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Today inour Daily Dose of Social Media, we review the most significant activities andEntertainment from ATP and WTA players. Iga Swiatek shared photos of her time at the Billie Jean King Cup after a historic performance for Poland, reaching the semifinals before losing to Italy, who were crowned champions on Wednesday. Jannik Sinner and Chris Evert were among those offering congratulations for Italy's title on social media. The elimination of the USA in the Davis Cup marked the day, and Nicole Melichar launched strong criticism against Bob Bryan for including Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul in the doubles. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal was seen happy reuniting with his family shortly after his retirement and elimination in the Davis Cup. Evertand Sinner praised Italy's Billie Jean King Cup triumph Chris Evertand Jannik Sinner praised Italy's victory in the Billie Jean King Cup final.The former World No. 1 congratulated the European team for securing their fifthtitle in the most prestigious tournament in women’s team tennis. Led by JasminePaolini, the Italian team defeated surprise finalists Slovakia following winsby World No. 4 Paolini against Rebecca Šramková and Lucia Bronzetti overViktória Hrunčáková. The men’sWorld No. 1, Jannik Sinner, shared an Instagram story featuring a post by theItalian Tennis Federation celebrating the victory, including photos of theentire team: Paolini, Bronzetti, Sara Errani , Martina Trevisan , ElisabettaCocciaretto, and captain Tathiana Garbin. The 18-timeGrand Slam champion Evert reposted a message on X (formerly Twitter) wherePaolini celebrated the title and took the opportunity to praise the whole team.The Italians avenged their 2023 final loss to Canada, adding another crown totheir titles in 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2013. “Congratulations to Team Italy!Look at those smiles... What a year! You all exude so much spirit and joy andfun..... Great messaging and role models for the sport! ,” Chris Evert wrote. Congratulations to Team Italy! Look at those smiles...What a year! You all exude so much spirit and joy and fun ..... Great messaging and role models for the sport! https://t.co/Zdf598tqGE Forza Jannik via IG pic.twitter.com/PquTCEsIux Messi, Maradonaand the Pope: The unique banner from Argentina at the Davis Cup Argentinefans travelled to Malaga to support their country in the Davis Cup, bringingalong a particularly eye-catching banner. The team returned to the Finals aftermissing out in 2023 and faced favourites Italy, led by Sebastián Báez andFrancisco Cerúndolo. Images fromthe stadium, shared by the official Davis Cup account, showcased a massivebanner from Argentina. It featured iconic footballers Diego Maradona and LionelMessi, highlighting the World Cups and Copa América titles won by the SouthAmerican nation. The banner also included a photo of Pope Francis, with thecaption: "With the Hand of God, the Messiah, and the Pope, we're going foranother World Cup." Unfortunately for the Argentinians, they won't have another day to display the eye-catching banner, as they were eliminated by the defending champions. Despite an early win by Cerundolo over Musetti, Sinner later had no trouble against Báez and sent it to doubles. In the decisive match, Matteo Berrettini teamed up with Sinner to defeat the specialists Máximo González and Andrés Molteni, advancing to the semifinals where they will face Australia. Siempre por más, Argentina #CopaDavis I @AATenis pic.twitter.com/zXEVuuFTId USA's doubles snub? Melichar-Martinez calls out Bryan's faith in Shelton and Paul NicoleMelichar-Martinez criticises Bob Bryan's decision to field Ben Shelton andTommy Paul in Davis Cup doubles. USA Captain Bob Bryan made a last-minutechange in the Davis Cup series against Australia, opting to replace doublesspecialists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram—both former world No. 1s and silvermedallists in Paris 2024—with Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul for the decisivematch. Thedecision raised eyebrows, especially given Bryan's legacy with his brother Mikeas the most decorated doubles duo in tennis history. Despite his expertise,Bryan chose not to rely on his doubles players, and Shelton and Paul weredefeated in straight sets by Jordan Thompson and Matthew Ebden (4-6, 4-6). Formerdoubles world No. 6 Nicole Melichar-Martinez shared her disagreement on socialmedia, criticising the exclusion of Ram and Krajicek. "Very curious as to why @RajeevRam and @AustinKrajicek aren’t playing the doubles tie right now @usta@DavisCup#watchmoredoubles" “Doubles players are'specialists' for a reason... they’re good at what they do. Why not trust inthem??," she added later. Especially when you have 2 former #1s...” wrote the 31-year-old American,who recently reached the WTA Finals semifinals alongside Australian EllenPerez. Very curious as to why @RajeevRam and @AustinKrajicek aren’t playing the doubles tie right now @usta @DavisCup #watchmoredoubles Doubles players are “specialists” for a reason... they’re good at what they do. Why not trust in them?? Especially when you have 2 former #1s ... ‘Thank you’: Swiatek shares appreciation for Team Poland Iga Swiatek shared photos on Instagram from her time at the Billie Jean King Cup, where Team Poland achieved their best-ever result by reaching the semifinals, with the 5-time Grand Slam champion leading the charge. Swiatek claimed victories over Paula Badosa and Linda Niskova in singles and partnered with Katarzyna Kawa to defeat Bouzkova and Siniakova in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they faced Italy, who went on to become champions of the tournament. Despite Swiatek's singles win over Paolini, Italy secured the victory in the decisive doubles match, with Paolini and Sara Errani sending Italy to the final. Nonetheless, the 4-time French Open champion expressed her gratitude for representing Poland in the competition and shared a heartfelt message on social media for her team: “Thank you ❤️,” she posted alongside photos of the team celebrating their quarterfinal win over Czechia. Una publicación compartida de Iga Świątek (@iga.swiatek) First images of Rafael Nadal with his son after retirement surface The 22-time Grand Slam champion, Rafael Nadal, was seen for the first time with his son following his retirement. Nadal played his last match against Botic Van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup, losing 4-6, 4-6. Later, Spain was eliminated after Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers lost in doubles to Wesley Kolhoff and Van de Zandschulp. The retirement was somewhat overshadowed by the elimination of the European team and the absence of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. However, Nadal was seen smiling off the court, particularly when reunited with his son Rafa and wife Xisca Perello. In the video, the legendary tennis player is seen greeting and hugging his family at the Martin Caperra Arena in Malaga after the on-court tribute concluded. pic.twitter.com/3BGacUFyJw https://t.co/jDkE9x6YpQ This article first appeared on TennisUpToDate.com and was syndicated with permission.Fewer super funds means more business for this tech consultancyTrump, Macron hold talks with Zelenskyy in Paris on Ukraine

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What both sides are saying about ceasefire deal between Israel and HezbollahSAN DIEGO , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Realty Income Corporation (Realty Income, NYSE: O), The Monthly Dividend Company ® , today announced it has declared an increase in the company's common stock monthly cash dividend to $0.2640 per share from $0.2635 per share. The dividend is payable on January 15, 2025 , to stockholders of record as of January 2, 2025 . This is the 128 th dividend increase since Realty Income's listing on the NYSE in 1994. The new monthly dividend represents an annualized dividend amount of $3.168 per share as compared to the prior annualized dividend amount of $3.162 per share. "Throughout our 55-year history, Realty Income has declared 654 consecutive monthly dividends," said Sumit Roy , Realty Income's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Today's declaration represents the 109 th consecutive quarter that we have declared a dividend increase since our 1994 NYSE listing, demonstrating our commitment to providing stockholders a dependable monthly dividend that increases over time." About Realty Income Realty Income (NYSE: O), an S&P 500 company, is real estate partner to the world's leading companies. Founded in 1969, we invest in diversified commercial real estate and have a portfolio of over 15,450 properties in all 50 U.S. states, the U.K., and six other countries in Europe . We are known as "The Monthly Dividend Company ® ," and have a mission to invest in people and places to deliver dependable monthly dividends that increase over time. Since our founding, we have declared 654 consecutive monthly dividends and are a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ® index for having increased our dividend for the last 30 consecutive years. Additional information about the company can be found at www.realtyincome.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. When used in this press release, the words "estimated," "anticipated," "expect," "believe," "intend," "continue," "should," "may," "likely," "plans," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include discussions of our business and portfolio; cash flows; the intentions of management; and dividends, including the amount, timing and payment of dividends related thereto. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about us, which may cause our actual future results to differ materially from expected results. Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are, among others, our continued qualification as a real estate investment trust; general domestic and foreign business, economic, or financial conditions; competition; fluctuating interest and currency rates; inflation and its impact on our clients and us; access to debt and equity capital markets and other sources of funding (including the terms and partners of such funding); continued volatility and uncertainty in the credit markets and broader financial markets; other risks inherent in the real estate business including our clients' solvency, client defaults under leases, increased client bankruptcies, potential liability relating to environmental matters, illiquidity of real estate investments, and potential damages from natural disasters; impairments in the value of our real estate assets; changes in domestic and foreign income tax laws and rates; property ownership through joint ventures, partnerships and other arrangements which may limit control of the underlying investments; epidemics or pandemics, including measures taken to limit their spread, the impacts on us, our business, our clients, and the economy generally; the loss of key personnel; the outcome of any legal proceedings to which we are a party or which may occur in the future; acts of terrorism and war; the anticipated benefits from mergers and acquisitions including from the merger with Spirit Realty Capital, Inc.; and those additional risks and factors discussed in our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future plans and performance and speak only as of the date of this press release. Actual plans and operating results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in this press release and forecasts made in the forward-looking statements discussed in this press release might not materialize. We do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements or publicly release the results of any forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date these statements were made. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/128th-common-stock-monthly-dividend-increase-declared-by-realty-income-302328137.html SOURCE Realty Income Corporation

America is incredibly polarized. It’s bad for our health.

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THE MOJ: It's Thanksgiving down south, and the Canucks aren't looking free and clear

Drama surrounds final three F1 races of seasonFor more than a decade, the United States has sought to keep out of Syria's political debacle, seeing no viable partner. Islamist rebels' toppling of strongman Bashar al-Assad has forced a change of tune -- and a debate over just what US interests are. Donald Trump, who returns to the White House in little more than a month, on the eve of Assad's fall called Syria "a mess" and stated in his plain-speaking style that the United States should not be involved. Joe Biden's administration, after putting Syria on the backburner in a turbulent region, has offered a tacit rebuttal by stating that clear US interests are at stake -- including preventing Syria from fragmenting and avoiding a resurgence of the Islamic State extremist group. Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump's and Biden's statements could be combined and "together they make a kind of decent policy." The United States needs to address real concerns about the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda but "as far as getting involved in arranging the politics of Syria, I think that no good can come from it," Cook said. Since the presidency of Barack Obama, the United States has walked a fine line on Syria that critics often derided as a non-policy. The United States questioned the legitimacy of Assad, demanding accountability for brutality in one of the 21st century's deadliest wars, but stopped short of prioritizing his departure due to suspicions about the main rebels. The Islamist movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has now led Assad's ouster, traces its roots to Syria's Al-Qaeda branch and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States. Since Obama's time, the United States instead has allied itself in Syria with a smaller fighting force of the Kurdish minority -- over strenuous objections of neighboring Turkey, which backs HTS -- with a narrow mission to counter the Islamic State group. Some 900 US troops remain in Syria. Assad fell in a lighting surprise offensive as his protector Russia is bogged down in its invasion of Ukraine and after Israel's military heavily degraded Assad's other key supporters -- Iran and Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Robert Ford, the last US ambassador to Syria, helped spearhead the terrorist designation of HTS in 2012 but said that the group since then has not attacked US or Western targets and has instead fought Al-Qaeda and Islamic State forces. Ford also pointed with hope to post-victory statements by rebel chief Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, including welcoming international monitoring of any chemical weapons that are discovered. "Can you imagine Osama bin Laden saying that?" said Ford, now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "I'm not saying 'trust Jolani.' He's obviously authoritarian. He's obviously an Islamist who doesn't believe that Christians have an equal right to power as Muslims. But I sure as hell want to test him on some of these things," Ford said. He said that the United States should encourage HTS, as well as other Syrian actors, to reach out and reassure the country's diverse communities including Christians, Kurds and Alawites -- the sect of the secular-oriented Assad. Beyond that, Washington should take a back-seat and let Syrians sort out their future, he said. "We should learn from the experience in Iraq that trying to impose exiles on a population traumatized by a brutal dictatorship and war is not a recipe for success," Ford said. Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday offered US recognition to a future government that is "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian." Trump in his first term, at the urging of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, abruptly said he would pull troops out of Syria. He backtracked after intense criticism at home and appeals from French President Emmanuel Macron, who pointed to the risk of Islamic State filling the vacuum. Trump has not indicated how he would change Syria policy this time. But he has shown no reluctance in the past to negotiate with foreign adversaries on the US blacklist, from Afghanistan's Taliban to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said there was no legal restriction on US contact with designated terrorists, although he indicated there was no direct dialogue with HTS. Natasha Hall, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Syria could face "devastating economic and humanitarian consequences" unless the United States reconsiders the terrorist designation of HTS, which impedes aid groups. "That said," she said, "if there isn't sort of an established framework for negotiations and good behavior now, before that designation is lifted, that could potentially also be a major mistake down the line for Syria's future." sct/sms

Tudor and Cashel Township held a Lunch and Learn at their community centre on Nov. 26, where the township’s Historical Society presented to attendees on how Tudor and Cashel came to be through time. Made possible by the Ontario Seniors Accessibility Grant, there was also a hot lunch of soup, sandwiches and dessert provided by Wattle and Daub Café. Councillor Elain Holloway comments on this look back into Tudor and Cashel’s past to Bancroft This Week. The Lunch and Learn on Nov. 26 was facilitated by the Tudor and Cashel Historical Society’s Bob Clarke, Marie Whittaker and Gina Sikama, although Sikama was unable to attend due to another commitment, but sent her regards. Holloway told the crowd that they were an amateur historical society and what they know and what they found out they collected themselves through research and conversations through their lives here over the decades. “Their hope is to encourage you to become more involved, if not with the township’s history but with that of your own families. There’s a history that goes away if you don’t have that history and hang on to it,” she says. Clarke said that there was so much history and so much had changed over the past 175 years and that as they go through it, hopefully they’ll answer some of the attendees’ questions. “We’re just going to skim the surface today. If there’s an interest in another one of these presentations that deals with logging or mining, we’ll certainly give it an effort to do that,” he says. Clarke told Bancroft This Week back in 2020 in the Bancroft This Week article “Tudor and Cashel’s history illuminates residents’ souls,” that they’d gotten the idea to pursue the historical society from the history section on the township’s website in 2017, as resident Joan Donaldson had preserved quite a bit of the area’s history. “The history of the area here is quite a story, going back to the 1850s. A lot of the older folks are passing and their stories are going to be lost and have been lost. But there’s a lot of their siblings and relatives in the area so that that history can still be preserved. So basically, we live here on the Heritage Trail and the old hotel which used to be called Rickett’s Hotel and the railroad went right by and the station was out front of the place. Well, the history kind of grows on you and I started collecting a bit of information on the railroad and then it kind of snowballed,” he said at the time. On Nov. 26, Holloway presented what Sikama would have said that day, based on some notes provided, called “where it began to now,” going from Upper Canada to the establishment of Canada in 1867, and from the initial farming that didn’t pan out too well, to mining and logging that sustained Tudor and Cashel over the years. “Today, people travel to Bancroft to Belleville to Trenton and points in between to make a living. They could work closer to home but they don’t and this is their home. It’s where they want to live, hunt and fish. The lumber industry will continue, mine exploration, and maybe someday land will be cleared and farmed again using new machinery and technology. Whatever the occupation, families live in Tudor and Cashel because their roots are here and because the rocks, trees, wetlands and lakes draw their heart strings,” she says. Whittaker went next, giving the crowd a taste of what it was like toward the end of the farming era (1850 to 1950) and what family life was like, based upon her own personal experiences. She said life was never dull and there was always something to do. She recalled many memories of life on the Ridge at her family’s farms. “I have vague memories of using coal oil lamps in my Uncle George’s house. I’m not sure when the hydro came to the Ridge, but it was quite an event when the telephones came in. Each house got their own ring and very little privacy,” she says. Clarke finished off the presentation by looking at the early settlers to Tudor and Cashel and the reasons why they came and persevered in the area, like free 50 to 100 acre lots, hope for a better life, and the logging and mining industries. He then looked at the histories of Tudor Township, established in 1865 and Cashel Township, established in 1869 before they amalgamated in 1897 and the history of Tudor and Cashel since then. For instance, Clarke talked about the history of the Central Ontario Railroad and the effect it had on Tudor and Cashel, initially transporting iron ore and later logs through the area, and the effect that the building of Hwy 62 had on the railroad traffic over time, until the last train came through in 1975 and the tracks were removed in 1980. Clarke concluded by says that there’s just so many stories they could spend days telling folks what they’ve been able to pull together from various sources over the years. “We’re going to try to come up with some way to preserve this for the next generation. Most people really aren’t that interested in it until later in life when they think ‘oh, wonder what that was all about?’” he says. Clarke told Bancroft This Week that he hoped the presentation answered a few questions for people in attendance and that it was just interesting. “What we’re trying to do is get an interest in this just so that this stuff preserves. We’re even doing a book that’s in the editing stages but it just skims off the top of what we could put in it and if there’s interest we could do more. It’s to get the next generation thinking ‘okay, we’ll carry on with this,’” he says. Holloway told Bancroft This Week that the Historical Society Lunch and Learn was the best attended, drawing residents including those from neighbouring townships. “The presentation was excellent, very informative giving a glimpse at how Tudor and Cashel came to be. I believe the participants were equally captivated, evident with their interaction and comments, leaving wanting to learn even more. There is so much more yet to share and Bob Clarke, Marie Whittaker and Gina Sikama are eager to come again. The Ontario Seniors Accessibility Grant has provided excellent opportunities for our residents, reducing isolation and encouraging ongoing participation,” she says. “It was an excellent presentation.”How to Watch the NBA Today, December 8 Published 4:24 pm Saturday, December 7, 2024 By Data Skrive Today’s NBA schedule has 12 quality games on the docket. Among them is the Houston Rockets facing the Los Angeles Clippers. Coverage of all the NBA action today is available to you, with the info provided below. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Watch the NBA Today – December 8 Watch ESPN originals, The Last Dance and more NBA content on ESPN+. Use our link to sign up for ESPN+ or the Disney bundle. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

WNBA star Brittney Griner, wife Cherelle share first photos of baby boy

When Kimia Ravangar started streaming herself playing video games in her native Persian tongue nearly eight years ago, there was no promise that her content would ever be a meaningful source of income, let alone a career. Now, she’s a full-time YouTuber with more than 630,000 subscribers on her channel, which has racked up around 340 million total views. And things are only going up. Ravangar, along with her creator teammates Kourosh Zarandooz and Iman Dastpak, have launched a new custom studio in North Vancouver, where their empire of lifestyle and food videos, podcasting and music making is growing by the second. Ravangar’s “Mia Plays” channel, as well as Zarandooz and Dastpak’s “Kouman” account, are not merely one-hit wonders of the internet age of virality. With the eyes of their dedicated audience, each new video draws in hundreds of thousands of views immediately following release. For example, a trivia-style video titled میا باهوش‌تره یا ما؟؟ (translation: Is Mia smarter or us?) has more than a million views after going live on Dec. 13. That post, where the three friends face off in a quiz competition to win the Kouman championship belt, has also generated 39,000 likes and 8,164 comments since release. When you put up numbers like that, YouTube partners Ravangar, Zarandooz and Dastpak can put numbers in their bank accounts. According to research from Oxford Economics, YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed more than $2 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2023, and supported more than 35,000 full-time-equivalent jobs. At their studio in late November, the trio hosted a mixer with other well-known Canadian YouTubers including food vlogger Tim Lee, van-life expert and builder Morley Kert, and West Van DIY home renovator Jenna Phipps. What does it take to make it in the YouTube biz? One of the most important ingredients is consistency, Zarandooz said. “We always try to upload on a certain day at a certain time, and we haven’t missed it for years now,” he said. Another key to success is always trying to level up their content. “We see what people like, what our audience likes, and we try to do it better and better each time. So we never say, ‘OK, it’s good enough,’” Zarandooz said. “We always try to upgrade, from our equipment to our videos to ourselves.” The crew didn’t arrive at their current style of content creation overnight. While her career started with online multiplayer video games like Overwatch, now most of her videos tackle day-to-day topics like what she normally eats in a week, or trying novel activities like doing yoga with goats. Much of the content on the Kouman channel is related to food, by way of either food-related challenges or review content. A lot of what they choose to feature are cultural items related to their Iranian heritage. “We have a rough formula for what content we like and what we don’t, but it’s not super narrow,” Zarandooz said. “It just has to be entertaining.” But often it’s the characters, not the content, that viewers tune in for, Dastpak said. “Sometimes they want to know what Kourosh thinks about this food, or what Mia thinks about a challenge that we doing,” he said. Unlike traditional media like television, YouTube allows the crew to film in North Van and immediately reach a worldwide audience. Most members of their audience are Persian speakers living internationally and in their native Iran. But the global nature of YouTube content isn’t unique to them. More than 90 per cent of watch time for content made by Canadian creators comes from outside the country, according to the platform. Ravangar, who would be prohibited from making most of her content if she still lived in her hometown of Tehran, said she has some mixed feelings about her current home and career. “I feel very fortunate to be here and to be able to do what I do, which is something that I could not have done freely back in Iran,” she said. “But at the same time, you feel really close to home at the end of the day.” While living in Canada, they’re separated from friends and family back in Iran, but their channel allows them to connect with Persian speakers around the globe. “We try to engage with the people back in [Iran] as well with polls ... like, what do we want to test?” Zarandooz said. “We get snacks and food shipped from there, so we can try them – stuff that right now people are eating in Iran, so it’s more relatable.” As their online content business grows larger, more opportunities are opening up for Ravangar, Zarandooz and Dastpak. Andrew Peterson, head of Canada at YouTube, said the trio are at the top of their game in what he calls “the new Hollywood.” “They’ve grown to a scale where they have a partner manager at YouTube, which helps them to evolve their channel strategy to build a thriving business,” he said. Having their North Vancouver studio gives them more flexibility to film a range of content with high-quality production value. “Here we have the opportunity to do whatever you want,” Zarandooz said. “Being here has been a big opportunity for us, and we’re really grateful for it. “The beauty of the North Shore, North Vancouver and Canada – it’s so nice that every time we just take a camera and whichever way you would point the camera, it’s so beautiful,” he said. “We can make the nicest blogs here and nicest content here, so it’s amazing.” [email protected] twitter.com/nick_laba @nicklaba.bsky.social‬Sydney Uni’s U-turn on AI is pragmatic teaching

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save 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. People are also reading... Margaret Atwood OSU event altered over threats The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County Tree farm fiasco has Corvallis homelessness under microscope Commentary: Gulbranson shows he should be starter in thrilling win over Cougars Head-on crash on Highway 228 kills 1, injures 2 Philomath woman suspected in Eugene Airport bomb scare Strike over: Benton County, union reach tentative deal American flag thrown by driver fleeing Benton County deputies Sweet Home man sentenced for crash that injured his daughter In trying to flee, suspect accused of driving over Albany police officer How is the OSU grad strike impacting students? Corvallis man gets prison for armed robbery case Corvallis homes in on layout options for a new government center UPDATED: Feds halt drawdown at Green Peter Reservoir after local cities complain OSU women's basketball: Ferreira brings versatility to the Beavers' lineup 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. Gobble up these 14 political cartoons about Thanksgiving 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!The 10 costliest climate disasters in 2024 racked up damage totalling more than 200 billion US dollars, Christian Aid has warned. A report from the charity on hurricanes, floods, typhoons and storms influenced by climate change warns that the top 10 disasters each cost more than 4 billion US dollars in damage (£3.2 billion). The figures are based mostly on insured losses, so the true costs are likely to be even higher, Christian Aid said, as it called for action to cut greenhouse gas emissions and finance for poor countries to cope with climate change. Politicians who “downplay the urgency of the climate crisis only serve to harm their own people and cause untold suffering around the world”, climate expert Joanna Haigh said. While developed countries feature heavily in the list of costliest weather extremes, as they have higher property values and can afford insurance, the charity also highlighted another 10 disasters which did not rack up such costs but were just as devastating, often hitting poorer countries. Most extreme weather events show “clear fingerprints” of climate change, which is driving more extreme weather events, making them more intense and frequent, experts said. The single most costly event in 2024 was Hurricane Milton, which scientists say was made windier, wetter and more destructive by global warming, and which caused 60 billion US dollars (£48 billion) of damage when it hit the US in October. That is closely followed by Hurricane Helene, which cost 55 billion US dollars (£44 billion) when it hit the US, Mexico and Cuba just two weeks before Milton in late September. The US was hit by so many costly storms throughout the year that even when hurricanes are removed, other storms cost more than 60 billion US dollars in damage, the report said. Three of the costliest 10 climate extremes hit Europe, including the floods from Storm Boris which devastated central European countries in September and deadly flooding in Valencia in October which killed 226 people. In other parts of the world, floods in June and July in China killed 315 people and racked up costs of 15.6 billion US dollars (£12.4 billion), while Typhoon Yagi, which hit south-west Asia in September, killed more than 800 people and cost 12.6 billion dollars (£10 billion). Events which were not among the most costly in financial terms but which have still been devastating include Cyclone Chido which hit Mayotte in December and may have killed more than 1,000 people, Christian Aid said. Meanwhile, heatwaves affected 33 million people in Bangladesh and worsened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, flooding affected 6.6 million people in West Africa and the worst drought in living memory affected more than 14 million in Zambia, Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe, the charity said. Christian Aid chief executive Patrick Watt said: “There is nothing natural about the growing severity and frequency of droughts, floods and storms. “Disasters are being supercharged by decisions to keep burning fossil fuels, and to allow emissions to rise. “And they’re being made worse by the consistent failure to deliver on financial commitments to the poorest and most climate-vulnerable countries. “In 2025 we need to see governments leading, and taking action to accelerate the green transition, reduce emissions, and fund their promises.” Dr Mariam Zachariah, World Weather Attribution researcher who analyses extreme events in near-real time to discern the role of climate change, at Imperial College London, said: “This report is just a snapshot of climate devastation in 2024. “There are many more droughts, heatwaves, wildfires and floods not included that are becoming more frequent and intense. “Most of these disasters show clear fingerprints of climate change. “Extreme weather is clearly causing incredible suffering in all corners of the world. Behind the billion-dollar figures are lost lives and livelihoods.” And Prof Haigh, emeritus professor of atmospheric physics at Imperial College London, said: “The economic impact of these extreme weather events should be a wake-up call. “The good news is that ever-worsening crises doesn’t have to be our long-term future. “The technologies of a clean energy economy exist, but we need leaders to invest in them and roll them out at scale.” The 10 costliest climate disasters of 2024 were: – US storms, December to January, more than 60 billion US dollars; – Hurricane Milton in the US, October 9-13, 60 billion US dollars (£48 billion); – Hurricane Helene in the US, Mexico, Cuba, 55 billion US dollars (£44 billion); – China floods, June 9-July 14, 15.6 billion US dollars (£12.4 billion); – Typhoon Yagi, which hit south-west Asia from September 1 to 9, 12.6 billion US dollars (£10 billion); – Hurricane Beryl, in the US, Mexico and Caribbean islands from July 1-11, 6.7 billion US dollars (£5.3 billion); – Storm Boris in central Europe, September 12-16, 5.2 billion US dollars (£4.1 billion); – Rio Grande do Sul floods in Brazil, April 28-May 3, 5 billion US dollars (£4 billion); – Bavaria floods, Germany, June 1-7, 4.45 billion US dollars (£3.5 billion); – Valencia floods, Spain, on October 29, 4.22 billion US dollars (£3.4 billion).But it is not the largest prize a person has won in this country. Here are the 10 biggest UK lottery winners – all from EuroMillions draws – and what some of them did with their fortunes. – Anonymous, £195,707,000 A UK ticket-holder scooped the record EuroMillions jackpot of £195 million on July 19 2022 – the biggest National Lottery win of all time. – Joe and Jess Thwaite, £184,262,899.10 Joe and Jess Thwaite, from Gloucester, scooped a then record-breaking £184,262,899 with a Lucky Dip ticket for the draw on May 10 2022. At the time, Joe was a communications sales engineer, and Jess ran a hairdressing salon with her sister. – Unclaimed ticket holder, £177 million Tuesday’s winner is wealthier than former One Direction member Harry Styles and heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua, who are both worth £175 million, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List. Players have been urged to check their tickets to see if they can claim the prize. – Anonymous, £170,221,000 The fourth biggest winner of the National Lottery to date scooped £170 million in October 2019, after matching all the numbers in a Must Be Won draw. – Colin and Chris Weir, £161,653,000 Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs, North Ayrshire, bagged their historic winnings in July 2011, making them the biggest UK winners at the time. Colin used £2.5 million of his fortune to invest in his beloved Partick Thistle Football Club, which led to one of the stands at the stadium being named after him. He later acquired a 55% shareholding in the club, which was to be passed into the hands of the local community upon his death. He died in December 2019, aged 71. The couple also set up the Weir Charitable Trust in 2013 and donated £1 million to the Scottish independence referendum in 2014. They divorced in the same year as Colin’s death. – Adrian and Gillian Bayford, £148,656,000 Adrian and Gillian won 190 million euros in a EuroMillions draw in August 2012, which came to just over £148 million. The couple bought a Grade II listed estate in Cambridgeshire, complete with cinema and billiards room, but it was sold in 2021, some years after the pair divorced, as reported by The Mirror. – Anonymous, £123,458,008 The seventh biggest National Lottery winner won a Superdraw rollover jackpot in June 2019, and decided not to go public with their success. – Anonymous, £122,550,350 After nine rollovers, one lucky anonymous ticket-holder bagged more than £122 million in April 2021. – Anonymous, £121,328,187 Another of the UK’s top 10 lottery winners found their fortune through a Superdraw jackpot rollover, this time in April 2018. – Frances and Patrick Connolly, £114,969,775 Former social worker and teacher Frances set up two charitable foundations after she and her husband won almost £115 million on New Year’s Day 2019. She estimates that she has already given away £60 million to charitable causes, as well as friends and family. She considers helping others to be an addiction, saying: “It gives you a buzz and it’s addictive. I’m addicted to it now.”