10-man Barcelona concedes two late goals in draw at Celta VigoIt’s not hyperbole to say that Apple makes some of the best wireless earbuds money can buy. At the same time, the company has a history of making its new AirPods and Beats models relatively unattainable for budget-conscious consumers. That is until now. The AirPods 4 and Beats Solo Buds are the latest entry-level offerings from both brands that can be purchased at generously low prices. Both sets of buds integrate with Apple’s ecosystem for a seamless audio experience. They also boast similar features that are packed into chic and compact designs. Want to know which inexpensive Apple buds get you more for your money? Our in-depth breakdown has the answer. AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Specs compared AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Price & availability Apple released two versions of the AirPods 4 – one with ANC for $179 and one without ANC for $129. White is the only color they come in. This face-off profiles the (non-ANC) version. Beats launched the Solo Buds at $79, though Target is currently selling them for as low as $49 , which is clearly the more enticing price point. Four colors are available: Arctic Purple, Matte Black, Storm Grey, and Transparent Red. You can purchase either set of buds on the Apple website or at popular online retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy . Winner: Beat Solo Buds AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Design These are the smallest buds and portable case that Beats has ever made. Despite no IP rating, the build quality is sturdy and can sustain sweat and water particles. We don’t advise exercising with them. All the color options are attractive, plus they fit well and make for an incredibly light carry. Comfort has its issues, but only when dealing with the controls (more on that later). The only difference between the AirPods 4 and AirPods 3 is the former’s tinier charging case. Everything else was left untouched: the long-stem silhouette, open-ear sound ports, and plastic construction. IP54 sweat and water resistance protect the buds and charging case. The buds rest comfortably on the concha, but their loose fit is a concern for daily commuters and light joggers. Winner : Beats Solo Buds AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Controls The AirPods 4 maintain the series’ flawless control scheme. Users receive excellent voice controls , precise motion detection, and force sensors that produce great tactile feedback. “Hey Siri ” voice activation instantly acknowledges and executes verbal inquiries. The force sensors accurately respond to single-/multi-press and long-press gestures. Wear detection doesn’t disappoint either, auto-pausing content whenever removing the buds and enabling playback when placed on your ears. Like all other Beats buds, the Solo Buds have multifunctional buttons with solid tactility to enable different functions via single/multi-press or long-hold gestures. Just know that pressing them pushes the buds further into your ears and causes discomfort. “Hey Siri ” voice activation and wear detection are unavailable on the Solo Buds. Winner: Apple AirPods 4 AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Sound quality Audio performance on the AirPods 4 and Solo Buds is shockingly good, considering their low MSRPs. Music and movies sound clearer and more immersive on the AirPods 4. Apple stuffed its H2 processor into the latest AirPods, along with a dynamic range amplifier and high-excursion driver that dish out clear frequency range and rich bass. Personalized Spatial Audio gives Dolby Atmos content a dynamic and lively presence that you won’t experience on other open wireless earbuds. Speaking of which, both AirPods 4 models are designed to let ambient noise in, though the ANC version does a better job of minimizing incidental sounds. As for the Solo Buds, they’re easily the best-sounding Apple buds under $100. Dual-layered drivers deliver powerful bass and well-balanced frequencies, resulting in near-high-fidelity audio. Playback is smooth when listening to the best music streaming services on iOS/macOS and Android devices. The acoustic nozzles and laser-cut vents also produce fuller output. Bass can come on heavy at times, though that’s nothing new for Beats products. Winner : Tie AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Special features The AirPods 4 carry many of the same upscale features as the AirPods Pro 2 , including an adaptive EQ, Find My integration, “Hey Siri” voice activation, and multiple listening modes (e.g., Headphones Accommodations, Personalized Spatial Audio). Other standouts include automatic switching, audio sharing, low wireless audio latency, and access to numerous Apple Music settings. Meanwhile, the Solo Buds support some of the same features as their porcelain rival. On the list: audio sharing, Find My, Personalized Spatial Audio, and all Apple Music settings. Everything else is reserved for high-end Apple and Beats products. One benefit to owning the Solo Buds is that they come with Android integration to take advantage of platform staples like Google Fast Pair and Find My Device. Winner : Apple AirPods 4 AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Connectivity All AirPods and Beats earbuds instantaneously connect to iOS, macOS, and tvOS devices. One-tap pairing is automatically enabled when opening either model’s case. The Solo Buds are more platform neutral and easily connect to Android devices, thanks to a proprietary chipset that Beats designed for use with Google-operated devices. The Solo Buds even have Bluetooth multipoint technology to pair to two Android devices simultaneously. The AirPods 4 are compatible with Android devices, but the pairing process isn’t as seamless, nor are you given access to certain features (e.g., spatial audio, Siri). Winner : Beats Solo Buds AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Call quality These are decent calling headsets at best. Expect clear and loud voice calling on both ends, along with minor muffling and some background noise when talking in rowdy environments. The AirPods 4 have the edge due to their stronger mic array that demonstrates superior vocal capture and pronunciation on FaceTime calls. Winner : Apple AirPods 4 AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Battery life Numbers can be deceiving, especially when it comes to battery life. This mainly applies to the Solo Buds, which are rated at 18 hours at full charge. However, there is a huge caveat – the case does not have an internal battery. That means the case doesn’t provide extra charges. The AirPods 4 aren’t any better. Yes, Apple’s charging case can hold up to 30 hours, but a single charge only gets you 5 hours max, and that’s with special features turned off. Neither case supports wireless charging. Winner : Tie AirPods 4 vs. Beats Solo Buds: Verdict The smarter purchase is the AirPods 4. Performance is stronger in more areas, specifically controls and special features, which greatly expand functionality. These buds are far from perfect; the poor battery life and substandard craftsmanship speak volumes. Still, this is a notable pickup for Apple users that want an intuitive and reliable AirPods experience for several dollars less than the flagship AirPods Pro 2. Don’t overlook the Beats Solo Buds. Whether at regular price or sale price, these buds make for a fantastic budget Christmas gift and backup pair for your more expensive wireless earbuds. Dynamic sound and spatial audio support in a trendy miniature design should appeal to most brand enthusiasts. It’s just unfortunate that they come with a limited feature set and no additional playtime. More from Tom's Guide7 fishing 。

AFP – Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid was ejected after confronting a woman referee in the 76ers’ 111-106 victory over San Antonio in a wild Monday of NBA action. An expected big-man showdown between Cameroonian Embiid and France’s Victor Wembanyama ended late in the first half, leaving Tyrese Maxey to produce 32 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in sparking the win. “It’s big time,” Maxey said of getting the win for Embiid. “We’re learning to play without him... We’ve got to change the game, come a little faster, play a little harder and gain rebounds.” Embiid came onto the court after the game and hugged Maxey after the guard’s late surge with a steal, dunk, three-pointer and free throw in a game-ending 9-3 win to deliver the home triumph. “It’s love, man,” Maxey said. “That has been my big brother for a long time.” Chaos started 3:47 into the second period when Wembanyama tumbled to the court after contact with Philadelphia’s Andre Drummond, who was ejected for a second technical foul. It was later overturned upon a video review to a “Wemby” flop foul, allowing Drummond back into the game. Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid argues with referee Jenna Schroeder as Kyle Lowry intervenes during the first-half of an NBA basketball game in Philadelphia, United States. PHOTO: AP Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown makes a shot over Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva. PHOTO: AP Embiid was whistled for his third foul by referee Jenna Schroeder after charging into Wembanyama with 2:59 remaining in the first half and, after heated complaints to her, Embiid was issued two technical fouls and ejected. That sparked even more ire from Embiid, who ripped off the facial protective mask he wore for a sinus fracture and yelled his displeasure while being physically restrained from confronting the officials. He exited after only nine points in 14 minutes. “It was a wild first-half,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. NBA blocked shots leader Wembanyama finished with 26 points, nine rebounds and eight blocked shots for the Spurs. He swatted away four in the first-quarter, three in its final 30 seconds, on his way to a career-best seven in the first half. An injury-hit Orlando Magic squad stunned the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics 108-104, with German Tristan da Silva’s 18 points leading a balanced attack for the hosts to pull off the upset despite 35 points for Boston by Jaylen Brown. “This one’s for Mo,” said Orlando’s Johnathan Isaac, paying tribute to centre Mo Wagner, who suffered a season-ending left knee injury on Saturday. The Cavs, on a five-game win streak, improved to 16-1 at home as Darius Garland had 23 points while Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley each added 22. Host Oklahoma City’s win streak stretched to eight games with a 123-105 victory over NBA-worst Washington. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Western Conference-best Thunder (23-5) with 41 points.COLLEGE REPORT: It's back ... with focuses on football, volleyball

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Freelancing is rapidly growing in Saudi Arabia, becoming a significant contributor to the national economy and assisting individuals. As of September 2024, over 2.25 million individuals were registered on the freelance platform, reflecting the increased demand for this flexible work option. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development established the "Future Work" company in 2019 with an objective of boosting the freelancing sector. It focuses on promoting modern work styles, like remote work, flexible hours, and freelancing. Its goal is to expand job opportunities, empower Saudi talent, and create a new labor market that complements the traditional system while keeping pace with global developments. A recent report by Future Work highlights the sector's impressive growth and its alignment with Vision 2030. The report also reveals a diverse range of freelance activities. Trade and retail lead this sector with 38 percent, followed by industry 13 percent and business services 11 percent. This highlights the dynamism of the freelance market, capable of meeting the needs of various sectors. In terms of education, the sector offers flexibility for different qualifications. Bachelor degrees are the most common with 62 percent, followed by high school graduates or less, with 31percent and holders of higher degrees with 7 percent. Technology plays a crucial role, with digital platforms becoming essential tools for freelancers, especially in tech, information, and finance. These platforms enhance efficiency and communication, leading to greater sustainability and success. Geographically, Riyadh has the highest concentration of freelancers with 27 percent, followed by Makkah 22 percent and the Eastern Province 14percent. The 25-34 age group is the most active, reflecting young people's growing interest in freelancing. The report also highlights a promising trend: 3.2 million women expressed interest in entering the freelance market. This reflects the success of initiatives launched to help women participate in the economy, while balancing professional and personal lives. According to the report, freelancers’ contribution to the GDP is significant. In 2023, it reached SR72.5 billion, representing two percent of the Kingdom's GDP. This underlines the sector's contribution to the national economy and to diversifying sources of income. Government initiatives like the Reef program, the Social Development Bank, and the Human Resources Development Fund further support this growth by providing a supportive environment for freelancers. < Previous Page Next Page >

No. 22 St. John's, Georgia pack busy schedule with game on Sunday

10-man Barcelona concedes two late goals in draw at Celta Vigo

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Justin Jefferson might be weary of all the safeties shadowing his every route, determined not to let the Minnesota Vikings go deep, but he's hardly angry. The double and triple coverage he continually faces, after all, is a sign of immense respect for his game-breaking ability. The strategy also simply makes sense. “I would do the same," Jefferson said. "It’s either let everybody else go off or let Justin go off. I’m going to let everybody else go off. That would be my game plan.” When the Vikings visit Chicago on Sunday, they're expecting the usual heavy dose of split-safety coverage designed to put a lid on the passing attack and force them to operate primarily underneath. “We see that every week: Teams just have different tendencies on film, and then when we go out on the field they play us totally different,” Jefferson said, later adding: “I don’t really feel like anyone else is getting played how I’m getting played.” Jefferson nonetheless is second in the NFL in receiving yards (912) behind Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase, his former college teammate at LSU. Last week, Jefferson set yet another all-time record by passing Torry Holt for the most receiving yards over the first five seasons of a career. Holt logged 80 regular-season games and accumulated 6,784 yards for St. Louis. Jefferson has 6,811 yards — in just 70 games. “I want to go up against those single coverages. I want to go have my opportunities to catch a deep pass downfield, just one-on-one coverage, like a lot of these other receivers get," Jefferson said. "It’s definitely difficult going up against an extra person or an extra two people, but it is what it is and the concepts that we’re drawing up and the ways that we’re trying to get me open, it definitely helps.” With fellow tight end Josh Oliver ruled out of the game on Sunday because of a sprained ankle, T.J. Hockenson is certain to have his heaviest workload since returning from knee surgery four weeks ago. He's also certain that Jefferson will continue to see persistent double-teams. “It puts it on us to make some plays and do some things to get them out of that,” Hockenson said. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell has been forced to dig deeper into the vault of play designs and game plans to help keep quarterback Sam Darnold and the offense on track. O'Connell said after Minnesota's 12-7 win at Jacksonville, when Darnold threw three interceptions to precipitate a safer strategy down the stretch, that he superseded his play-calling role with the wisdom of a head coach to help win that game. "Not just the egomaniac of wanting to score points and constantly show everybody how smart we are. There was a mode that I think you have to go into sometimes to ensure a victory,” O'Connell said on his weekly show on KFAN radio. Taking what the defense gives is usually the shrewdest strategy. “You’ve got to really implement some new things and some things that maybe you didn’t come across during your early coaching years whether as a coordinator or position coach or even when you’re responsible for a small area of the game plan as a younger coach," O'Connell said. "You really have to kind of look outside the lens of always what you see on tape.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing . But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin , gold and other investments also drove higher. Here’s a look at some of the numbers that defined the year. All are as of Dec. 20. Remember when President Bill Clinton got impeached or when baseball’s Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run against the Montreal Expos? That was the last time the U.S. stock market closed out a second straight year with a leap of at least 20%, something the S&P 500 is on track to do again this year. The index has climbed 24.3% so far this year, not including dividends, following last year’s spurt of 24.2%. The number of all-time highs the S&P 500 has set so far this year. The first came early, on Jan. 19, when the index capped a two-year comeback from the swoon caused by high inflation and worries that high interest rates instituted by the Federal Reserve to combat it would create a recession. But the index was methodical through the rest of the year, setting a record in every month outside of April and August, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. The latest came on Dec. 6. The number of times the Federal Reserve has cut its main interest rate this year from a two-decade high, offering some relief to the economy. Expectations for those cuts, along with hopes for more in 2025, were a big reason the U.S. stock market has been so successful this year. The 1 percentage point of cuts, though, is still short of the 1.5 percentage points that many traders were forecasting for 2024 at the start of the year. The Fed disappointed investors in December when it said it may cut rates just two more times in 2025, fewer than it had earlier expected. That’s how many points the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by the day after Election Day, as investors made bets on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world . The more widely followed S&P 500 soared 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. Aside from bitcoin, stocks of banks and smaller winners were also perceived to be big winners. The bump has since diminished amid worries that Trump’s policies could also send inflation higher. Related Articles Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights Are religious people more generous than non-religious people? What new study finds Amazon and Starbucks workers are on strike. Trump might have something to do with it JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, BofA facing federal lawsuit over Zelle payment network fraud The level that bitcoin topped to set a record above $108,000 this past month. It’s been climbing as interest rates come down, and it got a particularly big boost following Trump’s election. He’s turned around and become a fan of crypto, and he’s named a former regulator who’s seen as friendly to digital currencies as the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, replacing someone who critics said was overly aggressive in his oversight. Bitcoin was below $17,000 just two years ago following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. Gold’s rise for the year, as it also hit records and had as strong a run as U.S. stocks. Wars around the world have helped drive demand for investments seen as safe, such as gold. It’s also benefited from the Fed’s cut to interest rates. When bonds are paying less in interest, they pull away fewer potential buyers from gold, which pays investors nothing. It’s a favorite number of Elon Musk, and it’s also a threshold that Tesla’s stock price passed in December as it set a record. The number has a long history among marijuana devotees, and Musk famously said in 2018 that he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Tesla soared this year, up from less than $250 at the start, in part because of expectations that Musk’s close relationship with Trump could benefit the company. That’s how much revenue Nvidia made in the nine months through Oct. 27, showing how the artificial-intelligence frenzy is creating mountains of cash. Nvidia’s chips are driving much of the move into AI, and its revenue through the last nine months catapulted from less than $39 billion the year before. Such growth has boosted Nvidia’s worth to more than $3 trillion in total. GameStop’s gain on May 13 after Keith Gill, better known as “Roaring Kitty,” appeared online for the first time in three years to support the video game retailer’s stock, which he helped rocket to unimaginable heights during the “ meme stock craze ” in 2021. Several other meme stocks also jumped following his post in May on the social platform X, including AMC Entertainment. Gill later disclosed a sizeable stake in the online pet products retailer Chewy, but he sold all of his holdings by late October . That’s how much the U.S. economy grew, at annualized seasonally adjusted rates, in each of the three first quarters of this year. Such growth blew past what many pessimists were expecting when inflation was topping 9% in the summer of 2022. The fear was that the medicine prescribed by the Fed to beat high inflation — high interest rates — would create a recession. Households at the lower end of the income spectrum in particular are feeling pain now, as they contend with still-high prices. But the overall economy has remained remarkably resilient. This is the vacancy rate for U.S. office buildings — an all-time high — through the first three quarters of 2024, according to data from Moody’s. The fact the rate held steady for most of the year was something of a win for office building owners, given that it had marched up steadily from 16.8% in the fourth quarter of 2019. Demand for office space weakened as the pandemic led to the popularization of remote work. That’s the total number of previously occupied homes sold nationally through the first 11 months of 2024. Sales would have to surge 20% year-over-year in December for 2024’s home sales to match the 4.09 million existing homes sold in 2023, a nearly 30-year low. The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. A shortage of homes for sale and elevated mortgage rates have discouraged many would-be homebuyers.

Hungary grants 'asylum' to wanted Polish politician

Broken Arrow School Board Candidate Announces Public Meet And Greet

Caprock Group LLC grew its holdings in Twilio Inc. ( NYSE:TWLO – Free Report ) by 152.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 11,038 shares of the technology company’s stock after buying an additional 6,661 shares during the period. Caprock Group LLC’s holdings in Twilio were worth $720,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Covestor Ltd increased its stake in shares of Twilio by 16.7% during the third quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,033 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares during the period. Tidal Investments LLC boosted its position in shares of Twilio by 2.3% in the first quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 7,295 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $446,000 after acquiring an additional 166 shares during the period. Metis Global Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Twilio by 2.5% in the third quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC now owns 7,324 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $478,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System increased its position in Twilio by 0.4% during the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 47,511 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $2,699,000 after acquiring an additional 205 shares during the period. Finally, US Bancorp DE raised its stake in Twilio by 4.7% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 4,787 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $312,000 after purchasing an additional 217 shares in the last quarter. 84.27% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Insider Transactions at Twilio In other Twilio news, insider Dana Wagner sold 4,174 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, September 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.02, for a total transaction of $271,393.48. Following the sale, the insider now owns 152,563 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,919,646.26. This represents a 2.66 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, CEO Khozema Shipchandler sold 11,073 shares of Twilio stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.03, for a total value of $720,077.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 278,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,087,054.02. This trade represents a 3.83 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold 49,946 shares of company stock worth $3,354,771 over the last ninety days. 4.50% of the stock is owned by insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Get Our Latest Research Report on Twilio Twilio Stock Up 2.3 % Shares of TWLO opened at $104.37 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $76.32 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $64.79. Twilio Inc. has a 12 month low of $52.51 and a 12 month high of $104.74. The company has a market capitalization of $16.01 billion, a PE ratio of -40.61, a PEG ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a current ratio of 5.06, a quick ratio of 5.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. Twilio Company Profile ( Free Report ) Twilio Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides customer engagement platform solutions in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Twilio Communications and Twilio Segment. The company provides various application programming interfaces and software solutions for communications between customers and end users, including messaging, voice, email, flex, marketing campaigns, and user identity and authentication. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TWLO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Twilio Inc. ( NYSE:TWLO – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Twilio Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Twilio and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

'Living Nostradamus' makes chilling prediction that World War III is 'imminent' and 'the worst is yet to come'Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote. Watch NBC Bay Area News 📺 Streaming free 24/7 Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990. “Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date. A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date. Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. "She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.” Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo," “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.” Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics. Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer. “Wheel of Fortune” started life as “Shopper’s Bazaar,” incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” singing “Delta Dawn,” Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford. “I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say — that’s the guy I want to be.’” NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as “Wheel of Fortune” and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak. “Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ‘Wheel’ did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that ‘Jeopardy!’ achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in “Merv: Making the Good Life Last,” an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician. The Avant-Garde, which tourbed in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/I can get a good sensation/Feel like I’m naturally stoned.” After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.” Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album “We Sure Can Love Each Other,” Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/Hear her laugh, hear her scream.” After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Times, he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution. He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism. “President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said. Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.” During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency. “The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020. Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died. Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted. Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.” In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said.

Political stability a must for economic stability: Liaquat BalochNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Brian Callahan is sticking with Mason Rudolph at quarterback for a second straight game to see if the Tennessee Titans can build on the veteran who's played in four of their highest scoring games this season. Callahan said Tuesday that he thinks Rudolph earned another chance to play despite a 38-30 loss to Indianapolis. “Obviously the one interception was probably his only really poor moment," Callahan said. "The rest of it was pretty well executed on his part and operated in a drop-back passing game and had to fight his way back through it. And it was good to see, so we’ll let him take another crack at it.” Rudolph is 2-4 in the six games he's played in this season. That includes coming in for an injured Will Levis on Sept. 30 in a 31-12 win at Miami , and he tried to rally the Titans in a turnover-plagued 37-27 loss to Cincinnati before being selected as the starter last week. Rudolph, who is in Tennessee on a one-year deal, was 23 of 34 for 252 yards with two touchdown passes and three interceptions. One went off running back Tony Pollard's hands with the final pick coming on the last play of the game after Rudolph led a rally from a 38-7 deficit in the final 18 minutes. Rudolph's ability to avoid sacks is a key piece of sticking with him over Levis, the 33rd pick overall in the 2023 draft. The quarterbacks' stats are similar with Rudolph having eight TD passes and eight interceptions, completing 63.8% of his passes with a 78.8 passer rating. That’s similar to Levis completing 63.7% of his passes with 12 TD passes and 12 interceptions. But Levis has been sacked 40 times compared to just seven for Rudolph. “He’s got the ability to avoid the negative play when it comes to sacks," Callahan said of Rudolph. “He gets the ball out. He knows where to go with it quickly.” That means Rudolph gets a chance Sunday when the Titans (3-12) visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12) to see if he can guide the offense to more than the six points Levis managed against their AFC South rival in a 10-6 loss on Dec. 8 in Nashville. Rudolph said he knows he put the Titans defense in a bad spot with some turnovers. "I’m ready to prove that I can take care of the ball better and keep scoring points,” Rudolph said. The Titans held a walk-through Tuesday with Callahan giving the team Wednesday off for Christmas. An injury report won't be released until Wednesday, and Callahan said it'll likely be lengthy. RG Dillon Radunz, who was knocked out of last week's game with an injury, will be on that report. Lineman Jaelyn Duncan, who hurt a hamstring badly enough early in his first start at right tackle Oct. 20 that he wound up on injured reserve , will be available. Callahan said he is excited to see Duncan play. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl