Whether or not we know it, we take risks every day. Some are bigger than others. When you cross a busy highway against the light, or swerve in and out of traffic without a turn signal in your SUV, there's risk. Same with when you decide to attend a party by yourself, and, even riskier, approach someone you don't know and start up a conversation. The first two instances have substantially more real risk than the last two, of course. As an extreme adventure writer, I take on risk, probably more so than others. To do it on a regular basis without serious injury, or worse, requires the ability to differentiate between real risk and perceived risk. Most people can't, or don't think about it. I’d argue, for example, that giving rides around the Daytona International Speedway at 170 mph in a stock car, which I do for fun regularly at the NASCAR Racing Experience, is less risky than say, driving half that speed on the highway in a passenger car. Why? Because in a race car you have as protection a five-point harness-belt system, helmet, Hans device and fireproof racing suit. The race car is also specially built to take severe impacts. A passenger car? Good luck. All you have is a flimsy seat belt and an air bag. Plus most passenger cars are not designed to withstand impacts at 85 mph. Interestingly, though, my friends who drive at 85 mph on the highway constantly give me the business about what I do at Daytona. Truth is, if they get into a wreck, they are probably heading to the hospital in an ambulance or helicopter, or, even worse, will lose their lives. Highway fatalities in the U.S. topped 42,000 in 2022. Conversely, I'll probably be okay, maybe shaken up, because of all the risk-mitigators in my race car. Now let’s consider rock climbing. Common wisdom says that scrambling up a simple 60-foot boulder in New York's Central Park is less risky than climbing a steep pitch 13,000 feet above the ground on Wyoming's Grand Teton. Not really. Most climbers ascending the Grand are protected by belay ropes in case of a fall. Boulderers in Central Park? Probably not. The perception is that 60 feet isn't that high, so why use protection? In fact, most that I’ve seen climbing there don't. But 60 feet is the height of a six-story building. Think about that. There are many other examples I could cite here, but you get the picture. Once I determine the real risk in a project, I look at how badly I want to participate. If it's wing-walking, for example, I'm not interested. Doesn't grab me, so it isn't worth the risk. Flying supersonic in the back of a fighter jet, which I've done seven separate times? Sure. I love it. Plus I have a parachute attached to my ejection seat (commercial airliners do not) and a military pilot flying the plane who is probably the best in the world at his craft. I have an advantage as a journalist. The last thing a supplier wants is the headline, "What were they thinking?" What I'm briefly trying to say here is look at each situation separately before you leap, as do I. With a clear head, determine the real risk versus the perceived one. Then ask yourself how badly you want the experience. The more you want it, of course, the more real risk you'll accept. Then make a decision - and have fun. Don't look back.ph365 info 。

Michael Penix Jr. announces engagement to girlfriend shortly after first NFL start

Published 5:00 pm Friday, December 13, 2024 by Thomas Howard Residents and visitors walking downtown will notice stars bearing the names of famous Mississippians embedded in the sidewalk. The Queen City has long been known for its recognition of the arts, and the stars are one of several projects paying homage to those whose efforts put the Magnolia State on the map. A number of events this past week, however, suggest significantly more stars will be needed in the near future. Events put on by both Meridian and Lauderdale County school districts highlighted the immense talent developing among our next generation of leaders and celebrated the effort students put into honing their craft. Email newsletter signup On Monday, Meridian High School students performed “Blue Christmas,” with both choir and band students participating in the concert. On Tuesday, Northwest Middle School held its annual Christmas concert, while at The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, Lauderdale County School District held its Holiday Showcase highlighting musical, artistic, dance and stage acting talent from students at each of the district’s four campuses. Thursday, MPSD’s youth choir helped set a festive mood as they opened for Mississippi trio Chapel Hart, which brought its Hartfelt Family Christmas Tour at the Temple Theater. The arts are a vital part of Meridian’s community, but even if that were not the case, arts education would remain a critical part of students’ education. According to the University of Florida, arts education is linked to improved academic outcomes, better mental health, increased engagement, reduced disciplinary actions and more. While many students will likely go on to pursue careers other than art, the skills developed by the arts, such as critical thinking and social skills, are highly valued among employers across the board. Thank you to the teachers, administrators, parents, volunteers, sponsoring businesses and all others who had a hand in making this week’s events come to fruition. Let’s continue to celebrate our young artists and the positive impact they have and will have on Meridian. Gulfport among cities with least sustainable credit card debts Congressional politics of disaster funding revisited in the wake of Helene, Milton Carswell puts Center for Public Policy in attack mode Letter to the Editor: We have much to be thankful for

Georgie Parker: ‘I’ve never felt weird about getting older’

After coaching a full practice and speaking to the media for nearly 17 minutes Friday, Mike Brown received a phone call from Kings general manager Monte McNair informing him that . The . Brown was getting ready to board the plane set for Los Angeles that several players and staff already were on. But the organization maintains there was no specific purpose or malice intended with the timing or execution of his release, The reported Saturday, citing team sources. Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé had the final say and ultimately gave the green light to pull the plug after practice Friday. But the decision to fire Brown was McNair's, Amick and Slater reported, citing team sources. “This was a difficult decision and I want to thank Mike for his many contributions to the organization,” McNair said Friday in a press release. Ranadivé has had a front-row seat to the madness that resulted in a pathetic 0-5 homestand that topped off the Kings' 12th loss in 17 games. Sitting courtside at Golden 1 Center, he has been notably upset and frustrated with the team's performance. Still, team sources insisted to Amick and Slater that the decision originally stemmed from McNair. Additionally, the organization is choosing to back the front office of McNair and assistant general manager Wes Wilcox, Amick and Slater added, who still are considered "safe" despite all of Sacramento's struggles. The Kings' depth -- or lack thereof -- led to a lot of difficult rotation issues for Brown. It's a weakness the front office acknowledged and still hopes to fix by the upcoming Feb. 6 trade deadline. So they felt comfortable parting ways with their head coach knowing they had personnel moves to make. And apparently, Thursday's loss to the Detroit Pistons was the final straw. A defensive blunder by De'Aaron Fox gave the Pistons a one-point lead that sealed their unimaginable victory. After the loss, Brown didn't hold back in his criticism of Fox and the rest of the guys. But that was no different than how Brown handled other pressers: Holding players accountable and never mincing his words. Still, Brown's press conference remarks were "beginning to wear on some players," Amick and Slater reported, citing team sources, and were part of the decision to part ways with Brown. While Brown's press conference critique was directly aimed at Fox on Thursday, Fox's wife Recee emphasized on social media that Fox had no say in the firing. False — Recee Fox (@Cee_Caldwell) This could not be more off base. — Recee Fox (@Cee_Caldwell) Now, Doug Christie will serve as the interim head coach, and the eighth under Ranadivé's ownership. The former Kings guard and current assistant coach met with the Kings brass and accepted their offer of a promotion to replace Brown on an interim basis, leaping lead assistant and former Toronto Raptors head coach Jay Triano. There's a lot to be determined moving forward, and it all begins Saturday night in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

Needle-free Mesotherapy Market Industry Dynamics and Contributions by Avora Skin Spa, Beautyworx Medispa, Shore Beauty Salon, MESO SKINLINE, DERMAVILLE, Sculpture Polyclinic, Celestetic

At "The House of Thrills" on Saturday, Mallory Torr picked up her first win as Sharon head coach as the Tigers defeated the Bulldogs in the consy contest. Sharon led 11-4 at the end of the opening quarter and 25-19 at halftime. Meadville cut the lead to 37-34 after three quarters. The Tigers put the game away by outscoring the Bulldogs 13-9 over the final eight minutes. Jamoria Crumby fired in 24 points to lead Sharon, Taylor Ragsdale-Holden scored eight, N'myia Griggs contributed seven points, and Jasmine McGee added six markers. Marlaya McCoy led the way for Meadville with 16 points and Jayda Gongaware chipped in seven points. "I'm very happy to get our first win of the season," said Torr. "I am proud of the way the team battled and we are looking forward to getting better each day." This will be updated as coaches submit stats to The Herald. Crumby 10-2-4-24, Clarke 1-0-0-3, McGee 1-4-4-6, Roberson 0-0-0-0, Griggs 2-1-2-7, Scott 0-0-0-0, Ragsdale-Holden 4-0-4-8, Amos 0-2-6-2. Crumby 2, Griggs 2, Clarke 1. J.Gongaware 2-3-6-7, Watkins 1-0-0-2, Lutern 1-4-6-6, Hall 2-0-0-6, McCoy 7-2-7-16, K.Gongaware 2-0-0-4, Stout 1-0-0-2. Hall 2.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Democratic Party sued on Friday to block the potential removal of tens of thousands of ballots tallied in an extremely close state Supreme Court race, saying state election officials would be violating federal law if they sided with protests initiated by the trailing Republican candidate. The lawsuit filed in Raleigh federal court comes as attorneys for Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin also went to state courts on Friday to attempt to force the State Board of Elections to act more quickly on accusations contained in the protests. The board tentatively planned to hold a public hearing on the protests next Wednesday, according to a board email provided with Griffin's motion. Griffin wants a final decision from the board earlier. Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs leads Griffin by 734 votes following a machine recount of over 5.5 million ballots cast in their Nov. 5 election. A partial hand recount began this week and is nearly complete. But Griffin, joined by three other GOP state legislative candidates, contend that well over 60,000 ballots shouldn't have counted, casting doubt on election results. Among their complaints: voter registration records of some voters casting ballots lack driver’s license or partial Social Security numbers, and overseas voters never living in North Carolina have run afoul of state residency requirements. The Democratic Party's lawsuit said that some of the protests represent “systematic challenges to voter eligibility” that counter a federal law's prohibition of what's essentially removing people from voter registration lists retroactively after an election. The lawsuit wants a judge to declare federal law and the Constitution prevents the votes from being discarded and to order the election board — a majority of its members Democrats — to comply. “No North Carolinian deserves to have their vote thrown out in a callous power grab,” state party Chair Anderson Clayton said in a written statement. According to state law, a board considering an election protest could correct a ballot tally, direct another recount or order a new election. Griffin's attorneys filed requests Friday for judges to demand that the board issue final rulings by late Tuesday afternoon. They were filed in Wake County Superior Court and at the Court of Appeals — the same court where Griffin serves. Usually three members on the 15-judge court — second only to the Supreme Court in state's jurisprudence — hear such motions. “Public trust in our electoral processes depends on both fair and efficient procedures to determine the outcome of our elections. By failing to give a timely decision, the State Board continues to undermine the public interest,” Griffin attorney Troy Shelton wrote. Attorneys for Riggs separately on Friday also responded to Griffin's actual protests before the board, saying they should all be denied. Griffin led Riggs — one of two Democrats on the seven-member court — by about 10,000 votes on election night, but that lead dwindled and flipped to Riggs as tens of thousands of qualifying provisional and absentee ballots were added to the totals through the canvass. Riggs has declared victory. The three Republican legislative candidates joining Griffin's protests all trailed Democratic rivals after the machine recounts. One is GOP Rep. Frank Sossamon, who trails Democratic challenger Bryan Cohn by about 230 votes. Should Cohn win, Republicans would fall one seat short of retaining its current veto-proof majority in both chambers. That would give more leverage to Democratic Gov.-elect Josh Stein in 2025. The Associated Press has not called the Supreme Court race and two of the three legislative races highlighted in the protests. Gary D. Robertson, The Associated Press

MLS commissioner Don Garber eyes changes, faces challengesSusan Shelley: The mundane reality of UFOsNone