live casino nz 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 . The tradition continues regardless of government shutdowns, such as the one in 2018 , and this year . 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.

The idyllic holiday scene — piles of presents, smiles all around — rarely matches reality. Who among us hasn’t faced the awkward silence of a gift that falls flat? Who hasn’t been disappointed by one we’ve received? Why then, do we get it wrong so often? Why are we so bad at giving gifts? I’ve researched these questions through the lens of social psychology, trying to understand the psychological science of gift giving in hopes of helping gift givers make better choices. And the good news is that after 10 years, we have some answers that could help every gift giver make better choices. ADVERTISEMENT The first thing to appreciate is that even though we all act as gift givers and gift recipients, we don’t typically do so at the same time: Even when exchanging gifts, we are thinking like a giver in advance, and then thinking like a recipient in the moment. This creates what is called an empathy gap. In short, when we are acting in one capacity, say as a gift giver, we typically do not consider or empathize with what it would be like to be a gift recipient. We apply a totally different psychology to gift giving than we do to gift receiving. This can be as simple as considering what matters most to gift givers and recipients. When we give gifts, what we tend to believe matters most is the moment of the gift exchange — the moment when a recipient unwraps their gift and sees it for the first time. We want that big “wow” moment where we see a huge smile and know that we’ve done a good job. The problem is that this moment, the big reveal, typically lasts for just a few seconds, but the recipient is stuck with the gift for much longer. What we know matters to the recipient, instead, is much less the moment of exchange, but rather the entirety of the gift’s ownership. Consider a novelty gift like a mug with a witty phrase like “World’s Best Procrastinator.” That’s sure to make someone chuckle when they see it, but then it’ll probably sit in their pantry collecting dust for who knows how long. Or consider a tchotchke that is intended to help decorate a home. It may spark excitement at first, but then the recipient is left with fitting it into the décor of their home ... no small task, and often an unwanted chore. Some gifts can leave a great first impression, but then fall flat later on. As gift givers, we need to think about the long-term implications of a gift, because that is what recipients truly value. As uninspired as it sounds, something like a toaster oven can be an amazing gift because it will be useful. It might not be the most exciting gift when it is opened, but your recipient will think fondly of you every time they use it. Beyond the useful, it’s important to consider that recipients care more about thoughtfulness than just about anything else. After all, what is a gift if not a way to show someone that you care about them and are thinking of them? What that implies, and what the science of gift giving endorses, is that cost is not what dictates how much a recipient loves a gift. In fact, research suggests that there is virtually no relationship between the price of a gift and how much a recipient likes it. Instead, what recipients value is something thoughtful. That can be a freshly baked batch of cookies, or a nicely framed photograph of a treasured shared past experience, or even just a sincerely written note on a holiday card. Science tells us that recipients value the care a giver puts into their gift, and not its cost. We can take this one step further and appreciate that thoughtfulness doesn’t come only on holidays and special occasions like birthdays. Instead, one can be thoughtful any day of the year! And what we’ve learned is that thoughtfulness on random days — not special occasions — is much easier to convey. A gift given out of the blue shows a recipient that they are being thought of not just on, say, their birthday, but all the time. These “just because” gifts are seen to be far more valuable to recipients than those that they receive at moments when they are expecting to be given gifts, such as holidays. Putting this all together, science shows us that the best way to give great gifts is to stop thinking like a gift giver, and instead start thinking like a gift recipient. We’ve all been in that role before, so consider what gifts worked for you and take it from there. Appreciate that being stuck with a bad gift is far from ideal and that the gifts we cherish most are the ones that make us feel cared for. If you can apply these lessons to your own gift giving, your recipients are sure to smile not just when they unwrap your gift, but when they treasure it for years to come. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .

The crypto market keeps evolving and investors' focus chiefly shifts to projects that offer real utility and transformative potential. Among the pool of innovative projects, institutional and retail investors have swiftly taken notice of Lightchain AI (LCAI) . With its mission of advancing the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology, Lightchain AI is poised to challenge leading cryptocurrencies by 2025. Become an early supporter of this revolution by checking out the Lightchain AI Presale . Explore how the project bridges the gaps between blockchain and AI. Lightchain AI Accelerates the Blockchain-AI Future Lightchain AI distinguishes itself from the herd with its mission to decentralize AI development while tackling key challenges like scalability, transparency, and data privacy. At the core of its platform are three groundbreaking innovations. First is the Proof of Smartness (PoS). This approach gives rewards to nodes for running useful AI tasks. This enables the network to drive progress in smart machines through services beyond just checking trades. Second is the Smart Machine (SM) which lets builders deploy AI tools for building apps that are not restricted to one central location. It aids industries such as healthcare, money management, and transportation with real-time data analysis and seamless blockchain integration. Third but the top priority of Lightchain AI is privacy. Privacy is prioritized first by using advanced techniques like zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) and secure group mathematics to protect user information Hence, LCAI emerges as an ideal choice for privacy-conscious sectors and individuals. Why Investors Are Turning to Lightchain AI Priced at $0.003 during its presale , Lightchain AI offers an attractive entry point for investors. With projections suggesting exponential returns as adoption grows, the token’s affordability makes it an ideal choice for those seeking ground-floor opportunities. Imagine a space where creators and developers can innovate freely and monetize their ideas with ease. Lightchain AI’s Memecoin Launchpad makes this a reality. Using AI-driven tools, it provides a secure and dynamic environment to support the creative economy, unlocking endless possibilities and driving a thriving ecosystem. The frame of Lightchain AI is made to face the hardest tasks of the future. At its center is a Smart Mind Virtual Tool (SMVT), a special layer made for AI jobs like model learning and guessing, smoothly joined into the bloc͏k chain Lightchain AI has Proof of Intelligence (PoI) which is a new way to agree that not just keeps the network safe but also gives rewards to nodes for doing good AI tasks. To make it better, its smart size-up tools, like splitting and Level 2 techs, help fast, lots-of-work AI jobs easily. This makes Lightchain AI a strong and good platform. In a world where data dominates everything, Lightchain AI s ets a new standard for privacy and security. ZKPs secure sensitive data during computations. Furthermore, homomorphic encryption guarantees confidentiality at every stage by enabling computations on encrypted data. Roadmap Milestones Catalyzes Long-Term Growth Lightchain AI’s comprehensive roadmap reflects its commitment to innovation and scalability. Prototype Development: Testing PoI and AIVM functionalities in a controlled environment to ensure performance and security. Testnet Launch: Enhancing platform functionality via real-world testing with node operators and developers. Mainnet Launch: All features become available and in particular, staking, governance and dApp. Expanding the ecosystem: Integration of cross-chain solutions and establishment of partnerships for global expansion. These milestones demonstrate a methodical approach to growth and drive the evolution of Lightchain AI in response to community and industry needs. Could Lightchain AI Rival Top Cryptocurrencies in 2025? Lightchain AI’s unique value proposition makes it a strong contender in the rapidly evolving crypto landscape. By combining AI and blockchain, the platform addresses critical challenges such as bias, scalability, and data sovereignty. As one of the few platforms to seamlessly integrate AI into its blockchain architecture, Lightchain AI benefits from a first-mover advantage. From healthcare to finance to supply chain, its utilities provide disruptive opportunities across a wide variety of verticals. Furthermore, with a well-defined roadmap and ambitious expansion plans, Lightchain AI is primed to grow into a major player in the crypto space by 2025. With demand for both AI and blockchain technology on the rise, it’s only a matter of time before Lightchain AI gains widespread recognition and adoption. https://lightchain.ai https://lightchain.ai/lightchain-whitepaper.pdf https://x.com/LightchainAI https://t.me/LightchainProtocol Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.More so than any other entertainment franchise, the James Bond movie series is the most uneven , bouncing from remarkable highs to absurdly embarrassing lows. For every On Her Majesty’s Secret Service , there’s a Moonraker , and for every Casino Royale , there’s a Quantum of Solace . I wouldn’t go as far as to call the 007 series the most inconsistent franchise out there, but it’s undeniable that it’s not exactly trustworthy. Whereas other franchises let you know what you can expect from them — every Transformers is awful, every Mission: Impossible is spectacular, the MCU is, well, the MCU — 007 keeps you on your toes, unsure if you’ll get a banger or a turd. Generally, we know what those turds are. Bond has produced 25 movies, and about five or six are simply terrible. However, one in particular stands out as the epitome of the elusive so-bad-it’s-good-genre: The Man with the Golden Gun . Released on December 20, 1974, the film is perhaps the single-most bizarre Bond movie ever, a confused mess of ideas, tones, and performances that can’t quite commit to the campy fun of other entries, yet can’t be taken seriously either. The Man with the Golden Gun is a particular kind of bad — it’s truly terrible, but weirdly enjoyable. On its 50th anniversary, it’s a great time to look back on this gem of bad taste and wonder if it really is as middling as we remember (spoiler: yes, it is). He has a powerful weapon The Man with the Golden Gun was Roger Moore’s second movie as James Bond , following the equally puzzling, but far more consistent Live and Let Die . The film abandons the more grounded approach of its predecessor — an outright Blaxploitation tale that remains the biggest outlier in the saga’s 25 movies — in favor of a classic spy story that sees Bond back in familiar territory. The plot follows Bond as he aims to retrieve the Solex Agitator , a new technology meant to fix the world’s energy shortages. However, his task is complicated when the infamous and deadly assassin Francisco Scaramanga (Sir Christopher Lee) becomes involved, starting a game of cat and mouse between the rivals. At first glance, The Man with the Golden Gun offers the standard Bond schtick. There’s a valuable item to recover, a deadly villain in pursuit, and a few beautiful women who cross paths with Bond. However, all these elements are even lazier here — the Solex Agitator hardly works as a MacGuffin; it’s more an idea than an actual item, and Bond is barely interested in it. The Man with the Golden Gun also has the misfortune of having one of the worst Bond Girls ever, Britt Ekland’s Mary Goodnight. Now, the Bond Girl is not exactly a model for three-dimensional depictions, particularly during the early decades of the Bond saga, but Goodnight is a particularly ineffective and embarrassing example. For lack of a better word, Goodnight is quite stupid, a stereotypical dumb blonde whose incompetence increases from scene to scene. Like most other Bond movies of this time, The Man with the Golden Gun is full of unfunny and sometimes offensive double-entendres — one of the Asian women is called “Chew Mee,” get it? All these details amount to a truly ugly movie that is never as funny or as thrilling as it wants to be. In fact, The Man with the Golden Gun is quite boring at several points, especially whenever Bond is on-screen. No disrespect to Sir Roger Moore, but it really must be said: he’s among the weakest aspects of this movie, and his bizarre blend of transatlantic accent and Kentucky drawl can get a little grating at times. All this considered, one would think this is the worst Bond movie ever, and it comes close, too! However, it has one saving grace that not only rescues it from mediocrity, but actually elevates it to turn it into something enjoyable against all odds — well, two saving graces, actually. Pair of aces As it’s often mentioned, the real star of The Man with the Golden Gun is the titular character. Played to perfection by Sir Christopher Lee, Francisco Scaramanga is in close contention with No, Blofeld, Silva, and Le Chiffre as one of the best villains in the 007 saga . World-renowned for his imposing presence and deep, booming voice, Lee effortlessly dominates every scene he’s in, bringing charm and flair to a film that often goes for both, only to fall flat in its face. The Hammer Horror icon embodies all the debonair sophistication one would expect from Bond, further making poor Moore feel like an outlier in his own movie. It’s hard to stand next to Lee and try to out-suave him; he was one of those men who made all others seem, if not lesser, then certainly more plain. Joining Lee is Hervé Villechaize as Scaramanga’s henchman, Nick Nack. In the grand tradition of other Bond henchmen, Nick Nack is as scene-stealing as Scaramanga himself, and Villechaize makes the best of every scene. The duo perfectly balances each other; whereas Lee opts for chilling and devastatingly charming restraint, Villechaize is openly chewing scenery left and right. The two inject this lifeless movie with a jolt of electricity that not only revitalizes it, but actually sends it into overdrive, making up for how dull everyone else is. Contemporary and modern critics often agree that Lee outright stole the film from Moore, and it’s hard to disagree. Whenever they share the screen, Lee is such an overwhelming magnet that it’s nearly impossible for anyone else to compete. Villains outshining the heroes is not uncommon, and the Bond franchise is familiar with the trope — Javier Bardem pretty much chews and spits Craig in Skyfall , for example. But The Man with the Golden Gun is unique in that the plot is just as much about Scaramanga as it is about Bond, to the point where Bond often seems like the antagonist in Scaramanga’s story rather than the other way around. For that novel approach alone, The Man with the Golden Gun deserves some respect. Another poor victim Fifty years later, it’s clear that The Man with the Golden Gun suffered from the same growing pains as Live and Let Die . The 007 franchise was going through a crisis of identity, trying to keep up with the new trends of the ’70s while attempting to escape from Sean Connery’s looming shadow. Overall, Moore’s tenure as the spy with a license to kill is quite inconsistent, but his first two efforts are perhaps the most puzzling. And yet, it’s hard to fault The Man with the Golden Gun , largely because of how great Lee is as the titular character. This film lives and dies with Lee’s now-iconic performance, and whenever he’s on-screen, it roars with style and appeal; even the jokes land! Sure, it’s not great that James Bond is the least interesting aspect of a James Bond movie, but what are you going to do? The Man with the Golden Gun is not a good movie: the plot is weak and repetitive, the heroes are frustrating, and even the song is notoriously terrible and borderline silly. But leave it to Christopher Lee, the real-life James Bond , to save this film and make it sing and, occasionally, soar. What a gift he was to cinema, and what a joy it is to watch him in The Man with the Golden Gun , perhaps the only Bond movie where you’re actively rooting for the villain to win. The Man with the Golden Gun is available to stream on PlutoTV .

A Complete Unknown: What we know about theatrical, streaming release and storylinePension industry share services will kick off soon – PenCom

The P-8 Poseidon stands out from other maritime patrol aircraft (MPAs) thanks to its long list of features like, state-of-the-art ISR systems, exceptional operational efficiency, modular architecture and hard-points for weapons. Developed by Boeing for the US Navy , the Poseidon was specifically created to fulfill the anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). The Poseidon was crafted with years of expert knowledge to be the best in class. Owing to its numerous advances over its predecessors and competitors, the P-8 Poseidon has earned a reputation as the most outstanding big-wing jet in Navy history. Poseidon tech Unlike most conventional maritime patrol aircraft, the P-8 Poseidon incorporates a number of innovative technologies. One of its primary systems is a powerful search radar, which can identify surface ships and submarines at great range. As for tracking submarines and other underwater threats, the Poseidon is equipped with sophisticated acoustic sensors. The big jet can drop sono-buoys into the ocean to observe the subsurface environment with sonar. The Poseidon is a very useful tool in ASW missions because of its sensors and radar, which allow it to cover a large operational area. The P-8 can easily coordinate with other military assets thanks to these sensors and a variety of onboard systems built for real-time communication and data sharing. The Poseidon's cutting-edge, military-grade avionics suite is based on the Boeing 737. A proven and widely used commercial airliner that flies for many civilian fleets around the world. The Navy took the commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) philosophy all the way to the airframe and then built up from there with military modifications until they arrived at a premier patrol craft. Designed to be the ultimate advantage in surveillance missions, the P-8 has a highly advanced mission system that combines surveillance, radar, and sonar information into the data network between US and joint platforms. This combined data, from the P-8 and other platforms, works to build a complete picture of the battlespace. Its sensors have been specifically engineered to detect, classify, and track multiple targets at once, empowering mission operators to achieve the best real-time situational awareness possible for the US and its allies. P-8 Tech Combining the Boeing 737 's well-proven structure with the latest and greatest military sensors make it an extremely powerful platform for maritime ops. The P-9 can stay in the air for extended missions on station, all while carrying anti-ship or anti-submarine weapons along with its surveillance equipment. Specifications of the Boeing P-8: Length: 39.5 m/129 ft 6 in Wingspan: 37.6 m/123 ft 2 in Height: 12.8 m/42 ft 2 in Maximum Takeoff Weight: 85,820 kg/189,200 lbs Cruise Speed: 903 kmh/560 mph Range: 2,225+ km/1,200+ nm Service Ceiling: 41,000 ft/12,497 m They can operate in almost any weather condition and deploy from austere airfields. Their long-range and aerial refueling (AR) capabilities grant them virtually unlimited staying power to remain on mission as needed. Their high ceiling allows them to remain out of reach of many conventional anti-air systems. These features enable the P-8 Poseidon to conduct its range of mission profiles over the vast expanses of open ocean. Armed patrol Another important factor in the P-8 Poseidon's future-proofed and highly versatile design is the range of weaponry it is capable of carrying. The Poseidon’s predecessor was much more limited to its aged design—Lockheed Martin built the P-3 Orion in the Cold War, a propeller-driven aircraft far smaller compared to the P-8. A range of modern torpedoes, high-tech missiles, and depth charges are all in the Poseidon’s arsenal. As reported by PlaneHistoria , the Poseidon is equipped with Harpoon anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and other weapons that make it an all-in-one platform for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. The ability to carry more modern weapons and a larger payload of them as well, coupled with the Poseidon’s advanced targeting and sensor systems, allow it to conduct complex missions. The P-8 can deploy many of its weapons at long ranges, granting it a stand-off buffer where the enemy is unable to target the P-8. The Poseidon is a truly formidable asset in both defensive and offensive maritime operations. The P-8 Poseidon plays a critical role in maritime patrol and combating enemy surface and submarine fleets. Range and endurance The P-8 Poseidon's endurance and range enable it to conduct extended patrols across vast expanses of water, a powerful tool not only for military but also humanitarian operations. The Poseidon can cover large regions in a single mission or stay on station to provide search and rescue or surveillance for maritime security operations like counter-trafficking. As Business Insider noted, the Poseidon is designed to fly for long durations without needing to return to base, which provides it with the operational flexibility to support diverse mission types. With the ability to stay airborne for more than 10 hours on a single sortie, the P-8 Poseidon can operate efficiently even if tanker support is unavailable. With its distinct advantages in technology, weapons, range, and endurance, the P-8 Poseidon stands apart from all other maritime patrol aircraft. It is a vital component of contemporary maritime operations thanks to its sophisticated sensor suite, as well as, its deadly arsenal of ASW and ASuW weapons. The P-8 also has a major operational advantage from using the airframe of one of the most prolific commercial airliners flying today. The Navy will put the Poseidon to the test as time goes on, but to be sure, the P-8 is ready for whatever the future may throw at it. Reviewing the countries flying and about to fly the Boeing P-8A Poseidon.Old Nemesis is after Elon Musk again. What will world's richest person do now?