Actress Dies After Taking Frog Venom in Native 'Cleansing' Ceremony
WALTHAM, Mass. , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Veralto (NYSE: VLTO), a global leader in essential water and product quality solutions dedicated to Safeguarding the World's Most Vital ResourcesTM , announced today that its board of directors has approved a 22% increase to its quarterly cash dividend, and accordingly approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.11 per share of its common stock, payable on January 31, 2025 to holders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2024 . About Veralto With annual sales of $5 billion , Veralto is a global leader in essential technology solutions with a proven track record of solving some of the most complex challenges we face as a society. Our industry-leading companies with globally recognized brands are building on a long-established legacy of innovation and customer trust to create a safer, cleaner, more vibrant future. Headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts , our global team of 16,000 associates is committed to making an enduring positive impact on our world and united by a powerful purpose: Safeguarding the World's Most Vital ResourcesTM . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/veralto-announces-increase-in-quarterly-dividend-302336275.html SOURCE VeraltoIf you've been following the currents of online culture over the past couple of weeks, there's a good chance you've heard about Bluesky with increasing frequency. The microblogging site, which was founded by a former Twitter CEO, has been skyrocketing in popularity since the presidential election earlier this month, in which Donald Trump won his second term in the White House. Some users of X (formerly known as Twitter), many of whom were already growing frustrated with the many changes made by its owner, Trump mega-donor Elon Musk, are finally jumping ship to Bluesky. Aside from being less politically fraught, Bluesky is fundamentally different from X/Twitter in a few key ways. Its decentralized structure means users have more freedom with their data, and it has several features that make it easier to find the kind of content you're looking for — or avoid the content you're not. But can this brash new upstart really unseat X as the de-facto microblogging site? To find out, we took Bluesky through its paces and spoke to experts. Bluesky was founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey , along with a number of people interested in decentralized technology — tech designed so that it isn't subject to the whims of a single company or its owner. The idea was that anyone could host their own instance of Bluesky, leaving the company responsible only for its own app and not for the platform as a whole. It may seem strange for the head of a company to work on a potential competitor, but Dorsey has a reputation as an iconoclast within Silicon Valley. In fact, further Twitter alumni got in on the ground floor of Bluesky, including Parag Agrawal, the CEO whose tenure stretched from Dorsey's exit to Elon Musk's arrival at the company. But when it came time to launch as its own company, Dorsey and Agrawal tapped Lantian "Jay" Graber, a promising young developer, as Bluesky's CEO. The decision to keep Bluesky independent of Twitter proved prophetic. When Elon Musk took over the latter company in late 2022, he promptly nullified a prior agreement that would have seen Twitter folded into the decentralized web of platforms using Bluesky's technology and fired the people working to incorporate that tech. However, as Twitter changed under its new owner and was eventually rebranded as X, Bluesky continued to develop in the background. After a beta period during which sign-ups were available via invite only, Bluesky opened its doors to the general public in early 2024. Since then, it has grown slowly, but the platform began to explode in mid-November 2024. On the surface, Bluesky may look like just another Twitter clone, but under the hood, it's a very different platform. Just as on Twitter, you can post, repost, quote, and like posts. The difference is that Bluesky is decentralized, meaning anyone can host their own data and take their account with them to another instance of the platform. By default, a new user will appear as @username.bsky.social, but if you don't like that, you can use your own domain. For example, SlashGear could theoretically rehost an account on its own domain, giving it a username like @username.slashgear.com. (At the time of this writing, SlashGear does not have a Bluesky account.) Another unique aspect of Bluesky is algorithmic choice. On Twitter, Threads, and many other social media sites, users are shown content based on a secretive algorithm closely guarded by the platform. On Twitter and Threads, you can choose between letting a proprietary algorithm decide what you see or sorting your timeline into pure chronological order. Bluesky, by contrast, lets you select between multiple open-source algorithms, giving users far more control over how their content gets sorted. This algorithmic control manifests most clearly in the Feeds feature, which lets users create and subscribe to custom timelines based on particular topics, sets of users, or other criteria. When creating a Feed, you can choose which algorithm you want to rank the posts and even select how much weight the algorithm will give to the recency of any given post. This feature helped Bluesky to take on a life of its own, with a community-curated DIY culture that feels both fresh and distinct from other Twitter-like competitors. Buzz around Bluesky spread quickly through tech and media circles at its initial launch, hitting a million app installs last year . Now, it's taken on new life since the 2024 presidential election. With X owner Elon Musk having thrown his weight behind President-elect Donald Trump, many X users who don't align with Musk's politics now see the platform as politically hostile. That feeling was egged on by the explosion of hate speech that coincided with Musk's loosened moderation on the site, some of which Musk himself has engaged with. SlashGear reached out to journalist and Internet culture expert Taylor Lorenz, who says of X, "It's a very intense political environment on the app, and Elon has removed user controls that used to protect people." The result has been a mass exodus of users, which has been Bluesky's gain. At the time of this writing, Bluesky is the number one app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, where it has remained for several days. Bluesky is not the only alternative to X. Meta's Threads platform integrates seamlessly with Instagram and has already scored 175 million users as of July 2024. However, given that the point of leaving X was to escape from under the thumb of a tech billionaire, it's understandable that Threads, which is ultimately tied to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, would prove nearly as unpalatable for a large portion of expatriated X users. "Threads ended up going crazy with the content moderation," Lorenz said, "and now I think people are realizing that Bluesky is the best alternative. Bluesky offers a very comparable experience to kind of the original Twitter." While Bluesky is benefitting from the X exodus, whether the current spike in growth can continue as a long-term trend remains to be seen. Lorenz suggested that, due to Elon Musk's entrenchment in the incoming Trump administration, X will remain an important part of the media landscape. "I think political people are so incredibly addicted to Twitter," Lorenz says. "And now with Trump in office, Twitter is going to remain a politically relevant platform that keeps journalists on there because they're going to want to see what Elon says." Lorenz points out that X also remains the de-facto platform for Congresspeople and other public figures. However, she's not willing to write Bluesky off in that regard just yet. "If lawmakers and pundits and journalists all do go to Bluesky, then I think it could replicate what Twitter had," Lorenz says. Some public figures have already decamped to Bluesky from X, including journalists like New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie and celebrities like "Star Wars" star Mark Hamill. According to award-winning author Charlie Jane Anders, who referred SlashGear to a public statement on the subject, her final straw was a reported proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on X. "I feel the need to make a clean break from Twitter at this point," she wrote. "After all of the proliferation of hate speech, and the random shutdowns of progressive accounts that challenge the owner's rigid orthodoxy, I was already wanting to make a break for it. But after the latest scandals involving CSAM, I really feel as though I have no choice." Whether or not Bluesky becomes the new Twitter, it's clearly promising what many people crave: a fresh start.
NEW YORK (AP) — Remember what you searched for in 2024? Google does. Google released its annual “Year in Search” on Tuesday, rounding up the top trending queries entered into its namesake search engine in 2024. The results show terms that saw the highest spike in traffic compared to last year — ranging from key news events, notably global elections , to the most popular songs, athletes and unforgettable pop-culture moments that people looked up worldwide. Sports — particularly soccer and cricket — dominated Google's overall trending searches in 2024. Copa América topped those search trends globally, followed by the UEFA European Championship and ICC Men's T20 World Cup . Meanwhile, the U.S. election led news-specific searches worldwide. Queries about excessive heat and this year's Olympic Games followed. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump topped searches in Google's people category this year — followed by Catherine, Princess of Wales , U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif , who also led athlete-specific searches. Meanwhile, the late Liam Payne , Toby Keith and O.J. Simpson led search trends among notable individuals who died in 2024. In the world of entertainment, Disney and Pixar's “Inside Out 2” was the top trending movie of the year, while Netflix's “Baby Reindeer” led TV show trends. And Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” dominated song trends. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Queries for the Olympic village's chocolate muffin , made famous by Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen over the summer games, led Google's global recipe trends this year. The New York Times' “Connections” puzzle topped game searches. And in the U.S., country-specific data shows, many people asked Google about online trends like the word “demure” and “ mob wife aesthetic .” You can find more country-specific lists, and trends from years past , through Google’s “Year in Search” data published online . The California company said it collected 2024 search results from Jan. 1 through Nov. 23 of this year. Google isn't the only one to publish an annual recap or top trends as 2024 draws to a close. Spotify Wrapped , for example, as well as Collins Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s words of the year, have offered additional reflections for 2024.
TikTok's future in the U.S. appeared uncertain on Friday after a federal appeals court rejected a legal challenge to a law that requires the social media platform to cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned by mid-January. A panel of three judges on The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled unanimously that the law withstood constitutional scrutiny, rebuffing arguments from the two companies that the statute violated their rights and the rights of TikTok users in the U.S. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Kawhi practices, but Clippers not rushing a returnAdvocates devise a plan to pay child care providers a living wage
Australia in a baby bust? It’s not that simple – and a panic won’t help
What's New An Australian computer scientist who has repeatedly claimed to be Bitcoin 's creator has been found in contempt of London's High Court on Thursday. Why It Matters Dr. Craig Wright's claims and subsequent lawsuits have been controversial within the cryptocurrency world, where Bitcoin's decentralized ethos directly opposes the monopolistic control he has sought. The court's decision represents a major victory for the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), a consortium of technology and cryptocurrency firms advocating for open-source software development. By challenging Wright's lawsuits, COPA aimed to prevent the disruption of Bitcoin's development and to protect the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem from Wright's litigation threats, which included claims totaling more than £900 billion ($1.1 trillion). What To Know Justice James Mellor sentenced Wright to a suspended 12-month prison term for violating a court order barring him from pursuing legal claims related to Bitcoin's intellectual property. Wright, who attended the hearing via video link from Asia, plans to appeal. The Australian-born and English-resident computer scientist first claimed to be " Satoshi Nakamoto ," the pseudonym that masked the identity of the creator of Bitcoin, in 2016. He asserts authorship of the 2008 white paper, a foundational document for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. He presented fake documents to support his assertions, according to findings from London's High Court earlier this year. His deceit consisted largely of forgeries "on a grand scale" and "technobabble." Because of this, Justice Mellor ruled in March 2024 that Wright did not create Bitcoin and had fabricated evidence to support his claim. Wright went on to commit "a clear breach" of the court order from March prohibiting further legal actions tied to his supposed intellectual property rights over Bitcoin. His actions led to the contempt proceedings brought by COPA, which argued that his continued lawsuits aimed to "terrorize" developers and maintain a false narrative about Bitcoin's origins. The court struck out Wright's massive claims and ordered him to pay £145,000 in legal costs within two weeks. What People Are Saying Justice James Mellor told the court : "In both his written evidence and in days of oral evidence under cross-examination, I am entirely satisfied that Dr. Wright lied to the court extensively and repeatedly," "Most of his lies related to the documents he had forged, which purported to support his claim. All his lies and forged documents were in support of his biggest lie: his claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto." Jonathan Hough KC, counsel for COPA, told the court : Wright's legal threats had "terrorized" people, putting "developers and bloggers through...years of personal hell" and that the new claims were intended to "cause maximum possible distress." What Happens Next Wright's suspended sentence allows him to avoid prison if he refrains from initiating further lawsuits. However, he has announced plans to appeal the contempt finding. Legal experts suggest the appeal is unlikely to succeed, given the strength of the evidence against him. The ruling is expected to impact three pending lawsuits Wright has filed based on his claims to Bitcoin's intellectual property rights. It remains to be seen whether Wright will persist in his efforts to claim ownership over the cryptocurrency's intellectual foundation, but the court's decision has significantly weakened his legal position. This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.S&P/TSX composite up Friday, U.S. stock markets also riseJustin Wellington, a name identical with vibrant Pacific music, has recently dropped a Christmas hit, Rockin’ Around (Official Music Video) featuring Santana. This festive track is a cheerful addition to his repertoire and showcases his continued passion for combining island melodies with universal themes. Wellington’s journey into music is rooted deeply in his heritage and upbringing. His grandparents migrated to Goroka in 1965 as missionaries, raising a large family in Papua New Guinea. Born as the second generation in PNG, Wellington discovered his passion for music and melody early in life. However, it wasn’t until his late high school years that he decided to pursue music as a career. “I was always passionate about music even before I thought of it as an occupation,” he shared. In the early 2000s, Wellington became one of PNG’s leading artists, thanks to his collaboration with CHM. His debut music video, Much Love, was filmed and produced in Madang and became an instant hit. Wellington’s partnership with Mangrove Productions in New Caledonia, which had a distribution deal with CHM, further cemented his place in the Pacific music scene. “Mangrove’s connection with CHM was key, and it worked out well because I already had a strong, loyal fan base in PNG,” he recalled. One of Wellington’s most remarkable achievements came years later with his song Iko Iko (My Bestie). The track unexpectedly went viral worldwide, earning him offers from major labels, including Sony Music, Universal Music, and Warner Music. “It was a huge surprise and a crazy blessing,” Wellington said. Signing with Sony Music, the song became one of the biggest global hits of the year, further solidifying his international presence. Despite his global success, Wellington’s heart remains firmly tied to Pacific music. “I don’t focus too much on global trends,” he said. “My passion is and always will be Pacific and Island music.” Reflecting on PNG’s current music industry, he expressed admiration for the rapid technological and stylistic evolution. “The talent in PNG is incredible,” he said, acknowledging the critical role of social media and digital distribution in shaping the industry’s future. Wellington’s advice for aspiring PNG artists is twofold: “Learn technology – recording, editing, and producing audio and video, and understand social media and content consumption. But, always stay true to an element that is distinctly Papua New Guinean.” As the festive season approaches, Wellington continues to enchant audiences with his music. His deep connection to his roots shines through his performances, captivating audiences worldwide. This New Year’s Eve, he brings his unique island style to the Rabaul Yacht Club. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience his mesmerizing music.
A YouTube creator is accusing of fraudulent behavior tied to the internet browser extension , which advertises finding and applying coupon codes for . YouTube creator posted a video titled, on Dec. 21 accusing Honey, which is owned by PayPal, of deceiving consumers and influencers by hijacking links that pay influencers for products they promote, providing limited coupon options and publishing inaccurate advertisements. The 23-minute , the first in a three-part series, according to MegaLag, had more than 9.4 million views, as of Thursday morning. The video concludes with what appears to be a tease for a follow-up. "I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up going down as one of the most aggressive, shameless marketing scams of the century," MegaLag said in the . In response to the video, PayPal Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer Amy Bonitatibus provided USA TODAY with the following response: “Honey is free to use and provides millions of shoppers with additional savings on their purchases whenever possible. Honey helps merchants reduce cart abandonment and comparison shopping while increasing sales conversion. Honey follows industry rules and practices, including last-click attribution." MegaLag denied to comment when contacted by USA TODAY. Here's what to know about the accusations made by MegaLag and where they line up with industry standards. Honey is a free browser extension that claims to find coupon codes during online shopping checkout. Honey was released in 2012 and PayPal purchased it in 2020 for approximately $4 billion, according to a . When PayPal acquired Honey, said the shopping tool served about 17 million monthly active users and helped consumers save about $1 billion annually. After purchasing Honey, PayPal launched PayPal Rewards, which incentivizes using the Honey extension. PayPal users earn points when using the browser extension, even if they don't redeem any coupons, according to the Those points can be used to redeem cash back, PayPal shopping credit or gift cards. In the video, MegaLag called this rewards program a The creator proceeded to provide an example of how much money he earned through an affiliate link versus PayPal Rewards cashback when making the same purchase. MegaLag provided an example completed through Honey Gold, Honey's former rewards program utilized before PayPal purchased it. When purchasing a NordVPN standard package (about $95) through his own affiliate link, MegaLag reported making about $35 from the sale. When purchasing the same package but activating PayPal Rewards, rather than using his affiliate link, MegaLag reported earning about 89 cents in cashback. In the video, MegaLag mentions that upon conducting research about Honey, there was virtually no other information on the topic. However, since the video has gained traction, during a Twitch stream in 2020 has resurfaced. Mark Fischbach (the creator behind Markipiler) did not get into much detail, but he did voice his "distrust" for the shopping tool. "I think they've even offered me (a brand deal) and I said no because I just don't trust Honey," Fischbach said during the . "I have a feeling in like a couple years there's going to be the great Honey conspiracy of like 2022." The day after MegaLag's video published, Fischbach reposted his stream clip to X with the comment, In the video, MegaLag accuses Honey of breaching affiliate links. MegaLag sets up the following example: If a consumer clicks an affiliate link in the description of a YouTube video, the consumer will be taken to the corresponding website. Without using Honey, if the consumer makes a purchase from that link, the YouTube creator will earn a commission. Thinking in real-world scenarios, an affiliate link is similar to a salesperson helping a customer at a store. For example, if a department store salesperson helps a customer find and purchase a piece of jewelry, the salesperson earns commission. If a consumer has the Honey browser extension installed and accepts a Honey pop-up − whether it be a coupon the shopping tool offers or just a message indicating that Honey didn't find any coupons - Honey will earn a commission from the online purchase. The YouTube creator, whose affiliate link the consumer originally followed, will not receive a commission. This model is called last-click attribution, which gives credit to the last touchpoint a user interacts with before making a purchase. Though there are other types of attribution − such as first-click, which provides a commission to the first touchpoint interacted with − last-click is considered the industry standard. In the , MegaLag claims Honey is "exploiting" last-click attribution. When it comes to content creator versus content creator, MegaLag says last-click attribution is usually fair, but when it is content creator versus Honey, "there's no real competition." "Honey pops up right at the end of your purchasing journey, virtually guaranteeing they'll win that last click," MegaLag says in the . "They, of course, know this and do anything they can to get that last click. Even where there's no coupon codes to offer." Another industry standard when it comes to affiliate marketing is the . This policy, implemented by host sites, in this case a retailer, requests that browser extensions respect affiliate marketing. If a retailer utilizes a stand-down policy, extensions like Honey cannot claim credit, even if they are the last touchpoint, according to , a fintech company that offers white-label cashback services. In response to the MegaLag video, YouTube creator Hank Green released a video, on Dec. 25. In his video, Green discussed how affiliate marketing functions in the "small business ecosystem." Green said the ecosystem of small business creators looking to make money and being attracted to affiliate marketing is "How responsible should creators be for understanding the business models of the companies that they do brand deals for?" Green posed in his . "I am certain that many creators aren't really savvy enough or have the time to do that work. The brand deal ecosystem, it's where, for most creators, where most of the money comes from, so it can be really hard to say no and it can be really easy to try to not think too hard about how things work." Ultimately, like MegaLag, Green claimed Honey and PayPal are taking advantage of content creators. USA TODAY has reached out to experts for more context on best practices in the industry. MegaLag also accused Honey of offering limited coupon codes, not providing customers with all of the best options. In the , MegaLag said he was often able to find redeemable coupon codes from other shopping tools like RetailMeNot when Honey indicated no coupons could be found. PayPal's Bonitatibus told USA TODAY that merchants ultimately decide what coupons are offered to consumers through Honey. When it comes to sourcing its coupons, Bonitatibus said they are manually gathered by Honey's team, sourced from deal networks, made available through merchant partnerships and sourced from users who share codes with Honey. In the , MegaLag also accused Honey of releasing dishonest advertisements claiming the shopping tool searches for all available coupon codes, implying that a customer who uses Honey does not need to search for their own coupons. In 2020, the National Advertising Division opened an inquiry into a Honey advertisement that claimed, "With just a single click, Honey will find every working code on the internet and apply the best one to your cart," according to a . However, Honey informed the National Advertising Division, after the inquiry was opened, that it had been in the process of discontinuing the ad for "business reasons," according to a . Honey also agreed to permanently discontinue the related advertisements. Thus, the National Advertising Division inquiry was closed. is a New Zealand YouTube creator who had 508,000 subscribers, as of Monday afternoon. Self-identified as a tech investigative journalist, the creator, who confirmed to USA TODAY his first name is Jonathon, is known for his videos that "expose" companies or experiment with different technology.Tories urge PM to reject Netanyahu arrest warrant and alter ‘nonsensical’ stanceLuke Humphries defeats Luke Littler to retain Players Championship Finals title
“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” Cassandra quotes below a poet she never could enjoy – Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809 – 1892). He was 1 st Baron Tennyson and Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria’s reign. To her he sounds pompous but his Ring Out Wild Bells is a simple poem and she found it apt at this time. Two stanzas of the poem go thus: Ring out the want, the care, the sin, / the faithless coldness of the times; Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes/But ring the fuller minstrel in. Ring out false pride in place and blood, /The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, /Ring in the common love of good . I am certain you reader will guess the implied meaning Cass has in mind when quoting these lines. Yes and a loud YES; Sri Lanka is ringing out the bad, ugly, mean, corrupt, pompous pride and bloated egos of those who ruled us. The majority of us have hope in our hearts and look forward to an all-round improvement in how the country is governed. We also are sure the new people at the head of government and state are very different from those Big Wigs of this year before October and down the years, who so drastically dragged the country down to the very depths of deprivation and bankruptcy. Tennyson rings out the want, the care, the sin; the faithless coldness of the times . Yes, the times of waiting days in queues for essentials is over. Some may remind Cass it was Ranil W, who did away with queues by taking the right economic decisions. Yes, partly, but during his time as Prez he could have done much more to ease the lot of not only the poorer segment of Sri Lanka’s population but all who suffered. And this while 90 odd persons were advising him and running around in luxury cars while we suffered deprivation. There certainly was ‘faithless coldness’ during times past when decisions were taken to please the very small minority of the rich at the expense of the rest of Sri Lankans. Coldness we associate with Prez Gotabaya and ‘false pride in place and blood’ during the years Mahinda R was Prez with his favoured persons doing just as they please, not caring one jot for those they made to suffer. Cold unconcern. Coldness is attributed to Ranil W. Comes to mind Keheliya Rambukwella and Lohan Ratwatte, the former importing medical drugs that were ineffective or lethal; the latter strutting in prisons at night with a thigh exposing woman friend. The list of crimes is very long. Tennyson calls for a ringing in of l ove of truth and right and common love . AKD, Harini, Vijitha Herath and others of the NPP are ringing in truth and honesty; right government ensuring people’s rights; and intending to end the evils of corruption, nepotism, favouritism and family bandyism of concern only for the wellbeing of families. A sense of empathy and concern for the country and its people by those in power is definitely in the air, which was never present, except as far back as when DS Senanayake, Dudley Senanayake and John Kotelawala were in power. Kotelawela showed concern in his own brusque way. They were not self-centered and we do not expect our new leaders to be this, even to the slightest degree. Cassandra’s summation on the state of the country and people’s perceptions is optimistic. The country will sure improve and Ministers in the Cabinet will work to improve the country and its people, not themselves. When honesty, commitment and selflessness are apparent in political leaders, lesser ones too will follow. Thus, we could expect bureaucrats who serve the country with honesty and dedication. Accidents and apparent incompetence We are glad the Police have taken due note of the far too many road accidents and have started preliminary findings to arrive at the root of the serious trouble. As the Editor of this newspaper commented in his editorial on this subject, common causes of road accidents are incompetent drivers; road unworthy vehicles; buses plying competitively for fares; and drivers and bus conductors addicted to drugs or intoxicating drinks and being at the wheel under either influence. Also, their being over-worked with far too long spells driving. All these can be remedied. Strict supervision of drivers and vehicles; bus owners being law abiding; the Police taking preventive and punishing action; and punishment meted being severe. Cassandra experienced the crass incompetence and, perhaps, the debilitating influence of drugs on a driver of a motorbike. She was informed by a friend that a parcel was being delivered to her by one of the delivery services now having good business during this season of gift giving. The delivery man was to be expected around 8.30 pm, the friend said. Cass waited till 9.30, her equanimity fast disappearing and her ire rising. She phoned her friend who contacted either the delivery service or the courier. She was promised he would be at her door in 20 minutes. The clock hands showed 10.30 pm. The driver contacted her. She gave him detailed directions to her home, which even an idiot could follow. No delivery. She phoned the delivery man, thrice. Each time she heard the motorcyclist ask people directions to Cass’ abode and they gave very accurate directions. But the man could not follow them. She called him. He was just a couple of yards away but at a cross roads, which he should never have been in. Directions were given – simple, easy to follow and unambiguous. No man, no parcel. She sent her domestic to the end of the lane leading to her place. Man finally appears at 11.45. Cass was beyond throwing a tantrum and closer to a stroke or heart seizure. She was sure, though inexperienced in dealing with druggies, that this driver was under the influence of a drug which dulled his senses to near zero. Her Man Friday tells her that young men are recruited from places far distant from Colombo and do not know its roads and streets. No excuse at all. Glaring faults of employers are non-caring and greed for profit at any cost. Fault of employees: sheer incompetence and immorality in being under the influence of drugs or drink while on the job. This anecdote is to highlight possible-to-be-remedied faults of businesses. Even government offices had don’t-care-less employees. That will change, and sure must already have changed. Thankfully, Prez AKD gave govt employees a strong pep talk: do your job or you will be made to quit. Cass ends this Friday’s optimistic Cry with wishing each of her readers a very happy New Year with much less burdens to bear and life improving with hope and anticipation. Gratitude to those who govern us can be given again, replacing the disdain and dislike, hate too, felt earlier. A New Year to the country we love so much of increasing prosperity, equal rights to all and peace!Itron and Xcel Energy Collaborate to Manage Growing Number of Distributed Energy Resources in ...
NEW YORK (AP) — Remember what you searched for in 2024? Google does. Google released its annual “Year in Search” on Tuesday, rounding up the top trending queries entered into its namesake search engine in 2024. The results show terms that saw the highest spike in traffic compared to last year — ranging from key news events, notably global elections , to the most popular songs, athletes and unforgettable pop-culture moments that people looked up worldwide. Sports — particularly soccer and cricket — dominated Google's overall trending searches in 2024. Copa América topped those search trends globally, followed by the UEFA European Championship and ICC Men's T20 World Cup . Meanwhile, the U.S. election led news-specific searches worldwide. Queries about excessive heat and this year's Olympic Games followed. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump topped searches in Google's people category this year — followed by Catherine, Princess of Wales , U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif , who also led athlete-specific searches. Meanwhile, the late Liam Payne , Toby Keith and O.J. Simpson led search trends among notable individuals who died in 2024. In the world of entertainment, Disney and Pixar's “Inside Out 2” was the top trending movie of the year, while Netflix's “Baby Reindeer” led TV show trends. And Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” dominated song trends. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Queries for the Olympic village's chocolate muffin , made famous by Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen over the summer games, led Google's global recipe trends this year. The New York Times' “Connections” puzzle topped game searches. And in the U.S., country-specific data shows, many people asked Google about online trends like the word “demure” and “ mob wife aesthetic .” You can find more country-specific lists, and trends from years past , through Google’s “Year in Search” data published online . The California company said it collected 2024 search results from Jan. 1 through Nov. 23 of this year. Google isn't the only one to publish an annual recap or top trends as 2024 draws to a close. Spotify Wrapped , for example, as well as Collins Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s words of the year, have offered additional reflections for 2024.
Game-Changer Stocks! Why Gamers Should Watch Tesla’s Stock ChartWeek in reviewINGLEWOOD, Calif. -- LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard , sidelined all season because of inflammation in his right knee, returned to practice Tuesday, coach Ty Lue said. Leonard could return to game action within the next two weeks, barring any setbacks, sources told ESPN. It was the first time Leonard, 33, had practiced with the team since last season. Leonard's knee also caused him to bow out of the Paris Olympics in the summer after originally being selected to play for Team USA. "He did offensive script, defensive work, and just no contact," Lue said. "But he did it pretty much everything else." Leonard could be seen leaning against a basketball stanchion after practice while James Harden and Kris Dunn got in extra shooting, but he did not speak to reporters. Editor's Picks NBA Power Rankings: Bucks bounce back, Rockets rise in the West 6d NBA Insiders Lue said Leonard looked good and added that his presence gave the team a lift. The Clippers have lost three out of their past five games and on Tuesday announced that Derrick Jones Jr . has a right hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks. "Really good sign, just seeing him out there moving, moving well," Lue said. "I think the biggest thing for him is just the confidence in it. Just having the confidence to keep doing it, not to feel the pain, and just continue to keep getting through it. "So, it was good to see him on the floor and it gave us a little juice today just for our guys seeing him on the floor, it really picked up our energy." Without Leonard, the Clippers have been a surprise success story so far, starting the season 14-11 -- sixth place in the Western Conference. They have the No. 6 defensive rating in the league, allowing 108.5 points per 100 possessions. Norman Powell has also been an early surprise after increasing his scoring average from 13.9 points last season to 23.6 points this season in a starting role, generating early Most Improved Player consideration. "I give our guys credit, our players, no matter who's been here, when guys have been out, we always feel like we have a chance to win and so just go on the floor every single night," Lue said. "Just finding ways to win. It's not going to be the same every night. It could be different every single night, but just trying to find ways to win, trying to find combinations to win. I give our guys credit, they've done that." Lue said the team would continue to be patient with the process as Leonard inches closer to a return. "He's got to do a lot more things to really get back on the floor," Lue said. "We just want to make sure he's 100%. We don't want to get him out there, 70%, 75%. Like, let's just take our time, make sure we get it right. ... We're not going to let him skip steps, and so we want to do right by Kawhi." Lue credited Leonard's mentality with injuries taking their toll on his body. He sat out the entire 2021-22 season because of a torn ACL in his right knee and has missed 204 of a possible 460 games since joining the Clippers in 2019. "I'm just happy he's doing it again, he's getting close and he's really in a good space mentally," Lue said. "So he's just got to stay with it, stay with the program. Can't get frustrated trying to rush back." And while the Clippers will gladly welcome the two-time Finals MVP version of Leonard they signed as a free agent in 2018, there's no expectation for him to be that player as soon as he's back in the lineup. "At some point, not right away," Lue said. "But at some point, we need him to be Kawhi Leonard. And I think he can do that. And just seeing the year he had last year -- 68 games and how he played at a high level. He was really, really playing at a high level. So we just got to get him back to that."
Brandon Granger, the son of Texas Republican Rep. Kay Granger, informed the Dallas Express his mother has been battling “some dementia issues late in the year” and had been residing in an assisted-care facility for the last half year. The most recent vote she casted on the House floor was in July, and she has been absent for more than 300 votes since that time. While this is certainly alarming news to hear, Granger is hardly an anomaly The median age of senators in the incoming 119th Congress will be 64 years old. In the House, the average age is 59. A majority of our current Supreme Court is past or approaching retirement age. Do senior officials possess the mental capacity or innovation crucial to lead the country? Soon-to-be former president Joe Biden was just one example of the frailty of officials who demonstrated a decline in motor skills. The late Sen. Dianne Feinstein was a prime and depressing example of someone who should have stepped down before she was visibly impaired. Mitch McConnell, who was the victim of a few sporadic frozen public episodes, stepped down from Senate leadership but will remain in office until his term expires in 2026. The senility issues of a sizable segment of numerous powerful and influential leaders in Washington are a quiet but growing scandal. Increasing public concern about leaders who are defiant and resist any suggestion to exit while their mental faculties are intact is amplified by a Congress that appears to be psychologically indifferent and confined to the days of yesteryear bereft of the political acumen crucial to effectively combat modern problems. Many are devoid of the ever-increasing social media platforms that are essential in effectively connecting with younger as well as middle-aged voting blocks. A number of polls earlier this year showed public unease about the ages of Biden and 78-year-old Donald Trump. Polls show upwards of 70% of Americans support the idea of implementing an age limit on candidates for president and for Congress, and a mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court justices, potential legal challenges notwithstanding. In the early 1990s, certain activists employed such an initiative process to ratify passage of term limits on Congress in more than 20 states, without a single loss. Back in 1995, the Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that states cannot arbitrarily impose such term limits. Almost three decades later, the idea remains overwhelmingly popular as ever. If you have to be a certain age to run for certain offices, which makes sense, then shouldn’t there be an age limit to prohibit persons from inhabiting certain positions? Many high-ranking members of Congress have amassed colossal donor networks that provide them unchallengeable job protection, so they routinely recite the same fatigued-filled arguments against establishing term limits. Many of them claim it would result in staff and underlings running government affairs, only that’s largely happening now! Most senators born before 1950 (and there are a disproportionate number of them) struggle with acute memory loss, cognitive decline and other health issues that often accompany most people as they get older. It is highly obscene for our nation to let a potentially vibrant and well-received reform such as term limits for Congress be stifled by members’ refusal to relinquish power. No one is saying that “no one over 60 need apply” to run for Congress. In fact, some elderly members would be very effective in serving in advisory capacities. Nonetheless, the nuts and bolts coupled with the daily demands of an increasingly complex nation and larger world require men and women who possess the energy, vision, technological skills and physical stamina pertinent to effectively deliver such demands Some critics of younger members, such as Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Maxwell Frost, argue that they are “too aggressive” or should “wait for their turn” to pursue certain positions. The fact is they are members of the Millennial and Gen Z generations who are being directly affected by the current state of affairs. They are well aware of the fact that the nation is heading in a downward slope, they cannot afford to “wait” and that the “turn” that is needed is a sharp, decibel screeching U-turn. Elwood Watson’s column is distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate.NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America's most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, died Thursday. He was 76. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America's most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, died Thursday. He was 76. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, died Thursday. He was 76. Parsons, who died at his Manhattan home, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. The financial services company Lazard, where Parsons was a longtime board member, confirmed his death. The NBA, where Parsons was interim CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014, was among organizations offering condolences. “Dick Parsons was a brilliant and transformational leader and a giant of the media industry who led with integrity and never shied away from a challenge,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. Parsons’ friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder’s company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years. Parsons, a Brooklyn native who started college at 16, was named chairman of Citigroup in 2009, one month after leaving Time Warner Inc., where he helped restore the company’s stature following its much-maligned acquisition by internet provider America Online Inc. He steered Citigroup back to profit after financial turmoil from the subprime mortgage crisis, which upended the economy in 2007 and 2008. Parsons was named to the board of CBS in September 2018 but resigned a month later because of illness. Parsons said in a statement at the time that he was already dealing with multiple myeloma when he joined the board, but “unanticipated complications have created additional new challenges.” He said his doctors advised him to cut back on his commitments to ensure recovery. “Dick’s storied career embodied the finest traditions of American business leadership,” Lazard said in a statement. The company, where Parsons was a board member from 2012 until this month, praised his “unmistakable intelligence and his irresistible warmth.” “Dick was more than an iconic leader in Lazard’s history — he was a testament to how wisdom, warmth, and unwavering judgment could shape not just companies, but people’s lives,” the company said. “His legacy lives on in the countless leaders he counseled, the institutions he renewed, and the doors he opened for others.” Parsons was known as a skilled negotiator, a diplomat and a crisis manager. Although he was with Time Warner through its difficulties with AOL, he earned respect for the company and rebuilt its relations with Wall Street. He streamlined Time Warner’s structure, pared debt and sold Warner Music Group and a book publishing division. He also fended off a challenge from activist investor Carl Icahn in 2006 to break up the company and helped Time Warner reach settlements with investors and regulators over questionable accounting practices at AOL. Parsons joined Time Warner as president in 1995 after serving as chairman and chief executive of Dime Bancorp Inc., one of the largest U.S. thrift institutions. In 2001, after AOL used its fortunes as the leading provider of Internet access in the U.S. to buy Time Warner for $106 billion in stock, Parsons became co-chief operating officer with AOL executive Robert Pittman. In that role, he was in charge of the company’s content businesses, including movie studios and recorded music. He became CEO in 2002 with the retirement of Gerald Levin, one of the key architects of that merger. Parsons was named Time Warner chairman the following year, replacing AOL founder Steve Case, who had also championed the combination. The newly formed company’s Internet division quickly became a drag on Time Warner. The promised synergies between traditional and new media never materialized. AOL began seeing a reduction in subscribers in 2002 as Americans replaced dial-up connections with broadband from cable TV and phone companies. Parsons stepped down as CEO in 2007 and as chairman in 2008. A year later AOL split from Time Warner and began trading as a separate company, following years of struggles to reinvent itself as a business focused on advertising and content. Time Warner is now owned by AT&T Inc. A board member of Citigroup and its predecessor, Citibank, since 1996, Parsons was named chairman in 2009 at a time of turmoil for the financial institution. Citigroup had suffered five straight quarters of losses and received $45 billion in government aid. Its board had been criticized for allowing the bank to invest so heavily in the risky housing market. Citigroup returned to profit under Parsons, starting in 2010, and would not have a quarterly loss again until the fourth quarter of 2017. Parsons retired from that job in 2012. In 2014 he stepped in as interim CEO of the Clippers until Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took over later that year. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Parsons, a Republican, previously worked as a lawyer for Nelson Rockefeller, a former Republican governor of New York, and in Gerald Ford’s White House. Those early stints gave him grounding in politics and negotiations. He also was an economic adviser on President Barack Obama’s transition team. Parsons, who loved jazz and co-owned a Harlem jazz club, also served as Chairman of the Apollo Theater and the Jazz Foundation of America. And he held positions on the boards of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the American Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Parsons played basketball at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and received his law degree from Albany Law School in 1971. He is survived by his wife, Laura, and their family. ___ This obituary was primarily written by the late Associated Press reporter Anick Jesdanun, who died in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement