For this boondoogle organization, Elon and Vivek ought to pursue US funding and earn several million dollars.
American taxpayer dollars flowing to the United Nations is part of a $20 billion annual savings plan that is instantly available to incoming President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in its quest to eradicate waste and unaccountable expenditure.
With assessed or required “regular” funding of over $3 billion plus voluntary donations that have fluctuated between $10 and $15 billion in each of the last two years, the United States contributes almost a quarter of the United Nations’ annual expenses. The sum is probably significantly more when in-kind support services are included. Over the past ten years, U.S. payouts have nearly doubled, and U.N. demands and subsidies have skyrocketed. Americans should be concerned about where the money is going as well as how it is being spent.
Chuck Todd, the top political commentator for NBC News, delivered a deeply personal assessment of President Biden after the commander-in-chief’s contentious but predictable decision to pardon his son Hunter.
When Todd appeared on Cillizza’s Substack website for his monthly sit-down with pundit Chris Cillizza, he said that he “knew 100%” that Biden would pardon his son, who was being sentenced for two criminal convictions. “I say this with respect: Joe Biden needs therapy. He hasn’t come to terms with Beau’s passing. He can’t since he has a problem with Hunter. When comparing raising Hunter to raising Beau, he questions everything he has done. I believe he holds himself responsible for Hunter’s temporary incapacity to behave like an adult,” Todd remarked.
After battling brain cancer, Beau passed away in 2015. Todd asserted that Hunter has “sort of failed at being a human being” over the past ten years, pointing out that he has previously had a somewhat personal relationship with Biden’s boys.
“There was no question that Joe Biden would do all in his power to keep his son safe before he left government. “Simple and straightforward,” Todd continued, referring to it as a “dad reaction.”
He continued by implying that Biden would never consent to the “humiliation” that would result from President-elect Donald Trump pardoning Hunter.
During her Eras Tour in Toronto, Taylor Swift criticizes Elon Musk and declares she will leave X because of the “toxic” atmosphere.
During the last few minutes of her Eras Tour performance in Toronto, Taylor Swift made a sudden and vehement attack on Elon Musk, accusing the tech tycoon of creating a “toxic” atmosphere on his social networking platform X (previously Twitter). Swift, who is renowned for her well-maintained public persona and frequently measured pronouncements, let loose a torrent of rage that left her admirers and following in disbelief. As the last notes of her concert reverberated throughout the Rogers Centre, the pop sensation spoke to the crowd, addressing a subject that had been simmering for a while. Swift expressed her intention to quit X, the platform Musk purchased in 2022, because of what she called its escalating polarizing and bad culture.
Swift echoed her words around the stadium, saying, “I can no longer support a platform that is so toxic.” “I’ve got enough of this after years of dealing with it. Because I can’t watch someone like Elon Musk destroy what used to be a place for deep connection, I’m leaving X. Swift made her remarks following a string of social media interactions with Musk in which she called the billionaire “talent-rich but integrity-poor.” The singer, who has long been an advocate for empowering women and speaking out against bullying and harassment, also slammed Musk’s activities on the site, calling him out for what she described as “petty” behavior. Swift and Musk have been at odds for months, especially when Musk took over X and drastically changed the platform’s content filtering and policy framework. Celebrities, activists, and users have all criticized the billionaire’s contentious actions, which include enhancing freedom of speech and altering the verification process.
In response to what corporate insiders refer to as “unprecedented backlash” from pancake fans worldwide, Quaker Oats has formally rescinded its intention to discontinue the Aunt Jemima brand, a move that has left breakfast tables across America both shocked and amused. Quaker Oats is bringing Aunt Jemima back, over three years after changing its name to “Pearl Milling Company” in an attempt to update their image. They attribute the sudden change to “public demand.” The tagline? A simple announcement: “Aunt Jemima is back.”
Following a flurry of social media appeals, irate emails from customers, and even a few pancake protests, the decision was made. The customers claimed that breakfast “just wasn’t the same” without Aunt Jemima. The original rebranding for Quaker Oats was meant to demonstrate consideration for the racial prejudices the figure had previously conveyed. However, Quaker decided it was time to bring back the syrup-slinging aunt when the rebrand was met with meager sales and a wave of nostalgia.
Quaker Oats spokesman Jenna Wheaton said, “After listening to our customers, we realized Aunt Jemima was never just a brand; she was a tradition.” “Yes, we wanted to update our values, but it seems like everyone else does too. That brings us full circle to Aunt Jemima.” The depth of Aunt Jemima’s devotion was beyond Quaker Oats’s comprehension. Others didn’t like the original branding, even though many praised it for attempting to abandon antiquated racial stereotypes. Breakfast devotees maintained that Aunt Jemima was family, not simply a mascot. One outspoken critic on Twitter stated, “With Aunt Jemima absent from the table, breakfast simply isn’t breakfast.” “‘Pearl Milling Company’ is not necessary.” Jemima is what I need! The cries to “bring back Aunt Jemima!” appeared to be coming from all over the internet. Teenagers on TikTok also joined the trend, creating protest videos with pancake themes that received millions of views. With the subtitle, “Breakfast hasn’t been the same since you left us, Aunt Jemima,” a popular video featured a teenager somberly pouring syrup over piles of pancakes. Quaker Oats paid attention, and the emotional impact was genuine.
“We had no idea people felt this strongly about a pancake mascot,” admitted one Quaker Oats executive. “But the public has spoken. And who are we to deny them breakfast joy?” The staff at Quaker Oats has a lot of work ahead of them as Aunt Jemima makes a victorious comeback. According to reports, the new branding will honor the brand’s history while “modernizing” Aunt Jemima’s appearance. Regardless of what that would imply for a pancake mix box, sources close to the project say the new image will revive Aunt Jemima’s happy smile while adding “a contemporary twist.”
Swiss chemist Friedrich Miescher made the discovery of human DNA in the 1860s. Scientists were able to uncover mysteries about our ancient ancestors because to this discovery. Researchers were still discovering new things in 2018. A hitherto unidentified group of ancient humans was among the many ancient secrets unearthed by this particular excavation. Go here to read about all of their findings.
Two Skeletons That Are 11,500 Years Old
The skeletons of two Native American infants were discovered by archaeologists in 2018. They belonged to the same family and were each 11,500 years old.
These skeletons weren’t typical. They provided scientists with information about early people because they were sufficiently preserved. Indeed, they include details on the earliest people to set foot in North America.
Researchers Visited a Remote Alaskan Location
Ben Potter, an anthropology professor, started working in Upward Sun River, Alaska, around the beginning of the new millennium. Fairbanks is 50 miles away from this wooded location, which is only accessible by helicopter.
There was solid reason for Potter to dig there, even though the terrain was challenging. Originally, the region of Alaska was connected to both Africa and Europe.
What Is Beringia? There were still some landways connecting the continents when Pangea started to fragment. Although they spread all over the planet, the earliest known humans were born in Africa.
The Beringia was the link between Alaska and Siberia. According to many archaeologists, that bridge is where the first humans in North America originated more than 34,000 years ago. But this was only a theory.
The Hypothesis of the Beringian Standstill
Many historians think that early humans crossed the Beringia, although they are unsure of who did it. The Beringian standstill hypothesis is one proposal that aims to address this.
According to the theory, Beringia’s harsh environment and ice forced the “Ancient Beringians” to live in solitude. Archaeologist Jennifer Raff speculates that if this is the case, the Beringians may be the only ancestors of all Native Americans.
Next week, an 18-story government building in California that President-elect Trump once called “one of the ugliest structures” in San Francisco will be solemnly dedicated to former House Speaker Nanci Pelosi.
According to Bay City News, the top Democrat will be present to unveil new signage at a ceremony on Monday for the San Francisco Federal Building, a 234-foot-tall structure in the city’s South of Market neighborhood. The building was renamed the “Speaker Nancy Pelosi Federal Building” last year. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending plan, Pelosi was honored with the building’s name. The $144 million, energy-efficient “green” structure was constructed with V-shaped stainless steel panels at the top that fold over a wide concrete frame. It opened in 2007. It is intended to use one-third the energy of an average office building in California, illuminate 80% of the structure with natural light, and provide a healthy work environment for employees.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited it as the first federal building in the United States. It is a widely accepted rating system that assesses a building’s sustainability.
According to the General Services Administration (GSA), which runs the facility, Pelosi’s offices are located there along with those of the Social Security Administration, Department of Transportation, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Agriculture.
“The building’s shape and orientation maximize natural airflow for cooling and ventilation and take advantage of natural daylight for the majority of office interiors,” according to the government’s website.
Despite being commended for its energy efficiency, its drab and gray appearance has caused controversy, especially as it is located across from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts on Seventh Street.
Over the course of the five-day holiday week, the animated sequel is expected to earn at least $175 million, surpassing the previous high-water marks set by “Frozen II” ($125 million) in 2019 and “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” ($109 million) in 2013. The movie is expected to earn over $200 million domestically by the conclusion of its first five days in theaters, according to rival studios. As of right now, “Moana 2” has made $85.5 million in the US. It has already surpassed “Frozen 2’s” $15 million box office haul from five years ago, setting a new record for a Thanksgiving release.
Furthermore, “Moana 2” isn’t the only film driving a comeback at the box office. Both Universal’s “Wicked” and Paramount’s “Gladiator II,” which debuted last weekend, brought in $16.9 million and $6.7 million on Thanksgiving, respectively, demonstrating their continued appeal. Over the course of the five-day vacation, “Wicked,” a hit Broadway musical adaptation, is expected to earn $105.6 million, while “Gladiator II,” the long-gestating sequel to an action epic released during the Clinton administration, is expected to earn an estimated $45 million. Since both movies were costly to make, they must continue to draw big crowds. The first half of a two-part tale, “Wicked,” cost $300 million to make, while “Gladiator II,” which was shut down for a lengthy time because of the 2023 actors’ strike, had a $250 million budget. Two studios are risking a great deal of money when you factor in marketing expenses, which usually exceed $100 million for movies this magnitude. “Wicked” should have made $250.6 million in North America by the conclusion of the holiday, while “Gladiator II” will have made $112.2 million domestically.
Analysts and traders say Canadian and Mexican oil companies could cut prices and shift to Asia if Trump imposes tariffs.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to impose a 25% import tax on all goods from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tax on Chinese goods as soon as they take effect. Reuters cited sources familiar with the matter as saying crude oil would not be exempt from the tariffs, although businesses warned the policy could affect consumers, industry and national security.
According to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), Canada and Mexico are currently the two leading exporters of oil to the US, consuming 52% and 11% of the country’s fuel imports, respectively. Data firm Kpler said the US bought 61% of Canada’s seaborne oil exports and 56% from Mexico.
Canada’s oil exports have surged this year, helped by the expansion of the Trans Mountain (TMX) pipeline to increase shipments to the US and Asia.
“If exports are restricted and they cannot divert oil previously destined for the US, Canadian companies will have to cut prices and face revenue risks,” said Daan Struyven, a commodities researcher at Goldman Sachs.
A Mexican oil facility in the Gulf of Campeche. Photo: Reuters A Mexican oil facility in the Gulf of Campeche. Photo: Reuters
Canada and Mexico mainly export heavy crude refined at plants in the US and most Asian countries. “What will US refiners do? Even Saudi Arabia’s heavy crude supply is secure,” said a trader in Singapore. He said some US refineries only receive fuel via pipeline, leaving them with few import options.
As a result, analysts predict more Canadian and Mexican oil will be diverted to Asia if Trump imposes tariffs. “We expect a lot of fuel to go to China and India, where there are suitable plants for heavy crude,” the analyst at LSEG said.
Canadian companies will have to cut prices further to attract more Asian customers, to cover the cost of shipping the oil over long distances. “Either the country of origin or the refinery will have to pay the import duty,” he said.
TMX pipeline exports to Asia have increased in recent months as Asian refineries, mainly in China, experiment with the new fuel. In contrast, exports from Mexico fell 21% to 860,000 barrels a day.
European refiners are also seen as less likely to dump fuel quickly from Mexico and Canada, said Christopher Haines, an analyst at Energy Aspects. “The import tariffs on Mexico are likely to attract the attention of Spanish refiners, but Asia can easily absorb the fuel not sold to the US, so there is a risk of competition,” he said.
But European refiners typically do not import much from Canada. This year, Mexico’s oil exports to Europe averaged 191,000 barrels a day, with 81% of that going to Spain, according to Kpler data. Canada’s figure is lower, at 85,000 barrels a day.
Still, many traders are skeptical that Mr Trump will actually impose the tariffs, as the policy would result in higher fees for US consumers and refiners. They believe the president-elect is likely to use them as a negotiating tool to achieve some goal.
Man City were just held to a 3-3 draw by Feyenoord at home. In fact, the Etihad team did well for 2/3 of the match. They dominated possession, continuously created dangerous opportunities and did not give the counter-attack method a chance. However, somehow, the Etihad team still dropped the victory in just the last 15 minutes. So what were Man City’s problems in this match?
Individual mistakes
First of all, we have to mention the wrong individuals. Feyenoord would not have had a chance to improve if it were not for Gvardiol’s dangerous play in the 75th minute. The Croatian player was not under much pressure but chose to go back instead of clearing the ball. This play could determine Gvardiol’s main point and Moussa did not miss the opportunity to punish his opponent. Notably, after this problem, Man City’s No. 24 had to regain his composure. However, Gvardiol continued to make mistakes in the second goal of the Etihad team.
First, Gvardiol missed the ball at home. Changing the coordination on the left wing or falling long, he chose to pass the ball into the middle of the field to McAtee. The young Man City player quickly lost the ball to the opponent’s applications. Then, Gvardiol automatically broke the offside zone of the home team when trying to chase Timber.
That was the reason to move forward with 3 Feyenoord players approaching Ederson’s goal while Man City defended with 2 to 3 steps. Things got worse for Gvardiol when this player chose the wrong landing point of the ball. If the Croatian defender headed accurately, Man City could have only had to accept a corner kick instead of the second goal.
The third goal also came from an individual error. Youngsters Lewis and Simpson-Pusey failed to catch the offside flag, allowing Paixao to get past Ederson and then run the ball to Hancko to make it 3-3.
Guardiola admitted that he did not see any danger from his opponents, so he made these changes. It seems that the “upper hand” mentality and being 3 goals ahead made the Spaniard forget that this is the highest level of competition for clubs in Europe.
Guardiola’s carelessness can be clearly seen in the choice of replacements. Replacing Foden with McAtee is acceptable, but replacing Gundogan with De Bruyne and especially Simpson-Pusey with Ake were the wrong decisions.
When Gundogan left the field, Man City lost the link between defense and midfield. This made the team system unbalanced. Gundogan’s task was given to McAtee and this player played extremely poorly, often losing his position.
In the first goal, Gvardiol could not find the central midfielder, so he decided to speed up. The Croatian defender’s decision was wrong, but it was the result of a poorly run system.
Taking Ake off early showed Pep Guardiola’s intention to face Liverpool. However, the Spanish coach must have calculated too much while the personnel were too weak. Instead of giving Ruben Dias or Kyle Walker a few minutes to get used to the pitch, Pep brought in player Simpson-Pusey.
Man City’s defense already had the inexperienced Lewis. 2/4 defenders were on the learning surface, including the midfielder with the best ball-sweeping ability, Pep Guardiola himself went to Man City’s home field to become more sophisticated than ever.
Man City are making things difficult for themselves Man City have lost a three-goal lead over Feyenoord and were held to an unbelievable 3-3 draw by the Dutch side at the Etihad, continuing to sink deeper into crisis. The winless streak of the blue half of Manchester has now extended to six matches in all competitions, including five consecutive defeats.
In the Champions League, Man City have only eight points after five matches and have dropped to 15th place in the 36-team table. The reigning Premier League champions are at risk of falling further after the series of matches taking place tonight
According to the schedule, Man City will face “stormy” away trips to the two giants Juventus and PSG in the next two matches. After that, coach Pep Guardiola’s team will close the group stage by hosting Club Brugge at home.
Nightmare scenario awaits Pep Guardiola
According to the new format, the top 8 teams will qualify for the knockout round, while the teams from 9th to 24th will play a play-off to choose the remaining 8 spots.
The Manchester Evening News (UK) calculated that Man City almost certainly needs at least 7 points in the last 3 group matches to have any hope of securing a place in the top 8, the group eligible to go straight to the round of 16.
This is not an easy task for Man City if we look at their disastrous form in recent times. In addition, Juventus (ranked 16th with 7 points), PSG (ranked 26th with 4 points) and Club Brugge (ranked 23rd with 6 points) are all in a situation where they are forced to cherish every point in the hope of getting a ticket to the next round. Currently, up to 9 teams have achieved double-digit points. The likes of Inter Milan, Barcelona and Liverpool are edging closer to securing a top-eight finish.
For City, there is an increasing risk that they could be forced into a play-off in February. If that happens, it would add two more games to their already packed schedule, something that Pep Guardiola is not keen on as his side are in the midst of an injury crisis.
In fact, City are still at risk of being eliminated if they finish outside the top 24. However, the Manchester Evening News considers the Premier League champions’ chances of this happening to be “unlikely”, as some of their opponents in the bottom half of the table are also facing difficulties.
“I’m not ready to think about that now (the task of winning the final three games to finish in the top eight). We have to recover and prepare for the match against Liverpool. “If we can’t win games like today it will be very difficult to do that,” said coach Pep Guardiola after the draw with Feyenoord.
