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NEW YORK (AP) — There's no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the very contentious and divisive 2024 presidential election, the upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the winter holiday season could be a boon for some — a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones. Hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives. Another chapter in a lifetime of memories. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.BP: Attractive Investment SetupApple’s Vision Pro headset is an incredible piece of technology, but even Apple’s design and marketing magic convince many people to don a VR headset for an entire day. Instead, people seem more willing to use discreet wearables like Bluetooth headphones, smartwatches, and products like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses — so Apple’s headset isn’t making the waves the company would have wanted. Of course, an instant transformation of the computing landscape wasn’t exactly the point of the Vision Pro. Apple was clearly launching its headset for Apple enthusiasts, first adopters, and people who love VR. At a starting price of $3,499, the barrier of entry was just too high to expect the device to be a hit from the jump. Even CEO Tim Cook called it Nearly a year from launch, though, Apple hasn’t done enough to demonstrate why the Vision Pro should be a potential showcase of the future of computing. It’s taking a long time to put together its immersive content library, and while those are great demonstrations of what’s possible, the videos have been . There aren’t many great games, either. Yes, Apple keeps adding cool new software features. The for using a Mac display seem exceptionally useful. But those are pretty specific options for pretty specific use cases. There still isn’t an immediate, obvious reason to buy a Vision Pro the way there usually is with the company’s newest iPhones and Macs. If I bought a Vision Pro today, I wouldn’t know what to do with it besides give myself a bigger Mac screen or watch movies, and I don’t think either of those are worth the exorbitant price. It seems Apple may have already acknowledged that the Vision Pro might not be the future, either. The company has reportedly scaled back production and focused efforts on (perhaps just called Apple Vision?). If Apple still wants to make a splash in VR, the company might need to race to get its next product out the door. It can be argued that Meta has the best VR headsets and ecosystem on the market right now — and a very clear lineup for consumers to consider. Its most affordable offering is the , which has the same chip as the , meaning you can access the same experiences across both headsets. The price difference between the two largely comes down to displays and storage, and I’d argue that the cheaper Quest 3S is an excellent VR headset for most people. But like the Vision Pro, Meta hasn’t really found a way to make its headsets much more than a great way to play VR games. The , which Meta pitched in part as a headset for work, was such a flop that the company discontinued it only . , the company’s 3D social network, still feels amateur and barren, despite the company’s efforts to make it a better place to hang out. When I put on a Meta headset, I find that I just want to play games, either serious titles like or lighter fare like , where you conduct a virtual orchestra. I don’t care about the mixed reality features except to glance at my phone or computer screen to make a note or check notifications. You can make a pretty solid living selling game consoles, as Sony and Nintendo know very well, but it’s a far cry from the full-fledged computing platform Mark Zuckerberg once promised. I just don’t know if any tech company is going to crack the code on how to make VR headsets anything but solo technology. Yes, you can use VR headsets to interact with other people over the internet. But putting on a VR headset at home means I can’t look my wife in the eye; if I’m going to look at a screen, I’d prefer to look at one that we can share or that I can easily put off to the side. And even if you’re fine with VR being mostly a solo thing, VR headsets don’t fit neatly into everyday life unless you have a good amount of space in your home for them. (And hopefully your controllers haven’t run out of battery power!) Perhaps that’s why glasses seem like a much more promising option for computers that you wear on your face. Augmented reality glasses have been an aspirational goal for a long time, and you can see why. It’s much easier to make eye contact with somebody while you’re wearing glasses. Meta may have already proved that the glasses form factor works: its relatively simple , which have a camera, speakers, and look fashionable, are already . If glasses-equipped cameras do truly go mainstream, I have some concerns . But I also wrote about the immediate appeal of the tech: whenever I wear the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, I find myself snapping tons of photos because it’s so much fun to capture my point of view without holding up a phone. And because they look like regular glasses, I can walk around and most people will think that they’re glasses, unlike a VR headset, . It seems that Apple might be eyeing computer glasses as well; the company an internal study about the market. I think even glasses with some basic tech would make more sense for Apple than a VR headset, especially if they let you easily snap photos and listen to podcasts. These devices could be years off, though, meaning that, right now, Apple is stuck selling VR headsets that . Apple’s Vision Pro headset is an incredible piece of technology, but even Apple’s design and marketing magic convince many people to don a VR headset for an entire day. Instead, people seem more willing to use discreet wearables like Bluetooth headphones, smartwatches, and products like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses — so Apple’s headset isn’t making the waves the company would have wanted. Of course, an instant transformation of the computing landscape wasn’t exactly the point of the Vision Pro. Apple was clearly launching its headset for Apple enthusiasts, first adopters, and people who love VR. At a starting price of $3,499, the barrier of entry was just too high to expect the device to be a hit from the jump. Even CEO Tim Cook called it Nearly a year from launch, though, Apple hasn’t done enough to demonstrate why the Vision Pro should be a potential showcase of the future of computing. It’s taking a long time to put together its immersive content library, and while those are great demonstrations of what’s possible, the videos have been . There aren’t many great games, either. Yes, Apple keeps adding cool new software features. The for using a Mac display seem exceptionally useful. But those are pretty specific options for pretty specific use cases. There still isn’t an immediate, obvious reason to buy a Vision Pro the way there usually is with the company’s newest iPhones and Macs. If I bought a Vision Pro today, I wouldn’t know what to do with it besides give myself a bigger Mac screen or watch movies, and I don’t think either of those are worth the exorbitant price. It seems Apple may have already acknowledged that the Vision Pro might not be the future, either. The company has reportedly scaled back production and focused efforts on (perhaps just called Apple Vision?). If Apple still wants to make a splash in VR, the company might need to race to get its next product out the door. It can be argued that Meta has the best VR headsets and ecosystem on the market right now — and a very clear lineup for consumers to consider. Its most affordable offering is the , which has the same chip as the , meaning you can access the same experiences across both headsets. The price difference between the two largely comes down to displays and storage, and I’d argue that the cheaper Quest 3S is an excellent VR headset for most people. But like the Vision Pro, Meta hasn’t really found a way to make its headsets much more than a great way to play VR games. The , which Meta pitched in part as a headset for work, was such a flop that the company discontinued it only . , the company’s 3D social network, still feels amateur and barren, despite the company’s efforts to make it a better place to hang out. When I put on a Meta headset, I find that I just want to play games, either serious titles like or lighter fare like , where you conduct a virtual orchestra. I don’t care about the mixed reality features except to glance at my phone or computer screen to make a note or check notifications. You can make a pretty solid living selling game consoles, as Sony and Nintendo know very well, but it’s a far cry from the full-fledged computing platform Mark Zuckerberg once promised. I just don’t know if any tech company is going to crack the code on how to make VR headsets anything but solo technology. Yes, you can use VR headsets to interact with other people over the internet. But putting on a VR headset at home means I can’t look my wife in the eye; if I’m going to look at a screen, I’d prefer to look at one that we can share or that I can easily put off to the side. And even if you’re fine with VR being mostly a solo thing, VR headsets don’t fit neatly into everyday life unless you have a good amount of space in your home for them. (And hopefully your controllers haven’t run out of battery power!) Perhaps that’s why glasses seem like a much more promising option for computers that you wear on your face. Augmented reality glasses have been an aspirational goal for a long time, and you can see why. It’s much easier to make eye contact with somebody while you’re wearing glasses. Meta may have already proved that the glasses form factor works: its relatively simple , which have a camera, speakers, and look fashionable, are already . If glasses-equipped cameras do truly go mainstream, I have some concerns . But I also wrote about the immediate appeal of the tech: whenever I wear the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, I find myself snapping tons of photos because it’s so much fun to capture my point of view without holding up a phone. And because they look like regular glasses, I can walk around and most people will think that they’re glasses, unlike a VR headset, . It seems that Apple might be eyeing computer glasses as well; the company an internal study about the market. I think even glasses with some basic tech would make more sense for Apple than a VR headset, especially if they let you easily snap photos and listen to podcasts. These devices could be years off, though, meaning that, right now, Apple is stuck selling VR headsets that .
BofA sees potential for snow accumulation to decline by 20-30% across U.S. resorts by 2050
LEDUC COUNTY, ALTA. — Alberta’s government says it will invest up to $50 million to support the creation of a first-in-Canada drilling test site to support technology development in the oil, gas, geothermal and lithium industries. The Alberta Drilling Accelerator is intended to be an open-access, industry-led site where companies can test drilling technologies at deep depths, high temperatures and varying rock types. A location for the hub site has yet to be determined. While no binding contracts have been signed, the province says several companies have expressed strong interest in serving as anchor tenants, including Calgary-based geothermal company Eavor Technologies, Tourmaline Oil Corp. and international oilfield service supermajor Halliburton. The money the province is providing will come from the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) program, which Alberta's heavy emitters are required to pay into as part of the province's industrial carbon pricing system. The provincial government says the Alberta Drilling Accelerator could start drilling in 2026. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:TOU) The Canadian PressChart Of The Week: Will Traders Have Something To Be Thankful For?
Spotify just announced that it’s begun rolling out a new “Recents” page that keeps tabs on everything you’ve been listening to. This section of the app will hold onto content for up to 90 days and integrates with music, podcasts and even audiobooks. The page also keeps an eye on saved content. The platform says this should be useful for “picking up a paused podcast, finding last week’s earworm or finally playing that saved album or audiobook.” This page replaces the “Listening History” tab and will work for both free and Premium subscribers. All you have to do is tap on your profile picture, open the sidebar and click on Recents. Everything will be listed in chronological order, but there are some available filters to help winnow down the search. Spotify also says users will be able to find this page by scrolling through the home feed. The tool releases today for iOS and Android, but could take a while before it reaches every user throughout the globe. The music and Joe Rogan streaming app has been busy lately. It beefed up its audiobook tools , which is nice, and added an in-app cover art maker for playlists . CEO Daniel Ek recently crowed that 2024 will likely be the platform’s first full year of profitability. The company’s most-recent quarterly financial results show an increase in year-to-year revenue of 19 percent and a free cash flow growth increase of 238 percent, totalling over $4 billion. It also now has 602 million monthly active users and the stock currently hovers at around $470 per share. Musicians, however, still get $0.003 to $0.005 per stream. What the heck, Ek.Major retailers across the UK and Ireland are to stop selling alcoholic drinks associated with Irish fighter Conor McGregor. The decision by Tesco, Musgrave, Spar, Eurospar, MACE, Londis, and XL stores, came after a woman who said Mr McGregor raped her won a civil claim for damages against him. Advertisement Nikita Hand , who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a case at the High Court in Dublin. In a statement, a spokesman for Musgrave said: “Musgrave can confirm these products are no longer available to our store network.” The network includes SuperValu, Centra, Daybreak, and MACE. A spokesperson for BWG Foods said: “The products are no longer listed for distribution across our network of Spar, Eurospar, MACE, Londis, and XL stores.” Advertisement A Tesco spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we are removing Proper No Twelve Whiskey from sale in Tesco stores and online.” Nikita Hand outside the High Court in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) It is understood that other retail outlets, including Costcutter and Carry Out will also stop stocking products linked to Mr McGregor. Advertisement He and some of his business partners sold their majority stake in the Proper Number Twelve Irish whiskey brand. He was reported to have been paid more than £103 million from the sale to Proximo Spirits in 2021. On Monday, a popular video game developer decided to pull content featuring the MMA fighter . Advertisement The Irish athlete has featured in multiple video games, including voice-acting a character bearing his likeness in additional downloadable content in the Hitman series. Mr McGregor’s character featured as a target for the player-controlled assassin in the game. IO Interactive, the Danish developer and publisher of Hitman, said in a statement: “In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor, IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately. “We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. Advertisement Ireland Crowd marches in Dublin to show solidarity with ‘i... Read More “Consequently, we will begin removing all content featuring Mr McGregor from our storefronts starting today.” Last Friday, the High Court jury awarded damages amounting to €248,603.60 to Ms Hand. Mr McGregor made no comment as he left court but later posted on social media that he intended to appeal against the decision.
Trump's threat to impose tariffs could raise prices for consumers, colliding with promise for relief DETROIT (AP) — If Donald Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists and industry officials say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, booze and other goods. The president-elect floated the tariff idea and an additional 10% tax on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to halt the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the U.S. But his posts Monday threatening tariffs on his first day in office could be a negotiating ploy to get the countries to change behavior. Trump’s latest tariff plan aims at multiple countries. What does it mean for the US? WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has identified what he sees as an all-purpose fix for what ails America: Slap huge new tariffs on foreign goods entering the United States. On Monday, Trump sent shockwaves across the nation’s northern and southern borders, vowing sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, as well as China, as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. Trump said he will impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders. Canadian officials blast Trump's tariff threat and one calls Mexico comparison an insult TORONTO (AP) — Canadian officials are blasting President-elect Donald’s Trump’s threat to impose sweeping tariffs. The leader of Canada's most populous province on Tuesday called Trump’s comparison of Canada to Mexico “the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard.” Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico and China as soon as he takes office in January as part of efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. Canadians say their economy and the U.S. one are deeply intertwined and Americans would feel tariffs, too. Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The proposal, which would not be finalized until after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, could cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade. It would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some people have labeled them miracle drugs. Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision. Thanksgiving travel is cranking up. Will the weather cooperate? The Thanksgiving travel rush is picking up, with Tuesday and Wednesday expected to be much busier than the last couple days. A lot of travelers will be watching weather forecasts to see if rain or snow could slow them down. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen more than 2.8 million people on Tuesday and 2.9 million on Wednesday after handling more than 2.5 million people on Monday. So far, relatively few flights have been canceled this week, but there have been thousands of delayed flights every day. That is becoming normal for U.S. airlines. Federal agency raises the size of most single-family loans the government can guarantee to $806,500 The Federal Housing Finance Agency is increasing the size of home loans that the government can guarantee against default as it takes into account rising housing prices. Beginning next year, mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be able to acquire loans of up to $806,500 on single-family homes in most of the country, the agency said Tuesday. The new conforming loan limit is a 5.2% increase from its 2024 level. FHFA oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which buy home loans from banks and other lenders. FHFA adjusts the loan limits annually to reflect changes in U.S. home values, which have been rising this year despite a national home sales slump. The IRS is at risk of losing $20 billion in funding without legislative intervention WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Already bracing for funding cuts under a new Trump administration, U.S. Treasury officials are calling on Congress to unlock $20 billion in IRS enforcement money that is tied up in legislative language that has effectively rendered the money frozen. Hoping to unlock the funds in upcoming budget negotiations, Treasury officials are rushing for action before President Joe Biden’s term ends. The $20 billion in question is separate from another $20 billion rescinded from the agency last year. However, the legislative mechanism keeping the government afloat inadvertently duplicated that one-time $20 billion cut to IRS funding. Stock market today: Wall Street hangs near its records despite tariff talk NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are hanging near their records on Tuesday as Wall Street takes Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs in stride. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% in Tuesday afternoon trading and was on track to top its all-time high set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 49 points from its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.6%. Stock markets abroad were down, but mostly only modestly, after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office. Treasury yields rose modestly in the bond market. What Black Friday's history tells us about holiday shopping in 2024 NEW YORK (AP) — The holiday shopping season is about to reach full speed with Black Friday, which kicks off the post-Thanksgiving retail rush later this week. The annual sales event no longer creates the midnight mall crowds or doorbuster mayhem of recent decades, in large part due to the ease of online shopping and habits forged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoping to entice equivocating consumers, retailers already have spent weeks bombarding customers with ads and early offers. Still, whether visiting stores or clicking on countless emails promising huge savings, tens of millions of U.S. shoppers are expected to spend money on Black Friday itself this year.UCF, LSU face off with improved focus in mind
The Los Angeles Lakers have had a solid start to the season. They have started out 10-6, which is good for fourth place in the Western Conference. In past seasons, the team has started slowly, and they spend the rest of the year trying to dig themselves out of a hole. While the hot start has been great, the team does have some roster issues. Rumors are already starting to swirl about what Los Angeles will do at the trade deadline. Reports indicate the Lakers are very interested in Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith. Los Angeles Lakers Eyeing Dorian Finney-Smith The Nets are a good team from which to get pieces. After trading Mikal Bridges this offseason, they are clearly trying to gather assets for a rebuild. Dorian Finney-Smith came over in the Kyrie Irving trade and is a solid defender and shooter. Anthony F. Irwin of Clutch Points reported the Los Angeles Lakers have been in “constant contact” with the Nets about Finney-Smith. They have some pieces they could get rid of and some desirable picks to entice Brooklyn. The fit is perfect for the Lakers. Anthony Davis is having an MVP season, averaging 30.1 points, 11.1 boards, and 1.9 blocks per game. LeBron James is still putting up stats and shows no signs of stopping. Players like rookie Dalton Knecht have been great, but the team needs more shooters and defenders to surround their two stars. Finney-Smith is averaging 10.8 points and 4.5 boards per game while shooting 41% from three. The report also indicates the team is interested in Cam Thomas, although it might take more time to acquire him because of his play. A Tough Western Conference It isn’t a surprise the Los Angeles Lakers want to bolster their roster. Their championship window is closing. James is in the twilight of his career and Davis is no spring chicken either. The time to win is now. The issue for the Lakers is getting out of the West will be tough. Ten teams currently have winning records with another handful hovering around .500. Some of these teams are loaded with talent and have the assets to make more moves. Oklahoma City has a war chest of draft picks and could swing a trade for anyone. Even if they don’t, they have enough talent on the roster to win a title. Golden State is in a similar position to the Lakers. They are trying to keep their championship window open with Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Houston is off to a hot start with their young core. On top of those teams, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, and a slew of other teams will also be tough outs in the playoffs. Final Thoughts Any team with LeBron James on it will be in trade rumor articles for the next three months. The Los Angeles Lakers brand raises the stakes as well. This team is expected to compete for championships. There are definitely moves to make but fans should feel good about where this team is at currently. If they can nab home-court advantage for at least the first round, that would put them in a way better position than in years past. What will the Lakers ultimately do at the deadline to improve their team? And will it be enough? This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission.Helping to drown out the noise
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma appears to have borrowed from the past to cure its recent offensive ills. The Sooners , best known this century for a passing prowess that has produced four Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, took it back to the 20th century against then-No. 7 Alabama. Oklahoma ran 50 times for 257 yards while only throwing 12 times in a 24-3 win over the Crimson Tide that took coach Brent Venables off the hot seat. The Sooners more resembled Barry Switzer’s squads that dominated the old Big 8 with the wishbone offense in the 1970s and ’80s than the more recent Air Raid teams. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma appears to have borrowed from the past to cure its recent offensive ills. The Sooners , best known this century for a passing prowess that has produced four Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, took it back to the 20th century against then-No. 7 Alabama. Oklahoma ran 50 times for 257 yards while only throwing 12 times in a 24-3 win over the Crimson Tide that took coach Brent Venables off the hot seat. The Sooners more resembled Barry Switzer’s squads that dominated the old Big 8 with the wishbone offense in the 1970s and ’80s than the more recent Air Raid teams. Venables said the change was a matter of necessity for a unit that has been besieged by injuries at receiver and offensive line. “I think this staff has done a really good job with trying to figure that out, get better every week, put together a great gameplan but also figure out, ‘OK, what does this group of guys, what does this team — what do we need to do?'” Venables said. To make it work, Oklahoma needed to trust that such a change would work in the modern Southeastern Conference. They had to implement it with an interim play-caller in Joe Jon Finley, who stepped in after the Sooners fired Seth Littrell last month. Oklahoma (6-5, 2-5 SEC) pulled it off, and LSU coach Brian Kelly has taken notice ahead of their game on Saturday. “This is now much more about controlling the football, running the football, playing with physicality," Kelly said. "They've got perimeter skill, but I think it's centered around much more of a run-centric, quarterback run and take care of the football." The Sooners started to see success on the ground against Maine. They ran 52 times for 381 yards in a 59-14 win that got the wheels turning. Jovantae Barnes ran for career highs of 203 yards and three touchdowns that day. Venables said the timing of the opportunity to play that non-conference game against Maine in early November and figure some things out was perfect. “Everybody has some degree of vulnerability and maybe some self-doubt,” he said. “And just developing some confidence and putting something on tape other than practice, like, ‘Man, look, see what you’re capable of?’ And executing against, again, a well-coached team — certainly, we played off of that in all the right ways like you would expect us to. And so there’s a real place for that.” After a bye week, the Sooners tried the same approach against Missouri. It wasn't as successful — they ran 36 times for 122 yards — but they hung tough before losing 30-23 . The Sooners went all in against Alabama. Jackson Arnold — the same guy who threw 45 times in the Alamo Bowl last year, ran 25 times for 131 yards and threw just 11 passes. The Sooners found something in running back Xavier Robinson. With Barnes out with an injury, Robinson carried 18 times for career highs of 107 yards and two touchdowns. Suddenly, a team that had been forcing the pass and getting sacked at an alarming rate was moving the line of scrimmage and controlling the tempo. Oklahoma had the ball for more than 34 minutes against the Crimson Tide, lending support to a talented defense that had been spending way too much time on the field. The new approach could be helpful on Saturday — LSU (7-4, 4-3) ranks 14th out of 16 conference teams against the run. Venables said the Sooners still need to throw the ball well to win, but he's glad to know his squad can run with force when necessary. “I think that’s the art of having a system that’s adjustable, flexible, adaptable, week in and week out, but also has an identity — toughness, physicality," he said. "You’ve got to be able to run the ball at every level of football, but you do have to throw it. You can’t just do one thing. But we need to be efficient.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballGreater Victoria area emerging as life sciences hub, report findsNoneMagneto Resistive RAM (MRAM) Market Size, Latest Growth, Forecast By 2024 - 2032
David Hilzenrath, Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group | (TNS) KFF Health News In March, newly installed Social Security chief Martin O’Malley criticized agency “injustices” that “shock our shared sense of equity and good conscience as Americans.” He promised to overhaul the Social Security Administration’s often heavy-handed efforts to claw back money that millions of recipients — including people who are living in poverty, are elderly, or have disabilities — were allegedly overpaid, as described by a KFF Health News and Cox Media Group investigation last year. “Innocent people can be badly hurt,” O’Malley said at the time. Nearly eight months since he appeared before Congress and announced a series of policy changes, and with two months left in his term, O’Malley’s effort to fix the system has made inroads but remains a work in progress. For instance, one change, moving away from withholding 100% of people’s monthly Social Security benefits to recover alleged overpayments, has been a major improvement, say advocates for beneficiaries. “It is a tremendous change,” said Kate Lang of Justice in Aging, who called it “life-changing for many people.” The number of people from whom the Social Security Administration was withholding full monthly benefits to recoup money declined sharply — from about 46,000 in January to about 7,000 in September, the agency said. Asked to clarify whether those numbers and others provided for this article covered all programs administered by the agency, the SSA press office did not respond. Another potentially significant change — relieving beneficiaries of having to prove that an overpayment was not their fault — has not been implemented. The agency said it is working on that. Meanwhile, the agency seems to be looking to Congress to take the lead on a change some observers see as crucial: limiting how far back the government can reach to recover an alleged overpayment. Barbara Hubbell of Watkins Glen, New York, called the absence of a statute of limitations “despicable.” Hubbell said her mother was held liable for $43,000 because of an SSA error going back 19 years. “In what universe is that even legal?” Hubbell said. Paying down the overpayment balance left her mother “essentially penniless,” she added. In response to questions for this article, Social Security spokesperson Mark Hinkle said legislation is “the best and fastest way” to set a time limit. Establishing a statute of limitations was not among the policy changes O’Malley announced in his March congressional testimony. In an interview at the time, he said he expected an announcement on it “within the next couple few months.” It could probably be done by regulation, without an act of Congress, he said. Speaking generally, Hinkle said the agency has “made substantial progress on overpayments,” reducing the hardship they cause, and “continues to work diligently” to update policies. The agency is underfunded, he added, is at a near 50-year low in staffing, and could do better with more employees. The SSA did not respond to requests for an interview with O’Malley. O’Malley announced the policy changes after KFF Health News and Cox Media Group jointly published and broadcast investigative reporting on the damage overpayments and clawbacks have done to millions of beneficiaries. When O’Malley, a former Democratic governor of Maryland, presented his plans to three congressional committees in March, lawmakers greeted him with rare bipartisan praise. But the past several months have shown how hard it can be to turn around a federal bureaucracy that is massive, complex, deeply dysfunctional, and, as it says, understaffed. Now O’Malley’s time may be running out. Lang of Justice in Aging, among the advocacy groups that have been meeting with O’Malley and other Social Security officials, said she appreciates how much the commissioner has achieved in a short time. But she added that O’Malley has “not been interested in hearing about our feelings that things have fallen short.” One long-standing policy O’Malley set out to change involves the burden of proof. When the Social Security Administration alleges someone has been overpaid and demands the money back, the burden is on the beneficiary to prove they were not at fault. Cecilia Malone, 24, a beneficiary in Lithonia, Georgia, said she and her parents spent hundreds of hours trying to get errors corrected. “Why is the burden on us to ‘prove’ we weren’t overpaid?” Malone said. It can be exceedingly difficult for beneficiaries to appeal a decision. The alleged overpayments, which can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more, often span years. And people struggling just to survive may have extra difficulty producing financial records from long ago. What’s more, in letters demanding repayment, the government does not typically spell out its case against the beneficiary — making it hard to mount a defense. Testifying before House and Senate committees in March, O’Malley promised to shift the burden of proof. “That should be on the agency,” he said. The agency expects to finalize “guidance” on the subject “in the coming months,” Hinkle said. The agency points to reduced wait times and other improvements in a phone system known to leave beneficiaries on hold. “In September, we answered calls to our national 800 number in an average of 11 minutes — a tremendous improvement from 42 minutes one year ago,” Hinkle said. Still, in response to a nonrepresentative survey by KFF Health News and Cox Media Group focused on overpayments, about half of respondents who said they contacted the agency by phone since April rated that experience as “poor,” and few rated it “good” or “excellent.” The survey was sent to about 600 people who had contacted KFF Health News to share their overpayment stories since September 2023. Almost 200 people answered the survey in September and October of this year. Most of those who said they contacted the agency by mail since April rated their experience as “poor.” Jennifer Campbell, 60, a beneficiary in Nelsonville, Ohio, said in late October that she was still waiting for someone at the agency to follow up as described during a phone call in May. “VERY POOR customer service!!!!!” Campbell wrote. “Nearly impossible to get a hold of someone,” wrote Kathryn Duff of Colorado Springs, Colorado, who has been helping a disabled family member. Letters from SSA have left Duff mystified. One was postmarked July 9, 2024, but dated more than two years earlier. Another, dated Aug. 18, 2024, said her family member was overpaid $31,635.80 in benefits from the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides money to people with little or no income or other resources who are disabled, blind, or at least 65. But Duff said her relative never received SSI benefits. What’s more, for the dates in question, payments listed in the letter to back up the agency’s math didn’t come close to $31,635.80; they totaled about a quarter of that amount. Regarding the 100% clawbacks, O’Malley in March said it’s “unconscionable that someone would find themselves facing homelessness or unable to pay bills, because Social Security withheld their entire payment for recovery of an overpayment.” He said that, starting March 25, if a beneficiary doesn’t respond to a new overpayment notice, the agency would default to withholding 10%. The agency warned of “a short transition period.” That change wasn’t automated until June 25, Hinkle said. The number of people newly placed in full withholding plummeted from 6,771 in February to 51 in September, according to data the agency provided. SSA said it would notify recipients they could request reduced withholding if it was already clawing back more than 10% of their monthly checks. Nonetheless, dozens of beneficiaries or their family members told KFF Health News and Cox Media Group they hadn’t heard they could request reduced withholding. Among those who did ask, roughly half said their requests were approved. According to the SSA, there has been almost a 20% decline in the number of people facing clawbacks of more than 10% but less than 100% of their monthly checks — from 141,316 as of March 8 to 114,950 as of Oct. 25, agency spokesperson Nicole Tiggemann said. Meanwhile, the number of people from whom the agency was withholding exactly 10% soared more than fortyfold — from just over 5,000 to well over 200,000. And the number of beneficiaries having any partial benefits withheld to recover an overpayment increased from almost 600,000 to almost 785,000, according to data Tiggemann provided. Lorraine Anne Davis, 72, of Houston, said she hasn’t received her monthly Social Security payment since June due to an alleged overpayment. Her Medicare premium was being deducted from her monthly benefit, so she’s been left to pay that out-of-pocket. Davis said she’s going to need a kidney transplant and had been trying to save money for when she’d be unable to work. Related Articles National News | California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child National News | Colorado funeral home owners accused of letting 190 bodies decay plead guilty to corpse abuse National News | Another E. coli recall: falafel bites from Florida, California and 16 other states National News | US budget airlines are struggling. Will pursuing premium passengers solve their problems? National News | Hyundai, Kia recall over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix problem that can cause loss of power A letter from the SSA dated April 8, 2024, two weeks after the new 10% withholding policy was slated to take effect, said it had overpaid her $13,538 and demanded she pay it back within 30 days. Apparently, the SSA hadn’t accounted for a pension Davis receives from overseas; Davis said she disclosed it when she filed for benefits. In a letter to her dated June 29, the agency said that, under its new policy, it would change the withholding to only 10% if she asked. Davis said she asked by phone repeatedly, and to no avail. “Nobody seems to know what’s going on” and “no one seems to be able to help you,” Davis said. “You’re just held captive.” In October, the agency said she’d receive a payment — in March 2025. Marley Presiado, a research assistant on the Public Opinion and Survey Research team at KFF, contributed to this report. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Natixis Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Qorvo, Inc. ( NASDAQ:QRVO – Free Report ) by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 66,128 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,319 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors LLC’s holdings in Qorvo were worth $6,831,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. purchased a new stake in Qorvo in the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Qorvo by 81.0% in the first quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 257 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its position in shares of Qorvo by 9,333.3% in the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 283 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. New Millennium Group LLC bought a new position in Qorvo during the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in Qorvo by 241.6% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 345 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 244 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 88.57% of the company’s stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages have recently issued reports on QRVO. Raymond James cut Qorvo from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Rosenblatt Securities increased their price objective on shares of Qorvo from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Qorvo from $115.00 to $95.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Bank of America decreased their target price on shares of Qorvo from $115.00 to $80.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC began coverage on Qorvo in a research report on Monday, October 28th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $135.00 price target for the company. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $102.88. Insider Activity In other news, VP Gina Harrison sold 689 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $107.67, for a total value of $74,184.63. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 21,601 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,325,779.67. The trade was a 3.09 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Insiders own 0.46% of the company’s stock. Qorvo Stock Up 2.0 % Shares of QRVO opened at $69.25 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $90.84 and a 200-day moving average price of $103.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.55 billion, a P/E ratio of -47.43, a P/E/G ratio of 5.31 and a beta of 1.49. Qorvo, Inc. has a 12-month low of $64.98 and a 12-month high of $130.99. Qorvo ( NASDAQ:QRVO – Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The semiconductor company reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.85 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $1.05 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.03 billion. Qorvo had a negative net margin of 3.58% and a positive return on equity of 13.81%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 5.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.99 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Qorvo, Inc. will post 3.37 earnings per share for the current year. About Qorvo ( Free Report ) Qorvo, Inc engages in development and commercialization of technologies and products for wireless, wired, and power markets. It operates through three segments: High Performance Analog (HPA), Connectivity and Sensors Group (CSG), and Advanced Cellular Group (ACG). The HPA segment supplies radio frequency and power management solutions for automotive, defense and aerospace, cellular infrastructure, broadband, and other markets. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding QRVO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Qorvo, Inc. ( NASDAQ:QRVO – Free Report ). 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