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TWO sleeps until Christmas and the line was already out the door at the Newcastle Fisherman's Co-op . Login or signup to continue reading It's the season when customers clamour for fresh, local seafood, and this year was no different for co-op chief executive Rob Gauta who expected some 2500 to 3000 people to walk through the doors. "People get here at crazy hours, and I just think to myself, 'Well, okay, that's fine'," he said. "There's one lady; I think she's been the first to be served like five years in a row, and she gets here at midnight." When it comes to preparations for the busiest week of the year, the co-op measures in tonnes, not kilograms. At least eight tonnes of prawns, 4000 dozen oysters, 400 to 500 lobsters and two and a half tonnes of fish are expected to be weighed, wrapped and served up on Christmas tables across the city. Floods in Queensland threw a slight spanner in the works when it came to getting prawns down to the co-op, but better a day late than never. Mr Gauta has taken 300 pre-orders this Christmas with a minimum spend of $400. "We've put on 30 to 40 people down there where normally we only have 10 or 15 in the shop, we try to give the best service we can and keep people turning over and getting through the shop," he said. Prawns and oysters have been the most popular products this year, and lobsters, along with barramundi and salmon, are high on the grocery list. The co-op opens at 7am on Christmas Eve, and Mr Gauta said it is one of the biggest trading days of the year. "We try and give our customers the freshest and best product we possible can," he said. "Our farm prawns are fresh, they're not frozen. Unfortunately, this year, the weather gods were horrible to us, and we didn't get any fresh local king prawns, but that's the way it is. "If the customers want to be confident that their seafood is fresh, buy local. "The money stays in Newcastle and we try to help our families and the members of our fishing families." The co-op closes at 2pm on Wednesday. Madeline Link is a born and bred Novocastrian who started her career as a journalist in the New England North West in 2016. She is an experienced council and court reporter, former deputy editor of the Northern Daily Leader and two-time Kennedy Award finalist. In unrelated incidents, she previously reported on country music in Australia's country music capital and was once flung across Lake Macquarie in a power boat at more than 100 kilometres per hour. Maddie now works at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on Newcastle council. To keep up with my stories, follow my X @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au. Madeline Link is a born and bred Novocastrian who started her career as a journalist in the New England North West in 2016. She is an experienced council and court reporter, former deputy editor of the Northern Daily Leader and two-time Kennedy Award finalist. In unrelated incidents, she previously reported on country music in Australia's country music capital and was once flung across Lake Macquarie in a power boat at more than 100 kilometres per hour. Maddie now works at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on Newcastle council. To keep up with my stories, follow my X @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!A clip of a Coca-Cola truck at a Christmas toy drive run by the police association in Davenport, Iowa, is falsely described in posts online as showing a vehicle in Cicero, Illinois, used for trafficking children. The Instagram account that originated the false claim retracted it days later and police told Reuters that none of the events described by the account owner occurred. The video shared across Facebook and X , opens new tab shows a man speaking to the camera and then cuts to a clip of two police vehicles parked around a large Coca-Cola truck viewed from across a busy roadway. The voiceover says in part that it shows the scene where police found a “truck full of kids.” One Facebook post shared a screenshot of the video with the caption, “2 days ago in Cicero there was a Coca-Cola truck that was found packed with children in the back, how is this not plastered all over the news.” The clip, however, shows a toy drive in Davenport, Iowa. The Davenport Police Department said in an email that online posts about the footage being linked to child trafficking are false and that the clip shows the Davenport Police Association’s 22nd Annual Toy Drive. The Coca-Cola truck and police vehicles seen in the footage are not from any criminal investigation in their jurisdiction, the department added. Davenport-based KWQC News reported , opens new tab that the Davenport Police Association held the toy drive on Dec. 14 and 15 to benefit Family Resources , opens new tab , an organization that supports at-risk children and families. Footage of the event from Iowa TV station Local 4 News WHBF shows the same truck and police vehicles , opens new tab as in the social media visuals. A building seen in the online video at 0:28 matches the Google Street View , opens new tab of a Firestone outlet captured at Kimberly Road in Davenport. Facebook posts by the Davenport Police Association say that the Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, which bottles and distributes Coca-Cola products in Iowa and other states, supported the drive , opens new tab and provided complementary bottles of Coca-Cola , opens new tab to donors. The video linking the footage of the Iowa scene to child trafficking in Illinois can be traced to a Dec. 16 post , opens new tab by Instagram account “famouscooleycarter.” A follow-up video , opens new tab posted by the account on Dec. 17 retracted claims of child trafficking and said in part, “the real story is, they found a woman who had left her two children in the Coca-Cola truck” while she went shopping. The man in the video also said the incident happened in Decatur, Illinois, which is a three-hour drive from Cicero. The account owner did not immediately respond to a request for comment and, as of Dec. 26, had not taken down the original false post.Chief of Police Shane Brandel of the Decatur Police Department said in an email that the claims made in the video are false and that no such incident took place in Decatur. False. The video of police cars surrounding a Coca-Cola truck shows a Christmas toy drive in Davenport, Iowa, not a child trafficking incident in Illinois. This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Wild first season in expanded Big 12 comes down to final weekendMinister Asagwara vows to improve Manitoba’s health care in CityNews year-end interview

NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Gross Law Firm issues the following notice to shareholders of iLearningEngines, Inc. (NASDAQ: AILE). Shareholders who purchased shares of AILE during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointment. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery. CONTACT US HERE: https://securitiesclasslaw.com/securities/ilearningengines-loss-submission-form/?id=113431&from=3 CLASS PERIOD: April 22, 2024 to August 28, 2024 ALLEGATIONS: The complaint alleges that during the class period, Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company’s “Technology Partner” was an undisclosed related party; (2) the Company used its undisclosed related party Technology Partner to report “largely fake” revenue and expenses; (3) as a result of the foregoing, the Company significantly overstated its revenue; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. DEADLINE: December 6, 2024 Shareholders should not delay in registering for this class action. Register your information here: https://securitiesclasslaw.com/securities/ilearningengines-loss-submission-form/?id=113431&from=3 NEXT STEPS FOR SHAREHOLDERS: Once you register as a shareholder who purchased shares of AILE during the timeframe listed above, you will be enrolled in a portfolio monitoring software to provide you with status updates throughout the lifecycle of the case. The deadline to seek to be a lead plaintiff is December 6, 2024. There is no cost or obligation to you to participate in this case. WHY GROSS LAW FIRM? The Gross Law Firm is a nationally recognized class action law firm, and our mission is to protect the rights of all investors who have suffered as a result of deceit, fraud, and illegal business practices. The Gross Law Firm is committed to ensuring that companies adhere to responsible business practices and engage in good corporate citizenship. The firm seeks recovery on behalf of investors who incurred losses when false and/or misleading statements or the omission of material information by a company lead to artificial inflation of the company's stock. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: The Gross Law Firm 15 West 38th Street, 12th floor New York, NY, 10018 Email: dg@securitiesclasslaw.com Phone: (646) 453-8903Ange Postecoglou comes out firing as he insists 'I don't feel any extra anxiety' despite Tottenham's poor form... with teenagers drafted in to solve Spurs injury crisis ahead of clash with Wolves Tottenham have lost four of the last five in the Premier League and sit 12th Ben Davies has suffered a setback while Radu Dragusin is struggling to be fit By MATT BARLOW Published: 17:58 EST, 27 December 2024 | Updated: 17:58 EST, 27 December 2024 e-mail View comments Ange Postecoglou has promised to hold his nerve through Tottenham's latest sequence of misfortune and misfiring form. He dismissed the idea pressure must be building and anxiety seeping in, instead insisting his players are behind him, fully on board with his adventurous playing style and that the club's recruitment department are trying to ease what he considers the worst injury crisis of his coaching career. 'I get where people kind of look at my situation and think "Jeez, he needs to do something or else he is in trouble" but I don't think that way,' said Postecoglou. 'It's not how I am wired. 'My motivation is try to create teams who win things and have success. That doesn't really change. I will keep doing what I am doing. It doesn't add any pressure or I don't feel any extra anxiety about anything. I firmly believe we will get through this and come out stronger and create the team we want to be.' Spurs have lost four of the last five in the Premier League and suffered another untimely blow yesterday(FRI) with Ben Davies ruled out for at least two more weeks after suffering a setback on his return to training after three weeks out with a hamstring problem. Djed Spence misses Sunday's game against Wolves, banned after a red card in the Boxing Day defeat at Nottingham Forest. Radu Dragusin is struggling to be fit with an ankle injury from the same game. With Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven still out, it leaves Postecoglou desperately short in central defence. Yves Bissouma and Alfie Dorrington will lead the contenders to partner Archie Gray if Dragusin is out. Even so, Postecoglou tried to remain positive. 'We're not that far off,' he said. 'A week ago, I was sitting here after winning a Carabao Cup quarter final and having beaten Southampton 5-0. And we're in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup and still in great position in Europe and there's the FA Cup. 'Our league position is not great but it's super tight. If you look at some of the teams four or five points above us, I don't think that's going to stretch by any great lengths over the next period because all teams you see are suffering at some point. Ours is probably a bit more extreme than others but I'm confident we'll work through that. 'There's still everything for us to play for this year to make it a season where we can have success.' Reinforcements, though, would certainly help. 'The players need some help, more importantly, and the club is working really hard to try make that happen,' said Postecoglou, but the January market can be difficult, and Tottenham intend to hold their discipline in line with recent windows. Richarlison and Mikey Moore are expected back in training next week, before the Premier League game against Newcastle, and Yang Min-Hyeok, an 18-year-old South Korean winger, can be registered in the New Year. Yang signed from Gangwon in July but completed the K-League season before making the switch to London. Postecoglou insisted the players were still firmly behind his methods. 'They are still trying so hard,' said Postecoglou. 'That's the first thing you look at as a manager, are the players still responding or are they out there looking to an alternative? 'It's human nature to think we need to do something different or we're obviously undermanned, let's change something. I haven't sensed that. The players still want to tackle this the way we are tackling it. It's a credit to them. 'But it's up to me to guide them through that and show them all these things are temporary, and that you will get through it. If we do get through them in a positive way, the bonus and the benefit is that makes you stronger. 'There's always people in life who people look at a bit curiously because they do things a bit differently and they're a bit of a joke until they get it right then all of a sudden they're a genius. That's probably relevant to us right now.' Ange Postecoglou Tottenham Hotspur Share or comment on this article: Ange Postecoglou comes out firing as he insists 'I don't feel any extra anxiety' despite Tottenham's poor form... with teenagers drafted in to solve Spurs injury crisis ahead of clash with Wolves e-mail Add commentProposed Agri-science centre gets new name and new potential homeFor small businesses, the biggest change in the new year will be the arrival of a presumably more business-friendly administration in Washington. But there are other shifts owners should keep on their radar. Here’s what small-business owners should keep in mind in 2025: Inflation remains a wild card for 2025. It has retreated from its peak of 7.2% in June 2022, according to the Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge, standing at 2.3% in October. Moves by the Fed and the incoming Trump administration are likely to swing inflation one way or another. On Dec. 18, the Federal Reserve raised its projection for the inflation rate for 2025 to 2.5% from a prior estimate of 2.1% issued in September. The Fed also forecast just two rate cuts for the year, down from four. Sticky inflation and high rates could mean higher costs for both consumers and businesses. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump proposed tax cuts — on Social Security benefits, tipped income and overtime income — as well as a scaling-back of regulations. Collectively, these moves could stimulate growth. At the same time, Trump threatened to impose a variety of tariffs on imports and to seek mass deportations of migrants, which could accelerate inflation. Either way, inflation is certain to remain top of mind for small-business owners. “What we’ve seen for the past two-and-a-half years is that inflation is the top concern for small business,” said Tom Sullivan, vice president of small business policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “When you’re thinking about 2025, there is a significant question on whether or not the incoming president’s policies are going to bring inflation down.” BA changes Established in 1953, the Small Business Administration has been through many different administrations. The agency offers resources to small-businesses and helps administer small business and disaster recovery loans. It played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping distribute small-business aid. Trump said he would nominate Kelly Loeffler, a former U.S. senator from Georgia, as the head of the SBA, pending confirmation. She replaces Isabella Casillas Guzman, who has served as the administrator since 2021. A staunch Trump loyalist, Loeffler is also co-chair of his inaugural committee. Loeffler hasn’t made any statement about plans for the SBA. While a national federal rule expanding overtime coverage to millions of Americans was blocked by a federal judge in November, several states still have an overtime threshold increase going into effect, and those aren’t affected by the block. Six states will raise their threshold for overtime pay: Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, New York and Washington. For example, in Alaska, the state threshold to be exempt from overtime pay will increase from $48,796.80 in 2024 to $54,080 on July 1. Meanwhile, 23 states and 65 cities and counties have minimum wage increases scheduled to go into effect in 2025, either Jan. 1 or later in the year. Rich Kingly, CEO of Driveway King in Garwood, New Jersey, which renovates pathways and driveways, said he’s watching the state-specific minimum wage changes. “As we operate in multiple states, staying compliant with each state’s rules and regulations is an ongoing challenge,” he said. “As minimum wage rates rise, it adds to the financial pressures of running a business, especially in the face of fluctuating material costs and competitive pricing.” A rule that would require millions of small businesses to register with an agency called the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, by Jan. 1 is currently temporarily blocked in court. The registration is part of the Corporate Transparency Act, an anti-money-laundering statute passed in 2021. Registering isn’t difficult. The owners and part-owners of those businesses must register personal information with FinCEN, such as a photo ID and home address. But small-business groups say the regulation is too onerous. If it goes into effect, small businesses that don’t comply could be fined up to $10,000. Businesses with more than 20 employees and more than $5 million in sales can qualify for exemptions. Steve DiMatteo, CEO of e-commerce site Cleveland Vintage Shirts, said he had trouble tracking down information about the registration because government communication was lacking. “My biggest concern stems from this experience — what other rules and regulations am I going to miss because of a lack of clear communication from the government, either at the state or federal level?” he said. Another regulation on small businesses’ radar for several years is taxes on payments via third-party apps like PayPal, Cash App, Venmo and similar platforms. Traditionally, the threshold to report earnings from payments from third-party apps was $20,000 and 200 transactions. But the American Rescue Act drastically lowered that to $600 and more with no transaction minimum. The regulation was delayed for the past two years, but small businesses paying taxes for 2024 will now be required to pay taxes on anything over $5,000 as part of a phase-in to eventually implement the $600 reporting threshold. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Leading Lebanese soccer player Celine Haidar is in a medically induced coma after she was critically wounded in an Israeli strike near her home in Beirut's southern suburbs, her international championship prospects on hold. Captain of her club team and already included in the national youth team twice, the 19-year-old refused to allow her training to be interrupted by Israel's bombardment, even as her own family fled to a mountain town east of Beirut. She convinced her parents to let her return home alone so she could continue training, assuring them she would leave every time the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning for a neighbourhood it was intending to bomb. But last Saturday, she missed the warning. She was asleep when the Israeli military spokesman posted an evacuation warning for her neighborhood. Her parents called her and urged her to leave immediately, but time was short. An Israeli warplane struck as she leapt onto her motorbike. She was hit by shrapnel, which left her with severe brain injuries, including multiple skull fractures and brain bleeding. The Israeli military was not immediately available to comment on the strike. She is now in an intensive care unit at Saint George Hospital in Beirut, connected to monitors and a breathing tube, with her head bandaged, according to her coach Samer Barbary. Her parents, Abbas Haidar and Sanaa Shahrour, stand watch over her, struggling to comprehend the calamity that befell their daughter and praying for a miracle. Over 15,000 wounded by Israeli strikes "I never thought I would have a daughter like her," her father said, his voice heavy with emotion. "She has dreams and strength. She always told me, 'You'll see what I will accomplish tomorrow.'" She is among over 15,000 people wounded by Israeli strikes over the past year, with bombardment of Beirut's suburbs escalating dramatically over the last two months. The Israeli military says it is striking infrastructure belonging to armed group Hezbollah, which counted the suburbs, as well as south and east Lebanon, as its strongholds. More soccer coverage More than 670 women and 230 children are among the more than 3,500 people killed, Lebanon's health ministry says. Haidar's teammates have hung a poster at their training field saying: "We are waiting for you." "She is the cornerstone of our team," her teammate Lama Abdin, 18, said. "But we will play for her. We will achieve her big dreams." Head coach Barbary said Haidar had already represented Lebanon twice with the under-19 national team which won the 2022 West Asia cup that was held in Lebanon. She was already selected for the senior national team and was expected to be selected for the upcoming West Asia championship, he said. Even though doctors say they do not know when she will wake up again, her mother, Sanaa, has refused to give up hope. "I am waiting for you. Don't give up. You are a hero. Every night, I see you in my dreams, coming back to me," she told Reuters.

The must-have toys every Glasgow kid wanted for Christmas in the 1990s

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Real Good Food Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: RGF) (“Real Good Foods” or the “Company”), a leading health and wellness frozen and refrigerated foods company, announced today that, on November 20, 2024, the Listing Qualifications Staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) notified the Company that the Company’s failure to timely file its Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), for the period ended September 30, 2024, serves as an additional basis for the delisting of the Company’s securities from Nasdaq, per Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1). The Company previously presented its plan to file all delinquent periodic reports with the SEC, including the Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2024, and requested an extension to do so at a hearing before the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”). The Panel has not yet issued its decision following the hearing. Despite the efforts described above, there can be no assurance that the Company will ultimately regain compliance with all applicable requirements for continued listing or that the Panel will grant the Company a further extension. About Real Good Food Company Real Good Foods (Nasdaq: RGF) is a leading health and wellness frozen and refrigerated foods company, providing a better way to enjoy your favorite foods. The Company’s mission is to provide “Real Food You Feel Good About Eating”, making delicious, nutritious foods that are low in sugar, low in carbohydrates and high in protein. The Real Good Foods family of products includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks – available in over 16,000 stores nationwide with additional direct-to-consumer options. To learn more, please visit our website at realgoodfoods.com or join us on social media @realgoodfoods – where we maintain some of the largest followings in the frozen food industry today. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which statements are subject to considerable risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include all statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements regarding the timing of the filing of Company’s late periodic reports and amendments to prior periodic reports, the Company’s plan to request a hearing to appeal its delisting determination by Nasdaq, and the Company’s plan to request various extension periods to regain compliance with the Listing Rule. The Company has attempted to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as “anticipate,” "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," "will," or "would," and similar expressions or the negative of these expressions. Forward-looking statements represent management's current expectations and predictions about trends affecting the Company’s business and industry and are based on information available as of the time such statements are made. Although the Company does not make forward-looking statements unless it believes it has a reasonable basis for doing so, it cannot guarantee their accuracy or completeness. Forward-looking statements involve numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause its actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements predicted, assumed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Some of the risks and uncertainties that may cause its actual results to materially differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including the risk of further delays in the filing of the Company’s late periodic reports and restated financial statements in amendments to prior periodic reports, the discovery of additional information regarding the error identified in the Company’s previously issued consolidated financial statements, the scope of the anticipated restatement of previously issued financial statements as a result of the error, the remediation by management and the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm of the identified material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, the Panel’s determination following the Company’s appeal of its delisting decision, the Panel’s decision whether or not to grant the Company various extension periods following the submission of a hearing request to regain compliance with the Listing Rule, the Company’s ability to regain compliance with the Listing Rule and other continued listing standards and other risk factors described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Company from time to time. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press release. Investor Relations Contact The Real Good Food Company 3 Executive Campus, Suite 155 Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 ir@realgoodfoods.comGrizzlies reportedly interested in Nets' 3-and-D wing, trade could improve title odds | Sporting NewsBravo is rebooting Vanderpump Rules with a new cast for Season 12, and the OG stars are weighing in. Ariana Madix took to social media to share a heartfelt message and photos of her time on the reality TV series. Madix exploded in popularity following “Scandoval” when she found out her boyfriend, Tom Sandoval, had been having an affair with their co-star Rachel Leviss, which all played out on TV. “ Vanderpump Rules , you will forever be that girl,” the Love Island USA host wrote on Instagram. “I was up til 4am looking for all the right pics and the right words, but there’s no post or caption that could ever encapsulate everything.” Madix noted that she was “forever grateful to have been a part of such an incredible cultural phenomenon,” thanking Bravo, Lisa Vanderpump and the production company behind the series Evolution. RELATED : ‘The Traitors’ Season 3 Cast Photos Drop & Trailer Previews Alan Cumming Cheekily Hoping Players Won’t Play Fair “Thank you especially to the fans. you’ve been the constant over the last decade your love and support is what I’ll miss the most about it ending. you made this show what it is,” she continued. “To the fans who have shown up for us, old and new, it’s all because of you that we are here. I’m feeling at peace with closing this chapter, and I’m excited for everything that is to come. I don’t know that these were the best days of our lives, but they were definitely something special.” Lala Kent also took her Instagram to share her thoughts on the ending of an era of Vanderpump Rules . “Where to begin. I was a young girl from Salt Lake City who made her way to L.A. I would introduce myself as Lauren, but because my childhood best friend referred to me as Lala, my nickname quickly stuck,” she wrote. “Sur was a place that became home. I found myself not only sipping on vodka sodas there, but behind a hostess stand... it still to this day is the most intimidating job I’ve ever had.” RELATED : ‘Stassi Says’ Docu-Comedy Series Starring ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Alum Stassi Schroeder In The Works At Hulu Kent noted that she has “mixed feelings” about Vanderpump Rules ending an era and beginning a new one, as she does not like change. Katie Maloney shared on her Instagram Stories a promo picture for the show of herself from the early seasons and captioned, “It’s a mixed bag. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for the memories and the love the last 11 years.” Andy Cohen, who is not involved with the show aside from hosting the reunion episodes, shared on X, “these were the best days of our lives...”

Shyam Benegal's funeral to be held on Dec 24 at 2pm

Giving Voice: Thankful for third spaces

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce novel and detailed online reviews with almost no work has put merchants, service providers and consumers in uncharted territory, watchdog groups and researchers say. Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. They are typically traded on private social media groups between fake review brokers and businesses willing to pay. Sometimes, such reviews are initiated by businesses that offer customers incentives such as gift cards for positive feedback. But AI-infused text generation tools, popularized by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice, which is illegal in the U.S., is carried out year-round but becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to help them purchase gifts. Fake reviews are found across a wide range of industries, from e-commerce, lodging and restaurants, to services such as home repairs, medical care and piano lessons. The Transparency Company, a tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews, said it started to see AI-generated reviews show up in large numbers in mid-2023 and they have multiplied ever since. For a report released this month, The Transparency Company analyzed 73 million reviews in three sectors: home, legal and medical services. Nearly 14% of the reviews were likely fake, and the company expressed a “high degree of confidence” that 2.3 million reviews were partly or entirely AI-generated. “It’s just a really, really good tool for these review scammers,” said Maury Blackman, an investor and advisor to tech startups, who reviewed The Transparency Company's work and is set to lead the organization starting Jan. 1. In August, software company DoubleVerify said it was observing a “significant increase” in mobile phone and smart TV apps with reviews crafted by generative AI. The reviews often were used to deceive customers into installing apps that could hijack devices or run ads constantly, the company said. The following month, the Federal Trade Commission sued the company behind an AI writing tool and content generator called Rytr, accusing it of offering a service that could pollute the marketplace with fraudulent reviews. The FTC, which this year banned the sale or purchase of fake reviews, said some of Rytr’s subscribers used the tool to produce hundreds and perhaps thousands of reviews for garage door repair companies, sellers of “replica” designer handbags and other businesses. Max Spero, CEO of AI detection company Pangram Labs, said the software his company uses has detected with almost certainty that some AI-generated appraisals posted on Amazon bubbled up to the top of review search results because they were so detailed and appeared to be well thought-out. But determining what is fake or not can be challenging. External parties can fall short because they don’t have “access to data signals that indicate patterns of abuse,” Amazon has said. Pangram Labs has done detection for some prominent online sites, which Spero declined to name due to non-disclosure agreements. He said he evaluated Amazon and Yelp independently. Many of the AI-generated comments on Yelp appeared to be posted by individuals who were trying to publish enough reviews to earn an “Elite” badge, which is intended to let users know they should trust the content, Spero said. The badge provides access to exclusive events with local business owners. Fraudsters also want it so their Yelp profiles can look more realistic, said Kay Dean, a former federal criminal investigator who runs a watchdog group called Fake Review Watch. To be sure, just because a review is AI-generated doesn’t necessarily mean its fake. Some consumers might experiment with AI tools to generate content that reflects their genuine sentiments. Some non-native English speakers say they turn to AI to make sure they use accurate language in the reviews they write. “It can help with reviews (and) make it more informative if it comes out of good intentions,” said Michigan State University marketing professor Sherry He, who has researched fake reviews. She says tech platforms should focus on the behavioral patters of bad actors, which prominent platforms already do, instead of discouraging legitimate users from turning to AI tools. Prominent companies are developing policies for how AI-generated content fits into their systems for removing phony or abusive reviews. Some already employ algorithms and investigative teams to detect and take down fake reviews but are giving users some flexibility to use AI. Spokespeople for Amazon and Trustpilot, for example, said they would allow customers to post AI-assisted reviews as long as they reflect their genuine experience. Yelp has taken a more cautious approach, saying its guidelines require reviewers to write their own copy. “With the recent rise in consumer adoption of AI tools, Yelp has significantly invested in methods to better detect and mitigate such content on our platform,” the company said in a statement. The Coalition for Trusted Reviews, which Amazon, Trustpilot, employment review site Glassdoor, and travel sites Tripadvisor, Expedia and Booking.com launched last year, said that even though deceivers may put AI to illicit use, the technology also presents “an opportunity to push back against those who seek to use reviews to mislead others.” “By sharing best practice and raising standards, including developing advanced AI detection systems, we can protect consumers and maintain the integrity of online reviews,” the group said. The FTC’s rule banning fake reviews, which took effect in October, allows the agency to fine businesses and individuals who engage in the practice. Tech companies hosting such reviews are shielded from the penalty because they are not legally liable under U.S. law for the content that outsiders post on their platforms. Tech companies, including Amazon, Yelp and Google, have sued fake review brokers they accuse of peddling counterfeit reviews on their sites. The companies say their technology has blocked or removed a huge swath of suspect reviews and suspicious accounts. However, some experts say they could be doing more. “Their efforts thus far are not nearly enough,” said Dean of Fake Review Watch. “If these tech companies are so committed to eliminating review fraud on their platforms, why is it that I, one individual who works with no automation, can find hundreds or even thousands of fake reviews on any given day?” Consumers can try to spot fake reviews by watching out for a few possible warning signs, according to researchers. Overly enthusiastic or negative reviews are red flags. Jargon that repeats a product's full name or model number is another potential giveaway. When it comes to AI, research conducted by Balázs Kovács, a Yale professor of organization behavior, has shown that people can't tell the difference between AI-generated and human-written reviews. Some AI detectors may also be fooled by shorter texts, which are common in online reviews, the study said. However, there are some “AI tells” that online shoppers and service seekers should keep it mind. Panagram Labs says reviews written with AI are typically longer, highly structured and include “empty descriptors,” such as generic phrases and attributes. The writing also tends to include cliches like “the first thing that struck me” and “game-changer.”It’s almost time for Spotify Wrapped. When can you expect your 2024 recap?

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