The silent hero beneath our feetTait-Jones scores 21 as UC San Diego defeats James Madison 73-67The Celestron PentaView LCD digital microscope has been a joy to review, and we loved being able to use it as a whole class. Pupils have learned so much, thanks to its multiple viewing and image projection capabilities, and have found it a fabulous tool for collaborative work. Head: 180-degree rotating LCD module with touch-screen monitor Eyepieces: Digital camera provides 10X magnification Objective lenses: 4X, 10X, 20X, 40X and 60X Stage: Mechanical stage with XY navigation Light source: Adjustable 6V LED and toplight Condenser: N.A. 0.65 Focusing: Dual (coarse and fine) Extras: AC adapter, USB cable, AV/TV cable, 8GB SD card, touch pen, 10 prepared slides, dust cover, hard carry case, adjustable diaphragm with built-in RGB filters Add-ons: Celestron have a range of prepared slides and insect specimens Celestron has designed the PentaView LCD with a wealth of professional touches, such as high magnification, XY stage navigation, adjustable dual lighting and a very stylish and durable carry case. It has also been great to be able to photograph and video tissues and live specimens, both in the laboratory and during fieldwork. Celestron PentaView at Amazon for $465.59 Overall, the Celestron PentaView LCD digital microscope has been great fun to experiment with, and a fantastic addition to our microscopy suite. We highly recommend it for use in schools and at home. The best microscopes for kids are wonderful learning tools for budding young scientists, and older children and students would benefit more from the best microscopes for students . Celestron PentaView LCD Digital Microscope Design LCD monitor allows multiple viewers High magnification Multiple professional features The PentaView LCD digital microscope by Celestron has been designed with many professional features that allow for high magnification images, still and moving, to be viewed, captured and projected to multiple observers simultaneously. This facilitates a high level of collaborative group work in the lab, in the classroom or in the field, and enhances the teaching and learning experience hugely. Although the PentaView does not have an eyepiece lens, the LCD screen provides 10X magnification. The rotating nosepiece has space for four of the five objective lenses that come with this microscope. The fifth, 60X objective lens can be exchanged with any of the others easily, by way of a simple screw fitting. Thus, 600X magnification is achieved. The digital 4X zoom function increases the magnification further, to 2,400X. Other professional features include an XY mechanical stage with a sturdy side clip; this allows the slide to be held securely in place, then navigated in horizontal and vertical planes, enabling you to explore the specimen systematically without needing to touch it. The PentaView also has two sources of illumination: one at the bottom to shine light up through the slide and another at the top, an adjustable spotlight that illuminates the stage and slide from above. Both lights are dimmable, and the two can be used at the same time. Additionally, the rotating diaphragm disc also houses three filters, red, green and blue, to enhance images if required. Designed with group viewing and photography firmly in mind, the LCD digital screen, with SD card and USB lead, transformed this microscope into an educator's dream tool. We loved being able to demonstrate how to prepare a cell slide, then use the digital LCD screen to talk through what could be seen during the navigation and focusing set-up processes. We were then able to photograph a model example and project it onto a Chromebook, using the USB cable, then use the Chromebook’s casting technology to send it to our Smartboard. Similarly, video footage of microorganisms in pond water was captured, cast and viewed by groups of excited pupils as well. Finally, the portability of the PentaView is also worth noting. The microscope is reasonably lightweight, so can be carried by adults and older children. It can also be powered by batteries, so you can use it outdoors or in locations without a power source. The projecting function remains possible in the field when combined with a laptop. Furthermore, the PentaView comes with a delightful carry case. It is rigid, yet light and attractive. There is a choice of handle or body strap, so it is comfortable to carry. Performance High magnification Decent resolution Captures and projects still and moving images The Celestron PentaView LCD digital microscope is on the cusp of performing brilliantly. It is capable of high magnification: 2,400X is much higher than most reasonably priced light microscopes. However, this performance is not matched by a respective high resolution. Similarly, although the PentaView is capable of photographing still and moving images, it does not allow the streaming of moving images in real-time. When considering increased magnification, we expect the field of view to reduce, subcellular structures to enlarge and resolution to increase also. The first two patterns were noticed when moving up through the range of objective lenses of the Celestron PentaView and with the digital zoom. As expected, resolution improved with higher magnification lenses. At 40X magnification, we observed a mass of onion cells separated by a dark boundary. The cytoplasm was seen as yellow, due to staining with iodine, and the nuclei appeared as dark brown circles. By the time the magnification had increased to 400X, although the image appeared to be somewhat grainy, the cell edges could be defined as multi-layered, and fine focusing allowed the cellulose cell wall to display a textured, fibrous appearance. We could also differentiate the outer edge of the nuclei, the nuclear membrane, as well as bodies within the cytoplasm that could have been mitochondria or other sub-cellular vesicles. However, when switching to the digital zoom, even though the viewable image enlarged as the field of view reduced, there was no further improvement in resolution. We did manage to improve the clarity of some of the high-powered images by experimenting with the colored filters. Unfortunately, the variable light function was not as useful when compared to a light microscope because the LCD screen made automatic adjustments for optimum viewing brightness. We can see how this might be useful for beginners, but as professionals, we wanted to be able to override this and make luminosity decisions for ourselves. Pleasingly, the LCD display on the Celestron PentaView provided highly engaging demonstration capabilities, in real time. The whole class of 18 pupils were able to see the 109mm monitor and learn how to navigate through the Z plane layers, ignoring slide and coverslip scratches and fluff to identify the cheek cells of interest, and how to use XY navigation to locate groups of cheek cells, increasing magnification to focus on whole cells and their visible organelles. Real-time viewing was paramount when observing pond life as living creatures were continually moving and feeding. The PentaView’s limitations became apparent, however, when larger audiences were present. The small screen was no longer adequate for good visibility, andcasting was only possible for still images or videos, rather than real-time streaming. Functionality Excellent for demonstrations Images can be enlarged to screen size Can be used for field studies The Celestron PentaView digital microscope comes into its own when used to enhance the learning experience, using its group viewing capabilities as a demonstration tool. Pupils’ ability to conceptualize the topic material advanced to a greater extent and more quickly upon witnessing what could be achieved with the PentaView digital microscope. What’s more, their microscopy skills developed more rapidly as well. Being able to link the monitor directly to a laptop and Smartboard amplified this functionality even further. It is just a shame that the screen cannot stream live imagery to the Smartboard. This would enable larger audiences to watch demonstrations in a lecture theater or auditorium, for example. Nonetheless, we were all of the same mind: that the PentaView’s teaching functionality is magnificent. However, the grainy imagery left professionals feeling that it wouldn’t be the microscope of choice for industrial microscopy. Many light and compound microscopes in a similar price range produced images with more clarity and higher resolution. Interestingly, within the classroom, pupils were not aware of this limitation and were perfectly happy enjoying what the PentaView had to offer. Because of its portability, the Celestron PentaView was used both on location and in the classroom. It was great to see pupils collaborating so well. The ability to watch the amoeba and other pond life as a group, rather than having to take turns, enhanced pupil engagement and enthusiasm all round. The microscope was lightweight and the carry case had a very comfortable shoulder strap and rigid top handle. When considering some of the more professional design features, though, the Celestron PentaView falls short in a couple of important areas. The top light is included in many microscopes to make the examination of solid objects possible. Unfortunately, on the PentaView, this light is not very powerful and the working distance is small. These factors restrict the size and type of solid objects that can be viewed, and we wouldn’t recommend it for this purpose. Furthermore, there was a quality control issue with the XY navigation knobs. When attempting to maneuver the stage backwards and forwards in the Y plane, the knob span in its casing, without moving the slide. We tightened the knob a few times to temporarily resolve the problem. Unfortunately, the thread became so loose that this mechanism became unusable. Eventually, we discovered that we could apply a small force manually, while turning the knob, to achieve the desired movement. Annoyingly though, this affected our ability to focus whilst navigating, as we only have one pair of hands! A final improvement suggestion, to increase functionality, is to be able to override the light adjustment setting. If we vary the LED output, it needs to affect the final image on the LCD monitor. Should you buy it? ✅ You would like to demonstrate to a large audience: The LCD screen can easily be viewed directly by up to around 20 people. By projecting photos and videos, you could increase this tenfold. ✅ You would like to photograph your specimens: The digital camera and SD card allow you to capture both still and moving images. Overall, the Celestron PentaView LCD digital microscope has been a great addition to our microscopy suite. Fantastic for group work and demonstrations, we would highly recommend it to aid teaching. It has been great fun to experiment with for teachers and pupils alike. The Celestron PentaView is a decent, affordable, digital microscope that advanced our teaching and learning experience hugely. If you want a microscope capable of demonstrating to a large audience, high magnification and the ability to photograph and video your specimens without breaking the bank, this could be the ideal microscope for you. If the product is not for you ❌ You would like to examine solid specimens: You would need a digital magnifying visualizer for this. ❌ You want to also view your specimens ocularly: You would need a trinocular microscope with a camera tube port. For a trinocular microscope with a camera function, Swift does the SW380T compound trinocular with up to 2,500X magnification. We thought it was a pleasure to use during our Swift SW280T review . If you would like to magnify and project solid objects, Celestron does the MicroDirect 1080P handheld digital microscope . This captures photographs and video directly onto an SD card and doesn’t need a computer to project to a screen. How we tested the Celestron PentaView LCD digital microscope During a science lesson, pupils prepared and observed cheek and onion cells. By using the Celestron PentaView, we were able to project previously captured images onto the smartboard, so that pupils knew what they should be looking for; we then used the model examples to navigate the cells and pick out organelles to the whole class simultaneously. This technique was used frequently during the microscopy topic, and pupils' competence and understanding progressed more quickly than that of previous groups. Later, pupils were able to observe and video living organisms when carrying out pond studies. Because of its portability, the Celestron PentaView was carried outside, in its beautiful carry case, and samples were pipetted onto slides directly. Back in the classroom, pupils also had fun examining the prepared slides that came with this microscope.50 jili super ace 。

Unions score a major win in Wisconsin with a court ruling restoring collective bargaining rights

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks look to maintain momentum vs. PacersTait-Jones scores 21 as UC San Diego defeats James Madison 73-67

NoneMalaysia’s November manufacturing PMI eases to 49.2

( MENAFN - The Conversation) Indonesia's decision to pursue membership in BRICS – an emerging Economy bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – signals that President Prabowo Subianto is steering foreign policy in a direction contrasting with his predecessors. During Joko“Jokowi” Widodo's two-term administration, then-former Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi led efforts to integrate Indonesia's economy with Western institutions by working to secure membership with the OECD. Since BRICS is an alternative to Western-dominated organisations , many observers scrutinised and questioned Indonesia's nonalignment commitment. However, Foreign Minister Sugiono argued that BRICS aligns with Indonesia's 'free and active' foreign policy, allowing Indonesia to collaborate widely without aligning too closely with any single bloc. For Sugiono, joining BRICS means paving the way to advance the new government's goals of food security, energy independence, poverty alleviation, and human capital development. The bloc offers access to funding, technology, and trade opportunities to tackle key challenges in those sectors. BRICS, with its emphasis on fairness and cooperation, supports Indonesia's vision for a more inclusive and sustainable future. The shift from Retno's OECD focus to Sugiono's BRICS approach reflects at least two visions. First, Indonesia seeks to reassess its strategic position as the leading economy in Southeast Asia. Second, the country seeks to switch from its nonalignment stance to multi-alignment . The later will help navigate partnerships with both developed and emerging economies , balancing traditional alliances with new opportunities. Joining BRICS can amplify Indonesia's influence in its already strong ties with each of the member countries and unlock opportunities beyond one-on-one partnerships. Indonesia's pivot to BRICS reflects both its relationship with major powers, such as China and the US, and regional pressures. Neighbouring countries Malaysia and Thailand have recently expressed interest in BRICS, creating a sense of competition within Southeast Asia. Both countries joining the bloc could erode Indonesia's leadership and influence in the region, especially in affecting global affairs. Through ASEAN, Indonesia has sought to act as a regional stabiliser and mediator amid rising polarisation between the West and China . As its de facto leader, Indonesia has historically championed initiatives like the South China Sea Code of Conduct and Myanmar's peace process. Its G20 presidency further underscored its role as a mediator between global powers. This 'fear of missing out' has spurred Indonesia's interest in BRICS. Joining BRICS ahead of its regional peers ensures that Indonesia maintains its leadership position in ASEAN. For Prabowo's administration, BRICS offers a platform to advance Indonesia's interests in maritime security, economic growth, and global governance. It is a strategic move beyond an economic decision to amplify its voice on global issues and prevent fellow Southeast Asian countries from overtaking it in shaping the bloc's agenda. Indonesia's BRICS membership announcement highlights the new administration's foreign policy ambitions, centred on two key shifts: adopting a multi-alignment strategy and strengthening its 'good neighbour' policy. Prabowo envisions engaging with all nations, fostering friendly relations while opposing oppression. This approach resonates with Indonesia's historical commitment to sovereignty and equality in international relations. Indonesia has traditionally adhered to a nonalignment principle . This virtue has aided the country navigating major power blocs without binding itself to any single alliance. However, the current geopolitical climate – marked by intensifying tensions between global powers, regional conflicts, and intricate challenges – demands a more flexible and strategic approach. By joining BRICS, Indonesia avoids taking sides and instead diversifies its partnerships to maximise benefits. This multi-aligned approach enables active participation in BRICS discussions on multilateral reform. Prabowo's 'good neighbour policy ' further underscores the importance of maintaining positive relations with all countries. It empowers developing nations and advocates for a more equitable global order and economic system. This strategy also facilitates Indonesia's resilience by fostering partnerships in food and energy security, poverty alleviation, and human capital development . Such collaborations reduce reliance on Western financial systems and enhance Indonesia's autonomy. Ultimately, these strategic directions position Indonesia as a sovereign and dynamic player capable of balancing global relationships while advancing its own priorities . This move does not mean the OECD is off the table for Indonesia. Instead, Prabowo's approach reflects a dual-track strategy that values both alliances for their respective benefits. The OECD remains a long-term objective to enhance Indonesia's economic governance and regulatory standards. It serves the goal of providing the country with stable relationships within the Western economic framework. Meanwhile, BRICS offers an immediate avenue for Indonesia to deepen ties with equivalent economies and actively shape policies that impact the Global South. Sugiono's statement in Kazan emphasised Indonesia's commitment to engaging in other forums, including the G20 and OECD discussions. It highlighted the country's flexibility in international alliances. This dual-track strategy reinforces Indonesia's role as a bridge between developed and developing nations, maximising the benefits of both alliances without sacrificing its autonomy. Indonesia's decision to join BRICS marks a significant evolution in its foreign policy. By participating in BRICS, Indonesia positions itself as a critical player in global discussions on economic reform and development, asserting its voice within a multi-polar world order. Indonesia is charting a path that balances traditional alliances with emerging opportunities, reinforcing its role as a dynamic, independent player on the world stage. MENAFN21122024000199003603ID1109020039 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.(CNN) — Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a woman near Dallas, launching one of the first challenges in the US to shield laws that Democrat-controlled states passed to protect physicians after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit on Thursday in Collin County, and it was announced Friday. Such prescriptions, made online and over the phone, are a key reason that the number of abortions has increased across the US even since state bans started taking effect. Most abortions in the US involve pills rather than procedures. Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis, School of Law, said a challenge to shield laws, which blue states started adopting in 2023, has been anticipated. And it could have a chilling effect on prescriptions. “Will doctors be more afraid to mail pills into Texas, even if they might be protected by shield laws because they don’t know if they’re protected by shield laws?” she said in an interview Friday. The lawsuit accuses New York Dr. Margaret Daley Carpenter of violating Texas law by providing the drugs to a Texas patient and seeks up to $250,000. No criminal charges are involved. Texas bars abortion at all stages of pregnancy and has been one of the most aggressive states at pushing back against abortion rights. It began enforcing a state law in 2021 — even before the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and opened the door to state bans — that barred nearly all abortions by allowing citizens to sue anyone who provides an abortion or assists someone in obtaining one. Paxton said that the 20-year-old woman who received the pills — mifepristone and misoprostol, which are typically used in medication abortions — ended up in a hospital with complications. It was only after that, the state said in its filing, that the man described as “the biological father of the unborn child” learned of the pregnancy and the abortion. “In Texas, we treasure the health and lives of mothers and babies, and this is why out-of-state doctors may not illegally and dangerously prescribe abortion-inducing drugs to Texas residents,” Paxton said in a statement. A phone message left for Carpenter was not immediately returned, nor was an email to the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, where she’s co-medical director and founder. Anti-abortion advocates, who legally challenged the Biden administration’s prescribing rules around mifepristone, have been readying provocative and unusual ways to further limit abortion pill access when President-elect Donald Trump takes office next year. They feel emboldened to challenge the pills’ use and seek ways to restrict it under a conservative US Supreme Court buttressed by a Republican-controlled Congress and White House. Earlier this year, the US Supreme Court ruled that a group of anti-abortion doctors and their organizations lacked the legal standing to sue to try to have the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone rescinded. But since then, the Republican state attorneys general from Idaho, Kansas and Missouri have sought to have some of the rules around the pills tightened — including to bar telemedicine prescriptions. Also this year, Louisiana became the first state to reclassify the drugs as “controlled dangerous substances.” They can still be prescribed, but there are extra steps required to access them. Lawmakers in at least three states have introduced bills for next year aimed at barring or restricting use of the pills. “I began to think about how we might be able to both provide an additional deterrent to companies violating the criminal law and provide a remedy for the family of the unborn children,” said Tennessee state Rep. Gino Bulso, who is sponsoring the legislation there that includes a provision barring use of the medications for abortion. The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Lebawit Lily Girma | (TNS) Bloomberg News When winter rolls around, travelers predictably turn their attention to beaches. And this year, it’s the destination that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean” that’s experiencing outsize demand from Americans planning a warm island vacation. Talk about trashing stereotypes. Related Articles Travel | Would you pay $700 a night to sleep under the stars at this Colorado resort? Travel | Thailand’s starring role in ‘The White Lotus’ is about to pay off Travel | 5 under-the-radar travel destinations the UN says you should visit Travel | Gift ideas for people planning their next trip Travel | Lights and decor, réveillon meals make Christmastime special in New Orleans Puerto Rico has recovered overseas visitors (excluding those from Canada and Mexico) faster than any U.S. state or territory — a staggering 85% increase over its 2019 overseas inbound visitor levels as of 2023, according to an October study from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office. There are now more daily flights from the U.S. West Coast, and hotel bookings are 6% higher so far in this last quarter of 2024 year-over-year. It’s a trifecta of tourism growth: more visitors, but also longer stays and a higher spend that reached a record $9.8 billion in 2023, boosting small businesses as well as major brands. “We don’t have a slow season in Puerto Rico anymore,” says Brad Dean, chief executive officer at Discover Puerto Rico. Even if they’re not booking, people are dreaming about “La Isla.” By tracking flight searches for trips between November 2024 and February 2025, a measure of “inspirational” demand, tourism intelligence company Mabrian Technologies reports Puerto Rico is up 9% compared with the same period last year and leads Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas in the Caribbean proper. Only Costa Rica ranked higher in the wider region. Dean attributes Puerto Rico’s ongoing tourism growth to a strategic effort to reposition the island’s brand as more than a sun-and-sea destination, starting back in 2018. That led to the Live Boricua campaign, which began in 2022 and leaned heavily on culture, history and cuisine and was, Dean says, “a pretty bold departure” in the way Puerto Rico was showcased to travelers. He adds that at least $2 billion in tourism spend is linked to this campaign. “We (also) haven’t shied away from actively embracing the LGBTQ+ community, and that has opened up Puerto Rico to audiences that may not have considered the Caribbean before,” Dean says. Hotels are preparing to meet this growing demand: A number of established boutique properties are undergoing upgrades valued between $4 million and more than $50 million, including Hotel El Convento; La Concha, which will join the Marriott Autograph Collection; Condado Vanderbilt Hotel; and the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar. That’s in addition to ultra-chic options that are coming online in 2025, including the adults-only Alma San Juan, with rooms overlooking Plaza Colón in the heart of Old San Juan, and the five-star Veranó boutique hotel in San Juan’s trendy Santurce neighborhood. The beachfront Ritz-Carlton San Juan in Isla Verde will also be reopening seven years after Hurricane Maria decimated the island. The travel industry’s success is helping boost employment on the island, to the tune of 101,000 leisure and hospitality jobs as of September 2024, a 26% increase over pre-pandemic levels, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Efforts to promote Puerto Rico’s provinces beyond the San Juan metro area — such as surfing hub Rincón on the west coast, historical Ponce on the south coast and Orocovis for nature and coffee haciendas in the central mountains —have spread the demand to small businesses previously ignored by the travel industry. Take Sheila Osorio, who leads workshops on Afro-Puerto Rican bomba music and dance at Taller Nzambi, in the town of Loíza, 15 miles east of San Juan; or Wanda Otero, founder of cheese-producing company Vaca Negra in Hatillo, an hour’s drive west of Old San Juan, where you can join a cheese-making workshop and indulge in artisanal cheese tastings. “The list of businesses involved in tourism has gone from 650 in 2018 to 6,100, many of which are artists and artisans,” Dean says. While New Yorkers and Miami residents have always been the largest visitor demographic, Dean says more mainland Americans now realize that going to Puerto Rico means passport-free travel to enjoy beaches, as well as opportunities to dine in Michelin-rated restaurants, hike the only rainforest in the U.S. and kayak in a bioluminescent bay. Visitors from Chicago and Dallas, for example, have increased by approximately 40% from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, compared with the same period in 2022-2023, and more travelers are expected from Denver now that United Airlines Holdings Inc. has kicked off its first nonstop service to San Juan, beginning on Oct. 29. Previously, beach destinations that were easy to reach on direct flights from Denver included Mexico, Belize and California, but now Puerto Rico joins that list with a 5.5-hour nonstop route that cuts more than two hours from the next-best option. Given United Airlines’ hub in San Francisco, it could mean more travelers from the Golden State in the near future, too. In December, U.S. airlines will have 3,000 more seats per day to the territory compared with the same period last year, for a total of 84,731 — surpassing even Mexico and the Dominican Republic in air capacity, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the island’s primary gateway, is projecting a record volume of 13 million passengers by year’s end — far surpassing the 9.4 million it saw in 2019. As for Hinchcliffe’s “floating island of garbage” line, Dean says it was “a terribly insensitive attempt at humor” that transformed outrage into a marketing silver lining, with an outpouring of positive public sentiment and content on Puerto Rico all over social media. Success, as that old chestnut goes, may be the best revenge. “It was probably the most efficient influencer campaign we’ve ever had,” Dean says, “a groundswell of visitors who posted their photos and videos and said, ‘This is the Puerto Rico that I know.’” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The propaganda campaigns started even before rivalry weekend began. Then, after Miami lost its grip on a College Football Playoff spot , so many coaches, players and pundits crammed into the spin room that surely some fire code is being broken. We wouldn’t be having this debate if enough teams built their case on the field, but we knew playoff expansion risked watering down the bracket, so we’re left with a handful of teams with flawed résumés arguing for the final spot in a 12-team playoff. No coach works the spin room more vociferously than Mississippi’s Lane Kiffin . He turned his social media feed into a running pitch for his 9-3 Rebels, and he fired a direct shot at South Carolina, another 9-3 team under consideration. “It wasn’t even close,” Kiffin said Sunday, in reference to his team’s 27-3 win on Oct. 5 at South Carolina. "We could still be playing the game, (and) they still might not have scored a touchdown.” Direct hit from the spin room! OK, but what of Alabama, another 9-3 SEC team? The committee ranked Alabama ahead of Ole Miss last week. Both teams won rivalry games against bad opponents by two touchdowns last weekend. That suggests Alabama, at least, blocks Ole Miss’ path, but should it? Let’s unpack this. BOWL PROJECTIONS: Alabama back into the playoff as Texas, SMU move up RE-RANK: Texas moves up, Ohio State tumbles in NCAA 1-134 ranking Bubble watch: Alabama, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Miami Four teams populate the debate for the final playoff spot: Alabama, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Miami. A fifth team, SMU, would join the mix if Clemson beats the Mustangs in the ACC championship. For the sake of this exercise, assume the Mustangs wins the ACC and eliminates the Tigers. CFP bracket debate depends on what committee values most How you rank this quartet of bubble teams depends on how you value playoff credentials: Fewest losses earns the bid? If you favor the loss-counting contest, then Miami qualifies over three-loss SEC teams, but here’s where I struggle with the Hurricanes : Miami’s résumé ranks worse than that of Brigham Young, another two-loss that placed third in the Big 12. The committee consistently undervalued BYU, to the point that the Cougars aren’t in the playoff conversation. This despite BYU beating the ACC’s best team, SMU, on the road and owning a better strength of schedule than Miami. In the fewest-loss metric, BYU should earn the bid , but the committee shows no interest in that. Team with best wins earns the bid? Alabama owns the best collection of victories, counting pelts against three ranked teams – Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri – plus a trouncing of LSU in Tiger Stadium. Ole Miss also beat Georgia and blew out South Carolina. It lacks a third signature triumph. South Carolina headlines its résumé with wins against Clemson, Missouri and Texas A&M. Miami lags behind in this category, with best wins against Duke, Louisville and Florida. In the best collection of wins metric, Alabama should earn the bid . Reward the hot hand? This becomes South Carolina’s best argument. The Gamecocks won their last six games behind a stiff defense and an improving freshman quarterback, LaNorris Sellers. Miami lost two of its last three. (Can we just eliminate Miami already? Consider it done.) Ole Miss lost on Nov. 23 at Florida, the same day Alabama got blown out at Oklahoma. Nobody in this mix outplayed South Carolina in the second half of the season. In this metric, South Carolina should earn the bid . Value head-to-head results? Here’s where Kiffin shouts, “Scoreboard!” and where I struggle with the Gamecocks. Alabama beat South Carolina 27-25 on Oct. 12 in Tuscaloosa. Alabama used a fourth-quarter rally to win a game that wasn’t decided until the final play. That close result shouldn’t cripple the Gamecocks, but consider what occurred a week earlier, when Ole Miss stormed into South Carolina’s stadium and flat whipped the Gamecocks. Selecting South Carolina over a team from the same conference with an equal record that disemboweled the Gamecocks would diminish the idea that head-to-head results matter. And the committee says they do matter. Head-to-head results are one of the few measures stated explicitly among the CFP’s selection criteria . In a strict evaluation of head-to-head results, Ole Miss should earn the bid . Who has the ‘best’ losses? South Carolina’s three losses came against opponents who are either 8-4 or 9-3. Not bad, right? Well, two of those losses occurred at home. Alabama’s three losses all occurred on the road, but that includes a brutal 24-3 faceplant just two weeks ago to Oklahoma, a team that beat only one other SEC opponent. Alabama also lost to Vanderbilt. Ole Miss lost three games by a total of 13 points. However, its home loss in September to Kentucky (now 4-8) aged like milk left on a pool deck. I struggle to declare a “winner” in this category . Ole Miss lost to the worst team. Alabama lost to two 6-6 teams. South Carolina lost twice at home. How about the eye test? The committee says its duty is to select the best teams, with the caveat that five bids must go to conference champions. If there some straightforward could determine the best teams, we wouldn’t need a committee. Different sets of eyeballs value different teams. My eyes tell me that when each of these bubble teams fires its best fastball, Ole Miss slings the most heat, with a reliable defense and a (usually) competent offense. The Rebels dominated Georgia and smashed South Carolina. No other bubble team looked that good against such a caliber of opponent. By this metric, Ole Miss should earn the bid . Final verdict Unless the committee gets drunk on hurricanes, Miami has no case. If the committee values a two-loss team for the final spot, then pick BYU. That’s not happening, though. In the debate between Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina, each touts an argument, but holes mangle every résumé. Each team failed to earn its way on the field and that leaves them trying to talk their way in through the spin room's back door. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer . The "Topp Rope" is his football column published throughout the USA TODAY Networ k. Subscribe to read all of his column s.

TORONTO — The Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts signed American running back Kevin Brown on Friday. The five-foot-nine, 205-pound Brown rushed for 522 yards on 101 carries in 12 games last season with the Edmonton Elks. He added 22 catches for 138 yards before finishing the '24 campaign on the CFL club's practice roster. In 2023, Brown ran for 1,141 yards and four TDs with Edmonton. He also had 28 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown. Brown, 28, spent three seasons with the Elks, running for 2,149 yards (six-yard average) and five TDs. He added 74 catches for 536 yards and a touchdown in 37 regular-season games. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. The Canadian Press

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin public worker and teachers unions scored a major legal victory Monday with a ruling that restores collective bargaining rights they lost under a 2011 state law that sparked weeks of protests and made the state the center of the national battle over union rights. That law, known as Act 10, effectively ended the ability of most public employees to bargain for wage increases and other issues, and forced them to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. Recommended Videos Under the ruling by Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost, all public sector workers who lost their collective bargaining power would have it restored to what was in place prior to 2011. They would be treated the same as the police, firefighter and other public safety unions that were exempted under the law. Republicans vowed to immediately appeal the ruling, which ultimately is likely to go before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. That only amplifies the importance of the April election that will determine whether the court remains controlled 4-3 by liberal justices. Former Gov. Scott Walker, who proposed the law that catapulted him onto the national political stage, decried the ruling in a post on the social media platform X as “brazen political activism.” He said it makes the state Supreme Court election “that much more important.” Supporters of the law have said it provided local governments more control over workers and the powers they needed to cut costs. Repealing the law, which allowed schools and local governments to raise money through higher employee contributions for benefits, would bankrupt those entities, backers of Act 10 have argued. Democratic opponents argue that the law has hurt schools and other government agencies by taking away the ability of employees to collectively bargain for their pay and working conditions. Union leaders were overjoyed with the ruling, which affects tens of thousands of public employees. “We realize there may still be a fight ahead of us in the courts, but make no mistake, we’re ready to keep fighting until we all have a seat at the table again,” said Ben Gruber, a conservation warden and president of AFSCME Local 1215. The law was proposed by Walker and enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature in spite of massive protests that went on for weeks and drew as many as 100,000 people to the Capitol. The law has withstood numerous legal challenges over the years, but this was the first brought since the Wisconsin Supreme Court flipped to liberal control in 2023. The seven unions and three union leaders that brought the lawsuit argued that the law should be struck down because it creates unconstitutional exemptions for firefighters and other public safety workers. Attorneys for the Legislature and state agencies countered that the exemptions are legal, have already been upheld by other courts, and that the case should be dismissed. But Frost sided with the unions in July, saying the law violates equal protection guarantees in the Wisconsin Constitution by dividing public employees into “general” and “public safety” employees. He ruled that general employee unions, like those representing teachers, can not be treated differently from public safety unions that were exempt from the law. His ruling Monday delineated the dozens of specific provisions in the law that must be struck. Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he looked forward to appealing the ruling. “This lawsuit came more than a decade after Act 10 became law and after many courts rejected the same meritless legal challenges,” Vos said in a statement. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state's largest business lobbying organization, also decried the ruling. WMC President Kurt Bauer called Act 10 “a critical tool for policymakers and elected officials to balance budgets and find taxpayer savings." The Legislature said in court filings that arguments made in the current case were rejected in 2014 by the state Supreme Court. The only change since that ruling is the makeup of Wisconsin Supreme Court, attorneys for the Legislature argued. The Act 10 law effectively ended collective bargaining for most public unions by allowing them to bargain solely over base wage increases no greater than inflation. It also disallowed the automatic withdrawal of union dues, required annual recertification votes for unions, and forced public workers to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. The law was the signature legislative achievement of Walker, who was targeted for a recall election he won. Walker used his fights with unions to mount an unsuccessful presidential run in 2016. Frost, the judge who issued Monday's ruling, appeared to have signed the petition to recall Walker from office. None of the attorneys sought his removal from the case and he did not step down. Frost was appointed to the bench by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who signed the Walker recall petition. The law has also led to a dramatic decrease in union membership across the state. The nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum said in a 2022 analysis that since 2000, Wisconsin had the largest decline in the proportion of its workforce that is unionized. In 2015, the GOP-controlled Wisconsin Legislature approved a right-to-work law that limited the power of private-sector unions. Public sector unions that brought the lawsuit are the Abbotsford Education Association; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Locals 47 and 1215; the Beaver Dam Education Association; SEIU Wisconsin; the Teaching Assistants’ Association Local 3220 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 695.Ethan Taylor scores 21 as Air Force takes down Mercyhurst 82-48TORONTO — The Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts signed American running back Kevin Brown on Friday. The five-foot-nine, 205-pound Brown rushed for 522 yards on 101 carries in 12 games last season with the Edmonton Elks. He added 22 catches for 138 yards before finishing the '24 campaign on the CFL club's practice roster. In 2023, Brown ran for 1,141 yards and four TDs with Edmonton. He also had 28 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown. Brown, 28, spent three seasons with the Elks, running for 2,149 yards (six-yard average) and five TDs. He added 74 catches for 536 yards and a touchdown in 37 regular-season games. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. The Canadian Press

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