Musk's millions for Trump make him biggest US political donorFormer Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, architect of India’s economic reforms, passes away at 92
Ohio State vs. Marshall FREE LIVE STREAM (12/13/24): Watch College Cup online | Time, TV, channel for semifinal soccer gameIt is now December, a time of year that can bring both stress and joy. The holiday season often creates a mixture of emotions — while some people feel excitement and togetherness, others may experience stress, loneliness, or sadness. For those already facing mental health challenges, this season can sometimes feel even harder. First, it is important to acknowledge that it is okay to feel how you are feeling. Mental health does not take a holiday, and it is natural to have a range of emotions during this time. For some, the pressure of holiday expectations — whether from family, work, or social media, can cause anxiety or stress. The darker days and colder weather can also contribute to feelings of sadness or isolation, which is a common experience in what we call Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Here are a few tips to help manage your mental health during this time: — Set boundaries and manage expectations: The holiday season can come with a lot of commitments, it is okay to say no if you are feeling overwhelmed. Setting boundaries helps protect your time and energy. — Connect with others: If you are feeling isolated, reach out to someone — a friend, family member, a counselor, or someone you have not spoken to in a while. — Practice self-care: Take time for yourself. Whether it is a short walk, reading, meditation, or to yourself, small acts like these can ground you. — Be mindful of your media consumption: The holidays can sometimes fuel unrealistic expectations, especially on social media; take breaks if it makes you feel inadequate or stressed. — If you are struggling, ask for help: If you are feeling overwhelmed, do not hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional. December might be a busy time but it is important to prioritize your well being. These tips and tricks may not work for everyone, especially because people from different walks of life cope differently. Baby Boomers tend to gravitate more towards their community or relationships to relieve stress, they rely on their family or their church for instance. On the other hand, Gen Z may rely more heavily on a social media presence as well as their friend group. Regardless of preference in stress management, both generations can benefit from a shared resource which is active 24/7, the 988 Crisis Line. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, experiencing thoughts of self-harm, or simply need someone to talk to you can call the 988 line. It is confidential and the trained professionals who answer are there to listen, offer support, and guide you through difficult moments. Whether you are dealing with feelings of isolation, stress, sadness, or in a deeper crisis, 988 can provide immediate support. You can also text or call 988 at any time for help navigating your situation as well. But remember, while this season might bring extra challenges, it is just one time of the year. Take it one day at a time and be gentle with yourself. Your mental health is just as important as any celebration or tradition and finding balance is key. For extra resources and support regarding information within this article go directly to the 988 Lifeline at 988lifeline.org or the Seasonal Affective Disorder Overview at www.nhs.uk for generalized information. There are also more articles regarding stress as it relates to different generations, one by the American Psychological Association at www.apa.org and another from the American Institute of Stress at www.stress.org . If you have any other questions or concerns, call the Health Education Department at the Scotland County Health Department at 910-227-2440. The website is www.scotlandcounty.org . Samantha Falango, MSW, is the Health educator at the Scotland County Health Department. Falango can be reached at 910-277-2440, Ext. 4492The Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday shared an update regarding the status of Paul George, who suffered a knee injury on Wednesday night. George left Philly’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies with a hyperextended left knee. He suffered the injury after an opponent bumped into him while going for a rebound . The good news is George’s injury does not seem to be too serious, for now. The Sixers said in a press release that an MRI showed no structural damage to Paul’s knee. Additionally, the 34-year-old forward will miss two games and then be re-evaluated. George suffered a similar left knee injury in the preseason that caused him to miss the first five games of the regular season. He has only played in 8 games so far this season and is averaging just 14.9 points per game on 38.3 percent shooting. This is George’s first season with the 76ers after spending the last five with the Clippers. Philly has begun 2-12, which has been a nightmare start. This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.
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For “Hysteria!” actresses Anna Camp and Julie Bowen, horror is harder than comedy. “Horror is really hard actually because there is a fine line you have to walk; you have to make it feel grounded and you’re put in these extreme circumstances: You’re being possessed or pulled through the air, there’s nothing you can do to relate to that,” explained Camp of “Pitch Perfect” fame. “With comedy, you can have a relatable situation and go, ‘I’ve been in situations like that.’ There’s nothing you can compare (horror) to, so you have to use your imagination. I find it harder. Your imagination goes home with you at the end of the day. You’re still thinking crazy thoughts.” Bowen, best known for playing Claire Dunphy on “Modern Family,” agreed. “Comedy’s pretty binary because it’s like either you can make people laugh or you don’t. I can’t watch horror. I’m terrified, terrified! I am the easiest scare in the world, so as far as doing (horror), I want to make it as real as possible. It was hard because I had to be really, really crazy. There were times when I’d get back to my hotel room at 3 a.m., I didn’t want to be alone in my head,” said Bowen, laughing. Camp, Bowen, Royal Oak native Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead”), showrunner David A. Goodman (“Futurama”), and Ypsilanti native/creator Matthew Scott Kane (“American Horror Story”) were promoting “Hysteria!” at the New York Comic Con in October. The horror series is streaming on Peacock. Set in the fictional Michigan town of Happy Hollow, the first episode of “Hysteria” begins with a popular quarterback’s disappearance and a pentagram is discovered on a garage door. As a result, rumors of the occult and satanic influence run rampant through the town. A trio of outcasts in a heavy metal band called Dethkrunch exploit this by rebranding themselves as a satanic metal band, which leads to them becoming the targets of the town’s witch hunt. “Something on my mind a lot in 2019 was we’re living in this post-factual age with social media. It seemed like decades and decades ago, you could trust the news. Now everything is in question. When lies end up getting disseminated as truth, that starts to warp people’s version of reality. Suddenly, they’re living in a world other people are not. That was going on in the world I was living in and I very quickly connected it to the 1980s satanic panic. It’s not really that different because people were saying Ozzy Osbourne, Jason Voorhees (of ‘Friday the 13th’), and the Smurfs were going to turn your kids into satanists and kill you in your sleep. That didn’t happen. It wasn’t true, but so many people got worked up into such a fervor over it, bad things happened. ... It was smoke without fire,” Kane said. “Disinformation is not new,” Campbell said. “Disinformation will tear a town apart.” Campbell portrays Happy Hollow Police Chief Ben Dandridge. “This guy’s a reasonable cop; he’s a rational person who doesn’t treat the teenagers like they’re idiots. It’s all very refreshing,” he said. “I want to play that guy again. I want cops to be that guy. I’m playing the cop (that) cops need to be. That’s my whole motivation for playing this guy: How would you like cops to be, especially the guy in charge, the chief of police? They’re lucky to have Chief Dandridge.” “It was truly an exciting moment when Bruce signed on,” Goodman said. By the end of the first episode, a supernatural phenomenon happens to Linda Campbell, played by Bowen. “Linda seems like one thing, then you realize she’s bananas. She’s either bananas or she’s possessed. Either way, it’s a complicated thing to play,” Bowen said. “With Julie, you can have your cake and eat it too,” Kane said. “She’s this fun, quirky mom. ... As the episode goes on, she’s pulled deeper into this thing and crazy stuff starts happening. That final act of the first episode was my favorite moment with her because this announced that this is not Claire Dunphy. We’re not doing that again; we’re pushing her as a performer. “Julie was so excited about doing stunts. She told us on many occasions she’s very sturdy and can take it. The same goes for Bruce and for Anna. We didn’t ask anyone to give us a flavor of the thing they did before. We cast people we loved so much (in their famous projects) that we wanted to give them the opportunity to do the exact opposite.” Added Bowen: “I got this script and was like, ‘Oh great. She’s a mom. How fun.’ I love moms. I’m a mom, but I felt this was not worth flying out of town to Georgia and being away from my kids. Then I got to the end of the pilot and was like, ‘She’s crazy!’ Is she possessed? There’s a lot more questions. It’s fun to just stretch again and do things I haven’t done in a while, which I found really exciting.” Kane said he felt lucky Bowen signed on at the beginning. “She was the first adult actor to sign on. That gave us such credibility to have a two-time Emmy-winning actor leading this show. Suddenly, it goes from this script from a relatively unknown writer into the new Julie Bowen show,” he said. It was the quality of the writing that attracted Camp, Bowen and Campbell to “Hysteria!” “I loved the script; it was incredibly well-written. It was immersed in the time period. It was such a good coming-of-age story, too — the feeling of being in high school again, being in the 1980s,” Camp said. “I talked to Matt who said my character (Tracy) was incredibly pivotal to the series and we’ll learn about why she is the way she is. So I was like, ‘I’d love to do this!’” For Campbell, the writing is everything. “A lot of times, I’ll get a script that could make the words interchangeable with every other character because the writing is very bland and just doesn’t have the detail you need. This was different. Every character was pretty distinct and pretty well-drawn,” he said. “It’s quality. It’s not a (expletive) show. It’s a real show that’s playing around with interesting themes. A lot of it is still relevant to this day.” “Hysteria!” has other Michigan connections, including University of Michigan alumnus Jonathan Goldstein (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”) and Dondero High School alumnus Jordan Vogt-Roberts (“Kong: Skull Island”), who both serve as executive producers. Kane explained why he set “Hysteria!” in Michigan. “You write what you know. I grew up in Ypsilanti, so that had a lot to do with it. More importantly, when you’re in a small town in the Midwest — somewhere like Michigan — these things don’t ever happen and word spreads fast and paranoia spreads quickly and (everything’s) blown out of proportion and takes up a lot of people’s minds,” he said. “Whether or not something is real doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if there are people willing to believe it does and willing it into the world. What does it matter if it’s objectively real or living rent-free in someone’s head?”“You write what you know. I grew up in Ypsilanti, so that had a lot to do with it. More importantly, when you’re in a small town in the Midwest — somewhere like Michigan — these things don’t ever happen."“You write what you know. I grew up in Ypsilanti, so that had a lot to do with it. More importantly, when you’re in a small town in the Midwest — somewhere like Michigan — these things don’t ever happen."
Wheel of Fortune fans say 'Ryan is no Pat' sparking debate he's 'temporary'US sex-abuse watchdog fires investigator after learning of his arrest for stealing drug money DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Center for SafeSport abruptly fired one of its investigators last month after learning he’d been arrested for stealing money confiscated after a drug bust he was part of during his previous job as a police officer. Jason Krasley left his job with the Allentown Police Department in Pennsylvania in 2021 and was hired by the Denver-based SafeSport center to look into sensitive cases involving sex abuse and harassment. The center said it conducts multiple interviews and a “comprehensive background check” of potential employees. The center said it was looking into cases Krasley handled to make sure they were dealt with appropriately. Jim Larrañaga steps down at Miami, Bill Courtney takes over to finish season CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Jim Larrañaga has stepped down as Miami’s men’s basketball coach effective immediately. Larrañaga will be replaced by associate head coach Bill Courtney — one of Larrañaga’s best friends for the past three decades or so — for the remainder of the season. The now-former coach says he loves the university but believes it's the right time to step away. Larrañaga says "I’ve tried every which way to keep this going.” Larrañaga joins a long line of prominent college basketball coaches who have left their jobs in recent years citing the changes in the game and the challenge of coaching in the Name, Image and Likeness era. Detroit Red Wings fire coach Derek Lalonde, name Todd McLellan as his replacement The Detroit Red Wings have fired coach Derek Lalonde and named Todd McLellan as his replacement. The move a day after Christmas comes after the Red Wings lost 21 of their first 34 games this season. They're on a three-game skid. Assistant Bob Boughner was also fired and Trent Yawney hired to work on McLellan's staff. McLellan signed a multiyear contract to start his fourth NHL head coaching job. Lalonde was nearly midway through his third season with Detroit after winning the Stanley Cup twice as an assistant with Tampa Bay. Pat Riley says the Miami Heat will not trade Jimmy Butler ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — If Jimmy Butler wants a trade, the Miami Heat have no plans to make him happy. Heat President Pat Riley — in a rare move — spoke out to address rumors Thursday, saying the team has no plans to trade Butler. It’s a clear sign that, if necessary, the team will be willing to let Butler leave as a free agent and get nothing in return. Riley says in a release distributed by the team "we usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches.” Haaland penalty failure and Fernandes red card pile on woes for City and United in Premier League Erling Haaland’s failure from the penalty spot and Bruno Fernandes’ latest red card have compounded the woes of Manchester City and Manchester United on another tough day for the two Premier League giants. City dropped more points in its improbably poor run of form by drawing 1-1 at home to Everton. Haaland had a spot kick saved by England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the 53rd minute. The four-time defending champions have only won one of its last 13 games in all competitions. While City is languishing in seventh place, United is even further adrift in 14th place after a 2-0 loss at lowly Wolverhampton. Fernandes was sent off in the 47th. Simona Halep withdraws from Australian Open qualifying because of knee and shoulder pain MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has pulled out of Australian Open qualifying and a tuneup tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, because of pain in her knee and shoulder. Thursday's news represents the latest interruption of her comeback from a drug suspension. Halep posted on social media that she was feeling poorly after participating in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. The 33-year-old Romanian said she is planning to next enter the Transylvania Open in her home country, where play begins Feb. 3. Halep was granted a wild-card entry for qualifying in the Australian Open last week. Mahomes throws 3 TDs as Chiefs clinch AFC's top seed by breezing past the skidding Steelers 29-10 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs locked up the top seed in the AFC for the fourth time in seven seasons with a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions raced to an early 13-point lead and were never really threatened by the Steelers (10-6). Pittsburgh has dropped three straight to see its chances of capturing the AFC North take another hit. Travis Kelce caught eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Kelce also became the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 receptions, joining Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten. Jackson breaks Vick's NFL rushing record for QBs in Ravens' rout over Texans HOUSTON (AP) — Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson passed Michael Vick for the most yards rushing by a quarterback in NFL history in a 31-2 win over the Houston Texans in Wednesday. Jackson moved past Vick on a 6-yard run in the third quarter. Jackson had 87 yards rushing to give him 6,110 yards, moving him past Vick, who piled up 6,109 in his 13-year career. LeBron James scores 31 in record 19th Christmas Day game as Lakers hold off Curry, Warriors 115-113 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Austin Reaves scored the winning layup with one second left after Stephen Curry tied it on a 31-foot 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining, LeBron James had 31 points and 10 assists playing in his NBA-record 19th Christmas Day game, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Golden State Warriors 115-113. Curry scored 38 with eight 3s, hitting one under pressure from the baseline with 12 seconds left and another with 2:49 remaining only for James to answer from long range on the other end. Reaves recorded a triple-double. Bridges scores season-high 41, Knicks withstand Wembanyama's monster Christmas debut to edge Spurs NEW YORK (AP) — Mikal Bridges scored a season-high 41 points, and the New York Knicks overcame 42 from Victor Wembanyama in a monster Christmas debut to edge the San Antonio Spurs 117-114 on Wednesday. Wembanyama set a Spurs record for points on the holiday and added 18 rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots. The reigning Western Conference player of the week made six 3-pointers. But Bridges shot 17 for 25 from the field, 6 for 9 behind the arc, to make sure the Knicks had just enough offense to win their fifth in a row and improve to 20-10. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Kreutzer, 38, was also sentenced to serve two-and-one-third to seven years for first-degree reckless endangerment, two-and-one-third to seven years for first-degree criminal trespass, both class D felony's, and three months for prohibited use of a firearm, a misdemeanor, to run concurrently with her sentence. Kreutzer will also be required to complete five years of probation when she is released. Kreutzer was found guilty of second-degree attempted murder after nearly two days of deliberation by a Columbia County jury in August. The jury did not find Kreutzer guilty of the top charge, attempted murder of a police officer, and the charge of second-degree assault was dismissed during an Aug. 29 court appearance following the guilty verdict. The charges against Kreutzer stemmed from a Nov. 9, 2020, incident where Kreutzer barricaded herself in a home at 438 Doodletown Road in Gallatin. Kreutzer eventually surrendered and was she taken into custody by state police. In court Wednesday, Columbia County Assistant District Attorney Cheryl Botts said in the presentencing report prepared for the case, there were mentions of mental health issues Kreutzer may have been facing at the time of the 2020 incident. “There was nothing about any actions to deal with the mental health issues affecting her on Nov. 9, 2020,” Botts said. Letters of support from Kreutzer’s family, friends and others were also submitted as part of the presentencing report, but those individuals were not present during the incident, Botts said. The witnesses in the case, including Nayeli Jaurez, who was 17 at the time of the shooting and landscaper Louis Ciotola, explained what happened on the day of the incident in their testimony, Botts said. “They were the ones who told you what happened on Nov. 9, 2020,” she said. “They told you that they were afraid of her.” Botts also said retired state police Sgt. Paul Strobel, who Kreutzer shot at during the incident, was lucky he was not killed. “He was lucky that his wife didn’t lose her husband that day, and lucky his children didn’t lose their father that day,” she said. Throughout the three-day trial, jurors heard from several witnesses, including Strobel, a retired zone sergeant at the New York State Police barracks in Livingston. Strobel was the first officer to respond to the incident at Doodletown Road in 2020. Strobel said in court Aug. 26 that The call reporting the incident was assigned to another officer, but that Strobel took the call to the home after hearing reports of a female with a gun, he testified in court Aug. 26. When Strobel arrived at the home in Gallatin, he found two individuals and a dog near a utility terrain vehicle. He later saw the individual, who he later identified as Kreutzer, pull a handgun out of her waistband and point it at him. Kreutzer then shot the gun in Strobel’s direction, and when he began to reverse his vehicle down the driveway, she continued to pursue him with the handgun pointed at him. Strobel said a second shot was fired when he was reversing to maintain distance from Kreutzer. Two more state police troopers later joined Strobel at the scene, and were instructed to secure a perimeter around the home. Additional shots were fired toward the woods where Strobel and the other officers were attempting to set up a perimeter, Strobel said during his testimony. Botts urged Judge E. Danielle Jose-Decker, who presided over the case, to sentence Kreutzer to the maximum sentence of 25 years in state prison with five years of probation. The amount of character letters received in Kreutzer’s case was unheard of, James Knox, Kreutzer’s defense attorney, said in court Wednesday. “I’ve been doing this for a while and she has more support than any client I’ve represented,” he said. Kreutzer was also out of prison for the three and a half years leading up to her trial, and lived a law abiding life during that time, Knox said. “Those facts are articulated by her family and her friends,” he said. Kreutzer is also a different person than she was in 2020, Knox said. “She’s in a different place mentally, physically and in her social life,” he said. “I know that can’t excuse what she did, but this is one of those rare instances where the defendant has had an opportunity to better herself.” Knox asked Jose-Decker to consider imposing the minimum sentence on Kreutzer. “While I understand the severity of the offenses, we have a person that has shown they don’t need a lengthy prison sentence,” he said. Jose-Decker said she struggled to find an appropriate sentence for Kreutzer. “One one hand, Ms. Kreutzer has no prior record, and she did have a tumultuous childhood,” she said. Jose-Decker said in court that Kreutzer had experienced her parents being addicted to drugs, and later being placed with her grandparents. However, there was an “absolute failure” by Kreutzer to take responsibility for the incident, and show remorse, Jose-Decker said. “There was also a disregard for the safety of several human lives,” she said. After the sentencing, Kreutzer could be seen crying in the courtroom, and said ‘I love you’ to the members of her family sitting in the gallery.
SoundHound AI ( SOUN 12.60% ) stock saw another day of explosive gains in Friday's trading. The conversational-AI company's share price closed the day up about 12.5%. While there wasn't any direct business news pushing SoundHound AI's stock higher today, the company's share price was gaining ground in conjunction with news from other corners of the artificial intelligence ( AI ) market. The software specialist is now up 600% across 2024's trading. AI stocks surge on Trump AI czar announcement and ChatGPT news Artificial intelligence stocks saw widespread bullish momentum today in conjunction with developments in the space. For starters, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he intends to appoint venture capitalist David Sacks as his administration's AI and crypto czar. The move signals that the incoming administration will likely make AI a key priority. Yesterday, OpenAI also announced the launch of its o1 reasoning model and a $200 monthly subscription for its new ChatGPT Pro service. SoundHound AI's in-car audio software platform features ChatGPT integration, and it's likely that new feature support from the AI leader will eventually will make it to the audio software specialist's auto offerings. More broadly, OpenAI's move to price its new ChatGPT software at $200 per month has investors feeling bullish about monetization opportunities in the AI space. What comes next for SoundHound AI stock? Artificial intelligence has been the hot story in 2024, and no stock has been hotter than SoundHound AI. Its returns have outperformed all other big name AI stocks across the stretch, and gains have pushed the company's market capitalization to roughly $5.4 billion. Its also gotten more expensive. SOUN PS Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts. SoundHound AI stock is now valued at roughly 64 times this year's expected sales. While the company has been increasing its revenue at a rapid pace and still has big growth opportunities ahead, investors should understand that the company's highly growth-dependent valuation sets the stage for downside risk if growth misses expectations or macroeconomic and political conditions evolve in less favorable directions. If you're considering investing in SoundHound AI, utilizing a dollar-cost averaging approach through volatility could be the right move.
Former Red Sox exec weighs in on controversial Aroldis Chapman signing: ‘I guess enough time has passed’Billionaire Dan S. Loeb is the founder of Third Point and is renowned for his bold activist strategies that challenge the status quo and drive transformation in global companies . In the fourth quarter of 2024, renowned hedge fund manager Loeb significantly increased stakes in several companies, including more than doubling Third Point’s holdings in Intercontinental Exchange Inc. ICE and CRH PLC CRH , according to quarterly 13F filings. ICE : Intercontinental Exchange operates exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, and clearing houses that enable investment, capital raising, and risk management across various asset classes. Read: ICE’s Resilient Business Model and Technological Advancements Drive an Outperform Rating – Here’s Why Loeb added 1.08 million shares in the third quarter at an average price of $148.77, bringing the total to 2.08 million shares. This represents a 108.5% increase in share count from Q2, with a total portfolio value of $334.93 million. Third Point revealed its stake in a 13F filing in November. The stock has declined about 5.7% in the last month. Meanwhile, the capital market sector, as measured by the SPDR S&P Capital Markets ETF KCE , has declined roughly by 4.29% in the last month. In the third quarter, the company’s adjusted EPS of $1.55 was in line with the consensus expectations, while sales of $2.349 billion were slightly below the $2.354 billion estimate . Also Read: Big Changes At Building Products Company CRH: CEO Albert Manifold Set To Retire, CFO Jim Mintern Gears Up To Lead In 2025 CRH : The company provides building materials solutions and has leadership positions in both North America and Europe. Loeb added 1.40 million shares at an average price of $83.86 in the third quarter, raising the total count to 2.05 million shares. This marks a 215.38% increase in share count, with a total value of $190.12 million. CRH shares have dipped around 7.8% compared to First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF ‘s AIRR decline of 7.9% in the past month. The company’s third-quarter results missed analyst consensus, with adjusted EPS of $1.97 coming below the consensus of $2.09 and sales of $10.515 billion falling short of the street view of $10.56 billion . Read Next : Bitcoin Investors Should Be Optimistic Ahead Of 2025: Here’s Why Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney. This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
With the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ) being announced as a sort-of empowered advisory agency adjunct to the incoming Trump administration, there is debate in India about replicating it. Some of the discussion has been pointed. Much of it has been circular and redundant. It merits deeper thought. ET Year-end Special Reads Corporate Kalesh: Top family disputes of India Inc in 2024 The world of business lost these eminent people in 2024 Fast, faster, fastest: How 2024 put more speed into your shopping Making government more efficient - indeed, making any institution more efficient - is a valid aspiration. Efficiency has many parameters. These include rightsizing - as opposed to merely downsizing - and making government more responsive by use of, for instance, technology. Streamlining government structures and regulations also plays a part. All of this operates under an overarching political philosophy, defined by the government. However, models, templates and ideas from one system cannot easily be transplanted. The Indian state needs efficiency, but does GoI need DOGE? Or, at least, DOGE as interpreted by DOGE's leadership? That is an extremely relevant question. It deserves more than loose thoughts expressed by social media ideologues. DOGE's primary focus is to reduce the size of the federal government by slicing off jobs created by executive order in recent years. The logic is that what was created by executive order can be undone by executive order. Cutting positions that will require Congressional approval can happen later. 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View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program In the first instance, DOGE will target jobs incubated with a purpose of promoting issues important to the Democratic Party. These could include certain types of 'soft diplomacy' positions in the State Department, or in education regulation. Done intelligently, this could be very popular with Republicans, and also melt obvious fat. Done with a sledgehammer, it could end up strengthening career civil servants, and removing a layer of political flexibility and subjectivity. Typically, there will be a bit of both, even if DOGE is ultimately judged a success. The situation in India is dissimilar. In core governance roles, relatively few positions have been created or filled by political discretion. True, there is a panoply of institutions and commissions. But these are often at the periphery of government. Further, an honest assessment of the Union government could well conclude that it requires not fewer employees but more, encompassing both technocrats and generalists. The Indian state needs to recede and give more space to entrepreneurship and civil society. But several ministries, departments and agencies are actually understaffed. These are both true, and mean very different things. Could some of this efficiency be injected by bringing in external talent? Again, it would be prudent not to jump to conclusions. Harmonisation of lateral entrants and career bureaucracy is a challenge in many systems. The selection of lateral entrants, too, is critical. India has a long history of such experiments. Some have worked, others have not. The best case studies involve individuals identified for specific positions and roles due to aptitude, skill set and alignment with chosen policy goals. Take India's semiconductor mission. It has made appreciable progress. But within the global semiconductor community, there is a genuine argument as to whether India can, and needs to, make such massive capital investments. Of course, GoI's policy direction is clear. Presume GoI wants to hire an outside specialist for the semiconductor mission. Should it choose the technically best-qualified candidate, who believes the semiconductor policy is flawed? Or the less but still appropriately qualified one, who believes the government is on the right path in committing resources to building a semiconductor ecosystem? A UPSC selection panel could go by objective criteria and nominate the first candidate. An enlightened political appreciation will pick the second. x selections of the second type are more likely to enhance efficiency than 2x selections of the first type. For that, you need not elaborate job application processes, but clear-headed ministers who know whom they want - and what they want to do. Does rewriting or removing laws and minor regulations - 'process reform', as this is referred to these days - enhance efficiency? The answer is a qualified one. While updating regulations and abolishing anachronistic laws have notable modernisation and aesthetic value, it's worth ascertaining which rules and laws are actual hindrances and which are simply around but are no longer being deployed. Many countries are burdened with obsolete laws and regulations not used in practice, and offer no real-world deadweight loss. Removing them is a good thing. But it does not automatically deliver economic outcomes or systemic efficiency. Activity, as Yes Minister cautioned us, is not always achievement. Finally, there are vestigial organisations. New Delhi is no stranger to agencies, councils and commissions that serve little purpose. Perhaps they answered a felt need at their founding. Perhaps they were sinecures for a political favourite. Either way, they have outlived utility and become self-serving cost centres. The Modi government has done much to dissolve, merge and zip such bodies. Yet, the striving never ends. Post facto clean-up is no substitute for institutionalised, built-in correctives. Rather than a one-time DOGE, a regular and systemic audit of government and quasi-government bodies to measure return on investment is better. Ideally, it should be intrinsic to an organisation's inaugural charter itself. It is not too late to start. Any such rigorous audit should look at not just bodies founded in the distant past but closely at institutions and agencies set up since 2014.Syria's Assad: the president who led a bloody crackdown
If you’re new to snowboarding, you may not realize the importance of a solid pair of snowboard bindings. In reality, this piece of gear does more than just secure your boots to the snowboard. Bindings are responsible for transferring the power from your legs to the board, allowing improved control and comfort. A quality pair of bindings could last for years, so the decision to buy is a big one. For snowboard bindings that are durable, lightweight and comfortable, check out the BURTON Malavita Snowboard Bindings . Some snowboard bindings are better suited for certain riding styles. Consider how you plan to use your snowboard before settling on a specific pair of bindings. If you’re not sure, try renting some gear for a day and see how the bindings feel on the slopes. Many snowboard manufacturers include a 1 to 10 flexibility rating with their bindings. A high number indicates stiff bindings, while a low number is assigned to bindings that are particularly soft and flexible. Most snowboard bindings have straps that secure the ankle and toe sections of your boots to the board. The ankle straps keep you in a flexible yet fixed position when you lean forward onto your toes, while the toe straps keep your feet in place when you lean back. Padding is used on snowboard bindings to absorb some of the shock caused by bumpy runs. Think about your riding style when deciding how much padding you need. Mounts secure the bindings to the board. You can use mounting screws to attach the bindings and adjust the foot positioning to your preference. Just like a snowboard, snowboard bindings come in a wide variety of different colors and patterns. If you want a cohesive look, pick out bindings that match the rest of your gear. When shopping for snowboard gear online, try to purchase from well-known brands like Burton, Salomon or Rossignol. Cheap snowboard bindings from an obscure manufacturer might be tempting, but you could find yourself with an inferior product once you hit the slopes. The cost of snowboard bindings can vary depending on the brand name and the quality of the parts. Beginner and intermediate snowboarders can expect to pay around $100-$250 for a quality pair of bindings, while advanced snowboard bindings regularly exceed $300. A. Most snowboard bindings are sold in two to five size options. Look at the model’s sizing chart and compare it with your boot size to find bindings that fit you. A. Yes. Although there are women’s snowboard bindings that advertise particular design features, snowboard bindings are universal. This means you can choose any pair you want, as long as they’re the right size. BURTON Malavita Snowboard Bindings What you need to know: Despite being advertised as men’s snowboard bindings, these bindings use advanced technology to deliver quality support and performance for any rider. What you’ll love: Backed by Burton’s legendary reputation, these snowboard bindings offer an advanced level of performance, control and comfort in a stylish package. The padding has a gel to absorb extra shock, and the bindings come in five color options. What you should consider: These bindings might be too expensive for beginner and intermediate riders. Salomon Pact Snowboard Bindings What you need to know: These versatile bindings are durable and affordable enough for almost any rider. What you’ll love: A solid choice for beginners, these snowboard bindings have a rear-entry design with high-quality straps for fine adjustments. Many users note their durability and comfort during long days of riding. What you should consider: These bindings have a limited number of size options, and the mounting discs may not attach to every board type. BURTON Grom Snowboard Bindings What you need to know: Designed for kids and small snowboarders, these popular bindings have a solid construction and reasonable price tag. What you’ll love: Perfect for young riders hitting the slopes for the first time, these beginner bindings are compatible with most snowboard mounting systems and feature a single-component baseplate for consistent control and responsiveness. They’re also available in two sleek color options, black and white. What you should consider: Some users questioned the quality and longevity of the bindings’ highback. Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change. Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.Telangana: BRS leader Errolla Srinivas granted bail
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Hopes for a Santa Claus rally on Wall Street fell Friday as tech stocks slid lower, while a weaker yen lifted Japanese equities. US indices slid lower at the opening bell, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite losing two percent during morning trading. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.A US federal appeals court has rejected a challenge to the law that prevents popular apps that collect data on Americans from being controlled by a foreign adversary. The decision puts the ongoing operation of social media network TikTok, a subsidiary of China-based ByteDance, at risk. Unless the ruling is reversed on appeal, ByteDance divests, or the White House intervenes, TikTok will be forced to stop operating in the US as soon as January 19, 2025. The President – Biden until January 20, 2025 – has the option to grant a one-time 90-day extension to this deadline. The law at issue, initially known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PFACAA), became part of the foreign assistance package passed in April, after which it was approved by President Biden. It limits foreign adversaries from collecting data through adversary-controlled software applications. It also identifies ByteDance and TikTok by name, while potentially applying to code controlled by other foreign entities. For years, US officials have warned that TikTok has the potential to be used to spy on Americans. In March, then head of NSA Cybersecurity Rob Joyce called TikTok China's "Trojan horse." More recently, US authorities have alleged active data gathering. The US Justice Department in a July court filing accused ByteDance and TikTok of using an internal tool called Lark to allow TikTok employees in the US to communicate with ByteDance engineers in China and provide them with US users' sensitive personal information. ByteDance, incorporated in the Cayman Islands but headquartered in China, challenged the constitutionality of the law in May. "Banning TikTok is so obviously unconstitutional, in fact, that even the act’s sponsors recognized that reality, and therefore have tried mightily to depict the law not as a ban at all, but merely a regulation of TikTok’s ownership," the companies said in their lawsuit [PDF]. On Friday, a three-judge panel for the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously disagreed, finding the Justice Department's national security argument valid. "The government provides persuasive support for its concerns regarding the threat posed by the PRC [People's Republic of China] in general and through the TikTok platform in particular," the appellate ruling [PDF] says, noting that the objections raised by ByteDance and TikTok are insufficient. "[T]he bottom line is that they fail to overcome the government’s considered judgment and the deference we owe that judgment," the ruling says. ByteDance and TikTok intend to appeal to the US Supreme Court. "The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans' right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue," said TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes in a statement provided to The Register . "Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people. The TikTok ban, unless stopped, will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19, 2025." TikTok could get a reprieve from the incoming administration, however. President-elect Trump, during his first term, tried to ban TikTok. But during his recent presidential campaign, he promised to save it, perhaps largely so that Mark Zuckerberg's Meta doesn't get more of a monopoly over US social media. In March this year, Trump, on his own ironically named Truth Social, declared without evidence: "I don't want Facebook, who cheated in the last election, doing better," adding: "They are a true enemy of the people." If ByteDance is forced to divest but no acceptable buyer can be found, Oracle, which provides IT services to TikTok in the US, has warned its revenue could suffer. In a June SEC filing , the database titan said, "If we are unable to provide those services to TikTok, and if we cannot redeploy that capacity in a timely manner, our revenues and profits would be adversely impacted." ®
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