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An 81-year-old granny has told the BBC she hopes she lives long enough to get her autistic grandson out of the hospital he has been stuck in for two years. Dorothy Lafferty said doctors had long ago agreed that 28-year-old Andrew does not need to be cared for in hospital but there is nowhere suitable for him to go. He needs a team of carers and a house that is quiet because noisy environments make his anxiety worse. New figures due out later are expected to show there has been an increase in the numbers of people with learning disabilities and autism who are stuck in hospital or inappropriate placements far from home. This is despite ministerial pledges to have remedied the problem by March this year. Ministers first promised to move the majority of people stuck in hospital to a home of their own in the community in February 2022. They started recording the figures and a year ago the first dynamic support register was published. It revealed there were 1,243 people in hospital, far from home or at risk of their placement breaking down. By June 2024, rather than reducing, that had figure increased to 1,515. Andrew has been in a 20-bed adult mental health unit at Stobhill hospital in Glasgow for two-and-a-half years. For two of those years he has been recorded as a delayed discharge and should have been allowed home - but there is no suitable house for him to go to. His 'nana' Dorothy has cared for Andrew since he was two, when his mother needed support to help her deal with brain cancer. His mother died from the cancer when he was 12 and Andrew became extremely anxious and struggled to cope. Dorothy, from Bishopbriggs in East Dunbartonshire, says Andrew went to a mainstream school and was doing well but the loss of his mother left him distraught. She says he could not understand how someone he prayed for could have died. After leaving school, he struggled in placements and flats because they were too noisy for him. He was then placed on a mental health ward when his symptoms became severe but was assessed as being fit to leave with the right support two years ago. Like the hundreds of others with learning disabilities or autism who are stuck in units or hospitals, there is still nowhere for him to live. Experts say there is a lack of suitable housing, a shortage of care staff and sometimes a failure to prioritise those behind locked doors. In a note to the BBC, Andrew wrote: “I would like a place of my own with not a lot of people there." He said he felt scared of leaving hospital because he had been there for so long. His autism means he struggles to eat hospital food and is often too anxious to sit with others in the dining room. His gran regularly makes him tuna sandwiches and takes them to him in the hospital. Dorothy says Andrew finds many situations too stressful and worries about who will look after him when she is gone. "I keep thinking I’m so lucky at 81 to be like I am," she said "I’m able to get out and about and that’s a big plus for me. "If I can keep this going until I see Andrew out of there I’ll feel like I’ve achieved something in life." Andrew has a care team in place but no home to go to. Dorothy says she has spent hours in the library researching accommodation and has been to dozens of meetings but there has been no progress. She says she and Andrew are very worried about what will happen next. “He said to me last week: ‘Nana, is there a chance that you could live until you're 100?’". When Dorothy told him not many people live that long, he said: "I’ll feel as if my life’s ended if anything happens to you because I depend on you so much. "I can’t imagine what life would be like without you." Dorothy said: "I want to live long enough to see Andrew settled. That’s my one aim in life. That’s all I want.” The dynamic support register which monitors how many patients are in unsuitable accommodation was meant to be accompanied by a national oversight panel. This was meant to hold local authorities and health and social care partnerships to account but it has never happened. Government advisor Dr Anne Macdonald said not enough progress had been made and that the system was “failing” people with complex support needs. "People have the right to live in their local community, to live near family and friends and have an ordinary life like the rest of us would want," she said. "Those with complex support needs who are currently stuck in hospital or living hundreds of miles from home in inappropriate out of area placements – we’re not doing enough for those people and I’d go as far as to say we’re failing them and their families.” The Scottish government said in 2013 that within five years people with learning disabilities, autism and complex care needs who were in facilities outwith Scotland should be supported to live nearer their family in Scotland. The policy to move people out of institutional care and closer to family follows decades of promises to get people with learning disabilities out of big hospital institutions and into the community - but a number seem to have become stuck in the system. Social Care Minister Maree Todd said she was "very disappointed at the slow progress" that was being made. "The Coming Home report told us that we needed to do some things in central government and we’ve pretty much completed those things," she told the BBC. "We’ve created the dynamic support register, that gives us a really good idea of data. We know now who is in the system and where they are, and that’s informing local authorities and local health boards. "But we haven’t made the progress in driving down the numbers and that is very disappointing to me.” Derrick Pearce, the chief officer of East Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), which is handling Andrew's case, said it supported a wide range of social care provision in the local community. "However there are times when identifying a care provision which will be successful in meeting complex care needs may take longer than we would like in order to ensure a successful long-term discharge from hospital," he said. “In all cases, including Andrew's, significant multi-disciplinary assessment and care planning with consideration to both medical and social models of support is carried out to establish a bespoke model of care in partnership with family and carers." “By continuing to work closely together we are hopeful we will establish a person-centred care plan whilst identifying suitable accommodation based on specific housing and health needs whilst ensuring and safeguarding the success of these plans to enable safe and independent living within the community.”LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Juan Sebastian Gorosito scored 21 points as Ball State beat Bellarmine 86-82 on Saturday. Gorosito added three steals for the Cardinals (4-6). Mickey Pearson Jr. added 18 points while going 3 of 6 and 12 of 12 from the free-throw line and he also had three steals. Jermahri Hill shot 6 for 9 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 1 of 3 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points. The Knights (3-8) were led in scoring by Billy Smith, who finished with 33 points. Bellarmine also got 18 points, six rebounds and two steals from Dylan Branson. Gorosito scored 12 points in the first half for Ball State, who led 47-42 at the break. Hill's jump shot with 16:02 remaining in the second half gave Ball State the lead for good at 52-50. NEXT UP Up next for Ball State is a Saturday matchup with Evansville at home, and Bellarmine visits Wyoming on Thursday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .milyon88 com registration 。

Oklahoma residents on Sunday mourned the death of former Democratic U.S. Sen. Fred Harris , a trailblazer in progressive politics in the state who ran an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1976. Harris died on Saturday at 94. Democratic Party members across Oklahoma remembered Harris for his commitment to economic and social justice during the 1960s — a period of historical turbulence. Harris chaired the Democratic National Committee from 1969 to 1970 and helped unify the party after its tumultuous national convention in 1968 when protesters and police clashed in Chicago. “Fred Harris showed us what is possible when we lead with both heart and principle. He worked to ensure everyone had a voice and a seat at the table,” said Alicia Andrews, chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party. Harris appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago earlier this year as a guest speaker for the Oklahoma delegation, where he reflected on progress and unity. "Standing alongside him in Chicago this summer was a reminder of how his legacy continues to inspire,” Andrews said. Kalyn Free, a member of the Choctaw nation of Oklahoma and the DNC, said that there is no one else in public service whom she admired more than the former senator. “He was a friend, a mentor, a hero and my True North. Oklahoma and America have lost a powerful advocate and voice,” Free said in a statement. “His work for Indian Country will always be remembered.” “Senator Harris truly was an Oklahoma treasure and was ahead of his time in so many ways,” said Jeff Berrong, whose grandfather served in the state Senate with Harris. “He never forgot where he came from and he always remained focused on building a society that would provide equality of opportunity for all.” Harris served eight years in the state Senate before he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served another eight years before his 1976 presidential campaign. State party leaders commemorated his work on the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, or the Kerner Commission, to investigate the 1960s riots. Harris was the last surviving member of the commission. Shortly after his presidential campaign, Harris left politics and moved to New Mexico and became a political science professor at the University of New Mexico. —- Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans made mistakes in every facet of the game Sunday against the Tennessee Titans to lose for the third time in four games. C.J. Stroud threw two interceptions, the defense gave up multiple big passing plays and Ka′imi Fairbairn missed a 28-yard field goal that would . “Just a disappointing loss for us,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We didn’t do anything well enough to win this game. Out of all the positives that we did have, there were way too many negatives, too many negative plays.” for a touchdown in the third quarter and the Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks. Danielle Hunter led the group with a season-high three sacks and Will Anderson Jr. added two in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury. But the offense sputtered for most of the game as Joe Mixon was held to 22 yards on 14 carries. But Ryans refused to blame the offense for the loss. “Our offense did plenty," Ryans said. "They gave us enough points. On defense, we have to be able to stop them.” Chig Okonkwo grabbed a short pass and rumbled 70 yards for a touchdown to put the Titans (3-8) up 30-27 with 91⁄2 minutes remaining. Safety Eric Murray missed a tackle that would have stopped him near midfield. It was the last of three big passing plays the Titans had Sunday. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine got in front of the defense and was wide open for a 38-yard TD catch that made it 10-7 late in the first quarter. Calvin Ridley had a 63-yard reception that set up their next touchdown in the second. “It was just way too many negative plays,” Ryans said. “Defensively, unexplainable explosives for touchdowns. We didn’t play good across the board and that starts with me.” Despite this, the Texans (7-5) had a chance to tie it with less than two minutes remaining, but Fairbairn’s short field-goal attempt sailed wide left. He fell to the ground after the miss before getting up and slamming his helmet on the field. “The most frustrating part about it is out of all the bad things that happened, we still had a chance to finish the game,” Ryans said. “Everything that could go wrong, it went wrong. We still had a chance there to tie it up and finish the game, and we didn’t.” The Texans forced a three-and-out, but couldn’t move the ball after that and Harold Landry sacked Stroud in the end zone for a safety to make it 32-27 and allow Tennessee to snap a two-game skid. Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but his two interceptions Sunday give him five combined in the past three games. He now has more interceptions in 12 games this season (nine) than he had in 15 games as a rookie last season (five). “It’s no secret that I haven’t been playing well ... I’ve got to be harder on myself,” he said. “I’m not going to hold my head down. I know I can be a great player, but I’ve got to make better plays.” AP NFL:

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BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Andrej Stojakovic converted 11 of 15 from the free throw line and scored 20 points as California held off a late rally to post an 83-77 win over Sacramento State in the Cal Classic tournament on Sunday. Cal came into its tournament without three starters, Jovan Blacksher Jr., DJ Campbell and BJ Omot and the Golden Bears earned back-to-back wins over Air Force and the Hornets. Stojakovic scored a career-high 21 points and freshman guard Jeremiah Wilkinson stepped up with career-best 23 points against the Falcons. Against Sacramento State, Wilkinson came off the bench to score 16 points. Sacramento State took an early 12-7 lead after Emil Skytta hit a pair of free throws five minutes into the game, but Wilkinson hit back-to-back buckets and Stojakovic drew a foul on a three-point attempt and hit all three foul shots to take a 14-12 lead and the Bears pulled away to take a 40-33 lead at intermission. Julian Vaughns knocked down a trey three minutes into the second half to pull Sacramento State even at 43 and his free throw put the Hornets in front. Ryan Petraitis and Wilkinson hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put Cal up 51-47 and the Bears never trailed the rest of the way. Petraitis finished with 13 points, five assists and three steals for Cal (5-1). Joshua Ola-Joseph and Mady Sissoko each added 10 points. Jacob Holt scored 25 points with eight rebounds, two assists and a steal to lead Sacramento State (1-4). Vaughns scored 18 points and EJ Neal added 16. The game was just the third meeting between schools separated by roughly 80 miles, and first since 1992. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Most of us are not professional chefs or caterers or decorators, so the thought of cooking for and entertaining a Thanksgiving crowd can be daunting. That's why we turned to the experts — professional chefs and caterers and interior designers — to discuss some typical Thanksgiving mistakes and how to avoid them. "The overriding first mistake people make is they think they have more time than they do," said Bistro to Go Cafe and Catering executive chef Kate Kobylinski. She regularly hosts her extended family of 30 and knows "every single problem." "Food takes longer to cook, the table takes longer to set and houses take longer to clean than you think." Clean your house on Monday. On Wednesday, dice vegetables so they're "food-show ready," as Kobylinski put it. Prepare (but don't cook) your green bean casserole (leaving off garnishes like fried onions) so it can just be popped in the oven and set the dining room table. Don't feel that you have to do everything yourself. But be as specific as possible when doling out the assignments. "Don't let them make their own decisions!" Kobylinski said emphatically. Thanksgiving is "micromanager's heaven." For example, have someone bring ice on Thanksgiving Day because going out to buy it takes time and ice hogs freezer space. If you don't like making desserts, have someone bring one. If a guest wants to prepare a side dish, great, but decide beforehand what they will bring. Ahead of dinner, interior designer Kacie Cope likes to set out all of her serving platters with Post-it notes attached denoting what will go on them. "You'll be amazed if you have them labeled," she said. "People can help in a jiff." During the evening, Kobylinski gives people assigned jobs, such as serving drinks or taking charge of an after-dinner game. And the chef is forgiving about using premade ingredients, like gravy or cranberry jelly. "There's no right or wrong way to make any of your foods," she said. But you might want to give a homemade touch to prepared ingredients, like adding sauteed onions or celery to prepared gravy. "Everyone goes into Thanksgiving Day with a half-frozen turkey," said Kobylinski. "And you can't get the bag of giblets out because they're frozen in place." It takes one day for every 4 pounds of turkey meat to defrost in the refrigerator. (No, it is not safe to leave your frozen turkey out on the counter to thaw and breed bacteria.) So if you've got a 20-pound bird, you've got to start thawing on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. However, there are other methods. Kobylinski suggests submerging the bird and running a thin stream of cold water over it. "It doesn't have to be a lot of water." The U.S. Department of Agriculture says there are only three ways to safely thaw food: In the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. To safely thaw turkey in cold water, the USDA says it takes about 30 minutes per pound. Put the turkey in a leak-proof plastic bag to prevent cross-contamination and submerge it. Change the water every 30 minutes, and cook immediately when it's thawed. If opting for your microwave, follow its instructions for thawing and cook immediately. Then, if you're running late and need to speed things up to satisfy the hungry hordes, you can cut the bird in half before cooking (skin side up). This significantly reduces cooking time, requiring about 10 minutes per pound. Kobylinski also recommends resting the turkey on vegetables in the oven to keep the bottom from getting burned. Private chef and culinary educator Emily Larsen warns that those plastic thermometers in supermarket turkeys are setting you up for failure. The USDA says that you should cook a turkey until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Plastic thermometers don't pop out until the breast meat is at about 180 degrees, "when your turkey is completely dry," Larsen said. Plus, people forget that meat continues to cook once it's out of the oven. She recommends taking a bird out of the oven when it is at 155 degrees — she likes to use an inexpensive instant-read folding probe thermometer — and continue to monitor it. (Insert it into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bone.) "Ten dollars [for the thermometer] can save your Thanksgiving," she said. Some feel that buying a frozen rather than fresh bird is another no-no, since freezing leaches water out of the turkey. However, if, despite your best efforts, your turkey is lacking moisture, Kobylinski has a fix: Put warm chicken or turkey stock and clarified butter into a mister and spritz sliced turkey with it before serving. "The same with stuffing if it's too dry," she said. Thanksgiving Day is not the time to try out a completely new recipe. And you don't have to lay out 10 side dishes. In addition to opting for a simple menu, Kobylinski also recommends figuring out how long your items will take to cook and what method of cooking it requires ahead of time. Your turkey will be monopolizing your oven for four hours, so other oven foods should be limited or be easily reheated during the time that the turkey is resting. (As for resting a turkey, the chef puts her turkey on a hot plate with towels over it so "the meat rebinds itself and stabilizes for a smoother cut.") "Stovetop items should be staggered," she said, so you don't have a frying pan and three pots all going at once. As a sample menu, she suggests you might have one baked potato dish and one mashed. And for vegetables, one baked dish and one that is blanched or grilled. Interior designers advise against going too crazy with holiday-specific décor. "There's a lot that's being sold to us that we feel like we need," said Pittsburgh interior designer Amanda Bock. Do you really need a turkey-shaped vase or pilgrim figurines? "They're out for two weeks, and then you have to figure out where to store them," agreed Cope. "It takes an already busy season and makes it stressful in an unnecessary way." Cope says you can take things that are already part of your menu and use them as décor — a bowl of nuts or cranberries, or even removing the label from a cranberry sauce tin and repurposing it as a vase for flowers and fall leaves. Bock adds that dining room table décor should be kept to a minimum, since you'll need space for your food. You don't have to have "big chargers and five plates and three different glasses, plus all of your Thanksgiving food on the table," Bock said. If you do have flowers or a centerpiece in the middle of the table, keep it low, Cope advised. "That way, you can actually see the person who's across the table from you." Tableware and tablecloths might be in fall colors, so they can be repurposed throughout the season. Water glasses or wine goblets could be amber-toned, Bock suggests. Well in advance of your guests' arrival, think critically about the setup of your home. Don't be afraid to rearrange your furniture so your guests move to different areas and don't all congregate in your kitchen. "You want to make sure that there are areas where people can sit and chat, watch the parade or just hang out together," Bock said. Set up a drinks station and an hors d'oeuvres station in different parts of the house, Bock suggests. Though, she admits, "I can't do that in my house because my dogs would just gobble up the hors d'oeuvres." She suggests repurposing a kitchen nook for kid seating, or as a serving area. Kobylinski might set up a half-built puzzle in a side room. She even puts out winter jackets and boots for "the gentlemen" for the moment when she urges them to go out on the porch to smoke cigars and drink brandy so they won't be underfoot. As a finishing touch, don't neglect to set the mood by using lamps around the room instead of harsh overhead lights. Putting out tapers or tea candles establishes an intimate feeling. "That just leans into the cozy fall vibe," Cope said of low lighting. But don't use scented candles, Bock warns. Or a smelly flower arrangement. "That can overwhelm you when you're eating," Bock said. Putting on a favorite music playlist can set the mood and take away self-consciousness, especially early in the evening. The most important thing on Thanksgiving is simply for everyone to enjoy each other's company. A little advance preparation can help you, the host, stay relaxed throughout the evening so you can interact with your guests. As Bock advised, "Keep it simple for Thanksgiving." Let friendship and fellowship be the stars of the show. The 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage is slated from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 28. This year's event will feature 28 clown crews, 26 floats, 16 giant balloons, 11 marching bands, five performance groups, three "baloonicles"—cold-air inflatables driven down the parade route, and numerous performers. Stacker curated a selection of photographs from the past century of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to help illustrate the history of the iconic event. The parade in New York City, presented by department store chain Macy's, was first held in 1924 under the heading "Macy's Christmas Parade" to promote holiday sales and spotlight the newly expanded and, at the time, largest in the world Herald Square store in Manhattan. The success of the event led organizers to turn the spectacle into an annual tradition. Each year, the parade ends outside the same Herald Square Macy's location. The event has been televised nationally since 1953 on NBC. The parade at first featured Central Park Zoo animals escorted by Macy's employees and professional entertainers for 6 miles from 145th Street in north Manhattan's Harlem to Macy's. A quarter of a million onlookers lined the streets. Real animals were replaced with balloons in 1927; that same year, the name of the event was changed to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The longest-running parade float is the event's unofficial mascot, Tom Turkey. Tom features moving wings, head, and eyes and usually functions as the lead float in the parade. Bringing up the caboose in virtually all the parades is Santa Claus who ushers in the holiday shopping season with his arrival at Macy's Herald Square. The parade offers a glimpse into pop culture of the time, from beloved children's entertainment to hit Broadway shows and musical acts. The Radio City Rockettes, formed in 1925, have performed in the parade annually since 1957. In 1933, the outside temperature was 69 degrees F, the warmest it's been; 2018 was the coldest day in parade history at 19 degrees F. In 2022, for the first time, the event featured a trio of women hosts. Today, more than 44 million people tune in to watch the parade. Keep reading to learn more about the parade's history and see some iconic shots of the event. You may also like: Game on: The booming growth of online gaming In Macy's first Thanksgiving parade, Santa Claus sat atop a float pulled by a team of horses down Broadway. That year floats, bands, and Central Park Zoo animals were featured in the procession. At the parade's end, Santa Claus was crowned "King of the Kiddies" on Macy's balcony at the 34th Street entrance. Macy's quickly announced the parade would be an annual event. The large balloons that replaced live zoo animals in 1927 were filled with regular air and had no release valves—they were simply let go to pop in the air following the parade. 1928 marked the first year of Macy's inflating balloons with helium to allow them to float. They were also outfitted with valves so the helium could gradually escape rather than waiting for the balloon to inevitably pop, and featured a return address so anyone who found them could return them and receive a reward. In this photo from 1928, a 35-foot fish and 60-foot-long tiger were featured prominently in the parade. A $100 prize was offered for each balloon recovered after its release. The Thanksgiving parade enjoyed rapid growth throughout the 1930s, with more than 1 million revelors lining the parade route in 1933. In this 1931 photo, a giant hippopotamus balloon makes its way down Broadway. A blue hippo balloon—possibly this one—released after the parade was still at large several days later, thought to be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. In this image, the Felix the Cat balloon is led down Broadway by its four handlers tailed by Terrible Turk and Willie Red Bird. The original Felix the Cat character balloon made its parade debut in 1927, but was destroyed after its post-parade release by a high tension wire in 1931. The Terrible Turk also was destroyed the same year by an electric sign. In 1932, Macy's Tom Cat balloon got stuck in the propeller of a plane when the aviator flying the plane tried recovering the balloon for a reward. While the plane eventually landed safely, that event marked the final year of releasing balloons after the parades and offering prizes for their return to Macy's. Macy's original character The Giant Spaceman made his debut in 1952's parade, measuring 70 feet long and 40 feet wide and weighing 600 pounds. More than 25 gallons of paint went into painting the astronaut. An estimated 2.25 million people lined the streets for the festivities that year. Throngs of onlookers pack the sidewalks in Manhattan's Times Square during this 1955 parade. Mighty Mouse, an animated superhero created by Terrytoons, is seen in the back left of the photo. Mighty Mouse made his debut in the Thanksgiving Day parade in 1951; he appeared in 80 short films between 1942-1961. Popeye makes his way through Times Square in the 1959 parade. A year earlier, another helium shortage meant balloons were inflated with air and hung from construction cranes to make their way through the parade route. Also in 1958, the first celebrity performances were added with the Benny Goodman sextet. Live music proved a challenge technically and logistically. The parade was transitioning to the now-familiar lip syncing by 1964. The iconic peacock float makes its debut in this photo of the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. That same year, Miss Teenage America Diane Lynn Cox appeared in princess attire sharing a float with "Prince Charming" actor Troy Donahue. You may also like: Baltimore buried its urban streams—now an artist is bringing one back Teen performers appear in classic roller skates in this image from the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The sign above the skaters reads "Macy's presents A Fantasy of Christmas in New York." This 1961 photo shows shoulder-to-shoulder parade onlookers at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The year marks the first balloon featuring Bullwinkle Moose and the first year for floats with Pinocchio, The Racetrack Grandstand, Cinderella, Peacock, Ferris Wheel, Brigadoon, Meet the Mets, and Santa's Sleigh. Several years later, in 1968, Macy's creative team figured out how to design floats up to 40 feet tall and 28 feet wide that could fold into 12.5-by-8-foot boxes for strategic transportation from New Jersey to Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel. A Bullwinkle Moose balloon floats down Broadway in this 1972 photograph of the parade. The 46th annual parade featured five firsts for floats: Alphabet Blocks, Snow Mountain, Windmill, Curious George, and Santa's Holiday Home. A solo tortoise float makes its way down the street near Columbus Circle in this 1974 parade photo. Not pictured is the accompanying hare. This marked the seventh appearance of the duo. Woody Woodpecker greets the crowd as he floats past One Times Square during the 63rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1989. In the coming years, safety concerns troubled '90s-era parades—namely the wind. Strong gusts in 1993 pushed a Sonic the Hedgehog balloon into a Columbus Circle lamppost that broke and hurt a child and off-duty police officer. Four years later, intense winds caused a Cat in the Hat balloon to hit a lamppost, hurling debris into the air that fractured the skull of a spectator who spent 24 days in a coma. The incident, among others, led then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to form a task force. The Soaring Spirit Canoe float, pictured here in 1995, made its debut in the parade in 1986. Popular '90s balloons included Bart Simpson, Cat in the Hat, and The Rugrats. New York City first responders carry two American flags during the Nov. 22, 2001, 75th Anniversary of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was also held on the heels of 9/11. They honored those killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that year. New Yorkers crowded the streets to watch the parade, which featured 15 giant balloons and marching bands that all added an air of patriotism to the event. Dora the Explorer makes her balloon debut in this 2005 photo. That same year, the M&M 's chocolate candies balloon collided with a streetlight in Times Square, and debris from it injured two siblings. Snoopy and Woodstock made their way along the 89th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route Nov. 26, 2015. To date, Snoopy boasts the most years flown as a character balloon in the event. The Pikachu balloon floats down Central Park West for its fourth time during the 91st annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2017. That year's lineup featured 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers, more than 1,000 clowns, 28 legacy balloons, 26 floats, 17 giant helium balloons, 12 marching bands, and six performance groups. Performers in this photo prepare at the 94th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 26, 2020. The event was one of few public occasions to be kept on schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit in a tempered manner. Much of the performances were pre-taped and the parade route was massively reduced. Participants wore masks and balloon handlers were cut by nearly 90%. Santa Claus celebrates at the 97th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in this photo from Nov. 23, 2023. First-time giant balloons included Beagle Scout Snoopy, Leo (Netflix), Monkey D. Luffy, Po from "Kung Fu Panda," and The Pillsbury Doughboy. Copy editing by Lois Hince. You may also like: From the Roman Empire to your therapist's office: The history of the chaise lounge Pinnochio, Tin Man, and Uncle Sam make their way along the parade route in 1939. Mickey Mouse made his debut five years earlier with a balloon designed in part by Walt Disney; Mickey's handlers were also dressed as mice. New iterations of Mickey appeared over the next 70 years as the character evolved. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was canceled from 1942-1944 because of supply shortages during World War II, namely helium and rubber. Festivities returned in 1945. The Christmas classic "Miracle on 34th Street" was released in 1947 and prominently features actual footage from the 1946 parade. 1948 marked the parade's first network television broadcast. You may also like: Legendary interior designers from every decade of the 20th century The 23rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held Nov. 24, 1949. In this photo, a teddy bear makes its way through Times Square. This parade marked the second appearance for the bear. Other balloons made their debut: Freida the Dachshund, Howdy Doody on the Flying Trapeze, and Macy's Hobo Clown. A giant inflatable balloon of Kermit the Frog makes its way down the 1982 parade route in this photo. The parade marked Kermit's sixth appearance. First-time balloons included Olive Oyl and Woody Woodpecker. You may also like: Far from making their last calls, LGBTQ+ bars evolve to imagine a new world A woman dressed in an elf costume sprinkles spectators with confetti in Times Square during Macy's 85th Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 24, 2011. Sonic the Hedgehog and Julius the sock monkey, which was created by Paul Frank, made their balloon entrances that year. You may also like: 5 tips for making your next event more affordable In this 2016 photo, spectators like this one recorded videos of the parade on their phones. More than 24 million people were estimated to have streamed the parade that year on TV. For the holidays: Get inspiring home and gift ideas – sign up now!Gorosito's 21 lead Ball State past Bellarmine 86-82

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By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Donald Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products , a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Monday. Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders with the United States. He said on social media last week that he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, attended a dinner with Trump and Trudeau at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Friday. Trudeau requested the meeting in a bid to avoid the tariffs by convincing Trump that the northern border is nothing like the U.S. southern border with Mexico . “The prime minister of course spoke about the importance of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers from tariffs, but we also discussed with our American friends the negative impact that those tariffs could have on their economy, on affordability in the United States as well,” LeBlanc said in Parliament. If 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 say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, alcohol and other goods. The Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said last week that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when the countries retaliate. Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the U.S. should Trump follow through on the threat. After his dinner with Trump, Trudeau returned home without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. “The idea that we came back empty handed is completely false,” LeBlanc said. “We had a very productive discussion with Mr. Trump and his future Cabinet secretaries. ... The commitment from Mr. Trump to continue to work with us was far from empty handed.” Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, and Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice to be his national security adviser. Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, told The Associated Press on Sunday that “the message that our border is so vastly different than the Mexican border was really understood.” Hillman, who sat at an adjacent table to Trudeau and Trump, said Canada is not the problem when it comes to drugs and migrants. On Monday, Mexico’s president rejected those comments. “Mexico must be respected, especially by its trading partners,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She said Canada had its own problems with fentanyl consumption and “could only wish they had the cultural riches Mexico has.” Related Articles National Politics | Young men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appeals National Politics | In final month of the session, Congress looks to clean up loose ends, prepare for Trump National Politics | Democrats still don’t agree on the seriousness of their political problem after election defeat National Politics | Recess appointments could put Trump at odds with conservatives on the Supreme Court National Politics | Under Trump, many states might pursue Medicaid work requirements Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs at the two countries’ border are vastly different. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing for national security. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular 1 dead, 2 seriously injured in Newport News triple shooting, police say 1 dead, 2 seriously injured in Newport News triple shooting, police say Biden pardons his son Hunter despite previous pledges not to Biden pardons his son Hunter despite previous pledges not to German restaurant Deutsche Ecke opens in Newport News German restaurant Deutsche Ecke opens in Newport News Former Hampton High football coach Mike Smith highlights latest Virginia Hall of Fame inductees Former Hampton High football coach Mike Smith highlights latest Virginia Hall of Fame inductees Al Roker speaks out after Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade chair mishap Al Roker speaks out after Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade chair mishap Underground fire at Williamsburg Premium Outlets extinguished Underground fire at Williamsburg Premium Outlets extinguished Dad kills wife, shoots 21-year-old daughter on the phone with 911, police say Dad kills wife, shoots 21-year-old daughter on the phone with 911, police say Teel: Chaos abounds in college football, but not when it comes to Virginia Tech vs. UVA Teel: Chaos abounds in college football, but not when it comes to Virginia Tech vs. UVA Editorial: New executive director set to lead Fort Monroe into the future Editorial: New executive director set to lead Fort Monroe into the future New Kent wants public input on future of Makemie Woods New Kent wants public input on future of Makemie Woods Trending Nationally A young Coloradan learning to live with long COVID turns to TikTok to educate about chronic illness US Senate inquiry into Chicago’s housing of migrants at airports likely to heat up after Republican election wins Homes vs. beaches: Court makes key decision in battle over California seawall construction amid ocean rise Fruit trees and ‘generational learning’ turn this California city into a parrot paradise as temperatures drop Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine’s legal troubles expand with two South Florida lawsuitsWant a stress-free home? 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(CNN) — President Joe Biden ’s decision to pardon his son has left some Democrats fuming over his choice to repeatedly and unequivocally claim that he would never take that step, even though a pardon long appeared possible to Hunter Biden’s legal team. Multiple officials who recently worked for Joe Biden said they never believed the president or White House aides speaking on his behalf when they insisted in recent months that a pardon for Hunter Biden was off the table. “Anyone who was even close to the top knew that he was probably going to do this. Why did we pretend otherwise?” a former senior West Wing aide said. A different former senior White House official said they and others around them had felt “certain” the president would ultimately pardon his son, while another ex-administration official put it this way: “It was extremely, painfully obvious that this was where things would end up.” But even as some of Joe Biden’s closest allies were bewildered by the president’s eleventh-hour pardon, Hunter Biden and his lawyers long believed that one was possible, multiple sources told CNN. That comes despite the White House saying that a final decision on the pardon was reached only this weekend. The president’s Sunday evening move to announce the pardon came after he spent time with his family, including Hunter, in Nantucket, Massachusetts, over the Thanksgiving holiday and has led lawmakers in Biden’s own party to criticize him. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said as recently as November 7 that a pardon for Hunter Biden was not being considered. Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son presented a delicate balancing act for the president, who has long been fiercely loyal to his family , even when it comes at his own personal or political detriment. Hunter Biden was convicted by a jury in June of illegally buying and possessing a gun as a drug user, after a gut-wrenching trial that delved into his drug abuse and family dysfunction . He then pleaded guilty in September to nine tax offenses, stemming from $1.4 million in taxes that he didn’t pay while spending lavishly on escorts, strippers, cars and drugs. Sources familiar with Hunter Biden’s legal strategy said he would not have agreed to plead guilty in September to all nine charges in the federal tax case — exposing himself to the possibility of 17 years in prison and more than $1 million in fines — without the expectation of clemency. The legal pressure on Hunter Biden mounted as his sentencing dates in December neared. People close to the president’s son said they didn’t want him to have to undergo sentencing. In the days before the pardon was issued, Hunter Biden’s attorneys circulated a 50-page document outlining the six-year investigation of the president’s son and blaming Donald Trump and Republican allies for being the driving force behind his legal problems. Though controversial, Joe Biden’s move to pardon a close family member or associate is not unheard of. Presidents from both parties have wielded their pardon power in ways that have raised eyebrows — though perhaps none did so after so strongly saying they would not, as Biden did. Trump pardoned Charles Kushner , his daughter’s father-in-law, on his last month in office. President Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother Roger, who had pleaded guilty to a drug charge, on his last day in office. Biden’s public reversal this weekend and the issuance of a sweeping “full and unconditional” pardon for his son has some Democrats wondering why he had maintained that he wouldn’t take a course of action that had seemed simply inevitable to so many around the president. “As a father, I get it,” Rep. Greg Landsman, an Ohio Democrat, said on X. “But as someone who wants people to believe in public service again, it’s a setback.” Another Democrat, Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, said Biden’s decision placed “personal interest ahead of duty and further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.” Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona said that while he respects the president, “I think he got this one wrong.” “This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution,” Stanton said on X. “Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers.” One former administration official suggested the blowback Monday would have been less intense had Biden not been adamant for months that he wasn’t seeking a pardon for his son. “I wonder if there was a way to just be less righteous about it, and more like: ‘We’re not spending our time thinking about that,’” the former administration official said. The ex-senior West Wing aide echoed that sentiment, saying there were multiple ways Biden could have left the door open to a pardon rather than ruling out its possibility altogether. “Could he have been super honest?” they asked. “Like, ‘Hey, I don’t know, I can’t answer that right now.’” Jean-Pierre, who on more than one occasion had told reporters that Biden would not pardon his son, admitted Monday that Trump’s victory in last month’s election had been a factor. “It is a no — I can answer that, it’s a no,” Jean-Pierre told reporters on Air Force One, when asked whether Biden would have pardoned his son if Vice President Kamala Harris had won the election. But she then proceeded to insist she was not interested in discussing an event that did not happen: “I can speak to where we are today, and so I can’t speak to hypotheticals here. Where we are today, the president made this decision over the weekend.” The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.Evans and Gilmore Elementary receive grant through Highmark Foundation to offer First Tee

Sheinbaum says that she never asked Trump to close the border3 Durable Dividend Stocks to Buy for a Lifetime of Passive Income - Yahoo FinanceMarshall withdraws from Independence Bowl matchup against Army

Delaware judge reaffirms ruling that invalidated massive Tesla pay package for Elon MuskIran says will hold nuclear talks with France, Germany, UK on FridayThe Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) has approved a 20-million-baht budget for a feasibility study to develop the first phase of an 800-rai area at Bangkok Port in Klong Toey for business use. Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri on Saturday provided an update on plans for Bangkok Port, saying the subcommittee on land use, which she chairs, convened on Wednesday to ensure development strategies align with government policies. The PAT, which owns and operates Bangkok Port, initially planned to transform the port into a smart port and smart community. The project includes replacing low-rise housing with vertical residential buildings to minimise community disruption, while converting the waterfront into cruise terminals to promote tourism. Additional commercial development is planned for the remaining land. The subcommittee identified approximately 800 rai for pilot development. The area is currently occupied by outdated storage facilities and unused cargo containers. It has no existing leases or concessions, ensuring the development will not affect residents. The PAT board approved a budget of 20 million baht to hire a consultant to develop a business model within six months, with consultant selection expected to be completed by January, Ms Manaporn said. She said potential developments could include cruise terminals, mixed-use complexes, shopping malls, sports arenas, hotels and museums. The subcommittee also approved adding a representative from the PAT state enterprise labour union to its lineup and set up two additional committees focusing on Klong Toey community development and public engagement. This decision followed calls from the union for a clear future plan if the port is to be relocated. However, the ministry currently has no plans to relocate the port, Ms Manaporn said. Bangkok Port spans 2,353.2 rai and is divided into various zones used by the Customs Department, government agencies, private companies, and a 232.1-rai slum area. Further development projects may face delays due to existing leases and residential communities. Ms Manaporn emphasised the need to devise appropriate compensation measures for affected communities before proceeding. She said the government was keen to leverage digital technology to improve efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and transform the port into a smart and green facility. "The government's clear policy is to drive beneficial change," she said. This pilot project will showcase the potential for transformation. I will hold monthly meetings to monitor progress and expedite plans to connect an expressway directly to the port to alleviate traffic congestion." Manaporn: Potential to transform

Trump administration takes shape: President-elect completes top 15 Cabinet picksHUNTINGTON, W.V. (AP) — Marshall has withdrawn from the Independence Bowl after a coaching change resulted in much of its roster jumping into the transfer portal. The Thundering Herd were slated to play Army on Dec. 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana. But the Independence Bowl and Louisiana Tech announced on Saturday that the Bulldogs will take on the 19th-ranked Black Knights instead. Marshall said it pulled out “after falling below the roster minimum that was deemed medically safe.” The Herd (10-3) beat Louisiana-Lafayette 31-3 last weekend to win the Sun Belt Conference Championship for the first time. The program has won seven games in a row in the same season for the first time since 2020. “We apologize for the nature and timing of this announcement and for the turmoil it has brought to bowl season preparations for Army, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, the American Athletic Conference and ESPN,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said in a statement. Coach Charles Huff left Marshall for Southern Miss last Sunday, and Tony Gibson, the defensive coordinator at North Carolina State, was announced as his replacement less than an hour later. By Thursday, at least 25 Marshall players had entered the transfer portal. Gibson held a meeting shortly after arriving on campus in Huntington to introduce himself to the team. He followed that up with phone calls, text messages and more meetings Friday and Saturday. “Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said at a news conference Thursday. “And kids that are 18-to-22 years old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.” It's the first bowl for Louisiana Tech (5-7) since 2020. The Bulldogs have won two of their last three games, but they haven't played since a 33-0 victory over Kennesaw State on Nov. 30. “We are excited to accept the opportunity to play in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl against a fantastic and storied program as Army,” Louisiana Tech athletic director Ryan Ivey said in a release. “I believe our football program is moving toward positive structure and the opportunity to play in this bowl adds to that momentum. We are looking forward to being in Shreveport for this matchup.” 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-football

CNIC team develops a comprehensive set of genetic tools and mouse linesOnyx Boox has a new colour e-paper e-notebook that is now available to order, the Onyx Boox Note Air 4C. This device is designed for note-taking and also reading in full colour. The central selling point is the 10.3-inch Carta 1200 colour e-paper display with Android 13 and full access to the Google Play Store. Coming to price, the new is currently available to order for $499.99. Onyx Boox introduced the new Note Air4 C with an I10.3-inch E Ink Carta 1200 display with a Kaleido 3 panel. The resolution is a lovely 2480 x 1860 with 300 PPI when viewing B/W content but gets halved to 1240 x 930 or 150 PPI for colour content. When viewing PDF files, journals, comics or web content, all of this can be viewed with 4,096 colours. The screen is flush with the bezel and protected by a layer of glass. Reading at night is possible, thanks to the warm and cool lights. Further, with the onboard Boox Super Refresh or BSR tech, you have ultra-clear displays and fast page refresh times. There are zero remnants of previous displays to mar the viewing experience. The accompanying stylus, which Onyx refers to as the Pen Plus, offers a natural paper-like writing feel. The Pen Plus is ideal for expressing creativity in notes, annotations, or drawings. The capacitive pen sensitively supports 4,096 levels of pressure. Underneath the hood is an Octa-core processor, 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It has an SD card slot capable of 1TB of extra storage if you need further storage. There are dual microphones for audio dictation or voice communication apps. Dual speakers are good for audiobooks, podcasts, music or audio playback, but they have Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless earbuds or headphones. WIFI is available to install apps and access the internet. A USB-C port can be used as an audio jack and has OTG, also used for charging. A 3,700mAh Li-ion Polymer battery powers it. The dimensions are 226 x 193 x 5.8 mm (8.9′′ x 7.6′′ x 0.23′′) and weighs approx. 420 g (14.8 oz) The industrial design is similar to the Remarkable two or Kindle Scribe 2. It is black along the bezels but has a dark grey ledger on the left. The back of the device is also black. The power button with a fingerprint sensor is at the top. The speakers, USB port, and Micro SD slot are on the bottom. The Boox Note Air 4C runs Google Android 13, which makes it one of the few e-notes or e-readers on the market with such a recent version of Android. This includes not only performance increases but also major security updates. Onyx is one of the few companies that include Google Play and Play Services on all its devices. Bigme is another brand that does this. Users can sign into their account and start downloading apps that have already been downloaded or purchased on other Android phones or tablets. Onyx runs Boox OS, a customized launcher that optimizes e-paper e-readers, e-notes, and tablets. The company constantly pushes out firmware updates to refine the reading, writing and general performance. They do this every few months, which is suitable for users who can invest in the Onyx platform, knowing that it will be supported for at least five years. This is the fastest Onyx product we have ever reviewed. If you launch an app, it automatically opens. Navigating around Google Play is instant; even animations play correctly. Browsing the UI and settings menu is lightning-fast. This is the same as the standard speed model. I don’t know what Onyx did underneath the hood on a software level, but compared to the Leaf 2 with Carta 1200 or the Nova Air 2, this blows them out of the water with performance. A year ago, Onyx revised its user interface to make it more user-friendly. The navigation bar is at the bottom, and the UI elements change depending on what you have open, such as the Note taking app, reading app, Google Play, or the internet browser. The home screen gives shortcuts to the library, note-taking app, file browser, and settings. You can click on things to launch specific elements that support gesture control. If you swipe upwards from the bottom of the Ultra, below the icons, you will automatically go to the home screen. If you swipe down from the top, you get the typical Android notifications. Swipe downward to where the WIFI is and click the symbol, and you will launch the main settings drop-down menu. If you long press on the main home screen, you can now add widgets, which is exciting. There are a few stock ones, such as calendar, weather and clock, but you can download additional ones from Google Play. The main drop-down is called Control Centre. This is where you can establish a WIFI network and Bluetooth connection, access the E INK Control Centre, rotate, screencast, mute notifications, turn on/off the touchscreen, split screen view, screen recording, Boox Drop, Screenshot, Do Not Disturb mode and screen refresh. You can also adjust the volume of the two stereo speakers or if you are using Bluetooth headphones. The front light and colour temperature system can also be changed here. A tiny gear setting also allows you to turn on or off any options on the Control Centre. E INK Control Centre is beneficial. You can control the dark and light levels of the entire device. This helps with contrast. I prefer the icons and text slightly darker than the default setting. You can also augment the light and dark values per app. So, you downloaded the Kindle app but found the UI and text a bit dark. You can access the Control Centre and adjust the darker values; they will always be there whenever you launch the app. Onyx Boox has the refreshed technology they mention on all their premium devices. This system is designed to make the e-paper display function more like an Android tablet. You can access this from the drop-down menu or the settings menu. HD, the default standard, and Balanced gives you a nice blend of increased performance with slight image degradation. Fast offers kick the Ultra into overdrive, making it even quicker. At the same time, Ultrafast is ideal for watching streaming videos or listening to audio from sources such as YouTube or Spotify. Onyx has also changed the settings menu. The main navigation bar is now on the right side, and all data from the fields is now on the right side. This gives you a standard Android interface. Some of the most notable functions here are controlling the new gesture controls and how you gesture to do specific things. You can swipe in particular ways to refresh the screen, which helps eliminate the ghosting from the faster speed modes. Desktop settings allow you to add your screen saver or power off images. The display is where you can change the system fonts and text sizes. Brightness, screen timeout, and auto sleep are also helpful. Onyx has added a new feature called total refresh frequency. This is controlled by tapping the screen with the stylus or your finger. The default value is 5, but you can change it to whatever you want; I like 3. So if you quickly tap the screen three times, no matter where you are on the device, the net will refresh. Our personal lives are entirely of colour. Our eyes can see colour everywhere we look. Computer monitors, smartphones and iPad tablets display billions of colours but have harmful blue light, and some people have sensitivity issues. This is where the Note Air 4C comes in; no light is shining into your eyes but evenly distributed across the screen. All of the apps you install are in full colour and the same, with icons all over the screen. The Note Air 4C makes a perfect e-reader for reading books, comics, manga, PDF files, and other digital content. This is because it has a 10.3-inch and tons of real estate for all text to fit evenly across the screen. Flipping pages is ultra-fast and even faster if you engage in any speed modes from the E INK Control Centre. The image quality is very pronounced, so if you are looking for a multipurpose tablet to read, this one’s for you. The e-reading experience starts with the stock app Neoreader, where you can side-load all your content with many options for font sizes, font type, alignment, line spacing and margins. It supports PRC, RTF, Doc, Text, DJVU, PDF, Mobi, FB2, EPUB, CBR and CBZ. CBZ and CBR support is excellent for sideloading Manga files since this is the most popular online format. However, Amazon delivers manga in AZW3 and Kobo/Google via EPUB. You don’t need to worry about forms if you install apps such as VIZ or manga apps. This device excels at reading PDF files, whether replicas from a newspaper, Dungeons and Dragons source material or even reading office documents. You can quickly sign your tax returns or contract documents with a flourish of the stylus or use your fingers for handwriting. You can quickly fill in boxes and write in fields. Manga is also excellent. However, your mileage might vary depending on whether you use a dedicated app or side-load your content. The Note Air 4C shines when you access Google Play and download your favourite apps. This gives you tremendous flexibility and freedom to use whatever reading or news apps you usually use on your smartphone or tablet. I know many people always install Libby to read eBooks or listen to audiobooks borrowed from the public library. The Kindle reading app is the most popular since it was initially developed for smartphones and tablets. The page turn animation always looks nice and pretty, but it struggles on E INK devices due to the refresh issue. This is why Onyx made enhancements to the app on a system level to eliminate animated page turns, so it is seamless and robust when you turn a page. Over the years, they have optimized many other apps but tend to focus on the writing experience on their extensive line of e-notes. The company has also made enhancements to several productivity apps. The Note Air 4C is not billed as an e-reader but primarily as a replacement for paper and a note-taking device. However, I would dare recommend this product not to be drawn but to view all your digital content in full colour on an E INK screen. You won’t get any reflections from the sun, and battery life is measured in weeks, not days. The Note Air 4C is a dedicated digital note-taking device that allows you to draw freehand, make notes, or doodle in colour. Eighteen colour combinations can be selected, just the primary colours. When you are finished drawing, you can save the notebook to the device, export it as a PNG or PDF file, and copy it to your PC/MAC. Once it is opened on your computer, you can view the document in all the colours you made. A total of 4096 colours can be displayed for colour content. When you want to draw something, you can use a variety of pens, pencils, and other tools, such as a mechanical pencil and highlighter, fountain pen, paintbrush, ballpoint pen, or text. You can also set the line thickness to get thinner or thicker lines, and the stylus has pressure sensitivity, too. One of the features I like is using layers. This system is similar to popular photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop. As an essential feature that users frequently require, layers can help people take notes without ruining the templates and draw details while retaining the original layout. The built-in Notes app currently supports you in adding up to five layers. As the template is the base layer, you can simultaneously have up to six layers. By selecting a template as the base layer, you can give your work comprehensive layout instructions. You can choose from local space, cloud space, or in png format to give a page a specific look. But what else can it do? You can use screencast to connect whatever is on your Note Air 4C to your PC. This is useful during meetings or to show people what you have been working on rather than crowding around the e-reader. Onyx also has a , and they are working on an IOS version. This is optional to use. It lets you sync everything on the Ultra C to your smartphone or from your smartphone to the Note. Onyx also provides 10GB of cloud storage for everything in their cloud. You only need to use the companion app if you want smartphone integration. There are a few essential features worth mentioning. Documents can have 500 pages on them to have extensive notes. I also like saving your favourite pen settings to the entire UI, so you can select each one by tapping your finger on it or using the stylus. For example, Pen 1 can have a pencil with thick lines and be back. Pen 2 can be a highlighter with RED and thin lines; Pen 3 can be a brush with thick lines. I also like how you can import pictures from Dropbox or Google Drive into the notes, resize them in a message, and edit them. You can start drawing on PDF files as soon as they are loaded and save the edited file as a different file name or overwrite the original. You get a different interface when editing PDF files than the standard drawing experience on the note-taking app. Even with the Normal HD mode, I have never seen an Onyx Boox product perform so well with PDF files. Page turns are instant, there is no latency, and it is like using an iPad. Suppose you try pinching and zooming a PDF; a small notification window pops and asks if you should turn the function on. Other Onyx models have this feature but are buried in various sub-menus. The Notes app provides more powerful tools with constant firmware updates than ever. You can use handwriting recognition (AI tool) to quickly transform your handwritten notes into text. You can also insert recordings, pictures, attachments, and links to an internal page or an external website to make your messages look vivid. This is by far the company’s most ridiculous release. It is the fourth generation—yes, you heard that correctly—of the Note Air Cline. There are only three differences from the previous generation Note Air 3C: You have an updated version of Android, which is 10 Grams lighter, and you get 2GB of extra RAM. That’s it. Furthermore, they did not increase the price, uncharacteristic of the brand, which baffles me, as Onyx has increased the cost of every incremental upgrade. The differences are negligible: 10 G of weight savings is unnoticeable by the human hand, two gigs of RAM were virtually identical under pretty much any stress test process we used on the unit, and the latest version of Android only applies to high-profile games, etc. Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.