(The Center Square) – Adoption of institutional neutrality is supported by better than 6 in 10 tenured and nontenured faculty at the University of North Carolina, Wake Forest University and Duke University, a report says. Nationally, 66% of faculty say “colleges and universities should not take positions on political and social issues,” says Silence in the Classroom, the 2024 FIRE Faculty Survey Report. At Duke, the percentage is 71%, at Carolina 65%, and at Wake 64%. Higher education is facing mounting challenges, from the costs to the positions it favors. Silencing students or faculty has drawn sharp criticism from Capitol Hill to every corner of the nation sending people to the ballot box. Carolina, established in 1789, is the nation’s oldest public university. It also earlier this year became embattled in free speech controversy tied to the war between Hamas and Israel. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression , as FIRE is more formally known, is a nonprofit nonpartisan organization billing itself as “defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought.” Surveys on topics related to free expression and academic freedom were made of 6,269 tenured, tenure-track and nontenure faculty at 55 four-year colleges and universities in America. In North Carolina, the sampling was of 145 at Carolina, 80 at Duke, and 55 at Wake Forest. For each campus, respondents said the top “difficult issue to discuss” is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Asked for top three issues, the Middle East saga was 79% at Carolina, 71% at Wake Forest and 68% at Duke. Each campus was split on the second and third choices. At Duke, 57% said affirmative action and 51% transgender rights. At Carolina, 54% said affirmative action and 53% racial inequality. And at Wake, 63% said racial inequality and 55% transgender rights. All were talking points of various candidates, particularly the presidential race, in the election cycle climaxing last month. In response to faculty feeling “they could not express their opinion because of how others would respond,” the choices of “occasionally,” “fairly often” and “very often” drew a combined 69% at Wake Forest, 69% at Duke and 67% at Carolina. Fairly often and very often were 35% at Duke. Statements pledging commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is rarely or never justified of faculty job candidates, said 61% at Duke, 44% at Carolina and 42% at Wake Forest. Nationally, the response was 50%. Academic freedom leaned more toward secure than not at all three institutions on a split of about 60%-40%. As for faculty feeling a need to “hide their political beliefs from other faculty in an attempt to keep their job,” answers of “never” were chosen by 43% at Duke, 42% at Carolina and 36% at Wake Forest. Among the national findings of the FIRE survey: • More faculty (35%) than during the McCarthy era (9%) say they toned down their writing for fear of controversy. • Threats of discipline for teaching, research, academic talks or other off-campus speech was incurred by 14%. • Faculty feeling unable to speak freely for fear of how others would respond was 27%. • Fear of damaged reputations because of misunderstandings with something said or done was 40%. • Fear of losing jobs because of misunderstandings with something said or done was 23%.NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted lower following some potentially discouraging data on the economy. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% Thursday, its third loss in the last four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.7% from its record set the day before. A report earlier in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than forecast. A separate update showed that inflation at the wholesale level was hotter last month than economists expected. Adobe sank after issuing weaker-than-expected financial forecasts. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes are drifting lower Thursday following some potentially discouraging data on the economy . The S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, potentially on track for its third loss in the last four days. That would count as a stumble amid a big rally that’s carried the index toward the close of one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 154 points, or 0.4%, as of 1:45 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3% from its record set the day before. A report earlier in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than expected. A separate update, meanwhile, showed that inflation at the wholesale level, before it reaches U.S. consumers, was hotter last month than economists expected. Neither report points to imminent disaster, but they tug at one of the hopes that’s driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year : Inflation is slowing enough to convince the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates, while the economy is remaining solid enough to stay out of a recession. Of the two reports, the weaker update on the job market may be the bigger deal for the market, according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley. A surge in egg prices may have been behind the worse-than-expected inflation numbers. “One week doesn’t negate what has been a relatively steady stream of solid labor market data, but the Fed is primed to be sensitive to any signs of a softening jobs picture,” he said. Traders see it as a near-certainty that the Fed will cut its main interest rate at its meeting next week. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. A cut next week would have the Fed following other central banks, which eased rates on Thursday. The European Central Bank cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point, as many investors expected, and the Swiss National Bank cut its policy rate by a steeper half of a percentage point. Following its decision, Switzerland’s central bank pointed to uncertainty about how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory will affect economic policies, as well as about where politics in Europe is heading. Trump has talked up tariffs and other policies that could upend global trade. He rang the bell marking the start of trading at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday to chants of “USA.” On Wall Street, Adobe fell 13.5% despite reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company gave forecasts for profit and revenue in its upcoming fiscal year that fell a bit shy of analysts’. Warner Bros. Discovery soared 15.6% after unveiling a new corporate structure that separates its streaming business and film studios from its traditional television business. CEO David Zaslav said the move "enhances our flexibility with potential future strategic opportunities,” raising speculation about a spinoff or sale. Kroger rose 2.5% after saying it would get back to buying back its own stock now that its attempt to merge with Albertsons is off . Kroger’s board approved a program to repurchase up to $7.5 billion of its stock, replacing an existing $1 billion authorization. In stock markets abroad, European indexes held relatively steady following the European Central Bank’s cut to rates. Asian markets were stronger. Indexes rose 1.2% in Hong Kong and 0.8% in Shanghai as leaders met in Beijing to set economic plans and targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.6% for its third straight gain of at least 1%, as it pulls back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. In the bond market, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to 4.31% from 4.27% late Wednesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, rose to 4.18% from 4.16%. ___ AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Stan Choe, The Associated Press
That's why Sunday's sobering 16-6 road loss to the Seattle Seahawks was so surprising. “Frustrating day offensively, especially the way we’ve been playing to come out here and lay an egg and get physically dominated in a sense,” quarterback Kyler Murray said. The Cardinals (6-5) had their four-game winning streak snapped. Murray completed 24 of 37 passes for 285 yards, but made a brutal mistake, throwing an interception that was returned 69 yards by Seattle's Coby Bryant. The running game never got going, gaining just 49 yards. James Conner, the team's leading rusher, had just 8 yards on seven attempts. “There were a lot of things where it felt like the flow of things just wasn’t in our favor,” receiver Michael Wilson said. "Some games go like that. And then we didn’t execute enough to make up for the game sort of not going our way.” Arizona's still in decent playoff position, tied with the Seahawks on top of the NFC West with six games to play. But after all the good news and winning over the past month, Sunday's loss was humbling. “We’re going to learn a lot from this game,” Gannon said. Arizona's defense continued its remarkable midseason turnaround, giving the team every opportunity to win Sunday. The front seven doesn't have any stars, but continues to cobble together a respectable pass rush. The Cardinals finished with five sacks, all by different players. Second-year cornerback Garrett Williams intercepted a pass by Geno Smith on the first play of the fourth quarter, briefly giving the Cardinals some momentum as they tried to fight back. Williams — a third-round pick out of Syracuse in 2023 — is growing into a steady starting corner that the Cardinals have missed for years. “I thought that they hung in there and battled, forced a bunch of punts, kept points off the board,” Gannon said. “I thought the interception by Garrett was fantastic, kept us in the game there, kept points off the board. We made some mistakes. We made some mistakes, starting with me.” The Cardinals aren't going to win many games with a rushing performance like Sunday's. Conner, held to a season low in yards rushing, did have 41 yards receiving. Rookie Trey Benson had four carries for 18 yards, while Emari Demercado broke a 14-yard gain. Getting Conner going is key. Arizona has a 5-1 record this season when he has at least 100 total yards from scrimmage. Gannon said falling into an early hole affected some of the things the Cardinals could do, particularly in the second half. “I thought there was plays there, but again, where you get down in that game, you’re not really playing normal ball there for a good chunk of the game,” Gannon said. “So we’ve got to do a better job earlier in the game to make sure we’re not playing left-handed.” Fourth-year edge rusher Zaven Collins isn't necessarily the star fans hoped for when he was selected with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2021 draft, but he has quietly had a productive season leading the team's no-name front seven. Collins picked up his fourth sack of the season Sunday and put consistent pressure on Smith. Murray's still having a great season, but the quarterback's MVP credentials took a hit with Sunday's mediocre performance. He played pretty well at times, but the interception that turned into a pick-6 was a backbreaker. The sixth-year quarterback had largely avoided those types of plays this season, which is a big reason they're in the playoff hunt. “Can't give them seven points, especially when our defense is playing the way that they’re playing,” Murray said. “I feel like if I don’t do that, we’re in the game four quarters because that’s the way it was trending.” The Cardinals came out of Sunday's game fairly healthy. Gannon said starting safety Jalen Thompson (ankle) should be back at practice Wednesday. He missed the last two games. 12 and 133 — Tight end Trey McBride continued his breakout season with a career-high 12 catches for 133 yards. The Cardinals have another difficult road game against the Vikings (9-2) on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
None'I used maternity leave to launch my mug business'
Judge grants request from prosecutors to dismiss election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump
Romanian elections 23rd Nov-1st December
Share Tweet Share Share Email Currently, telematics, dashcams, and other vehicle safety technologies are being incorporated in fleet vehicles in a multitude of different businesses. Increasingly, consumers are relying on these technologies as well. Is there a conceivable future in which every vehicle is equipped with similar technologies? And what would that future look like in terms of safety and privacy? The Basics of Telematics Telematics is a term that refers to a collection of technologies that collect, transmit, and analyze data from various objects. In this context, we’re using the term telematics to refer to devices capable of vehicle tracking. Telematics are typically installed in vehicles so they can collect and transmit data related to how those vehicles are being operated. Depending on the nature of the device, it may collect data based on speed, acceleration, sudden changes in trajectory, inputs by the operator, and more. The obvious benefit of this is that insurance companies, employers, and other authorities can retrieve information and use it to analyze what happened in the event of an incident. If a vehicle is involved in an accident, telematics data can tell you whether the operator of the vehicle made a mistake and detail the root causes of that accident. Telematics are often, but not always, associated with dashcams. Dashcams are video cameras that typically capture a running stream of footage, which can be reviewed in the event of an incident. They can be placed at the front and rear of the vehicle for a complete picture of the vehicle’s surroundings at all times. A Picture of Telematics in Business Businesses have been quick to adopt telematics as part of their fleet vehicle management strategy. For example, construction businesses strongly benefit from dashcams and telematics in their vehicles and equipment . With the use of this equipment, business owners can mitigate risk and bring more objective data to the table if any of their vehicles are ever involved in an accident. Knowledge of telematics and dashcams in vehicles also serves as an incentive for operators to operate these vehicles and pieces of equipment more safely. For construction businesses, this is an especially powerful advantage, because there are so many different types of vehicles and pieces of equipment that are crucial for the business’s success. These relatively inexpensive pieces of technology can save businesses money in terms of risk mitigation, insurance savings, increases in productivity, and much more. Why Would We Consider Telematics in Every Vehicle? The benefits for a construction business are obvious. The same is true for almost any business that manages a fleet of vehicles. But why would we even consider the possibility of including telematics in every vehicle? Safety and behavioral changes. Arguably the best benefit is higher safety on the roads. If people knew they had telematics devices transmitting data about how their vehicle is being operated, they would be incentivized to operate their vehicles much more safely. Even if this effect is minimal, it could save lives – and millions, if not billions of dollars. Insurance costs. Telematics data could also mitigate insurance costs in some ways. With safer roads and greater accountability for individuals who are at fault, we could greatly decrease insurance premiums for most people. Objective data. Whenever there’s an accident, investigators must determine, objectively, what happened . This isn’t always easy to do, but with telematics devices installed in every vehicle, it becomes much easier. While there may be fringe cases where it’s difficult to determine exactly what happened, most accidents can be resolutely investigated with a simple dive into the data. Minimal costs. Telematics devices are advanced forms of technology, but they aren’t especially expensive. Compared to the safety benefits, the costs are trivial, and most people (and entities) would be willing to pay them. Minimal invasiveness. Similarly, telematics are minimally invasive. Most people won’t even notice that they’re there. Unlike other forms of safety technology, telematics generally remain in the territory of “out of sight, out of mind.” The Issues However, there are some issues to consider as well. How reliable is this technology? Telematics data is generally considered to be reliable . However, when there are thousands or even millions of dollars on the line, even slight deviations in data projections can have a big impact. If we’re going to include telematics in every vehicle, we need to make absolutely certain that there are reliable sources of objective data. Who pays? Telematics devices are relatively inexpensive, but they aren’t free. If telematics are going to be included in your vehicle, are you the one that’s going to pay for this technology? Would your insurance company pay to have telematics installed in your vehicle? Would this be a sunk cost for manufacturers? Whose consent is needed? Generally, we require individual consent before an individual can have their data tracked and utilized by another entity. Would we require consumers to consent to have their data transmitted? And what would these consent forms look like? What about older vehicles? Assume that we start including telematics in every new vehicle sold. Would we require people with older vehicles to install telematics in those vehicles? What if they resist? What if people use a non-requirement as a loophole to avoid dealing with telematics altogether? What about privacy? Privacy is a significant concern when it comes to technologies like telematics. How much do we care about consumer privacy? And how do we weigh those privacy concerns against safety concerns? These are not easy questions to answer. The Bottom Line Is it possible that we’ll one day have telematics in every vehicle? This is a major possibility, especially if we can figure out how to mitigate some of the issues in play. However, given public distaste for privacy invasiveness and the general sluggish pace of widespread regulations and norm changes, it’s unlikely that telematics will be installed in every vehicle anytime soon. For the time being, telematics will primarily belong in the realm of commercial fleet vehicles. Related Items: cars , Telematics Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Oilstainlab Redefines The Future of Automotive, Unveiling Global Advisory Board to Bring the HF-11 to Market Oilstainlab: Delivering a New Era of Automotive Excellence with the HF-11 High-Performance Sports Car Why vehicle sharing is key to urban living CommentsElon Musk calls Trudeau 'insufferable' after remark on Kamala Harris defeatDale drills Byng twice in a pair of road games
BOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter is a throwback-type player — an elite receiver one moment, a lockdown cornerback the next — who rarely leaves the field and has a knack for making big plays all over it. The Colorado Buffaloes' two-way standout (see: unicorn) even celebrates at an elite level, unveiling imaginative dance moves following touchdowns and interceptions, some of which include the Heisman Trophy pose. It's one of the many awards he's in line to win. Hunter is the The Associated Press college football player of the year, receiving 26 of 43 votes Thursday from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes and Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo received one vote. "Couldn't do what I do without my team," Hunter said in an email on a trip to Las Vegas for an awards ceremony. "So I view being up for these awards as team awards." A player with his particular set of skills doesn't come around that often. He's a flashback to the days of Charles Woodson at Michigan or Champ Bailey at Georgia. Or even his coach, Deion Sanders, a two-way star in the NFL. The prospect of significant playing time on both sides of the ball is what led Hunter to join Sanders at Jackson State and why he followed Sanders to Boulder. "Coach Prime was the only coach who would consider allowing me to do what I'm doing," said Hunter, who's expected to be a top-five pick next spring in the NFL draft, possibly even the No. 1 overall selection. "He did it and knows what it takes — how much you have to be ready on both sides of the ball." Want to fuel Hunter? Simply tell him he can't. "I'm motivated when people tell me I can't do something," Hunter said. "That I can't dominate on both sides of the ball. I want to be an example for others that anything is possible. Keep pursuing your dreams." Hunter helped the 20th-ranked Buffaloes to a 9-3 record this season and a berth in the Alamo Bowl against No. 17 BYU (10-2) on Dec. 28. He played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the lone Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Hunter has already won a second straight Paul Hornung award as the game's most versatile player. He's up for the Walter Camp (player of the year), Maxwell (most outstanding player), the Biletnikoff (best receiver) and Bednarik (top defensive player) awards. And, of course, the Heisman, where he's the odds-on favorite to win over Jeanty this weekend. Hunter can join the late Rashaan Salaam as the only Colorado players to capture the Heisman. Salaam won it in 1994 after rushing for 2,055 yards. Hunter wasn't a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive back. That drew the wrath of Sanders, who earned the award with Florida State in 1988 and vowed to give his trophy to Hunter. Hunter's high school coach, Lenny Gregory, knew he had a special player the summer of Hunter's freshman year. Gregory, then the coach at Collins Hill in Georgia, had a conditioning test for his players — run six 200-yard dashes with a minute rest in between. Defensive backs had to complete each in under 32 seconds. Hunter never even got winded. He played safety/cornerback and receiver as a freshman and helped Collins Hill to a state title his senior season. "I remember just talking to colleges the spring of his ninth-grade year and telling coaches that this kid's going to be the No. 1 player in the country," recounted Gregory, who's now the coach at Gordon Central High in Calhoun, Georgia. "They'd look at him and laugh at me, 'What are you talking about? This scrawny kid? He's not big enough.' I was like, 'Just watch. Just watch.'" Hunter finished the regular season with 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. On defense, he had four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced one crucial fumble, which secured an OT win over Baylor. Overall, Hunter had 92 receptions and allowed 22. He hauled in 14 receiving TDs and allowed just one. He was responsible for 53 first downs and gave up just six. He was targeted 119 times by Shedeur Sanders & Co. but only 39 times by opposing QBs. Hunter's likely final game in Boulder, a rout of Oklahoma State, was a three-touchdown, one-interception performance. "I'm used to seeing him do all this spectacular stuff," Shedeur Sanders said. "I'm used to all this stuff — you all are just now seeing it on national stage." Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Higher FCNR rates fail to bring in the moolahChess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved