10-week program hires homeless to clean up Atlantic CityThe sleep science of F1 — how drivers deal with constant jet lagNoneDENVER (AP) — So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's “America’s Got Talent” meets “American Idol,” with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at “Dream Team” status given the men’s side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023 . The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. “We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport,” said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. “We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world.” Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores . “Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That’s something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok , the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado’s two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. “If a receiver is running around, I’m thinking, ‘OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,’” Daniels explained. “They’re like, ‘No, you can’t.’ I’m just like, ‘So I’m supposed to let this guy just run?!’ I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn.” The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. “I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. “I’m not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, ‘I played NFL football for five years. I’m popular. I have a huge name.’ I’m still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise.” Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It’s his way of working on avoiding a “defender” trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. “You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the ‘Redeem Team’ led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, ‘That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. “Everybody thinks, ‘Yeah, the U.S. just wins,’” Daniels said. “But we work hard all the time. We don’t just walk in. We don’t just get off the bus thinking, ‘We’re going to beat people.’” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Pat Graham, The Associated Press
Football photos: No. 6 St. Joseph (Mont.) at No. 1 Bergen Catholic, Non-Public A semis, Nov. 23, 2024
Alberta NDP concerned postal strike plan could hinder upcoming byelectionOttawa police say advances in DNA technology helped them find, arrest and charge a suspect in a 1996 stabbing death on the Portage Bridge. At a news conference Monday, Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson said 73-year-old Lawrence Diehl, who was living in Vancouver, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder last week for the death of Christopher Smith. The victim was crossing the Portage Bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., early on April 12, 1996, with a cousin when he got into an altercation and was stabbed, police said. Smith was later pronounced dead at a Gatineau hospital. Ferguson said advances in genetic genealogy , or building potential family trees using DNA, helped lead investigators to the breakthrough. She declined to share more details. While this is the first time Ottawa police say they have found relatives using the technology, it's also been used to help identify Jewell Parchman Langford as the "Nation River Lady ." Genetic genealogy is cracking cases once thought unsolvable. Not all police forces can afford to use it Ottawa police thanked police in Toronto and Vancouver and the RCMP. They're also asking the public for any additional information about what Diehl was doing in Ottawa around that time, saying only that he was there for work. Ottawa police said they're regularly reviewing more than 60 unsolved homicides. In 2012 , they put up a $50,000 reward for information related to his death. Ottawa police, then known as the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Police Service, investigate a stabbing on the Portage Bridge in 1996. (Ottawa Police Service)
The stones to repair the breakwater at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex have landed. The impressively large boulders, called armour stones, are being temporarily stored next to the Barbados Association of Retailers, Vendors and Entrepreneurs’ market along the Mighty Grynner Highway. Senior Minister in charge of Infrastructural Projects and Town Planning Matters Dr William Duguid said the approximately two-acre area would serve as the loading point for the repair work. “That is an area being prepared for the armour stones that will repair the fishing harbour. So as they come in from the port, they will be stored there and then they’ll be used to repair the fishing harbour that was damaged. It’s being prepared so that as they arrive, we get them out of the port quickly and store them there for easy access,” he told the DAILY NATION. Duguid said he was not up to date with all the information and directed further enquiries to C. O. Williams Construction, which he said was working with the contractor on the project. C. O. Williams general manager Marc Atwell said their current purview was solely the offloading and stockpiling of the stones and could offer no information regarding contractors. He said each stone was made of granite and weighed anywhere between ten and 13 tonnes. “We have to stockpile there because the normal area where you would stockpile over by the Flour Mill, a lot of the fishing boats themselves are out there under repair. There really wasn’t much room so everything right now is just stockpiling in preparation for the works to start next year,” he said. Atwell added that the stones would be moved to Fisheries as needed, adding they could not be stored there either because there was not much available room. “So that’s kind of the closest place that we could find within the area that made sense. Obviously, we would have liked this to be done before the fishing season started, but it’s timing with the boat and when it arrives,” he said. The general manager said a decision was made not to reuse the concrete dolos currently making up the breakwater. “The engineers, Baird & Associates, are the engineers for the client – the port. They came up with [a new design]. The dolos are old technology, and they felt that the armour stone would be a faster and better solution. But they would more be able to speak to that.” Atwell said it was all systems go to get the work done as soon as possible. “The port is pushing hard to get the job done as soon as possible and to get the boats back in safe harbour. Just to get those rocks in is a big effort.” In October, boat owner Shurland Clarke said he was less concerned about getting money from Government for repairs and more about the time it was taking for the breakwater to be replaced. “My problem is there are boats that get damaged, rebuilt and put back in the water, yet that breakwater still damaged. As more boats return to the dock, they will end up having to dock where there is no protection,” he said then. Minister of the Blue Economy Adrian Forde had said the repairs to the breakwater were scheduled to be completed by mid-next year. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.Blake Snell, Dodgers agree to five-year, $182M contract: Reports
Walmart (NYSE:WMT) Price Target Raised to $89.00
A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group won backing from Israeli leaders Tuesday, raising hopes and renewing difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signaled tentative backing for the U.S.-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities that have driven more than 1.2 million Lebanese and 50,000 Israelis from their homes. An intense bombing campaign by Israel has killed more than 3,700 people, many of them civilians, Lebanese officials say. But while the deal, set to take effect early Wednesday, could significantly calm the tensions that have inflamed the region, it does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since the Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people. Hezbollah, which began firing scores of rockets into Israel the following day in support of Hamas, has previously said it would keep fighting until there was a stop to the fighting in Gaza. Here’s what to know about the tentative ceasefire agreement and its potential implications: The agreement reportedly calls for a 60-day halt in fighting that would see Israeli troops retreat to their side of the border while requiring Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon. President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the deal is set to take effect at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday (9 p.m. EST Tuesday). Under the deal, thousands of Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers are to deploy to the region south of the Litani River. An international panel lead by the U.S. would monitor compliance by all sides. Biden said the deal “was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz insisted Tuesday that the military would strike Hezbollah if the U.N. peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL , does not provide “effective enforcement” of the deal. A Hezbollah leader said the group's support for the deal hinged on clarity that Israel would not renew its attacks. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Qatari satellite news network Al Jazeera. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state” of Lebanon, he said. The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said Tuesday that Israel’s security concerns had been addressed in the deal also brokered by France. After months of cross-border bombings, Israel can claim major victories, including the killing of Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, most of his senior commanders and the destruction of extensive militant infrastructure. A complex attack in September involving the explosion of hundreds of walkie-talkies and pagers used by Hezbollah was widely attributed to Israel, signaling a remarkable penetration of the militant group. The damage inflicted on Hezbollah has come not only in its ranks, but to the reputation it built by fighting Israel to a stalemate in the 2006 war. Still, its fighters managed to put up heavy resistance on the ground, slowing Israel’s advance while continuing to fire scores of rockets, missiles and drones across the border each day. The ceasefire offers relief to both sides, giving Israel’s overstretched army a break and allowing Hezbollah leaders to tout the group’s effectiveness in holding their ground despite Israel’s massive advantage in weaponry. But the group is likely to face a reckoning, with many Lebanese accusing it of tying their country’s fate to Gaza’s at the service of key ally Iran, inflicting great damage on a Lebanese economy that was already in grave condition. Until now, Hezbollah has insisted that it would only halt its attacks on Israel when it agreed to stop fighting in Gaza. Some in the region are likely to view a deal between the Lebanon-based group and Israel as a capitulation. In Gaza, where officials say the war has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, Israel’s attacks have inflicted a heavy toll on Hamas, including the killing of the group’s top leaders. But Hamas fighters continue to hold scores of Israeli hostages, giving the militant group a bargaining chip if indirect ceasefire negotiations resume. Hamas is likely to continue to demand a lasting truce and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in any such deal. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas offered a pointed reminder Tuesday of the intractability of the war, demanding urgent international intervention. “The only way to halt the dangerous escalation we are witnessing in the region, and maintain regional and international stability, security and peace, is to resolve the question of Palestine,” he said in a speech to the U.N. read by his ambassador.
Google has named Debbie Weinstein, a senior executive for the tech giant in the UK, as its president in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Until now, Ms Weinstein has been the US firm’s vice president and managing director in the UK and Ireland, having previously worked at Unilever. She said her focus will be on “unlocking AI-powered growth for everyone”, calling the current AI boom a “pivotal” time for the tech giant. Google has joined many of its rivals in launching a string of high-profile generative AI products in recent times, led by the firm’s generative AI-powered assistant, Gemini. “Europe, the Middle East and Africa is an amazingly diverse and varied region, but the enormous growth opportunity that AI can create is universal,” she said. “My focus will be on unlocking that AI-powered growth for everyone – users, businesses, partners and governments across every part of the region. “I’m excited to be stepping into this role at a pivotal time, in a company where I’ve spent the last ten years and leading a region where I’ve spent much of my life.” Google employs more than 29,000 people across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with 56 offices across 35 countries in those regions working on many of the firm’s largest products, including its search engine, the Android mobile operating system and its Chrome web browser. Its AI research arm, at Google DeepMind, is also led from London. Philipp Schindler, Google senior vice president and chief business officer, said: “This is the AI era and we are only just beginning to see its transformative impact on business and society. “In such a pivotal moment for technology, I’m thrilled we’ve appointed a visionary leader to be our President of Google EMEA. “Debbie brings a track record of unlocking growth that benefits everyone, alongside the passion and focus needed to help our customers succeed, as we bring the best of Google’s Gemini-era to everyone across EMEA.”
3D Systems Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results
Chris Clarke appointed practice leader of Homeland Security & Law Enforcement; Bryan Miller to lead newly combined Defense, Diplomacy, & Intel (DDI) practice MCLEAN, Va. , Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Guidehouse, a global consultancy providing advisory, digital, and managed services to the commercial and public sectors, has named Shannon White the new leader of its Defense & Security segment effective Jan. 1, 2025 . White succeeds John Saad , who has been named President of Guidehouse. Additionally, Chris Clarke will take on White's former role as Guidehouse's Defense & Security's Homeland Security & Law Enforcement practice leader. White brings a wealth of expertise in the national security sectors, along with a proven ability to deliver complex, high-impact solutions. With a track record of driving innovation and meaningful results, she has been instrumental in shaping Guidehouse's growth and impact across its diverse portfolio. Under her leadership, the Defense & Security segment will continue to focus on delivering mission-critical solutions to address the nation's most pressing defense and security challenges. "Shannon is a passionate leader whose experience will be invaluable as we continue to support purpose-driven initiatives to preserve security across the U.S.," said John Saad , President of Guidehouse. "Her strategic vision and expertise will accelerate Guidehouse's growth through transformative engagements with our clients in the defense, national security, and public sectors." Chris Clarke , Homeland Security & Law Enforcement practice leader Clarke, a partner at the firm, brings over 20 years of experience engaging with clients on complex challenges, with a focus on risk management and financial transformation. He has worked extensively across the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, and the Intelligence Community leading hundreds of consultants to deliver a range of services in support of solving strategic challenges for Guidehouse clients. Bryan Miller , Defense, Diplomacy, & Intel (DDI) practice leader To position the firm for additional growth and to align with the evolving needs of its clients, Guidehouse has combined Defense & Security's Defense & Intelligence and Diplomacy & Development practices into a newly combined Defense, Diplomacy, & Intel (DDI) practice under the leadership of Bryan Miller . Miller, a partner at the firm, has over 20 years of industry experience focused on delivering strategy, supply chain and transformation programs to the U.S. Government. "This new structure strengthens our capabilities and provides a more cohesive approach to serving these interconnected client missions," added Saad. "Chris and Bryan are remarkable leaders with unmatched expertise in navigating the complexities of public safety and national security. We congratulate them on these new roles and are confident they will drive tremendous value for our clients and teams." Named a Military Friendly® Employer for six consecutive years, Guidehouse's Defense & Security segment serves U.S. diplomatic, intelligence, law enforcement, and defense agencies. Backed by proven success in helping clients compete, deter, and win, the firm delivers mission-critical optimization, technology modernization, and financial management solutions. About Guidehouse Guidehouse is a global consultancy providing advisory, digital, and managed services to the commercial and public sectors. Guidehouse is purpose-built to serve the national security, financial services, healthcare, energy, and infrastructure industries. Disrupting legacy consulting delivery models with its agility, capabilities, and scale, the firm delivers technology-enabled and focused solutions that position clients for innovation, resilience, and growth. With high-quality standards and a relentless pursuit of client success, Guidehouse's more than 18,000 employees collaborate with leaders to outwit complexity and achieve transformational changes that meaningfully shape the future. guidehouse.com Media Contact: Cecile Fradkin, cfradkin@scprgroup.com , Guidehouse View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/guidehouse-names-shannon-white-leader-of-defense--security-segment-302332867.html SOURCE GuidehouseFirst Take: Parallax CEO Jeff Eckerle In some respects, Edina-based tech firm is in the business of helping other businesses predict the future. Founded by local tech industry vet , the 35-person firm uses technology to help professional services firms forecast future workloads. The idea is to help companies rightsize staffing and resources for projects. It appears to have caught on: Since Parallax was founded about five years ago, the company has landed over 100 customers, says Jeff Eckerle, who took over as CEO on Nov. 11. He’s the first to take the top job after O’Neill. Eckerle sees opportunity to land even more customers, and investors. To date, Parallax has raised $24.5 million to date. “Anytime I step into a new role as CEO, I think one of the most important responsibilities I have is to continue to paint a picture that has investors excited,” Eckerle says. In an interview with TCB, Eckerle talks through his approach to leadership, the state of the Twin Cities’ tech scene, and what might come next for Parallax. It goes back to , partner at [a Parallax investor]. I’ve known him for probably 12 years. When I first met him, I was at a company called Deltek. A lot of what Deltek did at that point is very analogous to what Parallax is doing now. So I’ve had a lot of experience in project-based accounting, resource management, et cetera. Justin remembered that, and when Parallax needed a new leader, he called me. The fit felt right. I was appointed as CEO by a founder of the company. He had written software for a plumbing business, and we brought that to market for any trades business to use, particularly in the new home construction space. It’s all around internal office efficiency – we automated things like receiving invoices, checking pricing on invoices, and so on. Think of it as office automation software for trades businesses. To me, the community seems smaller now than maybe it did in the early 2000s. There used to be meetups everywhere, and all kinds of activities. I’ve talked to a friend about this, and he made a comment that Covid kind of shut a lot of that down. It just hasn’t regenerated in the same way. I think there’s an awesome opportunity to do that, especially given where we are in the tech innovation cycle right now. AI is the buzzword, right? But if you really understand what has started to happen in the last couple years, we’re all in for a very different future in terms of what the work world looks like. I think that creates a lot of opportunities to start new things. There’s room to leverage new tools and help business evolve. There’s going to be so much change, and usually that’s the time for tech startups to flourish. It’ll be up to local tech leaders to step up. One of the things I’m involved with outside work is [Minnesota Emerging Software Advisory]. It’s a phenomenal organization that’s made up of a bunch of current and former tech executives and founders in the Twin Cities. They’ve had success doing pro bono mentoring for new startups and first-time founders. I see a lot of potential there. As a software company, there are really two ways to look at this. First, we have to look at how we operate our business internally and do everything we can to leverage efficiency tools. We’ve got to find ways to do things faster, smarter, better. Second, we also have to think about how our product can change. We’ve got 100-plus customers doing activities on our application all day long. They’re trying to make decisions that best suit their business based off the data we’re showing them. I think we can help them be a lot more effective in those decisions by making them easier. Their interaction with the data can be a lot easier. These are areas where AI models and LLM models can assist: The intent is not to make decisions for humans in a lot of cases. The first step that we have to take is to be an assistant with our data-driven capabilities. That’s where I see opportunities for a company like Parallax When you grow a company to 100+ customers, you do it based on a certain segment and persona. You focus your product on serving those needs. I think there’s ways to continue to expand what we do for our current customers in a way that will bring more value to other segments that historically we haven’t served. We’ve had a pretty narrow focus on digital service agencies, but the reality is there are a lot of different professional services companies trying to figure out how AI is going to affect their businesses. There’s an opportunity for Parallax to help lead the way on how to best operate services-driven businesses in the future. It’s an area we’re well-suited for.The Delta stowaway spotlights a lapse in aviation security that still hasn’t been solved | CNN
Luke Kromenhoek throws 3 TD passes as Florida St. ends six-game skid vs. Charleston Southern