Some members of Donald Trump ’s transition team are reportedly frustrated that Kash Patel and Cliff Sims , both MAGA insiders , appear to be using their positions to promote themselves for deputy director of the CIA . Patel and Sims are both going head-to-head for the No. 2 position at the CIA, Politico reports. The CIA’s deputy director wields immense influence over the intelligence community but does not have to be confirmed by the Senate, unlike cabinet members . However, some transition team members in their orbit are frustrated that the men are advocating for themselves while making staffing decisions, Politico reports. “The issue that a lot of us have is that these people are involved in staffing national security jobs, and at the same time they’re also promoting themselves for the same roles,” an unnamed insider told Politico . Karoline Leavitt, a Trump spokesperson and soon-to-be White House press secretary, denied Politico ’s reporting. “This story is 100% false,” Leavitt said in a statement to The Independent . “The fake news is clearly trying to sow division between two of President Trump’s most loyal supporters. President Trump is choosing brilliant people to serve on his team, and those decisions will continue to be announced as he makes them.” Patel previously served as a National Security Council official, senior adviser at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and chief of staff to Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller. He is a Trump loyalist who has railed against the so-called “Deep State.” Even among the most staunch MAGA loyalists, he is viewed as a controversial figure. On Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast last year , Patel said a team of “all-American patriots” in all levels of government in the next Trump administration will “come after” members of the press that he claims have “lied about American citizens” and “helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections.” “We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminal or civilly, we’ll figure that out,” said Patel, who joined the Trump administration in 2019 as an intelligence official. “We’re putting you all on notice,” he added. “And Steve, this is why they hate us. This is why we’re tyrannical. This is why we’re dictators, because we’re actually going to use the Constitution to prosecute them for crimes they said we have always been guilty of but never have.” Patel has also reportedly been considered for other administration roles. Sims, meanwhile, is a former communications strategist for Trump’s White House and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He published Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House in 2019, which recounted his time in Trump’s administration. The book angered Trump during his first term. “A low level staffer that I hardly knew named Cliff Sims wrote yet another boring book based on made up stories and fiction,” Trump tweeted in January 2019. “He pretended to be an insider when in fact he was nothing more than a gofer. He signed a non-disclosure agreement. He is a mess!” Sims then sued Trump, arguing the government was stifling his “First Amendment right to disclose unclassified information regarding which he learned during his tenure as a federal employee,” Politico reported. He later dropped the lawsuit and returned to the administration to serve as a senior adviser to the director of national intelligence in October 2020, according to Politico .Article content A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and prevent an artificial intelligence “dictatorship” is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing shift into a for-profit company. Recommended Videos Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. The world’s richest man, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X, last year started his own rival AI company, xAI. Musk says it faces unfair competition from OpenAI and its close business partner Microsoft, which has supplied the huge computing resources needed to build AI systems such as ChatGPT. “OpenAI and Microsoft together exploiting Musk’s donations so they can build a for-profit monopoly, one now specifically targeting xAI, is just too much,” says Musk’s filing that alleges the companies are violating the terms of Musk’s foundational contributions to the charity. OpenAI is filing a response Friday opposing Musk’s requested order, saying it would cripple OpenAI’s business and mission to the advantage of Musk and his own AI company. A hearing is set for January before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. At the heart of the dispute is a 2017 internal power struggle at the fledgling startup that led to Altman becoming OpenAI’s CEO. Musk also wanted the job, according to emails revealed as part of the court case, but grew frustrated after two other OpenAI co-founders said he would hold too much power as a major shareholder and chief executive if the startup succeeded in its goal to achieve better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Musk has long voiced concerns about how advanced forms of AI could threaten humanity. “The current structure provides you with a path where you end up with unilateral absolute control over the AGI,” said a 2017 email to Musk from co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman. “You stated that you don’t want to control the final AGI, but during this negotiation, you’ve shown to us that absolute control is extremely important to you.” In the same email, titled “Honest Thoughts,” Sutskever and Brockman also voiced concerns about Altman’s desire to be CEO and whether he was motivated by “political goals.” Altman eventually succeeded in becoming CEO, and has remained so except for a period last year when he was fired and then reinstated days later after the board that ousted him was replaced. OpenAI published the messages Friday in a blog post meant to show its side of the story, particularly Musk’s early support for the idea of making OpenAI a for-profit business so it could raise money for the hardware and computer power that AI needs. It was Musk, through his wealth manager Jared Birchall, who first registered “Open Artificial Technologies Technologies, Inc.”, a public benefit corporation, in September 2017. Then came the “Honest Thoughts” email that Musk described as the “final straw.” “Either go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit,” Musk wrote back. OpenAI said Musk later proposed merging the startup into Tesla before resigning as the co-chair of OpenAI’s board in early 2018. Musk didn’t immediately respond to emailed requests for comment sent to his companies Friday. Asked about his frayed relationship with Musk at a New York Times conference last week, Altman said he felt “tremendously sad” but also characterized Musk’s legal fight as one about business competition. “He’s a competitor and we’re doing well,” Altman said. He also said at the conference that he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence with President-elect Donald Trump. OpenAI said Friday that Altman plans to make a $1 million personal donation to Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships with the incoming administration. — The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives.
In the newly released trailer, viewers are given a tantalizing glimpse into the bittersweet love story that unfolds between the two lead characters, Mia and Alex, portrayed by Stone and Gosling respectively. Their on-screen chemistry is palpable, as they navigate the complexities of love and loss in a tale that is as heartwarming as it is heart-wrenching.The transformation of Xiang Zuo's hairstyle not only refreshed his image but also reignited the couple's shared love for culinary delights. As they savored the delicious dishes they had prepared together, the "Double Chefs" basked in the joy of creating memorable moments and making new memories. The photos and videos shared on social media captured the essence of their bond and showcased the beauty of their partnership.In conclusion, the tale of Liverpool's windfall serves as a reminder of the ups and downs that come with the world of football transfers. It highlights the importance of strategic decision-making and the impact that it can have on a club's financial health. As other teams look on in awe at Liverpool's success, they would do well to take note and learn from this valuable lesson in football economics.
Amidst the legal wrangling and public scrutiny surrounding the case, the man at the center of the controversy remains determined to seek justice and recoup his losses, while also advocating for greater transparency and accountability in the realm of self-discipline challenges. His story serves as a cautionary tale for those considering embarking on similar challenges in the future, underscoring the need for careful consideration, due diligence, and a clear understanding of the risks involved.Wang Lei's story is one of passion, courage, and dedication. Having met his girlfriend, Li Na, during a business trip to Wuhan, Wang Lei quickly fell head over heels in love. Despite the long-distance relationship and the challenges of maintaining a connection from hundreds of miles away, Wang Lei knew that his love for Li Na was worth any sacrifice.
Many users have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the new rule, citing inconvenience, decreased accessibility, and the perceived lack of consideration for users' preferences and habits. Some have argued that the restriction goes against the principles of convenience and flexibility that are essential in the modern era of digital entertainment.
Jessica Tisch sworn in as latest NYPD commissioner
The Tiburon Town Council has adopted the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, capping a two-year process to develop the document. The unanimous vote on Wednesday meeting came with some last stipulations from the council. Council members were concerned about types of zoning, the title and storage issues. The 135-page plan is a tool to help guide the town over the next several years on decisions regarding its parks, open spaces and trails. It details key information on spaces and programs, a demographic breakdown of the population, community priorities, recommended priorities and the potential cost of upgrades. “I feel great about it,” Councilmember Jon Welner said. “I like the master plan. In order to be a useful roadmap for us, to make rational decisions going forward, the best way to do it is to identify what kinds of things we need in different parts of parks and open space so that we can then get past all that confusion and focus on specific actions that we can take.” Mayor Alice Fredericks pointed out one small, but important, edit, noting that the term “open space” is not in the title of the master plan. She acknowledged that open space is clearly recognized throughout the plan. “The policy history of this town is that open space is a recreational amenity and the educational amenity that defines us,” Fredericks said. The plan zones various parks and open spaces based on area characteristics, such as suitability for recreational use. Welner noted how the R1 zone — labeled as active and recreational — includes McKegney Green, Richardson Bay Lineal Park and Teather Park. “I think they are very different spots,” Welner said. “I kind of think there is R1 sub a and R1 sub b.” Welner said Richardson Bay Lineal Park is the “gem” of Tiburon and wanted to be sure it doesn’t get overdeveloped because it has visual value. He asked the town consultant to note how the R1 areas are different when considering amenities in the area. Vice Mayor Holli Thier asked to delete page 94 from the plan entirely. It was a conceptual drawing of how to realign the Old Rail Trail and San Francisco Bay Trail to connect better. She noted that the class 4 bike lane project on Tiburon Boulevard could also affect this idea. “I believe that we are not yet at a place where we can do this,” Thier said. Thier also said all references to storage buildings and containers need to be removed. She said anything stored by the Public Works Department should be at the corporation yard, and that residents previously rejected a storage shed in the parks. Fredericks and Councilmember Jack Ryan disagreed on removing storage references. Fredericks said there are other items in the plan that the community had previously rejected, and that circumstances could change. “As we add or change the amenities in that area, the needs will change and the need for that kind of storage may increase,” Fredericks said. “It may decrease, but I think this is not a decisionmaking process now. It is a framework for the decision makers, so leaving something in, even if it were to be rejected, really is the better avenue to go.” The Town Council asked to add a statement that residents later might want uses not outlined by the plan. This would leave the storage concept open for discussion in the future. The plan also includes a list of early-action, short-term items. Welner said many of the items — a public water-sport launch, shaded areas and picnic tables at parks, neighborhood park upgrades — are low-hanging fruit, and the town should be working to address them as soon as possible. “I don’t want to wait too long,” Welner said. “I’d love to do the early-action items and I really like the inclusion of that kind of list.” Councilmember Isaac Nikfar suggested having the Parks, Open Space and Trails Commission come up with a list of under 10 of the easier, high-priority projects that could be shovel-ready in six to 12 months. The council also approved all the recommendations made by the commission last month. The recommendations included removing references to adding restrooms at Shoreline Park; noting parking availability on the trail maps; and labeling the tiers of improvements to necessary, strategic, transformational. “The purpose of this master plan is not to change anything right now,” Nikfar said. “The purpose of this master plan is to have a framework for decisions and to understand what is important to residents and to start on a plan to help us move forward in evaluating projects that will have a positive impact on our community.” The plan will go return to the Town Council to confirm the edits were made. The master plan is online at tiburonparks.com.Chiefs DT Discusses Catching Child Who Fell Out of Stands
