
Before it made me lose my mind, I loved X . Some of my happiest times were spent there: I forged lasting bonds, laughed lots and launched a new career. In 2009, when I joined what was then known as Twitter, I was bored, working a corporate job, blogging on the side, desperate to be a writer. Twitter made that happen: I posted my writing, gradually people started reading it and eventually some of them asked me to write for them, for money. Without hyperbole, it made my professional dreams come true. It was also huge fun. I met my best friend on Twitter, when she was pretending to be two office-working dinosaurs called Steve and Dave. That was the vibe back then: silliness, gossip and parody accounts, daft crazes and chat. It was the water cooler that my very serious workplace didn’t have. The combination of those elements made Twitter addictive and, for well over a decade, I opened it on waking and only stopped scrolling when I went to sleep. I reasoned it was a work necessity: the place where I could post my writing and connect with professional contacts; a way of tapping into ideas and interesting happenings. But I would have been there even if it wasn’t. Not because it was an unalloyed pleasure. Reading about so many brilliant careers gave me galloping professional insecurity and frequent Fomo (or rather, the stage beyond Fomo, when you know you are missing out because everyone is talking about something you weren’t invited to). Twitter became angrier, louder and more fractious, especially after 2016, when Brexit and Donald Trump ruined things . I skirted online aggro, but increasingly felt I was overhearing hundreds of fights a week, each one provoking a jolt of secondhand stress. It wasn’t fun any more, but I was hooked, chasing that early high, despite dramatically diminishing returns. I would love to say I found the willpower to make a conscious decision to quit; actually, it was thanks to Elon Musk and menopause. Musk’s takeover killed any residual buzz stone dead, showing me boring or outrage-inducing stuff I had no interest in. X (ugh, that name is so embarrassing, too) became a much less addictive product – a sort of methadone Twitter. Then perimenopause left me struggling to cope with the dizzying churn of online input. The internet claims about 6,000 tweets are posted each second and it felt as if I was seeing every single one, constantly flooded with unsolicited opinions and chatter. In real life, I hate hearing other people’s conversations when I am working – I am the earplugs, noise-cancelling-headphones type – but I was letting it happen online every day. X became a focus for my anxiety, too: every time I opened the app (which I did mechanically, hundreds of times a day) my fingers tingled with an adrenal lurch of dread. It was once a happy place, where I would thoughtlessly post any old nonsense; now, it felt exposing and hostile. One of the last times I plucked up the courage to post (a photo of one of my hens in a tree), someone crossly asked why I hadn’t answered their email – hardly dramatic, but in my hormonally challenged state, it sent me spiralling. Deactivating my account felt like first aid. Gradually, though, it has become a choice. Not an easy one: life without a ticker tape of rolling outrage, opinion and news is flatter. I used to feel plugged into the zeitgeist; now my answer to the “What’s happening?” question that appeared at the top of the X app is: “I have no idea.” That is tricky in my job. I miss the people who were parasocially part of my life for 15 years, too. I kept in touch with some, either in real life or on Instagram (an app I am able to use in moderation, somehow), but working from home without a burble of virtual chatter can feel solitary. Sign up to The Overwhelm Guardian writers share their experiences of overwhelm and how to avoid it, straight to your inbox every week after newsletter promotion The upside is a far quieter mind. I am not exponentially more productive, unfortunately, but I am calmer and more functional; it turns out it’s easier to focus without thousands of strangers shouting at (well, around) me. Recently, someone messaged me, urging me to join her on one of the handful of alternative Twitter-like products; she said it was fun, like “old Twitter”. I considered it for a second. Then I realised: I am never going back.
Relive Liverpool's dramatic five-goal battle against Southampton, where Mohamed Salah's brace proved to be the difference as the Reds open up an eight-point gap at the top of the table. Ipswich Town are back on level terms against Manchester United thanks to Omari Hutchinson's deflected effort right before the stroke of halftime. The Ruben Amorim era is off to a flying start as Marcus Rashford tucks away Manchester United's opener against Ipswich Town in less than two minutes at Portman Road. Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, and Tim Howard react to Liverpool's 3-2 comeback win against Southampton at St. Mary's to go eight points clear at the top of the table. Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, and Tim Howard react to Leicester City sacking manager Steve Cooper after just 12 Premier League matches in charge. Yukinari Sugawara's handball results in a penalty, where Mohamed Salah completes his brace to give Liverpool a 3-2 lead over Southampton late in the second half at St. Mary's. A moment of madness from Alex McCarthy allows Mohamed Salah to tuck away Liverpool's second goal of the match to make it 2-2 in the second half at St. Mary's. St. Mary's is rocking as Mateus Fernandes finishes off the Southampton counter attack in style to give the Saints a shock 2-1 lead over Liverpool. Adam Armstrong's penalty is saved by Caoimhin Kelleher, but he gets his own rebound to tuck away Southampton's equalizer against Liverpool at St. Mary's. A comedy of errors from the Saints results in Dominik Szoboszlai slotting home Liverpool's opener at St. Mary's. Jon Champion and Graeme Le Saux preview Manchester United's Matchweek 12 showdown against Ipswich Town, where Ruben Amorim will manage the Red Devils for the first time. David Ornstein joins Rebecca Lowe to share the latest news regarding the on-going investigation into Premier League referee David Coote's comments and potential violations stemming from viral social media videos. David Ornstein joins Rebecca Lowe to unpack Manchester City's struggles so far this season and if there is a light at the end of the tunnel for Pep Guardiola's side.US President-elect Donald Trump has appointed a prominent Indian-American technologist, Sriram Krishnan, as the senior policy advisor for artificial intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In this capacity, Krishnan will work closely with Trump’s AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, and have a say in shaping the wider policy landscape around AI. While the Joe Biden administration made it a key priority to highlight the possible risks of AI and draw a policy framework that limited harm, the incoming Trump administration has viewed AI primarily through the lens of an opportunity, prioritised the ideas of growth and innovation and been publicly critical of regulatory attempts as an attempt by bigger tech firms to stymie the growth of smaller tech firms. Announcing the appointment, Trump said that his tech policy team “will unleash scientific breakthroughs, ensure America’s technological dominance, and usher in a Golden Age of American Innovation!” He posted on Truth Social, “Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in A.I., and help shape and coordinate A.I. policy across Government, including working with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.“ Krishnan said that he was honoured to be able to serve his country and “ensure continued American leadership in AI”. Krishnan, 40, was born in Chennai and did his bachelors in technology at SRM university. He worked in Microsoft between 2005 and 2011 where his focus was Windows Azure. From 2013 to 2016, he worked in what was then Facebook, where he led strategy and execution across businesses in mobile monetisation and created Facebook Audience Network. Krishnan then went on to work on product at Snap and Twitter before branching off to become an investor. In 2020, he became a general partner at the venture capital firm, Andreessen Horowitz, which invests both in seed and late stage tech companies. It is here that Krishnan has closely worked with AI, consumer and crypto firms, and worked with governments on AI policy. Krishnan, in his current role, worked closely with the founder of the VC, Marc Andreessen, who is a key Trump supporter. He also has a good relationship with top Trump advisor and supporter, Elon Musk, and is an investor in X and SpaceX. Along with his wife, Krishnan also hosts the Aarthi and Sriram show featuring conversations with Silicon Valley’s top technologists and entrepreneurs. Krishnan’s appointment may also leave an imprint on the debate on immigration. While the Trump ecosystem is fiercely opposed to illegal immigration, the tech constituency within Trump’s coalition is a strong advocate of continued legal immigration as a way to sustain American tech dominance, with Trump committing on a tech podcast with Sacks during the campaign that he was even in favour of giving green cards to those who studied in the US. In a post on X earlier this month, Krishnan offered a glimpse into his worldview and listed out specific suggestions to improve entrepreneurship. These included creating a startup founder or entrepreneur visa category, allowing H1B visa holders to start companies or transition to entrepreneur visa, and fast tracking green cards for technical fields. On crypto, he suggested clarity on the legal definition and departmental jurisdiction, a task that Trump has now assigned to a newly created crypto council. Krishnan also recommended creating a real time payment system for instant transfers, giving the example of UPI in India. With Usha Vance serving as the Second Lady, Vivek Ramaswamy co-heading the Department of Government Efficiency, Kash Patel running the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Harmeet Dhillon in charge of civil rights at the Department of Justice, and now Krishnan playing a key role in AI policy, from January 20, the Donald Trump administration is all set to have desis in key positions that will shape American state, security, science and the world. Commenting on Krishnan’s appointment, Sanjeev Joshipura of Indiaspora, a leading diaspora group, said, “For several years, Sriram has been an insightful thinker and influential commentator in the artificial intelligence realm. His previous work blending public policy, international affairs, investing and technology will stand him in good stead as he serves the nation in this important role. As Indiaspora continues our convening and thought leadership work on AI in the United States and abroad, we look forward to engaging closely with Sriram.”A chorus of support is growing behind actress Blake Lively after she filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign against "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni. Actress Amber Heard on Monday became the latest celebrity to speak out on behalf of the "Gossip Girl" alum over what she says was a coordinated social media effort to tarnish her name. Over the weekend, Lively filed a complaint claiming that Baldoni and a lead producer had behaved unacceptably during the filming of box office hit "It Ends With Us." The allegations included that Baldoni -- who also directed the film -- had spoken inappropriately about his sex life, and had sought to alter the film to include sex scenes that were not in the script and had not been agreed to. They also detailed how lead producer Jamey Heath had watched Lively while she was topless, despite having been asked to turn away. But the complaint goes into great detail -- including with texts and emails -- on a PR campaign to wreck her reputation and to divert attention from any public comments she might make about the men's alleged misbehavior. This was "a carefully crafted, coordinated, and resourced retaliatory scheme to silence her, and others from speaking out about the hostile environment that Mr Baldoni and Mr Heath created," the complaint says. It includes allegations that the two men hired a crisis PR team that amplified or planted negative stories about Lively on social media platforms. "You know we can bury anyone," Melissa Nathan, a member of the team, is alleged to have said, according to messages contained in the complaint. Heard's ex-husband Johnny Depp hired the same PR team during the high-profile defamation trial between the couple in 2022, in which a jury unanimously found that Heard defamed Depp over allegations he abused her. "Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying 'A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on,'" Heard said in a statement carried by NBC News. "I saw this firsthand and up close. It's as horrifying as it is destructive." Heard's support came on the heels of a joint statement by America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel, who starred with Lively in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." "As Blake's friends and sisters for over 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation," they wrote on Instagram. "Throughout the filming of 'It Ends with Us', we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice." A lawyer for Wayfarer, the studio behind the film, said in a statement released to the New York Times that neither the studio, its executives, nor its PR team did anything to retaliate against Lively. "These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media," lawyer Bryan Freedman wrote. The complaint was lodged with the California Civil Rights Department, and is a precursor to a lawsuit. Major Hollywood talent agency WME -- which represents Lively -- has reportedly dropped Baldoni as a client. hg/aha
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Total Knee Replacement Market Size: Strong Growth Ahead (2024-2032)ATLANTA — Georgia Republicans can subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis about her romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the outside attorney she hired to lead her 2020 election interference case against former and future President Donald Trump and his allies, a judge has ruled. The decision by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram was published Monday. It is the latest blow to Willis in regard to her prosecution of Trump. On Nov. 19, the Georgia Court of Appeals disqualified Willis and her office from the case due to her relationship with Wade . Ingram rejected Willis’ arguments that GOP leaders of a state Senate committee didn’t have the authority to issue a pair of subpoenas in August seeking documents and her testimony. But the judge gave Willis until Jan. 13 to explain why the subpoenas shouldn’t be enforced. “(Willis) claims that the subpoenas are overbroad and seek privileged and/or confidential information,” the judge said in her order. “This may very well be true, but this court needs more details on the basis for these objections from (Willis) before ruling on (committee members’) application for enforcement.” Representatives for Willis did not immediately respond Friday to questions about the ruling. Sen. Greg Dolezal , one of the committee members, mentioned the ruling in a social media post Friday. “We’ll see you soon, Madam D.A.,” he wrote. Dolezal, R-Cumming, has unveiled plans to extend the life of the committee into 2025. He told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Ingram’s ruling “follows the plain reading of the law as outlined in our committee.” “From open records laws to lawfully issued subpoenas, D.A. Willis seems to think she is above the law,” Dolezal said. “Once again, the courts ruled otherwise.” Ingram heard arguments from both sides during a hearing in Atlanta on Dec. 3. Willis claimed the subpoenas from the Senate’s Special Committee on Investigations were void because the committee and its members lacked legislative subpoena power, issued the subpoenas while the Senate was adjourned and violated part of the Georgia Constitution. Ingram disagreed. “It is undisputed that the General Assembly has the unenumerated and implied constitutional power to conduct investigations and the statutory authority to issue subpoenas for the purposes of such investigations,” she said. “Here, the Senate, as a chamber, empowered itself to issue subpoenas, which it was authorized to do.” The judge further said Willis failed to identify any authority to support her theory that the subpoenas could not be issued after the Legislature adjourned its regular session on March 28. Ingram also said the Georgia Constitution allows members of one branch of government to investigate members of another branch. The committee members offered to narrow the scope of the subpoenas, the judge noted. She gave them until Jan. 31 to respond to any objections Willis raises about enforcement of the subpoenas. Senators created the committee in January, just weeks after news surfaced that Willis had been in a romantic relationship with Wade. Members sought years worth of communications between Willis and Wade as well as information about his hiring and pay, the DA office’s federal grant funding and interactions with the White House, Justice Department and members of Congress regarding the elections case. They also sought to compel Willis’ attendance at a September hearing, which she declined to attend as she fought her summons in court. ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.