Flag football uses talent camps to uncover new starsOne of the key areas that artificial intelligence (AI) threatens to disrupt is human creativity — and the rise of generative AI has certainly thrown art into the spotlight. While fears remain that AI may replace human input and agency across society, a different approach suggests humans will meld with AI in some capacity — with the new technologies augmenting us rather than undermining us. In " Centaur Art: The Future of Art in the Age of Generative AI " (Springer, 2024), computer scientist Remo Pareschi explores the notion of "centauric intelligence" — an integration of human and computing intelligence — and its impact on the future of art. In this excerpt, Pareschi explains how our primal fears are misguided and argues that the rise of AI may, in fact, help human creative endeavors transcend to new heights. As we revisit our initial, most pressing concern — will artificial intelligence surpass human creativity in artistic endeavors? — it's crucial to recognize that the question, as commonly posed, is somewhat misdirected. Unlike games such as chess or Go, art cannot be measured by a simple win-lose metric. The fear, however, is similar: could humans be supplanted in artistic production as they have been in high-level chess? Our analysis, grounded in cognitive considerations and carried out in the pages to come, suggests a nuanced answer. At the pinnacle of creativity — where inspiration, conception and originality reign — AI is an enhancer, aiding in realizing powerful and original works. In such contexts, the human artist's role remains paramount, with AI serving as a tool to augment their creative vision. Conversely, AI's role can become more structured or repetitive. It can automate the production of routine outputs such as certain types of commercial illustrations, brochures, or video game characters. This automation significantly impacts professionals in these fields, who may rely on such work for their livelihood. Consequently, these individuals may... Remo Pareschi
Brendan Fraser Talks Post ‘The Whale’ Pictures ‘Rental Family’ & ‘Pressure’ As Well As Stage Play ‘Grangeville’ – Red Sea Film FestivalCaregiver son struggles with guilt over not doing enoughBrendan Fraser have given an update on his upcoming post The Whale films, including Searchlight’s Tokyo-Shot Rental Family , and also revealed he would like to get into producing next, in an onstage conversation at the Red Sea Film Festival. “I finished a film earlier this year in Japan called Rental Family , the director, Hikari... is a Japanese American who has written a story about what it means to have a family as not being the one necessarily that we were born into, but whom we encounter and collect in our lives,” said Fraser. “ Rental Family is an absurd sounding, funny title in itself but you can rent just about anything in Tokyo: a hat, a go-kart and a family,” he continued. The actor plays a long-time Tokyo expat resident, who takes a job at a rental family agency, when he falls on hard times. “It’s in the can now, she’s cutting it, and with good fortune maybe we’ll bring it here,” he said to applause from the mainly local audience in the theater. Fraser is among a raft of stars attending the fourth edition of the Red Sea Film Festival this year, alongside Michael Douglas , Michelle Yeoh , Catherine Zeta Jones , Eva Longoria , Andrew Garfield, Ranbir Kapoor, Cynthia Erivo , Sarah Jessica Parker and Jeremy Renner. The actor was quizzed by a Japanese audience member on why he had opted for Rental Family , as one of his first major feature roles after his 2022 Oscar-winning comeback role in The Whale . “Because it was so far removed from anything I’d seen; anywhere I’ve been asked to go and work. My experience in Tokyo was life changing. I think it’s a wonderful, wonderful place. You can’t get a bad meal in that town,” he said. “Technology is at a place that I think if I saw someone flying by with a jetpack, I just say, ‘I guess we’re doing that now’. Just the experience of being able to work with the Japanese crew do my best to chop my way through the tall grass of learning some Japanese myself, which I’ve already forgotten.” Fraser also revealed he had just recently come off the set of WWII D-Day drama Pressure , in which he plays Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, opposite Andrew Scott as the UK’s Chief Meteorological Officer James Stagg, directed by Anthony Maras. “It’s the story of the 72 hours before the landing on the Normandy beaches on D-Day on Tuesday, June 6, and the decisions that went into Operation Overlord in light of one fly in the ointment, which was the weather was bad,” he said. “My role is Dwight D. Eisenhower, hence the very short hair – it’s all growing back,” he said, singing praise for Maras as “a fantastic collaborator” as a director. “He creates the reality of a scene to give an audience a feeling that it is a fly on the wall, and we’re seeing it in real time. Did I mention the movie is called Pressure because that is exactly what it was.” Fraser also revealed that he has begun rehearsals for his upcoming return to the New York stage for the first time in nearly 15 years, in the premiere of Grangeville by Samuel D. Hunter, who wrote the original play and screenplay adaptation for The Whale. He suggested that all actors should find the courage to act on stage. “Actors should get good and scared and stand up on these boards... that’s where it all began,” he said. The actor recounted a play he had done in the mid-1990s called Four Dog And A Bone with Parker Posey, Elizabeth Perkins and Martin Short, set against the backdrop of Hollywood and the film industry. “It was a little bit self-assured. It was being presented at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, Los Angeles... There was a joke in it about Steven Spielberg, and a prop was made that had his picture on the cover of Time Magazine. Marty’s character holds it up and cracks a joke about Steven Spielberg, and on opening night, there’s Steven Spielberg.” “The joke was coming, and everybody in the audience wanted to see what Spielberg was going to do, because they knew it was coming. Anything can happen on a stage, as well it should, but the lesson is, the show must go on, and I think it’s important to get the rust out of the chains.” Looking to the future, Fraser, suggested he would like to get into producing, revealing that his near 35 years of experience and close to 80 credits, meant he increasingly had a say in projects from the development stage. “I’m glad to be able now to feel like I can have a voice that’s pertinent in the early stages of developing screenplays. I’m no director. I don’t want to be, but I do have interest in producing and that’s where I’ll head next,” he said without giving any details of projects he is circling.Values Added Financial LLC increased its holdings in Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN ) by 0.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,137 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock after purchasing an additional 111 shares during the quarter. Amazon.com accounts for 1.5% of Values Added Financial LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Values Added Financial LLC’s holdings in Amazon.com were worth $2,448,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. PayPay Securities Corp increased its position in shares of Amazon.com by 64.6% in the second quarter. PayPay Securities Corp now owns 163 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the period. Hoese & Co LLP purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com in the third quarter valued at about $37,000. Bull Oak Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com in the third quarter valued at about $45,000. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc increased its position in shares of Amazon.com by 650.0% in the second quarter. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc now owns 300 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 260 shares during the period. Finally, Values First Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com in the third quarter valued at about $56,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.20% of the company’s stock. Insider Activity In other news, SVP David Zapolsky sold 2,190 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $195.00, for a total transaction of $427,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 62,420 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,171,900. The trade was a 3.39 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Also, Director Daniel P. Huttenlocher sold 1,237 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $199.06, for a total transaction of $246,237.22. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 24,912 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,958,982.72. This represents a 4.73 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold 6,030,183 shares of company stock valued at $1,252,883,795 over the last three months. Insiders own 10.80% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on AMZN Amazon.com Stock Up 2.9 % AMZN opened at $227.03 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $197.39 and a 200-day moving average price of $188.12. Amazon.com, Inc. has a twelve month low of $143.64 and a twelve month high of $227.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.39 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.61, a PEG ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.16. Amazon.com ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The e-commerce giant reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.29. Amazon.com had a net margin of 8.04% and a return on equity of 22.41%. The firm had revenue of $158.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $157.28 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.85 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 5.29 earnings per share for the current year. About Amazon.com ( Free Report ) Amazon.com, Inc engages in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscriptions service through online and physical stores in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero; and develops and produces media content. Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com Using the MarketBeat Dividend Tax Calculator Fast-Growing Companies That Are Still Undervalued High Dividend REITs: Are They an Ideal Way to Diversify? Top Cybersecurity Stock Picks for 2025 Best of the list of Dividend Aristocrats: Build wealth with the aristocrat index Archer or Joby: Which Aviation Company Might Rise Fastest? 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DENVER — So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's "America's Got Talent" meets "American Idol," with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it's never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at "Dream Team" status given the men's side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023. The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. "We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport," said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. "We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world." Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores. "Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That's something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok, the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado's two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. "If a receiver is running around, I'm thinking, 'OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,'" Daniels explained. "They're like, 'No, you can't.' I'm just like, 'So I'm supposed to let this guy just run?!' I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn." The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. "I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. "I'm not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, 'I played NFL football for five years. I'm popular. I have a huge name.' I'm still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise." Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It's his way of working on avoiding a "defender" trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. "You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the 'Redeem Team' led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, 'That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. "Everybody thinks, 'Yeah, the U.S. just wins,'" Daniels said. "But we work hard all the time. We don't just walk in. We don't just get off the bus thinking, 'We're going to beat people.'" Get local news delivered to your inbox!During Ms Fallon’s exchange with Taoiseach Simon Harris on Friday as he was canvassing in Co Cork , which went viral on social media, she said that section 39 workers “fought for our money, and we were ignored”. Her exasperation with the Taoiseach in relation to the issue is understood to be shared too by the organisations that represent employers across the voluntary sector. Their chief executives are said to be “extremely disappointed” that a first letter sent to Mr Harris earlier this year highlighting the failure to make progress on addressing funding issues across the health, homelessness, disability and other sectors involved did not receive a response. A second, handed publicly in on October 17th, drew only a two-line note acknowledging its receipt. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions wrote to him about the issues involved this week. Both employers and the unions representing thousands of staff involved say they find it perplexing that all three Government parties say they aim to resolve the issues involved if they are elected for another term in power. Yet they have not done so during their current term. The key issue involved is pay and the difficulty the hundreds of service providers, some of them household names like Enable Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association and Rehab, have in recruiting and retaining staff. This includes frontline carers and healthcare professionals because comparable roles in the public service, at the HSE for instance, come with better pay and conditions. Differences in the terms on which the various workers are employed developed as cuts imposed in the wake of the financial crash were not reversed for section 39, section 56 and section 10 workers, as they gradually were to public sector employees. The section numbers refer to the legislative clauses under which organisations provide services to various government departments and agencies in the areas of health and disabilities, homelessness, and families and children. With the threat of a strike looming a deal in October 2023 provided for pay increases of 8 per cent and committed the Government side to working towards a general restoration of parity. The process since, however, has been difficult and disjointed, with many workers who believed they would receive the 8 per cent being categorised as ineligible. Many employers experienced significant administrative challenges obtaining the funding required to pay the increases, sometimes finding some of their staff qualified while others did not. They also argued that related increases like PRSI and pension contributions were not always properly covered. Unions, meanwhile, have been seeking further pay increases comparable to the 9.25 per cent over 21⁄2 years agreed back in January for those in the public sector. They also seek progress on the restoration of links that previously existed with staff directly employed by the State to do comparable work. Enable Ireland chief executive John O’Sullivan says that as each pay increase agreed under that public sector deal kicks in a gap that had been narrowed by the October 23rd agreement is reopening. “The benefits are being washed away. We are almost back to where we were a year ago. We need to see decisive action taken now.” There have been many meetings between the two sides, although the most recently scheduled one for the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) last Monday was postponed by the Government departments involved. Talks outside of the WRC are due to take place on Tuesday. In the meantime Siptu organiser Sharon Cregan says members like Ms Fallon have become disillusioned with the process. “They have lost faith in the agreement reached with the staff,” she says. “There has been talk of proposals about staged increases and who would be impacted but there are thousands of staff involved and we need to see everybody included. Beyond that we want what was agreed on October 23rd, solid, proactive discussion in alignment.” She said the dedication of the workers involved was apparent in Ms Fallon’s interaction with the Taoiseach. “You could see how passionate she was but nobody could do this work without being passionate about it.” Emmet Malone is Work Correspondent at The Irish TimesAP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:36 p.m. EST
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As most retirees are aware, their reason Social Security benefits are eligible for an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) each year. This is to help them keep up with inflation and maintain purchasing power, but one thing COLAs are not meant to do is actually increase benefits. This is one of the main reasons why experts counsel beneficiaries not to depend solely on benefits for their retirement needs. Benefits were never expected to replace a salary, just around 40% of the amount necessary to cover expenses. Despite this, many retirees rely on their Social Security check to make ends meet, and, after this year’s 2.5% rise, many are struggling to see how they will make ends meet come the new year. The impact of a low COLA on retirees Social Security benefits For those that rely on some form on Social Security , the increase helps them with expenses, such as Medicare. When we look at the average monthly Social Security benefit in 2024, and we add the 2,5% COLA, we go from $1,927 to $1,976 in 2025. This is only a $49 increase, which, when we take into account the Medicare Part B increase that has already been announced (the standard monthly premium for Part B is $174.70, but in 2025, it’s going up to $185) will leave beneficiaries with just $39 dollars a month extra to cover expenses. This does not mean every beneficiary will receive the same increase, those who have higher checks will get more, and those with a lower benefit will get less. Some beneficiaries are not even eligible for Medicare, so this particular scenario will not apply to them, as Social Security eligibility begins as early as age 62, whereas Medicare eligibility doesn’t start until age 65. Regardless of the increase and the services you are signed up for, the 2,5% increase will hardly be enough for most people to cover the increase in expenses they have suffered in 2024, when inflation surpassed the COLA in the first half of the year, let alone make up for some of the savings they used up to cover the difference in their expected expenses. How to make up for a minimal increase When you are a regular worker it is easy to say, well just get a higher salary or a different job that pays better, or, just move, but as seniors this can be a bit more complicated. The principles of the matter still apply and, although it can be hard to make some lifestyle adjustments, the better economic position may be worth the sacrifice. Since benefits are dependent on your record and not your address, moving to a less expensive part of the country is the best way to increase your disposable income without that much effort. Leaving friends and family behind can be hard, but the earlier you get established the better, as you can build a support network to depend on should you need to. This has the added benefit of giving you extra income from the sale of a house in a higher cost of living area or passive income from its rental. In fact, you can sell and downsize or rent your house even if you are staying in your own city. It may be tempting to keep the house, but consider how much of your income is going to maintaining it and other options around you that may suit your lifestyle better. Plus, a smaller house is easier to clean, heat and cool. As a last resort, if you are fit enough, consider returning to a workforce with part time jobs that allow flexibility. It does not have to be a high pressure job, or even in your field, but it would give extra income as well as some contact with other people that may stave off isolation.Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) Receives $368.23 Consensus Target Price from BrokeragesReport: NFL warns players of burglary rings targeting pro athletes
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