There are a million of gift options for kids yet we’re often left scratching our heads, trying to come up with the perfect present for our little ones. As technology - including AI - moves forward at a pace, so do our options for presents. The Miko Mini is described as not just a robot but an “interactive companion and trusted friend that connects deeply with your child”. It’s certainly cute. It’s diddy size and adorable voice and face will definitely appeal to younger children. The model is aimed at youngsters aged 4-10. The idea is to make learning fun. I have to say it was a bit of a faff to set it up. It wouldn’t stay connected to the WiFi - we had to connect it five times (this could, of course, be an issue with our broadband). We couldn’t find a battery/power indicator so every time we took the cable out it asked to be charged. And initially it didn’t seem to want to respond to anyone’s voice despite the microphone being on the highest possible volume setting. But then Miko settled down and she started behaving herself. I’m calling her a she because sometimes she just doesn’t listen or does the opposite to what you’ve asked her to do - just like my five-year-old daughter. The first learning curve was realising you must wait a few seconds after saying ‘Hey Miko’ before asking your question or making your request. As long as you wait for the ripple effects on the screen, it should pick it up. There are still times where it doesn’t appear to hear anything, or it will say it doesn’t understand, despite me speaking quite clearly. And it doesn’t always pick up what my daughter says, which is understandable. Even I’m sometimes bamboozled with what she comes out with so I can’t blame poor little Miko. The great thing about Miko is it encourages curiosity and learning without the use of a screen. The novelty factor should keep them engaged enough while Miko chats to them about space and the ocean. It asks questions to keep their attention and keeps the conversation very simple. As well as the educational elements, there are some downright fun bits too. Ask Miko to dance and she’ll start boogying on her wheels to some top tunes. My daughter loves this and she’ll happily jump around and join in. You can ask it countless questions - do you like pets, what do you eat, do you like having wheels? By saying let’s talk, let’s play or what’s up will open up plentiful opportunities to chat and learn. It tells jokes, will beatbox and do its own version of a high five. You can even ask it ‘how can I make my parents happy?’ and ‘Do I have to clean my teeth every day’. It comes with an associated app and a subscription you will have to pay for, although currently it comes with a free 30-day trial. Prepare to spend a decent amount of time going through the app to find out exactly what it can do but it’s worth it if you want to get the most out of it. You can try to guess what it can do by asking random questions but that game can become quite tedious quite quickly. What I absolutely love is the story maker. Say ‘Hey Miko, let’s make a story’ and this is where the fun really begins. It will ask you what you want the story to be about, who the main character is, where they live, whether they have any friends and what adventures they get up to. It will then create a magical and joyful story for you, reciting it back to you as well as creating an e-version that sits within the app complete with images. We’ve had lots of laughs as Miko created a story about a turkey (was supposed to be Torquay) and a mobile fly (I have no idea what that was supposed to be). But on the whole it’s captured our story requests down to a T and we now have lasting electronic books of our imaginative creations. It’s worth noting that it will not respond to rude instructions or bad language. Being 45 going on 12, I have tried and tested this. Parents, you can basically leave your child with Miko safe in the knowledge that their conversation isn’t going to descend into the gutter. Miko will put a stop to that pretty quickly and turn the conversation onto something much more cordial. I’m pretty sure my daughter will get much more out of Miko as she gets older but for now she’s happy to have a disco buddy who can help her create her very own magical stories about mermaids, butterflies and fairies. Miko is currently on sale on Amazon for £99. Amazon also has a full range of other robot toys for children here .A Lewiston man was arrested Thursday following a high-speed chase and hourslong manhunt after he fled on foot and was eventually tracked down by police using two police dogs, a drone equipped with thermal image detection, a game camera that snapped a photograph of him on the run, and numerous tips from residents who reported on his travels. Nicholas Derosby, 28, formerly of Waterville, was eventually found hiding under leaves next to a pond off North Main Street in North Monmouth, near Tex Tech Industries. Police found Derosby there after he was reported in the area by residents. Police used the Monmouth Police’s Facebook page to post a photograph of the suspect caught on a resident’s game camera, and residents responded by calling in sightings of him as he passed through their yards in different parts of town. Police alerted the community out of concern Derosby might try to break into homes or steal a car in the area. “I posted something on Facebook and we started getting calls, people seeing him in the area, so we kept following up on that,” said Monmouth Lt. Dana Wessling. “We were all over the place. We were really concerned, and citizens really did a fantastic job, that was helpful for us to start pinning him down to one area.” Wessling said a couple of days ago a Winthrop officer spotted a car making bad passes and driving erratically, but by the time the officer had turned around to pursue, the car had sped off. Police ran the license plate and discovered the car had an expired registration. They said the listed owner did not appear to be who was driving that day, but they suspected it may have been the owner’s son, Derosby. Thursday, around 11 a.m., police received reports of that same car on U.S. Route 202 heading from Winthrop toward Monmouth, again making bad passes and speeding. A Winthrop officer tried to catch up to the vehicle and Wessling came upon it on U.S. Route 202, turning around to pursue it. “I turned around on it and it took off at a high rate of speed, it shot off like a rocket down 202 passing cars, going in the breakdown lane ...” Wessling said. Speeds approached 111 mph, and the car turned onto Back Street, a side road, going an estimated 90 mph. Wessling said he slowed down to allow some distance between his cruiser and the car, but still followed its path. He said on Old Lewiston Road the driver of the car went airborne off a hill in the road, and appeared to have damaged the vehicle, allowing Wessling to catch up to it. The driver got out and fled on foot, past a residence, running through a field. A female passenger police said was with Derosby was taken into custody but later released, without being charged. Police believed the driver was Derosby who, Wessling said, was on probation and had a revoked driver’s license. He remained on the lam for several hours, despite police tracking dogs from Androscoggin and Kennebec county sheriff’s offices assisting in the search. Police also used a drone that shows thermal images, indicating where there could be a person on the ground below. Derosby was arrested Thursday evening on charges of eluding an officer, driving to endanger, violating conditions of release, refusing to submit to arrest or detention, operating after revocation, and operating with a suspended registration. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. 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On October 22, a longstanding tradition at Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense took on new significance as President Prabowo Subianto handed the role of defense minister over to Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, a seasoned military leader and former colleague. The event was further elevated by the attendance of many prominent retired senior military officers, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and optimism. The gathering of these senior officers symbolized collective support for the direction in which Sjafrie is likely to take Indonesia’s defense policy – a direction aligned with Prabowo’s vision of modernizing the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) in response to both domestic and regional security demands. Sjafrie’s experience in defense policymaking extends beyond his military career, also including his tenure as secretary-general of the Ministry of Defense (2004-2009) and later as deputy minister under Purnomo Yusgiantoro (2010-2014). This period marked Indonesia’s efforts to rebuild its defense posture through the “Minimum Essential Forces” initiative – a long-term plan to strengthen defense capabilities and the domestic defense industry. It also marked a strategic shift in the country’s defense policy, from its previous focus on the domestic political realm to greater attention on regional and geopolitical dynamics, recognizing the military’s key role in global interactions. During this period, Sjafrie played a key role in refining defense procurement procedures that involved adjusting the balance of decision-making power between the ministry and the military branches. Additionally, his legacy includes the establishment of the Defense Industry Policy Committee, which aims to harmonize military procurement with the development of Indonesia’s defense industry, including policies on offsets and technology transfers. This background is crucial as Sjafrie steps into his new role, inheriting a legacy of strategic policy development. His appointment also coincides with a renewed focus on enhancing Indonesia’s defense capabilities, particularly in response to regional pressures like South China Sea tensions and the AUKUS pact, which heighten the need for a stable power balance between the U.S. and China. Beyond Procurement Indonesia’s greater role in geopolitical stage requires a strong defense posture, and Sjafrie will play a key role in advancing Prabowo’s vision. Therefore, it is essential that increased defense budgets translate not only into upgraded capabilities but also address internal challenges. Conversations with military officials and defense policy experts underscore several pressing challenges that need attention. Furthermore, force sustainment often lacks sufficient funding especially for maintenance, leading to decreased operational readiness for some critical systems. Currently, defense procurement heavily favors foreign manufacturers, relegating the domestic defense industry, including state-owned enterprises under the Defend ID holding company, to a supporting role for offset and technology transfer requirements. While modernization often necessitates foreign procurement, Sjafrie must ensure that these acquisitions bring meaningful benefits to the local industry through comprehensive offset agreements and technology transfers, fostering a self-sufficient and resilient defense industry. Sjafrie’s familiarity with these companies’ structural issues will be essential as he will need to lay out a sustainable defense procurement plan that will not only help state-owned defense companies such as PTDI, PAL, Pindad, LEN, and Dahana survive but also thrive. This will likely require balancing the expected quick outcomes in terms of defense capabilities with the more longer-term impact on the domestic defense industry. Structural reform Structural reform within the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) is another critical challenge – one that is often overlooked. With his strong political backing, Sjafrie is in a position to chart the future structure and size of the TNI, a proposal that past administrations have been reluctant to address due to its political sensitivity. The TNI, currently comprising 404,500 personnel, faces structural inefficiencies that Sjafrie will need to address. Over the years, the TNI has seen a growing number of high-ranking officers – often assigned to civilian roles – that has expanded its size without necessarily adding to its operational capacity. Defense analysts suggest that a leaner force could allow TNI to concentrate resources on training, equipment, and strategic readiness, creating a more agile and capable defense force. A former TNI Chief once suggested that 150,000 would be the ideal size for the Indonesian Army, which currently employs twice that number. Although opinions may vary on the exact figure, there is broad consensus on the need for a well-equipped, well-trained, and adequately compensated force – a goal that remains prohibitively expensive at its current size. Budget constraints, however, are an ever-present reality. While Prabowo is committed to defense, his strong emphasis on large-scale social programs means that defense budgets will remain tight, especially considering Indonesia’s economic realities in the uncertain global climate. In this context, Sjafrie is expected to craft strategic policies that focus on building Indonesia’s deterrence capabilities in critical areas and address the most pressing problems in order to maximize the impact of available resources. Another significant challenge for Sjafrie is gaining acceptance among civil society organizations, given his extensive military background, which includes deployments in conflict zones like the former East Timor and Aceh, as well as his involvement in Jakarta during the bloody unrest of 1998 as Indonesia transitioned to democracy. While history cannot be undone, Sjafrie would do well to follow in the footsteps of his former mentor, Juwono Sudarsono, who earned respect as a defense minister open to human rights issues and committed to reforming the security sector. In summary, as Sjafrie assumes his new role, he has the expertise and backing to make transformative changes. However, he faces considerable challenges in navigating budget constraints, a complex procurement process, and the balancing act between modernizing the military and supporting Indonesia’s defense industry. His job will not be easy, but if he chooses to embrace reforms that take Indonesia beyond the status quo, I am willing to give Sjafrie the benefit of the doubt.Indiana tries to snap 3-game losing skid to NebraskaGuest Opinion: The wrong way to fight climate change
LOWELL — The city of Lowell rolled out another tool in its homeless enforcement kit and started fining local organizations for the trash and vagrancy found on their private property generated by homeless people. And they started with Eliot Church on Summer Street. Charly Ott, the director of operations for the Eliot Church Day Center, found a sanitary code violation posted to the church’s front door. “The sanitary code inspector said, ‘I’m sorry I have to do this, but the [City] Manager [Tom Golden] has instructed me to fine the church for the minimum maintenance violation as listed on this document,’” Ott said by phone on Tuesday morning. Golden could not be reached for comment. The violation notice lists a $300-per-day fine, the first ever in the church’s history. But Ott said they simply don’t have the budget to care for the unhoused people and clean up the outside even as the staff tries to do both. The church, with St. Paul’s Kitchen, runs a day program that offers homeless people food and daytime shelter Monday through Friday, utilizing its Fellowship Hall and kitchen from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The church does not offer overnight shelter. “They want us to spend our time cleaning the yard rather than serving people with the resources that we have,” Ott said. “My staff is starting to crack.” The crackdown on the sanctuary’s services comes at a fraught time for the Day Center, which has seen the number of people it serves explode from 35 in 2020 to almost 200 people a day, while operating on the smaller budget. The center’s services were recently in danger of closing down due to the strain on the budget, temporarily alleviated by sacrifices by the staff. “We all took a 25% pay cut in order to be able to stay open past Nov. 1,” Ott said. There’s not only tension and stress in the nonprofit service community, but also on the street as pandemic funding evaporates, winter weather starts creeping in and more people are seeking services in Lowell. Eliot started its humanitarian mission in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when social distancing rules required extra community supports to help the city’s homeless population. That year, Eliot received a $200,000 Emergency Solutions COVID-related grant through the city from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the funds were used to launch the Day Center. But the end of COVID-era funding in March 2023 moved the population back out onto the streets. That summer, the number of unhoused people who call Lowell home jumped by a staggering 23% in just two months based on figures released by Director of Homeless Initiatives Maura Fitzpatrick. In July 2023, the office, which falls under the Department of Health and Human Services, counted 238 total adult homeless people in the city; by September, that number had risen to 291. A point-in-time count in January found nearly 300 unhoused people living in Lowell. Advocates say the number has grown even larger, with many of them calling the South Common Park on Summer Street, directly across the street from the church, home. By 2024, the 22.5-acre historic green space had become the city’s largest homeless encampment. On Nov. 12, the City Council passed an ordinance making it unlawful to camp on public property in the city of Lowell. The ordinance is enforceable through the Lowell Police Department and although no fines are assessed, violators can be moved along, have their belongings confiscated and be arrested. Many moved their belongings to private property like the small yard space that flanks Eliot Church’s perimeter, and with it, the debris and detritus that is commonly found with people who spend their lives outside. It’s that situation that ensnared Eliot Church in the city’s sanitation dragnet and a mounting daily fine. Eliot doesn’t have the money to pay it, Lori Hoffman said Tuesday afternoon. The longtime church member manages the books and other administrative responsibilities for the church, including managing the Day Center’s budget of $160,000 that is a mix of donations, state, federal and local funding and grants. “We cannot use many of our funds to pay the fine,” Hoffman said. “Not the church donations, the city [money], not the Parker Foundation or Cummings Foundation money. It comes out our operating budget.” Joyce Hughes’ roots to Eliot Church run deep. Her parents were married at the church and her family are lifelong members. She’s known Ott and Hoffman for years and calls the work to provide homeless services a sacred duty. Hughes took over as executive director of the Day Center when the Rev. Heather Doss, who founded the outreach program, left in April. “As Christians, we’re trying to help people and the city wants us to succeed at that,” Hughes said late Tuesday. “But then the building inspector has people complaining about the trash and has the sanitation inspector fine us because we don’t maintain our property.” She compared the constant trash pickup performed by the staff every day as “raking leaves in the wind.” “We can appeal, which of course we will,” she said. “I think it’s deplorable. Turning a blind eye isn’t helping and neither do fines. Let’s get them help or get them someplace that can help. Living on the streets isn’t helping them at all.”NoneSaudi Arabia banned film for 35 years. The Red Sea festival is just one sign of the industry's rise
This is a major factor in UMaine hockey team’s success
Published 5:45 pm Tuesday, November 26, 2024 By Minnesota Public Radio By Dana Ferguson A planned lottery to give some would-be cannabis business owners a licensing head start won’t go forward early this week after a judge halted the process Monday. Ramsey County District Court Judge Stephen Smith sided with a group of applicants who had been denied access to the social equity pre-approval lottery. They sued over a process they argued had lacked clear criteria and that left no room for appeals. “There’s no lottery tomorrow,” Smith ruled toward the end of an hour-long online hearing. He said the state was free to file an appeal. Ahead of the hearing, officials with the Office of Cannabis Management warned that the lottery might not happen at all if it was postponed given the cost and logistics of putting it on. Attorney David Asp, who represented some of the applicants, told Smith that the lottery was rushed and that people who were denied entry deserved a chance to contest their disqualification. “The state doesn’t dispute that our client will suffer irreparable harm if this order isn’t entered. That’s usually one of the main issues in an injunction, but it’s not a dispute here. Our clients will be harmed. As I said, more than $1,000,” Asp said. “The harm on the OCM side is entirely of their own making.” The Office of Cannabis Management had defended its process, saying they were attempting to root out applicants who were looking for a quick profit instead of actually moving to set up legitimate businesses. Officials with the regulatory agency said that some applications appeared to have been put in on behalf of other entrepreneurs trying to get a foothold in Minnesota’s nascent market. “The Legislature chose for this pre-approval process to be an efficient and expedient one, and part of that is evidenced by the fact that there is no appeals provided for the pre-approval process, whereas in the final license approval process there is an availability for reconsideration,” the agency’s attorney, Ryan Petty, said. “So a major factor of this is the Legislature’s decision to make this process efficient and expedient, so that the social equity applicants can get that head start.” In a written statement after the ruling, the office said the regulatory agency remained “committed to launching an equitable, sustainable and responsible adult-use cannabis marketplace.” There were more than 1,500 applicants for this stage of the licensing process, the agency said. The lottery was to narrow that down to 282. When the judge asked Petty about the timeline, including the lottery being scheduled shortly after denial letters went out, Petty said that the selection process involved several moving parts. “There wasn’t any hiding the ball here. There wasn’t any attempt to restrict the ability of applicants to challenge their denials,” he said. State lawmakers legalized cannabis for adult recreational use in 2023 but the setup of a retail marketplace has been slow. No licenses have been issued for commercial growers or sellers ahead of what is expected to be an early 2025 launch. People can grow their own marijuana and give away small quantities. American Indian tribes have also opened their own stores but those sales are limited to reservation land. The social equity lottery is intended to give a leg up to people who live in high poverty areas, those harmed by the war on drugs, and military veterans. Cristina Aranguiz is a first-generation Latina entrepreneur who applied for a license but was denied. She sued the office and said she was glad the judge agreed to block the lottery. “I am a legitimate applicant, not a straw buyer,” she said in a statement. “My application meets the criteria set by the state. I have colleagues who met the criteria and want to start a cannabis business, too, so I provided assistance to help them be successful. Helping others in this process is not improper.” State Sen. Lindsey Port, DFL-Burnsville, helped write the legislation that legalized cannabis and established the lottery system to issue licenses. She said the office did a good job vetting social equity applicants and preventing larger groups from getting in on the first round. “Once those folks get a foot in the door, it’s very hard to take back those licenses,” Port said. “It’s a unique system to Minnesota that really has always been focused on making sure that small businesses, folks with social equity backgrounds who have been most harmed by prohibition have an opportunity to get into this cycle.”
President-elect Donald Trump 's plans to have Matt Gaetz as his attorney general collapsed Thursday when the former congressman withdrew his name from consideration. Trump shocked the nation last week when he chose Gaetz to lead the Justice Department. The Florida Republican was a surprise pick, given his limited experience as a lawyer and because he was the subject of a federal sex trafficking investigation that concluded after the Biden administration declined to bring charges in 2022. Gaetz's nomination was controversial with members of both sides of the aisle and brought renewed attention to the House Ethics Committee investigation into the allegations of sexual abuse and illicit drug use against him. The Republican members of the panel voted to block the release of its report on Wednesday. What happened to Gaetz's nomination? CNN said Gaetz's decision to remove himself from consideration came within an hour after the network reached out to him for comment on new reporting. According to CNN , the woman who claims she had sex with Gaetz as a minor told the ethics committee that she had not one but two sexual encounters with him, the second time including an adult woman. Gaetz said in his announcement that he was withdrawing because his confirmation had "unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition." In a statement responding to the news, Trump said he "greatly appreciated" Gaetz's recent efforts and that he respected him for not wanting to be a "distraction for the Administration." The president-elect will now have to select someone else to lead the Justice Department. Is Todd Blanche next up? A favorite to replace Gaetz as the attorney general nominee is Todd Blanche, Trump's personal defense lawyer. Blanche, who famously represented the president-elect during his Manhattan criminal hush-money trial, has already been nominated by Trump as the new deputy attorney general. So, elevating Trump from the second-ranking DOJ official to the top of the chain could be a natural move. In the hush-money trial, Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a scheme to conceal payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the days leading up to the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter. Prior to joining Trump's legal team, Blanche was a federal prosecutor well experienced in white-collar defense cases. After earning his doctor of law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 2003, he joined New York's Southern District, helping to lead the violent crimes unit. He later joined Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, where he became a partner and represented Paul Manafort , a former Trump campaign chairman who was sentenced to prison for various financial crimes, and Igor Fruman, an associate of former Trump lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani . He left the firm and founded Blanche Law to represent Trump earlier this year. As deputy attorney general, Blanche would manage the department's day-to-day functions and serve as an adviser to the attorney general. Blanche isn't the only defense lawyer nominated by Trump to a position in his administration. Emil Bove, who played the other central role in the hush-money case, was chosen as the next principal associate deputy attorney general, and John Sauer, who successfully represented Trump before the U.S. Supreme Court in the presidential immunity case, has been selected as solicitor general. But while Blanche is being viewed by politicos as the next AG, Polymarket, the predictive betting website funded in part by early Trump backer Peter Thiel , does not have Blanche as the front-runner. Blanche has a 27 percent chance of becoming the next attorney general, according to the platform, his odds dropping from 32 percent right after Gaetz's announcement. Who else is in the running for AG? Jay Clayton, who served as the chairman of the Securities Exchange Commission during the first Trump administration, is the top pick on Polymarket with a 47 percent chance of being tapped as the next attorney general. Less than a week ago, Trump announced that he would nominate Clayton to be the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Also leading on Polymarket are Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, Utah Senator Mike Lee and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton . Moments after the news of Gaetz's withdrawal, former Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told CNN's Dana Bash that Trump is looking for an attorney general "who's going to be loyal, who's going to have his back, who's going to understand what [he] wants to get done." Bailey, Lee and Paxton are all Trump loyalists. Before Gaetz was chosen as the nominee, Bailey was reportedly a front-runner for the position. He unsuccessfully attempted to intervene in Trump's Manhattan criminal case earlier this year to halt the president-elect's sentencing. His high-profile cases as Missouri AG include the lawsuits against the Biden administration over its federal student loan forgiveness program and its alleged collusion with social media companies to censor conservative speech. Bailey was reelected to a full term earlier this month. He has held office since November 2022, when Missouri Governor Mike Parson appointed him to fill the vacancy left when Eric Schmitt was elected to the Senate . Polymarket gives Bailey a 16 percent chance of becoming the next attorney general. Lee has a 14 percent chance of replacing Gaetz, according to the betting platform. The senator was one of the top names for attorney general before Gaetz's nomination. Lee worked closely with Trump in the wake of his 2020 election loss, having voiced in text messages to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows that he offered his "unequivocal support for you to exhaust every legal and constitutional remedy at your disposal." Paxton is also close to the president-elect, having accompanied Trump in the courtroom during his trial in New York and waged an unsuccessful challenge to Trump's 2020 loss in four battleground states. Trump first floated Paxton as his attorney general in May, when he called the Texas Republican "a very talented guy" whom he would consider to lead the DOJ during a second Trump administration. Polymarket has Paxton with a 12 percent chance.Arsenal moves up to second in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Ipswich
The start of a new year can bring a surge of motivation around setting new goals, including financial resolutions. One way to help those goals become reality, financial experts say, is to make them as specific as possible. Then, track your progress, while allowing flexibility for unexpected challenges. “It’s easier to track progress when we know where we are going,” says Sylvie Scowcroft, a certified financial planner and founder of The Financial Grove in Cambridge, Massachusetts. That’s why she encourages her clients to set clearly defined goals, often related to paying off a specific debt, saving a certain amount per month or improving their credit score. Here are more tips from financial experts about crafting 2025 : Trying to accomplish too much can feel overwhelming. Instead, pick your priorities, says Cathleen Tobin, CFP and owner of Moonbridge Financial Design in Rhinebeck, New York. She suggests focusing on those big, often emotionally-driven goals to find motivation. “It’s more compelling than just a number,” she says. For example, do you want to make sure you’re on track for retirement or save money for a house? “Start there.” Scowcroft says she sees clients get tripped up by selecting overly broad goals, such as “get better with money.” Instead, she encourages people to select specific action items, such as “sign up for a budgeting tool and set aside time each month to learn where my money is going.” That level of specificity provides direction so you know what steps to take next, she adds. For example, if your top priority is to become debt-free, then your specific goal might be to pay off an extra $200 of your debt balance each month. Tobin says labeling so they correspond with goals can also help. An emergency fund could be named something like “Peace of mind in 2025,” so you remember why you’re saving every time you make a transfer. “It’s more motivating than just ‘emergency fund,’” Tobin says. Measuring your progress as the year unfolds is also a critical component of successful goal setting, Tobin says. She compares it to weight loss. If you want to lose 20 pounds by June, then you need to lose about a pound a week for the first six months of the year. Similarly, she says it helps to break savings goals into microsteps that specify what you need to do each week. Schedule a weekly or monthly check-in with yourself to make sure you are meeting those smaller goals along the way. You might want to review your debt payoff progress or check your , for example. “Being able to break it down into steps that can be done each week or twice a month really helps,” Tobin says. If your goal is to , then setting up an automatic transfer each month can help turn that goal into reality, as long as you know you have the money in your checking account to spare. Related Articles “It reduces the mental load,” says Mike Hunsberger, CFP and owner of Next Mission Financial Planning in St. Charles, Missouri, where he primarily supports veterans and current members of the military. He recommends starting small to ease into the change. “I wouldn’t jump to double what you’re currently saving,” he says. For example, when it comes to saving in a retirement account, if you’re starting with a 3% contribution, you might want to bump it up to 4%, then slowly increase it from there. “My number one piece of advice is to start small, but make sure you scale over time,” Hunsberger adds. “Because it’s gradual, you probably won’t notice it impacting your lifestyle.” “Stay flexible,” Scowcroft says. “Part of it is just being kind to yourself and not being too rigid.” When unexpected challenges come up, such as a big unplanned expense, you might have to pause making progress on your goal and reset. You might even need to change your goal. Scowcroft says that doesn’t mean you “failed,” just that life changed your plans. Dwelling on any negativity won’t help your forward progress. Sharing your goals with a friend can also make it easier to reach them, Scowcroft says. “It really helps to have an accountability buddy,” she says. She suggests putting a regular “money date” with your friend on the calendar so you can ask each other how you’re doing, brainstorm any challenges or even . “It’s a fun excuse to meet up with a friend.”
Inside Trump's new administration: From business moguls to TV personalitiesTrump expected to offer Kelly Loeffler secretary of AgricultureSarnia’s new zoning by-law could have a significant impact on residential development in the city, particularly for multi-family housing. The current draft imposes strict requirements for lot size and frontage, effectively excluding 4-plexes and other multi-family housing options. For example, properties currently listed on highlight how the proposed by-law would render some existing multi-family properties non-conforming. A triplex at 176 Christina Street South sits on a lot measuring 522.43 m2, well below the by-law’s minimum lot size of 840 m2 for triplexes. Its frontage of 11.5 meters also falls short of the required 21 meters. Similarly, a duplex at 162 John Street meets the lot size requirement but does not meet the 18-meter frontage requirement, with only 14.3 meters of frontage. These examples demonstrate how the by-law’s restrictive parameters could limit the potential for multi-family housing in certain areas. The by-law’s strict requirements come at a time when there is growing demand for affordable housing in central areas close to transit and amenities. Permitting 4-plexes and similar developments could help address this demand and diversify Sarnia’s housing stock. However, the current draft’s restrictions may pose challenges for achieving these goals, especially for properties that are already being used as multi-family housing but do not meet the proposed requirements. Resistance to zoning reform, especially when it comes to 4-plexes and missing-middle housing, reflects concerns about potential changes to neighborhoods. These include the possibility of increased investor activity, the demolition of affordable homes, or disruptions to the neighborhood’s character and affordability. Rather than focusing solely on the risks, it is essential to look at how similar properties have successfully coexisted in urban environments. Many neighborhoods, both locally and globally, thrive with a mix of single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and even small apartment buildings. The idea of having a variety of housing types isn’t inherently disruptive—it’s actually a model of resilience and adaptability that helps cities accommodate growing populations without sacrificing quality of life. Properties like those on Christina and John Streets are already part of Sarnia’s urban fabric, and allowing such properties to evolve with additional units could increase affordable housing options while maintaining neighborhood integrity. The proposed by-law presents a critical opportunity for Sarnia to evaluate whether current restrictions align with the city’s housing needs and long-term development goals. Although the deadline for submitting written comments has passed, residents can still participate in discussions about the proposed zoning by-laws:Their ages vary. But a conspicuous handful of filmmaking lions in winter, or let’s say late autumn, have given us new reasons to be grateful for their work over the decades — even for the work that didn’t quite work. Which, yes, sounds like ingratitude. But do we even want more conventional or better-behaved work from talents such as Francis Ford Coppola? Even if we’re talking about “Megalopolis” ? If Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” gave audiences a less morally complicated courtroom drama, would that have mattered, given Warner Bros.’ butt-headed decision to plop it in less than three dozen movie theaters in the U.S.? Coppola is 85. Eastwood is 94. Paul Schrader, whose latest film “Oh, Canada” arrives this week and is well worth seeking out, is a mere 78. Based on the 2021 Russell Banks novel “Foregone,” “Oh, Canada” is the story of a documentary filmmaker, played by Richard Gere, being interviewed near the end of his cancer-shrouded final days. In the Montreal home he shares with his wife and creative partner, played by Uma Thurman, he consents to the interview by two former students of his. Gere’s character, Leonard Fife, has no little contempt for these two, whom he calls “Mr. and Mrs. Ken Burns of Canada” with subtle disdain. As we learn over the artful dodges and layers of past and present, events imagined and/or real, Fife treats the interview as a final confession from a guarded and deceptive soul. He’s also a hero to everyone in the room, famous for his anti-Vietnam war political activism, and for the Frederick Wiseman-like inflection of his own films’ interview techniques. The real-life filmmaker name-checked in “Oh, Canada” is documentarian Errol Morris, whose straight-to-the-lens framing of interview subjects was made possible by his Interrotron device. In Schrader’s adaptation, Fife doesn’t want the nominal director (Michael Imperioli, a nicely finessed embodiment of a second-rate talent with first-rate airs) in his eyeline. Rather, as he struggles with hazy, self-incriminating memories of affairs, marriages, one-offs with a friend’s wife and a tense, brief reunion with the son he never knew, Fife wants only his wife, Emma — his former Goddard College student — in this metaphoric confessional. Schrader and his editor Benjamin Rodriguez Jr. treat the memories as on-screen flashbacks spanning from 1968 to 2023. At times, Gere and Thurman appear as their decades-young selves, without any attempt to de-age them, digitally or otherwise. (Thank god, I kind of hate that stuff in any circumstance.) In other sequences from Fife’s past, Jacob Elordi portrays Fife, with sly and convincing behavioral details linking his performance to Gere’s persona. We hear frequent voiceovers spoken by Gere about having ruined his life by age 24, at least spiritually or morally. Banks’ novel is no less devoted to a dying man’s addled but ardent attempt to come clean and own up to what has terrified him the most in the mess and joy of living: Honesty. Love. Commitment. There are elements of “Oh, Canada” that soften Banks’ conception of Fife, from the parentage of Fife’s abandoned son to the specific qualities of Gere’s performance. It has been 44 years since Gere teamed with Schrader on “American Gigolo,” a movie made by a very different filmmaker with very different preoccupations of hetero male hollowness. It’s also clearly the same director at work, I think. And Gere remains a unique camera object, with a stunning mastery of filling a close-up with an unblinking stillness conveying feelings easier left behind. The musical score is pretty watery, and with Schrader you always get a few lines of tortured rhetoric interrupting the good stuff. In the end, “Oh, Canada” has an extraordinarily simple idea at its core: That of a man with a movie camera, most of his life, now on the other side of the lens. Not easy. “I can’t tell the truth unless that camera’s on!” he barks at one point. I don’t think the line from the novel made it into Schrader’s script, but it too sums up this lion-in-winter feeling of truth without triumphal Hollywood catharsis. The interview, Banks wrote, is one’s man’s “last chance to stop lying.” It’s also a “final prayer,” dramatized by the Calvinist-to-the-bone filmmaker who made sure to include that phrase in his latest devotion to final prayers and missions of redemption. “Oh, Canada” — 3 stars (out of 4) No MPA rating (some language and sexual material) Running time: 1:34 How to watch: Opens in theaters Dec. 13, running 1in Chicago Dec. 13-19 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.; siskelfilmcenter.org Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.
Letter to the editor: Thoughts on juvenile detention, voting and ChristmasX, formerly known as Twitter, is facing increasingly strong competition. The social media platform was for a long time the only one in the niche of short text-based posts. However, in recent years, direct alternatives such as Threads and BlueSky have emerged. It seems that the exodus of X users is not only helping BlueSky, as Threads has received 35 million signups during November 2024. A few weeks ago, a group of X users initiated a campaign to “move” to alternative platforms. The people in question did not agree with the current management of X. Some of that user base reached out to BlueSky, eager to give the social network an opportunity. The company revealed that, by mid-November, they had around almost 15 million users compared to 9 million in September. Threads reportedly got 35 million new signups this month Now it is Threads that boasts new user registrations. According to Engadget , a Threads spokesperson told them that they reached 35 million signups during this month of November 2024 alone. Adam Mosseri—CEO of Instagram—had revealed in the middle of the month that November registrations totaled 15 million users at that time. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, revealed to investors that Threads has a total of 275 million monthly active users. By “active,” we assume he refers to users who continuously access and use the service. On the other hand, BlueSky still has a long way to go to catch up with both Threads and X. BlueSky has surpassed 20 million total users BlueSky just surpassed the barrier of 20 million total users. However, to be fair, Threads is supported by the Meta conglomerate behind it. This is not the first time that Threads has received millions of disgruntled X users. A few weeks ago, Elon Musk’s social network changed its policies related to user blocking and AI training. In the following hours, Threads reported a wave of half a million new registrations. Plus, X’s ban from Brazil brought 2 million new registrations to Threads.
Eliot Church fined $300 a day by city for homeless servicesAP Trending SummaryBrief at 2:49 p.m. EST
From 'ghost guns' to gangs, 5 lessons from Canada for NZ firearms reform
Dale Hamilton's performance at the Yukon Agriculture Association’s North of 60 Banquet showcased alternative farming methods and highlighted the challenges and benefits of transitioning from conventional to regenerative practices. One-woman theatre performance depicted a hypothetical debate among family members with different ideas about the future of their farm. They discussed the challenges of transitioning from conventional methods to regenerative practices, which are believed by Hamilton to help mitigate climate change. Dr. Dorthea Gregoire, a program manager at Canadian Organic Growers, spoke at the banquet and provided feedback on the performance during a question-and-answer session at the Yukon public library on Nov. 24. She commented on some of the methods brought up in the performance and shared an industry perspective to making the transition to sustainable practices. “I've been working with farmers for over a decade, but what I do is help farmers transition to regenerative organic agriculture,” Gregoire said. “I came to the Yukon because I find that small mixed farms are the easiest to transition. It has the biggest, quickest payoff to make those changes.” Specific examples of alternative farming practices during the performance focused on moving away from agrichemicals and towards more diverse, regenerative and nature-based approaches. These include using biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from waste wood, to improve soil health; implementing rotational soil trampling with cattle to naturally fertilize and aerate soil; transitioning from synthetic fertilizers to natural alternatives such as rock phosphates and nitrogen-fixing plants; and planting flower strips to attract natural pest predators. Dr. Gregoire, an attendee from Manitoba, pointed out that larger scale farming operations are encumbered by high debt and cash flow restrictions, often making transitions toward new farming methods risky. She noted that federal and territorial subsidies offer Yukon farmers a good opportunity to diversify their practices while reducing financial risk. The governments of Canada and Yukon jointly fund specific agricultural projects and initiatives, according to a Yukon government (YG) webpage. The eligibility criteria broadly covers whether a farming project’s operations can help reduce greenhouse gases, promote sector growth or adds resiliency. The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a $3.5 billion five-year agreement between the federal, provincial and territorial governments, according to a federal government webpage. Dr. Gregoire highlighted that these subsidies can provide a safety net for farmers to experiment with new projects that meet funding eligibility criteria, as she says has been demonstrated in the Yukon. Hamilton's performance highlighted the indigenous practice of growing corn, squash, and beans together to boost crop yield. According to the Yukon government website, developing a First Nations agriculture or food system qualifies for agricultural project funding. The “Three Sisters” crop model was noted in Hamilton’s performance and is widely used by several First Nations of the Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence Lowlands regions, according to a federal government webpage on scientific achievements in agriculture. Hiring scientific consultation for assessments on projects that require a permit from the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) is also an eligible activity for applicants of the YG agriculture fund. Hamilton's performance highlighted bio-dome wood-burning projects in Montana that use waste wood to produce biochar as a regenerative farming method. According to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act, this technology may require assessment or permitting for agricultural facility construction. Another possible requirement for permitting regenerative agricultural activities under the act is planting "beetle banks." This involves mixing flowers with crops to attract predator insects for pest control. The British Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust trialled this project and introduced the first beetle banks to the Netherlands, according to the European Regional Development Fund. Hamilton’s performance demonstrates a model that North American growers can adopt. The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario points out that while there are successful examples of beetle banks in North America, particularly in attracting predator beetles, these are mostly found in agroecosystems on the west coast of the United States. There are limited examples in the east or among small-scale farmers and market gardens.MILAN (Reuters) - Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi applauded his side after they held on for a slender 1-0 home win against RB Leipzig on Tuesday to go top of the Champions League standings. An own goal by RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba put Inter in front in the 27th minute before the Italian champions let their guard down in the second half and the visitors threatened an equaliser. "We are satisfied, we knew the importance of tonight's match," Inzaghi told Sky Sport. "We were playing against a valuable team, who until Sunday had the best defence in the Bundesliga. We played a great game, we were always balanced and it's not easy with them. "It's a shame we didn't score the second goal, but the team suffered relatively little." Denzel Dumfries misfired when presented with a good chance just after the restart and Henrikh Mkhitaryan thought he had doubled Inter's lead in stoppage time, but the goal was ruled out for a foul in the buildup. "There is clearly satisfaction, but to get into the top eight we still need a small step," Inzaghi said. Inter top the table with 13 points from five games, one point above second-placed Barcelona and third-placed Liverpool, who host defending champions Real Madrid on Wednesday. The top eight teams in the competition's new league phase qualify automatically for the last 16, and the next 16 go into a two-legged playoff to join them. "We've had an excellent run, four consecutive victories and five games without conceding a goal," Inzaghi added. "I was afraid of tonight's game, but the team is mature and knew not to be influenced by Leipzig's zero points." Leipzig, who are third in the Bundesliga, have not won a game in November and are still searching for their first European points after five consecutive defeats. (Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis)
U.S. stock indexes drifted lower following some potentially discouraging data on the economy. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% Thursday, its third loss in the last four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.7% from its record set the day before. A report earlier in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than forecast. A separate update showed that inflation at the wholesale level was hotter last month than economists expected. Adobe sank after issuing weaker-than-expected financial forecasts. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. On Thursday: The S&P 500 fell 32.94 points, or 0.5%, to 6,051.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 234.44 points, or 0.5%, to 43,914.12. The Nasdaq composite fell 132.05 points, or 0.7%, to 19,902.84. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 33.08 points, or 1.4%, to 2,361.08. For the week: The S&P 500 is down 39.02 points, or 0.6%. The Dow is down 728.40 points, or 1.6%. The Nasdaq is up 43.07 points, or 0.2%. The Russell 2000 is down 47.91 points, or 2%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,281.42 points, or 26.9%. The Dow is up 6,224.58 points, or 16.5%. The Nasdaq is up 4,891.49 points, or 32.6%. The Russell 2000 is up 334.01 points, or 16.5%.Depleted Notre Dame defense hopes to make an impact against Georgia in CFP quarterfinals