337 jili
337 jili
The long sports-filled Thanksgiving weekend is a time when many Americans enjoy gathering with friends and family for good food, good company and hopefully not too much political conversation. Also on the menu — all the NFL and college sports you can handle. Here's a roadmap to one of the biggest sports weekends of the year, with a look at marquee games over the holiday and how to watch. All times are in EST. All odds are by BetMGM Sportsbook. • NFL: There is a triple-header lined up for pro football fans. Chicago at Detroit, 12:30 p.m., CBS: Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears go against the Lions, who are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in February. Lions favored by 10. New York at Dallas, 4:30 p.m., Fox: The Giants and Cowboys are both suffering through miserable seasons and are now using backup quarterbacks for different reasons. But if Dallas can figure out a way to win, it will still be on the fringe of the playoff race. Cowboys favored by 3 1/2. Miami at Green Bay, 8:20 p.m., NBC/Peacock: The Packers stumbled slightly out of the gate but have won six of their past seven games. They'll need a win against Miami to try to keep pace in the NFC North. Packers favored by 3. • College Football: Memphis at No. 18 Tulane, 7:30 p.m., ESPN. If college football is your jam, this is a good warmup for a big weekend. The Tigers try to ruin the Green Wave’s perfect record in the American Athletic Conference. Tulane is favored by 14. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes works in the pocket against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of Sunday's game in Charlotte, N.C. • NFL: A rare Friday showdown features the league-leading Chiefs. Las Vegas at Kansas City, 3 p.m. Prime Video: The Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are 12-point favorites over the Raiders. • College Basketball: Some of the top programs meet in holiday tournaments around the country. Battle 4 Atlantis championship, 5:30 p.m., ESPN: One of the premier early season tournaments, the eight-team field includes No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 14 Indiana and No. 24 Arizona. Rady Children's Invitational, 6 p.m., Fox: It's the championship game for a four-team field that includes No. 13 Purdue and No. 23 Mississippi. • College Football: There is a full slate of college games to dig into. Oregon State at No. 11 Boise State, noon, Fox: The Broncos try to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt when they host the Beavers. Boise State favored by 19 1/2. Oklahoma State at No. 23 Colorado, noon, ABC: The Buffaloes and Coach Prime are still in the hunt for the Big 12 championship game when they host the Cowboys. Colorado favored by 16 1/2. Georgia Tech at No. 6 Georgia, 7:30 p.m., ABC: The Bulldogs are on pace for a spot in the CFP but host what could be a tricky game against rival Georgia Tech. Georgia favored by 19 1/2. • NBA. After taking Thanksgiving off, pro basketball returns. Oklahoma City at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m., ESPN: The Thunder look like one of the best teams in the NBA's Western Conference. They'll host Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the Lakers. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the first half of a Nov. 23 game against the Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles. • College Football. There are more matchups with playoff implications. Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State, noon, Fox: The Wolverines are struggling one season after winning the national title. They could make their fan base a whole lot happier with an upset of the Buckeyes. Ohio State favored by 21. No. 7 Tennessee at Vanderbilt, noon, ABC: The Volunteers are a fairly big favorite and have dominated this series, but the Commodores have been a tough team this season and already have achieved a monumental upset over Alabama. Tennessee favored by 11. No. 16 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson, noon, ESPN: The Palmetto State rivals are both hanging on the edge of the CFP playoff race. A win — particularly for Clemson — would go a long way toward clinching its spot in the field. Clemson favored by 2 1/2. No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. ABC: The Aggies host their in-state rival for the first time since 2011 after the Longhorns joined the SEC. Texas favored by 5 1/2. Washington at No. 1 Oregon, 7:30 p.m., NBC: The top-ranked Ducks have been one of the nation’s best teams all season. They’ll face the Huskies, who would love a marquee win in coach Jedd Fisch’s first season. Oregon favored by 19 1/2. • NBA: A star-studded clash is part of the league's lineup. Golden State at Phoenix, 9 p.m., NBA TV: Steph Curry and the Warriors are set to face the Suns' Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. • NFL: It's Sunday, that says it all. Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 1 p.m., CBS: Joe Burrow is having a great season for the Bengals, who are struggling in other areas. They need a win to stay in the playoff race, hosting a Steelers team that's 8-3 and won five of their past six. Bengals favored by 3. Arizona at Minnesota, 1 p.m., Fox: The Cardinals are tied for the top of the NFC West while the Vikings are 9-2 and have been one of the biggest surprises of the season with journeyman Sam Darnold under center. Vikings favored by 3 1/2. Philadelphia at Baltimore, 4:25 p.m., CBS: Two of the league's most electric players will be on the field when Saquon Barkley and the Eagles travel to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Ravens favored by 3. San Francisco at Buffalo, 8:20 p.m. NBC/Peacock: The 49ers try to get back to .500 against the Bills, who have won six straight. Bills favored by 7. • NBA. The best teams in the Eastern Conference meet in a statement game. Boston at Cleveland, 6 p.m., NBA TV: The defending champion Celtics travel to face the Cavs, who won their first 15 games to start the season. • Premier League: English soccer fans have a marquee matchup. Manchester City at Liverpool, 11 a.m., USA Network/Telemundo. The two top teams meet with Manchester City trying to shake off recent struggles. • Auto Racing: The F1 season nears its conclusion. F1 Qatar Grand Prix, 11 a.m., ESPN2 – It's the penultimate race of the season. Max Verstappen already has clinched his fourth consecutive season championship. Before the 2023 National Football League season started, it seemed inevitable that Bill Belichick would end his career as the winningest head coach in league history. He had won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and 298 regular-season games, plus 31 playoff games, across his career. Then the 2023 season happened. Belichick's Patriots finished 4-13, the franchise's worst record since 1992. At the end of the year, Belichick and New England owner Robert Kraft agreed to part ways. And now, during the 2024 season, Belichick is on the sideline. He's 26 wins from the #1 spot, a mark he'd reach in little more than two seasons if he maintained his .647 career winning percentage. Will he ascend the summit? It's hard to tell. Belichick would be 73 if he graced the sidelines next season—meaning he'd need to coach until at least 75 to break the all-time mark. Only one other NFL coach has ever helmed a team at age 73: Romeo Crennel in 2020 for the Houston Texans. With Belichick's pursuit of history stalled, it's worth glancing at the legends who have reached the pinnacle of coaching success. Who else stands among the 10 winningest coaches in NFL history? Stacker ranked the coaches with the most all-time regular-season wins using data from Pro Football Reference . These coaches have combined for 36 league championships, which represents 31.6% of all championships won throughout the history of pro football. To learn who made the list, keep reading. You may also like: Ranking the biggest NFL Draft busts of the last 30 years - Seasons coached: 23 - Years active: 1981-2003 - Record: 190-165-2 - Winning percentage: .535 - Championships: 0 Dan Reeves reached the Super Bowl four times—thrice with the Denver Broncos and once with the Atlanta Falcons—but never won the NFL's crown jewel. Still, he racked up nearly 200 wins across his 23-year career, including a stint in charge of the New York Giants, with whom he won Coach of the Year in 1993. In all his tenures, he quickly built contenders—the three clubs he coached were a combined 17-31 the year before Reeves joined and 28-20 in his first year. However, his career ended on a sour note as he was fired from a 3-10 Falcons team after Week 14 in 2003. - Seasons coached: 23 - Years active: 1969-91 - Record: 193-148-1 - Winning percentage: .566 - Championships: 4 Chuck Noll's Pittsburgh Steelers were synonymous with success in the 1970s. Behind his defense, known as the Steel Curtain, and offensive stars, including Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, and Lynn Swann, Noll led the squad to four Super Bowl victories from 1974 to 1979. Noll's Steelers remain the lone team to win four Super Bowls in six years, though Andy Reid and Kansas City could equal that mark if they win the Lombardi Trophy this season. Noll was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, two years after retiring. His legacy of coaching success has carried on in Pittsburgh—the club has had only two coaches (Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin) since Noll retired. - Seasons coached: 21 - Years active: 1984-98, 2001-06 - Record: 200-126-1 - Winning percentage: .613 - Championships: 0 As head coach of Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington, and San Diego, Marty Schottenheimer proved a successful leader during the regular season. Notably, he was named Coach of the Year after turning around his 4-12 Chargers team to a 12-4 record in 2004. His teams, however, struggled during the playoffs. Schottheimer went 5-13 in the postseason, and he never made it past the conference championship round. As such, the Pennsylvania-born skipper is the winningest NFL coach never to win a league championship. - Seasons coached: 25 - Years active: 1946-62, '68-75 - Record: 213-104-9 - Winning percentage: .672 - Championships: 7 The only coach on this list to pilot a college team, Paul Brown, reached the pro ranks after a three-year stint at Ohio State and two years with the Navy during World War II. He guided the Cleveland Browns—named after Brown, their first coach—to four straight titles in the fledgling All-America Football Conference. After the league folded, the ballclub moved to the NFL in 1950, and Cleveland continued its winning ways, with Brown leading the team to championships in '50, '54, and '55. He was fired in 1963 but returned in 1968 as the co-founder and coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. His other notable accomplishments include helping to invent the face mask and breaking pro football's color barrier . - Seasons coached: 33 - Years active: 1921-53 - Record: 226-132-22 - Winning percentage: .631 - Championships: 6 An early stalwart of the NFL, Curly Lambeau spent 29 years helming the Green Bay Packers before wrapping up his coaching career with two-year stints with the Chicago Cardinals and Washington. His Packers won titles across three decades, including the league's first three-peat from 1929-31. Notably, he experienced only one losing season during his first 27 years with Green Bay, cementing his legacy of consistent success. Born in Green Bay, Lambeau co-founded the Packers and played halfback on the team from 1919-29. He was elected to the Hall of Fame as a coach and owner in 1963, two years before his death. You may also like: Countries with the most active NFL players - Seasons coached: 29 - Years active: 1960-88 - Record: 250-162-6 - Winning percentage: .607 - Championships: 2 The first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry held the position for his entire 29-year tenure as an NFL coach. The Cowboys were especially dominant in the 1970s when they made five Super Bowls and won the big game twice. Landry was known for coaching strong all-around squads and a unit that earned the nickname the "Doomsday Defense." Between 1966 and 1985, Landry and his Cowboys enjoyed 20 straight seasons with a winning record. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990. - Seasons coached: 26 - Years active: 1999-present - Record: 267-145-1 - Winning percentage: .648 - Championships: 3 The only active coach in the top 10, Andy Reid has posted successful runs with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City. After reaching the Super Bowl once in 14 years with the Eagles, Reid ratcheted things up with K.C., winning three titles since 2019. As back-to-back defending champions, Reid and Co. are looking this season to become the first franchise to three-peat in the Super Bowl era and the third to do so in NFL history after the Packers of 1929-31 and '65-67. Time will tell if Reid and his offensive wizardry can lead Kansas City to that feat. - Seasons coached: 33 - Years active: 1963-95 - Record: 328-156-6 - Winning percentage: .677 - Championships: 2 The winningest head coach in NFL history is Don Shula, who first coached the Baltimore Colts (losing Super Bowl III to Joe Namath and the New York Jets) for seven years before leading the Miami Dolphins for 26 seasons. With the Fins, Shula won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1972 and 1973, a run that included a 17-0 season—the only perfect campaign in NFL history. He also coached quarterback great Dan Marino in the 1980s and '90s, but the pair made it to a Super Bowl just once. Shula was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997. Story editing by Mike Taylor. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. You may also like: The 5 biggest upsets of the 2023-24 NFL regular season Get local news delivered to your inbox!Jack Smith Drops Charges Against Trump, Says 'Circumstances' Have 'Changed'
“We are sending a very clear message in Pennsylvania, the use of AI to harm others, especially our children, will not be tolerated,” said state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick.
The Twins have tendered contracts or agreed to terms with all of their arbitration-eligible players — a group of 11 — that includes some of their top names ahead of Friday night’s 7 p.m. deadline. ADVERTISEMENT Pitchers Griffin Jax, Jhoan Duran, Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan were tendered contracts for the 2025 season, as were catcher Ryan Jeffers, infielder Royce Lewis, outfielder Trevor Larnach and utilityman Willi Castro. The Twins will need to come to contract terms with those players later this offseason to avoid arbitration. They’ve already done so with a trio of relievers, agreeing with Brock Stewart, Michael Tonkin and Justin Topa. Alex Kirilloff was also eligible for arbitration, but the first baseman/outfielder retired earlier this offseason due to an injury history that plagued him throughout the course of his major league career. The Twins made two roster moves earlier in the week as well, adding prospects Marco Raya and Travis Adams to the 40-man roster to protect them ahead of next month’s Rule 5 Draft. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
Discover Financial Services stock underperforms Monday when compared to competitorsAP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:33 p.m. ESTElon Musk's brain technology startup Neuralink said Monday it has received approval to launch a new feasibility study using its brain implant and an experimental robotic arm. Neuralink is conducting its PRIME study, aimed at evaluating the safety of its wireless brain-computer interface and surgical robot. It is assessing the initial effect of the implant in patients with quadriplegia, a form of paralysis, to control external devices with their thoughts. The company plans to cross-enroll participants in the feasibility study from the ongoing PRIME trial, it said in a post on social media platform X. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Neuralink did not immediately respond to requests for details on the feasibility study. Last week, the company received approval from regulator Health Canada to launch a trial of its device in Canada. Canadian neurosurgeons in partnership with the startup have regulatory approval to recruit six patients with paralysis in the study. In the United States, Neuralink has already implanted the device in two patients. It has allowed the first patient to play video games, browse the internet, post on social media and move a cursor on his laptop. The company has said its device is working well in the second trial patient, who has been using it to play video games and learn how to design 3D objects.
As open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans continues through Jan. 15, you’re likely seeing fewer social media ads promising monthly cash cards worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars that you can use for groceries, medical bills, rent and other expenses. But don’t worry. You haven’t missed out on any windfalls. Clicking on one of those ads would not have provided you with a cash card — at least not worth hundreds or thousands. But you might have found yourself switched to a health insurance plan you did not authorize, unable to afford treatment for an unforeseen medical emergency, and owing thousands of dollars to the IRS, according to an ongoing lawsuit against companies and individuals who plaintiffs say masterminded the ads and alleged scams committed against millions of people who responded to them. The absence of those once-ubiquitous ads are likely a result of the federal government suspending access to the ACA marketplace for two companies that market health insurance out of South Florida offices, amid accusations they used “fraudulent” ads to lure customers and then switched their insurance plans and agents without their knowledge. In its suspension letter, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cited “credible allegations of misconduct” in the agency’s decision to suspend the abilities of two companies — TrueCoverage (doing business as Inshura) and BenefitAlign — to transact information with the marketplace. CMS licenses and monitors agencies that use their own websites and information technology platforms to enroll health insurance customers in ACA plans offered in the federal marketplace. The alleged scheme affected millions of consumers, according to a lawsuit winding its way through U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale that seeks class-action status. An amended version of the suit, filed in August, increased the number of defendants from six to 12: — TrueCoverage LLC, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based health insurance agency with large offices in Miami, Miramar and Deerfield Beach. TrueCoverage is a sub-tenant of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a building leased by the newspaper in Deerfield Beach. — Enhance Health LLC, a Sunrise-based health insurance agency that the lawsuit says was founded by Matthew Herman, also named as a defendant, with a $150 million investment from hedge fund Bain Capital’s insurance division. Bain Capital Insurance Fund LP is also a defendant. — Speridian Technologies LLC, accused in the lawsuit of establishing two direct enrollment platforms that provided TrueCoverage and other agencies access to the ACA marketplace. — Benefitalign LLC, identified in the suit as one of the direct enrollment platforms created by Speridian. Like Speridian and TrueCoverage, the company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Number One Prospecting LLC, doing business as Minerva Marketing, based in Fort Lauderdale, and its founder, Brandon Bowsky, accused of developing the social media ads that drove customers — or “leads” — to the health insurance agencies. — Digital Media Solutions LLC, doing business as Protect Health, a Miami-based agency that the suit says bought Minerva’s “fraudulent” ads. In September, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in United States Bankruptcy Court in Texas, which automatically suspended claims filed against the company. — Net Health Affiliates Inc., an Aventura-based agency the lawsuit says was associated with Enhance Health and like it, bought leads from Minerva. — Garish Panicker, identified in the lawsuit as half-owner of Speridian Global Holdings and day-to-day controller of companies under its umbrella, including TrueCoverage, Benefitalign and Speridian Technologies. — Matthew Goldfuss, accused by the suit of overseeing and directing TrueCoverage’s ACA enrollment efforts. All of the defendants have filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The motions deny the allegations and argue that the plaintiffs failed to properly state their claims and lack the standing to file the complaints. The Sun Sentinel sent requests for comment and lists of questions about the cases to four separate law firms representing separate groups of defendants. Three of the law firms — one representing Brandon Bowsky and Number One Prospecting LLC d/b/a Minerva Marketing, and two others representing Net Health Affiliates Inc. and Bain Capital Insurance Fund — did not respond to the requests. A representative of Enhance Health LLC and Matthew Herman, Olga M. Vieira of the Miami-based firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, responded with a short message saying she was glad the newspaper knew a motion to dismiss the charges had been filed by the defendants. She also said that, “Enhance has denied all the allegations as reported previously in the media.” Catherine Riedel, a communications specialist representing TrueCoverage LLC, Benefitalign LLC, Speridian Technologies LLC, Girish Panicker and Matthew Goldfuss, issued the following statement: “TrueCoverage takes these allegations very seriously and is responding appropriately. While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we strongly believe that the allegations are baseless and without merit. “Compliance is our business. The TrueCoverage team records and reviews every call with a customer, including during Open Enrollment when roughly 500 agents handle nearly 30,000 calls a day. No customer is enrolled into any policy without a formal verbal consent given by the customer. If any customer calls in as a result of misleading content presented by third-party marketing vendors, agents are trained to correct such misinformation and action is taken against such third-party vendors.” Through Riedel, the defendants declined to answer follow-up questions, including whether the company remains in business, whether it continues to enroll Affordable Care Act clients, and whether it is still operating its New Mexico call center using another affiliated technology platform. The suspension notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services letter cites several factors, including the histories of noncompliance and previous suspensions. The letter noted suspicion that TrueCoverage and Benefitalign were storing consumers’ personally identifiable information in databases located in India and possibly other overseas locations in violation of the centers’ rules. The letter also notes allegations against the companies in the pending lawsuit that “they engaged in a variety of illegal practices, including violations of the (Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act), misuse of consumer (personal identifiable information) and insurance fraud.” The amended lawsuit filed in August names as plaintiffs five individuals who say their insurance plans were changed and two agencies who say they lost money when they were replaced as agents. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of 55 counts of wrongdoing, ranging from running ads offering thousands of dollars in cash that they knew would never be provided directly to consumers, switching millions of consumers into different insurance policies without their authorization, misstating their household incomes to make them eligible for $0 premium coverage, and “stealing” commissions by switching the agents listed in their accounts. TrueCoverage, Enhance Health, Protect Health, and some of their associates “engaged in hundreds of thousands of agent-of-record swaps to steal other agents’ commissions,” the suit states. “Using the Benefitalign and Inshura platforms, they created large spreadsheet lists of consumer names, dates of birth and zip codes.” They provided those spreadsheets to agents, it says, and instructed them to access platforms linked to the ACA marketplace and change the customers’ agents of record “without telling the client or providing informed consent.” “In doing so, they immediately captured the monthly commissions of agents ... who had originally worked with the consumers directly to sign them up,” the lawsuit asserts. TrueCoverage employees who complained about dealing with prospects who called looking for cash cards were routinely chided by supervisors who told them to be vague and keep making money, the suit says. When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began contacting the company in January about customer complaints, the suit says TrueCoverage enrollment supervisor Matthew Goldfuss sent an email instructing agents “do not respond.” The lawsuit states the “scheme” was made possible in 2021 when Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The act made it possible for Americans with household incomes between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level to pay zero in premiums and it enabled those consumers to enroll in ACA plans all year round, instead of during the three-month open enrollment period from November to January. Experienced health insurance brokers recognized the opportunity presented by the changes, the lawsuit says. More than 40 million Americans live within 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level, while only 15 million had ACA insurance at the time. The defendants developed or benefited from online ads, the lawsuit says, which falsely promised “hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per month in cash benefits such as subsidy cards to pay for common expenses like rent, groceries, and gas.” Consumers who clicked on the ads were brought to a landing page that asked a few qualifying questions, and if their answers suggested that they might qualify for a low-cost or no-cost plan, they were provided a phone number to a health insurance agency. There was a major problem with the plan, according to the lawsuit. “Customers believe they are being routed to someone who will send them a free cash card, not enroll them in health insurance.” By law, the federal government sends subsidies for ACA plans to insurance companies, and not to individual consumers. Scripts were developed requiring agents not to mention a cash card, and if a customer mentions a cash card, “be vague” and tell the caller that only the insurance carrier can provide that information, the lawsuit alleges. In September, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the claims. In addition to denying the charges, they argued that the class plaintiffs lacked the standing to make the accusations and failed to demonstrate that they suffered harm. The motion also argued that the lawsuit’s accusations failed to meet requirements necessary to claim civil violations of the RICO Act. Miami-based attorney Jason Kellogg, representing the plaintiffs, said he doesn’t expect a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case for several months. The complaint also lists nearly 50 companies, not named as defendants, that it says fed business to TrueCoverage and Enhance Health. Known in the industry as “downlines,” most operate in office parks throughout South Florida, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit quotes former TrueCoverage employees complaining about having to work with customers lured by false cash promises in the online ads. A former employee who worked in the company’s Deerfield Beach office was quoted in the lawsuit as saying that senior TrueCoverage and Speridian executives “knew that consumers were calling in response to the false advertisements promising cash cards and they pressured agents to use them to enroll consumers into ACA plans.” A former human resources manager for TrueCoverage said sales agents frequently complained “that they did not feel comfortable having to mislead consumers,” the lawsuit said. Over two dozen agents “came to me with these complaints and showed me the false advertisements that consumers who called in were showing them,” the lawsuit quoted the former manager as saying. For much of the time the companies operated, the ACA marketplace enabled agents to easily access customer accounts using their names and Social Security numbers, change their insurance plans and switch their agents of record without their knowledge or authorization, the lawsuit says. This resulted in customers’ original agents losing their commissions and many of the policyholders finding out they suddenly owed far more for health care services than their original plans had required, the suit states. It says that one of the co-plaintiffs’ health plans was changed at least 22 times without her consent. She first discovered that she had lost her original plan when she sought to renew a prescription for her heart condition and her doctor told her she did not have health insurance, the suit states. Another co-plaintiff’s policy was switched after her husband responded to one of the cash card advertisements, the lawsuit says. That couple’s insurance plan was switched multiple times after a TrueCoverage agent excluded the wife’s income from an application so the couple would qualify. Later, they received bills from the IRS for $4,300 to cover tax credits issued to pay for the plans. CMS barred TrueCoverage and BenefitAlign from accessing the ACA marketplace. It said it received more than 90,000 complaints about unauthorized plan switches and more than 183,500 complaints about unauthorized enrollments, but the agency did not attribute all of the complaints to activities by the two companies. In addition, CMS restricted all agents’ abilities to alter policyholders’ enrollment information, the lawsuit says. Now access is allowed only for agents that already represent policyholders or if the policyholder participates in a three-way call with an agent and a marketplace employee. Between June and October, the agency barred 850 agents and brokers from accessing the marketplace “for reasonable suspicion of fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or unauthorized plan switches,” according to an October CMS news release . The changes resulted in a “dramatic and sustained drop” in unauthorized activity, including a nearly 70% decrease in plan changes associated with an agent or broker and a nearly 90% decrease in changes to agent or broker commission information, the release said. It added that while consumers were often unaware of such changes, the opportunity to make them provided “significant financial incentive for non-compliant agents and brokers.” But CMS’ restrictions might be having unintended consequences for law-abiding agents and brokers. A story published by Insurance News Net on Nov. 11 quoted the president of the Health Agents for America (HAFA) trade group as saying agents are being suspended by CMS after being flagged by a mysterious algorithm that no one can figure out. The story quotes HAFA president Ronnell Nolan as surmising, “maybe they wrote too many policies on the same day for people who have the same income or they’re writing too many policies on people of a certain occupation.” Nolan continued, “We have members who have thousands of ACA clients. They can’t update or renew their clients. So those consumers have lost access to their professional agent, which is simply unfair.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.Biden opens final White House holiday season with turkey pardons and first lady gets Christmas tree WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has kicked off his final holiday season at the White House, issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in Minnesota. The president welcomed 2,500 guests under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom.” He also sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency. Separately, first lady Jill Biden received the delivery of the official White House Christmas tree. And the Bidens are traveling to New York later Monday for an early holiday celebration with members of the Coast Guard. Formula 1 expands grid to add General Motors' Cadillac brand and new American team for 2026 season LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 will expand the grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a federal investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti, who has since stepped aside. The 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer. Naeher is on the team’s roster for a pair of upcoming matches in Europe but those will be her last after a full 11 years playing for the United States. Naeher was on the U.S. team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2019 and the gold medal at this year's Olympics in France. She’s the only U.S. goalkeeper to earn a shutout in both a World Cup and an Olympic final. Bah, humbug! Vandal smashes Ebenezer Scrooge's tombstone used in 'A Christmas Carol' movie LONDON (AP) — If life imitates art, a vandal in the English countryside may be haunted by The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Police in the town of Shrewsbury are investigating how a tombstone at the fictional grave of Ebenezer Scrooge was destroyed. The movie prop used in the 1984 adaption of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol” had become a tourist attraction. The film starred George C. Scott as the cold-hearted curmudgeon who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve who show him what will become of his life if he doesn’t become a better person. West Mercia Police say the stone was vandalized in the past week. Megachurch founder T.D. Jakes suffers health incident during sermon at Dallas church DALLAS (AP) — The founder of Dallas-based megachurch The Potter's House, Bishop T.D. Jakes, was hospitalized after suffering what the church called a “slight health incident.” Jakes was speaking to churchgoers after he sat down and began trembling as several people gathered around him Sunday at the church. Jakes' daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts and her husband Touré Roberts said in a statement on social media late Sunday that Jakes was improving. The 67-year-old Jakes founded the non-denominational The Potter's House in 1996 and his website says it now has more than 30,000 members with campuses in Fort Worth and Frisco, Texas; and in Denver. At the crossroads of news and opinion, 'Morning Joe' hosts grapple with aftermath of Trump meeting The reaction of those who defended “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski for meeting with President-elect Trump sounds almost quaint in the days of opinionated journalism. Doesn't it makes sense, they said, for hosts of a political news show to meet with such an important figure? But given how “Morning Joe” has attacked Trump, its viewers felt insulted. Many reacted quickly by staying away. It all reflects the broader trend of opinion crowding out traditional journalist in today's marketplace, and the expectations that creates among consumers. By mid-week, the show's audience was less than two-thirds what it has typically been this year. Pilot dies in plane crash in remote woods of New York, puppy found alive WINDHAM, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a pilot and at least one dog he was transporting died when a small plane crashed in the snowy woods of the Catskill Mountains, though a puppy on the flight was found alive with two broken legs. The Greene County sheriff’s office says Seuk Kim of Springfield, Virginia, was flying from Maryland to Albany, New York, when the plane crashed at about 6:10 p.m. Sunday in a remote area. Officials believe the pilot died from the impact. The surviving dog was hospitalized, while a third dog was not located. The flight was connected with a not-for-profit group that transports rescue animals. Warren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his death OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investor Warren Buffett renewed his Thanksgiving tradition of giving by announcing plans Monday to hand more than $1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations, and he offered new details about who will be handing out the rest of his fortune after his death. Buffett has said previously that his three kids will distribute his remaining $147.4 billion fortune in the 10 years after his death, but now he has also designated successors for them because it’s possible that Buffett’s children could die before giving it all away. Buffett said he has no regrets about his decision to start giving away his fortune in 2006. Pop star Ed Sheeran apologizes to Man United boss Ruben Amorim for crashing interview MANCHESTER, England (AP) — British pop star Ed Sheeran has apologized to Ruben Amorim after inadvertently interrupting the new Manchester United head coach during a live television interview. Amorim was talking on Sky Sports after United’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich on Sunday when Sheeran walked up to embrace analyst Jamie Redknapp. The interview was paused before Redknapp told the pop star to “come and say hello in a minute.” Sheeran is a lifelong Ipswich fan and holds a minority stake in the club. He was pictured celebrating after Omari Hutchinson’s equalizing goal in the game at Portman Road. A desert oasis outside of Dubai draws a new caravan: A family of rodents from Argentina AL QUDRA LAKES, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A desert oasis hidden away in the dunes in the far reaches of skyscraper-studded Dubai has drawn a surprising new set of weary world travelers: a pack of Argentinian rodents. A number of Patagonian mara, a rabbit-like mammal with long legs, big ears and a body like a hoofed animal, now roam the grounds of Al Qudra Lakes, typically home to gazelle and other desert creatures of the United Arab Emirates. How they got there remains a mystery in the UAE, a country where exotic animals have ended up in the private homes and farms of the wealthy. But the pack appears to be thriving there and likely have survived several years already in a network of warrens among the dunes.
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By Warren Buffett's favorite financial metric, Berkshire's net worth leaves Nvidia and Apple in the dust - Fortune
1. An instant carpet spot remover spray, so when your bestie accidentally drips salsa off of their chip and onto your carpet you can say "no biggie" and actually mean it. Promising review: "I have a white couch and my dog loves to jump up after being outside. Sometimes she has mud on her paws and this product removes the stains COMPLETELY. We’ve had red wine and spaghetti sauce spilled on it and zero trace is left after using this. Best part, my couch fabric doesn’t get damaged by the chemicals either. I’ve ordered 12 of these and we have one in every room and in our cars. Hands-down nothing beats this spray. I’ve tried pet stain removers, DIY recommendations, stuff with vinegar... only this product works. Pay the cost for this! It’s totally worth it! 100 stars if I could." — Lauren R. Get it from Amazon for $6.65+ (available in two sizes and multipacks). 2. Shower door cleaner you can count on to make your door shine like the top of the Chrysler building — not that either of us have been up there, so we'll just have to take someone else's word for it. Promising review: "I recently moved into a new apartment that was very clean. Except my walk-in shower doors. They were in abysmal shape and made my entire bathroom look embarrassingly unkempt. The lime deposits were thick and stubborn; the doors had clearly not been thoroughly cleaned for a long time. After one application and touching up a couple of small but particularly encrusted areas, my doors looked like new ... the glass seemed to disappear entirely!" — SoundByte Get it from Amazon for $11.65 . 3. Rubbermaid's power scrubbing brush , for when you want to give your grout an all-inclusive spa treatment and bring it back to its squeaky-clean glory. These attachments get deep into the crevices that scrubbing by hand simply won't do. Promising review : "The Power Scrubber is life changing. I bought it several weeks ago with the intention of doing a deep clean 'sometime soon.' After an overflowing toilet incident, I had to make sure it got done right away. MY GROUT HAS NEVER BEEN CLEANER. I used some Comet and spray cleaner to get the job done, but this made short work for what typically requires 'a lot of elbow grease' and a spent toothbrush. With this tool, you really know you're getting in there and it's clean. I can't recommend this enough — I've already mentioned it to a neighbor, and a few friends, including one fanatical cleaner. We all agreed, it's such a necessary, perfect product." — Jojo Get it from Amazon for $19.98 . Check out our full Rubbermaid Power Scrubber review . 4. A scrubber brush you can attach to your drill (!!!) to help you clean your tub/shower like you've never cleaned it before but without the arm workout. You'll be singing "I've got the powerrrr" in no time! The white is a soft bristle, best for wheels, carpet, upholstery, glass, and leather; the yellow is a medium bristle, best for bathroom, bathtub, shower, tile, and porcelain; the green is a medium bristle, best for kitchen, stoves, cabinets, countertops, and linoleum; the blue is a medium bristle, best for boats, pools, canoe/kayaks, hot tubs, and plastics; the red is a stiff bristle, best for outdoors, siding, brick, garage, and gutter; and the black is a hard bristle, best for grills, loose paint, furnaces, ovens, and industrial use. Additionally, Drill Brush is a small business based in New York! Promising review: "I've been eyeing these for a few months and finally caved. Man do I regret not picking them up as soon as I saw them! They work GREAT! We rent an apartment that has a 30+ year old shower/tub. I've used everything from abrasive powders, gels that sit to most recently the bathroom Magic Erasers and nothing really got the grime out. These WORK and they work fast. Just 10 minutes with my handy drill and the shower has never been cleaner. I love that I don't have to throw money out on cleaning products anymore and that I can be a little more environmentally friendly with no waste and no chemical cleaners! Just a little dish soap, baking soda and a spin of the brush. If you're on the fence, just buy them!" — Becky Adie Get it from Amazon for $18.95 (available in six strength types). 5. A trio of Bar Keepers Friend products to help you clean any and every surface of your living space (bathroom included) — trust me on this. My husband and I moved into our first house a few years ago — when I tell you I have used some form of Bar Keepers Friend to tackle every crevice of this house please know that I'm not exaggerating. I've used it to revive the floor of our bathroom (see above), the shower, the tub, the entire kitchen sink, the outside of the washing machine and dryer....the list goes on. It's incredible how effective this product is in just a few moments! It really is a life changing product that'll help you clean every inch of your home. Additionally, Bar Keepers Friend is a small business! Promising review: "This is a good brand of cleaning products. I clean the bathroom with it, plus my cookware. I expect to buy this product again." — Carmen E. Leon Get it from Amazon for $30.45 . 6. An "Angry Mama" microwave cleaner you can count on to save your butt the next time you heat sauce and it explodes all over (oops). Fill her with vinegar and water and watch as she blows hot steam into your microwave oven to loosen up all the old food and stains. Wipe it clean and move on with your life! Check out a Tiktok of the "Angry Mama" microwave cleaner in action. Promising review: "This product is so amazing, I'm going to get one for all of my children. I am a teacher, and I let my students use my microwave. Usually it takes me half an hour of scrubbing after 31 students have made popcorn, and heated up lunches. This time I used the product, and I literally spent less than one minute just wiping down the microwave!!! I will now keep one in my classroom, and one at my home. A miracle product that actually does what it says, remarkable!!!" — Desiree Barlow Get it from Amazon for $11.88+ (available in four colors). 7. A putty-like cleaning gel that'll help you remove all the dust and debris from the hard-to-reach crevices in your car. Psh, and to think you were going to PAY someone to clean out your car. Promising review: "This product works just as intended. I was afraid it would become dirty and unusable quickly but it has held up well. I also found myself using it as a stress ball/fidget tool while driving too and from work." — Samantha Get it from Amazon for $5.99 . 8. A 100 percent natural oven scrub you can rely on to finally remove any grease or leftover sauces from inside your most used appliance. You're welcome. It also comes with a metallic scrubber! Everneat is a small business based in Fairfield, Connecticut that specializes in natural cleaning products. Promising review: "I am blown away by this product! There have been things I’ve tried to clean with other harsh chemicals and they never worked. Everneat combined with the scouring sponge has been a game changer. My sink and my oven look like new!" — Jessica Get it from from Amazon for $24.99 (available in three scents). 9. A cleaning brush that'll assist in removing dirt and scuffs from suede and Nubuck materials — you better believe Elvis could've used one of these bad boys for his beloved blue suede shoes 😉. Shacke is a small business! Promising review: "I rarely write reviews, but I just received this, and it's amazing. I had a grease stain on my new Uggs that I was so sad about. Corn starch almost ruined them. This brush minimized (if not totally removed) the stain. I love that no chemicals are involved, and it's pure magic. I'll use this on all of my suede shoes moving forward. Get it!" — Jennifer Get it from Amazon for $6.49 . 10. A dryer vent cleaner attachment that'll pull all of the hard-to-reach pieces of lint out of your dryer. I truly can't think of anything more satisfying, TBH. Not to mention, this should ABSOLUTELY be part of your cleaning routine — trapped lint is a fire hazard! This adapter is compatible with most vacuum cleaner pipes, so all you have to do is attach it to your vacuum and guide it around your dryer to suck up excess and hard-to-reach lint. Too much lint buildup not only slows down the drying process, it's also a fire hazard, so this handy device can actually be considered a safety tool! Promising review: "Yes, we had a sock in our dryer vent!! This past summer, the lint trap broke on our dryer. Our kids ran the dryer regardless! What a disaster. Received my vacuum kit today, and now my clothes are dry! I sucked up the sock, as well as a piece of lint roller tape. Great product!" — Laurel Enoch Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (originally $19.99; available in five colors) — don't forget to apply the coupon to save $2! 11. A giant lint roller on a stick you'll find yourself reaching for time and time again — especially before guests arrive. It'll let you remove all the pet hair and lint from your furniture without having to bend and struggle to get to hard-to-reach spots. Promising review: "I am truly amazed at this device! All the nasty dust that was on my popcorn ceiling (I own a mid-century home and haven’t gotten rid of the popcorn ceiling just yet). The amount of dust was getting out of control, and everything I tried didn’t work — paper towels just snagged on the ceiling, and a vacuum was way too heavy and awkward. This got my ceiling sparkling clean in about five minutes! I used it on my walls as well! I love it and highly recommend it if you have popcorn ceilings as well!" — Marea Celentano Get it from Amazon for $23.85 . Don't forget to apply the 22% off coupon at checkout! 12. A Little Green HydroSteam Cleaner you can use to tackle a whole slew of messes on a deeper level — it's portable and designed to clean upholstery, carpet, tile, and your car. Seriously, what *can't* this lil' gadget do? I tested this bad boy out on the white tile in my entryway (which gets super dirty from everyone walking in/out of that area all the time) and my husband and I were blown away! The Little Green HydroSteam did an awesome job making our tile look new again. My husband said it felt very therapeutic going over each tile and watching how fresh they looked after just one pass with this vacuum. One of our friends stopped by and even commented on how clean the tile looked — a win in my book. I feel very confident one of our kids will inevitably spill something terrible on one of our rugs or couches, but I don't have to stress knowing we'll have this tool on-hand to help clean it up. Promising review: "The Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Multipurpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner is a game-changer! I've been using it to clean my car, furniture, and carpets, and it's been amazing. I used it when my 6-year-old decided to squish his banana in the carpet and it made clean up so quick. I love that I can use both steam and cleaner at the same time, or just steam on its own. The powerful suction and quick heating time make cleaning a breeze. The sleek design and large capacity are also big pluses. It's perfect for anyone with kids, pets, or adults who are prone to spills!" — Allison Get it from Amazon for $179.95 . 13. A MudBuster paw cleaner to try and get ahead of the game — use it to wipe down your pup's lil' pads before they scamper throughout your house post-snowy walk. Promising review : "I’ve been using this for a few weeks, and I love it. It cleans the salt off my dogs’ paws so easily. When it’s super dirty, and the streets are covered in salt, I’ll refresh the water supply. I add a few drops of their doggie shampoo, and it works great. It is so easy to use. I have four dogs in NYC. I have to wash their feet after every walk because the streets are so filthy. It would take me about 10–15 minutes to clean their paws with a spray bottle and towel. Now, it takes about five minutes. And the towel doesn’t end up filthy. The dirt gets caught in the cup. Plus, the dogs seem to like it. The silicone bristles must feel good. A huge thumbs up!" — Sandra Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in sizes S–L and six colors). 14. A portable car vacuum that'll help you battle the seemingly endless amount of crumbs that somehow make their way in between your seats despite the fact you rarely eat in your car. Promising review: "I was a little skeptical at first seeing all the mixed reviews but I wish I had taken a pic of my driver side cause that was the worst of it but there was a lot of buildup from me just not having the time or energy to clean my car but this vacuum is AMAZING! You can see the clear difference between those two photos. 11/10 would HIGHLY recommend." — Kayla Get it from Amazon for $33.97 . 15. Miss Mouth's Messy Eater Stain Treater Spray you'll be very glad you bought after you let your kiddo eat spaghetti in public for the first time — trust me. Promising review: "My 1-year-old has taco meat stains ALL over the sleeves of his shirt. Stains were 2–3 days old too. I sprayed shirt, let it sit for about 15 mins and then washed shirt with regular laundry soap. Almost every bit of the stains came out. Definitely buying bulk in this product!" — Sloan Avery Get it from Amazon for $6.19+ (available in a variety of quantities) 16. A set of Bottle Bright tablets that'll bring your favorite thermos back to its original shiny state. Your go-to coffee mug will shine brighter than North Star. Promising review: "I seriously can't believe how well these little tablets work. I had the most disgusting Hydro Flask coffee mug; I tried everything — bottle brush, different kinds of soap, vinegar, EVERYTHING — and there was still a seemingly impenetrable layer of black sludge inside. I let a tablet sit in each of my mugs for an hour or two, and the black sludge rinsed out COMPLETELY, without even scrubbing. They look brand-new. What a magical product. No weird smell or taste afterward, either. I liked it so much that I used it on another Hydro Flask I use primarily to hold my Bloody Mary mix in the fridge. I couldn't put anything else in it because it would always taste like spicy tomato juice. Bottle Bright to the rescue! No residual smell or taste anymore. AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 17. A microfiber spin mop and bucket with over 150,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, which is kinda wild because it's a MOP. My husband asked for this mop for Father's Day and has been telling everyone in his life about it ever since. He adores it! It's so easy to use, it's lightweight, and he has no issue squeezing the water out with the spin tool. It's worked wonders on our wood floors! Promising review: "I never thought a mop could change my life! This mop cuts at least a half hour off my cleaning time and since I can ring it out so well it does a fabulous job on my hardwood floors without worrying about puddles of water which could do damage! The triangular design is great for corners too! I also like how I can toss the head in the washing machine to clean it. I would highly recommend this mop!" — kheiser67 Get it from Amazon for $34.97 . 18. Or washable microfiber mop pads you can use with your Swiffer WetJet , in case you don't want to invest in another mop and know you can easily make do with the one you've already got! One pad can last up to 100 washes and works on pretty much any surface, from wood to tile to stone. Turbo Mops is a small business! Promising review: "These are life changing. I used a Rubbermaid spray mop for years that I never really loved and when it broke I got a Swiffer and was using the old Rubbermaid mop cloth pads with it still. They didn't fit the Swiffer great and I decided to get new ones. These scrub so much better and pick up way more dirt than my other mop pad. I have two dogs and their dried water and drool is around the kitchen and I used to have to scrub to get that up each time. Not with these pads! I never thought I'd swoon over a cleaning product but...here we are :). " — JB Get a pack of two from Amazon for $18.99 . 19. A jar of internet-beloved The Pink Stuff , which is an all-purpose cleaning paste that'll help you tackle all of your messes but make it *~pretty in pink~* at the same time. After hearing what incredible things The Pink Stuff can do, I finally ordered it and tried it for myself. Honestly, wow! It really does work wonders. I tried it first on my Le Creuset cast iron pan (seen above, right) and really was amazed at how just one pass with The Pink Stuff (and a scouring brush ) took off almost every stain! I can't wait to try it on literally everything in my home that needs a deep cleaning. Promising review: "Honestly, I was very skeptical when I first purchased. Everyone on social media was talking about how amazing this product was for cleaning around the house, and I just thought they were all jumping on some kind of bandwagon. Of course, I caved and had to try it for myself. Needless to say, I’m very impressed! It removed stubborn mold and grime from my shower tile grout with the use of a hard bristle toothbrush. It removed hard water stains from my sinks and faucets . I noticed it really does remove mineral buildup, but it takes a lot of elbow grease and repetitive applications before you start seeing progress. The texture feels similar to when you mix honey with sugar to make a lip scrub, except it’s super fine grit and more pasty like putty or clay . It works amazing so far! No overpowering smell (barely any smell at all), easy to use, and a little product goes a long way. I haven’t tried it on rust yet, so we’ll see how that goes. Over all very pleased and impressed so far. Highly recommend!" — Marissa Get it from Amazon for $5.97 . 20. A garbage-disposal foaming cleaner to scrub away the stinky grime that builds up on the blades and in the pipes. Look at that foam go! Promising review: "We moved into a townhouse that had a garbage disposal in the kitchen. Never had one growing up and didn't think too much about it until the funky smell started. I researched ways to clean it and came across these. Decided to order a four-pack and try them. THEY ARE LIFE CHANGING. Just run some water, toss the packet in, and turn on the disposal. The little packet does all the hard work for you. I order a new set as soon as we start to run low." — lucas broshears Get it from Amazon for $3.78 . 21. A set of cleaning K-Cups that'll rinse away all the coffee grounds from your past beverages and ensure your next ones taste fresher than ever. Quick & Clean is a small business! Promising review: "I bought this product because the needle in my Keurig 2.0 keeps clogging, causing inconsistent brew and taste. These cleaning cups fixed both of my issues and I especially liked that it was really quick and easy to use... I put the cleaning pod in and ran one cycle, then took the pod out and ran a rinse cycle to clean out any leftover grinds. FAST, EASY, and GREAT results ...VERY HAPPY!!" — Corey West Get it from Amazon for $9.95 . 22. A pack of disposable shower hair catchers to place directly over your drain and toss in the trash when you're done with it — you won't have to to think about all the gunk and germs that might linger on a more permanent hair catcher. Aire Allure is a small business! Promising review: "I saw these on TikTok and bought them when I was visiting family. Tried them out and left a few behind for family and sent a few home with family — everyone is now ordering them and using them. They work great. Each one is on its own plastic shield. Just peel off and center onto your floor drain. I leave mine on for two to three weeks. I'm the only one using my shower, but if it's a shared shower probably wouldn't last that long. It's still a great way to catch hair before going down the drain, because we all know, people say they use the traps but they really don't. A must-have!!" — C. Crocker Get a pack of 25 from Amazon for $10.99 (also available in packs of 50 and and 100). 23. A bag of FryAway cooking oil solidifier — a seemingly magical substance you can sprinkle on top of your grease-coated pan and watch as it turns to a solid. No more waiting ages for it to cool, having to grossly scrape it out of your pan with a paper towel, or accidentally clogging your pipes. FryAway is a US-based small business specializing in planet-friendly cooking waste solutions. Promising review: "I will always keep this stocked in my house! My husband sent me a TikTok, I know I know, and I thought it couldn't hurt to try it out. I loved after the first night! I could easily remove the hardened oil and throw it out." — Roberta Get it from Amazon for $9.97 . 24. A pumice cleaning stone you can count on to make your toilet actually sparkle like a porcelain throne. Powerstone is a small business! Promising review: "This product has far exceeded my expectations. We have well water and often get water stains even with an advanced water filtration system. I clean the toilets with bleach-heavy toilet cleaners at least biweekly. I was always left with a ‘ring’ that I thought just came with well-water toilets. Well. This has changed my life, really. I scrubbed one toilet in less than 10 minutes, and it’s basically brand new. No more nasty toilet rings!! Just try it! BTW I never usually leave reviews, but this thing has made me so happy!! I will never be without this product!" — Nicole Get it from Amazon for $13.99 . 25. An automatic cleaning toilet bowl cartridge to pop into the top of your tank — it'll last up to three months and clean with every single flush. Now that's a cleaning product worth testing out. Promising review: "This works absolutely phenomenal. I would clean the bowl area every weekend like clockwork to remove mold or something...Our municipal water system may not inject enough chlorine to prohibit? But toilet cleaning is a breeze now!!! Works on the Koehler new low flush systems...amazing. No chlorine damage to rubber parts, either, like other devices! Pretty simple instructions to install." — CdrW Get it from Amazon for $10.59 . 26. Angry Orange pet odor eliminator for anyone with an adorable furry friend who is still learning how to control their bladder — this will help banish evidence of accidents (and the lingering smell that goes along with it). Promising review: "This product is amazing!!!! We have a Rottweiler pup and a bichon pup and our house was feeling the PAIN! I tried everything and used to tell my wife, 'With all the science and technology in the world, we still can’t come up with something that gets rid of the dog mark smell!' This product does everything and more. Just ordered another round. We were about to throw away some furniture due to the smell, and now after use, we can keep it. Saved me hundreds. Well worth the money. " — clayton s tonkin Get it from Amazon for $17.96 . 27. Affresh cleaning tablets you can toss into your dishwasher and easily get rid of that yucky smell that seems to appear after a few washes — it'll banish lime and mineral build-up and leave your dishes nice 'n' clean. I have these tablets and use them all the time! They work especially great after the bottom of my dishwasher has gotten stained with residue from detergent or rusty-looking liquid after I've run my baking sheets through the wash. I love knowing I can just pop one into the dishwasher 1, 2, 3, and end up with a clean machine. Promising review: "After using this product, I am happy to report that my $5 investment saved me over $500. I was ready to replace my dishwasher, due to super cloudy glasses, residue, and just not getting clean. Then I saw a product test review for Affresh in Good Housekeeping magazine. I was ordering some stuff from Amazon anyway, so I added that to my order. I did not expect the results I got! The glassware that I thought was permanently etched and ruined came out like new. Same with cutlery. The difference is unbelievable. I am amazed!" — Sheila Get it from Amazon for $8.98 . 28. A box of washing machine cleaning tablets that'll easily remove any odor-causing residue from inside your machine — you don't want your clothes to smell, do ya? Promising review: "This product works great. My clothes were starting to get the damp smell after washing them. I put a tablet in to clean my washer and it works great. The odor from my washer disappeared. Will definitely buy again and recommend to others" — maria phillips Get it from Amazon for $11.66 . 29. Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray , which smells so freakin' good you might just get distracted from how wonderfully it works! All you'll have to do is spray it onto caked-on food and grease, wait a lil', then rinse or wipe it away to reveal a perfectly clean pan. I'm actually obsessed with this product. I use it on my frying pans and the grill pans from my Griddler (which are ALWAYS a pain to clean). It loosens all the gunk and makes it much easier to clean burnt bits and pieces off. It also really does smell incredible — very fresh and delightful! I've even seen a friend use it to immediately remove a coffee stain from a white sweater. It's incredible. Promising review: "This is the best partner in the kitchen!! You need it now and always. Great for hard stains and even for a quick clean . I always have backups that never run out. RUN DON'T WALK TO ADD THIS PRODUCT TO YOUR CART RIGHT NOW." — Carlos G Get it from Amazon for $19.27 for a bundle. 30. A soap-dispensing brush that might just make you want to clean your dishes — it looks kinda fun, doesn't it? It'll help you clean off any gross bits of food, so even if you don't have time to toss your dishes into the dishwasher (or you simply don't own one!) the lingering leftovers won't cause a smell in your kitchen. Promising review: "I'm loving this little brush. I had purchased another dish brush a while back from the grocery store and the bristles were so stiff that it often splattered soap everywhere. This one isn't like that. The bristles are stiff, but soft enough that they tend to cling to what you're brushing, so they don't cause that splatter effect. I also like that you can open the whole thing up by taking its top off to refill it, giving you plenty of room to pour in the dish soap. The ability to easily remove and replace the brush is another very handy feature. Both are easy to do and it's well made, so they're not likely to come open or undone unexpectedly." — Elliria Get it from Amazon for $8.99 . 31. A handheld dog shower attachment you can use to host an at-home spa day for you and your pup and prevent your doggo from stinking up the whole place. Who says a day of pampering should only be for us humans? This easy-to-use pet wand will help you shower your dog with love (and water) from the comfort of your home. My dog used to hate the car, so taking all 80 pounds of him to the groomer was often a struggle (to say the least). By using this attachment we were able to clean up him up without feeling anxious. The unique wand is curved to provide full coverage while washing your pet. It also has an 8-foot-long flexible hose for extended reach and be used indoors or outdoors. Promising review: "Our dogs hate baths, so bathing them was always a time-consuming hassle. With this product, it’s quick and easy! Our dogs are working dogs that are out in public all day every day, so we have to keep them looking, smelling and feeling clean to the touch. This product makes that easy for us and our dogs. I would definitely buy it again (but it will probably last for decades) and have already recommended it to family and friends." — Jonah 1:3 Get it from Amazon for $39.99 . 32. A silicone toilet brush with a sturdy drain-cleaning tweezer hidden inside the handle, perfect for helping you keep your bowl clean and assist you in removing the inevitable clumps of gag-worthy, wet hair that always find its way into your drain and smells so bad. Promising review: "I needed a new toilet brush that would fit in a confined space and didn't tip over easily. The BOOMJOY toilet brush is stylish — if that is an adjective that can be used to describe a toilet brush — functional, and compact. The silicone bristles seem to do the job they were designed to do." — Snowlady Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in 10 colors). 33. Or a Clorox ToiletWand you can use and then toss away — say SEE YA' to that gross toilet brush hiding in the corner of your bathroom. It'll leave your toilet smelling fresh as a daisy, since there is Clorox literally built right into it. I own and cherish this product. It's a dream knowing the "brush" is fresh and hasn't been intimate with the inside of my toilet prior to my picking it up again. This set comes with the wand and 16 refills. Promising review: "The primary reason I decided to purchase the Clorox Toilet Wand was so I could clean under my toilet rims, which I noticed was definitely getting neglected via using the standard toilet brushes to clean. Initially, I was looking for a toilet brush that had the shape needed to actually GET under the rim, and that's how I found out about it. Now that I've used it... I can say without a doubt that'll I'll never go back to a regular brush. I like the cleanliness of the disposable brushes as opposed to a regular toilet brush. And I especially like that I don't have to purchase a second brush with a shape capable of cleaning under the rim, which not only takes up more space, but also would take more time given I'd have to switch back and forth and apply product. With this, I can just clean the entire pot in less than five minutes with the same tool." — Brittney Nelson Get it from Amazon for $18.61 . 34. And a magnificent toilet cleaning gel stamp from Scrubbing Bubbles, so when you finally get around to thoroughly cleaning your bowl it'll do the heavy lifting until the next time you think to yourself "when was the last time I cleaned this thing?" and release a fresh scent each time you flush. I have this product and it really does work! It took me a minute to figure out how to apply it, but after reading the enclosed directions it was a cinch! You quite literally stamp it into the inside of the toilet bowl and leave it be. It smells super refreshing for a long time — as if you've cleaned your toilet every time you flush. Promising review: "Okay I was so confused when I opened this but honestly it’s easy to use and after I completely deep cleaned my bathroom, I tried one of these stamps on my toilet. I was sooo skeptical and was confused how they’d work but the gel solidifies and with every flush, suds wash through with the water and it really makes a fresh difference. Also the scent is light but really nice and fresh! I recommend these 100%! They’re super interesting but they do the job." — Janet Get a set of six from Amazon for $4.74 . 35. A Door-Doc — an odor-preventing front load washer door prop that'll keep yours opened *just* enough to ensure it doesn't get a funky, mold-like smell inside. Door-Doc is a small business! You can see it in action on TikTok . Promising review: "This is amazing, a simple tool that has helped kill off the smell from my washer. My washer when not closed would swing all the way open, not just a crack. This bad boy leaves it open a few inches so it breathes. The magnet is sturdy enough to hold the door in place but easy enough to pop off if you gently pull the door open." — Sherry S. Get it from Amazon for $28.99 (available in two colors). 36. A pet hair remover with a unique patented brush design that'll let you invite guests to sit down without fear of them being covered head-to-toe in your dog's hair. ChomChom is a small business! You can also snag a mini version for on-the-go hair removal emergencies. Promising reviews: "The ChomChom Roller really works. I have two German Shepherds who shed SO much, so this was necessary. The ChomChom Roller picked up SO much fur the vacuum couldn’t." — Ezra Gordon "I've had it in my possession for like two hours, and I've cleaned everything. The couch, the blinds, the cat tree pad, the chair; I'm obsessed. I feel like this thing should win an award for being so awesome. I feel like it should be in raffle baskets and giveaways and silent auctions for every event that highlights 'things cat people need.' It's better than those sticky rollers. It's better than the one-directional velvet wand thing that I always use the wrong way. It's the best." — Meowser Get it from Amazon for $24.95 . 37. And a pet deshedding brush you can use to remove any matted fur and loose hair so it won't end up covering every square inch of your home. Promising review: "Bear is only 7lbs. He’s little. I got this much hair (pictured above, left) off of him in less than five minutes. It’s my first long haired dog and my first shedding season with him. I’m so happy with this tool. He likes it too! His coat feels great!" — Erin Kelly Get it from Amazon for $5.99+ (available in four colors). 38. A jetted-tub cleaner that'll pump out all of the gunk from inside your tub's jets, which always seem to leave the bathroom smelling a bit mildewed if you go too long without cleaning it. It's disgusting but oh-so-satisfying when its done! I personally can vouch for how amazing this product is. I watched with my own eyes as it magically cleared out the grossness from my previous apartment's jetted tub pipes. It's pretty disgusting and incredible. Reviewers, like this one , also love that the product doesn't have a chemical smell. Oh Yuk is a small business! Promising review: "This stuff is amazing! I’ve cleaned my jets recently with laundry detergent (something I saw to do on Pinterest), but it was no match for this life-changing cleaner!! Absolutely fabulous. Will be purchasing more and adding it to my cleaning routine! THANK YOU!!" — Stephie B Get it from Amazon for $18.73 . 39. An earth-friendly bathroom cleaner made with tea tree oil (which smells so good) — it'll prevent soap and scum stains on every surface. Simply spray it after your shower (no need to wipe it off) and let it get to work while you dry off and go about your day. I've tested this out in my own bathtub and was blown away by how much unseen gunk came off (seen above, right). I sprayed it and wiped it off like three times before I was satisfied with the cleanliness of my tub — I blame my toddler, who thrives on playing in the dirt. Anyways, it did a great job and I love that it doesn't have an intense chemical smell to it. Promising review: "This spray works! I only write a review if I’m really happy with something or really disappointed and I appreciate all whom write reviews. I have been using this spray for a week since cleaning my shower doors and there is NO SCUM. Still looks clean after a week. Usually by the third day my glass shower doors look dirty." — G. Guill Get a pack of two from Amazon for $12.82 . 40. A bottle of mold and mildew remover , so your bathroom's grout can resemble the likes of that fabulous resort you've been eyeing for your next tropical vacation. Your bathroom is going to smell incredibly clean once you've removed all that lingering gunk. There wasn't a lot of ventilation in my apartment bathroom, so the grout used to get gunky and gross-looking from the humidity. I had been battling this specific bathroom grime for weeks and tried a whole array of products to no avail. Finally, I purchased Skylarlife Home Mold and Mildew Remover Gel. The results were outstanding. It’s super simple: put on a pair of gloves and apply the clear gel around your grout. Let it sit for five to six hours (I suggest opening all your windows, it’s got a strong smell) then rinse it off with cold water. Promising review: "Wow! I would give this 10 stars if I could. We've had issues for a few years with the caulking behind the handle of our kitchen faucet turning black from mildew. We've scrubbed with what seems like a million different products, with no luck. We were actually just talking about ripping out the caulking and doing a total replacement. But my husband saw this online the other day and decided to order it. Almost immediately when he applied it, you could see it was starting to work. We left it on overnight and the black is COMPLETELY GONE! It's incredible. 1,000% worth the (small) investment. " — Nicole D. Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 41. A pet stain and odor remover , so when your furry friend gets a little too excited that you just got home and decides to pee all over your shoes, it's sort of OK. Promising review: "This is one product that really delivers. It was put to the test when our pup had several bouts of diarrhea on the cream/gray woven wool rug in our bedroom. The stains had several hours to soak in before we discovered them. I’ve posted both before and after photos. Although I had to spray and blot with a towel multiple times, the stains are virtually gone. The scent of Rocco & Roxie is pleasant, and all traces of the nasty smell are gone. If you have an indoor pet, you NEED to buy this stuff. It cleans better than anything I’ve used before." — msgrafix Get it from Amazon for $19.31 . 42. And an absolutely incredible Samsung Bespoke Jet AI cordless stick vacuum that'll magically adjust each time you glide over a different floor type. Home filled with a mix of carpet, wood, and tile? No worries! This baby will beautifully clean 'em all. As a shopping editor, I have tried out A LOT of vacuums. This one is definitely at the top of my list. It's *very* lightweight, cleans beautifully, and holds a charge for up to 100 minutes. The "AI" feature makes it so when I move from one room to the next, the suction is immediately optimized for whichever flooring is in that room. It's quite incredible to experience IRL. I absolutely love that I only have to click one button to get it going instead of holding a trigger for the duration of my cleaning sesh — a game changer. However, the feature that has truly amazed me is the all-in-one cleaning station. Once I dock the vacuum back in its little home, it promptly empties out ALL of the dust/debris/dirt into a separate container, so I don't have to clean it out after each use. It's a splurge, but it's definitely worth it. Get it from Amazon for $816.92+ (available in midnight blue and white). Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.I'm A Celebrity's Alan Halsall lifts lid on family life after split with Lucy-Jo HudsonSyracuse, Albany each hoping to get right at expense of the other
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NoneHOUSTON — One week ago , a company representing itself as Enron said it was relaunching . On the new website, there was a countdown clock that hit all zeroes on Monday morning. Shortly thereafter, the company revealed its new CEO -- 28-year-old Connor Gaydos , who helped write the satirical "Birds Aren't Real" conspiracy theory. In a video posted to the site on Monday, he acknowledged Enron's history and said what they're going to release is "truly ground-breaking." Three other employees were identified on the website: Magan Redino was listed as the president and COO Daniel Wong is listed as the chief technology officer Rich Sybert is listed as general counsel In addition, another countdown clock was posted online. It's apparently ticking down to what's being called a "power summit" slated for Jan. 6. Return of Enron? Last week, Enron announced its return with a new website and billboards in the Houston area. There's even an account on social media with the name "Enron." A video was posted seemingly announcing the company's comeback -- the new logo is the same as the old company logo. RELATED: What we know about the company representing itself as Enron A full-page ad was also in an edition of the Houston Chronicle. The advertisement showed the company logo with the words "We're back. Can we talk? (TM)" It also showed the website URL. What we found on Enron.com website The website appears to be promoting sustainable energy and also offers merchandise for sale, including shirts, hats, water bottles and stickers. "An energy company with global impact isn't just a job. It's a calling to those that want to light a cleaner, more equitable and brighter path for the rest of humanity," the careers section of the website says, in part. According to a news release on the website, the company is relaunching with the goal of "solving the global energy crisis." We wanted to get to the bottom of what's going on with the new effort. Upon closer look at the website, under the terms and conditions section, it says the website is "First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art and is for entertainment purposes only." KHOU 11 looked up trademark records and found out that Arkansas-based "The College Company" currently owns the trademark for Enron's logo, including for purposes of selling clothing. The company is owned by the co-creator of the group known as "Birds Aren't Real," a satirical conspiracy theory movement that also sells merchandise. The public relations firm representing the current Enron declined and interview and said only that more is coming soon. Enron history Enron filed for bankruptcy in 2001. The company's downfall was caused by a massive fraud scandal. It's considered one of the largest corporate scandals in United States history and led to indictments, convictions and jail sentences for many executives. The scandal rocked Houston and the corporate world. The return of the logo invokes a memory of a painful chapter in the city's history. In 2021, KHOU 11 News spoke with Sherron Watkins, the whistleblower of the Enron scandal. "5,000 people get dumped on the street with nothing. Horrible," she said. Watkins reflected on it from the pursuit of justice for the company's fraud to the catastrophic impact on workers who relied on the company's supposed success for salary and retirement funds. "A lot of people paid a price but so did every employee and every shareholder," she said.
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