what is cat fishing Uwill Founder & CEO Michael London Named Innovator in Healthcare"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.

Giants QB Tommy DeVito has a sore throwing arm after loss to BucsLOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is keeping elite company. The Japanese superstar caps 2024 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, tying him with basketball great Michael Jordan. He trails only four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James. “I’m very honored,” Ohtani said through translator Matt Hidaka in an exclusive interview with the AP. ”Obviously all the hard work has paid off. Maybe next year, I’ll get the award again.” In balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members, Ohtani received 48 votes. He previously won the award in 2023 and 2021 , when he was with the Angels. “Growing up in Japan, I did follow Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods,” he said. “I would see their accolades and how they were successful in the United States.” The AP honor has been given out since 1931. Golfer Babe Didrikson won six times, the most by a man or woman. Swimmer Léon Marchand of France, who won four gold medals at the Paris Olympics, was second with 10 votes in balloting announced Monday. Golfer Scottie Scheffler, whose victories this year included the Masters and an Olympic gold medal, was third with nine. The AP Female Athlete of the Year will be announced Tuesday. Moving from the beleaguered Los Angeles Angels to the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award and first in the National League, led his new team to its eighth World Series championship and created Major League Baseball’s 50/50 club by hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases. Ohtani signed a then-record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023. Already a two-way superstar, he embellished his reputation even further despite not pitching all season while he rehabilitated from a second major right elbow surgery he had in September 2023. Ohtani went wild on offense, making every at-bat a must-see moment. The 6-foot-4 designated hitter batted a career-high .310 while easily surpassing his previous career highs in home runs and stolen bases. In September, he reached the previously unheard of 50/50 mark in a performance for the ages . Against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Ohtani went 6 for 6 with three homers, 10 RBIs, two stolen bases and 17 total bases. "It wouldn’t shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a year from now,” Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 during Ohtani’s second season in Anaheim, said recently. “This guy is the greatest athlete to ever play the sport of baseball and there’s not a close second.” Ohtani said he knew the Dodgers' franchise record for most homers in a season was 49. His previous best was 46, set in 2021. "I kind of wanted to get over that bar,” he said. “I was pleasantly surprised I was able to pass that record.” Ohtani carried the Dodgers offensively during the regular season, and he stayed healthy until Game 2 of the World Series. He injured his left shoulder trying to steal second base against the New York Yankees and finished the Series playing hurt. He underwent surgery a few days after the Dodgers celebrated their championship in early November. "I don’t have full range of motion yet, but it feels a lot better,” he told the AP. “There’s no pain. There’s obviously still a little bit of tightness, but slowly but surely it’s getting better.” Ohtani recently received an updated rehab schedule, and he’s focused on the near-term. “It’s the small steps that I think are very important to get me to the ultimate goal, which is to just get back healthy,” he said. Ohtani is also throwing in the 70 mph range, which is typical for pitchers early in the offseason. "I’m going to continue to ramp up slowly,” he said. The Dodgers’ rotation for next season is in flux, and Ohtani is waiting to see how it shakes out. "We may go with a five-man rotation with a bullpen (game), which is what we did a lot during this season or we may have a six-man rotation,” he said. “But it’s all about balancing out when we can get rest and recuperate. We’ll see where that takes us along the playoff chase. I’ve got to obviously pace myself, but again that situation will guide us to how we get there.” The Dodgers open the 2025 season in Japan, where Ohtani is even more closely watched . "My personal goal is to be fully healthy by the time the opening games do start,” he said. “To be able to pitch and hit would be great, but the situation will kind of guide itself.” Each time Ohtani comes to the plate or steps on the mound, there’s great pressure and expectation for him to perform spectacular feats. "I just go out there and try to stay within myself,” he said. “I can only control what I can control and that’s where you trust your teammates. The guys behind me, you trust they’re going to make the plays for you. I don’t really try to overthink it.” Ohtani generated big bucks for the Dodgers off the field, too. Fans traveled from Japan in droves to see him play around the U.S. At Dodger Stadium, they paid extra for tours of baseball’s third-oldest venue narrated by Japanese-speaking guides and to be on the field during pre-game batting practice. A majority of the fans bought Ohtani-branded merchandise, especially his No. 17 jersey. Ohtani’s presence also helped the Dodgers land a bevy of new Japanese sponsors. Because Ohtani prefers to speak Japanese and use an interpreter with the media, he is shrouded in a bit of mystique. Asked before his first postgame series if he was nervous, he dropped a one-word answer in English: “Nope,” which drew laughter. Japanese-born Dodgers manager Dave Roberts observed Ohtani’s behind-the-scenes interactions with his teammates, coaches and staff, and came away impressed. "I really do believe that as good of a ballplayer as he is, he’s a much better person. He’s very kind, considerate, he cares,” Roberts told the AP. “I’m just proud of any fame or glory or award that he receives because he just does it in such a respectful and humble way.” Ohtani relishes his privacy and rarely shares details about himself off the field. That’s why his February announcement via Instagram that he had wed Mamiko Tanaka , a former basketball player, stunned his new teammates and the rest of the world. The following month, after the Dodgers arrived in South Korea to open the season, he was enveloped in scandal when his longtime interpreter and friend , Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of using millions of dollars of Ohtani’s money to place bets with an illegal bookmaker. His new teammates rallied around Ohtani, who was found to have no part in the wrongdoing, and publicly it didn’t seem to affect him even if he was privately distressed by it. By June, the uproar had subsided. Mizuhara pleaded guilty to federal bank and tax fraud charges and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. The public got a glimpse of Ohtani’s softer side in August, when his dog Decoy delivered a first pitch to his owner on their shared bobblehead night. The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje exchanged an endearing high-five with Ohtani at the plate. As a result, Decoy became a celebrity in his own right, with his breed (pronounced COY-ker-HUND-che) making the list of the most mispronounced words of 2024. He and Ohtani were mentioned during the telecast of last month’s National Dog Show, where the small Spaniel-type breed was among the competitors. "The number of the breed has kind of dwindled, so by him gaining a little bit of popularity hopefully that brings up the number of his breed,” Ohtani said. “I do feel like we were able to, in a small way, contribute to the popularity of the dog and I’m sure Decoy himself would be happy about that.” Ohtani will be looking to top himself next year while eyeing a repeat World Series title. "It’s almost like right now you can lock in the Most Valuable Player in the National League award because no one has that ability or talent,” Roberts said. "I’m just excited to see what ’25 has for Shohei Ohtani.” AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

One of the most prominent figures from Canada 's trucker protests against COVID-19 restrictions in 2022 has been found guilty on five counts including mischief and disobeying a court order. A judge ruled Friday that Pat King was guilty on one count each of mischief, counseling others to commit mischief and counseling others to obstruct police. He was also found guilty on two counts of disobeying a court order. He could face up to 10 years in prison. Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of protesters clogged the streets of the capital, Ottawa , and besieged Parliament Hill for three weeks in early 2022, demonstrating against vaccine mandates for truckers and other precautions and condemning Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. Members of the self-styled Freedom Convoy also blockaded U.S.-Canada border crossings in protest. The prosecution alleged King was a protest leader who was instrumental to the disruption in Ottawa. The prosecution alleged King coordinated the repeated bouts of honking, ordering the protesters to lay on the horn every 30 minutes for 10 minutes at a time, and told people to “hold the line” when he was aware that police and the city had asked the truckers to leave. The prosecution's case relied mainly on King’s own videos, which he posted to social media throughout the protest to document the demonstration and communicate with those taking part. King’s lawyers argued that he was peacefully protesting and was not one of the demonstration's leaders. King was found not guilty on three counts of intimidation and one count of obstructing police himself. The truckers' convoy gridlocked downtown streets around Parliament Hill, with area residents complaining about the fumes from diesel engines running non-stop, and unrelenting noise from constant the honking of horns and music from parties. Trudeau's government ultimately invoked the Emergencies Act to try and bring an end to the protests. Ottawa Police brought in hundreds of officers from forces across Canada. The protests were first aimed at a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers. They eventually encompassed fury over COVID-19 restrictions and dislike of Trudeau, reflecting the spread of disinformation in Canada and simmering populist and right-wing anger. The Freedom Convoy shook Canada’s reputation for civility, inspired convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands and interrupted economic trade. For almost a week the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit was blocked. It carries more than 25% of trade between the countries, who are each other's largest trading partners.Mixed day for global stocks as market hopes for 'Santa Claus rally'

Shohei Ohtani wins 3rd AP Male Athlete of the Year award, tying Michael Jordan for 1 shy of record LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has been named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time. That ties the two-way superstar with Michael Jordan, an athlete Ohtani followed while growing up in Japan. He trails only Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James, who each won the award four times. Ohtani received 48 votes in balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members. He earned his third National League Most Valuable Player award after helping the Dodgers win their eighth World Series title. Ohtani hit 54 home runs and stole 59 bases as the first player with a 50-50 season. His dog, Decoy, became a celebrity, too, helping Ohtani deliver a ceremonial first pitch at a game. Tennessee and Auburn remain 1-2 in AP Top 25 poll featuring 10 SEC teams Tennessee and Auburn remained Nos. 1-2 atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. They were the headliners among the Southeastern Conference's haul of 10 ranked teams. Iowa State, Duke and Alabama rounded out the top five. Kentucky had the week's biggest fall, sliding six spots to No. 10 after a loss to Ohio State. Mississippi State, Arkansas, Illinois and Baylor rejoined the poll after stints in the rankings earlier this season. They replaced Memphis, Dayton, Michigan and Clemson. The Big 12 and Big Ten were tied for second with five teams each in the AP Top 25. USC up to No. 4 in women's AP Top 25 after win over UConn. UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame stay 1-3 Southern California jumped to No. 4 in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll on Monday after edging UConn. The Trojans moved up three spots after beating the then-No. 4 Huskies 72-70 in a rematch of last season’s Elite Eight game that UConn won. UCLA, South Carolina and Notre Dame remained the top three teams. The Bruins received 30 of the 32 first-place votes from a national media panel. The Gamecocks and the Fighting Irish each got one first-place vote. UConn fell to seventh behind Texas and LSU. Maryland, Oklahoma and Ohio State rounded out the top 10 teams. Former NFL great Michael Vick introduced as Norfolk State’s football coach NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Michael Vick has been introduced as Norfolk State’s football coach, a homecoming for the former NFL star and a splashy, attention-grabbing hire for a program that has struggled in recent years. Vick donned a Norfolk State letterman’s jacket and cap in front of a crowd of supporters that included fellow Hampton Roads, Virginia, sports greats Allen Iverson and Bruce Smith. Vick led Virginia Tech to the national championship game as a redshirt freshman and was selected No. 1 overall in the 2001 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. His career was derailed by his conviction in 2007 for his involvement in a dogfighting ring. On Football: Falcons and Buccaneers flip spots atop the NFC South and playoff races tighten up The 49ers, Cowboys and Cardinals are out of the playoff race. The Falcons took control of their hopes and the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals kept slim chances alive. The NFL’s playoff picture became clearer Sunday. With two weeks remaining, three of eight division titles are secured, eight teams have wrapped up playoff berths and 11 more are competing for the six remaining spots. The biggest change in the standings occurred in the NFC South with Atlanta reclaiming the top spot from Tampa Bay. The Chiefs have the inside track for the AFC's No. 1 seed and the NFC's top spot could likely come down to the Vikings-Lions matchup in Week 18. No. 1 Oregon and No. 8 Ohio State gear up for rematch of thriller won by Ducks Oregon and Ohio State have already produced one heck of a game this season. Now, the top-seeded Ducks and eighth-seeded Buckeyes are gearing up for a rematch more than 10 weeks later in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. Of course, both teams have had ample time for evolution since that 32-31 Oregon win on Oct. 12. But they also have that game and players’ familiarity with each other, not to mention common opponents in the Big Ten. Texas, Arizona State to meet in CFP clash of old vs. new Big 12 champs AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas won the Big 12 title in 2023 on its way out the door to the Southeastern Conference. It was still swinging open when Arizona State waltzed in and won the league title in its debut season. And now last season’s Big 12 champs meet the new Big 12 champs on the path toward a potential national title. The fifth-seeded Longhorns and fourth-seeded Sun Devils play News Years Day in the Peach Bowl in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. Penn State preparing for hard-charging Jeanty and Boise State in CFP quarterfinals STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State players have watched Ashton Jeanty make opponents look silly all season. They don’t want to be the next defenders Boise State’s star posterizes with jukes, spin moves, stiff arms and heavy shoulders. But they also know that slowing down Jeanty, who finished second in Heisman Trophy voting, will be their toughest task yet when the two teams meet in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. NCAA appealing Pavia injunction as D-I board grants waiver to former JUCO players The NCAA on Monday appealed the preliminary injunction granted by a U.S. federal judge giving Diego Pavia another year of eligibility even as the organization’s Division I board of directors granted a waiver allowing athletes in a similar situation as the Vanderbilt quarterback to play in 2025-26. The injunction Dec. 18 was limited to Pavia arguing he was likely to win on his argument that NCAA Division I eligibility rules discriminated against his junior college seasons. The NCAA waiver announced Monday should limit the lawsuits from other athletes who started at a junior college seeking another season to access name, image and likeness opportunities. Texas sues NCAA in latest push to block transgender athletes in women's sports AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the NCAA to block the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, arguing that it tricks and misleads fans. The lawsuit filed in state district court argues the NCAA violates the Texas Trade Practices Act. The law is designed to protect consumers from deceptive business practices. The lawsuit is the latest attempt by conservative politicians to target transgender athletes and push the NCAA into banning them from competition. NCAA President Charlie Baker recently told Congress he was aware of fewer than 10 active transgender athletes.

AP News Summary at 2:05 p.m. ESTSAN FRANCISCO , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Smodin, a trailblazer in AI-powered tools for students, educators, and professionals, is thrilled to announce an exciting development: www. contemplativeinquiry.org and www. freshu.io now redirect to Smodin.io, creating a single, unified hub for innovation and productivity. This move marks a significant step forward in Smodin's mission to make advanced AI tools more accessible than ever. By integrating these domains into Smodin.io, users will enjoy seamless access to a broader range of resources, from AI writing assistance to content analysis, all on a single platform designed to meet diverse needs. "This isn't just about redirection—it's about transformation," said the founder of Smodin. "By bringing everything under the Smodin umbrella, we're creating a one-stop solution for anyone seeking smarter, faster, and more effective tools to achieve their goals." Visitors from contemplativeinquiry.org and freshu.io will now have direct access to Smodin's continually expanding suite of features, including plagiarism detection, essay generation, and tools tailored to enhance productivity and creativity. This evolution ensures users can focus on what truly matters: creating, learning, and growing. The consolidation is part of Smodin's vision to innovate and deliver an unparalleled user experience while solidifying its position as a global leader in AI technology. Discover the future of AI-driven solutions at www.smodin.io . About Smodin Smodin is a leading AI-powered platform dedicated to empowering users worldwide with smart tools for writing, research, and productivity. With a focus on innovation and accessibility, Smodin transforms the way students, educators, and professionals work and create. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smodin-unites-powerful-domains-to-deliver-an-all-in-one-ai-platform-302314508.html SOURCE Smodin

Mack Brown became the highest-profile head coach to be fired this season when North Carolina announced on Tuesday that the 2005 national champion at Texas won't return for the 2025 season. More coaches will likely follow Brown in the coming weeks as the regular season ends. Here are five with the hottest seats entering Week 14. UAB head coach Trent Dilfer The Blazers have taken a massive step back under the former Ravens quarterback. UAB is 3-8 this year and 7-16 since Dilfer was hired in November 2022 after going 50-26 from 2017-22 with no losing seasons. Having previously coached at the Tennessee high-school juggernaut Lipscomb Academy, Dilfer hasn't been able to translate his success there to the next level. Earlier this season , Dilfer stirred controversy when, during a sparsely attended news conference, he allowed his grandson on stage with him, saying, "It's not like this is freaking Alabama." Yeah, no kidding. But Dilfer hasn't failed because UAB is worlds apart from Alabama. He's failed because the Blazers barely resemble a college team. It's time for Dilfer to head back to grade school. Purdue head coach Ryan Walters Walters has turned Purdue into the country's worst power conference team in only two seasons. Purdue went 17-10 in its last two seasons under former head coach Jeff Brohm, who took over at Louisville in 2023 following former head coach Scott Satterfield's move to Cincinnati, which only had an opening because Purdue Big Ten foe Wisconsin hired Luke Fickell as its head coach. Walters has gone 5-18 in two seasons. The Boilermakers (1-10, 0-8 Big Ten) have underperformed low expectations entering 2024. Per ESPN , Purdue's over/under win total before the season was set at 4.5 games, and it ranked last in odds to win the Big Ten (+30000). Purdue ranks 129th (out of 134 FBS programs) in scoring offense (17.2 points per game) and 130th in scoring defense (37.5 points per game allowed). Its only win came in August against FCS Indiana State. Per 247 Sports , the Boilermakers rank last in the Big Ten in 2025 high-school recruiting rankings with a conference-low 12 commits, a sign that Walters likely won't right the ship anytime soon. Kent State head coach Kenni Burns Since Burns took over as head coach, the Golden Flashes have been the worst team in the country, going 1-22 since the start of the 2023 season. Burns inherited a program that had gone 22-21 in four seasons under former head coach Sean Lewis (2019-22), which was nothing short of a miracle for a program that had two winning seasons from 1988-2018 and four bowl appearances since 1962. Burns has pushed Kent State into familiar territory after it appeared to have moved past its woeful history. Burns broke the program; he has no business being the one to try to fix it. West Virginia head coach Neal Brown The Mountaineers might be over Brown's idea of a good time. In May , he took a pay deduction and lowered his buyout to remain with the program Earlier this season , Brown downplayed concerns from disgruntled fans following a home loss to Iowa State, suggesting the atmosphere at Milan Puskar Stadium was good enough to keep fans satisfied. "I get that they want to win ... But what I would say is, did they have a good time," said Brown. "I'm assuming they probably had a good time tailgating," he added. The Mountaineers have hit their ceiling under Brown, who has lost at least four games each year in his six seasons in Morgantown. Imagine how much more fun fans would have if their team were any good. Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie The Bulldogs are 10-25 since Cumbie was hired as head coach in November 2021 , including 4-7 this season. The former TCU and Texas Tech offensive coordinator has overseen a Louisiana Tech offense that has regressed under his watch. In 2022, Louisiana Tech ranked 61st in scoring offense (29 points per game), followed by a 78th-place finish (25.9 points per game) in 2023. This season, Tech ranks 114th (21.2 points per game), squandering an improved defense that ranks 44th in points allowed per game (22.4).

Dictionary.com has named its word of the year, and it isn't 'brat'

It’s Friday, December 13, and the Los Angeles Lakers (13-11) and Minnesota Timberwolves (12-11) are all set to square off from Target Center in Minneapolis. The Lakers are currently 5-8 on the road with a point differential of -4, while the Timberwolves have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts. Game details & how to watch Lakers vs. Timberwolves live today Date: Friday, December 13, 2024 Time: 8 pm EST Site: Target Center City: Minneapolis, MN Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page , along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Game odds for Lakers vs. Timberwolves The latest odds as of Friday: Odds: LA Lakers (+285), Minnesota Timberwolves (-360) Spread: Timberwolves -8.5 Over/Under: 214.5 points That gives the Lakers an implied team point total of 106.15, and the Timberwolves 110.58. Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more! Expert picks & predictions for Friday Lakers vs. Timberwolves game Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. NBC Sports Bet Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell’s (@VmoneySports) Top Play: D’Angelo Russell Under 29.5 PRA (-115) “D-Lo had 15 and 28 PRA in two meetings with Minnesota and even though LeBron James is out and Russell is coming off a season-high 28 points versus Portland, this is a fade spot. Against teams D-Lo has seen more than once, he averages 21.3 PRA in that second or third meeting with totals of 12, 28, 24, 23, 23, 18 versus the Grizzlies, Raptors, Suns, Spurs and Timberwolves -- staying Under 29.5 PRA all six times.” Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals. Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Lakers & Timberwolves game: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Minnesota Timberwolves on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Lakers at -8.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the OVER on the Game Total of 214.5. Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar! Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Lakers vs. Timberwolves on Friday The Lakers have lost 14 of their last 17 games as an underdog The Under is 4-1 in the Timberwolves’ last 5 matchups against Western Conference teams The Timberwolves have failed to cover in 11 of their 17 matchups against Western Conference teams this season The Timberwolves have won 13 of their last 15 home games against the Lakers If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: - Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) - Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) - Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) - Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)Top DEI official's word salad meltdown when asked if she supports legalized drug dealing By JOE HUTCHISON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 21:53 GMT, 13 December 2024 | Updated: 22:00 GMT, 13 December 2024 e-mail 6 shares 14 View comments Canada 's top DEI official struggled to answer a simple question about whether she supports legalizing drug dealing. Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion & Persons with Disabilities, was being grilled by Conservative MP Jamil Jivani over the current liberal governments policies. Jivani had been quizzing the official over the countries Black Justice Strategy, a document to help them tackle anti-black racism in the justice system. One of the suggestions put forward was the decriminalization of the possession of a 30-day supply of drugs of hard drugs. After frequently asking Khera if she supported that policy, she refused to give a straight answer. Jivani continues: 'Your government calls this history making and a milestone for black people in this country. 'I think it's fair for black people to look at it, and say is this what you want intend to do to our communities. 'Do you intend to decriminalize a 30 day supply of drugs in the name of diversity, equity and inclusion. Why is this such a difficult question to answer?' Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion & Persons with Disabilites, seen here, was being grilled by Conservative MP Jamil Jivani Jivani had been quizzing the official over the countries Black Justice Strategy, a document to help them tackle anti-black racism in the justice system Amazingly, Khera responds: ' Mr. Chair, clearly the member does not understand what diversity, inclusion and equity actually means.' Jivani quickly goes on the offense and quotes an EDI expert who said in a statement that EDI programs had made anti-Semitism worse in the country. He continues: 'Who deserves equity and inclusion in your mind?' She gives a stock response, saying: 'My goal is to ensure we are creating equal opportunities for every single person in this country. 'That takes fundamental changes to our institution to do that work, you have to be deliberate about that change.' Jivani continues to try and interrupt her comments, saying: 'You can keep trying to filibuster if you like.' After the chair of the panel interrupts, Jivani is allowed to continue with his questioning. He adds: 'So when a university student from our country says that diversity, equity and inclusion is disadvantaging her community, you response to that is "well I'm just going to keep making these blanket fluff statements?" Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a fireside chat with the Halifax Chamber of Commerce in Halifax Monday Dec. 9, 2024 The Drug User Liberation Front hand out clean, tested doses of drugs at a demonstration demanding the legalization and regulation of safe alternatives to the toxic street drug supply in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada April 14, 2022 'She's asking you clearly, how do you decide who deserves equity and who deserves inclusion? Why are there Canadians who feel excluded by your DEI framework.' Clearly rattled, she then repeats a similar statement that she delivered at the start of their exchange, saying: 'The honorable member does not really understand. 'He does not understand that there are systems in place, that anti-black racism, systemic racism is a real thing.' He shared the video of their interaction to his X page, saying: 'The top DEI official in Canada shows exactly what the DEI industry is all about. Superficial, empty, hollow virtue signaling.' Since he shared the video he has been inundated with comments from people attacking Khera over her word salad. One person commented: 'Well done Jamil, she showed her colors and where she stands in pushing division politics under the guise of compassion.' Another added: 'Please tell me when Conservatives take over, all these DEI Ministries and programs will be removed and all those working in them will be fired.' Changes around drug policy have been rolled out across the country in the last few years, following a rise in opioid deaths since the pandemic. In 2022, British Columbia passed a law decriminalizing the small-scale possession of certain drugs including cocaine and MDMA until 2025. They hoped that the policy change would help reduce overdose deaths by easing a fear of arrest by those who need help. Canada Share or comment on this article: Top DEI official's word salad meltdown when asked if she supports legalized drug dealing e-mail 6 shares Add comment

App launched to empower youth

The Post’s Joseph Staszewski brings you around the world of professional wrestling in his weekly Post Match Angle. It took some time for my head to wrap itself around it, to process and think back a little bit as to why creatively CM Punk and not Seth Rollins or Brock Lesnar was the best fifth man for Roman Reigns’ Survivor Series team. There is the obvious reason for Punk’s star power and his strong connection to Paul Heyman that a call from The Wise Man — after he reconnected his phone – made sense, as long as they don’t start calling him CM Uso. But as I thought about and factored in two key pieces of information, I started to appreciate Punk’s presence as not some callback to something in The Bloodline story, but the potential for a fresh and unfiltered voice in it – a chance to turn up the volume even more. After Punk helped clear the ring of Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline, Reigns looked confused at his presence, asking him – inaudibly – why he was there. Punk, the original Paul Heyman guy, told Reigns, it’s not about you but him — pointing to Heyman. Reigns replied by saying “He’s my Wise Man.” Punk quipped back with, “We’ll see.” An X user then posted Punk’s lone interaction with Sikoa’s crew back in June, when a scared-for-his-life Heyman asked “The Voice of the Voiceless” to “take me with you” away from the new Bloodline. Heyman hinted in August during an interview with Sam Roberts that his return would set up a year’s worth of storyline. Then, it clicked. Punk’s role in this can have three prongs. He should be seen as a threat by Reigns to take Heyman away from him and Punk helping out the OTC should further irk Rollins whenever it’s time for their feud. But more importantly, Punk needs to be an independent voice to call out Reigns for all the damage he’s done. Give Punk a microphone next Friday and let him absolutely tear into Reigns. “You know why I’m here? I’m here to help clean up the mess you left after WrestleMania,” Punk should say. “I’m here because you packed up and went home after losing to Cody Rhodes. You left Paul on his own, scared for his life as Solo moved into the void you created and it ultimately got him powerbombed through a table at Madison Square Garden while you were nowhere to found. Where were you? “So I’m here to make sure that never happens again and to help take out the people who hurt my friend Paul. I’m not here for you. I’m here for him because as long as Solo has any power, Paul’s not safe. I’ve shown you can’t be trusted to keep him safe. I’ll always look after him because he always looked after me, even if it means taking him far away from you.” Sure, Reigns can make a quip about Punk taking his ball and going home for 10 years. Punk can tap into having a hand in Reigns’ success after picking him to be in The Shield, but it will be hard for him to argue with anything that’s said. It immediately creates the riff needed to make fans ponder if this union is actually going to work at Survivor Series and foreshadow the eventual explosion between Punk and Reigns. We kind of know how Rollins and Lesnar’s interactions with Reigns here would end. Punk’s presence is much more open-ended for both he and Heyman — which could even include a betrayal. Let the next act begin. The 10 Count If Kevin Owens hadn’t taken out Randy Orton with a banned piledriver, he made a compelling case to be the babyface in this story with his promo on SmackDown — no lies detected. It obviously touched a nerve with Cody Rhodes and brought out a rage while attacking Carmelo Hayes we’ve rarely, if ever, seen from him since he arrived in WWE. The Julia Hart vignettes really have been some of the highlights of AEW TV the past few weeks. Maybe the best part of the behind the scenes footage of CM Punk’s return that WWE release is the look of nerves and joy and disbelief on his face right before he goes out. When the time is right, Johnny Gargano really should turn on his friend Alex Shelley and the Motor City Machine Guns. Mega-heel Johnny Gargano sounds like a fun thing to explore instead of another split with Tommaso Ciampa. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods crushed their explosive argument on Raw after all the boiling frustration heading into the New Day’s 10-year celebration. It was raw and nothing was off limits — even Kingston’s WWE championship loss to Brock Lesnar. I wondered why the Chris Jerichi-Ishii contract signing was starting in the locker room, but it made a lot more sense as Jericho tried to escape to the ring without signing. A nice twist on an old concept. The field for the second Continental Classic is better than the first, though I was hoping to get Jay White back in to eventually face Continental champion Kazuchika Okada. Instead, I’m hoping for a first-time match between Okada and Ricochet in the final. If Finn Balor isn’t careful, he may suffer the same fate Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley have by trying to be Judgment Day’s leader. Bayley helping Bianca Belair ... a true gesture of trust or a decoy before a heel turn? Naomi sure looked suspicious too when the attack on Jade Cargill was brought up on Raw. Congrats to Ring of Honor Pure champion Lee Moriarty, who will have his painting debut at NADA Miami 2024 during art week from Dec 2-8. Moriarty’s paintings attempt to capture the duality of wrestling, often showing wrestlers in masks enjoying leisurely activities or embracing their more delicate nature. Social Media Post of the Week Wrestler of the Week Kyle Fletcher, AEW It was a coming-out party for the 25-year-old Aussie, who has spent a lot of time as a tag team wrestler. He got the biggest win of his career beating Will Ospreay at Full Gear on Saturday. Fletcher went toe-to-toe and move for move with arguably the best in-ring performer in the world and showed real promise in his ability to tell a story in the ring with his facial expressions and intensity. Next up is a spot in the Continental Classic, where the sky is the limit moving forward. Match to watch Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Sami Zayn vs. Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Toma Tonga, Tonga Loa, Bronson Reed: Men’s WarGames at Survivor Series (Sunday, 6 p.m., Peacock) This will be the OG Bloodline’s first match together since they won WarGames two years ago, but will now include the combustible element that is CM Punk. So much of where the Bloodline story goes depends on the outcome of this match. A win by the OGs and they could be done with the new group. A loss, and Reigns will likely have to face Sikoa one-on-one for the right to be Tribal Chief. The Rock will find his way into this story eventually, but Sunday feels too soon.

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MILAN, Italy (AP) — Atalanta went to the top of Serie A when Ademola Lookman scored with three minutes remaining to beat AC Milan 2-1 on Friday. Atalanta’s ninth win in a row was a fitting gift to coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who was awarded the coach of the month award earlier in the day for guiding his team to a perfect record in November. Charles De Ketelaere put the home side ahead with a towering header after 11 minutes only for Milan to level 11 minutes later. Theo Hernández released Rafael Leão on the right wing and his inviting cross was converted by Álvaro Morata. Milan, which lost Christian Pulišić to a knock before halftime, looked set to end Atalanta’s impressive run but Lookman nipped in at the back post to nod home a corner in the dying moments. Atalanta has 34 points, two more than Napoli, which has a game in hand against Lazio on Sunday. Milan was in seventh place. Serie A champion Inter defeated Parma 3-1 and extended the Milan club’s unbeaten run to 13 games. Federico Dimarco put the home side ahead five minutes before halftime when he worked a neat one-two with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and fired a low shot past Zion Suzuki. Nicolò Barella made it two eight minutes into the second half when he finished a fast counterattack with aplomb. Marcos Thuram's 10th goal of the season made it 3-0 in the 66th. A Matteo Darmian own goal gave some late consolation for Parma. AP soccer:December 6, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread by Linköping University Researchers from Linköping University together with colleagues from Poland and Chile have confirmed a theory that proposes a connection between the complementarity principle and entropic uncertainty. Their study is published in the journal Science Advances . "Our results have no clear or direct application right now. It's basic research that lays the foundation for future technologies in quantum information and quantum computers. There's enormous potential for completely new discoveries in many different research fields," says Guilherme B Xavier, researcher in quantum communication at Linköping University, Sweden. But to understand what the researchers have shown, we need to start at the beginning. That light can be both particles and waves is one of the most illogical—but at the same time fundamental—characteristics of quantum mechanics. This is called wave-particle duality . The theory dates back to the 17th century when Isaac Newton suggested that light is composed of particles. Other contemporary scholars believed that light consists of waves. Newton finally suggested that it might be both, without being able to prove it. In the 19th century, several physicists in various experiments showed that light actually consists of waves. But around the early 1900s, both Max Planck and Albert Einstein challenged the theory that light is just waves. However, it was not until the 1920s that physicist Arthur Compton could show that light also had kinetic energy, a classical particle property. The particles were named photons. Thus, it was concluded that light can be both particles and waves, exactly as Newton suggested. Electrons and other elementary particles also exhibit this wave-particle duality. But it is not possible to measure the same photon in the form of a wave and a particle. Depending on how the measurement of the photon is carried out, either waves or particles are visible. This is known as the complementarity principle and was developed by Niels Bohr in the mid 1920s. It states that no matter what one decides to measure, the combination of wave and particle characteristics must be constant. In 2014, a research team from Singapore demonstrated mathematically a direct connection between the complementarity principle and the degree of unknown information in a quantum system, the so-called entropic uncertainty. This connection means that no matter what combination of wave or particle characteristic of a quantum system is looked at, the amount of unknown information is a least one bit of information, i.e. the unmeasurable wave or particle. In the new study, researchers have now succeeded in confirming the Singapore researchers' theory in reality with the help of a new type of experiment. "From our perspective, it's a very direct way to show basic quantum mechanical behavior. It's a typical example of quantum physics where we can see the results, but we cannot visualize what is going on inside the experiment. And yet it can be used for practical applications. It's very fascinating and almost borders on philosophy," says Guilherme B Xavier. In their new experiment set-up, the Linköping researchers used photons moving forward in a circular motion, called orbital angular momentum , unlike the more common oscillating motion, which is up and down. The choice of orbital angular momentum allows for future practical applications of the experiment, because it can contain more information. The measurements are made in an instrument commonly used in research, called an interferometer, where the photons are shot at a crystal ( beam splitter ) that splits the path of the photons into two new paths, which are then reflected so as to cross each other onto a second beam splitter and then measured as either particles or waves depending on the state of this second device. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter— daily or weekly . One of the things that makes this experiment set-up special is that the second beam splitter can be partially inserted by the researchers into the path of the light. This makes it possible to measure light as waves, or particles, or a combination of them in the same set-up. According to the researchers, the findings could have many future applications in quantum communication, metrology, and cryptography. But there is also much more to explore at a basic level. "In our next experiment, we want to observe the behavior of the photon if we change the setting of the second crystal right before the photon reaches it. It would show that we can use this experimental set-up in communication to securely distribute encryption keys , which is very exciting," says Daniel Spegel-Lexne, Ph.D. student in the Department of Electrical Engineering. More information: Daniel Spegel-Lexne et al, Experimental demonstration of the equivalence of entropic uncertainty with wave-particle duality, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adr2007 . www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr2007 Journal information: Science Advances Provided by Linköping University