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Thanksgiving Weekend Sports Guide: Your roadmap to NFL matchups, other games, times, odds(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .LOS ANGELES — He’d been battered for weeks, lingering on the turf in pain at various points in previous wins over Nebraska and UCLA, always game enough to return a few players later after gingerly limping off. But running back Woody Marks, long USC’s Iron Man at running back, couldn’t return after another blow Saturday against Notre Dame. After a first-quarter handoff for nine yards, Marks laid on the turf for a few beats before stumbling to his feet, appearing slightly disoriented as he entered a medical tent on USC’s sideline. He eventually returned to the sideline as redshirt freshman Quinten Joyner took his place, but walked off into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum tunnel at the two-minute mark of the first half as the CBS broadcast reported he’d be out for the rest of the afternoon . It was a massive loss for USC’s offense, and could’ve served as the end of Marks’ time in a Trojans jersey depending on his bowl-game decision. If so, what a run it has been for the Mississippi State transfer: finishing with 1,133 yards on the ground in 12 games, putting together one of the more complete seasons by any USC running back in recent memory. They came marching one by one down the barrel of the Coliseum, adorned with wreaths of honor, USC’s Easton Mascarenas-Arnold and Jaylin Smith and Woody Marks all exchanging hugs with Lincoln Riley as an early crowd erupted in claps for its program pillars. It was a moment of levity, USC honoring beloved seniors Saturday afternoon on the final day of its regular season. It was also, however, a sobering reality. With Mascarenas-Arnold, Smith and Marks went 138 combined tackles and four interceptions and 1,421 yards from scrimmage; with left guard Emmanuel Pregnon and center Jonah Monheim went two crucial pieces of a much-improved Trojans offensive line. Walking out from the tunnel on Senior Day, certainly, doesn’t provide an end-all, be-all on players’ futures. But it gave a hint, certainly, that several names who still carried eligibility – Mascarenas-Arnold, Smith, wide receiver Kyron Hudson – could be moving on come the winter. “We’ll have a few guys, obviously, who will have some decisions to make on if they go pro or if they stay and play another year,” Riley said Tuesday, when asked how he might adjust USC’s offensive personnel in the offseason. “Not a ton, but we’ve got a couple guys that have those decisions. We’ll just see. We’re going to try to get the right talent in here.” USC will be hard-pressed to add that talent, certainly, as eyes turn ahead to a bowl-game slot and the 2025 season. If every player honored on USC’s announced Senior Day graphic moves on , either via the NFL draft or the transfer portal, USC stands to lose 17 players from its offense, defense and special teams who started Saturday against Notre Dame. Here’s the breakdown: Offense: WR Kyle Ford, TE Lake McRee, RB Woody Marks, C Jonah Monheim, LG Emmanuel Pregnon, RT Mason Murphy, WR Kyron Hudson Defense: S Akili Arnold, LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, LB Mason Cobb, CB Jacobe Covington, DT Nate Clifton, DT Gavin Meyer, CB Jaylin Smith, CB Greedy Vance Jr. Special teams: P Eddie Czaplicki, K Michael Lantz It’s still probable, as Riley mentioned, that a few of those names elect to stay at USC for another season. McRee, Murphy and Hudson, in particular, are redshirt juniors and would likely see their draft stock elevated by a return for a prominent senior year at USC. Still, the Trojans will have major work to do in the transfer portal and with depth development this offseason, particularly at center, replacing Monheim, and cornerback. Not a day after the NFL’s Chicago Bears canned head coach Matt Eberflus following a 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions , former star quarterback and No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams was back at the Coliseum on for his USC jersey-retirement ceremony in a palate cleanser of a Saturday afternoon. Williams, the Heisman Trophy winner who conquered opposing defenses and NIL riches in his time at USC, took a moment to thank the Coliseum crowd upon leading the Trojans out of the tunnel Saturday. “Number 13 is back,” Williams announced over the PA, speaking in a microphone to wide cheers. “And not only – is in the rafters now, because of all of you.”
As Hollywood grapples with worries about the threat of artificial intelligence, the union that represents animators is facing dissent over its latest deal with major studios. Three Animation Guild negotiations committee members said they will vote "no" on a tentative contract the guild reached with their employers, saying the AI protections they wrangled don't go far enough. "I believe the A.I. and outsourcing protections in this contract are not strong enough — and in my opinion — could lead to the loss of a lot of jobs," wrote negotiations committee member Michael Rianda , who directed the animated film "The Mitchells vs. the Machines," on Instagram. "Real members lives could be hurt by not having these protections." The Animation Guild's executive board disputed any notion that the deal lacks support, saying in a statement that more than 90% of the negotiations committee table team backed the tentative agreement and recommend ratification. "Generative AI is a complex and deeply concerning issue for our industry, and we recognize the passion and apprehension it has sparked among our members," the executive board said. "It's also important to understand that union contracts alone cannot solve this challenge, as seen in the recent contracts of other entertainment unions with far larger memberships and leverage than our own." The animation guild reached an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents major studios, last month. Animation Guild members will have until the end of Dec. 22 to vote on the contract. The guild touted several gains in the three-year deal, including increases to health and pension funds and wage increases of 7% in the first year, 4% in the second and 3.5% in the third. The pact features AI protections that include notification and consultation provisions; protections for remote work; and the recognition of Juneteenth as a holiday. The guild represents more than 6,000 artists, technicians, writers and production workers in the animation industry. "After weeks of negotiations that covered months in the calendar, I am very proud of the agreement that we reached with the studios for our new contract," Steve Kaplan, business representative for the Animation Guild, said in a statement when the deal was struck. "Not only have we seen the inclusion of the advancements in the industry realized by the other Unions and Guilds, but we were able to address industry-specific issues in a meaningful way." Rianda said in his Instagram post that the guild did not secure staffing minimums "to protect crew sizes from AI job loss." If the tentative contract is not passed by guild members, the union will go back to the table with AMPTP. If those talks are unsuccessful, the union could call for a strike authorization vote. "Voting 'No' could give us the leverage we need to actually get substantial gains," wrote Kelly Lynne D'Angelo, a television and musical writer, who also was on the guild's negotiations committee, on Bluesky . "Does it mean we may lose other things negotiated? Yes. But do those things trump more needs in A.I., Outsourcing, and Staffing Minimums? That's YOUR call to make." Multiple union locals representing Hollywood's below-the-line workers have pushed for overall minimum staffing requirements but have gotten little traction. The Animation Guild's tentative contract does include a minimum staffing provision with guaranteed employment length for animation writers. The Writers Guild of America managed to secure minimum staffing protections in TV writers rooms last year after going on strike. Many Hollywood workers are concerned about potential job losses from artificial intelligence. Proponents of AI say that the technology could help bring costs down, give freedom to test bold ideas and speed up production. A study released earlier this year estimated 62,000 entertainment jobs could be lost to AI within the next three years, including roles in 3-D modeling and character and environment design. The study was commissioned by the Animation Guild, the Concept Art Assn., the Human Artistry Campaign and the National Cartoonists Society Foundation. Those concerns have boosted interest from workers in joining the guild, also known as IATSE Local 839. The Times reported that from December 2021 to December 2023, nearly 1,000 animation professionals from a dozen different studios were cleared to unionize under the Animation Guild, which was founded in 1952. Committee member Joey Clift , a writer on Netflix's "Spirit Rangers," said that AI protections were among the top priorities for members, but the tentative contract falls short. "We fought tooth and nail and received a few small AI protections in this contract, but these aren't the strong, common sense AI guardrails we need to keep animation workers protected," Clift wrote on Bluesky , adding that he plans to vote "no." ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.In the remotest reaches of Alaska, there’s no relying on DoorDash to have Thanksgiving dinner — or any dinner — delivered. But some residents living well off the grid nevertheless have turkeys this holiday, thanks to the Alaska Turkey Bomb. For the third straight year, a resident named Esther Keim has been flying low and slow in a small plane over rural parts of south-central Alaska, dropping frozen turkeys to those who can't simply run out to the grocery store. Watch NBC Bay Area News 📺 Streaming free 24/7 Alaska is mostly wilderness, with only about 20% of it accessible by road. In winter, many who live in remote areas rely on small planes or snowmobiles to travel any distance, and frozen rivers can act as makeshift roads. When Keim was growing up on an Alaska homestead , a family friend would airdrop turkeys to her family and others nearby for the holidays. Other times, the pilot would deliver newspapers, sometimes with a pack of gum inside for Keim. Her family moved to more urban Alaska nearly 25 years ago but still has the homestead. Using a small plane she had rebuilt with her father, Keim launched her turkey delivery mission a few years back after learning of a family living off the land nearby who had little for Thanksgiving dinner. “They were telling me that a squirrel for dinner did not split very far between three people," Keim recalled. “At that moment, I thought ... ‘I’m going to airdrop them a turkey.'” She decided not to stop there. Her effort has grown by word of mouth and by social media posts. This year, she's delivering 32 frozen turkeys to people living year-round in cabins where there are no roads. All but two had been delivered by Tuesday, with delivery plans for the last two birds thwarted by Alaska’s unpredictable weather. Among the beneficiaries are Dave and Christina Luce, who live on the Yentna River about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage. They have stunning mountain views in every direction, including North America's tallest mountain, Denali, directly to the north. But in the winter it's a 90-minute snowmobile ride to the nearest town, which they do about once a month. “I’m 80 years old now, so we make fewer and fewer trips," Dave Luce said. “The adventure has sort of gone out of it.” They've known Keim since she was little. The 12-pound (5.44-kilogram) turkey she delivered will provide more than enough for them and a few neighbors. “It makes a great Thanksgiving,” Dave Luce said. “She’s been a real sweetheart, and she’s been a real good friend.” Keim makes 30 to 40 turkey deliveries yearly, flying as far as 100 miles (161 kilometers) from her base north of Anchorage toward Denali's foothills. Sometimes she enlists the help of a “turkey dropper” to ride along and toss the birds out. Other times, she’s the one dropping turkeys while her friend Heidi Hastings pilots her own plane. Keim buys about 20 turkeys at a time, with the help of donations, usually by people reaching out to her through Facebook. She wraps them in plastic garbage bags and lets them sit in the bed of her pickup until she can arrange a flight. “Luckily it’s cold in Alaska, so I don’t have to worry about freezers,” she said. She contacts families on social media to let them know of impending deliveries, and then they buzz the house so the homeowners will come outside. “We won’t drop the turkey until we see them come out of the house or the cabin, because if they don’t see it fall, they’re not going to know where to look,” she said. It can be especially difficult to find the turkey if there’s deep snow. A turkey was once missing for five days before it was found, but the only casualty so far has been a lost ham, Keim said. Keim prefers to drop the turkey on a frozen lake if possible so it's easy to locate. “As far as precision and hitting our target, I am definitely not the best aim,” she joked. “I’ve gotten better, but I have never hit a house, a building, person or dog.” Her reward is the great responses she gets from families, some who record her dropping the turkeys and send her videos and texts of appreciation. “They just think it’s so awesome that we throw these things out of the plane,” Keim said. Ultimately, she hopes to set up a nonprofit organization to solicit more donations and reach people across a bigger swath of the state. And it doesn’t have to stop at turkeys. “There’s so many kids out in the villages," she said. “It would be cool to maybe add a stuffed animal or something they can hold.” ___ Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska.None
Pembina Pipeline Corporation Announces 2025 Guidance and Provides Business UpdateMac Cosmetics does most things well, so it’s no surprise that the brand’s beauty advent calendar for 2024 has sold out almost everywhere. It officially launched back in September and, with wearable lip colours, bestselling lip liners and more for sub-£200, its ‘gift of gold’ branding is certainly apt. That’s right, it originally retailed at £180 while being valued at £445 but, as if that wasn’t good enough, Brown Thomas has now slashed the beauty haul’s price further with a total saving of more than £300 this Black Friday weekend. Indeed, with the final few calendars now on sale for £137.76 ( Brownthomas.com ) you’ll have more than thrice the retail price’s worth of products to take home and, if I say so ourselves, there are few (if any!) ‘dud’ products here. From mascaras to brow products and eyeshadows , you’ll have almost a full make-up routine at your disposal; though, naturally face bases like foundation and concealer can’t be included as a result of shade matches. With the calendar now sold out at both Selfridges and the brand’s own website, I wouldn’t hang about if I were you – this stock won’t stay on shelves long. So scroll on for my full review, plus all the details you’ll need to buy now. Read more: I’m a beauty writer and I’ve found the 53 best Black Friday deals starting from £1.50 How I tested open image in gallery {"id":"trigger-autogallery-14888","index":1} We unboxed every door and got to work testing each formula ( Lucy Smith ) Did I have to unbox all 24 days of this calendar in September in order to provide you with these kernels of advent calendar wisdom? Yes, I did, but I did so in the name of research. I put the lip, eye and face formulas to the test, paid attention to the size of the included minis (how mini are they, really?) and weighed up the desirability of every product. From the variety of make-up to the price and worth of the box as a whole, here are all my thoughts on Mac’s gift of gold 2024 advent calendar.