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‘Donald Trump is above the law’: Democratic lawmaker reacts to Smith’s move
Is Poetry Still Alive? Exploring the Relevance of Verse in a Social Media WorldSam Darnold sensed the backside pressure as soon as he dropped back with Minnesota trailing by four points late in the fourth quarter in Seattle, so he moved into a safe space in the pocket and did precisely what the Vikings would prefer him to do with the game on the line. He threw the ball down the field to Justin Jefferson. The perfectly placed throw near the sideline beat double coverage for a 39-yard touchdown that put the Vikings back in front with 3:51 remaining in a 27-24 victory over the Seahawks on Sunday. “It was a great call,” said Jefferson, who had 10 receptions for 144 yards and two scores, all season highs. “I’m not going to say too much about that play, but something went on where me and Sam were on the same page, and he found me and we went up.” The Vikings were understandably coy about the context around the go-ahead touchdown, when Darnold made a difficult on-the-run pass just over cornerback Tariq Woolen that Jefferson deftly twisted to catch next to his backside hip so he could shield the ball from late-breaking safety Julian Love. Darnold saw Love's shoulders initially shaded inside just enough to believe he couldn't retreat fast enough to prevent Jefferson from getting the ball. Jefferson also applied some improvisation to his route that Darnold clearly and properly read during the play. “I want those guys to have some freedom in those moments,” coach Kevin O'Connell said. “We do a lot of things with Justin and Sam, seeing the coverage and then with some route opportunities to get to at the line of scrimmage, and I think those guys have just gotten so comfortable with that stuff.” Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates next to Seattle Seahawks safety Rayshawn Jenkins (2) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. Credit: AP/Lindsey Wasson Darnold's long-delayed breakout performance under O'Connell has been one of the stories of the NFL this season, one that wouldn't have unfolded as neatly for the third overall pick in the 2018 draft without such synergy between him and his superstar wide receiver. If the Vikings (13-2) win their last two games, they will not only be NFC North champions for the second time in three years but also get the No. 1 seed and the lone first-round bye in the NFC for the playoffs. “Every single game we’re finding different ways to overcome adversity, overcome the different stuff defenses have thrown towards us," Jefferson said. “Sam has done a great job being a leader.” What's working The pass rush was strong, with Andrew Van Ginkel recording two sacks and pressure leading to both interceptions of Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. The Vikings were credited with eight hits on Smith. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) catches a 14-yard touchdown pass ahead of Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. Credit: AP/Stephen Brashear What needs help The Vikings converted only three of 12 third downs, their second-worst rate of the season. Stock up Theo Jackson, who saw significant playing time at safety with Harrison Smith out, had the game-sealing interception with 49 seconds left. Stock down Tight end Josh Oliver has played 47% of the snaps the last two games, his two lowest usage rates of the season. He dropped the only pass he was thrown on Sunday. Injury report The defense ought to get a big boost this week with the expected return of the 13-year veteran Smith from his first absence in two years when he was sidelined at Seattle with a foot injury. Linebacker Ivan Pace, who has missed four games on injured reserve with a hamstring strain, is also on track to be back with his return to practice. Backup defensive lineman Jalen Redmond, who didn't play against the Seahawks because of a concussion, has made progress through the protocol, O'Connell said. Backup cornerback Fabian Moreau, who was inactive at Seattle with a hip injury, will continue to be evaluated throughout the week. Key number 13.6% — That's the third-down conversion allowance rate for the Vikings over the last two games, with Chicago and Seattle combining to go just 3 for 22. The Vikings rank second in the NFL in third-down defense at 33.7% for the season and also rank second on fourth down at 36.7%. Up next The Vikings host Green Bay on Sunday, with the kickoff moved to the late afternoon showcase spot on Fox. If Minnesota loses to the Packers, the Lions will clinch the NFC North and the Vikings would open the playoffs on the road as the No. 5 seed at best. Even if the Lions were to lose at San Francisco on Monday night, the Vikings would need to win at Detroit on Jan. 5 to take the division title.
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The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Lance Ware had 17 points in UT Arlington’s 77-68 win over UL Monroe on Saturday. Ware had six rebounds and three blocks for the Mavericks (5-6). Diante Smith shot 5 of 11 from the field, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 4 from the line to add 16 points. Brody Robinson shot 2 for 5 (1 for 4 from 3-point range) and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 11 points. Makai Willis led the Warhawks (4-8) in scoring, finishing with 18 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. Tyreese Watson added 15 points, six rebounds and four assists for UL Monroe. Jalen Bolden also had 13 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. UT Arlington next plays Wednesday against Evansville at home, and UL Monroe will host Houston Christian on Tuesday. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .US budget airlines are struggling. Will pursuing premium passengers solve their problems? DALLAS (AP) — Delta and United Airlines have become the most profitable U.S. airlines by targeting premium customers while also winning a significant share of budget travelers. That is squeezing smaller low-fare carriers like Spirit Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday. Some travel industry experts think Spirit’s troubles indicate less-wealthy passengers will have fewer choices and higher prices. Other discount airlines are on better financial footing but also are lagging far behind the full-service airlines when it comes to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Most industry experts think Frontier and other so-called ultra-low-cost carriers will fill the vacuum if Spirit shrinks, and that there's still plenty of competition to prevent prices from spiking. Bitcoin ticks closer to $100,000 in extended surge following US elections NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin is jumping again, setting another new high above $99,000 overnight. The cryptocurrency has been shattering records almost daily since the U.S. presidential election, and has rocketed more than 40% higher in just two weeks. It's now at the doorstep of $100,000. Cryptocurrencies and related investments like crypto exchange-traded funds have rallied because the incoming Trump administration is expected to be more “crypto-friendly.” Still, as with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is hard to predict. And while some are bullish, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. Australia rejects Elon Musk's claim that it plans to control access to the internet MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An Australian Cabinet minister has rejected X Corp. owner Elon Musk’s allegation that the government intends to control all Australians' access to the internet through legislation that would ban young children from social media. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Friday that Musk’s criticism was “unsurprising” after the government introduced legislation to Parliament that would fine platforms including X up to $133 million for allowing children under 16 to hold social media accounts. The spat continues months of open hostility between the Australian government and the tech billionaire over regulators’ efforts to reduce public harm from social media. Parliament could pass the legislation as soon as next week. Oil company Phillips 66 faces federal charges related to alleged Clean Water Act violations LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oil company Phillips 66 has been federally indicted in connection with alleged violations of the Clean Water Act in California. The Texas-based company is accused of discharging hundreds of thousands of gallons of industrial wastewater containing excessive amounts of oil and grease. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the indictment on Thursday. Phillips is charged with two counts of negligently violating the Clean Water Act and four counts of knowingly violating the Clean Water Act. An arraignment date has not been set. A spokesperson for the company said it was cooperating with prosecutors. US regulators seek to break up Google, forcing Chrome sale as part of monopoly punishment U.S. regulators want a federal judge to break up Google to prevent the company from continuing to squash competition through its dominant search engine after a court found it had maintained an abusive monopoly over the past decade. The proposed breakup floated in a 23-page document filed late Wednesday by the U.S. Justice Department calls for Google to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser and impose restrictions designed to prevent Android from favoring its search engine. Regulators also want to ban Google from forging multibillion-dollar deals to lock in its dominant search engine as the default option on Apple’s iPhone and other devices. What you need to know about the proposed measures designed to curb Google's search monopoly U.S. regulators are proposing aggressive measures to restore competition to the online search market after a federal judge ruled that Google maintained an illegal monopoly. The sweeping set of recommendations filed late Wednesday could radically alter Google’s business. Regulators want Google to sell off its industry-leading Chrome web browser. They outlined a range of behavioral measures such as prohibiting Google from using search results to favor its own services such as YouTube, and forcing it to license search index data to its rivals. They're not going as far as to demand Google spin off Android, but are leaving that door open if the remedies don't work. Stock market today: Wall Street gains ground as it heads for a winning week Stocks gained ground on Wall Street, keeping the market on track for its fifth gain in a row. The S&P 500 was up 0.3% in afternoon trading Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 352 points and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%. Retailers had some of the biggest gains. Gap soared after reporting quarterly results that easily beat analysts' estimates. EchoStar fell after DirecTV called of its purchase of that company's Dish Network unit. European markets were mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. Crude oil prices gained ground. Apple and Google face UK investigation into mobile browser dominance LONDON (AP) — A British watchdog says Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers. The watchdog's report Friday recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year. The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker’s tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. The CMA’s report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers “the clearest or easiest option.” Apple said it disagreed with the findings. German auto supplier Bosch to cut 5,500 jobs in further sign of carmakers' woes FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany's technology and services company Bosch is cutting its automotive division workforce by as many as 5,500 jobs in the next several years, in another sign of the headwinds hitting the German and global auto industries. The company cited stagnating global auto sales, too much factory capacity in the auto industry compared to sales prospects and a slower than expected transition to electric-powered, software-controlled vehicles. Some 3,500 of the job reductions would come before the end of 2027 and would hit the part of the company that develops driver assistance and automated driving technologies. About half those job reductions would be at locations in Germany. At least 15 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall U.S. health officials say at least 15 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 160,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef. Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat this week after Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, which can cause life-threatening infections. Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs of dehydration.PARIS, Dec 15 — Apps infused with AI are being marketed to schools across the world and governments are rushing to embrace the technology, despite experts raising serious doubts. The sector known as Ed Tech exploded during the Covid pandemic as schools closed to stop the spread of infection and millions of children were forced to learn in front of screens at home. As demand dried up after schools reopened, Ed Tech startups tried to win back investment by adding AI to their products and marketing. Tech titans like Microsoft, Meta and OpenAI have also spied an opportunity, promoting their AI products to schools or partnering with startups. While many education ministries have announced plans to deploy AI apps, there are plenty of dissenting voices. The UN’s education body Unesco last year eviscerated the record of online learning during Covid, saying the rapid rollout of tech solutions was a “tragedy” that had increased inequality and worsened learning outcomes. Unesco’s Manos Antoninis told AFP that AI might have some utility in education but right now it “seems to be creating more problems than it is solving”. He cited concerns that companies were using data for commercial purposes, deployed biased algorithms and overall were less concerned with educational outcomes than with their bottom line. “I think the unfortunate thing is that education has been used as a bit of a Trojan horse to access future consumers,” he said. ‘Ease the pressure’ During the pandemic boom in 2021, venture capitalists pumped more than US$17 billion (RM75 billion) into Ed Tech. But that has slumped to US$3 billion this year, about the same as last year, according to analysts PitchBook. But from North Carolina to South Korea it is a different story, where education officials have been encouraging teachers to use generative AI. Britain has already rolled out a homework app called Sparx Maths that uses algorithms to tailor children’s learning. It recently announced a further multimillion-dollar outlay on AI programmes to “ease the pressure” on hard-working teachers by helping with lesson plans, marking and assessment. The European Union supports several learning apps, and several EU countries have experimented with them. China is a huge booster of AI in the classroom and has a national strategy for digitising education — its centrepiece being a national education platform of tools and online courses. Yet the on-the-ground reality is often messy. India boasted one of the liveliest startup scenes in the sector during the pandemic, including a firm called BYJU’s which was once the world’s most valuable Ed Tech startup. Yet when schools in New Delhi were forced to close because of smog last month, there were no flashy apps to help. “It is not feasible for them to take online classes,” 29-year-old teacher Vandana Pandey told AFP, saying many of her pupils had no smartphones or connectivity at home. BYJU’s has faced allegations of financial misconduct and only narrowly avoided bankruptcy in a recent court hearing. In richer countries, the arrival of AI has received a tepid reception. Only six per cent of US secondary school teachers polled by Pew Research Center in May thought using AI in education would do more good than harm. France announced it would roll out an AI-powered homework app called MIA in secondary schools earlier this year, but quietly dropped the project as a political crisis rumbled on. Many British parents are also not keen on Sparx Maths. “Don’t know a single child that likes it,” said one user on the popular Mumsnet forum. Another said the app “ruins any enjoyment of the subject” while a flood of other parents said their children “hated” the app. ‘More like isolation’ Aside from grievances over individual apps, educators doubt whether many of these firms are aiming at the right target. Almost all Ed Tech products promise to “personalise” education, often deploying AI to monitor a child’s work and tailor workplans to suit their needs. Officials from Britain to Beijing have lauded this goal. But Antoninis said the rhetoric around personalisation “risks making us forget that a lot of learning is actually social, and children learn from interaction with each other”. Leon Furze, a former teacher who now works as a consultant focusing on generative AI in education, was also wary about personalisation. “AI is touted as a solution to personalised learning, but it’s a very specific kind of ‘personal’ which I think seems more like isolation,” he told AFP. Both Antoninis and Furze warned that technology was no panacea, rather it was a tool that could help in some limited situations. The hard work, as ever, would be done by humans. “Tech solutions aren’t going to solve the bigger socio-economic, cultural, and political challenges being faced by teachers and students,” said Furze. — AFP
Vanden boys finish up prestigious basketball tournament in Las Vegas with victory1. A teensy undetectable laptop mouse jiggler you can slide into the USB to keep your computer active on Teams, Slack, and all those other various technological overlords that keep track of you when you're working from home. Sometimes, a human has to fall into a ten-minute TikTok abyss without worrying their screen is going to tattle on them to Daddy Capitalism!! Promising review: "Saves me from auto logouts! My brother recommended this handy gadget. I work from home and have three monitors. When I leave my desk for lunch, the computer goes to sleep, and when I come back, everything is logged out, and whatever was on three monitors ends up on two. SO frustrating. This is programmable for three settings, and I use it on the minimal movement, so when I come back, everything is just as I left it. Revolutionary! Just remember to turn it on!" — Isaiah Get it from Amazon for $8.99 . 2. A magnetic air fryer cheat sheet to help minimize effort and maximize deliciousness, no googling, overthinking, or confusing cooking methods required. Promising review: "I am pleased with this product. It is almost impossible to remember the cooking times and temperatures of so many items that can be cooked in my air fryer. This handy guide takes the guesswork out of the process. I bought three for family members for Christmas." — Gerry L. Winters Get it from Amazon for $8.98 (available in two colors). 3. A set of fast-acting Keurig cleaner pods you can simply put through a cycle on the machine to get rid of all the crusted-on grinds and residue that are *definitely* affecting the taste of your coffee, even if you haven't noticed over time. Quick & Clean is a small business that specializes in coffee machine cleaning products. Promising review: "I had no idea that cleaning a Keurig was a thing. I bought these because I saw them on TikTok, believe it or not. I wanted to give it a go because my Keurig isn’t that old and I didn’t think it would do anything. IT WORKS SO WELL! My Keurig wasn’t as nasty as some I’ve seen, lucky. I would highly recommend, keeps everything running correctly and clean ." — Lauren Get a set of six from Amazon for $9.95 . 4. A reviewer-beloved veggie chopper to make you feel like a golden god in your kitchen — this gadget julienne, chops, spiralizes, and slices vegetables in an instant and has a built-in storage container to hold the chopped veggies so you can pour them into a pan or dish without any mess. Check out a TikTok of the veggie chopper in action. Fullstar is a small business established in 2017 that specializes in kitchen gadgets. Promising review: "Makes life so much easier. I can't imagine chopping onions or bell peppers by hand anymore, and it does so much more. We used to have a Prepworks chopper which was a similar idea, but you had to press so hard to chop, and it broke after not too long. This one requires very little effort to cut through the food, and it has a generous container. " — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $24.97 (clip the $5 off coupon on the product page for this price). 5. A no-scrub weekly shower cleaner you can quite literally "set and forget" to maintain its cleanliness over time — once you apply it after a shower, you just have to wait eight to 12 hours and it'll quietly tackle the soap scum, grime, oils, mold, and mildew stains without any elbow grease from you. Promising review: "I saw this product on TikTok and decided to try it out for myself. The name doesn’t lie — spray it on, shut the bathroom door, and in a few hours, the shower is 100 times cleaner. Usually I’ll let it sit overnight, and by morning, the visible grime on the shower is gone, include soap scum. I’ll usually let the shower water rinse the residue out, and then will take a bucket just to get everything off the shower walls. It is a bit slick if you try to get in the shower without rinsing the residue, but otherwise it’s a worthy cleaning staple in my house." — Tara D. Get it from Amazon for $19.19+ (available in two scents and two sizes). 6. And a Scrubbing Bubbles toilet cleaning stamp because honestly? Having to remind yourself to clean the toilet every few days is a scam. Give your brain a vacation and let this do the job for you. (And prevent grime build up and toilet rings while it's at it!) Check out a TikTok of the Scrubbing Bubbles toilet cleaning stamp to see it in action! Promising review: "I was sooo skeptical and confused about how they’d work but the gel solidifies and with every flush, suds wash through with the water and it really makes a fresh difference . Also the scent is light but really nice and fresh! I recommend these 100%! They’re super interesting but they do the job." — Janet Get it from Amazon for $5.20 . 7. An adorable fish-shaped humidifier tank cleaner that'll ~just keep swimming, just keep swimming~ so you can stop growth of yucky sludge affecting the quality of your air for up to 30 days, sparing you a *ton* of humidifier washes. Promising review: "Just drop this in your humidifier and it keeps the water pretty darn mildew and mold free. Super easy to use, no smell, and safe. I have already repurchased and given a few to other people as well." — Kristine Get it from Amazon for $5.98 . 8. A foaming garbage disposal cleaner you can plop into your sink, run a little water on, and let its blue magic fizz its way up to the top while clearing out all the gunk from your culinary adventures in one go. Promising review: "Saw on TikTok (don’t judge) and automatically added to cart. So easy to use, takes probably a minute to fully bubble up and clean, and you’re left with a clean sink! I use with other drain cleaning products, but would 100% recommend for weekly maintenance." — Jessica Hamilton Get a four-pack from Amazon for $3.78 . 9. A bunch of Miracle-Gro "food spikes" that can bring plants as sad as the tree from A Charlie Brown Christmas back from the brink of death, and then will continuously feed them for 30 to 60 days as a bonus. Promising review: "I always kill my plants, but I decided to try again. I just bought five houseplants, and three of them were marked down because they were looking pretty puny. Since I tend to kill them anyway, I figured I would give them a try and save some money. I put one of these spikes in each plant, and they all looked so much healthier and happier after just a couple of days. I also added one spike to the only houseplant that I've had for years without killing (I was beginning to think it was artificial); the leaves looked healthier almost immediately. I'm very happy with this product, and it was a great price." — victoria Get 24 spikes from Amazon for $3.99 . 10. A magnetic necklace detangling clasp so you can layer your favorite pieces over an outfit the exact way you want them without having to arrange them every morning or pull them apart like bickering siblings at the end of each day. Promising review: "This is my second one! Love it so much since it can keep my necklaces safe and untangled with its strong magnet. Safe me so much time layering all the necklaces I have. Literally takes one second to put on!" — Nichole Li Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in gold, rose gold, and silver, and with two or three clasps). 11. A Potato Express , because I think if we're all being honest with ourselves, the older we get, the more we crave a weeknight at home with Netflix in our eyes and a warm potato in our laps. This cooks up to *four* potatoes flawlessly in mere minutes so you don't have to wait to go to clown town with cheese and other fixings. Promising review: "Makes baked potatoes so easy. Just wash them, poke them with a fork, and place in your microwave. A few minutes later, it's time to eat. I bought my first bag about eight years ago, and finally, it was time to replace it. If you have never tried one of these, you should. I bought extras so I could give them to friends as a small gift and to save them time." — Dennis S. Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 12. A silicone baking mat for your sheet pan, so on days when you've run out of time to do anything orderly for dinner you can just slap a bunch of veggies and frozen goods down, drizzle them in olive oil, and shove them in the oven. Bonus: these are super easy to clean, so you won't have to deal with a mess! Promising review : "I use these mats multiple times a day. They make cleanup super easy, which is really important in my hectic life. They wipe off easily with just water." — Tasia Lung Get a set of two from Amazon for $12.99 (available in two styles and in multipacks). 13. A snap-on pasta strainer to free your pasta from its hot juices straight from the pot with a whole hullabaloo, and spare you storage space boot (is it just me, or are colanders always in the business of being exactly in the way of whatever it is you need?). Psst — these are also a game-changer for washing your fruit, too! Kitchen Gizmos is a small business that specializes in kitchen accessories. Promising review: "I've owned this for about six months, and I couldn't imagine cooking without it. I hate strainers. They are bulky and fill up the dishwasher, I'm lazy, whatever. This strainer is a lifesaver. Clip it on your pan, strain, and voila! And it is so easy to clean. A little hot water and it's good to go for the next round. I highly recommend this gadget, it will retire your current strainer. " — Viola Evens Get it from Amazon for $16.50 (available in four colors). 14. A set of washing machine–cleaning tablets that'll tackle that weird mold + mildew smell in one cycle. Your laundry will come out so fresh that you'll hold your nose up to it like you're auditioning to play "Human in Scented Detergent Commercial." Promising review: My older model Whirlpool washing machine had been smelling very bad for about two months. We tried everything, white vinegar, bleach, etc., it would stay fresh smelling for two days then back to the bad moldy smell. I read this product works so I ordered it. Used one tablet and the smell is gone!!! It has been three weeks now and it just smells fresh, no strong perfume odor either! Buy this product you will not regret it!!!" — A.C. Get a set of six tablets from Amazon for $11.98 . 15. And a set of dishwasher-cleaning tablets you can pop into a cycle with your dirty dishes to wipe out all the extra grime and that funky smell you can never seem to get rid of no matter how hard you try. You don't even need to scrub — these do all the work for you! Promising review: "Saved me from buying a new dishwasher! I have to admit that I was skeptical that this product was actually going to do anything. I’ve noticed my dishwasher wasn’t cleaning dishes very well lately, and I did everything I could to get it working properly again, but was ready to finally give up and buy a new dishwasher . I bought these tablets thinking they were designed to eliminate odors, but I was willing to give them a shot before buying a whole new dishwasher. I put one in the bottom of the dishwasher last night per the instructions and woke up to completely clean dishes for the first time in weeks. They look perfect. I don’t know why these tablets work but they absolutely did and I am a happy customer!" — B. Turner Get a six-pack from Amazon for $8.98 . 16. An electric knife that makes carving turkey, roast beef, and ham such a breeze that you'll low key be like, "Um, Thanksgiving dinner every night??" Reviewers also LOVE this for getting clean, even slices on bread loaves and trickier veggies like tomatoes. Check out a TikTok of the electric knife in action. Promising review : "Super easy to hold and use, the on button is perfectly placed, and the blade length is just right for carving turkeys or large cuts of beef. Super sharp blades and a case with meat fork makes for a complete package." — john alexander Get it from Amazon for $42 (available in two styles). 17. And an electric potato peeler worthy of a permanent spot on your counter. Not only does it effortlessly peel potatoes, but it can handle pretty much any peeled produce you throw at it, from apples to kiwis to oranges to tomatoes. (To be clear, though, your highest priority should *always* be mashed potato-ing.) Promising review: "Love it! It's light and easy to use. When I use a potato peeler I was always peeling too much potato with the peel. This blade is fine and only gets the skin, in seconds. Except for the 'poles' of the potato but I don't mind . It's easy to clean if you have a sprayer to just rinse off the spikes where you insert your potatoes. Small enough and doesn't take up much room." — yestfl Get it from Amazon for $19.98 . 18. A Benzene-free, travel-friendly applicator of I Dew Care's dry shampoo powder so easy to use that you can just dab it on your hairline and rub it in for an instant, oil-absorbing refresh. Now your "no wash" days are a secret that you and your roots will never tell 👀. Check out a TikTok of the dry shampoo in action. Promising review: "Will be buying again!! This is a fantastic product. I have incredibly thin hair that gets very oily very easily. This is the first product that I’ve tried that actually works! I am so very happy!" — Katie_0_Baker Get it from Amazon for $18 (available in multiple styles and packs). 19. A cleverly designed rechargeable electric candle lighter with a flexible neck so you can light all your coziest, deepest candles without worrying about the "YIKES" of being near an open flame. This is also windproof and super portable for anyone looking for options to light candles or fires outside, too! Promising review : "I absolutely love this product. Now I’m able to light candles where the candle wax has melted down, and it’s hard to reach inside the jar. I also love the fact that you charge this with a USB cable, and the charge lasts for a long time. It has indicator lights to let you know how much of a charge is remaining. I’ve only had to charge it once since I purchased it. I Very durable and a great value for the price. I definitely recommend this. " — Cassandra S. "Another product I got from TikTok. It’s a necessity. No more struggling and almost burning yourself. Stays charged for days. A week at most if you use it frequently." — Nijada Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in five colors and in two packs). 20. A rectangular Lazy Susan so you can quit meticulously organizing your fridge and embrace the full chaos. This not only holds way more than the traditional round version, but has 360 degree rotation, so you can easily access condiments and foods at the "back" by spinning them closer to yourself. No more accidentally dumping pickle jars on your unsuspecting feet!! Check out a TikTok of the rectangular Lazy Susan in action. Promising review : "Wow! I love this turntable organizer! I can fit so many items on it and because of that I now have so much more space on the door shelves. With this organizer, I will have easy access to all of those extra items that just don't have their own space . Now they do have a place to go! I would highly recommend this product to everyone who wants to feel more organized and doesn't want to lose items in their fridge ." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $24.99 . 21. "The Clean Ball," which is a nifty little gizmo you can stick in your purse or bag to pick up all the crumbs and debris that settle down there — now it'll be clean as a whistle whenever you go rooting through it, and you won't have to get all the "ick!!" on your belongings. Promising review: "This little ball is genius!! Rolls around in my purse, which I live out of. It picks up a lot of lint, debris, or even crumbs. Easy to find with the bright pink. Just remove and wash and it’s ready to go again. The price was great and something I can use for years. If you live out of your purse this a must-have!!" — dj3biggs Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (available in six colors). 22. A microwave pasta maker so you can enjoy the glory of your favorite carbohydrate by pressing a button on the microwave and walking away, so you don't have to hover over a boiling pot listening to a podcast just to get your noodles on. Promising review: "So handy! I was very skeptical at first, but I tried this and will never boil noodles on the stove again!!!! In fact I bought three more to give as gifts!!" — Debbie Klinger Get it from Amazon for $16.99 . 23. A set of laundry detergent sheets — these ridiculously easy to use, super effective sheets are not only convenient to use compared to bulky liquid detergents, but way more eco-friendly. You can even split them in half for smaller loads! Laundry Club is a family-owned, veteran-owned small business established in 2019 that specializes in eco-friendly cleaning and laundry alternatives. Promising review: "At first I was skeptical. How can this little sheet clean as well as my Gain? It just took one wash to change my mind. Not only are these little guys lightweight and extremely convenient, but they clean better than the heavy jugs or the pods that I never bought because I didn’t want worry about my kid ingesting one. They are like magic, throw one in the wash and it begins to dissolve and the only thing it leaves behind is environmentally safe cleansing." — Trish Get a pack of 50 sheets from Amazon for $15.27 (available unscented or in Fresh Linen). 24. A magnetic microwave cover perfect for anyone whose Panera soup obsession is a little *too* well documented over every surface inside of their microwave. This conveniently sticks to the top of your microwave so you can pop it right off whenever you're looking to tear up some broccoli cheddar on a wild Tuesday night. Hover Cover is a small business that specializes in microwave covers for home kitchen use. Check out a TikTok of the microwave cover in action. Promising review: "If you live in a small space like I do, this will seriously change your life. No longer do I have to struggle to find somewhere to put my cover if I'm heating up a cup of coffee. Just attach it to the roof of your microwave. Hopefully, you have a flat surface; check before you buy. There is a slight learning curve as to where to put it or the force or lack thereof needed, but after a couple of times, it's second nature. Love, love, love this product. I'm probably going to get some for Christmas presents next year, it's one of those items that you wouldn't necessarily buy for yourself, but it will change your life ." — Rachel Get it from Amazon for $22.93 (also available in two-packs). 25. A SwitchBot Smart Switch Button Pusher to turn virtually *any* device with a press-able "on/off" switch into smart tech you can boss around without moving from your cozy perch. Once you adjust the device over the button — be it a light switch, a switch to turn on your kettle, or a switch to turn on a fan — you can ask Alexa or Google Home to turn it off or on, or control it via an app on your phone. Reviewers love this because it doesn't require you to "smart enable" other parts of your home. It's also a great way to turn on your kettle or coffee brewer from the other room so it's ready for you when you get out of bed! Promising review: "Super great! Comes with clear instructions, the mobile app is clear and well designed, and it's super easy to set the whole thing up. Honestly I'm really happy with the product. Now I don't have to get up all the time when I inevitably forget to turn the lights off. I can just hit the button on my phone and VOOP the little arm comes out and presses the switch!" — Noah R. Get it from Amazon for $29 (available in white and black). 26. A portable mug warmer with three different temperature settings so you can take your sweet, sweeeeet time enjoying your morning cuppa without worrying about having to reheat it in the microwave or chugging lukewarm coffee. Bonus: it also operates as a candle warmer! Promising review: "LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Love the look. Love the temperature settings, although I don't believe I will use the lower ones since the 170 seems to be just right for me. Very simple to operate. Perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for my daughter-in-law." — rkd Get it from Amazon for $20.79 (clip the 20% off coupon on the product page for this price). 27. Or a fancy version, the Ember temperature-controlled "smart mug," to treat your taste buds like royalty by making sure they only ever taste coffee, hot cocoa, soup, and tea at the *precisely* perfect temperature. The mug will maintain specific heat for up to 80 minutes alone, or however long you want with the warming pad, and both can be easily controlled manually or with presets from an app on your phone. Promising review: "You know that feeling when you sip hot chocolate, and it doesn't burn your mouth but feels hot and warms your chest all the way down? I just found out that that's 141 degrees! (At least for me.) I'm very impressed with this. It maintains the heat and doesn't burn the coffee. If you drink coffee slowly and want to use a mug instead of tumbler — and don't enjoy increasingly lukewarm, then cold, coffee — this is worth it." — Samuel Wilwerding Get it from Amazon for $95.46+ (available in two sizes and 13 colors). 28. A Larq , a self-cleaning water bottle designed with UV-C LED tech that not only purifies water in 60 seconds, but cleans the inner surfaces of the bottle — which it can do up to a full month on a single charge, so you don't have to lift a finger. Reviewers swear by this for making their water taste better, and for keeping water icy cold for hours! Larq is a small business that specializes in water purification products. Promising review: "We fill large bottles up every day and keep them cold in the fridge. The quality is outstanding. We love them. We had very bad tasting water and this made it taste great. It doesn't smell and it is easy to hold. The smaller one is good for travel. These also saved a lot of money because we didn't have to buy bottled water." — Mary Ann Get it from Amazon for $99+ (available in six colors and two sizes). 29. A set of nonstick, reusable toaster oven bags to let you make grilled cheese, paninis, and toasted sammies right in the toaster. (Psst — you can also use these to reheat french fries, pizza, and even mini tacos , and get all that glorious heat without them getting all soggy from the microwave. Leftovers just got lit.) Promising review: "I had no idea how well these would work. You can put toast or rolls or anything that will fit in the slot — even if it has jelly or spread or anything on it — in the bag in the toaster and it doesn't hurt the toaster, and the food comes out warm." — mare36 Get a four-pack from Amazon for $4.50 . 30. And a set of disposable air fryer liners if your thoughts on cleaning the air fryer can be summed up in two words: "No thanks!!" With these handy liners you can heat up your greasiest leftovers, cook your messiest meat and veggie dishes, and get absolutely lawless with TikTok dessert recipes with *zero* scrubbing and cleanup at the end. Promising review: "I was skeptical but I was also tired of cleaning my air fryer of crumbs all the time. I have a PowerXl air fryer and one of these fits perfectly in there. I can do French fries or any other fried food and discard the liner and the fryer is still nice and clean . I use two when I do juicy items, hot dogs, chicken breast, sausage and when I'm done I take out the meat and lift out the liners and all the gross juice comes out with it leaving the fryer ready to clean in the sink with hot water, no gross juice to pour out or get in the sink. I highly recommend. " — Kevin M. Harer Get a set of 125 from Amazon for $12.99 (available in multiple sizes and shapes for square and round air fryers). 31. A sleek one-button electric wine bottle opener because TBH, nobody has time to lament a cork getting stuck in their bottle and google a bunch of hacks to fix it anymore. This rechargeable beauty will safely pop it open without any of the hassle. Promising review: "I have had this wine bottle opener for over two years and I'm so happy with this purchase. I love the aesthetic and that I can leave on the counter. When you receive the product, you just have to plug it in to charge and then it’s ready to use. It’s convenient to have the foil cutter. It’s also still sharp after two years. In just a few seconds the bottle is opened and I’m ready to enjoy a glass of wine!" — Rebecca Anne Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in six styles). 32. A pancake batter dispenser complete with side measurements so you can mix your ingredients right into it without dirtying up an extra bowl and ladle. Reviewers swear by this to get mess-free, perfectly round and portioned pancakes! Check out a TikTok of the pancake batter dispenser in action. Promising review: "I got this yesterday, and my son asked me this morning if I would make him pancakes! I was happy to oblige, so I could try my new kitchen gadget, and it did not disappoint! I LOVE it! I made the batter right in the container, and it has measurements on it, so I didn't even have to get out my measuring cups . The batter came out perfectly and easily, and when I stopped the flow, it immediately stopped! There was not one dribble of batter anywhere, and the pancakes turned out perfectly! " — Nikki Get it from Amazon for $17.43 . 33. A Wi-Fi–connected, voice-controlled Café Couture Oven with 14 essential cooking modes so you can air fry, CrispFinish, bake, broil, roast, and more, giving you so many truly elite cooking options that — gasp — you may never order takeout again?? Bless this near-sentient oven for doing all your bidding for you! This was featured on Oprah's Favorite Things for 2024 — check out more of Oprah's picks on Amazon's gift shop ! Promising review: "I cannot say enough good things! Size perfect! Not too large, not too small, it's the Goldilocks of countertop ovens. And it's so pretty, too. Does everything you want it to do . After reading reviews about how people just hand wash the basket, I was skeptical, but I have to tell you, no matter what you cook in, it is soooo easy to hand wash and comes out looking new. The air fry option is truly the best I've experienced thus far, not to mention the other, like, 10 cooking options you have. The price is shockingly low for this beauty, and I cannot recommend it enough." — Karen Get it from Amazon for $328.96 (available in three colors). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
The recent arrest of the man accused in the Dec. 4 death of United Healthcare's CEO has resurfaced the writings of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, who was apprehended by authorities in 1996 at his Montana cabin near Lincoln after nearly 17 years of mailing bombs that killed three and injured nearly two dozen others. In social media posts, Luigi Mangione called Kaczynski a "political revolutionary," according to a police bulletin obtained by the Associated Press. Several news agencies are reporting that Mangione wrote about "The Unabomber Manifesto" by Kaczynski, also known as the "Industrial Society and Its Future," in January on the book review site Goodreads. "It's easy to quickly and thoughtless write this off as the manifesto of a lunatic, in order to avoid facing some of the uncomfortable problems it identifies. But it's simply impossible to ignore how prescient many of his predictions about modern society turned out," the reviewer wrote. "He was a violent individual — rightfully imprisoned — who maimed innocent people. While these actions tend to be characterized as those of a crazy luddite, however, they are more accurately seen as those of an extreme political revolutionary," they wrote. Mangione, 26, an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, reportedly gave the manifesto a 4-star rating, or "liked it." Ratings range from 1 star — "Didn't like it" — to 5 stars: "It was amazing." New York police officials have said Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used in the Manhattan killing of Brian Thompson, who led United Healthcare, the United States' largest medical insurance company. Thompson, 50, was killed Dec. 4 as he walked alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Kaczynski's manifesto, a 35,000-word anti-technology tirade, was printed in 1995 in The New York Times and The Washington Post and eventually led to his arrest. His capture thrust Lincoln into the international spotlight as FBI agents, other law enforcement and hordes of media converged on a tiny mountain town, where he had lived as something of recluse. Kaczynski, a Harvard-educated mathematician, died by suicide while in federal custody in 2023. He was 81. He had been transferred to a federal prison medical facility in North Carolina in late 2021 after spending the past two decades in a federal Supermax prison in Colorado. His brother, David Kaczynski, told several news agencies that his brother should not be someone to aspire to be like. "His actions are like a virus," David Kaczynski said, according to Yahoo News. "They could be like a virus unless they understand he was a very angry and disturbed man. It doesn't mean his ideas are ideas of a lunatic, but his behavior, I believe, is the behavior of a lunatic. "To the extent that he may have attributed at all to sort of normalizing or recasting the violent acts as beneficial to humanity is a terrible mistake," David Kaczynski added. Mangione is fighting attempts to extradite him to New York so that he can face a murder charge, the Associated Press reported. At the time of his arrest after being spotted Monday at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Mangione was carrying a handwritten document expressing anger with what he called "parasitic" health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed and power, the Associated Press reported. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!After Carnival's Q4 Performance, Analysts See Smooth Sailing
TEHRAN-The Persian translation of the novel “Summer” written by Edith Wharton has been released in bookstores across Iran. Mazdak Bolouri has translated the book and Ofogh Publication has brought it out in 224 pages, Mehr reported. The book was originally published in 1917 by Charles Scribner's Sons. While most novels by Wharton dealt with New York's upper-class society, this is one of two novels by the author with rural settings. Its themes include social class, the role of women in society, destructive relationships, sensual awakening and the desire of its protagonist, named Charity Royall. The novel was rather controversial for its time and is one of the less famous among her novels because of its subject matter. A naive girl from a humble background meets an ambitious city boy, and a torrid romance ensues. Despite her pride, independence, and honesty, Charity Royall feels shadowed by her past--especially in her ardent relationship with the educated and refined Lucius Harney. Can passion overcome the effects of heredity and environment? With its frank treatment of a woman's sensual awakening, “Summer” created a sensation upon its 1917 publication. Wharton — a peerless observer and chronicler of society — completely shattered the standards of conventional love stories with this novel's candor and realism. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author declared “Summer” a personal favorite among her works. Edith Wharton (1862-1937) was an American writer and designer. Wharton drew upon her insider's knowledge of the upper-class New York “aristocracy” to portray, realistically, the lives and morals of the Gilded Age. In 1921, she became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, for her novel, “The Age of Innocence”. She was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame, in 1996. SS/