bookie7 If I had a dollar for every person I’ve talked to recently who has stopped reading and watching the news, or at least cut way back, I’d be able to retire. Oh, wait. I AM retired! Retired from a lifelong career in newsrooms, and even I admit to dreading watching the evening news and reading newspapers. Election results in Iowa and nationally have produced feelings of anxiety for half the population. Final results show Donald Trump winning by 1.5 percentage points. He finished just under 50%, meaning just more than half of Americans voted for somebody else. The results of that narrow margin of victory open a much wider gulf between what Trump plans to do to our country and the desires of those who did not vote for Trump. It was far from a mandate, although Trump will claim he got one. These early days of the transition confirm the worst fears of many Americans. Trump is rapidly picking cabinet secretaries, apparently by looking at a sheet full of people’s pictures and going “eeny meeny miny moe.” No FBI background checks. Not enough questions about what landmines these people have in their background. The only qualifications that matter are whether they look good on TV and whether they’ve spent enough time kissing Trump’s you-know-what. And we all know this is the calm before the storm. Once Trump gets in office, it will be another four full years of chaos, childish taunts, blowing up his own staff, alienating allies – on and on. Adding to the stress was Sunday’s gut punch of President Biden pardoning his son, after repeated promises not to do so. Most of us who hunger for integrity from their leaders are finding it increasingly difficult to stay plugged in. Discerning news viewers need a break, and they’re taking it. MSNBC has lost nearly half its audience since election day. CNN is down 22%. Fox News ratings are soaring. How to stay sane So how do serious news consumers stay informed for the next few months – heck, for the next four years – without going stark-raving mad? I feel it’s important to not completely unplug from the news. So here are a few tips I use to stay on top of the latest developments, while also protecting my mental health. 1. Scan the headlines in a news source you trust, to get a sense of what’s going on. For important stories, I’ll read the first few paragraphs without delving deeper into every single story. 2. Avoid speculative stories. Stories that say what might happen or could happen usually serve only to raise my anxiety level. Many opinion pieces use the speculative model. During times like this, I prefer stories that tell me what has happened or will happen. 3. Avoid any story with a question in the headline. A few examples from this week: “Will Trump be the President of Vice? (The New York Times). “Can Rahm Emanuel Flip the Script Again?” (NY Times) “What happens if Elon Musk treats the government like he did Twitter?” (Washington Post) “Is Kristi Noem ready to run FEMA?” And, this favorite from the Washington Post: “With Trump, will we see World War 3?” There’s nothing about that story that calms my nerves. Right now, I don’t want speculation. I want facts – as succinctly as possible. 4. Get out in nature. Take a walk in the woods. Breathe in some fresh air, listen to the sounds of nature, feel the breeze on your skin. It’s no guarantee that everything will be okay, but it sure helps bring perspective. There’s more to life than our political fears. 5. I do not get my news from social media. Too much clickbait. Too much thoughtless provocation. Too many trolls. 6. Continue to invest in quality journalism that you trust. You’ll want those reporters there when you return to your regular news consumption habits. For now, give yourself a break. For a little while. Now is not the time to completely avoid the news, as tempting as it might be. Cut back for a while. But stay informed. Stay engaged. And stay sane. Dave Busiek spent 43 years working in Iowa radio and television newsrooms as a reporter, anchor and the last 30 years as news director of KCCI-TV, the CBS affiliate in Des Moines. He is a member of the Iowa Writers' Collaborative and his blog, "Dave Busiek on Media" appears on Substack.

Israeli police set to probe Netanyahu’s wife over ‘harassment of witnesses’ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen reflected on Buffalo’s many offseason critics and doubters when asked about the Bills achieving their latest milestones while sewing up the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the unraveling and undisciplined New York Jets on Sunday. It was a the Bills quarterback’s “I told you so moment,” even though Allen elected not to use those exact words. “It speaks to the staff that we’ve got here, the guys that we’ve got in this locker room, how this team is put together and the culture that we have,” Allen said. “We didn’t really pay attention to the preseason notions, but we heard them and we saw them and we knew what people were saying. "But it had no effect on us.” Well, that might be a stretch when it comes to motivation. What’s unquestioned is how Allen and the Bills (13-3) overcame a young, patchwork roster following the offseason departure of six of eight team captains — including Stefon Diggs being traded to Houston — to run away with their fifth consecutive AFC East title and win a franchise-best 13 games for the fifth time in team history, and third since 2020. Coach Sean McDermott didn’t leave much doubt as to who deserves the most credit for leading the Bills to their sixth consecutive playoff berth, and helping them set the single-season franchise records for points (509) and touchdowns (63). “I think Josh Allen continues to show why he should be the MVP,” McDermott said. “I’ve been around this league long enough to know to see MVP every year for many years. And what he has done on this team and this organization in this community — and no offense to anybody else — but I’ve got a hard time believing that someone’s done more.” Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to become the NFL’s first player to score 40 touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. He did so in an outing Buffalo blew the game open by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. Nothing went right in what became a comedy of errors for Rodgers and the Jets (4-12). New York will finish with five or fewer wins for the seventh time over a 14-season playoff drought — the NFL’s longest active streak. “It’s kind of like the season, it just got away from us. Too many games got away from us,” said Rodgers, who finished 12 of 18 for 112 yards and two interceptions before being pulled in favor of Tyrod Taylor with Buffalo leading 40-0. “We were moving the ball well and then just hit a wall. And that’s kind of been the season.” Rodgers, who entered the game with 499 career TD passes and looking to become just the fifth player to reach 500, was instead shut out and became the NFL’s most sacked quarterback. The 41-year-old has now been sacked 568 times , moving ahead of Tom Brady (565) and into first place on the career list. Taylor accounted for all of New York’s points, with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson and a 20-yarder to Tyler Conklin. Discipline was an issue for a Jets team that fell to 2-9 since Jeff Ulbrich took over as interim coach. New York finished with 16 accepted penalties for 120 yards. “It’s frustrating, it’s embarrassing, it’s maddening. It’s all of that,” Ulbrich said. Allen had a short and efficient outing, finishing 16 of 27 for 182 yards with a 30-yard TD pass to Amari Cooper and a 14-yarder to Keon Coleman before giving way to backup Mitchell Trubisky with Buffalo leading 33-0 through three quarters. And Trubisky piled on by completing a 69-yard touchdown pass to practice squad call-up Tyrell Shavers 2:23 into the fourth quarter. Shavers became the 13th Bills player to catch a touchdown pass, matching the single-season NFL record, to validate the “everybody eats” mantra Allen and the offense used to approach this season. The Bills defense enjoyed a dominating performance to snap a shaky three-game stretch in which it combined to allow 1,357 yards, 86 first downs and 107 points. “I wouldn’t say need ... and I don’t want to say reassurance, either,” said A.J. Epenesa, who sacked Rodgers for the safety. “But it just shows that this is what we can do and this is the standard that needs to be upheld.” Allen’s 1-yard score was the 65th rushing TD of his career, matching the team record held by Thurman Thomas. ... James Cook scored on a 4-yard run for his 15th TD rushing of the season, one short of the Bills' single-season record set by O.J. Simpson in a 14-game season in 1975. Cook matched Allen, who scored 15 last year. ... Wilson reached 1,000 yards receiving for the third straight year to start his career, the first Jets player to do so and the 10th player in NFL history to accomplish the feat. Jets: Close the season by hosting the Miami Dolphins. Bills: Play their regular-season finale at the New England Patriots. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

In 2024, US deported one desi every 6 hours: Report(BPT) - Every year, roughly 20-30% of older Americans head to warmer climates for the colder winter months. Snowbirds are often retirees on fixed incomes, though flexible work environments now provide more opportunities for anyone to spend several months escaping the chill. Whether on a fixed income or an empty nester with disposable income, consumers are interested in saving money where they can. With this in mind, snowbirds can look to their AARP membership to take advantage of relevant discounts and offerings as they fluff their feathers and get ready for takeoff. From savory breakfast options while driving to your seasonal destination, to home and auto protection, and even resources to support mental and physical health, AARP member benefits offer deals and savings that will help snowbirds take flight this winter. "Spending winters in warmer places has so many benefits that come with being able to be outside more often. Warmth and sunlight not only increase serotonin levels , which can result in more positive moods and a calm, focused mental outlook, but they also stimulate vitamin D production and may even boost immunity ," said Elvira Christiansen, Director of Retail and Loyalty for AARP Services. "An AARP membership makes it even better by offering savings as you plan your trip, as well as at many dining, entertainment and retail locations you will come across in your winter getaway destination, helping you to enjoy it to the fullest." 1. Order Up Road trips are often the preferred way to travel to a winter home for the flexibility of having a car once there. Whether your drive will have you behind the wheel for hours or days, you'll want to make sure you have your meals planned out. Fill up with a tasty breakfast or lunch with a stop at Denny's, which is easy to spot from most major highways. AARP members can save when heading to Denny's . With over 1,500 locations nationwide, members save 15% on everything from diner classics to breakfast items every day; maximum discount not to exceed $10. Restrictions apply. 2. Primary Care from Almost Anywhere Feeling under the weather can put a damper on your winter travels, so it's a good idea to make sure you can access quality healthcare even when you're at your winter destination. If you are on Medicare, you can check whether there is an Oak Street Health primary care clinic near you. Oak Street Health , the only primary care provider to carry the AARP name, provides primary care for adults on Medicare and focuses on prevention with personalized care to help keep you healthy — physically, mentally and socially. Benefits include same-day/next-day appointments where available, convenient locations, a dedicated care team and a 24/7 patient support line. AARP membership is not required to visit an Oak Street Health clinic. 3. Wellness Checklist Once you check off primary care needs for your winter destination, don't overlook other priorities like maintaining your prescriptions and protecting your vision. Start by making sure your prescriptions are up to date before you head out of town. If you do need a refill while you're away, you have access to a free prescription discount card from AARP ® Prescription Discounts provided by Optum Rx ® that can be used at over 66,000 pharmacies nationwide for savings on FDA-approved medications. You do not need to be an AARP member to take advantage of these benefits, though AARP members receive additional perks, including deeper discounts on medications, home delivery, coverage for your dependents and more. If you're having trouble with your vision, want to update your sunglass prescription, or simply want to maintain your annual visits to an optometrist or ophthalmologist while away, AARP members have access to information on vision insurance options that offer individual and family plans, featuring a large doctor network, savings on frames, lens enhancements, progressives and more. 4. Home (Safety) Away from Home One thing that should always be a priority is keeping your home safe while you're away for the winter. While Neighborhood Watch is always helpful, long periods away from a home require additional security systems. With an AARP membership, homeowners can secure their homes for less. Members save 5% on monthly home security monitoring with ADT Home Security , which covers smart home security systems including intrusion monitoring, connected smoke and CO detection, and smart automation for video doorbells, security cameras and smart locks. 5. Pack Auto Coverage in Your Luggage Driving south for the winter? Utilize AARP member benefits to save on auto care so you can road trip worry free. AARP members save up to 20% on annual membership fees for Allstate Roadside Assistance plans, which provides access to assistance for towing, jump-starts, tire changes, lockout assistance, fuel delivery and more. Allstate Roadside plan benefits can be used 24/7 in any car you drive, including rented and borrowed ones. And, if you want to bring any personal items with you but don't have room to squeeze them in your car, Budget Truck Rental has a variety of trucks for you to choose from. AARP members can save 20% on local or one-way truck rentals on Sunday through Thursday and 10% on Friday and Saturday, plus receive a $10-per-day Physical Damage Waiver. Regardless of how you're traveling or spending your winter months, AARP member benefits can help you maximize your budget while you prioritize the things that matter. To learn more about the benefits and discounts for AARP members to help you prepare for your relaunch, please visit aarp.org/save . AARP member benefits are provided by third parties. AARP receives a royalty fee for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions.Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’

AP News Summary at 1:54 p.m. EST

S ince the dawn of civilisation, bells have chimed for the benefit of communities the world over. A bell can symbolise the commencement or the end of an event. It can call to order, give a command, provide a warning and even convey a message. In his metaphysical poem, For Whom the Bell Tolls , John Donne used the tolling of a church bell to express the idea of interconnectedness of humanity. Edgar Allen Poe’s poem The Bells depicts the different sounds of bells and the events they symbolise. There is a popular legend about the Tamil king Manuneeethi Cholan who had hung a giant bell within his palace for anyone needing justice. Apart from the large temple and church bells, there is a wide range of smaller bells commonly used from alarm clock to fire alarms. My childhood days was filled with the tintinnabulations of the bell toys and wonderful nursery rhymes like Jingle bells. I also grew up with the sound of sublime prayer bells at home. However, the one that made a lasting impression on me was my school bell. It was a simple device: a piece of iron bar suspended from a wooden beam which would be struck with a hammer by our school peon, Perumal. Every 45 minutes when the bell rang, we picked up our stuff, and scurried on to our next class. Our first lessons in time management perhaps were rendered to us by this bell which was initially not a friendly sort of sound, but later became a part of our growing years. At the end of the evening session, the much-awaited moment was that of the school peon, Perumal going towards the bell with his hammer, to ring the long bell which meant that we were free to go home. After I moved to the school hostel, the dinner bell became the most welcome one. The other bells that interested me in my early days were the calling bell in offices and the door bell at homes. Those days, only the head of an office sitting in an air- conditioned room used an electric calling bell. Other officers had on their tables calling bells to be pressed to create a tinkling sound to call the peons. They had several bell codes. One of my colleagues had instructed his peon that, whenever there were visitors in his room, and he pressed the bell once and asked for tea, he should bring tea for all in the room. If he pressed the bell twice and asked for tea, the peon need not bring anything till the visitors left. Knocking on the door with one’s knuckles has been the traditional practice followed by one calling on someone else’s dwelling. Most of the knocking sounds are recognizable by the inmates of a house. If a knock sounds somewhat unfamiliar, the household ignores it and the unwanted visitor gets away. The system of door bell which is popular now is relatively of recent origin. The doorbells range from jarring buzzers to chimes that produce musical notes. Smart video door bell possessed by a relatively small number of people, is a sign of class and upward mobility. While a buzzer sound is aggressive, demanding immediate attention, a musical bell seems to politely ask: “Could you please open the door”. I have noticed many prefer to knock or call “Sir”, rather than use the bell. It is partly due to the habit of not looking for the bell and partly due to out-of-order bells they encounter. All said and done, a bell, big or small, plays a key role in our lives and deserves to be called an ordinary thing which is extraordinary. ramaraon2014@gmail.com Published - November 24, 2024 02:43 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp RedditCompanies embracing artificial intelligence (AI) are pulling ahead of competitors, with Bridgeline ’s HawkSearch reporting new customers each week, IBM finding open-source AI users seeing higher returns, and MIT research showing advanced AI adopters outperforming industry peers. However, a Q4 loss at Bridgeline highlighted the sector’s uneven growth path. Bridgeline Reports AI Growth Despite Mixed Q4 Results AI-powered marketing technology firm Bridgeline reported that HawkSearch, its AI-powered search product, drove significant growth in 2024, despite posting a quarterly net loss of $432,000. The company launched five new AI products under its HawkSearch brand and noted new customer installations nearly every week throughout the year. The company rolled out a conversational search feature powered by generative AI, as well as smart tools for analyzing PDF content. “HawkSearch is the leader in AI-powered product discovery,” Bridgeline CEO Ari Kahn said in the release. “This year we nearly doubled our sales contracts and had better than 103% net revenue retention for HawkSearch.” Total revenue for Q4 reached $3.9 million, up slightly from $3.8 million in the same period last year. The company reported signing 83 new license sales in fiscal 2024, adding $2.1 million in annual recurring revenue. Bridgeline enters 2025 with what it calls the largest sales pipeline in company history, driven by growing demand for AI-enhanced search capabilities among eCommerce and B2B customers. Companies See ROI From Open-Source AI Companies using open-source AI tools are seeing better returns on their investments than those that don’t, according to a Dec. 19 IBM study . The global survey of over 2,400 IT decision-makers found that 51% of companies using open-source AI reported positive returns, compared to 41% of those not utilizing open-source AI. The study indicates a growing shift toward open-source adoption, with 48% of companies planning to leverage these tools in 2025. Despite ongoing economic uncertainties, 89% of organizations plan to maintain or increase AI investments next year. Nearly two-fifths of those increasing spending expect to boost their AI budgets by 25-50%. “Companies continue to rapidly advance their AI strategies, with no sign of slowing down,” Maribel Lopez , of Lopez Research , who collaborated on the study, said in a release. “They are leveraging hybrid cloud strategies and open source to drive AI innovation.” The research revealed that companies are focusing their AI investments primarily on IT operations, with 63% of respondents citing it as their top priority, followed by data quality management at 46%. MIT Study Links AI Adoption to Higher Company Performance Companies with advanced AI capabilities tend to perform better financially than industry peers, according to research released by MIT ’s Center for Information Systems Research . The study of 721 companies found that organizations in the two highest stages of AI maturity reported above-average financial performance, while those in earlier stages performed below industry averages. Only 7% of surveyed companies were at the the highest “AI future ready” stage, where AI is embedded in decision-making processes. Most enterprises remain in early development, with 28% in the experimental phase and 34% building pilot programs. “Enterprises can use the MIT CISR Enterprise AI Maturity Model to assess their current capabilities, identify gaps and create a roadmap for improvement,” Stephanie Woerner , MIT Sloan principal research scientist and MIT CISR director, said in the release. The research team, led by Woerner, Peter Weill and Ina Sebastian , developed the model based on survey data and interviews with executives at nine companies. Their findings suggest enterprises should take decisive action in developing AI capabilities, regardless of their current stage.

A loud bang Friday morning for people in southeast Edmonton that led to walls shaking and windows rattling after what they felt like an explosion. It happened at the site of a chemical manufacturing plant called Celanese. Officials from Celanese confirmed to CityNews that their Alberta site experienced a manufacturing upset that resulted in the opening of a relief device. A video posted on social media shows what appears to be a large fireball, followed by a plume of black smoke. Celanese says no employees or contractors were injured and there is no threat to the community.Japan Must Prepare To Host Deaflympics in 2025; Intl Sign Language Interpreters Especially Needed

Now in his 20th NHL season, Sidney Crosby continues to hit major milestones and make history on a seemingly nightly basis. That didn’t change on Sunday when the Pittsburgh Penguins captain recorded his 1,034th career assist, passing Mario Lemieux for the most assists in franchise history. WITNESSING HISTORY! With his 1,034th career assist, Sidney Crosby has surpassed Mario Lemieux to become the @penguins ' all-time assist leader We're sure this time pic.twitter.com/XpVwsGURzz — Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) December 29, 2024 The 37-year-old Crosby accomplished the feat early in the second period of their game against the New York Islanders . On the power play, Crosby had an assist on a Michael Bunting goal, giving the Penguins a 2-0 lead. "AND SIDNEY STANDS ALONE!" What a moment for Sidney Crosby as he tallies the franchise-leading assist #1,034 pic.twitter.com/gmdWBjqnjB — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 29, 2024 Crosby is coming off his third 40-goal season and his eighth 90-point season, scoring 42 goals and 52 assists for 94 points with the Penguins in 2023-24. Through 20 NHL seasons, Crosby has scored 602 goals and 1,034 assists for 1,636 points and 840 penalty minutes in 1,309 career regular-season games. The future Hall of Famer has produced plenty in the post-season, scoring 71 goals and adding 130 assists for 201 points in 180 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. He led the Penguins to three Stanley Cup championships in 2009, 2016 and 2017. Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Crosby and the Penguins agreed to terms on a two-year, $17.4 million deal that will pay the Pittsburgh captain $8.7 million per year through the 2026-27 season. “There are no words to properly describe what Sidney Crosby means to the game of hockey,” Penguins’ General Manager Kyle Dubas said. “Sidney is the greatest player of his generation and one of the greatest players in the history of the game.” Going into Sunday’s game, the Penguins were 16-16-5 with 37 points in 37 games, currently a point out of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

GoFundMe for paralyzed former Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm surpasses $700K

Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.