DENVER , Dec. 2, 2024 / PRNewswire / -- SM Energy Company SM today announced that Dr. Ashwin Venkatraman has been appointed to serve as an independent director and as a member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Board"). Chairman of the Board Julio Quintana comments: "We are very pleased to have Ashwin join the SM Energy Board where he will bring an extensive academic background and business experience in technology, artificial intelligence and engineering specific to the oil and gas industry. The SM Energy team aggressively applies data analytics and machine learning into their optimization plans, and Ashwin's expertise will be a valuable addition. Please join me in welcoming Ashwin ." Dr. Venkatraman is President and Chief Executive Officer of Resermine , Inc., a leader in subsurface artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions with a focus on enhancing oil recovery, a company that he founded in 2017. From January 2019 to December 2020 , Dr. Venkatraman was an Associate Professor of Petroleum and Geological Engineering at the University of Oklahoma . From 2015 to 2017, Dr. Venkatraman held academic appointments as a Postdoctoral Fellow in The Institute of Computational & Engineering Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin , and as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton University . During the period from 2004 to 2015, Dr. Venkatraman held various positions of increasing responsibility at Shell International Exploration and Production Inc., including Senior Reservoir Engineer (2009 to 2015); Research Reservoir Engineer (2008 to 2009); Concept Engineer (2007 to 2008); and Operations Engineer, Panna-Mukta Field (2004 to 2006). Dr. Venkatraman earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Technology and Chemical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology , Bombay, India , and his Ph.D . in Petroleum Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin . ABOUT THE COMPANY SM Energy Company is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs in the states of Texas and Utah . SM Energy routinely posts important information about the Company on its website. For more information about SM Energy, please visit its website at www.sm-energy.com . SM ENERGY INVESTOR CONTACTS Jennifer Martin Samuels , jsamuels@sm-energy.com , 303-864-2507 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sm-energy-appoints-dr-ashwin-venkatraman-to-the-companys-board-of-directors-302319922.html SOURCE SM Energy Company © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.By Michelle Conlin NEW YORK (Reuters) - Several key players in President-elect Donald Trump's new cryptocurrency venture head to Abu Dhabi on Monday for the largest bitcoin gathering in the Gulf region as the digital currency sets record highs. Speakers include the president-elect's son Eric and billionaire Steve Witkoff, the new White House envoy for the Middle East and co-founder of World Liberty Financial, a crypto platform launched in September that Donald Trump and his family helped form. Eric Trump will deliver Tuesday's keynote address at the Bitcoin MENA conference, which is projected to draw more than 6,000 people, and will then hold a "whale-only" chat in the conference's VIP lounge, according to the event's agenda. Witkoff will also speak separately to that more exclusive crowd, which requires a $9,999 "whale" pass, a nickname for large players who have potential to move a market. The president-elect is World Liberty Financial's chief crypto advocate, and sons Eric, Don Jr. and Barron are ambassadors, according to the WLF website. Company filings show Donald Trump is entitled to 22.5 billion WLF tokens and a share of its revenues. "The bitcoin conference carries a lot of significance for crypto as it's one of the longest-running conferences focused on bringing our industry together," said Marshall Beard, chief operating officer of Gemini, the crypto exchange founded by Trump backers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. "It’s been incredible to see the rise of bitcoin alongside the growth of the conference ... and crypto became a major campaign issue in this year’s presidential election." Other speakers also have close ties to World Liberty Financial, including Justin Sun, the 32-year-old Chinese founder of blockchain platform Tron. Three weeks after Trump won the Nov. 5 election, Sun posted on X that he bought $30 million worth of WLF tokens, making him the venture's largest investor. Sun was charged with crypto-related fraud and securities violations under the Biden administration. The Gulf gathering is occurring at an inflection point for the industry as Trump, once a crypto skeptic, has vowed he will be the "crypto president" and make America the new "crypto capital of the planet." Buoyed by these promises, bitcoin smashed records last week when it hit $100,000. Trump also named a White House czar for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies, former PayPal executive David Sacks, a close friend of Trump adviser and megadonor Elon Musk. Musk, whose companies include X, SpaceX and Tesla, spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect Trump in 2024, records show. Other technology and digital asset veterans also gave millions to candidates friendly to the industry, according to analytics firm Breadcrumbs. Trump's 2016 campaign manager, Paul Manafort, will address the conference on "A Life of Politics with the Man Closest to Donald Trump." Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who served a four-month U.S. prison sentence this year for crypto-tied money-laundering law violations, will also hold a whale session at the conference. Trump, his family members, other speakers and their firms did not respond to requests for comment. (Reporting By Michelle Conlin; editing by Megan Davies and Cynthia Osterman)Nostalgia on the menu: Sydney’s famed fish market serving up its last Christmas catch
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the U.S. government believes missing American journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared 12 years ago near the Syrian capital, is alive and that Washington is committed to bringing him home after Bashar Assad’s ouster from power in Damascus . “We think we can get him back," Biden told reporters at the White House, while acknowledging that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. "Assad should be held accountable.” Biden said officials must still identify exactly where Tice is after his disappearance in August 2012 at a checkpoint in a contested area west of Damascus. “We've remained committed to returning him to his family,” he said. Tice, who is from Houston, has had his work published by The Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and other outlets. A video released weeks after Tice went missing showed him blindfolded and held by armed men and saying, “Oh, Jesus.” He has not been heard from since. Syria has publicly denied that it was holding him. The United States has no new evidence that Tice is alive, but continues to operate under that assumption, according to a U.S. official. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. will continue to work to identify where he is and to try to bring him home. His mother, Debra, said at a news conference Friday in Washington that the family had information from a “significant source,” whom she did not identify, establishing that her son was alive. “He is being cared for and he is well — we do know that,” she said. The Tice family met this past week with officials at the State Department and the White House. “To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that we’re waiting for Austin,” Debra Tice said in comments that hostage advocacy groups spread on social media Sunday. “We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed & he’s going to need lots of care & direction. Direct him to his family please!”
Remember weeks before the election when Team Harris laughably tried to portray the Democrat nominee as the "law and order candidate" who is a "tough former prosecutor"? That was always a complete joke coming from the side that let millions stream into the U.S. illegally and raised bail money for violent rioters. The Democrats are about to see what actual law and order when it comes to tackling the illegal immigration problem looks like, and the pro-sanctuary city lefties are saying they'll be defiant, and incoming border czar Tom Homan has reminded them they're breaking federal laws and could face jail time if they don't cooperate. But Democrats in the U.S. aren't the only ones who have been put on notice. The U.N. and any other countries or entities who have perpetuated the border invasion (what's even more maddening is that it was all at the invitation of Biden and Harris) are also facing accountability. Homan just keeps the awesomeness coming: OH SNAP!!! Tom Homan just said the Trump admin will investigate & punish any foreign countries involved in the border invasion. "People are going to be held accountable... What did the United Nations have to do with this open border crisis? What NGOs were involved in this?"🔥 I... pic.twitter.com/tNYF6T7ztk The full post from @BehizyTweets: Tom Homan just said the Trump admin will investigate & punish any foreign countries involved in the border invasion. "People are going to be held accountable... What did the United Nations have to do with this open border crisis? What NGOs were involved in this?" I didn't think I could get any more excited about the next four years. The UN and a lot of organizations funded by dark money were definitely involved in the invasion, and it's about time they got dealt with. According to a House Judiciary report , Homan and the DHS under Trump are going to have plenty of accountability to pursue, and this is just with the United Nations: In less than four years, President Joe Biden and border czar Vice President Kamala Harris have released into the United States nearly 5.8 million illegal aliens.1 At least 1.9 million additional illegal aliens entered the country as “gotaways” by evading apprehension entirely.2 With the Biden-Harris Administration allowing nearly eight million illegal aliens to enter the United States since January 2021, the American people have watched as the Administration erased any semblance of border security and made a mockery of immigration enforcement. As Americans rightly objected to the Administration’s open-borders policies, the images of mass illegal immigration and chaos at the southwest border became a political liability for President Biden and Vice President Harris. But rather than fix the actual problem of illegal immigration, the Biden-Harris Administration engaged in misdirection—teaming up with open-borders bureaucrats at the United Nations to allow aliens to bypass the southwest border altogether. [...] At least $81.7 million in U.S. taxpayer funding spent by the open-borders United Nations to allow illegal aliens to bypass the southwest border and fly directly into the United States. Migration centers set up throughout Central and South America staffed by U.N. bureaucrats. Nearly 70,000 aliens referred for potential resettlement in the United States. Biden and Harris allowed the U.S. borders to be invaded and U.S. taxpayers helped make it happen. The election earlier this month showed just how much the taxpayers appreciated the dereliction of duty from the Democrats. It’s pretty safe to say not to ever mess with Tom Homan. https://t.co/PCXHj1L4o3 Pass the popcorn. January 20th isn't very far off.
Agriculture is not just growing a crop or raising livestock, as around 190 high schoolers interested in agriculture found out at the annual Careers in Ag Day at the Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff. The event, held on Nov. 13, was hosted by the Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee. It had 26 community business representatives discussing their place in agriculture. “When people start thinking about agriculture, they're like, well, I don't want to grow a crop, or I don't want to take care of cattle, right?” said Kelly Downer, Careers in Ag chair, Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee. “So the goal of today is to let the students know there is so much more to agriculture.” The event had 11 different pathways, from ag education to technology and veterinarian. The event gives the students a broad-based look at all aspects of agriculture, from working in the field doing hands-on work to being the person sitting in the bank as an ag lender. “We have an incredible set of resources with the business people in this community and the ag community here to share what we do and how we got where we are with these students,” said Paul Burgener, vice president of Farm Management, Manulife Investment Management. “So they have some idea of some opportunities coming out of high school and if they want to be involved in agriculture.” Students heard from and could ask questions of professionals in grain merchandising, ethanol production, conventional production ag, and feedlot and livestock production. “So, it's one thing to think, I want to get into the banking world,” Downer said. “Until you have that conversation with somebody and understand why they got into banking and what they're doing with banking, are you going to understand what it looks like.” The event also had representatives with information for students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Western Nebraska Community College, University of Wyoming, and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. Platte Valley Bank, Manulife Investment Management, Farm Credit Services, and Runza sponsored the Careers in Ag Day. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Western Michigan beats Eastern Michigan 26-18 to become bowl eligiblePORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Honey, they shrunk the catalogs. While retailers hope to go big this , customers may notice that the printed gift guides arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were indeed scaled down to save and paper, resulting in pint-sized editions. Lands’ End, Duluth Trading Company and Hammacher Schlemmer are among gift purveyors using smaller editions. Some retailers are saving even more money with postcards. Lisa Ayoob, a tech-savvy, online shopper in Portland, Maine, was surprised by the size of a recent catalog she received from outdoor apparel company Carbon2Cobalt. “It almost felt like it was a pamphlet compared to a catalog,” she said. Catalogs have undergone over the years in response to technological changes and consumer behavior. The thick, heavy Sears and catalogs that brought store displays to American living rooms slimmed down and gave way to targeted mailings once websites could do the same thing. Recent postal rate increases accelerated the latest shift to compact formats. The number of catalogs mailed each year dropped about 40% between 2006 to 2018, when an estimated 11.5 billion were mailed to homes, according to the trade group formerly known as the American Catalog Mailers Association. In a sign of the times, the group based in Washington rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association, reflecting a broadened focus. But don’t expect catalogs to go the way of dinosaurs yet. Defying predictions of doom, they have managed to in the e-commerce era. Retail companies found that could treat catalogs with fewer pages as a marketing tool and include QR and promo codes to entice customers to browse online and complete a purchase. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, catalogs are costly to produce and ship. But they hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs, helping retailers cut through the noise for consumers barraged by multi-format advertisements, industry officials say. In an unlikely twist, notable e-commerce companies like Amazon and started distributing catalogs in recent years. Amazon began mailing a toy catalog in 2018. That was the same year Sears, which produced an annual Christmas Wish Book Wish starting in 1933, y. Fans of printed information may rejoice to hear that apparel retailer relaunched its glossy catalog this year. Research shows that the hands-on experience of thumbing through a catalog leaves a greater impression on consumers, said Jonathan Zhang, a professor of marketing at Colorado State University. “The reason why these paper formats are so effective is that our human brains haven’t evolved as fast as technology and computers over the past 10 to 20 years. We retain more information when we read something on paper. That’s why paper books remain relevant,” Zhang said. “The psychology shows that three-dimensional, tactile experiences are more memorable.” Pint-sized presentations still can work, though, because the purpose of catalogs these days is simply to get customers’ attention, Zhang said. Conserving paper also works better with younger consumers who are worried about the holiday shopping season’s impact on the planet, he said. Postal increases are hastening changes. The latest round of postage hikes in July included the category with the 8.5-by-11-inch size that used to be ubiquitous for the catalog industry. Many retailers responded by reducing the size of catalogs, putting them in a lower-cost letter category, said Paul Miller, executive vice president and managing director of the American Commerce Marketing Association. One size, called a “slim jim,” measures 10.5 by 5.5 inches. But there other sizes. Some retailers have further reduced costs by mailing large postcards to consumers. Lands’ End, for one, is testing new compact formats to supplement its traditional catalogs. This year, that included folded glossy brochures and postcards, along with other formats, Chief Transformation Officer Angie Rieger said. Maine resident Ayoob said she understands why retailers still use catalogs even though she no longer is a fan of the format. These days, she prefers to browse for products on the internet, not by flipping through paper pages. “Everybody wants eyeballs. There’s so much out there — so many websites, so many brands,” said Ayoob, who spent 35 years working in department stores and in the wholesale industry. Targeting customers at home is not a new concept. was a pioneer of the mail-order catalog after its founder promoted his famous “Maine Hunting Shoe” to hunting license holders from out-of-state in 1912. The outdoor clothing and equipment company based in Freeport, Maine, is sticking to mailing out regular-sized catalogs for now. “By showcasing our icons, the catalog became an icon itself,” L.L. Bean spokesperson Amanda Hannah said. “Even as we invest more in our digital and brand marketing channels, the catalog retains a strong association with our brand, and is therefore an important part of our omni-channel strategy, especially for our loyal customers.”
There’s one question I get every time I give a talk. I’m , and when I discuss the deep history of political division in our country, someone in the audience always asserts that we can’t possibly compare past divisions to the present, because our media landscape is doing unprecedented harm, unlike anything seen in the past. I’m always struck by people’s belief in a placid media landscape in the past, a time of calm before the internet blew everything up. In fact, the most divided period in the history of U.S. democracy – the mid-1800s – coincided with a sudden boom in new communications technologies, confrontational political influencers, widespread disinformation and nasty fights over free speech. This media landscape helped bring the Civil War. The point is not that 21st century media is like the 19th century’s, but that the past was hardly full of the upstanding, rational, nonpartisan journalists many like to believe it was. And at this era’s center, in the campaign that actually led to the war, was a huge, strange, forgotten movement – – born from this media landscape and fought out in the newspapers, polling places and, ultimately, battlefields of the nation. for centuries, but as American rates of literacy rose, millions of ordinary citizens became daily news junkies. The number of papers jumped from a few publications in 1800 to 4,000 brawling rags by 1860, printing hundreds of millions of pages each year. They ranged from the snarky, and the blood-drenched true crime reports in the to the . Nearly everyone devoured them – from wealthy elites to schoolgirls to . Newspapers published scandals and rumors, riling mobs and sparking frequent attacks on editors – often by other editors. Well into the 20th century, communities were still pulling newspaper presses out of local rivers, . Ninety-five percent of newspapers had explicit political affiliations. directly. There was until the turn of the 20th century. These partisan presses, not the government, . Readers voted by cutting ballots from their pages and bringing them to the polls. Imagine if TikTok influencers or podcasters were responsible for administering elections. The telegraph may seem old-timey today, but after its introduction in the 1840s, Americans could disseminate breaking news . It allowed people to argue the issues nationwide – before the internet, television or radio. Americans became a people by arguing politics in the press. When politics was local, the major parties had avoided discussing slavery, taking what Abraham Lincoln mocked as a “don’t care” attitude. But now that Maine could debate with Texas, the topic shot to the forefront. By the 1850s, Northerners digested its evils daily. – first printed Harriet Beecher Stowe’s hair-raising “ ,” by far the most . Meanwhile, the radical pro-slavery magazine “ ” spread a maximalist vision of expanding slavery far and wide. Americans living thousands of miles from each other could argue the issue, and the only gatekeepers were editors who profited from spreading often legitimate outrage. It’s fitting, then, that the Northern pushback to expanding slavery came from the 19th century equivalent of “very online” young newspaper readers. Early in the 1860 election, a core of young clerks in Connecticut formed a club to . They happened to live in the state with the highest literacy rates and huge newspaper circulations. So when a local editor wrote that the Republicans seemed “Wide Awake” in the campaign, the boys named their club “ .” Adding militaristic uniforms, torch-lit midnight rallies and an open eye as their all-seeing symbol, a new movement was born, which I chronicle in my recent book, “ .” Often, their chief issue was not the knotty specifics of what to do about slavery, but the fight for a “Free Press” – unsuppressed by supporters of slavery, South or North. The Wide Awakes exploded across the national newspaper network. Within months of their founding, young Republicans were forming clubs from Connecticut to California. Most learned how to organize their companies through the papers. They built a reciprocal relationship with America’s press: cheering friendly newspaper offices and harassing pro-slavery Democratic papers’ headquarters. Friendly editors returned the favor, marching with the Wide Awakes and pushing their readers to form more clubs, like the Indiana newspaperman who nudged: “Cannot such an organization be gotten up in this town?” None of this could be admired as independent journalism, but it sure spread a movement. It only took a few months to turn the Wide Awakes into one of the largest partisan movements America had ever seen, believed to have 500,000 members – proportionally the equivalent of 5 million today. The same newspaper network spread fear as well. Readers in much of the South saw the clubs as a partisan paramilitary organization. Wild accounts shared accidental misinformation and deliberate disinformation, pushing the false notion that the Wide Awakes were preparing for a war, not an election. The presence of a few hundred African American Wide Awakes in Boston morphed into claims in Mississippi that “the Wide Awakes are composed mainly of Negroes,” who were plotting a race war. A dispersed, partisan media exaggerated such falsehoods like a national game of telephone. By the time , hysterical editors predicted a Wide Awake attack on the South. Secessionist newspapers used fears of Wide Awakes to help push states out of the Union. The Weekly Mississippian reported “WIDE-AWAKE INVASION ANTICIPATED,” the very day that state seceded. Meanwhile, Wide Awake editors began to push back against the widening secession conspiracy. German newspapermen in . In Pennsylvania, the editor James Sanks Brisbin ordered Republicans to “organize yourselves into military companies. ... Take muskets in your hands, and from Maine to Oregon let the earth shake to the tread of .” What began in ink was spiraling into lead and steel. It took 16 years to develop from the introduction of the telegraph to the Civil War. Undoubtedly, the fight over slavery caused that conflict, but the newspapers fed it, amplified it, exaggerated it. Mid-19th century Americans lived with an odd combination: an unprecedented ability to spread information, but also a siloed and partisan system of interpreting it. It helped the nation finally reckon with the crimes of slavery, but also spread bad faith, irrational panic and outright lies. This history can add a needed perspective to today’s political conflicts, so often magnified by social media. In both eras, new technologies supercharged existing political tensions. Yet we can see from this heated history that political media is less like an unstoppable, unreformable force that will consume democracy, and more like another in a succession of breathtaking, catastrophic, wild new landscapes that must be tamed.
DAMASCUS, Syria — Ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally, Russian media said Sunday, hours after a stunning rebel advance seized control of Damascus and ended his family’s 50 years of iron rule . Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire and waved the revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. The swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East,” President Joe Biden said , crediting action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria’s backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He called the fall of Assad a “fundamental act of justice” but also a “moment of risk and uncertainty,” and said rebel groups are “saying the right things now” but the U.S. would assess their actions. Russia requested an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council to discuss Syria, according to Dmitry Polyansky, its deputy ambassador to the U.N., in a post on Telegram. The arrival of Assad and his family in Moscow was reported by Russian agencies Tass and RIA, citing an unidentified source at the Kremlin. A spokesman there didn’t immediately respond to questions. RIA also said Syrian insurgents had guaranteed the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. Earlier, Russia said Assad left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups and that he had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. The leader of Syria’s biggest rebel faction, Abu Mohammed al-Golani , is poised to chart the country’s future. The former al-Qaida commander cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance. His Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the U.N. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the Umayyad Mosque and described Assad’s fall as “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he said Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They urged people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state,” and announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. An online video purported to show rebels freeing dozens of women at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. “I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi appeared on state TV and sought to reassure religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did,” he added. Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Soldiers and police fled their posts and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Families wandered the presidential palace, walking by damaged portraits of Assad. Other parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up,” said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” Rebels stood guard at the Justice Ministry, where Judge Khitam Haddad said he and colleagues were protecting documents. Outside, residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s historically pro-government newspaper al-Watan called it “a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements ordered from above. A statement from the Alawite sect that formed the core of Assad’s base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. The road to Damascus from the Lebanese border was littered with military uniforms and charred armored vehicles. Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, which provided crucial support to Assad, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its proxies, already weakened by conflict with Israel . Iran said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Hossein Akbari, Iran’s ambassador to Syria, said it was “effectively impossible” to help the Syrian government after it admitted the insurgents' military superiority. Speaking on Iranian state media from an undisclosed location, he said Syria’s government decided Saturday night to hand over power peacefully. “When the army and the people could not resist, it was a good decision to let go to prevent bloodshed and destruction,” Akbari said, adding that some of his colleagues left Syria before sunrise. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking on state TV, said there were concerns about the “possibility of civil war, disintegration of Syria, total collapse and turning Syria into a shelter for terrorists.” Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali has said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office to a hotel. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. RECOMMENDED • silive .com Syrian government appears to have fallen in stunning end to 50-year rule of Assad family Dec. 8, 2024, 12:26 a.m. NYC high school applications are due Wednesday: Here’s what to know when applying Dec. 4, 2024, 8:00 a.m. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground,” including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel’s military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the U.S., views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall to occupy more territory.
McGill runs for 2TDs and North Texas becomes bowl eligible by beating Temple 24-17Letters Nov. 30: Carbon tax, McKenzie-Quadra corridor, Donald Trump The Times Colonist Nov 30, 2024 4:17 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Several letter-writers say they abhor photos of Donald Trump staring out at them from the newspaper. To illustrate that point, we have a photo of a hiker at Esquimalt’s Fleming Beach Park with the Olympic Mountains in the background. DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST Listen to this article 00:14:59 Is there are cheaper way to build a pool? Perhaps Victoria could explain this glaring difference in prices. Victoria wants to replace the Crystal Pool at an estimated cost of $210 million. A 52,000-square-foot aquatic centre being built near Edmonton is massive in comparison and is budgeted for a quarter of that, at $54 million. Something smells, and it’s not chlorine. Doug Coulson Saanich Hasham’s cheque delivery an example to all Once again, Al Hasham of Maximum Courier steps up to help the community and non-profits. This time, offering to deliver cheques for non-profits to help what the government is not doing, by allowing the Canada Post strike. Having met Hasham only a few times, it’s always at charities and fundraisers. I am told he is at these events every week. He is an example of what we could all strive to be like, giving time and resources if we are able to do so. Al is an inspiration and makes our community a much better place. Thank you, Al, for doing all you do. People like Al give us hope to make this an even greater city than it already is. Gerald Hartwig Victoria Dropping carbon tax would be a mistake Referring to Pierre Poilievre’s tax reduction plan, a Nov. 28 letter suggested that a future Prime Minister Poilievre “will do away with carbon taxes that increase prices on virtually everything we purchase,” suggesting the Trudeau government, instead of dropping the GST temporarily, “would have been wiser” to eliminate the carbon tax. That premise stands on unsupportable ground and must not be accepted uncritically. Poilievre repeatedly blames Canada’s consumer fuel charge (the carbon tax to most taxpayers) for dramatically increasing inflation in this country, including driving up the cost of food. But he’s wrong, for at least three reasons. First, Canada’s carbon tax is largely revenue-neutral — the majority of taxpayers get most, all, or more than our share of carbon tax outlays back either as rebates, or in the case of B.C., ongoing income tax reductions and low-income cash subventions that have been in place since 2008. Revenue neutrality has no net impact on inflation. Second, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem reported last year that a $15 per year increase in the per tonne tax on carbon dioxide emissions yields just a 0.15 per cent increase in the annual inflation rate, saying it’s “a relatively small effect.” And third, an insightful and comprehensive analysis just published by University of Calgary economists Trevor Tombe and Jennifer Winter concludes that the tax rate of $80 per tonne of CO2 emitted has boosted food costs in Canada by just 0.5 per cent, a tiny fraction of the 26 per cent rise in prices at the grocery store that we have seen since 2019. The high prices that are impacting all of us cannot be laid at the feet of Canada’s largely revenue-neutral carbon pricing system. Our national carbon tax program is smart policy that continues to be applauded internationally. Axing it will discourage investment in clean technologies while increasing emissions. Those are backward steps that no current or future government should ever adopt. Thomas F. Pedersen Professor emeritus University of Victoria Work with those who are traumatized Re: “Police program hurt students, costs money,” letter, Nov. 26. I find it disingenuous of the author to suggest that the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association (GVTA) changed its position to reject the police liaison program based on evidence, not politicking. The GVTA is a political organization. Is it coincidental that the defund the police movement preceded the GVTA’s change of heart? Deciding to dump a school-based program based on stats out of the United States is asinine. Don’t forget who that country just elected, not to mention that the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) places Canada well above the U.S. in all areas of student achievement. Let’s not look south of the border for education and law enforcement practices. I would also like to reiterate what columnist Les Leyne pointed out: why aren’t we listening to people like Mia Golden, who works directly with youth recruited through gang infiltration at schools, rather than political appointees like Kasari Govender. If the GVTA needs evidence of increased gang violence, talk to some parents. I have a friend whose son was recruited by gangs and he would be more than willing to share his story. Finally, when do we abandon programs in schools because a small minority of students don’t like them? I know lots of students who don’t like math but we don’t stop teaching math. Maybe if some students are traumatized by police in schools, we should work with those students to help them overcome those fears rather than throwing the baby out with the bath water. Jason Gammon Former president, Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association Victoria Give readers a warning about photos of that man Here’s to the idea that there be a front page notification of photos of Donald Trump appearing in the Times Colonist . The letter from Howard Brunt puts into words perfectly what is felt by me and anyone I have spoken to since his first term in office. I believe it is called fear and it does not feel good. It was likened to the feeling citizens of the world felt prior to the Second World War. Janice Graham-Andrews North Saanich Wasting mental space on that president-elect I agree with the letter from Howard Brunt, asking for a warning about photos of Donald Trump. I don’t want to avoid all news for the next four years, but I refuse to allow any mental and emotional space to the racist predator that Brunt and I abhor. Brunt’s suggestion helps us all. J. and W. Thom Saanich Another vote to scrap certain photos Howard Brunt’s request for a warning about Donald Trump photos has most assuredly earned “submission of the month.” President-elect Trump’s face is the most highly evolved emetic ever available to humanity. Taken with or without warm water and salt, it’s fast acting with almost immediate relief. Better still, how about we leave his face out of the next four years. Colin Newell Saanich Take your shot, Justin, prove what you can do If ever there was a moment for our PM to garner a measure of respect from the dwindling number of voters who still support him, the opportunity has been presented nicely from Donald Trump. Aside from the necessities of getting our national (and international) problems addressed, a strong leader would publicly defend his or her country with some reverse rhetoric directed squarely at the U.S. president, something akin to “get the (xxx) out of our house!” It’s obvious the erratic and unhinged weaponization Trump is trying to create is based on fear, chaos and mayhem within our social, political and economic environments. As Canadians across our diverse electorate would likely agree, we don’t require the neighbourhood bully to the south to rule and attempt to change our way of life. A strong leader would immediately push back, with conviction. If Justin Trudeau has any mettle, it’s showtime. Jim Gibson Saanich Plenty of value in military spending Re: “Military spending does not offer value,” letter, Nov. 28. The ill-informed opinion on military spending needs to be addressed. Without getting into the absolute necessity of adequate military spending to ensure the safety of Canada and Canadians, I have some points to address in the discussion of “value for money.” First, the Canadian military’s equipment is worn to the point of obsolescence and requires replacement. These replacements are made by Canadian subsidiaries of companies such as Lockheed Martin or General Dynamics. These dollars are fed into the Canadian economy through the people employed in our country to do the work necessary to renew the CAF and its various fleets. Second, the lifetime of these vehicles requires Canadians to maintain them. Each ship, tank, truck, rifle and aircraft is either made in Canada or maintained in Canada. Again we see some involvement from the big defence companies, but we also see Canadians employed by branch plants of Wartsilla, or General Motors, or Ford. You see a return to the economy through local shipyards like Seaspan, or specialized aircraft maintainers like Spar Aerospace all the way down to small companies like Accutemp. Then we come to the military’s own dedicated maintenance facilities like the Fleet Maintenance Facilities in Esquimalt and Halifax that employ mostly civilians to conduct more security sensitive maintenance. All of these companies employ thousands of Canadians who in turn drive local economies around military bases. Not once have I even included the actual serving members of the military themselves. There is plenty of value added to the maintenance of the Canadian Armed Forces, if you know where to look. Richard Despres, CD, MGM Langford Two per cent on defence against climate change The U.S. Department of Defense considers climate change “a critical national security threat and a top management challenge.” In fact, the department views climate change as “an existential threat to national security, similar to nuclear attacks.” “It is not a future threat, it is a threat today. Climate change is affecting global stability, military readiness, humanitarian crises, and the risk of war.” Therefore, spending to combat and mitigate climate change deserves to be classified as defence spending and should come under the two per cent of GDP umbrella. If Canada takes its obligations toward climate change seriously, it should easily be able to meet its two per cent commitment. Barrie Webster Victoria Put bicycle lanes on lesser-used routes The Esquimalt businesses who are suggesting alternative routes for bike lanes have it right. The concerns that business will dwindle if convenient parking is no longer available is correct. The silent whizzing of bikes travelling on alternative routes will bother no one. The bikers who no longer have to deal with huge traffic and exhaust from gas powered traffic will be healthier and safer. Let’s put those bike lanes in lesser used routes — it is an all-round win! Joanne Cowan Nanoose Bay Improve access to John Dean Park It is wonderful that donations have enabled the expansion of John Dean Park. However, restricting public access to any part of the park defeats the purpose. There are six-plus kilometres of lovely trails and donated money should be used to add more. The native legend of a great flood is obviously a myth. How could a flood reach nearly 1,000 feet? Restricting admittance and now renaming the park based on a myth is an insult to intent of John Dean and other donors. I am a former Dean Park resident who enjoyed many days in the park. Joan McMillan Lantzville Hard numbers needed on the McKenzie plan Concerning the future development and improvement plans for the McKenzie-Quadra corridor and related traffic flow plans (improvements?) near Shelbourne, there have been several references to the concept of traffic evaporation. What seems to me to be missing are statistics of the present human traffic utilizing McKenzie at these busy intersections. What is the present number of people transiting east-west and north-south, for example in the morning, evening, or on weekends, in units of perhaps people per hour? This would seem to be the only important metric that should either be maintained or increased by any plan. The means of transport should include all options: walking, biking, busing, and cars. Reducing the number of cars (evaporated) can only be compensated by sufficient gains in people per hour by all other means. A plan that reduces the net throughput is a failure, will cause traffic delays, and cannot be considered an improvement. Richard Dewey Gordon Head Sorry, seniors, your free rides should go For years, B.C. Ferries has been unable to keep up with the demand of maintaining its fleet of ships. Given that, I question the wisdom in giving every B.C. resident 65 and older free passage four days a week on several ferry routes, even though I am a beneficiary of that policy. I am all for seniors’ discounts; however, this 100% discount contributes to the “funding gap” in B.C. Ferries’ ability to maintain a fully functioning ferry system. Perhaps it is time to reconsider this policy. Denise M. Morton North Saanich SEND US YOUR LETTERS • Email letters to: [email protected] • Submissions should be no more than 250 words; subject to editing for length and clarity. Provide your contact information; it will not be published. Avoid sending your letter as an email attachment. See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More Opinion Adrian Raeside cartoon: How to cope with B.C. Ferries' money shortage Nov 29, 2024 11:00 PM Letters Nov. 29: Let's make our community cleaner; persistent need for food banks Nov 29, 2024 2:41 AM Editorial: Canada could lead in fight against type 1 diabetes Nov 29, 2024 2:40 AM Featured Flyer
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Why your favorite catalogs are smaller this holiday seasonThis article is part of HuffPost’s biweekly politics newsletter. Click here to subscribe . A hallmark of Donald Trump ’s first presidency was the way major policy developments would sometimes get almost no attention, because they were competing with the flurry of higher-profile, sometimes mind-blowing controversies swirling around him and his team. Evidently Trump’s second presidency is going to unfold in the same way. For the past week, the political world has focused mostly on the controversies over Trump’s planned appointments for top positions in his administration. And that’s understandable, given his plan to put the nation’s health in the hands of a noted vaccine skeptic and to hand the national intelligence apparatus over to someone who likes to repeat talking points from Russian propaganda . But that conversation has left virtually no space for discussion about policy changes — including one that should raise a lot of questions about exactly whose interests Trump will represent in government and exactly who has influence over him. The policy in question is a federal tax credit for buyers of new electric vehicles. It exists thanks to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s signature legislative accomplishment, and is part of that law’s effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by promoting EV use. Last week Reuters reported that Trump’s transition team was recommending he ask Congress to kill the tax credit. And while Trump has not said anything publicly, auto industry leaders and investors saw the report as a trial balloon and indicator of what the president-elect is likely to do. It was not exactly a shocking development. Trump has been speaking out against Democratic support of EVs ― or what he has called, deceptively, an “ electric vehicle mandate ” ― for years. Especially when speaking in states like Michigan, cradle of America’s auto industry, he has portrayed the EV effort as elite Democrats imposing a tree-hugging agenda that will ruin the U.S. auto industry and, in the process, wipe out jobs for U.S. workers. Still, Trump never said explicitly whether he’d actually seek to eliminate the tax credit. And there were reasons to think he might not pursue the idea after the election. One is that a number of House Republicans support the EV incentives. Many come from places like Georgia, Ohio, Indiana and Nevada ― states that Trump won and where the EV effort has led to a boom in factory construction. The recent EV push has “created good jobs in many parts of the country — including many districts represented by members of our conference,” the House members wrote in a summer letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) Then there are the feelings of the auto industry itself. Both Ford and General Motors, the two legacy car companies still based in Detroit, have supported the tax credit because they think a global shift towards EVs is inevitable. The real question now, they argue, is not whether there will be many more EVs in the future, but who will produce and sell them. The U.S. carmakers are particularly worried about losing ground to Chinese companies. Thanks to two decades of financial support from their own government, Chinese carmakers can now produce EVs more cheaply and, as a result, are poised to dominate the worldwide market. The new federal tax credit, worth up to $7,500 per vehicle but only valid for EVs produced here in the U.S., is giving Ford and GM a chance to compete on a more even playing field among U.S. consumers. Good jobs in the districts of House Republicans, a chance to help American industry compete with China ― those sure sound like ideas that might resonate with Trump. But those aren’t the only appeals Trump is hearing. He’s also hearing from some of his biggest, and richest, allies. And they have a very different view. Hamm, Musk And EVs One of the co-leaders of the transition team on EV policy, according to Reuters, is Harold Hamm , a billionaire oil tycoon who was a prodigious Trump fundraiser during the campaign (and donated plenty of his own money, too). Hamm opposes support for EVs, whose growth over the long term would reduce demand for gasoline ― i.e., the financial lifeblood of his enterprises. Elon Musk, another Trump megadonor, also has the president-elect’s ear. And although Musk is the CEO of Tesla, the nation’s top electric carmaker, Musk has said his company doesn’t need the subsidies because it’s not trying to retool from making gas-powered cars and isn’t at the same disadvantage internationally as the legacy Detroit automakers. “I think it would be devastating for our competitors and for Tesla slightly,” Musk told investors over the summer. But he said that in the “long term, it probably helps” Tesla if Trump does away with the tax credit, since that could allow Tesla to more thoroughly dominate the U.S. market. Corey Cantor , a senior auto industry analyst at BloombergNEF, told HuffPost he thinks Tesla sales benefit from the tax credits more than Musk lets on. But he agrees Tesla has “far more flexibility” and would suffer less. One reason for that is that Musk has fought unionization at his auto plants and, according to outside analysts, pays his workers less than competitors . A major goal of the Biden EV push was to support unionized companies in the U.S. and, in the process, guarantee better pay for manufacturing workers. It’s impossible to know just how much Trump’s opposition to the EV tax credit reflects the influence of Hamm and Musk, given his own longstanding skepticism of measures to prevent climate change. But Trump has a lengthy , well-chronicled history of heeding or helping donors who want policy favors, or offering them positions in his administration. And that’s to say of nothing of how Trump and his family profited personally when, for example, lobbyists and foreign dignitaries would stay at Trump’s Washington hotel. One w atchdog group determined through public disclosures that his daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner, made as much as $640 million in outside income during Trump’s first term. Now Trump is on his way back to the White House, with a transition team led by and stocked with billionaires . Musk, along with fellow billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, are leading a so-called Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”) task force that, though not an official government entity, will identify targets for big cuts in government spending. The Political Game Lobbyists and analysts familiar with the transition told The New York Times they thought Ford and GM (and Stellantis, the other Detroit company, which is now part of a foreign conglomerate) still had a chance to save the tax credit, if they’re strategic enough. As these sources explained it to the Times, part of Trump’s motivation for killing the tax credit was his grudge against the Detroit companies because of their past support for auto emissions policies he opposed. To get on Trump’s good side, the companies needed to make amends ― or, as the Times put it, “bow to Mr. Trump.” Trump has always been unabashedly transactional . The variable is which kind of currency will get him to respond. Campaign contributions? Family enrichment? Personal abasement? Some combination of the above? The future of EVs, like so many other issues in policy for the next four years, may depend on who figures out the answer. Related From Our PartnerNYT's Brooks: Smith Was Right to Drop Case, It's More Dangerous if We 'Use Trials as Political Weapons' Going Forward
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Okie Sandra EvansFour-star prospect Hylton Stubbs , the No. 91 recruit in the 2025 ESPN 300 and eighth-ranked safety, has flipped his commitment from Miami to Florida , he told ESPN on Monday evening. Stubbs' commitment to the Gators comes one day after he took an unofficial visit to Florida on Sunday. Stubbs, from Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, is the fourth top-100 prospect in Billy Napier's 2025 class and the program's 12th pledge in the past month, continuing the Gators' searing run on the recruiting trail in the lead-up to the start of the early signing period on Wednesday. "I feel like something big is about to happen at Florida," Stubbs told ESPN. "They've been recruiting me my whole life. Something big is coming and I don't want to miss out." Editor's Picks Recruiting intel: Five-stars flip watch; Georgia, Penn State pushing for a QB commit 2d Eli Lederman Sources: Florida flips another in FSU-bound RB 6d Eli Lederman Napier berates Gators' flag-planting on FSU logo 1d Stubbs, a former USC pledge who flipped to Miami in July, was the third-ranked member of Mario Cristobal's 2025 Hurricanes class prior to shifting his pledge. His departure leaves Miami with just two top-100 commits entering the early signing period: No. 1 offensive guard S.J. Alofaituli (No. 12 in the ESPN 300) and cornerback Jaboree Antoine (No. 66). A once-lagging Florida recruiting class has skyrocketed since the Gators announced on Nov. 7 that Napier would remain in charge of the program. Stubbs' pledge marks the program's latest recruiting victory in the late stages of the 2025 cycle amid a strong finish to the regular season, which included ranked wins over LSU and Ole Miss . "I've always loved Coach Napier," Stubbs said. "When they started winning big games and showing the potential that they could have, it was something big. It's turned a lot of people's heads." Stubbs becomes the sixth ESPN 300 prospect to commit to Florida since Napier's future was settled. He joins a list of recent flips that includes top inside linebacker Ty Jackson (USC flip), offensive tackle Tavaris Dice ( Auburn ), running back Byron Louis ( Florida State ) and defensive end Jayden Woods ( Penn State ). Four-star defensive tackle Joseph Mbatchou , who decommitted from Florida in October before committing to Texas on Nov. 23, flipped his pledge back to the Gators on Sunday night. Former Georgia defensive tackle pledge Stephon Shivers and former Florida State quarterback commit Tramell Jones Jr. , Stubbs' high school teammate, represent another pair of four-star prospects to land in Florida's 2025 class in recent weeks. Bolstered by a strong finish to the 2024 season, Florida has recovered from its slow start in the 2025 cycle. The Gators could continue to add this week with five-star Florida State offensive tackle pledge Solomon Thomas (No. 13 in the ESPN 300) and four-star wide receiver Jaime Ffrench (No. 25) -- another high school teammate of Stubbs -- among the program's top flip targets as the early signing period opens.
DURHAM, N.H. (AP) — Kinkead Dent threw for 246 yards and ran for another 56 yards and a touchdown as UT Martin rolled to a 41-10 win over New Hampshire in an FCS first-round game on Saturday. The Skyhawks (9-4) advance to face unbeaten and top-seeded Montana State (12-0) in the second round. UT Martin's rushing game amassed 236 yards on 52 carries and five different backs reached the end zone. Meanwhile, the Skyhawks limited New Hampshire to 124 yards of total offense and held the Wildcats' run game to just 53 yards on 16 carries. Rashad Raymond scored from 4-yards out midway through the first quarter to put UT Martin on the board first and All-Big South/OVC first-team running back Patrick Smith added a 3-yard scoring run in the second to take a 17-7 lead. Dent capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive by nosing in from the 2 and Jaren Van Winkle kicked field goals from 30- and 36-yards to make it 24-7 at intermission. Trevonte Rucker scored from the 4 to start the fourth quarter and Glover Cook III punched in from the 1 to complete the scoring. Dent Completed 17 of 26 passes without an interception. Rucker caught nine passes for 98 yards and DeVonte Tanksley caught four for 81, including a 56-yard reception. Smith carried 15 times for 71 yards. Glover had 12 carries for 56. Seth Morgan was held to 14 of 35 passing with an interception for New Hampshire (8-5). Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. ET. Our computer model projects the Buccaneers will win — keep scrolling for a full breakdown regarding the spread, over/under and final score. Looking for NFL tickets? Head to StubHub today and see your team live. The Buccaneers have the 26th-ranked defense this year (354.3 yards allowed per game), and they’ve been more effective offensively, ranking third-best with 389.7 yards per game. The Panthers’ defense has been bottom-five in scoring defense this season, allowing 29.9 points per game, which ranks worst in the NFL. On offense, they rank 25th with 18.9 points per contest. BetMGM is one of the most trusted Sportsbooks in the nation. Start with as little as $1 and place your bets today . Ready to make your pick? Head to BetMGM using our link and start betting today. Watch this game on Paramount+ (Regional restrictions may apply) Rep your favorite NFL players with officially licensed gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more. Catch every NFL touchdown with NFL RedZone on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Honey, they shrunk the catalogs. While retailers hope to go big this holiday season , customers may notice that the printed gift guides arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were indeed scaled down to save on postage and paper, resulting in pint-sized editions. Lands’ End, Duluth Trading Company and Hammacher Schlemmer are among gift purveyors using smaller editions. Some retailers are saving even more money with postcards. Lisa Ayoob, a tech-savvy, online shopper in Portland, Maine, was surprised by the size of a recent catalog she received from outdoor apparel company Carbon2Cobalt. “It almost felt like it was a pamphlet compared to a catalog,” she said. Catalogs have undergone a steady recalibration over the years in response to technological changes and consumer behavior. The thick, heavy Sears and J.C. Penney catalogs that brought store displays to American living rooms slimmed down and gave way to targeted mailings once websites could do the same thing. Recent postal rate increases accelerated the latest shift to compact formats. The number of catalogs mailed each year dropped about 40% between 2006 to 2018, when an estimated 11.5 billion were mailed to homes, according to the trade group formerly known as the American Catalog Mailers Association. In a sign of the times, the group based in Washington rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association, reflecting a broadened focus. But don't expect catalogs to go the way of dinosaurs yet. Defying predictions of doom, they have managed to remain relevant in the e-commerce era. Retail companies found that could treat catalogs with fewer pages as a marketing tool and include QR and promo codes to entice customers to browse online and complete a purchase. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, catalogs are costly to produce and ship. But they hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs, helping retailers cut through the noise for consumers barraged by multi-format advertisements, industry officials say. In an unlikely twist, notable e-commerce companies like Amazon and home goods supplier Wayfair started distributing catalogs in recent years. Amazon began mailing a toy catalog in 2018. That was the same year Sears, which produced an annual Christmas Wish Book Wish starting in 1933, filed for bankruptc y. Fans of printed information may rejoice to hear that apparel retailer J.Crew relaunched its glossy catalog this year. Research shows that the hands-on experience of thumbing through a catalog leaves a greater impression on consumers, said Jonathan Zhang, a professor of marketing at Colorado State University. “The reason why these paper formats are so effective is that our human brains haven’t evolved as fast as technology and computers over the past 10 to 20 years. We retain more information when we read something on paper. That's why paper books remain relevant," Zhang said. “The psychology shows that three-dimensional, tactile experiences are more memorable.” Pint-sized presentations still can work, though, because the purpose of catalogs these days is simply to get customers’ attention, Zhang said. Conserving paper also works better with younger consumers who are worried about the holiday shopping season's impact on the planet, he said. Postal increases are hastening changes. The latest round of postage hikes in July included the category with the 8.5-by-11-inch size that used to be ubiquitous for the catalog industry. Many retailers responded by reducing the size of catalogs, putting them in a lower-cost letter category, said Paul Miller, executive vice president and managing director of the American Commerce Marketing Association. One size, called a “slim jim,” measures 10.5 by 5.5 inches. But there other sizes. Some retailers have further reduced costs by mailing large postcards to consumers. Lands' End, for one, is testing new compact formats to supplement its traditional catalogs. This year, that included folded glossy brochures and postcards, along with other formats, Chief Transformation Officer Angie Rieger said. Maine resident Ayoob said she understands why retailers still use catalogs even though she no longer is a fan of the format. These days, she prefers to browse for products on the internet, not by flipping through paper pages. “Everybody wants eyeballs. There’s so much out there -- so many websites, so many brands,” said Ayoob, who spent 35 years working in department stores and in the wholesale industry. Targeting customers at home is not a new concept. L.L. Bean was a pioneer of the mail-order catalog after its founder promoted his famous “Maine Hunting Shoe” to hunting license holders from out-of-state in 1912. The outdoor clothing and equipment company based in Freeport, Maine, is sticking to mailing out regular-sized catalogs for now. “By showcasing our icons, the catalog became an icon itself,” L.L. Bean spokesperson Amanda Hannah said. "Even as we invest more in our digital and brand marketing channels, the catalog retains a strong association with our brand, and is therefore an important part of our omni-channel strategy, especially for our loyal customers.”
