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WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — Jalen Rucker's 27 points helped Army defeat UTSA 78-75 on Sunday night. Rucker added six rebounds for the Black Knights (6-6). Ryan Curry scored 15 points while shooting 4 for 9 (3 for 8 from 3-point range) and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line and added five assists. AJ Allenspach shot 4 of 4 from the field and 4 for 5 from the foul line to finish with 12 points, while adding eight rebounds. The Roadrunners (6-6) were led by Amir "Primo" Spears, who recorded 22 points and nine rebounds. Tai'Reon Joseph added 16 points and two steals for UTSA. Raekwon Horton finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Army went into halftime ahead of UTSA 39-35. Rucker scored 11 points in the half. Rucker scored 16 points down the stretch in the second half to help lead Army to a three-point victory. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .5 Of The Best Non-Samsung Android Phones You Can BuyCeltic centurion on Champions League progress amid 'ridiculous' financial gulf
DUP minister rejected suggestion licensing laws could be relaxed for jubileeDear Eric: I’m a 75-year-old amateur songwriter. I’m also a widower going on three years. When my wife of 42 years was alive, I wrote songs for and about her. I’d record them at home and send the recordings to our boys and in-laws who always responded positively. Now I have a live-in girlfriend whom my boys and family all embrace. Everyone says they’re happy that I’m happy and with someone who fits in well. Now my songs are about her and us. I recently (naively?) sent out a new recordings to the usual recipients and am troubled about whether to do it again. One son’s cryptic response made me call him to talk it through. Even though he wants me to be happy, he really doesn’t want to hear my songs that embrace someone new. My other son was more accepting, but less so than before. My brother-in-law said he could only listen to half of the song because he’s still mourning my wife’s passing. Now I feel like a songwriter who can’t share my songs with the people who matter the most in my life. Of course, we’ve all talked about this, but that doesn’t solve my problem. Is my not sharing this joyful music with my loved ones the only answer? — Music of the Heart Dear Music: It’s wonderful that you’re not only a skilled communicator in song, but also in conversation. You’ve saved everyone some of the heartache of miscommunication by reaching out to your sons and brother-in-law proactively. Right now, your loved ones may not be the best audience. But your music will continue to evolve and their capacity to receive it may as well. Perhaps these are just songs for your girlfriend, or other close friends. Or, try expanding your subject matter for a song or two. Your loved ones may welcome a chance to listen to something else that inspires you. Dear Eric: Sitting there bored and hoping to be ignored is me at get-togethers like meals or parties. I have poor hearing even using well-adjusted hearing aids. I’m generally unable to follow one person. And groups never. I’d much rather be reading or off busy at some hobby, but that would be impolite and inconsiderate of guests. But they are being inconsiderate of me, and that’s somehow OK? My wife helps me by repeating snippets or an occasional question if one is asked of me. Avoid those situations? I do it when I can. Otherwise, the only solution is sitting in noisy silence trying to look awake and involved, and laugh, smile, or frown when others do. Do you have any ideas? — Happy Alone Dear Happy: It’s not inconsiderate to be mindful of the body that you’re in and the things you need. That may look like telling your wife that social get-togethers are out for you. Which is absolutely fine, as long as you’re happy doing other things. If she won’t accept that, you can talk it through, but you can also be firm. This is what feels right for you. Another option is restructuring the get-togethers to better accommodate you, which your friends and loved ones should do. Writing down comments and conversation or using a speech-to-text function on a phone or tablet could help you feel included. It’s not too much to ask. The most important thing is to be vocal about what you need so that those who care about you can help you to get it. Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
When things are going well, Celtic's AGM is a strange but intoxicating affairSome of the best (ASX: XKO) shares to buy are ones that we can hold for the long term. If we give our investments a , it gives the company more time to carry out business plans and can enable the power of to work its magic. We can then ask ourselves the question: Which companies might be undervalued because of the potential profit they can generate in the coming years? From the list of ASX 300 shares, I think there are three stocks that could generate stronger profits in the short term and long term (and are not overpriced for that potential). Let's explore. Tuas Ltd ( ) Tuas is a relatively new, it is today. The ASX 300 share has already built an impressive presence in Singapore, with more than 1 million active mobile subscribers at the end of . Excitingly, the business also expects to grow in the home broadband space, where it had around 4,000 subscribers at the end of FY24. There is reportedly strong consumer interest in the broadband segment. During its listed life, Tuas has demonstrated exactly what I want to see – rising revenue, increasing profit margins and expectations of a positive (in FY25). Why is it such a good buy-and-hold idea? Tuas has already shown it can succeed in one Asian country. I think it will eventually expand to other countries with larger populations, such as Malaysia and Indonesia. This could help the business unlock strong revenue potential and scale benefits. Lovisa Holdings Ltd ( ) Lovisa is one of the most promising on the ASX, in my opinion. It offers affordable jewellery with a focus on younger shoppers. The company has a global store network in numerous countries. I think now could be an opportune time to look at this ASX 300 share, considering its share price has fallen more than 20% since mid-October. Lovisa has impressed me with its ability to take its offering global and be so successful with it. At the end of , Lovisa had more than 10 stores in each of the following countries: Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, the United States and Canada. It grew its store count in nearly all of those countries. The company also has fewer than 10 stores in several compelling markets, including China, Vietnam, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, Romania, and Mexico. I think there's a lot of potential to grow its store count in existing and new markets. FY24 saw Lovisa grow revenue by 17.1% to $698.7 million. Net profit grew even faster, increasing 20.9% to $82.4 million. With more stores in more countries, I predict that this business can become much larger in the next five to 10 years. Telstra Group Ltd ( ) Telstra is the largest telco business in Australia, with the most mobile subscribers and the widest network coverage. It also makes the biggest profit among its peers. I'm not sure what Australia's shopping habits will be like in 20 years, what the energy generation will look like and so on. But, I do think Australia will still need data transmitted by a company like Telstra, whether that's with 6G technology, 7G or something else. This ASX 300 share has a current advantage that I think it can continue to uphold with continued investment in its infrastructure. If Telstra succeeds in getting a growing number of households to sign up for wireless 5G-powered home internet as their broadband choice, it could transform its profit. This would enable Telstra to capture back a lot of the margin lost to the NBN. During the ownership of Telstra shares, investors could also receive pleasing dividend income. It currently offers a grossed-up of around 6.5% (including ).
The chairs of an annual science and technology conference say Nobel Prize recipient Geoffrey Hinton is donating some of his winnings to create a new award. They say of the Neural Information Processing Systems conference say the US$10,000 award will be handed out at the event each year. It will be given to teams of two or more researchers under the age of 40 who write a paper proposing a novel theory of how the brain works. The award will be named the Sejnowski-Hinton Prize after computational neurobiologist Terry Sejnowski and AI pioneer Hinton. Hinton received the Nobel for physics along with computer scientist John Hopfield earlier this week in Stockholm. Hinton has said he will also donate a portion of the 11 million Swedish kronor — about $1.4 million Canadian dollars — prize money he and Hopfield will split to Water First, an organization working to boost Indigenous access to water. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024.The technology sector has become the central axis of the global economy, driving profound transformations in traditional industries and shaping new social dynamics. Recently, it was revealed that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman plan to donate $1 million each to Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, as tech executives line up to gain favor with the president-elect, just one month before he takes the oath of office for the second time. Bezos and the e-commerce giant reportedly informed Trump’s aides earlier this week of their plans to contribute $1 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. Similarly, Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, who is in a legal dispute with Trump’s prominent advisor Elon Musk, also plans to donate $1 million to the inaugural fund, according to a spokesperson for Altman speaking to Fox News Digital. “President Trump will lead our country into the AI era, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure the United States remains at the forefront,” Altman recently stated in a written declaration. Earlier this month, The Journal reported that Altman, a registered Democrat, feared his strained relationship with Musk could disadvantage his company under a second Trump administration that will make key regulatory decisions likely to impact OpenAI. According to the U.S. publication, Altman has been working to secure a position within Trump’s inner circle by reaching out to friends and associates connected to the president-elect and his advisors, including Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, venture capitalist Josh Kushner, and others. Meanwhile, Bezos, who stepped down as Amazon CEO in 2021 but remains the company’s largest shareholder, is making the donation through the firm, The Journal reported. Amazon will also live stream the inauguration on Prime, which counts as a separate in-kind donation valued at $1 million, according to the report. The company also streamed President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021, though Biden’s transition team declined donations from tech companies for its inaugural fund. Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, which recently retracted an editorial endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris days before the November 5 election, is traveling to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump, a fierce critic of the tech magnate. Last week, Bezos expressed optimism about Trump’s second term and showed enthusiasm for potential regulatory rollbacks in the coming years. “I’m actually very optimistic this time,” Bezos said at The New York Times DealBook Summit in New York. “He seems to have a lot of energy around deregulation. If I can help with that, I will.” “We have too many regulations in this country,” Bezos added. Trump previously criticized Bezos and his businesses, including Amazon and The Washington Post, during his first term. In 2019, Amazon argued in court that Trump’s bias against the company hurt its chances of securing a $10 billion Pentagon contract. The Biden administration later pursued contracts with both Amazon and Microsoft. Earlier this week, The Journal revealed that Meta, the tech giant led by another former Trump rival, Mark Zuckerberg, also contributed $1 million to the inaugural fund. Zuckerberg, whom Trump once suggested should be jailed over a $400 million donation to a voting rights nonprofit in 2020, met with the president-elect last month at Mar-a-Lago. During the dinner, Zuckerberg, who has pledged neutrality in his political activities following Facebook’s handling of The Post’s 2020 reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop, gifted Trump a pair of Ray-Ban smart glasses, The Journal reported. Bezos and Zuckerberg are not the only tech titans making efforts to align with Trump in recent months. Apple CEO Tim Cook has managed to cultivate a positive relationship with Trump over the years. The two have maintained open communication through phone calls and meetings over meals. Google CEO Sundar Pichai, whose company has also faced accusations of bias in favor of Democrats, is scheduled to meet with Trump on Thursday. Salesforce co-founder and CEO Marc Benioff praised Trump after TIME, the magazine he owns, named the president-elect its “Person of the Year” for the second time. Cancela en cualquier momento Acceso exclusivo a rankings y radiografías. Análisis profundos y casos de estudio de éxito. Historial de la revista impresa en formato digital. ¡Disfruta de lo mejor del marketing sin costo alguno por unmes!
TORONTO — The Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts signed American running back Kevin Brown on Friday. The five-foot-nine, 205-pound Brown rushed for 522 yards on 101 carries in 12 games last season with the Edmonton Elks. He added 22 catches for 138 yards before finishing the '24 campaign on the CFL club's practice roster. In 2023, Brown ran for 1,141 yards and four TDs with Edmonton. He also had 28 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown. Brown, 28, spent three seasons with the Elks, running for 2,149 yards (six-yard average) and five TDs. He added 74 catches for 536 yards and a touchdown in 37 regular-season games. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. The Canadian PressOur collective inheritanceMost of us are not professional chefs or caterers or decorators, so the thought of cooking for and entertaining a Thanksgiving crowd can be daunting. That's why we turned to the experts — professional chefs and caterers and interior designers — to discuss some typical Thanksgiving mistakes and how to avoid them. "The overriding first mistake people make is they think they have more time than they do," said Bistro to Go Cafe and Catering executive chef Kate Kobylinski. She regularly hosts her extended family of 30 and knows "every single problem." "Food takes longer to cook, the table takes longer to set and houses take longer to clean than you think." Clean your house on Monday. On Wednesday, dice vegetables so they're "food-show ready," as Kobylinski put it. Prepare (but don't cook) your green bean casserole (leaving off garnishes like fried onions) so it can just be popped in the oven and set the dining room table. Don't feel that you have to do everything yourself. But be as specific as possible when doling out the assignments. "Don't let them make their own decisions!" Kobylinski said emphatically. Thanksgiving is "micromanager's heaven." For example, have someone bring ice on Thanksgiving Day because going out to buy it takes time and ice hogs freezer space. If you don't like making desserts, have someone bring one. If a guest wants to prepare a side dish, great, but decide beforehand what they will bring. Ahead of dinner, interior designer Kacie Cope likes to set out all of her serving platters with Post-it notes attached denoting what will go on them. "You'll be amazed if you have them labeled," she said. "People can help in a jiff." During the evening, Kobylinski gives people assigned jobs, such as serving drinks or taking charge of an after-dinner game. And the chef is forgiving about using premade ingredients, like gravy or cranberry jelly. "There's no right or wrong way to make any of your foods," she said. But you might want to give a homemade touch to prepared ingredients, like adding sauteed onions or celery to prepared gravy. "Everyone goes into Thanksgiving Day with a half-frozen turkey," said Kobylinski. "And you can't get the bag of giblets out because they're frozen in place." It takes one day for every 4 pounds of turkey meat to defrost in the refrigerator. (No, it is not safe to leave your frozen turkey out on the counter to thaw and breed bacteria.) So if you've got a 20-pound bird, you've got to start thawing on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. However, there are other methods. Kobylinski suggests submerging the bird and running a thin stream of cold water over it. "It doesn't have to be a lot of water." The U.S. Department of Agriculture says there are only three ways to safely thaw food: In the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. To safely thaw turkey in cold water, the USDA says it takes about 30 minutes per pound. Put the turkey in a leak-proof plastic bag to prevent cross-contamination and submerge it. Change the water every 30 minutes, and cook immediately when it's thawed. If opting for your microwave, follow its instructions for thawing and cook immediately. Then, if you're running late and need to speed things up to satisfy the hungry hordes, you can cut the bird in half before cooking (skin side up). This significantly reduces cooking time, requiring about 10 minutes per pound. Kobylinski also recommends resting the turkey on vegetables in the oven to keep the bottom from getting burned. Private chef and culinary educator Emily Larsen warns that those plastic thermometers in supermarket turkeys are setting you up for failure. The USDA says that you should cook a turkey until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Plastic thermometers don't pop out until the breast meat is at about 180 degrees, "when your turkey is completely dry," Larsen said. Plus, people forget that meat continues to cook once it's out of the oven. She recommends taking a bird out of the oven when it is at 155 degrees — she likes to use an inexpensive instant-read folding probe thermometer — and continue to monitor it. (Insert it into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bone.) "Ten dollars [for the thermometer] can save your Thanksgiving," she said. Some feel that buying a frozen rather than fresh bird is another no-no, since freezing leaches water out of the turkey. However, if, despite your best efforts, your turkey is lacking moisture, Kobylinski has a fix: Put warm chicken or turkey stock and clarified butter into a mister and spritz sliced turkey with it before serving. "The same with stuffing if it's too dry," she said. Thanksgiving Day is not the time to try out a completely new recipe. And you don't have to lay out 10 side dishes. In addition to opting for a simple menu, Kobylinski also recommends figuring out how long your items will take to cook and what method of cooking it requires ahead of time. Your turkey will be monopolizing your oven for four hours, so other oven foods should be limited or be easily reheated during the time that the turkey is resting. (As for resting a turkey, the chef puts her turkey on a hot plate with towels over it so "the meat rebinds itself and stabilizes for a smoother cut.") "Stovetop items should be staggered," she said, so you don't have a frying pan and three pots all going at once. As a sample menu, she suggests you might have one baked potato dish and one mashed. And for vegetables, one baked dish and one that is blanched or grilled. Interior designers advise against going too crazy with holiday-specific décor. "There's a lot that's being sold to us that we feel like we need," said Pittsburgh interior designer Amanda Bock. Do you really need a turkey-shaped vase or pilgrim figurines? "They're out for two weeks, and then you have to figure out where to store them," agreed Cope. "It takes an already busy season and makes it stressful in an unnecessary way." Cope says you can take things that are already part of your menu and use them as décor — a bowl of nuts or cranberries, or even removing the label from a cranberry sauce tin and repurposing it as a vase for flowers and fall leaves. Bock adds that dining room table décor should be kept to a minimum, since you'll need space for your food. You don't have to have "big chargers and five plates and three different glasses, plus all of your Thanksgiving food on the table," Bock said. If you do have flowers or a centerpiece in the middle of the table, keep it low, Cope advised. "That way, you can actually see the person who's across the table from you." Tableware and tablecloths might be in fall colors, so they can be repurposed throughout the season. Water glasses or wine goblets could be amber-toned, Bock suggests. Well in advance of your guests' arrival, think critically about the setup of your home. Don't be afraid to rearrange your furniture so your guests move to different areas and don't all congregate in your kitchen. "You want to make sure that there are areas where people can sit and chat, watch the parade or just hang out together," Bock said. Set up a drinks station and an hors d'oeuvres station in different parts of the house, Bock suggests. Though, she admits, "I can't do that in my house because my dogs would just gobble up the hors d'oeuvres." She suggests repurposing a kitchen nook for kid seating, or as a serving area. Kobylinski might set up a half-built puzzle in a side room. She even puts out winter jackets and boots for "the gentlemen" for the moment when she urges them to go out on the porch to smoke cigars and drink brandy so they won't be underfoot. As a finishing touch, don't neglect to set the mood by using lamps around the room instead of harsh overhead lights. Putting out tapers or tea candles establishes an intimate feeling. "That just leans into the cozy fall vibe," Cope said of low lighting. But don't use scented candles, Bock warns. Or a smelly flower arrangement. "That can overwhelm you when you're eating," Bock said. Putting on a favorite music playlist can set the mood and take away self-consciousness, especially early in the evening. The most important thing on Thanksgiving is simply for everyone to enjoy each other's company. A little advance preparation can help you, the host, stay relaxed throughout the evening so you can interact with your guests. As Bock advised, "Keep it simple for Thanksgiving." Let friendship and fellowship be the stars of the show. The 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage is slated from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 28. This year's event will feature 28 clown crews, 26 floats, 16 giant balloons, 11 marching bands, five performance groups, three "baloonicles"—cold-air inflatables driven down the parade route, and numerous performers. Stacker curated a selection of photographs from the past century of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to help illustrate the history of the iconic event. The parade in New York City, presented by department store chain Macy's, was first held in 1924 under the heading "Macy's Christmas Parade" to promote holiday sales and spotlight the newly expanded and, at the time, largest in the world Herald Square store in Manhattan. The success of the event led organizers to turn the spectacle into an annual tradition. Each year, the parade ends outside the same Herald Square Macy's location. The event has been televised nationally since 1953 on NBC. The parade at first featured Central Park Zoo animals escorted by Macy's employees and professional entertainers for 6 miles from 145th Street in north Manhattan's Harlem to Macy's. A quarter of a million onlookers lined the streets. Real animals were replaced with balloons in 1927; that same year, the name of the event was changed to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The longest-running parade float is the event's unofficial mascot, Tom Turkey. Tom features moving wings, head, and eyes and usually functions as the lead float in the parade. Bringing up the caboose in virtually all the parades is Santa Claus who ushers in the holiday shopping season with his arrival at Macy's Herald Square. The parade offers a glimpse into pop culture of the time, from beloved children's entertainment to hit Broadway shows and musical acts. The Radio City Rockettes, formed in 1925, have performed in the parade annually since 1957. In 1933, the outside temperature was 69 degrees F, the warmest it's been; 2018 was the coldest day in parade history at 19 degrees F. In 2022, for the first time, the event featured a trio of women hosts. Today, more than 44 million people tune in to watch the parade. Keep reading to learn more about the parade's history and see some iconic shots of the event. You may also like: Game on: The booming growth of online gaming The large balloons that replaced live zoo animals in 1927 were filled with regular air and had no release valves—they were simply let go to pop in the air following the parade. 1928 marked the first year of Macy's inflating balloons with helium to allow them to float. They were also outfitted with valves so the helium could gradually escape rather than waiting for the balloon to inevitably pop, and featured a return address so anyone who found them could return them and receive a reward. In this photo from 1928, a 35-foot fish and 60-foot-long tiger were featured prominently in the parade. A $100 prize was offered for each balloon recovered after its release. Pinnochio, Tin Man, and Uncle Sam make their way along the parade route in 1939. Mickey Mouse made his debut five years earlier with a balloon designed in part by Walt Disney; Mickey's handlers were also dressed as mice. New iterations of Mickey appeared over the next 70 years as the character evolved. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was canceled from 1942-1944 because of supply shortages during World War II, namely helium and rubber. Festivities returned in 1945. The Christmas classic "Miracle on 34th Street" was released in 1947 and prominently features actual footage from the 1946 parade. 1948 marked the parade's first network television broadcast. You may also like: Legendary interior designers from every decade of the 20th century The 23rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held Nov. 24, 1949. In this photo, a teddy bear makes its way through Times Square. This parade marked the second appearance for the bear. Other balloons made their debut: Freida the Dachshund, Howdy Doody on the Flying Trapeze, and Macy's Hobo Clown. Macy's original character The Giant Spaceman made his debut in 1952's parade, measuring 70 feet long and 40 feet wide and weighing 600 pounds. More than 25 gallons of paint went into painting the astronaut. An estimated 2.25 million people lined the streets for the festivities that year. Throngs of onlookers pack the sidewalks in Manhattan's Times Square during this 1955 parade. Mighty Mouse, an animated superhero created by Terrytoons, is seen in the back left of the photo. Mighty Mouse made his debut in the Thanksgiving Day parade in 1951; he appeared in 80 short films between 1942-1961. The iconic peacock float makes its debut in this photo of the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. That same year, Miss Teenage America Diane Lynn Cox appeared in princess attire sharing a float with "Prince Charming" actor Troy Donahue. You may also like: Baltimore buried its urban streams—now an artist is bringing one back A Bullwinkle Moose balloon floats down Broadway in this 1972 photograph of the parade. The 46th annual parade featured five firsts for floats: Alphabet Blocks, Snow Mountain, Windmill, Curious George, and Santa's Holiday Home. Woody Woodpecker greets the crowd as he floats past One Times Square during the 63rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1989. In the coming years, safety concerns troubled '90s-era parades—namely the wind. Strong gusts in 1993 pushed a Sonic the Hedgehog balloon into a Columbus Circle lamppost that broke and hurt a child and off-duty police officer. Four years later, intense winds caused a Cat in the Hat balloon to hit a lamppost, hurling debris into the air that fractured the skull of a spectator who spent 24 days in a coma. The incident, among others, led then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to form a task force. The Soaring Spirit Canoe float, pictured here in 1995, made its debut in the parade in 1986. Popular '90s balloons included Bart Simpson, Cat in the Hat, and The Rugrats. New York City first responders carry two American flags during the Nov. 22, 2001, 75th Anniversary of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was also held on the heels of 9/11. They honored those killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that year. New Yorkers crowded the streets to watch the parade, which featured 15 giant balloons and marching bands that all added an air of patriotism to the event. Dora the Explorer makes her balloon debut in this 2005 photo. That same year, the M&M 's chocolate candies balloon collided with a streetlight in Times Square, and debris from it injured two siblings. A woman dressed in an elf costume sprinkles spectators with confetti in Times Square during Macy's 85th Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 24, 2011. Sonic the Hedgehog and Julius the sock monkey, which was created by Paul Frank, made their balloon entrances that year. You may also like: 5 tips for making your next event more affordable Snoopy and Woodstock made their way along the 89th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route Nov. 26, 2015. To date, Snoopy boasts the most years flown as a character balloon in the event. In this 2016 photo, spectators like this one recorded videos of the parade on their phones. More than 24 million people were estimated to have streamed the parade that year on TV. The Pikachu balloon floats down Central Park West for its fourth time during the 91st annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2017. That year's lineup featured 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers, more than 1,000 clowns, 28 legacy balloons, 26 floats, 17 giant helium balloons, 12 marching bands, and six performance groups. Performers in this photo prepare at the 94th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 26, 2020. The event was one of few public occasions to be kept on schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit in a tempered manner. Much of the performances were pre-taped and the parade route was massively reduced. Participants wore masks and balloon handlers were cut by nearly 90%. Santa Claus celebrates at the 97th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in this photo from Nov. 23, 2023. First-time giant balloons included Beagle Scout Snoopy, Leo (Netflix), Monkey D. Luffy, Po from "Kung Fu Panda," and The Pillsbury Doughboy. Copy editing by Lois Hince. You may also like: From the Roman Empire to your therapist's office: The history of the chaise lounge In Macy's first Thanksgiving parade, Santa Claus sat atop a float pulled by a team of horses down Broadway. That year floats, bands, and Central Park Zoo animals were featured in the procession. At the parade's end, Santa Claus was crowned "King of the Kiddies" on Macy's balcony at the 34th Street entrance. Macy's quickly announced the parade would be an annual event. The Thanksgiving parade enjoyed rapid growth throughout the 1930s, with more than 1 million revelors lining the parade route in 1933. In this 1931 photo, a giant hippopotamus balloon makes its way down Broadway. A blue hippo balloon—possibly this one—released after the parade was still at large several days later, thought to be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. In this image, the Felix the Cat balloon is led down Broadway by its four handlers tailed by Terrible Turk and Willie Red Bird. The original Felix the Cat character balloon made its parade debut in 1927, but was destroyed after its post-parade release by a high tension wire in 1931. The Terrible Turk also was destroyed the same year by an electric sign. In 1932, Macy's Tom Cat balloon got stuck in the propeller of a plane when the aviator flying the plane tried recovering the balloon for a reward. While the plane eventually landed safely, that event marked the final year of releasing balloons after the parades and offering prizes for their return to Macy's. Popeye makes his way through Times Square in the 1959 parade. A year earlier, another helium shortage meant balloons were inflated with air and hung from construction cranes to make their way through the parade route. Also in 1958, the first celebrity performances were added with the Benny Goodman sextet. Live music proved a challenge technically and logistically. The parade was transitioning to the now-familiar lip syncing by 1964. Teen performers appear in classic roller skates in this image from the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The sign above the skaters reads "Macy's presents A Fantasy of Christmas in New York." This 1961 photo shows shoulder-to-shoulder parade onlookers at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The year marks the first balloon featuring Bullwinkle Moose and the first year for floats with Pinocchio, The Racetrack Grandstand, Cinderella, Peacock, Ferris Wheel, Brigadoon, Meet the Mets, and Santa's Sleigh. Several years later, in 1968, Macy's creative team figured out how to design floats up to 40 feet tall and 28 feet wide that could fold into 12.5-by-8-foot boxes for strategic transportation from New Jersey to Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel. A solo tortoise float makes its way down the street near Columbus Circle in this 1974 parade photo. Not pictured is the accompanying hare. This marked the seventh appearance of the duo. A giant inflatable balloon of Kermit the Frog makes its way down the 1982 parade route in this photo. The parade marked Kermit's sixth appearance. First-time balloons included Olive Oyl and Woody Woodpecker. 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Sullinger leads Kent State past Div. III-Heidelberg 84-80NEW YORK (AP) — Romad Dean had 16 points in Fordham's 87-72 victory against Maine on Sunday. Dean also had five rebounds and four steals for the Rams (6-5). Jackie Johnson III had 16 points and six assists. Abdou Tsimbila finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. The Black Bears (6-5) were led by AJ Lopez with 24 points. Keelan Steele added 10 points and two steals. Christopher Mantis scored eight. Fordham took the lead with 18:36 left in the first half and never looked back. Dean led their team in scoring with nine points in the first half to help put them up 37-23 at the break. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Tax reform bill conceived in bad faith — Northern eldersWHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. (AP) — Jordan Sears scored 25 points, Jalen Reed had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and LSU defeated UCF 109-102 in triple overtime on Sunday to take third place at the Greenbrier Tip-Off. LSU trailed by 18 points early in the second half, then failed to hold a lead at the end of regulation and each of the first two overtime periods. The Tigers went up by five with a minute to go in the third overtime. UCF cut it to three, then Vyctorius Miller made a driving layup, Jordan Sears followed with a dunk and the Tigers were able to hold on when leading by seven. Cam Carter scored 20 points, Miller had 16 and Dji Bailey 14 for LSU (5-1). Darius Johnson had 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds for UCF (4-2). Keyshawn Hall had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Jordan Ivy-Curry scored 20. South Florida led by 15 points at halftime and maintained a double-digit lead for all but a few possessions in the first 11 1/2 minutes of the second half. UCF led 62-48 with 8 1/2 minutes remaining but Sears hit three 3-pointers and LSU drew to within 64-59 with 6 minutes to go. The Tigers scored the last six points of regulation to force overtime. In the first half, LSU led 15-13 about eight minutes into the game but the Tigers missed 15 of 16 shots while being outscored 25-3 over the next 10 minutes. South Florida led 40-25 at halftime after shooting 46% to 25% for LSU. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
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Lebawit Lily Girma | (TNS) Bloomberg News When winter rolls around, travelers predictably turn their attention to beaches. And this year, it’s the destination that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean” that’s experiencing outsize demand from Americans planning a warm island vacation. Talk about trashing stereotypes. Related Articles Would you pay $700 a night to sleep under the stars at this Colorado resort? Thailand’s starring role in ‘The White Lotus’ is about to pay off 5 under-the-radar travel destinations the UN says you should visit Gift ideas for people planning their next trip Lights and decor, réveillon meals make Christmastime special in New Orleans Puerto Rico has recovered overseas visitors (excluding those from Canada and Mexico) faster than any U.S. state or territory — a staggering 85% increase over its 2019 overseas inbound visitor levels as of 2023, according to an October study from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office. There are now more daily flights from the U.S. West Coast, and hotel bookings are 6% higher so far in this last quarter of 2024 year-over-year. It’s a trifecta of tourism growth: more visitors, but also longer stays and a higher spend that reached a record $9.8 billion in 2023, boosting small businesses as well as major brands. “We don’t have a slow season in Puerto Rico anymore,” says Brad Dean, chief executive officer at Discover Puerto Rico. Even if they’re not booking, people are dreaming about “La Isla.” By tracking flight searches for trips between November 2024 and February 2025, a measure of “inspirational” demand, tourism intelligence company Mabrian Technologies reports Puerto Rico is up 9% compared with the same period last year and leads Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas in the Caribbean proper. Only Costa Rica ranked higher in the wider region. Dean attributes Puerto Rico’s ongoing tourism growth to a strategic effort to reposition the island’s brand as more than a sun-and-sea destination, starting back in 2018. That led to the Live Boricua campaign, which began in 2022 and leaned heavily on culture, history and cuisine and was, Dean says, “a pretty bold departure” in the way Puerto Rico was showcased to travelers. He adds that at least $2 billion in tourism spend is linked to this campaign. “We (also) haven’t shied away from actively embracing the LGBTQ+ community, and that has opened up Puerto Rico to audiences that may not have considered the Caribbean before,” Dean says. Hotels are preparing to meet this growing demand: A number of established boutique properties are undergoing upgrades valued between $4 million and more than $50 million, including Hotel El Convento; La Concha, which will join the Marriott Autograph Collection; Condado Vanderbilt Hotel; and the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar. That’s in addition to ultra-chic options that are coming online in 2025, including the adults-only Alma San Juan, with rooms overlooking Plaza Colón in the heart of Old San Juan, and the five-star Veranó boutique hotel in San Juan’s trendy Santurce neighborhood. The beachfront Ritz-Carlton San Juan in Isla Verde will also be reopening seven years after Hurricane Maria decimated the island. The travel industry’s success is helping boost employment on the island, to the tune of 101,000 leisure and hospitality jobs as of September 2024, a 26% increase over pre-pandemic levels, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Efforts to promote Puerto Rico’s provinces beyond the San Juan metro area — such as surfing hub Rincón on the west coast, historical Ponce on the south coast and Orocovis for nature and coffee haciendas in the central mountains —have spread the demand to small businesses previously ignored by the travel industry. Take Sheila Osorio, who leads workshops on Afro-Puerto Rican bomba music and dance at Taller Nzambi, in the town of Loíza, 15 miles east of San Juan; or Wanda Otero, founder of cheese-producing company Vaca Negra in Hatillo, an hour’s drive west of Old San Juan, where you can join a cheese-making workshop and indulge in artisanal cheese tastings. “The list of businesses involved in tourism has gone from 650 in 2018 to 6,100, many of which are artists and artisans,” Dean says. While New Yorkers and Miami residents have always been the largest visitor demographic, Dean says more mainland Americans now realize that going to Puerto Rico means passport-free travel to enjoy beaches, as well as opportunities to dine in Michelin-rated restaurants, hike the only rainforest in the U.S. and kayak in a bioluminescent bay. Visitors from Chicago and Dallas, for example, have increased by approximately 40% from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, compared with the same period in 2022-2023, and more travelers are expected from Denver now that United Airlines Holdings Inc. has kicked off its first nonstop service to San Juan, beginning on Oct. 29. Previously, beach destinations that were easy to reach on direct flights from Denver included Mexico, Belize and California, but now Puerto Rico joins that list with a 5.5-hour nonstop route that cuts more than two hours from the next-best option. Given United Airlines’ hub in San Francisco, it could mean more travelers from the Golden State in the near future, too. In December, U.S. airlines will have 3,000 more seats per day to the territory compared with the same period last year, for a total of 84,731 — surpassing even Mexico and the Dominican Republic in air capacity, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the island’s primary gateway, is projecting a record volume of 13 million passengers by year’s end — far surpassing the 9.4 million it saw in 2019. As for Hinchcliffe’s “floating island of garbage” line, Dean says it was “a terribly insensitive attempt at humor” that transformed outrage into a marketing silver lining, with an outpouring of positive public sentiment and content on Puerto Rico all over social media. Success, as that old chestnut goes, may be the best revenge. “It was probably the most efficient influencer campaign we’ve ever had,” Dean says, “a groundswell of visitors who posted their photos and videos and said, ‘This is the Puerto Rico that I know.’” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Bucks snap a 2-game skid with a 118-113 victory over the NetsEUGENE — Dan Lanning led Oregon into the Rose Bowl earlier this season, but that was for a night game with a rebuilding UCLA team, not for the Granddaddy of Them All. Lanning and the No. 1 Ducks will return to Pasadena as the top seed in the College Football Playoff on Jan. 1. Oregon’s next postseason destination, which was set with its Big Ten Championship win Saturday night, was formalized Sunday afternoon as the full 12-team field was set. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of this game,” Lanning said. “Being on this side of the country this is a game you dream of the opportunity to coach in. This is one of these games, this is one of the ones that I haven’t got to do yet. It’s certainly a thrill for me. “Obviously a big fan of our program and influencer on our program is Phil Knight and Phil has always told me his No. 1 goal is can we get to the Rose Bowl? I’m extremely ecstatic that our team gets to be a part of such a historic game, the Granddaddy of Them All. This will be a fun one for us and I know our players are looking forward to preparing for that moment to get out on that field.” CFP quarterfinal: No. 1 Oregon (13-0) vs. No. 8 Ohio State (10-2)/No. 9 Tennessee (10-2) When: Wednesday, Jan. 1 Time: 2 p.m. PT Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California TV channel: ABC/ESPN Oregon Ducks football 2024 season schedule, scores Sign up for The Ducks Beat newsletter Oregon will face the winner of No. 8 seed Ohio State and No. 9 seed Tennessee, which will play in Columbus, Ohio on Dec. 21 (5 p.m. PT, ESPN). The CFP selection committee set a bracket that avoids conference or regular season rematches in the four first-round games and in three of the four quarterfinals, with the Rose Bowl being a potential exception if the Buckeyes beat the Volunteers to play the Ducks a second time. As has been the case all season when asked about less than ideal scheduling circumstances, Lanning took a positive outlook on Oregon’s draw. “What an opportunity for us,” Lanning said. “I’m excited about getting the opportunity to compete in the Rose Bowl. I think that regardless the end-all goal, you’re going to get to play some unbelievable teams in that process. I’m excited that we get to go play against great competition. That’s what playoff moments are about.” -- James Crepea covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten. Listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast or subscribe to the Ducks Roundup newsletter .
Keith Higgins Jr. scores 22 to lead Lehigh to 87-67 victory over NeumannPUNE: Most of the disgruntled Mahayuti politicians, who switched their loyalty after being impressed by MVA's successful performance in the recent Lok Sabha poll, have been knocked out of the race to the assembly. By a twist of fate, many MVA deserters manged to shine under the ruling alliance's banners, assembly poll results declared on Saturday show. The biggest names among the turncoats who lost the election include Harshvardhan Patil. The former state cooperation minister left BJP and joined NCP (SP) upon realising that he was not going to get the ticket from Mahayuti for Indapur constituency. Once a political rival of the Sharad Pawar family, Harshvardhan buried the differences to get official nomination but was defeated, for third time, by NCP's incumbent MLA Datta Bharne. Similarly, a much-talked-about battle played out in Kolhapur's Kagal where Pawar had poached Samarjeetsinh Ghatge from BJP to field him against NCP's sitting MLA and cabinet minister Hasan Mushrif. In a tightly fought contest, Mushrif trounced Ghatge by 11,581 votes. Another interesting fight was in Vidarbha region's Aheri seat where Bhagyashree Atram lost to her own father, Dharamaraobaba Atram, in an NCP vs NCP fight. A few months before the date of assembly poll was announced, Bhagyashree had changed her allegiance to senior Pawar's faction from the one led by latter's rebel nephew and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. Maharashtra Jharkhand Maharashtra Alliance View i Party View Seats: 288 Results Majority: 145 BJP+ 229 MVA 47 OTH 12 Results : 288 / 288 BJP+ WON Jharkhand Alliance View i Party View Seats: 81 Results Majority: 41 INDIA 56 NDA 24 OTH 1 Results : 81 / 81 INDIA WON Source: PValue Among Mahayuti partners, NCP inducted MLA Zeeshan Siddique from Congress and fielded him from Mumbai's Vandre East. Zeeshan, son of the late Baba Sidduque who was recently shot dead, failed to save his bastion from Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Varun Sardesai. However, not all the turncoats faced defeat. In Bhor assembly seat, three-time Congress MLA Sangram Thopte was defeated by Shankar Mandekar, who recently shifted from Shiv Sena (UBT) to NCP. In the parliamentary election held earlier this year, MVA outnumbered Mahayuti by winning 30 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats. The results prompted many from both alliances to switch sides.Tua Tagovailoa's TD pass to Jonnu Smith gives Dolphins 32-26 overtime win over Aaron Rodgers, Jets
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