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NoneShares of Ball Corp. .css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(54,119,168,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link svg{fill:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(47,112,157,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(47,112,157,1);}.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link:hover.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link:hover svg{fill:rgba(47,112,157,1);} .css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink{display:inline;color:var(--color-interactiveLink010);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference){.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink{transition-property:color,fill;transition-duration:200ms,200ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1),cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink{transition-property:color,fill;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1),cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1);}}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveLink010);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:hover:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveLink020);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:hover:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveLink020);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:active:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveLink030);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:active:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveLink030);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:hover:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:hover:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:focus-visible:not(:disabled){outline-color:var(--outlineColorDefault);outline-style:var(--outlineStyleDefault);outline-width:var(--outlineWidthDefault);outline-offset:var(--outlineOffsetDefault);}@media not all and (min-resolution: 0.001dpcm){@supports (-webkit-appearance: none) and (stroke-color: transparent){.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:focus-visible:not(:disabled){outline-style:var(--safariOutlineStyleDefault);}}}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(54,119,168,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link svg{fill:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(47,112,157,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(47,112,157,1);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link:hover.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link:hover svg{fill:rgba(47,112,157,1);} BALL shed 1.08% to $62.15 Tuesday, on what proved to be an all-around mixed trading session for the stock market, with the S&P 500 Index SPX rising 0.05% to 6,049.88 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA falling 0.17% to 44,705.53. Ball Corp. closed $9.17 below its 52-week high ($71.32), which the company achieved on April 30th.
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A new design is coming to the iPhone 17 series, according to several leaks. And a new report doubles down on the idea that the cameras could be repositioned on the new phone. This would see them placed horizontally, in an arrangement not seen on an Apple device since the iPhone 8. But is it all true? Fellow Forbes Contributor Paul Monckton reported on the details of the leak here , but while the latest report comes from Digital Chat Station, a Weibo user with a decent track record for accurate reports, there is still room for doubt, I’d say. The report says that the camera arrangement on one or more iPhone 17 models will be different from the current range. Instead of the square-with-round-corners placement of three lenses on the Pro models or the two vertically-placed cameras of the 16 and 16 Plus, we are led to expect a horizontal row of cameras. As Paul points out, it would mean an iPhone looking strikingly like the Google Pixel series. This has one big advantage: when the phone is on the table and you tap on it, it doesn’t wobble. But there are plenty of concerns with this suggested new look. First, Apple changed the iPhone design with the iPhone 16, by placing the cameras vertically instead of the previous diagonal arrangement. Apple almost never ditches a design after just one year. Exceptions to this include the very first iPhone, but there are few after that. I’d be surprised if the iPhone 17 changed its styling from the 16, other than for color. Second, one of the main reasons for the iPhone 16 design change was to allow the regular iPhone to shoot spatial videos for the first time when the phone was held in landscape orientation. It seems strange that Apple would ditch this so quickly—though it could be overcome by software and lens changes, it’s true, if the image was cropped in a different way. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max also had a gentle redesign this year, though a more striking change may be on the horizon in 2025. Even so, adopting this horizontal arrangement seems far-fetched to me. And if, as the report says, multiple phones are expected to opt for a line of cameras in 2025, Apple may want to avoid running with the pack. The leaker’s track record makes the topic worthy of analysis, and such a change is not impossible, of course, but it will be useful to wait for more reports that corroborate this. Stay tuned.LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) reaches out for the overthrown pass as Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry (1) defends in the first half, Saturday, November 5, 2022, at Tiger Stadium on the campus of LSU in Baton Rouge, La. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Kool-Aid McKinstry still sounds disappointed from the last time he faced Malik Nabers. This was back in college, last year when McKinstry played for Alabama and Nabers suited up for LSU. As part of their schools' storied rivalry, McKinstry and Nabers, in theory, should have been matched up against each other. The best cornerback versus the top receiver. But that’s not how it played out. For most of the game, McKinstry said he was tasked with defending Brian Thomas, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nabers did his damage from the opposite side of the field and the slot. “I was definitely mad about that,” McKinstry said. McKinstry’s reps against Nabers were sparse, but he could have an opportunity to line up across from him again Sunday when the New Orleans Saints take on the New York Giants. Even there, though, McKinstry will have to wait — the Giants announced that Nabers is questionable for the game after he missed practice Friday with a hip flexor injury. Giants coach Brian Daboll said the ailment is new and different from the groin issue that had been nagging the former LSU star throughout the season. But if Nabers can go, McKinstry is looking forward to facing him. Saints defensive coordinator Joe Woods said McKinstry mentioned their battles when preparing for New York this week. “I said, ‘Hey you did it in college, now it’s time to do it in the NFL,’” defensive coordinator Joe Woods said. Nabers, the sixth pick in this year’s draft, has thrived in the league right away. The bright spot on what otherwise has been a putrid offense, Nabers’ 75 catches ranks fifth in the NFL and he also has received the third-most targets with 116. Nabers’ 740 receiving yards are the second most of his rookie class, behind only the Chargers’ Ladd McConkey (815). Woods called Nabers “special,” noting he possessed the movement of a slot receiver but had the size to play on the outside. When the coordinator scouted cornerbacks ahead of the draft, Woods would often seek out tape to see how they fared against the best receivers in the country. That brought him to LSU and Nabers. “A lot of DBs I looked at, if they played LSU, I was watching that game, so I was noticing them right away,” Woods said with a laugh. “He’s an electric playmaker.” Added interim coach Darren Rizzi: “It doesn’t surprise me he’s had immediate success in the NFL. He’s a very, very talented guy.” Though they didn’t get many 1-on-1 reps last year, McKinstry did face off against Nabers consistently when the players were sophomores. And there, they battled. McKinstry remembered how “explosive” Nabers was, how strong he was at the catch point. In that game, LSU prevailed in a 32-31 overtime victory — but Nabers was held to six catches for 49 yards. “I feel like I match up good against him,” McKinstry said. Drafted in the second round, McKinstry has seen his role with the Saints expand over the last few weeks. After the team traded Marshon Lattimore, and with Paulson Adebo (femur) done for the year), the 22-year-old has been the starter opposite of Alontae Taylor since returning from a hamstring injury Nov. 17 in a win over the Cleveland Browns. In his last two games, offenses have avoided going after the rookie. McKinstry was targeted five times against the Browns and three times in last Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Taylor, on the other hand, has seen 15 targets in that span. McKinstry will be ready if the Giants decide to test him. And if lined across from Nabers, he expects some trash talking to occur between the two college rivals as well — words that will come from a place of “love,” McKinstry said. “It’ll definitely be fun,” McKinstry said with a smile. “It’ll be football, man. It’ll be what makes the game beautiful.”
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Wike accuses Odili of political sycophancy, says “I brought you back to life politically”NoneBATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana’s GOP-dominated legislature passed tax cuts on personal and corporate income on Friday in exchange for a statewide sales tax increase, a mixed bag of success for Gov. Jeff Landry, whose original tax revision plans faced mounting resistance from lawmakers and lobbyists amid hard fiscal realities . The final passage of the bulk of Landry's proposed measures winds down a special legislative session called Nov. 6 by the governor and his allies. They said their purpose was to make the state’s tax code more business friendly, bring jobs and reverse trends of outward migration from the state. It was the third special legislative session called by Landry, a Republican, since he assumed office in January. The package of legislation includes a permanent $2,000 raise for teachers and doubles standard deductions for residents aged 65 and older. It raises the state sales tax to 5%, while granting Landry’s wish for lower personal and corporate income tax rates. It repeals the 0.275% corporate franchise tax, a levy on businesses operating on the state worth more than $500 million in annual revenue. The state's new corporate income tax rate will be a flat 5.5%, reducing the highest tier from 7.5%. Landry had wanted a 3.5% flat rate. Lawmakers approved a flat 3% individual income tax rate and nearly tripled the standard deduction for individuals. Previously, the personal income tax rate had stood at 4.25% for individuals earning $50,000 or more. “What I’m very confident in is that everyone’s going to have more money in their pocket at the end of the day with the personal income tax reductions,” said Republican Rep. Julie Emerson, who spearheaded legislation to flatten the income tax rate. With the personal income tax reductions reducing annual revenue by $1.3 billion, Landry’s original plan had called for applying sales taxes to dozens of services like car-washing, dog-grooming and lobbying. He also sought to eliminate large tax incentives for the restoration of historic buildings and the film industry. Those proposals were defeated, leading to a bigger sales tax hike than Landry initially proposed. Louisiana already had the highest combined state and average local sales tax in the country at 9.56%, according to the Tax Foundation, a think tank favored by conservatives. ___ Associated Press writer Kevin McGill contributed to this report. ___ _____ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96
Vardy helps Van Nistelrooy to first win with Leicester as Guehi defies the FA with religious messageCharles attended the show at the Royal Albert Hall in London for the first time as patron of the Royal Variety charity, following in the footsteps of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. In a statement from Buckingham Palace, he said: “The charity’s crucial work in assisting those who have fallen ill, had an accident or hit hard times is as essential now as it ever has been. “I would like to thank all of those who have worked so hard to stage this year’s production and wish everyone a very enjoyable evening.” The performance saw political comic Forde reference the unfounded claims Mr Trump repeated during his presidential debate against Democrat candidate Kamala Harris earlier this year, that illegal immigrants from Haiti were eating locals’ pets in the small Ohio city of Springfield. Forde exclaimed in the president-elect’s voice: “They’re eating the cats, they’re eating the dogs!” He then turned to address Charles from the stage, saying in Mr Trump’s voice: “Your Majesty King Charles, you’re named after a spaniel – be very careful, they’ll eat you alive.” The King was seen laughing in response to the joke from the royal box. Charles appeared at the event without the Queen, who insisted the “show must go on” after pulling out of attending the performance on Friday evening as doctors advised that she should prioritise rest. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest. “With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.” A royal source said the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that ‘the show must go on'”. “She hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon,” the source added. The Royal Variety Performance will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player in December. Money raised from the show will go to help people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance, with the Royal Variety Charity launching an initiative to help those with mental health issues this year.
PORTLAND, Maine — Honey, they shrunk the catalogs. While retailers hope to go big this holiday season, customers may notice that the printed gift guides arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were indeed scaled down to save on postage and paper, resulting in pint-sized editions. Lands’ End, Duluth Trading Company and Hammacher Schlemmer are among gift purveyors using smaller editions. Some retailers are saving even more money with postcards. Lisa Ayoob, a tech-savvy, online shopper in Portland, Maine, was surprised by the size of a recent catalog she received from outdoor apparel company Carbon2Cobalt. “It almost felt like it was a pamphlet compared to a catalog,” she said. Catalogs have undergone a steady recalibration over the years in response to technological changes and consumer behavior. The thick, heavy Sears and J.C. Penney catalogs that brought store displays to American living rooms slimmed down and gave way to targeted mailings once websites could do the same thing. Recent postal rate increases accelerated the latest shift to compact formats. The number of catalogs mailed each year dropped about 40% between 2006 to 2018, when an estimated 11.5 billion were mailed to homes, according to the trade group formerly known as the American Catalog Mailers Association. In a sign of the times, the group based in Washington rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association, reflecting a broadened focus. But don’t expect catalogs to go the way of dinosaurs yet. Defying predictions of doom, they have managed to remain relevant in the e-commerce era. Retail companies found that could treat catalogs with fewer pages as a marketing tool and include QR and promo codes to entice customers to browse online and complete a purchase. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, catalogs are costly to produce and ship. But they hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs, helping retailers cut through the noise for consumers barraged by multi-format advertisements, industry officials say. In an unlikely twist, notable e-commerce companies like Amazon and home goods supplier Wayfair started distributing catalogs in recent years. Amazon began mailing a toy catalog in 2018. That was the same year Sears, which produced an annual Christmas Wish Book starting in 1933, filed for bankruptcy. Fans of printed information may rejoice to hear that apparel retailer J.Crew relaunched its glossy catalog this year. Research shows that the hands-on experience of thumbing through a catalog leaves a greater impression on consumers, said Jonathan Zhang, a professor of marketing at Colorado State University. “The reason why these paper formats are so effective is that our human brains haven’t evolved as fast as technology and computers over the past 10 to 20 years. We retain more information when we read something on paper. That’s why paper books remain relevant,” Zhang said. “The psychology shows that three-dimensional, tactile experiences are more memorable.” Pint-sized presentations still can work, though, because the purpose of catalogs these days is simply to get customers’ attention, Zhang said. Conserving paper also works better with younger consumers who are worried about the holiday shopping season’s impact on the planet, he said. Postal increases are hastening changes. The latest round of postage hikes in July included the category with the 8.5-by-11-inch size that used to be ubiquitous for the catalog industry. Many retailers responded by reducing the size of catalogs, putting them in a lower-cost letter category, said Paul Miller, executive vice president and managing director of the American Commerce Marketing Association. One size, called a “slim jim,” measures 10.5 by 5.5 inches. But there other sizes. Some retailers have further reduced costs by mailing large postcards to consumers. Lands’ End, for one, is testing new compact formats to supplement its traditional catalogs. This year, that included folded glossy brochures and postcards, along with other formats, Chief Transformation Officer Angie Rieger said. Maine resident Ayoob said she understands why retailers still use catalogs even though she no longer is a fan of the format. These days, she prefers to browse for products on the internet. “Everybody wants eyeballs. There’s so much out there — so many websites, so many brands,” Ayoob said. Targeting customers at home is not a new concept. L.L. Bean was a pioneer of the mail-order catalog after its founder promoted his famous “Maine Hunting Shoe” to hunting license holders from out-of-state in 1912. The outdoor clothing and equipment company based in Freeport, Maine, is sticking to mailing out regular-sized catalogs for now. “By showcasing our icons, the catalog became an icon itself,” L.L. Bean spokesperson Amanda Hannah said. “Even as we invest more in our digital and brand marketing channels, the catalog retains a strong association with our brand, and is therefore an important part of our omni-channel strategy, especially for our loyal customers.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!Parson cuts ribbon for new ‘Hall of Governors’ at the Missouri Capitol, unveils his portrait
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KYIV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that “several” wounded North Korean soldiers died after being captured by Ukrainian forces, as he accused Russia of throwing them into battle with “minimal protection.” Ukraine and its western allies say North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to support Russia’s army, in what is seen as a major escalation in the nearly three-year war following Moscow’s 2022 invasion. “Today there were reports about several soldiers from North Korea. Our soldiers managed to take them prisoner. But they were very seriously wounded and could not be resuscitated,” Zelensky said in an evening address posted on social media. South Korea’s spy agency said earlier on Friday that a North Korean soldier who was captured while fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine had died of his wounds. Zelensky did not specify how many North Koreans had died after being captured by Ukrainian troops. Zelensky had earlier said that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been “killed or wounded” so far as they joined Russia’s forces in combat in its western Kursk border region, where Ukraine mounted a shock incursion in August. South Korea’s intelligence service had previously put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 1,000, saying the high casualty rate could be down to an unfamiliar battlefield environment and their lack of capability to counter drone attacks. The White House on Friday confirmed the South Korean estimates, saying that Pyongyang’s troops were being sent to their deaths in futile attacks by generals who see them as “expendable”. “We also have reports of North Korean soldiers taking their own lives rather than surrendering to Ukrainian forces, likely out of fear of reprisal against their families in North Korea in the event that they’re captured,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military ties since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A landmark defence pact between Pyongyang and Moscow signed in June came into force this month, with Russian President Vladimir Putin hailing it as a “breakthrough document”. North Korean state media said Friday that Putin sent a New Year’s message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying: “The bilateral ties between our two countries have been elevated after our talks in June in Pyongyang.” NATO chief Mark Rutte had also said that Moscow was providing support to Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programmes in exchange for the troops.Editorial: Legislation to keep kids safe online cannot waitHoliday catalogs getting smaller
Voters want more US involvement on world stage despite isolationist talk, Ronald Reagan Institute survey findsNEW ORLEANS (AP) — The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically neglected corner of the state. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called it “game-changing” for his state's expanding tech sector, yet some environmental groups have raised concerns over the center's reliance on fossil fuels — and whether the plans for new natural gas power to support it could lead to higher energy bills in the future for Louisiana residents. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is expanding its existing supercomputer project in Memphis, Tennessee, the city's chamber of commerce said Wednesday. The chamber also said that Nvidia, Dell, and Supermicro Computer will be “establishing operations in Memphis,” without offering further details. Louisiana is among a growing number of states offering tax credits and other incentives to lure big tech firms seeking sites for energy-intensive data centers. The U.S. Commerce Department found that there aren’t enough data centers in the U.S. to meet the rising AI-fueled demand, which is projected to grow by 9% each year through 2030, citing industry reports. Meta anticipates its Louisiana data center will create 500 operational jobs and 5,000 temporary construction jobs, said Kevin Janda, director of data center strategy. At 4 million square feet (370,000 square meters), it will be the company's largest AI data center to date, he added. “We want to make sure we are having a positive impact on the local level,” Janda said. Congressional leaders and local representatives from across the political spectrum heralded the Meta facility as a boon for Richland parish, a rural part of Louisiana with a population of 20,000 historically reliant on agriculture. About one in four residents are considered to live in poverty and the parish has an employment rate below 50%, according to the U.S. census data. Meta plans to invest $200 million into road and water infrastructure improvements for the parish to offset its water usage. The facility is expected to be completed in 2030. Entergy, one of the nation's largest utility providers, is fast-tracking plans to build three natural gas power plants in Louisiana capable of generating 2,262 megawatts for Meta's data center over a 15-year period — nearly one-tenth of Entergy's existing energy capacity across four states. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is weighing Entergy's proposal as some environmental groups have opposed locking the state into more fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure. Meta said it plans to help bring 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy onto the grid in the future. Louisiana residents may ultimately end up with rate increases to pay off the cost of operating these natural gas power plants when Meta's contract with Entergy expires, said Jessica Hendricks, state policy director for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a Louisiana-based nonprofit advocating for energy consumers. “There’s no reason why residential customers in Louisiana need to pay for a power plant for energy that they’re not going to use," Hendricks said. "And we want to make sure that there’s safeguards in place.” Public service commissioner Foster Campbell, representing northeast Louisiana, said he does not believe the data center will increase rates for Louisiana residents and views it as vital for his region. “It’s going in one of the most needed places in Louisiana and maybe one of the most needed places in the United States of America,” Foster said. “I’m for it 100%.” Environmental groups have also warned of the pollution generated by Musk's AI data center in Memphis. The Southern Environmental Law Center, among others, says the supercomputer could strain the power grid, prompting attention from the Environmental Protection Agency. Eighteen gas turbines currently running at xAI’s south Memphis facility are significant sources of ground-level ozone, better known as smog, the group said. Patrick Anderson, an attorney at the law center, said xAI has operated with “a stunning lack of transparency” in developing its South Memphis facility, which is located near predominantly Black neighborhoods that have long dealt with pollution and health risks from factories and other industrial sites. “Memphians deserve to know how xAI will affect them,” he said, “and should have a seat at the table when these decisions are being made.” Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96Vardy helps Van Nistelrooy to first win with Leicester as Guehi defies the FA with religious message
Dec. 17—How can thousands of people inside Lincoln Financial Field see Eagles players Darius Slay Jr. and Quinyon Mitchell throw and land punches against Darnell Washington and Calvin Austin III and the NFL's on-field officials and its many replay officials in the press box and in New York's command center miss them? That's a question Steelers fans are wondering this week after the altercation resulted in Washington and Austin drawing flags for unnecessary roughness while Slay and Mitchell went unpunished. The answer is complicated, but NFL replay assist, which was implemented to help improve the league's officiating, has many kinks that have yet to be ironed out. Replay assist, which came into existence in 2021, was expanded this season to include more reviewable plays, which is unintentionally causing more problems. Coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith have been vocal about some of the issues that have come with replay assist's decisions on correcting bad spots by officials. It seems innocuous enough to correct a bad spot, but the league's operation in administering its decisions causes headaches for coaches. The on-field officials are not giving coaches enough time to substitute new personnel based on the new spot. All that would have to be done is resetting the play clock after the ball is respotted, but the NFL and its officials refuse to make the adjustment. It might seem like a small issue, but for coaches who obsess over the smallest details in their game plans — particularly packages and play calls that are determined by down and distance — it's a significant change that was not accounted for by the league in its implementation. Then there are more egregious errors, of course, like the ones that occurred Sunday in Philadelphia that led to lots of questions about the NFL's operation. In addition to the officials not being able to see what happened in the altercation, replay officials later concluded Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter's 15-yard personal foul for punching Connor Heyward on a Steelers punt happened after the punt rather than before — even though replays show punter Corliss Waitman's foot had not yet struck the ball. That meant the Eagles got possession rather than the Steelers having their drive extended by the penalty. When asked Tuesday if he was satisfied with the explanation he received from officials on the play, Tomlin said, "I was not." Players are frustrated with the ineffectiveness and inconsistencies involved in replay assist, as well. "When it comes to replay assist, I don't know if we're gaining enough to continue on with it," said veteran defensive end Cam Heyward, who played a decade in the league before replay assist and the past three years with it. "I know they say they can do it in quick time, but I don't know if we're really accomplishing anything by having replay assist." There seems to be a lot of confusion all around with how the league manages its operation, so here is how replay assist works: There are replay officials at every stadium that work as part of the officiating crew along with the instant replay operation in New York, where a technician is assigned to monitor each game. There is a supervisor assigned to up to four games at a time and then there are instant replay decision makers. The replay official at the stadium or in New York can communicate with the on-field officials on reviewable aspects of plays. Had FOX replays shown Eagles players punching Steelers players, they would have been penalized, too. It seems unfathomable, but FOX replays did not pick up the punches — or if they did, they did not provide those replays to New York in a timely fashion. Here we are, 45 years after the 1979 AFC championship game — a game that ultimately led the league to adopt replay reviews after the Steelers benefitted from a missed call on Oilers receiver Mike Renfro — and the NFL is still struggling with technology and how to implement replay reviews effectively in real time. The inability to overrule the on-field officials on Sunday cost the Steelers. At the very least, there should have been offsetting penalties, which would have kept the Steelers at the 4-yard line after the melee. Instead, the Steelers were pushed back to the 19-yard line and eventually had to settle for a field goal. On top of that, the Eagles players who threw punches would have been subject to disqualification by replay officials if they had access to the video. It's rather ironic with NFL Films and its flock of cameramen chronicling the Steelers for HBO's "Hard Knocks" series. Here's guessing Sunday's controversy ended up on the cutting-room floor. So can the NFL fix the problem before the postseason begins? Technically, no. The Steelers and every other team must live with the current setup, as flawed as it might be, for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. In 2017, with the No. 1 seed in the AFC on the line, Steelers tight end Jesse James appeared to catch a touchdown pass for a go-ahead score late in a game against the Patriots. However, NFL replay review overturned the touchdown because officials said James did not complete the process of the catch as he went to the ground. The rule was officially amended a few months later, and the catch rule was simplified for the 2018 season, but the league unofficially had its officials exercise common sense in the 2017 postseason. In the Super Bowl between New England and Philadelphia, Eagles tight end Zach Ertz scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter on a carbon copy of the James play, and the league did not overturn the touchdown. The NFL should exercise some common sense and make replay assist more effective for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs before another embarrassing situation is highlighted on a bigger stage. (c)2024 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Visit the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at www.post-gazette.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Travel expert Gabe Saglie explains his top holiday travel tips on ‘Your World.’ Some people may want to consider being a bit more ... diplomatic. That's the overall assessment of commenters on a viral Reddit thread after a man described the experience of going for a nature hike with his brother while on vacation in Arizona — then shared his blunt response to a question his brother asked him after their hike was done. "I am a guy who, when I don't enjoy something, I'll tell you I don't," Reddit user "Ness_Lucas" wrote at the start of his post on the social media site a few days ago. FLIGHT PASSENGER CALLS OUT FELLOW FLYERS FOR BAD HABIT, SHARES FIX FOR PROBLEM As of Sunday, the post had accumulated over 6,000 reactions. He added, "But if I commit to something, I'll see it through to the end without complaining." A man described the experience of going for a nature hike with his brother (not pictured) while they were on vacation — and social media commenters had a field day with the account. (iStock) He said the issue "came to a head" when he was " on vacation with my older brother in Arizona, who wanted to do a lot of nature hikes." Wrote the man on Reddit, " Nature hikes are fine. I don't mind them, but I do dislike walking up large hills." "Walking uphill ... is very draining and leaves me sweaty." He added, "Walking downhill is the easiest thing ever. It's like being nature's passenger princess. You just put your foot forward and let gravity do all the work." ‘GATE LICE’ AND ‘SEAT SQUATTERS’ AMONG 2024'S MOST VIRAL TRAVEL TRENDS He went on, "Walking uphill, conversely, is very draining and leaves me sweaty." He continued, "I don't make a point to complain about something when I do it, so when I was walking uphill, despite not liking it much, I held [a] basic conversation with my brother." "When I was walking uphill, despite not liking it much, I held [a] basic conversation with my brother," wrote a man on social media as others weighed in on his dilemma. (iStock) However, once the pair began to head back down, the man said his brother "asked me if I was having fun — and I said no." He added, "Not because of any fault of my brother. I just didn't find the activity fun. Not even bad, just satisfactory." "I don't like it when people ask for my opinion and get upset when I give my honest answer." Later, when the brother was driving the Reddit poster to the airport for his flight home, the man said his brother told him, "If I ask you if you're having fun, don't say 'no.'" HOT TRAVEL TREND HAS PEOPLE PRIORITIZING WELLNESS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES: ‘KEEPS ME MENTALLY SHARP’ Wrote the Redditor, "I understand that it can be demoralizing to hear someone's not having fun." However, "I don't like it when people ask for my opinion and get upset when I give my honest answer," he said. "Sometimes in life you have to walk uphill to get to where you're going," wrote one responder on the viral Reddit thread. (iStock) "If I'm not having fun, I'll just say I'm not having fun." Responders on the Reddit page known as "Am I the a--hole" had a field day with the post — rendering their general assessment that the man was indeed the "a--hole" for the way he replied to his family member . "People want to hear that you're enjoying their company." Wrote one commenter in the top-rated response, "'It's been a fun day hanging with you, but, man, this hike is steep' [or] 'I'm looking forward to the downhill bit!' That's the sort of polite answer people are looking for." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER The same person added, "You acknowledge you're enjoying your brother's company, which was what he was looking for, but you can also acknowledge the hike is hard/difficult etc. It doesn't matter how much the activity sucks — people want to hear that you're enjoying their company ." A man turned to Reddit for insights into his personal dilemma — and was blasted by most people for his blunt comments to his brother. (iStock) Another individual put it this way, responding to the first commenter, "Exactly! It's a small social nicety that expresses that 'I'm happy to spend time with you, even if I don't enjoy the activity.'" For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle Yet another person said pointedly, "You are perched on your self-anointed pedestal and expecting everyone to treat you like a little princess. Your brother probably regrets ever going on a hike with you. Sometimes in life you have to walk uphill to get to where you're going." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A different commenter let the Reddit poster off the hook but shared this suggestion: "Not everyone is into hiking. That's a personal choice. But a better option would be to talk with your brother and compromise on doing something you will BOTH enjoy." Fox News Digital reached out to a psychologist for thoughts. Maureen Mackey is managing editor of lifestyle at Fox News Digital.None