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DALLAS (AP) — More than 60 years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated , conspiracy theories still swirl and any new glimpse into the fateful day of Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas continues to fascinate . President-elect Donald Trump promised during his reelection campaign that he would declassify all of the remaining government records surrounding the assassination if he returned to office. He made a similar pledge during his first term, but ultimately bended to appeals from the CIA and FBI to keep some documents withheld. At this point, only a few thousand of the millions of governmental records related to the assassination have yet to be fully released, and those who have studied the records released so far say that even if the remaining files are declassified, the public shouldn't anticipate any earth-shattering revelations. “Anybody waiting for a smoking gun that’s going to turn this case upside down will be sorely disappointed,” said Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed,” which concludes that assassin Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Friday's 61st anniversary is expected to be marked with a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m. in Dealey Plaza, where Kennedy's motorcade was passing through when he was fatally shot. And throughout this week there have been events marking the anniversary. When Air Force One carrying Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy touched down in Dallas , they were greeted by a clear sky and enthusiastic crowds. With a reelection campaign on the horizon the next year, they had gone to Texas on political fence-mending trip. But as the motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown, shots rang out from the Texas School Book Depository building. Police arrested 24-year-old Oswald and, two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer. A year after the assassination, the Warren Commission, which President Lyndon B. Johnson established to investigate the assassination, concluded that Oswald acted alone and there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that hasn't quelled a web of alternative theories over the decades. In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection of over 5 million records was required to be opened by 2017, barring any exemptions designated by the president. Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had boasted that he'd allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the potential harm to national security. And while files have continued to be released during President Joe Biden's administration, some still remain unseen. The documents released over the last few years offer details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. The former Marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas. Mark S. Zaid, a national security attorney in Washington, said what's been released so far has contributed to the understanding of the time period, giving “a great picture” of what was happening during the Cold War and the activities of the CIA. Posner estimates that there are still about 3,000 to 4,000 documents in the collection that haven’t yet been fully released. Of those documents, some are still completely redacted while others just have small redactions, like someone's Social Security number. There are about 500 documents where all the information is redacted, Posner said, and those include Oswald's and Ruby’s tax returns. “If you have been following it, as I have and others have, you sort of are zeroed in on the pages you think might provide some additional information for history,” Posner said. Trump's transition team hasn’t responded to questions this week about his plans when he takes office. From the start, there were those who believed there had to be more to the story than just Oswald acting alone, said Stephen Fagin, curator of the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, which tells the story of the assassination from the building where Oswald made his sniper's perch. “People want to make sense of this and they want to find the solution that fits the crime," said Fagin, who said that while there are lingering questions, law enforcement made “a pretty compelling case” against Oswald. Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said his interest in the assassination dates back to the event itself, when he was a child. “It just seemed so fantastical that one very disturbed individual could end up pulling off the crime of the century," Sabato said. “But the more I studied it, the more I realized that is a very possible, maybe even probable in my view, hypothesis.”
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SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Once-promising seasons hit new lows for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers last week. Another sent the Bears to their sixth straight loss and led to the firing of coach Matt Eberflus. The 49ers suffered their and to go from Super Bowl contenders to outside the playoff picture in a matter of weeks. The two reeling teams will try to get back on track on Sunday when the Bears (4-8) visit the 49ers (5-7) in Chicago’s first game under . “I told them a minute ago after practice there is no confidence loss at all as far as what I think about them,” Brown said Wednesday. “I don’t care what anybody else thinks about them. I think we have a very talented football team. It’s about just putting the work in every single day to give us an opportunity to win.” The Bears are hoping to get an emotional boost from the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history. Over the last 10 seasons, teams with interim coaches are 13-11 in their first game with the new coach. Those teams had a .284 winning percentage at the time they fired their coaches. “I wouldn’t say a new voice was needed. I would say there was change that was needed,” rookie quarterback Caleb Williams said, pointing to a need for more accountability and better communication. The Niners came into the season as the favorites to get back to the Super Bowl from the NFC after losing the title game to Kansas City last season. But a series of key injuries, bad losses and spotty play have left them in last place in the NFC West with only slim hopes of even reaching the postseason. San Francisco lost and 35-10 to Buffalo in back-to-back weeks and lost star running back Christian McCaffrey to a knee injury last week that will sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season. The Niners already lost key players Brandon Aiyuk and Javon Hargrave to season-ending injuries and are preparing to be without stars Nick Bosa and Trent Williams for a third straight week. “It’s just been a rocky mountain for real with the injuries and other stuff we’ve had to go through this season,” receiver Deebo Samuel said. “Our record don’t show how really good we are as a team. We’re still believing in this locker room.” Chaotic education Williams described Eberflus’ firing as “interesting” and “tough” and vowed to “roll with the punches” while insisting the chaos and turnover of the past few weeks could help him handle similar situations in the future. Just 12 games into his NFL career, the prized quarterback is on his second head coach and third offensive coordinator, though Brown will continue to call plays. How does he keep the faith that his career is in good hands with this organization? “The first part is understanding I can’t control,” Williams said. “Even if I understand or don’t understand, that doesn’t matter. I have to roll with the punches like I said before. I don’t control everything.” Guerendo’s chance With McCaffrey and Jordan Mason injured, the Niners running game will turn to . The fourth-round pick has 42 carries for 246 yards and two TDs this season and will be making his second start in either college or the pros. Coach Kyle Shanahan said the progress Guerendo has made since training camp makes him ready for his new role as he sees him running with more “urgency.” “I think it takes guys some time,” Shanahan said. “You start to get a feel for it the more, if you’ve got the right stuff, the more you get reps, the more you can adjust to it. How hard you’ve got to hit stuff, how quick those holes close, how when there is a hole how you have to hit it full-speed and can’t hesitate at all or it closes like that. We’ve seen that stuff get better in practice and we’ve seen it carry over into games.” Stop the run San Francisco’s usually stout run defense has been anything but that this season. The Niners have struggled to slow down the opposition on the ground all year with the problem getting worse recently. The 49ers allowed 389 yards rushing the past two weeks. “It’s been so frustrating because I know what is supposed to look like,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “That’s not it.” Stopping the run also continues to be a sore spot for Chicago. The Bears rank 25th overall against the run and 29th in yards allowed per rush after another difficult outing last week. They gave up 194 yards, including 144 in the first half as the Lions grabbed a 16-0 lead. Losing veteran defensive tackle Andrew Billings to a torn pectoral muscle last month did not help. He was injured in a Week 9 loss at Arizona and is expected to miss the remainder of the season after having surgery. ___ AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman contributed to this report. ___ AP NFL:Our Experts CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. Our Picks CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. CNET doesn't do full, in-depth reviews of ski equipment, with more ski gear going high-tech -- and mingling with the high-tech gear we carry day to day -- over the last several years we've highlighted some of the more innovative ski gear and ski accessories. Various categories include best action cams for skiers, best audio accessories for skiers, best phone accessories for skiers and more standard ski accessories like helmets and goggles. Many of the products in this roundup are battery-powered, but not everything has a power component to it. In some cases, we've included items that have high-tech materials or cutting-edge designs. I'll be updating this feature with new high-tech ski gear and accessories as I hear about them and test them out. Best action cams for skiers GoPro's latest flagship camera, the Hero 13 Black, isn't that different from the Hero 12 Black -- or the Hero 11 or the 10 Black for that matter. It has improved in a few key ways from its predecessors. Josh Goldman, our resident action-cam tester, says that while many of the shooting options and other features have remained the same, some design changes have been made to accommodate a new battery, a new mount option and most importantly, new add-on accessories that enhance the camera's versatility. These include a new Ultra Wide Lens Mod ($100), Anamorphic Lens Mod ($130) and a special battery door called Contacto ($80) that has magnetic pogo pins and a USB-C cable that snaps onto it. It lets you continuously power the camera via its magnetic link -- with or without a battery in the camera. Read our full hands-on first take of the GoPro Hero 13 Black to get the skinny on all the new changes. GoPro makes a lightweight, compact action cam called the Hero ($200), but its video quality and feature set leave something to be desired. So when it comes to mini action cams, we prefer the Insta360 Go 3S. Unlike the Insta360 X4, this model doesn't do 360-degree video and has only one lens. The camera is tiny (it weighs only 37 grams) and comes with a few different accessories, including one that allows you to clip the camera. Also included is sort of a docking station (Insta360 calls it an "action pod") with an integrated flip-up LCD. Not only do you charge the camera in the dock but you can view what you're filming on the LCD (the camera and dock link wirelessly). The Go 3S is fully waterproof while the action pod is IPX4 splash-proof. Battery life is rated at up to 140 minutes. The only downside is that the battery isn't removable or replaceable. As with the X4, there's an Insta360 companion app for iOS and Android (as well as a desktop PC app) that allows you to edit videos right on your phone and the app has gotten more capable and easier to use over time. At first glance, the Insta360 X4, a small, waterproof 360 camera that creates immersive 360 videos and photos, doesn't look all that different from its predecessor, the X3. But it does feature a few important improvements, including a larger screen (TK), better battery life (up to 135 minutes instead of 81 minutes) and the ability to shoot 8K video at 30fps (up from 5.7K video at 30fps). You can shoot with a dual lens to create 360 content or a single lens for more traditional action cam shots. A companion app for iOS and Android (as well as a desktop PC app) allows you to edit videos right on your phone and the app has gotten more capable and easier to use over time. Insta360 sells ski and snowboard bundles that include an "invisible" selfie stick, lens guard and lens cap for around $500 (sometimes it sells for less during flash sales). Josh Goldman, CNET's action cam guru, thinks the Akaso Brave 7 LE is a very good value because it delivers good 4K video for less than $120 and it has a front display. The body is water-resistant, but along with a variety of mounts, two batteries, a charger and a wrist remote, Akaso includes a dive housing good to 40 meters (131 feet). A touchscreen on the back lets you tap your way through its simple interface to change modes and camera settings. A long press on the Mode button on top lets you switch to the front display so you can see yourself while you shoot. As for picture quality, you'll want to keep this budget action camera set to 4K30 with the image stabilization and video quality set to high for the best results. Also, while it offers a solid mix of resolutions and frame rates, not all of them have image stabilization -- including 1080p120 for slow motion. Best audio accessories for skiers The Aleck 006 earpieces slip into your helmet and can be used as wireless headphones for listening to music or as a headset for making calls. They offer decent sound, but what makes them even more useful is if you link multiple Aleck 006 together and set up what amounts to a walkie-talkie system among friends or family members. With real-time GPS tracking in the Aleck Go app for iOS and Android, you can also map the location of everyone in your party. You'd think that more companies would have made Bluetooth headphones that slip inside your helmet, but Outdoor Technology is one of the few that does (some Chinese companies like Outdoor Master have gotten into the game in the last couple of years). Their appeal has waned now that true wireless earbuds have come along, but the Chips are now on their third generation with upgraded Bluetooth 5.2 and up to 13 hours of battery life -- 3 hours more than what you get with the Chips 2.0, which can be had for around $90 or $40 less. How it works is you charge up the Chips and slide them into the earflaps on your helmet (they should work with most helmets). You want to make sure that no excess padding in your helmet is covering the Chips or else they'll get muffled and you'll lose some volume; you want them as close to your ears as possible. Like with their predecessor, I thought the sound quality was decent for Bluetooth, but not great. It's nice to be able to stick your helmet on and have the headphones built-in with no wires to worry about. Battery life is rated at 10 hours, and the Chips are sweat- and water-resistant but not waterproof. Outdoor Technology also sells the Chips Ultra , a true-wireless version of the Chips that costs more (about $158). I don't think the Ultras are worth the money. Truth be told, in some ways, I like Sony's new LinkBuds Fit better than its flagship WF-1000XM5 noise-canceling earbuds. While they don't sound quite as good or have noise-canceling that's quite on par with those buds, they're lightweight (4.9 grams) and fit my ears comfortably and securely (they're small enough to fit under the earbuds of a helmet). Part of that is due to Sony's new Air Fitting Supporters, but it's also redesigned its ear tips and included a wide range of sizes, including XL tips that fit my ears well. Despite being a slight step down from the WF-1000XM5s for performance, their sound quality, noise canceling and call-quality performance are all very good. They also have built-in voice controls. Read our hands-on first take . SCORE Jabra bills the Elite 8 Active as the "world's toughest earbuds," and based on our tests (they survived several drops without a scratch), that may very well be true. There are two new color options, the Gen 2 model doesn't look any different from the original, but it includes an LE Audio smart case, allowing wireless streaming from any device with USB-C or 3.5mm port (I tested it with inflight entertainment and it worked well, with no audio lag). The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 also features enhanced spatial sound powered by Dolby Audio "for a better music experience," enhanced Natural HearThrough for better awareness when outdoors, and improved noise-canceling performance. With this Gen 2 upgrade to its Elite 8 Active and its semi-open Elite 10 buds, Jabra seems to have once again hit its stride with its earbuds line. Alas, Jabra's parent company, GN, recently announced that it's decided to gradually wind down the Jabra Elite product line . Jabra will continue to support its Elite buds for the foreseeable future, but buyers should be aware of this development. Until then, make sure you enjoy some of the best true wireless earbuds on the market. Wearable ski coach Private lessons have gotten really expensive, so why not get a virtual one? Carv is a digital ski coach that combines some hardware that you attach to your boots with app (iOS or Android) that delivers real-time feedback about how you're skiing. For 2024, Carv has redesigned its hardware so you now just wear a pair of sensors that attach to your boot rather than having to insert footbeds inside your boot, which created boot fit problems for some people. I tried the old version and liked it. You not only get feedback and analysis on the quality of your turns but Carv's scoring system encourages you to make better, faster turns as part of a fun gamification process. Carv has moved to a subscription model that makes the hardware free, but requires you to purchase an add-on subscription for $250 a year (Carv will send the new hardware to anyone with the old hardware). That's still a lot less than what a single full-day private lesson would cost you at most resorts -- at least in the US. What's also new is that with the new sensors, Carv can now track your turns in a variety of conditions, including powder and bumps. Previously, the system was only designed to evaluate turns on groomed runs. Top high-tech helmets for skiers Helmets with integrated lens shields or goggles have become popular in Europe in recent years, and Giro makes one of the best ones with its Orbit helmet that also comes in a version for women called the Aria (it looks very similar but has different colored trim elements). While these types of helmets tend to be expensive, they're good for people who wear glasses or just like the convenience of eye protection integrated into a helmet design -- you can rotate the articulating "shield" up onto the helmet or tilt it down over your face. It's also worth noting that the large Vivid lens (with optics by Zeiss) provides a very wide field of view. Unlike some shields that have an open design at the bottom, this one has a foam liner and is designed to sit on your face like goggles, though the seal isn't quite as tight as a typical pair of goggles. There's good ventilation and the helmet is very comfortable to wear, with a Polartec Power Grid padded lining that helps with moisture management. Like many of Giro's helmets, this one also incorporates the company's custom Spherical MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection) technology. The included lens shield is designed to work well in a variety of conditions, and is replaceable for $333. It does a very good job staying fog-free on nonstorm days, but I can't guarantee that it won't fog at times on big snow days, which can be challenging for most goggles (particularly if you wear glasses or prescription lens inserts with your goggles). It's an excellent helmet overall. Smith makes a lot of ski helmets, so it's always hard to choose which one to get. In the past, I've highlighted Smith's high-end Vantage helmet, which has a visor. The Method Pro is a lighter helmet and ostensibly designed for free riders, but it's just fine for mainstream skiers and fit my head comfortably. Available in 5 color options, you get adjustable ventilation, a self-adjusting Lifestyle Fit System that helps you get a snug, "custom" fit (it's similar to the BOA FS360 fit system but maybe not quite as good) and zonal Koroyd coverage in a section of the helmet toward the back of your head. Koroyd inserts look like a honeycomb with circular (not hexagonal) cylinders. The high-tech material is made of lightweight, eco-friendly polymer extruded tubes that are thermally welded together to form a strong layer of protection that also allows for good airflow. Last but not least, there's a Wayfinder strap system featuring Fidlock that's basically a quick-release magnetic system that makes it easier to open and close the strap. The helmet only comes in an MIPS version , which offers increased protection. In an MIPS Brain Protection System, the shell and liner are separated by a low-friction layer that "allows the helmet to slide relative to the head." Also worth noting is that like most ski helmets the ear pads have a slot for adding helmet speakers. POC calls its Calyx helmet its first "triple-certified" helmet, saying it'll protect you whether you're skiing, mountaineering or cycling and meets "strict safety standards across three different categories of tests." It looked and felt pretty much like a ski helmet to me, and while it's not as light as some bike helmets, it's fairly lightweight yet felt quite solid and durable. Available in multiple color options, the Calyx features a dual-density EPS liner to "give extra protection in the zones it is needed most" and a 360-degree fit system that can also be tucked fully inside the helmet to reduce the space the helmet uses in your luggage. The ear pads are removable, which you'd expect given that the helmet is designed to be worn in both cold and warm weather. Giro says the "modern profile" of its Jackson helmet, which comes in multiple color options, utilizes the new Passive Aggressive Venting system that's "inspired by the aerodynamic airflow of high-end autos." Well, it's a good-looking helmet and also pretty lightweight and comfortable while offering MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection) technology. It doesn't have the company's upgraded Spherical MIPS technology found in its Emerge helmet ($150), this model has Giro's Form 2 Fit system that allows you to dial in the fit of the helmet (it's similar to Smith's dial-in fit), which allowed me to get a more snug fit. The Emerge uses the company's Stash Fit system which allows you to remove or add layers of padding to customize your fit. Both the Emerge and the Jackson are designed for maximum compatibility with Giro goggles, but they work just fine with other goggles. Best cell-phone accessories for skiers If you have one of the newer iPhones with USB-C charging or an Android smartphone with USB-C, the Mophie Powerstation Plus Mini is a relatively compact power bank with an integrated USB-C cable that offers 20-watt fast charging. The mini version has a 5,000 mAh battery that will fully recharge most smartphones at once. Mophie also makes a larger 10,000 mAh version that offers double the charging capacity, but it's a little bulky and costs more. Note that while you're charging the battery, you can also charge your device (the battery has pass-through charging). If you're looking for a new power bank for your new USB-C equipped iPhone 15, Anker's Nano Power Bank with an integrated foldable USB-C connector is an appealing choice -- and it also charges Android devices (or anything with a USB-C charging port). It's available in multiple color options. This 5,000mAh power bank weighs in at 3.5 ounces or 100 grams. It features 22.5 watts of fast charging power with the option to charge two devices at the same time if you plug a cable into the power bank's USB-C in/out charging port. (Charging two devices simultaneously divides the charging power in half, delivering 11.25 watts to each device.) The Nano Power Bank also comes in an older version with an integrated Lightning connector that delivers 12 watts of charging power. When your phone gets too cold its battery drains faster, and if it's really cold, it might shut off. That's where the Phoozy comes in. A simple sleeve or "capsule" for smartphones, the Phoozy has a Chromium Thermal Barrier Shell and SpaceTech Penetration Layer, as well as a bit of velcro to keep it closed at the top. That will help keep your phone warm on extra cold days and help preserve battery life. It will also keep your phone from overheating. Phoozy pouches now come in a few different versions and sizes and start at $33. Just make sure to get one that's big enough to hold your phone. If you're looking for a beefier portable battery option, Anker's 10,000-mAh Nano Power Bank is one of the better values out there, with an integrated USB-C cable. It's not huge but it's certainly on the larger side and can be used to charge multiple devices (along with the USB-C cable, there are also USB-C and USB-A out ports). The battery charges your devices at up to 30 watts. I also appreciated the LCD that shows precisely how much battery life is available. What's cool about Anker's 622 magnetic battery is that it's a wireless battery that has an integrated magnetic flap that converts into a stand. You won't get fast wireless charging from this 5,000-mAh battery (it charges at a rate of up to 7.5 watts), but it's slim and easy to carry around. It charges via USB-C and if you use a USB-C to Lightning cord to charge your iPhone, it will charge at a faster rate of 12 watts. That's not as fast as what a 20-watt USB-C power adapter can deliver, but it's faster than 7.5 watts. Top high-tech ski goggle options Smith makes a few different XL goggles with wide fields of view that also have enough room inside to wear your prescription glasses. The 4D MAG XL is the latest and greatest (I prefer it to the I/O MAG XL). It features Smith's MAG lens change system featuring -- you guessed it -- magnets that let you easily swap out lenses, as well as a 5x antifog inner lens with AirEvac Integration Technology that helps reduce fogging. The goggles come with two ChromoPop lenses. Smith also sells 4D MAG XL with a photochromic ChromoPop lens that adjusts their tint to the lighting conditions for an extra $30. Smith says its BirdsEye Vision "clarifies not just your line, but the riders in your periphery, increasing your field of view by 25%. These goggles sort of remind me of the large, "panoramic" windshield on the Tesla Model X. They're big, but it does open your world up a little more. While these are expensive, they do come with both a cloth storage case as well as a hard case like most high-end Smith goggles. If you're looking for smaller goggles, the Smith 4D MAG also comes in a standard size called the 4D MAG and a smaller version, the 4D MAG S (both the 4D MAG XL and 4D MAG come in low-bridge fit versions as well). They have the same features as this XL model but aren't over-the-glasses compatible. The 4D MAG XL has a 13% wider field of view than the standard 4D MAG. I hadn't tried Anon goggles until recently, but I found the company's high-end M5 Low Bridge Fit to be among the more comfortable, best-fitting ski goggles (the Low Bridge Fit refers to enhanced face foam that tapers to be 5-7mm thicker at the nose for a "gapless fit"). Anon says the M5 features a "flat-toric" lens shape, which combines "the best cylindrical and toric lens properties in a sleek, modern style." They do have a pretty wide field of view for their size (they're not XL goggles) and I liked how their lenses adhere magnetically and can be easily swapped out for a second lens, which is included. You just tug hard to pull the lens off the goggles. Aside from a second "bonus" lens, the goggle comes with a magnetic face mask that attaches to the bottom of the goggles and covers your nose while leaving the vents on the goggles exposed to allow for airflow and prevent fogging and maintain clarity (the system is called MFI or magnetic face mask integration). The M5 are well-designed goggles if you can afford them. Poc says its Nexal goggles (available in several different colors with multiple lens options) were inspired by racers' eyewear. They have no magnetic lens changing system or anything terribly fancy about them, but they do have a few notable features, including flexible frame outriggers that "give a closer fit with the helmet," Zygomatic bone covers (the frames and foam dip down a little to cover and protect your zygomatic bone ), triple-layer foam, adjustable ventilation (you can close the vents at the top of the goggles on snowy days) and Poc's Clarity lens, two of which come with the goggles. Poc says its Clarity lenses "adjust the color spectrum to sharpen the visual experience in specific environments and light conditions." It has a lens guide you can download to help you pick which ones to go with. I found the Nexal to be comfortable, very good performing goggles and the flexible frame outriggers did allow me to get a snugger fit with my helmet. The Marauder Elite is Spy's latest and greatest model of goggles that features 60% more venting over the similarly styled Spy Ace goggles (another highly vented model). That makes it "nearly impossible to fog," according to the company. They didn't fog on me during my limited testing, but I still need to put them through a wider variety of conditions to confirm that. The goggles' lenses adhere magnetically and can be easily swapped out (two lenses are included). These are over-the-glasses that are suitable for use with RX eyeglasses and have subtle notches in the temples to allow your glasses to fit better. Like Spy's other premium goggles, these feature the company's Happy lens tech, which it says is "scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness while optimizing color and contrast." They're a nice pair of goggles, and although they're expensive, Spy has been having trouble keeping them in stock. If you don't want to pay upward of $200 for a set of Smith I/O goggles, more affordable alternatives are available. This includes those from Colorado-based Glade , which prides itself on making goggles that offer similar or better performance than high-end models from other companies for a lot less. The big deal is its Adapt 2 goggles include a Photochromic Flux lens. This is a lens that changes colors according to the lighting conditions you experience. In other words, it's the chameleon of lenses, and typically photochromatic goggles cost a lot more. Bollé's Torus goggles come in a version with a standard lens for around $120 (or less), but I tried the step-up version with the company's high-contrast Volt lens, which is harder to find in stock. You get one lens with these goggles, but the Ice Blue Cat 3 lens (with a pink base tint) offers some flexibility in terms of what lighting conditions you can use it with. The goggles offer a wide field of view and good ventilation. Giro makes a couple of goggles in the $150 range, including the Method and Article. It describes the Method as having a "bold retro style" that's been advanced with "the most modern technology." It's a comfortable goggle with a wide field of view and good venting that helps keep the goggles fog-free in most conditions (I haven't met a goggle that's truly fog-free in all conditions). Like the more rounded Article goggles ($170), the Method uses Giro's Vivid lens with optics by Zeiss and a second lens is included. The Method is available in a few different color options. Zeal goggles have excellent optics and a wide field of view, and many feature the company's Rail Lock System that makes the lenses easy to change and the goggles easy to vent when you're in hiking mode. The base models with standard lenses are pretty affordable, ranging from $109 to $159. Things get more expensive when you move to the Automatic Plus GB lens, which is photochromic and changes quickly with the lighting and works in any conditions. Add that Automatic Plus lens and the price goes up to $279. I like the Portal XL (on the right), which also starts at $179 for the standard two-lens option. It has the widest field of view and is an OTG (over the glasses) type that allows you to wear glasses. The Hemisphere , starting at $109, has a spherical frame with upper and lower ventilation and triple-layer face foam and is available in a variety of lens options. It doesn't have an RLS system, but the lens quality is quite good for the price. High-tech ski gloves and glove liners I liked Eddie Bauer's earlier Guide Pro smart heated gloves and mitts, which used Clim8's heating system and were comfortable and cheaper than many heated gloves. Those gloves were released in 2022 and now we're seeing newer heated models like Gordini's Forge gloves that are powered by Clim8 technology. Like the Eddie Bauer gloves I tried, I like how comfortable the Forge gloves are and how their batteries have a rubber coating and seem better designed than some of the batteries I've seen in other heated gloves (they slip into the cuffs of the gloves, where the plugs live). I also appreciated that the gloves come with a soft carrying case to store the batteries and charger. On warmer days, you don't have to use the heating element. The gloves are equipped with Gore-Tex Plus Warm technology, so they're pretty warm without being plugged in. However, when the temps really dip, it certainly does help to have the extra heat. The gloves are Bluetooth-enabled, so you pair them with the Clim8 companion app for iOS and Android to control heat levels (for better or worse, there is no button on the gloves to adjust heat levels), calibrate the gloves and update the firmware if necessary. The gloves will automatically detect when your hands are in the gloves and you can set the gloves to automatically turn off after 300 seconds if they're not in use. The gloves also have sensors that adjust the heating if the temperature of your hands dips below a certain level based on the profile you set. I encountered a little wonkiness using the app and the left and right batteries tended to have unequal life, but everything worked fairly smoothly overall. These glove liners are equipped with Seirus' Kinetic heat return system that it says amplifies your body heat by 4 to 5 degrees and reflects it back to you for 20% more warmth. How warm your hands are will also depend on how warm the gloves that go over these are (they can be used as standalone gloves, but more for running in cold weather than skiing). Gordini's leather Cirque glove comes in a standard 5-finger version for men and women as well as a 3-finger version that I like. Available in four color options, the Cirque has a goatskin shell and trim (responsibly sourced from a certified Leather Working Group Partner, Gordini says) and a Primaloft synthetic lining that I found warm (on very cold days, you still might want to throw a hand warmer in the glove). Like a lot of premium gloves, these are equipped with leashes that attach to your wrists so your gloves stay attached to you. If you're looking for a little extra dexterity from your mittens, the Seirus Magne Mitt Heatwave Plus Soundtouch Summit might pique your interest. On the inside, you'll find a Seirus Heatwave Plus glove liner. On the outside, each mitt has a slit that is sealed magnetically and is easy to open with a tug to let your fingers out. The built-in liners do seem to help the warmth factor, and the mitt seems well-constructed and durable. I did find that it runs slightly small so you may want to size up if you fit a medium, for example, but can sometimes wear a large. They come in men's and women's versions, and there's also a step-down model, the Magne Mitt Heatwave Plus ST Ridge that uses less premium materials and costs $50 less. Outdoor Research says its Super Couloir Gore-Tex Sensor gloves were inspired "by the warmth and dexterity of ice climbing gloves." That actually sums them up pretty well. They're not only very warm (even without a powered heating element) but offer very good flexibility and comfort. Available in black or tapenade (pictured), they're among the best gloves out there right now and have a nice set of features, including a touchscreen-compatible Index and thumb, removable leash and a "split suede snot wipe." That may sound a little gross, it's something you want. This glove doesn't come in a women's version but Outdoor Research does sell plenty of women's gloves , including the Revolution 2 Gore-Tex. The Dakine Baron Gore-Tex Index is one of the warmer mitts I've tried, although it does run slightly small (if you're thinking about wearing a glove liner with it, you may want to size up). It has goat leather on the palms, a Gore-Tex waterproof insert and PrimaLoft Gold for insulation. This mitt also comes in a solid black color, as well as a trigger mitt version with a separate thumb and index finger. Seirus' flagship HeatTouch Hellfire gloves are available for $500 for men or women. The gloves haven't changed for a few years, but the battery was upgraded last year to a more slimmed-down version with increased battery life. At the low-heat setting, you can get up to 12 hours of battery life, with medium pegged at around 8 hours and high at 4 hours. It's also available in a mitten for $500 . Ski poles There hasn't been a whole lot of design innovation in the world of ski poles, but startup Yardsale is doing its best to shake things up with its modular ski poles and the accessories that go with them, including a GoPro mount. Last year, it launched with its P1 resort poles, and this year, it also has P2 backcountry poles along with "mini" kids poles. Yardsale poles have a few standout features, the first of which are magnets in the handles that keep the poles stuck together when you're carrying them around. Also, all the parts can easily be swapped in and out -- from the baskets (Yardsale sells two different kinds in various colors) to the straps, handles and shafts themselves, which are made out of aluminum and have a lifetime warranty (Yardsale just requires you to email its customer service team, recounting how you broke or bent a pole, and it will replace it for free). Finally, you can purchase special MagStrap quick-release straps that you leave on your gloves and conveniently clip into the handles and snap off should you take a hard fall. The more expensive backcountry P2 poles are length adjustable and do break down. You can convert them into resort poles by swapping out the handles, which come in several color options. The poles are on the pricey side but the lifetime warranty is appealing. Apres-ski accessories After a day of shredding, your body will certainly appreciate a little percussion massage gun action. There are plenty of options available, but we like the travel-friendly Theragun Mini 2.0 because it won't weigh your luggage down too much and is a great little massage gun for $199 that's surprisingly powerful for its size. The original Theragun Mini was already a compact massage gun, and the second-gen version, released in 2022, is 20% smaller and 30% lighter, weighing only a pound, and it has some additional upgrades too. This 2.0 model shifted to USB-C charging (the original used a proprietary charger) and added Bluetooth connectivity to the Therabody app on your iOS or Android device. You also get three foam attachments instead of just one -- the Standard Ball, the Thumb and Dampener. We named the original Hypervolt Go one of the best travel massage guns, and the upgraded Hypervolt Go 2 offers some small but notable improvements. The new features in the Hypervolt Go 2 include LED speed sensors, back button control and a battery-level LED band. The look has also changed. While the original Hypervolt Go is all black, the Go 2 now has an arctic-gray finish. The Hypervolt Go 2 also has improved the airflow and ventilation of the percussion gun. It remains lightweight, weighing in at 1.5 pounds, and has three speed settings along with Hyperice's patented QuietGlide technology which makes the massage gun nearly silent. Like the Go, it comes with two head attachments (flat and bullet). Sunglasses for skiing Lightweight and available in multiple color options, Smith's new unisex Venture sunglasses feature its Glacier Photochromic ChromoPop lenses that adapt their tint to match the light conditions and have "less sensitivity to temperature changes," according to Smith. The lenses also have anti-fog and hydroleophobic coatings and are generally quite sharp with nice contrast. Additionally, there are grippy temple and nose pads that help keep the glasses securely on your face. The side shields, which keep out wind and peripheral light, are removable, as is the nosepiece. The Venture comes with a nifty retainer strap along with a hard carry case. I found these medium-size sunglasses quite comfortable to wear, although they did fit more securely with the nose piece attached. Constructed from Grilamid, a lightweight but very durable frame material, the Spy Helm Tech sunglasses are a modern take on glacier sunglasses that include removable side shields so you can block both the sun and all the "haters" at the same time, according to the company (they turn into standard wayfarer sunglasses without the side shields). The sunglasses have hidden sweat channels in both the nose pads and inner temples for breathability and feature the company's Happy Tech lens tech that it says is "scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness while enhancing color and contrast." True or not, I will say they fit comfortably, the optics were very good and I was indeed happy using them. Smith's XC sunglasses are a retro remake from Smith's 1983/84 Collection and feature a flip-up lens and "heritage styling dating back to the original Smith cross-country sunglasses." The big modern upgrades here are Smith's ChromaPop lens technology which includes smudge and moisture-resistant coatings and megol nose pads to keep the glasses securely in place. The XC is available in five color options. This is Smith's goggles-sunglasses hybrid, the Wildcat ($209). Constructed with the same materials used in Smith goggles, the Wildcat glasses provide lots of eye coverage and good airflow but have the comfort of a more lightweight pair of sunglasses. The Wildcat sunglasses come with a bright-light ChromaPop lens and a secondary clear lens for flat-light overcast days and are available in three color options. They also make for good biking sunglasses. Top ski jackets Helly Hansen's Elevation Infinity 3.0 technical shell jacket features the company's LIFA Infinity Pro technology , it's waterproof, windproof yet breathable material that it says is the "first-to-market to be made entirely without added chemicals." Typically, waterproof jackets are chemically treated, but Helly Hansen says the Infinity's "everlasting water-repellent protection never needs to be reproofed with chemical treatment after use." For a shell jacket, it offers good flexibility and doesn't feel stiff. While it has a three-layer fabric construction and offers some warmth, it's not insulated so in very cold conditions you'd need to wear another jacket underneath it. The Elevation Infinity 3.0 comes in blue, gray or black, and, like other premium Helly ski jackets, also features its Life Pocket Plus, which uses Aerogel insulation to help keep your phone from getting too cold, thus preserving its battery. Note that since this is a 2023-24 model, not a 2024-25 model, it's being sold at a discount, and is a great value at its sale price. Year in and year out, Stio's Environ Jacket is one of its best-selling products and one of the better shells I've tested. Available in several color options along with a companion ski pant, Stio says it's revamped the Environ this year with "recycled fabric, improved fit and a host of features including a forearm RFID pass pocket, Cohaesive hood adjust and a re-engineered powder skirt." The jacket features Dermizax fabric that's highly waterproof yet offers good breathability while protecting you from the elements. It also has just the right amount of amply sized pockets, and it isn't too stiff. Like with all shells, on colder days, you'll want to wear a warm mid-layer or two under this jacket. The Environ is available in both men's and women's versions. Mountain Hardwear's Storm Whisperer jacket combines its popular lightweight and slim Ghost Whisper down-jacket with a waterproof exterior that incorporates Pertex Shield material that provides "lightweight waterproof protection while remaining highly breathable" (on the inside of the jacket there's 800-fill RDS-certified down insulation). Mountain Hardwear doesn't market this as a ski jacket per se, although it certainly fits the bill -- it's warm and cuts the wind well. On colder days, you may want to wear a thicker midlayer underneath it, but I did really like how light it was and easy to pack down. Awesome midlayers for skiers Available in a few color options, Mammut touts its Sender IN jacket as being fully made out of recycled materials, including its specialized synthetic fill that Mammut calls Loopinsulation, which is made of recycled rope scraps and is surprisingly warm. The Sender also has recycled wind- and water-repellent outer fabric (it's not fully waterproof) and has a smart look to it, making it a good pick to be worn around as an everyday jacket as well as a midlayer under a shell jacket (having a hood isn't ideal for midlayers but it worked just fine when I tried it). It's also available in a women's version. Made with recycled insulation, the Fireball Lite is a lightweight jacket that's relatively warm for how thin it is and also has stretch Thermo Grid side and underarm panels that allow for a more comfortable range of motion. It can be worn just as an outer layer (the integrated hood does help increase the warmth factor) and it's designed to be worn snugly so it runs a little small. That tightness makes it a good mid-layer to wear under a shell or parka on colder days. Available in five different color options, Outdoor Research's SuperStrand LT jacket features VerticalX SuperStrand synthetic insulation that's lightweight and packs down nicely. I've tried the SuperStrand LT Hoodie ($20 more), and the first thing you notice about it is that it's warmer than you'd think, it would be given how light it is. Outdoor Research says that the new VerticalX SuperStrand insulation technology is made of "super-insulating polyester strands which have the best properties of down and synthetic" and "use the air to maintain their high loft and hold in warmth." The jacket is also available in a women's version. Both are constructed of eco-friendly Bluesign-certified materials. Ibex, which is known for its high-tech merino wool garments, describes its Wool Aire Hoodie as having "backcountry performance with frontcountry style." Available in a few colors and both men's and women's options, it's a puffy jacket that's not all that puffy but is lightweight, comfortable (it has some stretch to it) and can be used as either a mid-layer on cold days or outer layer on not-so-cold days. It's constructed of eco-friendly Bluesign-certified materials and is wind- and water-resistant. Also worth noting: It packs up into its chest pocket, which makes it travel-friendly. Best packs for skiers Whether you're skinning up the mountain or just doing laps on high-speed lifts, the Mystery Ranch D-Route is a lightweight yet durable pack that has two main pockets and comes in a couple of nifty color options. It's also hydration reservoir-compatible. This product comes at the recommendation of CNET editor Justin Jaffe, who lives in New England. He writes: "As COVID surged again this winter, I've taken up alpine touring: skinning up a mountain and skiing down. The benefits are considerable -- you can often get by without a lift pass and it delivers a much more rewarding cardio workout than pure downhill skiing. This highly adjustable USWE backpack has become an essential tool for me, providing the right amount of space for gear as well as an insulated water bladder that has never once frozen up. And there is a strap and pocket for everything, from goggles to helmet to skis. Highly recommended." If you're looking for a very compact hydration pack with just enough room to fit some essential gear, the Camel Back Zoid is a good option, CamelBak also makes step-up packs that are larger, the Powerhound 12 and Snowblast 22. Satellite communicators Don't have a new iPhone with Emergency SOS ? Don't worry: Garmin sells standalone devices that offer similar emergency satellite communications for backcountry skiers. The new inReach Mini 2 has the same compact, lightweight form factor but adds additional features, including a more energy-efficient processor that greatly improves battery life (now up to 14 days of battery life, using default 10-minute tracking, and your location is sent to your MapShare page for friends and family to view), a higher-resolution display and user interface, as well as compatibility with Garmin's Explore app and some new navigation features. Garmin says that while most users will interact via their phones or paired Garmin devices, you can still send a check-in, read incoming messages, and reply with either a pre-canned QuickText or write a custom message from the device itself. You do need an active satellite subscription to use the inReach Mini 2, with basic annual plans starting at $12 a month or $15 for a single-month subscription. In 2022, Garmin released the InReach Messenger, which costs slightly less and has a monochrome display. Garmin says its InReach Messenger is "built for those who want a quick and easy way to reach friends and family when outside cellular coverage and provides seamless satellite communication either as a standalone device or when paired to the new Garmin Messenger companion app." It lists for $100 less than the inReach Mini 2 and is even more compact, weighing only 4 ounces. With a relatively affordable subscription plan, it provides global two-way texting, location sharing, SOS capabilities and more. One of its key features is the battery life: It's rated for up to 28 days on a single charge. Avalanche transceiver Mammut's new Barryvox S2 was briefly recalled in November of 2024 but is now back on the market and is considered a top new avalanche transceiver, an essential piece of equipment for backcountry skiers. This next-gen model is smaller and has a 70m range with precision-finding features. Avalanche transceivers not only allow you to be located but also allow you to locate other skiers in your party should they be buried. I haven't tested the Barryvox S2 yet but will hopefully get a chance this winter. High-tech base layers If you're looking for the ultimate Merino wool base layers, these tops and bottoms from Beringia may just be it. Diomede is Beringia's proprietary fabric "that seamlessly knits multiple layers of fabric into one ultra-stretchy waffle." Real-world translation: The fabric is thin, lightweight and comfortable but also warm. The only downside is that tops ($150) and bottoms ($175) are quite expensive and there's no deal if you buy both together, although you can get 15% off with your first purchase. Beringia Diomede base layers are available in a few color options and three sizes, as well as women's versions . The top also comes with a snorkel hoodie for $25 more. Seirus makes excellent glove liners (and gloves) with its high-tech fabrics, three of which are featured in this premium base layer (it's available in both a top and bottom and for men and women). As with any good base layer, the goal is to lock heat in while not trapping moisture. There's a bit of spandex in the mix for comfort, and Seirus says the heat-reflective properties of its Heatwave material are focused on certain parts of your body, particularly the chest area. I usually go with a Merino wool base layer, but this did help keep me warm on some very cold days in upstate New York. Face protection for skiers Seirus makes a lot of face coverings, including headliners, combo hinged headliners, balaclavas and neck-ups with artistic prints on them (I previously highlighted a quick headliner that had the work of artist Lamont Joseph White on it).I like its Balaclava Print line, which is made out of a little thicker Polartec material and comes in a variety of designs. This one is called Triune-Teal.
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CHICAGO — With a wave of her bangled brown fingertips to the melody of flutes and chimes, artist, theologian and academic Tricia Hersey enchanted a crowd into a dreamlike state of rest at Semicolon Books on North Michigan Avenue. “The systems can’t have you,” Hersey said into the microphone, reading mantras while leading the crowd in a group daydreaming exercise on a recent Tuesday night. The South Side native tackles many of society’s ills — racism, patriarchy, aggressive capitalism and ableism — through an undervalued yet impactful action: rest. Hersey, the founder of a movement called the Nap Ministry, dubs herself the Nap Bishop and spreads her message to over half a million followers on her Instagram account, @thenapministry . Her first book, “Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto,” became a New York Times bestseller in 2022, but Hersey has been talking about rest online and through her art for nearly a decade. Hersey, who has degrees in public health and divinity, originated the “rest as resistance” and “rest as reparations” frameworks after experimenting with rest as an exhausted graduate student in seminary. Once she started napping, she felt happier and her grades improved. But she also felt more connected to her ancestors; her work was informed by the cultural trauma of slavery that she was studying as an archivist. Hersey described the transformation as “life-changing.” The Nap Ministry began as performance art in 2017, with a small installation where 40 people joined Hersey in a collective nap. Since then, her message has morphed into multiple mediums and forms. Hersey, who now lives in Atlanta, has hosted over 100 collective naps, given lectures and facilitated meditations across the country. She’s even led a rest ritual in the bedroom of Jane Addams , and encourages her followers to dial in at her “Rest Hotline.” At Semicolon, some of those followers and newcomers came out to see Hersey in discussion with journalist Natalie Moore on Hersey’s latest book, “We Will Rest! The Art of Escape,” released this month, and to learn what it means to take a moment to rest in community. Moore recalled a time when she was trying to get ahead of chores on a weeknight. “I was like, ‘If I do this, then I’ll have less to do tomorrow.’ But then I was really tired,” Moore said. “I thought, ‘What would my Nap Bishop say? She would say go lay down.’ Tricia is in my head a lot.” At the event, Al Kelly, 33, of Rogers Park, said some of those seated in the crowd of mostly Black women woke up in tears — possibly because, for the first time, someone permitted them to rest. “It was so emotional and allowed me to think creatively about things that I want to work on and achieve,” Kelly said. Shortly after the program, Juliette Viassy, 33, a program manager who lives in the South Loop and is new to Hersey’s work, said this was her first time meditating after never being able to do it on her own. Therapist Lyndsei Howze, 33, of Printers Row, who was also seated at the book talk, said she recommends Hersey’s work “to everybody who will listen” — from her clients to her own friends. “A lot of mental health conditions come from lack of rest,” she said. “They come from exhaustion.” Before discovering Hersey’s work this spring, Howze said she and her friends sporadically napped together in one friend’s apartment after an exhausting workweek. “It felt so good just to rest in community,” she said. On Hersey’s book tour, she is leading exercises like this across the country. “I think we need to collectively do this,” Hersey explained. “We need to learn again how to daydream because we’ve been told not to do it. I don’t think most people even have a daydreaming practice.” Daydreaming, Hersey said, allows people to imagine a new world. Hersey tells her followers that yes, you can rest, even when your agenda is packed, even between caregiving, commuting, jobs, bills, emails and other daily demands. And you don’t have to do it alone. There is a community of escape artists, she said of the people who opt out of grind and hustle culture, waiting to embrace you. The book is part pocket prayer book, part instruction manual, with art and handmade typography by San Francisco-based artist George McCalman inspired by 19th-century abolitionist pamphlets, urging readers to reclaim their divine right to rest. Hersey directs her readers like an operative with instructions for a classified mission. “Let grind culture know you are not playing around,” she wrote in her book. “This is not a game or time to shrink. Your thriving depends on the art of escape.” The reluctance to rest can be rooted in capitalist culture presenting rest as a reward for productivity instead of a physical and mental necessity. Hersey deconstructs this idea of grind culture, which she says is rooted in the combined effects of white supremacy, patriarchy and capitalism that “look at the body as not human.” American culture encourages grind culture, Hersey said, but slowing down and building a ritual of rest can offset its toxicity. The author eschews the ballooning billion-dollar self-care industry that encourages people to “save enough money and time off from work to fly away to an expensive retreat,” she wrote. Instead, she says rest can happen anywhere you have a place to be comfortable: in nature, on a yoga mat, in the car between shifts, on a cozy couch after work. Resting isn’t just napping either. She praises long showers, sipping warm tea, playing music, praying or numerous other relaxing activities that slow down the body. “We’re in a crisis mode of deep sleep deprivation, deep lack of self-worth, (and) mental health,” said Hersey. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2022 , in Illinois about 37% of adults aren’t getting the rest they need at night. If ignored, the effects of sleep deprivation can have bigger implications later, Hersey said. In October, she lectured at a sleep conference at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, where her humanities work was featured alongside research from the world’s top neuroscientists. Jennifer Mundt, a Northwestern clinician and professor of sleep medicine, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, praises Hersey for bringing the issue of sleep and rest to the public. In a Tribune op-ed last year, Mundt argued that our culture focuses too heavily on sleep as something that must be earned rather than a vital aspect of health and that linking sleep to productivity is harmful and stigmatizing. “Linking sleep and productivity is harmful because it overshadows the bevy of other reasons to prioritize sleep as an essential component of health,” Mundt wrote. “It also stigmatizes groups that are affected by sleep disparities and certain chronic sleep disorders.” In a 30-year longitudinal study released in the spring by the New York University School of Social Work, people who worked long hours and late shifts reported the lowest sleep quality and lowest physical and mental functions, and the highest likelihood of reporting poor health and depression at age 50. The study also showed that Black men and women with limited education “were more likely than others to shoulder the harmful links between nonstandard work schedules and sleep and health, worsening their probability of maintaining and nurturing their health as they approach middle adulthood.” The CDC links sleeping fewer than seven hours a day to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and more. Although the Nap Ministry movement is new for her followers, Hersey’s written about her family’s practice of prioritizing rest, which informs her work. Her dad was a community organizer, a yardmaster for the Union Pacific Railroad Co. and an assistant pastor. Before long hours of work, he would dedicate hours each day to self-care. Hersey also grew up observing her grandma meditate for 30 minutes daily. Through rest, Hersey said she honors her ancestors who were enslaved and confronts generational trauma. When “Rest Is Resistance” was released in 2022, Americans were navigating a pandemic and conversations on glaring racial disparities. “We Will Rest!” comes on the heels of a historic presidential election where Black women fundraised for Vice President Kamala Harris and registered voters in a dizzying three-month campaign. Following Harris’ defeat, many of those women are finding self-care and preservation even more important. “There are a lot of Black women announcing how exhausted they are,” Moore said. “This could be their entry point to get to know (Hersey’s) work, which is bigger than whatever political wind is blowing right now.” Hersey said Chicagoans can meet kindred spirits in her environment of rest. Haji Healing Salon, a wellness center, and the social justice-focused Free Street Theater are sites where Hersey honed her craft and found community. In the fall, the theater put on “Rest/Reposo,” a performance featuring a community naptime outdoors in McKinley Park and in its Back of the Yards space. Haji is also an apothecary and hosts community healing activities, sound meditations and yoga classes. “It is in Bronzeville; it’s a beautiful space owned by my friend Aya,” Hersey said, explaining how her community has helped her build the Nap Ministry. “When I first started the Nap Ministry, before I was even understanding what it was, she was like, come do your work here.” “We Will Rest!” is a collection of poems, drawings and short passages. In contrast to her first book, Hersey said she leaned more into her artistic background; the art process alone took 18 months to complete. After a tough year for many, she considers it medicine for a “sick and exhausted” world. “It’s its own sacred document,” Hersey said. “It’s something that, if you have it in your library and you have it with you, you may feel more human.” lazu@chicagotribune.comNone
In a strategic move, President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Jamieson Greer as the United States Trade Representative and Kevin A. Hassett as the director of the White House National Economic Council. Greer is recognized for his instrumental role in imposing tariffs on China during Trump's first term. Greer, who co-architected the USMCA deal, aims to reduce the trade deficit and bolster American industries under Trump's renewed leadership. He brings a wealth of experience from King & Spalding and the USTR, coupled with his military service background. Hassett, a key figure in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, is set to help American families combat inflation and cement fair trade relations. His appointment emphasizes Trump's commitment to strengthening economic ties with allies and securing prosperity for the nation. (With inputs from agencies.)LAS VEGAS , Dec. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The leading charging solution provider TESSAN has announced its participation in CES 2025, where it will present its latest innovations designed to enhance connectivity and convenience for users. Visitors can explore the brand's new offerings at Booth 30562 in the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 2. TESSAN booth layout at CES 2025 At the heart of TESSAN's showcase are products that reflect its core values: simplicity and convenience, innovation and efficiency, as well as sustainability. Every product is designed with a user-centric approach, integrating advanced technologies and sustainable practices to meet modern demands. A highlight of the exhibit will be the 140W Universal Travel Adapter, designed for global use with EU, UK, US, and Australian plugs. Its lightweight, compact design makes it travel-ready. USB-C ports offer up to 140 watts for fast charging, while USB-A ports provide 18 watts. It can charge multiple devices simultaneously, including smartphones, laptops, cameras, and CPAP machines. Advanced safety features, like double-patented auto-resetting fuses, ensure secure operation. Another innovation on display is the 100W Charging Station. Compact and designed to save space, this multi-functional device can charge up to nine gadgets simultaneously at high speed. Its sleek upright design combines style with functionality, while robust safety measures safeguard devices from overcurrent, voltage surges, and overheating, ensuring uninterrupted charging around the clock. For electric vehicle owners, TESSAN will showcase its Level 2 Smart EV Charger, a high-performance charging solution that delivers up to 11.5kW/h, offering remote control via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, off-peak scheduling, and adjustable currents. Compatible with most North American electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, its SAE J1772 connector and water-resistant, fireproof design ensure safety and reliability. These innovative products have not gone unnoticed in the industry. In May 2024 , TESSAN was recognized at the MUSE Design Awards, earning gold and silver honors for its Intelligent Charging Set, multi-functional fast charging socket, and Household EV AC Charger. These accolades reflect the brand's dedication to blending exceptional design with cutting-edge functionality, resonating with users worldwide. Beyond technology, TESSAN remains deeply committed to environmental sustainability. In August 2024 , the brand received ClimatePartner certification, signifying its alignment with eco-friendly practices. Most recently, it announced a collaboration with the non-profit organization One Tree Planted, launching an initiative to plant 10,000 trees as part of its efforts to mitigate climate change and support global reforestation. As a brand committed to empowering users to explore the unknown while safeguarding the planet, TESSAN continues to lead through innovation, sustainability, and meaningful action. CES 2025 promises to be an exciting opportunity for audiences to witness these values brought to life. About TESSAN TESSAN, a trusted partner in charging solutions, is committed to enriching experiences both at home and during travel. The brand offers a wide array of products, including multifunctional power strips, travel adapters, wall extenders, and smart home devices. Supported by a robust R&D and production team, TESSAN develops innovative socket products for users across the globe. With the trust of over 20 million users, TESSAN empowers their journeys from home to every destination, promoting environmentally conscious electricity usage. For more information, visit www.tessan.com or the TESSAN Amazon store , and follow TESSAN on Facebook , Instagram , and YouTube .Stock market today: Wall Street gains ground as it notches a winning week and another Dow recordCHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Reniya Kelly had 18 points and six assists, Maria Gakdeng added 16 points and nine rebounds, and No. 16 North Carolina beat 14th-ranked Kentucky 72-53 on Thursday night in the SEC/ACC Challenge. North Carolina opened the game on a 14-4 run, capped by Alyssa Ustby’s fifth 3-pointer of the season. The Tar Heels led 36-25 at halftime after holding the Wildcats to 36% shooting. North Carolina only made one field goal in the opening five minutes of the third quarter as Kentucky got as close as seven points. But The Tar Heels made five field goals in the final five minutes to take a 50-39 lead into the fourth. Kentucky’s opening four baskets of the fourth were from 3-point range to get within 60-51 with 5:52 left on Dazia Lawrence’s basket off a nice assist from Georgia Amoore on an inbounds play. North Carlina sealed it by scoring the next six points — all from the free-throw line. Ustby scored 13 points with eight rebounds for North Carolina (8-1). The Tar Heels outscored Kentucky 42-10 in the paint. Lawrence scored 17 points and Amelia Hassett had 13 points and 13 rebounds for Kentucky (7-1). Amoore added 10 points and eight assists and Clara Strack, averaging a team-high 18.3 points per game, was held to four points on 2-of-10 shooting. North Carolina stays at home to play Coppin State on Sunday. Kentucky returns home to face Queens University on Monday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
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