5 lucky numbers
5 lucky numbers
5 lucky numbers
Gaetz’ Bad Boy image finally catches up with himLAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Tyrese Hunter scored 17 of his 26 points after halftime to lead Memphis to a 99-97 overtime win against two-time defending national champion and second-ranked UConn on Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational . Hunter shot 7 of 10 from 3-point range for the Tigers (5-0), who were 12 of 22 from beyond at the arc as a team. PJ Haggerty had 22 points and five assists, Colby Rogers had 19 points and Dain Dainja scored 14. Tarris Reed Jr. had 22 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Huskies (4-1). Alex Karaban had 19 points and six assists, and Jaylin Stewart scored 16. Memphis led by as many as 13 with about four minutes left in regulation, but UConn chipped away and eventually tied it on Solo Ball’s 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining. Memphis: The Tigers ranked second nationally in field goal percentage going into the game and shot it at a 54.7% clip. UConn: The Huskies saw their string of 17 consecutive wins dating back to February come to an end. The teams were tied at 92 with less than a minute remaining in overtime when UConn coach Dan Hurley was assessed a technical foul for his displeasure with an over-the-back call against Liam McNeeley. PJ Carter hit four straight free throws — two for the tech and the other pair for the personal foul — to give Memphis a 96-92 lead with 40.3 seconds to play. UConn had three players foul out. Memphis attempted 40 free throws and made 29 of them. Memphis will play the winner of Colorado-Michigan State on Tuesday in the second round of the invitational. UConn will play the loser of that game in the consolation bracket. 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 .
“Gladiator II” asks the question: Are you not moderately entertained for roughly 60% of this sequel? Truly, this is a movie dependent on managed expectations and a forgiving attitude toward its tendency to overserve. More of a thrash-and-burn schlock epic than the comparatively restrained 2000 “Gladiator,” also directed by Ridley Scott, the new one recycles a fair bit of the old one’s narrative cries for freedom while tossing in some digital sharks for the flooded Colosseum and a bout of deadly sea-battle theatrics. They really did flood the Colosseum in those days, though no historical evidence suggests shark deployment, real or digital. On the other hand (checks notes), “Gladiator II” is fiction. Screenwriter David Scarpa picks things up 16 years after “Gladiator,” which gave us the noble death of the noble warrior Maximus, shortly after slaying the ignoble emperor and returning Rome to the control of the Senate. Our new hero, Lucius (Paul Mescal), has fled Rome for Numidia, on the North African coast. The time is 200 A.D., and for the corrupt, party-time twins running the empire (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), that means invasion time. Pedro Pascal takes the role of Acacius, the deeply conflicted general, sick of war and tired of taking orders from a pair of depraved ferrets. The new film winds around the old one this way: Acacius is married to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, in a welcome return), daughter of the now-deceased emperor Aurelius and the love of the late Maximus’s life. Enslaved and dragged to Rome to gladiate, the widower Lucius vows revenge on the general whose armies killed his wife. But there are things this angry young phenom must learn, about his ancestry and his destiny. It’s the movie’s worst-kept secret, but there’s a reason he keeps seeing footage of Russell Crowe from the first movie in his fever dreams. Battle follows battle, on the field, in the arena, in the nearest river, wherever, and usually with endless splurches of computer-generated blood. “Gladiator II” essentially bumper-cars its way through the mayhem, pausing for long periods of expository scheming about overthrowing the current regime. The prince of all fixers, a wily operative with interests in both managing gladiators and stocking munitions, goes by the name Macrinus. He’s played by Denzel Washington, who at one point makes a full meal out of pronouncing the word “politics” like it’s a poisoned fig. Also, if you want a masterclass in letting your robes do a lot of your acting for you, watch what Washington does here. He’s more fun than the movie but you can’t have everything. The movie tries everything, all right, and twice. Ridley Scott marshals the chaotic action sequences well enough, though he’s undercut by frenetic cutting rhythms, with that now-familiar, slightly sped-up visual acceleration in frequent use. (Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo are the editors.) Mescal acquits himself well in his first big-budget commercial walloper of an assignment, confined though he is to a narrower range of seething resentments than Crowe’s in the first film. I left thinking about two things: the word “politics” as savored/spit out by Washington, and the innate paradox of how Scott, whose best work over the decades has been wonderful, delivers spectacle. The director and his lavishly talented design team built all the rough-hewn sets with actual tangible materials the massive budget allowed. They took care to find the right locations in Morocco and Malta. Yet when combined in post-production with scads of medium-grade digital effects work in crowd scenes and the like, never mind the sharks, the movie’s a somewhat frustrating amalgam. With an uneven script on top of it, the visual texture of “Gladiator II” grows increasingly less enveloping and atmospherically persuasive, not more. But I hung there, for some of the acting, for some of the callbacks, and for the many individual moments, or single shots, that could only have come from Ridley Scott. And in the end, yes, you too may be moderately entertained. “Gladiator II” — 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence) Running time: 2:28 How to watch: Premieres in theaters Nov. 21. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.Injet New Energy Invites Customers to the 7th China International PV and Energy Storage Industry ConferenceTC Energy Corp. stock outperforms market despite losses on the day
Trudeau holiday relief package in peril? NDP want changes, as House stalemate persistsLiverpool thrash West Ham to go eight points clearCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government on Monday survived a third vote of no confidence in as many months, brought by his main Tory rival. The minority Liberal government got the support of the New Democratic Party (NDP), a small leftist faction once aligned with the ruling Liberals, to defeat the motion 180-152. The text of the proposition echoed NDP leader Jagmeet Singh's own past criticisms of Trudeau since breaking off their partnership in late August, calling him "too weak, too selfish." Neither Singh nor Trudeau were present for the vote. The House of Commons has been deadlocked most of this fall session by an unprecedented two-month filibuster by the Conservatives. But Speaker Greg Fergus, in a rare move, ordered a short break in the deadlock to allow for this and other possible confidence votes, and for lawmakers to vote on a key spending measure. MPs are scheduled to vote Tuesday on the spending package, which includes funds for social services, disaster relief and support for Ukraine. With a 20-point lead in polls, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has been itching for an election call since the NDP tore up its coalition agreement with the Liberals. But the NDP and other opposition parties, whose support is needed to bring down the Liberals, have so far refused to side with the Conservatives. Two no-confidence votes brought by the Tories in September and October failed when the NDP and the separatist Bloc Quebecois backed the Liberals. In Canada's Westminster parliamentary system, a ruling party must hold the confidence of the House of Commons, which means maintaining support from a majority of members. The Liberals currently have 153 seats, versus 119 for the Conservatives, 33 for the Bloc Quebecois, and the NDP's 25. Trudeau swept to power in 2015 and has managed to hold on through two elections in 2019 and 2021. amc/bs/bjt
Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested Monday in the Dec. 4 attack on Brian Thompson after police say a worker at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, alerted them to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. When arrested, Mangione had on him a gun that investigators believe was used in the attack and writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. As Mangione was led into the Hollidaysburg courthouse Tuesday, he struggled with officers and shouted something that was partly unintelligible but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He left hours later without saying anything and was driven away. Mangione is being held on Pennsylvania charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. What's the latest? Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Mangione mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. Judge David Consiglio denied bail to Mangione, whose attorney, Thomas Dickey, told the court that his client did not agree to extradition and wants a hearing on the matter. Blair County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Peter Weeks said that although Mangione will create “extra hoops” for law enforcement to jump through by fighting extradition, it won’t be a substantial barrier to sending him to New York. What evidence has been gathered? In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday that Mangione also had a ghost gun, a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” she said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, the commissioner said. What do we know about Mangione? Mangione, who comes from a prominent Maryland family, was valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and had degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania. Mangione's grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin, said that Martin had learned that Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life. Friends in Hawaii widely considered Mangione a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit and smiling young man on beaches and at parties. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. The shooting and a quick escape Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. last Wednesday. Eleven minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park, according to police. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack, police said. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspect exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Jamie Stengle, Lea Skene, Matt O'Brien, Sean Murphy and Cedar Attanasio contributed to this report.
December 10 - After missing out on Juan Soto, the New York Yankees made their first splash of the offseason. The Yankees and left-handed starting pitcher Max Fried have agreed to an eight-year, $218 million contract, several reports said Tuesday. The contract includes the most guaranteed money for a left-handed pitcher in baseball history, ESPN reported. A two-time All-Star, Fried will join right-handed ace Gerrit Cole to form a one-two punch at the front of the Yankees' rotation. Fried, 30, spent his first eight MLB seasons with the Atlanta Braves and went 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA across 29 starts last season. He had 166 strikeouts and a career-high 57 walks over 174 1/3 innings. He also pitched a major league-high two complete games (one shutout). Fried was an All-Star in 2022 and 2024, and he received votes for the National League Cy Young Award in 2020 (placing fifth) and 2022 (second). In 168 career games (151 starts), Fried has gone 73-36 with a 3.07 ERA and 863 strikeouts against 246 walks in 884 1/3 innings. He has tossed six complete games, including four shutouts. --Field Level Media Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
1. A 100-piece set of Picasso tiles , a magnetic building system that will get used over and over and over again. Pro tip: commit to one building toy type and then just keep adding to it! It will still feel new to your crew and cleanup will be MUCH easier. Promising review: "These tiles are amazing! So many different ways to be creative. Our two-year-old loves it so much and even the adults can have hours of fun with it. These are great for individual play for our toddler and can keep her engaged for 15-30 minutes at a time. They are also amazing for interactive and pretend plays, from building houses to car ramps. Love these so much and highly recommended!" — Buu nguyen Get it from Amazon for $27.99 . 2. A Skillmatics Guess in 10 Animal Planet game , which is so fun your crew won't even realize that they're (gasp!) learning. My kids absolutely adore this one and I'm not going to lie... I do, too! Promising review: "We purchased this game for Christmas. It surpassed our expectations. Our kids range in age from college age down to elementary age. They all played this game together for hours. The game is easy to learn, easy to play with a variety of ages, and the game helps everyone learn. It is perfect for the classroom, homeschooling, or just for fun. We highly recommend it." — Jeremy B. Get it from Amazon for $12.97 (available in 14 editions). 3. A TonieBox starter set that comes with a Toy Story Tonie. This has been a staple in our home for YEARS now — my kiddos love choosing what music and stories they get to listen to and the Tonies come in all of their favorite characters. Each additional Tonie is $17.99 . Need a rec? The Moana Tonie is VERY popular at my house! Promising review: "I absolutely love the Tonie, I think it's a great idea and perfect for kids. The Tonie box itself is soft and easy to use. You can switch tracks by bumping the box and volume by tugging an ear. It is great for kids of many ages and the Tonies you can get are great. It is educational and would make a great gift." — Annienicole7 Get it from Target for $99.99 . 4. A set of four parachute toys , which are simple but brilliant. How many times can your kids run up the stairs and throw them down? The limit does not exist. Promising review: " These paratroopers are great! My boys are so used to getting the ones that are poorly made with thin, cheap plastic and this string. These are not those at all! They are super sturdy and very durable. I got these as stocking stuffers and they're still going strong! They've been thrown, dragged, shoved in toy bins, etc. They are still good as new! They work great as well. Our boys enjoy throwing them over the side rail on the stairs and watching them fly down. I absolutely would recommend!" — Amber Get it from Amazon for $7.19 (available in two colors). 5. An LCD doodle tablet that will inspire some serious creativity all while saving paper. (Trust us, the trees will thank you.) Promising review: "My son is 4 years old and once he got it he played with it for 2 hours. We played Pictionary, tick tack toe and practice his writing. Great for being stuck inside. Just wish I bought more for gifts." — Mindy Ciglar Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in four colors and two sizes). 6. A Kinetic Sand set for those moments when you're stuck inside with bad weather but you and your kiddos would much rather be at the beach. Promising review: "Item arrived on time and in perfect condition. It comes with several durable tools. There's a piece of cardboard on the inside of the package. We used it as a mat for the sand. Super easy clean up and absolutely NOOOO mess. This is a great alternative to slime...and it doesn't dry out." — CamoFreaks Get it from Walmart for $19.89 . 7. A Silly Poopy hide-and-seek game that gets the giggles going just by saying its name. Where's the grownup hiding? In the kitchen, enjoying a cup of coffee (while it's still hot!), and the kids are independently playing. Promising review: "This hide and seek game is so fun. We randomly hide silly poopy in house all the time. The song will get stuck in your head and never leave so be prepared for that. But also hours of fun both inside and outside. We also do a little dance when we find silly poopy and he plays the song. My 6 year old loves it and this it’s so fun and silly. Great gift!! I had this in my cart for awhile before I bought it and wish I would have sooner." — Schub22 Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in two designs). 8. A very charming toy kitchen , the MVP of imaginative play, which also comes with 56 play food pieces for extra fun. Is it weird that a toy kitchen might serve as the inspo for the reno you've been dreaming of? Nope. Promising review: "The absolute play kitchen! My kids (2.5 and 11 months) have been playing with it for hours now. Wasn’t too difficult to build — took a little over an hour. Will definitely be recommending this play kitchen to all my friends with kids! — Mamaofdos Get it from Target for $118.99 . 9. A pack of Crayola Globbles fidget toys that will help with the wiggles and keep little hands busy. No judging if you happen to snag one or two of these for yourself — they're great! Promising review: "These are great! Kids love them! I love them! They do NOT leave that stain on your wall and when they get dirty you wash them off and they are sticky again! 10/10" — Elizabeth M. Get a six count from Amazon for $7.49 . 10. A Melissa & Doug scissor skills activity pad with kid-safe scissors, which will occupy their focus — giving you the cutting edge in accomplishing your to-do list for the day. Promising review: "I gave this to my 4 yo when he was sick at home, and it's a great way to pass the time. More importantly it's a great way for him to practice the work with scissors. The scissors are great, without any blade, and the plastic is sharp enough for the pages in the notebook. The pages has different difficulty levels, some with straight lines, some with curves which is a good challenge for kids." — Tamar Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 11. A Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza game deck that is so fun you might just find yourself clearing your schedule for the day and joining in. Work? Meh, that can be done later. Promising review: "This is the funnest game we own, and we own a lot! It's high speed, physical game, and anyone can play it! You just have to remember the order of the words, and the actions you have to make for certain cards. It's a blast, and we've played it with kids aged 4, all the way up to 19, and us adults as well! I highly recommend it! I think the value is great, especially since it's a go-to game that we play often!" — Janet Duran Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 12. A Fisher-Price record player toy , which gives your kiddo some freedom to choose their own music to sing and dance to. And you? You'll feel like a total parenting rock star. Promising review: "Got this for my 3 year old as a birthday gift . She loves my "grown up" record player, and loves to ask me to "play songs" on it. I thought this would be a fun thing for her to play with so she can play her own songs, but I didn't expect her to have as much fun as she has with it! Each one of the records has 2 songs on it, one on each side, and each record is a different style. She loves the hip hop record the most and the pop rock comes in a close 2nd. What's nice is that there's no needle on the arm of the turntable, so there's nothing to worry about her hurting herself with. It has cool features like when you stop a record mid song it "scratches" and the sound of a vinyl popping which I love! You do have to monitor it, though as we learned that unlike a real record player, if you don't move the arm off the record after a song ends it just keeps playing that song over and over and over and over and over and over and over." — John Jeziorski Get it from Amazon for $25.99 . 13. An absolutely adorable sewing craft kit that will have everyone so quiet and focused, you'll wonder if their mouths were accidentally sewn shut, too. Promising review: "I'm so impressed at the thoughtfulness of this craft!! This is a beginner level, perfect for my 6-year-old's attention span, the only sewing is to attach the front of the fox to the back in order to stuff. I was worried it might be too easy, but it was great, the instructions are clear, the holes all line up, there is plenty/extra yarn. The accessories and clothing is too cute and perfect for little girls, the details and variety are awesome for a beginner sewing craft. The only part that she needed extra help with was the tiny little backpack to hold the baby fox. If you think about the time it would take to design and cut out all of these pieces, it's definitely fairly priced, I hope they come out with more animals because we want to make another!!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in two designs). 14. A Play-Doh Kitchen Creations restaurant play set , so your little can whip up the tastiest pretend creations... and you might have a few minutes to get the real deal ready in time for dinner. Promising review: " This and the coffee shop set keep my daughter entertained for hours. And when you think she would get tired she asks for a different color and starts all over again. Even the extra utensil help keep her amused longer. Gives me enough time for mom projects like dinner and dishes and it's actually very easy clean up she does most of it herself and she's only 3!!" — Lizzie Get it from Amazon for $16.89 . 15. An FAO Schwartz nine-piece ceramic glazed tea party set that can actually be used with real food and drink. Why watch a princess tea party on a screen when you can have one in real life? And your sitter is the *perfect* guest. Promising review: "I purchased for my 7-year-old grandgirl so we can have a 'real' tea party. She absolutely loves it. The colors are adorable. The size of the cups and handles are perfect size. I highly recommend!" — idoj614 Get it from Target for $19.99 . 16. An indoor doorway gym set for kids, perfect for those days when you would go to the playground, but for some reason, you just can't (reasons including everything from bad weather to you not feeling like it). Promising review: "Adjustable lengths. Strong enough for an adult and fun for toddlers. Just read the instructions on how it fits in the door jam, not the whole door frame. There’s videos showing set up and installation too." — Fi Get it from Walmart for $139.99 (available in four colors). 17. A pack with more than 500 puffy stickers , so your littles can create scenes, cards, and whatever else their imaginations can come up with! And because these are no-trace, you won't be left with sticky situations in case one or two end up on your wall. Promising review: "My daughter loves these stickers! They are easy for her to remove from the sleeve, to get them off the backing, and stick well. The stickers themselves are cute, high quality, and are a good variety. My daughter will spend hours having fun with stickers, and these are my go to!" — Bree Get it from Amazon for $6.99 . 18. A cute, starry-eyed Furby that will interact and play with your kiddo. These little guys have gotten a major upgrade since you had one — in addition to talking to you, it can lead you through mindfulness exercises, tell your fortune, put on a light show, and throw a dance party. How do you say, "that's impressive" in Furby? Promising review: " Furby is such a fun toy! My five year old has played and played with her furby. The phrases are easy to learn, so she has had the best time laughing, dancing and playing with Furby. Would definitely recommend getting this toy for your child!" — Katie Momberger Get it from Amazon for $33.99 (available in three colors). 19. A perfectly sized (and durable!) kids' digital camera , so you can give your cameraphone a break from your kids. Not that you don't love those 400+ up-the-nose selfies in a row, but ya know. Promising review: " This has been such a hit with my 3 and 4 year olds and keeps them entertained for hours. It operates JUST like an adult digital camera but has some fun added filters like a mustache, kids face and different boarder designs. Is a small size that allows them to operate it with ease. My kids walk around the house taking pictures of random things and then love to come and show me. Battery life is great and it seems pretty indestructible! I have purchased this 3 times now for birthday party gifts as it’s an affordable great gift!" — Above and Abode Get it from Amazon for $26.99 (available in five colors). 20. A 150-piece marble run set that is ideal for those times when you're stuck indoors and about to lose YOUR marbles if those kids don't find something to do IMMEDIATELY. Promising review: " My kids played for HOURS with just 3 pieces of tracks. Love the independent play this facilitates and the sturdiness means mommy can get housework done while the kids play! Great quality. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. We even purchased the super set the very next day after receiving this set the kids (and mom & dad) love it so much." — Karen Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in four sets). 21. A 30-foot roll of road play tape because life (AKA your entire house) is a highway and your kids are going to be cruising to a good time. Promising review: "Sticky level is about equal with painters tape, so there’s no worry about restricting where to use. It’s great for cars, pretend play, etc. A perfect rainy day distraction!" — Jennifer Horne Get it from Amazon for $9.47+ (available in four patterns and quantities). 22. A National Geographic Break Open 10 Geodes kit that comes with safety goggles, which might just inspire the next generation of geologists. Bonus: Use it as a teachable moment to show your kids that it's what's on the inside that really counts. Promising review: "My 9 year old is obsessed with all things gems and geology. We bought this for Christmas. He opened it tonight and it was so beautiful we ended up cracking them all! He even got an amethyst (he was thrilled as that's his favorite!). I am very impressed. I will definitely be buying again. One tip- definitely score them before cracking and be a little gentle if you want two halves. My husband was a little heavy handed 🤣 also, one of them at first we thought wasn't much but I had a feeling there was more inside so we cracked it in half again and lo and behold, it was a beautiful geode. Highly recommend!" — Andrea Green Get it from Amazon for $25.49 (available in packs of 4, 5, or 10). 23. A Bop It! — and yes, you read that right. It's more than just the old '90s jingle you can't get out of your head. You haven't forgotten this toy because it is SO MUCH FUN. Share the fun with your crew! Promising review: "Bought this to play with my kids because I'm looking for fun things to do with them that doesn't require internet. I loved playing it as a kid & it's perfect my son & I have been playing it trying to beat eachothers high score since it announces it after each turn. I'd say it's a great gift & a great fidget toy!" — Krystal Rose Get it from Amazon for $15.97 . 24. A 40-piece wooden puzzle that has lots of different solutions and honestly, is just really fun to tinker with. It's exactly what you need to get some piece, err, peace in your day. Promising review: "I bought this as one of the toys to get my 6-year-old son off-screen during the summer. Now we are all playing it and we have competitions to see who can solve the fastest. Who knew? You can also do designs - so its levelled fun and appeals to different interests. It would be nice if it came with a carry case or tin, but you can use a zip lock to keep the pieces together. Going to buy more so we can battle with the cousins." — Haydee Gordon Get it from Amazon for $8.99 . 25. A three-pack of Melissa & Doug jumbo coloring books , which will keep your mini Monets and petite Picassos totally occupied. Hey, your fridge needs a new masterpiece! Promising review: "The jumbo books are awesome for our kids. The pages are nice and thick and do not bleed onto the next page. You can easily rip out pages they want to color and they also fit in nicely into our art frames we have on the walls. Would 10/10 recommend!" — K Get it from Amazon for $16.89 . 26. A beautifully designed 24-piece puzzle featuring wildlife in the forest that will help calm things down when your kids are acting like, well, wild animals. I truly believe these are some of the best kids' puzzles out there. From the really nice aesthetic to the well-fitting pieces, this brand has been a staple in my home for years. Get it from Walmart for $25.57 . 27. A 5-in-1 wooden play set that is like going to the playground but without needing to do all the things you need to do to leave the house. Sometimes the weather is bad, or sometimes you just don't feel like it. Don't worry about it — this will help your littles get the wiggles out for years to come. Promising review: " Super sturdy, great quality, smooth wood! I love that the slats on the arch are close together! So many of these I’ve seen have arches with rungs very far apart. I also love that it doubles as a rocker. The slide/rock climbing wall is awesome and very versatile. The triangular piece folds up for easy storage. I also appreciate that each piece was labeled with a number sticker, that the stickers peel off easily once assembled, and that they don’t leave any sticky residue. Our 11-month-old daughter loves this, and it will keep her challenged and entertained for years to come!" — Maegan Howell Get it from Amazon for $199 (available in three colors). The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.Article content The Ontario Divisional Court will hold a judicial review hearing Wednesday for a Windsor police officer convicted and punished for his $50 donation to the Freedom Convoy in 2022. Const. Michael Brisco was found guilty of discreditable conduct in March 2023 following a six-day Police Services Act hearing. He was ordered to forfeit 80 hours of pay. Brisco lost a subsequent appeal of that conviction before the Civilian Police Commission (OCPC). “Canadians in any profession should be free to express themselves on whatever political issue they feel strongly about,” Darren Leung, a lawyer with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which is representing Brisco, said in a statement. “This case will test freedom of expression and the right of all Canadians to donate to the causes of their choice without fear of punishment,” the organization said Monday. “Constable Brisco should not be punished for supporting a perfectly legal protest which certain politicians such as the Prime Minister disliked,” said Leung. At the time of his anonymous donation, the veteran officer with an otherwise exemplary record said it was intended for the protesters in downtown Ottawa, not those participating in the Ambassador Bridge blockade at the same time by other opponents of government COVID-19 mandates. At the original hearing, the prosecution had argued for a harsher penalty, saying Brisco’s donation had brought the Windsor Police Service into “disrepute” at a time his uniformed colleagues were trying to dismantle the bridge blockade. The OCPC, an independent, quasi-judicial agency whose function includes hearing appeals of disciplinary decisions, agreed the penalty was “significant” but not unreasonable. The said it will argue this week that Brisco made his donation not in his capacity as a police officer, but anonymously and while he was on unpaid leave (for refusing to take the available COVID-19 vaccine). Part of Brisco’s appeal will be arguing that evidence of the donation only became public after an “illegal” hack into a crowdfunding platform that was then used by the OPP to track down officers who donated. The Justice Centre said it will argue that the earlier disciplinary findings were based on media reports regarding “opinions that the Freedom Convoy was illegal,” which falls short of the necessary “clear and convincing” standard to support a finding of discreditable conduct. Key facts in the case included Brisco’s donation coming days after Ottawa’s police chief had deemed his city’s as unlawful; Prime Minister Trudeau saying the protest there was “becoming unlawful;” and Ontario Premier Doug Ford calling it an “occupation.” The Divisional Court is a branch of the Superior Court of Justice and hears statutory appeals from administrative tribunals in Ontario. Brisco’s hearing is in Toronto, the only city where the Divisional Court sits regularly throughout the year. As recently as last month, the Star reported the City of Windsor was suing the federal government, still trying to recover the balance of approximately $900,000 of the nearly $7-million response to the week-long 2022 blockade, most of which went to policing and legal fees. Ottawa has already reimbursed Windsor the $6.1 million it says was refundable by the federal government.Liverpool thrash West Ham to go eight points clear
Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes has established himself as one of the NHL’s best players over the past two seasons, but local fans still feel like he’s disrespected on the national level. Canucks fans are known for voicing their opinions on social media and did so today when an with thoughts from real voters. Seventy-five percent of those surveyed in the article picked Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar as the Norris Trophy leader. The other 25% was split between Hughes and Zack Werenski. Within minutes of Wyshynski posting the article to social media, Canucks fans were making it known that Hughes deserves more love, as they often feel he does from east coast fans and media. Hughes and Makar have been compared since they entered the league. The Canucks captain has 32 points in 26 games so far this season, while Makar has 35 points in 29 contests. Wyshynski’s page was flooded with angry Canucks fans, although he later clarified that Hughes would be his pick. Fans took specific issue with one line from a voter in the article, saying, “Makar is not only lapping the field offensively, he’s taking on primary matchup role in Colorado, which is something that players like Quinn Hughes and Victor Hedman are not.” Hughes has scored more per game than Makar so far this season and often faces off against the other team’s best players. This year’s Norris Trophy race will likely come down to the wire. Both Hughes and Makar have gotten off to excellent starts this season, and it could still go either way. The two are redefining what it means to play defence in the modern NHL, and fans are lucky to watch them on a nightly basis.Heidrick & Struggles Appoints Chief Financial Officer
Googly eyes on Bend sculptures draw city’s rebuke, but locals love them
Cataracts – does that sea seem just as blue?Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government on Monday survived a third vote of no confidence in as many months, brought by his main Tory rival. The minority Liberal government got the support of the New Democratic Party (NDP), a small leftist faction once aligned with the ruling Liberals, to defeat the motion 180-152. The text of the proposition echoed NDP leader Jagmeet Singh's own past criticisms of Trudeau since breaking off their partnership in late August, calling him "too weak, too selfish." Neither Singh nor Trudeau were present for the vote. The House of Commons has been deadlocked most of this fall session by an unprecedented two-month filibuster by the Conservatives. But Speaker Greg Fergus, in a rare move, ordered a short break in the deadlock to allow for this and other possible confidence votes, and for lawmakers to vote on a key spending measure. MPs are scheduled to vote Tuesday on the spending package, which includes funds for social services, disaster relief and support for Ukraine. With a 20-point lead in polls, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has been itching for an election call since the NDP tore up its coalition agreement with the Liberals. But the NDP and other opposition parties, whose support is needed to bring down the Liberals, have so far refused to side with the Conservatives. Two no-confidence votes brought by the Tories in September and October failed when the NDP and the separatist Bloc Quebecois backed the Liberals. In Canada's Westminster parliamentary system, a ruling party must hold the confidence of the House of Commons, which means maintaining support from a majority of members. The Liberals currently have 153 seats, versus 119 for the Conservatives, 33 for the Bloc Quebecois, and the NDP's 25. Trudeau swept to power in 2015 and has managed to hold on through two elections in 2019 and 2021. amc/bs/bjt
Myles Garrett becomes first in NFL history to record 14 sacks in four consecutive seasonsORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cole Anthony drove for a layup with 1.3 seconds left to complete the Orlando Magic's 17-point fourth-quarter comeback Sunday in a 102-101 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Cam Thomas missed a jumper from the corner at the final horn. Anthony scored 10, and Tristan da Silva scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for Orlando, which was down 71-51 midway through the third quarter. Goga Bitadze added 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. The Magic's comeback was their second in eight days after Orlando rallied from 25 points down to beat Miami 121-114 on Dec. 21. Thomas came off the bench with 25 points to lead the Nets in his first game since Nov. 25. Jalen Wilson added 16 points including two free throws with 6.2 seconds left. Thomas, Brooklyn's leading scorer with 24.7 points per game, played 25 minutes after missing 13 games with a strained left hamstring. Takeaways Nets: Losing for the seventh time in nine games, the Nets played for the first time without Dorian Finney-Smith, who was traded early Sunday to the Los Angeles Lakers. In their four games against the Magic this season, the Nets used 11 different starters. Only Cam Johnson started all four games. Magic: The Magic completed a four-game season series sweep of the Nets and concluded a 3-4 holiday home stretch. They overcame double-digit second-half deficits in all three of their wins against Miami, Boston and Brooklyn. Key moment A 3-pointer by Anthony, who did not play in the first half, launched a 13-0 Orlando run after they had fallen behind by 20 points. Key stat The Nets shot 13 for 30 from 3-point range. Up next The Nets are at Toronto and the Magic are at Detroit on Wednesday night. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba Dick Scanlon, The Associated PressGiants lose exactly what fans wanted most in surprising victory over Colts
Intuit and Amazon Expand Strategic PartnershipANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Strome scored with 2:36 remaining as the Anaheim Ducks rallied from a two-goal deficit in the second period to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 5-3 on Sunday. Strome's goal, his sixth of the season, originally wasn't called, but it was reversed after a review. Strome's shot was entirely over the goal line before Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard could stop it with his skate. Mason McTavish added an empty-net goal. It is the first time since March 30, 2019, the Ducks have defeated the Oilers by more than one goal. Cutter Gauthier, McTavish and Robby Fabbri each had a goal and an assist. Drew Helleson also scored for Anaheim, which snapped a seven-game losing streak to Edmonton. Lukas Dostal made 20 saves. Leon Draisaitl had two goals and Connor McDavid two assists for the Oilers, who were 3-0-1 in their past four. Evan Bouchard also tallied a goal and Pickard stopped 27 shots. Oilers: Draisaitl became the fourth player with at least 120 regular-season points in the calendar year. The forward has 50 goals and 71 assists in 2024. The last calendar year to feature as many NHL skaters with 120-plus points was 1993. Ducks: Anaheim had a 32-23 advantage in shots on goal and has won four of its last seven. Fabbri tied it at 3-all with 2:27 remaining on a snap shot from the right faceoff circle after getting the pass from McTavish. Fabbri has seven points (three goals, four assists) in eight games since returning from a knee injury. McDavid has a 14-game point streak against the Ducks (11 goals, 23 assists). The only teams he has a longer active point streak against are Nashville and New Jersey at 15 games. Both teams have home games on Tuesday. The Oilers face Utah while the Ducks take on New Jersey. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
