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ph365 new link Regarding selling luxury cars, brands like Ferrari RACE , Rolls-Royce and Maserati use strategies that are as extravagant as their vehicles. These automakers know how to make their cars irresistible – and sometimes even make their customers feel like they're getting a deal when doing the company's work for them. Take Ferrari, for instance. A prominent marketing expert, Rory Sutherland, pointed out how the brand has devised a smart way to shift delivery costs onto its customers while framing it as an exclusive experience. The company can deliver a Ferrari to your local dealership for free if you buy it. But for around £500 ($630), you can opt for a “factory tour” in Maranello, Italy, where you pick up your car and drive it home at your own cost. Don't Miss: Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partnered with Amazon, Walmart & Target announces the deadline to invest this year is 12/20. – Last Chance to get 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share! The global games market is projected to generate $272B by the end of the year — for $0.55/share, this VC-backed startup with a 7M+ userbase gives investors easy access to this asset market. Customers willingly pay to collect their cars because the experience is marketed as a unique privilege. It looks like a brilliant psychological play that makes customers feel special while cutting Ferrari's costs. Meanwhile, according to Sutherland, Rolls-Royce and Maserati took a different approach to make their luxury cars seem like impulse buys. Instead of showcasing their vehicles at traditional car shows – where their high price tags stand out – they moved to yacht and private jet shows. The logic? If you've spent all day looking at multimillion-dollar yachts and jets, a $250,000 car suddenly feels like a much smaller expense – an impulse buy. See Also: It’s no wonder Jeff Bezos holds over $70 million in art — this alternative asset has outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, delivering an average annual return of 11.4%. Here’s how everyday investors are getting started. Ferrari is also making bold moves into cryptocurrency payments . After successfully rolling out crypto payments in the U.S., the brand expanded the option to Europe in July. Partnering with BitPay, Ferrari now accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum and USD Coin for its cars, instantly converting the payments to traditional currency. According to the company’s representative, this was done in response to consumer demand and to suit the tastes of their affluent, tech-savvy audience. By the end of 2024, Ferrari plans to offer crypto payments globally where legally permitted. Ferrari isn't stopping there. The brand is gearing up to launch its first electric supercar in the fourth quarter of 2025. Ferrari ensures its EVs maintain the brand’s signature appeal with a new factory in Maranello dedicated to hybrid and electric vehicles and a state-of-the-art lithium battery research lab. Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today. CEO Benedetto Vigna is reinventing the sound of electric motors to preserve the classic sensory experience of driving a Ferrari. Ferrari is placing a big bet on strong consumer interest across age groups to compete with market leaders like Tesla. Even as Ferrari accelerates into the future, its financial performance remains strong. The automaker reported an 11% year-over-year sales growth in Q1 2024, bringing in $1.72 billion in revenue. Shipments held steady at 3,560 units and Ferrari is on track for fiscal 2024 net revenues exceeding €6.4 billion. Whether paying to pick up your car, splurging on a $250,000 vehicle after looking at luxury yachts or buying a Ferrari with Bitcoin, one thing stands out: luxury car brands know how to keep people coming back. They use smart strategies, cool technology and new financial trends to stay ahead in the world of high-end cars. Read Next: Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – The deadline to invest and receive your shares this year is 12/20. Join 30,000+ shareholders and invest at $0.26/share today. If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it ? © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Malique Ewin finished with team highs of 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the Florida State Seminoles to a 92-59 victory over the Massachusetts Minutemen in each team's final game of the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off on Sunday afternoon in Uncasville, Conn. The Seminoles (6-1) won their third consecutive game and went 2-0 in the event as they pulled away in the second half, leading by as many as 36 points. It's Florida State's best start since the 2019-20 season when it went 7-1. UMass (1-5) dropped its fifth in a row following a season-opening win over New Hampshire despite a strong game on Sunday from Jaylen Curry, who scored 17 points. Curry, with six free throws, helped propel the Minutemen on a 10-0 run over a four-plus minute span in the first half to take a 24-23 lead with 4:22 left. FSU closed the half on a 13-3 run to lead 37-27 at halftime. A 15-4 surge to open the second half helped the Seminoles break the game open. Florida State's defense frustrated UMass shooters throughout the contest, especially on the perimeter, limiting the Minutemen to 3-for-24 shooting (12.5 percent) from 3-point range and 18-for-58 (31 percent) overall. The Seminoles finished with 22 points off 17 UMass turnovers. On the flipside, Florida State had one of its best shooting games of the season. The Seminoles moved the ball well throughout the game and finished with 25 assists while only turning the ball over 10 times. The Seminoles shot 33 for 58 (57 percent) from the field and made 9 of 18 three-pointers to put together a season-high scoring output. Once again, Florida State shined thanks to its depth as 10 players scored and four scored in double figures. The Seminoles were able to have 16 players participate in the game as well. Jamir Watkins finished with 14 points while Jerry Deng and Justin Thomas each had 10 points. For UMass, Daniel Rivera finished with 12 points and six rebounds while Nate Guerengomba had 10 points. Daniel Hankins-Sanford collected a game-high 13 rebounds. --Field Level MediaNone

DENVER (AP) — Travis Hunter made a pair of proclamations Thursday: He’s for sure entering the NFL draft after this season, but not until he sees Colorado all the way through the College Football Playoff — if the Buffaloes make it there. The first was already a given for the draft-eligible junior who plays both receiver and cornerback. The second is a risk-reward play for a projected high first-round pick who averages around 120 snaps a game. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.Taoiseach Simon Harris has said he was focusing on outlining his election pitch to help people with disabilities instead of dwelling on his encounter with a care worker in Cork . Mr Harris spoke to Charlotte Fallon, a disability worker with St Joseph’s Foundation, after a clip of an exchange between them on Friday went viral. RTE footage posted to the social media site X shows Mr Harris on a canvass in Kanturk when Ms Fallon tells the Taoiseach carers “were ignored” and the Government has “done nothing for us”. Mr Harris responds by saying: “No, not at all”, and “that’s not true”, several times before shaking her hand. When asked whether he thought the clip would overshadow the Fine Gael campaign, Mr Harris said people would vote for the best plan on offer. “I hope people like to see humility in politics and if you get something wrong, you come out and you own it,” he said. “I’m human, I make mistakes. But you know what I do when I make a mistake? I own it. “There’s been far too many occasions during general elections in this country and abroad where something goes wrong on the campaign trail and people dilly dally and debate for days. You know what? I put my hands up. “I got it completely wrong. I was wrong, simple as. Spoke to Charlotte. But much more importantly to me now, in my engagement with Charlotte and my engagement with people right across this country, it’s what I’m going to do for people with disabilities.” Asked about the encounter, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said that Ms Fallon had spoken “truth to power”. “The unfortunate thing is, in this case, power didn’t want to hear the truth, and that’s hugely, hugely problematic. You hear all sorts of things out on the campaign trail, and I think a wise leader, a person who would wish to be Taoiseach, listens and accepts that when somebody is telling you that your policies are hurting, hurting them, hurting the people that they represent and work for – you should hear that lesson. “If you’re not hearing that lesson, you’re not going to change your approach and in that meeting that happened in Kanturk, I think people just got a glimpse of actually what it would mean for Fine Gael to be back in government with Fianna Fail, because that’s their approach. They don’t listen, they don’t respond, and they seem to think, astonishingly, that people ought to be grateful for their efforts, rather than hearing, reflecting and changing.” For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage . Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .While the Federal Reserve has cut its short-term interest rate targe t by three-quarters of a percentage point since mid-September, 30-year fixed-rate home mortgage rates rose by almost as much during that period and have lately averaged around 6.8%, higher than they were when the Fed began cutting, according to Freddie Mac, the home-loan finance giant. Small-business loan rates are also up: Small Business Administra tion-backed average interest for new real estate and capital improvement loans rose more than half a percent since September, according to data collected by CDC Small Business Finance, one of that program’s largest lenders. To be sure, the central bank’s target rates and its much-publicized recent rate cuts don’t directly set long-term mortgage and business loan rates. It’s not unheard of for rates on multiyear loans, such as 30-year mortgages, to move modestly against the direction of the Fed’s short-term targets, analysts say. But the recent gap, with Fed and bank rates moving in opposite directions, “is actually quite different” from the usual result after a Fed hike, said Lara Rhame, chief economist at FS Investments in South Philadelphia. It’s “abnormal” for rates to fall when the economy is doing well, she said — a sign money market players are worried about inflation under one-party government when politicians “can spend with fewer guardrails,” likely leading to faster growth and more price inflation. Rhame said her research on past Fed performance suggests long-term mortgage rates could stay at or above 5% into next year. “It’s a huge frustration for all the folks that were excited to jump in and buy homes, once the Feds started cutting interest rates,” she added. Eric Merlis, cohead of global markets for Citizens Financial Group, which runs the largest bank-branch network in the Philadelphia area, said long-term rates reflect the economy’s growth prospects. When mortgage and business-loan rates rise despite Fed cuts, it suggests lenders are concerned inflation, economic growth, and property, stock and other asset prices will get worse. Mortgage inquiries rose postelection Mortgage inquiries slowed during the recent presidential campaign, as if buyers were waiting to see who won, but calls from would-be buyers have surged since Donald Trump’s election, said Michael A. Kent, veteran mortgage banker at First National Bank of Pennsylvania’s Berwyn office. “I received more calls since Thursday than in the last three weeks,” he said in an interview last week. But there still aren’t many houses for sale, locally or nationally, compared to the demand, Kent added. Nationally, “house-hunting activity was much slower than expected” during the presidential campaign, the national real estate brokerage Redfin reported last week. “Buyers are returning” since Trump’s election, yet “we don’t expect rates to fall significantly anytime soon,” said Redfin economic researcher Chen Zhao. Rhame, the FS analyst, said that even if the Trump administration wanted to increase U.S. housing construction, it would need to push local governments to speed project approvals — a challenge for national leaders. Kent, the mortgage banker, noted that Fed rate cuts have more impact on credit cards, car loans, and other short-term borrowing than on business and mortgage loans. If mortgage rates stay high, he expects more buyers will ask for adjustable-rate loans, as if betting that rates will fall over the next few years. Analysts say high mortgage rates reflect, in part, expectations that inflation would increase next year — for example, if the Trump administration makes good on promises to cut taxes without corresponding cuts to the major categories of U.S. government spending: medical, Social Security, military, and debt service. Kent added that any Trump administration moves that speed the economy more than expected — for example, by expanding fossil-fuel development and cutting gasoline prices — would come as a welcome deflationary surprise and maybe lead to lower interest rates. When might mortgage rates drop? Standard 30-year mortgages won’t likely drop until the long-term lending benchmark U.S. Treasury bond yields fall from their current levels, said Mike Reynolds, vice president for investment strategy at Glenmede Trust Co. in Philadelphia. At a little under 7%, average 30-year home-loan rates “aren’t so egregiously high” that they would slow the economy, he said. “We do expect, as the Fed continues to go down this path of rate cuts, interest rates are likely to trend lower. It’s just not likely to be a straight-line process.” He’s sanguine that Trump won’t force too-rapid change to the Fed, whose chairman, Jerome Powell, was appointed by Trump in his first term. “But the COVID period of just printing more money” without raising revenues “seems to be behind us.” Reynolds is hopeful that less deficit spending will boost economic growth, and ease pressure on interest rates, and the borrowers who pay them.

For the last year or so, commercial real estate professionals have had a saying about the naggingly sluggish office market: “survive to ’25” — meaning that if tenants, landlords and brokers can keep their heads down and push through into next year, conditions will improve.

“I hope that I use my time wisely as a new retiree,” said M., when asked what her hope was for 2025. She spent her best years as a guidance counselor at a private school in Quezon City. “I hope to practice mindfulness by decluttering my space, gardening, and journaling.” In the light of the myriad of mental health sufferers among our students, her comment betrays the pressure counselors are under as well. M., however, belongs to a generation whose hope extends to the community. She quickly added: “On the macro level: I yearn for the election of honest, competent, service-oriented government officials. And that we Filipinos remember and honor the legacy of our heroic forebears, taking pride in our identity.” Recent literature in hope studies indicates that most people “have become accustomed to dreaming big at the individual scale. On the collective level, however, our hope is failing us.” As interest rates go down and election season begins, people’s hopes are palpably high. The promise of money, fame, and self-realization will be fulfilled once more. But what about collective hope? Are we seeing a brighter future for our communities and nation as a whole? I asked two political scientists if they had high hopes for the coming year. Hansley Juliano, who is currently working for his PhD from Nagoya University, said: “Personally, my hope lies in my engagement with my students and the organizations and advocates who still persist in fighting for our rights and necessary policies even in hostile situations. Even the hardest and most hostile times were made lighter by those who stood by what they believe in, sometimes at great cost to themselves and those they care about — mostly because they are trying to protect the ones they love anyway.” I didn’t ask any more for the gory details of the rights and policies the students were fighting for nor what price they had to pay for protecting their loved ones. This means, however, that hope is not the optimism that things will turn out fine. One has to dig deep to find hope through concrete action. Must Read 90% of Filipinos hopeful for New Year, but that’s a 15-year low — SWS People run away from hope because it is dangerous. It requires a form of dissent which is not rebelliousness. It is not rebellious because it is realistic. It demands an honest-to-goodness look at the situation and an acknowledgment of facts. It is nonetheless dissenting, for one does not simply accept the things as they are and he or she becomes open to new solutions. Unlike optimism, hope exercises intellectual humility of not shaping reality as we see fit. As they say, “If they say there will be mass deportations in the US, we better believe them.” Arj Aguirre, assistant professor at Ateneo de Manila University, said: “I am hoping that our midterms will be peaceful and less violent.... In this election, I am excited to see how our opposition is trying to survive despite being out of power for many years. This is, to me, is an indication, that we are indeed maturing. As you can see, some politicians are sticking to their party. They stay despite the temptation of party switching just to win.” Essentially a warning that things will get worse before they get better, the midterm elections will most likely be violent. People buzz about “ foreign malign influence .” The opposition, while not completely dead, is in survival mode. Does this mean that democracy itself is in survival mode? Evidences from the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia force us conclude this. One gleans a hint of spiritedness in Aguirre’s words, though, perhaps fueled by inside information of what is going on in the opposition. Both Juliano and Aguirre observe that enough political actors are doubling down, sticking to their convictions, despite the great convenience of becoming a political opportunist. We can share their stories more than the dominant narrative that the political landscape is infested by turncoats and butterflies. Furthermore, a physician and a Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary Officer, wishes “for stability in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and that the WPS be protected from marine destruction.” Father Ted Gonzales, president of the Center for Family Ministries, emphasizes: “Give jobs, not ayuda .... Identify corruption and codependency as another form of sin to the nation. Invest in quality and critical education instead of making people remain ignorant. Make education and healthy lifestyle with integrity a priority as a national value.” Both involved in active duty, their hope is having a sense of agency. Hope is acting with purpose and intentionality. Even more crucially, it is making sure actions align with one’s purpose. A nation of codependents and without agency will be weak, uncreative, and not ready for battle. Crucial in hope is the capacity to do something about the situation. Hope is the capacity to ask the question: Now that nothing can be done, what can be done? Must Read [REFLECTION] ‘Hope is not dead’ – Pope Francis Even if the enemies are literally hidden in plain sight and that government continues to sabotage its development plan, what can still be done? “Make good coffee!” A slogan that was born during Occupy Wall Street, it is a code for inviting people for a serious conversation. In isolation, the situation will seem bleak; with true comrades, anything is possible. One’s allies may not even be alive. As veteran journalist Howie Severino says: “Just before every new year we remember Jose Rizal on December 30. Sharing a nation with such a man reminds me that we’re a work in progress to something much better.” Finally, for Jesuit Father General, Arturo Sosa, in 2025 we are called for “a more interior knowledge of Jesus Christ.” This year we can go beyond piety and truly discover Christ in the living and breathing stories of our countrymen here and abroad. The hope of 2025 lies in our capacity to be galvanized by the call of our times. We just need to find the courage to refused to be engulfed by the darkness and say yes to the Yes! – Rappler.com Jovino G. Miroy teaches philosophy at Ateneo de Manila University. In 2018, he directed “Ang Apologia ni Sokrates salin ni R. Ferriols,” featuring Ron Capinding.Keanu Reeves might be ready to suit up for John Wick 5 , but there's just one little problem: his knees. The actor, who has brought the iconic hitman to life since 2014, recently opened up about the possibility of returning for a fifth instalment of the action-packed franchise. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for In an interview with CBS News, Reeves admitted that while his heart is all in, his knees are not so enthusiastic about the idea. "You can never say never," he said, "but my knees right now are saying, 'You can't do another 'John Wick.' So my heart does (want to), but I don't know if my knees can do it." Since the release of the fourth film in 2023, fans have been eagerly awaiting news on a potential fifth movie, especially after Lionsgate teased its development last year. However, an official announcement is still pending. While Reeves may be uncertain about returning to the franchise, he's not entirely stepping away from the John Wick universe. The actor is set to make a cameo in the upcoming Ballerina , a spinoff starring Ana de Armas . But that’s not all—Keanu will also lend his voice to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 , where he’ll portray the mysterious and menacing Shadow the Hedgehog. It seems Reeves' action-packed days are far from over, even if his knees might need a little rest. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Assets not liabilities

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 23 points as Creighton beat Villanova 86-79 on Saturday night. Kalkbrenner had five rebounds for the Bluejays (8-5, 1-1 Big East Conference). Neal Jamiya added 20 points while going 7 of 11 (6 for 7 from 3-point range) while they also had six assists. Steven Ashworth shot 6 for 11 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 20 points, while adding 11 assists. The Wildcats (8-5, 1-1) were led in scoring by Eric Dixon, who finished with 27 points. Wooga Poplar added 19 points and 10 rebounds for Villanova. Jhamir Brickus finished with 16 points and four assists. The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Wildcats. Creighton took the lead with 16:12 to go in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 40-38 at halftime, with Kalkbrenner racking up 10 points. Creighton turned a three-point second-half lead into a 10-point advantage with a 7-0 run to make it a 56-46 lead with 14:40 left in the half. Neal scored 14 second-half points in the victory. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Australia’s House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social mediaMumbai: A one-day state-level workshop on drone technology and its applications was held on Saturday at the University of Mumbai (MU). The event was inaugurated by the university's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ravindra Kulkarni, alongside Naval Bajaj (IPS), the Head of the State Anti-Terrorism Squad, among others. During the event, Kulkarni encouraged MU’s Geography Department to collaborate with leading national institutions and private sector companies to introduce drone-based courses and research projects. He stressed the importance of cross-disciplinary cooperation to provide students with valuable internships and opportunities to expand their knowledge in this emerging field. In his speech, chief guest Bajaj spoke about the pioneering use of drones during the Ganesh Chaturthi immersion processions in Mumbai, highlighting how drones provided crucial oversight. He also emphasised the role of drones in controlling accidents and crises, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bajaj elaborated on the potential of drones in combating terrorism, addressing climate change, and managing natural disasters, all while discussing the growing security challenges that need to be addressed as drone use expands. Prof. Shirish Kedare, Director of IIT Mumbai, provided a comprehensive overview of the current state and future potential of drone technology. Experts Dr. Hemant Pednekar, Dr. Kiran Naik, and Shruti Surendran shared their insights on drone applications, the future of the industry, employment prospects, and challenges within the drone sector. Their sessions aimed to guide attendees on navigating the complexities of the rapidly evolving field. The workshop was organised in collaboration with the university's Department of Geography, UAV Academy Pvt. Ltd., and the Bombay Geographical Association. As part of the workshop, UAV Academy showcased six different types of UAVs and command-and-control systems. The exhibition's highlight was a 20-foot-long UAV named Sampatti, which drew significant attention from attendees. A total of 190 students, including undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers from affiliated colleges of MU participated in the workshop.

'Copper’s time has run out': Nvidia, AMD and TSMC have invested millions in a startup which may hold the key to faster chip connectivity to quench AI's thirst for bytes

HOUSTON (AP) — Will Levis and the Tennessee Titans were far from perfect Sunday. But they did just enough to outlast the mistake-prone Houston Texans and get their first AFC South win of the season. Levis threw for 278 yards and his 70-yard touchdown pass to Chig Okonkwo put Tennessee on top in the fourth quarter and the Titans held on for the 32-27 victory. “The coolest thing about this game was just the way our team fought,” coach Brian Callahan said. “It was a back-and-forth game. Our guys did a good job of not flinching and keeping the blinders on. We’ve been in games like this before, and we haven’t been able to make a play, but this week, we made a play.” Okonkwo grabbed a short pass and rumbled for the touchdown to put the Titans (3-8) up 30-27 with 91⁄2 minutes remaining. Safety Eric Murray missed a tackle that would have stopped him near midfield. The Texans (7-5) had a chance to tie it with less than two minutes remaining, but Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left. He fell to the ground after the miss before getting up and slamming his helmet on the field. Callahan held both hands in the air and smiled after watching the miss that allowed his team to win on a day it had three turnovers. The Texans forced a three-and-out, but couldn’t move the ball after that and Harold Landry sacked C.J. Stroud in the end zone for a safety to make it 32-27 and allow Tennessee to snap a two-game skid. Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions as the AFC South-leading Texans lost for the third time in four games. Stroud has thrown five interceptions combined in the past three games to give him more interceptions in 12 games this season (nine) than he had in 15 games as a rookie last season (five). “It’s no secret that I haven’t been playing well... I’ve got to be harder on myself,” he said. “I’m not going to hold my head down. I know I can be a great player, but I’ve got to make better plays.” Jimmie Ward had a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter and the Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks. Danielle Hunter led the group with a season-high three sacks and Will Anderson Jr. added two in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury. But the offense sputtered for most of the game as Joe Mixon was held to 22 yards on 14 carries. “Just a disappointing loss for us,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We didn’t do anything well enough to win this game. Out of all the positives that we did have, there were way too many negatives.” It was Tennessee's first win of the season in a game that Levis both started and finished. The second-year player missed three games this year with a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder. “I’m really proud of Will,” Callahan said. “He’s done a lot of things to get himself back in the right place, mentally and physically. It was a really good performance.” Levis knows he can be better, but was happy to leave Houston with a victory in this difficult season. “It feels awesome,” he said. “A lot of people have been working really hard to get a win like this. I’m just happy for the organization, top down.” Tennessee extended the lead to 23-17 on a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk with nine minutes left in the third. Stroud threw his second interception with about 90 seconds left in the third quarter but Ward’s touchdown came three plays later to put the Texans on top 24-23. The Titans fumbled a punt early in the fourth quarter and Houston recovered it. A 54-yard field goal by Fairbairn extended the lead to 27-23 with about 10 minutes to go. Dameon Pierce returned the opening kickoff 80 yards to get the Texans in the red zone. Houston cashed in on the next play when Stroud found rookie Cade Stover on a 19-yard pass for his first touchdown reception. The Titans trailed by four after a field goal by Folk when Nick Westbrook-Ikhine got in front of the defense and was wide open for a 38-yard TD catch that made it 10-7 late in the first quarter. Tennessee extended the lead to 17-7 when Tony Pollard ran 10 yards for a touchdown with about 11 minutes left in the second. Pollard finished with 119 yards and a touchdown. Nico Collins scored on a 5-yard reception with about six minutes left in the second. Levis levis lost a fumble with about 3 1/2 minutes left and the Texans added a 28-yard field goal to tie it at 17-17. Houston forced a punt after that, but rookie Jarvis Brownlee Jr. got his first career interception two plays later to give Tennessee the ball back. Folk’s 56-yard field goal, which tied his career long, put the Titans up 20-17 at halftime. The Titans were without cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, after he was placed on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury, and safety Amani Hooker, who was added to the injury report Sunday morning with an illness. Callahan said Hooker was vomiting “every time he stood up” Sunday. ... Houston S Jalen Pitre injured his shoulder in the second quarter and didn’t return. ... CB Ka’dar Hollman left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. Titans: Visit the Commanders next Sunday. Texans: Visit Jacksonville next Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflOver the holiday season, we're republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors as part of our Best of 2024 series. This article was originally published in August. Enjoy! The entirety of the trading card community — that is, people who collect, buy, and sell the Pokémon Trading Card game, sports cards, Magic: The Gathering, Disney, or literally any trading card game you can think of — has gradually become aware of what might be an existential threat to the entire concept of opening up a blind pack of trading cards. Over the past month or so, a series of events occurred across different corners of the trading card hobby which have snowballed into a panic, all stemming from one unlikely thing: CT scanners . Yes, computed tomography, like the kind of thing doctors typically use to see your insides, has now effectively been demonstrated on trading card packs and boxes to accurately show what’s inside without needing to open them. Not only that, but in the aftershock of the news, a business named Industrial Inspection + Consulting LLC has already come to market with an attempt to monetise CT scanning trading card boxes and packs, suggesting on its brand new website, “If some people have access to this technology, you should too.” First, A Loose Timeline of Events Back on June 24th, 2024, Instagram user Dtaoooooo uploaded what they alleged was a video of a CT scan displaying a box of officially licensed basketball cards, posted with the following caption: Today, panini’s NBA copyright is about to expire, I hereby disclose a secret that is clear in the blind box industry, so that consumers can see how to ”unbox without damage“ through CT scanner technology, merchants are unscrupulous offline to find logoman‘s speculative way without loss! #logoman @paniniamerica @psacard #logomancard The X-ray displayed what skilled hobbyists would relatively easily be able to identify as a “Logoman'' card floating inside of a sealed box. That’s an extremely rare, serialised type of trading card that features an NBA patch from a real player’s jersey, even the least valuable of these sell for hundreds, while the rarest sell for thousands. This Instagram claim raised plenty of eyebrows after it was circulated, but most of the conjecture uneasily concluded this was either fake, or hoped it was too impractical to be of much consequence. However, a few weeks later on July 16th, 2024, a YouTube channel called “Ahron Wayne's Strange Brain” posted an entirely unrelated vlog on the same topic titled “ Digitally Peeking Inside a Pack of Pokemon Cards ”. In this far more wholesome yet still astonishing video, Ahron Wayne details how his young career in science eventually led him to an eBay listing for a local pickup of two broken-down CT scanning machines, which in total cost him $1,500. After using his own technical expertise to fix the machines and initially using them for more typical endeavours, Wayne spends the video explaining an initial curiosity to test their limits before visually detailing his process of scanning 25-year-old vintage Pokémon packs. The result? The machine produced fuzzy yet unmistakable images of holographic hits from inside the packs — packs which still remain unopened. This video was released in earnest, but the reactions from trading card streamers (if the Youtube videos accompanied by shocked-faced-thumbnails totalling in the dozens are any indication) were cataclysmic . And it’s not hard to imagine why. What This Means For Magic , Pokémon , and More In short, nobody really knows what this means for the hobby for certain, but this is not entirely without precedent. Historically, within the Pokémon card game but also in others, re-sellers have been able to physically weigh vintage packs in order to identify packs with rarer holographic cards inside of them, with relatively repeatable consistency. But X-ray vision is an entirely new ballgame that would permanently alter the massive economy of vintage collectibles. Try to imagine the concept of “scanned” versus “unscanned” packs adding and subtracting value to sales listings, or how literally any sealed box of anything would fall suspect to having been pre-scanned for top hits. Yet just weeks ago, no one could fathom a use case where both industrial machinery and skilled machinist could be paired up for the explicit purpose of finding Charizards. But after someone showed they were able to do it shockingly effectively for a mere $1,500, an amount equal to many run-of-the-mill business expenses, many began to piece together not whether the technology to scan packs was possible or practical, but rather, how long this has already been going on for? The Company Who Wants To Scan Your Cards Finally, on June 26th, 2024, a company called Industrial Inspection + Consulting LLC posted a blog post titled “ NOW YOU CAN PIKACHU CARDS WITHOUT OPENING THE BOX ”. This post came complete with high-resolution video and detailed imagery of their professional scanning machines scanning shrink-wrapped boxes of Pokémon cards, as well as scanning single cards sandwiched between other cards. From that, the company showed off how it was able to produce strikingly detailed scans of individual cards inside of unopened merchandise, as well as those blocked by other cards. In response to the tidal wave of reaction within the card community, the company quickly pivoted to produce an e-commerce page, complete with pricing tiers for scanning services wherein you can physically mail unopened packs or boxes of cards in exchange for digital CT scans of your items. Nintendo Life reached out to Industrial Inspection + Consulting LLC to ask more questions about how their business intends to operate, as well as their opinions on the CT scan phenomenon in general. [ Editor’s Note: Nintendo Life has confirmed the subject’s identity, but has granted their spokesperson anonymity on the basis of continued threats to their workers. While it is not our preference to publish anonymous comments, we ultimately felt it is still valuable to let readers discern the proposed overall viewpoints of the company for themselves.] Nintendo Life [Alan Lopez]: What does your company do, specifically? And what services do you sell? Industrial Inspection & Consulting is an engineering support company offering a variety of niche inspection services, including non-destructive testing for X-ray, CT Scanning, 3D Scanning, Reverse Engineering, Metrology, Dye Penetrant, Magnetic Particle, Ultrasonics, and consulting and oversight. Your website postures Industrial Inspection + Consulting LLC as a response to an unchecked trend of CT scanning trading card packs. Your website reads : First, we made public what’s been happening in secret. Now we are bringing x-ray vision to the masses. If you haven’t heard, we are able to identify holographic cards inside unopened card packs. [...] If some people have access to this technology, you should too. It’s what’s fair and the next logical step. How do we know? Because of the explosion of interest we’ve received. Between calls from reporters, endless requests to scan packs and kits from collectors, investors, card stores, and auction houses, and a 28,000% spike in traffic to our website, the demand is clear. That’s why we’ve worked around the clock to develop a reliable method and affordable cost per pack for CT scanning. Pandora’s box is open – jump in. To your knowledge, what specifically has been happening in the trading card industry, and for how long? And how did you find out? There is ample evidence, with more being released at a fast pace, that this has been occurring in secret for a long time. From video-based evidence of people attempting it for years, to anecdotes in community comment sections about medical systems being used, it’s been happening likely as long as the technology has been available. We stumbled upon this [trend] by accident after producing a standard case study on our website. It went relatively viral due to other parties’ reactions who were working on [CT scanning trading cards] in secret, [and then] also releasing their findings. So do you believe CT scanning is a positive development for the world of collectibles? And why or why not? We believe CT scanning is an inevitable development. The technology is not going away, and people know what it can do. To argue if it is positive or negative does not matter because interested parties will find a way to use it regardless of public opinion. How prevalent do you think CT scanning is in the collectibles economy? We do not have data for this. Roughly how many CT companies/services for collectibles exist today? Or rather, what does the privatisation landscape of this technology look like right now? We are the only company offering CT scanning for collectibles to date. Do you know if there are any safety concerns with CT scanning items, not just for you, but specifically for anyone who might see this and attempt to do this on their own? We are certified non-destructive testing experts with years of experience handling our equipment and complex projects. We cannot speak to the safety of someone trying this on their own. That is dependent on their expertise and the equipment they use. As for safety to the general public, X-Rays are non-destructive to inorganic material and they pass harmlessly through objects like this without altering molecular structure. Once exposure is complete, there is no residual radioactivity or damage. It's clear that by monetising the issue, your solution appears to be regulation and normalization of the technology. However, one of the biggest challenges to an approach between a private third party and a person with unopened packs is trust ; how does a third-party company instil trust in a potential customer that they would both a) receive an accurate assessment and b) actually get back the unopened item that they sent in? Some readers have expressed serious doubts that if their packs had valuable cards in them, that they would actually receive them back. Product safety is left up to the consumer. When the chain of custody is considered, as soon as that product leaves the user, they are no longer aware of their product. The product must be sealed in tamper-proof packaging . If it is not, the client is then using our services at their own risk with our reputation as collateral. There are endless and customisable product security solutions available online. And how accurate do you believe the scans to be? Is there a mathematical percentage? From an accuracy and repeatability standpoint, there is an uncertainty of about 9UM (micrometres) for these scans. From a practical, imaging standpoint, and our ability to witness card characteristics, that is entirely dependent on the type of card and the care the operator uses to evaluate the data. For example, a Pokémon reverse holographic card can be seen in a scan, but the only way to identify the particular card would be to read the moveset, or by other special markings. There is no character silhouette [in this instance]. Does this mean the scan is inaccurate? No, it means we captured the data available for that type of card. We offer no guarantees beyond what has been demonstrated on our website. [However], we have received endless requests for products we are unfamiliar with. We will offer our best effort to produce data for these products. Do you believe that this technology will ultimately become as standard as weighing packs? This technology will not replace weighing because weighing is cheap, fast, and able to be performed by anybody. So then, exploring that barrier to entry, are all CT scan machines similarly effective, or is there variance in the technology? What is the current price point of owning and operating one of these machines? Not all systems are equal; there are low-cost-to-entry systems with results to match (higher noise, diminished resolution, slower processing.) Our systems cost high 6-7 figures each, but with results to match those figures. Finally, as of this interview, there has been no comment from the makers of these cards. But do you believe that there will be actions taken by Wizards of the Coast, Pokémon Int., Topps, etc, in response to you, or this phenomenon? We do not know if manufacturers will respond. ​​This interview has been very lightly edited for clarity. Nintendo Life has also reached out to The Pokémon Company International, Topps, and Wizards of the Coast, but they did not respond for comment prior to publication. We will update this story if they provide any future comment.Nikola Jokic Could Replicate LeBron James’ Success

Colorado's 2-way star Travis Hunter eyes Big 12 title and more before 'for sure' entering NFL draftRIYADH: British-Pakistani soprano Saira Peter has captivated on the world stage, made history by becoming the world’s first Sufi opera singer, and even received praise from King Charles III for her recording of the British national anthem. After hearing about Saudi Arabia’s changes in recent years, Peter decided to explore the country’s arts and culture scene herself. In Riyadh, she spoke to Arab News about her musical journey, her upcoming Sufi opera project, and her impressions of Saudi Arabia. “It’s so wonderful to see how your country is growing and (how) you are embracing the advanced technology,” she said. “You’re having so many events around you. And it’s quite enormous and very interesting to see the musical events as well. I met some people and I told them that I’m an opera singer... “The way I saw Saudi people, their reaction towards music, it’s unbelievable. You have such a great rhythm and tempo inside you.” The London-based singer, who is the director of NJ Arts London where she also gives lessons, has starred on many stages across the globe, often performing with her husband, musician Stephen Smith, and has an extensive discography that features music in 17 languages. In 2019 she received an award for Best Music Performance at Islamabad Art Fest, Pakistan’s largest international arts event. But her acclaimed career was no surprise: Music was part of her life from childhood and she grew up listening to classical music in her household. Peter admired the likes of Benjamin Britten, Mozart, Beethoven, and Arabic and Eastern singers like Umm Kulthum, but doing her first master’s in physical chemistry really helped her understand the intricacies of music. Peter said: “In Greek history they used to put music into science and into arts as well. All the notes are composed of different frequencies and each and every note has specific frequencies, which is actually science, which is physics. “Music is everywhere in the world, even if you hear the sea breeze or when the wind blows. Everything is music.” But only after receiving her second master’s in history from Queen Mary University of London, and delving deeper into Islamic and Western histories, did she decide to pursue a professional career in music. She said: “I think music is very important; it’s a language. You can express your emotions, you can express your thoughts, in a very mild way. And you can communicate to the whole world. “My passion and my vision when I sing, I think, is how I can serve my audience and how I can deliver the message of peace and reconciliation to my audience.” Reflecting her aim to bring people together, the soprano’s genre of Sufi opera aims to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western classical music. Peter said: “Fusion means that when you blend two cultures, two musical genres together, when they come together, they should celebrate each other. They should, also, enhance the beauty of what they already contain.” She is currently working with her team in London to develop the first full-scale opera of this kind, titled “Marvi’s Tears.” Inspired by the ancient Indus Valley Civilization in what is now Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, the story follows a teenage girl, Marvi, and her brave journey in bringing justice to her village. The opera recently underwent a workshop at Oxford University with renowned British composer Paul Knight, who is also Peter’s vocal coach, and director Johnny Danziger. It is set to be staged in 2025. Peter said: “The opera is a very unique kind of opera, because it’s a blend of two worlds which are, you know, Western classical and Eastern classical. So if you sing Western classical, there are certain things you are not allowed to do when you sing. For example, you are not allowed to sing in portamento, which is a sliding note. “Arab singers are wonderful in sliding notes and they have quarter tones and all these vibratos, which are beautiful.” Considering her ethnic background, Peter’s vantage point is her ability to utilize her voice on both ends of the spectrum — and everywhere in between. This discovery was made by her coach, Knight. Peter said: “He said ‘You have a very unique kind of vocal force that you can sing both Western classical and Eastern classical without changing the quality of the sound.’ “Because I’m from the East, I have that kind of DNA, that kind of sound.” During her stay in Riyadh Peter performed a few arias to a small group of Saudis in a home setting, where she was met with claps and cheers. She said: “I never had this kind of experience and response from any audience. Of course I love all my audiences, but here it was very different, and I was so moved. “It was overwhelming because they were in tears and they were appreciating me with all their heart.” As Saudi Arabia orchestrates a notable cultural shift, opera is slowly gaining ground and blending with its rich musical heritage, marking a new chapter in its artistic evolution, most recently demonstrated by the staging of the first Saudi opera “Zarqa Al-Yamama” back in April. While the soprano believes there is no shortcut to hard work and training, she offers a piece of advice to aspiring artists and professionals. She said: “You need to know what your vision is, and your goal for life. If you have a message, then it becomes whatever you do, whether you want to become a singer or scientist or dramatic artist, you first need to search within yourself. “When I discovered that I could sing, I decided for myself that I would use music to serve people, to spread the message of peace and reconciliation around the world.”