Spain's monarch pays tribute to the victims of Valencia floods in his Christmas Eve speech
Best Contracting Services Breaks Ground on 264kW Microgrid and EV Charging Network in Gardena, CA
Finding the perfect gift can be daunting. The only way to truly ensure you get it right would be to ask the recipient what they want, but that wouldn’t be much fun for either of you. Luckily, there’s another tactic to help you earn a “gift whisperer” reputation: seeking out unique, practical, game-changing gifts that will truly surprise and delight. But that’s about as easy as it sounds, which is to say it’s not easy at all. So, we’ve done the legwork for you. Start making your list with this compilation of some of the most innovative, functional and fun gifts of 2024. There’s something for every budget. This image provided by FinaMill shows the FinaMill Ultimate Spice Grinder Set. The new FinaMill Ultimate Spice Grinder set elevates the pedestrian pepper and spice mill in both function and style. Bear with me: The new FinaMill Ultimate Spice Grinder set elevates the pedestrian pepper and spice mill in both function and style. Available in three colors (Sangria Red, Midnight Black and Soft Cream), the rechargeable-battery unit grinds with a light touch rather than hand-tiring twists. That’s easier for everyone and especially helpful for those experiencing hand or wrist issues such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis. And it’s fun to use. The set includes a stackable storage tray and four pods that can be easily swapped as needed: The GT microplane grater for hard spices, nuts and chocolate; the MAX for large spices and dried herbs; the ProPlus for smaller and oily spices; and the Pepper Pod for, well, pepper. $110. This image provided by Pull Start Fire shows the matchless fire igniter in use. Made of 89% recycled materials, the food-safe, eco-friendly, 3-by-2-by-1-inch fire starters will light a fire quickly without matches, lighters or kindling. Campers and backyard firepit lovers who have experienced the heartbreak of wet wood will appreciate having a three-pack of Pull Start Fire on hand. Made of 89% recycled materials, including sanding dust, wax and flint, the food-safe, eco-friendly, 3-by-2-by-1-inch fire starters will light a fire quickly without matches, lighters or kindling. Just loop the attached green string around a log, incorporate it into a wood stack, and pull the attached red string to ignite. Each windproof, rainproof block burns for 30 minutes. $29.99. This image provided by Souper Cubes shows No Mess Utensils held upright on pot edges. The No Mess Utensil lives up to its name. The utensils, a serving spoon and a ladle, have innovative, S-shaped handles designed to rest on the edge of a pot. The No Mess Utensil Set from Souper Cubes , a company known for its portioned, silicone freezer trays, lives up to its name. The utensils — a serving spoon and a ladle — have innovative, S-shaped handles designed to rest on the edge of a pot, keeping them upright so they won’t slip in. The design also eliminates the need for a spoon rest or, worse, placing dirty utensils on the kitchen counter or stovetop between stirs. A silicone coating in a choice of Aqua, Charcoal, Cranberry or Blueberry keeps handles cool to the touch. $24.99. This image provided by FeatherSnap shows a female cardinal bird perched on a FeatherSnap Wi-Fi Solar Powered Camera Smart Bird Feeder. Equipped with an HD camera, the dual-chamber feeder enables up-close livestreaming of avian visitors, as well as species-logging via the free mobile app. The FeatherSnap Wi-Fi smart bird feeder could turn anyone into an avid birdwatcher. Equipped with an HD camera, the dual-chamber feeder enables up-close livestreaming of avian visitors, as well as species-logging via the free mobile app. An optional premium subscription ($59.99 annually or $6.99 monthly) includes unlimited photo and video storage, AI identification with species-specific details, and the opportunity to earn badges for logging new visitors. Turn on notifications to get alerts sent to your phone whenever there’s activity at the feeder. $179.99. This image provided by FUJIFILM North America Corporation and FUJIFILM Corporation Tokyo shows a smartphone printer. Fujifilm Instax's Mini Link 3 smartphone printer offers a touch of nostalgia without sacrificing technology. Just load the printer with film and connect it to your Android or iOS device via Bluetooth to print wallet-size photos. Fujifilm's Instax Mini Link 3 smartphone printer offers a touch of nostalgia without sacrificing technology. Just load the 4.9-by-3.5-by-1.3-inch printer with Instax Mini instant film and connect it to your Android or iOS device via Bluetooth to print wallet-size photos. If you want to get fancy, you can adjust brightness, contrast and saturation, or apply filters, including 3D augmented-reality effects, via the free Instax Mini Link app. It can also make collages of up to six images, or animate photos to share on social media. Available in Rose Pink, Clay White and Sage Green. $99.95. This image provided by easyplant shows a Marxii Calathea plant in a small, beige, self-watering pot. The appropriately named easyplant is one of the best gifts you can give your houseplant-loving friends, regardless of their experience level. The appropriately named easyplant is one of the best gifts you can give your houseplant-loving friends, regardless of their experience level. Select a pot color, size and plant (or get recommendations based on sunlight requirements, pet friendliness and other attributes) and fill the self-watering container’s built-in reservoir roughly once a month. Moisture will permeate the soil from the bottom as needed, eliminating the often-fatal consequences of over- or under-watering. It’s also a literal lifesaver come vacation time. $49-$259. This image provided by Nama shows the M1 plant-based milk maker. If you've got a no-dairy friend on your list, a plant-based milk maker could save them money while allowing them to avoid unnecessary ingredients like sugar, stabilizers, thickeners and preservatives. If you’ve got a no-dairy friend on your list, a plant-based milk maker could save them money while allowing them to avoid sugar, stabilizers, thickeners and preservatives. The Nama M1 appliance both blends and strains ingredients, converting nuts, seeds, grains or oats into velvety-smooth milk in just one minute, with zero grit. And for zero waste, the pasty leftover pulp can be used in other recipes for added nutrients. The device also makes infused oils, flavored waters and soups. And, importantly, cleanup is easy. Available in white and black. $400. This image provided by QelviQ shows a wine bottle chiller. For friends who prefer stronger beverages, the QelviQ personal sommelier uses "smart" technology to ensure wine is served at its ideal temperature. For friends who prefer stronger beverages, the QelviQ personal sommelier uses “smart” technology to ensure wine is served at its ideal temperature. Unlike traditional wine refrigerators, this device doesn’t take up any floor space. It also doesn’t chill wine to just one or two temperatures based on its color. Instead — paired with the free QelviQ app — the tabletop chiller relies on a database of more than 350,000 wines to bring a bottle to its specific recommended serving temperature in as little as 20 minutes. It also suggests food-wine and wine-food pairings. Plus, the appliance serves as a great icebreaker to inspire dinnertime conversation. Available in Exciting Red, Dashing Black and Dreamy White. $495. This image provided by Uncommon Goods shows a 2-piece LED Grilling Tool Set. Uncommon Good's 2-piece LED Grilling Tool Set puts illumination into the handles of its stainless-steel spatula and tongs. Grilling food after dark — and ascertaining its doneness — can prove challenging without outdoor lighting, and it’s nearly impossible to cook while holding a flashlight. But as is often the case, the simplest of solutions can make the biggest of impacts: Uncommon Good’s 2-piece LED Grilling Tool Set puts illumination into the handles of its stainless-steel spatula and tongs. After use, the lights can be removed and the utensils run through the dishwasher. $40. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food.
Eversource Transitions From Gas Company To Geothermal Company In Framingham
November 25, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Jennifer Chu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Visualizing the potential impacts of a hurricane on people's homes before it hits can help residents prepare and decide whether to evacuate. MIT scientists have developed a method that generates satellite imagery from the future to depict how a region would look after a potential flooding event. The method combines a generative artificial intelligence model with a physics-based flood model to create realistic, birds-eye-view images of a region, showing where flooding is likely to occur given the strength of an oncoming storm. The work is published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing . As a test case, the team applied the method to Houston and generated satellite images depicting what certain locations around the city would look like after a storm comparable to Hurricane Harvey, which hit the region in 2017. The team compared these generated images with actual satellite images taken of the same regions after Harvey hit. They also compared AI-generated images that did not include a physics-based flood model. The team's physics-reinforced method generated satellite images of future flooding that were more realistic and accurate. The AI-only method, in contrast, generated images of flooding in places where flooding is not physically possible. The team's method is a proof-of-concept, meant to demonstrate a case in which generative AI models can generate realistic, trustworthy content when paired with a physics-based model. In order to apply the method to other regions to depict flooding from future storms, it will need to be trained on many more satellite images to learn how flooding would look in other regions. "The idea is: One day, we could use this before a hurricane, where it provides an additional visualization layer for the public," says Björn Lütjens, a postdoc in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, who led the research while he was a doctoral student in MIT's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro). "One of the biggest challenges is encouraging people to evacuate when they are at risk. Maybe this could be another visualization to help increase that readiness." To illustrate the potential of the new method, which they have dubbed the "Earth Intelligence Engine," the team has made it available as an online resource for others to try. The study's MIT co-authors include Brandon Leshchinskiy; Aruna Sankaranarayanan; and Dava Newman, professor of AeroAstro and director of the MIT Media Lab; along with collaborators from multiple institutions. Generative adversarial images The new study is an extension of the team's efforts to apply generative AI tools to visualize future climate scenarios. "Providing a hyper-local perspective of climate seems to be the most effective way to communicate our scientific results ," says Newman, the study's senior author. "People relate to their own ZIP code, their local environment where their family and friends live. Providing local climate simulations becomes intuitive, personal, and relatable." For this study, the authors used a conditional generative adversarial network, or GAN, a type of machine learning method that can generate realistic images using two competing ("adversarial") neural networks. The first "generator" network is trained on pairs of real data, such as satellite images before and after a hurricane. The second "discriminator" network is then trained to distinguish between the real satellite imagery and the one synthesized by the first network. Each network automatically improves its performance based on feedback from the other network. The idea, then, is that such an adversarial push and pull should ultimately produce synthetic images that are indistinguishable from the real thing. Nevertheless, GANs can still produce "hallucinations," or factually incorrect features in an otherwise realistic image that shouldn't be there. "Hallucinations can mislead viewers," says Lütjens, who began to wonder whether such hallucinations could be avoided, such that generative AI tools can be trusted to help inform people, particularly in risk-sensitive scenarios. "We were thinking: How can we use these generative AI models in a climate-impact setting, where having trusted data sources is so important?" Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter— daily or weekly . Flood hallucinations In their new work, the researchers considered a risk-sensitive scenario in which generative AI is tasked with creating satellite images of future flooding that could be trustworthy enough to inform decisions of how to prepare and potentially evacuate people out of harm's way. Typically, policymakers can get an idea of where flooding might occur based on visualizations in the form of color-coded maps. These maps are the final product of a pipeline of physical models that usually begins with a hurricane track model, which then feeds into a wind model that simulates the pattern and strength of winds over a local region. This is combined with a flood or storm surge model that forecasts how wind might push any nearby body of water onto land. A hydraulic model then maps out where flooding will occur based on the local flood infrastructure and generates a visual, color-coded map of flood elevations over a particular region. "The question is: Can visualizations of satellite imagery add another level to this, that is a bit more tangible and emotionally engaging than a color-coded map of reds, yellows, and blues, while still being trustworthy?" Lütjens says. The team first tested how generative AI alone would produce satellite images of future flooding. They trained a GAN on actual satellite images taken by satellites as they passed over Houston before and after Hurricane Harvey. When they tasked the generator to produce new flood images of the same regions, they found that the images resembled typical satellite imagery , but a closer look revealed hallucinations in some images, in the form of floods where flooding should not be possible (for instance, in locations at higher elevation). To reduce hallucinations and increase the trustworthiness of the AI-generated images, the team paired the GAN with a physics-based flood model that incorporates real, physical parameters and phenomena, such as an approaching hurricane's trajectory, storm surge, and flood patterns. With this physics-reinforced method, the team generated satellite images around Houston that depict the same flood extent, pixel by pixel, as forecasted by the flood model . "We show a tangible way to combine machine learning with physics for a use case that's risk-sensitive, which requires us to analyze the complexity of Earth's systems and project future actions and possible scenarios to keep people out of harm's way," Newman says. "We can't wait to get our generative AI tools into the hands of decisionmakers at the local community level, which could make a significant difference and perhaps save lives." More information: Björn Lütjens et al, Generating Physically-Consistent Satellite Imagery for Climate Visualizations, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing (2024). DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2024.3493763 Click the link for the Earth Intelligence Engine tool . Provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology This story is republished courtesy of MIT News ( web.mit.edu/newsoffice/ ), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching.
Raiders will start O'Connell at quarterback when they visit the ChiefsPresident-elect Trump's granddaughter Kai gives rare, behind-the-scenes look inside Trump Force One Donald's granddaughter posted a YouTube video from inside Trump's plane CLICK HERE: Sign up for DailyMail.com's daily U.S. politics newsletter By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 22:11, 27 November 2024 | Updated: 22:27, 27 November 2024 e-mail View comments Rich wood paneling, couches with plush silk pillows, flat-screen TVs and a Terminator-style bobblehead of grandpa on the dashboard - Donald Trump 's rising-star granddaughter, Kai, is giving the world an eye-opening glimpse of how the president-elect gets around in style. The eldest daughter of the former president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr ., 17-year-old Kai Trump recently joined her father and grandpa on a recent trip to Brownsville, Texas , to watch 'Uncle Elon' Musk's recent SpaceX rocket launch. But along the way, the teen documented the high-flying day trip to south Texas in an 11-minute YouTube video this week, pulling back the curtains on some of the most intriguing previously unseen details of her grandfather's famous 'Trump Force One.' The president-elect purchased the Boeing 757 for $100 million in 2011, though it is decades older than that. 'This is the plane,' Kai says, holding the camera selfie-style. 'Let me give you a tour.' In the 11-minute video, avid golfer Kai chats it up and dances - including to her grandpa's fave 'YMCA' - with her pal Emma as the pair show off the 43-seater. Trump had the jet upgraded with 24-carat, gold-plated seat belts, a 2013 documentary revealed, describing it as having 'enough gold that if melted down it could gold-plate the outside of a Greyhound bus'. And the gold trimmings can be seen everywhere as Kai and her pal roam around the plane. President-elect Donald Trump's granddaughter, Kai Trump (L), and her friend Emma (R), wear matching outfits for a YouTube video giving a behind-the-scenes look at the Republican's plane 'Trump Force One' while documenting their trip visit 'Uncle' Elon Musk's SpaceX launch last week in south Texas Kai goes to grab a plate full of fresh fruit during the video The two can be seen practicing their dance moves and playing games ahead of their arrival to Brownsville, Texas Initially the friends are shown in a lounge area having some laughs, dancing and talking. Eventually Kai gets hungry and she disappears before coming back with a plate of fresh fruit including melon and cantaloupe. In the next shot the camera is angled down as the pair walks down some presumably sensitive areas before revealing one of the wood-paneled hallways with golden carpets. Then they come on a door open to a nearby bedroom, presumably that of the president-elect. The presidential suite features what appears to be a king-size bed covered in beige linens with matching pillows featuring the Trump family crest. The corner of a leather seat can also be seen in the quick peak. The first tour shot shows a long wood-lined hallway with golden carpet and an exit door Panning up the camera reveals a bedroom, presumably Donald Trump's, with a plush looking bed with beige bedding and a pillow emblazoned with the Trump family crest Read More Donald Trump attends SpaceX Launch in south Texas alongside Elon Musk The dazzling jumbo jet is compartmentalized into various sections for guests, aides and the president-elect himself. Immediately after the clip revealing the bedroom the video cuts to a shot walking down another area where some business-suited Trump confidantes - who's faces are not shown - are sitting toward the front of the plane. 'Hey guys!' Kai cheerfully greets them. Steps later, the interior of the front of the plane is revealed, showing the plane's front exit door where a doormat also emblazoned with the Trump family seal lays. Then the camera pans up showing that the cockpit is open allowing Kai and friend to waltz on in. In the following shots Kai is seen sitting directly behind the pilots flying Trump Force One. A bobblehead depicting the president-elect in a Terminator-style outfit: black glasses, a black leather jacket, black military-styled pants and black boots, can be seen jiggling on the plane's dashboard. Kai also buckles up in the cockpit to watch the pilots land Trump Force One in Texas The Trumpinator bobblehead showing the president-elect wearing an outfit inspired by the movie 'The Terminator' can be seen on the cockpit dashboard The 'Trumpinator' figurine depicts Trump holding a rifle with red robotic eyes like the Arnold Schwarzenegger character from the 1984 sci-fi flick. As the plane descends, the camera films the final moments before landing. 'This is pretty cool stuff,' Kai says to the camera as the pilots focus on safely getting back on the ground. 'It's not everyday you get to see a plane landed.' Automated flight sensors can be heard warning the pilots as the plane safely descends. '500 ... 100 ... 50 ... 40 ... 30 ... 20 ... 10,' the voice says as the captains bring Trump Force One back to Earth. Then the camera crew and Kai drive off to watch the SpaceX launch with Musk and grandpa Trump. Kai's father, Trump Jr., also accompanied the group on the trip and was captured various times throughout the YouTube video. YouTube TikTok Politics SpaceX Texas Share or comment on this article: President-elect Trump's granddaughter Kai gives rare, behind-the-scenes look inside Trump Force One e-mail Add comment
NEW YORK — A number of President-elect Donald Trump 's most prominent Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks," Trump's transition team said Wednesday. The FBI said it was investigating. “Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She said the attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting, in which attackers initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses. The tactic has become a popular one in recent years. “In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action,” Leavitt said. People are also reading... Rest assured, Nebraska volleyball fans: The missing fan behind the servers will be back Saturday Matt Rhule, Luke Fickell both downplay postgame encounter between Fickell, Donovan Raiola Arrest made in 55-year-old cold case of Nebraska teen stabbed to death Signing Day: Meet Nebraska volleyball's five-player 2025 class Wisconsin officer grabbing Donovan Raiola's arm a 'misunderstanding,' UW police say ‘I don’t care who’s played': Nebraska’s Dana Holgorsen on personnel changes at tight end Amie Just: Bring out the tissues — and the brooms — for Nebraska volleyball's emotional win Man found dead in north Lincoln, police say Cover Five: With pressure rising, Matt Rhule delivers Nebraska a bowl bid in Year 2 Nebraska GOP to seek hard-right social policies in 2025 legislative session Sound waves: What others are saying about Nebraska's win against Wisconsin Here's how Nebraska doctors are finding 'more opportunities to save lives' from lung cancer UNO freezes funds for LGBTQ+, multicultural, other student groups after audit Amie Just: Ahead of milestone birthday, local sports figures give advice on turning 30 As Nebraska's Democratic Party shrinks, some former party officials call for change Among those targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations, Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Susie Wiles, Trump's incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida Attorney General whom Trump has chosen as Gaetz's replacement, were also targeted, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity amid the ongoing investigation. Wiles and Bondi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FBI said in a statement that it was “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees" and was "working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.” Stefanik's office said that, on Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. "New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism," her office said in a statement. “We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7." The New York State Police said a team was dispatched to sweep Stefanik’s home on Wednesday morning in response to the bomb threat but did not locate any explosive devices. A spokesman for the agency directed further questions to the FBI. Zeldin said in a social media post that he and his family had been threatened. “A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he wrote on X. “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe. We are working with law enforcement to learn more as this situation develops.” Police in Suffolk County, Long Island said emergency officers responded to a bomb threat Wednesday morning at an address listed in public records as Zeldin’s home and were checking the property. In Florida, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said in an advisory posted on Facebook that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning.” While a family member resides at the address, they said "former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results.” Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration amid allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by disturbing and unprecedented violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The U.S. Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Public figures across the political spectrum have been targeted in recent years by hoax bomb threats and false reports of shootings at their homes. The judges overseeing the civil fraud case against Trump in New York and the criminal election interference case against him in Washington, D.C. were both targeted earlier this year. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who recently abandoned the two criminal cases he brought against Trump, was also the subject of a fake emergency call on Christmas Day last year. Earlier this year, schools, government buildings and the homes of city officials in Springfield, Ohio received a string of hoax bomb threats after Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs. And in 2022, a slew of historically Black colleges and universities nationwide were targeted with dozens of bomb threats with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement Wednesday that, “Anytime a Member of Congress is the victim of a 'swatting' incident, we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners. To protect ongoing investigations and to minimize the risk of copy-cats, we cannot provide more details at this time.” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the threats “dangerous and unhinged.” “This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump. Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats,” he wrote on X. “It is not who we are in America.”The Kings headed into Saturday’s rubber match of their three-game homestand with serious concerns about their power play as well as some individual offensive performers that they hoped to get back afloat against the surging Seattle Kraken. They disposed of the dead-tired Detroit Red Wings to kick off the homestand – which is part of nine straight games to be played in California – but were shut out for the first time this season by the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday. The black and silver became the not-so-proud owners of the NHL’s worst power play since Nov. 10 – they’ve scored no power-play goals since Nov. 9 and that one was an empty-netter – and have the fourth-worst conversion rate over all of 2024-25. Their 0-for-5 performance as they were bageled 1-0 by Buffalo was their third such display this season, including an 0-for-6 showing in a loss to lowly San Jose . They’ve gone 0 for 4 on four other occasions, and went without a power-play goal in 13 of their 20 games so far. Their newly assembled top unit of five forwards has had the vibe of Dean Smith’s four-corner offense at times and, at its best, has produced nothing but near misses. The second unit’s struggles have been season-long, with the ineffectual play of both groups rendering meaningless the Kings’ numerous bromides about “looks” and “movement.” Their struggles haven’t been limited to the power play either. Overall, they’ve lost four of their past six games, and in those defeats they’ve managed a meager 1.25 goals per game. Forward Quinton Byfield signed a lucrative extension this summer with the expectation that he’d push upward into the top tier of the Kings’ scoring leaderboard. But instead of chasing captain Anže Kopitar, Byfield’s production has more closely mirrored that of checker Trevor Lewis. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft surmounted several setbacks: a broken ankle and not one but two viral illnesses, one of which robbed him of about 25 pounds. Last season, he appeared poised for a breakout, but mixed form, tentativeness and tough luck have inhibited him in the first quarter of this campaign. “He’s had tough stretches before that he’s come out of,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “If anybody’s faced adversity, it’s been him through the first run of his career here. So, he’s been through that, he’ll get through it.” Hiller remarked that Byfield “wasn’t alone” among players who could not convert Wednesday. He also wasn’t unaccompanied in a crowd of slumping Kings. Winger Kevin Fiala has gone pointless in six straight games and defenseman Jordan Spence has spent much of the season turning the puck over as if he were cooking it on a grill. Meanwhile, Brock Faber, whom the Kings dealt along with a first-round pick for Fiala, has been the No. 1 defenseman for the West’s second-best team to date, the Minnesota Wild. Even the Kings’ early-season scorchers have cooled significantly. Brandt Clarke has been held scoreless in four straight games and six of his past seven. In his last two games, he and the top power-play unit have clearly missed each other. Alex Laferriere remained in that grouping, but his production continued to sag. After a torrid stretch of eight goals in 10 games, he has one goal in his last eight appearances and no points in his four most recent outings. Slumping totals and shoulders alike will have to straighten up against leading scorer Jared McCann and Seattle, which rebounded from a four-game winless skid to capture five of its past six decisions. The Kraken have killed 90% of its penalties during their ascent, good for sixth in the NHL, and allowed a miserly 1.67 goals per game, the fourth-best mark in the league during that span. Seattle at Kings When: 1 p.m. Saturday Where: Crypto.com Arena How to watch: FDSNW
Game-changing holiday gifts for building fires, printing photos, watching birds and more
Game-changing holiday gifts for building fires, printing photos, watching birds and more
AP Business SummaryBrief at 1:39 p.m. ESTColts Notebook: Richardson again delivers in clutchI couldn't stop myself from giggling. A sudsy giggle. I was brushing my teeth, but this was no ordinary toothbrush I was using. It was the Feno Smartbrush — and with its 18,000 bristles, it was navigating all of my teeth, top and bottom, at the same time. The vibration was startlingly different. The entire lower part of my face was shaking, from my gumline to the base of my jaw. It felt like a massage for my teeth, cheeks and the craniofacial muscles surrounding my mouth. Foamy residue escaped onto my chin and chest. The Feno Smartbrush is a mouthful. Carly Quellman/CNET It was a mouthful. In a good way. For an anxious, teeth-grinding adult like me, the silly visual in the mirror of my mouth vibrating for 20 seconds was worth the feeling that came along with it. Plus, it removed all those tricky goji berry remnants that always seem to evade my regular electric toothbrush. The Smartbrush is a U-shaped device, with top and bottom sections like the mouthguards that athletes use, attached to a fist-sized handle that holds the power source and a camera. It's the flagship product of Feno, a 3-year-old company driven by the belief that "transformative oral health technology" is on the cusp of a breakthrough moment. It was created by Dr. Kenny Brown, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who's also Feno's CEO and a co-founder. He designed it to address problems he saw firsthand with his patients. "We believe oral health is your overall health," Brown tells me when we meet at BioscienceLA, which for Feno doubles as a nonprofit organization for health tech companies and its brick-and-mortar. "When it comes to oral hygiene, patients tend to fail in two aspects: time and technique." How many of us really put in the 2-plus minutes of brushing that dentists recommend? And are we really putting brush to tooth as effectively as we should? Feno cuts the time to just 20 seconds, and its Smartbrush does the work for you. It's a radically different approach from the normal... Carly Quellman
TOWSON, Md. — The clean-cut streets outside Baltimore where Luigi Mangione grew up are a picture of suburban idyll: Tidy lawns, flowering bushes, stately Colonials and Capes in muted colors. Mangione enjoyed all the trappings of that privilege. He went to the high-end Gilman private school where he became valedictorian, got into an Ivy League School and earned a master’s in computer science. He had every opportunity to make a difference. But that stereotype was shattered with the caught-on video cold-blooded killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . And since Mangione’s arrest last week, a critical question has gone unanswered: Why would someone with so much privilege and promise allegedly turn to cold-blooded murder to make his point? Dr. Naftali Berrill, a forensic psychologist, said it’s not as uncommon as people might think for someone with Mangione’s history and resources to commit acts of violence. “It’s that privilege that leads to a grandiose sense of self , a sense that they’re entitled to pursue a certain course of action. ‘I’m a hero. I’m so brazen, that I think I can shoot someone in broad daylight,” Dr. Berrill said. Mangione, who grew up seemingly with everything, might have felt he had a “unique perspective,” and an ability to “outfox law enforcement” with his Ivy League education, Dr. Berrill speculated. “There’s a grand delusion that to do this is OK because they’re serving a greater good . And that he’s so special that he’s so special that he wouldn’t get caught,” he added. Five days after the Dec. 4 killing outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown, where Thompson was scheduled to speak, Mangione was spotted in a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He is now in a Pennsylvania prison as he awaits extradition to NYC, where he will be tried on a charge of second-degree murder . 'Bright and kind soul' Mangione’s paternal grandfather, Nicholas Mangione, built the family’s wealth as a real-estate developer after being born into poverty, the son of an Italian immigrant in Baltimore’s Little Italy, according to a 1995 profile in The Baltimore Sun . One of 37 cousins , Mangione grew up in a modest Colonial home on the corner of Buckley Court near Chatterleigh Circle, a sleepy cul-de-sac in Towson where neighbors were stunned to hear the news. “I couldn’t believe it,” one neighbor said. “I’m shocked.” “I knew his parents. The parents were very nice people. They were pretty much to themselves. But very nice people,” he said. “They didn’t really socialize with the community to my knowledge. ...They were well-off. You’d never know, they were down-to-earth people.” His cousin, Nino Mangione , a GOP lawmaker who represents a suburban Baltimore district in the state’s House of Delegates, posted a statement from the family expressing their shock over the brutal slaying. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Nino Mangione posted on Facebook. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” A similar theme was picked up by many of his friends. A high school friend, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Daily News he is “truly saddened and speechless” at the allegations, saying they don’t align with the Mangione he knew. “Luigi Mangione was, is, and will continue to be loved by his friends, family, and everyone he came into contact with,” the friend said in a statement. “He is a bright and kind soul, motivated by a deep care for the world and improving it for everyone around him. He is a creator and scholar. I truly hope he will have a chance to speak for himself at the appropriate time because I have full confidence that his words are worth listening to.” Other high school pals described him to the New York Times as intelligent and driven, “a big believer in the power of technology to change the world,” according to one of those friends, Aaron Cranston. He graduated as valedictorian of the private all-boys Gilman School where he played soccer and ran track. He went to the University of Pennsylvania , earned a master’s degree in computer science, and co-founded a video game development lab at the Ivy League school. According to a LinkedIn profile, after his internship, Mangione was a teaching assistant at the University of Pennsylvania in data structures and algorithms and also worked as a teaching assistant at Stanford University for a summer program in AI. Since graduation, Mangione had been working as a data engineer for TrueCar , a California-based online car marketplace, according to the LinkedIn profile. Dr Louis Schlesinger, a professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice said, the narrative has come to revolve around Mangione, instead of his victim, partly because of his background. “The offender intrigues everybody because it’s the opposite of what you expect,” Schlesinger said. “He’s obviously intelligent, went to U Penn, his family is super wealthy, and it just doesn’t compute with average people. “It’s not that we’re surprised. We’re intrigued because it flies in the face of what we think and what we hear.” Health care anger Cops are looking into an emergency room visit by Mangione, who suffered a back injury on July 4, 2023. The visit is being investigated in connection with the alleged killer’s apparent animosity towards the health care industry. Investigators are monitoring his Facebook account, which was said to have highlighted the difficulties he went through as a result of the injury. Michael TenEyck, an assistant professor of criminology at the University of Texas at Arlington said that while Magione had a lot going for him — attractiveness, a charming personality, wealth — that all may have been canceled out by his physical pain. “If you wake up every day with back pain, it may not matter. Just mere discomfort every day might push someone over that edge,” TenEyck said. R.J. Martin, who founded a co-living space called Surfbreak in Honolulu, where Mangione lived for six months, said Mangione told him he was suffering from a spinal misalignment, the Times reported. A photo posted on X believed to belong to Mangione shows an x-ray of a spine with screws in it, and his Goodreads.com account included reviews of several books about back pain. “He knew that dating and being physically intimate with his back condition wasn’t possible,” Martin told the Times. “I remember him telling me that, and my heart just breaks.” At some point, Mangione became focused on the ills of the health care industry — a theme that has resonated with many following the saga across the nation. Mangione’s now-taken-down Goodreads.com account offered a glimpse at the books he was reading and contemplating over the last year. Included in an online list of books he read this year is Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski’s “Industrial Society and its Future,” which Mangione rated four out of five stars. “He was a violent individual — rightfully imprisoned — who maimed innocent people. While these actions tend to be characterized as those of a crazy luddite, however, they are more accurately seen as those of an extreme political revolutionary,” his review said. “When all other forms of communication fail, violence is necessary to survive,” the post went on to say. “It’s not terrorism, it’s war and revolution.” Mangione had a 260-word manifesto on him when he was arrested, which gave an apparent confession to the execution, police sources said. The note made clear he acted alone— and that while what he did “had to be done,” he’s sorry for the harm it caused. “Frankly, these parasites had it coming,” police sources said he wrote. Mangione also noted that people in the United States pay more in health care expenses than those in any other country but Americans’ life expectancy is ranked at No. 42 worldwide. Dr. Berrill said his manifesto only furthers his point that Mangione may have had an inflated ego due to his background. “I’m unique. I’m special. I’m entitled. It speaks to that grandiosity,” Dr. Berrill said. Cops found the words “Deny,” “Delay,” and “Depose” written on the bullets — a supposed insurance industry mantra for delaying claims and maximizing profits — leading police to believe that the killer was, in fact, motivated by a beef with the insurance industry. “The castings on the shell — that shows he put thought into it. It wasn’t a crime of passion ,” said TenEyck. Mental health concerns Another key question, experts say, is whether Mangione was suffering from some sort of mental illness. There were several signs of potential instability in the months leading up the shooting. Around six months ago, Mangione cut off contact with his friends and family, according to the Times. Mangione’s last known address is Honolulu, and also had connections to San Francisco, police said. In January Mangione pleaded no contest to trespassing at Nu’uanu Pali Lookout, a public park in Kaneohe, Hawaii, and paid a $100 fine. “He seems to be a very smart individual,” forensic psychologist, Dr. Alexis Reyes said, noting Mangione’s academic achievement, privilege, seemingly close family ties, and ability to remain employed.“ For the most part up until at least a few months ago,” she said. “That’s what we really want to pay attention to from a mental health aspect.” “His mother had filed a missing person report six months ago. We start to feel this normally social individual become very isolated,” Reyes continued. Schlesinger said there aren’t any clear answers about potential mental illness quite yet. Nothing has been raised in court. “It’s more speculation based on no facts. We’re just going to have to wait, and even then, there are different degrees of mental illness . It’s way more complicated than what we can put in a sound bite,” he said. Mangione lashed out as he arrived at court for a hearing on Tuesday about an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” Appearing clad in an orange jumpsuit, media crews captured Mangioni appearing to be upset, struggling with court security officers and yelling to members of the press in mostly inaudible statements, describing something as “completely out of touch” as officers slammed him up against a wall. Manhattan psychiatrist, Dr. Gail Saltz, said Mangione’s arrest has garnered harsh reactions across the board. “Many of us think that if we had what he has and where he came from, that we would protect all that, and not risk it, not do something like this,” Dr. Saltz said. “It’s sort of a perfect storm here. It’s not just those things,” she said of Mangione’s apparent advantages in life. “It’s somebody planning and carrying out a murder in New York City in broad daylight of a CEO of a major company. It’s the audacity of the crime and who was killed.” “It challenges our ideology as a society,” Dr. Reyes added. “The reality is we are all humans. Just because he is a privileged individual who is better equipped doesn’t necessarily mean that is enough to prevent him or anyone from a similar background from acting in a similar way,” Reyes said. ©2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of Microsoft 365 customers worldwide reported having issues with services like Outlook and Teams on Monday. In social media posts and comments on platforms like outage tracker Downdetector, some impacted said that they were having trouble seeing their emails, loading calendars or opening other Microsoft 365 applications such as Powerpoint. Microsoft acknowledged “an issue impacting users attempting to access Exchange Online or functionality within Microsoft Teams calendar” earlier in the day. In updates posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the company’s status page said it identified a “recent change” that it believed to be behind the problem — and was working to revert it. Microsoft shared that it was deploying a fix — which, as of shortly before noon E.T., it said had reached about 98% of “affected environments.” Still, the company’s status page later added , targeted restarts were “progressing slower than anticipated for the majority of affected users.” As of midday Monday, Downdetector showed thousands of outage reports from users of Microsoft 365 , particularly Outlook .
NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of Microsoft 365 customers worldwide reported having issues with services like Outlook and Teams on Monday. In social media posts and comments on platforms like outage tracker Downdetector, some impacted said that they were having trouble seeing their emails, loading calendars or opening other Microsoft 365 applications such as Powerpoint. Microsoft acknowledged “an issue impacting users attempting to access Exchange Online or functionality within Microsoft Teams calendar” earlier in the day. In updates posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the company’s status page said it identified a “recent change” that it believed to be behind the problem — and was working to revert it. Microsoft shared that it was deploying a fix — which, as of shortly before noon E.T., it said had reached about 98% of “affected environments.” Still, the company’s status page later added , targeted restarts were “progressing slower than anticipated for the majority of affected users.” As of midday Monday, Downdetector showed thousands of outage reports from users of Microsoft 365 , particularly Outlook .