xAI Secures USD 6 Billion in New Funding to Enhance AI CapabilitiesThe question sounds so basic and friendly. But it’s actually loaded, as many mothers can attest. “Do you just love getting to be home with him all the time?” asks the younger, more put-together woman in the supermarket. “Must be so wonderful.” Wonderful, of course — and sometimes brain-numbing and soul-draining too, some exhausted fulltime moms might reply. Especially if, like Amy Adams’ character in Marielle Heller's “Nightbitch," they’d left their prized art gallery job to this other woman. And so Adams responds, twice, showing in this very opening scene exactly why her typically brave, brutally frank performance lifts this movie from an oddly uneven script to something unequivocally worth seeing. First we get the honest answer, the one no one really gives until later in the shower: she feels “stuck inside of a prison of my own creation,” where she torments herself and ends up binge-eating Fig Newtons to keep from crying. She is angry all the time. Oh and, she has gotten dumber. Then we rewind and director-writer Heller has Adams give her real answer: “I do, I love it! I love being a Mom.” There we are, two minutes and 13 seconds into “Nightbitch” and you may already find yourself wowed by Adams. If not, just wait until her Mother is sitting at a chic restaurant with a bunch of colleagues from the art world, and her fangs come out. And we don’t mean figuratively. We mean literally. Let’s go back to the beginning, shall we? “Nightbitch” is based on the 2021 novel by Rachel Yoder, a feminist fable that the author has said came from her own malaise when pausing work for child-rearing. She sets her tale in an unidentified suburb of an unidentified city. Mother (characters all have generic names), formerly an admired installation artist, spends her weekdays alone with her adorable, blond 2-year old Son. Husband has a job that seems to bring him home only on weekends. The early scenes depicting Mother’s life are tight and impactful, a contrast to the confused havoc that will come toward the end of the film. Life revolves around the playground and the home, with occasional trips to storytime at the library where she notes, in narration, that she has no interest in the company of other moms — why should they be friends just because they're moms? In fact, Mother lives in solitude, and director Heller does a nice job illustrating how that feels you can almost feel the weight of the afternoon coming around, at this comfortable but hardly ostentatious home, when it’s too early for dinner and you’ve done all the activities already and you wonder if you can make it through the day. Then things start to get weird. In the bathroom mirror, Mother starts noticing things. Her teeth are getting sharper. There’s something weird coming out of an apparent cyst at the bottom of her spine. She finds extra nipples. And that’s before she starts eating rare meat. (Also, if you love cats, you may want to close your eyes at one point.) Somewhow Adams, who also produces here, makes these things seem, if not quite natural, then logical. What's happening is that Mother’s frustration is becoming ferocious. Dangerously ferocious. But also — empowering. At night, or so she thinks, she is a wild dog. Aspects of the film work wonderfully. Mother’s relationship with Son (twins Arleigh and Emmett Snowden) is lovely, largely due to a decision to let the young boys talk freely, with the adult actors reacting to their words. It lends a grounding realism to a film that quickly veers surreal. Less successful is the relationship between Mother and Husband (Scoot McNairy), which takes on too much importance as the film goes on, in a baffling way, rather than Mother’s transformation. (Also, just asking, has anyone in this movie ever heard of a babysitter?) More importantly, a story that posits itself on such a tantalizing idea — that by transforming into a dog, Mother discovers her true nature and power —resorts late in the game to a safer story about a marriage that never seemed appealing enough for us to care about anyway. It doesn't help that it's hard to grasp the distracting subplot about Mother’s own mother. None of this takes away from the strength of Adams’ performance. You believe her love for her child as much as you believe her resentment for what he is taking away from her. And Adams can make almost any line work, including one about a walnut. But we digress. It’s an irony that for reasons of storytelling, characters have generic names — because Adams is such a singular and particular, talent. The journey she embarks upon is bizarre indeed, but you won’t regret taking it with her. “Nightbitch,” a Searchlight Pictures release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association “for language and some sexuality. “ Running time: 98 minutes. Two stars out of four. Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press
The question sounds so basic and friendly. But it’s actually loaded, as many mothers can attest. “Do you just love getting to be home with him all the time?” asks the younger, more put-together woman in the supermarket. “Must be so wonderful.” Wonderful, of course — and sometimes brain-numbing and soul-draining too, some exhausted fulltime moms might reply. Especially if, like Amy Adams’ character in Marielle Heller's “Nightbitch," they’d left their prized art gallery job to this other woman. And so Adams responds, twice, showing in this very opening scene exactly why her typically brave, brutally frank performance lifts this movie from an oddly uneven script to something unequivocally worth seeing. First we get the honest answer, the one no one really gives until later in the shower: she feels “stuck inside of a prison of my own creation,” where she torments herself and ends up binge-eating Fig Newtons to keep from crying. She is angry all the time. Oh and, she has gotten dumber. Then we rewind and director-writer Heller has Adams give her real answer: “I do, I love it! I love being a Mom.” There we are, two minutes and 13 seconds into “Nightbitch” and you may already find yourself wowed by Adams. If not, just wait until her Mother is sitting at a chic restaurant with a bunch of colleagues from the art world, and her fangs come out. And we don’t mean figuratively. We mean literally. Let’s go back to the beginning, shall we? “Nightbitch” is based on the 2021 novel by Rachel Yoder, a feminist fable that the author has said came from her own malaise when pausing work for child-rearing. She sets her tale in an unidentified suburb of an unidentified city. Mother (characters all have generic names), formerly an admired installation artist, spends her weekdays alone with her adorable, blond 2-year old Son. Husband has a job that seems to bring him home only on weekends. The early scenes depicting Mother’s life are tight and impactful, a contrast to the confused havoc that will come toward the end of the film. Life revolves around the playground and the home, with occasional trips to storytime at the library where she notes, in narration, that she has no interest in the company of other moms — why should they be friends just because they're moms? In fact, Mother lives in solitude, and director Heller does a nice job illustrating how that feels you can almost feel the weight of the afternoon coming around, at this comfortable but hardly ostentatious home, when it’s too early for dinner and you’ve done all the activities already and you wonder if you can make it through the day. Then things start to get weird. In the bathroom mirror, Mother starts noticing things. Her teeth are getting sharper. There’s something weird coming out of an apparent cyst at the bottom of her spine. She finds extra nipples. And that’s before she starts eating rare meat. (Also, if you love cats, you may want to close your eyes at one point.) Somewhow Adams, who also produces here, makes these things seem, if not quite natural, then logical. What's happening is that Mother’s frustration is becoming ferocious. Dangerously ferocious. But also — empowering. At night, or so she thinks, she is a wild dog. Aspects of the film work wonderfully. Mother’s relationship with Son (twins Arleigh and Emmett Snowden) is lovely, largely due to a decision to let the young boys talk freely, with the adult actors reacting to their words. It lends a grounding realism to a film that quickly veers surreal. Less successful is the relationship between Mother and Husband (Scoot McNairy), which takes on too much importance as the film goes on, in a baffling way, rather than Mother’s transformation. (Also, just asking, has anyone in this movie ever heard of a babysitter?) More importantly, a story that posits itself on such a tantalizing idea — that by transforming into a dog, Mother discovers her true nature and power —resorts late in the game to a safer story about a marriage that never seemed appealing enough for us to care about anyway. It doesn't help that it's hard to grasp the distracting subplot about Mother’s own mother. None of this takes away from the strength of Adams’ performance. You believe her love for her child as much as you believe her resentment for what he is taking away from her. And Adams can make almost any line work, including one about a walnut. But we digress. It’s an irony that for reasons of storytelling, characters have generic names — because Adams is such a singular and particular, talent. The journey she embarks upon is bizarre indeed, but you won’t regret taking it with her. “Nightbitch,” a Searchlight Pictures release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association “for language and some sexuality. “ Running time: 98 minutes. Two stars out of four. Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated PressThe Los Angeles Kings look to match their longest winning streak in over three years when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night in Newark, N.J. The Kings extended their run of good fortune to six games on Tuesday when they opened a seven-game road trip -- matching a season high -- with a 3-1 triumph over the New York Islanders. A victory on Thursday would allow Los Angeles to claim a seven-game run for the first time since Oct. 30-Nov. 11, 2021. Adrian Kempe converted a feed from captain Anze Kopitar to open the scoring for the second consecutive contest on Tuesday. Kempe has scored nine of his team-leading 14 goals over his last 11 games. Kopitar, who is riding a four-game point streak (one goal, four assists), boasts club-best totals in assists (24) and points (32). "We've played together enough to where he knows what I'm going to do and I've got a pretty good idea with where he's going to be and how he's going to react in certain situations," Kopitar said of Kempe. "So, yeah, I mean, the chemistry has been there and, hopefully, we can keep it going." The addition of Trevor Moore hasn't slowed the line one bit. Moore, in fact, has three goals and two assists over his last four games. "The last few games, (our line) has been going pretty good," Kopitar said. "It always takes a few games to get adjusted, with Trevor coming in on the line and Adrian (Kempe) and me making sure we know where he's going to be. Right now, it seems like the plays are clicking." The fast start was quite the sight for Kings head coach Jim Hiller, who admitted he wasn't sure what he'd see from his team as it started the lengthy road trip. "You know, you're not sure how you're going to come out. We flew all the way out here, all that kind of stuff, and (the first) was probably one of our best periods of the year," Hiller said. New Jersey won 13 of 18 games before dropping back-to-back contests at home this week. The Devils were shut out for the fifth time this season in a 4-0 setback to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. They dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night. Jesper Bratt boosted his team-leading totals in assists (25) and points (38) after setting up Ondrej Palat's goal in the first period. Bratt has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) over his past six games. New Jersey carried the majority of play and held a decisive 39-17 edge in shots in what turned out to be a deflating loss. "It's a great game by our guys and they deserved a lot more than one point," goaltender Jacob Markstrom said. "I thought we lost one point (on Tuesday). You don't build off losses, you build off wins, so that's a sour one." The Devils will conclude their five-game homestand on Saturday afternoon against the Chicago Blackhawks. This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.As 2024 winds down, growth stocks have once again easily outperformed value stocks. If it seems like growth stocks usually outperform value stocks, you'd be correct when looking back over the past 10 years. This can be seen in the returns of the Vanguard Growth ETF ( VUG -1.43% ) compared to the performance of the Vanguard Value ETF ( VTV -0.59% ) . The Growth ETF tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, which is essentially the growth side of the S&P 500 , while the Value ETF looks to replicate the CRSP US Large Cap Value Index, which is basically the value side of the S&P 500. Over the past decade, the Growth ETF has easily outpaced its Value ETF counterpart, with an average annual return of 15.6% as of the end of November. By comparison, the Value ETF has had an average annual return of nearly 10.8% over that same stretch. On a cumulative basis, that's a 326% return versus a 178% return -- a huge difference. Meanwhile, it isn't just a couple of big years that have helped lead to the Growth ETF's outperformance. The ETF has outperformed the Value ETF in eight of the past 10 years. The only years during that stretch when the Value ETF outperformed were during the 2022 bear market, when the Growth ETF fell 33.1% and in 2016. Which ETF will outperform in 2025? Given the dominance of the Vanguard Growth ETF over the past decade, it would be easy to dismiss the Value ETF. However, growth and value investing tend to go through cycles. While growth stocks have outperformed since 2008, value stocks outperformed between 2001 and 2008 following the dot-com bust. Value stocks also outperformed between 1984 and 1991 as well. Nobel Prize laureate Eugene Fama and Dartmouth professor Kenneth French complied data showing that over 15-year rolling periods, value stocks outperformed growth 93% of the time between 1927 and 2019. Next year could be a favorable environment for value stocks. They are often more cyclical in nature and can also be more sensitive to interest rates, as they tend to carry more debt. If the Federal Reserve continues to lower rates next year and the economy as a whole picks back up, it could be a very good scenario for these stocks. Growth companies, meanwhile, have risen to be the biggest and most dominant companies in the world. Seven of the top 10 stocks in the S&P 500 are currently classified as growth stocks, and it can be argued that Broadcom , which is classified as a value stock, should also be a growth stock. Meanwhile, these top-seven growth companies are looking at a potential generational opportunity with artificial intelligence (AI) technology. While comparisons can certainly be made between the dot-com boom and the current AI craze, there are key differences. The big one is that AI technology is being driven by highly profitable, cash-rich tech companies that have established strong businesses outside AI in a variety of fields. The dot-com boom, meanwhile, spurred a lot of unprofitable, ultimately unsustainable businesses. One case for value, though, is that the Vanguard Growth ETF has become too highly concentrated at the top. Apple , Nvidia , and Microsoft now make up nearly 32% of the ETF's portfolio. How these three stocks perform will largely drive the ETF's performance. Apple could be the stock most to watch, as the company's valuation has climbed to a 42 times trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio on barely any revenue growth the past few years. While the company is seeing a shift to higher gross-margin service revenue, the stock could be vulnerable if it doesn't see an AI-fueled iPhone upgrade cycle in 2025. That said, overall, I continue to prefer the Vanguard Growth ETF in 2025. I think AI is still in its early innings, and AI software could be the next big theme. This could help power a number of growth stocks. Meanwhile, many of the top growth stocks in the Growth ETF are still attractively priced based on their expected growth in 2025. If the AI boom continues, I expect growth to once again come out on top in 2025.
‘Social revenge attacks’ raising concerns about deeper societal issues in China. What can be done?
By MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT BROWN WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department, said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Maine Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday as he pushed to win enough votes for confirmation. He said he will not back down after allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. Related Articles National Politics | Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell. It’ll be a first for him National Politics | The Trump and Biden teams insist they’re working hand in glove on foreign crises National Politics | ‘You don’t know what’s next.’ International students scramble ahead of Trump inauguration National Politics | Trump is threatening to raise tariffs again. Here’s how China plans to fight back National Politics | Trump won’t be able to save the struggling US beef industry Collins said after the hourlong meeting that she questioned Hegseth about the allegations amid reports of drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. She said she had a “good, substantive” discussion with Hegseth and “covered a wide range of topics,” including sexual assault in the military, Ukraine and NATO. But she said she would wait until a hearing, and notably a background check, to make a decision. “I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Collins told reporters as she left her office after the meeting. “I pressed him both on his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him, so I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.” The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is seen as more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. She and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow moderate Republican, did not shy from opposing Trump in his first term when they wanted to do so and sometimes supported President Joe Biden’s nominees for the judicial and executive branches. And Hegseth, an infantry combat veteran and former “Fox & Friends” weekend host, is working to gain as many votes as he can as some senators have expressed concerns about his personal history and lack of management experience. “I’m certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands,” Hegseth said as he left Collins’ office. “This is a process that we respect and appreciate. And we hope, in time, overall, when we get through that committee and to the floor that we can earn her support.” Hegseth met with Murkowski on Tuesday. He has also been meeting repeatedly with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a military veteran who has said she is a survivor of sexual assault and has spent time in the Senate working on improving how attacks are reported and prosecuted within the ranks. On Monday, Ernst said after a meeting with him that he had committed to selecting a senior official to prioritize those goals. Republicans will have a 53-49 majority next year, meaning Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his nominees. It is so far unclear whether Hegseth will have enough support, but Trump has stepped up his pressure on senators in the last week. “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump posted on his social media platform last week.NoneBy MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT BROWN WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department, said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Maine Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday as he pushed to win enough votes for confirmation. He said he will not back down after allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. Related Articles National Politics | Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell. It’ll be a first for him National Politics | The Trump and Biden teams insist they’re working hand in glove on foreign crises National Politics | ‘You don’t know what’s next.’ International students scramble ahead of Trump inauguration National Politics | Trump is threatening to raise tariffs again. Here’s how China plans to fight back National Politics | Trump won’t be able to save the struggling US beef industry Collins said after the hourlong meeting that she questioned Hegseth about the allegations amid reports of drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. She said she had a “good, substantive” discussion with Hegseth and “covered a wide range of topics,” including sexual assault in the military, Ukraine and NATO. But she said she would wait until a hearing, and notably a background check, to make a decision. “I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Collins told reporters as she left her office after the meeting. “I pressed him both on his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him, so I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.” The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is seen as more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. She and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow moderate Republican, did not shy from opposing Trump in his first term when they wanted to do so and sometimes supported President Joe Biden’s nominees for the judicial and executive branches. And Hegseth, an infantry combat veteran and former “Fox & Friends” weekend host, is working to gain as many votes as he can as some senators have expressed concerns about his personal history and lack of management experience. “I’m certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands,” Hegseth said as he left Collins’ office. “This is a process that we respect and appreciate. And we hope, in time, overall, when we get through that committee and to the floor that we can earn her support.” Hegseth met with Murkowski on Tuesday. He has also been meeting repeatedly with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a military veteran who has said she is a survivor of sexual assault and has spent time in the Senate working on improving how attacks are reported and prosecuted within the ranks. On Monday, Ernst said after a meeting with him that he had committed to selecting a senior official to prioritize those goals. Republicans will have a 53-49 majority next year, meaning Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his nominees. It is so far unclear whether Hegseth will have enough support, but Trump has stepped up his pressure on senators in the last week. “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump posted on his social media platform last week.
Which ultimate road trip car would you buy?