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Happy March! The Tradition of the March Bracelet Happy March! The Tradition of the March Bracelet March is here, bringing the first whispers of spring, longer days, and the much-loved Greek tradition of the “Martis” bracelet! A simple yet meaningful custom, the Martis (meaning “March” in Greek) is a red-and-white woven bracelet worn from March 1st to protect the wearer from the first strong sun of the season, ensuring they don’t get burned. This beautiful tradition dates back to ancient Greece and the Eleusinian Mysteries, where initiates tied a thread around their wrists as a form of protection. Today, it remains a cherished custom, especially for children, who eagerly await March 1st to wear their bracelets. The red symbolizes life and passion, while the white represents purity and light. Together, they embody the transition from winter to spring. Tradition says you should put on your Martis bracelet on March 1st and keep it on throughout the month. Some people remove it at the end of March and tie it to a rosebush, believing that swallows will take it to build their nests—symbolizing the arrival of spring. Others wait until Easter and use it to light the Holy Flame. Though rooted in history, the Martis bracelet has evolved into a stylish accessory. Handmade versions with beads, charms, and modern designs are now available, adding a personal touch to this classic tradition. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate Greek heritage and welcome the warmth of spring! Καλό Μήνα! (Happy New Month!) Source link #Happy #March #Tradition #March #Bracelet Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pennsylvania Republicans who narrowly won their House seats feel the heat of early votes back home Pennsylvania Republicans who narrowly won their House seats feel the heat of early votes back home HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Newly minted U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan swore he wouldn’t support gutting government benefits such as Medicaid that residents of his northeastern Pennsylvania district rely on. Then the first-term Republican voted for a bill that could do just that. Bresnahan and two other Pennsylvania Republicans won in November by some of the smallest margins in all of Congress, prevailing in a critical battleground state that not only helped decide the presidency but also aided the GOP in taking control of the U.S. House. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. Bresnahan, fellow newcomer Ryan Mackenzie and seven-term Rep. Scott Perry now find themselves navigating the delicate politics of a divided electorate once again, this time during the first weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term as he makes economy-altering decisions. Those include imposing tariffs on raw materials such as steel and aluminum, firing federal workers, shedding federal office space and, most recently, pushing for votes on budget legislation that appear likely to require major cuts to Medicaid and other programs people in Pennsylvania might care about. There is no time to hide: Mackenzie has already drawn a Democratic challenger in 2026, and rumors are circulating about challengers to Bresnahan, who is trying to find footing that balances loyalty to the Republican president with his constituents’ needs. Before last Tuesday night’s budget vote, Bresnahan had said he would vote against any bill “that guts the benefits my neighbors rely on.” “These benefits are promises that were made to the people of (northeastern Pennsylvania) and where I come from, people keep their word,” Bresnahan said in a statement. Bresnahan then voted for a GOP blueprint that sets the stage for $2 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years and would, Democrats and many analysts say, inevitably require steep cuts to Medicaid, the federal-state partnership that covers medical care and long-term nursing care for some 72 million people nationwide. He played down the vote, saying it was a “procedural” step to start budget negotiations and did not contradict his earlier position. “I will fight to protect working-class families in Northeastern Pennsylvania and stand with President Trump in opposing gutting Medicaid,” Bresnahan said in a statement. “My position on this has not and will not change.” Trump has insisted he will not touch the safety net programs of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and will only cut what he calls waste and fraud. Republican lawmakers insist there will be no direct cuts to health care through Medicaid. Nursing home operators are watching closely, including in the neighboring districts represented by Mackenzie and Bresnahan on Pennsylvania’s eastern border, where communities are still trying to recover from the disappearance of the coal and steel industries that built them. There, and in Perry’s south-central Pennsylvania district, many fear a devastating funding cut after years of scraping by, and they doubt there is much undiscovered waste and fraud in the program still to be unearthed. “It’s definitely a very hot topic for us right now, 100%,” said Mary Kay McMahon, president and CEO of the nonprofit Fellowship Community, which operates a nursing home outside Allentown in Mackenzie’s district. McMahon estimated that Medicaid covers about 35% to 40% of the cost to care for a skilled nursing patient, and a Medicaid cut might force Fellowship Community to sell the service or eliminate beds. “There’s very few options left, to be honest, and I don’t know where these people are going to go for that care,” McMahon said. “That’s what concerns me.” Jim Brogna, a vice president for Allied Services Integrated Health Systems, a nonprofit that runs three nursing homes in Bresnahan’s district, said representatives met with Bresnahan’s staff to press him not to support Medicaid cuts. Any reduction in the program would mean cuts to services, Brogna said. Nursing home operators have pushed Pennsylvania for Medicaid rate increases to help manage their costs, and Brogna said the prospect of less federal funding is “heartbreaking” at a time when nursing homes there are closing their doors or eliminating beds. Bresnahan did not respond to an interview request from The Associated Press. Nor did he answer a constituent email from Chris Chesek, who was motivated by the layoff of five employees at Steamtown National Historic Site to organize his first-ever rally. Last Saturday’s “Save Steamtown” rally drew dozens to downtown Scranton and, for Chesek, it is personal: Steamtown, which memorializes Scranton’s rise as a railroad and coal powerhouse in the 1900s, is like a second home where the rangers have fed his 10-year-old son’s fascination with steam engines. “Steamtown is a vital part of Scranton’s economy, it brings people from all over the country and world,” Chesek said. The Times-Tribune of Scranton’s editorial page echoed that sentiment, decrying Trump’s “heavy-handed, indiscriminate slashing of federal spending.” Bresnahan’s district is also home to a heavy concentration of federal employees, potentially a sensitive spot as Trump readies for large-scale layoffs of federal workers — 80% of whom live outside the Washington area. Many federal employees and contractors in Bresnahan’s district work at military-related installations, including at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, where they forge 155 mm howitzer shells that help Ukraine repel the Russian invasion, and Tobyhanna Army Depot, one of the region’s largest employers. “There’s a lot of people on pins and needles right now,” said Bill Cockerill, a labor liaison for Scranton’s local AFL-CIO council. “So far, nothing’s been hit, but you just don’t know when the shoe is going to drop.” Rumors are circulating about who might challenge Bresnahan. The developer ran a family construction company before defeating six-term Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright, who said he is considering running again in 2026’s election. Mackenzie, a former state lawmaker who beat three-term Democratic Rep. Susan Wild, drew an opponent barely 48 hours after voting for the House budget bill when the two-term Northampton County executive, Democrat Lamont McClure, announced his candidacy. In a statement, Mackenzie called the budget vote a “starting point” that makes no specific reference to Medicaid and said that if the program emerges in negotiations, he would “fight to end the waste, fraud and abuse in the system, and protect benefits for those who need them.” In his Thursday news conference at Northampton County’s courthouse, McClure didn’t hesitate to link that legislation to Mackenzie. Mackenzie’s first instinct in going to Washington was to “gut” health care for thousands in the district, McClure said, “at a time when people are most concerned about the cost of health care and the access to health care.” __ Follow Marc Levy on X at [Hidden Content]. Source link #Pennsylvania #Republicans #narrowly #won #House #seats #feel #heat #early #votes #home Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WNY corrections officers continue wildcat strikes; rejecting NYSCOPBA, DOCCS tentative agreement – WGRZ.com WNY corrections officers continue wildcat strikes; rejecting NYSCOPBA, DOCCS tentative agreement – WGRZ.com WNY corrections officers continue wildcat strikes; rejecting NYSCOPBA, DOCCS tentative agreement WGRZ.comGroveland correctional officers remain on the picket line despite pending penalties 13WHAM-TVNYS & CSEA have temporary prison agreement WWNYDeal to end NY prison strike unravels as many officers reject it Times Union Prison strikes continue despite deal in place, penalties RochesterFirst Source link #WNY #corrections #officers #continue #wildcat #strikes #rejecting #NYSCOPBA #DOCCS #tentative #agreement #WGRZ.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

USAID cuts are already hitting countries around the world. Here are 20 projects that have closed USAID cuts are already hitting countries around the world. Here are 20 projects that have closed DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Countries around the world already are feeling the impact of the Trump administration’s decision to eliminate more than 90% of foreign aid contracts and cut some $60 billion in funding. Hours after the announcement earlier this week, programs were shuttered, leaving millions of people without access to life-saving care. Some 10,000 contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development were terminated on Wednesday, in letters sent to nongovernmental organizations across the globe. The letters said that the programs were being defunded “for convenience and the interests of the U.S. government,” according to a person with knowledge of the content who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the issue. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. Many of the programs are in fragile countries that are highly reliant on U.S. aid to support health systems, nutrition programs and stave off starvation. Other major issues like fighting terrorism, human and drug trafficking, including fentanyl, and monitoring and aiding migrants will also suffer as a result of the U.S. cuts, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Here some key projects around the world that AP has confirmed have closed: 1: In Congo, aid group Action Against Hunger will stop treating tens of thousands of malnourished children from May, which the charity said will put the children in “mortal danger.” 2: In Ethiopia, food assistance stopped for more than 1 million people, according to the Tigray Disaster Risk Management Commission. The Ministry of Health was also forced to terminate the contract of 5,000 workers across the country focused on **** and malaria prevention, vaccinations and helping vulnerable women deal with the trauma of war. 3: In Senegal, the biggest malaria project closed. It distributed bed nets and medication to tens of thousands of people, according to a USAID worker who was not authorized to speak to the media. Maternal and child health and nutrition services also closed. They provided lifesaving care to tens of thousands of pregnant women and treatment that would have prevented and treated acute malnutrition. 4: In South Sudan, the International Rescue Committee closed a project providing access to quality health care and nutrition services to more than 115,000 people. 5: A program shuttered by the Norwegian Refugee Council in Colombia left 50,000 people without lifesaving support including in the northeast, where growing violence has precipitated a once-in-a-generation humanitarian crisis. It included food, shelter, clean water and other basic items for people displaced in the region. 6: In war-torn Sudan, 90 communal kitchens closed in the capital, Khartoum, leaving more than half a million people without consistent access to food, according to the International Rescue Committee. 7: In Bangladesh, 600,000 women and children will lose access to critical maternal health care, protection from violence, reproductive health services and other lifesaving care, according the United Nations Population Fund. 8. In Mali, critical aid, such as access to water, food and health services was cut for more than 270,000 people, according to an aid group that did not want to be named for fear of reprisal. 9. More than 400,000 people in northern Burkina Faso lost access to services such as water. Services for gender-based violence and child protection for thousands are also no longer available, according to an aid group that did not want to be named for fear of reprisal. 10. In Somalia, 50 health centers servicing more than 19,000 people a month closed because health workers are not being paid, according to Alright, a U.S aid group. 11. In Ukraine, cash-based humanitarian programs that reached 1 million people last year were suspended, according to the spokesperson for the U.N. secretary-general. 12. In Afghanistan, hundreds of mobile health teams and other services were suspended, affecting 9 million people, according to the U.N. spokesperson. 13. In Syria, aid programs for some 2.5 million people in the country’s northeast stopped providing services, according to the U.N. secretary-general. Also in the north, a dozen health clinics, including the main referral hospital for the area, have shut down, said Doctors Without Borders. 14. In Kenya, more than 600,000 people living in areas plagued by drought and persistent acute malnutrition will lose access to lifesaving food and nutrition support, according to Mercy Corps. 15. In Haiti, 13,000 people have lost access to nutritional support, according to Action Against Hunger. The cuts will affect in total at least 550,000 people who were receiving aid. 16. In Thailand, hospitals helping some 100,000 refugees from Myanmar have shuttered, according to aid group Border Consortium. 17. In Nigeria, 25,000 extremely malnourished children will stop receiving food assistance by April, according to the International Rescue Committee. 18. In the Philippines, a program to improve access to disaster warning systems for disabled people was stopped, according to Humanity & Inclusion. 19. In Vietnam, a program assisting disabled people through training caregivers and providing at home medical care stopped, according to Humanity & Inclusion. 20. In Yemen, 220,000 displaced people will lose access to critical maternal health care, protection from violence, ***** treatment and other lifesaving care, according the United Nations Population Fund. ——————- Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet in Paris, France, Robert Badendieck in Istanbul, Turkey, Evelyn Musambi in Nairobi, Kenya, Thalia Beaty in New York and Edith Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. Source link #USAID #cuts #hitting #countries #world #projects #closed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Punk rock legend, ‘Scrooged’ actor dead at 75 – syracuse.com Punk rock legend, ‘Scrooged’ actor dead at 75 – syracuse.com Punk rock legend, ‘Scrooged’ actor dead at 75 syracuse.comRock legend battling brain tumor, stage 4 ******* has died at 75 PennLiveNew York Dolls singer David Johansen dead at 75 after daughter pleads with fans for help Fox NewsFarewell, David Johansen, the Ultimate New York Doll: He Was Good-Bad But Not Evil Rolling Stone Source link #Punk #rock #legend #Scrooged #actor #dead #syracuse.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Huge OS and RAM usage swings in Steam Survey likely to have been influenced by China influx Huge OS and RAM usage swings in Steam Survey likely to have been influenced by China influx Although the Steam Hardware Survey is never a 100% accurate representation of all Steam users around the globe, it often shows the trends in PC systems, with the January 2025 Steam Hardware Survey results showing users migrating to Windows 11 and GPUs with 8GB of VRAM. However, the latest Steam Hardware Survey for February 2025 seems particularly skewed and features a massive jump in user numbers picking Simplified ******** as their primary language. We’ve seen this kind of thing happen before, and it was caused by an internal error that made Steam query cybercafe PCs multiple times, but this might not be the case this time. The latest survey showed a massive 20.88% increase in ********-speaking users, with the language claiming the top spot and putting English in second place at 23.79%. This means that 50.06% of Steam users surveyed prefer ******** as the language on Steam, which is quite a surprising development. Not because ******** has become the top language on the gaming platform, but because it happened so suddenly. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) China is one of the most populous countries on Earth, so it makes sense to have many people prefer ******** as their language on the PC. Steam has been available in China since 2021, so we would have expected this jump to happen nearer then, not today. Furthermore, gaming in China is heavily regulated by the government; that’s why users there have a localized version of the platform called Steam China. However, it seems that the latest Steam Hardware Survey results combined the numbers from both the international and China-only Steam clients. This is the most plausible explanation for this sudden jump in ******** speakers on the platform, especially as Taiwan and Hong Kong use Traditional ********, which only accounts for 1.1% of Steam users. Massive swings in OS version usage, RAM quotas Likely because of the sudden influx of ******** users, we also see some massive swings in other hardware trends. For one, Windows 10 gained a massive 10.47% jump in user numbers despite Windows 11 slowly becoming more popular in the rest of the world as the former is nearing its end-of-life date. Another big change that we noticed is the massive increase in systems with 32GB of RAM, with 46.94% of users packing larger memory. Just last month, 45.07% of surveyed systems only had 16GB of RAM, so this change is also likely brought about by the sudden influx of new systems from China (unless millions of people just had the sudden urge to upgrade the RAM on their systems). Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Aside from that, we also saw a large shift in primary display resolutions, with 1440p displays getting a bump of 9.92%, with 29.98% of surveyed users sporting this resolution. 1080p Full HD screens are still the most popular, at 52.34%, but it seems that more gamers are gravitating towards higher resolutions. This is likely driven by the increase in popularity of GPUs with 8GB and 12GB of VRAM, with both increasing by 7.41% and 4.88%, respectively. If these massive changes were brought about by users from China, then it seems that gamers from that country are quite serious about their hardware. The popularity of 32GB of RAM, 8 to 12GB of VRAM, and 1440p resolution suggests that this is the sweet spot for most gamers when it comes to their PC specs. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Alternatively, this fluke could have been caused by erroneous reporting data again, similar to what happened to the survey way back in 2018 (linked in the intro). Unfortunately, there’s no way for us to track the accuracy of this report, especially as Valve is mum about its survey methodology and doesn’t reveal how it got all this data. Source link #Huge #RAM #usage #swings #Steam #Survey #influenced #China #influx Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Researchers stunned after making 6,000-year-old discovery underneath Rocky Mountain ice: ‘We were really surprised’ Researchers stunned after making 6,000-year-old discovery underneath Rocky Mountain ice: ‘We were really surprised’ As the climate warms, melting snow and ice are revealing how Earth looked and what went on in the not-too-distant past. A group of scientists made one such discovery that dates to nearly 6,000 years ago. What’s happening? Researchers from Montana State University, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other institutions found about 30 trees 180 meters above the current treeline in Wyoming’s Rocky Mountains, CBC Radio reported. The whitebark pines were discovered on the Beartooth Plateau, and the findings were detailed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “We were really surprised to find a forest was emerging from the margins of the ice. … It was amazing,” Cathy Whitlock told As It Happens. Dating methods showed the “tall-standing” trees, about 10 inches around, were 5,440-5,950 years old. They were killed by a growing ice patch as the climate cooled. “As a scientist, I’m thrilled because it’s a window on the past. It tells us what this high-elevation environment was like 6,000 years ago,” Whitlock told the CBC. “… But as a person who worries about the future and climate change and what these alpine areas will look like for my grandchildren, it makes me really sad. These ice patches are melting, and they probably won’t be there in a few more decades.” Why is this important? The concern is that such processes, which have taken thousands of years, are only taking decades today. Whitlock said the environment is already warmer now than it was when the trees began to grow. The rising global temperature — driven by humans’ burning of dirty fuels for energy — is melting ice, expanding seas, and causing increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather. Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City? Whitlock said the high elevation of the area makes it susceptible to the effects of the changing climate. It won’t take much warming to turn tundra into forest, and the treeline far below will likely creep past where these ancient trees once stood — if fire or drought don’t intervene. There will be less snow, snowpack will melt, and a valuable source of water will be gone, as the Rockies are home to important headwaters. This is already happening, and if it continues, it will only make the West drier than it already is. What’s being done about the changing climate? The toxic, polluting gases that are a byproduct of dirty energy envelop Earth like a blanket, trapping heat and harming our health directly via asthma, heart problems, ******* and more as well as indirectly by heatstroke, kidney injuries, death, and more. This kind of research shows what can change if the climate gets cooler or warmer. To create a healthier, safer future, we can invest in clean energy projects such as solar panels or community solar, make ecosystems more resilient by replacing grass with natural ground cover, and divest from single-use plastics. If none of these things are up your alley, check out TCD’s guide to a cooler future, which provides countless options. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Source link #Researchers #stunned #making #6000yearold #discovery #Rocky #Mountain #ice #surprised Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Vesuvius Turned One Victim’s Brain to Glass – The New York Times Vesuvius Turned One Victim’s Brain to Glass – The New York Times Vesuvius Turned One Victim’s Brain to Glass The New York TimesA young man’s brain turned to glass during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Scientists say they have figured out how CNNHow did this man’s brain turn to glass? Scientists have a theory Phys.orgThe Dude Whose Brain Turned to Glass 404 MediaHuman brain turned to glass by ash cloud from Vesuvius New Atlas Source link #Vesuvius #Turned #Victims #Brain #Glass #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This is how much pilots at low-cost airlines are paid, with some making up to $270,000. This is how much pilots at low-cost airlines are paid, with some making up to $270,000. Senior airline pilots at US low-cost carriers make well into the six figures but average less than their counterparts at Delta, United, and American Airlines. Artur Widak/NurPhoto Senior airline pilots at Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit earn up to $270,000 annually. But their pay tends to be lower than it would be at Delta, American, and United. Some pilot unions are angling for raises to align pay with their mainline counterparts. Pilots at low-cost Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, and Spirit Airlines make less than those at mainline giants, but they can still earn a base pay of up to $270,000 annually. Pay at the three airlines — the US’ longest-standing and most well-known low-cost carriers — starts at about $58 for a first officer at Allegiant. That rises with experience to up to $312 per hour for Spirit’s most senior captains. Business Insider compiled this pay data using airline contracts, verified by the pilots’ unions and companies. US airline pilots commonly fly more than their monthly minimum and can earn additional per diem pay for time away from their base. They can also collect extra money from working specific flights or on holidays, for example. Altogether, budget airline pilots can easily take home a six-figure salary by their second year on the job. Their respective labor unions are also working to increase pilot pay at these smaller carriers to better align with compensation packages at mainline carriers American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. The annual base pay for budget airline pilots is based on their contractual monthly guarantees and seniority. They can vary from about $48,500 to $174,000 for first officers and from about $137,000 to $270,000 for captains. The rates increase yearly at each airline, up to 12 years of service. Allegiant Air First-year first officer: $57.67 hourly or about $48,500 annually 12-year captain: $232 hourly or about $195,000 annually Frontier Airlines First-year first officer: $100 hourly or about $90,000 annually 12-year captain: $270.07 hourly or about $243,000 annually Spirit Airlines First-year first officer: $97.15 hourly or about $84,000 annually 12-year captain: $312 hourly or about $270,000 annually Minimum pay is based on the monthly guarantee for those who hold a “line,” a pilot who knows their schedule ahead of time. Reserve pilots are those who are assigned as needed. Allegiant’s contract offers a minimum of 70 hours for line pilots and 72 hours for reserve pilots. Frontier’s 75-hour minimum and Spirit’s 72-hour minimum are the same, regardless of line or reserve. Senior Spirit pilots are the highest-paid among the US’ three budget carriers. Pilots can earn extra pay for working holidays.Joe Cavaretta/Tribune News/Getty Images Most pilots can earn extra money by operating more monthly hours than guaranteed, working holidays, and flying premium pay trips, among other opportunities, depending on the specifics for their airline. Story Continues For example, a 12-year Spirit captain who flew 80 hours in December, including on Christmas Day, would earn about $25,000 for the month before taxes and per diem. That includes a contractual $75 for working the holiday. Spirit’s contract guarantees about $2.30 per hour per diem on top of that. Allegiant and Frontier’s contracts show hourly per diem is $2 and $2.20, respectively. The same Spirit captain who maintained an 80-hour monthly schedule all year would earn about $300,000 annually before taxes and any contractual premium pay. At Allegiant and Frontier, that would amount to about $223,000 and $260,000, respectively. Allegiant pilots who fly over 81 hours monthly earn 130% pay, per its contract.Ryan Fletcher / Shutterstock.com Despite being among the highest-paid workforce in the US, the budget airline pilots are vying for pay increases. Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit’s contracts are all up for renewal as of Feburary, meaning the carriers are still paying out previous years’ rates as the labor unions actively negotiate pay bumps. Frontier has been bargaining for more than a year, while Allegiant has been bargaining since 2021. Spirit’s contract negotiations are stalled as it addresses Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid revenue and cost problems, with hundreds of its pilots on furlough. The three budget carriers’ current pay rates are well below those offered by Delta, American, and United, all of which saw massive pay bumps amid a pilot shortage during the post-pandemic travel rebound. A spokesperson for Frontier’s pilot union told *** its pilots fly the same Airbus A320 family narrowbody planes as many of the Big 3 pilots but make less. Frontier’s contract shows pilots earn a premium pay of 125% for flying more than 82 hours a month.Kevin Carter/Getty Images For example, a 12-year A320 captain at United earns about $373 per hour — $61 more than Spirit, $103 more than Frontier, and $141 more than Allegiant. United’s rate is about the same as American and Delta. Adding in bonuses, holiday pay, per diem, and other extra pay opportunities, many senior mainline pilots can earn half a million annually. Frontier told *** the company is engaged in contract bargaining. “We look forward to working toward an agreement that is fair, sustainable, and supports our pilots while ensuring the continued success of our company,” the airline said. Spirit did not respond to a request for comment from ***. Allegiant told *** it has proposed a “competitive” pay package in its negotiations with the pilot union. This includes upping first-year first-officer pay to about $114 hourly, which is close to the about $120 an hour new A320 first officers make at the Big 3. Its 12-year captain pay would jump to about $340 hourly. Allegiant also said it has been building a retention bonus fund to be paid out to pilots after a new contract is signed, which would mean thousands of dollars in extra pay. It said the bonus for senior captains would amount to over $100,000. Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #pilots #lowcost #airlines #paid #making Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

A topsy-turvy Oscar season concludes Sunday. Here’s what to look for at Sunday’s show A topsy-turvy Oscar season concludes Sunday. Here’s what to look for at Sunday’s show A large billboard sign featuring this years Oscar host Conan O’Brien towers over Hollywood blvd as workers prepare for the 97th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., Feb. 25, 2025. Mike Blake | Reuters After a topsy-turvy Oscar season in which frontrunners were constantly shuffled, old tweets hobbled a top contender and space was held for “Wicked,” the 97th Academy Awards get underway Sunday. Sunday’s Academy Awards, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, will bring to a close one of the most unpredictable Oscar races in recent memory. The ceremony kicks off 7 p.m. EST and will be broadcast by ABC and streamed on Hulu. Conan O’Brien is hosting for the first time. The official red carpet preshow on ABC and Hulu starts at 6:30 p.m. Unofficial E! red carpet coverage begins at 4 p.m. EST and The Associated Press will livestream arrivals beginning at 3 p.m. Light rain was in the forecast for Sunday morning in Los Angeles, which is still recovering from wildfires that devastated the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods earlier this year. The fires affected many throughout the film industry and within the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Some even called for the cancellation of Hollywood’s awards season. While his Pacific Palisades house was spared, O’Brien has been living out of a hotel the last two months. Oscar producers have said the show will celebrate the city’s resilience. An Oscar statue is pictured at the red carpet of the 97th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on Feb. 28, 2025. Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images Is there an Oscar favorite? The lead nominee is Netflix’s “Emilia Pérez,” with 13 nominations, but that film has seen its chances crater following uproar over years-old offensive tweets by its star, Karla Sofía Gascón, the first openly trans actor nominated for best actress. The favorite is Sean Baker’s “Anora,” about a sex worker who weds the son of a Russian oligarch. The Neon release, the Cannes Palme d’Or winner, won with the producers, directors and writers guild. The only movie with the same resume to not win best picture is “Brokeback Mountain.” Its closest competition is “Conclave,” the papal thriller starring Ralph Fiennes. It won at the BAFTAs and the SAG Awards, wins that came just as Pope Francis was hospitalized for double pneumonia. Oscar voting concluded before the pope fell ill. Also in the mix are “The Brutalist,” nominated for 10 awards, and the musical hit “Wicked,” also with 10 nominations. Several of the early craft Oscars could be shared between “Wicked” and “Dune: Part Two.” Will politics play a starring role? For the first time, an actor is nominated for playing the sitting U.S. president. Sebastian Stan is nominated for best actor for his performance as a young Donald Trump in “The Apprentice,” as is his co-star, Jeremy Strong, for playing Roy Cohn. Trump has called those involved with the film “human *****.” The political tenor of this year’s ceremony could be volatile, with the Oscars coming weeks into the second Trump administration and falling two days after the president’s dramatic rupture with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. Speaking earlier this week, O’Brien said he’ll strive to strike a delicate balance. “I cannot ignore the moment we’re in,” he said. “But I also have to remember it’s threading a needle. I also have to remember what we’re here to celebrate and infuse the show with positivity.” Best Actor nominee Timothée Chalamet will be among the recipients of the “Everybody Wins” gift bag. Valerie Macon | Afp | Getty Images Will Timothée Chalamet win his first Oscar? While the supporting acting categories feature overwhelming favorites in Zoe Saldana (“Emilia Pérez”) and Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”), both best actor and best actress are close contests. In best actress, Demi Moore (“The Substance”) is most likely to win, but Mikey Madison (“Anora”) or Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”) could pull off the upset. Adrien Brody is favored in best actor for his performance in “The Brutalist. But Timothée Chalamet stands a decent chance of beating him, for his performance as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.” The 29-year-old Chalamet, who won at the Screen Actors Guild, would become the youngest best actor winner ever, edging Brody’s record, set in 2003 in his win for “The Pianist.” Can the show lift a battered Hollywood? This year’s Oscars are unspooling after a turbulent year for the film industry. Ticket sales were down 3% from the previous year and more significantly from pre-pandemic times. The strikes of 2023 played havoc with release schedules in 2024. Many studios pulled back on production, leaving many out of work. The fires, in January, only added to the pain. Last year’s telecast, propelled by the twin blockbusters of “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” led the Oscars to a four-year viewership high, with 19.5 million viewers. This year, with smaller independent films favored in the most prominent awards, the academy will be tested to draw as large of an audience. With a not particularly starry array of best song nominees, the academy has done away with performances of original songs this year. But there will be music, including a performance by “Wicked” stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, and a tribute to the late Quincy Jones, with Queen Latifah. Last year’s acting winners — Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph — will also take part in the ceremony. Though the academy initially said it would bring back the “fab five” style of presenting the acting awards, with five previous winners per category, organizers have reportedly abandoned those plans. The ceremony will be taking place days following the death of Gene Hackman. The 95-year-old two-time Oscar winner and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead Wednesday at their New Mexico home. Source link #topsyturvy #Oscar #season #concludes #Sunday #Heres #Sundays #show Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xiaomi launches $1,600 Samsung phone challenger as it rides 300% stock rally to record high – CNBC Xiaomi launches $1,600 Samsung phone challenger as it rides 300% stock rally to record high – CNBC Xiaomi launches $1,600 Samsung phone challenger as it rides 300% stock rally to record high CNBCXiaomi 15 Ultra review: ugly phone, beautiful camera The VergeXiaomi’s Photography-Focused Powerhouse 15 Ultra YahooI Tested the Xiaomi 15 Ultra for 2 Weeks: Here’s Everything You Need to Know CNETXiaomi 15 Ultra Hands-On: The Ultimate Hardware Flex Forbes Source link #Xiaomi #launches #Samsung #phone #challenger #rides #stock #rally #record #high #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Monster Hunter Wilds becomes the 5th most played Steam game ever Monster Hunter Wilds becomes the 5th most played Steam game ever Monster Hunter Wilds has beaten out Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, Baldur’s Gate 3, and even Banana as it sees incredible day 1 success. Source link #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #5th #played #Steam #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

HMD 2660 Flip Phone Unveiled Alongside HMD 130 Music, 150 Music at MWC 2025 HMD 2660 Flip Phone Unveiled Alongside HMD 130 Music, 150 Music at MWC 2025 Human Mobile Devices (HMD) unveiled new feature phones on Sunday at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025. The company introduced the HMD 2660 Flip, as well as the HMD 130 Music and 150 Music devices. The former is a redesigned Nokia 2660 Flip that was launched in 2022, while the latter are the company’s music-focused feature phones. These devices offer limited functionalities and features, and do not offer touch-enabled screens. However, users will find removable batteries and in-built FM Radio support. HMD has launched the phones in several international markets. HMD 2660 Flip Specifications In a press release, the company detailed the new HMD 2660 Flip that was also showcased in Barcelona at MWC 2025. The flip-styled feature phone is available in Cosy ****** and Twilight Violet colour options, and the company plans to launch a Raspberry Red colourway soon. Coming to specifications, the HMD 2660 Flip 2025 features a 2.8-inch QVGA screen as the primary display and a 1.77-inch cover display. The company is pitching it as a “detox device” that reduces over reliance on the smart features of modern smartphones. The feature phone comes with large buttons for numbers and T9 messaging support, flip to answer calls, and even a 0.3-megapixel single rear camera, which is paired with an LED that doubles as flash and torch light. For connectivity, it gets Bluetooth 4.2 and VoLTE support. The HMD 2660 Flip 2025 offers 48MB RAM and 128MB inbuilt storage that can be expanded up to 32GB with support for micro SD cards. It also comes with an in-built FM Radio support. The phone is backed by a 1,450mAh removable battery and offers USB Type-C charging support. HMD 130 Music, 150 Music Specifications and Features The HMD 130 Music and 150 Music feature phones come with retro aesthetics and a focus on music playback. The HMD 130 Music is available in Dark Grey, Blue and Red colour options, whereas the HMD 150 Music comes in Dark Grey, Purple, and Light Blue colour options. These devices are yet to be launched in India. HMD 130 Music and HMD 150 Music Photo Credit: HMD As per the company’s press release, both handsets feature a 2.4-inch QVGA display and offer 8MB RAM and 82MB internal storage. The storage space can be expanded up to 32GB with a micro SD card. For music playback, these devices sport a 2W speaker on the back with dedicated music buttons. They also come equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack. These devices are backed by a 2,500mAh removable battery and USB Type-C charging support. In addition, the HMD 130 Music comes with a dual torch module at the top of the phone. For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub. Source link #HMD #Flip #Phone #Unveiled #HMD #Music #Music #MWC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*********** ‘fiasco’ ferry ordered to leave Edinburgh *********** ‘fiasco’ ferry ordered to leave Edinburgh TT-Line Spirit of Tasmania IV came to Leith from a Finnish shipyard because it could have been damaged by pack ice A newly-constructed *********** ferry will be moved from Edinburgh to the other side of the world after leasing negotiations broke down. Often described as a “fiasco”, the Spirit of Tasmania IV has been docked in Leith for three months due to issues with existing infrastructure in the Tasmanian city of Devonport. Operator TT-Line said it had been engaging with a broker to lease the ferry, however an agreement could not be reached. The Tasmanian government has now ordered the ferry operator to relocate the 212m-long (695ft) vessel to the island. The ship was built at a yard in Finland, but had to be moved to Scotland before winter over concerns it could be damaged by pack ice. A new berth to accommodate the ship, and sister vessel Spirit of Tasmania V, may not be ready until late 2026 or 2027 and the saga has sparked a huge political row in Australia. The vessel was due to operate in the Bass Strait, between Tasmania and the *********** state of Victoria, and had been described as a “game-changer” for the island’s tourism industry. However, it has seen a series of delays in its construction, skyrocketing costs and problems upgrading the current berths – mirroring many of Scotland’s own ferry problems. Tasmania’s infrastructure minister, Michael Ferguson, and the chairman of ferry operator TT-Line, which is state-owned, resigned due to the controversy in August. The cost of building the two LNG dual-fuel ships has risen by A$94m (£47.5m) from A$850m (£430m) when the contract was signed in 2021. Meanwhile the cost of upgrading current infrastructure in Devonport, which handles about 450,000 passengers a year, has more than quadrupled from an original estimate of A$90m (£45.5m). TT-Line was paying A$47,534 (£24,031) per week to berth the ship at Forth Ports, according to figures published by the Tasmanian government. Last week *********** media reported there was a possibility of the ferry being used to house Ukrainian refugees in Scotland. However the Scottish government quickly dismissed this saying: “This is not true and we have no plans to lease this or any other vessel for this purpose.” ‘Biggest infrastructure stuff-up’ Tasmania’s transport minister Eric Abetz said that the government had done all it could to secure a lease that would benefit Tasmanians. He said: “We had an opportunity to secure an agreement worth tens of millions of dollars for the Tasmanian taxpayer, and it would have been economically irresponsible not to explore this. “Previous similar leases provided more than €50m (£41.2m) to vessel owners, and it was prudent that we sought similar arrangements for Tasmanian taxpayers. “The relentless negativity is hurting the state’s economic opportunities, and it’s time to move forward together.” Tasmanian Labor, the opposition party, welcomed the “backflip” from the government but said it came four months and and millions of dollars too late. A spokesman said: “The ferry fiasco has been the biggest infrastructure stuff-up in Tasmania’s history, but the cover-up has been even worse than the crime.” Source link #*********** #fiasco #ferry #ordered #leave #Edinburgh Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The best Animal Crossing games, ranked The best Animal Crossing games, ranked NE “We’re looking at and ranking every single game in the Animal Crossing franchise from worst to best. Which game comes out on top?” Source link #Animal #Crossing #games #ranked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Ukrainian general inflicts ‘unsustainable losses’ on Russia New Ukrainian general inflicts ‘unsustainable losses’ on Russia Ukraine’s army is finding some rare success along the eastern front, reclaiming key positions and inflicting “unsustainable losses” on Russian forces, according to battlefield reports. While the frontline axis has not changed significantly, Ukrainian forces have advanced against Russian troops close to the two major eastern cities of Pokrovsk and Toretsk, according to new reports. “The Ukrainian Armed Forces are actively advancing in Toretsk, reclaiming key positions,” said one war blogger closely observing the front lines. “There are reports of complete encirclement of Russian occupiers in several areas.” Toretsk provides a vital link for Ukraine to logistics bases in Kostiantynivka, north-west of the city. The attacks are reportedly being conducted with US-donated armoured vehicles. Counter-attacks are also being conducted near the city of Pokrovsk – a key city for Ukrainian defences. Russia has been moving towards the city for the past year, and has advanced 40km (25 miles) west since February 2024. Last week Ukraine announced a successful counter-attack to retake the settlement of Kotlyne, near Pokrovsk, and regained their position in Kotlynne, west of Pokrovsk. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said: “The year-long Russian effort to seize Pokrovsk has so far failed.” Members of the ‘Lyut’ joint assault brigade await orders on the Toretsk front line in the Donbas region – Maria Senovilla/Shutterstock Meanwhile Russian military bloggers – accounts which are often cited as sources of information in lieu of official commentary from the Kremlin – reported that the Kremlin’s troops had lost ground in Uspenivka in Donetsk Oblast. The ISW also said on Saturday that Ukrainian forces are now inflicting “unsustainable losses” on Russian forces and holding them to “marginal gains”. DeepState, a Ukrainian war-tracking blog, also said that Russian troops occupied 192 sq km of Ukrainian territory in February, marking a decline compared to previous months. “Despite losing momentum, with the pace of advance now comparable to last July, the enemy continues to suffer heavy manpower losses,” DeepState said. “The enemy’s activity has decreased, although it has not ceased entirely.” Russian military bloggers report that the Kremlin’s troops have lost ground in Uspenivka in Donetsk Oblast – Anadolu Praise for the counter-attacks is being lauded onto Gen Myhailo Drapaty, Ukraine’s ground forces chief who also recently took command of fighting in the eastern Donbas region. The 42-year-old commander is considered part of a “new generation” of younger Ukrainian general officers that had fought against Russian forces since 2014. Olena Mokrenchuk, the press officer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said previously that Gen Drapatyi’s strategies are “always unexpected and unconventional, but meticulously calculated”. “He’s very effective. I believe that under his command, we’ll be able to push the Russians back,” she told Ukrainian broadcaster, Espreso TV. Toretsk provides a vital link for Ukraine to logistics bases in Kostiantynivka north-west of the city – Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade/Shutterstock In December 2024, Gen Drapatyi announced an ambitious transformation plan aimed at improving Ukraine’s position on the battlefield, including reforming military training and providing Ukrainian soldiers with a technological edge over their enemy. “Today, we’re building an army of the future – an army that will defeat the enemy and overcome every obstacle on the way of transformation,” Gen Drapatyi said. However, Moscow is still gaining ground. On Saturday it said it had seized two more villages in eastern Ukraine, Skudne and Burlatske, in the south of the eastern Donetsk region. DeepState also reported that Russia had advanced near Burlatske, Andriivka, Pryvilne, Sverdlikove and Mykolaivo-Daryne in the past few days. On Sunday Russia conducted strikes on gas processing facilities used by the Ukrainian defence force. The general staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in its operational update on Friday that the army was involved in “60 combat engagements”. Moscow seized two more villages in eastern Ukraine, Skudne and Burlatske, in the south of the eastern Donetsk region – Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade/Shutterstock The intense fighting comes as senior US officials have warned that president Donald Trump may cut all aid to Ukraine, including any final aid shipments that Joe Biden, the former US president, approved. Writing about Ukraine’s recent gains and its army inflicting “unsustainable losses” on Russia, the ISW said: “This situation, combined with the severe challenges Russia will face in 2025, offers the United States great leverage in peace negotiations.” Ukrainian forces have leveraged US-supplied military systems – including Patriot air defense systems, HIMARS and ATACMS long-range strike systems – to defend against nightly Russian drone and missile strikes and improve its strike capabilities. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are also looking to complicate Russian logistics, command and control and disrupt Russia’s defense industrial base. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Source link #Ukrainian #general #inflicts #unsustainable #losses #Russia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Assassin's Creed: The Argument For a Total Franchise Reboot Assassin's Creed: The Argument For a Total Franchise Reboot Assassin’s Creed has been hard done by in the past several years despite its success, and as messy as it could be, it might be time for a reboot. Source link #Assassin039s #Creed #Argument #Total #Franchise #Reboot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump and Zelensky’s fiery exchange underlines US pivot to Russia – CNN Trump and Zelensky’s fiery exchange underlines US pivot to Russia – CNN Trump and Zelensky’s fiery exchange underlines US pivot to Russia CNN‘Why Don’t You Wear a Suit?’: A Right-Wing News Outlet With Coveted Access Questions Zelensky The New York TimesHow the Trump-Zelensky Oval Office meeting spiraled into chaos The Washington PostTrump said Zelenskyy ‘does not have the cards’. But how well is he playing his own hand? | Olga Chyzh The Guardian Source link #Trump #Zelenskys #fiery #exchange #underlines #pivot #Russia #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NFLPA team report cards: Chargers, Falcons, Commanders make big leaps as league improves overall NFLPA team report cards: Chargers, Falcons, Commanders make big leaps as league improves overall INDIANAPOLIS — After receiving poor grades for the 2023 campaign, the Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders made the most significant leaps in improving working conditions for their players in 2024, according to the NFL Players Association. NFLPA chief strategy officer JC Tretter unveiled the report cards for the 2024 season on Wednesday, and the results reflected overall improvements across the league. This year, 1,695 NFL players (roughly 77 percent of NFLPA membership) took part in the survey, which was conducted from Aug. 26 to Nov. 20, 2024. Overall, Tretter said the NFL’s 32 teams improved grades by an average of 3.5 points. The retired center said there was a 41 percent increase in As received from players. Teams received As in 81 categories in 2023 and 114 during the 2024 season. Meanwhile, while teams received 65 grades of D-plus or lower for various categories in 2023, the number dropped to 32 (a 51 percent reduction) in 2024. There were only four F-minus grades handed out. “The floor is rising, which is important to highlight,” Tretter said, commending the NFL’s owners for taking note of the player assessments and making an effort to communicate with the union on needed improvements. Three years ago, the NFLPA began conducting surveys that led to team-by-team report cards on the state of working conditions across the league. The goal was to hold NFL owners and their franchises accountable for how they accommodate and support players in a wide range of areas like facilities, cafeterias, family treatment on game days and travel arrangements. In 2024, the Chargers jumped from 30th in the NFL to fifth. The Falcons improved from 25th to third, and the Commanders jumped from 32nd to 11th. For a second straight year, the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings ranked first and second. This year, the Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders and Chargers rounded out the top five. (Last season, the Dolphins, Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars received the highest overall grades from players.) Meanwhile, the teams receiving the five worst grades were the Pittsburgh Steelers (28th), New York Jets (29th), Cleveland Browns (30th), New England Patriots (31st) and Arizona Cardinals (32nd). Commanders owner Josh Harris was not content with the failing grade his team received in 2023. (Greg Fiume / Getty Images) Tretter praised Commanders’ second-year owner Josh Harris, who in response to last season’s woeful grade said, “I’m not an F-minus guy,” and then worked aggressively to upgrade Washington’s facilities and player accommodations. “This really shows the point of this project,” Tretter said. “If you’ve been to the Commanders’ facility, it’s still the same facility. He didn’t knock down walls, but he made changes in staffing, changes in what players were asking for. … He changed the culture. “He hired Dan Quinn, who was the No. 1 ranked head coach (according to this year’s grades). He improved food services, added a family daycare facility. There was a huge jump in family services, and their travel accommodations dramatically improved. Those were major changes, and none of those are $50 million investments. Those are small investments. Huge change. Kudos to Josh Harris and Dan Quinn.” The Falcons made a major jump, but also opened a new team facility, weight room and cafeteria while hiring a new head coach in Raheem Morris, who received the second-highest ranking of the year, and a new strength and conditioning staff. The Falcons’ strength staff received an F-minus in 2023 and an A for the 2024 season. The Kansas City Chiefs hired a full-time dietitian and went up from an F in their cafeteria rankings to an A-minus. The Dolphins received an A in treatment of families and an A-plus in food and dining area as well as nutritionist/dietician and locker room. The Dolphins also received an A in training room, training staff, A-plus in weight room and A-plus on strength coaches and team travel. In comparison, the Cardinals received a D-plus in treatment of families, D-minus for food/dining area, a B for nutritionist/dietician, an F-minus for locker room, a D-minus for training room, a C for training staff, an F in weight room, C-plus for strength coaches and B for team travel. Washington’s Quinn received the highest grade for head coaches at an A-plus; Atlanta’s Morris, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell, Kansas City’s Andy Reid and Miami’s Mike McDaniel rounded out the top five. Chicago’s coaching staff, which included Matt Eberflus, who was eventually fired in-season, received a C as the lowest grade. Jacksonville’s Doug Pederson, who was eventually fired, Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski, New Orleans’ coaching staff, which saw Dennis Allen fired in-season, and Baltimore’s John Harbaugh received the other four lowest coaching grades in that order. This year, the NFLPA expanded the categories on which players grade owners. The three categories were an owner’s perceived willingness to invest in facilities, an owner’s contributions to positive team culture and an owner’s commitment to building a competitive team. Miami’s Stephen Ross, Minnesota’s Zygi Wilf, Atlanta’s Arthur Blank, Denver’s Greg Penner and the Chargers’ Dean Spanos received the five highest grades in the first category. In the owners’ willingness to invest in facilities, Ross, Blank, Wilf, Harris and Penner rounded out the top five. Meanwhile, Ross, Blank, Wilf, Harris and Penner were top five in commitment to building a competitive team. The bottom five owners in the first category were New England’s Robert Kraft (28th), Carolina’s David Tepper (29th), Pittsburgh’s Art Rooney II (30th), Arizona’s Michael Bidwill (31st) and New York Jets’ Woody Johnson (32nd). When it came to an owner’s contributions to a positive team culture, Bidwell, Cleveland’s Jimmy Haslam, Kraft, Tepper and Johnson were bottom five. And in perceived commitment to a competitive team, Cincinnati’s Mike Brown, Haslam, Kraft, Johnson and Tepper were the bottom five. (Top photo of Woody Johnson: Ed Mulholland / Getty Images) Source link #NFLPA #team #report #cards #Chargers #Falcons #Commanders #big #leaps #league #improves Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Will Make Lumiose The Icon It Was Meant To Be Pokemon Legends: Z-A Will Make Lumiose The Icon It Was Meant To Be ZeekQuattro24d ago Nintendo supported the NES for a little over a decade. The Gameboy even longer. Switch will no doubt be treated in a similar fashion. Rumored ports that Nintendo has been sitting on for years will start releasing on the Switch while the Switch 2 gets its own exclusives. Source link #Pokemon #Legends #Lumiose #Icon #Meant Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Covid rules should have been same across ***, Simon Hart says Covid rules should have been same across ***, Simon Hart says Getty Images Covid-19 rules were put in place for more than two years following the initial lockdown in March 2020 Rules to try to limit the spread of Covid during the pandemic should have been the same across the ***, a former cabinet minister has said. Simon Hart has claimed “politics in the decision-making” led to different restrictions on things like wearing face masks in Wales and England after being agreed by their respective governments. “I just didn’t feel that decisions were being made purely on the basis of disease control and risk management,” said the former Welsh secretary and MP. The Welsh government has been asked to comment. “I do think the *** wide consistency would have been much, much simpler from the point of view of trying to impart a very clear but important message to residents of the ***,” he said. Hart was the secretary of state for Wales from December 2019 to July 2022 and a Conservative MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire from 2010 to 2024. He also served as parliamentary secretary to the Treasury [chief whip] between October 2022 and July 2024 and has just published his book, Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip. Hart told BBC Radio Wales’ Sunday Supplement it included a “rather depressing reminder of some of the difficulties that we all encountered” during the pandemic and “if we ever have to do that kind of thing again, is there a better way of doing it?” He said it was “made much more complicated by the fact that there were different rules in different places”. Restrictions were drawn up by a Conservative government at Westminster and in Wales the rules were set by a Labour government in the Senedd. Restrictions were imposed for more than two years after lockdown began in March 2020. By January 2022, a lecturer in psychology said people were suffering “fatigue” and “uncertainty” over the varying Covid rules. At that point, nightclubs were closed in Wales, with limits on hospitality, sports events and who people could meet, but in England restrictions were much less severe. Mr Hart recalled train announcements being read out while he and other rail passengers were travelling through the Severn Tunnel to highlight a change in rules on wearing masks either side of the Wales-England border. “More and more, as we went through the pandemic, I came to the conclusion that there was a lot of politics in the decision-making,” he said. “I just didn’t feel that decisions were being made purely on the basis of disease control and risk management. “Some of the speeches and comments that were being made by ministers in Cardiff were deliberately designed to drive a wedge between the two governments. “And to cast just a degree of doubt into the minds of residents of Wales that the decisions being taken by *** government might have been at fault.” Source link #Covid #rules #Simon #Hart Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Where Will Honeywell Be in 1 Year? Where Will Honeywell Be in 1 Year? Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) is a $130 billion market cap industrial Goliath. It operates businesses that span from automation to aerospace to advanced materials. The company is an icon on Wall Street today, but in a little over a year the situation is likely to be vastly different. Here’s what you need to know if you’re looking at Honeywell right now. Although correctly classified as an industrial company, Honeywell is really best thought of as an industrial conglomerate. That basically means the company operates in a number of different businesses, each with its own nuances. This isn’t an uncommon practice, but there’s a pendulum on Wall Street. Sometimes investors want to see companies grow larger through acquisitions, effectively creating conglomerates. And at other times investors want companies to slim down and specialize, which for existing conglomerates means breaking themselves apart. Image source: Getty Images. Wall Street has recently been leaning toward the preference of breaking conglomerates up. Industrial peer General Electric recently completed the process, separating out into three different businesses: GE Aerospace, GE Vernova, and GE Healthcare Technologies. And now Honeywell appears to be ready to do the same, announcing its breakup plans in early February. Honeywell had previously announced plans to spin off its advanced material business. But it updated the plan to include the separation of its aerospace operations and its automation business. So, like General Electric, Honeywell as it exists today will cease to exist and it will, instead, be three different companies. The goal is to complete the breakup sometime in the second half of 2026, a bit more than a year from now. So the question for investors who own Honeywell today, or who buy it between now and the time of the breakup, is: What will they own after all of the technicalities are taken care of? For starters, the process of breaking a giant company up isn’t easy. So the technicalities are a big deal, and they need to be monitored. For example: Who’s going to be on the different boards? Who will end leading the new companies? What will each company’s balance sheet look like? Sometimes breakups don’t end up happening as planned. They can take longer than expected, and the companies that come out the other side aren’t treated equally well in the breakup. That said, when it all shakes out, shareholders of Honeywell as it exists today will end up owning three different companies. Honeywell Automation will own the company’s portfolio of productivity-enhancing technologies, solutions, and software. The group had revenue of $18 billion in 2024, so it’s a sizable business. Automation is likely to be an important drive for companies in the future as they look to contain costs and increase profits. Story Continues Honeywell Aerospace will provide technology and solutions to the commercial travel and defense industries. According to Honeywell, it has its fingers in “virtually every” aerospace platform around the world thanks to its propulsion, cockpit, navigation, and power systems. This business generated $15 billion in revenue in 2024. Advanced Materials is the smallest spinoff, with “just” $4 billion in revenue in 2024. It produces specialty chemicals and materials, with leading positions in “fluorine products, electronic materials, industrial grade fibers, and healthcare packaging solutions.” It’s too soon to know how all of this corporate activity is going to play out, or whether any of the companies that come out the other side will thrive. But there’s a general theme to consider. As a conglomerate, each of Honeywell’s divisions has to compete for capital and management attention. That can cause lagging businesses to be forgotten and ones that are doing well to deal with unnecessary distractions. Thus, the big plan here is to allow each of the new companies that are created to focus all of their attention on their core businesses. That’s a reasonable goal, but sometimes that doesn’t actually lead to good business performance. So in about a year or so, Honeywell as it is known today will be no more. In its place will be three new companies, each with a more focused business model. That really makes Honeywell a special situation stock, which probably won’t interest most investors. That’s not to suggest that management is making a mistake, only that the outcome of such a massive overhaul is incredibly hard to predict. Before you buy stock in Honeywell International, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Honeywell International wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $765,576!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 890% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 170% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of February 24, 2025 Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends GE HealthCare Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends GE Aerospace. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Where Will Honeywell Be in 1 Year? was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Honeywell #Year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Called home: Giants’ Grant McCray deeply saddened by the death of Rickey Henderson Called home: Giants’ Grant McCray deeply saddened by the death of Rickey Henderson SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Grant McCray led off the San Francisco Giants’ exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday at Camelback Ranch and he hobbled down the first base line after his foot absorbed a cut fastball. A trainer rushed out to check on him. He grimaced and he shook his leg and he jogged in place. On the next pitch, he stole second base. “Been waiting for that chance to run,” McCray said. “I’m always itching to go.” McCray is one of the best minor-league base stealers in recent franchise history. In three years at full-season affiliates, he has been successful in 109 of 132 attempts. How impressive is his 82.6 percent success rate over that span? Consider that Rickey Henderson, who swiped a major league-record 1,406 bases, retired with a success rate of 80.6 percent. McCray, who never lacks for confidence, might have brought up that fact with Henderson this spring. They might have had a laugh over it while engaging in some light trash talk. Late last year, Giants manager Bob Melvin mentioned to McCray that he would set up a spring training meeting with Henderson, whom he knew well from his time with the Oakland A’s. McCray was ecstatic. He patterned so much of his game after the Hall of Fame legend — not just the skills but the brash fearlessness, too. So many times throughout November and December, McCray daydreamed about how that conversation would go, what questions he would ask, what inspiration he hoped to take. Then Henderson, who scored more runs than anyone in major-league history, died unexpectedly Dec. 20. “Unfortunately, God calls everybody home at some point,” McCray said. “It was a really sad day for me. I don’t have a lot of idols, and he was a big part of defining my game. I felt that hunger and drive and ambition is something I strive for, and he really set the tone for me.” Henderson played his last major-league game in 2003 when McCray was just 2 years old. Henderson shared the field with McCray’s father, Rodney, in just three major-league games. But some idols are such perfect paragons that they transcend time and proximity. “He’s one in a million,” McCray said of Henderson. “Meeting someone like that, or meeting Barry Bonds, you can’t forget it. That’s old-school baseball right there. There aren’t many of them around anymore. Just getting that knowledge from him would’ve been incredible.” Melvin experienced all kinds of emotions and memories after Henderson’s passing. One of them was to think back to that promised meeting with McCray and to lament that it would never happen. “You know Rickey, he is so great about everything,” Melvin said. “Even though he’s with the A’s, he would’ve come over to help us. I just wanted him (McCray) to feel the importance of a guy like Rickey to come over and talk baseball. Unfortunately, it couldn’t happen. But I think Grant appreciated the effort to do something to make him a better player.” Grant McCray went 5-for-5 on stolen-base attempts for the Giants in 2024. (Tim Warner / Getty Images) If only the wistfulness ended there. McCray experienced more sadness and disappointment in June when ******* Mays died just two days before the Giants legend was set to be honored in a regular-season game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., where he played as a teenager for the Birmingham ****** Barons of the ****** Leagues. The Giants had made travel arrangements for every one of their minor-league players with any African American heritage to leave their affiliates and attend the game. Mays died one day before McCray was ticketed to fly to Alabama from Sacramento, where he’d just been promoted from Double A. “I almost didn’t feel like going after that,” McCray said. “It was devastating.” Even before Mays passed, it had been determined that the 93-year-old legend was too frail to make the trip from his home in Atherton, Calif., to attend the Rickwood game. But in the weeks leading up to the event, McCray assumed he’d finally get the chance to meet the Say Hey Kid. He couldn’t wait to introduce himself to Mays. There have been thousands of Giants prospects over the years who never reached the big leagues but came away from their pro experience with a Mays autograph or a selfie or merely the chance to say that they shook his hand. That’s because Mays would visit Scottsdale every spring — along with ******* McCovey and Orlando Cepeda — to speak to the entire minor-league system while instilling them with pride for the uniform hanging in their locker. McCray never had that chance. The 24-year-old outfielder was drafted in June 2019. Mays spent his last spring training in Scottsdale in 2020, when COVID-19 was turning into a pandemic. Before Mays had a chance to visit minor-league camp that spring, the world shut down. In the years that followed, the trip to Arizona became a bit too much for him. McCray, who is biracial, said he often put out feelers with club officials about letting him spend a little time with Mays. He is beyond saddened that a meeting never happened. “I just feel like we would’ve had a lot to talk about,” he said. One of McCray’s dreams is to play in a major-league game while wearing a Giants throwback uniform that is a tribute to Mays — something he would love to see the Giants do on Mays’ birthday, May 6, every year. Now McCray, who made his major-league debut last season, is looking to his contemporaries for counsel. He’s often engaging ****** Adames and Matt Chapman in conversation about how they handled themselves as young players while seeking to establish themselves in the big leagues. Although McCray and Jung Hoo Lee are the only true center fielders on the 40-man roster, the Giants outfield appears set on Opening Day (Lee, Mike Yastrzemski and Heliot Ramos) and Jerar Encarnacion, who crushed a 111 mph home run Wednesday, is out of options and all but certain to make the team. The fifth outfielder is likely to be a right-handed hitter such as Luis Matos who can spell Yastrzemski against left-handed pitching.  McCray flashed power (five home runs, three doubles and two triples) and speed (5-for-5 on stolen-base attempts) in 37 games last season but has more work to do after posting a 43.1 percent strikeout rate in 130 big-league plate appearances. On that front, he’s still finding his footing in the batter’s box this spring (2-for-15, eight strikeouts). But don’t tell McCray that there isn’t a place for him on the Giants’ roster from the jump. “I want to break camp with the team,” said McCray, who was energized when he heard club president Buster Posey describe his desire for an opportunistic and dynamic offense that can score runs in multiple ways. “I’ve got power, I’ve got speed. I have contact, too, and I haven’t been great at it right now, but it’s still early. I can change the game in a lot of ways. We have a lot of guys with those abilities: Jung Hoo, Matos, Ramos, Fitzy (Tyler Fitzgerald), and if we piece them all together, I feel like, dude, we’re a scary lineup. Yeah, we’re young. But I feel like we get counted out when we’ve got more ability than a lot of other teams.” McCray will never get the chance to soak up wisdom from Mays and Henderson. He can only guess what they would’ve told him: to trust his abilities and to play with confidence. As reinforcing as that message would’ve been, though, it’s not entirely clear that McCray needed to hear it. If a bruised foot won’t keep him from running, neither would a bruised ego. “He’s a driven kid,” Melvin said. “He wants to be good at everything. And he’s one of the few guys in our organization who has all the tools to be a really good player. There’s a lot to like.” More on Rickey Henderson’s life and career • Always on the move, Rickey Henderson leaves legacy as one of baseball’s greatest showmen • For all his wondrous MLB accomplishments, Rickey Henderson is best known as the ‘Man of Steal’ • Rickey Henderson declared his own greatness and gave permission to do the same • Rickey Henderson finished his career in indy ball. There, a legend showed a different side (Top photo of Grant McCray stealing second base: Joe Camporeale / Imagn Images) Source link #Called #home #Giants #Grant #McCray #deeply #saddened #death #Rickey #Henderson Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Team ***** on Delta Force Mobile fighting back against pay-to-win bloat Team ***** on Delta Force Mobile fighting back against pay-to-win bloat chb7078d ago Started out playing solo last night, got my **** kicked repeatedly. The reason it’s virtually impossible to beat solo is because you can die in 1-3 hits and enemies can spawn in all directions. You need at least one other human player to watch corner X while you watch corner Y, to heal you when you’re downed, to handle snipers while you clear buildings, etc. I matched with one other skilled player and we managed to nearly beat mission 3 (fight through the market and reach the first downed ****** Hawk), but we eventually got overrun at the ****** site (just like Gordon and Shughart, RIP). Overall, though, I was pretty impressed by Team *****’s effort. The tactics, intensity, realism, grittiness, unforgiving difficulty… somehow it all works. They did steal footage, music and dialogue directly from the movie which I found hilarous (even if Columbia Pictures doesn’t). Source link #Team #***** #Delta #Force #Mobile #fighting #paytowin #bloat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

HMD Barca Fusion, HMD Barca 3210 Launched at MWC 2025; Teen-Focused HMD Fusion X1 Tags Along HMD Barca Fusion, HMD Barca 3210 Launched at MWC 2025; Teen-Focused HMD Fusion X1 Tags Along HMD Barca Fusion and HMD Barca 3210 were unveiled on Sunday as part of the Finnish company’s collaboration with Spanish football club FC Barcelona at the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC 2025). The former is a collector’s edition smartphone that features exclusive themed content, while the HMD Barca 3210 resembles the company’s classic feature phone, while offering 4G connectivity. The company also unveiled the HMD Fusion X1, a smartphone that is designed to keep younger users safe as they use the internet. The company has yet to announce pricing for the new HMD Barca Fusion, HMD Barca 3210, and HMD Fusion X1 models. These smartphones are expected to go on ***** in global markets in the coming months. The HMD Barca 3210 is available in Blau and Grana colourways. HMD Fusion X1 Features HMD has reportedly equipped the Fusion X1 with a Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset, along with up to 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of built-in storage. The smartphone sports a 6.56-inch HD display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 90Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is equipped with a 108-megapixel primary camera, paired with an unspecified 2-megapixel sensor. The handset has a 50-megapixel selfie camera. HMD Fusion X1 will offer parental control features Photo Credit: HMD The HMD Fusion X1 is also equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that can be charged at 33W. The company has also shown off various “outfits”, which are accessories that are compatible with the phone, just like the original HMD Fusion that arrived last year. According to the company, the HMD Fusion X1 is its first smartphone designed to help younger users, including teenagers, to explore the internet safely. Parents will be able to access location safety features, approve contacts, block access to certain apps (or set a schedule), and view their kid’s real time location. These features will be available as part of HMD’s Xplora parental controls service, which HMD Barca Fusion, HMD Barca 3210 Features The new HMD Barca Fusion handset is equipped with a 108-megapixel primary camera, and while the company has yet to reveal the specifications of this handset, it appears to be a rebranded, themed version of the HMD Fusion X1. It will also support accessories, like the company’s other Fusion smartphones. HMD’s FC Barcelona-themed handsets Photo Credit: HMD Customers will get access to exclusive themed content on the HMD Barca Fusion, which includes the FC Barcelona app, sounds, wallpapers, and greetings from the club’s current team. The Barca Fusion also ships with a case that features signatures of the company’s players. These signatures are said to glow under UV light. Similarly, the HMD Barca 3210 is a themed version of the Nokia 3210. It’s a feature phone that doesn’t offer support for apps. It does let you play a FC Barecelona-themed version of the classic Snake game, which is preloaded on the smartphone. The HMD Barca 3210 offers support for 4G connectivity, and the company touts the phone’s ability to deliver long battery life on a single charge. The Barca 3210 is shown to feature a single rear camera, along with an LED flash, and this could be the same 2-megapixel sensor on the Nokia 3210. Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details. For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub. Source link #HMD #Barca #Fusion #HMD #Barca #Launched #MWC #TeenFocused #HMD #Fusion #Tags Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]