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(BPT) - Consumers are facing increasing costs on virtually every purchase these days and auto insurance is no exception. While skyrocketing costs of this auto-related expense can be attributed to everything from parts replacement to service — even health costs as a result of accidents — consumers can better manage these increases with thoughtful study and attention to detail. Some of the common causes for higher insurance rates are Inflation, car accidents, extreme weather conditions such as hail, hurricanes and wind, along with increased vehicle theft claims. Mercury Insurance has partnered with financial literacy influencer Sam Jarman to highlight specific ways consumers can address these rising costs. "Your car is the second biggest expense for most people, right behind your home, and car insurance is a big part of that," said Jarman. "Checking rates and coverage with your Mercury Insurance agent makes sense along with choosing a car with low maintenance costs." According to Consumer Price Index data released earlier this year, car insurance rates are up almost 21% year-over-year for the 12 months which ended in February. The last time car insurance rates rose that much on an annual basis was 1976. Here are some auto insurance statistics recently released from Forbes : "Our goal is to help our customers get the best rates possible because we know that every dollar counts." said Justin Yoshizawa, Director, Product Management, State. "We encourage consumers to build a close relationship with their agent and discuss what discounts they may be eligible to receive. The answer might be surprising." Mercury offers the following tips for lowering your insurance costs: Review your deductibles with your insurance agent – It is recommended that you review your coverage and deductible with your Mercury agent at least once a year. Their wisdom and experience can help you make wise decisions regarding your insurance. Explore car insurance discounts – In addition to bundling your home and auto insurance, Mercury offers discounts for multi-car, good drivers, good students and auto pay. Your agent may have additional discounts to offer. Let Your Insurer Track Your Driving – Most insurers offer discounts for customers who install telematics. This technology allows your insurance company to collect information regarding your mileage and driving habits. This can also provide valuable information regarding your driving as well as saving you money. Drive a safe car with low repair costs – According to Bankrate , some of the cheapest cars to insure are the Subaru Outback, Honda CR-V and Honda Pilot. Also, look for cars with lower repair costs such as the Toyota Corolla, Toyota Prius and Tesla Model 3. Doing some research before you purchase a vehicle can save you money over the length of ownership. Install an anti-theft device on your car – Drivers may receive an additional discount on your auto insurance if you install an anti-theft device on your car. Before you buy a car, compare insurance costs – You can get a fast and easy quote from your Mercury Insurance agent. To receive a quote, you can reach us at 844-514-2893. To learn more about common types of auto insurance discounts, visit https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/resources/auto/understanding-types-of-auto-insurance-discounts.html . For more information on your auto insurance, you can reference the Insurance Information Institute .
BOSTON — A private consultant hired by the state is recommending Massachusetts not authorize sports betting kiosks at bars, restaurants and other venues, citing a lack of revenue from the machines in other states and the societal impacts of expanded gambling. The report by the Spectrum Gaming Group, which was hired last year by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, concluded that “there is little to no economic upside for kiosk hosts and the Commonwealth itself while there is an increased risk of negative social impacts.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Didn't get everything you wanted on Christmas Day or did Santa leave you some money under the tree? Now is a good time to go online shopping. All of the major retailers have launched their Christmas sales and Argos is just one store that has slashed prices across a swathe of devices. There are some decent discounts on offer with iPhone, iPad, headphone and TV deals all available right now. There are hundreds of price cuts so to help you find the best and biggest bargains, Express.co.uk has been Christmas shopping and here are 7 top picks from Argos Apple iPhone 12 NOW £399 - SAVE £100 BOXING DAY DEAL: The iPhone 12 isn't as feature-packed as the latest iPhone 16 but this remains a solid smartphone that's half the price of buying Apple's newest model. You get a 6.1-inch screen, powerful A14 Bionic processor, dual-lens camera and wireless charging. Right now there's £100 off. SEE THE iPHONE DEAL HERE Ring Doorbell with £10 Echo NOW £59.99 - PLUS GET AN ECHO FOR £10 BOXING DAY DEAL: The latest Ring doorbell now offers improved video recordings, longer battery life and an easier way to install it yourself. It was £99 but that price has been dropped to just £59. That's not all as those popping one in their shopping basket can also add an Echo Pop - worth over £40 - for just £10. SEE THE RING DEAL HERE Fitbit Inspire 3 NOW £59 - SAVE £25.99 BOXING DAY DEAL: Want to get fit after all that Christmas food. The Inspire 3 from Fitbit will help get you moving and it's now at the "lowest ever price" from Argos. You can track your steps, calories, sleep and heart rate 24/7 on this slim and subtle activity tracker, which can also track your runs when connected to your phone. SEE THE FITBIT INSPIRE 3 DEAL HERE Echo Pop NOW £18.99 - SAVE £26 BOXING DAY DEAL: It's usually priced at £44.99 but the Boxing Day sales have seen the Echo Pop dropped to just £18.99. For that very low price, you get a device that offers decent sound, full access to Alexa, and it can even extend your Wi-Fi thanks to built-in Eero technology. SEE THE POP DEAL HERE Apple iPad NOW £289 - SAVE £50 BOXING DAY DEAL: The iPad 10th Gen was slashed in price for Black Friday, now the deal is back with £50 off the usual price. This top tablet is powered by the A14 Bionic processor, gets a Liquid Retina display and is compatible with the latest Apple Pencil. SEE THE IPAD DEAL HERE Toshiba 50-Inch TV NOW £299 - SAVE £60 BOXING DAY DEAL: This Toshiba telly not only gets a stunning 50-inch UHD display, decent sound and plenty of smart features but is also powered by Freely. That means you get full access to live and on-demand channels without the need for an aerial. All content is beamed to the big screen using a broadband connection instead. SEE THE TV DEAL HERE Samsung Galaxy Watch FE NOW £169 - SAVE £30 BOXING DAY DEAL: The Galaxy Watch FE offers a simple way to keep check of your exercise levels and how fit you are. It can even monitor your heart and even how stress out you are. SEE THE DEAL HERE Of course, there are other deals with stores such as Currys, John Lewis and Argos all offering massive price cuts in the Christmas sales. • SEE THE CURRYS DEALS HERE • SEE THE AMAZON DEALS HERE • SEE THE JOHN LEWIS DEALS HEREBill Belichick, the former NFL head coach who led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl wins, will be the new head coach of the University of North Carolina's football program. The school announced the news on social media Wednesday night. He's agreed to a five-year deal with the Tar Heels, which is pending approval from the university's board of trustees and board of governors. A press conference was held at the school on Thursday to formally announce Belichick as the new head coach, which he described as a dream come true. UNC Chancellor Lee H. Roberts and Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham jokingly gifted Belichick a Tar Heels sweatshirt with his trademark short sleeves. RELATED STORY | Bill Belichick 'moves on' from coaching New England Patriots "I grew up in college football with my dad," Belichick said, showing off one of his father's old sweatshirts from when he was an assistant coach at the school for a couple of years before he went on to coach at the U.S. Naval Academy for over three decades. He said Carolina was home and his family always joked when he was growing up that his first words were "beat Duke" — the Tar Heels' rival school. Belichick won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants before continuing his career with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. But he's known for his career with the Patriots, where he was the head coach for 24 seasons and won 13 AFC championship titles and made nine Super Bowl appearances. He retired from the NFL as the second-winningest coach in NFL history.
For the millions of people at home with friends and family for the festive season, it’s also the time of year where many get roped into fixing the house’s spotty Wi-Fi or face a barrage of questions about tech. Instead this holiday season, give the gift of good security advice. This is the ideal time of year where you can get hands-on to help make meaningful changes that bolster the cybersecurity of your loved ones. This isn’t to say fixing the family printer isn’t worth your time, but sharing a little security advice goes a long way in protecting those you care about from the most common online threats. As someone who’s covered hacks and breaches for well over a decade, I think of cybersecurity as an investment in something you hope never happens. Nobody wants to experience the “oh s—t” moment of realizing you’ve been hacked, or had your bank accounts or online wallets drained, yet many default to the mindset that “it could never happen to me” without realizing that their account passwords from yesteryear may not be a sufficient defense against today’s hacking efforts. Oftentimes, taking a few minutes with friends and family can be the impetus that they need to get started with cybersecurity, and stay protected. As for what to suggest to your folks, I asked Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security, a company that provides security awareness training to help people defend against cyber threats before they strike; and Caitlin Condon, the vulnerability intelligence director at cybersecurity firm Rapid7, for their top security advice to share with friends and family. Their recommendations are to focus on the security basics that do the most work to keep your online accounts secure. An important part of passing along effective security advice is helping your friends and family get started with the apps and security features they need to stay secure. This way, they can learn alongside you and build up those new habits and practices over time. “It’s often not enough to merely recommend or install security technologies; we need to help loved ones learn how to use these technologies to build confidence and trust,” said Condon. Set up a password manager that stores complex and unique passwords “When we go home for the holidays, a lot of times our family asks us for things that actually aren’t the top thing that they need to focus on,” said Tobac. It’s no good giving a family member advice on cryptocurrency — for example — if they reuse the same password for every online account they have, Tobac said. The best password is one that you never have to remember, and that’s where a password manager can help. Password managers save your login details, and can also generate and store complex and unique passwords, so you never have to remember the same password across your various online services. (Using the same password across the internet makes all of those accounts more vulnerable to being hacked if someone guesses or steals your password.) There are plenty of password managers out there to choose. Your browser may have one already, and iPhones and iPads have their own Passwords app . Bitwarden is also a popular free-to-use password manager that also lets you access your passwords from your phone. “It can help to sit down with loved ones, particularly if they aren’t terribly tech-savvy, and walk them through setting up a master password, installing browser plugins, generating and storing new passwords — starting with financial or healthcare sites — and logging in and out of the password manager,” said Condon. A common fear is forgetting or losing the master password that locks your password manager from outsiders, Condon said. Some people opt to have a copy of their master password written down and kept somewhere in their house for safekeeping. “In my experience, it’s a lot less risky to write a master password down on paper and store that somewhere in your home than it is to reuse easily guessable passwords,” said Condon. Multi-factor authentication can save the day Passwords alone are not enough to protect your accounts from intruders. Some of the biggest hacks of 2024 were possible because corporate giants forgot to implement basic security features, like multi-factor authentication (or MFA), allowing hackers to walk right in with just a stolen password. Having a second layer of security like MFA (also known as two-factor) to your online accounts makes it far more difficult for anyone with just your password to access your account. MFA works by sending an additional second code by text message to a device that you own or prompting you to generate a code in an authenticator app. “Help them turn on multi-factor authentication, whether that’s a code, or text message, especially for the essential accounts — like your email address account — which is the key to the castle for all of your other accounts,” said Tobac. Tobac also recommended locking down your phone provider’s account with MFA, because — just like your email account — anyone with access to your phone number could gain access to any linked online account in case you ever forget your password. That’s also why some prefer to use an authenticator app generated on a device instead of having a text message (which can be intercepted) sent to their phone. There are plenty of authenticator apps; a popular choice is Duo Mobile , a simple app that generates second-factor codes on the fly while having an optional cloud backup in case you lose access to your phone. Remember that any MFA is better than none. Be ‘politely paranoid’ on the phone “Another thing I see folks struggle with regularly is the wave of spam texts, calls, emails, and notifications designed to social engineer users into visiting malicious websites or giving away logins and personal data,” said Condon. Oftentimes, letting a call go to voicemail can be an effective way of avoiding scams and fraud. Even with caller ID, phone calls inherently make it difficult to know for sure who the person you are speaking with is legitimate . Tobac suggests being “politely paranoid,” a way of verifying that people and companies are who they say they are by contacting them back using a different method of communication before ever handing over information that could do harm, like a credit card number or a password. Tobac explained that if you get a call purportedly from your bank to say there are strange charges on your account, you can politely hang up the phone and call back using the official number on your bank card. The same goes for anyone who calls you that might ask for information but you can’t be sure who it is. You can check out the organization’s website, app, or secure message inbox to check for yourself first before taking any action. Having those common websites bookmarked in the browser for easy access can help your relatives verify any suspect call in a matter of seconds. “Help your loved ones bookmark official login pages they can visit safely to check secure messages or account transactions when they’re concerned there might be something amiss,” Condon. “Show them how to navigate to those sites via pinned bookmarks or browser shortcuts.” A password manager, multi-factor authentication and being “politely paranoid” on the phone are by far the simplest, yet most effective roadblocks for malicious hackers. Ensuring the cybersecurity foundations in place (and your loved ones understanding their importance) is a great place to start with friends and family, Tobac said. “That’s the best gift you could give them,” said Tobac. “The gift of not getting hacked.”Share this Story : Names to be added to controversial Victims of Communism memorial next year, says organizer Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail Links Defence Watch Names to be added to controversial Victims of Communism memorial next year, says organizer The monument in downtown Ottawa opened on Dec. 12 without any names inscribed. Get the latest from David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen straight to your inbox Sign Up Author of the article: David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen Published Dec 12, 2024 • Last updated 14 minutes ago • 4 minute read Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account. The Memorial to the Victims of Communism had its grand opening off of Wellington Street in Ottawa Thursday. Photo by Tony Caldwell / POSTMEDIA Article content The controversial Victims of Communism memorial opened Dec. 12 with organizers promising that the names of those to be honoured will be added to the site by next year. Article content Article content But shortly after that official statement was made, the office of Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge claimed that no specific timeline had been agreed to by the federal government. Dozens of people, including diplomats and community leaders, gathered for the opening of the memorial, located near the corner of Wellington and Bay streets. Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. 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Activate your Online Access Now Article content Yvan Baker, the Liberal MP for Etobicoke Centre who was supposed to be the federal government official to inaugurate the memorial, did not show up at the event. He later attended a reception after the event. The unveiling was put on hold last year because of the controversy over parliamentarians honouring Yaroslav Hunka, a Ukrainian Waffen SS soldier and potential links between the monument and Nazi collaborators, according to records obtained by the Ottawa Citizen. In addition, Jewish groups have voiced their ongoing concerns about the names of alleged Nazi collaborators and other fascists being inscribed on the memorial’s wall of remembrance. But Ludwik Klimkowski, who leads the organization behind the memorial, said names will be added starting next year. Dozens of people, including diplomats and community leaders, gathered at the new Victims of Communism memorial on Dec. 12 for an inauguration ceremony. Ludwik Klimkowski, the chair of the board of directors of Tribute to Liberty, addressed the crowd. Photo by Catherine Morrison / POSTMEDIA “Friends we hope to see you again in 2025 to tell you all about the journey of those are meant to be on the side of this wall of remembrance,” said Klimkowski, chair of the Tribute of Liberty organization. “If you don’t hear them today, you will hear them at that point.” But when Klimkowski spoke about adding the names, a protester shouted “No Nazis.” Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The federal government, however, says it is not correct to state that names will be added next year. ‘‘We did not commit to a specific timeline as we are still conducting due diligence on the names,” Charles Thibault-Béland, press secretary to Pascale St-Onge, stated in an email. “We will continue our work to ensure that all aspects of the Memorial are in accordance with our Canadian values, so it remains an inclusive space that fosters remembrance, commemoration, and reflection for all who visit.” Klimkowski was not immediately available for an interview when reached for comment about the federal government’s position. The Memorial to the Victims of Communism has already been the focus of multiple controversies over its exact purpose, location, size and cost over the last 15 years. The price tag for the project has ballooned to an estimated $7.5 million — including $6 million in public funds — from an original budget of $1.5 million. The memorial, originally started by the Conservative government of then-prime minister Stephen Harper, was supposed to be funded entirely through private donations. Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Dozens of people, including diplomats and community leaders, gathered at the new Victims of Communism memorial on Dec. 12 for an inauguration ceremony. Photo by Catherine Morrison But taxpayers are now footing most of the bill as that private fundraising initiative fell far short when significant public financial support did not materialize. Officials with a Holocaust education organization, the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, said they remain concerned about the addition of the names. A report prepared for the Department of Canadian Heritage warned that between 50 and 60 of the names proposed for the memorial are alleged to be directly associated with the Nazis. The report recommended that more than half of the 550 names planned to go on the memorial be removed because it is too difficult to verify the backgrounds of the individuals and what they may or may not have done during the Second World War. Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center official Jaime Kirzner-Roberts said her organization asked for a commitment from Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge that such names not be inscribed on the monument but so far has not received such a promise. “So there is still a lot of work to be done and a lot of questions to be answered before we can feel confident that this memorial will not become an embarrassment for Canada,” she said Dec. 12. “Sad that we even have to say this, but any monument in our capital that celebrates Nazis is simply unacceptable.” Advertisement 5 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Robert Tmej, a member of the board of directors of Tribute to Liberty, the charity started in 2008 to establish the memorial, said it was great to see the monument open. Still, it’s also “bittersweet” given that there has been controversy surrounding the initiative, he added. Tmej said the list includes many people who sought refuge in Canada who don’t have an internet presence, meaning there’s no research on them. “They cannot be considered as fascists or Nazis just because either the government or the researchers didn’t do their job well enough to determine who these people were,” Tmej said. The Memorial to the Victims of Communism had its grand opening off of Wellington Street in Ottawa Thursday. Photo by Tony Caldwell / Postmedia Historians working for Canadian Heritage have pointed out that Nazi records are located in German government archives but it would take an enormous effort to examine the backgrounds of each person whose name is to go on the wall. Historians consulted by the department have repeatedly pointed out the easiest way out of the controversy would not to include any names at all. Federal officials in other departments have also continued to warn Canadian Heritage that the inclusion of Nazi collaborators on the memorial will cause international embarrassment. “It is important to note that many anti-communist and anti-Soviet advocates and fighters were also active Nazi collaborators, who committed documented massacres,” Global Affairs Canada officials warned their counterparts at Canadian Heritage in 2021. Advertisement 6 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Private donations had already been made to the monument in the names of Nazi collaborators, CBC News reported in July 2021. Those included Roman Shukhevych, a Ukrainian nationalist whose troops murdered Jews and Poles, and Ante Pavelić who ran a Nazi puppet regime in Croatia and is considered a chief perpetrator of the Holocaust in the Balkans, the CBC reported. Dozens of people, including diplomats and community leaders, gathered at the new Victims of Communism memorial on Dec. 12 for an inauguration ceremony. Photo by Catherine Morrison / POSTMEDIA Tributes were placed at the new Victims of Communism memorial. Photo by Catherine Morrison / POSTMEDIA The Memorial to the Victims of Communism had its grand opening off of Wellington Street in Ottawa, Dec. 12, 2024. Photo by Tony Caldwell / POSTMEDIA (With files from Catherine Morrison) David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe Recommended from Editorial Victims of Communism memorial delayed over Nazi link controversy to open Feds ignored calls to rename Victims of Communism memorial Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Names to be added to controversial Victims of Communism memorial next year, says organizer Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Comments You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments. Create an Account Sign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Trending Ottawa care home accused of neglecting hygiene for residents Local News How new remote-work rules have caused commute woes for public servants Public Service Grenier: Ottawa is systematically killing the ByWard Market Opinion Rughoo: Canada Post strike threatens the future of hand-written notes Opinion Two arrested at Ottawa courthouse in connection with Val-des-Monts murder News Read Next Latest National Stories Featured Local Savings
Eagles seek 7th straight win while Rams try to keep pace in crowded NFC West raceEvery time they need help at a position, they've found someone sitting on the couch, seemingly waiting for their call. First it was wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who returned to the Chiefs just before the season after Marquise Brown was lost to shoulder surgery. Then it was running back Kareem Hunt, who likewise returned to his former team when Isiah Pacheco broke his fibula. Left tackle D.J. Humphries came next when other options at the position were struggling, and this week it was Steven Nelson, who came out of retirement to help a secondary that has struggled for weeks. "Just got an opportunity, got a call. Was very excited about it," said Nelson, who spent his first four seasons in Kansas City before stints in Pittsburgh and Houston, and ultimately calling it quits in June so he could spend more time with his family. "I've got two daughters and been spending a lot of time with him," Nelson said, "but still trying to work out. It was kind of the perfect scenario, getting the call, especially where this team has been and this point in the season. Great opportunity." It's been a perfect opportunity for all of them. Perfect fits for the Chiefs, too. Each could have signed just about anywhere else and been able to contribute, yet they were still sitting around when Chiefs general manager Brett Veach reached out. In the case of Smith-Schuster, Hunt and Humphries, there were some concerns about injuries that had kept some teams away, but the Chiefs were willing to take a risk on them. Smith-Schuster, who has dealt with knee trouble for years, missed some time with a hamstring injury this season. But he still has 202 yards and a touchdown receiving, and has provided some veteran leadership in the locker room. Hunt was coming off a sports hernia surgery, a big reason why the Browns — whom the Chiefs visit Sunday — declined to bring him back after five years spent in a one-two punch with Nick Chubb. But when Pacheco went down, Hunt stepped in and their offense barely missed a beat; he has run for a team-leading 608 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games. Humphries was still rehabbing a torn ACL at the start of the season, but the former Pro Bowl tackle was cleared just before the Chiefs called him. Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris had struggled to protect Patrick Mahomes' blind side, so they brought in Humphries to help out. And while he hurt his hamstring late in his debut last week against the Chargers, the Chiefs still hope he'll be recovered and fully up to speed in time for the stretch run and the playoffs. "I'm in Kansas City, bro. I'm pretty ecstatic. It don't get much better than this," Humphries said. "Everybody is excited for me to be here and that's a really good feeling. You're getting All-Pro guys' arms outstretched, like, 'We're so glad you're here.'" The providential signings don't stop at those four players, either. When the Chiefs lost kicker Harrison Butker to knee surgery, they signed Spencer Shrader off the Jets practice squad, and he promptly kicked a game-winner against Carolina. But then Shrader hurt his hamstring and landed on injured reserve. The 49ers had just waived Matthew Wright, and the Chiefs signed him up. He's gone 8 for 9 on field-goal tries, has been perfect on PATs, and banged the game-winner off the upright and through last week against Los Angeles. Just like Smith-Schuster, Hunt and Nelson, Wright had been with Kansas City a couple of years ago. "It definitely helps, him knowing how we do things, how we practice and what we expect," Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub said. "That all helped, for sure. And he's a veteran. He's been a lot of places. It wasn't like he was a rookie off the street." Or off the couch, for that matter. NOTES: Butker planned to kick again Thursday and could come off IR to face the Browns on Sunday. "He looked good," Toub said. "We have to see how he responds." ... Humphries (hamstring) did not practice Thursday. RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) was limited. ... SS Justin Reid will likely handle kickoffs against Cleveland. He has a stronger leg than Wright and also puts another athletic and adept tackler on the field on special teams.Getting smart about car insurance can provide cost savings and peace of mind
Lowey Dannenberg Notifies PACS Group, Inc. ("PACS Group", or the "Company") (NYSE: PACS) Investors of Securities Class Action Lawsuit and Encourages Investors with more than $100,000 in Losses to Contact the Firm
Joe Douglas is gone. Robert Saleh already was fired. Aaron Rodgers could be next to leave the New York Jets. Douglas lost his job as the general manager on Tuesday, six weeks after the head coach was replaced following a 2-3 start. The Jets have gone 1-5 under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich so owner Woody Johnson sent Douglas packing. Rodgers has played more like a 40-year-old quarterback coming off an Achilles tendon injury than a four-time NFL MVP. He's expressed a desire to play another season. The big question is whether the Jets will want him back. Maybe they'll decide to take one more shot at a playoff run with Rodgers while having him mentor a rookie quarterback. Or, they could start fresh. There are significant contract ramifications either way. Rodgers is slated to make a non-guaranteed $37.5 million in 2025 with a dead cap hit of $49 million as his salary cap total goes from $17.1 million to $23.5 million. The Jets could spread the dead money over two years by releasing Rodgers with the use of post-June 1 designation. He has a no-trade clause in his contract so they would need his permission to make a deal. If Rodgers doesn't retire and New York's new regime wants a clean slate, here are potential destinations for the future first-ballot Hall of Famer: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: This could only happen if Brock Purdy's shoulder injury is more significant than is known. Rodgers is a native of northern California and grew up a Niners fan. Returning home to help San Francisco win its sixth Super Bowl has to be attractive. Playing for coach Kyle Shanahan surrounded by playmakers Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle would be a quarterback's dream. Again, Purdy is the team's present and future. And, he's resilient. Purdy rebounded from elbow surgery following his rookie season to start Week 1 last year and ended up finishing fourth in MVP voting, leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl. Purdy also is due for a contract extension and a major raise so the salary cap makes this even more of a longshot. But never say never in the NFL. MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Sam Darnold has been more than a stopgap, helping the Vikings (8-2) to an impressive start. J.J. McCarthy is the future, however, and Darnold will be a free agent after the season. If the Vikings fall short of a Super Bowl and Rodgers shows over the final six weeks that he can play championship football, this could be a fit. The Vikings could let McCarthy sit and learn for another year, especially coming off a knee injury that required a second surgery earlier this month. NEW YORK GIANTS: Rodgers wouldn't have to move. The Giants will need a quarterback after benching Daniel Jones and eventually releasing him. They could draft a quarterback in the first round and have him learn behind Rodgers for a season. That'll depend on which pick New York ends up with because it's a thin draft class. Unlike the Jets, the Giants (2-8) haven't made any coaching or GM changes yet. If it's status quo with GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll, one year with Rodgers isn't unrealistic. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: They also need a quarterback. Brock Bowers could set an NFL record for most catches by a tight end if he had Rodgers next season. The Raiders (2-8) are aiming for a high pick to get a shot at a quarterback of their choice. New minority owner Tom Brady believes rookie quarterbacks need time to develop and learn. The seven-time Super Bowl champion would have to be in favor of having Rodgers start and tutor a youngster. TENNESSEE TITANS: If Will Levis doesn't prove over the final seven games that he can be a No. 1 quarterback, the Titans (2-8) will be in the QB market and likely have a high draft pick. It's another scenario where Rodgers would fit as a one-year bridge. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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If You're Puzzled By How People Keep Their Homes Tidy, These 28 Products Can Help You Pick Up The Pieces In Your PlaceThe cover of "Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking" by Kang Mingoo While everyone was fawning over Han Kang's books, during last month's I picked up a thick hardbound book titled "Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking." Han, the author of "The Vegetarian," had recently won the Nobel Prize in literature, however, another noteworthy development was that UNESCO was considering Korea's jang-making tradition as a new entry for its Intangible Cultural Heritage List. "Jang," primarily written by chef-restaurateur Kang Mingoo, reads more like a textbook than a traditional cookbook. And that's intentional: the 216-page book offers a deep dive into Korea, exploring everything from its mountains and forests to its pantries and dining tables. Jang, which the book claims rhymes with "song," refers to a variety of fermented soybean pastes. The book lays out the three main jangs — "ganjang" (basically soy sauce), "doenjang" (thick soybean paste) and "gochujang" (red-hot pepper paste) — which Kang says are "are like siblings, and like siblings, they often play together." One important fact I gleaned from this book is that the production method for both ganjang and doenjang is mostly the same, and they are essentially byproducts of each other. About six to nine months into the process, a separation occurs, moving the still-solid bits from the liquid, and the separated bits continue to ferment for several more months or years. It reminds me of the parallel brewing process of traditional Korean alcohols "takju" (a cloudy beverage with white sediment) and "cheongju" (a clear alcohol), which are likewise separated from each other. And there's also the bright-red gochujang, which has a somewhat different recipe due to the inclusion of red pepper powder and takes much less time to complete fermentation. Kang shares a somewhat offbeat theory that the red pepper, or "gochu" in Korean, "was actually introduced by birds millions of years ago," rather than in the 16th century by Portuguese traders through Japan. Going back to the concept of jangs as siblings that sometimes play together, "ssamjang," which I think might be the most popular and widespread of the Korean sauces, at least from what I've witnessed, is a mixture of gochujang and doenjang, along with a little sugar. Chef Kang Mingoo speaks during an interview at Mingles, his restaurant in southern Seoul, June 13. Korea Times file Kang, the owner of Mingles, a popular Seoul restaurant that helped redefine Korean fine dining, presents a vivid narrative of his culinary journey. It's a beautifully produced book, filled with impressive photos — although the photos lacked captions explaining the context and were not clearly illustrative of what was being discussed. "Imagine trying to understand Italian cooking without olive oil or to unlock French cuisine without butter and cream," he says in the book's introduction. "It would be impossible." He details his travels across the country to meet jang artisans, emphasizing that most of them are women. He is perhaps most fascinated by Jeong Kwan, a master of temple cuisine at Baekyang Temple in South Jeolla Province, describing the epiphany he experienced watching her work. "I marveled that Jeong Kwan didn't cook so much as simply let the earth move through her," as he puts it. On returning to Mingles with his "hair on fire," he describes the effect his dive into the world of jang had on him: "I felt like I had been playing the piano by hitting only the middle C, and now the entire keyboard had been opened to me." He sets out his almost-scientific approach to jang-making, which includes "vertical tastings" of the same jang at different years of fermentation. "Jangs aren't rigid; they reward experimentation," he writes. "They are able to assimilate and adapt to foreign concepts." This foreshadows some of his over 60 recipes later in the book, which range from more-or-less traditional "namul" offerings to some wild-sounding fusion recipes, including tagliatelle with ganjang ragu, doenjang hummus and gochujang chocolate mousse. Also described in extensive detail is the onggi earthenware pottery for storing jang during fermentation, which is specifically called "jangdok." There's so much detail, that it leaves a reader feeling like they could make their own jangdok — though this is probably as unlikely as making decent gochujang on one's own after reading the book. "Jang is more like sourdough than it is like wine: Anyone can nourish a starter, but few can sustain a vineyard," Kang writes. Chef Kang Mingoo introduces his English-language book, "Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking." Korea Times file That said, the book is not too interested in walking you all the way through the process of making your own jang, but does helpfully offer guidance on how to stock your pantry with the jangs you can readily purchase. It also emphasizes that not all jang needs to be artisanal: "Not everything can be artisanal, nor is it always worth using (or even a good idea to use) artisanal jang in every dish you make." The book also outlines some important beats in Korean history related to the development, fall and renaissance of jang. This starts over 4,000 years ago with the introduction of soybeans — rich in protein and able to thrive in poor soil — to the peninsula from Manchuria. It also details how the 1910-45 Japanese occupation of Korea threatened to bring to an end the centuries of jang-making traditions, as the imperialists siphoned off most of Korea's soybean production for Japanese use and encouraged the establishment of jang factories, something Kang clearly abhors. Things didn't improve after liberation, which saw periods of famine and the 1950-53 Korean War, a time Kang describes as when "Korea began its superfueled expansion into the modern capitalist world, a movement that almost, but not quite, signaled the end of jang culture." He then goes on to detail how jang-making bounced back beginning in the 2000s, and connects its growth with the global spread of Korean popular culture. He details how the Korean food ministry spent $90 million promoting gochujang to chefs in New York and Los Angeles in the early 2010s. He also talks about how jang-making is being taught in elementary schools. "Today, I'm happy to say we're riding a wave of artisanal jang appreciation," he concludes. The book, published earlier in 2024, laments how jang has not earned the UNESCO recognition that the kimchi-making practice of gimjang itself earned in December 2013. But here we are 11 years later, and we have the perfect book to explain this age-old cultural practice and even help us use various kinds of jang in the kitchen. "Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking" is available through . To remove this article -Will US allow Lebanese Army to deter Israeli violation of national sovereignty?
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Just about everyone dreams about cars they wish they could own, and there’s no better time than the holidays to make a list of vehicles you’d love to have in your driveway. The car pros at Edmunds rounded up five of their favorite dream-worthy vehicles. But rather than just list the most outlandish and expensive exotics, they focused on highlighting models that are expensive but not so pricey that it’d be completely unrealistic for you to own one one day. The vehicles are ordered in ascending order of price and include destination fees. Off-road trucks look fantastic and are extremely capable. What truck enthusiast wouldn’t have one topping their wish list? The king of the hill for 2025 is the F-150 Raptor R. The regular Raptor is already impressive, and the R takes it to the next level with a bonkers 720-horsepower supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine, upgraded Fox dual-value shock absorbers, and massive 37-inch all-terrain tires. An R-specific grille and hood are also part of the R’s upgrades. Thankfully, the Raptor R isn’t all bark and bite. It also has plenty of features to make it a livable truck for daily driving. Standard features include leather upholstery, cooling front seats, a premium sound system, and a surround-view camera to help make this big truck easier to park. Starting Price: $112,825 Few sedans can match the Mercedes-Benz S-Class for opulence, luxury and prestige. This grand sedan showcases nearly every luxury, technology and performance innovation that Mercedes-Benz has concocted. Everything you touch inside is likely covered in leather, heated, or bathed in disco-worthy ambient light. A novel could be written about all of the S-Class’ luxury and comfort features, but one of the most notable is the E-Active Body Control system. It scans the road surface ahead and adjusts the suspension to deliver the best ride possible. The S-Class also boasts an extensive list of advanced safety features and has an augmented reality head-up display that projects images that appear to float in front of the car. For the ultimate S-Class, get the 791-horsepower AMG S 63 E Performance model. Starting Price: $118,900 Who needs a European exotic car when the Corvette ZR1 is just as capable? A sports car fanatic’s wish list wouldn’t be right without the ZR1. The new Corvette hit a record-setting top speed of 233 mph, making it the fastest car ever built by an American automaker and the fastest current production car priced under $1 million, according to Chevrolet. The top speed record was possible thanks to the ZR1’s turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 engine that cranks out a staggering 1,064 horsepower. Its carbon-fiber aero package kept it glued to the track by generating over 1,200 pounds of downforce at top speed. Chevrolet also says the ZR1 can accelerate through the quarter mile in less than 10 seconds. We expect the Corvette ZR1 to go on sale in early 2025. Estimated starting price: $150,000 Does your wish list include a big and powerful SUV? If it does, the Escalade-V should top it. The big Caddy roars like a muscle car thanks to its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that churns out 682 horsepower and helps it hit 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. The Escalade-V also boasts enormous 24-inch wheels and large Brembo brakes that help bring the three-ton SUV to a stop. But the Escalade-V isn’t only about brute power. It also has three rows of seating, plenty of cargo space and offers impressive tech like Super Cruise, a hands-free highway driving system, and an enormous 55-inch curved display that spans the dashboard. Starting Price: $161,990 What if we told you there was a car that could outpace almost anything on a drag strip, keep up with high-end sports cars on a racetrack, and be comfortable enough for daily errands? Well, if that sounds amazing, add the Air Sapphire to your dream list. The Air Sapphire is a high-performance electric luxury sedan made by Lucid, an electric vehicle startup. It’s one of the most powerful production cars in the world, producing an astonishing 1,234 horsepower from its three electric motors. Lucid says it has a top speed of 205 mph and can rocket to 60 mph in a mind-numbing 1.9 seconds. You can adjust the vehicle’s setting for exceptional track performance or simply provide a comfortable ride around town. Starting price: $250,500 Even if you can’t afford any of these vehicles, you can still picture one sitting in your driveway or imagine yourself cruising around town in it. And who knows, maybe holiday magic will give you the opportunity to own one in the future. This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds . Michael Cantu is a contributor at Edmunds.Broadcom stock soars 20% as AI demand powers the company to a $1 trillion market cap