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Cate Blanchett on AI, G7 and Syria crisisThis is how five top CEOs characterized AI's meteoric rise this year in interviews with CNBC's Jim Cramer. CEOs from Nvidia, CrowdStrike, Snowflake, AMD and Generac described how the new technology is affecting business and the broader tech sector. Throughout 2024, CNBC's Jim Cramer discussed the seemingly boundless rise of artificial intelligence with dozens of CEOs across the tech world. Here is how five top enterprise leaders characterized AI's meteoric rise this year. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the "AI computing ramp" is only beginning and will last years. Huang in March painted a picture of the AI landscape, saying investments in the new technology remain in the early innings. He predicted years of growth ahead and suggested that AI can drive innovation in a variety of fields, including science and healthcare. Nvidia is a titan of the AI revolution, as it designs and sells advanced technology essential for the technology. The company is the top supplier of GPUs, which are used to develop and implement new AI software like OpenAI's ChatGPT. Big Tech broadly is clamoring for Nvidia's products, with customers including Meta , Tesla , Microsoft and Amazon shelling out billions. Nvidia stock is currently up more than 176% year-to-date, and at times this year it surpassed Apple to become the most valuable company on the market. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said cybercriminals are leveling up: "It’s going to be the battle of AI in the future." Kurtz in February described how his cybersecurity company is fighting cybercrime that is "more active than ever," as hacker ranks grow and become more advanced with new AI technology in their arsenals. He said generative AI is democratizing "very esoteric techniques and attacks," so less-skilled cybercriminals can still carry out advanced attacks. "What we talked about in the earnings call is the ability to create more adversaries with lower skill levels, but operating at a much higher skill level, leveraging generative AI," Kurtz said, "Of course, on the security side, we leverage generative AI to help protect our customers, so it's going to be the battle of AI in the future." Snowflake CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy said generative AI will keep him "busy for many years to come." Ramaswamy took the reigns at Snowflake in February, and he described the way the data analytics software maker plans to use new AI technology. "We have so much ambition to do more, whether it is applications running on top of Snowflake, or, of course, using the power of generative AI, which I've been focused on for the past year, to democratize access to enterprise data, to have even more people be able to get at the data quickly to get value from it," Ramaswamy said. "So I think there's a huge opportunity in the world of data applications and AI that'll keep me busy for many years to come." Snowflake has collaborated with Nvidia, and in May, Ramaswamy teased a new project with the AI darling. According to him, Snowflake's product pipeline, "especially in AI, has been in overdrive." AMD CEO Lisa Su described competition with Nvidia: "There’s no one size fits all in computing." Although Nvidia leads the pack in the red-hot semiconductor design industry, competition is stiff, with companies like AMD and Intel vying for customers who are willing to pay top dollar. But in September, when asked about competition with Nvidia, Su suggested there is room for more than one major player in the sector. According to her, the "technology ecosystem" works properly when there's competition and partnership, and customers want the ability to choose between several solid options. "The way to think about it is, there's no one size fits all in computing," Su said. "There's no, you know, only one architecture. Actually, you're going to need the right compute for each application." Su said she believes "AI will impact everyone's lives," and that the world is just beginning to realize what the new technology can do. She also said people shouldn't be impatient about AI's impact because "tech trends are meant to play out over years, not over months." Generac CEO Aaron Jagdfeld CEO said pressure on the power grid "is only going to get worse" from weather and technology. Jagdgeld warned that pressure on the power grid is only going to increase as demand for data centers and other technology related to artificial intelligence continues to grow. 40% of the generator company's business comes from commercial and industrial-type products, he said, like backup for manufacturing plants, distribution centers, hospitals and data centers. "This has become a massively critical discussion point," Jagdfeld said. "This is only going to get worse." Sign up now for the CNBC Investing Club to follow Jim Cramer's every move in the market. Disclaimer The CNBC Investing Club Charitable Trust holds shares of Nvidia, AMD and CrowdStrike. Questions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.comImagine a world where food on grocery store shelves is ranked by its healthiness, with simple, research-backed scores. In some countries, that world already exists. Nutrient profiling systems, or NPSs, support clear front-of-package labels that assess food quality based on nutrient content . Nutri-Score in France is a rainbow-colored system grading foods from A to E. Health Star Rating in Australia is a five-star system rating foods in half-star increments. And the Traffic Light System in the U.K. labels nutrient levels as green, yellow or red. In contrast, the U.S. lacks a front-of-package ranking system for food. Food Compass was recently developed out of Tufts University to help address this gap and shortcomings in other systems. But it uses nutritional information not currently available for most foods and consumers. As a gastroenterologist and physician-scientist , I focus on making the latest microbiome and nutrition data more accessible to the public. Drawing on this research, I developed Nutrient Consume Score, or NCS , which rates foods from 1 to 100 using nutritional information available for all foods and incorporates factors important for a healthy microbiome. But how do nutrient profiling systems work? And how do they compare to other nutrition guides for consumers? Nutrient ciphers Each nutrient profiling system uses different scoring algorithms , but most assign positive points to nutrients and foods that are typically underconsumed, such as fiber, fruits and vegetables. Conversely, negative points are given to overconsumed nutrients like sugar, saturated fat and sodium, which are often added to processed foods. These points are combined into a single score: higher scores indicate healthier foods, while lower scores indicate less healthy options. For example, kale—rich in fiber, potassium and unsaturated fats , while low in sugar, sodium and saturated fats—would earn a high score. In contrast, Twinkies, which are high in sugar, sodium and saturated fats, but low in fiber, potassium and unsaturated fats, would receive a low score. A food like black olives, high in fiber but also high in sodium, would fall somewhere in between. Nutrient profiling systems work similarly to the Nutrition Facts labels on the back or sides of food packages in helping consumers make informed choices. These labels provide information about a food's nutrient content, including calories, macronutrients, and key vitamins and minerals. The values are determined through laboratory analysis and nutrient databases based on standardized serving sizes regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. But NPSs differ in that they combine nutrition information into a single actionable score. This means you don't have to spend time deciphering Nutrition Facts labels, which are often in small print and can be confusing to interpret. Ultraprocessed profiling Nutrient profiling system algorithms are all quite similar in their high ranking of unprocessed foods—beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and whole grains—and low ranking of processed foods like hot dogs, soft drinks, cakes and cookies. They help people rebalance their diets that have been skewed by food processing, or the degree to which the ingredients have been altered. They complement the NOVA classification system developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo, which categorizes foods based on their level of processing. This system introduced the term " ultra-processed foods ," which are foods that have undergone significant industrial processing and contain ingredients not typically found in home cooking. While NOVA has linked ultra-processed foods to poor health outcomes like obesity, worse mental health, cancer and early death, it treats all such foods equally, overlooking differences like amount of sugar, sodium and other additives. Nutrient profile systems help provide nuance by identifying healthier options within the ultra-processed category. For example, plant-based milks, such as almond or soy milk, may be classified as ultra-processed under the NOVA system, but they can have relatively higher NPS scores if they contain minimal added sugars and salt. Ratios and bioactives in balance While nutrient profiling systems can be useful for choosing healthier options, current systems have limitations. They don't always align perfectly with other research , often overlook the bioactive chemicals that regulate the microbiome and body processes, and may rely on incomplete data. Current systems also don't account for the caloric and health effects of alcohol. The Nutrient Consume Score I designed aims to address these gaps by incorporating these neglected components of food. For example, it uses food categories as proxies for areas with limited data, including bioactive compounds like polyphenols, omega-3 fats and fermentable fibers . Proxies for bioactive compounds found in unprocessed foods—such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds—are integrated into the score's core algorithm, which uses nutrient ratios to measure the degree of food processing. Nutrient ratios —including carbohydrate-to-fiber, saturated fat-to-unsaturated fat and sodium-to-potassium—reflect the natural balance of nutritional content of the cells in unprocessed foods, which research has shown correlate with cardiometabolic health . For example, the cell walls of plants provide structural strength and are rich in fiber, while their energy vesicles store carbohydrates. Fiber reduces sugar absorption and is fermented into the compound butyrate , which maintains blood sugar and regulates appetite . The fat profiles of unprocessed foods are similar to the fat composition in cell membranes . Saturated fat-to-unsaturated fat ratios capture how different types of fat , affect inflammation and weight. Finally, the potassium-to-sodium ratio reflects the natural function of cell membrane pumps , which concentrate potassium inside cells while transporting sodium out. This affects blood pressure as well as the microbiome and metabolic health. Research currently under peer review shows that the Nutrient Consume Score compares favorably with other systems. Derived from nutrition data from nearly 5,000 Americans, NCS sores are linked to blood pressure, waist circumference and weight. NCS has also been incorporated into a smartphone app intended for public use, currently in beta testing . Empowering smart choices While nutrient profiling systems are a promising tool for healthier food choices, they come with important caveats. Most studies testing how well they work focus on how two factors relate to each other rather than whether one directly causes the other. Correlation doesn't prove causation. Further studies are needed to assess whether these systems influence buying habits, consumption trends, and health outcomes like weight and blood pressure. Additionally, individual dietary needs can vary, and personalized algorithms could help refine these scores for tailored recommendations. Despite these considerations, nutrient profiling systems are promising tools to combat rising rates of metabolic disease. Their use in Europe demonstrates their potential to shift consumer purchasing habits and inspire food companies to create healthier products. Americans may one day see similar front-of-package labels in the U.S. Until then, smartphone technologies can offer a practical way to help consumers make smarter choices today. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .Visa's chief risk officer sells $668,602 in stock
WELLS — Elko County will gain a new conservation easement — the first of its kind in Nevada — on a working ranch near Wells as part of Acres for America’s $34.5 million program renewal. The project near the Windermere Hills mountains will conserve wildlife habitats and create a public recreation area across over 21,000 acres of vital sagebrush steppe, wet meadow and native grasslands. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will receive the grant and handle putting the easement together. Acres for America, a partnership between Walmart and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, is a conservation grant program which takes applications from across the country. Program lead Ryan Pettigrew of Acres for America Walmart said the program often gets 70 applicants or more from around the United States. “W e narrow that list down based on a large number of factors that include conservation impact, community impact, public access and opportunity for wildlife travel corridors.” Acres for America began in 2005, “long before many other companies were doing this kind of work,” Pettigrew said. “We originally set out to offset our land development footprint with conservation — we saw it as a cost of doing business,” he said. “We originally intended to conserve 100,000 acres, because that's what we targeted as our growth trajectory. And the reality is, the program Acres for America blew past that 100,000 acres of land conservation fairly quickly. We renewed the program in 2015 for another 10 years and have just kept going. “So, at this point, we're over 2 million acres that we've helped conserve and 126 projects. We've had grants awarded for projects in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia,” Pettigrew said. “We've helped conserve all that acreage, over 2 million acres — but through a broad spectrum of project types,” from landscape-scale preserves with tens of thousands of acres to park-size projects with 50 acres, he said. “What we've accomplished is engaging in some significant landscape conservation that has improved wildlife habitat but also helped improve the lives of our customers all over the country, through better wildlife, cleaner air, cleaner water and access to public lands,” Pettigrew said. Chris West, director of the Rocky Mountain Regional Office for National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, explained what the conservation partnership looks like from his organization's perspective. “Every year we do a request for proposals that basically asks the conservation community around the country to bring the best projects forward,” he said. “One of the big goals or focuses of the foundation is wildlife migration and migration corridors. We also had a goal of having a project in every state. And until this project, we didn't have one in Nevada.” A combination of Elko County’s mule deer population, the participation of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and support within the state from entities like Nevada Department of Wildlife caused the project to materialize, West said. “A lot of our big game species in the West make long-distance migrations, either elevationally or they travel long distances,” West explained. “Species like elk and mule deer and pronghorn are known for their long-distance migration, basically trying to follow the green grass in the spring and into the summer and have the best forage for where they calve and raise their babies.” In the wintertime, he said, these species do the opposite, which is “trying to find the safest, driest, warmest spot they can to survive the winter.” “A lot of times, those are very different places,” he noted. “Nevada Department of Wildlife, in particular, has done quite a bit of work on radio collaring and GPS collaring of mule deer and trying to understand where the deer are going during those migrations and where those key places are for them to spend their winters and their summers,” West said. “Elko County has some of the most important migration routes in the state and some of the longest in the country — and so that was one of the reasons. This project's right in the middle of, for mule deer, some of the biggest migration areas.” As recipients of the grant, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation said it received $750,000 in grant money from Walmart and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, along with $2,901,500 in matching funds, for a total project amount of $3,651,500. The Elk Foundation said it aims to “prevent development and conserve habitat that stays under private ownership.” Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Call to exempt listed firms from tax on mergers
PIERRE, S.D. — If all goes according to plan, Gov. Kristi Noem will deliver her final budget address Dec. 3 at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre, outlining her economic vision with an eye toward the next stage of her political career. It’s natural for governors to emphasize the positive in these circumstances, but legislators might not have that luxury at a time when lagging state revenue and rising expenses signal significant belt-tightening for the 2025 session, where the budget for Fiscal Year 2026 will take shape. ADVERTISEMENT “I don’t envy the governor’s position in putting out this budget,” said Rep. Will Mortenson, who served as Republican House majority leader the past two years. “If you’re someone coming into this session planning to create some big new government program or spend a bunch of money in a new way, you're going to be in for a rude awakening. We're just not going to have the money.” That’s a marked contrast to the “foot on the gas” mantra pushed by Noem the past few years, when federal stimulus money and inflation-fueled sales tax receipts fattened state coffers. Last year's budget proposal for fiscal year 2025, largely adhered to by the Legislature, called for $7.3 billion in spending, an increase of nearly 30% from two years earlier. After budget increases to the big three – education, health care providers and state employees – ranging from 5% to 7% the past three years, a more modest hike is expected for FY 2026 due to flat overall revenue, prison construction costs and a larger state share of Medicaid payments. “You've got ongoing sales tax collections that are $22.5 million behind legislative projections, you’ve got a men’s prison with a high maximum cost of $825 million and you’ve got conversations about property tax relief coming up,” said Nathan Sanderson, executive director of the South Dakota Retailers Association. “Just on those conversations alone, it’s going to be a very tight budget year, and I don't know what the answers are going to be.” With Noem nominated as Homeland Secretary secretary and preparing for confirmation hearings, the long-range responsibility will fall to Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden, who could become the first South Dakotan to take the oath of office in the heat of a legislative session. ADVERTISEMENT Here's a look at key factors to watch heading into Noem’s budget address and the 2025 legislative session in Pierre: At a meeting of the Joint Committee on Appropriations on Nov. 14 in Pierre, state economists outlined revenue trends showing that sales tax collections for July through October 2024 were $22.6 million behind legislative projections, more than 4%. That trend could lead to a shortfall of nearly $80 million compared to projections for the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2025. Overall tax receipts for fiscal year 2025 fell nearly 3% short of expectations through October. “There are areas that seem to be showing more weakness than others,” Derek Johnson, an economist with the Bureau of Finance and Management, told legislators. “Areas like building materials, hardware, garden supply, home furnishings, durable goods and communications. And then our farm equipment is down as well.” Sales taxes are the largest source of state government revenue in South Dakota, one of seven states without a state income tax. The revenue ceiling is lower because legislators voted during the 2023 session to lower the general sales tax rate from 4.5% to 4.2%. That rate sunsets, or expires, in 2027. Talk of eliminating that sunset clause and making the sales tax cut permanent might lose steam in this year’s session based on the latest state revenue projections. When the decision was made to temporarily lower the general sales tax rate in 2023, the other two options were to repeal the state’s grocery tax, which Noem supported, and to provide property tax relief. ADVERTISEMENT Voters strongly rejected a grocery tax repeal in the 2024 election, at least temporarily taking that issue off the front burner. But property tax is a hot topic entering the 2025 session, given that total payments have increased by nearly 60% for homes and nearly 50% for commercial property over the past decade in South Dakota. The problem with cutting property taxes, which help fund local school districts and city and county governments, is that typically you need to backfill that lost revenue with general fund dollars to pay for education and reduce the local effort for school districts. South Dakota voters passed Medicaid expansion in 2022, extending health care coverage to more low-income residents under the Affordable Care Act, with the federal government covering 90 percent of the cost for the first three years. That "bonus" in federal payments ends this year, said Venhuizen, who opposed expanding Medicaid without a plan to pay for the state's share. That price tag is about $35 million for FY 2026 after the state set aside $31 million earlier to ease the cost. "The good news is that the Legislature and the governor planned for this by beginning to build in these extra costs over the past two years," said Venhuizen. "The bad news is that we have to absorb the rest of it this year, which means it will limit available ongoing revenue that much more." Additionally, the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for regular Medicaid has changed for South Dakota, with the state's funding responsibility increasing from 45% to 47%, which means as much as $25 million for FY 2026. ADVERTISEMENT — This story was first published on southdakotanewswatch.org.
Iran Lifts Ban On WhatsApp, Google Play
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The Sacramento Kings have reportedly fired coach Mike Brown, per ESPN . The Kings were off to a slow start this season, posting a 13-18 record, which puts them on the outside looking in of the playoff and play-in picture at the end of December. Brown became head coach of the Kings ahead of the 2022-23 season. In his first season, he took the Kings to their first playoff appearance in 16 seasons, which was the longest active playoff drought in NBA history, and longest across the NBA, NFL , MLB and NHL . Brown earned Coach of the Year honors that season, as the Kings looked to be on an upward trajectory. As of late there have been trade rumors circulating about star point guard De'Aaron Fox's , so the future is uncertain in Sacramento. But after a successful season in his first year at the helm, Sacramento regressed last season and missed the playoffs after losing in the play-in round to the New Orleans Pelicans . This season has by far been the most disappointing, as they're currently on a five-game losing steak, have lost 12 of their last 17 games and have a league-leading 13 clutch losses, a surprising number given Fox and DeMar DeRozan are amongst the best clutch players in the league. Brown also had previous head coaching stops with the Cavaliers and Lakers and has a career record of 454-304 (.599) in the regular season. Mike Brown era with Kings 2022-23 48-34 No. 3 seed in West, lost in first round 2023-24 46-36 No. 9 seed in West, lost in play-in 2024-25 13-18 TBD CBS Sports will continue to update this story.Teleidoscope team with upgraded electro-optical/infrared cameras in 2021 (Defense Innovation Unit) Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements. IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER: - AI cameras are giving DC's air defense a major upgrade - America needs drones and the F-35 to win the next war - AI is reshaping business. This is how we stay ahead of China AI CAMERA SURVEILLANCE : The National Capital Region (NCR) is rolling out an advanced artificial intelligence-based visual recognition system that's taking air defense to a whole new level. Advanced artificial intelligence-based visual recognition system (Katie Lange/DOD) THE FUTURE IS NOW: Autonomous, unmanned drones and artificial intelligence have already begun to shape the wars today and the future. Two US Air Force F-35 jets and a Polish Air Force F-16 take part in a military parade in Warsaw on Polish Army Day, August 15, 2023, to commemorate the anniversary of the 1920 victory over Soviet Russia at the Battle of Warsaw during the Polish-Soviet War. (WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images) STAYING IN FIRST PLACE: As the U.S. races to maintain its global leadership in AI , much of the conversation revolves around natural language processing, the reshoring of the semiconductor supply chain and powering data centers. A visitor watches an AI (Artificial Intelligence) sign on an animated screen at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona. (JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images) AI FOOD TRACKER: The Drop uses advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence to detect meals with remarkable precision. When you start eating, the smart AI chip activates, and a 4K camera takes a cropped image of your meal. (Kickstarter) Subscribe now to get the Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter in your inbox . FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Instagram YouTube Twitter LinkedIn SIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS Fox News First Fox News Opinion Fox News Lifestyle Fox News Health DOWNLOAD OUR APPS Fox News Fox Business Fox Weather Fox Sports Tubi WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE Fox News Go STREAM FOX NATION Fox Nation Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here . This article was written by Fox News staff.
AstraZeneca India recasts biopharma unitDry January is the calendar month where traditionally Brits put the bottle down and commit to a period of abstaining from alcohol. This is typically because we all overdo it in December and let the jovial festivities take over us. Slaves to the 'Christmas bev', we let ourselves say yes to the pub when we otherwise wouldn't, meaning dry January is practically welcomed. "Gone are the days when I would waste entire weekends hungover and anxious." After a bump on the head after a bottomless brunch, Cara decided to revaluate her relationship with alcohol and take on the Dry January® challenge. Cara found her social life flourished after she... pic.twitter.com/Lhb33tQ33W But sadly, a lot of us find this difficult. January is a notoriously grim month, which means to escape the seasonal depression, we find ourselves turning back to alcohol. Not all of course, but it is a tough task for some. Feel that's you? Don't worry, it can be relatively easy. As Bethan Higson, founder of non-alcoholic Mother Root Beverages , puts it: “Every January, people vow to become better versions of themselves – whether it be getting fit or eschewing alcohol, in an effort to live a more healthy, alcohol-free life.” Now, Charlotte Faure Green, nutritional advisor for Mother Root, along with other experts, share their advice for staying on track during Dry January. Was gonna do dry jan but then realised I support Leicester 1. Try to cope with what life throws at you without a tipple “One of the main reasons people struggle to make it to the end of January without alcohol, is a lack of emotional coping skills required to manage what sobriety may bring up for them,” explains Faure Green. She continued: “It can feel incredibly uncomfortable when we’re used to abating feelings of, say, anxiety, with alcohol. "[Try to] find other methods for calming the nervous system: breathing techniques, kitchen dance parties, talking therapies, getting out in nature for a walk, yoga and meditation. Clichéd perhaps, but they are clinically proven to be very effective.” 2. Think about the money you’re saving “Those undertaking Dry January often set sights on a big boozy blow-out on February 1, and this only feeds into our ‘feast or famine’, mentality,” says Faure Green. “Instead, consider how much you’re saving over the month by not drinking and make a list of wonderful things that you can do with that spare cash. "Choose what will drive you the most. For some, it helps to put a picture of that goal on the fridge to reinforce it with a regular reminder, and drive success.” (function (d, s, n) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; js = d.createElement(s); js.className = n; js.src = "//player.ex.co/player/6d5392ec-619d-4da0-8373-e78c5d1e997c"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); js.setAttribute('programmatic', 'true'); js.onload = function () { const playerApi228769 = ExCoPlayer.connect('6d5392ec-619d-4da0-8373-e78c5d1e997c'); playerApi228769.init({ "autoPlay": false, "mute": true, "showAds": true, "playbackMode": "play-in-view", "content": { "playFirst": [ { "title": "Winter Skincare: How to Combat Dry Skin", "src": "https://large-cdn.ex.co/transformations/production/070e2886-1d9d-42e9-b703-2c5d17444674/720p.mp4" } ], "playlistId": "649b233a79e0a90012ae8fba" }, "sticky": { "mode": "persistent", "closeButton": true, "pauseOnClose": true, "desktop": { "enabled": false, "position": "bottom-right" }, "mobile": { "enabled": false, "position": "upper-small" } }}); }; }(document, 'script', 'exco-player')); 3. Increase your GABA “One of the mechanisms that makes alcohol so calming after a stressful day is that it seeks out our GABA receptors and gives them a great big hug. GABA is our calming neurotransmitter, and when we’re producing it in abundance, we can feel relaxed,” explains Faure Green. She went on to say: “So, rather than artificially stimulating those receptors with booze, eat foods that increase circulating GABA... spinach, broccoli, garlic, fish, potatoes and bananas are good sources of B6, a vitamin that’s a vital co-factor in its production. “Green tea also contains an amino acid called L-theanine which is thought to stimulate GABA creation – the ultimate calming cup of tea.” 4. Don’t do it alone “Do Dry January with a friend for moral support and stock your cupboards with great non-alcoholic alternatives, and you’ll still be able to enjoy that end-of-the-day cocktail or aperitif,” suggests Craig Hutchison, co-founder of Maria & Craig’s non-alcoholic-distilled-botanical-spirit. 5. Keep a diary of how much better you’re feeling “Are you sleeping better? Have you lost weight? The average alcoholic cocktail has between 300-400 calories, so keep track and ensure you’re aware of the benefits – it can do wonders for your will power,” says Hutchison. 6. Go public with your challenge “The more people who are aware you’re taking January off alcohol, the more encouragement from your peers,” says Hutchison. The expert continued: “Follow some of your favourite non-alcoholic brands on Instagram. They will, for sure, keep you motivated throughout the month.” Recommended reading: How much does drinking booze cost you? Find out with this calculator NHS urges Brits to look for dementia symptoms this Christmas 10 foods that can help give a boost to your immune system this winter 7. Don’t worry if you weaken “If you slip once or twice, don’t beat yourself up and don’t just give up. You can start again the next day – it’s all about balance,” says Simone Caporale, award-winning international bartender and ambassador for ZEO non-alcoholic spirit. Simone added: “And you never know, the way you’ll feel while you’re taking a break from drinking, might actually push you to keep going.”
Joe Burrow is no longer talking about the playoffs after another loss by the high-scoring Bengals CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals have found all manner of ways to lose close games this season. Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press Dec 2, 2024 2:30 PM Dec 2, 2024 2:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks off the field after his team's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals have found all manner of ways to lose close games this season. Sunday's 44-38 loss to AFC North rival Pittsburgh can be blamed on a defense that missed tackles and allowed 520 yards of offense, and three turnovers by Joe Burrow. It's become a familiar story in this disappointing season. Cincinnati (4-8) keeps scoring lots of points but can't close out games. Seven of the Bengals’ eight losses this year have been by one score. Burrow has stopped talking about the possibility of going on a run and making the playoffs. He'd just like to win another game or two. “Playoffs are the furthest thing from my mind,” the fifth-year quarterback said. “You never know what can happen, so I’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to be the best player I can be for the rest of the season, week in and week out.” The Bengals allowed Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson to throw for a season-high 414 yards and three touchdowns. After Wilson threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown, the Steelers (9-3) scored on seven of their last nine possessions. They didn't punt until early in the fourth quarter. Burrow lost two fumbles and threw an interception. “We haven’t done enough to earn the win,” coach Zac Taylor said. “It’s a simple as that. It’s nobody else’s fault but our own. We haven’t earned it.” What’s working Turnovers aside, Burrow had another strong game, finishing with 28 for 38 for 309 yards with three touchdowns. Burrow is having a great season statistically, and he hasn't hidden his disappointment and frustration about Cincinnati's narrow losses. ... WR Ja'Marr Chase had a touchdown catch to bring his league-leading total to 13. What needs help The defense missed tackles and couldn't hold off the Steelers, even with Burrow keeping the game close. It didn’t help that LB Logan Wilson (knee) and DT Sheldon Rankins (illness) had to sit out. The Bengals have allowed 34 or more points six times, including in four of the past five games. Cincinnati became the first NFL team to lose four games in a season in which it scored 33 points or more. Stock up RB Chase Brown has been dependable as the featured back since Zack Moss went down with a neck injury. He rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers. He also had three catches for 30 yards. The second-year back has 677 yards rushing and six TDs. “He’s really coming along, improving his game every single week,” Burrow said. “Pass game, run game, running hard, understanding his protection responsibilities. He’s a guy that practices hard, plays hard, and a guy you can count on.” Stock down The Bengals' coaching staff. Something has got to give. There was no excuse for the defense to play this badly after a bye week. The unit gave up 500-plus yards for the second time this season. Injuries None were reported in the game. Key number 30.3 — The average points per game by the Bengals against teams with a .500 or better record this season. They are 0-7 in those games. Next steps The Bengals will try to regroup before facing the Dallas Cowboys (5-7) next Monday night. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Patriots turn their attention to the future after being eliminated from playoff contention Dec 2, 2024 2:54 PM 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey headed to IR with an injured right knee Dec 2, 2024 2:47 PM Titans are their own worst enemy as they fail again to string together wins Dec 2, 2024 2:36 PM