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panalobet SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Investigates Claims On Behalf of Investors of Neurogene Inc. - NGNEPresident-elect Donald Trump responded to the widely reported internal investigation of longtime aide Boris Epshteyn. According to multiple media outlet and first reported by Just the News, a nonpartisan news media brand, attorneys for Trump conducted an internal investigation into allegations that Epshteyn has looked for financial gain from his influence with Trump. Trump told Just the News in a brief interview, "I suppose every President has people around them who try to make money off them on the outside. It's a shame but it happens," he said. "But no one working for me in any capacity should be looking to make money. They should only be here to Make America Great Again." He continued to Just the News: "No one can promise any endorsement or nomination except me. I make these decisions on my own, period." CNN reported that there were two specific instances where Epshteyn tried to gain financially from his connections with Trump. He reportedly asked Scott Bessent, Trump's nominee to become Secretary of Treasury, for payment in exchange for Epshteyn promoting Bessent's name around Mar-a-Lago. In addition, Epshteyn allegedly asked for payment to connect Bessent with people relevant to his industry in the incoming administration. CNN 's Sara Marray said half a dozen insiders confirmed these reports. Just the News, which reportedly reviewed documents related to the investigation, wrote that over a dozen candidates for congressional election or job seekers in the new Trump administration said Epshteyn pitched them for consulting work worth between $10,000 to $100,000 per month, dating back to 2022. Bessent, a hedge fund manager, was pitched on one of these consulting contracts. "As is standard practice, a broad review of the campaign's consulting agreements has been conducted and completed, including as to Boris, among others. We are now moving ahead together as a team to help President Trump Make America Great Again," Transition official Aaron Harison sent Just the News on behalf of Trump's spokesman Steven Cheung. Newsweek reached out to the Trump campaign for additional comment. Epshteyn denied the claims. "I am honored to work for President Trump and with his team," Epshteyn said in a statement to CNN. "These fake claims are false and defamatory and will not distract us from Making America Great Again." Epshteyn was previously a part of an alleged confrontation at Mar-a-Lago wit h billionaire Elon Musk . CNN reported that Epshteyn and Bessent also had a shouting match with Epshteyn threatening to sue Bessent. The fighting allegedly started over who Trump should pick for his Cabinet, Axios reported. Sources told the site that Musk was questioning whether Epshteyn had too much influence on Trump's selections. However, Musk was also pushing for his own favorites. At one point during the dinner, a "massive blowup" and a "huge explosion" took place after Musk allegedly accused Epshteyn of leaking details about Trump's transition plans. Epshteyn allegedly said he didn't know what Musk was talking about. According to Axios, the tension between the two has been brewing since before the November 5 election. Who Is Boris Epshteyn? Russian-American Epshteyn, who was born in Moscow before moving to the U.S., met Trump through his son, Eric Trump , whom he was friends with at Georgetown University, reported Politico. In 2008, Epshteyn served as the communications aide with former Senator John McCain and former Governor Sarah Palin campaign. In 2016, he acted as a senior adviser to Trump's campaign. Epshteyn joined Trump's 2016 campaign as a communications aide and appeared on television to defend the former president. Epshteyn later work as communications director for Trump's inaugural committee before later joining the 2020 campaign as an adviser for coalitions. Sinclair Broadcast Group hired Epshteyn in 2017 as a senior political analyst. His segment ended in 2019. For Trump's 2020 reelection campaign, Epshteyn served as the strategic adviser and co-chair of the Jewish Voices for Trump Advisory Board. He has remained by Trump's side now for many years and is considered a leading figure in the President-elect's inner circle. Epshteyn is believed to be the sixth co-conspirator included in a 2023 criminal indictment against the former president. In April, when Trump arrived in New York for his historic arraignment over falsifying business records charges, Epshteyn sat beside the former president in the courtroom as he pleaded not guilty to 34 charges.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants organization got exactly what it deserved in getting blown out by Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Giants were embarrassed in Sunday's 30-7 loss , taunted by Mayfield after a touchdown run just before halftime. And then they saw their fans walk out on them again when the Bucs extended their lead to 30-0 and sent New York (2-9) to its sixth straight loss. The losing streak is the longest for the Giants since 2019, when they dropped a franchise-record nine straight games to finish 4-12. That led to the firing of coach Pat Shurmur after two seasons. Third-year coach Brian Daboll is clearly in trouble, with the Giants guaranteed a second straight losing season. They were 6-11 in a 2023 season that featured a lot of injuries. Daboll, who denies he has lost the team, isn't the only one whose job is in jeopardy. General manager Joe Schoen is on the hot seat and so is this entire franchise, which is celebrating its 100th year. It's one thing to lose. It's quite another to give up, and that's what the organization did when it decided to bench Daniel Jones a week ago and then release him on Friday after the 27-year-old asked co-owner John Mara to let him walk away. While he wasn't playing well, Jones was the Giants' best quarterback. He gave them more a of chance to win than either Tommy DeVito or Drew Lock. Removing him from the picture was all but certain to make the Giants worse, even if it was a good business decision. If Jones was hurt and unable the pass his physical before the 2025 season, the team would have been on the hook for a $23 million cap hit. The problem is the players care about now. By getting rid of Jones and elevating DeVito to the starting role, the front office was telling the team it didn't care about winning with seven games left in the season. So the players gave a lackluster effort. Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence called the team soft. Rookie receiver Malik Nabers said he was sick of losing. Left tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said he saw a lack of effort by some players. What they all were saying was they were angry at being betrayed. Money is never more important than winning, and the Giants made that mistake. At this point in the season? Nothing. The offense once again. The Giants have scored a league-low 163 points, including only 60 in six games at MetLife Stadium, where they are winless this season. They have scored in double figures at home twice. Daboll's team has been held scoreless in the first half in three of 11 games and it has been held without a first-half touchdown seven times. Daboll said he will continue to call the offensive plays. S Tyler Nubin. The rookie has had a team-high 12 tackles in each of the last two games. His 81 tackles for the season are just two behind team leader Bobby Okereke. RB Tyrone Tracy. The rookie leads Giants running backs with 587 yards on 116 carries — a 5.1-yard average for the fifth-round pick. But holding onto the ball has been a big issue. Tracy's fumble in overtime cost New York a chance to win in Germany against Carolina. He also lost the ball in the third quarter at the Bucs 5-yard line with New York down 23-0. It earned him a seat on the bench. LT Jermaine Eluemunor (quad) and OLB Azeez Ojulari (toe) left Sunday's game in the first quarter. Chris Hubbard filled in at tackle and the Giants luckily got back DL Kayvon Thibodeaux this past week after he missed five games with a broken wrist. DeVito was banged up but Daboll expects him to start against the Cowboys. 10 — The Giants have gone 10 consecutive games without an interception, tying the NFL record held by the 1976-77 San Francisco 49ers and the 2017 Oakland — now Las Vegas — Raiders. The Giants and Raiders now share the single-season mark. A national showcase on Thanksgiving Day for the NFC-worst Giants at Dallas. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLWhat if dessert could be both indulgent and good for you? That’s the idea behind Vine to Bar , a premium dark chocolate that’s shaking up the culinary world. Made with 65% rich dark chocolate and an unexpected ingredient—upcycled chardonnay grape marc—this innovative treat is earning praise for its bold flavor, health benefits, and sustainable story. At the forefront of this chocolate renaissance are chefs Nate Davis and Dustin Valette, the creative forces behind the celebrated Valette and Matheson restaurants. They’ve incorporated Vine to Bar into their dessert menus, crafting dishes that have captivated diners and dessert enthusiasts alike. Now, on the menus, is the Vine To Bar Chocolate Pavé Vine to Bar stands apart in the crowded world of chocolate. The secret lies in its chardonnay grape marc, a dried and milled blend of the seeds, skins, and stems left after pressing grapes. This ingredient, rich in prebiotics, provides a natural source of fiber and flavanols that promote gut health. Beyond its health benefits, the grape marc lends a subtle sweetness that tempers the boldness of dark chocolate, creating a perfectly balanced flavor that has people raving and patented to improve the taste and nutrition of dark chocolate. The story behind Vine to Bar is just as remarkable as its taste. In 2009, Barbara Banke, chairperson of Jackson Family Wines, launched a winery-wide sustainability initiative to find creative uses for grape pomace—a byproduct of winemaking. Together with her longtime friend Peggy Furth, founder of Chalk Hill Vineyards, she explored how to repurpose this overlooked material. After years of research and innovation, they discovered a way to transform pomace into a culinary treasure. The result is a chocolate that is not only indulgent but also a symbol of sustainability and innovation. Vine to Bar embodies a new era of food production, where luxury and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. For Banke and Furth, what started as a quest to reduce waste evolved into a groundbreaking product that’s changing how we think about dessert. Today, Vine to Bar represents more than just a sweet treat. In a world increasingly focused on functional foods—those that offer added health benefits—it’s a game-changer. While fiber-fortified drinks have gained popularity as a source of prebiotics, Vine to Bar offers a delicious alternative: getting your fiber through chocolate. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Social media is abuzz with glowing reviews, and chefs like Davis and Valette are showcasing the chocolate’s versatility in their kitchens. Vine to Bar also appeals to the eco-conscious. By transforming what was once considered waste into a premium product, it sets a powerful example of sustainability in action. It’s proof that great taste and ethical choices can coexist. For food lovers, health enthusiasts, and chocolate aficionados, Vine to Bar is an invitation to rethink snacking and dessert. Whether it’s enjoyed on its own or as part of an inspired dish at Valette or Matheson, this chocolate delivers on every front: taste, health, and sustainability. Ready to experience this revolutionary chocolate for yourself? You can purchase at the link below or in a retail store near you https://www.vinetobar.com/collections/all *The San Francisco Examiner newsroom and editorial were not involved in the creation of this content.

NoneNorth Yorkshire village temperature 'lowest in England for 14 years' as yellow weather warning issuedAdams also added 11 rebounds for the Matadors (5-1). Keonte Jones added 17 points while shooting 4 of 6 from the field and 8 for 8 from the line and also had five rebounds and three blocks. PJ Fuller shot 2 of 8 from the field, including 0 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 6 from the line to finish with 10 points. Nicholas Shogbonyo led the way for the Pioneers (3-4) with 15 points. Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente added 10 points and two blocks for Denver. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

AUSTIN, Texas , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Subsplash , the industry leader in engagement technology for churches, announced today its acquisition of Pulpit AI , the artificial intelligence company for pastors and churches. "At Subsplash, we're committed to supporting church communities by making it easier to share the truth of Jesus," said Tim Turner , CEO of Subsplash. "Pulpit AI allows us to provide hundreds of thousands of forward-looking church leaders with tools that multiply their content creation efforts—helping deepen discipleship within their communities!" This acquisition marks an exciting step forward in Subsplash's mission of equipping every church to engage more people through technology by transforming sermons into dynamic, discoverable content that reaches people every day of the week—anywhere, anytime. Pastors and church leaders can leverage the Subsplash Platform—mobile apps, online giving, live streaming, websites, media delivery, events management, communication tools, and more—now paired with the power of AI making it simple to upload sermons and automatically create a suite of content—from video clips for social media to study guides for small groups, sermon recaps, weekly newsletters, and more. "The Church should be at the forefront of innovation and creativity," said Turner. "We can't wait to see how this acquisition helps amplify the gospel message and, by the grace of Jesus, we'll never stop innovating for His Church." With Subsplash & Pulpit AI's advanced tools, pastors can save valuable time while broadening the reach and impact of their messages. By enabling church leaders to repurpose their sermons quickly and effectively, Subsplash aims to enhance engagement with each sermon created, connecting congregations with meaningful content throughout the week. About Subsplash Subsplash is the industry leader in Fintech and mobile SaaS with an award-winning digital engagement platform used by over 20,000 leading churches and ministries around the world. Subsplash is passionate about helping mission-minded organizations engage their audiences through centralized, easy-to-manage systems. As the creators of the Ultimate Engagement PlatformTM, they're dedicated to delivering delight to millions of people through custom mobile apps, websites, live streaming, media hosting delivery, online giving, events management, communication tools, and more. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/subsplash-acquires-pulpit-ai-an-innovative-platform-leveraging-ai-to-help-streamline-content-creation--boost-sermon-engagement-for-churches-302320167.html SOURCE SubsplashAt a town hall meeting with the bureau workforce, Mr Wray said he would be stepping down “after weeks of careful thought”. Mr Wray’s intended resignation is not unexpected considering that Mr Trump had picked Mr Patel for the role in his new administration. Mr Wray had previously been named by Mr Trump and began the 10-year term — a length meant to insulate the agency from the political influence of changing administrations — in 2017, after Mr Trump fired then-FBI director James Comey. Mr Trump had demonstrated his anger with Mr Wray on multiple occasions, including after Mr Wray’s congressional testimony in September. “My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day,” Mr Wray told agency employees. “In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.” Mr Wray continued: “It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway — this is not easy for me. I love this place, I love our mission, and I love our people — but my focus is, and always has been, on us and doing what’s right for the FBI.” Mr Wray received a standing ovation following his remarks before a standing-room-only crowd at FBI headquarters and some in the audience cried, according to an FBI official who was not authorised to discuss the private gathering and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. Mr Trump applauded the news on social media, calling it “a great day for America as it will end the weaponisation of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice” and saying that Mr Patel’s confirmation will begin “the process of Making the FBI Great Again”. If confirmed by the Senate, Mr Patel would herald a radical leadership transformation at the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency. He has advocated shutting down the FBI’s Washington headquarters and called for ridding the federal government of “conspirators”, raising alarm that he might seek to wield the FBI’s significant investigative powers as an instrument of retribution against Mr Trump’s perceived enemies. Mr Patel said in a statement Wednesday that he was looking forward to “a smooth transition. I will be ready to serve the American people on day one”.

BERLIN (AP) — Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel recalls Vladimir Putin's “power games” over the years, remembers contrasting meetings with Barack Obama and Donald Trump and says she asked herself whether she could have done more to prevent Brexit, in her memoirs published Tuesday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! BERLIN (AP) — Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel recalls Vladimir Putin's “power games” over the years, remembers contrasting meetings with Barack Obama and Donald Trump and says she asked herself whether she could have done more to prevent Brexit, in her memoirs published Tuesday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? BERLIN (AP) — Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel recalls Vladimir Putin’s “power games” over the years, remembers contrasting meetings with Barack Obama and Donald Trump and says she asked herself whether she could have done more to prevent Brexit, in her memoirs published Tuesday. Merkel, 70, appears to have no significant doubts about the major decisions of her 16 years as German leader, whose major challenges included the global financial crisis, Europe’s debt crisis, the 2015-16 influx of refugees and the COVID-19 pandemic. True to form, her book — titled “Freedom” — offers a matter-of-fact account of her early life in communist East Germany and her later career in politics, laced with moments of dry wit. Merkel served alongside four U.S. presidents, four French presidents and five British prime ministers. But it is perhaps her dealings with Russian President Putin that have drawn the most scrutiny since she left office in late 2021. Putin’s power games Merkel recalls being kept waiting by Putin at the Group of Eight summit she hosted in 2007 — “if there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s unpunctuality.” And she recounts a visit to the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi that year in which Putin’s labrador appeared during a photo opportunity, although Putin knew she was afraid of dogs. Putin appeared to enjoy the situation, she writes, and she didn’t bring it up — keeping as she often did to the motto “never explain, never complain.” The previous year, she recounts Putin pointing to wooden houses in Siberia and telling her poor people lived there who “could be easily seduced,” and that similar groups had been encouraged by money from the U.S. government to take part in Ukraine’s “Orange Revolution” of 2004 against attempted election fraud. Putin, she says, added: “I will never allow something like that in Russia.” Merkel says she was irritated by Putin’s “self-righteousness” in a 2007 speech in Munich in which he turned away from earlier attempts to develop closer ties with the U.S. She said that appearance showed Putin as she knew him, “as someone who was always on guard against being treated badly and ready to give out at any time, including power games with a dog and making other people wait for him.” “One could find this all childish and reprehensible, one could shake one’s head over it — but that didn’t make Russia disappear from the map,” she writes. As she has before, Merkel defends a much-criticized 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine that she helped broker and her government’s decisions to buy large quantities of natural gas from Russia. And she argues it was right to keep up diplomatic and trade ties with Moscow until she left power, Obama and Trump Merkel concluded after first meeting then-Sen. Obama in 2008 that they could work well together. More than eight years later, during his last visit as president in Nov. 2016, she was one of the people with whom she discussed whether to seek a fourth term. Obama, she says, asked questions but held back with an opinion, and that in itself was helpful. He “said that Europe could still use me very well, but I should ultimately follow my feelings,” she writes. There was no such warmth with Trump, who had criticized Merkel and Germany in his 2016 campaign. Merkel says she had to seek an “adequate relationship ... without reacting to all the provocations.” In March 2017, there was an awkward moment when Merkel first visited the Trump White House. Photographers shouted “handshake!” and Merkel quietly asked Trump: “Do you want to have a handshake?” There was no response from Trump, who looked ahead with his hands clasped. Merkel faults her own reaction. “He wanted to create a topic of discussion with his behavior, while I had acted as if I were dealing with an interlocutor behaving normally,” she writes. She adds that Putin apparently “fascinated” Trump and, in the following years, she had the impression that “politicians with autocratic and dictatorial traits” beguiled him. Could Brexit have been avoided? Merkel says she tried to help then-Prime Minister David Cameron in the European Union as he faced pressure from British Euroskeptics, but there were limits to what she could do. And, pointing to Cameron’s efforts over the years to assuage opponents of the EU, she says the road to Brexit is a textbook example of what can arise from a miscalculation. After Britons voted to leave the EU in 2016, an outcome she calls a “humiliation” for its other members, she says the question of whether she should have made more concessions to the U.K. “tortured me.” “I came to the conclusion that, in view of the political developments inside the country at the time, there would have been no acceptable possibility for me to prevent Britain’s way out of the European Union from outside,” Merkel says. Giving up power Merkel was the first German chancellor to leave power at a time of her choosing. She announced in 2018 that she wouldn’t seek a fifth term, and says she “let go at the right point.” She points to three 2019 incidents in which her body shook during public engagements as proof. Merkel says she had herself checked thoroughly and there were no neurological or other findings. An osteopath told her that her body was letting off the tension it had accumulated over years, she adds. “Freedom” runs to more than 700 pages in its original German edition, published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch. The English edition is being released simultaneously by St. Martin’s Press. Advertisement AdvertisementSupport Independent Arts Journalism As an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider becoming a member today . Already a member? Sign in here. Support Hyperallergic’s independent arts journalism for as little as $8 per month. Become a Member “I grew up in a house full of paintings and books,” Jonathan Lethem writes in his introduction to Cellophane Bricks: A Life in Visual Culture (2024). “My father made the paintings and my mother handed me the books.” From that artistic-literary background, Lethem went on to become an acclaimed novelist, essayist, and short story writer — and, as the texts in this book demonstrate, an out-of-the-ordinary aficionado of art. The “Fictions of Art” section of the book, the first of five, features examples of Lethem writing parallel to, rather than directly about, an artist’s work. “I couldn’t do art writing, or perhaps I wanted to invent another version of what art writing would be,” he explains, “so, I wrote what I always wrote: scenes and situations and voices, characters and set pieces, sprung from my response to the art.” The resulting text is not ekphrastic writing, nor is it the kind of straightforward fiction of the kind Ann Patchett, Louise Erdrich, Richard Russo, and company penned in response to Linden Frederick’s dark paintings of Maine . Lethem’s piece on Fred Tomaselli, for example, takes the form of a letter to a friend describing a visit to the artist’s studio in Brooklyn. In the course of relating their interactions, he does offer some critical reading. “His work is celebratory,” Lethem states, “and I find it explosively happy even when the drugs or some of the other imagery takes on a somewhat ominous overtone.” But the rest of the piece is more entertaining than incisive, an account of their day in Williamsburg that includes lunch at Peter Luger’s. Lethem’s texts are often wonderfully absurdist, echoing his fiction, such as his surreal detective story, Gun, With Occasional Music (1994). In an homage to Perry Hoberman , a new media artist who often incorporates machines in his installations, he offers a series of droll vignettes. Here’s one: “You call Missing Persons, and get your own answering machine. You wait to leave a message, but the beep never comes. The beep never comes. The beep never comes. Beep.” This amusing bit of farce aligns with Hoberman’s focus on people and technology. Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily Weekly Opportunities Part of the pleasure of this collection is the diversity of art practices Lethem covers. In one section he pays tribute to graffiti, which, he writes, “inserts itself like the blade of a knife between creation and destruction, between publicity and furtiveness, between word and image, cartoon, icon and hieroglyph” — an eloquent way to describe this fugitive art form. He also highlights his love of comics and cartoons, “objectified books,” and the Italian verbo-visual artist Mirella Bentivoglio’s stone typewriter, among many other subjects. The collection ends with two essays related to the author’s father. In the first, “My Father Has Started a Painting” (which also serves as the foreword to a new book of Richard Brown Lethem’s poems, Roots, Stones & Baggage (2023)), he shares memories of how the aforementioned childhood household with its studio and library shaped his worldview. Lethem admits up front to suffering some artist envy. “I’m sure I’m not the first writer,” he muses, “to yearn for the seemingly more grounded and absolute situation of the painter or sculptor, who dwells in what looks to be an enviable realm of craft, routine, and expertise.” As a once-upon-a-time painter himself, in identifying with visual artists, Lethem is “searching for a lost self,” as he puts it. With this collection of sundry tributes to painters, sculptors, and the like, he is well on his way to finding it. Cellophane Bricks: A Life in Visual Culture (2024) by Jonathan Lethem, published by ZE Books , is available for purchase online and in bookstores. We hope you enjoyed this article! Before you keep reading, please consider supporting Hyperallergic ’s journalism during a time when independent, critical reporting is increasingly scarce. Unlike many in the art world, we are not beholden to large corporations or billionaires. Our journalism is funded by readers like you , ensuring integrity and independence in our coverage. We strive to offer trustworthy perspectives on everything from art history to contemporary art. We spotlight artist-led social movements, uncover overlooked stories, and challenge established norms to make art more inclusive and accessible. With your support, we can continue to provide global coverage without the elitism often found in art journalism. If you can, please join us as a member today . Millions rely on Hyperallergic for free, reliable information. By becoming a member, you help keep our journalism free, independent, and accessible to all. Thank you for reading. Share Copied to clipboard Mail Bluesky Threads LinkedIn Facebook

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The sight was a common one for Andrew Kolpacki. For many a Sunday, he would watch NFL games on TV and see quarterbacks putting their hands on their helmets, desperately trying to hear the play call from the sideline or booth as tens of thousands of fans screamed at the tops of their lungs. When the NCAA's playing rules oversight committee this past spring approved the use of coach-to-player helmet communications in games for the 2024 season, Kolpacki, Michigan State's head football equipment manager, knew the Spartans' QBs and linebackers were going to have a problem. "There had to be some sort of solution," he said. As it turns out, there was. And it was right across the street. Kolpacki reached out to Tamara Reid Bush, a mechanical engineering professor who not only heads the school's Biomechanical Design Research Laboratory but also is a football season ticket-holder. Kolpacki "showed me some photos and said that other teams had just put duct tape inside the (earhole), and he asked me, 'Do you think we can do anything better than duct tape,?" Bush said. "And I said, 'Oh, absolutely.'" Bush and Rylie DuBois, a sophomore biosystems engineering major and undergraduate research assistant at the lab, set out to produce earhole inserts made from polylactic acid, a bio-based plastic, using a 3D printer. Part of the challenge was accounting for the earhole sizes and shapes that vary depending on helmet style. Once the season got underway with a Friday night home game against Florida Atlantic on Aug. 30, the helmets of starting quarterback Aidan Chiles and linebacker Jordan Turner were outfitted with the inserts, which helped mitigate crowd noise. DuBois attended the game, sitting in the student section. "I felt such a strong sense of accomplishment and pride," DuBois said. "And I told all my friends around me about how I designed what they were wearing on the field." All told, Bush and DuBois have produced around 180 sets of the inserts, a number that grew in part due to the variety of helmet designs and colors that are available to be worn by Spartan players any given Saturday. Plus, the engineering folks have been fine-tuning their design throughout the season. Dozens of Bowl Subdivision programs are doing something similar. In many cases, they're getting 3D-printed earhole covers from XO Armor Technologies, which provides on-site, on-demand 3D printing of athletic wearables. The Auburn, Alabama-based company has donated its version of the earhole covers to the equipment managers of programs ranging from Georgia and Clemson to Boise State and Arizona State in the hope the schools would consider doing business with XO Armor in the future, said Jeff Klosterman, vice president of business development. XO Armor first was approached by the Houston Texans at the end of last season about creating something to assist quarterback C.J. Stroud in better hearing play calls delivered to his helmet during road games. XO Armor worked on a solution and had completed one when it received another inquiry: Ohio State, which had heard Michigan State was moving forward with helmet inserts, wondered if XO Armor had anything in the works. "We kind of just did this as a one-off favor to the Texans and honestly didn't forecast it becoming our viral moment in college football," Klosterman said. "We've now got about 60 teams across college football and the NFL wearing our sound-deadening earhole covers every weekend." The rules state that only one player for each team is permitted to be in communication with coaches while on the field. For the Spartans, it's typically Chiles on offense and Turner on defense. Turner prefers to have an insert in both earholes, but Chiles has asked that the insert be used in only one on his helmet. Chiles "likes to be able to feel like he has some sort of outward exposure," Kolpacki said. Exposure is something the sophomore signal-caller from Long Beach, California, had in away games against Michigan and Oregon this season. Michigan Stadium welcomed 110,000-plus fans for the Oct. 26 matchup between the in-state rivals. And while just under 60,000 packed Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, for the Ducks' 31-10 win over Michigan State three weeks earlier, it was plenty loud. "The Big Ten has some pretty impressive venues," Kolpacki said. "It can be just deafening," he said. "That's what those fans are there for is to create havoc and make it difficult for coaches to get a play call off." Something that is a bit easier to handle thanks to Bush and her team. She called the inserts a "win-win-win" for everyone. "It's exciting for me to work with athletics and the football team," she said. "I think it's really exciting for our students as well to take what they've learned and develop and design something and see it being used and executed." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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People eagerly give money to rich environmental groups. The Natural Resources Defense Council has $463 million in assets. It claims it uses law "to confront the climate crisis." What it really does is pay lawyers to torture people who try to do useful things. Example: America needs minerals like copper and silver to make things. Even President Joe Biden made a speech saying America will need 400-600% more such minerals to make "solar panels, wind turbines and so much more!" An iPhone alone requires aluminum, iron, lithium, gold, copper ... But when investors dare try to dig up such minerals in America, the NRDC objects and uses political connections to stop them. Twenty years ago, entrepreneurs tried to open a mine in Alaska. Before they even got the application in, the EPA vetoed it. Why? Because groups like the NRDC say the mine "would be a catastrophic threat to the wildlife and ... fragile ecosystem." They get their way because when Democrats run the EPA, they not only support NRDC's positions, they even hire NRDC employees. The next Republican administration removed the EPA's veto. The Army Corps of Engineers then studied the mine and concluded that it wasn't an environmental threat. So, is Pebble a bustling mine today? No. Democrats got elected and vetoed it again. Physicist Mark Mills wonders why anyone would try to open a mine in America today. "Why in the world would you put millions, maybe billions of dollars at risk, spending those decades to get a permit, knowing there's a very good chance they'll just cancel a permit? How in the world do you build mines in America knowing that that's the landscape you have?" Well, you don't. America now ranks second to last in the time it takes to develop a new mine -- roughly 29 years. Only Zambia is worse. "You start applying for permits," says Mills, "You're going to be waiting not months, not years, but decades!" Waiting while the NRDC sues and runs frightening anti-mine ads, saying nature will be "destroyed by a 2,000-foot gaping hole in the ground!" Mills points out their deceit. Today's mines disturb "a tiny infinitesimal pinprick in the landscape" and we do need to disturb the landscape a little, because "we need metals and materials and minerals to build everything that exists to make society possible!" I confronted NRDC spokesman Bob Deans, saying the NRDC killing mines also kills people's opportunity. He responded that "clean" energy creates jobs. "We created 50,000 new jobs in this country, putting up wind turbines, solar panels, building the next generation of energy efficient cars. This is where the future is!" "But also, you need copper and gold," I point out. "That's right," says Deans, "And we have to weigh those risks." But the NRDC doesn't weigh the risks. They just oppose American mines. I asked Deans, "Are there any mines that the NRDC doesn't complain about? "Sure," he replied. He said he'd send us some names. But he never did. I asked again this month. Again, no names. "Don't hold your breath," says Mills. "The mines that they implicitly support are in Africa." "Implicitly" because they don't actually say mining should be done in poor countries. "They don't say that," says Mills, "But the green movement has been perfectly happy outsourcing mining to disadvantaged countries where thousands of children in bare feet, working by hand with shovels, dig minerals out of the earth." At least in America, children wouldn't be digging with their hands, advanced equipment would make mining safer and our rules would reduce pollution. You'd think environmentalists would want more mining done in America. "To have a sane world," says Mills, "We should be doing a lot more of it. Not all of it. But not none." Allowing America to do more would definitely be good. Our future needs minerals. "Society can't exist without mines," concludes Mills. Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com , Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.

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No. 22 Xavier aims to keep its perfect record intact Monday night in Fort Myers, Fla., when it takes on South Carolina in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. The Musketeers (5-0) are coming off an 80-55 victory on Wednesday over Siena, while the Gamecocks (3-2) beat Mercer on Thursday 84-72. Against Mercer, South Carolina sank a season-best 12 3-pointers -- tied for the fourth-most in a single game under third-year coach Lamont Paris. Jamarii Thomas, a senior transfer from Norfolk State, had 19 points and swished 4 of 5 shots from behind the arc. "Thomas got some good, clean looks," Paris said. "It was good to see those guys make their shots. Hopefully it gets those guys going in the right direction." On the season, the Gamecocks are making 7.8 3-pointers per game and shooting 32.5 percent from deep. Senior guard Jacobi Wright makes a team-best 1.8 3-pointers per game and shoots 37.5 percent from behind the arc. At 13.0 ppg, he is second on the team behind Collin Murray-Boyles (15.8). Xavier is allowing eight makes from deep per game and is letting opponents shoot 38.5 percent from behind the arc, which ranks 337th in the country. And despite an undefeated record so far for the Musketeers, third-year coach Sean Miller is worried about his players developing bad habits. "We have a virus that everybody is looking at the stat sheet, trying to get as many points as they possibly can," Miller said after the win over Siena. "They want to win, but they really want to win and score. We need a couple of guys that are willing to rebound, defend, make the extra pass, play at a high level defensively and understand what makes a team great." Marcus Foster did a decent job of doing a little bit of everything for Xavier against Siena, piling up 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and a steal. It was the first double-digit scoring outing for Foster -- a grad transfer from Furman -- in a Xavier uniform. Since 2008, Xavier is 25-11 against teams from the Southeastern Conference, but it hasn't played South Carolina in that stretch. --Field Level MediaFor three quarters it was looking like Green Canyon was going to record one of its best wins of the 2024-25 girls basketball season. But the final eight minutes got the Wolves Friday afternoon in Plain City. Green Canyon could not finish, and 6A Fremont proved why it is one of the best teams in its classification. The Silverwolves rallied from being down nine to start the final quarter and edged the Wolves, 42-40. “That was a good game against Fremont,” GC head coach Kara Foster said. “We were right in it the whole time.” The Wolves (6-7) found themselves down two after the first quarter, 13-11. However, the visitors had a big second quarter. Mya Hinds scored eight points in the second, while Claire Brown added five. Green Canyon was able to outscore Fremont, 16-9, and took a 27-22 lead into halftime. Hinds had six of the Wolves 10 points in the third quarter. Green Canyon held the Silverwolves (9-1) to just six in the third and took a 37-28 lead into the final eight minutes. That’s when it got dicey for the visitors. “Fremont is a well coached, very disciplined team,” Foster said. “I thought our girls matched their discipline and physicality very well. Unfortunately, they made a run at the end of the game, and we had a hard time scoring.” Indeed, the Wolves did. A 3-pointer by Talyssa Nelson would be the lone points in the fourth by Green Canyon. Meanwhile, Fremont had its best scoring quarter with 14 points. “Overall, I loved our effort today,” Foster said. “We just ran out of time at the end of the game.” Hinds finished with a game-high 18 points, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. Nelson and Brown added seven points each for the Wolves. Fremont’s lone setback came against Ridgeline back on Dec. 3. Since then, the Silverwolves have won seven straight, including the win Friday over Green Canyon, and most by double digits. Green Canyon will return to action next Friday on the road against Preston. A full slate of Region 11 action won’t take place until the following week.

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