sports article

The other day we told you about Jaguar's weird , woke rebranding and the ad that raised more than a few eyebrows. The entire thing was bizarre, mostly because Jaguar clearly isn't reading the room: that woke nonsense is dying out (thank goodness). They were absolutely dragged for it and the critics were right. If this writer didn't know Jaguar sold cars, she wouldn't have had a clue about that ad and -- if she were to ever be in the market for a luxury vehicle -- the ad didn't make her want to buy a Jaguar. You'd think they'd listen to the reaction of the car buying public and rethink this ad. You'd think wrong. They doubled down in this vaguely threatening way: Soon you'll see things our way. This writer guarantees you she won't. But you do you, Jaguar. That sounds like a threat. pic.twitter.com/eOvLtxdAud Laughed out loud. No, we really won't. Read the room!🙄 This seems like the most basic function of the advertising department: reading the room. Guess not. Or your customers will "Bud Light" you into irrelevance, which is more likely Going the Bud Light route is far more likely. Have you lost your minds? Customers dictate what customers want! Shoving this down our throats is offensive. Soon YOU will see things OUR way... They sure will. Great campaign, guys. pic.twitter.com/jWnZltrNEn Same vibes, really. Cool. Here's our way. pic.twitter.com/kxUNwmsyqi Boom. “Our way”? wtf? How about seeing things in your customer’s way? Are you a business or an activist group? You can’t be both. They're gonna learn they can't be both. The hard way, if necessary. If this is your way, that's not the way we'd like to go 🫣🙃 pic.twitter.com/7jAiEYqRqV Nope. The best part is that the marketing team has to be giving themselves high-fives at this point. https://t.co/hxgf2VLeea They'll do that right up until the second they land on the unemployment line. Prolly not https://t.co/TExvsglZLB Definitely not. Whoever the kid behind the social media account is, you don't understand the Jaguar history. I knew Nick Scheele before he was knighted and became the CEO. My ex was the governor (Plant manager for Americans) You have sullied Nick's reputation and the Jaguar name. https://t.co/6yXNYRqIho They sure have. This kind of evil, condescending crap is why I will never even consider buying a Jaguar. https://t.co/RBT6EmZ5pB Never. This writer could win the lottery tomorrow and she wouldn't drop a dime on Jaguar. Aston Martin's ugly sister says what?!?! https://t.co/U1O3kh4PE0 James Bond like this insult. Kind of an amazing reply actually https://t.co/B7Ex1a6gci Actually, it kind of is.Nonesports article 。

Informal vote counts in Ireland's General Election centres suggest potential breakthroughs and challenges for some established incumbents, following an exit poll that showed the three main parties nearly neck and neck. The tallies, conducted by party activists and volunteers from 9am, provide a more localised view of the potential result than Friday night's exit poll. Sinn Fein , the largest opposition party, held 21.1% of first-preference votes, slightly ahead of current coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21% and 19.5% respectively, according to the Ipsos BandA Exit Poll commissioned by RTE, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin. Now that the boxes are open, the votes must be sorted before the formal count begins, a process that could take days due to Ireland's complex proportional representation system with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference. Read more: Late Late Show exit poll shows tight race in Irish General Election Read more: Parties make last-ditch attempts to attract votes on eve of general election This means that voting slips need to be counted multiple times, a task that can last days. The early inconclusive indications have shifted speculation towards the complicated maths of government formation, as the country's several smaller parties and many independents potentially vie for a place in government. First counts, which could see the election of new members of parliament, known as TDs in Ireland, are expected later on Saturday. The counts are indicating potential difficulties for Fianna Fail in Wicklow, where the party's sole candidate in the constituency, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, is anticipated to face a tough fight, with the possibility of losing his seat looming. Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman, who leads the junior partner in the outgoing coalition, also appears vulnerable, reports the Irish Mirror . He had garnered 7% of the votes in the unofficial poll with over half of the boxes tallied by midday. Attention is also turning to independent candidate Gerard Hutch, who currently ranks fourth in the four-seat constituency of Dublin Central following the completion of the unofficial tallies there. Last spring, Mr Hutch was acquitted by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne, marking one of the initial fatal incidents in the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud. Mr Byrne, aged 33, was fatally shot six times during a busy boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. A Special Criminal Court judge labelled Mr Hutch, 61, as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation and stated he had been involved in "serious criminal conduct". The outcome in this constituency is being keenly observed as other candidates await the possibility that transfers from those eliminated might ultimately push him out of the race. Initially, it seemed unlikely that a single smaller party would be needed to secure a majority. This has led to speculation about the potential for a coalition involving four parties or independents - a scenario some view as a recipe for unstable governance. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael leaders have consistently dismissed the idea of a coalition with Sinn Fein due to significant policy differences. Consequently, the opposition party faces a more difficult path to government formation. However, seemingly insurmountable political differences have been overcome as recently as 2020 when an inconclusive general election result led to Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties born from opposing sides of Ireland's 1920s Civil War, agreeing to put aside nearly a century of hostility and share power in the outgoing coalition. This was despite similar pre-election pledges against forming coalitions. In that election, Sinn Fein won the popular vote but didn't run enough candidates to secure sufficient Dail seats for a realistic shot at government formation. The transfer of votes based on voter preferences, a crucial aspect of PR-STV, is a key determinant in the final outcome of any Irish election. This system allows candidates to secure a seat even if they don't receive enough votes in the first count. Over 3.6 million people registered to vote in the election, which covered 43 constituencies and focused on issues such as the housing crisis, immigration surge, cost of living, economic management, and potential future trade shocks. The country's parliament has a total of 174 seats to be filled, a record number. However, as the Ceann Comhairle, or speaker of the house, is automatically returned, only 173 seats will be filled during the counting process. For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

DALLAS (AP) — Juan Soto gets free use of a luxury suite and up to four premium tickets behind home plate for regular-season and postseason New York Mets home games as part of his record $765 million, 15-year contract that was finalized Wednesday. The Mets also agreed to provide personal team security for the All-Star outfielder and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games, according to details of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press. Major League Baseball teams usually provide security for player families in seating areas at ballparks. New York also agreed to assist Soto's family for in-season travel arrangements, guaranteed Soto will have uniform No. 22 and included eight types of award bonuses. Soto wore No. 22 with all his previous major league teams: the Nationals, Padres and Yankees. Young third baseman Brett Baty wore No. 22 with the Mets the past three seasons. The Mets will formally introduce Soto in a news conference Thursday afternoon at Citi Field. “This is a seminal moment in franchise history,” owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “Juan Soto is a generational talent. He is not only bringing staggering historical statistics with him but also a championship pedigree." Soto's suite will be valued at the Mets' prevailing prices, presumably for tax purposes, and after 2025 he can by each Jan. 15 modify or give up his suite selection for the upcoming season. He can request the premium tickets, to be used by family members, no later than 72 hours before the scheduled game time. The Yankees had refused to offer Soto a free suite. “Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites they buy them ... whether it's CC (Sabathia), whether it’s (Aaron) Judge, whether it’s (Gerrit) Cole, whether it’s any of these guys," general manager Brian Cashman said. "We've gone through a process on previous negotiations where asks might have happened and this is what we did and we’re going to honor those, so no regrets there." Cashman said the Yankees have a shared suite for player families and a family room with babysitting. Soto gets a $75 million signing bonus, payable within 60 days of the agreement’s approval by the commissioner’s office. The deal for the 26-year-old slugger, which tops Shohei Ohtani's $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers, was reached Sunday pending a physical that took place Tuesday. Soto receives salaries of $46,875,000 each in 2025 and 2026, $42.5 million in 2027, $46,875,000 apiece in 2028 and 2029 and $46 million in each of the final 10 seasons. Soto has a contingent right to opt out of the agreement within three days of the end of the 2029 World Series to become a free agent again, but the Mets have an option to negate the opt-out provision by increasing the yearly salaries for 2030-39 by $4 million annually to $50 million and raising the total value to $805 million. If the club exercises its option to negate the opt-out provision, Soto can make his opt-out decision by the fifth day after the World Series. He has a full no-trade provision and gets a hotel suite on road trips. “Today’s signing further solidifies our organizational commitment to consistent championship competitiveness,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “Not only does Juan provide historic levels of on field production, but his joy, intensity, and passion for the game mirror our budding culture. We are thrilled to add him to our team and look forward to watching his excellence for years to come.” Soto would receive a $500,000 bonus for winning his first Most Valuable Player award and $1 million for each MVP award. He would get $350,000 for finishing second in the voting and $150,000 for finishing third through fifth. Soto was third in AL voting this year. He would earn $100,000 for each All-Star selection and Gold Glove, $350,000 for World Series MVP and $150,000 for League Championship Series MVP. Soto would get $100,000 for selection to the All-MLB first or second team, $150,000 for a Silver Slugger award and $100,000 for the Hank Aaron Award. Award bonuses are to be paid by the Jan. 31 after the season in which the bonus is earned. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlbUnrivaled, the new 3-on-3 women's basketball league launching this winter, signed LSU star guard Flau'jae Johnson to a name, image and likeness deal. Johnson is the second college player to ink an agreement with Unrivaled, following UConn's Paige Bueckers. They won't be participating in the upcoming inaugural season, but Johnson and Bueckers will have equity stakes in the league. Unrivaled dropped a video on social media Thursday showing Johnson -- who also has a burgeoning rap career -- performing a song while wearing a shirt that reads, "The Future is Unrivaled." The deal will see Johnson create additional promotional content for the league. Johnson, 21, was a freshman on the LSU team that won the 2023 national championship. Now in her junior year, Johnson is averaging career highs of 22.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game through 10 games for the No. 5 Tigers (10-0). She ranks eighth in Division I in scoring. Johnson has career averages of 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 82 career appearances (80 starts) for LSU. --Field Level Media

Trump promises to end birthright citizenship: What is it and could he do it?West Ridge opens season by sweeping Cocke CountyIt's getting harder to stay on the PGA Tour. Here's why

Unrivaled signs LSU star Flau'jae Johnson to NIL dealRuben Amorim issues storm warning after smooth start with Manchester United

Ever wanted to bring your dog with you aboard a cruise ship? Do you have a business focused on dogs and their families? If you answered yes to either question, you’ll be excited to learn that what’s being called the first-ever dog-friendly cruise is being planned aboard Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander out of the Port of Tampa in November 2025. And business opportunities await. Cruise ships famously don’t allow dogs other than service animals. Organizers of this cruise anticipate selecting from a long line of hopefuls. A “waitlist for all dog parents who have dreamt of bringing their furry friends along for their vacations will open soon,” a news release says. Organizers are calling for 250 dogs, “their owners and their closest humans” to become “inaugural ambassadors” for the cruise, which they promise will offer “unique experiences and activities including gifts and samples from top vendors, dog shows and trainings, guest speakers, costume contests, parades, and more.” The event is being staged by two organizations — Cruise Tails and Expedia Cruises of West Orlando. The website cruisetails.com seeks sponsors and investors in hopes of turning the cruise into a recurring event. Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are available for companies seeking brand visibility “across a passionate pet-loving audience,” the site says. And participants must sign photo waivers, the website says, adding, “We anticipate the fun will be all over social media and even in the press. In fact, the 250 chosen will undoubtedly be asked by sponsors to try products and post about them.” Cruise Tails was formed by Steve Matzke, a Bradenton-based entrepreneur listed on LinkedIn as beginning his career this month as an “independent consultant.” Matzke spent four years prior to that as senior director of external relations for the American Accounting Association, and 12 years before that as director of faculty and university initiatives for the American Institute of CPAs, his LinkedIn profile shows. Expedia Cruises of West Orlando was founded in 2019 by Dawn von Graff, an avid traveler who has taken more than 75 cruises and visited more than 80 countries, and her husband. She owned a computer networking firm, worked as an international tour manager, and was a top salesperson for Marriott before forming Expedia Cruises of West Orlando as a full-service travel agency. Details including dates, prices and itineraries have not yet been released. According to the website, organizers hope to select the inaugural 250 dogs based partly on how the dogs perform in a “video talent singing contest” as well as “a variety of criteria” to be announced “over the next few weeks.” The bigger the dog’s entourage, the better chance it will have to be chosen, the website says. “Preference will be given to dogs in a group which includes one dog cabin traveling with two or more associated cabins of friends or family without dogs,” it says. A spokeswoman for Margaritaville at Sea says the organizers are chartering the Islander, and the cruise will not be available for booking to the general public. Each dog will have “private relief stations” on their cabin balconies, and when dogs don’t make it to the relief station, each will have its own “pet butler” to ensure “their cabin and the boat remain in top condition,” a Cruise Tails spokeswoman said. Participants must agree to follow protocols on board, including keeping their dogs in permitted areas and making sure they are up to date with appropriate vaccinations. Dogs will not be allowed in dining areas, the ship’s casino, pool decks, lounges or music venues, according to the news release. Organizers will also be looking for workers and vendors. “We’re going to need dog walkers, pet butlers, and so much more,” the website says. And “if you have a proven skill like pet massage, grooming and pet walking or if you make custom dog costumes, have a unique dog product you would like to promote or are a well-known dog expert, we would love to chat with you.” Calls for pet handlers and vendors will be posted “in the next few months,” the site says. Whether the event turns into the profitable industry that its organizers hope for will undoubtedly depend on how the first one unfolds. A spokeswoman did not immediately have answers to such questions of what will happen to dogs that get aggressive with humans or other dogs? Will owners be required to purchase additional insurance to cover any possibilities? Will food be provided and how will feedings be handled? Contributors on Reddit.com posted mixed reactions to the announcement on Monday. “Cruises are already floating petri dishes. This doesn’t seem like a very good idea,” said one. “Now all decks are poop decks,” said another. A couple of posters worried about dogs going overboard. One said, “sounds awesome if you like dogs,” while another chimed in, “Better than a gorilla-friendly cruise, I suppose.” 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.Fresh off its biggest win of the season, Penn State plays its first true road game Tuesday when it visits Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. Aces will be wild for the Nittany Lions (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) and the Scarlet Knights (5-4, 0-1) as Penn State's Ace Baldwin Jr. will square off against Ace Bailey of Rutgers. Baldwin is the Nittany Lions' leading scorer at 15.1 points per game and dishes out 8.1 assists -- fourth in the nation entering Monday's action. He registered 17 points and six assists Thursday in an 81-70 victory over then-No. 8 Purdue in a game where Penn State led by as many as 27. Freddie Dilione V chipped in 14 points for the Nittany Lions, who had not defeated a Top 10 team since 2019. "A win like that's a statement win," Dilione said. "I just think it's going to put everybody on notice. We're just a walkover team. We're always going be the underdogs, and that's our mentality. We've just got to come in every game and just punch everybody in the mouth." Penn State must be careful not to suffer a letdown against a talented Rutgers squad led by freshmen Dylan Harper (23.1 points per game) and Bailey (17.9). The duo combined for 30 points in the Scarlet Knights' last game -- an 80-66 setback at Ohio State. The defeat was the fourth in the last five games for Rutgers, which plays seven of its next eight in New Jersey. "We've got to get better," Scarlet Knights coach Steve Pikiell said. "We got to get some more consistency out of a lot of things, especially our defense. Can't give up 80 points on the road and expect to win in this league." In last season's meeting with Penn State, it was offense that was Rutgers' biggest issue. The Scarlet Knights shot just 1-of-17 from 3-point range and 34 percent overall in a 61-46 home defeat. "(It's about) finding ways of how to bounce back as a team and staying together," Harper said. "Even though we lose, we're still going to find a way." --Field Level Media