This story was originally produced by the Concord Monitor . NHPR is republishing it in partnership with the Granite State News Collaborative . Bill Ohm, a state representative from Nashua, hopes to increase transparency in the State House by compelling his fellow lawmakers to disclose certain campaign contributions in a more timely manner. He wants legislators to report contributions of $1,000 or more from any industry to the state’s Legislative Ethics Committee, “promptly” or within 30 days under his proposed bill. Candidates are already required to report all contributions to the Secretary of State’s office, which are publicly available but not always quick to come in. His legislation would create a new reporting requirement directly to the ethics committee. His motivations stem from an issue that began more than a decade ago and is still prevalent today: New Hampshire’s lottery and gambling industry. Back in the early 2010s, he said, concerns arose about undue influence by the gambling industry if the state were to establish a casino like the ones in Massachusetts and Connecticut. New Hampshire stuck with its charitable gaming model, which allows smaller-scale betting establishments that must give a portion of the proceeds to non-profits and charities. The state has 12 active casinos, and the industry has grown rapidly in recent years. “My intention is just that should this industry be established, which looks like it’s coming our way, that we have full disclosure of their contributions to elected officials,” Ohm said. Ohm said he’s not specifically aware of any lawmakers who’ve received contributions from casinos or online gambling firms but said the change in reporting requirements would be an effort to promote transparency and create a “safety valve” for good government. As for enforcement, he said it would fall to ethics sanctions already on the books. “Not restricting the amounts, not questioning the motivation, but just requesting prompt disclosure,” Ohm said. Industries are able to donate, “but you’ve got to be prompt about the disclosure if you take the casino or any other industry money that’s of any substantial amount.” Ohm thinks it’s necessary, in part, because legislating in New Hampshire is basically a volunteer position. Lawmakers are paid $100 per year with gas mileage reimbursements. While it helps in the sense that campaigning doesn’t cost much, Ohm said, it can present conflicts. “The flip side is that if you did get a lot of money, that could have a potential to cloud your thinking on how to vote, and I just want to make sure everything’s disclosed,” Ohm said. “I think we have honorable legislators, I think we have good ethics, but it’s just a guardrail to make sure that if you take the money, you’ve got to disclose it.” In a similar vein, the Legislature passed a law last year outlining circumstances where lawmakers must recuse themselves from bills where they have a conflict of interest. These articles are being shared by partners in the Granite State News Collaborative. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org .
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None- In its continued support of those experiencing food insecurity, the Church of Scientology Los Angeles helps launch the holidays with its 4th Annual Turkey Drive - LOS ANGELES, Calif., Dec. 3, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The bright yellow tents of the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology Los Angeles had something special at their weekly food drive on the Saturday before Thanksgiving: 300 turkeys for local families. The economic impact of the pandemic in 2020 marked the beginning of widespread unemployment and financial hardship. Although lockdowns have been over for several years, and many people have regained or found new employment, food insecurity remains a growing concern. A 2023 study by USC Dornsife Public Exchange revealed that nearly one-third of Los Angeles County residents experience food insecurity. According to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank , more than half of the parents surveyed in May 2024 reported difficulty accessing food, particularly as pandemic-era benefits phased out. It also reported that L.A. County has more food-insecure children than any other county in the U.S. In response to this urgent need, the Church of Scientology Los Angeles began providing a weekly food drive in 2020 and has continued to offer this service, helping hundreds of families each week. The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world’s largest independent relief forces. A Volunteer Minister’s mandate is to be “a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others.” Their creed: “A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well.” Their motto is no matter the circumstances, “Something can be done about it.” For more information on the technology used by the Volunteer Minister, watch Scientology Tools for Life and the documentary Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV 320 or at www.Scientology.tv . LEARN MORE: https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/ https://www.scientology-losangeles.org VIDEO: https://youtu.be/B0xMnowNCYo?si=DDYMrYdRbb-XAG-1 https://www.scientology.tv/watch/series/inside-scientology/inside-a-church.html PHOTO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/24-1203-s2p-COS-TurkeyDrive-300dpi.jpg PHOTO CAPTION: Cars line up at the Church of Scientology Los Angeles for a special addition to its weekly food drive. TAGS: #ChurchOfScientologyLosAngeles #TurkeyDrive #FoodDrive #Thanksgiving #ScientologyVolunteerMinisters NEWS SOURCE: Church of Scientology International Keywords: Religion and Churches, Church Of Scientology Los Angeles, Turkey Drive, Food Drive, Thanksgiving, LOS ANGELES, Calif. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Church of Scientology International) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire . Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P122625 APDF15TBLLI To view the original version, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/church-of-scientology-food-drive-makes-thanksgiving-special-for-300-local-families/ © 2024 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
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The Nasdaq and S&P 500 reached unprecedented heights on Monday, fueled by a surge in tech-related stocks. Investors eagerly anticipate the week's economic data, focusing on the pivotal monthly jobs report. In contrast, the Dow experienced a decline, highlighting November's significant market gains. Key sectors, including technology and communication services, saw notable increases. Tesla advanced 3.5% following a price target hike. Rick Meckler of Cherry Lane Investments noted a seasonal uptick, despite uncertainty regarding economic strategies amid a political shift. Former President Donald Trump's recent election victory is credited with boosting markets in November. Investors are monitoring potential tax cuts and deregulation. Meanwhile, Federal Reserve commentary suggests a possible interest rate cut in December, as economic indicators like manufacturing activity show improvement. The upcoming employment report remains crucial for investors. (With inputs from agencies.)
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Even before women had the right to vote, they were winning elections in the West. Now they're breaking barriers in three states with majority women-led legislatures. By Jessica Kutz , for The 19th The stereotypical story of the American West conjures images of unforgiving terrain, rugged masculinity and a cowboy and ranching culture. But despite these Western tropes it also has a surprising history of offering women a way into political life long before it became the norm. Every western state except for New Mexico gave women—though typically only White women—the right to vote before the 19th Amendment, which enfranchised women in 1920. Still some women were left out. Native American women, for example, could not vote until 1948. As with Black women in the American South, laws like literacy tests and poll taxes made it difficult for them to cast ballots. But even before they were granted suffrage, women were making political history as elected officials. Colorado became the first state to elect women to a state legislature in 1894, while Utah elected the first woman state senator in 1896. Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1916, and Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming became the first woman to serve as governor in 1925. “A lot of the western states just really led the way,” said Jean Sinzdak, associate director for the Center for American Women and Politics. “That sense of new frontiers, it really spills out into women's representation.” So it should come as no surprise that the West also has broken records this election, with New Mexico and Colorado joining Nevada to become the only three states in the country where women make up the majority in state legislatures. RELATED STORY: Number of women who are state lawmakers inches up to a record high This pattern stems from back when western states were being formed. As newer states, their governments were being built in more fluid environments and were less entrenched in the longer standing governance of the eastern colonies, Sinzdak said. The times offered more room for experimentation. “They were literally being formed as people were moving out there,” she said. And because the number of people living in the West was so small, there was a greater need to include women as a formal part of the population for voting and elected office, and to earn statehood, which required proof of a functioning government. “You want to count everybody you possibly can to say we have enough people. And so oftentimes you're going to say, ‘Well, women, yeah we need you over here, and we are going to need to have a convention, and we need to have somebody being in charge of education or Congress is not going to recognize us,’” said Sondra Cosgrove, a history professor at the College of Southern Nevada. “There literally was no one else. And so, it's like, ‘OK, I guess it's you guys.’” Having women in these positions so early on normalized their leadership, making it less of a barrier for future generations. “You can now have a good old girls network, where you can have mentoring, and you can have people who are in power, bringing people on,” Cosgrove said. While women’s political wins in the West are the foundation to today’s record-breaking numbers, an uptick in representation can also be attributed to a more recent concerted effort nationwide to elect women to office. The number of women running for office skyrocketed in response to the 2016 election, in which Hillary Clinton was poised to break the gender barrier for representation as president and was instead defeated by Donald Trump. Before then, “the story of women's representation in the state legislatures was one of complete stagnation,” Sinzdak said. “The 2018 midterms were just astonishing, and that's when the needle, in a meaningful way, actually jumped.” Women previously held about 25 percent of seats in state legislatures. Today, they fill 33 percent of seats, though this year, the increase in representation was marginal, with an additional 19 seats so far (results continue to roll in). “We would like to see a little less incremental change, and more big jumps,” Sinzdak said. “We do not see that this year.” In addition to reaching gender majority status in Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado, women already hold a majority in the Arizona Senate. California will join them as a result of the 2024 election. Oregon will return to gender parity in the statehouse in 2025. Organizations like Emerge , which supports Democratic women candidates, have been part of the reason why more women are running and winning elected office. According to their latest report for the 2024 election, of the 550 women they supported, 70 percent won their races, including women in New Mexico who now make up the majority of legislators. They also aided in the election of the first Black woman to Oregon’s congressional delegation, who joins the first Latina they helped elect. Sixty-six percent of Oregon’s congressional delegation are Emerge-supported candidates. While Republicans are also making gains, they are far behind Democrats in electing women to office. According to the latest tally, 1,580 Democratic women will hold state legislature seats compared to 857 Republican women next year. “It comes out of two things, one, which is that the party has just been more receptive to the idea that identity plays a role in how you legislate,” Sinzdak said. “But the other piece of it is the support infrastructure has been much bigger overall, nationally, and then in various states, much more robust for Democratic women. And it started decades ago, when you had groups like Emily's List,” “It's so much smaller on the Republican side, but potentially growing. Newer [organizations] have been cropping up, but they are much, much smaller,” she said. Whether having a majority of women in state legislatures makes a difference in terms of what bills get passed remains up for debate, according to Cosgrove, who has been studying how this dynamic plays out in Nevada. “When this all started, we were all very hopeful that there was going to be noticeable change. And I do believe that there are bills that relate to women and children that have definitely gotten a better ability to be heard in our legislature,” she said. “But ultimately, what I'm seeing right now is there's not systemic change, the women are still operating within a system that's controlled by donors.” They still have to worry about who is going to sign checks for their campaign, and the casino and mining industries have big pockets to influence candidates, she said. One solution, according to Cosgrove, is a move away from closed primaries, which limit voters to register with a political party and then vote for that party’s candidates. This often means that candidates have to toe the party line in order to win, Cosgrove said. In an open primary, candidates can court voters from other parties. Cosgrove used Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski as an example. “Alaska now has open primaries and ranked choice voting, and if you watch her, when she's being interviewed about what's happening, she speaks her mind and she does what she wants,” she said. “She is accountable to her voters, but she knows that over 20,000 Democrats helped her get through.” For that reason, Cosgrove sees a move to open primaries as a feminist issue. “Women can't act independently if they can't act independent of the parties.”
1. A set of Lego sunflowers so cheerful that they'll put a lil' pep in your step every time you see them. Promising review: "These are so cute and easy to assemble. Highly recommend as a fun gift to adults and kids." — Katie A. Get it from Amazon for $11.75 . 2. A mini Bob Ross paint-by-numbers kit for anyone on their "happy accidents" beat — this itty bitty set comes with everything you need to create three tiny masterpieces of your very own. The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel. Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" — slb m Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 3. A NeeDoh "Dream Drop," the latest drop from the *elite* Needoh sensory fidget toy line for anyone who wants to add more calm and focus to their day. This goo-filled, delightfully colorful fidget has a satisfying squish with a "slow rise" before going back to its original shape. Reviewers also love that it doesn't have the kind of stickiness that picks up debris and makes it hard to clean. Schylling is a small business that specializes in modern and retro toys, games, and sets. Promising review: "Great, and I love that it has a tray to sit on. I love how firm this is to squeeze, and the slow release is really relaxing. The included dish is a great touch — it keeps it clean and gives it a dedicated spot to rest." — AZMOM Get it from Amazon for $8.32 (the color is either blue, pink, or purple and gets selected for you at random)! Check out the rest of the Needoh fidget toy options on their Amazon storefront! 4. A cult-fave, high-quality 1000-piece Dog Park Puzzle so full of adorable details that it's just going to be a constant stream of serotonin every time you push another piece into place. Reviewers love not just the whimsical art style, but the fact that it's so well-made that there's never any glare on the image or "puzzle dust" when they put it together. Antelope is a small business that specializes in high-quality, unique jigsaw puzzles. Promising review : "This was my first time putting a 1000-piece puzzle together myself. Once I sorted the pieces out in sorting trays (highly recommend), I thought maybe this was a bit much for me. I started it a week ago and worked a little bit each day. I really enjoyed this. The pieces are very good quality. The details and colors are outstanding. I was constantly discovering something new I hadn’t noticed before . I’m actually kinda sad I’m done, but I’ll pack it away and bring it out again in about six months and have fun all over again." — ScubaReader Get it from Amazon for $22.99 (available in six other whimsical designs and in multisets). 5. A bitingly hilarious "I Hate You All" activity book for stress relief that delightfully straddles the line between wholesome and worrisome — perfect for blowing off a little steam at the end of a long day. Promising review: "Self-help for the misanthrope. Is perfect for that person in your life who hates everyone. They may even hate you slightly less for giving it to them." — John the Climber Get it from Amazon for $13.99. 6. And a " Grievance Journal ," or rather a "burn book for the discerning misanthrope" — a darkly funny, satisfying, and cathartic journal with 52 prompts so you can purge yourself of the ~~darkness~~ of your daily irritations and inconveniences without alarming all your friends and neighbors. (Well, any more than you already do 😈.) Promising review : "Bought this intending to gift it to a friend but ended up getting really into the prompts and decided to keep it for myself. WOW, what an awesome way to vent and articulate the negativity you're feeling by actually forcing yourself to form coherent thoughts around your emotions. Cheaper and more effective than therapy, buying several more for friends and fam. " — Alex Get it from Amazon for $27.99 . 7. Electric Unicorn Ground Coffee Beans that taste like fruity cereal milk, aka that deeply nostalgic, faintly sweet taste of milk that's leftover after you've finished a heaping bowl of Fruity Pebbles. Growing up is inevitable but at least your taste buds can still be young and free! Bones Coffee Company is a small business that specializes in coffee grounds and beans with unique flavors and themes. Promising review : "Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this coffee to blow me away, but it absolutely did. I was seriously impressed by how well-balanced the flavors are. It tastes like brewing your coffee with Fruity Pebble cereal milk — a combo I didn’t think I’d enjoy, but it’s fantastic. The quality of the beans is top-notch too. I used a French press, and the coffee always turned out amazing. The artwork and packaging are a nice touch too; they fit right in with my kitchen decor." — Kendra H. Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in dozens of other fun flavors, including decaf options). 8. An "Everyday Mindfulness"-themed word search book full of unique, relaxing puzzles designed to keep you engaged without stressing you out. Promising review: "This is exactly what I was looking for! It lays flat to easily complete the word search and not have to fight with the book. There are different types of puzzles, and some have extra secret searches! It’s great for the slow days at work!! I will definitely be buying more of these word searches!" — Roy Y Hahn Get it from Amazon for $8 . 9. Or Murdle, Volume 1 , a true essential for anyone who relaxes to true crime podcasts or Only Murders in the Building. The book is full of 100 murder mystery-themed logic puzzles with four different levels of difficulty that you can do solo or with pals, and in order or out of order (although if you do it in order, you get the full scoop on Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino, whose hilarious misadventures guide you through the book). The best part?? Once you finish "Murdling," you can use your sleuthing skills on Volume 2 , Volume 3 , and a whole BUNCH of other themed Murdle books ! Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun but the characters, story lines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes but this one will keep me busy for awhile!" — Liz Gately Get it from Amazon for $10.25 . 10. A set of relaxing instant heated eye compresses designed to relieve tired eyeballs and help you wind down at the end of a long human day — these heat up right when you pop them open, so no extra thinking required. If you want a fun twist on the unscented version, you can even get these in soothing scents like lavender and chamomile. Promising review: " Very soothing. I love these eye masks. I don't use them regularly, but they are very warm and soothing if I have a headache or just need a little self-care. My mother uses them regularly, and I recommended them to a friend who fell in love with them as well." — mayla23 Get a pack of 16 from Amazon for $14.44 (clip the 15% off coupon on the product page for this price; available in nine styles and scents). 11. A reviewer-beloved Cozy Spaces-themed coloring book featuring lil' bugs sleeping in upside down teacups, koalas snuggling in mushrooms, and all kinds of little critters reading, eating, and chilling in whimsical scenes. Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront ! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon for $8.99! Promising review : "This coloring book is a wonderful way to unwind and de-stress. The illustrations feature familiar, cozy corners that are both charming and relaxing to color. The designs are intricate enough to keep you engaged but not overly complicated, making it perfect for both adults and teens. The quality of the paper is great, holding up well to colored pencils, markers, and gel pens. I love how each page feels like a little escape, and coloring them has become a therapeutic routine." — Ali El-Khatib Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 12. And a set of rainbow aesthetic coloring pencils for some extra adventurous artists who aren't afraid to shake things up — each pencil has a whole bunch of different shades woven into it, so you never know just *quite* what it will look like as you draw. It's worth the risk, though — the beautiful results speak for themselves! Promising review: "Got these just to have a change of pace in my sketchbook. Kids loved them as well. They are fun to use. They write and draw smoothly. Great for any aged artist." — angela Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $9.99 . 13. A rechargeable, dimmable Dodo Duck Night-Light so cute that it won't be *that* much of a surprise when you imprint on it and start calling it your son. (Psst — this is the new baby cousin of the viral Depressed Duck Night-Light , if that's more your speed.) Check out a TikTok of the duck night-light in action. Promising review: "This little lamp is so cute! Gently squeeze it to turn it off or on. It leaves a nice soft glow. Purchased for a teenager, and she loves it." — WendyAnne Get it from Amazon for $15.99 . 14. Self-heating soothing foot masks made with Epsom salts, lavender, and peppermint perfect for anyone whose recent step count is "too many." Now instead of dealing with aching feet all night, you can get ahead of the situation with some ~self-care~. Check out a TikTok of the foot masks in action. I'm a long-ish distance runner and these were certainly an interesting experience for my feet! You slide them on and after a few minutes feel a tingling, mildly burning (in a good way) sensation. It doesn't quite numb your feet, but it relaxes them. I kept them on for 30 minutes and then toweled my feet off, and the tingling sensation slowly faded over the next 30 minutes. After that my feet felt very refreshed and relaxed at a time of day when they're usually aching from all the miles I put in. The whole thing was a mess-free, easy process, and I will definitely keep them on hand for longer run days! Promising review: "Very soothing. My husband and l used these on our European vacation and they definitely felt good on our feet!" — KS2018 Get a set of three pairs from Amazon for $11.97 . 15. A mini inflatable tube guy for your desk to cheer you on (or remind you to take a lil' dance break whenever you overwork yourself). Promising review: "OMG! I love this guy! These things, large and small, will ALWAYS make me laugh. My husband bought the desk version for me, and I can always count on it to make me laugh. My co-workers love it, too. People just stop by to turn him on for a quick pick-me-up. I would recommend getting the AC plug since batteries can run down fast. I think we should create a community of fellow air-dancer-havers and post clips of our little guys dancing to our favorite songs. Anyone in?" — Mark Get it from Amazon for $8.58 . 16. A set of adorable rechargeable penguin hand warmers to stick in your pockets and keep you roasty toasty warm even when it's as cold outside as the Arctic they came from. These are also magnetic, so they'll stick together when they aren't in use like ~birds of a feather~. Promising revie w: "These hand warmers are exceptionally cute. They also work exceptionally. Love that they are rechargeable. Depending on what setting you use, they can last from three to five hours." — C. Boyea Get a set of two from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three styles). 17. A ridiculously popular "cat dancer" toy so both you and your furry friend can shake off the stress of the day by chasing after it — and, of course, chronicling the absurd shenanigans for Instagram. In fact, if you are looking for an immediate LOL, please head straight to the review images of this little gizmo — pages and pages of kitty cats living their best lives. It is goodness and absurdity and light. Promising review: "I have a whole room filled with cat toys that my cat is not interested in. It's funny how the least expensive cat toy I have makes him go crazy. He plays with this until he's panting like a dog and I have never seen him jump so high. I'm certain this toy will help him lose his belly. He loves it! I highly recommend it!" — Kwoo Get it from Amazon for $3.99 . 18. A bubbling, textured sensory toy that's basically a hybrid between a lava lamp and fidget toy. The outside has soft silicone ridges designed to promote calm and the inside has an oh-so-mesmerizing bubbling liquid that will enchant you even when all that stress from capitalism is coming for your brain. Promising review: "This sensory toy is calming. I just sit in my recliner and run my finger along the bumpy silicone texture that encloses the plastic bubbler. It’s removable also, exposing a surprisingly thin bubbler, which I get joy out of flipping over and over in my hand. I have high anxiety and this toy actually makes me focus and relax. I like the colored liquid inside, it draws my attention, allowing me to calm and focus on something else. This is a good tool to help me ground and recenter myself. I highly recommend." — Tanya Elizabeth Get it from Amazon for $6.95 (available in four colors and two sizes). 19. A miniature arcade Atari so you can spend your day off in a time machine to the '80s — this itty bitty console is loaded up with ten playable retro-style games, including Pac-Man, Breakout, Asteroids, and more. Reviewers also mention how much they love giving them as gifts! Promising review: "I've put probably 10 hours in playing with this little system . It's an excellent little Atari clone, the screen is crystal clear, the games play exactly as expected , the sound is great the controller is a joy. This is an absolute must for anyone that loves retro games." — Doug Welyczko Get it from Amazon for $29.99 . 20. A Shrek face waffle maker , because although the years start coming and they don't stop coming, the craving for a piping hot waffle never goes away. Promising review : "Easy to use easy to clean. Makes great waffles/pancakes. Heats up quickly and indicates when waffles are complete. My son loves to make these with me." — erin j. Get it from Amazon for $27.99 (available in nine other styles, including Sonic and My Little Pony ). 21. A set of rainbow bath fizzes so magical that you will walk into the bath a mortal being, and walk back out an enchanted fairy witch lawlessly spreading joy wherever you roam. Promising review: "These bath bombs are pure joy for kids and adults alike! They smell amazing, are long-lasting, and turn bath time into a delightful experience. While a tad pricey, the fun and luxury they bring make them worth the splurge. A treat for the senses!" — Neha Get a set of three from Amazon for $19.99 . 22. Small Batch Cookies , tailor made for folks who live alone *or* for people who want to broaden their baking horizons, but don't want to deal with the mess of big batches (or the leftovers!). This book takes you through a bunch of delicious recipes for one to six people using minimal equipment, so you can have hassle-free treats and live your most delicious life. Promising review : "Edd Kimber is so creative with his bakes and this book is full of fun and interesting cookie recipes. love the flavors in this book...subtle and layered. Baking small batches is surprisingly liberating. Most ingredients are on hand and I'm not stressing about what to do with large quantities of cookies. With small amounts, it feels easier to play and experiment. " — Monica Get it from Amazon for $23.67 . 23. A set of cowboy straw toppers to add some much-needed "yeehaw!" into your hydration regimen, and keep your straws safe from germs out here in the wild, bacterial west. Promising review: "So SO CUUUTE! 10/10!! Good product and keeps my straw from getting bugs or germs on it! Plus, it’s really cute." — JennA Get a set of four from Amazon for $5.94 . 24. A set of affordable lavender shower steamers so you can have a dose of ~calm~ to cap off a long day of capitalism and help your poor overworked brain getting into de-stressing mode. Read more about aromatherapy and stress and tension at Johns Hopkins . Promising review : "Hubby bought these for me because I work full time and just decided to go back to school full time, and he figured I'd be a little stressed, haha . They all smell wonderful, they work great, they'll definitely help me calm down especially during exam time at school or budget season at work." — Tyleena Gloeker Get a set of six from Amazon for $9.99 (available in three styles). 25. A ceramic "Creature Cup," which has a lil' animal or critter at the bottom of your mug, so you'll never drink your coffee alone. Creature Cups is a small business that specializes in unique drinkware. Options include a dragon, fox, hedgehog, cat, dog, pig, elephant, and SO many more!! Promising review: "I got five different cups for presents for some of my special people. I love hidden critter cups, but find that most of them that I’ve seen in recent years have sort of clumsy, poorly executed critters. These are nicely sculpted and the cups are a modern clean design and well balanced. From the graceful cats to the perky fox and dignified dragon, they’re all just charming, not cartoonish. They are both funny and attractive." — hover Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in 16 varieties). 26. A 5-pound bucket of Crayola Air Dry Clay to let you finally follow your inner pottery dreams without all the mess and effort of taking classes. After you pull the clay out to shape it, it'll harden on its own — no oven or any effort required! From there you can leave it as is or paint over it for a fun vibe. Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes! Promising review: "It’s honestly just a really nice material to work with! If you want to create things with clay, this is definitely a good choice! It’s definitely not for professional use, but I feel like that’s a given? I mean, it is Crayola. But all in all, great for those who want to use it for fun!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $10.96. 27. Wititude's 2025 Day-to-Day Calendar with the theme of "Revenge Is Beneath Me, But Accidents Happen" — the art on these may be retro in style, but their sarcastic, delightfully blunt messages are timeless. Promising review : "Utterly in love with the 2024 edition, so I had to buy next year's. I so need these laugh-a-day pages!" — Karen P. Get it from Amazon for $16.19 . 28. A beginner's embroidery kit for adults , so you can have something soothing to do with your hands while you marathon yet another podcast full of murder, murder, and a side of...well, murder. (At least now your stitching will be tighter than the main suspect's alibi!) Each kit comes with a simple design, a cotton cloth, a bamboo embroidery hoop, a little scissor, colored threads, embroidery needles, and instructions, so you should be raring to go when it arrives! Promising review: "I’ve never done anything like this before ... but I like to try new things, and I’ve just recently moved and wanted to decorate my house with some handmade decor. This kit is a great value for the price! It came with the hoop, more than enough thread, and two needles! The printed pattern is very clear and easy to follow , and the little sheet of instructions on what stitch to use and how to do it is clear enough (and anything I don’t understand, I just watch a tutorial on YouTube). I’m about three hours into the project already, and I didn’t want to put it down last night." — Abby Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in three different patterns). 29. A screaming goat figurine for anyone who needs a little help expressing their feelings. This lets you air out all your petty grievances in the home or office so hilariously that the tension will be broken immediately. (It's important to me that you also know there's a Christmas version reviewers love to take to holiday parties.) Promising review: "This little piece of screaming plastic has created an excellent outlet for resolving frustrations in our home. Every time a conflict or struggle arises we push the little goat, get a gratifying screech, chuckle, and move on throughout our day. No regrets on purchasing this. When you get one, get four or five because you're going to want to share with family and friends." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon: $8.18 for the original and $6.48 for the Christmas version. 30. A Predicto Pet , which is basically what would happen if a very cute stuffed animal swallowed a Magic 8 Ball. You can ask it any yes or no question and tap it for an answer. Goodbye executive dysfunction, HELLOOOOO making a stuffed animal decide whether you're ordering takeout tonight! Promising review: "A friend gave this to me for my birthday present and it's delightfully goofy. It answers if I move it around without asking a question, but once I got Predicto settled on my desk, I just needed to give a light tap on the head. It is louder than I'd like and both my cats ran . But it's a fun gift and the answers make me laugh. " — Kindle Customer Get it from Amazon for $14.95 (available as a cat or a dinosaur). 31. An ultimate "girl dinner" plate — okay, technically a cheeseboard, but HEAR ME OUT. This labeled board is the *gremlin's kiss* perfect size for a human who wants to curl up with a Netflix rom-com alone and eat sharp cheddar cheese, Ritz crackers, and stuffed olives on a Friday night. Bonus: it's blank on the other side if you want to flip it over and use it for entertaining! Promising review : "Perfect. The charcuterie board looks exactly like the picture. I am very happy with it." — Joetta Adgate Get it from Amazon for $14.17. 32. A set of of Minnie Mouse ear scrunchies for anyone whose permanent spiritual address is "The Magic Kingdom," even if their physical address is somewhere else. Promising review: "I bought these at the last minute prior to a school trip to Disney. They came in a two-pack. I wore them EVERY DAY of the trip. They are so dang cute and durable. Standing in lines for the ride, almost EVERYONE asked me about them. They thought I bought them there, but surprisingly, NOT ONE shop at any of the Disney properties sold this. I sold one to someone in the line!" — Melissa Rae Get a two-pack from Amazon for $8.99 (available in 13 styles). 33. A set of silicone teacup cupcake liners so you can have your cake and "drink" it, too. Reviewers loved these for tea parties and cupcake decorating parties! Promising review : "Perfect size and color — so cute! My cupcakes did not stick. I did NOT spray the cups with anything. They were the perfect size. Fluffy. Nonstick. Lightweight. I received several compliments . The cupcakes popped right out of the cups. This brand was perfect! I’m truly impressed." — Denise Mendez Get a set of six from Amazon for $9.99 (available in white and pink, plus sets of 12 and 24). 34. A pick-apart ASMR cloud plush, or "Fluffie Stuffiez" — this unique fidget toy is covered with fluff you can methodically pluck off, revealing a different color plush underneath. No worries about the extra fluff, because it comes with an adorable container to make a second cloud out of it! Reviewers love this engaging, adorable fidget, both as a toy for kids and a stress reliever for adults. A few reviewers with trichotillomania swear by this as a helpful alternative for picking tendencies. Promising review : "I have a tendency to pick at my clothes when I’m bored and have nothing else to occupy my time with . I got this toy to see if it would scratch that itch and save my clothes from my boredom . It worked much better than I thought it would. The outer layer to pluck has a soft wooly feel and the under layer is very soft. Some of the strands were a bit stuck and took some effort, but most came out with only a little effort. I’ll probably get some more if I know I’m going to be away from home for a while." — Terras Get it from Amazon for $13.23+ (and check out dozens of other versions on the Fluffie Stuffiez Amazon storefront!). 35. A set of deep set heart-shaped salad plates because sometimes the way to your heart is through a BIG OL' Caesar salad loaded with whatever flavor of crouton Trader Joe's came up with this week. Promising review: "The quality is amazing. Bright white, ceramic! I loved them so much I ordered another set! Obsessed with them!" — christina lowie Get a set of two from Amazon for $23.98 (available in three sizes). 36. A compact, travel-friendly microwave flower press kit so you can preserve the beauty of the flowers you find on your adventures no matter where you roam, and keep them in a little flower press journal to admire. This is unique from other methods because the microwave makes it a minutes-long process instead of days, and helps preserve the vibrant colors! Microfleur is a small business that specializes in unique flower-pressing products. Promising review : "Such a unique and easy-to-use product . I preserve dried flowers in resin, and this has been such a time saver. In literally minutes, you have a perfectly preserved flower. I’ve never had any burned or overcooked flowers doing it this way and it definitely beats pressing them in a book . I can’t wait to buy these as gifts for a few other plant lovers in my life ." — Jessie Get it from Amazon for $36.99 . 37. A shaved sheep plushie that is so! darn! FLUFFY!!!! that you will not be able to resist the adorable siren call of zipping its fuzzy little "coat" on and off when your brain needs a cozy vacation. Promising review: "I love him. He is so cute and so well-made. He is the perfect size and shape. I named him Banana Peel Son since his wool comes off like a banana peel. Adorable. Would recommend to everyone." — Aerebys Stare Get it from Amazon for $13.99 . 38. A crochet starter kit with clear, easy instructional videos to make two new tiny friends, because you can never have too many "coworkers" on your desk cheering you on. Promising review: "Great for beginners. I loved the YouTube step-by-step. I wouldn’t have done it without that. Such a fun result. Super easy to figure out because of the videos." — Rachel Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available as elephants, frogs, or leopards). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
SAD in Catch-22 situation after Akal Takht directivesATLANTA (AP) — Even the woeful NFC South, where no team has a winning record, can't hide the Atlanta Falcons' offensive shortcomings. Three straight setbacks, including an ugly 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, has left the Falcons 6-6 and feeling the pressure. Only a tiebreaker advantage over Tampa Bay has kept the Falcons atop the division. Now the Falcons must prepare to visit streaking Minnesota, which has won five straight . Veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett knows the Falcons must solve the flaws which have been exposed in the losing streak. “It’s now or never,” Jarrett said. “You have to flip the mindset fast.” Kirk Cousins threw four interceptions in the loss, matching his career high. Coach Raheem Morris said he didn't consider playing rookie Michael Penix Jr. against the Chargers and won't think about benching Cousins this week. Morris acknowledged the Falcons can't expect to win when turning the ball over four times. It was the latest example of Atlanta's offensive decline. In the three-game losing streak, Cousins has thrown six interceptions with no touchdowns. The Falcons were held under 20 points in each loss. If not for the rash of interceptions which has contributed to the scoring problems, more attention would be devoted to the surge of big plays on defense. The defense forced two fumbles and set a season high with five sacks, including two by Arnold Ebiketie. The Falcons ranked last in the league with only 10 sacks before finding success with their pass rush against Justin Herbert. Herbert was forced to hold the ball while looking for an open receiver, so some credit for the pass-rush success belongs to Atlanta's secondary. The Falcons gave up only two first downs in the second half and 187 yards for the game. Cousins, 36, was expected to be the reliable leader on offense after he signed a four-year, $180 million contract. The four interceptions were his most since 2014 with Washington. Cousins now will be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons as he returns to Minnesota, his NFL home from 2018-23. Cousins has thrown 13 interceptions, one shy of his career high set in 2022. His passer rating of 90.8 is his lowest since his 86.4 mark as a part-time starter in 2014 with Washington. “Certainly when you haven’t played at the standard you want to a few weeks in a row, you know, you do want to change that, turn it around,” Cousins said. Running back Bijan Robinson had his busiest day of the season, perhaps in an attempt to take heat off Cousins. Robinson's 26 carries set a career high. He ran for 102 yards with a touchdown, his third 100-yard game of the season. He also was heavily involved as a receiver with six catches for 33 yards. With 135 yards from scrimmage, Robinson has eight games this season with more than 100 yards combined as a rusher and receiver, the second-most in the league. Tight end Kyle Pitts had no catches on only two targets. He has only six catches in the last four games after appearing to establish momentum for a big season with two seven-catch games in a span of three weeks in October. Morris noted the Falcons have “so many people that we've got to get the ball to” but noted he'd like to see Pitts more involved. Younghoe Koo's hip issues were such a concern that kicker Riley Patterson was signed to the practice squad on Friday and added to the active roster Saturday. Patterson was on the inactive list as Koo was good on two of three field goals, missing from 35 yards. Koo has made 21 of 29 attempts this season. He did not have more than five misses in any of his first five seasons with Atlanta. 70 — WR Drake London had nine receptions for 86 yards, giving him 70 catches for the season. London, a 2022 first-round draft pick, is the first player in team history with at least 65 receptions in each of his first three seasons. While Ray-Ray McCloud III led the team with a career-best 95 yards on four catches against the Chargers and Darnell Mooney has had some big games, London has been the most consistent receiver. The Falcons face a difficult test Sunday in their visit to Minnesota (10-2), which has five straight wins and is 5-1 at home. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl