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The sparring during question period in the legislature is largely driven by Opposition MLAs grilling government ministers, and with the B.C. Conservative party's rapid rise to Official Opposition, its MLAs will now get to set the tone. But even before his first legislative session begins, some of the heat is instead on Leader John Rustad for some of his choices appointing critics to their Opposition portfolios. Rustad is also on the defensive as the governing party reacts to the news that two of Rustad's MLAs will keep their seats on local councils, essentially doing two jobs. Anna Kindy, a Campbell River-based physician and addictions specialist, has been tapped to be the party's health critic. WATCH: CBC reporter Katie de Rosa on what the critics are saying: Members of newly appointed B.C. Conservative Party shadow cabinet drawing criticism 17 hours ago Duration 2:31 B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad has released his shadow cabinet -- the critics that will grill ministers during question period. As Katie DeRosa reports, some of the appointments are drawing criticism. The NDP pounced on the appointment, pointing out Kindy has opposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates. "She's somebody who is a vaccine-skeptic who has previously spread misinformation about vaccines. She's donated to the Freedom convoy," said Amna Shah, the NDP MLA for Surrey City Centre. Kindy argues she's not anti-vaxx but believes people should not lose their jobs if they choose not to get a medical procedure. "I believe in bodily autonomy," she said. "I think the Freedom Convoy came as a pushback to mandates that were actually in some sense unreasonable. Do I regret doing this? No, I don't." Kindy objects to the NDP characterizing her as far right, saying the governing party is using the term to divide people. "In terms of my association with the far right, it's ridiculous," she said. "I'm not right-wing. I'm not left-wing. I'm just who I am. I look at every issue for itself. I think labels are dangerous." B.C. premier's new cabinet brings an end to stand-alone mental health and addictions ministry "Voters are tired of the rhetoric," Kindy says, adding it distracts from the real issues like persistent emergency room closures and unacceptable cancer wait times. "When you look at someone who is on the wait list for cancer surgery for months, they don't want to hear rhetoric; they want solutions," she said. Rustad sending a message, poli-sci prof says UBC political scientist Stewart Prest says Rustad is sending a statement with his critics' picks. "So essentially, Mr. Rustad, with these appointments, is saying that the party is going to welcome a broad array of people on the right side of the political spectrum," Prest said. Rustad has also created a new portfolio called parental rights and sports, to be led by Mandeep Dhaliwal. The parental rights movement has opposed sexual orientation and gender identity policies, or SOGI, in schools. SOGI 123 is not a curriculum but provides guides and resources to help teachers address discrimination and bullying, create supportive and inclusive environments for 2SLGBTQ+ students and acknowledge varying genders and sexual orientations. The B.C. Conservatives campaigned on ending SOGI in schools, saying parents should have more of a say in what's taught to their children. B.C. Conservatives' education platform includes ending SOGI 123 How turfing SOGI and banning books became part of B.C.'s election "It's one of the issues why the [former] education minister [Rachna Singh] was defeated by Mandeep Dhaliwal in Surrey [North]," Rustad says. In April, Rustad proposed a private members bill that would force publicly funded sports teams to use "biological sex" to classify participants, effectively banning transgender athletes. The bill was quickly voted down. MLAs as councillors Meanwhile, Rustad is also facing criticism this week for allowing two B.C. Conservative MLAs to keep their local government positions The new MLA for Langley Walnut Grove, Misty Van Popta, will stay on as a councillor in Langley Township. Misty Van Popta, a Township of Langley councillor, appears with B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad in October 2024. Van Popta won the provincial riding of Langley-Walnut Grove but says she will remain on Langley council. (Misty Van Popta/Instagram) Korky Neufeld was elected for the BC Conservatives in Abbotsford West and will stay on as a school board trustee in Abbotsford. The NDP and the Canadian Taxpayers Association's B.C. branch say taxpayers should not be paying the same politicians twice. Darlene Ratchford is an NDP MLA who resigned from her council position in Esquimalt. "Being an MLA is a full-time job. It's double dipping. It's not right," Ratchford says. Rustad says he would have preferred that the MLAs resign from their local roles. "If they do want to stay on local government, ultimately it's their decision to do that." Rustad says he's recommended that the two MLAs donate the salaries from their local government positions. CBC News asked Neufeld and Van Poptka if they intend to do that but has not yet heard back.
The Cardinals led 56-55 after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth by scoring 16 unanswered points, capped by a fast-break layup by Curry, before Colorado made its first field goal of the frame with 2:48 left. Colorado scored the next six points to get within single digits at 72-63, but freshman Tajianna Roberts banked in a jumper in the lane at the other end. Izela Arenas sealed it on two free throws with 24.9 seconds left for a nine-point lead. Roberts finished with 13 and Arenas had 11 for Louisville (5-2). Frida Formann scored 25 points for Colorado (6-2). Jade Masogayo added 12 points, Nyamer Diew scored 10 and Kindyll Wetta matched her career-high with 10 assists. Formann went on a personal 8-0 run to give Colorado a 43-37 lead with 7:38 left in the third. She reached 20 points during the run, while no other player had scored in double figures. Louisville plays No. 8 Oklahoma on Wednesday in the SEC/ACC Challenge. Colorado continues a five-game homestand against Tennesse Tech on Tuesday. ___ 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-basketballBOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Nyla Harris had 14 points and Jayda Curry scored 10 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter to help No. 24 Louisville get past Colorado 79-71 on Saturday. The Cardinals led 56-55 after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth by scoring 16 unanswered points, capped by a fast-break layup by Curry, before Colorado made its first field goal of the frame with 2:48 left. Colorado scored the next six points to get within single digits at 72-63, but freshman Tajianna Roberts banked in a jumper in the lane at the other end. Izela Arenas sealed it on two free throws with 24.9 seconds left for a nine-point lead. Roberts finished with 13 and Arenas had 11 for Louisville (5-2). Frida Formann scored 25 points for Colorado (6-2). Jade Masogayo added 12 points, Nyamer Diew scored 10 and Kindyll Wetta matched her career-high with 10 assists. Formann went on a personal 8-0 run to give Colorado a 43-37 lead with 7:38 left in the third. She reached 20 points during the run, while no other player had scored in double figures. Louisville plays No. 8 Oklahoma on Wednesday in the SEC/ACC Challenge. Colorado continues a five-game homestand against Tennesse Tech on Tuesday. ___ 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
Who is Vorian Atreides? The earliest member of the House Atreides in the Dune timeline might not be who you think it is. In the original Dune novels written by Frank Herbert, it’s heavily implied that Paul’s line can trace its origins deep into Earth's history, possibly even connecting to Ancient Greece. But relative to Dune’s future history, the first person with the last name Atreides was also the most notorious. And, although this character has yet to make a physical appearance in Dune: Prophecy , he was name-dropped in a big way in the third episode. In continuity created by the expanded Dune novels, Vorian Atreides is the oldest ancestor of House Atreides and the bane of House Harkonnen. But because Dune: Prophecy takes place after Vorian’s ascendency during the Butlerian Jihad, how is he still alive? In Episode 3, “Sisterhood Above All,” Valya (Jessica Barden) is furious to learn that Vorian has “resurfaced.” Here’s why this could set up big things for the finale of Dune: Prophecy , and how the mention of Vorian could subtly reshape the entire Dune franchise. Spoilers ahead. While a huge portion of Episode 3 takes place in flashbacks, the events that Valya references are even deeper in the past. While arguing with her family, Valya is furious that “Vorian murdered Griffin, and now he’s disappeared again. It’s not fair!” Griffin was Valya’s brother, who Valya once saved from drowning by using the Voice for the first time. So Vorian’s slaying of her brother is a huge motivating factor for Valya’s machinations, which informs the entire show. A mysterious Atreides House Atreides in Dune: Prophecy Episode 3, “Sisterhood Above All.” Not part of Frank Herbert’s original vision, Vorian became a pivotal figure when he retroactively became the beginning of the Atreides line in the 2002 book The Butlerian Jihad . Prior to that, the unofficial 1984 book, The Dune Encyclopedia , had posited someone named “Demetrios Atreides” as the start of the line. Vorian, in current canon, is the beginning of this family, at least for the purposes of figuring out how the aftermath of the defeat of the Thinking Machines leads to the status quo of the Imperium in Dune: Prophecy . In the books, Vorian was raised to be sympathetic to the Thinking Machines, but later turned on them and became one of the biggest supporters of the anti-AI movement. But before he switched side s, he had a “life extension treatment” as a young man, which allows him to exist in various eras of the Dune timeline, and appear relatively the same age. He’s not shown up in Dune: Prophecy yet, but that almost certainly will change before the end of the show. Is Vorian the Key to Dune: Prophecy ? Valya with her brother Griffin. Why did Vorian murder him? Because Griffin’s murder happens offscreen, by the end of Episode 3, we’ve yet to see Vorian. In fact, when Tula poisons a bunch of members of the Atreides line, Vorian isn’t around. This fact, combined with the detail that Vorian has memories that date back from before the Sisterhood was formed, seems to suggest that unveiling Vorian before the end of the series could help unlock a few mystery boxes at the same time. In the prequel books, Vorian is neither a hero nor villain, and like many Dune characters is complex and full of duplicity. Right now, to the Harkonnen sisters on the show, he’s the worst person ever. But we also don’t know exactly what happened to cause Vorian to slay Griffin — could it have something to do with Thinking Machines? We know that Tula and Valya favor the technology, but use it in secret, against the wishes of the Imperium, and seemingly against some founding aspect of the Sisterhood itself. Because Vorian Atreides remembers when the Thinking Machines ruled everything and is active in the timeframe of Dune: Prophecy, it seems almost impossible that he won’t play a major role by the end of the series. So far in Prophecy , we’ve seen the Harkonnens clash with the Atreides in the distant past, and in recent flashback. But maybe the ultimate showdown will happen in the present, when the Harkonnen sisters come face-to-face with their greatest foe, and discover he might not be quite what they expected. TV Shows Science Fiction BooksAs we enter into Christmas week, the holiday season is peaking. And as many gather with family and friends around the Christmas tree, it shouldn’t be forgotten that it truly is a joyous holiday season. Because this time of year is of special importance to many peoples and faiths. From the day the baby Jesus arrived in his unique incarnation as God-made-man, to the menorah that miraculously burned for eight days in the ruined Temple of Jerusalem, to the celebration of family, community and culture that is Kwanzaa. And during occasions that are often diminished by commercialization, it is time to stress the simple joys of the season; the common thread running through December holidays is a focus on togetherness with loved ones and celebrating the joys of life. Because in times often clouded by uncertainty and fear of what might loom ahead, these few weeks in December offer opportunities to appreciate the truly valuable elements in life. Things not found in our paychecks, stock portfolios and television sets, or even under our decorated trees, but in our relationships with each other and in our capacity to love and cherish love. That could be the love of our families, our neighbors, or love expressed through stretching out a helping hand to those less fortunate and reconciling with those whom we have wronged or have wronged us during the year. It is a time to put our petty cares aside and embrace all that is joyous in our lives. And while it may seem an overly romanticized notion of the holidays in a world pocked with injustice, inhumanity and bloodshed, those small acts of kindness that the power of the season, and the true meaning behind it, can bring out in us shouldn’t be left unacted upon. All of the world’s wickedness can be outdone only by the good. While it is especially easy, these days, to ruminate on all that is bad in the world, do take the time to remember and reflect on the fact that there is plenty of good in the world, too. Plenty of good that each and every one of us can do for each other today and tomorrow. So as you gather between now and the new year, remember not your material wants but the reasons we gather in the warmth of our homes and share these times with those we care about most — not for the gifts off our wish lists, but for the love of each other and the gifts that life brings. Merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah and happy holidays to all. A version of this editorial was first published by the short-lived Long Beach Register in 2013
A WOMAN has divided opinion after she revealed she ditched being maid of honour at her best friend's wedding to work instead. Amy Dikinson, from Queensland, Australia, was originally looking forward to supporting her childhood bestie on her big day. But that all quickly went downhill when Amy received the invitation only to realise the wedding day clashed with a work event already in her calendar. Taking to TikTok, Amy explained that although the story might put her in a bad light, it was really her mate who caused all the drama. It turns out that the work event was no little obligation Amy could get out of, but rather a big event for her own business she'd been planning for ages and had already put a lot of time and money into. "My best friend decided to book her wedding on the same day, was this intentional? I think so," Amy explained in the viral video. In the clip, the entrepreneur went on to call her former best friend "petty and bitter". So, Amy made her feelings known loud and clear by ripping up the invitation and sending it back to her friend, along with her bridesmaid dress which she also cut into multiple pieces. Speaking to Femail , Amy said this isn't the first time her friend has been so petty, and noted that she'd always been a little bit jealous of her success. "We would go shopping and something would look amazing and she would screw her face up and say she hates it - but then something would look awful and she would say to buy it," Amy said. What made Amy even more convinced her friend had booked her wedding on the same day on purpose was the fact it was "a random Thursday in February" - not a day with any meaning to her pal. "It's a Thursday! That makes it so much worse, who is getting married on a Thursday? She definitely did that on purpose," one person commented on the video. And another wrote: "Your friend was clearing sabotaging your business!" Amy replied to one of the comments, revealing that she ended up blocker her former bestie on social media because of the drama. Meanwhile, someone else said: "You definitely need to reconsider this friendship and boundaries. She doesn't sound like your best friend. Best friend and longest friend are different." And others suggested Amy should call the venue to see if she had really booked her wedding for the same day. However, not everyone was convinced by Amy's story and thought she could be making it all up to get attention for her business. "I feel like this story is really good marketing for your event, I'm not sure if it's true but slay," one person commented. "Sorry, but this scream marketing," another said. And someone else agreed: "This seems like a really good ad for the event." Got a number of weddings coming up? Get ready with our wedding guides.Article content Millions of Canadians have already unlocked the capabilities of “generative AI” – beginning with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which launched exactly two years ago – and quickly followed by Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Meta AI, Grok (from Elon Musk), and several others. Recommended Videos “Gen AI” tools have empowered people to create text, photos, and other content – from building a custom itinerary for a trip to Greece, to helping draft business plans for entrepreneurs, to creating images that can be freely used on a website or presentation at school or work. Much of the content is free, though more advanced features require a paid subscription. Regardless, gen AI to date has been mostly an online “cloud” application, which requires an internet connection. But things are about to change. Much of the heavy lifting is moving to your device itself – and with it comes several benefits. While some mobile phone platforms have started to do this, you’ll notice the most significant change on your Windows PC. If it’s been a while since you’ve purchased a laptop, you’ll likely be blown away at what an “AI PC” can do. What’s an AI PC? At the risk of getting too geeky, a computer’s “CPU” (central processing unit) is the engine that drives general performance of the machine, while a “GPU,” or graphics processing unit, is used primarily for rendering video and 3D graphics (important for gamers). Today, an AI PC also includes an “NPU” under the hood – a neural processing unit – to handle AI-related requests. Again, forgive the jargon soup. But you get the idea. “An AI PC is a personal computer equipped with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities built directly into the hardware,” confirms Asma Aziz, director of marketing for Americas territories at Intel Canada. “This integration allows the PC to perform tasks like enhancing the quality of your images, greatly improving battery life, and even assisting with real-time language translation –automatically and more efficiently than traditional PCs.” AI PCs from Intel are powered by Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors. Laptop shoppers may notice a dedicated “Copilot+” button on the keyboard, too, which wakes up the AI assistant for your question or command (called a “query”). “Once customers understand what’s possible with ‘AI on device,’ it’s a no-brainer,” says Sam Chang, senior vice president and division president of Consumer PC Solutions at HP. “You’re getting cost savings since you don’t need to pay for a subscription, it’s more secure and private (than the cloud), and you get a faster response by running the model locally,” Additional benefits of an AI PC As hinted at by Aziz and Chang, AI PCs can help you get more done in less time. AI PCs render AI prompts faster, plus it doesn’t need to share some queries with others online, such as info tied to your taxes or a proprietary company document – to help build the “large language model,” like how ChatGPT works – and so it’s more secure and personalized since it combs through your own info. For example, ask your laptop “Show me the email where I was promised a raise” or “Where are the photos from my daughter’s last birthday?” There are several business-related benefits, too. Allan Kambeitz, category officer at Best Buy Canada, says AI can also help with mundane, time-consuming or complicated tasks. “An AI PC provides an increased level of productivity, such as simplifying presentations and spreadsheets, by asking AI to do, or to help do, these normally complex tasks,” Kambeitz says. “There are enhanced security features, such as biometric authentication to keep data safe, while real-time noise suppression and video quality adjustments make virtual meetings smoother and clearer – an important benefit for Canada’s diverse workforce and remote work trends,” adds Aziz. AI PC sales are promising AI PCs are the fastest growing PC segment, says Intel, with the company saying it has shipped more than 15 million devices since December 2023 – and on track to ship more than 40 million before the end of the year. This space is forecasted by Gartner to grow 165% year over year into 2025 and account for 43% of all PCs, which includes products from Intel competitors like AMD and Qualcomm Snapdragon. “Based on the early success of Copilot+ Windows PCs, we are confident that AI PCs will be popular, especially now that there are so many to choose from,” Kambeitz says. Patrick O’Rourke, editor-in-chief at Pocket-lint, a technology publication focused on portable devices, agrees AI tasks handled locally can result in “greater efficiency” but clarifies some features still require an internet connection – such as asking the AI to create recipe ideas for hosting a dinner party attended by pescatarians. “Copilot+ allows you to do things like add real-time subtitles to video content, create various studio-like video effects, and view your activity via Recall (in beta), which allows you to view your PC’s activity history,” O’Rourke explains. “Whether or not these AI-powered features are useful will depend on how you use your computer.” What to look for in an AI PC All major computer manufacturers have embraced AI PCs, and so stick with brands you know and trust, such as ASUS, HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, LG, Samsung, MSi, and Microsoft Surface. If you’re into gaming, popular PC brands with AI features include ROG (ASUS), Legion (Lenovo), Omen (HP), Alienware (Dell), Nitro/Predator (Acer), and Razer. Next, decide on a form factor, such as laptop, 2-in-1 (touchscreen laptop that converts into tablet, by bending back or removing the screen), desktop or all-in-one (where the guts of the computer are tucked in behind the monitor). Laptop shoppers should test out the weight, especially those who travel, but know that all Copilot+ laptops have at least 12 hours of battery, so you’re good there. Some laptops last twice as long as that, between charges, depending on the application. Apple all-in on AI, too For Mac shoppers, “Apple Intelligence” is Apple’s take on AI, which also works on the latest iPhone and iPad, and it, too, is a suite of tools and technologies to empower users – while protecting your privacy at the same time, says the company. Ask the AI to help draft emails and messages and other text for you; create images based on what you ask for; record, transcribe, and summarize audio; and a smarter Siri that’s more conversational and contextual. Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and the author of the book, Apple Vision Pro For Dummies (Wiley).