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Will Elon kill Elmo? Panic grips public media over fears of DOGE cuts to $535m funding By CHARLIE SPIERING, SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, WASHINGTON, DC Published: 21:52, 27 December 2024 | Updated: 21:52, 27 December 2024 e-mail View comments Executives for public broadcasting giants National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) are warily eying billionaire Elon Musk and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy 's mission to cut government waste out of the federal government. Musk and Ramaswamy were appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to the Department of Government Efficience (DOGE), vowing to give a top-to-bottom audit of the federal government and find ways to save taxpayer money. Leaders of NPR's biggest radio stations circulated a report warning of future threats to their government funding, according to the New York Times . 'While it's impossible to know what precisely will happen, it would be unwise to assume that events will play out as they have in the past,' the warning about DOGE reportedly stated. Congress approved $535 million in public funding for public broadcasting in 2024. But its coffers could soon be drained with DOGE taking control in January. Both Musk and Ramaswamy included the funding for public media on their list of federal expenditures that should be eliminated. For decades, Republicans have championed the idea of defunding public broadcasting, especially since the national brands are biased against conservatives . But efforts to defund the institutions typically generate widespread emotional pushback from Americans who harbor strong feelings for public programming like Sesame Street and local public radio. Any attempt to cut public broadcasting would be labeled by critics as an attempt to cancel or kill lovable characters like Elmo from Sesame Street. Elon Musk has vowed to address federal spending on public broadcasting media as part of his task to reduce government waste Any attempt to cut public broadcasting would be labeled by critics as an attempt to cancel or kill lovable characters like Elmo from Sesame Street Former failed presidential candidate Mitt Romney received widespread public outrage from Democrats after he declared in a debate that he would defund public broadcasting. 'I'm sorry Jim. I'm gonna stop the subsidy to PBS. I'm gonna stop other things,' Romney said during a 2012 debate with moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS. 'I like PBS, I like Big Bird, I actually like you too.' But Musk has previously signaled his opposition to federal funding for public media, particularly for NPR, which has received escalating criticism for its leftist bias. Should your tax dollars really be paying for an organization run by people who think the truth is a 'distraction'?' Musk wrote on X in November. He highlighted a video of NPR CEO Katherine Maher explaining to an audience that the 'reverence for the truth' had become a 'distraction' in the United States. Ramaswamy also reacted to the Maher video, calling for an end to taxpayer funding for outlets like NPR. 'Seeking truth isn't the real problem. It's wasteful federal spending,' he wrote . 'Let's turn off the spigot & see what happens. No one will be harmed.' In August, Vivek published a video on social media, criticizing them for ostracizing their journalists who demanded more political balance. 'NPR is quite literally state-funded media. At some point in the last decade, they started acting like it,' he warned. For decades, Republicans have championed the idea of defunding public broadcasting Former biotech executive Vivek Ramaswamy was appointed by Trump to work with Elon Musk to cut government waste Kari Lake, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for director of Voice of America Trump is committed to seeing significant change in direction from publicly funded media outlets. The president-elect selected failed Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake to lead Voice of America, a government-funded global news agency. Trump tasked Lake with making sure 'American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, unlike the lies spread by the Fake News Media.' Lake a former broadcast journalist reassured critics she would not try to remake the organization to serve a propaganda outlet for Trump and his agenda. 'I'm not there to make it Trump TV and MAGA TV,' she said in an interview with CBS. 'That's not what this is about. That's not what Voice of America is.' Politics Share or comment on this article: Will Elon kill Elmo? Panic grips public media over fears of DOGE cuts to $535m funding e-mail Add commentDaryl Bohac, former adjutant general for Nebraska, takes the podium with Gov. Jim Pillen, right, after being appointed director of the Nebraska State Historical Society. Nov. 21, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen has called upon Daryl Bohac to direct the embattled Nebraska State Historical Society, drawing Bohac back into public service after he retired 18 months ago from leading the Nebraska National Guard. Pillen said the decision to recruit and redeploy Bohac to fill a post that oversees collection, preservation and sharing of Nebraska history was based on his view of leadership. “When you spend 45 years of your life in public service, when you’re the adjutant general of the Nebraska Air and Army National Guard, you develop extraordinary leadership characteristics and qualities,” he said of the Nebraska native. Pillen said he needed someone to steer the 146-year-old historical agency he said had veered “off the tracks.” Renamed History Nebraska by the previous director, the agency has been scrutinized and restructured . It recently became part of the governor’s cabinet following the arrest two years ago of the former executive director, who faces theft charges for allegedly improperly handling a private donation to the state agency. Bohac will oversee more than 60 full-time employees, and start with a $175,000 salary. Questioned about Bohac’s qualifications for the history-centric job, Pillen cited his track record in creating a “culture of team.” During the past two years, turnover at the society was 22% and 31%, respectively, among the highest of state agencies, according to state personnel figures. More than once, Pillen mentioned Bohac’s work with the Nebraska National Guard Museum in Seward, which preserves state militia history and educates about the guard’s role during peace and war. Introduced in his new role at a Thursday news conference, Bohac said he had received a phone call from someone outside of the Governor’s Office inquiring about his interest in taking over the agency, which also publishes a quarterly magazine and operates a state history museum in Lincoln and six other historic sites across the state. He said he talked to his wife and others and felt it was a “good fit — perhaps a good opportunity in that I could bring some leadership values to a complex organization.” He said the past 18 months of retirement had been good for him and his family. “But it’s time to go back to work for the people of Nebraska.” Among top priorities, Bohac said, is improving financial accountability. He referred to the past executive director. Former director Trevor Jones is facing felony charges for allegedly misappropriating a private donation. He resigned in 2022, after serving six years as the top administrator, saying he planned to do some traveling . Shortly after Jones resigned, he was charged with theft by deception in connection with diverting two donations from a foundation that had been intended to over anticipated agency revenue losses due to COVID-19. He instead deposited the funds in a foundation he had set up. Jones recently asked the court to dismiss the felony charge, saying he has been denied his right to a speedy trial. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Tuesday. Pillen also pointed to the past. “It takes a lifetime of having a culture and it got tore down in a few simple years and it’s gonna take a lot of work to rebuild it to what Nebraskans expect.” The governor said he expects Bohac to lessen the society’s reliance on taxpayer dollars and to build active public and private partnerships. “It’s a $9 million a year budget but it doesn’t necessarily have to stand on the backs of taxpayers,” Pillen said. Bohac said he is excited to dive into his new mission — noting what he described as one of the first decisions presented to him in 2013 when he became the state’s adjutant general. It had to do with relocation of the military museum from the old Nebraska State Fairgrounds. He said the operations model relied on a combination of private, state and federal funding, a mix he plans to build upon at the state historical society. Other priorities in his new post, Bohac told reporters, include rebuilding core history museum exhibits to create a more alluring place for tourists and Nebraskans. He also wants to improve public access to archives. Bohac’s hire follows the passage earlier this year of Legislative Bill 1169, which made the historical society a code agency and part of the governor’s cabinet. That shift from independence status, and governance by a citizen Board of Trustees, worried many society employees who feared politics might enter into decisions about subject matter in museum displays, research projects and magazine articles. State lawmakers who supported LB 1169 said it should increase financial oversight and restore trust in the agency. Others feared potential impact. He has managed to adeptly thread the needle of keeping focused on mission and setting aside politics. – State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln put forth an amendment intended to protect the academic freedom of choosing museum displays and public outreach. Thursday, upon hearing of Bohac’s appointment, Conrad she welcomed the “sound” choice. She sees Bohac as an “adept leader” and a “nonpolitical person.” “He has managed to adeptly thread the needle of keeping focused on mission and setting aside politics,” she said. Conrad, a Democrat, said she believes Bohac will be supported across the political spectrum to “stabilize the important work of this agency which has been mired in controversy for far too long.” Founded in 1878 by people who saw a need to record stories of both the state’s indigenous and immigrant populations, the historical society was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the Legislature in 1883. In July, Pillen appointed Cindy Drake to be interim executive director. She had been at odds with the policies of the former director, Jones, and was dismissed after 45 years of serving as chief librarian at the society. Drake and Pillen moved swiftly to make changes at the agency, restoring the name to the Nebraska State Historical Society, rescinding a Jones’ decision to rebrand as “History Nebraska” in 2018. Employees also were reassigned. Public visiting hours were to be added at the society’s research room. A diversity council established by Jones was disbanded. During the media event Thursday, Bohac said he was eager to jump into his new job. As adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Bohac was responsible for programs affecting more than 4,500 Army and Air National Guard personnel. He oversaw the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and served as the state’s official channel of communication with the National Guard Bureau to the Departments of the Army and Air Force. Said Pillen: “The hardcore reality is Daryl and I see a lot of things alike. One is how important leadership is, how important culture is.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Originally published on nebraskaexaminer.com , part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
More than 8,000 evictions have been filed in El Paso County this year, an increase of 1,000 filings from 2023 and nearly double the number of eviction filings from 2021. A solution-based court in El Paso County looks to combat the growing eviction rate through finding solutions for those facing a loss of housing. Division CARE — which stands for Court Assisted Recovery from Eviction — began under the leadership of Magistrate Andrea Paprzycki in November of last year with the goals of providing resources to people facing eviction and, ultimately, keeping them housed. When speaking with The Gazette, Paprzycki spoke about the importance of assisting people who face evictions. “Housing is such a fundamental human right, and we essentially unhouse people,” Paprzycki said. “There are a lot of legal reasons to do that, and I'm not saying it's an unnecessary process. But people were starting here, left being unhoused, not knowing what to do and just feeling lost and alone.” Paprzycki said that Division CARE intends to help people facing eviction using three different avenues: Mediation between the landlord and the evictee to come to solutions prior to eviction, technological tools to assist people representing themselves through an eviction and eviction recovery resources. The first avenue may prevent an eviction: Division CARE mediates between the landlord and the potentially evicted client. In Colorado not every evictee is entitled to a mediation process with their landlord; Paprzycki said Division CARE extends an offer of mediation to everyone. Paprzycki said the mediation process allows for “a beneficial outcome for everyone, versus (Paprzycki) sitting there deciding what happens to people.” Those facing eviction are not entitled to an attorney like they would in criminal court. Paprzycki said that one of the biggest challenges for individuals facing eviction is the lack of resources to help them fight the eviction in court. Those difficulties are only exacerbated by the speed at which eviction filings go through court, often moving from the eviction being filed to the evictee being removed from the house in less than a month. In an effort to assist these people, Paprzycki and the problem-solving court coordinator for Division CARE, Cameron McDonald, have partnered with the University of Colorado to build an online tool for eviction defendants to create legal defenses to use in court. “I can't feed a tenant defenses,” Paprzycki said of why she views this online tool as important. “I'm not an advocate. I'm a judicial officer. I'm a neutral observer.” Paprzycki said that the current resources available for individuals facing eviction are not enough to help defendants represent themselves in court. There is no timeline for when the online tool will be ready, but Paprzycki said that it is being developed by volunteers at the University of Colorado at Boulder School of Law. The last and biggest avenue of Division CARE's work is the recovery resources provided to those facing eviction. McDonald said the most common resource needed by those going through an eviction is rental assistance, but that the program aims to find the reason an individual is about to be evicted, and help where needed. Type of assistance evictee referred to via Division CARE through Nov. 1, 2024. Paprzycki said that while being unable to pay rent is the primary cause of most evictions, there are often lots of other, often easily solved, reasons people are facing evictions. “You'll have an elderly person who can't clean up their lawn and their weeds are overgrown, and there's trash out there, and they just don't physically have the ability to do it,” Paprzycki said. “We can get some volunteers to clean their lawn and save them from being evicted.” For those who are unable to avoid their eviction, Division CARE has partnered with numerous local organizations including churches, school districts, nonprofits and more to have a wide network of options to help avoid leaving people without any help following an eviction. “One quote we got from a tenant said, ‘for the very first time in my life, I don't feel like I have to carry the weight of the world all by myself. I am incredibly grateful to you and to the judge who introduced me to the program,’” McDonald said. The Gazette sat in on the CARE intake process for a Colorado Springs woman unable to afford her rent, despite working two jobs. The woman, now facing eviction, spent around 20 minutes talking through her situation with intake director Charlene Best. When the woman mentioned she was a veteran Best was able to provide resources to a rehousing program for veterans for which the woman was not aware. Paprzycki spoke about one experience that she remembers in which a disabled student using a wheelchair was unable to return to school in their district due to their family being evicted. Paprzycki said that Division CARE was able to partner with D-38 to provide transportation for the impacted student to continue going to their school despite having to move outside of their former district boundaries. “It still brings tears to my eyes when I think about that,” Paprzycki said. “I put in so many extra hours to get this grant, and that was worth it, if that's all we did, that was worth it, that kid in a wheelchair got to stay in school.” According to data provided by McDonald, Division CARE worked with 419 people as of Nov. 1, 2024, less than one year after the program started. When taking into account that most households facing eviction include more than one resident, often children, McDonald estimates that the program has impacted more than 1,000 people since its creation last year. Number of children in a tenant's household, through Nov. 1, 2024. The number of people getting assistance from Division CARE continues to rise, with data provided by McDonald showing that the number of intakes completed by the program continues to rise each month. Month-by-month data for the number of successful intakes conducted by Division CARE, as of Nov. 1, 2024. Since its 2023 launch, CARE has led to a 15% reduction in trials in eviction court despite an increase of more than 1,000 in total eviction cases in El Paso County from last year, according to Paprzycki. Dating back to 2021 eviction filings have nearly doubled, with the total currently sitting at just over 8,100 for 2024 according to data from the Colorado Judicial Departmen t. The numbers in El Paso County mirror the trend across the state, eviction filings are increasing in nearly every county and there have been nearly 6,000 more evictions filed statewide this year than there were in 2023, according to data from the Colorado Judicial Departmen t. The rising eviction numbers, according to Paprzycki, make Division CARE more necessary and beneficial to the community than ever. “I think the court is an essential and integral part of the community, and we shouldn't just solve individual problems. We should be a problem-solving entity,” Paprzycki said. “We shouldn't be seen as the entity in this building that everyone's afraid of. ... We should be seen as a place that can be regarded as holding the community together and part of the fabric of our larger society, and a place that people can feel helped and supported." Despite the success, Paprzycki and McDonald have concerns about the future of Division CARE due to a lack of long-term funding, estimated at about $200,000 a year. The program is funded through 2026 by a combination of grants and part-time funding from the judicial department.Kruger National Park reminds day visitors of gate quotas
AP Business SummaryBrief at 3:48 p.m. ESTSIXTY workers were axed over WhatsApp without pay - before the bosses allegedly jetted off to Spain, it’s claimed. Marketing group 4iCG Ltd - who operate under the brands Pursuit Marketing and Your Shortlist - told workers their employment was terminated on Wednesday, December 11, over the messaging app. 8 Pursuit Marketing's offices are located in Finneston, Glasgow Credit: Les Gallagher 8 Co-founder and Director Robert Copeland Credit: Facebook 8 COO Lorraine Gray Credit: Linkedin 8 Robert and Lorraine drinking together in Spain, where the firm has offices Credit: Facebook And it is claimed devastated staff were told they would not receive any pay before Christmas . Yesterday it was confirmed the company had gone into liquidation the day before the bombshell announcement. A source told the Scottish Sun: “My relative worked for Pursuit Marketing and they told all their staff that they were laid off. “That’s over 60 members of staff. And they also said that they won’t be getting paid before Christmas. READ MORE SCOTTISH NEWS ARMED TAUNTS Boozed-up yobs wielding axes & machetes bringing terror to Scots council area 'TOXIC' Death probe at Scots maternity unit after report found mums & babies came to harm “And the owners are supposed to have left for Spain right after sacking everyone”. The Glasgow -based parent company also has a base in Torremolinos in Malaga. Absolute scumbags Pursuit Marketing. Leaving people with no pay or wages in December. How can you look at yourselves in the mirror! Messages from affected staff Messages from affected staff, seen by the Scottish Sun, said: “Looks like my employers have liquidated and are now in Spain . “Absolute scumbags Pursuit Marketing. Leaving people with no pay or wages in December. Most read in The Scottish Sun lew's new love Lewis Capaldi grows close to influencer as they party with Noel Gallagher STRIP SEARCH Gers ‘to ditch Castore for major kit brand' next season but there’s a catch CRYSTAL BALL Celtic vs Rangers score predictions as SunSport writers have their say CUP CROCK Rodgers issues major update on Johnston ahead of Rangers cup final showdown “How can you look at yourselves in the mirror! Absolutely no accountability whatsoever. “Do not trust any of these absolute charlatans in any future business incarnation”. Shocking moment McDonald's worker soaks homeless man with a mop & kicks sleeping bag - as bosses reveal he's been sacked Another message read: “I have 60-odd friends who have families who will not get their December salary this Christmas. Or any financial support. “I’m standing up for what is right... This behaviour has to be called out. Currently all of this was done via a WhatsApp Group. These people have no voice”. The firm, which has offices in the Finneston area of the city, is a marketing consulting company that specialises in “demand generation, telemarketing, digital marketing and creative design”. Pursuit Marketing is one of two brands that operate under The 4ICG Group, which described itself as being “the driving force behind the most talked-about B2B marketing brands” in over 32 countries. I have 60-odd friends who have families who will not get their December salary this Christmas... This behaviour has to be called out Messages from affected staff The other brand that is part of the group is called YourShortlist and it is said to offer “non-chargeable, expert, technology-buying advice.” Furious workers claim co-founder and director Robert Copeland and chief operating officer Lorraine Gray went to Spain after delivering the news . Workers have been trying to get in touch with HR since bosses delivered the news. Pursuit Marketing has since removed its Facebook page. Their website has also been wiped and the phone lines rang out before eventually going to voicemail with an automated message saying “all agents are busy”. ALL EXPENSES PAID TRIP THE mass layoffs come six years after bosses at Pursuit Marketing treated over 40 members of staff to an all-expenses paid luxury sunshine break to thank them for their hard work. Back in February 2018, the firm flew out their entire staff to Tenerife to celebrate for a long weekend as part of the company's seventh-anniversary celebrations. The team spent four days at the holiday resort as a reward for smashing sales targets the year before. At the time, COO Lorraine Gray said: "They are an outstanding team, and we wanted to say a very big 'thank you' for all their hard work. "Taking them away from winter conditions for a break in the sun seemed like the best way to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts." The agency, which was created in 2011, has also previously picked up gongs including SME Employer of the Year and Glasgow's Best Workplace. Connected brand YourShortlist, which has its offices in the same building as Pursuit Marketing, has also had its website taken down. It was unreachable over the phone with an automated message saying “Number not assigned, goodbye” when tried by the Scottish Sun. Alistair McAlinden, managing director at Interpath and joint provisional liquidator, added: “We understand news of the Companies’ closure will be distressing to their dedicated employees. "Our priority will be to support all those impacted by redundancy, including supporting them with applications to the Redundancy Payments Service.” Read more on the Scottish Sun BATTY WEATHER Record-breaking snow & temps on the way for Scotland as expert issues warning GER KIDDING Tottenham fans blast ex-Spurs star as he's spotted wildly celebrating Gers goal Geoff Jacobs, managing director at Interpath and joint provisional liquidator, said: “The Companies have an extensive database utilised by providers and buyers of IT solutions as an online marketplace, as well as white labels marketing campaigns for large global customers. "Parties interested in acquiring the business should contact us at the earliest opportunity.” 8 Pursuit Marketing is one of two brands that operate under The 4ICG Group Credit: Linkedin 8 Workers claim bosses laid off 60 members of staff two weeks before Christmas Credit: Facebook 8 It is claimed they sacked staff in a WhatsApp group chat Credit: Facebook 8 Staff have hit out at bosses Credit: FacebookTaiwanese Companies Tap into Hardware Expertise to Drive Innovation in Smart Mobility Sector
2024 was a year of stand-out music with fans’ lives soundtracked by redefining pop tunes, beefy diss tracks and viral songs taking off across social media platforms. With so much content to consider, narrowing down the world’s best five tunes of the past year proved challenging. However, some stood out above the others, not just on the charts but in the impact they could deliver. So, in no particular order, here’s our take on the best songs of 2024. Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar It debuted at No.1 on the Hot 100 and became the longest-running No.1 in the history of Billboard’s rap chart. It is none other than Lamar’s response to Drake’s seven-and-a-half-minute diss track that dragged his long-simmering beef with the fellow rapper even more into the public eye. The controversy centres around extremely serious allegations of paedophilia and exploitation aimed at Drake and his associates which remain unproven and are denied. Lamar’s vocals are sharp and relentless, matching the song’s intensity, synth and ratchet vibes. Pitchfork’s Paul A. Thompson described how Kendrick “tap dances across the beat, as nimble as he’s sounded since he signed to Interscope”. The feud between Lamar and Drake is among the biggest in hip-hop in recent years but many people are clearly enjoying singing along to it. Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan The 26-year-old has been a name in the music industry for almost a decade but this year she has really kicked off thanks to this song which was her first top 10 hit to make it onto the Billboard chart. The catchy heartbreak track consists of good wishes to a former lover in denial about their queerness. Billboard wrote: “The verses are every bit as strong as the glistening chorus, all playful, pillowy synths and easygoing ‘80s beats.” It’s just as glittery as her onstage costumes and awards outfits. Before she was Chappell Roan, she was Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, a closeted sad-girl singer-songwriter who got dropped by her label Atlantic Records in 2020. In 2023, she released her debut album via a new label and cued instant success which doesn’t seem to be waning. Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter Some music lovers have declared the former Disney Channel actress’ song as the hit of the summer. The catchphrase “That’s that me espresso” was the “foam on top of what was already one of the most unmistakable, invigorating and naturally addictive singles of 2024”, Billboard wrote. The play-on-words and lyricist queen demands to be heard with lines such as “walked in and dream-came-trued it for ya”, and “I can’t relate to desperation / My give-a-f---s are on vacation”. If it wasn’t the song itself garnering chatter online, it was the accompanying music video that featured a flirty Carpenter getting herself into all sorts of trouble. While the caffeine-injected hit didn’t earn her spot on the Billboard Hot 100, her breezy Please Please Please follow-up sure did making it a breakout year for the star. This year was also a big one for Carpenter having toured with Taylor Swift on her The Eras Tour. Max Corstorphan It’s Ok, I’m Ok by Tate McRae This generation’s so-called Britney Spears has said goodbye to her child-star days and is preparing to enter a fiery adulthood with this relatable and personal viral track. The 21-year-old is happy to tell the next girl in her ex’s life that she can have him with the line: “It’s okay, you can have him anyway.” McRae alludes that she’s detoxed herself from a past relationship and is letting both her ex and the other woman know she’s over it and onto bigger and better things. With humour and sarcasm shining through, the track was first teased to fans via TikTok with a snippet of the chorus doing the rounds on the video-sharing platform prior to its anticipated release. The pop star has well and truly risen up the ranks this year having completed her first world tour. And she even kicked off the Aussie leg right here in Perth last month. McRae has extended the tour with more dates in Europe, the UK and the US in celebration of a new album coming out on February 21. Girl, so confusing featuring Lorde by Charli XCX Rumours of a feud between UK pop star Charli XCX and New Zealand’s Lorde were finally addressed and put to bed when Charli released a remix of her song Girl, so confusing. She turned her original song about her fears of a frenemy’s intentions into an emotional moment of resolution between the two singers who not only have the same hair but also a lot of self-doubt and mutual admiration in common. Billboard wrote: “A song born out of real life that’s committed to remaining grounded in that messy and complicated reality. Equal parts reactionary and revelatory, ‘Girl, so confusing’ is a towering peek inside the psyches of two of pop’s most important women.”Alaska Airlines selected to connect San Diego and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with nonstop service
Donald Trump has yet to move back into the White House and already fissures are opening in his coalition, amid squabbling between Elon Musk and his Silicon Valley "tech bros" and his hardcore Republican backers. At the heart of the internecine sniping is Trump's central election issue -- immigration -- and the H1-B visas that allow companies to bring foreigners with specific qualifications to the United States. The permits are widely used in Silicon Valley, and Musk -- who himself came to the United States from South Africa on an H1-B -- is a fervent advocate. The world's richest man, who bankrolled Trump's election campaign and has become a close advisor, posted on X Thursday that welcoming elite engineering talent from abroad was "essential for America to keep winning." Vivek Ramaswamy, appointed by Trump as Musk's co-chair on a new advisory board on government efficiency, suggested that companies prefer foreign workers because they lack an "American culture," which he said venerates mediocrity. "A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers," he posted, warning that, without a change in attitude, "we'll have our asses handed to us by China." Skepticism over the benefits of immigration is a hallmark of Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement and the billionaires' remarks angered immigration hawks who accused them of ignoring US achievements in technological innovation. Incoming White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller posted a 2020 speech in which Trump marveled at the American "culture" that had "harnessed electricity, split the atom, and gave the world the telephone and the Internet." The post appeared calculated to remind critics that Trump won November's election on a platform of getting tough on immigration and boosting American manufacturing. But it was Michael Faraday, an English scientist, who discovered that an electric current could be produced by passing a magnet through a copper wire and Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealander, who first split the atom. And Alexander Graham Bell may have died a US citizen but he was a British subject in Canada when he invented the telephone. Trump voiced opposition to H1-B visas during his successful first run for the White House in 2016, calling them "unfair for our workers" while acknowledging that he used foreign labor in his own businesses. The Republican placed restrictions on the system when he took office, but the curbs were lifted by President Joe Biden. Trump is known for enjoying the gladiatorial spectacle when conflict breaks out in his inner circle. He has been conspicuously silent during the hostilities that Politico characterized as "Musk vs MAGA." Many MAGA figures have been agitating for a complete closure of America's borders while the problem of illegal entries is tackled, and hoping for a steer from Trump that would reassure them that he remains firm in his "America First" stance. For some long-time loyalists, Silicon Valley has already inserted itself too deeply into MAGA politics. "We welcomed the tech bros when they came running our way to avoid the 3rd grade teacher picking their kid's gender -- and the obvious Biden/Harris economic decline," said Matt Gaetz, the scandal-hit congressman forced to withdraw after being nominated by Trump to run the Justice Department. "We did not ask them to engineer an immigration policy." When Musk almost single-handedly blew up a deal painstakingly hammered out between Democrats and Republicans to set the 2025 federal budget, Democrats used "President Musk" to mock Trump, who is famously sensitive about being upstaged. It remains to be seen whether these cracks can be smoothed out or if they are a portent of further strife, but critics point to the chaos in Trump's first term as a potential indicator. "Looking forward to the inevitable divorce between President Trump and Big Tech," said far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, a MAGA figure with so much influence that she had a seat on Trump's plane during the campaign. "We have to protect President Trump from the technocrats." Loomer has subsequently complained of censorship after she was stripped of her paying subscribers on X, which is owned by Musk. "Full censorship of my account simply because I called out H1B visas," she posted. "This is anti-American behavior by tech oligarchs. What happened to free speech?" rle/ft/smsAlaska Airlines selected to connect San Diego and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with nonstop service
NEW YORK (AP) — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time," said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.Tweet Facebook Mail The father of one of the Melbourne teens who died from suspected methanol poisoning on the South-East Asia "trip of a lifetime" has urged the Laos government to fully investigate what happened to ensure her death was not in vain. Following the deaths of Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles , both 19, an emotional but determined Mark Jones read out a statement on behalf of his family, expressing their grief for the young Australians and the four other international tourists to die in a popular backpacker town this month. He said his daughter's "lust for life and adventure" had "cruelly been cut short" as her life was just beginning. METHANOL EXPLAINED: The deadly substance you can't see or taste Bianca Jones fell ill while on a backpacking holiday in Laos with her best friend. (Facebook) "Our daughter was on the trip of a lifetime with one of her best mates," Jones said yesterday. "This was meant to be a trip full of lifelong memories, and was to be the first of many. "Bianca wanted to explore the world, meet new friends, lead and create change for good." Instead, the friends died late this week in separate hospitals in neighbouring Thailand, where they'd been flown for more intense treatment after suffering suspected methanol poisoning. The victims are believed to have consumed drinks tainted with the substance, which sometimes appears in poorly made liquor or is added as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but can cause severe poisoning or death. READ MORE: What to know about the Laos town at centre of suspected methanol poisonings Mark Jones read out a statement on Saturday, November 23, 2024, on behalf of his family after the deaths of Australians Bianca Jones, Holly Bowles and several other backpackers died from suspected methanol poisoning in Laos. (9News) It is understood the owner of the Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng, where Bowles and Jones stayed, has been detained in Laos' capital Vientiane to assist police with their enquiries. The girls had free shots at the hostel before going out and drinking at other bars on the night before they were found ill but the hostel owner insisted the drinks did not come from his bar. The deaths sparked outrage, well wishes and warnings from Canberra to Washington, including messages from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, various consulates and even Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. Jones thanked the Australian government for its support and issued a request to authorities in Laos, one of the region's poorest countries, which has been popular with backpackers for years. "I would like to take this opportunity to urge the Laos government to investigate this to the fullest extent, to make sure this incident doesn't happen again," he said. "We can't have the passing of our daughter ... not lead to change to protect others. Holly Bowles (left) died after a suspected mass poisoning during a holiday. (Facebook) "Young men and women should be able to travel, create their own life experiences and be safe. "We'll forever miss our beautiful girl and hope her loss of life has not been in vain." After days of silence and limited transparency about police investigations into the deaths of the two Australian women, British lawyer Simone White, two Danish women and an American man, the Laos government finally addressed the tragedy on Saturday , stating it was "profoundly saddened" and promising to investigate. The Vientiane Times , which is part of an agency run by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, named the other victims as Danes Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Frela Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and American James Louis Hutson, 57. Reporters Sans Frontiers (Reporters Without Borders) ranks Laos 153 of 180 on the World Press Freedom Index. Mark Jones leaves with his family after speaking to the media. (9News) Simone White, UK lawyer victim of methanol poisoning in hospital (squirespattonboggs.con) Along with Nine's newspapers, the local outlet cited a police report stating that the Danes and Americans were separately found unconscious in their respective rooms at the Nana Backpackers Hostel on November 13, several days before news broke that the Australian women were fighting for life. The women went to a bar the previous night and returned home about midnight and weren't found until 6pm, while the American was discovered about three hours later after staff realised he hadn't left his room all day. Yesterday, the hostel manager said staff were told by other guests that Bowles and Jones were unwell after they failed to check out as planned on November 13, and they arranged transport to a hospital for them. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .The Five Steps To Drive Customer Growth With Product-Led Growth Long practiced in emerging companies, product-led growth (PLG) has been touted as one of the fastest ways for B2B firms to grow. Perhaps even more compelling than rapid growth is the lower cost of sales in PLG motions. Because the methodology is based on simplified products targeting individual users for self-serve purchase, initially, there is no need for business development reps or sales outreach. Traditional sales-driven firms, don’t despair! You can still get in on the action by adopting PLG strategies that complement your sales efforts at each stage of the customer growth trajectory — and drive faster and more profitable growth. Here are five steps to drive customer growth with PLG: Step 1: Drive user growth to seed the market. PLG can generate rapid user growth by relying on users to do the selling. Offer free trials and make sure that the product has a network effect where users gain more value the more others are using it — by collaborating within their team (e.g., Jira), across their company (e.g., Slack) or even across companies (e.g., Calendly). Create user referral programs where users are incentivized to share the product. These network and viral effects can drive “exponential growth” across markets and accounts. Step 2: Turn heavy user companies into product-qualified accounts. With users seeded across multiple companies, segments, and even regions, it’s easy for PLG organizations to identify the accounts where more users have adopted their product. Accounts with enough active users become new opportunities in the pipeline for a sales rep to close. This process is typically less costly than traditional top-of-funnel marketing efforts, and these product-qualified accounts are considered to be “better than the best” of traditional pipeline opportunities. Step 3: Leverage product telemetry to optimize the experience and build loyalty. A product that delivers fast time to value is foundational to PLG success and will help drive growth and retention for all selling motions. Build in product analytics so you can pinpoint user friction and optimize the time and effort it takes users to achieve their desired outcomes. This type of product telemetry can be used across small and simple or large and complex software modules and is instrumental in improving the user experience and building ongoing loyalty. Samsung’s Android 15 Leak—Bad News For Nearly All Galaxy Owners Dark Web Facial ID Farm Warning—Hackers Build Identity Fraud Database In Whiplash Maneuver, Court Rules Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting Requirements Are On Hold Step 4: Use in-product, personalized messaging to upsell customers to higher tiers. In PLG motions, the product is the primary marketing and selling method. Create contextual, personalized messages that both provide tips for specific activities and showcase additional offerings that could extend the value that users receive. In the context of existing workflows, alert users to new features, product extensions, or higher-tiered offerings. Offer trials for premium capabilities to make it easy for users to experience the value before expanding their purchase. Step 5: Combine product- and sales-led efforts to expand into new buying centers. Now that you’ve set up a PLG motion, use it to extend to new buying centers with the support of traditional sellers. Account teams should scout out new buyers and identify new use cases for offerings within accounts. Gain cross-sell business through PLG motions using trials and referral programs to incentivize users to share across buying centers. PLG strategies, while practiced successfully at smaller firms, have become additional arrows in the toolkit of go-to-market practices for many larger B2B firms. Pursuing a bottom-up PLG strategy in conjunction with traditional sales efforts has been shown to have the best results for rapid and scalable revenue growth. Just look at the success of Atlassian, Airtable, Dropbox, Calendly, HubSpot, and others to see how well the PLG and sales combination works. This post was written by VP, Principal Analyst Beth Caplow and it originally appeared here .
Lions head into NFC title game rematch vs. 49ers seeking top seed more than revengeFARGO, N.D. (AP) — Jacksen Moni's 25 points helped North Dakota State defeat Wisconsin-Stout 91-62 on Friday for its sixth straight win. Moni shot 9 for 13 (4 for 6 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Bison (9-4). Treyson Anderson scored eight points and added seven rebounds. Darik Dissette shot 3 of 3 from the field to finish with eight points. Carson Hoffman led the Blue Devils in scoring, finishing with 11 points. Justin Nelson added nine points and Dominic Croci recorded eight points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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TORONTO-Ontario, Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Avante Corp. (TSX.V: XX) (OTC: ALXXF) (“ ” or the “ ”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Frank Pietrobono as Vice President of Sales & Marketing, effective immediately. This appointment marks a significant milestone for Avante as it builds its sales leadership for the future and enters into the next phase of the Company’s growth. Mr. Pietrobono is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience driving growth and innovation in the technology and security industries through strategic vision, operational excellence, and market alignment. As the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Avante, he will spearhead initiatives to expand the Company’s global market presence, enhance customer experiences, and advance cutting-edge solutions at the intersection of technology and physical security, reinforcing the Company’s position as a leader in security solutions and technology-driven advancements. Prior to joining Avante, Mr. Pietrobono served as the Vice President of Business Development at RSPNDR Inc., where he played a pivotal role in transforming the startup into a leading service provider for monitoring stations across North America. His efforts to align technology with market needs established RSPNDR Inc. as a benchmark in rapid-response solutions. Mr. Pietrobono has also held senior leadership positions at Tyco International, and AlarmForce. Notably, during his tenure as Senior Director of Global Sales and Service Operations at Tyco, he led the deployment of Salesforce CRM across six countries, managed a $13 million USD operational budget, and scaled cloud services to over 350,000 subscribers within two years. Mr. Pietrobono has completed executive development programs at the Schulich School of Business and holds certifications in sales and Six Sigma. Mr. Pietrobono has also demonstrated a strong commitment to industry leadership, previously serving as National President of CANASA and representing the industry on boards such as The Monitoring Association and the Security Industry Association. Manny Mounouchos, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair of Avante, commented, “We are excited to welcome Frank to the Avante team. His extensive leadership experience and proven track record in driving growth and innovation make him the perfect addition to help us expand our global footprint and deliver cutting-edge solutions to our clients. Frank’s deep expertise in IoT, cloud-based solutions, and integrated security technologies align perfectly with our mission to lead at the forefront of technology and physical security. In addition, Frank is known for building high-performing teams and delivering impactful strategies in dynamic environments.” Avante Corp Inc. is a Toronto based leading provider of security operatives and technology enabled security solutions to residential and commercial clients. Avante’s mission is to deliver an elevated level of security globally, with white-glove mentality to high- net-worth families and corporations alike, through advanced solutions and methods of detecting conditions that require immediate response. The Company has developed a diversified security platform that leverages advanced technology solutions to provide a superior level of security services. With an experienced team and proven track record of solid growth, Avante is taking steps to establish a broad portfolio of security businesses and solutions for its customers through organic growth complemented by strategic acquisitions. Avante acquires, manages and builds industry leading businesses which provide specialized, mission-critical solutions that address the security risks of its clients. Avante is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker “ ”. For more information, please visit and consider joining our investor email list. Emmanuel Mounouchos CEO, Chairman, and Founder (416) 923-6984 This news release may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of applicable securities laws) relating to the business of the Company and the environment in which it operates. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “believe”, “anticipate”, “project”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “will”, “may” “estimate”, “pro-forma” and other similar expressions. These statements are based on the Company’s expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. The forward-looking statements in this news release are based on certain assumptions. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the Company’s ability to achieve the benefits expected as a result of the sale of Logixx Security Inc., anticipated growth from acquisitions, new service offerings and from development and deployment of new technologies and the list of risk factors identified in the Company’s Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A), Annual Information Form (AIF) and other continuous disclosure documents available at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Readers, therefore, should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any such statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.Sportscaster Greg Gumbel dies from cancer at age 78
Sports on TV for Thursday, Dec. 26If you want to make a cinephile cringe, “digital face replacement” is the phrase that pays. “Digital de-aging” and “deepfake” will do the trick, too. While theoretically just the latest addition to the filmmaker’s toolkit, it’s proven to enable some of Hollywood’s ugliest and most cowardly instincts. In an industry already averse to risk and change, digital de-aging and the more dehumanizing practice of outright replacing an unknown actor’s face with a familiar one allows media corporations to lean more than ever on the cheap high of nostalgia. Of course, any illusion — cinematic or otherwise — is only as good as the magicians creating it. If their intent is merely to dazzle you for a hot second, then it’s just a magic trick. With loftier goals and an artistic hand, a visual effect can be profoundly moving. Improbably, this year’s best argument for the value of digital face replacement in cinema came from a big-budget Star Trek fan film. 765874: Unification is a 10-minute short produced by effects studio OTOY and The Roddenberry Archive, an online museum founded by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s son Rod. It follows Captain James T. Kirk after his death in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations , navigating an abstract afterlife and crossing barriers of time and reality to comfort his dying friend, an aged Spock in the image of the late Leonard Nimoy. The role of James T. Kirk is portrayed by William Shatner — but also, it isn’t. It’s actually actor Sam Witwer, wearing a digital prosthetic of Shatner’s face circa 1994. This latest generation of digital mask renders in real time, allowing the actor to rehearse in front of a monitor and perfect his performance as he would with a physical makeup effect. Witwer’s work absolutely pays off. On first viewing, practically any viewer would reasonably assume that the actor on screen is a de-aged William Shatner. Without seeing it for yourself, you could be forgiven for dismissing Unification as easily as the late Harold Ramis’ cheap, ghostly cameo in Ghostbusters: Afterlife . The difference, however, is in the execution of this story as well as in its purpose. The climax of Ghostbusters: Afterlife sees a digitally resurrected Ramis effectively passing the Proton Pack to a new generation, offering a tacit endorsement of a commercial product that the actor never saw. It’s a mechanically engineered tearjerking moment amid a hollow exercise in nostalgia, a sweaty effort to invest a new generation in Ghostbusters — not the raunchy snobs-versus-slobs comedy, mind you, but the toy line it inspired. By contrast, Unification is a noncommercial work about putting the past to rest, and saying goodbye to two beloved figures: not Kirk and Spock, but Shatner and Nimoy. Related: The evolution of Spock, from a scrapped Star Trek pilot to Discovery Kirk and Spock, after all, live on, recast twice already on film and television. But this film wouldn’t work if the roles were played by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto , or Paul Wesley and Ethan Peck , because it’s not really about Kirk visiting Spock on his deathbed. It’s about the 93-year-old Shatner — who also produced the short along with Nimoy’s widow, Susan Bay Nimoy — facing his own death through the lens of his most famous character and finding comfort in the notion that he may be reuniting with the man he once called “brother.” It helps that this is a noncommercial work, but what really makes Unification outstanding is Sam Witwer’s performance. Director Carlos Baena composes something that is somehow both art film and tech demo, hiding the weaknesses of the VFX while trusting Witwer/Shatner’s face and Michael Giacchino’s original score to tell the story. Like most new technologies, digital makeup hit the market well before the kinks were worked out. Mass audiences got their first obvious look at the process in 2006, when the eerily smoothed-out faces of Sirs Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen stepped into frame in the prologue of X-Men: The Last Stand . In order to make the two actors, then in their 60s, appear 20 years younger, the production enlisted the VFX house Lola to apply a process that they’d previously employed to “perfect” the skin of pop stars in music videos. The results on the screen were infamously uncanny, but Lola co-founder Greg Strause nevertheless predicted that this work would cause a “fundamental shift” in cinema. “Writers have stayed away from flashbacks because directors don’t like casting other people,” Strause told Computer Graphics World at the time. “This could break open a fresh wave of ideas that had been off-limits.” On the one hand, Strause was correct in that digital de-aging enabled storytellers — particularly those working in genres with a higher threshold for suspended disbelief like science fiction or comedy — to expand the utility of certain actors in flashback. This became one of Marvel Studios’ favorite moves, letting Baby Boomer actors like Michael Douglas or Kurt Russell play 30 or 40 years younger for a few scenes, or Samuel L. Jackson for an entire film. The practice escaped the confines of genre cinema, adopted by Martin Scorsese for a few shots in 2006’s The Departed before the auteur went all in with 2019’s The Irishman , which used a new effects methodology innovated by Pablo Helman and ILM. No longer the specialty of one effects house, digital de-aging has become an industry in itself, with different studios offering different methods on a variety of scales and budgets. It’s everywhere now, from Avatar to The Righteous Gemstones . In theory, there’s nothing evil about a digital prosthetic. It’s simply another storytelling tool, like practical makeup. Like any visual effect, it works best when you don’t notice it. (If you’d never seen Willem Dafoe before Spider-Man: No Way Home , you’d have no idea he’d been de-aged 19 years ; the same can’t be said for Alfred Molina.) However, digital de-aging and face replacement are used more often as features to be appreciated than as effects to be disguised. At the moment, it’s a gimmick, a generous sprinkle of movie magic that makes something impossible — like 58-year-old Nicolas Cage getting a sloppy kiss from 28-year-old Nicolas Cage — possible. Digital face or head replacement can be used to a unique and interesting effect that preserves the integrity of an actor’s performance, allowing for stories that, as Strause predicted, might not have worked otherwise. The family drama in Tron: Legacy between Jeff Bridges’ aged Kevin Flynn, his estranged biological son Sam (Garrett Hedlund), and his “perfect” digital clone Clu is uniquely compelling in a way that probably would not click if Bridges was not also playing Clu via a process that digitally scanned his performance and rendered a virtual younger Bridges over the on-set performance of John Reardon, who in turn repeated all of Bridges’ takes to complete the illusion. What makes this sticky is this may be the first time you’ve heard of John Reardon, a working actor in Canada who figures heavily in a big-budget Disney feature but whose face never appears and whose voice is never heard and whose name is way down at the bottom of the acting credits. He’s listed as the “performance double” for Clu and Young Kevin Flynn. In this particular case, Reardon’s obscured role in the film is somewhat justified, as his performance mimicked Bridges’ takes as closely as possible and it’s Bridges who’s wearing a rig on his head and driving Clu’s CGI face. Stunt actors and stand-ins don’t share billing with the principals they’re doubling, and it could be argued that Reardon’s job on Tron: Legacy was not so different. But as studios — particularly Disney — double down on making each of their intellectual properties a living, everlasting document with an unbroken continuity, the use of digital masks represents a deeply troubling future where the person who’s performing a role is never the star. This industry villain wears the face of one of Hollywood’s most beloved heroes, Luke Skywalker . In 2020, when a young Luke made a surprise cameo appearance in the second season finale of The Mandalorian , one could easily imagine a media frenzy over Lucasfilm casting a new live-action Luke Skywalker for the first time . Instead, actor Max Lloyd-Jones was buried in the credits as “double for Jedi,” while Mark Hamill, whose face was superimposed onto his but who does not actually appear, received his own title card. When Luke reappeared in The Book of Boba Fett the following year, this time with a full speaking role, a different actor, Graham Hamilton, served as his “double.” In addition to replacing Hamilton’s face — a dead ringer for young Hamill — Luke’s dialogue was created using machine learning to mimic Hamill’s voice circa 1982. Next time Luke appears in a live-action Star Wars work as a digital phantom, he will no doubt be played by another disposable actor whose career will barely benefit, while the Disney-owned intellectual property that is Luke Skywalker remains a household name. Of course, we’ll also never know whether or not Max Lloyd-Jones or Graham Hamilton have the chops to succeed Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker because, in both of Young Luke’s television appearances, he does as little as possible, since the digital mask looks less convincing the more “Luke” speaks or emotes. Neither actor got the chance to do anything with the character to demonstrate either their own spin or even the perfect mimicry that Star Wars obsessives would no doubt prefer. The irony here is that, as is the case with practical makeup effects or full-body performance capture, the only thing that can really sell digital de-aging or full face replacement is great acting. 2024 saw Robert Zemeckis, a filmmaker who is constantly pushing the limits of technology to indulge his bizarre storytelling whims, hinge an entire film on digital de-aging , casting Tom Hanks and Robin Wright to play high school sweethearts all the way through to old age in his new feature Here . Beyond the novelty of the gimmick, avoiding recasting characters at different ages helps to keep Here ’s unconventional narrative legible as it bounces back and forth between decades and centuries. Here is a hokey and heavy-handed affair, but the digital effects never feel as if they’re a hindrance to their performances. Their digital masks, created using deepfakes from the hundreds of hours of footage available from their long careers, are among the best the big screen has seen so far. But the actors are also physically selling their characters’ different ages the way that stage and film actors have been doing for generations. It’s imperfect, but it’s sincere and informed by all the tiny decisions that actors make about their characters and their off-screen lives while preparing for a role. It’s that same element that made Andy Serkis’ performance as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings a watershed moment in cinema, and that continues to make the rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise exciting even after his departure. This year’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes , like its Serkis-led predecessors, shines not for its incredibly rendered sentient ape effects but for the way those effects disappear into the characters they represent. Peter Macon may not get recognized on the street for his voice and mo-cap performance as the endearing orangutan philosopher Raka, but there’s no debating whose performance it is. Contrast this against one of the year’s most widely criticized special effects: the late Ian Holm’s ill-advised cameo as the decapitated android Rook in Alien: Romulus . Director Fede Álvarez made an effort to avoid the digital uncanny valley by commissioning an animatronic Rook made from a cast of Ian Holm’s head (with the permission of Holm’s family), but a layer of VFX was added overtop of it that actually compounded the problem. It’s hard to say which was more distracting — the effect, or the mere presence of the Holmunculus itself. The narrative doesn’t require Rook to resemble an established character; it was simply an Easter egg turned rotten , an expensive effect that failed where an actor would have done just fine. Like so many filmmakers before who’ve whiffed on ambitious special effects, Álvarez and company may simply have succumbed to the temptation to use a cool new filmmaking toy. This impulse, if indulged, ends up hurting not only their respective films but the reputation of the technology as a whole. In an interview with TrekCulture about 765874: Unification , Sam Witwer was quick to push back against the notion that the short’s transformative digital makeup process would spread like wildfire — not despite his involvement in its development, but because of it. “It will grow so long as it’s done well. You’ll recall that when Jurassic Park came out, people were pretty high on CGI, because it was impeccably done. Then it got into the hands of people who didn’t do it as well, and ‘CGI’ was a bad word for a while. It’s all about the artists. In the case of OTOY, they trusted that an actor was an integral part of that team.” There is a great deal of well-justified anxiety in the art world over the general public’s apparent indifference about whether a piece of “content” is created by people or by artificial intelligence. The ability to enter a prompt into a piece of software and have it generate infinite variations on something you already like has widespread appeal, but it’s also incredibly shallow. 765874: Unification is, superficially, the kind of story a Trekkie might try to generate via AI, a “fix-it fic” starring two actors who no longer exist as we remember them. But there’s nothing you can type into a machine that is ever going to result in a film like this. For as much as Unification is a weird, lyrical jumble of deeply obscure Star Trek lore, it’s also a minor cinematic miracle. If something like this can exist and bring a tear to the eye of the most jaded, critical viewer, then the technology behind it doesn’t have to represent a creative doomsday. Employed with purpose and human emotion and performance behind it, it can create something unique and beautiful. Entertainment Movies Opinion Sci-fi Star Trek TVStephon Gilmore still not practicing for Vikings
President Jimmy Carter recognized there was political value for a young congressman to be seen in proximity to the president. President Jimmy Carter, with U.S. Rep. John Cavanaugh right behind him as Carter suggested, is greeted on the tarmac by Gen. Richard H. Ellis after exiting Air Force One at SAC on Oct 22, 1977. So as Air Force One landed at Offutt Air Force Base in 1977 during Carter’s first presidential visit to the state, he offered Omaha congressman John Cavanaugh a little advice just before they exited the plane. “Stay close, John,” he said. Sure enough, the hundreds who had gathered on the tarmac to greet the president also saw Cavanaugh right in Carter’s shadow, which got Cavanaugh featured in news photos from the day. President Jimmy Carter never enjoyed much electoral success in Nebraska. The Democrat lost to Omaha native Gerald Ford in 1976 and conservative icon Ronald Reagan in 1980. But both during his four years as president and his many years after as an international champion of peace, the modest peanut farmer from Georgia gained a lot of admirers. Cavanaugh and other Nebraskans who met Carter described the former president — who died Sunday, according to his son and multiple news reports — as a kind and genuine man with a personality that sparkled as much as his signature wide-toothed grin. “What a wonderful person,” recalled Cavanaugh, a Democrat whose two terms in the House of Representatives coincided with Carter’s 1977-1981 term as president. Preston Love Jr. of Omaha also mourned Carter’s death at age 100. The North Omaha civic leader and recent Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate had the chance to meet the former president at Carter's home in 1983 as a then-staffer for Rev. Jesse Jackson. “I mourn the fact that he, to this date, has not received his due — as president, and for his post presidential exploits, which have been enormous,” Love said in 2023. Amanda Brewer, Habitat for Humanity of Omaha CEO, met Carter while volunteering to help build a Habitat home in Georgia in 1998 — an encounter that helped to inspire her to a career with the charity. "I think his legacy, and inspiration to me, is that everyone has the ability to make a difference," she said. U.S. Rep. Don Bacon offered prayers Sunday for Carter's family. "From his time as a naval officer, then as a state senator and Governor of Georgia, and finally as President, Jimmy Carter gave a lifetime of service. After serving our country, he set the standard of post-political life with his service to Habitat for Humanity. Carter first came to Nebraska during campaign trips in 1975 and 1976. He had been doing a lot of campaigning across the Missouri River for the Iowa caucuses, the first test of the presidential election cycle. In fact, Carter ultimately wrote the book on how to use early success in Iowa and New Hampshire to propel a bid for a presidential party nomination. Carter was elected in November 1976, though in Nebraska incumbent Ford pulled in 59% of the vote and prevailed in 89 of the state’s 93 counties. Carter that spring also narrowly finished second to Frank Church of Idaho in the Nebraska Democratic primary. Carter’s first visit to the state as president came on Oct. 22, 1977, when he flew into Omaha to tour the Strategic Air Command headquarters at Offutt. At the time, tensions with the Soviet Union were high. The chance that a nuclear war could be waged one day from SAC’s bunker south of Omaha was very real. Carter received a tour of both the underground command post and the doomsday plane that could launch the nation’s nuclear arsenal in a time of emergency. He also picked up the “red phone” and spoke a message of thanks to SAC servicemen around the globe for their work to prevent “the possible destruction of our nation.” At the time, there was a little internal tension within SAC, too. Carter had recently canceled the B-1 bomber program, which was strongly supported by Gen. Richard H. Ellis, the SAC Commander. Carter didn’t back off the decision. He was focused on reducing the deficit at a time of high inflation. He felt the B-1 had been made obsolete by the development of accurate cruise missiles that could fly the same speed and distance and a new generation of B-2 stealth bombers that was on the drawing table. A display at SAC headquarters had included a model of the B-1. Before the president’s visit, it was replaced with a model of a B-52. Carter also toured a B-52 on the Offutt runway. (Reagan as president revived the B-1.) Cavanaugh was given the opportunity to fly into Omaha with Carter. The two talked about depressed farm prices, a chief concern in Nebraska, and the president’s energy bill during the flight. Carter stopped in Nebraska again during a cross-country flight on June 10, 1980, to tour tornado-ravaged Grand Island. A week earlier, a freakish storm sent at least seven tornadoes descending on the city, killing five, injuring 200 and destroying or damaging nearly a third of the city. Touring the devastation with then-Gov. Charles Thone, Carter’s motorcade stopped in front of what had once been the home of Del Kosmicki. The Grand Island man told the president everyone was working together in the recovery. Carter then crossed the street and stood atop the foundation of another former home to speak. Against a backdrop of shattered houses and stripped-bare trees, he told those gathered that God had blessed them by minimizing the damage. He encouraged them to keep their selfless attitudes during the rebuilding to come. "He was very genuine and sincere," Kosmicki told the Grand Island Independent. "I thought he did a really good job." Reagan’s Nebraska campaign chair called Carter’s visit an election-year political stunt. But Thone, a Republican, defended it as a sincere effort by the president to buoy spirits in the city. Later that year, Reagan swept Nebraska with 65% of the vote. Reagan’s landslide victory nationally sent Carter back to his farm in Plains, Georgia. But the loss certainly didn't send Carter into retirement. Carter worked for decades as an international ambassador for peace and human rights, creating an all-new model for post-presidential life. Love had the chance to meet Carter in Plains in 1983. At the time, Love was the lone staffer to Rev. Jesse Jackson as he registered voters in the South and laid the groundwork for Jackson's bid for president in 1988. Carter and his wife Rosalynn were gracious hosts, Love said, providing insight into the presidency and its history and even giving the visitors a tour of the peanut operation. “While President Carter encouraged Rev. Jackson to pursue a run for president, he was very clear and forthright about the pitfalls and the realities of doing such,” Love said. “I felt after meeting him in that situation, a tremendous like and respect for the man.” Amanda Brewer, left, with Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter and Brewer's mother, Kathy Jedlicka. Brewer recalled Carter as a down-to-earth and compassionate man when she met him in 1998 while she and her mom volunteered at a Habitat home in Americus, Georgia, near Plains. Carter and his wife, who died in November 2023, had fully embraced the charity. They became among its biggest advocates and fundraisers, and even picked up hammers and saws themselves. That day, the Carters were going around thanking all the volunteers. "He used his influence, rolled up his sleeves and was willing to do the work," Brewer said. "His values aligned with Habitat's values of putting your faith in action and doing something to make the world a better place." As president, Carter will likely be best known for brokering the peace deal between Egypt and Israel. It was a prelude to his work once out of office. Cavanaugh was present on the White House lawn when the parties signed the Camp David Accords. Carter won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." But Cavanaugh said Carter actually accomplished a lot domestically, much of it overshadowed by the Iran hostage crisis and continued economic problems that largely doomed his re-election bid. With his high ethics, Carter was also the right man to lead the nation into the post-Watergate era, Cavanaugh said. “He was always kind, hard-working and thoughtful,” Cavanaugh said. “He was just a sweetheart.” President Jimmy Carter shakes hands during a visit at Offutt Air Force base on Oct. 22, 1977. Capt. David L. Young gives a tour of a B-52 to President Jimmy Carter at Offutt Air Force Base on Oct. 22, 1977. President Jimmy Carter visits Strategic Air Command on Oct 22, 1977. 1977: SAC Commander-in-Chief Gen. Richard H. Ellis leads President Jimmy Carter past experts who man the command post console at Offutt Air Force Base. President Jimmy Carter speaks at the Grand Island airport on June 10, 1980. From left are Nebraska Gov. Charles Thone, Maj. Gen. Edward Binder of the Nebraska National Guard and Grand Island Mayor Bob Kriz. Carter's visit came after seven tornadoes touched down in or near the city, killing five people and injuring 200 on the night of June 3. President Jimmy Carter gives a speech near the destroyed home of Dennis Williams home at 707 Joehnck Road in Grand Island on June 10, 1980. Seven tornadoes touched down in or near the city that, killing five people and injuring 200. President Jimmy Carter gives a speech near the destroyed home of Dennis Williams home at 707 Joehnck Road in Grand Island on June 10, 1980. Seven tornadoes touched down in or near the city that, killing five people and injuring 200. Grand Island Mayor Bob Kriz, Nebraska Gov. Charles Thone and Jimmy Carter at the Grand Generation Center on June 10, 1980. Seven tornadoes touched down in or near the city that, killing five people and injuring 200. Former President Jimmy Carter receives an honorary degree from Creighton University in September 1987. Jimmy Carter speaks in Omaha on June 6th, 1975 during his run for president. President Jimmy Carter, with U.S. Rep. John Cavanaugh right behind him as Carter suggested, is greeted on the tarmac after exiting Air Force One at SAC on Oct 22, 1977. cordes@owh.com , 402-444-1130, twitter.com/henrycordes Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.ISLAMABAD - South Asia, home to over 1.8 billion people, is facing escalating environmental challenges, with marine pollution emerging as a critical threat. Coastal ecosystems, reliant on fishing and tourism, are suffering from rising levels of plastic waste, industrial runoff, and untreated sewage. Immediate action is needed to protect both the environment and the livelihoods of vulnerable populations. The region’s heavy reliance on agriculture is a key driver of marine pollution, as excessive use of chemical fertilizers causes nutrient-rich runoff that contaminates rivers and oceans. Despite efforts to improve farming practices, countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh continue to see rising fertilizer use, aggravating the environmental crisis. A recent World Bank report reveals that six South Asian countries contribute to cross-border pollution, including plastics, industrial waste, and untreated sewage, through the 20 major rivers in the region. The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Indus River basins are major sources of pollution. This environmental degradation is severely impacting coastal economies, with declining fish stocks, polluted beaches, and damaged marine habitats leading to significant economic losses. 2-day Kashmir Jannat Nazeer festival concludes Plastic waste, one of the most persistent threats to marine life, exacerbates the problem. Improper waste management and storm-driven littering result in plastics — such as bags, bottles, and fishing gear —entering the oceans. The long decomposition time of plastic leaves lasting damage to coastal ecosystems. Pakistan, for instance, faces significant marine pollution challenges, especially in its coastal cities like Karachi and the districts of Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin in Sindh. The country generates approximately 20 million tons of waste annually, with 10% consisting of plastic. While Pakistan has taken steps, such as banning single-use plastic bags in major cities, much more needs to be done. Local governments can extend these bans to coastal areas and organize cleanup projects to promote sustainable practices. Professor Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, a Sustainable Development Expert, talking to APP emphasizes that effective wastewater management is crucial in mitigating marine pollution. He advocates for the installation and upgrading of wastewater treatment plants to prevent untreated industrial and domestic waste from reaching the sea. He also suggests converting waste into energy as a sustainable alternative. ITP tackle over 800,000 traffic violations, issues 64,395 new licenses in 2024 Dr. Kumbhar stresses the importance of stricter enforcement of environmental laws, particularly in Sindh, to prevent industries from discharging untreated waste into the sea. He also advocates for educating local communities and stakeholders about the harmful effects of marine pollution and promoting eco-friendly practices. Establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) along the Sindh coastline would also contribute to conserving vital marine ecosystems, he says. Marine pollution is not only a threat to biodiversity but also to the health of coastal communities. The pollutants in the oceans, such as heavy metals, microplastics, and chemicals, accumulate in fish, posing serious health risks including cancer and neurological disorders. Poor sanitation and untreated sewage discharge further exacerbate waterborne diseases like cholera, hepatitis, and gastrointestinal infections in coastal areas. Moreover, the declining fish stocks due to pollution threaten the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen in Sindh and other regions. Shakrial post office: a lifeline amidst adversity The destruction of coral reefs, vital for biodiversity and coastal protection, further complicates the situation. Pollution, including oil spills, significantly damages these ecosystems, weakening natural defenses against cyclones and rising sea levels. Mangroves, another crucial barrier against coastal erosion, are also suffering from unchecked industrial activities and pollution. As a result, coastal areas are becoming more vulnerable to extreme weather events. Addressing marine pollution in South Asia requires concerted efforts at both the regional and global levels. Dr. Kumbhar stresses the importance of international collaboration to tackle transboundary marine pollution effectively. Drawing inspiration from initiatives in countries like Vietnam and Indonesia, he advocates for shared knowledge and joint actions to reduce ocean pollution. Indonesia, for example, plans to cut marine plastic debris by 70% by 2025 through public awareness campaigns and infrastructure improvements. Similarly, Vietnam aims to reduce marine plastic by 50% by 2030, focusing on eliminating single-use plastics in coastal tourist areas. Azerbaijan cuts Russian citizens' stay from 180 to 90 days Meanwhile, in China, the “Blue Circle” initiative, started in 2020, uses digital technology to manage marine plastic waste, with impressive results. This model has helped recycle over 10,000 tonnes of marine waste, including 2,200 tonnes of plastic, with plans to expand the effort nationwide. The threats facing South Asia’s marine ecosystems are undeniable. Acidification, overfishing, and pollution are all factors contributing to the rapid decline in ocean health, impacting food chains and the income of those reliant on fishing. Immediate action is required to safeguard marine biodiversity, protect local economies, and ensure long-term sustainability. Governments, industries, and local communities must collaborate to enforce stricter environmental laws, promote sustainable practices, and invest in cleanup initiatives. Only through combined efforts can South Asia hope to reverse the damage and preserve its coastal resources for future generations. CTP issue 40,985 challan slips to unfit PSVs Tags: marine pollution a
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Ignoring cultural context can lead people to make financial decisions that don't align with their values.Source: Kaboompics .com / Pexels When it comes to money, it’s easy to believe that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to handle personal finances. Popular media, financial advisors, and even well-meaning family members often frame financial decisions in terms of good versus bad, success versus failure. Personal finance is nuanced, especially when considering the powerful influence of culture on our beliefs and behaviors around money. Without understanding the cultural messages that shape our attitudes toward wealth, debt, and spending, we risk making financial decisions based on narrow or incomplete perspectives. Just as we learn language, customs, and social norms from the culture around us, we also absorb messages about money.Cultural competence is the ability to understand and appreciate how different cultures influence our behaviors. Understanding how our cultural experiences tie into money experiences is crucial. In more collectivist cultures, financial decisions often take into account family or community well-being. Lending between family members, for instance, may be seen as an expression of solidarity rather than an individual financial decision. The cultural values that shape these financial practices aren’t “right” or “wrong.” They’re simply different.Personal finance is often presented in terms of absolutes. Ultimately, understanding the cultural influences that shape our financial beliefs is crucial to making thoughtful, intentional financial decisions. The messages we’ve absorbed over a lifetime inform how we view money and what we consider to be financial success. We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more: