The search for the flight that vanished in March 2014 is set to begin again. ’s government said it had reached a deal with a U.S. company, Ocean Infinity, which will be paid $70 million only if it recovers a significant portion of flight ’s wreckage, to the Associated Press. “The proposed new search area, identified by Ocean Infinity, is based on the latest information and data analyses conducted by experts and researchers,” the country’s transport minister, Anthony Loke, said in a statement, the AP reported. “The company’s proposal is credible.” The disappeared from radar shortly after it took off to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur, carrying 239 people onboard, all of whom are presumed dead. Satellite data has indicated it was over the southern Indian Ocean when it went down. The cause of the flight’s disappearance, which has spawned , is widely regarded as one of the most significant unsolved aviation mysteries of all time. A previous three-month search by Ocean Infinity, in 2018, failed to turn up the plane’s wreckage, as did the original international search. Some debris to be from MH370 has washed up on Indian Ocean beaches. The Texas-based company’s chief executive, Oliver Plunkett, said earlier this year that its technology had improved since its first attempt at locating the wreckage, the AP reported. Malaysia is set to finalize its negotiations with Ocean Infinity in early 2025, as the firm has suggested that January to April would be the ideal search window, the AP reported. “This decision reflects the government’s commitment to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of MH370 passengers,” Loke said.Just because your family flees their home doesn’t mean the usual griefs of adolescence give you a pass. Years in a refugee camp don’t lessen the heartbreaks of youth. Walking for miles through hostile territory, dodging bandits, won’t make school any easier when you finally get there. You can reach your goal, America, and yet feel out of place and alone. And then your father, whom you adore, dies. “My family had to move from Syria and go to Jordan when I was 4 years old because of the civil war,” said Sebba Saad Allah, 16, standing before assembled classmates, teachers and community members Wednesday evening at Sullivan High School. “I was raised in Jordan for six years with my parents and my two brothers ... In 2019, I moved to the U.S. with my family and I was very unsure if I wanted to be here or not. I wasn’t ready for new beginnings ... It was a hard year for my family and I ... I started learning English and helped my family, translating. When I was only 11 years old, COVID hits, and I stopped my education because I didn’t know how to use technology to study; 2022, I was back to school, but it was the most challenging year for me because I lost one of the most important people in my life. I lost my father because of cancer. A truly remarkable person for my family and I, who touched the lives of everyone fortunate enough to know him. I miss listening to him saying the prayers before we break our fast...” Here the sophomore started crying. People clapped, encouragingly, calling out, “You’ve got this!” Enfolding teens as they struggle to be who they are and become who they will be, moving from strangers in a strange land to seasoned Americans, has long been a specialty at Sullivan, in Rogers Park, famous as Chicago’s immigrant high school. Two-thirds of Sullivan’s 724 students are refugees, immigrants or enrolled in their “English Learners” program. As many as 10% live in unstable housing situations. Add to that an ever more threatening political climate. The event Sebba Saad Allah was speaking at was Sullivan High School’s 8th Annual Thanksgiving Celebration, begun in 2016 after Donald Trump was first elected president on a wave of xenophobia. This year feels even more ominous. “There is a fear,” said Evelyn Levin, the English language program teacher at Sullivan. “There’s a lot that is unknown right now. There have been a number of students who just dropped out. There’s no way of tracking them to see if they’re still living in shelters.” More parents are reluctant to tell the school where they live. “Being listed in any sort of database is frightening to them,” Levin said. The school is trying to be proactive, to simultaneously assuage student fears while preparing them for whatever might occur next month — Trump has promised to begin deporting immigrants, including legal citizens, “on Day One.” “We have given students and families information about legal services that are available,” Levin said. “There was a legal clinic here right before Thanksgiving break.” As winter arrives, difficulties mount. “We have kids living on the train,” said STLS advocate Cindra Hart. “I’ve got kids living on the street. When it first got cold outside, I had to get coats, boots, hats, gloves.” How? “I’m begging,” she said, adding that gift cards, such as from McDonald’s, are helpful for impoverished students trying to get through Christmas break. “I need to be able to feed a kid while they’re gone from me for two weeks, because I know they’re going to eat while they’re here.” Hart said the city’s aid to her students was abruptly shut off. “All of a sudden they stopped,” she said. “They stopped . The city bum-rushed me. A whole bunch of kids who need stuff. The need is so great.” Anyone inclined to help Sullivan students is encouraged to contact the school’s clerk/treasurer, Bianca Rivera at barivera6@cps.edu. Not that the Thanksgiving event was grim. There was traditional turkey and trimmings, plus pizza and international dishes, contributed by local restaurants. The evening began with greetings were from half a dozen students in half a dozen languages, including Swahili, French, Turkish and Dari, an Afghan language, and Dinka, a language of South Sudan. Levin, who came to Sullivan this year from a West Side elementary school, spoke about how the immigrants here helped her see the city through fresh eyes — how one day she fought her way through a snow squall to get to Sullivan, only to find her students crowded around the window, transfixed. They had never seen snow. That said, the sense of festivity was muted compared with past years. “It’s a different kind of celebration this year,” said Michael Glasser, president of the Friends of Sullivan, the alumni group hosting the celebration. “We want to teach the kids the beauty of this American holiday ...” The good news is that Sullivan High School is in Chicago, a city in Illinois, where elected officials have no intention of rolling over in the face of whatever is to come from Washington. “Let me just say, anybody who goes after the students of Sullivan High School and the 9th congressional district will have to come through me,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Sullivan class of ’62. “We’re going to fight back. The entire community is going to be there to protect these students and protect their families. We are a diverse community, in the city of Chicago and in Illinois, and proud of it. That’s what the United States of America is about. A country of opportunity, not throwing people out. Not scaring them. I pledge that I will be there every step of the way to make sure these families are protected. We’re ready for the challenge and ready for the fight. I understand the fear, and I want them to feel brave and strong. We are ready to push back.”Williams Cos. stock outperforms market despite losses on the day
Bison Video Blog: The fallout from the loss in Vermillion and an early-look at the playoff bracketTALLAHASSEE, Fla. — While Gov. Ron DeSantis is a top contender to be nominated as defense secretary under President-elect Donald Trump, people around the two men see obstacles that could keep Trump from offering the job, and DeSantis from accepting it. The Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau spoke to 11 political insiders close to both DeSantis and Trump for this story. The potential hurdles are both personal and political. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday he planned to expedite federal regulatory approvals, including all environmental permits, for any company or individual proposing to invest $1 billion or more in a construction project. “Any person or company investing ONE BILLION DOLLARS, OR MORE, in the United States of America, will receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals,” Trump wrote Tuesday afternoon on Truth Social . “GET READY TO ROCK!!!” The announcement on Trump’s own social network comes as lawmakers in Congress are working to pass a bipartisan bill aimed at easing federal permitting requirements, a step widely seen as necessary to hasten building of upgrades in roads, bridges and energy systems as aging infrastructure heaves under pressure from increasingly extreme weather and a growing population. During the first half of his term, President Joe Biden signed into law three landmark bills aimed at modernizing U.S. infrastructure. That includes the hundreds of billions of dollars earmarked in the Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy projects, marking arguably the largest government investment into meeting demand for fossil fuels with lower-carbon alternatives outside of China. But the federal permitting process that developed in the 55 years since the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act slowed the deployment of those dollars as opponents of anything from a solar farm to a lithium mine to a natural gas pipeline seized on the country’s bedroom ecological-protection law to halt or delay projects with lawsuits. Obtaining final environmental permits for a project subject to the NEPA process takes on average 4 1/2 years, according to a 2020 study by the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The average for electrical transmission projects is even higher, with the majority taking 6 1/2 years to get final approvals. Since the cheapest technologies to generate zero-carbon renewable electricity ― such as wind turbines and solar panels ― require vast areas of land often far from the cities where power is used, transmission lines are seen as one of the main bottlenecks to bringing more clean power onto the grid. The bipartisan deal brokered by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) sought to ease the process. But some environmental groups came out against what they called the “dirty deal” because the legislation benefited fossil fuel companies as well as clean-energy projects. Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down. Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Progressive critics of the permitting overhaul argued instead for increasing staffing and budgets at federal agencies to add more capacity to assess and make judgments on applications. But some of the Democrats’ most prominent self-described climate hawks in Congress backed the bill Manchin negotiated, citing repeated analyses showing that the permitting reform package promised to slash more planet-heating emissions on net by helping clean-energy projects reach the finish line than it contributed by clearing the way for more gas infrastructure. Unless Congress manages to pass the bill in the coming weeks, the GOP majorities set to control both the Senate and the House of Representatives are unlikely to enact the compromise package. It’s unclear, however, what Republicans may propose as an alternative. While some top GOP leaders have vowed to gut the Inflation Reduction Act, others have pleaded with colleagues to preserve much of the clean-energy spending, which has overwhelmingly gone to red and purple states. The changes to energy policy come as the U.S. is experiencing its first major uptick in demand for electricity in three decades thanks to the need for more data centers to power artificial intelligence software, more air conditioners to keep Americans cool amid worsening heat waves, and record purchases of electric vehicles. At the same time, the U.S. power grid is becoming less reliable and more expensive as dependable coal and nuclear plants shut down in favor of gas and renewables that, while cheap individually, have driven up electricity costs in many markets where the two sectors combined make up the majority of power generation. Trump pledged on the campaign trail to slash electricity prices, and drive up U.S. oil and gas production up beyond the record levels set under Biden. Related From Our PartnerHealthy soil is indispensable to life on Earth, sustaining nearly 60% of all living species. As the second-largest carbon reservoir after oceans, soil is also among our planet’s most important natural assets in the fight against climate change. But the world’s soils are under immense strain. Droughts are increasingly turning fertile land into deserts, while pesticide use drastically reduces soil biodiversity, threatening our ability to produce healthy food. As high-quality agricultural land becomes scarcer, conflicts over shrinking topsoil – critical for crop growth – are intensifying. The Heinrich Böll Foundation’s recent Soil Atlas highlights the many ways we are losing the ground beneath our feet. The current industrial agriculture system has been a major driver of soil degradation, accelerating biodiversity loss and depleting vital carbon reserves. Yet despite its impact, the agriculture sector has made little progress in advancing climate goals. Its global greenhouse-gas emissions have remained largely unchanged over the past decade. As countries worldwide set new emissions-reduction targets under the 2015 Paris climate agreement, it is clear that achieving real emissions cuts will require developing strategies to reduce the agriculture sector’s carbon footprint. One approach touted as a potential solution is “carbon farming,” which uses market incentives to reward farmers for storing carbon in their soil. By adopting practices like planting cover crops, farmers can earn certificates for increasing carbon storage. These certificates can then be sold as carbon credits in voluntary or government-mandated markets, providing farmers with an additional income stream. This concept has gained traction in both public-policy circles and the private sector. Fertiliser and pesticide companies like Yara and Bayer have already rolled out their own certification programmes, while major agriculture producers such as Canada and Australia have integrated these credits into their markets. The European Union is also developing a certification program for carbon farming, and global carbon markets are expected to follow suit. Unfortunately, the newfound popularity of carbon farming risks perpetuating the false notion that emissions reductions and soil carbon storage are interchangeable. Even if we accept this premise, developing a system to offset emissions through carbon storage is extremely difficult. For such a system to be effective, storage must originate from a change in farm practices and be measurable and secure for at least a century. But given that carbon stored in soils is inherently unstable and can easily be re-released into the atmosphere by droughts, floods, or shifts in farming practices, long-term storage remains highly unreliable. Previous attempts to address this instability in other natural reserves have been unsuccessful. For example, reserve credits set aside to offset unintended carbon releases from forests in California are being depleted faster than anticipated after the intense wildfires there. And there has been little interest in credits with expiration dates, which would require buyers to renew them periodically. While it is possible to measure the carbon stored in soil, doing so is neither simple nor cheap. The accuracy of these measurements depends on several factors, including sampling depth, location, and timeframe. Alternative methods, based on limited sampling or mathematical models, have failed to overcome measurement challenges. Since prices for soil-carbon credits have been too low to cover the costs of changing agricultural practices, farmers are unlikely to embrace them. In response, European regulators have opted to make credit generation easier, rather than adjusting price incentives, thus compromising the system’s integrity. Beyond methodological challenges, carbon farming can serve as a smokescreen for the livestock industry. Industry groups claim that carbon storage in grasslands can offset methane and nitrous-oxide emissions. But this scenario is unrealistic, given that it would require vast amounts of grassland. It is well established that the most effective way to reduce livestock emissions is to cut livestock numbers and consumption of meat and dairy. The carbon-market approach views maintaining soil health and reducing emissions as an either/or choice. In reality, both are necessary, as healthy soil is essential for food production. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found that sequestering carbon in soils – or anywhere else – cannot replace emissions reductions. Targeting emissions reductions, rather than relying solely on soil credits, could have the additional benefit of weakening the appeal of controversial technologies that aim to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Simply put, a market-based approach to carbon storage cannot deliver the transformative change we need. We cannot offset our way out of the climate crisis. Instead, we should redirect public funds currently spent on agricultural subsidies to investments that improve soil health and support farmers as they undertake the transition to a climate-resilient food system. – Project Syndicate Sophie Scherger is Policy Officer for Climate and Agriculture at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s European office.New Mexico's two national laboratories are banding together with higher education institutions to bring the state to the national forefront of artificial intelligence development. The seven-member New Mexico AI Consortium is the first of its kind to unify industry with educational institutions, according to Melanie Moses, computer science professor at the University of New Mexico and the university's leader within the AI Consortium. Its aim is to combine the research and education of the state's universities and colleges with the experience and computational power of Los Alamos and Sandia national labs. While many educational institutions have AI programs — including state-funded AI-literacy programs for K-12 students — the new partnership represents an expansion of the state's AI’s capabilities in regard to science, specifically, according to a UNM news release Monday. “We think New Mexico can be a real powerhouse in AI research and AI education by combining the universities with the labs' long history of working in AI and high performance computing,” Moses said in an interview. The consortium isn't interested in making the next ChatGPT or any other traditional language model. Instead, it's focused on using AI’s strength to recognize patterns among large amounts of data for research purposes — such as designing improved antibiotic drugs, or conducting material analysis on energy technology like batteries and solar panels. The newly formed union brings together Los Alamos and Sandia with UNM, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute for Mining and Technology, Central New Mexico Community College and the educational research nonprofit New Mexico Consortium to create a “pipeline,” to bolster the state’s AI research and employment opportunities. The consortium was formed during a recent meeting held by LANL that brought educational institutions together with lab leaders to discuss the state’s future in artificial intelligence. “In that meeting, it became clear that if we want to invest specifically in AI in the state, we really need to pool resources,” Moses said. It was a natural partnership, Moses said. Industry has the resources to develop AI for profit, while universities need more resources to research AI’s ethical and social implications. “So, we said, ‘Why don't we just see what we can do to pull people together?’ And everybody was excited to join this,” said Moses, who said she expects more colleges and institutions to join the coalition as it expands throughout the state. At the meeting, Moses sat alongside Los Alamos National Laboratory's AI Office Council Director Jason Pruet and Sandia's Director of Computing Research Jennifer Gaudioso, who testified in June before the congressional Joint Economic Committee on “artificial intelligence and its potential to fuel economic growth and improve governance.” In that hearing, Gaudioso said data from the U.S. Department of Energy would go a long way in training AI models. Moses, whose specialization is in biology-inspired computation, cited another recent example. The use of AI to predict the protein shape produced by a string of DNA, what she called, “an open problem in biology for the last five decades,” which was solved in just a few years by AI. The discovery came about as a result of an AI tool called AlphaFold, made by the Google Deep Mind team, which successfully mapped the predicted shape for all 200 million known proteins, earning the team the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. “That’s millions and millions of hours of human labor just taken care of. It’s done. The problem is essentially solved,” she said. There are some drawbacks to using AI, though. One of the largest is the lack of transparency, or the “black box” effect, referring to the fact that most AI models are unable to explain exactly why they arrived at a given conclusion. “It's a huge problem,” said Moses. “As a scientist, you're not very satisfied when it just says, ‘The answer is 42.’ You want explainability. Everyone understands that this black box nature of AI is not ideal.” Elimination or reduction of this black box effect is an early top priority for the consortium, said Moses, and for good reason. Not only is AI being looked at for hard scientific research applications in areas such as biomedicine and chemistry, but also within social sciences. Political scientists using AI to examine election infrastructure and law specialists using it to analyze legal codes and deliver proposed verdicts are just a couple of examples of the about 60 faculty members that Moses said are engaged in AI research at UNM. That expansion of AI applications has also given rise to those raising caution. Specifically in the form of an algorithmic justice team between UNM and the Santa Fe Institute, developed before the consortium, which is focused on ensuring AI provides tangible explanations, especially if an AI decision could affect a person’s livelihood. As one consortium-proposed solution, Sandia is “looking to the architecture of the human brain for a better model of how to build these sort of artificial neural networks,” said Moses, both as a method of reducing the black box effect and aiming to reduce the traditionally high energy expenditure of AI models. While the coalition is focused on bringing AI-interested students to the labs, it is also trying to expand the labs' role in the classroom, adding to the already-strong cohort of adjunct faculty with a background in the labs. While Moses recognized some jobs could be threatened by AI, having AI skills will “empower people to be more productive and to have secure, interesting jobs in the future,” she said. "This consortium is trying to foster all of us being able to apply for very large grants that will really bring funding into the state and to build this kind of ecosystem that'll attract AI startups and things of that nature," said Moses. "This right now is the seedling stage, and I'm hoping that we'll really grow into something that benefits all of the state."
MT. STERLING, Ohio , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WillowWood, a global leader in prosthetic solutions, is proud to announce its receipt of the prestigious Gold Anthem Award Honor in the Product and Innovation category for its 2024 rebrand. The award recognizes the transformative collaboration with DD.NYC that has redefined WillowWood's visual identity, emphasizing its mission to improve mobility, push the forefront of the prosthetic industry, and enhance the quality of life for individuals worldwide. The Anthem Awards is the largest and most comprehensive social impact award, recognizing work across five areas of impact including Awareness, Fundraising, Community Engagement, Product, Innovation & Service, and Team & Internal Initiatives, for seven causes: Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Education Art & Culture, Health, Human & Civil Rights, Humanitarian Action & Services, Responsible Technology, and Sustainability Climate & Environment. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. With over 2,300 submissions from 44 countries around the world, 10,000+ reviews from jurors, and over 33,000 supporters in the Anthem Community Voice, the 4th Annual Anthem Award Winners were announced on November 19, 2024 . WillowWood's rebrand stood out among this global competition, showcasing an unwavering commitment to empowering prosthetic users through advanced technology and compassionate care. "This recognition is a testament to the heart and soul of WillowWood's mission and DD.NYC's commitment to reimagining brands in a way that stays true to that heart and soul," said Mahesh Mansukhani , CEO of WillowWood. "Our partnership with Digital Design NYC allowed us to craft a brand identity that not only honors our legacy but also propels us into the future. The rebrand reflects our promise to provide innovative prosthetic solutions that enhance mobility and transform lives." The creative process was a seamless collaboration between WillowWood and DD.NYC. Together, the teams developed a rebrand strategy that blends contemporary design elements with an innovation-centered focus. Key features include a revitalized logo, a cohesive color palette inspired by movement and vitality, and a redesigned website offering an intuitive user experience for clinicians and prosthetic users alike. "From the outset, we sought to encapsulate the essence of WillowWood's dedication to improving lives through innovation," said Anjelika Kour , Creative Director at DD.NYC. "The resulting rebrand is both striking and meaningful, capturing the spirit of mobility and resilience that defines WillowWood." The Gold Anthem Award underscores the significant impact of WillowWood's reimagined brand, resonating with both the prosthetics community and broader audiences. As a leader in the industry, WillowWood continues to champion inclusivity, innovation, and hope. To explore the award-winning rebrand and learn more about WillowWood's mission and products, visit willowwood.com . To learn more about the many industry-changing projects and services of DD.NYC, visit dd.nyc . About WillowWood: Based in Mount Sterling, Ohio , WillowWood Global is an industry leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of prosthetic products, including liners, feet, vacuum systems and components. Recognized for its products' superior innovation, quality, and patient outcomes, WillowWood's portfolio includes the Alpha ® family of liners, including the first myoelectric Alpha ® Control Liner, the META ® family of feet, the LimbLogic ® vacuum system, and now the XtremityTT ® socket system. For over 117 years, WillowWood's prosthetic products have helped individuals with limb loss find comfort and functionality, remain active and live life to the fullest. About DD.NYC: DD.NYC® is an award-winning Manhattan -based creative agency specializing in branding, web design, packaging, and video storytelling. Since its founding in 2015, the agency has been recognized for its innovative approach and adaptability across industries, with a strong focus on the medical and healthcare sectors. About The Anthem Awards: Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we're defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. This season's partners include Ms. Magazine, The Female Quotient, Sustainable Brands, NationSwell, and TheFutureParty. The Awards were founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ. About The Webby Awards: Hailed as the "Internet's highest honor" by The New York Times , The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites and Mobile Sites; Video; Advertising; Media & PR; Apps & Software; Social; Podcasts; Games and AI, Metaverse & Virtual. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received nearly 13,000 entries from all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include WP Engine, LinkedIn, Meltwater, NAACP, KPMG, Wall Street Journal, Vox Media, Deadline, AdAge, TechCrunch, The Hollywood Reporter, The Hustle, Morning Brew, Passionfruit, Embedded, Link in Bio, Creator Economy NYC, Creator Spotlight, AIGA, Vote Save America, and The Publish Press. Media contact: Marketing@willowwood.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/willowwood-rebrand-by-ddnyc-wins-gold-anthem-award-for-product-and-innovation-in-2024-rebrand-302337766.html SOURCE WillowWood Global
What is a waveguide coaxial adapter? Its Features and Applications 12-20-2024 07:22 PM CET | Associations & Organizations Press release from: ABNewswire 1. Waveguide coaxial adapter [ https://www.dbdesignmw.com/waveguide-to-coax-adapters/ ] The waveguide coaxial adapter is usually a coaxial connector at one end and a waveguide flange at the other end, and the two ends are at a 90 degree Angle. The 90-degree Angle is because the central conductor of the coaxial connector acts as a probe into the waveguide, coupling the electromagnetic energy between the coaxial TEM transmission mode in the coaxial connector and the waveguide mode in the waveguide. The coaxial connector center conductor probe is inserted into the rectangular waveguide so that it is perpendicular to or parallel to the maximum electron field of the rectangular waveguide TE10 mode. The depth and geometry of the probe are designed so that the electromagnetic field radiated or coupled to the waveguide is optimized and higher order waveguide modes are avoided. 2. Advantages of a waveguide coaxial adapter [ https://www.dbdesignmw.com/waveguide-to-coax-adapters/ ] The waveguide flange of the waveguide coaxial adapter is also a short-circuit plate, and its wavelength is only a quarter of the center frequency of the waveguide, which can ensure that the radiation is only in one direction. Since coaxial interconnects tend to have lower power processing than waveguides at the same frequency, it is important to note that coaxial interconnects can be a limiting factor in power processing for waveguide coaxial adapters. In addition, since waveguides are "banded," meaning that they have an upper band and a lower frequency band, while coaxial transmission lines have only a frequency upper limit, then the waveguide will likely be limited to the lower frequency of the waveguide coaxial adapter. Media Contact Company Name: MEIXUN(Wuxi) communication technology Co.,Ltd. Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=what-is-a-waveguide-coaxial-adapter ] Country: China Website: https://www.dbdesignmw.com/ This release was published on openPR.NoneColorado's Travis Hunter to enter draft, vows to be full-time CB and WR in NFL
Vast Updates Shareholders at Annual General Meeting on Significant Progress Towards Delivering Continuous, Carbon Free Energy to the WorldNEW YORK (AP) — There's no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the very contentious and divisive 2024 presidential election, the upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the winter holiday season could be a boon for some — a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones. Hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives. Another chapter in a lifetime of memories. That's one scenario. For others, that same period — particularly because of the polarizing presidential campaign — is something to dread. There is the likelihood of disagreements, harsh words, hurt feelings and raised voices looming large. Those who make a study of people and their relationships to each other in an increasingly complex 21st-century say there are choices that those with potentially fraught personal situations can make — things to do and things to avoid — that could help them and their families get through this time with a minimum of open conflict and a chance at getting to the point of the holidays in the first place. For those who feel strongly about the election's outcome, and know that the people they would be spending the holiday feel just as strongly in the other direction, take the time to honestly assess if you're ready to spend time together in THIS moment, barely a few weeks after Election Day — and a time when feelings are still running high. The answer might be that you're not, and it might be better to take a temporary break, says Justin Jones-Fosu, author of “I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World.” “You have to assess your own readiness,” he says, “Each person is going be very different in this.” He emphasizes that it's not about taking a permanent step back. “Right now is that moment that we’re talking about because it’s still so fresh. Christmas may be different.” Keep focused on why why you decided to go in the first place, Jones-Fosu says. Maybe it’s because there’s a relative there you don’t get to see often, or a loved one is getting up in age, or your kids want to see their cousins. Keeping that reason in mind could help you get through the time. If you decide getting together is the way to go, but you know politics is still a dicey subject, set a goal of making the holiday a politics-free zone and stick with it, says Karl Pillemer, a professor at Cornell University whose work includes research on family estrangement. “Will a political conversation change anyone’s mind?" he says. “If there is no possibility of changing anyone’s mind, then create a demilitarized zone and don’t talk about it.” Let’s be honest. Sometimes, despite best efforts and intentions to keep the holiday gathering politics- and drama-free, there’s someone who’s got something to say and is going to say it. In that case, avoid getting drawn into it, says Tracy Hutchinson, a professor in the graduate clinical mental health counseling program at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. “Not to take the hook is one of the most important things, and it is challenging,” she says. After all, you don’t have to go to every argument you’re invited to. If you risk getting caught up in the moment, consider engaging in what Pillemer calls “forward mapping.” This involves thinking medium and long term rather than just about right now — strategy rather than tactics. Maybe imagine yourself six months from now looking back on the dinner and thinking about the memories you'd want to have. “Think about how you would like to remember this holiday,” he says. “Do you want to remember it with your brother and sister-in-law storming out and going home because you’ve had a two-hour argument?” Things getting intense? Defuse the situation. Walk away. And it doesn't have to be in a huff. Sometimes a calm and collected time out is just what you — and the family — might need. Says Hutchinson: “If they do start to do something like that, you could say, `I’ve got to make this phone call. I’ve got to go to the bathroom. I’m going to take a walk around the block.'"
General Motors Co. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors despite daily gainsReeves, 60, plays Shadow in the latest film adaption of the Sega video game, which will see Sonic, Knuckles and Tails battle him to protect the planet. Speaking at the movie’s London premiere on Tuesday, the Canadian star said: “I’m a big fan, I mean, I really enjoyed the first two films. “I really liked the character of Shadow, so I was really excited to try to be a part of it.” The Matrix actor went on to speak about the differences between voice acting and appearing on screen. He added: “It’s fun to play pretend, I love acting, so it’s fun to try and inhabit another character. “There’s an intensity to doing voice work and specificity, it’s kind of more like doing, it’s its own thing, because it’s kind of like theatre, but no audience. “So it’s like doing radio, and it’s just fun.” Canadian-American actor Jim Carrey co-stars as villain Doctor Eggman, a role he told the PA news agency it was “great” to be playing again. Carrey told PA: “I do like to play a character filled with disdain here and there, the Grinch was that. “But there were other characters like The Truman Show, he’s somebody who loves the world and believes in the world, and believes in the people in his life, and believes in his neighbours, and he’s just a good-hearted soul that finds out there’s something more in the world than what he knows and something beyond his own neighbourhood. “So it’s a lovely story, but they’re all different characters, they all have different desires, and you have to do something special with each one.” He added: “I just let it rip when they say action, it’s just a perfect excuse to be an obstreperous bloviating bag of ill will. “And then of course they say cut, and all of that horrible politeness and needing to be loved seeps back in.” Sonic The Hedgehog 3 will be released in UK cinemas on Friday December 20.In a lengthy speech at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C. think tank, on Tuesday, President Joe Biden forcefully defended his economic legacy and harshly criticized his successor. “Most economists agree the new administration is going to inherit a fairly strong economy, at least at the moment, an economy going through fundamental transformation,” Biden said. “It is my profound hope that the new administration will preserve and build on this progress. Like most great economic developments, this one is neither red nor blue, and America's progress is everyone's progress.” RELATED STORY | What impacts will a Trump presidency have on the economy? The president pointed specifically to record job growth during his tenure and an historically-low unemployment rate, as well as solid GDP performance, major investments in infrastructure and a soaring stock market. Most economists agree Biden’s term in office has coincided with a strong jobs market, and note the economic forecast remains bright – especially when contrasted to that of other peer nations, many of which have struggled to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. And yet, Americans by and large disapprove of Biden’s economic tenure, particularly the high costs of goods and services. Though inflation has fallen some, it remains higher than when the president took office and has become a frequent point of attack for Republicans critical of the Biden administration. RELATED STORY | Wealthier Americans are driving retail spending and powering US economy President-elect Donald Trump’s victory last month served in some was as a repudiation of the president’s so-called “Bidenomics” policies, with most voters telling pollsters they were dissatisfied with the state of the U.S. economy and Biden’s handling of the issue. Since Trump’s election, attitudes towards the economy have improved slightly, particularly among Republicans; according to research from Gallup, just eight percent of Republicans in October viewed economic conditions as getting better, compared to 30% last month. Biden himself seemed to acknowledge some missteps in selling his economic vision to Americans. “I also learned something from Donald Trump,” Biden said. “He signed checks for people for $7,400 bucks,” the president noted of the pandemic-era relief measures. Even though Biden approved similar relief efforts during his term, his name never appeared on American’s checks. “I didn't – stupid,” Biden conceded. RELATED STORY | Powell says Fed will likely cut rates cautiously given persistent inflation pressures Seeking to bolster Biden’s economic legacy, the White House on Tuesday launched a new website hailing the “Biden Economy,” featuring statistics about economic performance during his term and complimentary videos from his supporters. Biden’s speach, meanwhile, also served as a warning of sorts to his successor, with the president arguing against tax cuts for the wealthy and the notion that such benefits would “trickle down” to middle class Americans. “You can make as much money as you can, good for you, but everybody's got to be they pay their fair share,” Biden said. Trump has pledged to extend the tax cuts he signed into law in 2017, telling NBC News he intends to submit a tax package to Congress within his first 100 days in office. “They’re coming due and they’re very substantial for people,” Trump said of his 2017 cuts. “That’s what led us to one of the greatest economies ever.” RELATED STORY | Amid corporate layoffs, 36% of workforce turns to gig economy for alternative employment A report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in December found that failing to extend those tax incentives would have a negligible impact on the economy, though Republicans are expected to pursue them and other business tax breaks after they retake both chambers of Congress next year. Trump has also promised to impose significant tariffs on the import of foreign goods from Mexico, Canada and China – despite economists’ and retailers’ warnings that will drive up consumer prices. Trump in the NBC interview said he couldn’t guarantee the move wouldn’t increase consumer costs, something Biden harshly refuted. “I believe we've proven that approach is a mistake over the past four years,” Biden said. “But we all know in time, we all know in time what will happen.”
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NEW YORK — The masked gunman who stalked and killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words "deny," "defend" and "depose," two law enforcement officials said Thursday. The words were written in permanent marker, according to one of the officials, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. With the gunman still at large, police also released photos of a person they said was wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company's annual investor conference at a Hilton hotel in Midtown. The reason behind the killing remained unknown, but investigators believe it was a targeted attack. This image shows a man wanted for questioning in connection to the investigation of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. The message left on the ammunition echoes the phrase "delay, deny, defend," which is commonly used by attorneys and insurance industry critics to describe tactics used to avoid paying claims. It refers to insurers delaying payment, denying a claim and then defending their actions. Health insurers like UnitedHealthcare have become frequent targets of criticism from doctors and patients for complicating access to care. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. Inside a nearby trash can, they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper that they say the gunman purchased from a nearby Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The city's medical examiner was looking for fingerprints. The killing and the shooter's movements in the minutes before and after were captured on some of the multitudes of security cameras present in that part of the city. The shooter fled on a bike and was last seen riding into Central Park. Bullets lie on the sidewalk Wednesday outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan where Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed in New York. The hunt for the shooter brought New York City police to at least two hostels on Manhattan's Upper West Side on Thursday morning, based on a tip that the suspected shooter might have stayed at one of the residences, according to one of the law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation. The photos police released Thursday of a man wanted for questioning were taken in the lobby of the HI New York City hostel. "We are fully cooperating with the NYPD and, as this is an active investigation, can not comment at this time," said Danielle Brumfitt, a spokesperson for the hostel. Police received a flood of tips from members of the public, many of them unfounded. On Wednesday evening, police searched a Long Island Rail Road train after a commuter claimed to have spotted the shooter, but found no sign of the gunman. "We're following up on every single tip that comes in," said Carlos Nieves, a police spokesperson. "That little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together." Investigators believe, judging from surveillance video and evidence collected from the scene, that the shooter had at least some prior firearms training and experience with guns and the weapon was equipped with a silencer, said one of the law enforcement officials who spoke with the AP. This still image from surveillance video shows the suspect, left, sought in the the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, center, Wednesday outside a Manhattan hotel. Security camera video showed the killer approach Thompson from behind, level his pistol and fire several shots, barely pausing to clear a gun jam while the health executive tumbled to the pavement. Cameras showed him fleeing the block across a pedestrian plaza before getting on the bicycle. Police issued several surveillance images of the man wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face, which wouldn't have attracted attention on a frigid day. Authorities also used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search, but the killer's whereabouts remained unknown. Thompson, a father of two sons who lived in suburban Minneapolis, was with UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. The insurer's Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., was holding its annual meeting with investors in New York to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson's death. UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs. In the U.S. healthcare system, even the simplest act, like booking an appointment with your primary care physician, may feel intimidating. As you wade through intake forms and insurance statements, and research out-of-network coverage , you might wonder, "When did U.S. health care get so confusing?" Short answer? It's complicated. The history of modern U.S. health care spans nearly a century, with social movements, legislation, and politics driving change. Take a trip back in time as Thatch highlights some of the most impactful legislation and policies that gave us the existing healthcare system, particularly how and when things got complicated. In the beginning, a common perception of American doctors was that they were kindly old men stepping right out of a Saturday Evening Post cover illustration to make house calls. If their patients couldn't afford their fee, they'd accept payment in chicken or goats. Health care was relatively affordable and accessible. Then it all fell apart during the Great Depression of the 1930s. That's when hospital administrators started looking for ways to guarantee payment. According to the American College of Healthcare Executives, this is when the earliest form of health insurance was born. Interestingly, doctors would have none of it at first. The earliest health plans covered hospitalization only. A new set of challenges from the Second World War required a new set of responses. During the Depression, there were far too many people and too few jobs. The war economy had the opposite effect. Suddenly, all able-bodied men were in the military, but somebody still had to build the weapons and provision the troops. Even with women entering the workforce in unprecedented numbers, there was simply too much to get done. The competition for skilled labor was brutal. A wage freeze starting in 1942 forced employers to find other means of recruiting and retaining workers. Building on the recently mandated workers' compensation plans, employers or their union counterparts started offering insurance to cover hospital and doctor visits. Of course, the wage freeze ended soon after the war. However, the tax code and the courts soon clarified that employer-sponsored health insurance was non-taxable. Medicare, a government-sponsored health plan for retirees 65 and older, debuted in 1965. Nowadays, Medicare is offered in Parts A, B, C, and D; each offering a different layer of coverage for older Americans. As of 2023, over a quarter of all U.S. adults are enrolled in Medicare. The structure of Medicare is not dissimilar to universal health care offered in other countries, although the policy covers everyone, not just people over a certain age. Medicaid was also signed into law with Medicare. Medicaid provides health care coverage for Americans with low incomes. Over 74 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid today. The Obama administration was neither the first nor the last to champion new ways to provide health care coverage to a wider swath of Americans. The first attempts to harmonize U.S. healthcare delivery systems with those of other developed economies came just five years after Medicare and Medicaid. Two separate bills were introduced in 1970 alone. Both bills aimed to widen affordable health benefits for Americans, either by making people Medicare-eligible or providing free health benefits for all Americans. As is the case with many bills, both these died, even though there was bipartisan support. But the chairman of the relevant Senate panel had his own bill in mind, which got through the committee. It effectively said that all Americans were entitled to the kind of health benefits enjoyed by the United Auto Workers Union or AFL-CIO—for free. But shortly after Sen. Edward Kennedy began hearings on his bill in early 1971 , a competing proposal came from an unexpected source: Richard Nixon's White House. President Nixon's approach , in retrospect, had some commonalities with what Obamacare turned out to be. There was the employer mandate, for example, and an expansion of Medicaid. It favored healthcare delivery via health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, which was a novel idea at the time. HMOs, which offer managed care within a tight network of health care providers, descended from the prepaid health plans that flourished briefly in the 1910s and 1920s. They were first conceived in their current form around 1970 by Dr. Paul M. Ellwood, Jr. In 1973, a law was passed to require large companies to give their employees an HMO option as well as a traditional health insurance option. But that was always intended to be ancillary to Nixon's more ambitious proposal, which got even closer to what exists now after it wallowed in the swamp for a while. When Nixon reintroduced the proposal in 1974, it featured state-run health insurance plans as a substitute for Medicaid—not a far cry from the tax credit-fueled state-run exchanges of today. Of course, Nixon had other things to worry about in 1974: inflation, recession, a nation just beginning to heal from its first lost war—and his looming impeachment. His successor, Gerald Ford, tried to keep the proposal moving forward, but to no avail. But this raises a good question: If the Republican president and the Democratic Senate majority both see the same problem and have competing but not irreconcilable proposals to address it, why wasn't there some kind of compromise? What major issue divided the two parties? It was a matter of funding. The Democrats wanted to pay for universal health coverage through the U.S. Treasury's general fund, acknowledging that Congress would have to raise taxes to pay for it. The Republicans wanted it to pay for itself by charging participants insurance premiums, which would be, in effect, a new tax. The next significant legislation came from President Reagan, who signed the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA, in 1985. COBRA enabled laid-off workers to hold onto their health insurance—providing that they pay 100% of the premium, which had been wholly or at least in part subsidized by their erstwhile employer. While COBRA offers continued coverage, its high expense doesn't offer much relief for the unemployed. A 2006 Commonwealth Fund survey found that only 9% of people eligible for COBRA coverage actually signed up for it. The COBRA law had a section, though, that was only tangentially related. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA, which was incorporated into COBRA, required all emergency medical facilities that take Medicare—that is, all of them—to treat patients irrespective of their insurance status or ability to pay. As Forbes staff writer Avik Roy wrote during the Obamacare debate, EMTALA has come to overshadow the rest of the COBRA law in its influence on American health care policy. More on that soon. It wasn't until the 1990s that Washington saw another serious attempt at healthcare reform. Bill Clinton's first order of business as president was to establish a new health care plan. For the first time, the First Lady took on the role of heavy-lifting policy advisor to the president and became the White House point person on universal health care. Hillary Clinton's proposal mandated : The Clintons' plan centralized decision-making in Washington, with a "National Health Board" overseeing quality assurance, training physicians, guaranteeing abortion coverage, and running both long-term care facilities and rural health systems. The insurance lobbyists had a field day with that. The famous "Harry and Louise" ads portrayed a generic American couple having tense conversations in their breakfast nook about how the federal government would come between them and their doctor. By the 1994 midterms, any chance of universal health care in America had died. In this case, it wasn't funding but the debate between big and small governments that killed the Clinton reform. It would be another generation before the U.S. saw universal health care take the stage. Fast-forward to 2010. It was clear that employer-sponsored plans were vestiges of another time. They made sense when people stayed with the same company for their entire careers, but as job-hopping and layoffs became more prevalent, plans tied to the job became obsolete. Thus the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, was proposed by Barack Obama's White House and squeaked by Congress and the Supreme Court with the narrowest of margins. The ACA introduced an individual mandate requiring everyone to have health insurance regardless of job status. It set up an array of government-sponsored online exchanges where individuals could buy coverage . It also provided advance premium tax credits to defray the cost to consumers. But it didn't ignore hat most people were already getting health insurance through work, and a significant proportion didn't want to change . So the ACA also required employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees to provide health coverage to at least 95% of them. The law, nicknamed Obamacare by supporters and detractors, set a minimum baseline of coverage and affordability. The penalty for an employer that offers inadequate or unaffordable coverage can never be greater than the penalty for not offering coverage at all. The model for Obamacare was the health care reform package that went into effect in Massachusetts in 2006. The initial proposal was made by then-Governor Mitt Romney, a Republican who now serves as a senator from Utah. Despite an onslaught of court challenges, Obamacare remains the law of the land. For a while, Republican congressional candidates ran on a "repeal-and-replace" platform plank, but even when they were in the majority, there was little legislative action to do either. Still, Obamacare is not the last word in American health care reform. Since then, there have been two important improvements to Health Reimbursement Arrangements, through which companies pay employees back for out-of-pocket medical-related expenses. HRAs had been evolving informally since at least the 1960s but were first addressed by the Internal Revenue Service in 2002. Not much more happened on that front until Obama's lame-duck period. In December 2016, he signed the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which was mainly a funding bill supporting the National Institutes of Health as it addressed the opioid crisis. But, just like the right to free emergency room treatment was nested in the larger COBRA law, the legal framework of Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangements was tucked away in a corner of the Cures Act. QSEHRAs, offered only by companies with fewer than 50 full-time employees, allow firms to let their employees pick their insurance coverage off the Obamacare exchanges. The firms pay the employees back for some or all of the cost of those premiums. The employees then become ineligible for the premium tax credit provided by the ACA, but a well-constructed QSEHRA will meet or exceed the value of that subsidy. That brings this timeline to one last innovation, which expands QSEHRA-like treatment to companies with more than 50 employees or aspiring to have them. Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements , or ICHRAs, were established by a 2019 IRS rule . ICHRAs allow firms of any size to offer employees tax-free contributions to cover up to 100% of their individual health insurance premiums as well as other eligible medical expenses. Instead of offering insurance policies directly, companies advise employees to shop on a government-sponsored exchange and select the best plan that suits their needs. Employer reimbursement rather than an advance premium tax credit reduces premiums. And because these plans are already ACA-compliant, there's no risk to the employer that they won't meet coverage or affordability standards. The U.S. is never going back to the mid-20th century model of lifetime employment at one company. Now, with remote employees and gig workers characterizing the workforce, the portability of an ICHRA provides some consistency for those who expect to be independent contractors for their entire careers. Simultaneously, allows bootstrap-phase startups to offer the dignity of health coverage to their Day One associates. The U.S. health care system can feel clunky and confusing to navigate. It is also regressive and penalizes startups and small businesses. For a country founded by entrepreneurs, it's sad that corporations like Google pay less for health care per employee than a small coffee shop in Florida. In many ways, ICHRA democratizes procuring health care coverage. In the same way that large employers enjoy the benefits of better rates, ICHRA plan quality and prices improve as the ICHRA risk pool grows. Moving away from the traditional employer model will change the incentive structure of the healthcare industry. Insurers will be able to compete and differentiate on the merits of their product. They will be incentivized to build products for people, not one-size-fits-all solutions for employers. This story was produced by Thatch and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
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