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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Buried among Florida’s manicured golf courses and sprawling suburbs are the artifacts of its slave-holding past: the long-lost cemeteries of enslaved people, the statues of Confederate soldiers that still stand watch over town squares, the old plantations turned into modern subdivisions that bear the same name. But many students aren’t learning that kind of Black history in Florida classrooms. In an old wooden bungalow in Delray Beach, Charlene Farrington and her staff gather groups of teenagers on Saturday mornings to teach them lessons she worries that public schools won’t provide. They talk about South Florida’s Caribbean roots, the state’s dark history of lynchings , how segregation still shapes the landscape and how grassroots activists mobilized the Civil Rights Movement to upend generations of oppression. “You need to know how it happened before so you can decide how you want it to happen again,” she told her students as they sat as their desks, the morning light illuminating historic photographs on the walls. Florida students are giving up their Saturday mornings to learn about African American history at the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray Beach and in similar programs at community centers across the state. Many are supported by Black churches, which for generations have helped forge the cultural and political identity of their parishioners. Since Faith in Florida developed its own Black history toolkit last year, more than 400 congregations have pledged to teach the lessons, the advocacy group says. Florida has required public schools to teach African American history for the past 30 years, but many families no longer trust the state’s education system to adequately address the subject. By the state’s own metrics, just a dozen Florida school districts have demonstrated excellence at teaching Black history, by providing evidence that they are incorporating the content into lessons throughout the school year and getting buy-in from the school board and community partners. School district officials across Florida told The Associated Press that they are still following the state mandate to teach about the experience of enslavement, abolition and the “vital contributions of African Americans to build and strengthen American society.” But a common complaint from students and parents is that the instruction seems limited to heroic figures such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks and rarely extends beyond each February’s Black History Month . When Sulaya Williams’ eldest child started school, she couldn’t find the comprehensive instruction she wanted for him in their area. So in 2016, she launched her own organization to teach Black history in community settings. “We wanted to make sure that our children knew our stories, to be able to pass down to their children,” Williams said. Williams now has a contract to teach Saturday school at a public library in Fort Lauderdale, and her 12-year-old daughter Addah Gordon invites her classmates to join her. “It feels like I’m really learning my culture. Like I’m learning what my ancestors did,” Addah said. “And most people don’t know what they did.” State lawmakers unanimously approved the African American history requirement in 1994 at a time of atonement over Florida’s history. Historians commissioned by the state had just published an official report on the deadly attack on the town of Rosewood in 1923, when a white mob razed the majority-Black community and drove out its residents. When the Florida Legislature approved financial compensation for Rosewood’s survivors and descendants in 1994, it was seen as a national model for reparations . “There was a moment of enlightenment in Florida, those decades ago. There really was,” said Marvin Dunn, who has authored multiple books on Black Floridians. “But that was short-lived.” Three decades later, the teaching of African American history remains inconsistent across Florida classrooms, inadequate in the eyes of some advocates, and is under fire by the administration of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has championed efforts to restrict how race , history and discrimination can be talked about in the state’s public schools . DeSantis has led attacks on “wokeness” in education that rallied conservatives nationwide, including President-elect Donald Trump . In 2022, the governor signed a law restricting certain race-based conversations in schools and businesses and prohibits teaching that members of one ethnic group should feel guilt or bear responsibility for actions taken by previous generations. Last year, DeSantis’ administration blocked a new Advanced Placement course on African American Studies from being taught in Florida, saying it violates state law and is historically inaccurate. A spokesperson for the College Board, which oversees Advanced Placement courses, told the AP they are not aware of any public schools in Florida currently offering the African American Studies class. It’s also not listed in the state’s current course directory. Representatives for the Florida Department of Education and the state’s African American History Task Force did not respond to The AP’s requests for comment. “People who are interested in advancing African diaspora history can’t rely on schools to do that,” said Tameka Bradley Hobbs, manager of Broward County’s African-American Research Library and Cultural Center. “I think it’s even more clear now that there needs to be a level of self-reliance and self-determination when it comes to passing on the history and heritage of our ancestors.” Last year, only 30 of Florida’s 67 traditional school districts offered at least one standalone course on African American history or humanities, according to state data. While not required by state law, having a dedicated Black history class is a measure of how districts are following the state mandate. Florida’s large urban districts are far more likely to offer the classes, compared to small rural districts, some of which have fewer than 2,000 students. Even in districts that have staff dedicated to teaching Black history, some teachers are afraid of violating state law, according to Brian Knowles, who oversees African American, Holocaust and Latino studies for the Palm Beach County school district. “There’s so many other districts and so many kids that we’re missing because we’re tiptoeing around what is essentially American history,” Knowles said. Frustration over the restrictions that teachers face pushed Renee O’Connor to take a sabbatical last year from her job teaching Black history at Miami Norland Senior High School in the majority-Black city of Miami Gardens. Now, she is back in the classroom, but she also has been helping community groups develop their own Black history programs outside of the public school system. “I wish, obviously, all kids were able to take an African American history class,” O’Connor said, “but you have to pivot if it’s not happening in schools.”By REBECCA SANTANA WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has promised to end birthright citizenship as soon as he gets into office to make good on campaign promises aiming to restrict immigration and redefining what it means to be American. But any efforts to halt the policy would face steep legal hurdles. Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen. It’s been in place for decades and applies to children born to someone in the country illegally or in the U.S. on a tourist or student visa who plans to return to their home country. It’s not the practice of every country, and Trump and his supporters have argued that the system is being abused and that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen. But others say this is a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, it would be extremely difficult to overturn and even if it’s possible, it’s a bad idea. Here’s a look at birthright citizenship, what Trump has said about it and the prospects for ending it: During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Trump said he “absolutely” planned to halt birthright citizenship once in office. “We’re going to end that because it’s ridiculous,” he said. Trump and other opponents of birthright citizenship have argued that it creates an incentive for people to come to the U.S. illegally or take part in “birth tourism,” in which pregnant women enter the U.S. specifically to give birth so their children can have citizenship before returning to their home countries. “Simply crossing the border and having a child should not entitle anyone to citizenship,” said Eric Ruark, director of research for NumbersUSA, which argues for reducing immigration. The organization supports changes that would require at least one parent to be a permanent legal resident or a U.S. citizen for their children to automatically get citizenship. Others have argued that ending birthright citizenship would profoundly damage the country. “One of our big benefits is that people born here are citizens, are not an illegal underclass. There’s better assimilation and integration of immigrants and their children because of birthright citizenship,” said Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the pro-immigration Cato Institute. In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that 5.5 million children under age 18 lived with at least one parent in the country illegally in 2019, representing 7% of the U.S. child population. The vast majority of those children were U.S. citizens. The nonpartisan think tank said during Trump’s campaign for president in 2015 that the number of people in the country illegally would “balloon” if birthright citizenship were repealed, creating “a self-perpetuating class that would be excluded from social membership for generations.” In the aftermath of the Civil War, Congress ratified the 14th Amendment in July 1868. That amendment assured citizenship for all, including Black people. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” the 14th Amendment says. “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” But the 14th Amendment didn’t always translate to everyone being afforded birthright citizenship. For example, it wasn’t until 1924 that Congress finally granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. A key case in the history of birthright citizenship came in 1898, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the states. The federal government had tried to deny him reentry into the county after a trip abroad on grounds he wasn’t a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act. But some have argued that the 1898 case clearly applied to children born of parents who are both legal immigrants to America but that it’s less clear whether it applies to children born to parents without legal status or, for example, who come for a short-term like a tourist visa. “That is the leading case on this. In fact, it’s the only case on this,” said Andrew Arthur, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. “It’s a lot more of an open legal question than most people think.” Some proponents of immigration restrictions have argued the words “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the 14th Amendment allows the U.S. to deny citizenship to babies born to those in the country illegally. Trump himself used that language in his 2023 announcement that he would aim to end birthright citizenship if reelected. Trump wasn’t clear in his Sunday interview how he aims to end birthright citizenship. Asked how he could get around the 14th Amendment with an executive action, Trump said: “Well, we’re going to have to get it changed. We’ll maybe have to go back to the people. But we have to end it.” Pressed further on whether he’d use an executive order, Trump said “if we can, through executive action.” He gave a lot more details in a 2023 post on his campaign website . In it, he said he would issue an executive order the first day of his presidency, making it clear that federal agencies “require that at least one parent be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident for their future children to become automatic U.S. citizens.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next National Politics | In promising to shake up Washington, Trump is in a class of his own National Politics | Election Day has long passed. In some states, legislatures are working to undermine the results National Politics | Trump taps his attorney Alina Habba to serve as counselor to the president National Politics | With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight Trump wrote that the executive order would make clear that children of people in the U.S. illegally “should not be issued passports, Social Security numbers, or be eligible for certain taxpayer funded welfare benefits.” This would almost certainly end up in litigation. Nowrasteh from the Cato Institute said the law is clear that birthright citizenship can’t be ended by executive order but that Trump may be inclined to take a shot anyway through the courts. “I don’t take his statements very seriously. He has been saying things like this for almost a decade,” Nowrasteh said. “He didn’t do anything to further this agenda when he was president before. The law and judges are near uniformly opposed to his legal theory that the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States are not citizens.” Trump could steer Congress to pass a law to end birthright citizenship but would still face a legal challenge that it violates the Constitution. Associated Press reporter Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.

Accel India is the largest shareholder in BlueStone, holding a 12.25% stake in the company on a fully diluted basis Gaurav Singh Kushwaha, the founder and CEO of BlueStone, is the second-largest shareholder with a 17.81% stake in the company 360 ONE Asset owns a 6.27% stake, while Kalaari Capital Partners holds 5.81%. Sunil Kant Munjal, chairman of Hero Enterprise, owns 5.65% of the company Omnichannel jewellery company Bluestone filed its draft red herring prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) earlier this week. The company plans to raise over INR 1,000 Cr through its public issue, which includes a fresh issue of INR 1,000 Cr and an offer-for-sale (OFS) component of up to 2.40 Cr equity shares. From the fresh issue proceeds, INR 750 Cr will be allocated to meet working capital requirements, while the remaining INR 250 Cr will be used for general corporate purposes, including setting up new stores, repayment or prepayment of loans, pursuing strategic initiatives, and exploring partnerships and joint ventures, among others. In the OFS, investors like Accel and Kalaari Capital will divest their stakes. Kalaari plans to sell up to 79.78 Lakh shares via two funds, while Saama Capital will offload 41 Lakh shares. IvyCap Ventures intends to sell 31.26 Lakh shares, Accel India will divest 30.27 Lakh shares, and Iron Pillar will offload 17.53 Lakh shares. Additionally, Hero Enterprise chairman Sunil Kant Munjal will sell 40 Lakh shares as part of the OFS. BlueStone’s net loss declined 15% year-on-year (YoY) to INR 142.2 Cr in the financial year 2023-24 (FY24), while operating revenue jumped 64% to INR 1,265.8 Cr. The company also disclosed its financial performance for the first three months of FY25 (Q1 FY25). It reported a net loss of INR 52.22 Cr in Q1 FY25 on an operating revenue of INR 359.19 Cr. Total expenses for the quarter ending June 2024 stood at INR 418.14 Cr. Founded in 2011 by Gaurav Singh Kushwaha and Vidya Nataraj, BlueStone is an omnichannel jewellery company that offers more than 8,000 designs across rings, pendants, earrings and other products. It competes with the likes of CaratLane, GIVA, and other legacy jewellery brands. In June, BlueStone raised INR 100 Cr in debt funding from Neo Markets. The DRHP filing came against the backdrop of a growing number of Indian startups either gearing up for or making their market debut in recent times. So far this year, 12 new-age tech companies like Go Digit General Insurance, FirstCry, Unicommerce, TBO Tek, Ola Electric, Awfis, ixigo, Menhood, TAC Security, Trust Fintech, Swiggy and BlackBuck listed on the exchanges. MobiKwik is scheduled to list on the bourses next week. BlueStone’s DRHP also shed light on its shareholding pattern and the key executives. Accel India is the largest shareholder in BlueStone, holding a 12.25% stake in the company on a fully diluted basis. Kushwaha, the founder and CEO of BlueStone, is the second-largest shareholder with a 17.81% stake. 360 ONE Asset owns a 6.27% stake, while Kalaari Capital Partners holds 5.81%. Sunil Kant Munjal, chairman of Hero Enterprise, owns 5.65% of the company. MIH Investments One B.V. holds a 4.43% stake, followed by Iron Pillar at 4%. Peak XV Partners owns 2.96%, while both IE Venture and Saama Capital hold an equal stake of 2.99% each. IvyCap Ventures Trust has a 2.28% stake. NKSquared, founded by Zerodha’s Nikhal Kamath, also holds a 1.21% stake in the company. Gaurav Singh Kushwaha Kushwaha is the chairman, managing director and chief executive officer of BlueStone. He holds a bachelor’s degree in technology, specialising in computer science and engineering, from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. He was previously associated with Tavant Technologies (India) Private Limited, Amazon Development Centre (India) Private Limited, and Chakpak Media Private Limited. Prashanth Prakash Prashanth Prakash is a non-executive nominee director of BlueStone. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering, specialising in computer science and technology from Bangalore University. He also holds a master’s degree in science from the University of Delaware, and an honorary doctorate of science from the University of Mysore. He has been associated with Accel India Management LLP since August 2008. Sameer Dileep Nath Sameer Dileep Nath is a non-executive nominee director of BlueStone. He holds a bachelor’s degree in arts, specialising in political science, from Middlebury College, and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago. He has over seven years of experience in venture capital funding and was previously associated with IP Ventures Advisors Private Limited and TrueScale Venture Capital LLP. Rajesh Kumar Dahiya Rajesh Kumar Dahiya is an independent director of BlueStone. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering, specialising in civil engineering, from Bangalore University, and a master’s degree in personnel management and industrial relations from Panjab University. He has experience in human resources and operational distribution and was previously associated with Rallis India Limited, Tata Services Limited, Tata Tea Limited, and Axis Bank Limited. Rohit Bhasin Rohit Bhasin is also an independent director. He holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Delhi University and is a qualified chartered accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He was previously associated with Standard Chartered Bank in its merchant banking division and PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited. Neha Neha is an independent director of BlueStone. She holds a postgraduate diploma in business management from Fore School of Management, New Delhi. She was previously associated with FCB-ULKA Advertising Private Limited and Living Media India Limited. Rumit Dugar Rumit Dugar is the chief financial officer of BlueStone. He has been associated with the company since May 2, 2022. Dugar has over 16 years of experience in technology consulting, fintech, and equities. He previously worked at organisations like JP Morgan India Private Limited, Infosys Technologies Limited, Alchemy Shares & Stock Brokers Private Limited, Religare Capital Markets Limited, IDFC Securities Limited, and Niyogin Fintech Limited. Jasmeet Kaur Saluja Jasmeet Kaur Saluja is the company secretary and compliance officer of BlueStone. She has been associated with the company since March 19, 2024. Saluja has significant expertise in corporate legal compliance and company secretarial functions. She was previously associated with Draeger India Private Limited as a company secretary and also worked at Algo Legal and Rathi & Associates. Sudeep Nagar Sudeep Nagar is the chief operating officer of BlueStone. He has been associated with the company since December 11, 2012. Nagar has extensive experience in operational management and strategic leadership. He was previously associated with HCL Technologies Limited, Computer Sciences Corporation India Private Limited, and the Lodha Group of Companies. Vipin Sharma Vipin Sharma is the chief merchandising officer of BlueStone. He has been associated with the company since October 13, 2021. Sharma has over 19 years of experience in the luxury goods and jewellery industry. He previously worked with Titan Watches Provident Fund, OyzterBay Private Limited, Clarity Gold Mint Limited, Wincor-Nixdorf India Private Limited, World Gold Council, and Luxury Products Trendsetter Private Limited. Mikhil Raj Mikhil Raj is the chief product officer of the IPO-bound company. He has been associated with the company since April 10, 2024. Raj has a strong background in product management and artificial intelligence. He was previously associated with Urbanclap Technologies , ZestMoney, and Krutim SI Designs. Harshit Kulin Desai Harshit Kulin Desai is the chief manufacturing officer of BlueStone. He has been associated with the company since June 1, 2024. Desai has over 14 years of experience in manufacturing operations, technical, and production roles within the FMCG industry. He was previously associated with Galaxy Surfactants Limited and ITC Limited. Tarun Rajput Tarun Rajput is the head of engineering at the jewellery company. He has been associated with the company since October 21, 2014. Rajput has a robust background in engineering and technology leadership. He was previously associated with Cisco Video Technologies India as a technical leader.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson vowed on Thursday to remain in the race despite a CNN report that he posted strongly worded racial and sexual comments on an online message board, saying he won’t be forced out by “salacious tabloid lies.” Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson vowed on Thursday to remain in the race despite a CNN report that he posted strongly worded racial and sexual comments on an online message board, saying he won’t be forced out by “salacious tabloid lies.” Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson vowed on Thursday to remain in the race despite a CNN report that he posted strongly worded racial and sexual comments on an online message board, saying he won’t be forced out by “salacious tabloid lies.” Robinson, the sitting lieutenant governor who decisively won his GOP gubernatorial primary in March, has been trailing in several recent polls to Democratic nominee Josh Stein, the current attorney general. “We are staying in this race. We are in it to win it,” Robinson said in a video posted Thursday on the social media platform X. “And we know that with your help, we will.” Robinson referenced in the video a story that he said CNN was running, but he didn’t give details. “Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story — those are not the words of Mark Robinson,” he said. “You know my words. You know my character.” The CNN report describes a series of racial and sexual comments Robinson posted on the message board of a pornography website more than a decade ago. CNN reported that Robinson, who would be North Carolina’s first Black governor, attacked civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in searing terms and once referred to himself as a “black NAZI.” CNN also reported that Robinson wrote of being aroused by a memory of “peeping” women in gym showers when he was 14 along with an appreciation of transgender pornography. Robinson at one point referred to himself as a “perv,” according to CNN. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed that Robinson wrote and posted the messages. CNN said it matched details of the account on the pornographic website forum to other online accounts held by Robinson by comparing usernames, a known email address and his full name. CNN reported that details discussed by the account holder matched Robinson’s age, length of marriage and other biographical information. It also compared figures of speech that were used in his public Facebook profile and that appeared in discussions by the account on the pornographic website. Media outlets already have reported about a 2021 speech by Robinson in a church in which he used the word “filth” when discussing gay and transgender people. Robinson has a history of inflammatory comments that Stein has said made him too extreme to lead North Carolina. They already have contributed to the prospect that campaign struggles for Robinson would hurt former President Donald Trump to win the battleground state’s 16 electoral votes, and potential other GOP downballot candidates. Recent polls of North Carolina voters show Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris locked in a close race. The same polls show Stein with a roughly 10-point lead over Robinson. Stein and his allies have repeatedly cited a Facebook post from 2019 in which Robinson said abortion in America was about “killing the child because you weren’t responsible enough to keep your skirt down.” The Stein campaign said in a statement after the report that “North Carolinians already know Mark Robinson is completely unfit to be Governor.” State law says a gubernatorial nominee could withdraw as a candidate no later than the day before the first absentee ballots requested by military and overseas voters are distributed. That begins Friday, so the withdrawal deadline would be late Thursday. State Republican leaders could then pick a replacement. Trump has frequently voiced his support for Robinson, who has been considered a rising star in his party, well-known for his fiery speeches and evocative rhetoric. Ahead of the March primary, Trump at a rally in Greensboro called Robinson “Martin Luther King on steroids” for his speaking ability. Trump’s campaign appears to be distancing itself from Robinson in the wake of the report. In a statement to the AP, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the GOP nominee’s campaign “is focused on winning the White House and saving this country,” calling North Carolina “a vital part of that plan.” Leavitt went on to contrast Trump’s economic record with that of Harris, not mentioning Robinson by name or answering questions as to whether he would appear with Trump at a Saturday campaign rally in Wilmington, or had been invited to do so. A spokesperson for Harris’ campaign, Ammar Moussa, said on X that “Donald Trump has a Mark Robinson problem” and reposted a photo of the two together. The North Carolina Republican Party defended Robinson in a statement on X, saying that despite his denial of CNN’s report, it wouldn’t “stop the Left from trying to demonize him via personal attacks.” The party referred to economic and immigration policies as the predominant election issues North Carolinians will care more about instead. “The Left needs this election to be a personality contest, not a policy contest because if voters focused on policy, Republicans win on Election Day,” the party said. Scott Lassiter, a Republican state Senate candidate in a Raleigh-area swing district, did call on Robinson to “suspend his campaign to allow a quality candidate to finish this race.” Ed Broyhill, a North Carolina member of the Republican National Committee, said he spoke to Robinson Thursday afternoon and still supports him as the nominee. In an interview, Broyhill suggested the online details may have been fabricated. “It seems like a dirty trick to me,” Broyhill said. On Capitol Hill, U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the House GOP’s campaign committee, told reporters the report’s findings were “concerning.” Robinson, he said, has some reassuring to do in the state. Robinson, 56, was elected lieutenant governor in his first bid for public office in 2020. He tells a life story of childhood poverty, jobs that he blames the North American Free Trade Agreement for ending, and personal bankruptcy. His four-minute speech to the Greensboro City Council defending gun rights and lamenting the “demonizing” of police officers went viral — and led him to a National Rifle Association board position and popularity among conservative voters. ___ This story was first published on Sep. 19, 2024. It was updated on Nov. 22, 2024 to correct which of Robinson’s social media accounts CNN cited in a comparison to language in messages from a pornographic website message board. CNN cited his public Facebook account, not his Twitter account. ___ Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina, and Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report. Advertisement AdvertisementOil prices higher on China boost, Syria uncertaintyAfter this election season, I’ve heard more than one person suggest that our country is nearly trashed. Well, I’m not usually one to talk trash, but I do have a trashy parable to tell. The trashy tale is told every holiday season when our Waste Disposal company changes our pickup day. Hysteria begins in our quiet lake neighborhood whenever we get the email informing us that our regular trash day will change to accommodate a holiday schedule. I call it The Holiday Garbage Debacle. It begins Black Friday weekend when folks are too busy buying junk on sale to think about disposing of their junk. But by New Year’s our cans will be filled with the carcasses of turkeys and old dollies. No one will remember exactly what that email said because we deleted the message. With so many forgetful people, we all follow that one cocky soul who is confident he remembers the temporary trash day. As he drags his cans curbside, doors creak for peeks, neighbors labor and phones buzz. More cans join the festive holiday parade. Joggers and mommies pushing strollers spread the fear via cell phones urging spouses to make the last-minute push. That’s when the dam breaks. Throngs of people dash outside in their robes praying it’s not too late. It’s that whole herd-to-the-curb mentality. I remember a few years ago, just after Thanksgiving Day, I woke up urging my wife to help me push the cans into the foggy dawn. “Our cans are stuffed! Hurry or we’ll miss the pickup,” I warned in my repent-or-burn voice. “I think we’re still on the regular schedule.” “Then why are so many people putting their trash out?” I asked. “One person did, so they all did,” she said, yelling her social commentary as I rattled the cans to the street. Determined to prove her wrong, I paused to listen for the monstrous garbage trucks. Other neighbors joined my acoustical surveillance team as they cocked their ears out second-story windows. People ran across the street consulting neighbors — pulling out more cans — doors were opening and slamming in search of that truck. Finally, when rumor found its saturation point, a hard-headed neighbor emerged brandishing the printed email she had dutifully posted on her refrigerator. As she circulated her epistle, converts found the truth and returned their cans to the hidden place where respectable neighborhood CC&R’s demand they be placed. Still some who were unwilling to demonstrate sinful shame kept their cans curbside all the while muttering, “They’ll be sorry when the truck comes!” I don’t mean to trivialize this political discord we find ourselves in, but lately I can’t help but wonder if the new cycle has erupted with stories that inspire new levels of hysteric hyperbole. These days, I’m trying to stick with facts as I know them because, just as in the case of the garbage can debacle, facts remain our best ally against fear. As a country, we are bigger than the fear-based concerns generated over which bathroom one uses, what library book is removed from a shelf and where one is allowed to pray. There are more solid things that need our focus, like immigration reform, a fair tax base, common-sense gun regulation, and issues too many to name here. These issues come with a slew of problems yet to be worked out. So, before we start acting on our fear, I have to remember the Biblical promise that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Trusting in this promise and keeping a sound mind gets my vote every time – no matter when the trash always gets picked up. — Reminder that my family and I will be matching all reader donations to Chispa Project up to $5,000 postmarked between now and GivingTuesday on December 3. You can donate online at www.chispaproject.org/chaplain or send a check made to “Chispa Project” to 10566 Combie Rd. Suite 6643 Auburn, CA 95602. For an autographed copy of “Tell It To The Chaplain,” or any of my books, order from my website www.thechaplain.net or send a check for $20 (per book) to the address above.Football Round 2 playoffs: Dr. Phillips scores again after takeaway

One of my oldest Apple products is the 2009 iPod touch 3. It’s already 15 years old, and for the past decade, it has been collecting dust in my home. Every now and then, I try to find a 30-pin connector and a USB-A power brick to charge it and see what’s inside. Unfortunately, a few years ago, I saw all my old photos and notes disappear due to issues with iCloud sync. Besides that, iMessage stopped working because it didn’t let me log into my account without 2FA support. Still, every time I turn on my old , I feel like taking a trip down memory lane. All the little sounds and perfect UI are things I definitely miss. , which was released back in May of 2012. (!!!), Apple added the Notification Center and the ability to see notifications from the lock screen, iMessage, Newsstand (eventually, Apple Books), built-in support for Twitter, and iCloud support—crazy times. Still, there are a few things I can take advantage of with my iPod touch if I’m patient enough. These are five features that are still available: Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there. By signing up, I agree to the and have reviewed the With an old iPod touch, like mine, you can take advantage of other little features. You can create reminders, see the calendar, enjoy the old multitasking, try to open apps that no longer work with that device, and so on. Wrap up Turning my old iPod touch on is always great, as it makes me look back at how much technology evolved over the past decade. I remember the excitement of trying the iPod touch 3 for the first time, and today, it feels like every iPhone release is always kind of the same experience. Looking back, it isn’t an Apple device that old, but it reminds me of my teenage years when I used EarPods in school and felt like I was carrying the most technological and cool gadget available at the time. What’s your oldest Apple device that you like to turn on occasionally? Let me know at jose@bgr.com.

Bhai Mardana’s death anniv: Descendant says memory of Nanak’s friend neglected

A guitar company touting an endorsement by Donald Trump has become embroiled in a trademark dispute, accused of imitating an iconic instrument, U.S. media reported Tuesday. Trump Guitars, whose website boasts a picture of the U.S. president-elect holding a six-string, has received a "cease and desist" letter from Gibson, whose guitars have been favorites of musicians including Bob Dylan and Chuck Berry. The letter warns Trump Guitars owner 16 Creative that the design of their product "infringes upon Gibson's exclusive trademarks, particularly the iconic Les Paul body shape," U.S. outlets said. Trump Guitars, which says on its website it has "the ONLY guitar endorsed" by the incoming commander-in-chief has already sold out of its Trump-autographed American Eagle electric guitar, which had a price tag of $11,500. The company is also offering a "Presidential Series" in red, gold or black, whose shape bears a striking resemblance to the Les Paul, but which has "DONALD J. TRUMP" inlaid on the fretboard. However, the site notes: "The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of the product." The website also offers a disclaimer that it is not in any way affiliated to Gibson Brands Inc. The guitars, the site notes, are "manufactured by multiple providers and include parts/features that are both domestic and international." It was not immediately clear if they would be affected by a proposed 25 percent blanket tariff the incoming president says he intends to impose on products shipped from Mexico or Canada. Trump is not shy about putting his name to an array of products unrelated to his core real estate empire. The businessman-turned-politician has sold his supporters everything from $100,000 watches to limited edition coins, to gold sneakers, to digital trading cards and signed bibles.Chargers are expected to be without top RB Dobbins and could lean on QB Herbert against Falcons

How close are we to true driverless vehicles being made available to consumers? The big buzz subject in the automotive world from a decade ago may have slowed; yet there continue to be significant developments in this area. With current developments, automation can vary from level 0 to level 5 within the automotive industry, from sole reliance on driver control, all the way to completely driverless vehicles. There is also considerable investment. The latest report “ Roboshuttles and Autonomous Buses 2024-2044 ” predicts that the global sales revenue of roboshuttles and autonomous buses is to exceed US$67 billion by 2044. The report predicts that roboshuttles and autonomous buses will likely strive for level 5 operation as a long-term goal, although at present they are currently aiming for level 4, where driverless operation can take place within specific areas. Unlike most buses, roboshuttles are designed to be small, with not-too-large capacities, making them suitable to deploy in higher numbers within small areas. Operating under level 4 driving conditions, these vehicles are driverless and efficient, accommodating up to 22 passengers. Despite being smaller than a minibus, the extra room allowed by having no driver means their 4–6-meter length can hold a greater capacity. Commercialization, however, is proving tricky for roboshuttles, with many being deployed on trial but struggling to go any further towards mainstream acceptance. Consequently, IDTechEx reports a decline in the number of players from over 25 to just 12 since 2020, with most companies still in the early stages of development in 2023. Autonomous buses – mini, midi, and city Mini, midi, and city buses are among the various types of autonomous buses. These are higher capacity of buses compared to roboshuttles, at around 100 passengers per city bus. The large number of investments required for autonomous buses to become mainstream is indicated by the limited number of players within the market. The regulatory challenges faced by companies, alongside the increased challenges and slow progress of level 4 systems in larger buses, are also factors slowing down commercialization. There are some successes, such as the autonomous night bus project in South Korea, where a shortage of taxis might otherwise cause transportation concerns, again highlighting a real-world application for these buses. Going forwards, the development of autonomous buses and roboshuttles is likely to continue somewhat slowly due to a lack of funding and regulatory challenges. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.Burt, the huge crocodile that rose to fame with a cameo in the movie “Crocodile Dundee” and continued to impress visitors with his fiery temper and commanding presence, has died. Burt died over the weekend, the Crocosaurus Cove reptile aquarium in Darwin, Australia , said. He was at least 90 years old. “Known for his independent nature, Burt was a confirmed bachelor — an attitude he made clear during his earlier years at a crocodile farm,” Crocosaurus Cove wrote in social media posts. “He wasn’t just a crocodile, he was a force of nature and a reminder of the power and majesty of these incredible creatures. While his personality could be challenging, it was also what made him so memorable and beloved by those who worked with him and the thousands who visited him over the years,” the aquarium wrote. A saltwater crocodile , Burt was estimated to be more than 5 meters (16 feet) long. He was captured in the 1980s in the Reynolds River and became one of the most well-known crocodiles in the world, according to Crocosaurus Cove. The 1986 movie stars Paul Hogan as the rugged crocodile hunter Mick Dundee. In the movie, American Sue Charlton, played by actress Linda Kozlowski, goes to fill her canteen in a watering hole when she is attacked by a crocodile before being saved by Dundee. Burt is briefly shown lunging out of the water. But the creature shown in more detail as Dundee saves the day is apparently something else. The Internet Movie Database says the movie goofed by depicting an American alligator, which has a blunter snout. The Australian aquarium where Burt had lived since 2008 features a “Cage of Death” which it says is the nation's only crocodile dive. It said it planned to honor Burt's legacy with a commemorative sign “celebrating his extraordinary life and the stories and interactions he shared throughout his time at the park.”

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Buried among Florida's manicured golf courses and sprawling suburbs are the artifacts of its slave-holding past: the long-lost cemeteries of enslaved people, the statues of Confederate soldiers that still stand watch over town squares, the old plantations turned into modern subdivisions that bear the same name. But many students aren't learning that kind of Black history in Florida classrooms. In an old wooden bungalow in Delray Beach, Charlene Farrington and her staff gather groups of teenagers on Saturday mornings to teach them lessons she worries that public schools won't provide. They talk about South Florida's Caribbean roots, the state's dark history of lynchings , how segregation still shapes the landscape and how grassroots activists mobilized the Civil Rights Movement to upend generations of oppression. “You need to know how it happened before so you can decide how you want it to happen again," she told her students as they sat as their desks, the morning light illuminating historic photographs on the walls. Florida students are giving up their Saturday mornings to learn about African American history at the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray Beach and in similar programs at community centers across the state. Many are supported by Black churches, which for generations have helped forge the cultural and political identity of their parishioners. Since Faith in Florida developed its own Black history toolkit last year, more than 400 congregations have pledged to teach the lessons, the advocacy group says. Florida has required public schools to teach African American history for the past 30 years, but many families no longer trust the state's education system to adequately address the subject. By the state’s own metrics, just a dozen Florida school districts have demonstrated excellence at teaching Black history, by providing evidence that they are incorporating the content into lessons throughout the school year and getting buy-in from the school board and community partners. School district officials across Florida told The Associated Press that they are still following the state mandate to teach about the experience of enslavement, abolition and the "vital contributions of African Americans to build and strengthen American society.” But a common complaint from students and parents is that the instruction seems limited to heroic figures such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks and rarely extends beyond each February's Black History Month . When Sulaya Williams' eldest child started school, she couldn't find the comprehensive instruction she wanted for him in their area. So in 2016, she launched her own organization to teach Black history in community settings. “We wanted to make sure that our children knew our stories, to be able to pass down to their children," Williams said. Williams now has a contract to teach Saturday school at a public library in Fort Lauderdale, and her 12-year-old daughter Addah Gordon invites her classmates to join her. “It feels like I’m really learning my culture. Like I’m learning what my ancestors did,” Addah said. “And most people don’t know what they did.” State lawmakers unanimously approved the African American history requirement in 1994 at a time of atonement over Florida's history. Historians commissioned by the state had just published an official report on the deadly attack on the town of Rosewood in 1923, when a white mob razed the majority-Black community and drove out its residents. When the Florida Legislature approved financial compensation for Rosewood's survivors and descendants in 1994, it was seen as a national model for reparations . “There was a moment of enlightenment in Florida, those decades ago. There really was," said Marvin Dunn, who has authored multiple books on Black Floridians. “But that was short-lived.” Three decades later, the teaching of African American history remains inconsistent across Florida classrooms, inadequate in the eyes of some advocates, and is under fire by the administration of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has championed efforts to restrict how race , history and discrimination can be talked about in the state’s public schools . DeSantis has led attacks on “wokeness” in education that rallied conservatives nationwide, including President-elect Donald Trump . In 2022, the governor signed a law restricting certain race-based conversations in schools and businesses and prohibits teaching that members of one ethnic group should feel guilt or bear responsibility for actions taken by previous generations. Last year, DeSantis’ administration blocked a new Advanced Placement course on African American Studies from being taught in Florida, saying it violates state law and is historically inaccurate. A spokesperson for the College Board, which oversees Advanced Placement courses, told the AP they are not aware of any public schools in Florida currently offering the African American Studies class. It's also not listed in the state's current course directory. Representatives for the Florida Department of Education and the state's African American History Task Force did not respond to The AP's requests for comment. “People who are interested in advancing African diaspora history can’t rely on schools to do that,” said Tameka Bradley Hobbs, manager of Broward County's African-American Research Library and Cultural Center. "I think it’s even more clear now that there needs to be a level of self-reliance and self-determination when it comes to passing on the history and heritage of our ancestors.” Last year, only 30 of Florida's 67 traditional school districts offered at least one standalone course on African American history or humanities, according to state data. While not required by state law, having a dedicated Black history class is a measure of how districts are following the state mandate. Florida's large urban districts are far more likely to offer the classes, compared to small rural districts, some of which have fewer than 2,000 students. Even in districts that have staff dedicated to teaching Black history, some teachers are afraid of violating state law, according to Brian Knowles, who oversees African American, Holocaust and Latino studies for the Palm Beach County school district. “There’s so many other districts and so many kids that we’re missing because we’re tiptoeing around what is essentially American history,” Knowles said. Frustration over the restrictions that teachers face pushed Renee O'Connor to take a sabbatical last year from her job teaching Black history at Miami Norland Senior High School in the majority-Black city of Miami Gardens. Now, she is back in the classroom, but she also has been helping community groups develop their own Black history programs outside of the public school system. “I wish, obviously, all kids were able to take an African American history class,” O'Connor said, “but you have to pivot if it’s not happening in schools.” Kate Payne 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.

Texas, Arizona State to meet in CFP clash of old vs. new Big 12 champs

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