decision roulette DeWayne Carter jumped right back into the defensive line rotation for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The rookie third-round draft choice played 24 snaps during the team’s 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. That was 31% of the defensive total. Carter made his return to the lineup after missing five games with a wrist injury suffered in Week 7 against Tennessee. The Bills have sunk to 25th in the NFL on third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert 43.2% of their opportunities into first downs. Buffalo allowed the Rams to convert 11 of 15 third-down chances in Sunday’s 44-42 loss. He did not register any statistics in his return to the lineup. Here are four more takeaways from the Bills’ snap counts in their Week 14 loss. 1. Lewis Cine played special teams in his Bills debut. Called up from the practice squad Saturday, Cine played 16 snaps on special teams against the Rams, which was 48% of the team total. 2. Dawson Knox was busy. Down Dalton Kincaid and Quintin Morris at the position, Knox played 49 snaps, which was 82% of the team total. That was the highest amount for any player on offense, with the exception of quarterback Josh Allen and the starting offensive line. Knox had one catch for 5 yards. Bills linebacker Matt Milano attempts to make a tackle on Rams receiver Puka Nacua during Sunday's game. 3. Matt Milano played a healthy amount again. In his second game back from injury, Milano played 65 defensive snaps, which was 84% of the team total. Milano finished with three tackles, including one for a loss. Cooper led the Bills with 14 targets, more than doubling his previous high of five targets in his five games with the team since coming over in a trade with the Cleveland Browns in October. Cooper finished with six catches against the Rams for 95 yards, both of which are his best in a game for the Bills. “I thought there were some flashes from Matt,” head coach Sean McDermott said. “He’s getting his legs back underneath him.” 4. Ray Davis never touched the ball. The rookie running back played 13 offensive snaps (22%), but did not receive a carry and was not targeted in the passing game. Player of the game: Josh Allen Obviously. The Bills’ quarterback became the first player in NFL history to ever record three rushing and three passing touchdowns in the same regular-season game. It’s hard to believe that perhaps the best two games Allen has ever played – the “13 seconds” postseason game against the Chiefs and this one – both resulted in losses. He deserved so much better Sunday. Three questions on our mind after Sunday’s loss by the Bills to the Los Angeles Rams. Quote of the game “I hate losing. If you lose by two, you lose by 100, it doesn't matter, you're still losing. Offensively, we've got to find ways to score before the half and score after the half, so didn't do our part, either. Just trying to go out there and execute the play call to the best of our ability, and we didn't do that well enough tonight. I don't know the stats. I don't know how well we were on third down or completion percentage. I don't know any of that. I just know it wasn't good enough to win a football game.” – Allen, who shouldered way more blame for the loss than he needed to, which is what a true leader does. Stat of the game: 245-0 The record of teams to score at least six touchdowns and not turn the ball over in the Super Bowl era (dating back to 1970) before the Bills became the first team to lose such a game. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! News Sports Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.How co-writing a book threatened the Carters’ marriage

Significant milestones in life and career of Jimmy CarterWNBA Superstar Caitlin Clark in Running for Ownership Stake in Another SportKamala Harris spent $1.5 billion on her failed presidential campaign, hemorrhaging on average $100 million per week — proving that she and her claque are as bad at managing money as they are at generating coherent policy ideas. The big-ticket items: Heck, Kamala was so desperate to seem like she had something to say she paid big names to talk to her. Her campaign handed over $500,000 to race-war enthusiast Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network ahead of her sitdown with him on MSNBC — a move that stinks to high heaven and should (though it won’t) utterly wreck the rep of the American answer to Pravda. And she paid another sketchy news personality, Roland Martin (who’s alleged to have helped leak a townhall question to Hillary Clinton’s camp in 2016), some $350,000 via his Nu Vision Media ahead of her sitdown on his streaming show. The Washington Free Beacon revealed the Sharpton payments; many of these other details come from a gloomy New York Times report on the Harris disaster. Days late and $1.5 billion short, but still: America’s lucky the Gray Lady didn’t do more to vet Kamala before her ascent, otherwise Trump might have faced a genuine threat. But the big spend on bribing Sharpton for a sitdown and Winfrey to borrow her effortless mass appeal and Bon Jovi to buy cultural cred and on and on and on reveals one of the central problems with Harris’ campaign. It was hollow and fake from the start. Right down to the creepy, Stalinist rallying cry of “Joy” taken up by eager lapdogs at the Times and elsewhere. Trump was clearly the one having fun, zipping around the country, doing his trademark shuffle and letting fly one-liners as Harris stumbled and fumbled and mumbled and her army of enforcers on social media and in the press screeched about how amazing and wonderful and perfect she was. And despite having every major media organization pulling for her, she just didn’t have what it takes. Either in personality or policy. Money matters plenty in campaigns, but it can’t make up for having no real message and a candidate with zero credibility. Worse yet for the Democratic Party’s future, it may just have taught its donors to think twice before giving a dime to an apparatus that burns cash so incredibly cluelessly.1. Cookie Swap! , a cookbook with 50 recipes: everything from thumbprints and oatmeal to flaky cardamom palmiers and matcha sandwich cookies with almond cream — does anything sound more fun than missing school AND spending the day making cookies?! No way. This snow day is gonna be a core memory you're all sure to treasure forever. I have this book! My husband loves baking and *I* love baking...recipes that are not hard. We make cookie tins for friends every year (I know, how wholesome, right?) and this book was a great way to shake up our ideas! The recipes are clear, the pictures are gorgeous, and this definitely a fun gift. Promising review: "I love the concept for this book! I organize a cookie swap every year for by neighbors at holiday time. This book is absolutely perfect for ideas and recipes. It even tells you how to organize a swap and the recipe yields are all divisible by 12. The author has thought of everything, including advice on a 'bag of tricks,' which includes discussions on chocolate, types of butter, equipment, and types of cookies." — Falmouth Get it from Amazon for $12.09 . 2. And How to Cook Everything Kids — this is a cookbook that'll grow with your kids, encouraging them to participate more and more in the kitchen as they get older. Initially, the book's cute illustrations (such a clever idea!) engage tiny minds and interest them in learning about HOW to cook. After that, the images of kiddos cooking and the meals themselves help readers feel confident that they, too, can make a *real* meal! Promising review: "This book will grow with your children. With it, you can teach them about the utensils used in cooking, how to use a stove, oven, mixer, and food processor. If you have young children they can add and mix some of the ingredients while the adult or older children chop and cook over the stove or oven. This book teaches them how to organize the ingredients needed to make food, prepare it, and cook it. They will enjoy surprising their friends with guacamole, chicken chowder, and chocolate chip cookies! " — Terry Biehl Get it from Amazon for $28 . 3. A 1986 version of Clue , a beloved board game complete with a dark and foreboding mansion, sinister suspects, and hidden weapons sure to be a hit with older kids. You're gonna need to use your powers of deduction to solve the mystery and be the first to identify the killer, the weapon, and the location. Good luck! Number of players: 3-6 Recommended age: 8+ Pieces: Illustrated mansion board, pewter candlestick, knife, wrench, pipe, and gun, plastic rope, weapon cards, character cards, one case file, and six plastic character pawns. Promising review: "We try to get the family one game every Christmas and we chose this one! This retro edition is so fun. My girls love the mystery of this game and we enjoy being brought back to our childhood. Great for family night or rainy day!" — GreenChile33 Get it from Amazon for $21.99 . 4. A portable ping-pong set to turn your dining room table into *the* place to hang out (even when there isn't a crumb of food around). Set includes a retractable net, two paddles, three balls, and case. Promising review: "I got this for my son for Christmas. We don’t have a lot of space for a full ping pong table but I have a long dinning table that is perfect. This is easy to assemble and it changes up family game night. Great fun!!" — Heather Gould Get it from Amazon for $44.99+ (available in three set styles). 5. An indoor-friendly scavenger hunt game that'll save the day when said day is cold, snowy, dreary, and dull. Rather than coming up with specific objects, this game gives your kids a chance to be extra creative by finding things that are "scratchy," "warm," "fuzzy," and more! Promising review: "These are a lifesaver for us during the quarantine. My 7-year-old is enjoying challenges that I time, having to find five things to match five cards in five minutes. There are also two games with instructions that are fun. My kiddos are being so creative finding things. My son found a compact mirror and breathed on it to steam it up for 'steamy.' Hooray for igniting thinking skills. Grandma gets involved finding silly things that make the kids crack up. I love the bag they come in and that it’s a compact card game that can be played anywhere." — Jami Lilo Get it from Amazon for $7.69 . 6. A terribly charming toadstool tent sure to be beloved by imaginative kids who prefer pretend play to structured sets and games. If your family has too much energy for your *regular* house, send your little faeries off into the "forest" and have them scavenge for things to fill up their toadstool home. Promising review: "The mushroom playhouse tent added enchantment to my daughter's 4th fairy-themed birthday party! It became the whimsical centerpiece, creating a magical space where imagination soared. The easy setup was a parent's dream. I will be moving it to her bedroom after the party and probably to the backyard during summer. This mushroom tent playhouse is a must-have for fairy-tale tykes! 🍄✨👧🧚‍♀️" — Gizem Aktan Get it from Amazon for $99.99 . 7. A World Full of Spooky Stories , a compilation of stories that'll give your older kids a cultural world tour *and* keep those little thrill seekers entertained when they're old enough to enjoy a good spooky story. If scary stories aren't your family's thing, you can also get A World Full of Animal Stories and A Year Full of Stories , both are filled with fun folktales from around the world. Promising review: "This book has wonderful short stories from all around the world to broaden a child’s cultural knowledge and imagination." — Jamie Rodriguez Get it from Amazon for $17.97 . 8. Acorn Soup — this cooperation cooking game is sure to be to your *taste* if you're teaching your kids how to take turns. It also provides risk-free family fun because there's no winner (and thus, no frustrated kiddos at the end). To play, pick an ingredient card and place the correct number of each item inside the pot to make Squirrel's favorite meals. Dinner's served! Number of players: 2–4 Recommended age: 2+ Pieces: 8 recipe cards, 1 wooden spoon, 24 wooden ingredients, instructions, and a parent guide Promising review: "My kiddos (3 and 2) love this game! There are a few different ways to play with different instructions and varying degrees of difficulty, so the game grows with your little one. The ingredient pieces are wooden and feel sturdy in your hand. Even the recipe cards are on thick cardboard, so this game will last you a long time even with players who may not be gentle. :) My kids love just 'making soup' with it even if we are not playing the game as directed. I love that it helps with number recognition, counting items, identifying items, and recognizing colors. There is no real 'winner' which is fine as we are working on teaching turn-taking right now and not necessarily the idea of win/lose. This is a great, fun game for toddlers and preschoolers." — CA gal in TX Get it from Amazon for $21.95 . 9. A Dungeons and Dragons essentials kit so you can finally give this cult-classic a chance and expand your kids' gaming skills beyond screens. It's time to put your creativity to the test by controlling all of your family's fates as THE Dungeon Master. Number of players: 2 to 6 Recommended age: 12+ Promising review: "Honestly, this kit is what the original starter kit should have been. The story is easier to follow for a newer DM. The adventure is a lot more streamlined. The breakdown of character creation is amazing and simplified. It doesn't just toss you some generic character that you have no connection too. It simplifies character creation and allows you to ease into more complicated characters later on. The cards that come with this kit are something I wish I had when I first started. They help with initiative, conditions, and the sidekick cards and magic item cards are awesome. I would recommend this kit over the original to any person wanting to start playing DnD." — Bryan Get it from Amazon for $17.69 . 10. Pokko and the Drum , a laugh-out-loud funny book that's sure to be an instant classic loved by both kids and kids-at-heart who need *drumroll please* ATTENTION. Promising review: " This book is clever and cute and unexpectedly hilarious. The kids and I were all a little surprised at one point when one of the members of the friend group spontaneously eats another member of the group, but, well...that's nature? :D This is a great little story with beautiful illustrations." — Tripp Get it from Amazon for $12.39 . 11. Zingo! , which is a new take on Bingo that's gonna be *extra* fun. It's fast paced and the toy does all the hard work for you! Just slide it and watch the tiles fall down...here's hoping you get your bored covered first! Number of players: 2-7 Recommended age: 4+ Pieces: 1 Zinger tile dispenser, 6 double-sided Zingo cards (for two levels of play), 72 double-sided tiles, and a parent's guide Promising review: "My 4-year-old loves Zingo! We play almost every night. Not only is this game fun but it teaches kids patience and to take turns. We love playing this as a family." — Bri Get it from Amazon for $24.97 . 12. A pack of Crayola Globbles (sans sticky residue) — these cling to the wall and slowly drop down...tricking your kids into being patient after they've thrown these as high up as their little arms can manage. Promising review : "Amazing toys! My 1- and 2-year-old LOVE them! They scream 'sticky balls!' and run around throwing them on the fridge, windows, cabinets, walls, etc. Easy to wash and air-dry, and don't lose their stickiness! My new go-to gift! Love them!" — Rachel Get a pack of six from Amazon for $7.49 (also available as a 16-pack). 13. The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine — this'll walk your space rangers through 50 cooperative space missions in a trick-taking format (like Spades) that only gets more difficult as they move along. Spooky! Number of players: 3–5 Recommended age: 10+ Promising review: "I gave this game to my brother for Christmas, and that night we all stayed up until 4 a.m. playing! Takes a little time to learn, but the instructions walk you through it." — Jackie Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 14. A pair of Wackadoo dice for Bluey fans who jump up and dance every time the intro song turns on. One die has a direction, like "dance," "jump," or "floss," and the other has a selection of critters your child will pretend to be while doing the action. Get ready to see a bunch of flossing kangaroos in your basement! Number of players: 1+ Recommended age: 3+ Pieces: 2 large Bluey dice Promising review: "These have provided hours of fun. They are very durable and lots of fun. Gets the kids moving and active." — Kendall & Robyn Nash Get them from Amazon for $19.14 . 15. A jealousy-inducing Melissa & Doug ice cream counter — it'll be a total (ice) scream playing retro soda shop with this fun set. One egg cream please. The wooden ice cream counter comes with eight ice cream scoops, six toppings, two cones, cup, scooper, tongs, wooden spoon, reusable menu card, and six pretend dollar bills. Promising review: " Fun toy set for a creative toddler. My newly-turned-3-year-old daughter instantly fell in love with this set! She loves seeing how high she can stack the ice cream cones and pretending to serve Mom and Dad her creations. She's been obsessed with climbing things around the house, and we *desperately* needed a distraction to get her to stop, and this is working so far — she plays with this thing for HOURS! " — West Family Get it from Amazon for $38.99 . 16. A 100-piece set of Picasso Tiles that reviewers say work with and are comparable to Magna-Tiles (which is helpful if your tiny architect already has that brand), because apparently building blocks are now blasé and kids are going wild for these shiny tiles. Promising review: "I wish I had known about these sooner! PicassoTiles are *exactly* like Magna-Tiles but way more affordable. We just received the 100-tile set today - an early birthday gift for our soon-to-be-four-year-old. We have two sets of Magna-Tiles — one with the grommets (purchased new last year) and one without (purchased secondhand [no idea how old they are]). The PicassoTiles are the same weight and size as the MagnaTiles and have the same exact magnets. They do not have metal grommets, but the old MagnaTiles are indestructible, so I know that these will be too. And PicassoTiles are much prettier, in my opinion, because they are slightly more translucent and have brighter colors. They integrate into the collection seamlessly. I highly recommend this product. And if you are considering buying any kind of magnetic tile toy for your child, I recommend purchasing as big a set as you can for versatility of play. Our son has played with these all day and night off and on every single day since we bought them last year. After integrating the new PicassoTile set, he hugged his enormous structure and declared them his favorite...twice. A wonderful toy!" — skater mom Get it from Amazon for $39.99 . 17. A Barbie Dreamhouse so your child's favorite dolls can live in style with a working elevator, a PARTY ROOM WITH A DJ BOOTH, a slide, puppy area, balcony, and a rooftop deck. If we can't have it all, at least our kids... dolls can. Promising review: "I got this for my granddaughter for Christmas, and she absolutely loves it! Putting it together was very easy, all the pieces just snapped together, no tools required, except a screwdriver for the battery compartment. It comes with a great variety of accessories and realistic sound effects with the push of a button throughout the house! There's so much to do; keeps my granddaughter busy for hours at a time! Her favorite part is the dance music and flashing lights for Barbie and her friends to have dance parties! But it's not just fun for my granddaughter, my daughter and I also have fun playing with it. It did cost a lot but it's well worth every penny , and I would highly recommend it! It makes a great gift that would make any little [kid[ very happy!" — Barbara Gratton Get it from Amazon for $224.99 . 18. A 2-in-1 rocking bike from Strider that'll help your baby become confident on the seat of a bike even before they're able to walk! This grows with your child, starting as a "rocking horse" that'll stay in place as they ride it inside your home. Once they're a little bigger, the base can be removed, and you'll have a classic pedal-free bike for your little tyke! My baby started using this around nine months old (pictured above, right) and she is a HUGE fan. She loves this *practical* "rocking horse." I love its durability (her older cousin used it on our deck and was riding it so wildly we were sure he'd end up doing a front flip...this thing held up - and kept the kid intact - like a champ). The bike can be removed from the rocking base as your child starts walking, making it a prime choice for teaching your kiddo how to balance on a bike. Promising review: "The bike paired with the rocking base has been a favorite since day one! Some days he rocks other days we take it off the stand and ride in the backyard! This is learning how to ride a bike made easy!" — Tracy Get it from Strider for $209+ (available in eight colors). 19. Eatz-A-Lotl , a card game for kids who love (even if they can't spell ) axolotls! This is a fast-paced but simple matching game featuring an axolot eating popcorn, pretzels, pizza, Popsicles...and other food that probably doesn't start with the letter P. Probably. This card game is suitable for kids ages 4+ and works with 2-4 players. Promising review: "This is a super cute and fun game! We love Mudpuppy products and this one was no exception. Super cute game, easy to learn, and fun. My axolotl-loving daughter was so happy to get this as a gift. I would totally buy it again!" — Callie Larson Get it from Amazon for $9.39 . 20. A sushi-making kit that'll keep your family's cooking skills on a roll as your kids continue growing comfortable in the kitchen (without an oven...which is a stress-free win for everyone). It comes with two rolling mats, a rice spreader, a rice paddle, and five pairs of chopsticks, along with a downloadable recipe guide! Promising review: "I got this kit on a whim, basically I just wanted to try to make sushi for the first time. For the price, you can't really go wrong! The mats were great and everything else included was helpful. It comes with an online guide which is nice, but you can also go online and find a ton of videos on how to roll sushi. I've made about four rolls over the course of two nights and am really satisfied. Making rolls is a breeze and fun! A great starter kit for anyone interested in trying this out." — J. Leaver Get it from Amazon for $8.48 . 21. A Blipblox synthesizer — a fully functional synthesizer for kids of parents who laugh in the face of quiet time. This has a learning curve so simple that babies can start jamming right away. Turn it on, twist some (kid-friendly, indestructible) knobs, and you've got a beat! It's intended for ages 3+ and a toddler hit, but it's also a great way for older kids to learn the ins and outs of electronic music — next thing you know, your kindergartener will be lecturing you about oscillators and low pass filters. We bought this toy for my daughter's first birthday and it is now the coolest thing in our entire apartment. Recently we were having a party and while I was looking for my daughter I went into the living room and found her surrounded by our friends who were waiting (impatiently) for their turn with this thing. It's TOO cool. Promising review: "The built-in beats and effects are a blast. Super fun to just mess with. For adults you can learn more about how the signal is impacted by each nob to get to some more reproducible sounds. Lastly you can hook it up to a midi keyboard or sequencer to use it as part of your actual musical kit!" — Dreyco Get it from Amazon for $199 . 22. A magnetic shape-shifting puzzle cube that'll bend your kid's brain as they manipulate it into over 70 different shapes, revealing mesmerizing colors and patterns. It's like instant origami, and I'm INTO IT. You can also collect all 12 puzzle box designs to connect different magnetic cubes to build even larger structures and sculptures. Promising review: " Fun for older teens. I bought one each for my 16- and 19-year-old son and daughter for Christmas. It made a great stocking stuffer. It was very intriguing and they enjoyed linking them together for new shapes. The boxes were sturdy enough for teens to manipulate without breaking and the magnets are strong. Not sure if younger hands would be too rough. If forced to move in the wrong direction they could break. The designs were beautiful. I plan to buy a few more for a bigger variety of shapes!" — Shellbug99 Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in 19 designs). 23. A 5-in-1 gym so your child can get out their energy without turning *you* into their personal jungle gym. It can be configured in various ways so your tiny rock climber can switch up their routine whenever they want. Check out Avenlur's landing page for more gorgeous kid products and see all that they have for sale this Prime Day! Promising review: "This was easy to put together, my husband and I did it in less than an hour. The packaging is nice and doesn’t feel cheap. It feels very solid and the wood smells like wood, so that’s nice. Also all the holes are drilled where they are supposed to be and only two holes (of about 64 total) were slightly stripped once fully tightened, but it doesn’t seem to impact the structural integrity and nothing is loose." — Gullyfluff25 Get it from Amazon for $179+ (available in three colors). 24. A 1,000-piece video game-themed puzzle that'll combine your love of puzzles with your boo's video game addiction. Romantic! Promising review: "Great puzzle of retro games and consoles. Each piece is unique and fit together snuggly. Image is high quality (text and small details are easy to see/read). Finally, it was fun! Glued and mounted." — AJ Koch Get it from Amazon for $19.95 . 25. Azul just might be the only game to convince the craft-lover in your life to put down their crochet and play a game with you! The whole point of this board game is to create gorgeous (and point-scoring) tile mosaics featuring Moorish art-inspired designs. Number of players: 2–4 Recommended age: 8+ Promising review: "This is such a great game for both board game fanatics and non-gamers. It's easy to teach, simple to set up, plays in under an hour, and it's FUN! Azul is an abstract tile placement game that features drafting, set collecting, and pattern building. It's pleasing to look at and the components are well made. The tiles feel especially nice. This is one of those games that everyone we've introduced it to loves and wants to play again right away. It hits the table quite a bit." — Shelly Get it from Amazon for $31.97 . 26. Horizontal Parenting , a laugh-out-loud funny (and surprisingly clever!) book that'll beloved by parents who would happily do ANYTHING if they could lie down for just a minute . Grab this book, draw some roads on one of your old shirts, hand your kid a toy car, and let them play "Back Street" while you fall sound asleep. Promising review: "My kid loves this, and so do I! The games are good and are wonderful for days when you are low energy. It's a must-have." — Miai G. Get it from Amazon for $12.85 . 27. Slapburger — it's sure to be a hit with anyone who has a real appetite for game night! On each turn, a player will lay a card face up in the center of the table, then everyone slaps cards down to make some primo meal combos: like a SlapBurger card, Double Decker or Sandwich. The last player holding all the cards wins. Number of players: 2-6 Recommended age: 4+ Pieces: 52 cards Promising review: "This is a perfect family game. It's a fun card game that is easy to learn. I got it to play with my 4-year-old daughter and she loves it! It's a perfect gift and compact for traveling purposes." — Zoro Get it from Amazon for $12.99 . 28. What Do Machines Do All Day? , a brilliant and bright picture book full of color and information on every machine your child could possibly name. Promising review: "My son LOVES this book. It teaches us so much about various professions and machines and it is a great jumping off point to discuss so many other things !" — Sarah A Get it from Amazon for $13.02 . 29. The Reverse Coloring Book sure to have your child feeling soothed as they sketch out a story about a princess fire-breathing dog living in some watercolor woods...or something like that. Each book includes 50 pages of watercolor art for you to add lines, along with suggestions for what to add if you want a jumping-off point. B onus: the pages are perforated, so you can easily tear them out and frame them! (Psst — check out these cult-fave black fine point pens for $8.99 on Amazon for a good doodling option!) Check out a TikTok of the Reverse Coloring Book in action. And if you've already tried this copy, there are newer Reverse Coloring Books from the same creator to try! Promising review: "Changed my life. So I get anxious doing the adult coloring books. This was so much fun and made me really think outside of the box. I'm not the best at drawing, but I felt like I was when I was a kid doodling in my textbooks in school." — Carley C. Get it from Amazon for $9.90 . 30. A LeapFrog animal book , which is frequently on the Amazon bestsellers chart. The interactive book teaches kids fun facts about all kinds of critters, and it'll even sing songs in both English and Spanish. Promising review: "This talking book is hands down the best thing I bought my daughter. She was a bit delayed in speech and since buying this book she’s been spitting out new words left and right. It responds well to touch and the pages are very durable which is great in the hands of a toddler!" — ApL Get it from Amazon for $12.97+ (available in six styles). 31. Forest Friends , which is a 3D board game that's sure to shake things up during game nights when you're away. You can play two unique games with this set. First is "Hide and Seek," where players help Mia Mouse guess which hole her animal friends are hiding in. If you guess correctly, you get a wooden star. If not, you shout out what you see, and the other players try to remember that info for their own turn. You can also play "Animal Tracks," where the animal tiles are flipped over to only show their footprints. Then you've gotta figure out which animal that footprint belongs to before your search begins! Number of players: 1-4 Recommended age: 2+ Pieces: 1 3D cube board, 8 star tokens, 1 wooden mouse, and 8 unique animal/footprint chips Promising review: "These games are the best for really young kids! We love the wooden pieces. This is a high quality product overall and lots of fun for the youngest board gamers ." — N. Robinson Get it from Amazon for $23.99 . 32. A pair of toddler-sized Unicorse and Bob Bilby hand puppets for Bluey fans who watch these two mischievous characters on television and would love to play with them for real life . Promising review: "Our daughter, her cousins, and my husband love playing with Unicourse and Bob Bilby. They look just like the cartoon characters and have given us hours of entertainment." — Naturecrazed Get them from Amazon for $15.99 . 33. A giant Jenga set to put everyone's stacking skills to the test. This version is 4 FEET, which makes sense, because finding family-friendly games this fun is a tall order. Promising review: "I purchased this for get togethers with friends and family and this is, and always has been, a party favorite. Good quality as well." — Mark Get it from Amazon for $99.95 . 34. Pancake Pile-Up! for the tiny chef in your home who would love starting up their own brunch spot while the parents go out to dinner. They can get their home restaurant-ready by flipping an order card. Once flipped, they make the pancake shown as fast as they can, using the spatula to place it on their plate, race back to the starting point somewhere in the room, and hand the plate and spatula to the next player (like a relay-race). The team or individual that correctly completes the stack shown on the card wins the round! Number of players: 2-4 Recommended age: 4+ Pieces: 10 plastic pancakes in 5 flavors, 2 plastic patties of butter, 2 plastic plates, 2 plastic spatulas, 10 order cards, and a plastic griddle game board Promising review: " I’m a Preschool teacher and a mom to a 4-year-old and I’ve recommended this game to every parent with young ones! This game is great quality, fun, and teaches so many concepts. Highly recommend" — Chris and Brittany Causey Get it from Amazon for $19.87 . 35. A pop-up tunnel play set — your kids are gonna love crawling in and out of these obstacle course of tunnels. (BTW, it also has a ball pit!) Promising review: "One thing my kids never tire of is hideouts and tents. I'm always hearing, 'Mom can you build us a tent?' So, instead of sticking blankets in drawers and hanging them from bookcases, I ordered this set. They play in them for hours and love them. This play set is great. It has three sections for them to sit and play in and three tunnels." — Stephen schuresko Get it from Amazon for $64.95 (also available in a princess version). 36. An open-ended marble run set for inquisitive kiddos who would love creating a massive marble run all on their own — no rulebook included! Promising reviews: " My 5- and 3-year-olds (and me) have spent hours building towers and watching marbles clatter down these chutes, steps, gears and spirals, HOURS! And they’re not bored yet! It’s also educational learning the physics of slopes by experience. Plus, it comes with enough marbles so that losing a few doesn’t matter." — Joyce Parker " This is a really neat toy that has provided literally hours and hours of enjoyment for my 4-year-old nephew (and me!). The pieces fit well together, it is very sturdy and stands up well even on carpet. There are an infinite number of ways to build these runs, and this toy never gets boring. Highly recommended." — Becca Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in four kit sizes). 37. A modular kids' couch made with sturdy foam and easy-to-clean fabric so you can take your family's play fort skills to the next level, while saving your own sofa from destruction. Promising review: "This 'couch' is wonderful — exactly what we had been looking for. The covers are super soft and the color is gorgeous. We have built several different forts and tunnels so far and the kids love it! We had a tiny problem with one of the arches but customer service took care of it. I would definitely buy from this company again." — Chris and Charly Get it from Amazon for $168.99 (available in 10 colors). 38. A Play-Doh restaurant for parents who can't bear to wait another year for the next season of, well, The Bear . Okay, okay, this is actually gonna be a gift for your kid . But will the two of you have a ton of fun making meals and filling orders together? Yes, Chef! This set includes 2-oz. tubs of red, yellow, blue, green, and brown Play-Doh. It can stamp up to two food shapes at a time and make burgers, pizza, chicken, or spaghetti! Along with the prep table, this comes with a spatula and plate. This is suitable for kids ages 3+. Promising review: "This is a fun activity. Just great overall! It's a fun gift idea or to keep at home. Lots of variety in shapes and molds. And the pieces clean easily. Definitely worth having." — Em Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 39. A children's digital camera with 32 GB of storage, photo and video capabilities, sticker filters they can add to their photos, and even games (watch yourself steal this from your kid to play a nice game of old-school Snake)! After a full charge, your kid can take nonstop photos for 1–2 hours. Enjoy watching your kid run all over the place, taking creative photos of the world from their own special POV. This is suitable for children ages 3–8 and it's a HIT with reviewers! It has over 18,000 five-star reviews . BTW, it's shock-proof and includes a lanyard to keep it secure around your kiddo! Promising review: "I purchased this for my 3-year-old grandson. It is far more high tech than any 3-year-old will fully take advantage of but taking simple photos was accomplished with ease. I was astonished at the quality of the photos as well as the storage capacity. It is a fantastic value for the money. " — KayBee Get it from Amazon for $26.39 (available in five colors). 40. Flushin' Frenzy , a game specifically made for families who are *very* pro potty-humor. Players must plunge away and do their best to catch the, ahem, flying poop before anyone else. Number of players: 2-4 Recommended age: 5+ Pieces: 1 toilet, 1 plunger, 1 die, and 10 score tokens Promising reviews: " My 5-year-old niece loves it! What can be said really? It's a game where you use a toy plunger to make a smiling rubber poop fly through the air to be caught for points. My niece, like many little kids, is going through a phase where anything related to poop is absolutely hilarious, so I thought this game would be just the thing for her. She loves it! The game is very easy to pick up for 4- and 5-year-olds, the components are well-made, and the poop is...oddly realistic, except for its smiling face of course. This is without a doubt the cleanest option for playing with poop on the market. Your kids'll love it." — Brendan Williams Get it from Amazon for $39.86 . 41. Ooko , a clever character you'll be thrilled to introduce your family to. This savvy little fox's heart is searching for something that can't be stored in a tree trunk (which is already full of everything a fox could need; a stick, leaf, and rock)...Ooko simply wants a friend. Promising review: "I want to be Ooko's friend! Esme Shapiro is a very talented artist/writer. In a brief and successful journey, Ooko finds what he's (or maybe he's a she?) been missing his whole little fox life. With fanciful illustrations and the best fox dialogue around, Shapiro takes the reader into the world and psyche of a carnivorous mammal with a yearning heart. " — Brody Madrid Get it from Amazon for $13.85 . 42. And finally, a talking, singing, rainbow poop , which, upon first glance, may not be the toy you want in your house. Think again! This thing plays hide-and-seek with your kids — which means a piece of poop just saved you from hiding inside the bathtub until your five-year-old finds you. Ugh, they are so bad at seeking. Look, potty humor is the funniest thing this side of the second grade. BTW, this runs on two AA batteries (which are included). To play someone hides the toy and it will, ahem, "fart" to give the seeker hints as to where it is. Once it's found, it sings a victory song! Promising review: " I was looking for a game to play at our 5-year-old's b-day party, which had ages 5-15, and this was an absolute hit! All the kids loved it and we even got in on the fun for a few rounds. I can see this being very popular in our house on a regular basis. It's nice to get the kids up and active looking for it rather than just sitting playing a game. Countless people of all ages can play. When it was just the two older boys they timed themselves to see who could find it faster. It was very entertaining just to watch them too!" — Lisa Meade Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (also available as an egg). Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.

Shares of Nvidia fell Monday after China said it is investigating the high-flying U.S. microchip company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. In a brief news release with few details, Chinese regulators appear to be focusing on Nvidia's $6.9 billion acquisition of network and data transmission company Mellanox in 2019. Nvidia shares about 3% Monday. They are still up 179% so far this year. Considered a bellwether for artificial intelligence demand, Nvidia has led the AI sector to become one of the stock market’s biggest companies, as tech giants spend heavily on the company’s chips and data centers needed to train and operate their AI systems. Nvidia's shares have surged this year along with the California company's revenue and profit due to AI demand. According to data firm FactSet, about 16% of Nvidia's revenue comes from China, second only to its U.S.-generated revenue. A spokesperson for the company based in Santa Clara, California, said in an emailed statement that Nvidia is “happy to answer any questions regulators may have about our business.” In its most recent earnings release, Nvidia posted revenue of $35.08 billion, up 94% from $18.12 billion a year ago. Nvidia earned $19.31 billion in the quarter, more than double the $9.24 billion it posted in last year’s third quarter. The earnings release did not break out revenue from China. The company's market value rocketed to $3.5 trillion recently, passing Microsoft and briefly overtaking Apple as the world's most valuable company. China’s antitrust investigation follows a report this summer by technology news site The Information that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating complaints from rivals that Nvidia was abusing its market dominance in the chip sector. The allegations reported include Nvidia threatening to punish those who buy products from both itself and its competitors at the same time. David Bieri, an international finance expert at Virginia Tech, said that China’s investigation is “not about what Nvidia is doing in China, per se” but rather a signal to the incoming Trump administration. China, Bieri said, is looking to set the tone of future relations. The Chinese government, he said, is telling the U.S. “don’t mess with us, because all of your darling corporations that your version of capitalism needs to prosper have entanglements” with China. Nvidia will have to revise its strategy in China or come up with provisions in their budgets for the type of uncertainty business with China will bring, Bieri said. “I don’t think this is something that they can shake off,” he said. “I also have a tremendous amount of faith in the brilliance of the management strategy of a corporation like Nvidia to not only pay attention to credit risk, market risk and operational risk, but also to political risk.” Nvidia’s invention of graphics processor chips, or GPUs, in 1999 helped spark the growth of the PC gaming market and redefined computer graphics. Last month, it replaced Intel on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, ending the pioneering semiconductor company's 25-year run on the index. Unlike Intel, Nvidia designs but doesn’t manufacture its own chips, relying heavily on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., an Intel rival. ___ Associated Press Technology Writer Sarah Parvini in Los Angeles contributed to this report. To remove this article -

The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada — known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, Mountain Standard Time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.C-Arms Market to Exhibit a Remarkable CAGR of 5.20% by 2029, Size, Share, Trends, Key Drivers, Demand, Opportunity Analysis and Competitive Outlook

Farmer's unbelievable cash offer to help create 'England's power station' in Wales

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

San Francisco (5-5) at Green Bay (7-3) Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, FOX BetMGM NFL odds: Packers by 2 1/2. Against the spread: 49ers 4-6; Packers 4-6 Series record: Packers lead 38-34-1 Last meeting: 49ers beat Packers 24-21 in NFC divisional playoff game Jan. 20, 2024, in Santa Clara, California. Last week: 49ers lost 20-17 at home to Seattle; Packers won 20-19 at Chicago 49ers offense: overall (2), rush (7), pass (4), scoring (T-8) Packers offense: overall (4), rush (4), pass (9), scoring (T-8) 49ers defense: overall (6), rush (8), pass (8), scoring (T-16) Packers defense: overall (12), rush (14), pass (13), scoring (10) Turnover differential: 49ers plus-3; Packers plus-5 QB Brandon Allen: With Brock Purdy unavailable due to a sore right shoulder, Allen will make his first start in three years. The 32-year-old Allen has made nine career starts, and his teams have gone 2-7 in those games. His last start came with Cincinnati in the 2021 regular-season finale when the Bengals rested usual starter Joe Burrow to get ready for the playoffs. Allen has thrown three passes in the last three seasons, including none since joining San Francisco in 2023. Allen was a member of the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, when Packers coach Matt LaFleur was that team’s offensive coordinator. RB Josh Jacobs has 838 yards rushing this season to rank third in the NFL entering Week 12. He ran for 76 yards and a touchdown while also catching five passes for 58 yards against the Bears. Jacobs has scored four touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving) over his past four games. He has at least 90 yards from scrimmage over his past six games, matching Houston’s Joe Mixon for the NFL’s longest such active streak. 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey vs. Packers run defense: McCaffrey rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns — including the game-winner with 1:07 left — in the 49ers’ playoff victory over the Packers last season. Green Bay is coming off a performance in which it allowed a season-high 179 yards rushing to the Bears. Purdy isn't playing due to a sore throwing shoulder. ... The 49ers also won't have Nick Bosa after he injured his left hip and oblique against the Seahawks. ... Niners CB Charvarius Ward will miss a third straight game following the death of his 1-year-old daughter. ... Niners LT Trent Williams (ankle) is questionable. ... Niners TE George Kittle is expected back after missing last week’s game with a hamstring injury. ... Packers CB Jaire Alexander (knee) and LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) have been ruled out. ... Packers guard Jordan Morgan (shoulder) is on injured reserve. The 49ers have beaten the Packers in the playoffs three of the past five years. That includes a 37-19 victory in the 2019 NFC championship, a 13-10 upset at Lambeau Field in the 2021 divisional round and the 24-21 thriller last season. The past three matchups between these teams — including a Packers 30-28 road victory on Sept. 26, 2021 — have been decided by a total of eight points. This marks the first time these teams have faced off at Lambeau Field during the regular season since a Packers 33-30 triumph on Oct. 15, 2018. Each of the past three Packers-49ers games at Green Bay have been decided by three points. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Packers coach Matt LaFleur worked together as assistants at Houston (2008-09), Washington (2010-13) and Atlanta (2015-16). A loss would give the 49ers a losing record more than 10 games into a season for the first time since going 6-10 in 2020. ... San Francisco has lost a league-worst three games this season after leading in the final two minutes of regulation. ... The 49ers have allowed 36 points in the final two minutes of regulation, second most in the NFL. ... The Niners had only one play from scrimmage go for at least 20 yards last week, tied for the fewest in any game in eight seasons under Shanahan. ... San Francisco is outgaining the opposition through the air by an NFL-best 53.9 yards per game. ... McCaffrey has topped 100 yards from scrimmage in his first two games back from Achilles tendinitis and has five straight games with at least 100 yards from scrimmage going back to last postseason. ... McCaffrey’s 57 games with at least 100 yards from scrimmage are the most for any active player. ... The 49ers are 1-5 this season when Purdy turns the ball over and 4-0 when he doesn’t. ... Purdy’s four rushing TDs are the most in a season for a Niners QB since Colin Kaepernick had four in 2013. ... This is the first of three games the Packers are playing in a 12-day stretch. They host the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving night and visit the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions on Dec. 5. ... The Packers are tied for fourth in the league with 19 takeaways, but they don’t have any over their past two games. ... Packers S Xavier McKinney has six interceptions this season to rank second in the league, behind Detroit’s Kerby Joseph (seven). McKinney has seven total takeaways, putting him in a tie for first with Joseph. ... Jacobs’ 838 yards rushing and 1,024 scrimmage yards this season are the most any Packer has had in his first 10 games with the team. Jacobs’ 1,024 scrimmage yards are the most for any Packer through the first 10 games of a season since Ahman Green had 1,057 at this point in 2004. ... Packers DL Rashan Gary had his 35th sack against Chicago to overtake teammate Kenny Clark for ninth place in franchise history. Clark, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, is still seeking his first sack of the season. ... The Packers and 49ers have the NFC’s best regular-season winning percentage since 2019. The Packers are 63-30 and the 49ers 59-34 during that stretch. ... San Francisco’s George Kittle has seven touchdown catches to lead all NFL tight ends. Green Bay’s Tucker Kraft has five touchdown receptions to match Baltimore’s Mark Andrews for the second-highest total among tight ends. ... The 49ers rank 26th in the league with TDs on 48.8% of their red zone drives. Green Bay is 27th in that category and has scored TDs on 48.7% of its drives. Packers WR Christian Watson’s slow start to the season means he might have been stashed on someone’s bench or perhaps even became available on some fantasy football waiver wires. Now would be a good time to try to acquire him. Watson had four catches for a career-high 150 yards against the Bears. After getting targeted just 14 times over his first six games, Watson’s had 17 targets in his past three. He had a catch each of the four times Jordan Love targeted him in Chicago. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLThe Detroit Lions have equaled the franchise record for most consecutive victories and stand alone atop the NFC standings. They still have plenty of obstacles to clear to remain at that perch. Even the NFC North remains up for grabs and they'll try to create a little more separation when they host the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. The Lions (11-1), who have won 10 straight, haven't been able to shake free from Minnesota (10-2) or Green Bay (9-3). Detroit will host Minnesota, which has won five straight, in the regular-season finale next month. The Packers have remained in contention by winning seven of their last eight, with the only loss coming at the hands of the Lions. Detroit opened up a 21-point lead early in the third quarter and held on for a 24-14 victory. Lions coach Dan Campbell says the fun really begins now. "The best part of all of this -- we're in playoff football right now, that's where we're at," he said. "We're in December, and our schedule says that. Man, we play tough opponent after tough opponent -- we've got plenty coming up. So, man, this is the type of stuff that you live for and it's also the type of stuff that gets you ready for the tournament. "So, yeah, we're a resilient bunch and nothing's going to change that. We've just got to worry about the one in front of us." Detroit is coming off a 23-20 win over Chicago on Thanksgiving Day in which it nearly blew a 16-point lead. The Bears' poor clock management cost them an opportunity to send the game into overtime and led to coach Matt Eberflus' firing. The Lions have been hit with a wave of injuries, particularly on the defensive side. They signed four players over the past week to fortify their depth. "I know the elephant in the room is all the injuries that have happened with us on the defensive side," defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. "Our personnel staff does a really good job of acquiring players that fit exactly who we are. I would say this, it's not the playbook that's the most important thing for these guys to come in and learn. It's the style of play that we have and that's easy to learn." Jared Goff has thrown for six touchdowns and zero interceptions in the past three games after tossing five picks against the Houston Texans on Nov. 10. The Packers also played on Thanksgiving, defeating Miami 30-17. Green Bay opened up a 24-3 halftime lead as Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes to Jayden Reed. Now the Packers face a Detroit team that has defeated them in five of the last six meetings. "With most good teams, they play the game the right way," Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. "Certainly, Detroit's been doing that for a couple years now. That's who they are and that's who we are as well. It should be a great game on Thursday night." The Packers might have to win via a shootout, considering the Lions are averaging a league-best 31.9 points per game (Green Bay ranks eighth at 26.5). Stopping the running game will be key, according to LaFleur. "They're two very dynamic backs. (David) Montgomery, he's going to beat you up physically and the other guy (Jahmyr Gibbs), you've got to try to corral because he can take it the distance," he said. "Jared (Goff) is playing at an MVP level, so they've got a really potent offense." Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker (knee) and three defensive linemen -- DJ Reader (shoulder), Josh Paschal (knee) and Levi Onwezurike (hamstring) -- didn't practice on Tuesday. Offensive guard Elgton Jenkins (knee), Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) and cornerback Corey Ballentine (knee) missed the Packers' practice. --Field Level MediaNORAD's Santa tracker was a Cold War morale boost. Now it attracts millions of kids The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Ben Finley, The Associated Press Dec 20, 2024 3:31 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - NORAD Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Charles D. Luckey takes a call while volunteering at the NORAD Tracks Santa center at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., Dec. 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, File) The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. The origin story is Hollywood-esque It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Is the origin story humbug? Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” A rare addition to Santa’s story NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada — known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, Mountain Standard Time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time. Ben Finley, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More The Mix House approves funding bill and sends to Senate hours before government shutdown deadline Dec 20, 2024 3:05 PM Baby pigs get Christmas pardon from Florida mayor in a Cuban twist on White House turkey tradition Dec 20, 2024 2:58 PM A traditional send-off in New Orleans for an innovative brass band musician Dec 20, 2024 2:56 PM Featured FlyerCentoni, EVP and Chief Customer Experience Officer at Cisco, Brings Proven Expertise in Elevating Customer Success PLEASANTON, Calif. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Workday, Inc . (NASDAQ: WDAY), a leading provider of solutions to help organizations manage their people and money , today announced the election of Liz Centoni, executive vice president and chief customer experience officer at Cisco, to its board of directors. Centoni is a seasoned leader who has a passion for leveraging technology to drive customer success and deliver unparalleled experiences. Throughout her career, Centoni has been spearheading initiatives that have significantly enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty. "Liz's passion for championing customer success aligns perfectly with our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences, making her an ideal addition to our Board," said Carl Eschenbach , CEO, Workday. "Her expertise will be instrumental in ensuring that we continue to exceed customer expectations as we innovate and grow." Centoni has held a range of senior engineering and strategy roles during her 24 years at Cisco. In 2024, she led the company's $28 billion acquisition of Splunk, positioning Cisco at the forefront of the AI revolution. Centoni was also instrumental in developing Cisco's responsible AI framework, and has advocated for equity in tech at events including World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting. She is an active mentor and sponsor of underrepresented groups, including serving as Cisco's global executive sponsor for the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program. "Joining Workday's board is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with a company that shares my passion for empowering people and organizations through innovative technology and AI," said Liz Centoni , executive vice president and chief customer experience officer, Cisco. "I'm eager to leverage my experience to further strengthen Workday's customer-centric approach and contribute to its continued growth." Centoni's appointment is effective as of today. About Workday Workday is a leading enterprise platform that helps organizations manage their most important assets – their people and money . The Workday platform is built with AI at the core to help customers elevate people, supercharge work, and move their business forever forward. Workday is used by more than 10,500 organizations around the world and across industries – from medium-sized businesses to more than 60% of the Fortune 500. For more information about Workday, visit workday.com . © 2024 Workday, Inc. All rights reserved. Workday and the Workday logo are registered trademarks of Workday, Inc. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements including, among other things, statements regarding Workday's plans, beliefs, and expectations. These forward-looking statements are based only on currently available information and our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. If the risks materialize, assumptions prove incorrect, or we experience unexpected changes in circumstances, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements, and therefore you should not rely on any forward-looking statements. Risks include, but are not limited to, risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including our most recent report on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K and other reports that we have filed and will file with the SEC from time to time, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. Workday assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release, except as required by law. Any unreleased services, features, or functions referenced in this document, our website, or other press releases or public statements that are not currently available are subject to change at Workday's discretion and may not be delivered as planned or at all. Customers who purchase Workday services should make their purchase decisions based upon services, features, and functions that are currently available. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/workday-appoints-liz-centoni-to-its-board-of-directors-302321567.html SOURCE Workday Inc.

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Con Edison Announces Common Share Offering with a Forward ComponentApart from the landslide victory in the 2024 assembly polls, the big win in the Vidarbha region is the icing on the cake for Mahayuti comprising the BJP, Shinde Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar). The remarkable tally of 49 out of 62 seats in Vidarbha has surely given the alliance something more to cheer about. The BJP has bagged 38 seats, a good improvement from the 29 it won in the last elections. The results have come as a huge surprise for poll pundits of every hue as the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which was expecting a clean sweep in Vidarbha, had to bite dust. Top leaders of the grand old party and Uddhav Sena have tumbled, while the NCP (SP) has been totally wiped out. At least in 35 of the 62 seats in this region, the BJP and the Congress were in one-on-one fights. Once again it has been proved that in direct contests the BJP gets the better of the Congress. However, the latter's state president and aspiring chief minister, Nana Patole, was saved from embarrassment in the Sakoli constituency and won by 208 votes against the BJP's Avinash Brahmankar. Among other stalwarts who lost badly are former state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre from the Digras seat in Yavatmal, who was defeated by Sanjy Rathod of Shinde Sena. In the Teosa constituency of the Amravati district, Yashomati Thakur, believed to be a core member of team Rahul Gandhi, also lost. In the final tally of Vidarbha, the BJP got 38 seats, Congress nine, Shinde Sena four, NCP (Ajit) six and Sena (UBT) four. MVA was on cloud nine as it had hoped to repeat its Lok Saha elections performance when it had won seven seats out of total 10 segments in Vidarbha, while Mahayuti was victorious in the remaining three. The BJP could win only two seats : Nagpur (Nitin Gadkari) and Akola (Anup Dhotre), while Shinde Sena's Pratapsinh Jadhav had bagged the Buldhana seat. In a surprising turn, the NCP (SP), which had secured one Lok Sabha seat (Wardha) from the region in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, failed to win any assembly segments since its inception in 1999. In the just-concluded polls, the NCP (SP) had fielded candidates in three constituencies within Nagpur district alone – Hingna, Nagpur East and Katol. The assault drama staged by former minister Anil Deshmukh to get sympathy for his son, Salil, proved to be a damp squib as the latter was defeated by BJP's Charansinh Thakur with a comfortable margin. The 2014 assembly elections were also notable for the fact that all four major parties contested independently, allowing each to fully test its strength. Back then, the BJP won 44 seats, which helped Devendra Fadnavis to head the BJP-Sena government and successfully complete a full term as the CM. However, in 2019, the BJP's tally dipped to 29 seats in Vidarbha, which weakened its bargaining power in the pre-poll alliance with the undivided Sena. The loss of 15 seats diminished the party's leverage, ultimately leading to the collapse of the alliance over disagreements regarding the CM's post. Historically, Vidarbha has been the Congress' bastion, which maintained a significant influence over the region for four decades till 1990. However, after that the BJP made deep inroads in the region and dominates its political landscape now. Following the debacle in these polls, the Congress has been completely wiped out from the Gondia, Bhandara, Amravati, Buldhana districts. Among the notable winners in this election is Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who secured his sixth term by defeating his Congress rival, Praful Gudadhe-Patil, in Nagpur South-West, with a margin exceeding 30,000 votes. Similarly, state BJP Chief Chandrasekhar Bawankule successfully retained the Kamptee seat. He was denied a ticket in the 2019 elections when the BJP fielded rural leader Tekchand Savarkar, who drove to victory. In the Aheri constituency, NCP candidate Dharmababa Atram triumphed over his nearest rival, Bhagyashree Atram, who is his daughter and contested as an NCP (SP) nominee in a triangular contest. Former minister, Ambarish Atram, who was denied a ticket this time, ran as a rebel from the same constituency. Assembly Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar managed to retain his Brahmapuri seat by a narrow margin. RSS watcher Dilip Deodhar said that the cohesive BJP campaign – led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and very well-managed by Fadnavis – could exceed expectations because of the major role of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Not only the RSS cadres fanned out across the region for campaigns, but Sangh got a valid reason to polarise voters. The Hindu vote consolidation was done successfully, thanks to Islamic scholar Moulana Sajjad Nomani's direct call (fatwa) to defeat all Mahayuti candidates. The Ulema Council's ill-timed letter to the Congress leadership, raising 17 demands that the party accepted, also proved counter-productive. Rahul Gandhi's call for caste census was also seen as an attempt to divide people, while Modi's loud and clear call of “Ek hai toh safe hai” won the day for the BJP.Former Mets pitcher John Franco on Juan Soto: ‘One of the few guys you could build a team around’

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings were ready to start their postgame ritual in honor of a ninth consecutive victory before realizing Sam Darnold was still missing from the raucous locker room because he was finishing his interview with the TV broadcasting crew. He was well worth the wait, on so many levels. Darnold added another exploit to his career-altering season, passing for a personal-best 377 yards and three touchdowns as the Vikings hung on to beat the Green Bay Packers 27-25 on Sunday and moved tantalizingly close to the NFC's top seed for the playoffs. “Just to see how he's ultimately been able to maximize everything about his opportunity, our football team loves him for it,” coach Kevin O'Connell said. “I've had an absolute blast coaching him.” The Vikings (14-2) set up a final-week showdown in Detroit for both the NFC North title and the first-round-bye-plus-home-field-advantage package that comes with the best record in the conference, finishing 7-1 at U.S. Bank Stadium where their blitz-fueled defense has fed well off the deafening crowd. “Playing here, our opponents feel that,” said linebacker Blake Cashman, who had a team-leading 11 tackles and 11⁄2 sacks to help keep Packers quarterback Jordan Love from ever finding a rhythm. Darnold hit Jalen Nailor, Jordan Addison and Cam Akers for scores to raise his passing touchdown total to 35, the fourth-most in NFL history by a player in his debut season with a team. When Darnold jogged into the locker room after his interview with, of all people, Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion and now the lead analyst on Fox, he was doused in water by his teammates and hoisted in the air. “It was just mayhem,” Darnold said, smiling wide. “I think I blacked out when Aaron Jones grabbed me and lifted me up.” Love’s only touchdown pass for the Packers (11-5) came with 2:18 left, a 3-yard toss to Malik Heath that trimmed their deficit to two points and reignited the “Go Pack Go!” chants from the green-clad fans mixed in among the purple in another classic edition of this divisional rivalry. Despite another fierce climb out of a gaping hole against Minnesota this season, following a 31-29 loss in Green Bay on Sept. 29 that started with a 28-0 deficit, the Packers fell to a troubling 0-5 against the top three teams in the NFC. “We know what type of team we are,” Love said. “There’s just a lot of stuff to clean up.” The Packers were swept by the Lions, too, and lost their opener in Brazil to the Eagles. “I can’t sit up here and say, ‘Yeah, we’re on the same level,' if we ain’t beat them,” safety Xavier McKinney said. “We've got to be more on our details. We've got to play cleaner. We've got to start faster.” Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson rushed for second-half touchdowns to fuel the late surge by the Packers after Will Reichard’s second missed field goal of the game for the Vikings with 9:18 remaining prevented them from pushing the lead to 20. But with the score too close for comfort and the Packers holding all their timeouts before the two-minute warning, O'Connell didn't hesitate to trust Darnold to win it. Darnold ran bootlegs for completions for two vital first downs, one to fullback C.J. Ham and one on third-and-2 that Akers snagged just before it hit the turf to force the Packers to use their final timeout. On the play before that, Darnold hit Justin Jefferson in tight coverage for 9 yards on another rollout. “We can be aggressive, but he's still going to be a great decision-maker,” O'Connell said. “He's playing quarterback at a very, very high level.” Darnold went 33 for 43 with one interception as the Vikings ran 70 plays for 441 yards, their second-highest total of the season. He passed Brett Favre (33, Vikings, 2009) and Vinny Testaverde (33, Ravens, 1996) for fourth place in touchdown passes in a debut season. The third overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Jets trails only Matthew Stafford (41, Rams, 2021), Brady (40, Buccaneers, 2020) and Peyton Manning (37, Broncos, 2012). Stafford and Brady won the Super Bowl those years. Manning is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Packers: WR Christian Watson (knee) was inactive. LB Quay Walker (ankle) missed his second straight game and CB Jaire Alexander (knee) was sidelined for the sixth consecutive game and the ninth time this season. ... Two backups, FS Zayne Anderson and DE Brenton Cox, entered the concussion protocol during the game and did not return. Vikings: Jones (quadriceps) was pulled in the fourth quarter as a precaution, O'Connell said. ... OLB Patrick Jones (knee) limped off after Packers TE Tucker Kraft delivered a low, diving block that drew loud boos after the replay was shown on the video board but no penalty. The Packers host Chicago to finish the regular season next weekend, when the Vikings visit Detroit.How co-writing a book threatened the Carters’ marriage

The Detroit Lions have equaled the franchise record for most consecutive victories and stand alone atop the NFC standings. They still have plenty of obstacles to clear to remain at that perch. Even the NFC North remains up for grabs and they'll try to create a little more separation when they host the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. The Lions (11-1), who have won 10 straight, haven't been able to shake free from Minnesota (10-2) or Green Bay (9-3). Detroit will host Minnesota, which has won five straight, in the regular-season finale next month. The Packers have remained in contention by winning seven of their last eight, with the only loss coming at the hands of the Lions. Detroit opened up a 21-point lead early in the third quarter and held on for a 24-14 victory. Lions coach Dan Campbell says the fun really begins now. "The best part of all of this -- we're in playoff football right now, that's where we're at," he said. "We're in December, and our schedule says that. Man, we play tough opponent after tough opponent -- we've got plenty coming up. So, man, this is the type of stuff that you live for and it's also the type of stuff that gets you ready for the tournament. "So, yeah, we're a resilient bunch and nothing's going to change that. We've just got to worry about the one in front of us." Detroit is coming off a 23-20 win over Chicago on Thanksgiving Day in which it nearly blew a 16-point lead. The Bears' poor clock management cost them an opportunity to send the game into overtime and led to coach Matt Eberflus' firing. The Lions have been hit with a wave of injuries, particularly on the defensive side. They signed four players over the past week to fortify their depth. "I know the elephant in the room is all the injuries that have happened with us on the defensive side," defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. "Our personnel staff does a really good job of acquiring players that fit exactly who we are. I would say this, it's not the playbook that's the most important thing for these guys to come in and learn. It's the style of play that we have and that's easy to learn." Jared Goff has thrown for six touchdowns and zero interceptions in the past three games after tossing five picks against the Houston Texans on Nov. 10. The Packers also played on Thanksgiving, defeating Miami 30-17. Green Bay opened up a 24-3 halftime lead as Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes to Jayden Reed. Now the Packers face a Detroit team that has defeated them in five of the last six meetings. "With most good teams, they play the game the right way," Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. "Certainly, Detroit's been doing that for a couple years now. That's who they are and that's who we are as well. It should be a great game on Thursday night." The Packers might have to win via a shootout, considering the Lions are averaging a league-best 31.9 points per game (Green Bay ranks eighth at 26.5). Stopping the running game will be key, according to LaFleur. "They're two very dynamic backs. (David) Montgomery, he's going to beat you up physically and the other guy (Jahmyr Gibbs), you've got to try to corral because he can take it the distance," he said. "Jared (Goff) is playing at an MVP level, so they've got a really potent offense." Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker (knee) and three defensive linemen -- DJ Reader (shoulder), Josh Paschal (knee) and Levi Onwezurike (hamstring) -- didn't practice on Tuesday. Offensive guard Elgton Jenkins (knee), Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) and cornerback Corey Ballentine (knee) missed the Packers' practice. --Field Level MediaOn a damp dull Saturday morning in late January 1987, Charles Haughey stepped out from the passenger seat of his detective-driven Mercedes into a dense fog outside Langtons Hotel in Kilkenny. He glanced around and waved to the large crowd of spectators who had waited for hours to get a glimpse of the Boss, and then engaged in some flesh-pressing. As he was about to board the campaign bus, he apologised for his late arrival. “It’ll take more than fog to stop Fianna Fáil this time round,” he shouted to the roars of the crowd. The country was in tatters, buckling under the harshest tax rates in Europe, with a quarter of a million of its workers unemployed. Garret FitzGerald’s coalition government had imploded only days before as a result of the withdrawal of the Labour Party — caused by a disagreement over budget proposals for massive cuts in social spending. Haughey’s genius was his charm, mixed with a large helping of obscurity. Despite promising little of interest in the hope of swaying the public vote, he simply reminded voters that coalition governments were unreliable. He urged the country to give him a strong majority, but the population back then had more to worry about than an election. Fianna Fáil received 44.1% of the overall vote, and went on to form a minority single-party government which had the qualified support of Fine Gael, the main opposition party; but typically Haughey was far from comfortable governing by consensus. Concessions and compromises didn’t come easily to him unless they were exclusively his. What resulted was a cobbled-together government. You would be forgiven for thinking that history has repeated itself in recent times, especially if you replace Haughey’s and FitzGerald’s names with Martin and Harris. Ireland is a very different country from what it was in 1987, but the game of politics with its vague snakes-and-ladders effect has remained the same. Perhaps the only change is an absence of trust on the part of voters The days of the Soldiers of Destiny, the wartime name ascribed to Fianna Fáil, are long gone, as are the pedestals that voters once placed their politicians on. Gone also are the days when a crowd of hundreds would wait for hours on a cold foggy Saturday to see any Charles Haughey-type. November is the month of early darkness and cooler temperatures. Leaves are falling as we reach for the winter clothes. This month is all about change. It’s as though there’s a routine we follow that’s strict and checked — same as last year and every year in memory. Its heralding of winter is a reminder of the importance of looking after our health, both mental and physical. It’s a month for being excessively gentle as we remember those who won’t be here this Christmas. It’s both sad and sentimental in equal measure. What November doesn’t need is an election — the second in six months. The fog that Haughey encountered on the campaign trail in 1987 has descended again; except this time it’s a different type of fog. In fact, there are two fogs swirling around. One is the fog of indifference, felt by those who’ve had enough of political elitism; the second is the fog of entitlement that many politicians are cluelessly lost in — detached from a reality of life lived by almost 700,000 people whose incomes are below the poverty line I believe we have reached a point where many people are no longer wondering who they will vote for next Friday; now they’re wondering will they bother voting at all. I fell asleep 15 minutes into the leaders' first televised debate on RTÉ last Monday. I thanked my wife the following morning for not waking me. She then confessed she had also missed it because she was watching I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! Wise choice if you ask me. Law and order It’s a year since the Dublin riots shocked the country and beyond when a major part of the capital’s north city was plunged into a blazing hellscape of violence, destruction and looting following multiple stabbings at a nearby school earlier that day. It’s nothing short of a miracle that no lives were lost. Responsibility for restoring law and order fell to the gardaí, 60 of whom were assaulted, while three were seriously injured. Could it happen again? Of course, it could. Would the gardaí be better equipped if it did? Unlikely. One young garda, a member of the Public Order Unit, told me confidentially that he received a call shortly after 5pm that Thursday evening to prepare for duty with one of the units. He had to drive home in heavy rush-hour traffic to collect his body armour, helmet, and riot shield because there was nowhere to store them at the garda station. He agreed that many of his colleagues took huge risks that evening because they were left with no choice. He laughed when I asked him if the resources they had at their disposal were adequate for what they were faced with. “Absolutely not,” he replied. A record 459 gardaí were injured while on duty last year. None of this was mentioned on Monday’s debate. Micheál Martin last weekend revealed that Fianna Fáil wants the Justice portfolio in the next government, as if his party is better equipped to protect the country. He was only short of embracing Martin Luther King Jr’s famous words “I have a dream” as he discussed plans for his new Department of Domestic Affairs, which would incorporate justice, immigration, integration, and children’s rights — somewhat like moving chairs around on Titanic. Daft stuff. At one point he was starting to sound like Paul Mescal’s character Lucius Verus in Gladiator II . And just for good measure, as though Justice should be more crime-friendly, he plans to legalise drugs, while also pledging to recruit 5,000 gardaí over the next five years, a thousand less than Fine Gael’s pledge A son of a friend of mine quit the gardaí last year and emigrated to Perth. He is now a member of the WA Police Force. His father sent him a link to each of the party’s justice manifestos. His son sent him back a photo of the BMW X5 SUV highway police vehicle he drives, with all its eye-catching decals and flashing lights. Below the photo were the words “Loving it here Dad. Living the dream.” And what about all those would-be parents if Fine Gael is re-elected? Simon Harris will put €1,000 into a trust fund for every newborn baby in the next five years, payable on their 18th birthday, at a snippety-snap cost to the taxpayer of half a billion. So even if you can’t afford childcare — that’s if you can find a creche that’s not full — at least the 18th birthday party is paid for. Not a single mention of the 4,170 children who are homeless. What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Dense fog sums up this election campaign, with its harebrained manifestos full of cobbled-together bluff. I think the biggest shock next week will be the number of politicians who lose their seats, including some who give the impression that retaining the old seat is an on-the-nose certainty. Nor would it surprise me if the turnout was the lowest ever. No doubt many of them are sniggering at Gerry Hutch’s political ambitions, and his chances of getting elected in Dublin. Hutch could have the last laugh, even if he doesn’t get in. Haughey’s charm, with its blatant sense of entitlement, might have been what got him elected in 1987, but those days are long gone. Sometimes it’s better to promise nothing. History might remember you more favourably.

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