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NEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng . But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes , we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: January It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES . But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE , first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. February Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA ’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance , try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. March “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE . And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. April Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. May It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK . It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. June Welcome to BRAT SUMMER ! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album , with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” July Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION , perched on the EIFFEL TOWER , singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND , rugby player ILONA MAHER , and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK , who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG , born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” August This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON 's “ DEMURE, MINDFUL ” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN , arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI ’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. September One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN , withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN , the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN , dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. October “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG , who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER ? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT , the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. November MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON , SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP . As for MOO DENG , she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch . And THAT brings us back to ... December “WICKED” ! Director JON M. CHU ’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go.Pep Guardiola: If I can’t reverse Manchester City slide then I have to go

Saturday’s contest at Bon Secours Wellness Arena has the Furman Paladins (9-1) taking on the South Carolina State Bulldogs (5-6) at 12:00 PM ET. Our computer prediction is a lopsided 77-63 victory, as our model heavily favors Furman. According to our computer prediction, Furman projects to cover the 12.5-point spread in its matchup against South Carolina State. The over/under is listed at 141.5, and the two sides are projected to go under that total. Catch tons of live college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle. Place your bets on any men’s college basketball matchup at BetMGM. Sign up today using our link. Furman has a 7-1-0 record against the spread so far this season compared to South Carolina State, who is 5-4-0 ATS. The Paladins have a 2-6-0 record going over the point total, while games involving the Bulldogs have a record of 4-5-0 when it comes to hitting the over. The teams score an average of 156 points per game, 14.5 more points than this matchup’s total. Bet on this or any men’s college basketball matchup at BetMGM. Rep your favorite players with officially licensed gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

DEAR READERS: Wishing you and all a very happy holiday season. Please enjoy the following poem. “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore “‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house / Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; / The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, / In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; / The children were nestled all snug in their beds, / While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; / And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, / Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, / When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, / I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. / Away to the window I flew like a flash, / Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. / The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow / Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, / When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, / But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, / With a little old driver, so lively and quick, / I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. / More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, / And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; / ‘Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! / On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! / To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! / Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!’ / As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, / When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; / So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, / With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. / And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof / The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. / As I drew in my head, and was turning around, / Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. / He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, / And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; / A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, / And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack. / His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! / His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! / His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow / And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; / The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, / And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; / He had a broad face and a little round belly, / That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. / He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, / And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; / A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, / Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; / He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, / And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, / And laying his finger aside of his nose, / And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; / He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, / And away they all flew like the down of a thistle, / But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, / ‘Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.’” NOTE: The above column was originally published in 2023. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com . Latest Advice ColumnsKing Charles ‘briefed by intelligence services’ over Prince Andrew’s friendship with ‘Chinese spy’The Big Shining Lie: We're Better Off Now...

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The Buffalo Bills will emerge from their bye week hoping to continue their blistering form, which saw them rattle off six straight wins, including handing the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season. With Josh Allen playing perhaps the best football of his career, wheeling and dealing in Joe Brady's offense, there aren't the worries over No. 17 as there were once in preseason. No Stefon Diggs nor Gabriel Davis had many wondering if this would be a down year for Allen, who had a receiver-by-committee approach on offense. Well, through 11 weeks, it looks like those fears were misplaced. As we head toward Thanksgiving , CBS Sports has named one thing that Buffalo can be thankful for, and to no one's surprise, it's centered around Allen. "Josh Allen doesn't need an all-world setup," CBS Sports writes . "With a reshuffled and occasionally injury-plagued receiving corps, he's remained a one-man show to keep the Bills among the AFC powers. Another run is on tap." (Mark Konezny-Imagn Images) With the Bills offense humming of late, scoring at least 30 points in their last five games, Allen is doing a superb job at distributing the football to whichever receiver is open. Related: Could Bye Week Slow Bills' Flow? That creates confusion for defenses as there is no No. 1 receiver to zero in on, with Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Dalton Kincaid, Mack Hollins, Dawson Knox, and Curtis Samuel all having their moments in the sun this season. But that all happens because of the play of Allen, who has proved that he doesn't need the "all-world" setup as CBS described; he can take an offense full of players that aren't household names and wins with them. And that is something the Bills organization is no doubt thankful for. Related: It's Bills’ Josh Allen vs. 'The Unknown Mystery' of the 49ersFalcons drafting Penix no longer a head-scratcher with rookie QB shining in place of benched Cousins( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Braunschweig, Germany, Dec. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaping360, a leading authority in the global vaping industry, has announced its prestigious 2024 Annual Awards . Geekvape stood out with remarkable achievements, underscoring its strong market presence and global influence in the ever-competitive vaping industry. Outstanding Performance: 11 Nominations, 4 Major Wins! Geekvape's continued innovation and brand strength were recognized through 11 key award nominations. Among these, the company proudly secured four major accolades, reaffirming its position as a leading force in the industry: Most Innovative Brands - Geekvape (Winner) Best Vape Brands - Geekvape (2nd Place) Best Branding - Geekvape (2nd Place) Best Vape Mods - Geekvape Aegis Legend 3 (2nd Place) Winning the 'Most Innovative Brands' award highlights Geekvape's relentless pursuit of cutting-edge vaping technology and design excellence. The recognition for the Aegis Legend 3 as the second-best vape mod further demonstrates the brand's ability to combine durability, functionality, and style, appealing to vapers worldwide. Global Impact and Market Competitiveness These award wins highlight the global recognition of Geekvape ' s commitment to delivering superior vaping experiences through cutting-edge technology, innovative designs, and consumer-focused products. With a strong emphasis on research and development, Geekvape will continue to set industry benchmarks. As the vaping industry evolves, Geekvape remains at the forefront, driving innovation, enhancing brand loyalty, and strengthening its global presence. Geekvape ' s success at the Vaping360 2024 Annual Awards serves as a testament to its industry leadership and unwavering dedication to quality and customer satisfaction. MENAFN24122024004107003653ID1109028351 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Dec 18, 2024 Weak fluorination strategy unlocks graphene's potential for optoelectronic and energy applications ( Nanowerk News ) Researchers from Tohoku University and collaborators have developed a weak fluorination strategy to address the zero-bandgap limitation of graphene . The findings are published in Applied Physics Letters ( "Photoluminescence and transport properties of fluorinated graphene via a weak fluorination strategy" ). In most electronic materials, a "gate," i.e., a bandgap, exists that can either stop or allow electricity to pass. This is how we control electricity in things like computers or phones. But graphene has no such gate, meaning it conducts electricity continuously and cannot be turned off. To counteract this, scientists have often added a small amount of fluorine atoms to graphene, slightly changing its structure and introducing a bandgap, without damaging its core advantages. Fluorination, however, relies on the use of hazardous chemicals rendering it dangerous and impractical to apply at a large scale. "We developed an environmentally-friendly approach, one where we utilized fluoropolymers under controlled conditions to achieve selective fluorination," said Dr. Yaping Qi, assistant professor at Tohoku University. "This advancement also enables enhanced photoluminescence and tunable transport properties while maintaining high carrier mobility, making graphene more applicable for use in optoelectronic and energy devices." Characterization of the Gr and FGr. (Image: Yue Xue, Yaping Qi, Tong Tong, et al.) Qi and her colleagues used advanced techniques, including photoluminescence (PL) mapping and Raman spectroscopy, to analyze how fluorination changes graphene's structure and optical properties. Their tests showed that fluorinated graphene has improved light-emitting abilities, making it promising for use in LEDs, sensors, and other energy technologies. This work also connects to recent developments in van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, which are created by layering different 2D materials to achieve multiple functions. Such structures have potential uses in memory storage, artificial intelligence, and photoelectric devices. "The integration of fluorinated graphene into vdW heterostructures opens up exciting possibilities, especially for flexible electronics and systems that can perform multiple tasks at once," said stated Dr. Xichan Gao, a co-author and assistant professor at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR) at Tohoku University. "This research demonstrates how environmentally friendly processing can significantly improve the functional properties of graphene," adds Qi. "Combining fluorination with strain engineering opens new possibilities for the development of scalable, high-performance 2D materials, providing a pathway to enhance graphene's practical utility while maintaining a focus on safe and scalable material processing techniques." Source: Tohoku University (Note: Content may be edited for style and length)

BBC Strictly Come Dancing fans issue same complaint minutes into quarter-final and demand 'justice'