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Houston's Trusted Mobile Locksmith Service Offers 24/7 AssistanceEd Miliband’s plans for cheap green energy are based on the assumption that the , according to critics. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has admitted that their estimates for the energy capacity of in an official report on energy costs rest on the assumption that they “operate at their technical maximum”. The admission was made by a senior department official in a letter to Gordon Hughes, emeritus professor at Edinburgh University and Andrew Montford, director of the campaign group Net Zero Watch. Professor Hughes and Mr Montford wrote to the DESNZ permanent secretary to question why one of the department’s major reports into energy costs relies on the assumption that an offshore wind farm will deliver an average of 61 per cent of its capacity each year - the so-called “load factor” or “capacity factor”. They argue that the fleet average capacity factor has been around 40 per cent for many years and is “only rising very slowly”. In response, a DESNZ official explained that it is “standard” practice for such estimates to be calculated “assuming that they operate at their technical maximum” in order to enable comparison across technology classes. But critics have said using such a figure for offshore wind farms could lead to an to consumers of green energy. Lord Frost, a Tory peer and trustee of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, accused the government of . “The department assumes that wind farms ‘operate at their technical maximum’ - in simpler language, that the wind is blowing a gale at all times over their decades-long lifetime,” he said. “They are not looking at the reality that sometimes the wind isn’t blowing at all and sometimes it is only blowing a bit. They are assuming it is always blowing at full pelt.” Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, warned that the department’s current modelling “doesn’t factor in the true price of renewables”. She also urged caution over the figures used in the recent National Energy System Operator (Neso) report on Mr Miliband’s plans to decarbonise the electricity grid by 2030. “Using the wrong load factor makes renewables look artificially cheaper compared to nuclear or gas,” Ms Coutinho said. “The British public deserve urgent answers as Ed Miliband promised to save people £300, but between this and the Neso report, it’s clear the figures are being statistically gerrymandered. If you plug in the right figures it shows his plans will mean ruinously expensive electricity.” It comes after that Ed Miliband’s promise of cheap green electricity by 2030 is based on inflated figures. The Energy Secretary has said his target for the grid to be run on zero carbon power within six years can bring cheaper electricity to households across the country. He has cited a report from Neso, an independent public body, which was commissioned by his department after the election. The report, which investigates the feasibility of reaching the 2030 goal, found that overall costs to consumers would not increase from the shift to a clean power system. It looks at the costs of accelerating the mass deployment of offshore and onshore wind and solar panels, including the rollout of hundreds of miles of pylons and cables. It compares that to the counterfactual of going slower on renewables and continuing to use gas to produce a significant amount of the UK’s electricity. But the conclusion that Mr Miliband’s plans will not raise bills re until the end of the decade, the Centre for Policy Studies, a centre-Right think tank, said in a report.
The Miller Beach Tourism Bureau has installed maps around the lakefront Miller section of Gary highlighting local merchants, including at the new South Shore Line Station. It also established the visitmillerbeachgary.com website with a directory of local businesses and detailed guide to the Indiana Dunes National Park, Lake Michigan and other attractions. It is further launching a social media presence on Instagram and Facebook that showcases the area's natural beauty and role as the western gateway to the Indiana Dunes. Small businesses owners came together to form the Miller Beach Tourism Bureau group, which landed grant funding from the Knight Foundation and Legacy Foundation to promote Miller Beach as an ecotourism destination. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The graphic designer Brianna Schwab designed the Miller Beach business district map sign, which has been installed on Lake Street and the South Shore Miller Park. A new highway exit sign also was added on Dunes Highway. New wayfinding signs were put in to guide visitors to Marquette Park and the newly reopened Douglas Nature Center, which is part of the Indiana Dunes National Park and a trailhead for the Miller Woods. Brochures, a detailed downtown map and tear sheets were distributed to local businesses to help guide people to businesses like Indie Indie Bang Bang, Tiny's Coffee Bar and the Miller School Shops & Spaces. "We are so very grateful to NICTD for fabricating and installing this sign," said Peggy Blackwell, President of the Miller Beach Tourism Bureau. "Miller Beach is a hyperconnected destination. In just 50 minutes from Millennium Station in downtown Chicago, visitors can disembark with a bike and ride to Lake Michigan in just 20 minutes. Along the way, they’ll find charming restaurants, unique shops, and key points of the Indiana Dunes National Park, including the Douglas Nature Center. This sign will help guide visitors from the train station to all of these amazing places." For more information, visit visitmillerbeachgary.com .CPI(M) demands immediate withdrawal of election rule amendment
Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. Week 16 game between Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers flexed to Thursday night spot The Los Angeles Chargers have played their way into another prime time appearance. Justin Herbert and company have had their Dec. 22 game against the Denver Broncos flexed to Thursday night, Dec. 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been flexed to the Thursday night spot. The league amended its policy last season where Thursday night games in Weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days notice prior to the game. The matchup of AFC West division rivals bumps the game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen's title chances LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen is suddenly in jeopardy of being denied a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title Saturday night. Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes, which led both practice sessions. Red Bull says it doesn’t have a replacement rear wing in Las Vegas to fix the issue and little chance of getting two flown in from England ahead of the race. Caitlin Clark to join Cincinnati bid for 16th National Women's Soccer League team WNBA star Caitlin Clark has joined Cincinnati’s bid for an expansion National Women’s Soccer League team. Major League Soccer franchise FC Cincinnati is heading the group vying to bring a women’s pro team to the city. The club issued a statement confirming Clark had joined the bid group. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has said the league plans to announce the league’s 16th team by the end of the year. The league's 15th team will begin play in 2026 in Boston. Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians CLEVELAND (AP) — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in an MLB game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt. Nakken, 34, will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Aaron Judge won't be bothered if Juan Soto gets bigger contract from Yankees than his $360M deal NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge won’t be bothered if Juan Soto gets a bigger deal from the New York Yankees than the captain’s $360 million, nine-year contract. Speaking a day after he was a unanimous winner of his second MVP, Judge says “It ain’t my money” and adds "that’s never been something on my mind about who gets paid the most.” Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks in his first season with the Yankees, then became a free agent at age 26. In a 'Final Four-type weekend,' two top-6 clashes put women's college basketball focus on West Coast LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two games featuring four powerhouse teams has put the focus in women's college basketball on the West Coast this weekend. JuJu Watkins and No. 3 Southern California host Hannah Hidalgo and No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday. Top-ranked South Carolina visits Lauren Betts and fifth-ranked UCLA on Sunday. Both games are nationally televised and the arenas are expected to be packed. WNBA scouts will be on hand to check out some of the nation's top talent. Two teams will come away with their first losses of the season. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb calls it “a Final Four-type weekend.” A documentary featuring Watkins will air on NBC ahead of USC's game, which leads into the Army-Notre Dame football game. Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga Blame it on the noodles. That's what one Chinese official suggested when anti-doping leaders were looking for answers for the doping scandal that cast a shadow over this year's Olympic swim meet. Earlier this year, reports that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned heart medication emerged. None were sanctioned because Chinese authorities determined the swimmers were contaminated by traces of the drug spread about a hotel kitchen. In a strange twist, the leader of China's anti-doping agency suggested this case could have been similar to one in which criminals were responsible for tainting noodles that were later eaten by another Chinese athlete who also tested positive for the drug.Mavericks come from behind to upset Colorado State-Pueblo in NCAA playoffsWordle answer today (#1277): Hints, clues, and solution for December 17, 2024
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CLEMSON — How many times did Clemson’s defense think it had South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers tackled behind the line of scrimmage or corralled in the open field? How many times? A half-dozen? A dozen, even? Probably more. The former South Florence High School star would just shrug off the Tiger defenders like a bully in the schoolyard. LaNorris Sellers shredded Clemson's rushing defense all afternoon. Sellers accounted for 330 yards of total offense and scored two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 68 seconds left, as 15th-ranked South Carolina rallied to beat No. 12 Clemson 17-14 on Nov. 30 in the biggest game in the Palmetto State rivalry in more than a decade. Sellers left the partisan Clemson crowd and most of the Tigers' coaching staff speechless after his performance. Sellers’ coach, Shane Beamer, wasn’t surprised or amazed at the number of broken tackles or scrambles that his QB turned into big gains for the Gamecocks. Beamer has seen it all in practice over the past two seasons. “That young man has been gifted with some God-given abilities, genetics to do what he does on the field,” Beamer said. “He’s a competitor, a winner, he’s special. In the environment he’s done it in, in the moments that he’s done it in, it’s amazing. “He put this team on his back today and made two of the biggest plays of the day. That’s why he’s special.” Clemson had Sellers dead to rights on several occasions for what appeared to be sure sacks, only to have the Florence native slip out of the grasp of would-be tacklers and weave his way down the field. South Carolina defense hoping to bring 'chaos' to Clemson passing game His play over the entire year has earned the redshirt freshman a nickname among his teammates. “He’s magic out there,” said South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. “That’s why we call him ‘LaMagic.’” With USC trailing 14-10 with five minutes to play, Sellers methodically led the Gamecocks 75 yards down the field for the game-winning score. He threw a 17-yard screen pass to Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Took a broken play and turned it into a 27-yard gain to the Tigers’ 25. A short pass to Nyck Harbor took the ball to the Tigers' 15. After Sanders was stopped for no gain on first down, an incomplete pass in the end zone and a procedure penalty, the Gamecocks faced third-and-15 from the Tigers’ 20. It was supposed to be a pass, but Sellers felt pressure, stepped up in the pocket, eluded a Clemson defender and raced nearly untouched into the end zone with 1:08 to play. 'Just another game' for QB LaNorris Sellers as he faces Clemson for first time “I looked at my first read, my second read, and they were covered,” said Sellers, who rushed for a game-high 166 yards. “Then I saw green grass and took off.” Beamer had a much simpler explanation for the Sellers’ heroics. “It was like the old Chicago Bulls coach, Doug Collins, said,’” Beamer said. “Get the ball to Michael Jordan and get the bleep out of the way. That’s what we did. We got the ball to LaNorris and got out of his way.'” On the other sideline, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney could only shake his head in disbelief at what he was witnessing. “We had him dead to rights a couple of time,” Swinney said. “It’s like a rerun and it doesn’t matter who he was playing against this season because he did the same thing to them. It’s the same each week, week after week. He’s just special. He was a huge difference in this game.” Sellers has been good enough over the last six games to get Heisman Trophy consideration, Beamer said. “LaNorris Sellers is the best player in the country,” Beamer said. “All you media people who are voting on the Heisman, if you’re not voting for him in the mix for the Heisman Trophy, you are biased. Name me a player in the country that is doing more than that kid, particularly today.” What to watch as Gamecocks head to Clemson It was the sixth consecutive overall victory for the Gamecocks and the second straight time that USC has beaten Clemson at Memorial Stadium. But was it enough for the Gamecocks to make the 12-team College Football Playoffs? Beamer certainly thinks so. “Look, the committee has a really tough job, they have to chose the 12 best teams in the country,” Beamer said. “I get it, we have three losses. It’s hard for me to sit here and say we’re not one of the 12 best teams in the country when you look at our strength of schedule and look at our wins on the road. “There are some very deserving teams out there, but if the committee’s job is to pick the 12 best teams, well, you tell me? On Selection Sunday, if USC’s name pops up in that bracket, are there any teams that would be excited about playing us? Probably not.” And that's because of "LaMagic." What to watch as Clemson tries to deny South Carolina another flag-planting in Death Valley
Signals Market Expansion in the State of Texas ADDISON, Texas , Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Solis Mammography , the nation's largest independent provider of specialized breast health services, has announced its entry into the third largest metropolitan area in Texas with its most recent acquisition of Avestēe Women's Imaging Centers in San Antonio . Avestēe is known for its state-of-the-art imaging expertise and its beautiful and calming patient environment. With Avestēe's six imaging locations, Solis Mammography now has a presence in the major metropolitan areas of Texas , including Dallas-Fort Worth , Houston , San Antonio and Austin . "Growth provides access and access changes lives," said Grant Davies , CEO of Solis Mammography. "Our goal with every market and every community we enter is to advance our mission of early breast cancer detection, and we never want to lose sight of that. We know that when we change the way mammography is experienced through innovative practices, improved technology and patient-centered care, we can make a difference. We hope to build on Avestēe's more than 10-year history of providing an expert and personalized approach to women's imaging." Founded in 2013 by Suzanne Dabbous , MD, Avestēe has provided patients with expert radiologic interpretations in a compassionate, non-clinical environment. The practice has six locations in San Antonio , Boerne and Spring Branch, Texas . "Avestēe Women's Imaging Centers' commitment to expert, compassionate care aligns perfectly with Solis Mammography's mission and vision for the future. We are excited to continue growing by joining the Solis family, a national leader in breast imaging and women's health innovation," said Dr. Dabbous. Solis Mammography combines clinical excellence with cutting-edge AI-screening technology to deliver exceptional patient-centered care – a tradition maintained for 40 years. The acquisition of Avestēe Women's Imaging Centers expands the company's footprint into its 19 th major market. About Solis Mammography Solis Mammography, a premier women's health company and the nation's largest independent provider of specialized breast health services, has been dedicated to elevating mammography services and maintaining breast health and peace of mind for 40 years. Headquartered in Addison, Texas , Solis Mammography operates more than 141 centers in 19 major markets, including Dallas-Fort Worth , Houston , Austin , San Antonio , South Louisiana , Utah , Denver , Phoenix , Tucson , the greater Philadelphia area, Columbus , Nashville, North Carolina , Virginia , Miami , Ft. Lauderdale , and Gainesville, Florida . Its affiliated brand, Washington Radiology, operates centers in Washington, D.C. , Maryland , and Virginia . Solis Mammography is pioneering a boutique-style retail healthcare experience. The company operates both wholly owned centers and multiple successful joint venture partnerships with large hospital systems and prominent medical and academic institutions. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/solis-mammography-announces-acquisition-of-aveste-womens-imaging-centers-in-san-antonio-302332883.html SOURCE Solis Mammography
US budget airlines are struggling. Will pursuing premium passengers solve their problems?Here's How Much $100 Invested In Guidewire Software 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today
Dean McCullough ‘looks fuming’ as Ant McPartlin takes another swipe at him after fans spot I’m A Celeb feudSANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — Two people were rescued when a California pier partially collapsed and fell into the ocean Monday as the state's central coast was pounded by heavy surf from a major storm expected to bring hurricane-force winds to the seas off the Pacific Northwest. Residents were warned to stay away from low-lying areas near the beaches around the Santa Cruz Wharf, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of San Francisco. “You are risking your life, and those of the people that would need to try and save you by getting in or too close to the water,” the National Weather Service's Bay Area office said on the social platform X. Lifeguards rescued two people from the water and a third person was able to swim to safety, the Santa Cruz Fire Department said on Instagram. Their conditions were unknown. Coastal roads in Santa Cruz were closed following the pier's partial collapse, city officials said. Gov. Gavin Newsom's has been briefed and the state's Office of Emergency Services is coordinating with local officials, his office said. Ocean swells along California's central coast could reach 26 feet (8 meters) as the Pacific storm gains strength through Monday, the weather service said. “A rapidly developing storm will bring hurricane force winds to the areas well offshore of the Pacific Northwest tonight,” the weather service's Ocean Prediction Center said on X. Winds off Oregon and Washington could peak near 80 mph (130 kph) and seas will build over 30 feet (9.1 meters), forecasters said. The Santa Cruz Wharf collapse Monday came about a year after the Seacliff State Beach pier just down the coast was battered beyond repair by a heavy winter storm. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A man died Monday after a large wave trapped him beneath debris on a California beach, likely related to the storm pummeling the West Coast that brought high surf and flooding to central California, officials said. First responders were called to Sunset State Beach, a state park, around 11:30 a.m. Monday. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital. Other details were not immediately available and his name has not been released. The storm’s high surf also likely pulled a man into the Pacific Ocean around noon Monday at Marina State Beach along the Monterey Bay, authorities said. Strong currents and high waves forced searchers to abandon their efforts roughly two hours later as conditions worsened. The man remained missing Monday evening. In Santa Cruz, a pier under construction partially collapsed and fell into the ocean, taking three people with it. Two people were rescued by lifeguards and a third swam to safety. No one was seriously injured, Mayor Fred Keeley said. Residents were warned to stay away from low-lying areas near the beaches around the Santa Cruz Wharf, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of San Francisco, as the storm rapidly gained strength. The mayor said that section of the wharf had been damaged over time. The structure was in the middle of a $4 million renovation following destructive storms last winter. “It’s a catastrophe for those down at the end of the wharf,” said David Johnston, owner of Venture Quest Kayaking, who was allowed onto the pier to check on his business. Tony Elliot, the head of the Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department, estimated that about 150 feet (45 meters) of the end of the wharf fell into the water around 12:45 p.m. It was immediately evacuated and will remain closed indefinitely. Some of the wharf’s pilings are still in the ocean and remain “serious, serious hazards” to boats, the mayor said. Each piling weighs hundreds of pounds and is being pushed by powerful waves. “You are risking your life, and those of the people that would need to try and save you by getting in or too close to the water,” the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office said on the social platform X. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s has been briefed and the state’s Office of Emergency Services is coordinating with local officials, his office said. In the city of Capitola, police ordered guests at a waterfront hotel to evacuate if they had ocean-facing units. The county sheriff’s office ordered beachfront residents in nearby Rio Del Mar to evacuate as well. Forecasters warned that storm swells will continue to increase throughout the day. “We are anticipating that what is coming toward us is more serious than what was there this morning,” the mayor said. Ocean swells along California’s central coast could reach 60 feet (18 meters) as the Pacific storm gains strength through Monday, the weather service said. “A rapidly developing storm will bring hurricane force winds to the areas well offshore of the Pacific Northwest tonight,” the weather service’s Ocean Prediction Center said on X. The end of the pier that broke off had been shut down during renovations. The portion, which included public restrooms and the closed Dolphin restaurant, floated about half a mile (0.8 kilometers) down the coast and wedged itself at the bottom of the San Lorenzo River. Those who fell into the water were two engineers and a project manager who were inspecting the end of the wharf, officials said. No members of the public were in the area. Building inspectors were now looking at the rest of the Santa Cruz Wharf’s structural integrity. Monday’s collapse came about a year after the Seacliff State Beach pier just down the coast was battered beyond repair by a heavy winter storm. Further up the West Coast, dangerous surf conditions and waves up to 30 feet (9.1 meters) were expected from the central Oregon coast up through southwestern Washington. Winds could peak near 80 mph (130 kph) and a high surf warning in effect until 10 p.m. Monday night, forecasters said. In a post on X, the National Weather Service office in Portland, Oregon, said “it will likely go down as some of the highest surf this winter.” ___ Dazio reported from Los Angeles.
Advance Auto Parts Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitorsDiversity statements will no longer be used in University of Michigan faculty hiring, promotion and tenure, a move applauded by critics who have called the practice "litmus tests" that limit diversity of thought while diversity advocates said the process was "preordained" and dishonest. Provost Laurie McCauley announced the decision Thursday based on a recommendation from a UM faculty working group to end diversity statements. But the recommendation is "deceptive," coming after the regents rejected a previous recommendation to keep the diversity statements, a faculty leader said. Diversity statements are documents written by faculty job candidates that let applicants explain to a search committee the distinct experiences they would bring to the university along with their commitment to diversity. The statements help search committees identify applicants "who have professional skills, experience and/or willingness to engage in activities that would enhance campus diversity and equity efforts," according to a University of California at San Diego statement referenced by UM's Center for Research on Learning & Teaching. McCauley's announcement came hours before the Board of Regents is scheduled to meet and a protest is planned beforehand at UM President Santa Ono's house. Many in the UM community are concerned the regents may dismantle a multimillion dollar diversity, equity and inclusion effort built after the school was at the center of a decade-long national debate around affirmative action in higher education, and DEI programs have been under attack across the nation.. "Diversity, equity and inclusion are three of our core values at the university," McCauley said in the University Record, an internal UM publication for faculty and staff, in announcing the end of diversity statements. "Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people. As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.” But there is more that happened in this process, UM Faculty Senate Chair Rebekah Modrak wrote on the University Record page under the announcement. After the regents called for diversity statements to be banned last summer, McCauley formed a faculty committee to review diversity statements in the spirit of shared governance that came up with a different recommendation, Modrak wrote. "My understanding is that the committee’s first report recommended that the use of diversity statements should be up to each unit, a recommendation that honors our decentralization, independence, and academic freedom," Modrak wrote. "The Regents rejected that report and central leadership didn’t support their own faculty committee. Sending a committee back to work to give a second report with preordained results is neither honest nor respectful of faculty expertise. The University Record’s erasure of the Regents’ autocratic hand in this process is also deceptive." Regents will not vote on the provost's action, but may discuss it during the meeting, said Regent Sarah Hubbard, one of two Republicans on the eight-member UM board. "I applaud the provost for ending the practice of requiring diversity statements," said Hubbard. "This policy change removes a barrier to diversity of thought on campus by eliminating the ideological litmus test." No action is expected during Thursday's meeting around other DEI issues, added Hubbard, who previously said the regents have been looking for a long time at the university's DEI efforts and want to realign funds closer to student scholarships. Any budget decisions wouldn't happen until next year when budgetary decisions get made, she said. Even so, hundreds of students, faculty and staff demonstrated on campus earlier this week to show support for the university's DEI programs, and others are planning to attend the protest organized by UM's Black Student Union before the regents meeting and show up to the official meeting. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements came after the statements were also eliminated in May at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in June at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In June, UM's provost charged the eight-member faculty working group to examine diversity statements, though the university did not have an institutional policy on the statements but units did have the discretion to ask for them. The working group recommended the end of the statements after reviewing other policies and surveying more than 2,000 faculty members. “Critics of diversity statements perceive them as expressions of personal identity traits, support of specific ideology or opinions on socially-relevant issues, and serve as a ‘litmus test’ of whether a faculty member’s views are politically acceptable,” the working group wrote in its report. “Thus, as currently enacted, diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members.” The working group said it acknowledged the concerns. "But, well-written diversity statements do not necessarily require expression of one’s identity, and they need not express one's beliefs or stances on socially-charged issues," the working group wrote. "Instead, well-written diversity statements contain reflections of how identity has shaped a faculty member’s approach with their students, how they work with their colleagues, and how they interact with society. These are desirable features of current and future U-M faculty members, and this information should be considered when potential faculty are hired and current faculty are promoted." The work group also offered two other recommendations, including that the university "can and must" incorporate of content about DEI into teaching, research and service statements. "Through this incorporation, the problematic features of diversity statements can be eliminated, while the useful and necessary information that exists in diversity statements can be saved and placed where it more naturally belongs," the group wrote in its report. However, UM did not adopt those recommendations. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements followed other steps the university has taken in recent months that supporters said will create an environment that expands diverse views on campus. They include the regents' controversial adoption last month of a policy on institutional neutrality that prohibits some officials from taking public stances on political and social issues not related to the internal governance of the university. Last month the Faculty Senate passed a resolution censuring the Board of Regents and accusing the regents of "increasingly exhibiting authoritarian tendencies, and silencing free speech. ©2024 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com . 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Two Texas families recently filed a lawsuit against character.ai, a chatbot app where users can talk to any number of characters powered by artificial intelligence. The lawsuit claims that in one case, a 17-year-old boy in Upshur County was exposed to the idea of self-harm by the app. In another, the app showed an 11-year-old girl sexualized material for two years. Nitasha Tiku, tech culture reporter for the Washington Post , spoke to Texas Standard about the lawsuit . Listen to the interview at www.texasstandard.org or read the transcript below. This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity: Texas Standard: You’ve reported a good deal on these companion artificial intelligence apps. Can you explain how they work? Nitasha Tiku: Yeah. So these apps are billed sometimes as entertainment, sometimes as balm for loneliness. Basically, it kind of lets you have access to these language models — the same technology that’s powering something like ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini — and it gives users an opportunity to create and customize their own chatbot. So you can give a chatbot a name. You can give them, in some apps, kind of a drop-down menu of personality traits — like toxic or loving or introverted or extroverted. And then you basically just are able to start chatting with them. Users have access to millions of options. A lot of them are anime characters or characters from gaming or movies. So these are really serious allegations. If these events happened, as the families in the lawsuit say that they did, what are the possible explanations here as to how a chatbot would expose a minor to this kind of material? So you have to think about, you know, the fact that this is AI — this is machine learning. So there’s no individual behind the scenes programing what these bots are saying. They have a tendency, these language models. They’re sort of like people-pleasers. So when you start talking to them, say, about your frustrations with your parents, you know, they’re going to give you the next most logical sequence of words. And we don’t know exactly what character I use to train their models. But in most cases, companies scrape a ton of data from the internet. So that’s like Reddit, you know, other social media platforms and potentially. So they kind of communicate with the 17-year-old in the lawsuit the way you would hear a lot of people talk online except, you know, they’re not real. And it’s a technology that might have been incentivized to make the most engaging stories possible. So, you know, when he’s talking about his frustrations with his parents, they’re often escalating the situation or echoing his concerns. It’s a kind of sycophantic style, is the way the lawsuit puts it. You spoke to members of the families involved in this lawsuit. What have you heard about how the situation has affected their lives? I spoke with the mom of the 17-year-old son and she just talked to me about how over the six-month period, her son, who is autistic and had a really close relationship with his family, lost 20 pounds. He started withdrawing from his family, stopped going to church and other events that he liked and started being aggressive towards his parents. And, you know, he started to self-harm during this time period. Afterwards, when she’s trying to solve this mystery and sees these screenshots of chats — which she first thought were from another human being and was just horrified — and then to find out that it was AI she said was even worse because she said she would never let a predator in the house. And yet this was happening in her son’s hands, like in his own bedroom through this app. She and the other plaintiffs in the case, what do they want as a result of this lawsuit? So the lawsuit is asking for injunctive relief. That means the app would be taken off the market until they can satisfy some stronger threshold of safeguards for young people. They say that this is essentially an unsafe product that knows that it has younger users and yet is subjecting them to sexualized material and these intense conversations without a safeguard. You can see in the chats that when he raises issues that should be triggering a suicide warning or some kind of intervention safety mechanism, there’s nothing that came up at the time. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.Stock market today: Wall Street edges back from its records as bitcoin briefly pops above $100,000