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Christopher Nolan's next film is based on 'The Odyssey'Elon Musk ’s brain implant company Neuralink announced on Tuesday that it is launching a study to test its implant for a new use: allowing a person to control a robotic arm using just their thoughts. “We’re excited to announce the approval and launch of a new feasibility trial to extend BCI control using the N1 implant to an investigational assistive robotic arm,” Neuralink said in a post on Musk’s social media platform X . A BCI, or brain-computer interface , is a system that allows a person to directly control outside devices with their brain waves. It works by reading and decoding intended movement signals from neurons. Neuralink’s BCI involves a coin-sized device dubbed N1 that is surgically implanted in the brain by a robot. The company is currently evaluating the safety of its BCI , as well as its ability to control a computer in individuals with paralysis. Moving a computer or prosthetic arm is not a new feat for BCIs. In 2008 , a team led by Andrew Schwartz at the University of Pittsburgh showed that a monkey could control a robotic arm to feed itself using signals from its brain. After that, researchers moved on to human volunteers. In a 2012 study published in the journal Nature , two people paralyzed due to stroke were able to guide a robotic arm to reach and grasp objects simply by thinking about it. One was able to serve herself coffee for the first time in 14 years. In another study from 2016 , a man with a BCI regained a sense of touch using a robotic arm. The BCIs used in those studies were clunky setups that required running a cable from the research participants’ head to a computer that decodes brain signals. By contrast, Neuralink’s system is wireless. On social media earlier this year , Neuralink demonstrated that its BCI can be used to control a computer cursor. In a video on X , study participant Noland Arbaugh was shown using the Neuralink device to play chess and other games on a computer. Arbaugh, who became a quadriplegic after a swimming accident in 2016, spoke with WIRED earlier this year about how the implant has given him a sense of independence. Arbaugh underwent brain surgery in January to receive the Neuralink implant, but a few weeks later, the device started to malfunction . The implant has 64 thin, flexible wire threads that penetrate the brain tissue. Each thread contains 16 electrodes that collect neural signals. In a blog post from May, Neuralink said several threads had retracted from Arbaugh’s brain, causing him to temporarily lose cursor control. Neuralink was able to restore Arbaugh’s control by modifying its brain recording algorithm to be more sensitive and changing how it translates neural signals into cursor movements. Neuralink’s second participant, Alex, received the implant in July. In a company update issued prior to the surgery, Neuralink executives said they took steps to reduce the likelihood of thread retraction, including reducing brain motion during the surgery and reducing the gap between the implant and the surface of the brain. The new robotic arm study, according to the Neuralink post on X, “will enable cross-enrolling participants from the ongoing PRIME Study.” No additional details about the robotic arm study are available yet on Neuralink’s website or clinicaltrials.gov , an online repository of medical studies involving human participants. “We congratulate Neuralink on receiving approval for their feasibility trial,” says Marcus Gerhardt, CEO and co-founder Blackrock Neurotech, the company that manufactures the Utah array , the brain implant used in previous studies of mind-controlled robotic limbs. “Every advancement in neurotechnology moves us closer to empowering individuals with neurological disorders.” Brian Dekleva, a research scientist at the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs at the University of Pittsburgh, says the biggest challenge in achieving BCI control of an assistive robotic arm is the need for calibration. “The more complicated the control, the more degrees of freedom you add, the longer the calibration is going to take in general,” he says. “People don't want to sit and do a half hour calibration at the beginning of each day so that they can use their device.” If that limitation can be overcome, BCIs that control robotic arms could allow people with paralysis to carry out simple daily tasks without assistance.Jane D Hartley will praise the work of the Multibank, which helps to distribute clothes, bedding, baby, hygiene, toy and furniture through a network of local charities and care professionals. Ms Hartley says the Multibank is “one of the best tools we have to provide essential goods to the people who need them the most”. At the reception in London on Tuesday, she will urge more companies to get involved in the charity. The Multibank was launched three years ago by Mr Brown, with help from Amazon, redistributing surplus stock from the online giant’s returns centre in Fife, to families supported by The Cottage Family Centre, in nearby Kirkcaldy, where Mr Brown is a long-time patron. There are now five Multibank charity centres across Britain, which have distributed five million products to half a million families. Support professionals report getting Multibank goods to the families who need them is preventing them from falling into crisis, and stopping children from being taken into care. Ms Hartley and Mr Brown will be joined at the reception by Amazon UK country manager John Boumphrey and Comic Relief chief executive Samir Patel. Amazon UK and Comic Relief announced a £6 million commitment over the next four years to the Multibank Comic Relief Fund to help expand Multibanks across the UK. Ms Hartley said: “We must lift up the most vulnerable when they are down and equip young people with resources as they grow. “In both the UK and the United States, there are still too many families living in poverty, but we can make a difference when we combine the reach of government with the innovation of the private sector. “This game-changing new commitment will boost the reach and the sustainability of the Multibank programme, one of the best tools we have to provide essential goods to the people who need them the most. I have always believed that companies have a responsibility to give back to the world; to do good, not just to do well.” Mr Brown said: “I’m delighted US Ambassador Jane Hartley is joining our Multibank Coalition of Compassion. She joins football, rugby and sports clubs, celebrities from film, theatre and music – including David Tennant, Peter Capaldi, Michael Sheen and Simon Cowell – in calling on suppliers and funders to donate goods to Britain’s Multibank so we can put a smile on thousands of children’s faces this Christmas and show them we care. “The Multibank model is simple: businesses have household good surpluses, and via our community-based charity partners we can get them straight to the people who need them. No product ever needs be wasted whilst we have families in need of them.” Mr Boumphrey said: “Our goal is to help as many families as possible by connecting surplus goods from Amazon and other businesses, with those who need it most.” Mr Patel said: “The Multibank is an invaluable lifeline to people and their families in being able to access essential goods and keep themselves and their children warm and healthy. “Whether it’s clothes, bedding, essential hygiene products or school uniforms, the power of this innovative cross-organisation partnership provides critical help within communities across the UK.”
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased this week, though it remains near 7% after mostly rising in recent weeks. The rate slipped to 6.81% from 6.84% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.22%. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, rose this week. The average rate climbed to 6.1% from 6.02% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.56%, Freddie Mac said. Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to price home loans. The yield, which mostly hovered around 4.4% last week and was below 3.70% in September, has eased this week. It was at 4.23% at midday Wednesday. Elevated mortgage rates and rising home prices have kept homeownership out of reach of many would-be homebuyers. U.S. home sales are on track for their worst year since 1995. “The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage moved down this week, but not by much,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Potential homebuyers are also waiting on the sidelines, causing demand to be lackluster. Despite the low sales activity, inventory has only modestly improved and remains dramatically undersupplied.” Mortgage rates slid to just above 6% in September following the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut its main interest rate for the first time in more than four years. While the central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates, its actions and the trajectory of inflation influence the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield. The central bank’s policy pivot is expected to eventually clear a path for mortgage rates to generally go lower. But that could change if the next administration’s policies send inflation into overdrive again. September’s pullback in mortgage rates helped drive a pickup in sales of previously occupied U.S. homes last month, and likely helped give a boost to demand early last month. The National Association of Realtor’s pending home sales index rose 2% in October from the previous month, its third straight monthly increase, the trade group said Wednesday. Pending transactions were up 5.4% compared to October last year. A lag of a month or two usually exists between when a contract is signed and when the home sale is finalized, which makes pending home sales a bellwether for future completed home sales. Still, because mortgage rates have mostly kept rising in recent weeks, that could dampen sales this month and next in what's already typically a slow season for the housing market. “Though mortgage rates are likely to decline in the coming weeks, the dip will be too little and too late to boost home sales in December,” said Ralph McLaughlin, senior economist at Realtor.com . Forecasting the trajectory of mortgage rates is difficult, given that rates are influenced by many factors, from government spending and the economy, to geopolitical tensions and stock and bond market gyrations. Economists predict that mortgage rates will remain volatile this year, but generally forecast them to hover around 6% in 2025.NEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng. But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes, we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES. But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE, first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance, try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE. And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK. It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. Welcome to BRAT SUMMER! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album, with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION, perched on the EIFFEL TOWER, singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND, rugby player ILONA MAHER, and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK, who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG, born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON's “DEMURE, MINDFUL” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN, arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN, withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN, the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN, dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG, who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT, the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON, SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP. As for MOO DENG, she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch. And THAT brings us back to ... “WICKED”! Director JON M. CHU’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go.US to require passenger vehicles to sound alarms if rear passengers don't fasten their seat beltsArrest made after tense protest stand-off at synagogue
Broadcom's Options: A Look at What the Big Money is ThinkingThe sudden resignation of Justin Trudeau’s finance minister threw his leadership into doubt and his minority government into chaos Monday after Chrystia Freeland quit just hours before she was set to deliver a key fiscal update in the House of Commons. Instead, Freeland’s stunning resignation, her revelations that Trudeau wanted to yank her from the finance portfolio, that she and Trudeau had argued for weeks over “political gimmicks” in the fall economic update, and clashed over how best to ready Canada for the Trump administration’s threatened tariff war set the stage for a day of intense political drama on Parliament Hill. It stunned her cabinet and caucus colleagues and caused chaos among the Liberal ranks, with some like Liberal MP Chad Collins publicly urging Trudeau to resign for the first time. “It’s obvious that Canadians across the country feel the same and want him to leave,” he said. Freeland dropped the announcement on “X” — formerly Twitter — via a missive just as Housing Minister Sean Fraser announced he was quitting for “family reasons,” he said. It took him, too, by surprise. Finance officials had almost no notice of their minister’s plans which immediately threw the launch of the fall fiscal economic statement into disarray. The prime minister huddled with his top officials and cabinet ministers all morning. By midday, it was not clear whether the prime minister would address Canadians, or would have some other minister step in to deliver the speech about the fall statement after markets close at 4 p.m. Immediately upon Freeland’s news, the Toronto stock exchange and the Canadian dollar dipped. The lock-up for media began several hours late, once word came the fall update had to be delivered. Senior government officials said the document would be presented because the markets need certainty. Freeland and Fraser’s departures from Justin Trudeau’s cabinet are a blow to the Liberal government and sowed more confusion in an unstable minority Parliament and reignited questions about the prime minister’s political future. Several of his most loyal ministers left cabinet without taking any questions. Freeland’s statement said Trudeau told her Friday he no longer wants her to serve as finance minister and offered her another unspecified position in cabinet, signalling she no longer had his confidence and leading to her resignation. Freeland, who was in Ottawa on Monday, said she intends to remain sitting as an MP and to contest her seat in the next election. The prospect of a snap election — which the Conservatives called for — could not be ruled out, given the explosive reaction to Freeland’s exit. The NDP, which has propped up the Trudeau minority government, did not pronounce on what comes next, only issuing a statement that accused the Liberals of being obsessed with infighting. “For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” Freeland said, adding that Canadians “know when we are working for them,” and “when we are focused on ourselves.” Citing the looming threat of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs, she said Canada faces a “grave challenge” from his policy of “economic nationalism” that requires fiscal discipline instead of “political gimmicks.” “That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today, so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff war. That means eschewing costly political gimmicks we can ill afford and which make Canadians doubt that we recognize the gravity of the moment.” The Trudeau government’s fall fiscal update — which was expected to unveil more than $1 billion in border security measures — comes amid heavy scrutiny over the federal government’s spending and its inability to stick to its own fiscal “guardrails” — the self-imposed spending guidelines Freeland had once set. The Trudeau government has been scrambling for three weeks to allay fears of tariff threats from the incoming Trump administration, and has promised to spend more on helicopters, drones, surveillance technology and manpower at the border. Freeland was offered a ministerial role to deal with Canada-U.S. relations, but the position would have given her none of the tools she had when she renegotiated NAFTA with the previous Trump administration, according to a senior Liberal source. Ministers emerged grim-faced from the cabinet meeting with most offering no comment. Some gamely asserted they continue to have confidence in the government and said Canadians should too. Government rules allow for the industry minister in an emergency to stand in for the finance minister. But Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne gave no indication he would do so. He told reporters “it is a serious moment” for the government. Asked if he still has confidence in the prime minister, Champagne said “the moment now is for us to focus on the best interest of Canadians, that’s what we’re doing.” Only a few others offered kind words about Freeland, with Fraser, who said he intends to step down on Monday due to family reasons, and Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon describing her as a respected friend. Before the meeting, just minutes after Freeland’s letter was put out, Treasury Board President and Transport Minister Anita Anand appeared on the verge of tears when asked to comment. “I’ll just say that Chrystia Freeland is a good friend, someone I work with very closely,” Anand said. “This news has hit me really hard, and I’ll reserve further comment until I have time to process it.” See my letter to the Prime Minister below // Veuillez trouver ma lettre au Premier ministre ci-dessous pic.twitter.com/NMMMcXUh7A But among the Liberal ranks, calls for Trudeau to resign resurfaced. Wayne Long, one of the MPs who has called on Trudeau to resign before, told the Star he hopes the resignation “opens the door to some cabinet ministers speaking up.” “How much more can the PM endure before doing the right thing and stepping down?” he said. Hamilton MP Chad Collins, who publicly called for the government’s cheque plan to be expanded this fall, also revealed for the first time on Monday that he was among 24 MPs who signed a letter to the prime minister calling on him to step down. Several Liberal MPs, speaking to the Star on the condition they not be named, expressed surprise and disappointment at the news, with one characterizing Freeland’s departure as a “devastating blow” for Trudeau, who earlier this fall survived a challenge from dozens of MPs who called for his resignation. That MP said conversations will be renewed within caucus about the prime minister’s future, and that there will be “reflecting” during the holiday period over next steps. The MP added that they have become increasingly “disillusioned” with running again under the Liberal banner, a feeling they said was prompted by the government’s G ST holiday and $250 rebate proposal for working Canadians, a multibillion dollar affordability plan that threatens Ottawa’s fiscal guardrails promised by Freeland. “We’re going to spend between the two (measures) in excess of $6 billion to what, save Justin Trudeau’s career?” The MP said, noting that Freeland’s reference to “political gimmicks” in her resignation letter was particularly damning. Two other MPs who have not previously called on Trudeau to resign, said now is the time for him to go. One told the Star the best course for the Liberals now is for Trudeau to step down and then table a new throne speech under a new prime minister for a fresh start ahead of the next federal election. The other said it was understandable that Freeland would walk away, in light of how the Liberals are struggling and that their predicament is mainly because of Trudeau. The Star reported this summer that some Liberal MPs wanted Freeland out of cabinet. Freeland has long been rumoured to be a potential successor to Trudeau. Meanwhile, Trudeau’s political opponents in Parliament pounced on the shock resignation, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre saying it is evidence that the “government of Canada itself is spiralling out of control.” He said it is now up to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to decide whether or not the government falls — and when. While Singh exited his parliamentary accord with the minority Liberals in September, his party has yet to declare a loss of confidence in the Trudeau government. Singh, for the first time, demanded Trudeau resign on Monday, but refused to say if he was prepared to help bring down the government. “All tools, all options are on the table. People are hurting, people are struggling, and so all options are on the table,” the NDP leader said. The chaos extended into question period in the House of Commons, where the Conservatives taunted the Liberals and Poilievre repeatedly asked “who is the Finance Minister?” Government House Leader Karina Gould would only say she looks forward to the tabling of the fiscal update and thanked Freeland for her work. In Toronto, asked if the premiers were concerned about Freeland’s stunning resignation Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said: “We all are.” Ford, chair of the Council of the Federation, emphasized “this is a time for the premiers to step up, which we’re going to, and project unity across the country.” Fraser, in his own resignation press conference, said he only learned of Freeland stepping down following a reporter’s question. “This is news for me,” he said in French. The Nova Scotia MP, who held the immigration file before moving to housing, said he was not seeking re-election due to family reasons, but described his time in government as “the best job I can imagine having.” He said he made his decision earlier this fall following a surgery. “Our path to creating a family was a challenging one. We’ve experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows when it comes to our kids. We have had micro-preemies, lengthy hospitalizations, medical interventions, and know the pain of losing our one-day-old daughter, Ruth, who I miss every day and who I love very much,” he said. Freeland and Fraser’s resignations come as Trudeau prepares to shake up his cabinet after several ministers announced they won’t be seeking re-election this fall. Their resignations make it nine ministers in Trudeau’s cabinet who have stepped down or announced their intention to step down in recent months. The Trudeau government is also facing a byelection in B.C. 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NoneNEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball switched a pair of series involving the Tampa Bay Rays to the first two months of the season in an attempt to avoid summer rain at open-air Steinbrenner Field, their temporary home following damage to Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay is scheduled to play 19 of its first 22 games at home and 37 of 54 through May 28, then play 64 of its last 108 games on the road. The Rays are home for eight games each in July and August. A series scheduled at the Los Angeles Angels from April 7-9 will instead be played at Tampa, Florida, from April 8-10, MLB said Monday. The second series between the teams will be played at Anaheim, California, from Aug. 4-6 instead of at St. Petersburg, Florida, from Aug. 5-7. Minnesota's first series against the Rays will be played at Steinbrenner Field from May 26-28 and the Twins' second will be at Target Field in Minneapolis from July 4-6. Tampa Bay heads into the All-Star break with a 10-game trip to Minnesota, Detroit and Boston, and has a 12-game trip to the Angels, Seattle, Oakland and San Francisco from Aug. 4-17. Tropicana Field, the Rays’ home since the team started play in 1998, was heavily damaged by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9 , with most of its fabric roof shredded. The Rays cannot return to the Trop until 2026 at the earliest, if at all. Tampa's average monthly rainfall from 1991 to 2020 was 2.25 inches in April and 2.60 in May , according to the National Weather Service, then rose to 7.37 in June , 7.75 in July and 9.03 in August before falling to 6.09 in September . The Class A Tampa Tarpons, the usual team at Steinbrenner Field, had six home postponements, two cancellations and four suspended games this year from June 21 through their season finale on Sept. 8. The Rays are now scheduled to play their first six games at home against Colorado and Pittsburgh, go to Texas for a three-game series, then return for a 13-game homestand against the Angels, Atlanta, Boston and the New York Yankees. The Tarpons will play their home games on a back field. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/
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First downs and second guesses: It feels like the last time I went to a bowl game, Bob Devaney and Bear Bryant were flipping a coin to see who would go to the Orange and Sugar Bowls. All signs point to the Nebraska-Iowa winner on Friday heading to the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Fla. That’s the bowl speculation. Man, I’ve missed it. The ReliaQuest is the former Outback Bowl, which has never had Nebraska. I always heard that the Outback Bowl served steaks in the press box. These guys will make sure your laptop doesn’t get hacked. It’s a good matchup, with the Big Ten going against the SEC. Which is why Music City would be my preference for a spot if NU doesn’t win on Friday. Some of the potential SEC teams I’ve seen in Nashville are LSU, Oklahoma, Missouri, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. The Huskers against any of them would be a dream matchup. Of course, the last bowl game Nebraska played in was the Music City Bowl, losing to Tennessee in 2016. My memory of that week was hitting the music honky-tonks on Broadway Street and realizing that none of them had TV’s. You were there to listen to music. What a concept. I’ll be happy with any bowl. First-time-in-a-long time bowlers can’t be choosers. Nebraska’s name pops up in several different bowl projections. There’s the Pinstripe Bowl (USA Today) vs. Pitt and vs. Georgia Tech (ESPN), the Duke’s Bowl in Charlotte vs. Syracuse (Action Network) and vs. Georgia Tech (ESPN), Nebraska vs. Texas Tech in the Rate (Phoenix) Bowl and in the Music City Bowl vs. LSU (247Sports). The Huskers will be happy to play in any of them. A good thing about the Duke’s is a Jan. 3 date. But that might be an awkward fit with coach Matt Rhule heading back to the city and stadium where he was fired two years ago. That storyline would dominate the week. Whatever happens, perfect. It’s just nice to be speculating again. I have to admit, the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl looks intriguing. Is there a trophy? One day, someone very smart will come up with an NIL Bowl, which will pay the players involved. That’s sort of what Creighton is doing this week, participating in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. The tourney will put $1 million into the CU Bird Club collective. Meanwhile, Coach Greg McDermott will earn his money this week and beyond, until point guard Steven Ashworth recovers fully from an ankle injury suffered against Nebraska. Wonder if Mac will have a committee approach to running the offense, including Pop Isaacs and freshman Ty Davis. Fred Hoiberg said on Monday that he has used “tough coaching” with his team twice in the last week — the day after the loss to St. Mary’s and again on Sunday to make sure his Huskers have come down from their win over Creighton. When a coach gets on his team like that, he knows they can handle it. That’s interesting because a good portion of this year’s NU team is new. Hoiberg is obviously going after an older, tougher-mindset kind of player in the portal. It works. Wow, how cool will it be to have Lindsay Krause, Kendra Wait and Ally Batenhorst all on the Omaha Supernovas this season? And Merritt Beason, the No. 1 overall pick to Atlanta in the Pro Volleyball Federation Draft, and Norah Sis, the overall No. 3 pick to Orlando, coming back to Omaha to play. I wonder how John Cook and Kirsten Bernthal Booth feel about having a pro draft in the middle of the season, with the NCAA tournament next week? I’m guessing the players will be focused. But what if the NFL Draft was now? And the NBA Draft was in February? All the talk this season about Nebraska Class A football being in trouble, and yet I couldn’t wait for the Westside-Millard South game on Monday night. It seems to me that there have always been two or three teams better than everyone else. When I arrived here in 1991, it was Omaha Creighton Prep and Lincoln Southeast. Then it was Prep and Millard North. And Millard West. And Omaha North. Westside. Gretna. The difference is the disparity between the top and the middle of Class A is now widening. You see more blowout games. You didn’t used to see those. The transfer issue is a factor, sure. So is OPS shutting down in 2020. And some new schools in districts where the population (and talent) in the district split into different schools. Based on conversations with several coaches, I would add specialization to the list. A lot of football programs have lost kids to playing other sports, like baseball and basketball, full-time. I still love the Friday Night lights, the marching bands, the student sections, all that. And, marquee matchups at state. There’s still a lot of good things going on. Should there be a Nebraska-Creighton basketball traveling trophy? I can’t think of one. But the teams should wear blue and red every year. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Trump tariffs will hit California hard — and his voters harder