Dear Annie: My husband and I have a 6-year-old daughter, “Eliza,” and we recently have not been seeing eye to eye in terms of how to handle discipline. For example, last week, when she refused to put her toys away after playing with them, I told her she couldn’t watch TV until it was done. She threw a fit, and instead of backing me up, my husband told her it was OK and helped her put the toys away himself. Another time, when she talked back to me at the dinner table, I asked her to apologize, but he interrupted and said she was just expressing herself. These situations leave me feeling undermined and like I’m the only one enforcing rules. I don’t want her to feel she can pit us against each other, and I have also noticed myself getting more and more resentful when he takes her side over mine. I just think we need to be consistent, but I don’t know if it’s possible when our views on discipline seem fundamentally different. — Feeling Like the Bad Cop Dear Bad Cop: Try talking to your husband during a calm moment when your daughter isn’t around, and make sure you start the conversation by acknowledging you both want what’s best for her. Then, work together to create a basic set of rules you both agree to follow. Consistency is key. Parenting is a team sport, and when kids see their parents supporting each other, they feel more secure — and more likely to cooperate. Dear Annie: My sister “Kate” and I were close growing up, but as adults, somehow, things seem to have gotten more competitive and hostile. For instance, at my son’s birthday party last week, she made a point to tell everyone that her daughter was reading at a higher grade level and has started extra tutoring because she’s “so advanced.” It felt like she was trying to one-up me, and it kind of ruined my day. It’s not just about the kids, though. When I mentioned that my husband and I are looking at homes to buy, she quickly jumped in to say they’re planning on upgrading to a bigger house in a “nicer” neighborhood soon. She does this all the time, turning every conversation into a competition. They’re always small things, but my resentment has built up over time. I’ve tried ignoring it, but her comments make me feel small in front of our family. I don’t know how to address this without making it sound like I’m overreacting. Help! — Tired of Competing Dear Tired: It’s hard to feel good about your own achievements when someone is always jumping in to overshadow them. Addressing this doesn’t have to lead to a big confrontation, though. Try not to let her comments take up too much time or attention. If you brush them off and shift the focus to other family members, she may eventually notice that the competitive comments don’t get much traction and start to ease up. If that doesn’t work, address things one on one, explaining that you’d like to be able to celebrate each other’s accomplishments without feeling like it’s a competition.NoneNEW YORK (AP) — It’s almost that time of year: Spotify is gearing up to release its annual Wrapped, personalized recaps of users' listening habits and year in audio. Spotify has been giving its listeners breakdowns of their data since 2016. And each year, it’s become a bigger production — and internet sensation. Spotify said its 2023 Wrapped was the “biggest ever created,” in terms of audience reach and the kind of data it provided. So, what will 2024 have in store? Here’s a look at what to know ahead of this year’s Spotify Wrapped. It’s the streaming service's annual overview of individual listening trends, as well as trends around the world. Users learn their top artists, songs, genres, albums and podcasts, all wrapped into one interactive presentation. The campaign has become a social media sensation, as people share and compare their Wrapped data with their friends and followers online. Past iterations have provided users with all kinds of breakdowns and facts, including whether they’re among an artist’s top listeners, as well as a personalized playlist of their top 100 songs of that year to save, share and listen to whenever they’re feeling nostalgic. Spotify also creates a series of playlists that reflect national and global listening trends, featuring the top streamed artists and songs. In 2023, Taylor Swift was Spotify's most streamed artist , unseating Bad Bunny who had held the title for three years in a row. Each year has something new in store. In 2019, Wrapped included a summary of users’ streaming trends for the entire decade. Last year, Spotify matched listeners to a Sound Town based on their artist affinities and how it lined up with those in other parts of the world. So far, the streaming platform has kept the highly anticipated release date of Wrapped under ... er, wraps. In past years, it’s been released after Thanksgiving, between Nov. 30 and Dec. 6. Each year, rumors tend to swell on social media around when Spotify stops collecting data in order to prepare their Wrapped results, and this year was no exception. Spotify quickly squashed those presumptions , assuring on social media that “Spotify Wrapped doesn’t stop counting on October 31st.” A representative for Spotify did not respond to a request for comment on when the company stops tracking data for Wrapped. When Wrapped is released, each user's Spotify account will prompt them to view their interactive data roundup. It can be accessed through the Spotify smartphone app, or by logging on to the Spotify website . Wrapped is available to users with and without Premium subscriptions. There are a handful of third-party sites that you can connect your Spotify account to that will analyze your Wrapped data. How Bad is Your Spotify is an AI bot that judges your music taste. Receiptify gives you your top songs on a sharable graphic that looks like, yes, a receipt. Instafest gives you your own personal music festival-style lineup based on your top artists. How NPRCore Are You assesses how similar your music taste is to NPR Music's. Other major streaming platforms such as Apple Music and YouTube Music have developed their own versions of Wrapped in recent years. Apple Music’s Replay not only gives its subscribers a year-end digest of their listening habits but monthly summaries as well — a feature that helps differentiate itself from the one-time Spotify recap. That's released at the end of the calendar year. YouTube Music, meanwhile, has a similar end-of-the-year release for its listeners, as well as periodic seasonal releases throughout the year. It released its annual Recap for users earlier this month.
It’s almost time for Spotify Wrapped. When can you expect your 2024 recap?
It would be fair to say that as voters in last month’s presidential election were giving Republicans control of all three branches of the federal government, they were tacitly rejecting the left-leaning cultural values that California politicians constantly espouse. Republican Donald Trump’s campaign effectively weaponized Vice President Kamala Harris’ California roots in sweeping the battleground states, most notably in an ad featuring a video clip of her advocating sex-change surgery for transexual prison inmates. “Kamala is for they/them. Trump is for you,” the spot concludes. Post-election analysts, including the New York Times, have cited it as the single most effective ad of the campaign. Furthermore, the results also imply that the Harris campaign’s focus on abortion rights, another favorite theme of Gov. Gavin Newsom and other California political figures, didn’t help her. Voters in states that opted for Trump, including neighboring Nevada and Arizona, were primarily driven by economic issues, specifically inflation in living costs during the administration of Harris and President Joe Biden. Whether the administration was actually responsible for inflation is debatable, but also beside the point. When voters are dissatisfied with the status quo, for whatever reason, they often take it out on the party in power at the moment. Harris easily defeated Trump in California, as expected, to claim its 54 electoral votes, but the state was not immune to the issues that brought her downfall elsewhere, particularly the cost of living. California’s families must cope with arguably the highest prices for the necessities of life of any state — such things as housing, gasoline and electric power. Even commodities which should be less expensive in California, such as food, are costly because producing, packaging and selling them reflect the high expenses of suppliers. The cost of living is the major factor in California’s having the nation’s highest rate of functional poverty, 15.4%, as calculated by the Census Bureau. Using a similar methodology, the Public Policy Institute of California calculates that in 2023, 31.1% of Californians are living either in or near poverty. In the aftermath of the election, the Democrats who dominate all branches of state government have suddenly discovered that the cost of living is a burning issue that should be addressed. As the Legislature reconvened this week for its biennial session, its leaders said doing something about living costs will be a high priority. “Our constituents don’t feel the state of California is working for them,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas told colleagues as the session began. “That’s their lived experience in this moment. Our task this session is urgent and clear. We must chart a new path forward, and it begins by focusing on affordability. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | The draconian penalties that Hunter Biden escaped affect people whose fathers can’t save them Opinion Columnists | How California ranks as the most active political state Opinion Columnists | Donald Trump must replace Pete Hegseth with Ron DeSantis Opinion Columnists | Larry Elder: Biden breaks his promise and pardons his son Opinion Columnists | California’s unaccountable homeless industrial complex “California will always be America’s destination for dreams and opportunities,” he added. “But we need to consider every bill through the lens of Californians who are anxious about affordability. Specifically, we must focus on building more housing and lowering energy costs.” However there’s not a lot that Newsom and legislators can do to materially affect the cost of living. If anything, prices for one vital commodity, gasoline, will likely see a big jump because Newsom’s Air Resources Board has just ordered changes in fuel to lower greenhouse emissions. Republicans have been urging Newsom to set aside the decision, but he has defended it as a necessary element of California’s campaign to reduce hydrocarbon use. Moreover, electric power costs are increasing sharply as utilities bury power transmission lines to reduce their role in wildfires. California’s politicos are talking a good game about inflation, but whether they can and will deliver remains very uncertain. Dan Walters is a CalMatters columnist.
What Declan Rice did for Arsenal against Sporting CP that was ‘worth the wait’ - TBR FootballTORONTO - The co-founders of two of Canada’s top artificial intelligence firms say companies in the country are buzzing with excitement around the technology but turning that enthusiasm into products and tools takes too long. Cohere co-founder Nick Frosst says he has grown used to being approached by Canadian firms wanting to work with AI but they’re slow to actually implement the technology. Frosst says it is hard to pinpoint where that lack of urgency comes from but he thinks part of it is embedded in Canada’s culture. Nicole Janssen, the co-founder of AltaML, has had a similar experience. She says it takes 18 months for companies reaching out to her business to commit to using AI and then another 18 months to start doing something with it. She says the danger in this long lead time is that people get tired of devoting energy and resources to projects that are not immediately giving them a return on their investment and then this work falls to the wayside. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024.Travel: Colorado’s winter huts blend adventure, luxury, and scenic beauty
For all the talk of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from the Democratic Party , the 2024 election results demonstrate that its voter base has ironically become less diverse. Exit polls show that Democrats lost ground across a broad range of voter groups—Hispanics, Asians, Blacks, and both the working and middle class. The only demographic where they made notable gains at the presidential level was among college-educated white voters . So, what went wrong? For years, DEI experts told us that viewing racial issues through the lens of colorblind equality overlooked the unique struggles of oppressed groups. They claimed that without addressing racial disparities head-on, often by discriminating against majority groups, real progress wouldn't be made. It turns out they were wrong. Because they bought into the DEI agenda, Democrats were too busy trying to look diverse to actually listen to the concerns of diverse groups of people. Prioritizing "representation" of minorities meant compromising on the quality of their candidate pool. Prior to picking Kamala Harris as his running mate, President Joe Biden specifically said he'd prefer to pick a candidate "who was of color and/or a different gender." The media praised Harris' selection as a " historic " choice of the first Black and Asian woman to be nominated for vice president, despite her being one of the least popular candidates among Democrats in 2020. And in 2024, Democrats paid a hefty price for choosing a candidate based on identity rather than merit. The Democrats' sacrifice of merit for identity only alienated minority voters in their base. Minority voters have grown tired of the paternalistic attitude DEI-obsessed progressives have fostered. Academics infamously tried to impose the gender-neutral term "Latinx" onto Hispanics. Coined around 2004 , the term gained prominence throughout the last decade, with Merriam Webster adding the word to its dictionary in 2018 . But Hispanics consistently rejected being referred to as "Latinx." Academics and progressives ignored their complaints. And now a recent study shows that Hispanics are less likely to vote for candidates who use the term. Democrats' focus on identity politics also alienated Asian-American voters. Shortly after the Supreme Court ruled against race-based discrimination in college admissions, many Democrats voiced their disdain for the decision. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the decision "a giant roadblock in our country's march toward racial justice." What they effectively communicated to Asian Americans—who were, as the Court recognized, disproportionately penalized by affirmative action —is that Democrats and elite institutions would not stand up for them against racial discrimination. Moreover, in 2020, Asian Americans were at the forefront of the fight to defeat California's Prop 16 , which would have restored affirmative action in the state's public universities. Although Black voters remain a key voting bloc for Democrats, the Trump campaign still made surprising inroads with the group—especially among Black men. Perhaps the infantilizing rhetoric Democrats regularly use towards Black people can provide a clue as to why those voters have started to move away from the party. New York governor Kathy Hochul's gaffe—implying Black children in the Bronx didn't know what computers were—perfectly exhibits how dismissively Democrats view the Black community. Just weeks before the election, former president Barack Obama publicly shamed Black men who supported Trump over Harris. If Democrats continue down this path, they risk pushing Black voters into the arms of the Republican Party , just like they did with Hispanics and Asians. Ironically, all the emphasis on DEI seemed to resonate most with college-educated white voters, who remained a Democratic stronghold in 2024. In other words, DEI was never truly about helping minorities; it was about allowing wealthy white elites to feel better about themselves. As much as the media, universities, and some Democratic leaders want to attribute the results of the 2024 election to racism and sexism , the truth is that Democrats were out of touch. Voters, including minority voters, were worried about inflation and border security, and Republicans were addressing those issues. Ignoring those concerns and doubling down on DEI will only continue to make the Democratic coalition less diverse. Neetu Arnold is a Paulson Policy Analyst at the Manhattan Institute and a Young Voices contributor. Follow her on X @neetu_arnold The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Nvidia has reportedly been put on a "positive catalyst watch" for the next 90 days by analyst firm Citi. Citi analysts predict a potential 27% stock price increase to $175 by early 2025. This optimistic view hinges on CEO Jensen Huang's keynote address at the 2025 edition of the annual Consumer Electronics (CES) tradeshow in Las Vegas, US. "We... open a positive catalyst watch into CES Jan where we expect Blackwell sales expectations to move higher and management to talk about the inference led enterprise and robotics industrial demand inflection," Citi analyst Atif Malik told Bloomberg. Huang's CES keynote scheduled for 6.30 pm on January 6 is expected to ignite investor excitement. Citi analysts believe that Nvidia will raise sales expectations for their next-generation AI chip, "Blackwell," and discuss advancements in AI for robotics and industrial applications. Analysts anticipate Nvidia to announce a bottoming out of profit margins in the April quarter, followed by growth. Additionally, management is expected to address the "inference led inflection" in AI robotics for warehouses, manufacturing, and potentially, humanoid robots. With companies like Tesla pushing humanoid robot development, Nvidia's GPU chips are already playing a central role. Notably, nine humanoid robots powered by Nvidia chips were showcased at the company's GTC conference in March 2024. Fueled by the AI revolution , Nvidia's stock price has skyrocketed 176% year-to-date, highlighting the market's confidence in their technology. The upcoming CES 2025 event and positive analyst predictions set the stage for potential significant growth for Nvidia in the coming months.( ) is up about 2% this year compared to a gain of more than 20% for the . Contrarian investors are wondering if CPKC stock is and good to buy right now for a self-directed Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) or Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) portfolio. CPKC stock price CPKC trades near $107 at the time of writing compared to $123 earlier this year. The stock has trended higher in the past two weeks after dipping to $103. Over the past five years, the stock is up about 65%, driven by the strong economic rebound after the pandemic. Earnings CPKC reported solid third-quarter (Q3) 2024 results. Revenue rose by 6% to $3.5 billion compared to the same period last year. Reported diluted earnings per share increased to $0.90 from $0.84 in Q3 2023. Railways in Canada have had a rough ride in 2024, with labour issues and port strikes impacting operations. Wildfires and bad weather have also caused disruptions. Despite the challenges, results have been pretty good. For the first nine months of 2024, total freight revenue came in at $10.42 billion compared to $8.69 billion in 2023. All segments saw increases, led by a 25% in grain shipment revenue, a 33% increase in energy, chemicals, and plastics, a 19% increase in metals, minerals, and consumer products, a 23% rise for forest products, and a jump of 48% for automotive. Coal, potash, fertilizer, and intermodal shipments all had revenue gains as well. Management maintained the financial guidance for the year. Canadian Pacific purchased Kansas City Southern in late 2021 in a US$31 billion deal that expanded CP’s rail network from Canada to the U.S. and Mexico. The deal gave CP an advantage in the rail market as it is the only rail operator that connects the three countries. Risks Trade growth between the North American markets should be good news for CPKC in the coming years, but the recent threat by Donald Trump to implement tariffs on all goods entering the U.S. poses near-term risks. Donald Trump says he will put 25% tariffs on goods entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico when he gets into office in late January. He says the tariffs are required to force Canada and Mexico to stop illegal migrants and drugs from crossing the border into the United States. If the tariffs go into effect and remain in place for several months, there could be an impact on the volume of goods that get shipped along CPKC’s routes. The company is also dealing with tax audits on CPKC Mexico that have a potential hit of $430 million. Should you buy CPKC now? The broader market is due for a pullback after the strong 2024 rally. With so much uncertainty on the trade front heading into the first part of 2025, it might be a good idea for cautious investors to wait to see how things play out with the Trump tariffs. That being said, buying CP stock on material dips has historically proven to be a savvy decision. Contrarian investors might want to start nibbling on CPKC at this level and look to add to the position on any additional downside. Over the long haul, this stock should deliver decent returns.
Trump's team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing?Outgoing Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian will serve as executive director of the Office of Major Events as part of preparations for sporting events coming to the LA region in the coming years, officials announced Thursday. According to Mayor Karen Bass’ office, the councilman will take on this role on Monday after Krekorian formally steps down from his role as the representative of the Second Council District due to term limits. Councilmember-elect Adrian Nazarian, a former aide to Krekorian and state Assembly member, will serve as the district representative, spanning east San Fernando Valley neighborhoods such as North Hollywood, Sun Valley, Toluca Lake and Valley Glen, among others. In his new position, Krekorian will coordinate city departments and external stakeholders for the upcoming 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games , eight games of the 2026 World Cup , and a Super Bowl in 2027 , among other events. “President Krekorian is uniquely positioned to do just that — drawing on his decades of experience handling local and statewide budgets and firsthand institutional knowledge of city government as well as the Olympic bid process,” Bass said in a statement. “Today marks a new phase of urgent preparations for Los Angeles.” The 64-year-old politician served as a state Assembly member from 2006 to 2010. Krekorian joined the City Council in 2010. “As I conclude my service on the City Council, I know how much more work needs to be done ahead of the 2028 Games,” Krekorian said in a statement. Krekorian described it would be an honor to serve as the executive director for this office. He added, “I look forward to hitting the ground running and partnering with Mayor Bass, the City Council, our city departments and LA28 to deliver the 2028 Games in a way that benefits everyone.” As executive director of the Office of Major Events, he will also ensure that sporting events create positive economic impacts for local businesses, and that city policies are being implemented. LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover hailed Bass’ appointment. He described Krekorian as a “longtime advocate of the Olympic and Paralympic movement.” “His (Krekorian’s) dedication and leadership will undoubtedly continue to drive excellence in his new role ... in this next chapter of our journey to deliver an incredible Olympic Games in 2028,” Hoover said in a statement.Sempra Named Among Newsweek's 'Most Responsible Companies'
Fine Gael will not sign up to a programme for Government that includes a Fianna Fáil pledge to decriminalise cannabis, the Taoiseach has said. Simon Harris has indicated that he wants a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Labour after Friday's vote and is asking the public to support these parties to ensure a strong government is formed quickly. Speaking to the Irish Examiner , Mr Harris said he does not believe that a stint in opposition is best for Fine Gael and his predecessor Leo Varadkar was wrong to suggest this after the 2020 election. In a wide-ranging interview just hours ahead of the vote, Mr Harris admitted that he is "not proud" of his record on providing disability services, but rejected suggestions that he has brought his party further to the right or that he is obsessed with how he is perceived by the media. Mr Harris has made it clear that moving to decriminilise drugs, which is a key party of Fianna Fáil's manifesto, is a red line issue which he would not accept. "I think my position is probably where a lot of people in Ireland's position is. "I am the health minister who brought in a health-led approach to drug addiction. But that's not decriminalisation. "This is a complex issue, but I do stop at the health-led approach to addiction rather than going to the next level. "I certainly wouldn't be able to commit to a programme for government to decriminalisation, because I'm not there in my own mind," he said. The Fine Gael leader said that he listens to the gardaí and GPs on the issue and such a change would bring about a "normalisation of drugs". Acorn savings Meanwhile, Mr Harris suggested that his party would give more than the single lump sum of between €1,000 and €1,500 than has been promised at birth as part of an Acorn savings scheme for families which Fine Gael is proposing. "There's nothing to stop the government being able to top that up. "Like, if I was Taoiseach in times of a surplus, I'd love to say, 'Well, let's put a little bit more into each of the kids' accounts for the future too'." Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been privately briefing that Ivana Bacik's party would be a favoured partner, if the numbers are there to form a three-way coalition after Friday's vote. The Taoiseach indicated he will be voting for the Labour Party and Fianna Fáil and wants the public to do the same to ensure a stable Government. "I'm asking people to vote Fine Gael in the election, but obviously that's not news. "But then I am asking people to transfer to other centrist parties." He said: "Certainly in terms of my own ballot paper, I'd be very much inclined to, obviously vote for myself, my running mate, but then I'll also be voting for other politicians in parties that we've either worked in government with or might work in government with in the future. "Fine Gael has worked well with Labour, Fine Gael has worked well with Fianna Fáil. "We've worked well with the Greens on some issues, but again, I noticed they've taken a different approach, as is their right, in this election, in terms of saying they want to speak to other smaller parties first." He said it is important that a new government is formed quickly, stating: "I'll be voting to try to play my part with my vote in terms of how you form a stable government." Mr Harris warned that "if you start getting into four or five-party coalitions that just becomes a hell of a lot more challenging. "That's just me being honest. It's up to the people of Ireland to decide." Immediately after the last election in 2020, the then Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar suggested that he would be leading his party into opposition. Asked if he agreed with this stance, Mr Harris said: "Truthfully, no, because I always want to try to be in a position to get things done again. "I didn't get involved in politics to sit on the opposition and point out to the government how they can do a better job." With controversy surrounding the selection of John McGahon in Louth and criticisms of his own interaction with a care worker in Kanturk, Mr Harris has conceded that the campaign has not gone as he had hoped, but said: "I'm not sure there's any election campaign that goes exactly as anybody plans, elections are dynamic." Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Harris told reporters that he is "not sure" if he would allow Mr McGahon to canvas with him. Mr McGahon was acquitted in 2022 of assaulting Breen White outside a Dundalk nightclub in 2018 but was subsequently found civilly liable. Footage which surfaced in recent weeks shows Mr McGahon on top of Mr White, striking him a number of times as two men intervene to stop the general election candidate. Asked whether he would canvass with his party candidate in Louth, Mr Harris said: "I'm not sure is the honest answer. "John McGann is a duly selected Fine Gael candidate. He's on the ticket, as is councillor Paula Butterly, and it's up to the people of Louth to decide if they wish to vote Fine Gael, and which candidate to support. "I've made it very clear my view in relation to violence, so I'd need to reflect on that — so I'm not sure."
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Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes sneaky escape from a restaurant avoiding an awkward moment
By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday reached a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House to allow his transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The congressionally mandated agreement allows transition aides to work with federal agencies and access non-public information and gives a green light to government workers to talk to the transition team. But Trump has declined to sign a separate agreement with the General Services Administration that would have given his team access to secure government offices and email accounts, in part because it would require that the president-elect limit contributions to $5,000 and reveal who is donating to his transition effort. Related Articles The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. The agreement is a critical step in ensuring an orderly transfer of power at noon on Inauguration Day, and lays the groundwork for the White House and government agencies to begin to share details on ongoing programs, operations and threats. It limits the risk that the Trump team could find itself taking control of the massive federal government without briefings and documents from the outgoing administration. As part of the agreement with the White House, Trump’s team will have to publicly disclose its ethics plan for the transition operation and make a commitment to uphold it, the White House said. Transition aides must sign statements that they have no financial positions that could pose a conflict of interest before they receive access to non-public federal information. Biden himself raised the agreement with Trump when they met in the Oval Office on Nov. 13, according to the White House, and Trump indicated that his team was working to get it signed. Trump chief of staff-designate Susie Wiles met with Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients at the White House on Nov. 19 and other senior officials in part to discuss remaining holdups, while lawyers for the two sides have spoken more than a half-dozen times in recent days to finalize the agreement. “Like President Biden said to the American people from the Rose Garden and directly to President-elect Trump, he is committed to an orderly transition,” said White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma. “President-elect Trump and his team will be in seat on January 20 at 12 pm – and they will immediately be responsible for a range of domestic and global challenges, foreseen and unforeseen. A smooth transition is critical to the safety and security of the American people who are counting on their leaders to be responsible and prepared.” Without the signed agreement, Biden administration officials were restricted in what they could share with the incoming team. Trump national security adviser-designate Rep. Mike Waltz met recently with Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan, but the outgoing team was limited in what it could discuss. “We are doing everything that we can to effect a professional and an orderly transition,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. “And we continue to urge the incoming team to take the steps that are necessary to be able to facilitate that on their end as well.” “This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power,” said Wiles in a statement. The Trump transition team says it would disclose its donors to the public and would not take foreign donations. A separate agreement with the Department of Justice to coordinate background checks for vetting and security clearances is still being actively worked on and could be signed quickly now that the White House agreement is signed. The agency has teams of investigators standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers once that document is signed. That would clear the way for transition aides and future administration appointees and nominees to begin accessing classified information before Trump takes office. Some Trump aides may hold active clearances from his first term in office or other government roles, but others will need new clearances to access classified data. Trump’s team on Friday formally told the GSA that they would not utilize the government office space blocks from the White House reserved for their use, or government email accounts, phones and computers during the transition. The White House said it does not agree with Trump’s decision to forgo support from the GSA, but is working on alternate ways to get Trump appointees the information they need without jeopardizing national security. Federal agencies are receiving guidance on Tuesday on how to share sensitive information with the Trump team without jeopardizing national security or non-public information. For instance, agencies may require in-person meetings and document reviews since the Trump team has declined to shift to using secure phones and computers. For unclassified information, agencies may ask Trump transition staff to attest that they are taking basic safeguards, like using two-factor authentication on their accounts.
Brock Purdy will travel with the San Francisco 49ers for their Week 12 game against the Green Bay Packers, but it will be Brandon Allen making his first start for the team—and his first since 2021. Allen learned on Friday that he would start after Purdy, dealing with a shoulder injury sustained last Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, was ruled out for this weekend's matchup. "It's an opportunity," Allen told reporters. "The circumstances are what they are, but I think our team, all year long, we've been kind of dealing with injuries here and there, and it's been a big next-man-up mentality. "So it's definitely an opportunity for me to go out and play well and put our guys in a good position to win the game. And obviously, we want Brock back and healthy and all that, but for the time being, it is an opportunity for me." Despite Purdy missing Sunday's game, Allen expressed confidence that the injury won't affect the quarterback long-term. "I know this is like the first time Brock's missed a game, probably in his life," Allen said. "He's a tough guy. I'm sure he'll bounce right back. So, I'm not too worried about it. I don't think any of our guys are. He'll rehab and get back as fast as he can. ... I don't think it'll be anything lingering or long-term for him." Now in his second season with the 49ers, Allen has a solid grasp of head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense and feels prepared for the upcoming challenge. "I feel very comfortable in the offense," Allen shared. "Definitely, going back to last year, and then all through this year, just being in the system, calling the plays, seeing them play out, all that. So, I definitely feel comfortable in this offense." Shanahan voiced his confidence in the veteran quarterback. "I think Brandon's a really good thrower, runs our offense well," the coach said. "He's done a really good job since he's been here. He's been here two years now, and guys believe in him, and he'll give us a good chance to win." Shanahan added that Allen's insertion into the lineup doesn't require significant changes to the game plan. "This is something that we didn't think would happen early in the week," Shanahan explained. "So we were fully preparing for Brock to go and getting a little surprised by this yesterday. Nothing has to change, so that's a good deal for us." At 32 years old, Allen takes a day-by-day approach to his career, a mindset that has served him well as a backup quarterback. When asked if he ever doubted he'd get another opportunity to start, he kept the focus on the present. "For me, it's my opportunity now, so I'll take advantage of it now," Allen said. "But those things really don't cross your mind, how long you're going to play and all that. There's definitely guys older than me still playing, so that usually doesn't come across my mind." This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.Wild first season in expanded Big 12 comes down to final weekend
Spam is endemic to everyone’s email inbox. Some of Australia’s biggest companies have been caught and fined, yet they keep doing it. Andy Schmulow reports. Mathew Comyn, CEO of Commbank, announced this week his bank will be charging a $3 fee for “assisted withdrawals”. Three dollars to take your own cash out of the bank. Cash, I would remind you, which is “currency of the realm”. This is the same guy who bemoaned “ excessive profits tax as “insidious populism” and labelled criticism of profitable businesses as “fact-free rhetoric” that is damaging trust in public institutions. ” Ok, fair point Matthew. I’ll be sure that my rhetoric is not “fact-free”: your bank was labelled as the “gold medallist for misconduct” by the Hayne Royal Commission, for it propensity to commit fraud, theft, and engage in dishonesty and wicked venality on an industrial scale. Like CBA’s insurance division, CommInsure, that routinely denied death and disability cover to the dying and dead. A financial advice service that routinely forged customer’s signatures and stole money out of their accounts. Most of that criminality took place in the retail division, during the years when Comyn was the CEO. And let’s not forget the 53,000 breaches of money-laundering laws, the purported “software error”, the slap on the wrist and the insider who said “no one gave a rat’s arse”. But instead of approaching his tenure as CEO with some measure of humility, in light of the bank’s past failings, Commbank has now hit on another route to gouge customers: charging them to withdraw cash. And make no mistake, this latest rort will hit the poorest and most vulnerable customers hardest: the elderly, First Australians, Australians who live in rural and remote areas, those who are digitally excluded, and those with low levels of financial literacy. One of the big spam offenders is Commbank, back in the headlines for another ill-conceived customer “service” initiative. The bank has just been fined $7.5m for being spammer rats. Fined for spewing out 170 million emails that breached the law. Treasurer Jim Chalmers was not amused and apparently ‘leaned on’ the bank to rethink its plans, according to the AFR ($) . Are the executives of the bank, the Chief Technology Officer, not paid enough to ensure that, at the very least, they have a working unsubscribe function on emails? That they don’t send spam to people who have already unsubscribed? It’s not rocket surgery, it’s the law! This fine comes after the bank paid $3.55m 18 months ago for the exact same breaches! But wait, there’s more: guess how many “assisted withdrawals” Commbank could cover for the $11,050,000 in fines they’ve paid for being spammer rats? Three million, six hundred and eighty-three thousand!! So, here’s some free business coaching for the Martin Place crew: you can make more profit by not breaking the law than you can by breaking the law and gouging your most vulnerable customers. And it’s not just CommBank engaging in practices unbecoming a good corporate citizen. Woolworths is at it again. Not content to be running one half of a duopoly, sucking down a return on equity that is fourteen times higher than the average for supermarkets in the United States and more than twenty times higher than the average in Europe, being integral to the cost-of-living crisis sweeping Australia. Their outgoing CEO, Brad Banducci, has presided over a company that’s been exposed as a serial bully when dealing with suppliers and exposed for repeatedly jacking up prices, then marginally lowering them to claim they’re being discounted. As a result, the ACCC is now suing Woolworths for misleading and deceptive conduct. They, too, are serial law-breakers. In 2020, they were fined $ 1m for being spammer rats – the biggest fine for spam up to that date in Australia. A few weeks ago, I received spam from Woolworths Everyday Rewards – despite unsubscribing multiple times. I called them to complain, and they confirmed that they had on record that I had unsubscribed. They promised to have someone call back to address my complaint. That was three weeks ago, and I’ve heard not a word. So, I posted the story on LinkedIn and tagged the CEO (Amanda Bardwell – Banducci’s successor) and the Everyday Rewards MD, Hannah Ross. Now, you might be saying that if Ms Bardwell and Ms Ross were doing their job, they would both be concerned about avoiding more multi-million-dollar fines. And no doubt would have reached out to me immediately to understand what went wrong, why I wasn’t contacted, and explain what steps they would take to ensure this never happened again. Alas, no! Bardwell has ignored the posts, and Ross, despite her division having already paid a million dollars of shareholders’ funds in unnecessary fines, responded by giving me the flick and blocked me on LinkedIn. No wonder they don’t obey the law. Does their arrogance run that deep? I have now complained to the Australian Communications and Media Authority ( ACMA ), hoping they will take account of the fact that Woolworths is a serial lawbreaker, and double or triple the fine. The last time I wrote about the dirty data rats who routinely breach the Spam Act 2003, I wrote about WebCentral – an uncontrollable serial spammer. Since then, the good news is that the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner ( OAIC ) has initiated an investigation into WebCentral – although this is slow-going. WebCentral keeps responding with bald-faced lies about how often they breached the Spam Act, which is obviously an intentional effort to frustrate and prevaricate. In not such good news, I am still waiting for the OAIC to initiate an investigation against one of the worst data rats of all: Aussie Home Loans (a division of Lendi ). They sent me spam text messages and emails in late 2023. I had never been a customer of either company. I merely made one enquiry on one occasion, once, eleven – yes, ELEVEN – years ago. National Privacy Principle 11.2 states that customer data must not be retained for an unreasonable length of time. How long is reasonable? Maybe it’s six months? Maybe it’s a year? Heck, maybe it’s 18 months? But no one could argue that 11 years is a reasonable amount of time. I tagged David Hyman, CEO of Lendi, in my LinkedIn posts. Not a word from him. But a stream of drivel from Aussie trying to explain how they were still in possession of my data after 11 years. And this is where we get to the core of the issue: my data and your data. It is our data. It belongs to us. It is our property. It does not belong to Woolworths or ConBank or WebCentral or Aussie Home Loans. These companies need to be taught the hard way that they must respect our data and privacy and uphold the law. Unfortunately, however, that doesn’t work fining the company. Fining the company is a cost to shareholders, not a cost to Matty Comyn (CBA) or Amanda Bardwell (Woolworths) or Joe Demase (WebCentral) or David Hyman (Aussie HomeLoans). Unless and until we visit consequences on CEOs for repeated breaches of data and marketing laws, nothing will change.
Victoria's Secret & Co. Reports Third Quarter 2024 ResultsWild first season in expanded Big 12 comes down to final weekend