wild card ace in the hole
Oprah Winfrey’s hypocrisy and Robert De Niro’s suggestion that he might to leave the United States are reminders that, at the end of the day, celebrities are just people — with no greater understanding of the political landscape than anyone else. Their declarations of doom and gloom have become background noise in a country that is tired of being talked down to. For years, celebrities have wielded their platforms like megaphones, hoping to sway voters and shape public opinion. Yet, despite their drama and declarations, their political star power appears to be waning. Take Oprah Winfrey, for example, who found herself embroiled in controversy after it was revealed her organization accepted a significant amount of money to conduct a townhall with Vice President Kamala Harris. But now, critics are left asking: Did Oprah’s endorsement even move the needle for voters? Was there anyone genuinely on the fence about Harris who decided, “You know what, if Oprah’s on board, I’m in”? The fallout from this has only further eroded trust in celebrity endorsements. Then there are the celebrity escape plans. Robert De Niro, for example, suggested in 2016 he might leave the United States if Trump won. But what is truly laughable is the hypocrisy of the countless celebrities who back in 2016 shouted: “If Trump wins, I’m out of here!” Cher and others were loud and proud about their disdain for a Trump presidency. Yet, when the moment came, they stayed put — clinging to their mansions in the United States rather than booking flights to Canada. It begs the question: Why the double standard? If America under Trump is as terrible as they claim, why not leave? Or is it that, deep down, they know there is no better place to live than the United States? Celebrities threatening to leave the country have become as predictable as award-show standing ovations. These threats serve less as genuine convictions and more as performative gestures meant to energize their social media followings. Yet, the average American sees right through it. For most working-class voters, celebrity complaints ring hollow when they come from people who enjoy wealth and freedom. The idea that Robert De Niro, who became famous portraying gritty, tough-as-nails characters, feels so aggrieved by election outcomes that he might move abroad is almost comical. Moreover, the notion that these stars believe their opinions hold more weight than the average American’s is a glaring example of Hollywood’s elitism. Their proclamations of moral superiority may resonate in the echo chambers of coastal cities, but for the rest of the country, it is just noise. And here is the kicker: President-elect Donald Trump now has more followers on X than Taylor Swift, one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. The fact that Trump has outpaced the ultimate celebrity in social media influence shows that America is not as enamored with Hollywood elites as it once was. A larger question looms: Do celebrity endorsements even matter in politics anymore? Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign surely thought so when it brought in Oprah, but the results suggest otherwise. Harris’ historic unpopularity has not been bolstered by celebrity star power. In fact, it could be argued that Hollywood endorsements hurt more than they help. Many Americans see them as out of touch, self-serving or even condescending. After all, why should a multimillionaire actor or singer have any more influence over an election than a small business owner in Ohio or a teacher in Texas? As Trump’s return to the White House sends shockwaves through the liberal establishment, perhaps it is time for Hollywood to take a hard look in the mirror. Their star power no longer carries the political weight it once did. Americans are increasingly skeptical of those who claim to speak for the “common man” while living in gated communities and vacationing in the South of France. The truth is, America is not perfect, but it is far from the dystopian nightmare Hollywood claims it will become under conservative leadership. And maybe, just maybe, it is time for these celebrities to stick to what they do best — entertaining — and leave the politics to the people. Bob Rubin is the Founder and President of Rubin Wealth Advisors. Learn more about him by visiting www.rubinwa.com . The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org .
Daiwa Securities Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Equitable Holdings, Inc. ( NYSE:EQH – Free Report ) by 34.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 30,593 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 7,900 shares during the quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in Equitable were worth $1,286,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of EQH. Advisors Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Equitable by 60.3% during the first quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,632 shares of the company’s stock valued at $100,000 after purchasing an additional 990 shares during the period. Comerica Bank raised its holdings in shares of Equitable by 5.4% in the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 145,409 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,527,000 after acquiring an additional 7,472 shares in the last quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Equitable by 4.8% in the first quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,132 shares of the company’s stock valued at $233,000 after acquiring an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Equitable by 37.5% in the first quarter. Cetera Advisors LLC now owns 13,227 shares of the company’s stock valued at $503,000 after acquiring an additional 3,608 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky raised its holdings in Equitable by 23.1% in the first quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 106,900 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,064,000 after purchasing an additional 20,067 shares in the last quarter. 92.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Equitable Price Performance Shares of EQH opened at $48.23 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $15.11 billion, a P/E ratio of -44.25 and a beta of 1.40. The business’s 50-day moving average is $45.27 and its two-hundred day moving average is $42.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 0.12 and a current ratio of 0.12. Equitable Holdings, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $29.70 and a fifty-two week high of $50.51. Equitable Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 3rd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 26th will be given a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 26th. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.99%. Equitable’s dividend payout ratio is currently -88.07%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Equitable from $59.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Equitable from $43.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Equitable from $48.00 to $46.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 19th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $48.70. View Our Latest Research Report on Equitable Insider Activity at Equitable In other Equitable news, CEO Mark Pearson sold 30,000 shares of Equitable stock in a transaction on Friday, November 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.43, for a total transaction of $1,422,900.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 648,555 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $30,760,963.65. The trade was a 4.42 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, CAO William James Iv Eckert sold 3,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.42, for a total transaction of $148,470.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 19,321 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $819,596.82. This trade represents a 15.34 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last quarter, insiders have sold 100,166 shares of company stock valued at $4,443,605. 1.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders. About Equitable ( Free Report ) Equitable Holdings, Inc, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, operates as a diversified financial services company worldwide. The company operates through six segments: Individual Retirement, Group Retirement, Investment Management and Research, Protection Solutions, Wealth Management, and Legacy. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EQH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Equitable Holdings, Inc. ( NYSE:EQH – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Equitable Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equitable and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
TORONTO - Hannah Miller scored a power-play goal with 1:38 remaining in the game, lifting the Toronto Sceptres to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women's Hockey League season opener on Saturday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * TORONTO - Hannah Miller scored a power-play goal with 1:38 remaining in the game, lifting the Toronto Sceptres to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women's Hockey League season opener on Saturday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? TORONTO – Hannah Miller scored a power-play goal with 1:38 remaining in the game, lifting the Toronto Sceptres to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women’s Hockey League season opener on Saturday. With Boston standout Hilary Knight in the penalty box for a vicious boarding penalty on Sceptres defender Renata Fast, Miller made good on her rebound attempt on a Daryl Watts shot with a half-open net. Fast recovered for an assist on the winner before 8,089 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum. The Fleet (0-1-0) challenged the goal, but video review deemed Miller’s shot was good. Toronto Sceptres' Hannah Miller (34) celebrates her goal with teammates on the bench Boston Fleet during late third period PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn Sarah Nurse got Toronto (1-0-0) on the board with a short-handed tally 11:50 into the first period and Emma Maltais added an empty-net strike to seal the score at 3-1 with 12 seconds left on the game clock. Boston’s Hilary Knight opened the scoring at the 3:00 mark of the opening frame, sending a slap shot past Toronto goalie Kristin Campbell, who registered 18 stops on the night. Toronto outshot Boston 41-19. Boston goalie Aerin Frankel, a big reason why her team advanced to the Walter Cup final last spring, was outstanding with 38 saves. Frankel made a significant glove-hand stop on Toronto defender Jocelyne Larocque with 6:36 remaining in the third period. Larocque was alone when a rebound caromed to her in front. But the puck was rolling, and she could only lift her shot straight into Frankel’s glove. Nurse’s goal tested the league’s new jailbreak rule that sees a minor penalty — in this case, Izzy Daniel’s tripping infraction — wiped out when a team scores a short-handed goal. . Takeaways Sceptres: Billie Jean King MVP Natalie Spooner missed the season opener. The PWHL scoring champion underwent left knee surgery last June after getting injured in Game 3 of Toronto’s first-round series against Minnesota. Fleet: Defender Emma Greco of Burlington, Ont., played her first game for Boston. She was part of the Walter Cup-winning Minnesota team that defeated Boston in a three-game series last spring. Greco is one of five Ontario-born players on the Fleet roster. Key moment With the game tied 1-1, the Sceptres failed to score during a 59-second 5-on-3 advantage midway through the second period. Boston blocked five shots during the span. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Key stat Last year, Toronto enjoyed an 11-game win streak en route to its regular-season championship, including three wins against Boston. Up next Toronto visits Ottawa on Tuesday. Boston will play its home opener on Wednesday, a rematch with the Walter Cup-champion Minnesota. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement
SEOUL, South Korea , Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SOLVIT System, a recognized leader in innovative technology, will participate in CES 2025, taking place January 7–10 in Las Vegas . The company's iSARTM (intelligent Search and Rescue) has been honored with the prestigious CES Innovation Award in the "Smart Cities" category. At CES, SOLVIT System will showcase its groundbreaking technology to dramatically reduce search areas for individuals lost in radio shadow zones. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.If anyone had the knack of opening new businesses, Elon Musk will obviously be at the top of the list, owing to his multiple ventures, including X, SpaceX, Tesla, xAI and more. Now, he has received permission to open doors of his own kind of a pre-kindergarten Montessori school in Texas, whose initial permit has now been processed. Is Elon Musk setting up a new school? Musk, through this school, will be planning his own, ambitious, STEM-focused education plans, which have chances of entailing multiple independent K-12 schools and even a few colleges along the way, in the same state, according to a Fortune report. At Musk's school, children will be taught to ideate, draw, sweep and do all sorts of activities that will nurture them and give them a more holistic approach towards educational growth. This school has been dubbed as ' Ad Astra ', which distantly means, 'To the Stars'. This school is located quite close to Musk's several business venture establishments, and it may enroll up to 54 students in a session across upper and lower elementary grades. What is the ultimate mission of Elon Musk's new school? This Musk-funded non-profit promises to children through dedicated faculty and an overarching mission to provide the best education possible to children of that age bracket. The initial batch of students will typically be in the age range of 3 to 6 years, as per reports. FAQs: Who is the owner of X? X, formerly known as Twitter, is a social media platform owned by X Corp, a company controlled by billionaire Elon Musk. Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Microsoft Word Mastery: From Beginner to Expert By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Web Development Master RESTful APIs with Python and Django REST Framework: Web API Development By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass By - CA Himanshu Jain, Ex McKinsey, Moody's, and PwC, Co - founder, The WallStreet School View Program Entrepreneurship Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Leadership Business Storytelling Masterclass By - Ameen Haque, Founder of Storywallahs View Program Entrepreneurship Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Web Development C++ Fundamentals for Absolute Beginners By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Advanced Excel Course - Financial Calculations & Excel Made Easy By - Anirudh Saraf, Founder- Saraf A & Associates, Chartered Accountant View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship Boosting Startup Revenue with 6 AI-Powered Sales Automation Techniques By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Entrepreneurship Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy for Non-Finance Executives By - CA Raja, Chartered Accountant | Financial Management Educator | Former AVP - Credit, SBI View Program What is xAI? xAI is an artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk with the goal of understanding the true nature of the universe. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
BOB RUBIN: Celebrities Do Not Have The Political Star Power They Thought They DidWith its lofty five-storeyed central tower, Haa Dzong looms large. Built in 1895, Wangchuck Lo Dzong, as it is formally known, was rebuilt in 1915 after it was destroyed by a fire. The whitewashed walls create the perfect backdrop for the intricately designed wooden balconies and colourful artwork. “The Bhutanese word ‘dzong’ translates to ‘fortress’ or ‘castle’,” says guide Tshewang Phunstso. The majestic dzongs serve as the religious, military, administrative, and social centres of their district. Traditionally built on strategic locations like hilltops or the confluence of rivers to provide natural defence and command views of the surrounding areas, dzong architecture is massive in style: the walls embrace a veritable maze—courtyards, temples, corridors, offices, classrooms, and accommodation for monks. Bhutanese dzong architecture reached its apogee in the 17th century under Ngawang Namgyal, the 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, who is said to have relied on visions and omens to site each of the dzongs. In 1629, he built the Simtokha Dzong, the oldest surviving dzong in Bhutan. Today, the remote Himalayan kingdom has 20 dzongs, each different and yet similar. The distinctive architectural elements—soaring central towers, large watchtowers, whitewashed fortified walls, and elaborate woodwork—typify Bhutanese architecture. “The walls, with intricate paintings and murals, depict our country’s rich cultural heritage via the many historical events, stories and legends,” Phunstso says. Marc Dujardin, in his study, From Living to Propelling Monument, writes: “Contrary to most medieval castles in Europe that are relatively dead monuments and literally ‘empty’ places, Bhutanese (dzongs) are still in use today. The dzong still accommodates the same political, religious and logistic functions it was originally designed for.” Every dzong stands tall as a living monument, representing the past in the present. The architecture is distinctively traditional: wattle-and-daub construction, rammed earth, stone masonry, and intricate woodwork. Traditionally, no plans were drawn on paper and the dzongs, with massive sloping walls, overhanging roofs, high inset windows, and dark bands of colourful painting, seem to be an organic part of the country’s rugged landscape. “The red, white and yellow used in the woodwork stands out against the lush greenery and blue waters,” Phunstso says. Thimphu, about 110 km from Haa, is home to Tashichho Dzong, the ‘Fortress of the Glorious Religion’, which has been the seat of the Royal Government of Bhutan since the capital moved from Punakha to Thimphu in 1962. “The annual Thimphu Tshechu is held here every September. Locals and tourists gather to witness the music and cultural performances that reveal Bhutan’s many traditions and customs,” Phunstso says. About 72 km from Thimphu stands one of Bhutan’s most beautiful dzongs. Punakha Dzong, also known as the ‘Palace of Great Happiness’, is situated at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu, and has been the site of momentous events such as the coronations of kings and the present king’s wedding. The dzong is also the winter residence of the official monk body, the dratshang. Punakha Dzong has three dochey (courtyards): the first, with a huge white victory chorten and bodhi tree, is used for administrative functions; the second houses the monastic quarters; while the third has the temple. The gorgeous murals, the magnificent gold statues of the Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, and the Zhabdrung, the gold-panelled pillars, and ornate wood carvings painted red, black, and gold are picture perfect. Built on a steep hillside, Paro Dzong, also known as Rinpung Dzong (Rinpung translates to “heap of jewels”), helped defend the Paro valley from invasions by Tibet numerous times. Comprising the dochey and a five-storeyed utse (central tower), the whitewashed structure sets off the richly carved and painted woodwork. The watchtower above the dzong, Ta Dong, is now the National Museum of Bhutan, and houses a large collection of religious relics, artifacts, traditional artwork, and historical objects. These dzongs offer a window into Bhutan’s rich history, culture, and religious traditions.
Japan Tokyo CPI ex Food, Energy (YoY): 2.4% (December) vs 2.2%
As it celebrates its 20th birthday, online video game "World of Warcraft" has demonstrated a rare longevity thanks to its loyal following and constant evolutions. "It is inspiring to be able to work on this rare game that has touched so many lives, and to also feel the burden of carrying that forward," Ion Hazzikostas, the current director of the game, told AFP at the Gamescom trade show in Germany in August. As an early fan of "WoW" he joined California-based Blizzard, the American developer of the title, in 2008 before climbing the ranks. Although it was not the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game (a genre known as MMORPG) when it was released in 2004, "World of Warcraft" was an instant success, quickly attracting several million players worldwide. It benefited from the popularity of the Warcraft brand, a saga of real-time strategy games launched ten years earlier by Blizzard, which was bought by Microsoft in 2023. In the game, two factions face off in a fantasy universe populated by orcs and elves where thousands of players can connect and cooperate simultaneously, in exchange for a monthly subscription of $15 a month. It was the social aspect of the experience, still in its infancy at the time, that appealed to players. "It was a precursor," said Olivier Servais, a specialist in online communities. "Blizzard focused on guilds and communities on a human scale, bringing together between 30 and 200 players." In these groups, "people flirt, they confide about their daily lives", weddings and funerals are organised, and the game becomes "a pretext to socialise", he said. "WoW" was born the same year as Facebook, and comprised key elements such as online interactions and communities that would help create today's globalised social networks. "It was many people's first real exposure and connection to people in a digital virtual environment. And that was part of the magic, and that's a hard thing to replicate," Hazzikostas said. Since then, other popular games such as "Fortnite" or "League of Legends" have adopted similar codes. At its peak in the 2010s, "World of Warcraft" claimed more than 10 million active accounts, though the number could be higher because many people often share one account, in Asia, in particular. Blizzard no longer reveals the number of accounts, but "WoW" remains popular across the world. "We are not resting on our laurels, or coasting gently off into the sunset," Hazzikostas said. Its 10th extension, "The War Within", was released in August with new domains to explore and other changes. "Twenty years later, it remains a monument but in a gaming market that has completely changed," Servais said. Hazzikostas said Blizzard is "trying new ambitious things to shake up what we've done and keep that vibrant". "I don't see an end point to 'World of Warcraft' on the horizon today," he said, drawing parallels with franchises such as Marvel or "Star Wars."NoneThe famous cold case is back in the spotlight. A new Netflix docuseries focuses on the unsolved murder of JonBenet Ramsey. Premiering Monday, Nov. 25, the series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey” explores the tragic case of the 6-year-old beauty pageant star, who was killed and sexually assaulted in her own home in 1996, while her parents and brother were also home, asleep. Her mother, Patsy, initially found a ransom note demanding $118,000 for the safe return of JonBenét, but hours later, the child was found dead in their basement. Twenty eight years later, the culprit still hasn’t been caught. Her affluent parents were suspects at the time. As “Cold Case” director Joe Berlinger told The Post , “I don’t think there’s been a good comprehensive documentary series that has really analyzed this case – that will also hopefully put a little pressure on the authorities to do the right thing.” Who are the key players in this story, and where are they now? Her mom, Patsy Patsy Ramsey died in 2006 of ovarian cancer at age 49. In 1998, a grand jury voted to indict John and Patsy Ramsey for child abuse resulting in their daughter’s death. This news wasn’t made public until 2013. However, Alex Hunter, the district attorney at the time, didn’t believe there was enough evidence, and no charges were filed against them. Detective Steve Thomas, who was the lead investigator on the case at the time, went on “Larry King Live” in 2000 along with JonBenet’s parents, John and Patsy. There, he accused Pasty to her face of committing the crime, which she denied. Patsy, John, and their son Burke were all cleared in 2008 after three pieces of male DNA were found on JonBenét’s clothing. Her dad, John Ramsey John Ramsey is now 80, and he appears in the docuseries “Cold Case.” Along with his late wife, he was cleared by the Boulder DA in 2008. Berlinger told The Post, “John Ramsey agreed to sit down with us, did not ask to be paid, and was not paid – we don’t pay our subjects – and asked for no editorial input. No questions were off limits. To me, that is an 80 year old guy who....wants to get that case solved.” The Oscar-nominated director added, “I am firmly convinced that the Ramsey family is innocent.” “There have been horrible failures,” John told “Today” on Thursday. “But I believe it can be solved if police accept help from outside their system. That’s been their flaw.” In a story published Thursday, John told People, “We’re begging the police to engage. There are cutting-edge DNA labs that want to help and who believe they can move the case forward.” John also lamented the Boulder PD’s handling of the case. “We assumed that the police would show some level of discernment and wisdom and say, ‘Yeah, well this is crazy, to think [we] murdered our child.’ Well, they never did. They made that decision on day one, and tried desperately to prove it.” Her brother, Burke Burke Ramsey was 9 at the time of his sister’s death. At various points, he’s been considered a suspect in her murder. Text onscreen in the documentary explains that “Cold Case” reached out to Burke, but unlike his father, he declined to be interviewed. In 2016, Burke gave his first public interview to Dr. Phil . “I know people think I did it; that my parents did it. I know that we were suspects,” he said at the time, adding, “For a long time, the media basically made our lives crazy.” Burke continued, “It’s hard to miss the cameras and news trucks in your front yard, and we’d go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’d be a tabloid with my picture [and] JonBenét’s picture plastered on the front. They would follow us around. Seeing that as a little kid [was] just this chaotic nightmare ... It just made me a private person.” In September 2016, the CBS segment “The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey” implied that Burke killed JonBenet. Burke then sued CBS for $750 million, citing that they ruined his reputation. In 2019, the lawsuit was settled. A spokesperson for the TV program said in a statement that “an amicable resolution of their differences” has been reached. Today, Burke is 37, and lives outside of the spotlight. “Is Burke happy? He’s as happy as he can be, given the circumstances,” a source told Us Weekly . “He’s productive. He’s moving past all the trauma and living the best way he can. That’s all you can expect.” “He doesn’t read anything about the case, doesn’t watch anything about it. If he sees a show about it, he changes the channel. He’s not the least bit interested in watching any of the documentaries. He’s not going to watch [the Netflix] one. Absolutely not,” the source continued. “It’s triggering to him, and there’s no benefit for him.” Per the outlet, he works as a software engineer for a midsized company and lives a quiet life. He’s dating, but he “likes to be alone” and has “trust issues.” Her other brother, John Andrew John Andrew is John’s son from a previous marriage. He wasn’t living with the family at the time of the murder, as he was 23 years old. Today, he’s 51. John Andrew appears onscreen in the new docuseries, and defends his father and stepmother — while scorning the Boulder PD. “They did their damndest to bring charges against John and Patsy, there was nothing there,” he said. During a 2021 interview on “20/20,” he told ABC News , “We lost our sister and our daughter, a family member. We were victims, and the very people that we thought were gonna come in and protect us and help us were pointing the finger at us. We were just regular people and then all of a sudden our world just got turned upside down.” He added, “This 6-year-old little girl was killed on [investigators’] watch and, ultimately, they are responsible for finding the killer, and they can do it, and we want them to do it.” John Andrew has two other sisters: Melinda Ramsey, who leads a quiet life and doesn’t speak out about the case as much, and Elizabeth Ramsey, who died in a car accident at age 22 in 1992. Detective Steve Thomas Steve Thomas was the lead detective on the case at the time. He resigned from the Boulder police department in the summer of 1998, and he wrote a book about the case, “JonBenet: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation,” published in 2000. On a 2000 episode of “Larry King Live,” Thomas said he resigned “because I felt it had become such a debacle and was going nowhere. Out of frustration, I left the case.” JonBenet’s father, John, slammed Thomas during that same “Larry King” episode, saying, “He has failed in his responsibilities as a police officer.” Per the Denver Post, in Thomas’s 1998 resignation letter, he wrote, “The primary reason I chose to leave is my belief that the district attorney’s office continues to mishandle the Ramsey case. I have been troubled for many months with many aspects of the investigation... because of the political alliances, philosophical differences, and professional egos that blocked progress.” He added, “What I witnessed for two years of my life was so fundamentally flawed, it reduced me to tears. Everything the badge ever meant to me was so foundationally shaken....” According to a 2023 interview Thomas did with Websleuths , he now works in real estate and resides in Florida. During that same interview, he said, “The public just doesn’t know what to believe. My hope remains that one day, there’s going to be some definitive closure to this case.” DA Alex Hunter Hunter, now 81, was the DA at the time of JonBenet’s murder. His tenure ran from 1972 to 2000. After a grand jury indicted JonBenet’s parents in 1998, Hunter refused to sign the indictment papers and declined to prosecute, citing a lack of evidence. “It was the right call by all of us working on this case, not the popular call, not what the public wanted,” Hunter said at the time, according to the Boulder Daily Camera. “Maybe those people with time and on reflection will say I had the stuff to do the right thing. If that happens great, if it doesn’t, so be it — I will be out snowshoeing.” He’s lived a quiet life outside of the spotlight since then, and hasn’t appeared in the countless documentaries about it. At the end of his tenure in 2000, he told The Denver Post about JonBenet Ramsey, “We should not give up on this case.” DA Mary Lacy Lacy was the Boulder DA from 2001 to 2009. At the time of the murder, she was the chief deputy district attorney heading up the Sexual Assault Unit under then-DA Alex Hunter. She was among a team that walked through JonBenet’s home days after the killing. In 2008, Lacy exonerated the family due to DNA belonging to an unknown male being found on JonBenet’s clothes. “To the extent that we may have contributed in any way to the public perception that you might have been involved in this crime I am deeply sorry,” she wrote in her letter to the family at the time. One of Lacy’s former DA investigators, Gordon Coombes, told ABC News in 2016 that he thought Lacy got too close to the Ramsey family and lost her ability to be objective. “It was understood that if you didn’t fall in line with the intruder theory, you were out,” he said, referring to the theory that an intruder murdered JonBenet, as opposed to a family member. Stan Garnett, Lacy’s successor, said Lacy’s exoneration letter was “not legally binding.” “It’s a good-faith opinion and has no legal importance but the opinion of the person who had the job before I did, whom I respect.” Detective Lou Smit Lou Smit, who died in 2010 at age 75, was a Colorado detective who retired in 1996 after his work led to over 200 murder convictions. He was recalled to work on the Ramsey case, but he resigned 18 months later. “I find that I cannot in good conscience be a part of the persecution of innocent people,” he wrote in his resignation letter, per the Denver Post . He added, “At this point in the investigation ‘the case’ tells me that John and Patsy Ramsey did not kill their daughter, that a very dangerous killer is still out there and no one is actively looking for him. There are still many areas of investigation which must be explored before life and death decisions are made.” At the time of his death, he was still investigating the case on his own.AP News Summary at 6:42 p.m. EST
