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NFL Week 10 takeaways: Do Steelers belong in Super Bowl talk? How do Chiefs keep doing this? NFL Week 10 takeaways: Do Steelers belong in Super Bowl talk? How do Chiefs keep doing this? Week 10 Sunday brought an even more improbable escape for the Chiefs, the Steelers staying hot and foiling more Jayden Daniels late-game magic, the Falcons stumbling in New Orleans, and the Bucs falling short against the 49ers despite some Baker Mayfield heroics. BAKER & RACHAAD KEEP IT ALIVE : #SFvsTB on FOX pic.twitter.com/9tQ4uwNm6s — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 10, 2024 The Athletic NFL writers Mike Jones, Ted Nguyen and Dan Pompei share their thoughts on all of these storylines and more. After winning in Washington, the first game of a daunting second-half schedule, do the Pittsburgh Steelers belong in the Super Bowl conversation? Jones: Getting a hard-fought win against a quality Washington team was big, but it doesn’t carry as much weight as a win over Baltimore next week would. The Steelers are certainly a playoff team, but let’s hold off for another few weeks before we declare them Super Bowl contenders (if they beat Baltimore, then you might be able to sway me). For now, I see the Steelers as good, but need to see more. We know this team has a balanced offense and a tough defense. They seem to have all of the elements necessary to contend. But keep in mind that only three of their seven victories have come against teams with winning records. This second half of the season will tell me a lot about this team — as noted, it’s a brutal stretch for Pittsburgh. But if they emerge from this run (Baltimore, at Cleveland, at Cincinnati, versus Cleveland, at Philadelphia, at Baltimore, versus Kansas City and Cincinnati) largely unscathed and atop the AFC North standings, then I’ll rank them among the Super Bowl contenders. Nguyen: Let me first say: I was ***** wrong about Russell Wilson. I did not think he would be an upgrade over Justin Fields based on what we saw in Denver, but he’s playing to his strengths: making good decisions on boot plays, throwing on the run, and launching moon ******. The Steelers offense is as good as it has been in years. Sunday was a huge win against a very good Washington team but it might have come at a cost. Edge Alex Highsmith hurt his ankle in the fourth quarter. With the Steelers’ edge depth already being tested, if Highsmith misses time, it could significantly affect the defense. T.J. Watt is already seeing a lot of double teams and chips. If opposing offenses can turn their attention completely to Watt, the defense could struggle. The Steelers have two tough games ahead of them, against the Ravens and Bengals, but they will also get to play the Browns twice in four games. Cleveland is getting healthier and has looked better with Jameis Winston at quarterback, but he’s still itching to throw interceptions. If the Steelers can make it out of the next four games 2-2, they’ll be in good shape. If they can beat the Ravens, they’ll be in really good shape. They need to set themselves up the best they can for the final four games, against the Eagles, Ravens again, Chiefs, and Bengals. I think we’ll see them in the playoffs. Pompei: Here’s what we know about the Steelers: They are tough, resourceful and competitive — as every Mike Tomlin-coached team has been. Here’s what we don’t know: whether they have enough juice to consistently make big plays to win big games down the stretch. They will need to beat some daunting opponents (Baltimore? Philadelphia? Kansas City?) in order to get where they want to go. And whether they can do that depends somewhat on the play of Wilson, who has only started three games after bottoming out in Denver. Given their histories, the Steelers and their new quarterback have earned the benefit of the doubt. The Chiefs survived again — this time by blocking a would-be game-winning chip-shot field goal against the Broncos. Setting aside how they compare to the rest of the NFL in 2024, how do you feel this year’s edition compares to the Chiefs teams of the past two seasons? Are they better or worse equipped for a Super Bowl run? Pompei: We can beat up the Chiefs because their offense isn’t as impressive as past versions, but that would be shortsighted. This is a confident team that knows how to win. Good teams, remember, almost always get fortuitous bounces and kind calls. What the Chiefs do better than any team is they don’t beat themselves — in the NFL, that’s a really underrated quality. They also rise up in the moments that change games. There is every reason to believe the Chiefs will get better as the weather gets colder, especially their offense. Reinforcements are on the way. When the season is over, we might be saying this was the best of all the Mahomes-led Kansas City teams. Jones: I wrote about this a couple weeks ago after their win over San Francisco, and it ******** true today as the Chiefs improve to 9-0: The offensive fireworks that we came to expect from Kansas City might be lacking because of the absence of a consistent, field-stretching home run threat. But that doesn’t mean the Chiefs are no longer great. Patrick Mahomes ******** as gifted and clutch as ever, and Andy Reid still has all of his unmatched creativity. In place of that explosive passing game is a more physical and consistent rushing ******* and a dominant defense. This Chiefs team is more balanced and more well-rounded. In years past, you knew the Chiefs would light up the scoreboard, but you had to hope the porous defense could get a stop or two. Now that GM Brett Veach and Reid have worked to fortify this roster and correct weaknesses, you have a Chiefs team that, while not as prolific, is now more balanced. Another extremely important factor: All of the core players on this team are battle-tested and know what it takes to win. They don’t flinch. They weather storms and get the job done. And so, although the delivery may differ, this Chiefs team is just as equipped to make a Super Bowl run as any of the previous iterations. Nguyen: The Chiefs have reached a point where it’s hard to judge them based on regular-season performance. At this point of the season last year they looked much worse, yet they ended up winning the Super Bowl. Their secondary isn’t as good as they were last season so the offense has to be better. They’re much more efficient — highest success rate in the league — than they were last season but they haven’t had a game when the offense just takes control. The addition of DeAndre Hopkins raises the ceiling for this offense; as he gets more comfortable I think that unit has a chance to be much better. The Chiefs are 9-0. It’s an ugly 9-0 but they’re setting themselves for homefield, and we’ve seen them flip the switch in the playoffs. As weird as it sounds, even with the ugly wins, I’m more confident in the Chiefs now than I’ve been at midseason the past few years. We saw a… close battle in Munich between two teams with little short-term hope and quarterbacks on the brink. Keeping in mind the underwhelming QB draft class and lack of free-agent options coming up this offseason, do you expect Daniel Jones, Bryce Young, both quarterbacks, or neither quarterback to be starting (with their current teams or anywhere else) in Week 1 of the 2025 season? Nguyen: Daniel Jones has had a long, long, long leash and even got a nice contract extension to prove that he could be the guy. It’s hard to imagine him getting another chance with the Giants, especially since the team was already flirting with quarterback prospects in this last draft cycle. Bryce Young has played a lot better ever since being reinserted into the starting lineup but I think he needs to continue to show improvement for them to commit to him — which is weird to say considering he was just drafted last year but impatience with young quarterbacks seems to be the trend around the league already. If Young starts reverting then I’d imagine the Panthers would have a serious conversation whether they should continue to invest in him. Jones: Bryce Young will be starting for the Carolina Panthers in 2025. The second-year pro just needs time and improved support. He’s showing signs of growth. Maybe not dramatic signs, but he has indeed displayed improvement since returning to the starting lineup. Sunday’s showing (15-for-25 for 125 yards and a touchdown, plus two carries for 30 yards) wasn’t *****, but he played within himself, made solid decisions, and above all, took care of the football. The Panthers have their first win streak since Week 3 of the 2021 season — insane. The remainder of this Carolina season is all about Young’s development. If he can continue to take these baby steps forward, he will have something to build on for 2025 when, hopefully for his sake, the Panthers will have improved the roster around him so he doesn’t feel like it’s all on him. Now, as far as Daniel Jones, who threw two more interceptions and no touchdowns in the loss … we’ve seen enough. It’s not going to get any better. I wouldn’t bet on him starting next year. Yes, a number of teams will need quarterbacks, and it’s true this isn’t a strong draft or free agency class at QB, but I can’t see the Giants sticking with him, or any team desperate enough to acquire Jones with the goal of using him as a starter. Pompei: The most likely scenario is both QBs will begin the 2025 season with new teams as backups. It might be difficult for the Giants and Panthers to justify bringing the quarterbacks back, but both have enough potential to merit interest, time and resources from new teams. The formula of taking a step back with a new team to take a step forward has worked recently (see Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield). Young and Jones will be starters again given their abilities and the supply and demand problems at the position. If they end up in beneficial circumstances, they may even make their old teams regret giving up on them. Revisiting the now-struggling NFC South: Was dropping a road game to a Saints team whose front office has already waved the white flag give you pause when it comes to the Falcons holding off the Bucs in the division? Jones: This was essentially a trap game for the Falcons. It’s not uncommon for a team with an interim head coach to have a temporary ***** lit under it and win a game it shouldn’t have. Then, throw in the fact that this was a divisional game, which can always be a little wonky, and this Falcons’ loss isn’t all that surprising. Atlanta is still a solid team. They’re not great. They’re not dominant. But they do a lot of things well. They still have a good shot at winning the NFC South. They’re also helped by the fact that the injury-riddled Buccaneers lost their fourth straight game today. If Tampa can get healthy, then we’ll see these two teams battle it out for the divisional title in the final weeks of the regular season. Nguyen: Luckily for the Falcons, the Bucs also lost a game to a last-second field goal. The Bucs are down two games, were swept by the Falcons and are dealing with a ton of injuries. The Falcons have a bad defense and a quarterback who can’t move. Those issues are going to show up in some games — I wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons beat any team in the league and I wouldn’t be surprised if they dropped a game to any team. Mayfield has been playing well without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin but it hasn’t translated to wins. The Falcons will have three games in a row against teams without losing records and the Bucs will have three games against teams with losing records after their bye week. This should be the most critical stretch for the NFC South. Pompei: The Falcons are allowed a mulligan. They look like a good team, not a great one (which you could say about almost every midseason contender) – meaning they have to do the little things well every week in order to prevail. Their schedule is reasonably kind down the stretch, and 10 wins are well within reach. With two victories over the Bucs in their back pocket, they are well-positioned to take the division. If they don’t, it will be on them. (Top photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images) Source link #NFL #Week #takeaways #Steelers #belong #Super #Bowl #talk #Chiefs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

England in West Indies: Jos Buttler smashes brilliant 83 as tourists win second T20 England in West Indies: Jos Buttler smashes brilliant 83 as tourists win second T20 The decision to move Buttler down to number three after so much success as an opener for England raised a few eyebrows. But given he was in to face the second ball of the innings after Salt, a day on from his century in the first T20, chipped Akeal Hosein to cover first ball, the England skipper might as well have been opening. After a golden duck of his own on Saturday, Buttler made a careful start and it was Jacks who got things started as England upped the tempo late in the powerplay. From the moment he clobbered Shepherd for a huge straight six in the sixth over, with a pair of boundaries either side, Buttler then led the charge. The 34-year-old picked his moments to ******* but did so with complete conviction when he did. He hammered Gudakesh Motie onto the roof of the stadium and clubbed Chase into stands to bring up a 32-ball fifty. When he nailed back-to-back maximums off Chase a couple of overs later, an England victory seemed assured, as did a Buttler hundred. However, he skied a slower ball from Shepherd in the next over and was denied second T20 international ton. Livingstone came in and smacked an unbeaten 23 from 11 ****** to get the job done in a hurry for England. Relinquishing the wicketkeeping gloves and moving to bat at three were the big decisions made by Buttler before this series and it ******** to be seen whether they were the right calls in the long run. But with two wins from two and a now trademark, swashbuckling innings, the early signs are certainly positive. Source link #England #West #Indies #Jos #Buttler #smashes #brilliant #tourists #win #T20 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Giants are getting worse, so what is the case for retaining Brian Daboll, Joe Schoen? The Giants are getting worse, so what is the case for retaining Brian Daboll, Joe Schoen? MUNICH — New York Giants co-owner John Mara gave coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen a vote of confidence on Oct. 24. That was three losses ago during a season that hit rock bottom with a 20-17 overtime loss to the lowly Carolina Panthers on Sunday in front of an international audience. That public vow from Mara that “we are not making any changes this season” might be the only thing preventing the seats of Daboll and Schoen from reaching a five-alarm blaze. There’s very recent precedence for a loss to the Panthers serving as the final straw for a coach: The New Orleans Saints fired Dennis Allen last week, a day after a 23-22 loss to Carolina. Like Daboll, Allen was hired in 2022. Allen had an 18-25 record in two-plus seasons in New Orleans. Daboll’s record dropped to 17-26-1 with Sunday’s ugly loss. GO DEEPER Panthers stave off Giants with 20-17 OT victory in Germany: Takeaways Mara left himself some wiggle room with his support of the regime that got off to such a promising start in its first season. “I do not anticipate making any changes in the offseason either,” Mara said. Mara likely also did not anticipate losing the Giants’ first game in Germany to the dysfunctional Panthers, who are on their third full-time head coach in the past three seasons. Mara and co-owner Steve Tisch had a lengthy flight across the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday to contemplate the future of the franchise. The question they must wrestle with is why they should entrust Daboll and Schoen to steer out of the ***** they’ve driven the organization into. Mara loathes that he’s been stuck in a cycle of replacing coaches and general managers regularly. But the case for retaining Daboll and Schoen must be stronger than just not wanting to abruptly ***** another regime. It’s difficult to identify what this regime does well. Since catching lightning in a bottle with a 7-2 start to their first season, the Giants have gone 10-24-1. That’s tied for the third-most losses in the league over that stretch. Daboll was hired for his offensive prowess, and he took over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Mike Kafka after the Giants averaged 15.6 points per game to finish 30th in scoring last season. The Giants are again averaging 15.6 points this season, inching ahead of the Miami Dolphins, who play Monday night, to move out of last in the league. And unlike last season, there’s no excuse about quarterback injuries. Daniel Jones, the quarterback this regime gave a four-year, $160 million extension to after the 2022 season, has been at the helm for every gruesome loss this season. Sunday’s offensive output was particularly pathetic. The Panthers entered allowing 32.6 points per game. That was the worst in the league by a large margin — the difference between Carolina’s scoring average and the 31st defense was the same as the difference between No. 31 and the 18th scoring defense. The Giants were shut out in a first half that featured a missed 43-yard field goal by Graham Gano and an interception in the red zone when a rolling Jones threw a pass that deflected off the helmet of outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and into the arms of safety Xavier Woods. Clowney Woods : NFL Network pic.twitter.com/kxQnQo0uh8 — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 10, 2024 The Panthers’ futility allowed the Giants to hang around long enough to mount a drive for a tying field goal in the final seconds of regulation. But then rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who had been sensational, was stripped on the first play of overtime. The Panthers recovered on the Giants’ 23-yard line and kicked the game-winning field goal four plays later. “I believe we have the right people,” Daboll said. “Again, results aren’t there yet.” Sunday’s performance should seal Jones’ fate as the starter. And benching him wouldn’t even be about the $23 million injury guarantee in his contract. The Giants are 3-13 in games started by Jones over the past two seasons. Backups Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito combined to go 5-6 last season. No. 2 quarterback Drew Lock might not be any better than Jones. But it’s at least worth confirming that since Jones has no future with the franchise. Jones’ shortcomings were on full display on a flea flicker Daboll called on third-and-1 from the Giants’ 49-yard line midway through the second quarter. At first glance, it might have seemed like a curious play call. But with the Giants’ struggles to create explosive plays, Daboll rolled the dice at an unpredictable time. An experienced quarterback should know he must throw the ball away if the defense isn’t fooled by the trick play. That way the Giants could still go for it on fourth-and-1. Only, the Panthers were fooled. Wide receivers Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson were wide open running across the field. They were the only two receivers running routes, so this wasn’t a situation where Jones ******* to get off his first read and go through his progressions. Robinson had to be the first read, and yet Jones didn’t pull the trigger as the receiver ran alone 20 yards downfield. Instead, Jones took a sack and the Giants were forced to punt. The @Panthers defense breaks up the trick play : #NYGvsCAR on NFL Network : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/h2H2ZSBD4W — NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024 Daboll was careful not to throw Jones under the bus for the miscue two weeks after pointing out the quarterback’s ******* pre-snap shift resulted in a crucial strip-sack in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. “I wish I had it back,” Daboll said. “Bad coaching.” It’s convenient to pin all the Giants’ woes on Jones. But he’s not responsible for a run defense that once again got shredded, allowing a career-high 153 yards on 28 carries to Carolina’s Chuba Hubbard. The Giants are allowing 5.3 yards per carry, which is the most in the league. Chuba on the move : NFL Network pic.twitter.com/Bp86Q2ffbd — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 10, 2024 Jones’ time with the Giants is nearing the end. The question is whether the coach and GM who committed to him two years ago deserve the chance to draft a replacement. The Giants could be in a position to finally take a quarterback, as Sunday’s loss has them positioned near the top of the NFL Draft. But Daboll has to navigate seven more weeks of what figure to be choppier waters to even get to that point. The Giants have lost five straight games and are 2-8 for the second consecutive season. He preaches the same message about focusing on improvement and staying the course after each loss. It’s hard to make the case that message is being received. “I think it is. Just has to be comprehended a little better,” defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence said. “I think it’s getting through. It’s just critical moments, and we’ve got to understand what those critical moments are to be able to win and come out on top.” Lawrence acknowledged it’s troubling if the coach’s message needs to be comprehended better at this stage of the season. “It’s annoying, for sure,” Lawrence said. “But I’m not in other people’s heads or brains. Maybe it’s got to be communicated differently or got to hear it from somebody else.” It’s vitally important for Daboll to avoid losing the locker room. That’s the quickest way to seal his fate even if ownership is willing to tolerate the continued losing. There have been cracks in that foundation, namely the ongoing struggle to get second-year cornerback Deonte Banks to play like a first-round pick. Banks, who was benched in-game two weeks ago, was replaced by veteran corner Adoree’ Jackson on the Panthers’ final possession of the first half before returning to play the entire second half. It raised eyebrows in the locker room when the Giants waived versatile cornerback and core special-teamer Nick McCloud last week because he refused to take a rare in-season pay cut. McCloud was highly regarded by teammates and is particularly close with top pass rusher Brian Burns. Cutting McCloud to save $1 million was a strange message to send by leadership that needs players to be all in down the stretch of this lost season. Blaming nebulous culprits like attention to detail is easier to stomach than accepting that a lack of talent ******** a major issue in the third year of Schoen’s rebuild. Here’s the Giants’ reality: Nothing about their program is signaling things are headed in the right direction. They are regressing in Year 3 of this regime. Mara promised Daboll and Schoen will finish the season. So after the bye, they’ll get seven weeks to show why they deserve to lead the franchise into the future. Their case needs to be more compelling than the Giants fired the last guys quick, too. (Photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images) Source link #Giants #worse #case #retaining #Brian #Daboll #Joe #Schoen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Police charge 27yo over ******** on father Zachary Hepping in Northbridge’s Prince Lane Police charge 27yo over ******** on father Zachary Hepping in Northbridge’s Prince Lane A 27-year-old man has been charged over the alleged ******* of a young father in Northbridge. Source link #Police #charge #27yo #******** #father #Zachary #Hepping #Northbridges #Prince #Lane Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AP Top 25: Indiana gives Big Ten 4 of first 5 as Georgia’s top-10 streak ends AP Top 25: Indiana gives Big Ten 4 of first 5 as Georgia’s top-10 streak ends Ohio State moved up to No. 2 behind Oregon in the AP Top 25 on Sunday, and the Big Ten captured four of the top five spots with Penn State moving to No. 4 and Indiana to No. 5. According to the AP, it’s the first time the Big Ten has had four of the top five. It’s the first time the Big Ten has held the top two spots in the rankings since 2015, and it’s Indiana’s highest ranking since 1967. Room was created by a pair of top-five losses, as Georgia dropped from second to No. 11 after losing to Ole Miss and Miami fell from fourth to No. 12 after losing at Georgia Tech. It’s Georgia’s lowest spot in the poll since 2020, ending a 60-week streak of top-10 appearances. The top-ranked Ducks are a unanimous No. 1 for the second straight week, making them the first team to be unanimous No. 1 for multiple weeks of a regular season since Georgia did it eight times in 2021. The Big Ten holds the top two spots for the first time since Ohio State and Michigan State were atop the poll on Sept. 27, 2015. That was the second of consecutive weeks with the Buckeyes and Spartans at Nos. 1 and 2. AP Top 25 after Week 11 Rank Team Record Prev. Matt’s vote 1 10-0 1 1 2 8-1 3 2 3 8-1 5 4 4 8-1 6 6 5 10-0 8 3 6 8-1 7 5 7 9-0 9 7 8 8-1 10 12 9 7-2 11 8 10 8-2 16 9 11 7-2 2 10 12 9-1 4 13 13 8-1 12 14 14 8-1 13 11 15 7-2 15 15 16 9-0 18 16 17 7-2 19 22 18 7-2 21 18 19 8-1 20 20 20 7-2 22 17 21 6-3 14 19 22 6-3 25 21 23 6-3 NR 23 24 7-2 NR 24 25 8-2 NR NR Others receiving votes: Iowa State 92, Arizona State 35, Pittsburgh 18, Louisiana 14, UNLV 10 Georgia dropping gives Ohio State the longest streak of top-10 appearances at 55, though that could actually be considered an 80-week streak. The Buckeyes were not eligible to be in the poll early in the 2020 pandemic-altered season while the Big Ten was not playing. Georgia dropped to as low as No. 13 in 2020 and spent most of the second half of that season outside the top 10 before finishing seventh. Georgia had not been ranked lower than sixth in each of the past three seasons and started 2024 as preseason No. 1 for the second consecutive year. The only non-Big Ten team in the top five is No. 3 Texas. Tennessee is up a spot to No. 6, and No. 7 BYU and No. 8 Notre Dame each moved up two places. Alabama is No. 9 after blowing out LSU, and Ole Miss moved up six spots to No. 10. Is Penn State properly ranked? No. 4 Penn State is becoming one of the most polarizing teams in the country because of its rankings in both the AP and coaches poll and by the College Football Playoff selection committee, especially for those who are stumping for unbeaten Indiana and BYU. Is that fair? The argument goes that Penn State is getting a helmet bump as a big-brand school over less traditional powers, especially Big Ten conference-mate Indiana. It’s a fair take: Penn State has no victories against teams in the rankings and a seven-point loss at home to Ohio State. Indiana has taken a lot of flak for its less-than-formidable schedule while romping through its opponents with nothing but double-digit victories until Saturday against Michigan. The Hoosiers’ schedule strength is still lagging behind the rest of the highly ranked teams. GO DEEPER Indiana edges Michigan to reach 10 wins, likely Playoff and wants more: What is this world? The better case might be BYU, which stayed unbeaten in dramatic fashion against Utah and has a couple of victories against ranked teams in Big 12 rival No. 20 Kansas State and No. 14 SMU, the first-place team in the ACC. You can make a fair case that either or both the Hoosiers and Cougars should be ahead of Penn State — and maybe even Texas and/or Tennessee. But allow me to play ******’s advocate: If the difference between Penn State, Indiana and BYU is one of these teams played Ohio State and the other two did not, is it really that egregious to have the Nittany Lions ranked highest? Penn State is not the only team impacted by this, but there is a tendency to put all teams into two buckets: ranked teams and bad teams, basically lumping everybody outside the Top 25 in the same grouping. It’s a poor evaluation. There are 134 FBS schools and another 129 more in FCS and each has a value. It’s also not just about who you played, but how you played, and while Indiana has gotten a lot of attention for running roughshod over its opponents, Penn State has six victories of at least 14 points, too, after Saturday’s 35-6 thumping of Washington. This is not so much making a case for Penn State as it is for a more thoughtful approach than everybody stinks. — Ralph Russo, national college football writer GO DEEPER After falling short last week, Penn State finds answers in win against Washington In and out After a second consecutive loss, this time at home to Virginia, Pitt is out of the rankings for the first time in six weeks. The Panthers started the season 7-0 but didn’t quite have the staying power of the turnarounds at Indiana and BYU. Iowa State faced a similar fate, going from unbeaten and ranked to out of the poll after consecutive losses. The Cyclones lost to Kansas on Saturday. Vanderbilt also slipped out of the Top 25 again after losing to SEC rival South Carolina, which is making its season debut at No. 23. The Gamecocks (6-3) are ranked for the first time since 2022 and have one of the country’s most what-could-have-been seasons. Losses to Alabama and LSU by a combined five points, along with a blowout loss to Ole Miss, kept the Gamecocks out of SEC championship and playoff contention. The LSU game was especially painful because of a blindside block penalty that wiped out a pick six. No. 24 Missouri (7-2) returned to the rankings after the Tigers stayed in the “Playoff hunt,” according to coach Eli Drinkwitz. The SEC has nine teams ranked this week, one short of the record of 10 it set early in the 2015 season. No. 25 Tulane (8-2) is ranked for the first time this season, joining No. 13 Boise State and No. 16 Army as teams from Group of 5 conferences in the rankings in the pursuit of an automatic Playoff bid. How Matt voted • I’ve been lower than most voters on Ole Miss all season, but suddenly the Rebels’ resume looks a lot better. The loss to Kentucky still hurts and LSU is getting worse, but the Rebels dominated Georgia 28-10 for their most lopsided win against an AP top-10 team since 1969. Throw in the increased value of their 24-point win against South Carolina and the fact that they lead the FBS in yards per play margin, and the Rebels finally feel like they’ve earned their top-10 billing. I didn’t hesitate to jump them to No. 9 on my ballot — actually a spot ahead of where they are in the poll. GO DEEPER Ole Miss fans carried out the goal posts — and the Rebels could be Playoff-bound • Am I too high on Indiana? Possibly, but who would have thought we’d be parsing a Hoosiers win over Michigan for being too unimpressive? No, the Hoosiers haven’t played a ranked team yet, but they’re 10-0 and they dominated each of their first nine opponents. I have them at No. 3, ahead of one-loss teams like Texas (no ranked wins), Tennessee (lost to Arkansas) and Penn State (no ranked wins), and they’ve been more impressive from week to week than fellow surprise unbeaten BYU. Ultimately, the margin feels very tight from No. 1 to No. 15 — perhaps the tightest since I became a voter in 2017 — and thus I have no problem rewarding the teams that just keep winning … and being swift to penalize a loss, like dropping Miami to 13th after it fell at Georgia Tech. • Only 30 teams received votes this week, and Tulane moved into the rankings at No. 25. The Green Wave were my runner-up for the final spot, as I opted for Arizona State, which is a surprising — and quiet — 7-2 but will have a chance to prove itself the next two weeks against Kansas State and BYU. — Matt Brown, college sports managing editor and AP Top 25 voter How Week 12 will impact the rankings There are two ranked matchups next Saturday, both in the SEC: • No. 6 Tennessee at No. 11 Georgia: The Vols have a chance to do the unthinkable and all but eliminate Georgia from the 12-team Playoff. But they haven’t stayed within single digits or scored more than 21 points against the Bulldogs since 2016. • No. 24 Missouri at No. 23 South Carolina. Nine of 16 SEC teams are ranked, though the ****** here is likely to fall out. The top four will all by heavy favorites on the road — No. 1 Oregon at Wisconsin, No. 2 Ohio State at Northwestern, No. 3 Texas at Arkansas and No. 4 Penn State at Purdue — while No. 5 Indiana is off before its showdown with the Buckeyes. Required reading (Photo: Justin Casterline / Getty Images) Source link #Top #Indiana #Big #Ten #Georgias #top10 #streak #ends Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Star Wars Villainous Board Game Is Only $15 This Week, But It’ll Sell Out Star Wars Villainous Board Game Is Only $15 This Week, But It’ll Sell Out Multiple Disney Villainous board games are on ***** for super cheap in Target’s Deal Days *****, a new early ****** Friday promotion running until December 16. The ***** includes numerous popular board games for huge discounts, so you’ll definitely want to check out the full list, but the one caught our attention was Star Wars Villainous, Ravensburger’s popular strategy game that places players in the shoes of iconic characters from the dark side of the Force. Star Wars Villainous: Power of the Dark Side is available for only $15. Star Wars Villainous sells for $30-$40, though it carries an MSRP of $50. Star Wars Villainous is only available from resellers at Amazon, so we’d be surprised if Target’s deal ******** in stock for the duration of the *****. Check out the best Villainous board game deals at Amazon and Target below. And while it’s not a Villainous game, Star Wars fans should check out Amazon’s deal on awesome Star Wars Deckbuilding Game. Made by Fantasy Flight Games, this tactical card game is discounted to only $16.72 (was $38). Star Wars Villainous Board Game Disney Villainous Board Game Deals at Amazon & Target Star Wars Villainous isn’t the only game in the Villainous series that’s on ***** for cheap. The game that started it all, Disney Villainous: Introduction to Evil, is also discounted to $15 (was $30). This is the Disney 100th Anniversary commemorative edition of the game. Alternatively, you can get the newer edition of Disney Villainous bundled with a Disney Lorcana foil promo card for $17.49 (was $30) at Amazon. It’s the same game, but if you’re shopping for a Lorcana fan, they will surely appreciate the exclusive card. Plus, Prime members can get free shipping. Speaking of the popular Disney TCG, fans should also check out Disney Lorcana: Gateway, a board game that serves as an introduction to the TCG and is available for $15.45 (was $25) at Amazon. Disney Villainous with Lorcana TCG foil promo card All of the Villainous board games list above are playable on their own, with the exception of the Venom character expansion. That said, you can add to your experience by combining the standalone expansions with the core sets. Power of the Dark Side is the “core set” for Star Wars Villainous, so you can combine it with Revenge at Last and/or ***** and Villainy. Power of the Dark Side comes with everything you need to start playing Villainous, allowing you to jump into the shoes of Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, General Grievous, Asajj Ventress, and Moff Gideon. Each villain is represented as a sculpted figurine. Star Wars Villainous also comes with over 200 illustrated cards as well as various tokens and trackers used to keep track of the action. Ravensburger’s Villainous series is recommended for players ages 10 and up, and games last roughly an hour. Most entries in the series, including the Star Wars-themed edition, support two to four players out of the box. If you combine sets, the player count can reach six. It is worth noting that ******* and Badder, the version of Villainous focused on Pixar animated movies, is only for two to three players. Source link #Star #Wars #Villainous #Board #Game #Week #Itll #Sell Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘I Wish Bitcoin Was Back To $10 A Coin, But Wishing Has Never Made Poor People Richer’ ‘I Wish Bitcoin Was Back To $10 A Coin, But Wishing Has Never Made Poor People Richer’ Renowned investor and author Robert Kiyosaki has set a goal to acquire 100 Bitcoins by 2025, regardless of the cryptocurrency’s fluctuating price. What Happened: In a post on X, Kiyosaki shared that he currently holds 73 Bitcoins and is steadily increasing his holdings. He has mentioned that he does not wait for a price drop to invest, a mindset he equates with “a poor person.” He also said that his investment journey began with silver, which he started buying when it was priced at $1 per ounce. Despite the price hike to $32 per ounce, he continued to invest. Don’t Miss: He employs the same strategy with Bitcoin, having made his initial purchase when it was valued at $6,000. Even with Bitcoin’s current valuation hovering around $76,000, Kiyosaki ******** steadfast. His investment interests are not confined to Bitcoin. Kiyosaki also invests in gold, silver, income-generating real estate, and gold-producing mines. He advocates for a diversified portfolio as a means to grow wealth in various ways. Although Kiyosaki regrets not investing in Bitcoin when it was merely $10 per coin, he underscores the significance of regular investment over time, rather than waiting for prices to drop. His strategy is to accumulate as many assets as possible for the long haul, viewing this as the fundamental principle of wealth creation. Trending: This well known prop trading firm is offering 100% of your first $25,000 profit per account and 90% after that. Here’s how to get a special 50% OFF CODE that lets you start out with monthly investments as low as $147 today. Why It Matters: Kiyosaki’s investment strategy highlights the importance of consistent investment and diversification. His approach of not waiting for price drops to invest, but rather focusing on long-term accumulation of assets, offers a different perspective on wealth creation. Story Continues Source link #Bitcoin #Coin #Wishing #Poor #People #Richer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

49ers’ Ricky Pearsall scores first career touchdown just 10 weeks after ********* 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall scores first career touchdown just 10 weeks after ********* San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall scored his first NFL touchdown Sunday — just 10 weeks after being shot in the chest. Pearsall connected with quarterback Brock Purdy on a deep crosser, setting up the rookie from the University of Florida to outrun the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense for a 46-yard score. Pearsall finished the game with 4 receptions for a season-high 73 yards. Ricky Pearsall goes 46 yards for his first career TD! : #SFvsTB on FOX : pic.twitter.com/R7zjs0naAm — NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024 Pearsall, a first-round pick in April’s NFL Draft, was shot on Aug. 31 during an attempted robbery while shopping near Union Square in San Francisco. The gunshot wound to the right side of his chest healed quickly after the incident. The 49ers repeatedly referred to the ********* as miraculous considering the bullet passed through his body without striking any vital organs or even a rib. Pearsall was released from the hospital a day after the incident and stopped by the team facility two days later. GO DEEPER 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall goes from feel-good story to needed target in loss to Chiefs Following the *********, Pearsall was placed on injured reserve and returned to game action less than two months later on Oct. 20 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Through three games, he has 11 receptions for 132 yards and one rushing attempt for 39 yards. One to remember for @S1ickSzn pic.twitter.com/uKn0Yp3frO — NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024 With Brandon Aiyuk sidelined for the season, Pearsall is likely to play a ******* role in the San Francisco offense behind ********** McCaffrey (who returned on Sunday), Deebo Samuel Sr., George Kittle and Jauan Jennings. Pearsall, who spent a season on the same Arizona State team as Aiyuk and who is close to Aiyuk, essentially is filling in for his friend. Pearsall started Sunday’s game along with Samuel and Jennings, the first time that combination has been used this year. Like Aiyuk, Pearsall’s forte is sharp moves and separation, which makes him a natural replacement for Aiyuk, who’s out for the season with a torn ACL. Pearsall’s touchdown also came on a deep crosser against zone coverage — the type of play Aiyuk made regularly last season when he led the 49ers in receiving yards. Required reading (Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) Source link #49ers #Ricky #Pearsall #scores #career #touchdown #weeks #********* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This wind stock tanked after Trump’s win. Analysts now say buy the dip This wind stock tanked after Trump’s win. Analysts now say buy the dip Shares of Vestas Wind Systems tanked on the news that Donald Trump had won the 2024 presidential election. Investors dumped shares of the world’s largest wind turbine maker as Trump has vowed to curtail renewable energy subsidies and favors the oil and gas sector. Other ********* renewable energy firms, such as wind farm operator Orsted , also fell. However, analysts at a number of investment banks have suggested that investors overreacted to fears of a downturn for the sector. VWDRY 1Y line “Donald Trump’s victory and a *********** sweep in Congress is the worst political outcome in the USA for Vestas,” said Jacob Pedersen, head of stock analysis at Sydbank, a Danish investment bank. “But this does not necessarily convert into the worst legislation-scenario or the very negative earnings-scenario that the Vestas share reflects right now.” Pedersen said that any change to the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s signature policy that offers billions in subsidies for clean energy companies, would not lower revenues for Vestas as it has sufficient orders in the pipeline in the U.S. over the next two years. “Furthermore, is it likely that ***** of changes in legislation can bring forward customers plans and bring new orders forward so Vestas can build an order pipeline through 2026 and into 2027 before we know more about Donald Trump’s intentions for change of the IRA,” Pedersen added in a note to clients on Nov. 5. “We maintain the Buy recommendation on Vestas.” And he’s not alone — the consensus price target of all analysts covering the stock points to an upside of more than 50%. CEO loads up One investor appearing to heed the analysts’ call is the company’s CEO. Vestas disclosed on Nov. 6 that chief executive Henrik Andersen had purchased 10,000 shares amounting to about $150,000 on the Nasdaq Copenhagen exchange. Vestas shares are also traded in the U.S. with the ticker VWDRY . Deutsche Bank’s analysts John Kim and Gael de-Bray agree that the political sentiment in the ******* States is “not supportive” of Vestas’ share price, but suggest that the market’s overreaction may have priced in too much of the worst-case scenario. This could offer investors an opportunity, according to the analysts, as shares could rally if the situation is better than forecast. “We find limited downside from current levels but the shares may not perform short-term due to uncertainty,” they added. In addition to the political headwinds, Vestas Wind Systems has also had to contend with the rising cost of materials and labor over the past few quarters. That’s led to declining margin profits, adding pressure on the stock, which has fallen by more than 50% this year. However, analysts say that costs have stabilized, and the company’s margins are turning around. Adjusting for this, Deutsche Bank lowered its price target on the stock to 150 Danish kroner ($21.56), which still implies a 40% upside from current levels. Source link #wind #stock #tanked #Trumps #win #Analysts #buy #dip Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

College Football Playoff 2024 projections: Hello Deion! Colorado is in as the No. 4 seed College Football Playoff 2024 projections: Hello Deion! Colorado is in as the No. 4 seed Alabama’s 42-13 blitzkrieg at LSU coupled with Ole Miss’ 28-10 rout of Georgia has created quite the muddled mess in the SEC. At least eight different teams could still reach the SEC Championship Game. For the purposes of this exercise, I’m projecting the Dawgs to beat Tennessee next week and Texas to win at Texas A&M. Based on my colleague Seth Emerson’s calculations, this would likely produce a Texas-Alabama matchup in Atlanta, and I like the Tide in that one. Meanwhile, at this rate, at least one SEC team is going to finish 10-2 and miss the Playoff. My guess is Tennessee, which would have just one Top 25 win (against Alabama) and possibly only three wins over teams that finish .500 or better. Unless of course the Vols edge out an 11-1 Indiana team with no Top 25 wins. Elsewhere, Oregon has done absolutely nothing wrong, but I’m back to riding Ohio State if they meet in a Big Ten Championship Game rematch. Penn State has an underwhelming resume, but given the committee had them No. 6 last week, an 11-1 Nittany Lions team would likely be seeded above 11-2 Texas and 10-2 Georgia. Finally, Colorado is my new projected Big 12 champ. The Buffs are rolling. It pains me to leave 9-0 BYU out of the field entirely, but the Cougars’ luck is going to run out at some point, possibly at Arizona State in a couple of weeks. A 10-2 Ole Miss team with lopsided wins over Georgia and a possible 9-3 South Carolina team gets my last at-large spot. (Photo: Patrick Mulligan / Getty Images) Source link #College #Football #Playoff #projections #Deion #Colorado #seed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Real Socieded deliver toothless Barcelona a rare defeat Real Socieded deliver toothless Barcelona a rare defeat Spanish league leaders Barcelona have struggled in the absence of injured star Lamine Yamal, failing to get a shot on target in a loss to Real Sociedad. Source link #Real #Socieded #deliver #toothless #Barcelona #rare #defeat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Best Time to Eat Breakfast If You Have High Blood Pressure, According to Dietitians The Best Time to Eat Breakfast If You Have High Blood Pressure, According to Dietitians Got high blood pressure? When you eat breakfast counts! Reviewed by Dietitian Karen Ansel, M.S., RDN They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But did you know it can affect your blood pressure? It’s true! Research shows that people who skip breakfast are more likely to have high blood pressure (aka hypertension)., So, if you’re one of the nearly 50% of U.S. adults living with high blood pressure, a nutrient-dense breakfast may bring your numbers down. “Eating breakfast provides essential nutrients needed for the heart to do its job more effectively, allowing for better vascular tone and blood pressure,” says Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., RD, CDCES, a registered dietitian specializing in preventive cardiology. But how early do you need to eat breakfast to reap these benefits? To find out, we asked dietitians the best time to eat breakfast if you have high blood pressure. Here’s what they told us. The Best Time to Eat Breakfast If You Have High Blood Pressure Experts recommend eating breakfast within one hour of waking up to promote healthy blood pressure. “This timing will help your body maintain a balanced blood sugar level early on, decrease the strain on your cardiovascular system, and promote stable blood pressure,” says Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, FAND, a plant-based dietitian and certified diabetes expert. Routhenstein agrees, adding that eating within 30 to 60 minutes of waking can help manage blood pressure by lowering levels of the stress hormone cortisol, improving insulin sensitivity and providing blood pressure–lowering nutrients. That said, if you’re not a breakfast eater, adding this meal to your day is worthwhile, even if you can’t squeeze it in within an hour of waking. “I always tell my patients that the best time [for breakfast] is when they can sit down, enjoy it and make it a routine,” says Kaytee Hadley, M.S., RDN, IFMCP, a dietitian specializing in functional medicine and founder of Holistic Health and Wellness. “It’s not just about what you eat or when you eat. The process of slowing down and eating mindfully is important for digestion and blood pressure, too.” Related: You Just Found Out You Have High Blood Pressure—Here Are 4 Things Doctors Recommend Doing First The Benefits of BreakfastBetter Blood Pressure Studies show that eating breakfast is associated with better blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Conversely, research reveals that skipping breakfast may increase the risk of cardiovascular ******** by 21%. “While this does not definitely show that skipping breakfast leads to high blood pressure, it does suggest that there is a relationship between eating breakfast and your cardiovascular health,” says Hadley. Lower Stress Hormone Levels If you’re a breakfast skipper, it could be playing havoc with your blood pressure by raising levels of the stress hormone cortisol. In fact, research shows that skipping breakfast can throw off cortisol rhythms, leading to higher cortisol levels later in the day. So, what you don’t eat in the morning could spell trouble for your blood pressure hours later. The good news is a nutritious breakfast can help balance blood pressure by reducing spikes in your stress hormone levels, says Sheth. Heart-Healthy Nutrition Breakfast is an excellent opportunity to work in key nutrients for healthy blood pressure. “Individuals who have high blood pressure should aim for a nutrient-dense, well-balanced breakfast that is low in sodium and rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium,” says Routhenstein. You’ve probably already heard that eating too much sodium can raise blood pressure. However, there are also nutrients that may help lower blood pressure, especially potassium, calcium and magnesium. What types of foods can help you achieve this balance of nutrients? “Breakfast should include colorful plants like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans and/or nuts, with at least 20 grams of protein and limited salt,” says Hadley. “Be mindful of pastries and processed meats, like sausage, which can have a surprising amount of hidden salt.” If you could use ideas, these 10-minute breakfasts for high blood pressure are a great place to start. Related: The #1 Breakfast for High Blood Pressure, According to a Dietitian Helps Regulate Blood Sugar “Eating breakfast may help to regulate blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, which if not controlled can increase blood pressure,” says Routhenstein. That’s because having persistently high blood sugar can cause your blood vessels to stiffen and your kidneys to become less efficient at filtering blood. Both of these can lead to high blood pressure. Other Tips for Managing Blood Pressure Eating breakfast isn’t the only thing you can do to keep your blood pressure in check. These steps can also help lower your numbers. Eat a Well-Rounded Diet. Remember the staples of a balanced breakfast? Well, they’re helpful to keep in mind for other meals, too. Load up on heart-healthy foods like fruits, veggies, low-**** dairy, skinless poultry, fish, nuts and legumes. Manage Stress. It may seem easier said than done, but stress management is super important for healthy blood pressure. Some helpful strategies include socializing with friends, meditating, practicing gratitude and staying physically active. Move More. Being physically active can help lower your blood pressure and reduce stress. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity—or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity—aerobic activity weekly. If that seems like a lofty goal, start slowly. Every little bit counts! Limit Alcohol. Despite its heart-healthy image, too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. That’s one reason the ********* Heart Association recommends limiting alcohol to a maximum of one daily drink for women and two for men. Related: 9 Natural & Effective Ways to Lower Blood Pressure, According to Heart Experts The Bottom Line Eating a balanced breakfast may help keep your blood pressure healthy and reduce your risk of heart ********. While any morning meal is a win, the best time to eat breakfast for high blood pressure is within an hour of waking up. To reap the most blood pressure-lowering benefits, fill your plate (or bowl!) with a combination of fruits, veggies, lean protein and whole grains. For more inspiration, check out our favorite high-fiber breakfasts for better blood pressure. Source link #Time #Eat #Breakfast #High #Blood #Pressure #Dietitians Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stock market today: Live updates Stock market today: Live updates Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during the morning trading on Nov. 7, 2024. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images Stock futures are near flat Sunday night as Wall Street looks to what’s next after a post-election rally propelled the market to record highs. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 19 points, trading slightly above breakeven. S&P 500 futures were also little changed, while Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.2%. Sunday’s action follows a big week for U.S. stocks, with the three major averages closing at all-time closing highs. The Dow and S&P 500 both notched their strongest weeks in around one year, with the former at one point breaking above the 44,000 level for the first time. Last week’s rally was considered broad, with both the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and small cap-focused Russell 2000 also advancing. A large chunk of the week’s gains came Wednesday, when the Dow rallied 1,500 points after Donald Trump won the presidential election. Traders also closely followed Thursday’s Federal Reserve policy announcement — where it was revealed that interest rates would be once again lowered — and the subsequent press conference with Chair Jerome Powell. “Investors hate uncertainty, and, with the election decided, markets now have clarity, and are able to lay fears of a contested election to rest,” Northern Trust investment chief Katie Nixon wrote to clients on Friday. “Investors can now train their focus on what matters most to markets — economic and corporate fundamentals.” There is no economic data of note expected Monday, but investors will be awaiting inflation readings due out later in the week. Ticketmaster parent Live Nation and food and facility service provider Aramark are among companies reporting earnings on Monday. Source link #Stock #market #today #Live #updates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Respecting children’s philosophical wisdom Respecting children’s philosophical wisdom Credit: CC0 Public Domain Adultism: a form of discrimination against anyone who isn’t an ******. It stems from the belief that children—but also the elderly—are less capable and have less valid views because of misconceptions about their ability to think and act in complex, nuanced ways. But what if children were just as capable as adults of contributing meaningfully to social discussions on important issues like ecological justice? This is the argument put forth by Natalie M. Fletcher, Associate Professor in UdeM’s Department of Philosophy and Scientific Coordinator at the Institut Philosophie Citoyenneté Jeunesse. The goal of her work is to have young people’s views recognized as both relevant and valuable. She also promotes the creation of opportunities for children to develop their critical thinking skills and practice engaging in philosophical dialogue. “Children are full-fledged citizens and not just future members of society,” argues the philosophy expert. “We should listen to their wisdom, since children can sometimes have a better understanding of certain subjects than adults. Take friendship, for example. With friendship being such a central aspect of children’s lives, young people tend to have more nuanced and diverse views on the subject than adults.” Professor Fletcher believes that if we fail to take into account children’s opinions, society misses out on important insights and perspectives. In fact, she sees it as excluding an entire dimension of knowledge. Children and the environment In Professor Fletcher’s view, children and youth should have more say on the environment and the climate crisis because these issues will impact their future more than that of older people. “Young people care a lot about the environment. They struggle with eco-anxiety and want to take action. So we need to give them opportunities to share their concerns and figure out how to become agents of change,” she explained. Her suggestions include asking children questions about the relationship between humans and nature, the position of humans in relation to animals, vegetarianism, nature as a right, and other related topics. Interestingly, she notes that preschoolers tend to have an animistic view in which everything is alive. Philosophy as a tool According to Professor Fletcher, philosophy is a way to give young people agency on issues related to nature and the environment. For children, the process is mainly focused on dialogue. “We help them develop their active listening skills and learn to formulate perspectives, while making sure they don’t have to carry the entire burden, since adultist policies prevent them from participating as meaningfully as they would like,” she said. This approach is the cornerstone of Brila, an educational charity founded by Professor Fletcher that aims to inspire young people through philosophical dialogue and creative projects. “The kids who go through our programs, starting at the age of 5 or 6, develop strong thinking skills and learn to see themselves as agents of change. It’s like mental gymnastics, and they become really good at it,” she concluded. Provided by University of Montreal Citation: Respecting children’s philosophical wisdom (2024, November 10) retrieved 10 November 2024 from This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Source link #Respecting #childrens #philosophical #wisdom Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Multi-billion dollar battle to host an F1 race is heating up Multi-billion dollar battle to host an F1 race is heating up Who will win a 2026 Grand Prix? Four circuits are vying for contract extensions, Thailand and South Korea have both submitted bids, while India, Rwanda, and numerous other countries are reported to be developing the infrastructure to secure a slot on the F1 calendar. The competition is so fierce that these bids often transcend sport. “We are receiving calls from prime ministers, from governments that really want to host the Grand Prix,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali told CNBC’s “Inside Track.” “This is not political, it is something really substantial.” For countries that could lose their spot on the calendar however, it is acutely political. The Belgian Grand Prix adds an estimated $248 million to the national economy each year. So, when the country’s prime minister wrote to Domenicali in late 2023 to lobby for a contract extension beyond 2025, his message was clear: “The need for you to set up a balanced calendar between Europe, the Far East and America/Middle East will not happen to the detriment of Belgium.” But someone will have to lose out. The Middle Eastern oil-producing nations see F1 as critical to their economic diversification, and have invested enormous sums to secure it. Abu Dhabi, which held its first Grand Prix in 2009, spent $40 billion constructing an artificial island to do it. “The entire concept of the Formula One Abu Dhabi [started with] a blank canvas of Yas Island,” Saif Rashid Al Noaimi, CEO of the island’s management company Ethara, told CNBC. “It didn’t have anything before the plans for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.” In 2023, the island welcomed 34 million visitors. Saudi Arabia, which reportedly considered buying F1 outright, has also leveraged the sport to bolster its appeal as a tourist destination. A survey conducted by YouGov in 2023 showed that race fans across the U.S. were more than twice as likely to consider a trip to Saudi Arabia than other Americans. “Formula One doesn’t showcase the race, it showcases the city,” Robin Fenwick, CEO of sports marketing agency Right Formula, told CNBC. “And that’s brilliant for the local economic impact and the lasting legacy it’ll create.” Think of Monaco. The streets around the Monte Carlo harbor are synonymous with glitz, glamor, and motor racing. “Some shops do nearly three months of income in four days,” Guy Antognelli, the general manager of the Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority, told CNBC. “But because it’s on at the same time as the Cannes Film Festival, the Cote d’Azur is really the center of the media tech world at that time.” Yet with Monaco currently paying nearly a third ($20 million) of what Saudi Arabia is to host a race, F1 may be unwilling to extend the country’s contract after it runs out in 2025. In an interview with Bloomberg earlier this year, McLaren CEO Zak Brown said that the sport would survive without Monaco: “One could argue: ‘wait a minute, some of these other venues are driving similar TV ratings, great racing and contributing a lot more to the growth of the sport fiscally.’ You’ve got the Miamis, the Vegases, the Singapores – these are all awesome races.” F1 traditionalists would counter that the commercial focus will eventually come at the expense of the sport. The “dynamic pricing” algorithm which pushed Silverstone’s four-day grandstand tickets to reach £600 ($774) in 2024 drew criticism from F1 legend Lewis Hamilton, who warned against pricing out families. Third placed Carlos Sainz of Spain and Ferrari celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on September 03, 2023 in Monza, Italy. Dan Istitene – Formula 1 | Formula 1 | Getty Images Much of the price increase owes itself to the growing popularity of Grand Prix weekends among families, however. Concerts from global superstars like Ed Sheeran in Miami and Stormzy at Silverstone have drawn a broader audience to race weekends, nudging F1 further into the mainstream. Proponents of the “super-bowl” model point to the $1.2 billion in economic value that the Las Vegas Grand Prix added through flights, hotel bookings and restaurant receipts, as well as the infrastructure investments that F1 made to put on the event. “I know how big the ********* Super Bowl is in terms of economic impact,” Domenicali told CNBC. “We are *******.” To continue growing, F1 will need to tread a narrow line between the sport’s new audience and its core motor racing fans. This not only requires careful thought about which new experiences they introduce for fans, but which events they remove from the calendar. Like it or not, F1’s growing economic influence means any decision will have a significant impact on someone. Source link #Multibillion #dollar #battle #host #race #heating Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Inbound travel to Japan ******** high in the off-peak autumn months Inbound travel to Japan ******** high in the off-peak autumn months Temperatures are cooling in Japan, but interest in visiting shows no signs of abating, as autumn arrivals continue to outpace pre-pandemic levels. The country welcomed 2.93 million foreign visitors in August, followed by another 2.87 million visitors in September — well above the 2.52 million and 2.27 million who arrived during those same months in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Historically, Japan sees a lull of tourists in August and September, followed by a bump in visitors in October from travelers in search of fall foliage or Tokyo’s storied Halloween celebrations. But this year, that drop is expected to be muted, as the country is experiencing a long-awaited rise in arrivals from ******** travelers, a trend which began in June. Before the pandemic, China was Japan’s largest tourism source market, representing 30% of all arrivals, according to ********* authorities. ******** visitors to Japan doubled last month, from 325,645 in September 2023 to 652,300 in September 2024, according to Japan’s tourism statistics. From January to September this year, more than 5.2 million visitors from China visited Japan, a 228% increase from 2023, according to preliminary statistics. But that leaves plenty of space to grow to reach the 9.6 million that arrived in 2019. Growth from the west As ******** arrivals ramp up, visitors to Japan from other countries have fully recovered and even exceed pre-pandemic levels. Though two-thirds of visitors are from East Asia — namely, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong —greater growth in the first half of this year came from travelers from North America and other parts of Asia-Pacific, according to a report by Mastercard Economics Institute released in September. The number of travelers from the ******* States rose 153% in the first half of 2024 from the same ******* in 2019. Visitors from Canada (148%), Australia (141%), Singapore (140%) and New Zealand (138%) also surpassed pre-pandemic levels, according to the report, as did arrivals from India and Southeast ****** nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. Those from North America and Europe, who travel for longer distances, tend to stay longer, the report stated. Some 40% of those from Europe stay between two and three weeks, it said. By contrast, 75% of South Korean visitors — currently Japan’s top tourism source market — stay less than a week. As a result, travelers from North America and Europe spend more on accommodations and food, while ****** tourists spend more on shopping, the report stated. However, favorable exchange rates caused by the weak yen have led to many spending more on retail purchases, a trend most noticeable among Singaporean, ********* and ********* visitors, according to Mastercard’s report. Concentration of tourists Crowds of tourists on the street near Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera temple in April 2019. Nicolas Datiche | Lightrocket | Getty Images According to Mastercard’s report, overcrowding is most pronounced in four places: Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa. “In April 2024, Kyoto had the highest proportion of foreign guests, with 68% compared to Tokyo’s 36%,” the report states. “Outside these main cities, the foreign guest ratio typically falls below 10%. This marks a significant increase from 2019, when Kyoto and Tokyo had average foreign guest ratios of 38% and 17%, respectively.” Notably, Japan features prominently on many trend lists for 2025, from Expedia’s “Unpack ’25: The Trends in Travel” to Lonely Planet’s 2025 “Best in Travel.“ Tokyo and Osaka are among 10 global cities named to Airbnb’s top trending winter destinations list, according to a report released by the company on Oct. 16. Hilton’s 2025 “Trends Report” also shows considerable interest in Japan, stating that out of the top eight luxury hotels where Hilton Honors members redeemed the most points in the first half of 2024, three are in Japan — Conrad Tokyo, Conrad Osaka and Roku Kyoto. Source link #Inbound #travel #Japan #******** #high #offpeak #autumn #months Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Inbound travel to Japan ******** high in the off-peak autumn months Inbound travel to Japan ******** high in the off-peak autumn months Temperatures are cooling in Japan, but interest in visiting shows no signs of abating, as autumn arrivals continue to outpace pre-pandemic levels. The country welcomed 2.93 million foreign visitors in August, followed by another 2.87 million visitors in September — well above the 2.52 million and 2.27 million who arrived during those same months in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Historically, Japan sees a lull of tourists in August and September, followed by a bump in visitors in October from travelers in search of fall foliage or Tokyo’s storied Halloween celebrations. But this year, that drop is expected to be muted, as the country is experiencing a long-awaited rise in arrivals from ******** travelers, a trend which began in June. Before the pandemic, China was Japan’s largest tourism source market, representing 30% of all arrivals, according to ********* authorities. ******** visitors to Japan doubled last month, from 325,645 in September 2023 to 652,300 in September 2024, according to Japan’s tourism statistics. From January to September this year, more than 5.2 million visitors from China visited Japan, a 228% increase from 2023, according to preliminary statistics. But that leaves plenty of space to grow to reach the 9.6 million that arrived in 2019. Growth from the west As ******** arrivals ramp up, visitors to Japan from other countries have fully recovered and even exceed pre-pandemic levels. Though two-thirds of visitors are from East Asia — namely, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong —greater growth in the first half of this year came from travelers from North America and other parts of Asia-Pacific, according to a report by Mastercard Economics Institute released in September. The number of travelers from the ******* States rose 153% in the first half of 2024 from the same ******* in 2019. Visitors from Canada (148%), Australia (141%), Singapore (140%) and New Zealand (138%) also surpassed pre-pandemic levels, according to the report, as did arrivals from India and Southeast ****** nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. Those from North America and Europe, who travel for longer distances, tend to stay longer, the report stated. Some 40% of those from Europe stay between two and three weeks, it said. By contrast, 75% of South Korean visitors — currently Japan’s top tourism source market — stay less than a week. As a result, travelers from North America and Europe spend more on accommodations and food, while ****** tourists spend more on shopping, the report stated. However, favorable exchange rates caused by the weak yen have led to many spending more on retail purchases, a trend most noticeable among Singaporean, ********* and ********* visitors, according to Mastercard’s report. Concentration of tourists Crowds of tourists on the street near Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera temple in April 2019. Nicolas Datiche | Lightrocket | Getty Images According to Mastercard’s report, overcrowding is most pronounced in four places: Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa. “In April 2024, Kyoto had the highest proportion of foreign guests, with 68% compared to Tokyo’s 36%,” the report states. “Outside these main cities, the foreign guest ratio typically falls below 10%. This marks a significant increase from 2019, when Kyoto and Tokyo had average foreign guest ratios of 38% and 17%, respectively.” Notably, Japan features prominently on many trend lists for 2025, from Expedia’s “Unpack ’25: The Trends in Travel” to Lonely Planet’s 2025 “Best in Travel.“ Tokyo and Osaka are among 10 global cities named to Airbnb’s top trending winter destinations list, according to a report released by the company on Oct. 16. Hilton’s 2025 “Trends Report” also shows considerable interest in Japan, stating that out of the top eight luxury hotels where Hilton Honors members redeemed the most points in the first half of 2024, three are in Japan — Conrad Tokyo, Conrad Osaka and Roku Kyoto. Source link #Inbound #travel #Japan #******** #high #offpeak #autumn #months Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Eckroat charges to second PGA Tour title of year Eckroat charges to second PGA Tour title of year Austin Eckroat has shot a nine-under 63 to claim his second PGA Tour title of the year, winning the World Wide Technology Championship by a ******* in Los Cabos, Mexico. Eckroat edged out fellow Americans Justin Lower and Carson Young, who both carded 65s and tied for second, one shot ahead of Max Greyserman (65). Playing in the group ahead of Lower and Young, Eckroat birdied the par-4 17th to open a three-******* lead over Young, then finished with a bogey on the par-5 18th at Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante. He finished at 24-under 264. The 25-year-old former Oklahoma State player won the Cognizant Classic in March at PGA National for his first PGA Tour title. Eckroat locked up spot in the top 50 in the FedExCup Fall standings with Sunday’s win. “I think it kind of validates the season that I had, just a great way to cap off and end the year,” Eckroat said. “It was really special to do it at an event where the title sponsor, I’m an ambassador of their company. A cool week.” Needing an eagle to force a playoff, Young birdied the 18th. “I hit a bunch of good iron shots, especially on the back nine,” Young said. “I shot 7 under, so I played good, I can’t be too **** about it.” Lower closed with an eagle for his 65. “I played well,” Lower said. “I said yesterday I had to ****** probably somewhere between 5 and 9 again just to have a chance. Shot 7 and came up one short.” On Sunday, Eckroat didn’t have a par until the seventh *****, opening with five birdies and a bogey. He added a birdie on No. 8 and birdied four of the first five holes on the back nine. “That’s probably some of the best golf I’ve ever played, just from the start putts were going in,” Eckroat said. “I don’t know, it was automatic out there today, I guess, is how you could call it. It’s crazy I only won by one ********* 9-under par today from one back. Obviously, everybody was playing well, it was a good battle.” Lone *********** Aaron Baddeley was well back, tied 64th at three under after a 75. Source link #Eckroat #charges #PGA #Tour #title #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘My dream jersey’: Togatuki content picking Jillaroos ‘My dream jersey’: Togatuki content picking Jillaroos Sarah Togatuki is content with choosing to represent Australia over a surging Samoa as she eyes selection for the Jillaroos’ Las Vegas trip. The Wests Tigers forward played all three games of Australia’s triumphant Pacific Cup campaign, which culminated in a 24-4 defeat of New Zealand in Sunday’s final at CommBank Stadium. Born in Sydney to Samoan parents, Togatuki could just as easily have represented Samoa at the Pacific Championships as the nation mounted an ultimately successful push for World Cup qualification. Fetu Samoa were the big improvers of the Pacific Championships as Evania Pelite, Jasmine Fogavini and Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala all opted to represent their Pacific roots after previously turning out for tier-one nations. Sunday’s 34-12 defeat of Papua New Guinea earned Samoa promotion to the Pacific Cup for 2025, and confirmed the team was on the rise under retired NRL star Jamie Soward. Togatuki turned out for Samoa in one game against the Kiwi Ferns in 2019 and found it difficult to choose between doing the same again in 2024, or targeting a Jillaroos debut. Despite the hype around Samoa’s growth, and recent predictions that more players would begin representing their Pacific roots, Togatuki could not pass up the chance to play for Australia. “This jersey for the Jillas has been sitting there waiting for me. I was just so unlucky (to miss out) last year with injury,” she told AAP. “Had I ticked over that goal of just putting on that green and gold, I possibly would have played for Samoa this year, but I got the call-up and I couldn’t say no to my dream jersey.” Togatuki was the first of her parents’ children born in Australia after their move from New Zealand, and said the family supported her decision to play for the Jillaroos rather than Samoa. “I felt like I’ve made their dreams come true, that their sacrifice to go from Samoa to New Zealand to coming here, it’s been all worth it,” she said. “It’s not easy (to choose), but when you see your family at the end of the day and their smiles, you just know you’ve made the right decision. “But both cultures run through me so deep. Whether I got the opportunity for Samoa or Australia, I’d still be proud and hopefully make my family proud putting on whatever jersey.” For now, Togatuki is committed to remaining a Jillaroos as she eyes the side’s next match – to be played against England in Las Vegas in March. The two old rivals will face off for the first time since 2017 as part of the NRL’s annual foray into the ********* market, which will feature four games for its second edition. “Moving forward I’d love to tick off the box of being in Vegas,” Togatuki said. “It’s every girl’s dream to play in America, so I definitely wouldn’t turn that opportunity down if it did come.” A defeat of England would confirm the Jillaroos’ status as the best international team in women’s rugby league after two convincing defeats of New Zealand in the Pacific Championships. But co-captain Ali Brigginshaw said her side would not become preoccupied with its opposition. “We don’t look at who we’re playing,” she said. “I’ve played England a couple of times, so I’ll try and tell the ****** what that’s like so I know I’ll get them up when it’s time to go to Vegas, but we’re just focusing on what we can do.” Source link #dream #jersey #Togatuki #content #picking #Jillaroos Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Over $2.8 billion bet on bitcoin topping $90,000 as it hits all-time high Over $2.8 billion bet on bitcoin topping $90,000 as it hits all-time high Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images Bitcoin reached a fresh all-time high near $81,000 and futures premiums soared, in a clear sign that investors believe the record-run in the world’s largest cryptocurrency is poised for even more gains on the back of U.S. elections that saw a swell of pro-crypto candidates win office. Open interest in bitcoin’s price surpassing $90,000 rose to more than $2.8 billion on the popular Deribit derivatives exchange, one of a few crypto native platforms that offers futures trading. Deribit encompasses most of the offshore options market. “The options market’s bias is heavily toward continued momentum. Call options trade at a premium to puts, and open interest in out-of-the-money calls has grown,” Vetle Lunde, head of research at K33 Research, told CNBC. A call option gives the buyer the right to buy shares of an underlying asset at a certain price for a specified ******* of time. Buying a call option is a bet the asset price will move higher. Buying a put option is a bet the asset price will fall. The CME derivates exchange offers bitcoin futures contracts and is a popular way for institutions in the U.S. to make bets on the future price of bitcoin. Velde told CNBC that on Friday CME premiums for ether and bitcoin averaged 14.5% and 14%, respectively. Ahead of the election, Velde says these premiums sat at 7%, and had spent a majority of the past half year hovering slightly below 10%. “The recent surge is a meaningful deviation higher emphasizing the bullish flows of late,” he added, noting that yields more or less stabilized well into the double digits after the election became clear. “Alongside the growth in leverage, we saw the first meaningful example of growing yields in offshore derivatives, indicative of the move being led by determined risk-takers positioning for further upside,” said Velde. The early innings of bitcoin’s push higher coincided with substantial growth in open interest in perpetual swaps, or contracts that allow buyers to speculate on where they think prices are headed without a set expiration date. But liquidity in crypto markets on weekends is typically poorer than during weekdays, as neither CME futures nor ETFs are open to trade, so moves thus tend to overreact and substantially retrace once these markets open again, according to Velde. President-elect Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail to turn the ******* States into the “crypto capital of the planet.” His multiple pledges to the crypto community included launching a national crypto stockpile with the more than $16 billion in bitcoin the U.S. government has amassed through asset seizures, as well as slashing interest rates. The easing of monetary policy typically dovetails with a surge in crypto prices since it makes it cheaper to borrow money. The Federal Reserve, which guides the country’s monetary policy, sets the benchmark rate. It also, by design, operates independently from the White House. On Thursday, the Fed approved its second consecutive interest rate cut. On the back of election results and the Fed’s unanimous vote to again slash the benchmark rate, the crypto market broadly surged into the weekend. Ether eclipsed bitcoin’s rise, up 30% in the last seven days, and solana’s market cap topped $100 billion on Sunday. The total market cap of all spot bitcoin ETFs is now above $80 billion, and in the last three trading days alone, the spot funds collectively added $2.3 billion. Within fintech, companies tied to crypto were some of the top performers, after candidates funded by the crypto industry won races up and down the ballot. Coinbase shares jumped 48% for the week, their strongest performance since January 2023. Coinbase was one of the top corporate donors in the election cycle, giving more than $75 million to Fairshake and its affiliate PACs, including a fresh pledge of $25 million to support the pro-crypto super PAC in the 2026 midterms. Trump has vowed to oust SEC Chair Gary Gensler, which potentially bodes well for companies like Coinbase fighting the regulator in court over alleged securities offenses. “Tuesday night was certainly a big night for crypto and the crypto voter,” Coinbase’s chief legal officer Paul Grewal said in an interview. “We’re going to have the most pro-crypto Congress ever, and Coinbase has played some part in all of that.” Robinhood, which allows users to buy and sell a number of digital currencies, rose 27% for the week. The online brokerage received a Wells Notice from the SEC in May, a move that often precedes formal charges. Robinhood’s general manager for its crypto unit told CNBC that the goal at Robinhood is to be able to work within the administration. “If you think about crypto, it’s a very fast-moving pace. It’s complicated, it was made by engineers, for engineers,” said Johann Kerbrat, the Vice President and General Manager of Robinhood Crypto. “We want to help policymakers to understand it and help them drive the right protections for the customers.” Source link #billion #bet #bitcoin #topping #hits #alltime #high Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Seattle getting new Trader Joe’s location Seattle getting new Trader Joe’s location SEATTLE – A popular grocery chain is opening up another location for Seattle-area residents soon. The newest Trader Joe’s will be at 8726 Greenwood Avenue. Once this location opens, people will not need to travel to the University District or Ballard neighborhoods to shop at the growing retailer. “At Trader Joe’s in Seattle – Greenwood, we see ourselves as your neighborhood grocery store,” read a section of their website announcing the location. There is no listed grand opening data at the time of reporting. Currently, there are five other Trader Joe’s operating in Seattle: Ballard, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne Hill, U District and West Seattle. MORE NEWS FROM FOX SEATTLE Here’s how every WA county voted for president in the 2024 general election WA Gov. Inslee responds to election results: ‘Their leadership will be crucial’ How every WA county voted for governor in the 2024 general election Bryan Kohberger to face judge as lawyers ****** ****** penalty Man shot during Auburn attempted robbery WA Gov. Inslee responds to election results: ‘Their leadership will be crucial’ To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily Fox Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX Seattle FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation. Source link #Seattle #Trader #Joes #location Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PS5 Pro review / One More Level PS5 Pro review / One More Level -Foxtrot1d 7h ago How come a lot of these designs have a mechanical / metal body armour look to them? Is it some kind of in game lore reason or something. Moon Knight isn’t really someone who needs that level of protection, I mean the guy wears all white because he WANTS his enemies to see him coming in the dark as he loves up close combat. Source link #PS5 #Pro #review #Level Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Over $2.8 billion bet on bitcoin topping $90,000 as it hits all-time high Over $2.8 billion bet on bitcoin topping $90,000 as it hits all-time high Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images Bitcoin reached a fresh all-time high near $81,000 and futures premiums soared, in a clear sign that investors believe the record-run in the world’s largest cryptocurrency is poised for even more gains on the back of U.S. elections that saw a swell of pro-crypto candidates win office. Open interest in bitcoin’s price surpassing $90,000 rose to more than $2.8 billion on the popular Deribit derivatives exchange, one of a few crypto native platforms that offers futures trading. Deribit encompasses most of the offshore options market. “The options market’s bias is heavily toward continued momentum. Call options trade at a premium to puts, and open interest in out-of-the-money calls has grown,” Vetle Lunde, head of research at K33 Research, told CNBC. A call option gives the buyer the right to buy shares of an underlying asset at a certain price for a specified ******* of time. Buying a call option is a bet the asset price will move higher. Buying a put option is a bet the asset price will fall. The CME derivates exchange offers bitcoin futures contracts and is a popular way for institutions in the U.S. to make bets on the future price of bitcoin. Velde told CNBC that on Friday CME premiums for ether and bitcoin averaged 14.5% and 14%, respectively. Ahead of the election, Velde says these premiums sat at 7%, and had spent a majority of the past half year hovering slightly below 10%. “The recent surge is a meaningful deviation higher emphasizing the bullish flows of late,” he added, noting that yields more or less stabilized well into the double digits after the election became clear. “Alongside the growth in leverage, we saw the first meaningful example of growing yields in offshore derivatives, indicative of the move being led by determined risk-takers positioning for further upside,” said Velde. The early innings of bitcoin’s push higher coincided with substantial growth in open interest in perpetual swaps, or contracts that allow buyers to speculate on where they think prices are headed without a set expiration date. But liquidity in crypto markets on weekends is typically poorer than during weekdays, as neither CME futures nor ETFs are open to trade, so moves thus tend to overreact and substantially retrace once these markets open again, according to Velde. President-elect Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail to turn the ******* States into the “crypto capital of the planet.” His multiple pledges to the crypto community included launching a national crypto stockpile with the more than $16 billion in bitcoin the U.S. government has amassed through asset seizures, as well as slashing interest rates. The easing of monetary policy typically dovetails with a surge in crypto prices since it makes it cheaper to borrow money. The Federal Reserve, which guides the country’s monetary policy, sets the benchmark rate. It also, by design, operates independently from the White House. On Thursday, the Fed approved its second consecutive interest rate cut. On the back of election results and the Fed’s unanimous vote to again slash the benchmark rate, the crypto market broadly surged into the weekend. Ether eclipsed bitcoin’s rise, up 30% in the last seven days, and solana’s market cap topped $100 billion on Sunday. The total market cap of all spot bitcoin ETFs is now above $80 billion, and in the last three trading days alone, the spot funds collectively added $2.3 billion. Within fintech, companies tied to crypto were some of the top performers, after candidates funded by the crypto industry won races up and down the ballot. Coinbase shares jumped 48% for the week, their strongest performance since January 2023. Coinbase was one of the top corporate donors in the election cycle, giving more than $75 million to Fairshake and its affiliate PACs, including a fresh pledge of $25 million to support the pro-crypto super PAC in the 2026 midterms. Trump has vowed to oust SEC Chair Gary Gensler, which potentially bodes well for companies like Coinbase fighting the regulator in court over alleged securities offenses. “Tuesday night was certainly a big night for crypto and the crypto voter,” Coinbase’s chief legal officer Paul Grewal said in an interview. “We’re going to have the most pro-crypto Congress ever, and Coinbase has played some part in all of that.” Robinhood, which allows users to buy and sell a number of digital currencies, rose 27% for the week. The online brokerage received a Wells Notice from the SEC in May, a move that often precedes formal charges. Robinhood’s general manager for its crypto unit told CNBC that the goal at Robinhood is to be able to work within the administration. “If you think about crypto, it’s a very fast-moving pace. It’s complicated, it was made by engineers, for engineers,” said Johann Kerbrat, the Vice President and General Manager of Robinhood Crypto. “We want to help policymakers to understand it and help them drive the right protections for the customers.” Source link #billion #bet #bitcoin #topping #hits #alltime #high Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lyon beat rivals Saint-Etienne, rise in French league Lyon beat rivals Saint-Etienne, rise in French league It was a doubly satisfying result for Lyon as they beat local rivals Saint-Etienne and climbed to fifth in the French league Source link #Lyon #beat #rivals #SaintEtienne #rise #French #league Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Are you using a screen protector on your Android phone? Are you using a screen protector on your Android phone? My position as Phones Editor at Android Police means I handle a lot of devices on a weekly basis. Sometimes it’s fresh hardware, taken directly out of the box for review. Other times it’s digging up an older device, either to revisit the experience under new context or to better understand how two things compare. Either way, the end result is the same: I’m constantly cycling through different pieces of hardware, and frequently carrying more than one smartphone on me at a time. However, it’s only the phones I see as future daily drivers that I buy cases and other accessories for. For example, I couldn’t wait to buy Peak Design’s Pixel 9 Pro case once it finally went on *****, and outside of a couple of photo opportunities, it’s been on that device ever since it arrived at my doorstep. Previously, I used to pick up packs of screen protectors as well, all to help keep these devices whether personally purchased by me, or sent directly as a review unit a little nicer throughout their daily wear and tear. Over the past year or so, though, I’ve slowly begun abandoning screen protectors. It’s not that I don’t think they don’t have their place they absolutely do, and I continue to recommend them for many of my friends and family. But in my personal experience, modern screen protectors just aren’t up to the quality of the glass they’re covering, and I’d rather risk damage than lose out on a more premium feeling. It’s not just a shift away from the lower-quality materials, though. Modern screen protectors are getting ******* than ever to put on without bubbling or other visual defects, thanks largely in part to the ever-shrinking bezels that every company seems to be chasing. Even in a (largely) post-curved display era, finding a screen protector that doesn’t peel around the edges can be tricky these days, and when you’re talking about paying $10 to $20 for a two-pack (depending on the brand), those problems can add up fast. So, this year, I’ve largely abandoned screen protectors. It hasn’t been perfect my Pixel 8 Pro review unit picked up some gnarly scratches while rattling around in my bag at CES. But on the whole, I think I’m happier suffering through some minor markups in exchange for feeling better, higher quality glass under my finger (not to mention a lighter load on my wallet). I’m still a big fan of cases though, especially on devices with glossy metal or glass. The accessory market hasn’t lost me just yet. We asked this poll once before nearly three years ago to the day, and of the nearly 9,000 responses gathered, the answers were split surprisingly evenly. But as we rush into 2025, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more users than ever on the anti-screen protector side of things. So, are you using a screen protector, either made out of glass or more traditional plastic? Or are you risking drops, cracks, and scratches like the rest of us? Source link #screen #protector #Android #phone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]