Electric Toothbrush
Make a modest investment in dental health with this popular electric toothbrush. It removes up to seven times more plaque than a regular toothbrush and has a 14-day battery life.
Where to buy: Amazon
In addition to weighing, this interactive scale measures body fat, lean body mass and nine more composition metrics. It makes profiles for up to eight users, plus users can track trends in the Wyze app.
Where to buy: Amazon
Zulay Titanium Motor Milk Frother
From cappuccinos to egg nog, enjoy premium coffee drinks at home with this motorized milk frother. It creates rich, luscious foam within seconds.
Where to buy: Amazon
Midland NOAA Emergency Weather Alert Radio
Considered an essential investment, this emergency radio receives seven NOAA channels and has a 25-county memory system. It has a battery backup in case of power outages.
Where to buy: Amazon
Best tech gifts under $100 on Amazon
Fitbit Inspire 2 Health and Fitness Tracker
Snag this popular Fitbit fitness tracker, which tracks all-day activity, including steps, distance, activity levels and calories burned. You can even use it to track sleep patterns.
Where to buy: Amazon
JBL Go 3 Portable Speaker with Bluetooth
Both travel and pocket-friendly, this waterproof and dustproof Bluetooth speaker from JBL delivers robust sound despite its small size. It offers up to five hours of playtime on a single charge.
Where to buy: Amazon
If you have an iPad, it’s worth getting an Apple Pencil. Thanks to its natural fluidity, Apple Pencil transforms your iPad into a notebook, journal or canvas.
Where to buy: Amazon
Stream your favorite shows and movies in HD, 4K or HDR with this affordable Roku stick. It has a long-range receiver as well as a voice-controlled remote.
Where to buy: Amazon
Rabbit Automatic Electric Corkscrew Wine Bottle Opener
Take the hard work out of opening wine and champagne bottles with this wireless bottle opener. It opens up to 30 corkscrew bottles on a single charge.
Where to buy: Amazon
Tune your guitar, bass, or violin with this digital tuner. It has a 360-degree swivel head so that you can view the display at almost any angle.
Where to buy: Amazon
Affordable and practical, this Qi-certified 10W wireless charging pad is compatible with many Apple and Samsung products. Its low-profile design makes it desk-friendly.
Where to buy: Amazon
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-07-06T02:11:05+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/wearable-technology-br/best-tech-under-100-on-amazon-right-now/ |
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The number of people experiencing homelessness has hit its highest level in more than a decade according to the latest point-in-time (PIT) count from the Homeless Alliance of Western New York.
The count of all sheltered and unsheltered people was taken on January 25, 2023, across a five-county region that includes Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming counties.
The results showed a total of 1,432 individuals experiencing homelessness, which was higher than typical pre-COVID levels, said Homeless Alliance Executive Director Kexin Ma.
"It's not really an urban issue or a rural issue. We find people living everywhere ... but this year we see a significant increase," Ma said.
Prior to 2020, the results ranged between 900 and 1,000. Ma explained how the count is more an indicator than an exact number of unhoused people, but it is nonetheless an important tool.
The PIT count is used to request federal funding for homeless programs and shelters from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD.
"It's no longer the people who might be on the street who you see daily but they could be your neighbor. They are family they are children," Ma said.
Gerrod Bennett runs the Salvation Army Shelter on Main Street in Buffalo, which he said is always full. The shelter can house 77 people, and as of the posting of this story, there were 20 families receiving aid.
When Bennett heard the results of the PIT his first reaction was, "I became concerned, like, why are we having such an increase in homelessness, especially here in Western New York?"
Ma explained that the entire WNY shelter system is just as full as the Salvation Army's location on Main Street for a couple of reasons.
"People are having a much harder time finding housing and exiting shelter even ones with [Section 8 affordable housing] vouchers, which means that our system is not moving," she said.
As for why the count is so high, the Homeless Alliance of Western New York has shared a couple of probable causes, including an increase in post-pandemic evictions after the state's moratorium was lifted, and the rising cost of rental living spaces.
"Sadly, these shelters are a revolving door, so we see that same families so there is chronic homelessness," Bennett said.
Bennett believes addressing chronic homelessness could involve removing the stigma surrounding it as well as providing more opportunities for financial education and opportunity for those in poverty.
"I think the way we begin to change that conversation is to do what we're exactly doing now, having a conversation and getting the community involved," he said.
Ma, from the Homeless Alliance of WNY (HAWNY) also believes investment in more affordable housing would help but she says that isn't a quick solution and is often met with opposition.
HAWNY notes that the region is not unique to this situation and many other communities across the country have experienced an increase in people experiencing homelessness. They're urging everyone to join their effort to help provide services and housing, volunteer, or donate to local homeless service providers.
In closing, Ma added, "We hope by spreading that information we can build empathy in the community." | 2023-05-25T00:54:23+00:00 | wgrz.com | https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/western-new-york-homeless-count-decade-high/71-800b3050-82c3-49be-beeb-9748b308cfe6 |
Which gift for expecting mothers is best?
Welcoming a child into the world is a joyful yet stressful time. Expecting moms are preparing to bring their little one into the world, and if this is their first child, they are probably being overwhelmed with questions about their pregnancy and gifts from their baby registry. Most often, new moms are well prepared with the baby essentials, but they forget their needs.
While getting something for the baby is the first instinct, it shouldn’t stop you from getting something special for the expecting mother. Expecting moms are about to endure 9 months of change, only to experience more change once they welcome their tiny new family member. Their bodies are working hard to bring their baby into the world safely, and after the baby is born, their bodies will work hard to heal while also feeding and nurturing the child. They deserve to be cherished and pampered with gifts that will help them during and after their pregnancy.
Spoil the baby with gifts from the registry but don’t forget to spoil the momma by giving gifts she didn’t ask for and didn’t think she would need. Of course, the expecting mother will need diapers, bottles and onesies, but she will also need comfy maternity clothes to wear throughout her pregnancy or a maternity pillow to support her when she gets closer to her due date.
Best gifts for expecting mothers
Mama-to-Be Gift Set by Earth Mama Natural Pregnancy and Maternity Gift
Get your expecting momma ready for when her belly starts to stretch beyond her toes with this organic skincare set. It comes with travel-size products so the momma to be can test out all the products and decide on her favorites. The set includes a ginger lip balm, body wash, deodorant and most importantly, a belly butter and belly oil to help prevent or reduce stretch marks. Expecting moms will love that the products are organic and formulated by a nurse and herbalist.
Sold by Amazon
QUEEN ROSE 55in Pregnancy Pillow
For the best of the best pregnancy pillows, check out this U-shape full body pillow. Expecting moms will love the super soft velvet fabric and that the pillow supports the entire length of their body, including their growing belly. This pregnancy pillow can be easily adjusted and many reviews from expecting mothers confirm that they are able to sleep easier with this pregnancy pillow.
Sold by Amazon
This set of four nursing sports bras are a must have for moms who are planning to breastfeed. They feature a one-step feeding clasp that a breastfeeding parent can easily unhook with only one hand. The nylon and spandex material are soft and flexible, so it won’t put any added pressure on ribs, yet the elastic fabric will still help moms feel supported and secure. This set comes with four different colors, including two neutrals.
Sold by Amazon
During and after pregnancy, this multi-purpose wrap doubles as a maternity belt and as a nursing cover. It easily layers under clothes and is made from a breathable fabric that will help prevent stretch marks. Expecting mothers can apply any stretch mark cream, then slip on the Flawless Belly to help lock in moisture while protecting your clothes and supporting their belly. This maternity belt will help keep new moms comfortable throughout their pregnancy and long after their child is born.
Sold by Amazon
Before they know it, expecting moms will be experiencing swollen ankles and varicose veins. Provide them with some relief to the pain with these compression socks by Go2Socks. These socks will increase blood flow helping expecting moms to have better circulation in their feet and legs. They will also help to reduce swelling providing pain relief and preventing numbness. An expecting mom will be so grateful to have these on hand when their belly really starts to show.
Sold by Amazon
Soon-to-be mommas work hard to keep themselves healthy throughout their pregnancy, and hydration is vital to their overall health. Make it easy for them to keep track of their water intake by getting an expecting mom a large water bottle with markers on the side to help them see their daily water consumption. This 32 ounce water bottle comes in multiple fun colors with easy to read time markers to motivate expecting moms to drink more water. It also has a leak-proof locking lid and a carry strap, making it easy for expecting mothers to carry it with them everywhere.
Sold by Amazon
Molliya Maternity Nursing Robe
New moms will love this maternity robe with ¾ sleeves to keep them cool yet cozy. This maternity robe is perfect for expecting moms to wear around the house and even for wearing around the hospital before and after giving birth. Moms will love that they can easily nurse in this robe that also can double as a nightgown due to the super soft material.
Sold by Amazon
As You Grow: A Modern Memory Book for Baby
Parents want to capture every moment of their child’s life, and this memory book helps expecting moms start recording moments from pregnancy to age 5. This memory book has a beautiful gender-neutral design, making it an excellent option for parents opting out of a gender reveal party. So even if the parents are keeping the gender a surprise, this memory book provides a fun and cute way for moms to keep track of their child’s journey and their journey as a mom.
Sold by Amazon
Medcursor Foot Massager Machine with Heat
Expecting moms are carrying around a lot more weight than they normally do and that puts a lot of pressure on their feet. They won’t be able to get enough of this foot massager by Medcursor that not only messages their feet but has a heat function that helps with relaxation. The settings can be easily customized to exactly what an expecting mom needs to unwind at the end of a long day.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-10T00:19:21+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/holiday-br/best-gifts-for-expecting-mothers/ |
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) - Kids in Columbus can improve their sport and beat the heat at the same time.
TNT Elite Training in Columbus is jump starting its summer series of basketball camps.
This first one opened up this week.
The camp is for kids from third grade to 10th grade and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day.
Campers go through various individual and team drills.
This camp ends on Thursday. The next one starts on June 20.
TNT is at 1120 Highway 69 South.
Video coming soon. | 2022-06-14T22:40:35+00:00 | wtva.com | https://www.wtva.com/news/tnt-elite-basketball-camp-underway-in-columbus/article_ca8a2c0a-ec2b-11ec-af2e-6b6e3e487fd9.html |
Adolis García Player Prop Bets: Rangers vs. Cardinals - June 6
Published: Jun. 6, 2023 at 9:24 AM CDT|Updated: 34 minutes ago
Adolis Garcia -- with a slugging percentage of .333 in his past 10 games, including zero homers) -- will be in action for the Texas Rangers against the St. Louis Cardinals, with Matthew Liberatore on the mound, on June 6 at 8:05 PM ET.
In his last game, he went 1-for-4 against the Cardinals.
Adolis García Game Info & Props vs. the Cardinals
- Game Day: Tuesday, June 6, 2023
- Game Time: 8:05 PM ET
- Stadium: Globe Life Field
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Cardinals Starter: Matthew Liberatore
- TV Channel: BSSW
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -208)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +275)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +125)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: -125)
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Discover More About This Game
Adolis García At The Plate
- Garcia has 10 doubles, 14 home runs and 20 walks while batting .260.
- Among qualified hitters in MLB, his batting average ranks 72nd, his on-base percentage ranks 102nd, and he is 30th in the league in slugging.
- Garcia enters this game on a six-game hitting streak. Over the course of his last outings, he's hitting .286.
- Garcia has reached base via a hit in 36 games this year (of 58 played), and had multiple hits in 14 of those games.
- In 19.0% of his games this season, he has hit a home run, and 5.6% of his trips to the dish.
- Garcia has an RBI in 26 of 58 games this season, with multiple RBI in 12 of them. He has also driven home three or more of his team's runs in five contests.
- In 51.7% of his games this year, he has scored at least once. And he's had 12 games with multiple runs (20.7%).
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Adolis García Home/Away Batting Splits
Cardinals Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Cardinals has a collective 8.7 K/9, which ranks 16th in MLB.
- The Cardinals have a 4.24 team ERA that ranks 16th across all MLB pitching staffs.
- The Cardinals give up the eighth-fewest home runs in baseball (61 total, one per game).
- Liberatore (1-1) gets the starting nod for the Cardinals, his third this season.
- The left-hander last pitched on Friday, May 26 against the Cleveland Guardians, when he tossed five innings, allowing four earned runs while giving up five hits.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-06T14:59:12+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/sports/betting/2023/06/06/adolis-garcia-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
The 11 best products to buy for a Studio Ghibli fan
Studio Ghibli’s animated movies have earned a huge following for their deep and touching plots, unforgettable characters, incredible scores and enchanting, albeit often sinister, fantasy worlds. Drawn by hand by Hayao Miyazaki, Ghibli films visually stun and enrapture viewers.
What better way to keep the wonder of these films alive than to gift the Studio Ghibli fans in your life with some merchandise they’re sure to love? If you have Ghibli lovers in your life, pull at their heart strings with art, figurines, plushies and more from their favorite films. Whether they love “Ponyo,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away,” “Howl’s Moving Castle” or any other Ghibli film, there are plenty of Studio Ghibli products they’re sure to love.
The best Studio Ghibli gifts to buy
Studio Ghibli My Neighbor Totoro Cat Bus Plush
Totoro is a Studio Ghibli fan favorite, and this fluffy Totoro Catbus is one of the film’s most recognizable icons. This Chesire-like feline vehicle character appears on a road in the forest and transports Mei, Satsuki and Totoro to their destinations in the film. The Ghibli fan in your life is sure to adore this durable and fluffy plush. Especially great for kids who love soft and cuddly plushes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
This soft and huggable No-Face premier plush is the perfect gift for a “Spirited Away” fan of any age, be it a kid who loves to snuggle with soft plushies or an adult who loves to collect cool merchandise inspired by the genre of Japanese animated films known as anime. The toy makes an awesome addition to a plush collection or to a cubicle’s decor in the office.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Studio Ghibli Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji Necklace
This is an ideal gift for a Ghibli fan who loves anime jewelry. The whimsical necklace features Jiji from “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” a cat who accompanies young Kiki on her witch’s journey. The charm itself is accurate to the film and intricately painted. It comes on an attractive chain and is sure to bring many compliments to its wearer.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Can’t pick a favorite between the many lovable Ghibli films and characters? Don’t! This four-pack collection of Studio Ghibli crew socks for women features fan-favorite characters from beloved Ghibli films: Chihiro from “Spirited Away,” Haku and Kiki from “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” Howl and Sophie from “Howl’s Moving Castle” and Mei and Satsuki from “My Neighbor Totoro.” Whoever you give these socks to, you can be sure she will be pleased and get much use out of them.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Studio Ghibli Collectable Postcards
A versatile gift for a lover of all Ghibli films, this set of 100 collectable postcards features stills from brilliant Miyazaki scenes. Ideal for hanging on a wall to adorn a space with stunning art, these postcards are also suitable for mailing to friends and family. They come in a sturdy and resealable box perfect for wrapping.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
The Art of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
“Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” is a favorite film of Studio Ghibli fans who also care deeply for animals and the environment. This epic fantasy follows the efforts of Nausicaa to protect animal welfare through peaceful measures and negotiations with her community, who misunderstand and mistreat the animals. The art in this collection is a stunning reproduction of Miyazaki’s illustrations, including concept sketches, animation stills and interviews with the creators. This is an ideal coffee-table book for a Ghibli lover.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
“Spirited Away” is a Ghibli fan favorite, with reproductions of No-Face and Haku adorning much of Studio Ghibli’s merchandise. You’ll find art, interviews and concept designs integral to the creation of Miyazaki’s hit film in this English edition of the collected art of Spirited Away. It also includes an English script from the film. This hardcover book is the perfect size for a coffee table.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Ensky Spirited Away Movie Scene Playing Cards: Official Studio Ghibli Merchandise
This will be a fun addition to the collection of a Studio Ghibli fan who loves to play card games. Each card in this deck features legendary Ghibli scenes to bring the enchantment of Miyazaki’s fantastical worlds into your favorite fan’s hands.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Studio Ghibli Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind 2 Book Box Set
Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece Nausicaa manga, a uniquely Japanese style of comic, is an epic fantasy in which a strong and courageous hero of “The Valley of the Wind” fights for the health of a planet whose environment and animals suffer. This deluxe two-volume box set includes both hardcover manga volumes, illustrated by Miyazaki, as well as a bonus color poster.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Japanese Hotaru No Haka Full Candy Tin Sealed
There are few anime fans who don’t love receiving candy seen in their favorite film. “Grave of the Fireflies” is a lesser-known and heart-wrenching Ghibli film sure to be a favorite of any diehard fan of the Ghibli canon. In the movie, the main characters carry a tiny tin of fruit candy to bring a small amount of joy to their difficult lives. This gift carries a level of depth and ironic sweetness few others can, with packaging true to the film art.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Howl’s Coloring Book: Favorite Ghibli Animation Coloring Book
Studio Ghibli’s art is acclaimed for its whimsy and beauty. What better way to enjoy it than to recreate it with a personal touch? Enjoy coloring your favorite characters and scenes. This makes a fun and interactive gift ideal for all ages, as adult coloring books are an increasingly popular pastime for increasing mindfulness and relaxation. Read more about the benefits of coloring in BestReviews’ adult coloring book buying guide.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Evelyn Waugh writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-15T14:27:29+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/theme-toys-br/know-a-studio-ghibli-fan-theyll-love-these-11-products/ |
(The Hill) — Schools are desperate to protect their students from the rising threat of mass shootings, but experts say the very measures being deployed for safety are in fact traumatizing entire generations of American youth.
There were 51 school shootings in 2022, according to a tracker from Education Week, directly impacting thousands of students.
By comparison, 95 percent of U.S. schools have shooter lockdown practice, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, affecting millions of students each year.
Sarah Burd-Sharps, senior director of research at Everytown, said, “Active shooter drills are actually harmful” for students.
“The cumulative impact of shooter drills, lockdowns, metal detectors, armed teachers, and other school-hardening measures is an environment that feels inherently unsafe for America’s schoolchildren,” Burd-Sharps said.
In 2020, Everytown analyzed millions of tweets and 1,000 Reddit posts using machine-learning psychological affect classifiers, studying posts from both before and after school lockdown drills. Based on the use of words such as “afraid,” “suicidal” and “irritability,” they said there was a 42 percent increase in anxiety around the drills and a 39 percent increase in depression.
The situation is coming to a head in New York, where schools are required to do four lockdown drills a year. Lawmakers want to drop that requirement down to one, with parents given the option to opt their child out of the drill entirely due to mental health concerns.
“If you enter the school system as a 3-year-old and you exit as an 18-year-old, you will have done 60 lockdown drills,” Robert Murtfeld, a parent in New York advocating for the new law, told Chalkbeat New York in an interview published last week. “This is not about making anyone less safe — this is about being smart about what is the best-mediated solution.”
The issue is not only the drills themselves but the way many schools conduct them.
Nancy Rappaport, a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist and an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, says lockdown practices are “conducted in a pretty poor, chaotic way.”
Schools often do not do a debriefing of high-risk students, such as those previously involved in shootings or trauma in that area, causing further damage, Rappaport said. There have even been incidents where schools did not tell students the situation was only a drill until after it was over.
“I’ve had several kids who have been involved with school shootings […] and then they have to do lockdowns. And that’s really, really hard. Talk about a triggering event when you’ve been in a school that might have had a school shooting and then you return to school and you’d have to keep practicing these drills,” Rappaport said.
In 2022, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found school shootings were at their highest in 20 years, though still a tiny fraction of U.S. gun deaths — less than 1 percent, according to the 2020 report from Everytown for Gun Safety.
So far this year, there have been 21 school shootings, according to a Washington Post database. Among them, eight children were killed, six of them at the Nashville Christian school shooting in April.
Meanwhile, preparations for potential mass shooter events can make students feel unsafe in a building that is a safe space for youth. And younger children may not always be able to tell that they aren’t in real danger.
“Their idea of what’s reality and what’s pretend-play are pretty close together,” Rappaport said.
“So when you’re having kids practice a lockdown, what they start to do is called repetitive play, where they repeat the idea that there’s a lockdown happening and that people have to hide and things are unsafe, and that’s another kind of trauma reaction,” she added.
And the evidence is not clear whether these drills are actually useful in a real situation, nor whether other school safety measures will help students more than hurt them.
“I think if that’s used as an opportunity to get a lot more police in schools, more dogs to sniff students, more metal detectors, more video cameras to surveil students, more guns that teachers or other people carry on, that’ll be a mistake in my mind,” said Ron Avi Astor, professor at the Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA, adding that “people will feel justified in really fortifying our schools into little mini prisons.”
Experts have been pushing for a more trauma-informed approach to school safety issues and addressing concerns about school shootings.
Rappaport advocates for schools to have a threat assessment team that can speak to the plans for evacuation in an emergency, but says actual drills are unnecessary.
“I’ve heard some people talk about every time you get on a plane people give you warnings about how to manage if there’s a plane crash, but they don’t do a simulated crash,” she said. | 2023-05-04T13:14:12+00:00 | wearegreenbay.com | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/active-shooter-drills-may-be-traumatizing-millions-of-students/ |
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NEW YORK (AP) — In reimagining 40 of their best-known songs, U2 recognized that many fans would experience them through earphones connected to a device in their pockets — rather than being belted out onstage.
That was one thought behind “Songs of Surrender,”coming out this week. The four men of U2, now either 61 or 62 years old, revisit material written in some cases when they were little more than kids out of Dublin.
Particularly in those days, U2 songs were written primarily with concerts in mind. The Edge told The Associated Press in an interview that U2 wanted to catch the attention of people seeing the band for the first time, perhaps in a festival or as an opening act.
“There’s a sort of gladiatorial aspect to live performances when you’re in that situation,” he said. “The material has got to be pretty bold and even strident at times. With this reimagining, we thought it would be fun to see intimacy as a new approach, that intimacy would be the new punk rock, as it were.”
The Edge was the driving force behind “Songs of Surrender,” using pandemic down time to record much of the music at home.
Given that his electric guitar and Bono’s voice are the musical signature of U2, there’s a certain irony in the absence of that guitar being the most immediately noticeable feature of the new versions. He sticks primarily to keyboards, acoustic guitar and dulcimer.
The process began without a roadmap or commitment to see it through if it wasn’t working.
“As we got into it and got into a groove, we really started to enjoy what was happening,” he said. “There was a lot of freedom in the process, it was joyful and fun to take these songs and sort of reimagine them and I think that comes across. It doesn’t sound like there was a lot of hard work involved because it wasn’t.”
Much of the intimacy comes through Bono’s voice. There’s no need to shout, so he sometimes uses lower registers or slips into falsetto.
Lyrics are often rewritten, sometimes extensively in even a recent song like “The Miracle of Joey Ramone.” Some changes are more subtle but still noticeable: replacing the line “one man betrayed with a kiss” with “one boy never will be kissed” takes Jesus out of “Pride (In the Name of Love).”
At the same time, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is rearranged to end with a question: “where is the victory Jesus won?”
Cellos replace the driving guitar of “Vertigo.” Keyboards give “Where the Streets Have No Name” an ambient sound. “Two Hearts Beat as One,” the original a high-octane rock dance song, now has a slinkier, sexy vibe and is one of four songs where The Edge takes lead vocal.
The band is fairly democratic in taking songs from throughout its catalog, although 1981’s “October” album and 2009’s “No Line on the Horizon” are not represented. “New Year’s Day,” “Angel of Harlem” and “Even Better Than the Real Thing” are among the songs left alone.
“We’re one of the only acts that has this body of work where a project like this would be possible, with the distance of time and experience where it would be interesting to revisit early songs,” The Edge said.
Throughout music history, bands have occasionally re-recorded material for contractual reasons. Taylor Swift is the most famous example, putting out new versions of her older songs in order to control their use. Squeeze’s “Spot the Difference” makes sport of how they tried to make new recordings indistinguishable from the originals.
Live recordings and archive-cleaning projects like Bob Dylan’s “bootleg” series gives fans the chance to hear familiar songs differently.
Many older artists don’t see the point of making new music, since there’s little opportunity to be heard and fans are partial to the familiar stuff, anyway, said Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone contributing editor.
“Revisiting your body of work in a creative way is a means of sustaining interest in your career,” DeCurtis said. “Older fans might not be interested in another collection of your hits, but reworking them in a meaningful way could prove enticing. Younger fans don’t have the same investment in your classics, so these new versions offer a route into your catalog.”
The Edge encourages fans to give the new versions a try, suggesting they may even grow to prefer some of them.
“I don’t think there’s a competition between these and the original versions,” he said. “It’s more of an additive thing than a substitution. If you like the new arrangements, great. If you prefer the originals, keep listening.
“It’s no problem either way,” he said. “They’re both valid.”
The Edge said he’s working on new music for U2, “and we’ve got some great stuff in the pipeline.”
The quartet that met in drummer Larry Mullen Jr.’s kitchen when they answered an ad placed on a high school bulletin board is a remarkable story in longevity. A passage toward the end of Bono’s book “Surrender,” where he talked about looking around onstage at the end of their most recent tour in 2019 and wondering if it was the end, raised natural questions about how long U2 would continue.
“There are many reasons why U2 has stayed together for so long, but one of the main reasons is that it works so well for us as individuals,” The Edge said. “I think we all shine the brightest as part of this collective. I certainly would not like to hang up the guitar.”
This year will provide a test for a band that can count on one hand the number of times it has performed without all four members. U2 has committed to a run of shows in Las Vegas without Mullen, who is recuperating from surgery.
Would U2 continue if one of the original quartet decides it’s time to hang it up?
“I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that we could go forward with different members,” The Edge said. “But also, equally, I could imagine us deciding not to. It would be a big challenge. But I think at the time we would know what felt right.” | 2023-03-14T18:04:05+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/in-unusual-step-u2-reinterprets-40-of-its-best-known-songs/ |
Wisps of fog hung over central Almaty, Kazakhstan, last month as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev somberly unveiled a monument to those killed a year ago in the worst unrest in the Central Asian nation’s three decades of independence.
Words on the stark concrete “Reverence” memorial speak of the need for unity and harmony in the energy-rich country of 19 million.
But a year after calm was restored and a state of emergency lifted on Jan. 20, 2022, both appear elusive. And an official fog still shrouds many of the events surrounding the days known as “Bloody January.”
Despite government promises of accountability as well as promises of economic and political reforms in the former Soviet nation, many Kazakhs say they have not seen meaningful changes or even clarity about what happened to those who were killed and detained in the rioting.
“So many questions remain about what happened,” said Dimash Alzhanov, a Kazakh political analyst and co-founder of the civic movement known as Oyan, Qazaqstan, or “Wake up, Kazakhstan.”
Government video of the memorial’s Dec. 23 unveiling in Republic Square, attended by about two dozen officials, showed a subdued ceremony. The scene was starkly different 11 months earlier, when protesters stormed two palatial state buildings on Jan. 5 and set them ablaze.
The Prosecutor General’s office said 238 people were killed; human rights groups say over 10,000 were detained.
The demonstrations began Jan. 2 in western Kazakhstan’s oil-producing region over an increase in state-controlled gas prices as 2022 dawned. Those protests spread and morphed into broad criticisms of corruption, economic inequality and a continuing grip on power and the country’s energy wealth by its long-serving first leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and his family. Marchers referred to him by shouting “Old man out!”
Over the course of a week, the initially peaceful gatherings grew violent. Participants in the marches told The Associated Press at the time that armed men, their faces covered and riding with cars without license plates, appeared in Almaty, the former capital, and urged them to storm government buildings, promising guns.
The government, led by Nazarbayev’s hand-picked successor Tokayev, responded with “shoot-to-kill” orders, blaming foreign-trained and funded “terrorists.”
At Tokayev’s request, 2,000 mostly Russian peacekeeping troops were sent in by the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a military alliance of six former Soviet states. This raised fears of an intervention by Moscow — weeks before its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. Those fears never materialized, with the CSTO pulling out in late January.
Human rights activists allege that Kazakh security troops used excessive force, arbitrary detentions and widespread torture on thousands of detained protesters. They criticized government-published lists of victims for not clarifying the circumstances of their deaths.
Tokayev’s administration rejected calls for an international investigation.
It did, however , push through reforms that included strengthening parliament, reducing presidential powers and limiting the presidency to a single seven-year term. Tokayev, who succeeded Nazarbayev in 2019, won a snap presidential election in November with a reported 81% of the vote, ensuring he will stay in office until 2029.
The reforms also stripped Nazarbayev, 82, of his remaining powers over domestic and foreign policy. In September, the capital of the country reverted to the name of Astana, after being renamed Nur-Sultan in his honor in 2019.
Despite those reforms, human rights campaigners and analysts say they see troubling familiar patterns.
“We continue to live in a Soviet-style authoritarian regime, and it hasn’t changed very much since the January events,” Yevgeniy Zhovtis, head of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, told AP. “In fact, the January events have led to new issues, linked to torture and civilian deaths and related investigations being closed.”
Kazakh human rights lawyer Tatiana Chernobil, working with the Coalition Against Torture nongovernmental organization, said that while her group received 190 complaints of torture and ill-treatment in 2022, the real number could be much higher.
She said 104 of those cases brought by her organization were dismissed for lack of evidence. The Kazakh ombudswoman, Elvira Azimova, gave a similar figure in November, with state media quoting her as saying about 80% were dismissed before going to court.
In February, the press service of the president said criminal investigations were launched into 170 instances of torture and abuse of power from the unrest. In October, Deputy Prosecutor General Aset Chindaliyev said 17 police officers and 12 security operatives were implicated in criminal cases into the alleged torture of detained protesters.
Chernobil said authorities don’t do enough to verify the allegations, noting many people claim they can identify their torturers and have medical records of injuries. Investigators “often stop at questioning the suspects, who claim that they didn’t commit any wrongdoing — and that’s it,” and then conclude the account can’t be verified, she said.
According to the United Nations, the burden of proof in torture cases lies with the state. As long as complainants can provide evidence of bodily harm or being held in custody, it is up to authorities to prove torture did not occur.
“In Kazakhstan, we see a lack of compliance with international standards. We see a kind of victim-blaming, laying the burden of proof on those bringing the allegations,” Chernobil said.
Rachel Gasowski, a Central Asia researcher at the International Partnership for Human Rights, said torture allegations in Kazakhstan predate 2022. Cases cited after protests in the oil-producing city of Zhanaozen in 2011 led to neither investigation nor redress for victims, despite recommendations from U.N.-linked rights bodies. A joint report by Kazakh and international groups on torture is to be published this month.
Gasowski said her group was “dismayed” that most cases from the 2022 protests have been closed.
Chernobil expressed cautious optimism about a government decision to transfer jurisdiction in torture cases from the police and state anti-corruption agency to the Prosecutor General’s Office but is unsure if it will bring real change. Her group has stopped demanding an independent investigative body, she said, “because it’s a major question to what extent you can really be independent in Kazakhstan.”
Zhovtis, the activist, said an international probe is needed because most criminal investigations of civilian deaths have been dismissed due to authorities frequently withholding key evidence such as CCTV video, citing national security.
The government list of those killed often omits whether they were accidental deaths, such as from excessive force, or if they were “genuinely terrorists,” Zhovtis said, referencing the government line of foreigners being behind the unrest. The administration has yet to provide any such evidence.
An official in the Prosecutor General’s Office told Kazakhstanskaya Pravda in February that authorities were investigating the deaths of at least six people in custody as the result of “prohibited interrogation methods.”
Some high-ranking officials were accused of involvement in the unrest. Former anti-terrorism chief Karim Masimov, described as a Nazarbayev ally, was detained in January 2022, along with other key security figures and charged with high treason in an ongoing closed trial.
Tokayev speaks often of a “new Kazakhstan” that breaks with the Nazarbayev era, one with accountability and democratization. But Zhovtis sees limits to these promises.
Human rights defenders and independent journalists still face pressure, from online harassment to detentions and physical attacks.
On Saturday, journalist Dinara Yegeubayeva, who plans to run in March 19 parliamentary elections, posted photos of her burned-out car in Almaty.
“Tokayev! Explain! Is this your new Kazakhstan?” she said. Media reports say Yegeubayeva received bomb threats last year, although emergency responders found no evidence of one in her car. A criminal investigation has been opened.
Zhovtis linked the attack to what he called an official unwillingness to allow true political opposition.
Alzhanov, the analyst, said candidates have difficulty registering and gathering signatures from supporters.
He accuses Tokayev’s administration of “imitation reforms” for the benefit of the West. He cited the case of opposition figure Zhanbolat Mamai, who has been charged with organizing mass riots and spreading false information in the 2022 protests. He faces up to 10 years in prison on allegations he calls politically motivated.
Despite the challenges, Zhovtis remained optimistic.
“Society is different now. The January events and their coverage in social media networks have played their part, and society has become more open — there is more information and more criticism of the authorities,” he told AP.
He also hopes some opposition and independent candidates could be elected. Authorities allow 30% of parliament seats to be allocated from outside party lists.
“Something is happening. Very slowly, and the regime stays very much the same, but change is happening,” he said. | 2023-01-20T08:57:17+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/a-year-after-kazakhstans-deadly-riots-questions-persist/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
DONGGUAN, China, April 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mentech Innovation ( "Mentech" or "the Company"), a manufacturer of new energy storage devices and smart outdoor appliances, has showcased a slew of portable energy storage solutions and high-tech camping appliances at the 133 rd China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou ("Canton Fair") .
With Mentech's deep background in energy technology, the Company is committed to driving its "new energy" and "digitalization" efforts that align with its core strategy, making it a leader in the industry. Since 2022, Mentech has carried out a long-term brand upgrade with two major development directions of new energy and outdoor smart living, while the Company continues its efforts to extend its business-to-business and business-to-consumer services.
"The Canton Fair this year provided an opportunity for Mentech to deepen our exchanges with global customers, partners, and industry professionals," said Luna Xiao, CMO of Mentech, which is expanding its business globally and intending to build a top Chinese brand in the international market. "We aim to bring our new energy and outdoor solutions to a broader market and establish a strong presence in the international market."
Notably, Mentech's technical strength was demonstrated by the power of its parent company, Dongguan Mentech Optical & Magnetic Co. Ltd. (002902.SZ), which specializes in providing magnetic components, optical modules and power supplies.
In a bid to expand its market presence and showcase its new energy efforts, the Company displayed its latest product lineups at the Canton Fair, including home energy storage products, portable energy storage products, car refrigerators and camping appliances with high-tech features.
With a goal of better protecting the environment, Mentech has focused on developing products that are beneficial for the earth. For example, the Company's new home energy storage products can help reduce household electricity costs and thus ease the burden on the power grid, which is essential to environmental protection. These low-cost and eco-friendly features have drawn specific attention from both domestic and overseas exhibition visitors and participants.
Through the Canton Fair, Mentech has engaged in discussions with customers and industry insiders from around the world to explore the future development direction of its products. The Company's commitment to innovation and digitalization, as well as its expertise in energy technology, have made it a leading force in the industry.
For more information, please visit: https://www.mentech.com/
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SOURCE Guangdong Mentech Technical Innovation Co., Ltd | 2023-04-27T14:24:34+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2023/04/27/mentech-innovation-showcases-new-energy-storage-solutions-outdoor-appliances-canton-fair/ |
COURCHEVEL, France (AP) — Overall World Cup winners Mikaela Shiffrin, Federica Brignone and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde are among nearly 200 athletes from multiple disciplines who have signed a letter addressed to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation demanding action over climate change.
The letter was delivered during the skiing world championships after warm weather and a lack of snow wiped out nearly a month of racing at the start of this season, with preseason training on melting European glaciers heading toward extinction and the impact of climate change on the schedule being seen even in January.
“It’s about time to address a really important topic,” Kilde said after earning a silver medal in downhill on Sunday. “We see that the world is changing. We see also the impact of our sport. … I want the future generations to experience winter and to be able to do what I do.”
The letter was written by Austrian downhiller Julian Schütter, an ambassador for the nonprofit organization Protect Our Winters, known as POW.
“We are already experiencing the effects of climate change in our everyday lives and our profession,” the athletes said in the letter. “The public opinion about skiing is shifting towards unjustifiability. … We need progressive organizational action. We are aware of the current sustainability efforts of FIS and rate them as insufficient.”
Olympic cross-country skiing champion Jessie Diggins and Freeride World Tour champions Arianna Tricomi and Xavier de le Rue were also among the letter’s signees.
“This is our most important race, let’s win it together,” the athletes said.
In terms of Alpine skiing, the athletes asked the federation, known as FIS, to shift the start of the season from late October to late November and the end of the season from mid-March to late April.
“The seasons have shifted and in the interest of us all we need to adapt to those new circumstances,” they said.
Racers also requested a more “geographically reasonable” race schedule to reduce carbon emissions, citing how the men’s circuit will have traveled from Europe to North America and back twice by the end of this season.
“The races of Beaver Creek in November and those in Aspen in February are 50 kilometers (30 miles) away from each other,” the skiers said, referring to the two Colorado resorts. “Planning those two races one after the other would reduce approximately 1,500 tons of (carbon emissions).”
The athletes also asked FIS to create a sustainability department.
There was no immediate response from FIS.
___
Andrew Dampf is at https://twitter.com/AndrewDampf
___
More AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/skiing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-02-13T12:36:09+00:00 | ksn.com | https://www.ksn.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-skiers-seek-climate-change-moves-the-seasons-have-shifted/ |
WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, November 16, 2022
_____
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albany NY
956 AM EST Wed Nov 16 2022
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 10 AM EST THIS
MORNING...
Temperatures have warmed above freezing and precipitation is
tapering off, so the Winter Weather Advisory has been allowed to
expire.
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Mixed precipitation. Additional snow accumulations of
up to one inch and ice accumulations of a light glaze.
* WHERE...The southern Adirondacks and southern Greens mainly
above 1000 feet elevation.
* WHEN...Until 7 PM EST this evening.
* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous
conditions could impact the evening commute.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Slow down and use caution while traveling.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-11-16T16:10:39+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-ALBANY-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17589028.php |
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina teenager who was struck by a car this week while departing a school bus in Halifax County is now in good condition, a hospital spokesperson said Friday.
Tillman Mitchell, a 17-year-old student at the Haliwa-Saponi Tribal School in Hollister, had just exited the school bus and was walking across the street to his house when he was hit by a 2022 Tesla Model Y, according to the State Highway Patrol.
He was flown to WakeMed with life-threatening injuries Wednesday afternoon and was listed in good condition Friday morning, said hospital spokesperson Kristin Kelly.
The driver, identified as Dr. Howard Gene Yee, a 51-year-old dentist in Roanoke Rapids, failed to stop for the stopped school bus, which highway patrol said was displaying all of its activated warning devices.
First Sgt. Christopher Knox of the State Highway Patrol said the initial assessment indicated it was a case of distracted driving. Investigators are looking into whether the Tesla was in autopilot mode at the time of the crash, he said.
Yee was placed in the Halifax County Jail under a $25,000 secured bond and charged with reckless driving and “passing stop school bus striking a person,” according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
Yee’s dental office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. | 2023-03-18T11:26:51+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/business/north-carolina-student-in-good-condition-after-hit-by-tesla/ |
BEIJING (AP) — At least 46 people were reported killed and 16 missing in a 6.8 magnitude earthquake that shook China’s southwestern province of Sichuan on Monday, triggering landslides and shaking buildings in the provincial capital of Chengdu, whose 21 million residents are already under a COVID-19 lockdown.
The quake struck a mountainous area in Luding county shortly after noon, the China Earthquake Networks Center said.
Sichuan, which sits on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau where tectonic plates meet, is regularly hit by earthquakes. Two quakes in June killed at least four people.
The death toll rose to 46 with 16 missing as the search for trapped people continued Monday night, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Earlier, authorities had reported 7 deaths in Luding county and 14 more in neighboring Shimian county to the south. Three of the dead were workers at the Hailuogou Scenic Area, a glacier and forest nature reserve.
Along with the deaths, authorities reported stones and soil falling from mountainsides, causing damage to homes and power interruptions, CCTV said. One landslide blocked a rural highway, leaving it strewn with rocks, the Ministry of Emergency Management said.
Buildings shook in Chengdu, 200 kilometers (125 miles) away from the epicenter. Resident Jiang Danli said she hid under a desk for five minutes in her 31st floor apartment. Many of her neighbors rushed downstairs, wary of aftershocks.
“There was a strong earthquake in June, but it wasn’t very scary. This time I was really scared, because I live on a high floor and the shaking made me dizzy,” she told The Associated Press.
The earthquake and lockdown follow a heat wave and drought that led to water shortages and power cuts due to Sichuan’s reliance on hydropower. That comes on top of the latest major lockdown under China’s strict “zero-COVID” policy.
The past two months in Chengdu “have been weird,” Jiang said.
The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a magnitude of 6.6 for Monday’s quake at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). Preliminary measurements by different agencies often differ slightly.
China’s deadliest earthquake in recent years was a 7.9 magnitude quake in 2008 that killed nearly 90,000 people in Sichuan. The temblor devastated towns, schools and rural communities outside Chengdu, leading to a years-long effort to rebuild with more resistant materials. | 2022-09-05T23:54:59+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/news/national-world-news/ap-strong-earthquake-shakes-southwestern-china/ |
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