Pelican Press

Celebrate 1 Year of Minecraft Star Wars: Path of the Jedi – A Blocky Galactic Adventure Celebrate 1 Year of Minecraft Star Wars: Path of the Jedi – A Blocky Galactic Adventure -Foxtrot42d ago Maybe but like I said above just get a few saplings and you can grow your own to farm them Either that or just go to the edge of the biome and chop down the wood from there, then you don’t actually have to go inside. It’s a shame because they are making out this is scarier then it actually is. I just can’t believe **** hard Minecraft fans can be this pleased when the game has so much potential, it’s like they have seen all these awesome mods with great concepts behind them but because the ideas have already been done they don’t want to be seen as copying so they don’t bother unless it’s super original. Source link #Celebrate #Year #Minecraft #Star #Wars #Path #Jedi #Blocky #Galactic #Adventure Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Perth ********: Young father Zachary Hepping allegedly attacked by group of 10 people outside club Perth ********: Young father Zachary Hepping allegedly attacked by group of 10 people outside club A young father has suffered serious facial injuries after being assaulted in Perth early on Sunday morning in what he says was an unprovoked *******. Zachary Hepping was outside a nightclub on Murray Street when he was allegedly attacked by a group of 10 people, suffering fractures to his nose, eye socket and jaw. The 24-year-old told Nine News that he will need surgery to repair the damage done in the *******. Mr Hepping was back in hospital on Sunday seeking treatment. His mother Melissa Ramakkattiyama told Nine News her son could have been *******. “This is just horrible,” Ms Ramakkattiyama said. “People can’t go out and just enjoy themselves now. Camera IconZachary Hepping was outside a nightclub on Murray Street when he was allegedly attacked by a group of 10 people, receiving facial fractures to his nose, eye socket and jaw. Credit: 9NEWSCamera IconThe 24-year-old told 9 News that he will need facial surgery to repair the damage done in the *******. Credit: 9NEWS “It comes to this. Shattered face, a broken jaw, broken nose, broken eye socket. Is this what we’ve come to?” No charges have been ***** over the incident. Source link #Perth #******** #Young #father #Zachary #Hepping #allegedly #attacked #group #people #club Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Outlast Prototype Footage Has Allegedly Leaked Outlast Prototype Footage Has Allegedly Leaked Footage from what appears to be a prototype build of Red Barrels’ first-person psychological survival horror game, Outlast, has emerged. Source link #Outlast #Prototype #Footage #Allegedly #Leaked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Aftermath of continued intensive ******** airstrikes in Bekaa, Lebanon Aftermath of continued intensive ******** airstrikes in Bekaa, Lebanon The ******** military continued its intensive airstrikes across the Bekaa valley over the weekend, leaving many buildings flattened. The Health Ministry said late Saturday that the airstrikes on towns and villages in the eastern Bekaa Valley and Baalbek-Hermel province left 20 people ***** while those in two villages in south Lebanon ******* 11 people, including five paramedics. Source link #Aftermath #continued #intensive #******** #airstrikes #Bekaa #Lebanon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Retro Games Rule Steam Deck Users Divided on Whether the Classics are Better Than Modern Games Retro Games Rule Steam Deck Users Divided on Whether the Classics are Better Than Modern Games Do you play retro games on your Steam Deck? Players try to explain why they prefer older or newer games. Which do you prefer? Source link #Retro #Games #Rule #Steam #Deck #Users #Divided #Classics #Modern #Games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to influence people and succeed at work: Executive coach How to influence people and succeed at work: Executive coach Why do decision-makers at work really choose one person for a role over another? What actually makes them trust someone’s judgment? How do they decide in practice who to tap for important opportunities? For the last 12 years, I’ve coached top performers at some of the world’s largest and most competitive Fortune 500 companies. As a result, I’ve been a trusted advisor to executives, C-suite leaders, and hiring managers who’ve confided in me their answers to all these questions. Over time I’ve seen that technical expertise gets you far, but your ability to communicate persuasively determines whether your opinion is actively sought out or you have to ****** to get your voice heard. I’ve watched this play out across different industries and ranks. The ability to influence others can set you up for success. And vice versa. Take the smart subject matter expert who can’t translate their work into the language of decision-makers, for example, or the skilled but inarticulate manager who gets passed over for promotion. Your impact and advancement at work depends on your ability to persuade others. DON’T MISS: The ultimate guide to negotiating a higher salary Becoming persuasive doesn’t mean resorting to manipulation, mind games, or politicking. In fact, the most powerful communicators I’ve worked with are thoughtful professionals who’ve learned to leverage their perceptiveness strategically. They understand psychology: how people think, what drives their choices, and how to present ideas to get seen, heard, and paid. The good news is that persuasive communication is a learnable skill. Here are my three favorite strategies to get started. Pick one to try today, and watch how differently people respond to your contributions. 1. Lead with your bottom line Decision-makers are busy and overwhelmed. When you take too long to get to your point, you risk losing their attention, and you may inadvertently signal that you don’t have a good handle on your own message. Contrast this with someone who can articulate their key point in a few crisp sentences. That level of clarity suggests expertise and confidence. To be more persuasive, start with your conclusion, request, or recommendation, then follow with supporting evidence as needed. This might sound like: “I recommend pushing the product launch to September. The three factors driving this are ….””We need to consider redesigning our app’s navigation by Q3 to stop losing users. The data shows ….””Can you review this report by Thursday? I need your input specifically on X and Y.” Before your next meeting, write down your main “take-home” message in one to two clear sentences. That constraint forces you to filter out the fluff and focus on the information that matters. 2. Sell your idea as a way to solve specific problems Persuasive communicators have mastered the art of translation. They reframe their messages through the lens of their audience’s needs. People in power don’t just want clever solutions. They want good ideas that speak directly to their pressures, pain points, and priorities. Make that connection and you’ll gain a competitive edge. To be more persuasive, start with your conclusion, request, or recommendation, then follow with supporting evidence as needed. For example, instead of saying, “This new system will improve data processing efficiency by 40%,” you might say, “This solution will help you deliver quarterly reports three days faster, giving you more time to prepare for board meetings.” Even when you need to defer or push back, the same principle applies. Jazz up a simple “I’ll get back to you,” by saying instead, “I want to make sure I give you the most useful answer for your quarterly planning. Can I have until Friday to gather the specific data you’ll need?” 3. Speak with authority Small shifts in your word choice can dramatically change how your message lands, especially with senior stakeholders. Consider the difference between saying “I think we should …” versus “In my experience …” One signals uncertainty, the other expertise. Or how about “I’m trying to …” versus “We’re implementing …”? The first suggests struggle, the second implies purposeful action. Look for opportunities to swap weak verbs with more powerful ones. For example: “Had to” can become “decided to,” “chose to,” or “opted to” “Helped” could be replaced with “guided,” “directed,” “led,” “advised,” or “oversaw” Don’t get caught up in fancy words or corporate jargon. This is about choosing more precise language that reflects the scale and scope of your actions. Melody Wilding, LMSW, is an executive coach, human behavior professor, and author of “Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge.” Download exact scripts to diplomatically say no at work here. Want to earn more money at work? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Negotiate a Higher Salary. Expert instructors will teach you the skills you need to get a ******* paycheck, including how to prepare and build your confidence, what to do and say, and how to craft a counteroffer. Pre-register now and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 50% off through Nov. 26, 2024. Source link #influence #people #succeed #work #Executive #coach Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A New Ultimate Descendant To Be Revealed Next Weekend A New Ultimate Descendant To Be Revealed Next Weekend Recently, Nexon opened up an official live Q&A on TFDs Discord channel, where they answered a lot of fans questions. Source link #Ultimate #Descendant #Revealed #Weekend Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Matt Dawson: Why England lost to Australia Matt Dawson: Why England lost to Australia England have flown out of the blocks in their opening two games of the autumn against New Zealand and Australia – but they are like Jekyll and Hyde. I want them to back themselves for 80 minutes. There are parts of their game I am unhappy with, but they are also playing some really good stuff. You can tell they prepared very well for Saturday’s game by the way they started and broke the Wallabies down. I cannot fault their endeavour, creativity and spirit, but it was Australia who came out on top in winning 42-37. For some reason, one of England’s defaults when they are ahead and in control of a game is to try and close it down with a very negative style of kicking. That is not going to allow them to win games against top opposition. It hasn’t happened once, or twice; it is relentless. Unless it is hammering it down and the match is a proper arm-wrestle – like against South ******* in the rain in last year’s World Cup semi-final in Paris – it will not be good enough to win these games. England come unstuck when they go back to their offensive box-kicking rather than playing in a way that got them into that leading position. I find it odd. Everyone changes how they play rugby depending on the score, the clock, the referee and the players at their disposal. But England have continued to be in good positions with 15 men on the field and squander it by going to this low-risk rugby, which ****** their momentum and gives the opposition a breather and an opportunity to counter-*******. I am guessing it is a statistical method of coaching. Coach Steve Borthwick seems to think it is going to increase the number of times you will get the ball back. But bear in mind you have the ball in the first place, and you have pressure and great players. England are giving that away in return for the bounce of the ball, or a penalty they can capitalise on. Source link #Matt #Dawson #England #lost #Australia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Throwing Knives Can Do What?! Helldivers 2 Player Provides Evidence of Disarming a Mine With a ****** Throwing Knives Can Do What?! Helldivers 2 Player Provides Evidence of Disarming a Mine With a ****** One devoted Helldivers 2 player discovered a possible new glitch where you can deactivate a mine with Throwing Knives. Have you tried it? Source link #Throwing #Knives #Helldivers #Player #Evidence #Disarming #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ugarkovic doubles up as Melbourne City ease past Glory Ugarkovic doubles up as Melbourne City ease past Glory Winless Perth Glory’s woes have continued, with injury-hit Melbourne City rarely troubled in cruising to a crushing 5-0 A-League Men victory. Source link #Ugarkovic #doubles #Melbourne #City #ease #Glory Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I moved my family to Puerto Rico for a job. They were ********** — and we returned to Pennsylvania after just a year. I moved my family to Puerto Rico for a job. They were ********** — and we returned to Pennsylvania after just a year. I moved my family to Puerto Rico for my job — we were excited about the warm weather and beaches. Once we moved, we struggled to adjust and we felt a lot of loneliness being far from family. We went back to Pennsylvania after a year. I wish we’d thought about the move more before doing it. In 2015, the opportunity to move from Pennsylvania to Puerto Rico presented itself by way of a job offer with a med-tech company. I’d lived there when I was younger and my wife at the time and two younger daughters were excited to move somewhere new. We fell in love with the idea of living on an island, having warm weather year-round, and being close to the beach. So, I took the job and moved the first week of April. In June, my daughters finished their school year and the rest of my family joined me on the island. My company hired movers to pack and ship our belongings and my then-wife’s vehicle. We were put up in a hotel since our belongings would take several weeks to arrive. I could feel the tension in the family begin to build up in our new home Although the hotel was spacious, it was nothing like the home we had just left in Pennsylvania. My then-wife’s car hadn’t arrived yet and there was nothing within walking distance so my family stayed in the hotel until I came “home” from work. Toward the end of July, our belongings arrived to our rental home in a gated community in Cataño, but the car was still on the way. Until it arrived, we had to share my vehicle. She was used to doing all her errands during the day, and now she had to wait for me to get home. This caused a lot of tension and arguments. Then, two days after we moved into our new house, I turned on the faucet in the kitchen and no water came out. I asked my neighbor if he knew of any issues — he told me the island was experiencing its worst drought in decades, and water was being rationed. Each week, we now had to make sure to store enough water to cook and bathe once it was turned off. We’d never experienced something like this before and struggled to adjust. The move also put a strain on our social lives and really impacted my youngest daughter I tried to spend weekends exploring beaches and other areas of Puerto Rico but it only helped so much.One Pixel/Shutterstock We enrolled my youngest daughter in an online high-school program since she didn’t speak Spanish, Puerto Rico’s primary language. However, the physical isolation and having to do schoolwork independently affected her grades and social life, driving her to tears on several occasions. She was close to her older sister, but she was flying back to the mainland to start college soon. Really, living in Puerto Rico was a lonely experience for all of us. We used to have family a short drive away and even some we could visit after a few hours of driving. Now, our nearest family members were at least a four-hour flight away. Although I made connections at work with my colleagues and employees, they didn’t extend outside of work. All my close friends were back on the US mainland. We also didn’t have much of a social life. During the weekends, I tried to ****** off the loneliness and lack of social connection by exploring different parts of the island, but it was short-lived. Once Monday came, I was off to work again. After about a year of stress and tension, we returned to the States We lasted in Puerto Rico for about a year until my family and our belongings headed back to Pennsylvania. I stayed on the island by myself for four months until I could find a new job. Although we enjoyed our proximity to the beach and mountains and the island’s warm weather, I feel like we didn’t think the whole move through. We didn’t spend enough time considering the impact that such a significant shift could have in our lives. We undermined how important community was and how difficult it could be to adapt to a new place — especially one I’m not sure we researched enough. If I had to do it all over again, I would weigh the ***** and ***** of such a move, research current events in our destination, and then make an informed decision rather than an emotional one. Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #moved #family #Puerto #Rico #job #********** #returned #Pennsylvania #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Stranding PS5 vs PS5 Pro vs Xbox Series X|S Graphics Comparison ****** Stranding PS5 vs PS5 Pro vs Xbox Series X|S Graphics Comparison Lightning772d ago (Edited 2d ago ) It’s important to understand Kojima’s agenda here. He’s aiming for complete ownership over his ip. I think OD will go over to PS if it’s a hit on Xbox. DS2 most likely timed at this point. He’s taking his IP and expanding it across TV and film I still think that’s his ultimate agenda, streaming platforms and grow his his IP he and his team makes most of the money. It’s not I love Jim Ryan/Hulst or I love Phil now. Yeah no he’s using them for their resources and money to build his own company. He’s really the only one who can do that in the industry because of his name. If this was anyone else they would be locked on PS and probably even Xbox. It’s his own agenda in sustaining and growing his company and his ppl. Kojima doesn’t give a ***** about Being exclusive to neither platform. It’s an ends to a better means for him. Also wanna add he’s really close to Geoff. I think the only reasons why is because his connection to the sponsors, which leads connections to Hollywood. Not only is he using Geoff for by be biggest stage and exposure for his games but also because of his ties to Hollywood, which is where he wants to be. I’m sure he likes Geoff but again he has his own buissness and buissness comes first wants to grow his buissness, that’s where his loyalty *****. Source link #****** #Stranding #PS5 #PS5 #Pro #Xbox #Series #Graphics #Comparison Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*** support for Ukraine resolute after Trump win, says minister *** support for Ukraine resolute after Trump win, says minister BBC Treasury minister Darren Jones has said the *** government’s commitment to Ukraine is “resolute” amid fears incoming US President Donald Trump could push the country into giving up territory to Russia. Jones told BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, “Ukraine should be able to recover its country as it was previously structured” and that there “shouldn’t be an element of conceding to ******** invasions from Russia”. He added he would not comment on “hypothetical scenarios” of a future US administration. Speaking to the same programme, ************* shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said the *** had to find a “shared way of working with the US” on Ukraine. During the election campaign, Trump characterised the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a drain on US resources and said he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine “in a day”. The president-elect has not offered details of how he would resolve the conflict, However, a research paper written by two of his former national security advisers has argued that the US should continue its weapons supply to Ukraine, but make the support conditional on Kyiv entering peace talks with Russia. To entice Russia, the West would promise to delay Ukraine’s entry into Nato, the military alliance of ********* and North ********* nations. The former advisers argued Ukraine should not give up its hopes of getting its territory back from Russian occupation, but that it should negotiate based on current front lines. Asked how the *** government would respond if Trump did compel Ukraine to make territorial concessions, Jones said: “Our commitment to Ukraine as a country here in *** is resolute. “We continue to support Ukraine with billions of pounds of funding every year and support from our armed forces in line with our commitments through Nato.” Asked if the *** still respected Ukraine’s ******* to get back territories such as Crimea, Jones said: “That is the basis on which the *** is operating.” Dame Priti, who was appointed shadow foreign secretary earlier this week, agreed Ukraine should not have to concede Crimea. “No, of course not,” she said adding: “We’ve been unequivocal as Conservatives in government… we stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine.” She added that Trump “hasn’t entered the White House yet” and it would be wrong to speculate on future US foreign policy. “I think, take one step back, let’s be mature about this. “We need to have dialogue and this comes back to having a strong relationship with our closest ally. “I would urge our government going forward to be constructive in those discussions.” Watch: Russia suffers ‘worst month for casualties’, says *** defence chief Radakin Speaking to the same programme, Chief of the *** Defence Staff Sir Tony Radakin said Russia had suffered its worst ever month for casualties since the start of the Ukraine war, with around 1,500 dying or wounded every single day. Sir Tony said the losses were “for tiny increments of land” but that there was “no doubt that Russia is making tactical, territorial gains and that is putting pressure on Ukraine”. “Russia is spending over 40% of its public expenditure now on defence and security – that is an enormous drain on Russia as a country. “I’m saying the longer the war goes on, the more difficult it is.” He reiterated the *** government’s stance that Western allies would be resolute for “as long as it takes” adding: “That’s the message President ****** has to absorb and the reassurance for President Zelensky.” Trump has repeatedly urged Nato members to spend more on their defence, accusing ********* countries of free-riding on America. In February, he said he would let Russia “do whatever the ***** they want” to Nato countries that did not spend enough on defence. Nato countries are expected to spend 2% of their national income on defence. At the moment 23 countries – including the *** – meet the target, compared to just six in 2021. The Labour government has committed to increasing spending from 2.3% to 2.5% – but has not set a date for hitting the figure. Jones said the government would not commit to a deadline until it had completed its strategic defence review. The review – led by former Labour minister and Nato head George Robertson – is examining how the defence budget is spent. It is due to be completed in the spring. Jones did not say if the 2.5% target would be met within the current Parliament which can run until 2029. In their manifesto, the Conservatives said they wanted to get to 2.5% by 2030. Asked if her party would accept cuts elsewhere in order to meet 2.5%, Dame Priti said there were “efficiencies” that could be made as well as changes around the “performance of the civil service”. She added that the government “could have done more in that Budget to put the pathway forward for 2.5% of GDP on defence”. On Ukraine, former Labour minister Lord Peter Mandelson said nobody should be “dictating to the Ukrainians” about their territory and the *** should work with the US to secure Ukraine’s freedom and its borders to ensure Russia “can’t invade again”. He said that would be possible, not by offering Ukraine Nato membership, but by building “stronger, deeper” economic relationships with the country. There have been reports that Lord Mandelson could be appointed the ***’s new ambassador to the ******* States. Asked if he was in the frame for the high-profile position, he said: “Nobody has spoken to me about this job.” On whether he would be interested, he said he would be “very interested indeed in giving advice about trade to whoever is appointed”. Source link #support #Ukraine #resolute #Trump #win #minister Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PS5 Pro price has ‘not had a negative impact’ on sales of the console, says Sony president PS5 Pro price has ‘not had a negative impact’ on sales of the console, says Sony president Sony president Hiroki Totoki has said the PlayStation 5 Pro’s price hasn’t had a negative impact on the sales of the console. Speaking as part of Sony’s recent financial reporting, Totoki said (spotted by Genki_JPN) “********* users are the target of this hardware.” “In terms of the pricing, many people made different comments on that, but pricing on PS5 Pro has not had a negative impact, I don’t think.” PS5 Pro launched on Thursday priced at $700 / £700 / €800. Unlike the PlayStation 5, the PlayStation 5 Pro has not sold out, and is readily available in most stores. It’s worth noting that the PlayStation 5 launched in 2020 during a global chip shortage, resulting in shortages of the console, but it also appears that interest in the higher-spec machine is reduced from the base unit. Scalpers looking to emulate the huge profits they saw on PS5 scalping have been left to sell consoles at a loss after a rush for the mid-generation console didn’t materialise. A number of sellers currently have Buy It Now consoles on ***** for £680-£700, while others have auctions currently sitting between £510 and £670 – while these auctions will likely rise before they end, it seems less likely that they will surpass the console’s £700 retail price. While it appears that the console is generally available for those who want it, however, scalpers haven’t completely abandoned the PS5 Pro. Instead, it’s the console’s external disc drive, sold separately, that’s in short supply and being scalped. The disc drive is supposed to sell for $79.99 / £99.99, but is currently sold out at every major retailer, and as a result, eBay *** sellers are posting Buy It Now listings selling the unit for £150 – £250. Source link #PS5 #Pro #price #negative #impact #sales #console #Sony #president Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Smeg Combi Steam Oven review: a multi-functional countertop oven that looks stunning and cooks well Smeg Combi Steam Oven review: a multi-functional countertop oven that looks stunning and cooks well Smeg Combi Steam Oven: one-minute review There’s no denying that the SmegCombi Steam Oven is a sleek and beautiful piece of kitchen technology that cooks food well in a variety of ways. I tried out the bake, convection bake, air fry, and steamer functions as well as a number of the preset recipe functions. Every single item I made came out perfectly delicious, though I did need to keep an eye on my food and I took a couple of items out early to prevent overcooking. However, there is one major issue I had with the Smeg Combi Steam Oven. I cannot figure out exactly who this countertop oven is for or what it might replace in one’s kitchen. I already own an oven and a toaster oven and the Combi can’t replace either of those. It’s too small to replace an oven, unless you live in space that doesn’t have room for a full-sized oven. I suppose it could replace a toaster oven, but it has a much larger footprint than the (similarly-sized on the inside) toaster oven I already own. And while I’m sure you can make toast in it, like in any kind of oven, there is no designated toast feature on the Combi. Smeg Combi Steam Oven: price and availability List price: $999.95 (about £770 / AU$1,500) That’s right, the Smeg Combi Steam Oven is over $1,000 once you pay sales tax. It’s available at upscale kitchen stores like Williams-Sonoma and Crate and Barrel. The Smeg Combi Steam Oven is only available in the US at the time of writing, but it may become available internationally at a later date. Smeg Combi Steam Oven: specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally Price $999.95 Cooking functions Traditional oven functions: bake, convection cooking, grill, bottom, air fry, warm and defrost.Steam cooking functions: pure steam, combi convection steam, combi grill steam. Weight ****** weight 57.8lbs / 26.2kgNet weight 38.6lbs / 17.5kg Size Outside: 19.7 x 20.1 x 15.7in / 50 x 51 x 40cm (WxDxH)Inside: 14 x 12 x 8in / 35.6 x 30.5 x 20.2cm (WxDxH) Number of preset functions: 33 Number of shelves you can use at once: 2 SMEG Combi Steam Oven: design and features Beautiful mid-century aesthetic Two knobs to access a variety of functions Bake, air fry, steam, and more The Smeg Combi Steam oven is advertised as a 10 in 1 oven. Just don’t call it a toaster oven! It’s a countertop oven that cooks in a whole bunch of different ways. According to Smeg, the oven uses “Galileo Multicooking technology: innovative airflow patterns and professional algorithms for outstanding results in a compact design.” It offers traditional cooking functions like bake and convection bake along with steam and air fry functions to perform a variety of cooking tasks. The Combi has 33 automatic chef recipes that take the guesswork out of cooking meat, fish, vegetables, bread, pizza, and desserts. Just choose your preset, pop in your food, and get ready for some deliciousness. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) The enamel mid-century design is sleek and gorgeous. You can choose from five different colors: ******, white, red, cream, and light blue. It comes with the following cooking accessories: two grill racks, an enameled cooking tray, and a perforated cooking tray. The guides along the sides of the oven have two different positions so you can cook on the upper level, lower level, or both at once. The guides can also be removed so you can easily access the sides of the oven for easier cleaning. The window is large and the light inside is always on while cooking so you can keep a close eye on your food’s progress. The top of the Combi opens up to reveal a water compartment, where you pour in water for the steam function. The interior of the lid has a cheat sheet with all of the chef presets listed as well as a QR code so you can access the owner’s manual, how-to videos, and other information. This water tank is why the Combi is so large – much larger than any toaster oven I’ve ever seen. However, the interior is virtually the same size as my large toaster oven, just two inches wider. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) There are two dials for controlling the SMEG Combi Steam Oven and a screen between them. There are three menus you can access via the left dial: Traditional Cooking Menu, Steam Cooking Menu, and Chef Menu. The Traditional Cooking Menu lets you choose broil, air fry, bake, convection bake, convection bottom bake, warm, and defrost. Within the Steam Cooking Menu, you can choose convection (for pure steam cooking), convection bake (for bake plus steam), and convection broil (for broil plus steam). When you enter the Chef Menu, you can choose from among 33 presets for a variety of meats, fish, vegetables, desserts, and breads. The use of the dials definitely takes some studying of the user manual and some practice. It’s not necessarily intuitive. Smeg Combi Steam Oven: performance So how did the Combi perform? Overall, excellent. I cooked a bunch of meals in the Combi and there wasn’t a dud in the bunch. There was definitely a weird smell the first couple of times I used it, even though I performed the one hour ***** off (empty oven on highest setting) to get rid of any residues left from the manufacturing process. And it’s quite noisy, getting up to 65 dB(A) at times. However, unlike every toaster oven I’ve used, it doesn’t get hot on the outside. Even when going full tilt, it only reached a very touchable 76 degrees on the outside. The fan stays on while the oven cools down after cooking is complete, presumably to help it cool down faster. It does take some time to cool down, and a progress bar on the screen lets you know how the cool down is progressing. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) I made two different kinds of (sweet potato) french fries: from scratch and pre-made frozen. For the scratch variety, I cut up a sweet potato and coated the wedges in oil and seasonings. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) The frozen ones I just dumped out on the tray. I used the French Fry Chef Menu preset for both, which was actually a traditional baking mode rather than an air fry mode as you might expect. In both cases, the fries came out crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and totally delicious. I also baked a sweet potato whole using convection bake as I typically would and that also came out great. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) I baked blueberry muffins using the Muffin preset from the Chef Menu, which includes steam. The muffins came out moist and delicious. I’d say the browning was a bit uneven; I took them out one minute early because I was afraid some of them might overcook. I probably didn’t need to do that, though. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) I used the Roasted Vegetables preset many times, since I eat them just about every day. The most challenging vegetables I made in the Combi this way were brussels sprouts. I make them all the time; when I make them on the stovetop they tend to be slightly soggy but when I make them in the oven they tend to dry out (unless I use a ton of oil.) In the Combi, I used a minimal amount of oil, just a quick spritz all over. They came out crisp, tender, and amazing. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) I also tried making vegetables in Air Fry mode, using a recipe I found online. I put broccoli, red peppers, and a frozen veggie burger patty in for 10 minutes at 390 degrees. Again, the veggies were delicious: crisp and tender. The burger was fully cooked, just right. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) I had to make pizza in the Smeg Combi Steam Oven. There is a dedicated Pizza preset in the Chef Menu, but since Smeg is an Italian company, I know it was talking about homemade pizza. I wanted to make frozen pizza. In fact, I made two different ones over the course of my testing *******. In both cases, I followed the directions on the box. I did one in convection bake mode and ended up taking it out a couple of minutes early so it didn’t *****. I did the second one in regular bake mode, and actually had to add a couple of minutes to the bake time. In the end though, both pizzas came out perfect: lightly browned, fully cooked in the middle, not burnt anywhere. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) I steamed frozen pierogies (potato dumplings) using the steam mode. The pierogies came out fully heated through, moist, and delicious. I didn’t make toast. Why? Because there is no dedicated toast function. Obviously you can Google how to make toast in any oven, but I cannot for the life of me figure out why Smeg didn’t include a toast setting in the Chef Menu. Cleanup isn’t exactly a breeze, because everything is hand wash only. The trays definitely take some elbow grease, but I was able to get them completely clean every time. The oven itself is another story. The instructions say to let the oven cool and then use a regular cleaner, nothing abrasive, to clean the Combi. I did exactly that, using Dawn Powerwash and a Scrub Daddy (gentle sponge). When that wasn’t enough, I went out and bought some Dawn Professional Heavy Duty Degreaser. That didn’t do it either, despite plenty of elbow grease. I don’t want to damage it with an abrasive cleaner or steel wool, so it just isn’t as clean as I’d like. Should you buy the Smeg Combi Steam Oven? Swipe to scroll horizontally SMEG Combi Steam Oven report card Attributes Notes Rating Value It’s just very pricey, and hard to justify given that it doesn’t fully replace either an oven or a toaster oven. 3/5 Design It’s gorgeous and designed for maximum flexibility with tons of cooking options (except, oddly enough, a dedicated toast function). 4.5/5 Performance Everything I made across a variety of cooking functions was delicious. However, a thorough cleanup is tough. 4.5/5 Overall I have no complaints about the way this oven cooks, but the price point and the fact that it can’t really replace anything in my kitchen make it less than perfect. 4/5 Buy it if Don’t buy it if Smeg Combi Steam Oven: also consider If you’re not sure about the Smeg Combi Steam Oven, here are some other options to consider… How I tested the SMEG Combi Steam Oven I used multiple Chef Menu functions I tested air fry, bake, convection bake, and steam modes I cleaned it after each use I’ve tested quite a few kitchen appliances over the years, both for review purposes and in my private life as the primary cook in my family for several decades. I love a cool cooking gadget and anything that lets me get a nutritious meal on the table fast. I tested the Smeg Combi Steam Oven for about two weeks. I cooked a variety of foods using a variety of cooking modes, as detailed in the Performance section above. I used a few different presets in the Chef Menu section, as well as the bake, convection bake, steam, and air fry modes. I cooked a variety of fresh vegetables, french fries (both fresh and frozen), muffins, pierogies, veggie burgers, and frozen pizzas. After each cooking session, I cleaned all the accessories and the oven itself to assess how easy it was to clean. Read more about how we test. Source link #Smeg #Combi #Steam #Oven #review #multifunctional #countertop #oven #stunning #cooks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*********** forces land in Indonesia for ****** exercises *********** forces land in Indonesia for ****** exercises Members of the *********** Defence Force (ADF) have arrived In Indonesia, with their warship docking at Banyuwangi in East Java for a ****** military exercise involving 2000 personnel from both countries. The Keris Woomera Exercise is the largest combined ****** activity by the two countries’ military under the Australia-Indonesia Defence Co-operation Agreement. “What we aim to do is simply increase co-operation with our neighbours, to increase our prosperity and security to share co-operation with our neighbours,” Commander of the *********** Amphibious Task Force Captain Chris Doherty told reporters. Commander Doherty said both parties would practice a ****** landing operation, live ***** and a non-combat evacuation used for a disaster. The exercise in Indonesia will take place from Wednesday to Saturday after it was opened in Darwin, Australia, on November 3. Indonesia has held military exercises with other countries, including one with the Naval forces of Russia on November 4 in the Java Sea near Surabaya, east of the capital Jakarta. Source link #*********** #forces #land #Indonesia #****** #exercises Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shigeru Miyamoto explains Nintendos yearly new hire talk Shigeru Miyamoto explains Nintendos yearly new hire talk Nintendos iconic developer Shigeru Miyamoto gives a talk to new employees each year to appraise them of the companys values and what it takes to create excellent video games. Source link #Shigeru #Miyamoto #explains #Nintendos #yearly #hire #talk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Judge says New York can’t use ‘antiquated, unconstitutional’ law to block migrant buses from Texas Judge says New York can’t use ‘antiquated, unconstitutional’ law to block migrant buses from Texas NEW YORK (AP) — New York City can’t use an unconstitutional, two-century-old “anti-pauper” law to block the state of Texas from offering migrants free bus rides to the city from the southern border, a state judge has ruled. The court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Mayor Eric Adams in January against charter bus companies contracted by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. It sought to bar them from knowingly dropping off “needy persons,” citing an 1817 state law that criminalized bringing an indigent person into the state “for the purpose of making him a public charge.” Justice Mary Rosado said in a sternly worded decision that the law is unconstitutional for several reasons. For one, she wrote, states are not permitted to regulate the interstate transportation of people based on their economic status. The statute also “violates a fundamental right — the right to travel,” she added. Rosado said requiring bus operators to screen passengers based on the possibility that they may need public assistance when they get to their destination would infringe on that fundamental right, and punishing the bus companies for failing to keep poor people out of the city would be improper. The judge concluded by saying that if city officials want to do something, they should turn to Congress rather than ask the court to enforce “an antiquated, unconstitutional statute to infringe on an individual’s right to enter New York based on economic status.” Starting in 2022, the state of Texas began offering migrants free bus rides to cities with Democratic mayors. At least 46,000 were sent to New York, 19,000 to Denver, 37,000 to Chicago and over 17,000 to other cities, according to Abbott’s office. At the time, Adams, a Democrat, said the trips were ******** and amounted to “political ploys from the state of Texas.” It would have been difficult for New York City to sue Texas due to a legal doctrine known as sovereign immunity, so it went after the private charter companies instead. Despite the court loss, the Adams administration said the lawsuit has had its desired effect: Fewer charter buses brought immigrants to the city after it was filed, and none have been identified since June, according to a statement from his office. Adams has not given up on further action, either. “We are reviewing our legal options to address the costs shifted to New York City as a result of the Texas busing scheme,” mayoral spokesperson Liz Garcia said in a statement. The New York Civil Liberties Union applauded the court’s decision. “Mayor Adams is not above the law and cannot keep wrongly exploiting the plight of newly arrived immigrants to bolster his own political agenda,” NYCLU senior staff lawyer Beth Haroules said. “Everyone, regardless of their citizenship status or income, has the right to freely travel and reside anywhere within the ******* States.” Abbot said during one visit to New York City that Adams was right to be upset about the surge in migrants but should be blaming President Joe Biden. Adams ultimately did criticize the federal government, saying it had an obligation to help the city pay for housing and providing services to migrants. New York has long provided shelter to more homeless people than any other U.S. city, in part because of a 1981 court ruling requiring it to shelter anyone who asks for it. City officials say they have provided shelter and other services to more than 200,000 immigrants in the past two years, only a fraction of whom arrived via Texas-sponsored buses. As the new arrivals swelled, New York and other cities ended up following Abbott’s lead, offering migrants free bus tickets to other places. New York paid over 4,800 fares for immigrants to travel to Texas, including some who had been bused from there, according to city officials. Source link #Judge #York #antiquated #unconstitutional #law #block #migrant #buses #Texas Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

These ‘Trump trades’ are on a roll and analysts see more gains ahead These ‘Trump trades’ are on a roll and analysts see more gains ahead Some stocks may be poised for more upside after President-elect Donald Trump’s White House victory. Since Trump’s win, the market has already seen some major gains. In fact, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S & P 500 posted all-time intraday highs during Friday’s trading session, with the blue-chip index topping 44,000 and the broad market index hitting 6,000 for the first time. Stocks in various sectors considered to be beneficiaries also saw gains in the wake of the election, with key names ranging from those in industrials to banks and energy. Those sectors in particular had several winners in the rally following Trump’s 2016 win , and analysts believe gains may likewise be in store this time around – especially for energy. “Based on different approaches to the Energy Transition (ET), we believe a Trump admin would be more favorable to the energy sector and equities,” Wells Fargo analyst Roger Read told clients this week, adding that a second Trump term that “constrains” the ET would benefit refiners, international oil companies (IOCs) and gas exploration and production companies. “We expect a general deregulatory bent from both executive orders and even with legislation – depending on the outcome of the House.” Defense stocks could also see some gains, according to Barclays analyst David Strauss. Even with an increasing federal deficit, he expects the defense budget to continue to increase under a Trump administration, a move that he said should be “broadly supportive” of defense and government services. “We ultimately think a broad government fiscal reform program could be positive for defense, likely freeing up more funding to be put towards weapons development and procurement,” the analyst wrote in a note to clients this week. Semiconductor stocks, which responded favorably to the election outcome, may also continue to benefit, even with Trump’s hardline tariff strategy. The former president has signaled implementing sweeping tariffs, suggesting that he would propose 10% to 20% tariffs on all U.S. imports and tariffs of at least 60% on goods from China. Notably, Wolfe Research analyst Chris Caso believes that these tariffs will likely have a “minimal impact” on semis, given that only a ********* of them are shipped to the U.S. He also notes that there likely won’t be much more done in terms of restrictions for those companies tied to artificial intelligence. In light of this, CNBC Pro screened for stocks that have rallied after both of Trump’s election wins and may still see more upside based on the following criteria: Saw at least a 10% gain from Nov. 7, 2016, to the end of that year after Trump’s first win Saw at least a 2% gain on Wednesday after Trump’s second win Are expected to see another 15% gain from here among analysts Below is the full list of stocks that made the cut. In the energy space, Texas-based oil company ConocoPhillips could be a major beneficiary of Trump’s policies, including the expansion of drilling projects . While it hasn’t been a great year for the stock — it’s down nearly 4% year to date — it rose 4% on Wednesday after the election’s result. Looking ahead, analysts expect ConocoPhillips to see more than 20% upside. That would be above the 14.2% rally the stock saw after Trump’s first win from Nov. 7, 2016, until year’s end. On the whole, Wall Street is majorly bullish on the name, as 21 of the 27 analysts covering it have a strong buy or buy rating. The remaining six analysts have taken a neutral stance. Defense company Huntington Ingalls is a standout stock. In Wednesday’s session following Trump’s second win, the industrial name advanced more than 5%, and analysts forecast about 16% upside to go. In 2016, it surged nearly 24% following Trump’s first win until year-end. However, the Street is still largely neutral on the stock. Among the 15 analysts covering it, 11 have a hold rating, while only two have a strong buy or buy rating. The stock has also had a rough year, plummeting about 22%. Chip giant Advanced Micro Devices is a high-beta stock that could also benefit from a possible extension of the bull market and Trump’s tax cuts. The stock rallied more than 2% on Wednesday after Trump’s second win. Analysts – most of whom are bullish, with 43 of the 52 covering it having a strong buy or buy rating – see an average of more than 24% upside ahead. That would follow a monster rally after Trump’s first win, which saw the stock gain almost 63% from Nov. 7, 2016, until the end of that year. While the stock has been marginally higher this year, it’s plunged more than 14% over the past one month. Source link #Trump #trades #roll #analysts #gains #ahead Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Three China stocks that analysts are watching for longer-term opportunities Three China stocks that analysts are watching for longer-term opportunities ******** stocks wrapped up a momentous week marked by a $1.4 trillion debt swap program that fell short of many investors’ calls for more direct government support. For many, the reaction among investors only reinforced the need to look at longer-term opportunities in individual stocks that haven’t changed. The Ministry of Finance signaled at a closely watched press conference Friday that more fiscal support could come next year , while in the near term it focused on addressing local government debt. The relatively muted measures come as China gears up for heightened trade relations with the U.S. under President-elect Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose high tariffs on imported goods. Through it all, the CSI 300 stock index in Shanghair managed to rise nearly 6.6% last week, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong rallied 3.2%. Stopping further weakness On a macroeconomic level, China is trying to ensure inflation and employment don’t deteriorate further, said Liqian Ren, leader of quantitative investment at WisdomTree. While Ren doesn’t expect a return to rapid growth, she is watching how ******** companies are able to build up their brands and charge a premium, maturing from models that previously competed only on price. “So I think consumer companies like Anta , I think not many people have understood outside China, but it is really becoming the world’s leading sportswear company,” Ren said. “I think they are also going to make a global play soon. But not many Americans know about the brand.” But if Anta continues on its present path, perhaps in 10 years consumers will regard the company the same as “Adidas or other so called foreign sports brands,” Ren said. “That’s one thing that I am personally paying attention to.” Hong Kong-listed Anta sells sportswear under its own brand while owning Fila and high-end brand Descente, among others. The company said in October that Anta-brand retail sales for the third quarter rose by the mid-single digits from a year ago, while that of Fila weakened and other brands surged by as much as 50%. Anta shares are up 18% so far in 2024. China’s efforts to rival foreign brands have not diminished, regardless of the slowdown. Baidu is reportedly scheduled Tuesday to release its own artificial intelligence-connected glasses, vying with Meta’s RayBans product. Xpeng expansion Electric car startup Xpeng in the past week announced its own humanoid ****** , and a new $26,000 car called the P7+ that’s already racked up more than 30,000 preorders for deliveries due to start this month. The products are largely only going to be available in China, at least initially. “For ******** EVs, the door is now closed, and re-shoring is impractical,” Macquarie analysts said in a Nov. 7 report. “Our top pick is XPeng, a China pure play.” “XPeng has no exposure to the U.S. market and no current plans to enter the market,” the analysts said. “Domestic volume has room to ramp quickly, led by new competitive models like the M03 and P7+. The successful launch of the M03 has helped to alleviate investor concerns about supply chain management and product competitiveness.” “Upcoming catalysts, such as the pure-vision ADAS M03 and the launch of a hybrid system car could benefit from domestic confidence/consumption recovery and are unaffected by geopolitical events,” the Macquarie analysts said. About half of Xpeng’s 20,000-plus deliveries in each of the past two months have come from its lower-priced ***** M03 car. In the consumer sector, Macquarie’s top pick is Yum China , which operates Pizza Hut and KFC in China. “YUMC is our top idea in the consumer sector given that it is a pure domestic market play,” the analysts said. “The company’s strategy shift towards franchisee stores and new store format K COFFEE as well as Pizza Hut WoW would be a secular growth driver, which can decouple from geopolitical risk.” Yum China has ramped up shareholder return targets to $4.5 billion in 2026 from $3 billion in 2024, they added. Yum China on Nov. 4 reported third-quarter earnings, showing operating profit grew by 15% year-on-year to $371 million. Xpeng is due to release quarterly results on Nov. 19. In the week ahead, internet giants Tencent and Alibaba both report earnings. The central government is scheduled Friday Nov. 15 to release retail sales and industrial data for October. “You have to be very willing to suffer the negative sentiment to invest in China,” Ren said. There are often “long stretch[es] of negative sentiment which really test a person’s risk-taking.” But she also highlighted that ******** stocks can serve as a hedge to other equity markets. — CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Source link #China #stocks #analysts #watching #longerterm #opportunities Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Top Wall Street analysts like these dividend-paying stocks Top Wall Street analysts like these dividend-paying stocks The major averages have been on a sharp upward turn since Donald Trump won the presidential election last week, but investors who want to buffer their portfolio from future market shocks may want to add dividend stocks. To select the right dividend stocks, investors can consider the recommendations of top Wall Street analysts, who have a strong track record and provide useful insights based on a thorough analysis of a company’s fundamentals. Here are three dividend-paying stocks, highlighted by Wall Street’s top ***** on TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance. Enterprise Products Partners This week’s first dividend pick is Enterprise Products Partners (EPD), a midstream energy services provider. For the third quarter of 2024, EPD announced a distribution of $0.525 per unit, reflecting a 5% year-over-year increase. EPD offers a high yield of 6.9%. The company also enhances shareholder returns through share repurchases. During Q3 2024, EPD made repurchased about $76 million worth of its common units. Following EPD’s Q3 results, RBC Capital analyst Elvira Scotto reiterated a buy rating on the stock with a price target of $36. The analyst noted that the company’s Q3 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of $2.442 billion was in line with Wall Street and RBC’s estimates, with increased natural gas marketing contributions offsetting a decline in the margins of the octane enhancement business and crude oil marketing. Scotto highlighted EPD’s robust backlog of organic growth projects, with notable projects expected to come online next year and fuel the company’s growth. The analyst also expects the company to benefit from the recently completed acquisition of Pinon Midstream. “We continue to believe the steady cash flow and EPD’s strong balance sheet (+/- 3.0x financial leverage target) can comfortably handle the spend and drive meaningful long-term growth,” said Scotto. Scotto ranks No. 20 among more than 9,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. Her ratings have been profitable 70% of the time, delivering an average return of 21.6%. See EPD Stock Buybacks on TipRanks. International Business Machines We move to the next dividend stock, IBM (IBM). The tech giant recently reported mixed results for the third quarter. Earnings exceeded analysts’ estimates, but the top line fell short of expectations as the solid growth in Software revenues was partially offset by lower Consulting and Infrastructure revenues. In Q3, IBM generated free cash flow of $2.1 billion and returned $1.5 billion to shareholders through dividends. IBM stock offers a dividend yield of 3.1%. Following investor meetings with IBM management, Evercore analyst Amit Daryanani reaffirmed a buy rating on IBM stock with a price target of $240. The analyst stated that after the meetings, he has a “more constructive view of the durability of the company’s long-term growth and their critical role as an enabler of hybrid IT + AI technologies.” Commenting on IBM’s Enterprise artificial intelligence positioning, Daryanani thinks that IBM is capable of addressing the AI opportunity in both its Software and Consulting businesses. He highlighted that IBM’s AI book of business has increased to more than $3 billion, up from $1 billion a quarter ago, with about 80% of the bookings coming from the Consulting business. Daryanani noted the strength in IBM’s Software business and expects this momentum to continue, driven by persistent growth in Red Hat (acquired in 2019), transaction processing growth, demand for AI/data solutions, and mergers and acquisitions. Further, the analyst expects the Consulting business to recover next year. Overall, Daryanani is confident about IBM’s prospects under the leadership of CEO Arvind Krishna. He is optimistic about the company’s ability to grow its profit at a higher rate than revenue, thanks to the increasing Software mix, operating scale and cost optimization efforts. Daryanani ranks No. 316 among more than 9,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 58% of the time, delivering an average return of 12.3%. See IBM Hedge Fund Activity on TipRanks. Ares Capital Finally, let’s look at Ares Capital (ARCC), a specialty finance company that provides financing solutions to private middle-market companies. ARCC recently reported solid third-quarter results, attributing them to strong new investment activity and healthy credit performance. Also, Ares Capital announced a dividend of 48 cents per share for the fourth quarter, payable on Dec. 30. ARCC stock offers a dividend yield of 8.9%. Following the Q3 print, RBC Capital analyst Kenneth Lee reaffirmed a buy rating on the stock and slightly raised the price target to $23 from $22. The analyst’s bullish stance is backed by ARCC’s “strong track record of managing risks through the cycle, well-supported dividends, and scale advantages.” Lee lowered his adjusted EPS estimates for 2024 to $2.36 from $2.39, and he trimmed them for 2025 to $2.13 per share from $2.17 per share to account for reduced yield assumptions and changes in dividend income assumptions. Nonetheless, he is optimistic about the company’s potential due to its solid credit performance and less downside risk owing to a favorable macro backdrop. Lee highlighted that ARCC’s portfolio activity was greater than expected, with Q3 witnessing net additions of more than $1.32 billion, much greater than RBC’s estimate of over $800 million. He also noted the company’s improved credit performance, with non-accruals moving down to 1.3% in Q3 from 1.5% in the second quarter. Overall, Lee thinks that ARCC has the potential to deliver above peer-average return on equity and views its scale as a competitive advantage. Lee ranks No. 34 among more than 9,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 70% of the time, delivering an average return of 17.2%. See ARCC Stock Charts on TipRanks. Source link #Top #Wall #Street #analysts #dividendpaying #stocks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The 88-year-old lorry driver building a rural care home The 88-year-old lorry driver building a rural care home BBC Rosemary Stevenson collects second-hand furniture to sell and raise money At 88, Rosemary Stevenson spends her days loading a lorry with furniture to sell in a tiny village in South Ayrshire. It’s one of the many ways her team have raised more than £1.5m over the last 25 years to support elderly people in Ballantrae. So far, they’ve started up a care agency and a daytime space to entertain elderly people in the coastal village. But her ultimate goal is to build a care home with a dementia unit, which could cost over £500,000 due to rising construction costs. The plan came about after Rosemary noticed that older residents in the village were forced to move away from family and friends to get overnight care. “They’re going away from their families and their grandchildren, it’s not right,” she told BBC Scotland News. “It doesn’t happen anywhere else. “If you live in Girvan and you need a care home, you’re still in the same area. But this place is different.” The BRICC house is used to entertain elderly people and the BRICC shop sells second-hand items next door Rosemary said the council would not pay for overnight care and older people had to go into care homes, which could be as far away as Girvan, Maybole or Ayr. “But there were several people in the village who would not go,” she added. After the council turned down requests to build a care home, the group decided to create a charity – Ballantrae Rural Initiative Care in the Community (BRICC) – to build their own care home. “These people have been in the village all their lives and they do not want to move,” Rosemary added. “It means their families and friends have to travel miles and miles away to visit them, which could mean sitting on a bus for hours.” The founding members at BRICC decided to raise money to look after the growing elderly population in the village One of the founder members of the committee recently had to go into a care home miles away from her family and friends. “It’s upset a lot of us because we’re not there yet,” said Rosemary. “After 25 years, we can’t look after the people here because there’s nowhere for them to stay and the council won’t pay for overnight care.” Since the committee formed, Rosemary has been driving the lorry around South Ayrshire collecting furniture to sell at the BRICC Shop. “I quite enjoy driving the lorry, you feel a lot safer way up there,” she said. “Since we got the charity shop, I’ve been going about South Ayrshire and beyond.” The group hopes to build the care home on the land next to the BRICC House Just before the pandemic, the committee received planning permission to build a care home with 16 beds on land next to the BRICC House. “We were ready to go but Covid stopped us and we didn’t do anything for three years,” Rosemary said. “When we went back to the architect, he said he needed another 15%. “But by the time we raise that, he’ll tell us the same thing again. We’ve got to get help to do this, but who’s going to give us help?” Audrey Houston, 67, runs the BRICC shop. She joined the charity 12 years ago while she was recovering from ******* *******. Audrey Houston joined BRICC when she was recovering from ******* “I’m now in and out in the van emptying houses and bringing furniture back to the shop,” she said. “It’s been really good for me to have something to get up for in the morning, and we get customers coming from all over.” She told BBC Scotland News it was essential for the charity to secure more funds to reach its goal. BRICC had more than 40 volunteers when it launched, but since then many of the older members have become ill or *****. Now there are only about eight people left to keep the charity going. “We just need the funds to get the ball rolling for the care home,” Audrey said. “We want Rosemary to see something happen – this has been her life’s work. “We’re all hoping to go into this care home facility when we’re older. We don’t want to have to leave the village.” A spokeswoman for the South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership said: “South Ayrshire has one of the oldest populations in Scotland and our population is expected to continue to age quickly until 2040. “This means that we have more people requiring care and fewer people available to work in care. “This is especially challenging in our more remote and rural areas such as Girvan and Ballantrae. “We will continue to work with all of our providers and partners, including BRICC to adapt our care delivery models and meet people’s needs as best we can.” She said the council has a meeting with BRICC planned for this month to discuss the charity’s plans for the village. Source link #88yearold #lorry #driver #building #rural #care #home Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Three China stocks that analysts are watching for longer-term opportunities Three China stocks that analysts are watching for longer-term opportunities ******** stocks wrapped up a momentous week marked by a $1.4 trillion debt swap program that fell short of many investors’ calls for more direct government support. For many, the reaction among investors only reinforced the need to look at longer-term opportunities in individual stocks that haven’t changed. The Ministry of Finance signaled at a closely watched press conference Friday that more fiscal support could come next year , while in the near term it focused on addressing local government debt. The relatively muted measures come as China gears up for heightened trade relations with the U.S. under President-elect Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose high tariffs on imported goods. Through it all, the CSI 300 stock index in Shanghair managed to rise nearly 6.6% last week, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong rallied 3.2%. Stopping further weakness On a macroeconomic level, China is trying to ensure inflation and employment don’t deteriorate further, said Liqian Ren, leader of quantitative investment at WisdomTree. While Ren doesn’t expect a return to rapid growth, she is watching how ******** companies are able to build up their brands and charge a premium, maturing from models that previously competed only on price. “So I think consumer companies like Anta , I think not many people have understood outside China, but it is really becoming the world’s leading sportswear company,” Ren said. “I think they are also going to make a global play soon. But not many Americans know about the brand.” But if Anta continues on its present path, perhaps in 10 years consumers will regard the company the same as “Adidas or other so called foreign sports brands,” Ren said. “That’s one thing that I am personally paying attention to.” Hong Kong-listed Anta sells sportswear under its own brand while owning Fila and high-end brand Descente, among others. The company said in October that Anta-brand retail sales for the third quarter rose by the mid-single digits from a year ago, while that of Fila weakened and other brands surged by as much as 50%. Anta shares are up 18% so far in 2024. China’s efforts to rival foreign brands have not diminished, regardless of the slowdown. Baidu is reportedly scheduled Tuesday to release its own artificial intelligence-connected glasses, vying with Meta’s RayBans product. Xpeng expansion Electric car startup Xpeng in the past week announced its own humanoid ****** , and a new $26,000 car called the P7+ that’s already racked up more than 30,000 preorders for deliveries due to start this month. The products are largely only going to be available in China, at least initially. “For ******** EVs, the door is now closed, and re-shoring is impractical,” Macquarie analysts said in a Nov. 7 report. “Our top pick is XPeng, a China pure play.” “XPeng has no exposure to the U.S. market and no current plans to enter the market,” the analysts said. “Domestic volume has room to ramp quickly, led by new competitive models like the M03 and P7+. The successful launch of the M03 has helped to alleviate investor concerns about supply chain management and product competitiveness.” “Upcoming catalysts, such as the pure-vision ADAS M03 and the launch of a hybrid system car could benefit from domestic confidence/consumption recovery and are unaffected by geopolitical events,” the Macquarie analysts said. About half of Xpeng’s 20,000-plus deliveries in each of the past two months have come from its lower-priced ***** M03 car. In the consumer sector, Macquarie’s top pick is Yum China , which operates Pizza Hut and KFC in China. “YUMC is our top idea in the consumer sector given that it is a pure domestic market play,” the analysts said. “The company’s strategy shift towards franchisee stores and new store format K COFFEE as well as Pizza Hut WoW would be a secular growth driver, which can decouple from geopolitical risk.” Yum China has ramped up shareholder return targets to $4.5 billion in 2026 from $3 billion in 2024, they added. Yum China on Nov. 4 reported third-quarter earnings, showing operating profit grew by 15% year-on-year to $371 million. Xpeng is due to release quarterly results on Nov. 19. In the week ahead, internet giants Tencent and Alibaba both report earnings. The central government is scheduled Friday Nov. 15 to release retail sales and industrial data for October. “You have to be very willing to suffer the negative sentiment to invest in China,” Ren said. There are often “long stretch[es] of negative sentiment which really test a person’s risk-taking.” But she also highlighted that ******** stocks can serve as a hedge to other equity markets. — CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Source link #China #stocks #analysts #watching #longerterm #opportunities Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Two Saudi-led coalition troops ******* in Yemen Two Saudi-led coalition troops ******* in Yemen Two members of the Saudi-led coalition forces have been ******* in an ******* by a Yemeni defence ministry employee in Yemen’s Seiyun, the coalition’s spokesperson Turki al-Malki was quoted by the Saudi state news agency as saying. Al-Malki said Friday’s *******, which also wounded one officer, occurred at a training camp for Yemeni forces in the eastern city of Seiyun in the Hadhramaut province. He added the coalition and Yemeni authorities will jointly investigate the incident to determine motives behind the ******* and bring the perpetrator to justice. While the Houthis did not claim responsibility for the *******, at least one Houthi official praised it as being “the beginning and an indication of a harsh future awaiting the invaders.” Houthi official Hamid Rizq praised the ******* on the social media, claiming it came from “the feeling of oppression” over Saudi troops being stationed in the area. Yemen has been mired in a decade-long war since the Houthis swept into Sanaa from their northern strongholds in September 2014. The Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 after Iran-aligned Houthis ousted the government from the capital, Sanaa. Yemen has enjoyed almost two years of relative calm amid direct peace talks between Saudi and Houthi officials. with AP Source link #Saudiled #coalition #troops #******* #Yemen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rolls-Royce driver sought in multi-car collision that injured four people in Van Nuys Rolls-Royce driver sought in multi-car collision that injured four people in Van Nuys Who would abandon a $400,000 Rolls-Royce on the street in Van Nuys? Evidently, someone involved in a reckless driving incident that led to two wrecks and four people being taken to the hospital. LAPD officers are on the hunt for the driver, who fled the scene of a ****** Friday night. Reported around 9:50 p.m., the collision was triggered by two luxury cars — a Rolls-Royce Cullinan ($389,000 for the base model) and Mercedes GT63 (base price $153,350) — going west side by side on Sherman Way at a high rate of speed, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The Mercedes driver clipped a Honda Civic turning left onto Sherman Circle, ejecting the Honda driver from the car and also injuring the passenger. The Rolls-Royce driver swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid the collision, ran into a Chevy Traverse and crashed into the curb. The driver fled the scene. Read more: Ski-masked robbers target Ferrari, Rolls Royce drivers at Fashion Island As of Saturday afternoon, the police had not yet released a description of the driver, who is being pursued for charges of reckless driving and hit and run. Both people from the Honda sustained serious injuries and were hospitalized. The Mercedes driver was hospitalized and arrested on suspicion of reckless driving. According to the Los Angeles ***** Department, a fourth person from the collision was also transported to the hospital. The status of the Chevy driver is unclear. According to the ***** Department, two ****** males were transported in critical condition (both reportedly ejected from the vehicle). Two patients (****** male, ****** female) were transported with non-life threatening injuries. Police did not confirm whether the Rolls-Royce and Mercedes drivers were street racing. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Source link #RollsRoyce #driver #sought #multicar #collision #injured #people #Van #Nuys Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]