The time for bare root season is winter | Tony Tomeo
Will Trump's return lead to a new wave of bestselling books?the assistant running backs coach, has one of the most inspiring stories in the . Despite losing his right arm in a tragic accident as a child, Ellett defied the odds to become a celebrated athlete and now works alongside legendary figures like and . His journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and a touch of humor, making it one of the most remarkable tales in professional football. After enduring years of pain and limited mobility, made a life-changing decision at age 16 to amputate his non-functional arm. This courageous step freed him to focus on excelling in sports and life without physical constraints. His high school years showcased his resilience: excelled in basketball and baseball, earning district MVP honors and first-team all- recognition. His success against all odds earned him national acclaim and inspired everyone who witnessed his journey. From Utah to the NFL A chance connection with ' head coach marked the beginning of career. son-in-law introduced the two, and , impressed by determination, invited him to join the organization in 2017 as his personal assistant. hard work quickly paid off. By 2020, he was promoted to offensive quality control coach, and in 2022, he became the assistant running backs coach. His contributions have been pivotal in the ' offensive strategies and player development. A special bond with Patrick Mahomes influence extends beyond coaching. He shares a unique connection with quarterback , helping him warm up before every game despite having only one arm. credits positivity and drive as an inspiration to the entire team, even predicting that has the potential to become an head coach. An unstoppable force journey from a small town to the sidelines is a testament to resilience, grit, and unrelenting determination. His story inspires not just the but also countless fans who see him as proof that adversity can lead to greatness.
Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of commentary online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• Dick Beardsley, the legendary Minnesota marathon runner, had knee surgery in early September, the day before I left Minneapolis for Detroit Lakes to run a popular 10K race that bears his name. That’s how I met Amy Stearns, a relentless Detroit Lakes booster, Beardsley race organizer and someone gifted at persuading people to do slightly uncomfortable stuff without planning. Five minutes after I showed up at the pre-race pasta feed in Washington Ballpark Field — where nearly 200 runners had paid $10 to carbo-load and hear Beardsley sing and play his guitar — Stearns, whom I had never met in person, told me I would be filling in for the famous no-show. “Speak a few words. Talk about the rebranding of the Minnesota Star Tribune. Tell them why you drove 200 miles to run six miles,” she said. Beardsley was the primary reason I made the drive. I was just as disappointed as the rest of the crowd. But Stearns’ assignment was quite easy, especially after she informed me that she’s a fan of the Strib. Besides, I know my tribe. Runners run when no one chases. We embrace pain. We celebrate when fatigue renders a beautiful face unrecognizable. The mere act of running is the currency that unites. That was my premise to a crowd of unfamiliar people, who returned the group hug. The next morning, as I raced around picturesque Detroit Lakes, two observations stood out. The first was a boy around 10 whom I spotted near the halfway mark. I don’t care how old I get; I don’t enjoy being beat by a child. After I caught up to the boy, he and I became instant race-support partners when he informed me he needed to vomit. I encouraged him to move to the side of the road so as not to spew on others. He slowed but never stopped. After he regained his composure, we finished the race together, strategically picking off people along the route. He finished a step ahead of me. I’ll be aiming for him next year. The other observation was the lack of political yard signage along the route. Even though we were in the thick of a contentious political season, no lawn that I noticed was used as a showcase to support or demonize. In fact, during my visit, people were more interested in talking about the Detroit Lakes trolls that have garnered some national and international attention. President-elect Donald Trump overwhelmingly carried Becker County, of which Detroit Lakes sits as the county seat. Incumbent U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar easily retained her seat, even though her Republican challenger Royce White trounced her in Becker County. As for the single statewide ballot question, the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund renewal won more than 70% of the votes cast in Becker County. Why does that matter? On this beautiful September weekend, a Minnesota community was open, welcoming, vibrant and fun for visitors and residents alike. Political differences didn’t serve as a moat or electric fence as they sometimes seem to do. In an email Stearns sent me in August after reading in my inaugural Strib column that I had registered for the Beardsley race, she wrote: “In Detroit Lakes, we firmly believe in casting a wide net and rising above any political divides. We understand that we all have chosen to live in this gorgeous lake area and that we need to pull together to make our small town the BEST place to live. “Yes, of course, our neighbors don’t always vote the way [we do], but we also know that they love a cold beverage, great conversation, delicious food, and a sunset pontoon cruise. These things are universal.” Stearns and her husband have offered me a standing invitation back to their place for dinner, disproving the maxim that Minnesota Nice stops at the entrance to one’s home. The important state and local conversations that Stearns references are the same ones we at the Minnesota Star Tribune are committed to embracing. In the coming year, we on the opinion staff intend to keep a much closer eye on state government. We will consistently examine and reflect on how the actions of elected officials affect us all. We’ll also remain vigilantly mindful of overarching issues that bind us as one state — as opposed to a collection of red, blue or purple counties. We‘ll continue to expand our Strib Voices roster, composed of recognized and emerging important voices from around Minnesota. This will allow us to continue to position ourselves as the state’s water cooler, regardless of the part of Minnesota you call home. We are also continuing to grow and calibrate our Editorial Board to focus more tightly on the Minnesota ecosystem. Our primary aim is to provide actionable commentary based on Star Tribune investigations and familiarity with the institutions and agencies that guide policy. In the coming year, we pledge to relentlessly use our commentary to continue to earn and retain your trust. In a season of thankfulness, we’re grateful we have a place in your home.ESPN Computer Releases Pick For Lions vs. Bears Thanksgiving Game
The China Fund, Inc. Announces Date of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
Three Point Shot - November 2024
Texas hosts Northwestern State, hopes to ride momentum into SEC playBillionaire Elon Musk has been using his social media platform X to go to bat for President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks and promote his own preferred candidates, advocating for choices he views as change agents who will help remake the US government. In several high-profile cases, however, Musk backed people who either lost out on the roles or withdrew from consideration, suggesting some early limits to the Republican mega donor's influence even as he has emerged as one of Trump's most powerful allies. Musk, who has 206 million followers on X, posted or reposted about Trump's cabinet picks more than 70 times between Nov. 7 and Nov. 20, a Reuters review found. Though the posts represented just a fraction of his more than 2,000 posts during that period, Musk in many cases used them to give attention to Trump's most controversial choices, including former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for US intelligence chief and environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr to lead the top US health agency. Musk most enthusiastically rallied support for Matt Gaetz, the former congressman Trump initially tapped to be his attorney general. In the days following Gaetz's Nov. 13 nomination, Musk posted 37 times about Gaetz or his wife Ginger, mostly in positive terms. That was far more than his posts about Trump's other appointments. Gaetz backed out of consideration on Nov. 21, saying his candidacy had become a distraction for Trump amid allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug abuse. He has denied wrongdoing. For Trump's Treasury secretary, Musk pushed for Wall Street financier Howard Lutnick over hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, whom Musk dismissed as "a business-as-usual choice." Bessent got the job anyway. And in a separate fight over Senate leadership, Musk's endorsed candidate also came up short. One Trump ally said those misses showed the limitations of Musk's sway. Musk's reach on X "doesn’t mean he’s an effective advocate for his positions or chosen cabinet members," the Trump ally said. "He's still learning how to operate in politics." Spokespeople for X and Musk did not respond to Reuters requests for comment for this story. Musk, who owns X and rocket company SpaceX and is chief executive of the electric car company Tesla Inc. TSLA.O, poured at least $119 million into getting Trump elected and has been a near-constant fixture at Trump's Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, since his election victory earlier this month. The two men attended an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in New York and a SpaceX launch in Texas, and Musk traveled with Trump to Washington for his meeting with President Joe Biden. On Saturday, Musk reposted a photo that showed him sitting with Trump, Lutnick and Republican Senator Joni Ernst at Mar-a-Lago, where they were discussing cabinet nominees, according to the caption. "Elon Musk and President Trump are great friends and brilliant leaders working together to Make America Great Again. Elon Musk is a once-in-a-generation business leader, and our federal bureaucracy will certainly benefit from his ideas and efficiency," said Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the Trump transition team. Musk's close proximity to Trump has prompted some hand-wringing and complaints from the transition team, who were not accustomed to him being around so much, according to two sources close to Trump staff. Amid increased scrutiny of his unusual role, Musk wrote in a post on X on Nov. 20 that while he had offered his opinion on some candidates, he was not in charge. "Many selections occur without my knowledge and decisions are 100% that of the President," Musk said. Elon Musk: Trump win could hand Tesla billionaire unprecedented power Efficiency and emojis Musk's political posts on X far outnumbered those he used to promote his three businesses, the Reuters review found. He frequently mocks liberals and posts about government waste and Trump's newly created government efficiency panel, which the president-elect tapped Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead. Musk's typical posts consist either of an emoji or a short response to other posts. "Exactly," he wrote on Nov. 14, in response to a post noting that Trump's cabinet picks were "young outsiders" who "skipped the line." He responded with “Awesome” and a smile emoji on Nov. 13 to a post that said: “They put Tulsi Gabbard on a terror watchlist. Now she’s Director of National Intelligence. The biggest ‘F you’ to the Deep State Swamp.” On Nov. 16, as questions swirled about who Trump would pick for his Treasury secretary, Musk wrote on X that Bessent was "a business-as-usual choice," while Lutnick would "actually enact change." Musk also lobbied against Bessent internally, two sources close to Trump said. His efforts fell flat. On Nov. 22, Trump tapped Bessent for the job. Earlier in the month, Musk threw his support behind Republican Senator Rick Scott for Senate majority leader. Trump chose not to weigh in, and Scott ultimately lost to Senator John Thune for the position. One source close to Musk was struck by Musk's willingness to stick with Trump even after he’s been “shut down a couple of times” by the president-elect. "That’s very rare for a billionaire," the source said. "In general when they don’t get what they want, they walk away." The source said Musk was committed to Trump's government efficiency efforts. "He's really focused on the goal," the source said. Another test of Musk's influence lies ahead. Since the election, he has posted six times in support of Trump loyalist Kash Patel running the FBI. Patel, who served on Trump's National Security Council during his first term, has promised to go after politicians and journalists perceived to be enemies of Trump. Musk's X posts make clear that he sees Patel as the best option for change and reform. On Nov. 14, Musk posted a “100%” emoji in response to a clip of Patel saying that he would shut down the FBI’s headquarters on day one of Trump's new administration and reopen it as a “Deep State Museum,” with the caption “Make him FBI director.” Reporting by Helen Coster in New York and Alexandra Ulmer in San Francisco. Additional reporting by Ned Parker. Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Alistair Bell.
Starmer says ‘bulging benefits bill’ is ‘blighting our society’Man accused of hilariously bad opsec as alleged cybercrime spree detailed
Global stocks pressured ahead of Fed decision
On Sunday, Japan will hold its first memorial ceremony for “all workers” who lost their lives at the Sado Island Gold Mines. Recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the mines hold a controversial legacy tied to Japan’s wartime history. Despite acknowledging the brutal conditions under which Korean laborers were forced to work during World War II, the Japanese government has avoided explicitly detailing these atrocities, a move critics say reflects a longstanding reluctance to confront its past. The Associated Press delves into the history of the Sado mines, the controversy surrounding their recognition, and what the upcoming memorial signifies. What Are the Sado Gold Mines? Located on Sado Island off the western coast of Japan’s Niigata prefecture, the Sado gold mines were once the world’s largest producers of gold. Discovered in 1601, they operated for nearly 400 years, supplying gold to the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo period (1600-1868). The mines ceased operations in 1989 and have since been developed into a tourist attraction, offering visitors insight into mining technology and production methods through preserved shafts and ore dressing facilities. However, beneath their historical and cultural significance lies a darker chapter. During World War II, the mines became sites of forced labor, where hundreds of Koreans toiled under brutal conditions. Critics argue that Japan’s depiction of the Sado mines often glorifies their historical contributions while glossing over their association with Korean forced labor. The mines were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in July 2024 after Japan agreed to include exhibits detailing the conditions of Korean laborers and committed to holding a memorial ceremony to honor all workers. What’s the Controversy? The Japanese government’s handling of the Sado mines’ history has been a point of contention, particularly with South Korea. During the July UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting, Japan installed new exhibition materials that acknowledged the hardships endured by Korean laborers. This included statements about their exposure to dangerous tasks, poor living conditions, and health problems such as lung disease. While Japan recognized these difficulties, it stopped short of labeling the labor “forced,” a term that carries deeper implications of wartime culpability. Historians and records indicate that many Korean workers were forcibly brought to Japan to address labor shortages as Japanese men were deployed to battlefronts. At the Sado mines alone, approximately 1,500 Koreans worked in perilous conditions, according to wartime documents. South Korea initially opposed the UNESCO listing, citing the omission of Korean forced laborers’ experiences. It later supported the inclusion after Japan agreed to address these omissions and organize a memorial. Nonetheless, South Korea continues to emphasize the importance of accurate historical representation. Critics, such as wartime historian Yasuto Takeuchi, argue that the Sado mines controversy reflects Japan’s broader denialism regarding its wartime atrocities. Takeuchi highlights Japan’s attempts to “beautify and justify” its history for tourism and national pride, sidelining the experiences of Korean victims. Who Does the Ceremony Commemorate? The memorial ceremony is intended to honor all workers who died at the Sado mines, including the hundreds of Koreans forced to labor during Japan’s colonization of the Korean Peninsula (1910-1945). Organized by local politicians, business owners, and volunteers, the event’s preparation was overseen by local government officials. Approximately 100 individuals are expected to attend, including representatives from Japan’s local and central governments, South Korean Foreign Ministry officials, and relatives of Korean laborers. Guests will observe a moment of silence for those who perished due to accidents or other causes at the mines. However, the event has sparked dissatisfaction in South Korea, where critics accuse their government of lacking transparency in its communications with Japan. Questions have been raised about why Seoul supported the memorial without securing a firm commitment from Tokyo to explicitly highlight the plight of Korean laborers. Adding to the controversy, the South Korean government has agreed to cover travel expenses for families of Korean victims invited to the ceremony, fueling accusations of leniency in holding Japan accountable. Japan’s Wartime Accountability Japan has long faced criticism for its handling of wartime history, including its colonization of Korea and the exploitation of Korean laborers and “comfort women”—a euphemism for women forced into sexual servitude for Japanese soldiers. While historians document the atrocities committed under Japanese rule, the government has often downplayed its role, referring to forced laborers as “civilian workers” and using euphemistic language to describe victims. Compensation demands for these abuses have repeatedly strained Japan-South Korea relations. In 2018, South Korea’s Supreme Court ordered Japanese companies to compensate forced labor victims, a decision Japan opposed, citing the 1965 normalization treaty that settled wartime claims. Recent geopolitical pressures have prompted the two nations to mend ties, particularly as the United States urged closer cooperation in light of China’s growing influence. South Korea’s conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol announced in March 2023 that a domestic fund would compensate forced labor victims without requiring Japanese contributions. Japan’s then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed sympathy during a visit to Seoul, marking a thaw in relations. However, critics argue that Japan’s broader approach to wartime history remains problematic. Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the government rejected terms like “sex slavery” and “forced labor” and instead promoted sanitized narratives of its past. Tourism and Historical Revisionism Listing sites like the Sado mines as UNESCO World Heritage landmarks aligns with Japan’s tourism strategy. By emphasizing industrial achievements while downplaying wartime exploitation, critics say Japan seeks to attract visitors while avoiding accountability. “The government wants to commercialize sites like the Sado mines by beautifying and justifying their history,” Takeuchi remarked. The approach, he said, underscores a broader reluctance to engage with the darker aspects of Japan’s past. Conclusion The memorial ceremony at the Sado mines reflects a complex intersection of history, politics, and diplomacy. While it marks a step toward acknowledging the workers who lost their lives, the event’s lack of explicit recognition for Korean forced laborers underscores ongoing tensions. As Japan and South Korea navigate their shared history, the ceremony serves as a reminder of the need for honest dialogue and reconciliation—a challenge that continues to shape the two nations’ relationship.
Blair leads tributes to Labour giant John Prescott Lord Prescott was the MP for Hull East for almost 40 years Tributes have been paid to Lord John Prescott, a major figure in Labour politics and the former deputy prime minister, following his death at the age of 86. Known for his blunt, no-nonsense style, Lord Prescott was Sir Tony Blair's loyal deputy for 10 years after Labour's 1997 general election landslide. Sir Tony said he was "devastated" by the death of his friend, telling the BBC there was "no one quite like him in British politics". His successor Gordon Brown called Lord Prescott a "working class hero", while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed a "true giant" of the Labour movement. The King praised his "decades of public service" and recalled "with great fondness his unique and indomitable character, as well as his infectious sense of humour". In a statement announcing his death, Lord Prescott's wife and two sons said he had been in a care home recently living with Alzheimer's. They said he died "surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery". Sir Tony said the pair would talk via videocall in recent times, and Lord Prescott was "still as lively and punchy as ever". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the former prime minister said Lord Prescott reached parts of the electorate that he could not, and was "loyal, committed and an enormous help" as his deputy. However, he said their relationship was not just... Becky MortonBlair leads tributes to Labour giant John Prescott Lord Prescott was the MP for Hull East for almost 40 years Tributes have been paid to Lord John Prescott, a major figure in Labour politics and the former deputy prime minister, following his death at the age of 86. Known for his blunt, no-nonsense style, Lord Prescott was Sir Tony Blair's loyal deputy for 10 years after Labour's 1997 general election landslide. Sir Tony said he was "devastated" by the death of his friend, telling the BBC there was "no one quite like him in British politics". His successor Gordon Brown called Lord Prescott a "working class hero", while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed a "true giant" of the Labour movement. The King praised his "decades of public service" and recalled "with great fondness his unique and indomitable character, as well as his infectious sense of humour". In a statement announcing his death, Lord Prescott's wife and two sons said he had been in a care home recently living with Alzheimer's. They said he died "surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery". Sir Tony said the pair would talk via videocall in recent times, and Lord Prescott was "still as lively and punchy as ever". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the former prime minister said Lord Prescott reached parts of the electorate that he could not, and was "loyal, committed and an enormous help" as his deputy. However, he said their relationship was not just... Becky Morton
Global stocks pressured ahead of Fed decision