super ace 888
Jonah Goldberg: What if most Americans aren't bitterly divided?None
Jonah Goldberg Among elites across the ideological spectrum, there's one point of unifying agreement: Americans are bitterly divided. What if that's wrong? What if elites are the ones who are bitterly divided while most Americans are fairly unified? History rarely lines up perfectly with the calendar (the "sixties" didn't really start until the decade was almost over). But politically, the 21st century neatly began in 2000, when the election ended in a tie and the color coding of electoral maps became enshrined as a kind of permanent tribal color war of "red vs. blue." Elite understanding of politics has been stuck in this framework ever since. Politicians and voters have leaned into this alleged political reality, making it seem all the more real in the process. I loathe the phrase "perception is reality," but in politics it has the reifying power of self-fulfilling prophecy. Like rival noble families in medieval Europe, elites have been vying for power and dominance on the arrogant assumption that their subjects share their concern for who rules rather than what the rulers can deliver. Political cartoonists from across country draw up something special for the holiday In 2018, the group More in Common published a massive report on the "hidden tribes" of American politics. The wealthiest and whitest groups were "devoted conservatives" (6%) and "progressive activists" (8%). These tribes dominate the media, the parties and higher education, and they dictate the competing narratives of red vs. blue, particularly on cable news and social media. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of Americans resided in, or were adjacent to, the "exhausted majority." These people, however, "have no narrative," as David Brooks wrote at the time. "They have no coherent philosophic worldview to organize their thinking and compel action." Lacking a narrative might seem like a very postmodern problem, but in a postmodern elite culture, postmodern problems are real problems. It's worth noting that red vs. blue America didn't emerge ex nihilo. The 1990s were a time when the economy and government seemed to be working, at home and abroad. As a result, elites leaned into the narcissism of small differences to gain political and cultural advantage. They remain obsessed with competing, often apocalyptic, narratives. That leaves out most Americans. The gladiatorial combatants of cable news, editorial pages and academia, and their superfan spectators, can afford these fights. Members of the exhausted majority are more interested in mere competence. I think that's the hidden unity elites are missing. This is why we keep throwing incumbent parties out of power: They get elected promising competence but get derailed -- or seduced -- by fan service to, or trolling of, the elites who dominate the national conversation. There's a difference between competence and expertise. One of the most profound political changes in recent years has been the separation of notions of credentialed expertise from real-world competence. This isn't a new theme in American life, but the pandemic and the lurch toward identity politics amplified distrust of experts in unprecedented ways. This is a particular problem for the left because it is far more invested in credentialism than the right. Indeed, some progressives are suddenly realizing they invested too much in the authority of experts and too little in the ability of experts to provide what people want from government, such as affordable housing, decent education and low crime. The New York Times' Ezra Klein says he's tired of defending the authority of government institutions. Rather, "I want them to work." One of the reasons progressives find Trump so offensive is his absolute inability to speak the language of expertise -- which is full of coded elite shibboleths. But Trump veritably shouts the language of competence. I don't mean he is actually competent at governing. But he is effectively blunt about calling leaders, experts and elites -- of both parties -- stupid, ineffective, weak and incompetent. He lost in 2020 because voters didn't believe he was actually good at governing. He won in 2024 because the exhausted majority concluded the Biden administration was bad at it. Nostalgia for the low-inflation pre-pandemic economy was enough to convince voters that Trumpian drama is the tolerable price to pay for a good economy. About 3 out of 4 Americans who experienced "severe hardship" because of inflation voted for Trump. The genius of Trump's most effective ad -- "Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you" -- was that it was simultaneously culture-war red meat and an argument that Harris was more concerned about boutique elite concerns than everyday ones. If Trump can actually deliver competent government, he could make the Republican Party the majority party for a generation. For myriad reasons, that's an if so big it's visible from space. But the opportunity is there -- and has been there all along. Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch: thedispatch.com . Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!Ministry announces formation of Digital Skills Working Group for govt institutions
Retailers anticipating big Cyber Monday after record Black Friday salesTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay’s bid for a fourth straight NFC South title and fifth consecutive playoff berth is gaining momentum. Back-to-back wins over a pair of last-place teams , combined with Atlanta’s three-game losing streak, have propelled the Bucs (6-6) to a tie atop the division. Although the Falcons (6-6) hold a tiebreaker after sweeping the season series between the teams, Tampa Bay can control its own destiny by finishing strong against a less than imposing schedule. The Bucs, who are back in the thick of the race after beating the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, figure to be favored in four of their five remaining games. “Every week, we said it’s a playoff game, we got to take care of us. It’s not going to be easy. As it was (Sunday), it’s going to be a dog fight every week,” coach Todd Bowles said after Sunday’s 26-23 overtime win at Carolina. “We got to clean up some things, we know that, but it's hard to win in this league,” the coach said of the mistake-filled victory that lifted the Bucs back to .500. “We’ll take a win any way we can get it.” After facing Las Vegas (2-10) this week, the Bucs will finish with road games against the Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) and Dallas Cowboys (5-7), followed by home dates vs. Carolina (3-9) and the New Orleans Saints (4-8). Kicker Chase McLaughlin has been one of team’s most consistent performers, converting 21 of 23 field goal attempts. He was 4 of 5 against the Panthers, including 51-yarder to force overtime on the final play of regulation. He missed from 55 yards in OT before winning it with a 30-yard field goal on Tampa Bay’s next possession. Just when it appeared the defense was beginning to trend in the right direction, Carolina's Bryce Young threw for 298 yards without an interception against the Bucs in one of his better outings of the season. “In the first half, he did it with his feet and the second half he did it with his arm,” Bowles said. Running back Bucky Irving rushed for a career-best 152 yards and finished with 185 from scrimmage against Carolina, making him the first rookie since Miles Sanders in 2019 to have consecutive games with 150-plus yards from scrimmage. A week after playing well offensively and defensively in a 23-point rout of the New York Giants, the Bucs were sloppy against the Panthers. In addition to throwing two interceptions, Mayfield was sacked four times. Tampa Bay was penalized seven times for 54 yards, and the defense was only able to sack Young once. Mayfield (sore leg), linebacker K.J. Britt (sprained ankle) and safety Mike Edwards (hamstring) will be on the injury report this week. Bowles said he’s not sure what Mayfield's practice status will be when the team reconvenes Wednesday, however he expects the quarterback to play Sunday. 37 and 101 — Wide receiver Mike Evans had another big day against Carolina, posting the 37th 100-yard receiving performance of his career — fifth among active players. He also moved ahead of Hall of Famers Steve Largent and Tim Brown for sole possession of ninth place on the all-time list for TD receptions with 101. The Buccaneers host Las Vegas in Tampa Bay's first home game in a month and the third consecutive outing against a last-place team. The Raiders (2-10) have lost eight in a row. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
The Prime Minister insisted the UK will back Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as he made a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, but for the first time acknowledged the conflict could move towards a negotiated end. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has in recent weeks suggested he is open to a possible ceasefire with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Kyiv and its European allies meanwhile fear the advent of Donald Trump’s return to the White House could result in American aid being halted. President-elect Trump has said he would prefer to move towards a peace deal, and has claimed he could end the conflict on “day one” of his time in power. As he attempts to strike up a good relationship with the incoming president, Sir Keir revealed he had told Mr Trump the UK “will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come”. In his speech at London’s Guildhall, the Prime Minister said there is “no question it is right we support Ukraine”, as the UK’s aid to Kyiv is “deeply in our self-interest”. Allowing Russia to win the war would mean “other autocrats would believe they can follow Putin’s example,” he warned. Sir Keir added: “So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defence for as long as it takes. “To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their own future.” Mr Zelensky told Sky News over the weekend he would be open to speaking with Mr Putin, but branded the Russian president a “terrorist”. He also suggested Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia. In a banquet speech focused on foreign affairs, the Prime Minister said it was “plain wrong” to suggest the UK must choose between its allies, adding: “I reject it utterly. “(Clement) Attlee did not choose between allies. (Winston) Churchill did not choose. “The national interest demands that we work with both.” Sir Keir said the UK and the US were “intertwined” when it came to commerce, technology and security. The Prime Minister added: “That’s why, when President Trump graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower, I told him that we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come.” He also repeated his commitment to “rebuild our ties with Europe” and insisted he was right to try to build closer links with China. “It is remarkable that until I met President Xi last month there had been no face-to-face meeting between British and Chinese leaders for six years,” the Prime Minister said. “We can’t simply look the other way. We need to engage. To co-operate, to compete and to challenge on growth, on security concerns, on climate as well as addressing our differences in a full and frank way on issues like Hong Kong, human rights, and sanctions on our parliamentarians,” he added. The Prime Minister said he wants Britain’s role in the world to be that of “a constant and responsible actor in turbulent times”. He added: “To be the soundest ally and to be determined, always, in everything we do. “Every exchange we have with other nations, every agreement we enter into to deliver for the British people and show, beyond doubt, that Britain is back.” Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, Lord Mayor Alastair King urged the Prime Minister and his Government to loosen regulations on the City of London to help it maintain its competitive edge. In an echo of Sir Keir’s commitment to drive the UK’s economic growth, the Lord Mayor said: “The idealist will dream of growth, but the pragmatist understands that our most effective machinery to drive growth is here in the City, in the hands of some of the brightest and most committed people that you will find anywhere in the world.”TikTok files legal challenge of federal government's shutdown order
Financing from Iconiq Capital and others restores Wealthsimple’s valuation to its prior high-water mark set at the peak of the pandemic tech frenzy in spring 2021. Eric Akaoka/The Globe and Mail Wealthsimple Technologies Inc. is capping off the best year since its founding a decade ago with a secondary financing valuing the online investment manager at $5-billion, making it one of Canada’s most highly valued private technology companies. San Francisco’s Iconiq Capital, the family office for tech luminaries including Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Jack Dorsey and Chamath Palihapitiya, plus KKR & Co. co-founder Henry Kravis and James Murdoch, has bought about $100-million of stock from past and present employees. Wealthsimple said an existing investor led the deal but declined to identify the buyer other than to say it wasn’t Power Corp. of Canada or its affiliates – which own 43.6 per cent combined of its fully diluted equity – or any Canadian entity. The identity was confirmed by three sources familiar with the matter. The Globe is not identifying them as they are not authorized to discuss the deal. The financing restores Wealthsimple’s valuation to its prior high-water mark set in a $750-million financing at the peak of the pandemic tech frenzy in spring 2021. That deal saw Power Corp. of Canada and affiliated entities sell $500-million worth of their holdings. More than a dozen VC firms, including Iconiq, backed the 2021 deal alongside Canadian celebrities Drake, Michael J. Fox, Ryan Reynolds and several sports stars. The financing comes amid a period of torrid expansion by Wealthsimple. Assets under administration (AUA) now exceed $58-billion, up $6-billion since Sept. 30 and nearly double the $31-billion level last Dec. 31. The Generation Z-focused financial services company, which positions itself as a challenger to Canadian banks, had 2.6-million investment and banking clients on Sept. 30 , up 16 per cent from a year earlier. Wealthsimple started as a “robo-adviser” offering automated wealth management services, later expanding to offer online digital stock-trading, a high-interest savings account, cryptocurrency trading, tax filing services and mortgage products. The company is testing new offerings including a Visa credit card, margin accounts and cross-border payment services. The average age of its clients has increased to the mid-30s, while the number of clients with $500,000 or more in assets with Wealthsimple has quadrupled in the past year. CEO Mike Katchen said in an interview Wealthsimple’s recent growth spurt has come across all asset classes as markets have returned to life this year. He added that November was shaping up to be a record month, with an expected $3-billion in new client deposits. IGM Financial Inc. CEO James O’Sullivan, whose Power-controlled company is Wealthsimple’s biggest investor, described its growth in May as “ballistic.” Wealthsimple also recently added two Silicon Valley veterans to its senior ranks: chief financial officer Jeff Gowen, former head of treasury at Stripe, Inc. and before that an investment banker with Goldman Sachs, and chief information security officer Justin Grudzien, who held that role at DoorDash Inc. The surge in Wealthsimple’s business comes two years after its growth stalled as interest rates spiked and markets swooned, prompting Power to cut the value of its consolidating stake to $900-million as of June 2022 from $2.1-billion six months earlier. But as Wealthsimple’s business has expanded sharply since late 2023, Power has written its holdings back up in each of the last four quarters. Power valued its consolidated stake at $2.2-billion on Sept. 30, reflecting the pricing of the impending secondary deal. Mr. Katchen said Wealthsimple is bigger “and a much higher quality business than we were” in 2021. The election of Donald Trump in the U.S. has “made people even more excited and interested in investing,” and fuelled expansion, he said. “We’re firing on all cylinders.” Mr. Katchen said Wealthsimple “has no pressure for liquidity” and the secondary deal, its first since the spring 2021 financing, “gives employees some chance to monetize” though most of its 1,000 people didn’t participate. The deal is “a great vote of confidence from someone who knows the business intimately and was willing to put a mark on it showing we’re doing well and that there’s a tremendous amount of momentum,” he said. “Very few companies have achieved or surpassed where they were in the frothy market of 2021.” Many private-capital-backed tech companies, including B.C.-based Clio , have done secondary transactions in recent quarters in which they issue little or no new equity and buyers pick up shares from employees or early investors. Secondaries don’t dilute non-participating shareholders and give flush private capital firms a chance to put cash to work. Secondaries by private tech companies were once regarded negatively as a sign insiders lacked conviction. But given the three-year drought in initial public offerings and dearth of mergers and acquisitions, they have grown in popularity as a way for holders awaiting exit transactions to realize cash for their stock and lock in financial certainty. With a report from Clare O’Hara.
Amen Thompson Throws Tyler Herro To The Ground During Massive On-Court AltercationKVH Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: KVHI), today announced that Seaspan Corporation (Seaspan), a world leading independent containership lessor, has signed an agreement to equip its fleet with the OneWeb advanced low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite offering from KVH. This marks the next step in Seaspan’s drive to deliver shore-like internet connectivity at sea, supporting its digital transformation strategy and augmenting its fleet’s existing LEO services. Chad Impey, Senior Vice President for Global Sales at KVH, commented, “We are proud to support Seaspan with the planned deployment of OneWeb service and hardware as part of our full integrated KVH ONE® multi-orbit, multi-channel network solution. It is the most recent example of our long-time, beneficial partnership in support of Seaspan’s innovative leadership, which has included the delivery of crew welfare content, advanced VSAT technology, and now a versatile hybrid solution using groundbreaking LEO technology that delivers affordable high data speeds, low latency, and outstanding performance.” As an early adopter of LEO technologies, Seaspan is the first major owner/operator of container ships to partner with KVH for its OneWeb solution. Seaspan’s OneWeb rollout will further strengthen the fleet’s data connectivity infrastructure, enabling Seaspan to leverage advanced technologies and high bandwidth-demanding applications, including solutions such as cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) technology, which were previously unsuitable for maritime use. “Our partnership with KVH for OneWeb services aligns with our strategy of providing a best-in-class communication experience across our fleet,” said Garret Wong, Vice President of Information Technology. This initiative brings us closer to realizing shore-like connectivity at sea while enhancing efficiency, safety and seafarer welfare.” Adrian Alb, head of IT Operations at Seaspan added, “LEO satellite technologies have set a new benchmark for vessel communications, offering high-bandwidth, low latency, and reliability far beyond traditional marine satellite solutions. This collaboration with KVH aligns with our goal of enhancing provider diversity and minimizing geographical blackout zones, further bolstering the robustness of our satellite communications infrastructure.” Source: KVH Industries
A New Film Shares Glimpse Into The History of Palestinian Christians
Jonah Goldberg: What if most Americans aren't bitterly divided?Trump's tariff threat a grim reminder of turbulent trade in first administration