Cardi B Turns On Democrats: "B**ch, We"re Going To Be Drowning In F**king Rats" 

Here are the stars we said goodbye to so far this year, including Sinéad O'Connor, Norman Lear, Jimmy Buffett, Matthew Perry, and Tina Turner. Lisa Marie Presley.Bryan Steffy/WireImage Here are the famous people who died in 2023. Lisa Marley Presley, Jim Brown, Raquel Welch, Matthew Perry, Harry Belafonte, Norman Lear, and Bob Barker all passed away. So did music icons Tina Turner, David Crosby, Jimmy Buffett, Tony Bennett, Sinéad O'Connor, and Robbie Robertson. Joss Ackland, 95Joss Ackland.Pascal Le Segretin/GettyAckland has dozens of movie and TV credits, but he'll be remembered best for the work he did in the late 1980s and into the 1990s.He played the villain Aryan Rudd in 1989's "Lethal Weapon 2." He then played the Soviet Union Ambassador in 1990's "The Hunt for Red October," and then in 1992 played the lovable skate-maker Hans in "The Mighty Ducks." He returned for the sequel in 1996.The British-born character actor's final credit was the 2014 movie "Decline of an Empire," which was a biopic on Catherine of Alexandria.Ackland died on November 19, no cause was given.Alan Arkin, 89Alan Arkin in the 1966 movie "The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming."United Archives/GettySpanning seven decades, the work of Alan Arkin will be remembered forever.Arkin, with his Brooklyn accent, was never hard to miss. Whether he played his gruff style for laughs or drama, he was always top notch.He made his Broadway debut as David Kolowitz in "Enter Laughing," earning his first-ever Tony Award for best featured actor in a play in 1963.Quickly he moved out to Hollywood and found instant success.He nabbed his first Oscar nomination for his leading role in the Norman Jewison 1966 war satire "The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming." Arkin earned additional Academy Award nominations for his roles in "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" and "Argo."He won his Oscar for his role as Edwin Hoover in "Little Miss Sunshine," the 2006 critically acclaimed dramedy.Arkin was also a six-time Primetime Emmy nominee, more recently for his supporting role as Norman Newlander on "The Kominsky Method."He died on June 29 at his home in Carlsbad, California. No cause was given.Burt Bacharach, 94Burt Bacharach.Bettmann/GettyA six-time Grammy winner and three-time Oscar winner, Bacharach gave us some of the most memorable pop tunes of all time.The composer and pianist was responsible for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" from the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," as well as "Best that You Can Do," the theme from the movie "Arthur." Both of which also became chart-topping singles.Along with lyricist Hal David, the duo are regarded as one of the best songwriting teams of all time. There's the hits they did with Dionne Warwick, like "Walk on By" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again."Other hits include "The Story of My Life" from Marty Robbins, and "Magic Moments" sung by Perry Como.Bacharach died on February 8 of natural causes.  Bob Barker, 99Bob Barker.CBSThe legendary game show host of "The Price Is Right" was a fixture in houses during the daytime for an astounding 35 years.With his slim figure, golden tan, and full head of white hair, Barker was not just a TV star, for many he was a part of the family as he was on their TV five days a week without fail.It resulted in Barker winning 14 Daytime Emmys Awards for outstanding game show host over his career, and an Emmy for Lifetime Achievement in 1999.Barker died on August 26 of natural causes.Jeff Beck, 78Jeff Beck.Paul Natkin/GettyThe beloved English guitarist of The Yardbirds spent decades evolving his style as he was influenced by everything from blues to hard rock.He's regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time.Thanks to his mix of work with The Yardbirds in the 1960s and his later solo work, he was respected around the world by musicians and fans.Beck won the Grammy for best rock instrumental performance six times and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — once for being in The Yardbirds and a second time as a solo artist.He died on January 10 after contracting a bacterial meningitis infection.Harry Belafonte, 96Harry Belafonte.NBC Photo Bank/GettyA beloved singer, songwriter, actor, and activist, Belafonte was beloved by millions for many reasons.Along with winning Emmy, Tony, and Grammy awards, he also fought for civil rights alongside his late friends Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sidney Poitier.After claiming fame in 1954 as Joe in "Carmen Jones," in which he was Oscar nominated, he then trail blazed a career both as an actor and a musician.His 1956 album "Calypso sold millions. And as the decades followed he starred in movies like "Buck and the Preacher" (1972) and "Uptown Saturday Night" (1974).And with his activism he did everything from marching with MLK to speaking about the apartheid in South Africa.Belafonte died on April 25. The cause of death was congestive heart failure. Richard Belzer, 78Richard Belzer.Donna Svennevik/Disney General Entertainment Content/GettySince the early 1990s Richard Belzer was synonymous with the TV police procedural.Playing the character detective John Munch, his sarcastic charm made him a fixture on shows like "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "Law & Order" for years. But he was so good at his character that Belzer's Munch also found his way on other shows on other networks, which is unheard of.Munch appeared on 11 different TV shows, which has never happened to a fictional character in the history of television. They include: "Homicide," "Law & Order," "The X-Files," "The Beat," "Law & Order: Trial By Jury," "Arrested Development," "The Wire," "30 Rock," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt."Before playing Munch, Belzer was known for his stand-up comedy. He was the warm-up act in the early days of "Saturday Night Live." And if you look close enough you'll see Belzer playing the MC at the Miami club in "Scarface" before the dramatic shootout happens.Belzer died on February 19 at his home in the south of France after "an illness."Tony Bennett, 96Tony Bennett.Michael Ochs Archives/GettyThough born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in Queens, New York, the world knew him as Tony Bennett.The crooner was timeless as he performed hits for generations of fans.His career launched thanks to Bob Hope. The two were touring in the 1950s and it was then that Hope told the young singer to change the stage name he was using, Joe Bari. Bennett decided to shorten his real name and a star was born.His first hit was "Because of You." It followed with another huge hit, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Bennett would go on to win 18 Grammys. But there were struggles along the way.In the '70s, he dealt with what he described as the "darkest period of his life" while battling drug addiction and financial troubles, which he revealed in his 2011 autobiography, "All the Things You Are: The Life of Tony."He finally got back on top in the '90s when he did an "Unplugged" performance for MTV. It led to a new generation of fans, and countless performers wanted to duet with him, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Amy Winehouse, Christina Aguilera, Juanes, and Lady Gaga.In 2014, Bennett and Gaga recorded a joint studio album, "Cheek to Cheek," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.Bennett died on July 21 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease.Robert Blake, 89Robert Blake.Michael Ochs Archives/GettyMost of Blake's life was in front of the camera. As a child actor he was one of the members of the iconic shorts series the "Little Rascals," starring as Mickey. His character appeared in the shorts toward the end of its run in the 1940s. He then starred as Little Beaver in the Western movie franchise "Red Ryder," which was based on the popular comic strip. By the 1950s he made numerous guest spots on TV shows. Then in 1967 he had his breakout (as an adult actor) when he played murderer Perry Smith in the acclaimed adaptation of the Truman Capote true crime book, "In Cold Blood."Blake is known best for playing the lead in the mid 1970s TV series "Baretta," in which he played a street-smart detective with a cockatoo for a pet named Fred. Blake would earn an Emmy for the role.The actor is also known for his infamous private life as he was the face of a high profile court case after being charged with the 2001 murder of his wife. Blake was acquitted of the charge as well as one count of soliciting murder in a 2005 trial.Blake died on March 9 due to heart disease, according to the Associated Press. Jim Brown, 87Jim Brown.GettyJim Brown lived many lives: football icon, movie star, and social activist.In all of them, he did it with a focus and drive that made him a legend.Regarded as one of the greatest football players who ever lived, Brown became a Hall of Famer despite only playing in the NFL for nine seasons. But in that time he shattered records as a running back, won MVP three times, and won the NFL championship in 1964 with the Cleveland Browns.After his shocking retirement he went onto movies, starring in over 30, with standouts being "The Dirty Dozen," "Three The Hard Way," "He Got Game," and "Any Given Sunday."Brown was also a voice for equality throughout his life.Most famously, in 1967, he organized a meeting with top Black athletes in Cleveland to support Muhammad Ali's opposition of the Vietnam war. The meet included the likes of Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor, who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.Brown died on May 18 of natural causes.Jimmy Buffett, 76Jimmy Buffett.Hal Horowitz/WireImage/GettyThanks to his breezy music that made you feel you were laying on a white sand beach whenever hearing it, Jimmy Buffett transported fans of his music into vacation mode for decades thanks to songs like "Margaritaville," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes," and "Come Monday."He took that vibe and made himself a billionaire when he began his Margaritaville restaurant chain in the mid 1980s. That's since evolved into hotels and resorts across the world.Buffett died on September 1 due to Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare skin cancer.Dick Butkus, 80Dick Butkus.Bettmann/GettyDick Butkus' intense drive and colorful personality didn't just make him one of the greatest defensive players ever in the NFL but also forged a path to celebrity once he retired that countless othes have tried to emulate ever since.After hanging it up as a Hall of Fame linebacker for the Chicago Bears in the early 1970s, Butkus became a celebrity endorser, broadcaster, and actor finding success in all three.Being the face of a commercial during Super Bowl IV in 1970 for the antifreeze brand Prestone is considered the launch of the celebrity-endorsed Super Bowl ad. He followed that with starring opposite fellow retired NFL player Bubba Smith (of "Police Academy" fame) in a series of popular Miller Lite ads in the 1980s.He starred in movies like "The Longest Yard" and "Any Given Sunday" and landed series regular roles on shows like "My Two Dads" and "Hang Time."Butkus was also a respected NFL commentator through the 1980s.Butkus died on October 5, no cause was given.Paul Cattermole, 46Paul Cattermole.Tim Roney/GettyCattermole was part of the English pop group S Club 7.The group is known best for the 1999 debut single "Bring It All Back," as well as "Reach" and "Don't Stop Movin'."It was announced earlier this year that all seven original members would go back on the road again for a reunion tour in the UK. It would have been the first time they would all be on stage since 2015.The BBC reported that Cattermole was found dead at his home on April 6, according to a statement from Cattermole's family. The cause of death is unknown.Michael Chiarello, 61Michael Chiarello.Steve Jennings/WireImage/GettyChiarello became one of the first major celebrity chefs to come from the Food Network.His 2003 show "Easy Entertaining" became a hit on the channel. That followed with the show "NapaStyle," which premiered in 2004 on Food Network's sister channel, Fine Living Network. He also was a contestant on the "The Next Iron Chef."Chiarello died in Napa, California, on October 6 after being treated for an acute allergic reaction that led to anaphylactic shock. Angus Cloud, 25Angus Cloud as Fezco on season two, episode four of "Euphoria."Eddy Chen/HBOCloud instantly became a fan favorite on the HBO series "Euphoria" playing the character of drug dealer Fezco, despite the fact that he had zero acting experience before joining the show.Discovered on the streets of New York City by a casting agent, his raw look was perfect for the show.He had a natural ability in front of the camera, a calm and controlled way with his actions that instantly sucked you in as a viewer.Cloud died on July 31 at his family's home in Oakland, California. His death comes as he was struggling with the loss of his father, who was buried in Ireland a week prior. David Crosby, 81David Crosby.NBCU photo bank/GettyThis influential singer-songwriter is behind two of the biggest bands of the 1960s, The Byrds and Crosby, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.The Byrds' first single, a harmony version of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" went No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart in early 1965. The band would become America's answer to The Beatles with its pop/folk influence.As a member of CSNY their 1970 album "Déjà Vu" hit No. 1 on the charts and went on to sell 7 million copies. The following year "4-Way Street," a two-LP live set drawn from their subsequent U.S. tour, came out and went quadruple-platinum.But Crosby was also one of rock's bad boys, his heavy drug use led to a nine-month jail sentence in a Texas state prison in 1985.Crosby's work on The Byrds and CSNY led to 35 million albums sold over his career.He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.Crosby died on January 18, no cause was given.Melinda Dillon, 83Melinda Dillon.Ron Galella/GettyDillon was the motherly figure in some of the most famous movies of all time.For Steven Spielberg's 1977 classic "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" she plays the mother who can't stop her son from being abducted by aliens and alongside Richard Dreyfuss searches for answers.Then in 1983's "A Christmas Story" she plays a mother trying to raise two boys in the beloved comedy.With her gentle features and soft voice, Dillon made you feel emotions even with the silliest movie, like she did playing the mother of a family that takes in Bigfoot in the 1987 comedy "Harry and the Hendersons."Dillon was nominated for a Tony in 1963 for her performance of Honey in the play "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" She was nominated for best supporting actress twice: "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and the 1981 drama "Absence of Malice."Dillon died January 9. No cause was given.Frederic Forrest, 86Frederic Forrest.Bill Nation/Sygma/GettyAn acclaimed character actor, Forrest could play quiet and reserve or full of energy. He showed both sides in two Francis Ford Coppola classics: "The Conversation," in which he played a man having a secret affair; and "Apocalypse Now," who as the soldier "Chef" famously runs from a tiger in the jungle.In 1980, he was nominated for best supporting actor for the Bette Midler movie "The Rose."His other credits include the western "The Missouri Breaks" (1976), which starred Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson; the "Chinatown" sequel "The Two Jakes" (1990), which also starred Nicholson; and Coppola's "Tucker: The Man and His Dream."Forrest died on June 23 at his home in Santa Monica, California. He was in hospice care for congestive heart failure, his sister Ginger Forrest Jackson told the Washington Post.William Friedkin, 87William Friedkin.Newsmakers/GettyOne of the "New Hollywood" mavericks who infiltrated Hollywood in the early 1970s and rejuvenated the town with radical stories and styles, Friedkin would find auteur status by the end of the decade.With 1971's "The French Connection" and 1973's "The Exorcist," Friedkin was responsible for movies that became instant classics, with the former earning him his only best director Oscar.Though famously knocked down a peg when his doomed "Sorcerer" came out soon after 1977's "Star Wars" and was a box office dud, the director rebounded in the 1980s with movies like "Cruising," starring Al Pacino, and another police drama masterpiece, 1985's "To Live and Die in L.A."The movies Friedkin made here like him: brash and unapologetic.Friedkin died on August 7. No cause was given.Terry Funk, 79Terry Funk.Bruce Bennett Studios/GettyThanks to his hardcore style Terry Funk became a legend in pro wrestling.With perfect interviews that made him the ultimate heel to fans and his ability to pull off amazing matches in which he seemed to leave everything in the ring ever night, Funk became a moneymaker for promoters not just in the US but also in Japan where he was beloved.When wrestling leaned more into bloody hardcore matches in the 1990s, Funk was a fixture at Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), where its outlandish matches were the biggest rival to the established World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Some of his most memorable matches were with the likes of Rick Flair and Mick Foley, who Funk mentored.Outside the ring, Funk found a nice side hustle playing henchmen in movies like 1987's "Over the Top" with Sylvester Stallone and 1989's "Road House" with Patrick Swayze. He also showed up on TV shows like "Swamp Thing" and "Quantum Leap."Funk died on August 23. No cause was given.Michael Gambon, 82Michael Gambon.Carl Court/AFP/GettyAn acclaimed character actor whose career spanned six decades, Michael Gambon graced both the stage and screen in memorable roles over his career.At the start of his career he was one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre alongside fellow acting legend Laurence Olivier.It was Olivier who gave Gambon his big screen debut with "Othello" in 1965. Gambon went on to star in a wide range of movies: Barry Levinson's "Toys" opposite Robin Williams in 1992, the critical darling "The Insider" in 1999, Robert Altman's "Gosford Park" in 2003, and a perfect gangster in 2004's "Layer Cake" opposite Daniel Craig, to name just a few.But for most he will be remembered for taking the role of Professor Albus Dumbledore following the death of Richard Harris in 2002. He played the role beginning with 2004's "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."Gambon died on September 28 following a bout of pneumonia.Len Goodman, 78Len Goodman.Kelsey McNeal/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty ImagesFor 30 seasons of "Dancing with the Stars" Len Goodman was the show's north star.As head judge of the popular dance competition, the one-time champion ballroom dancer brought a legitimacy to the judges' table as his critiques of the novice stars trying their best to dance alongside professionals were always tough but fair.Along with "DWTS," Goodman was a judge on "Strictly Come Dancing," the UK version of the competition from 2004 to 2016.He served as head judge on "DWTS" for more than 15 years and 30 seasons.Goodman died on April 22 due to bone cancer.Steve Harwell, 56Steve HarwellVince Bucci/GettyAs one of the founders of the band Smash Mouth, Harwell's voice was a fixture through the late '90s and early 2000s when the band was at its height thanks to popular songs like "Walkin on the Sun" and "All-Star."The frontman's booming voice has continued to draw in fans a generation later thanks in large part to "All-Star." The song was included in the hit 2001 animated movie "Shrek" and since has become synonymous with the title thanks to internet memes.Harwell died on September 4 due to liver failure.  Ron Cephas Jones, 66Ron Cephas Jones.NBC/GettyThe veteran character actor was best known for this Emmy-winning performance on the TV series "This is Us" in which he played William Hill, the biological father of Randall Pearson (played by Sterling K. Brown).Previous to that Jones was known for his work on the stage, including the 2014 Broadway production of "Of Mice and Men."His TV and movie credits included, "Mr. Robot," "Luke Cage," "He Got Game," "Half Nelson," and "Dolemite Is My Name."Jones died on August 19 due to a long-standing pulmonary issue, according to People.Bob Knight, 83Bob Knight.Rich Clarkson/NCAA/GettyKnown on the basketball court for his fiery competitiveness, Bob Knight at one time was the most well known coach in college sports and it led to him becoming a pop culture figure thanks to appearances in commercials, TV shows, and movies.Knight won three national championships at Indiana, including an undefeated season in 1975-1976.Knight also won a gold medal at the Olympics for coaching team USA in 1984 with a team that included Michael Jordan.The success led to him showing up in cameos in movies like 1994's "Blue Chips" starring Shaquille O'Neal, and the 2003 Adam Sandler movie "Anger Management." He also showed up in numerous commercials. There was even a reality TV show ESPN did around him called "Knight School" in the early 2000s.Known as "The General," his reputation as a highly volatile coach who would throw chairs and yell at referees and players during games got the best of him when video caught him allegedly choking an Indiana player during practice leading him to leaving the program in 2000.He finished his career at Texas Tech, retiring halfway through the 2007-2008 season.Knight is currently fifth all-tim in wins for men's Division I college basketball with 902.Knight died on November 1, no cause was given.Norman Lear, 101Norman Lear.Norman Lear/Bob Riha, Jr./GettyLear was responsible for revolutionizing television in the 1970s.Behind shows like "All in the Family," "Sanford and Son," "Good Times," and "The Jeffersons," Lear's storytelling brought the complicated world around us onto our TV screens every night. It would lead to Emmy wins and acclaim in Hollywood for the rest of his life, but his work transcended television as it pushed what could (and should) be told on screen. Whether it be Vietnam or racism.Pretty much everything you enjoy on the small screen today has an element that can be traced back to Norman Lear.Lear died on December 5 of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles.Coco Lee, 48Coco Lee.Visual China Group/GettyBorn in Hong Kong, Lee rose to fame as a pop star in the 1990s and 2000s. Then she found international acclaim when she voiced the lead character Mulan in Disney's Mandarin release of 1998's "Mulan" and for singing the Mandarin version of the song "Reflection" from the movie.In 2001, Lee took the stage at the Oscars to sing a song from the soundtrack of the hit movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."Lee died on July 5. According to the singer's sisters, she was struggling with depression for the last few years and died while in a coma after she attempted suicide. Michael Lerner, 81Michael Lerner.Todd Williamson/GettyThe veteran character actor was known for his booming voice and tough-as-nails roles through the decades.Highlights include playing a studio executive in the 1991 Coen brothers movie "Barton Fink," which earned him an Oscar nomination, playing legendary gambler Arnold Rothstein in 1988's "Eight Men Out," and a ruthless gangster opposite Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor the following year in "Harlem Nights."Lerner died on April 8, no cause was given. Gordon Lightfoot, 84Gordon Lightfoot.Mike Slaughter/GettyOne of the main voices of the folk pop scene in the 1960s and 1970s, Lightfoot's music topped by his baritone voice made him one of the most gift songwriters of his era.The Canada-born artist turned out one hit after another: "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sundown," "Carefree Highway," and "Rainy Day People."It led to him being beloved by the likes of Bob Dylan and Robbie Robertson and his songs scoring gold and platinum status.Lightfoot died on May 1, no cause was given.Lisa Loring, 64Lisa Loring played the original Wednesday Addams in "The Addams Family."MGM Television/Bobby Bank/Getty ImagesLoring was the first actor to portray Wednesday Addams in "The Addams Family," the youngest member of the fictional Addams family in the sitcom, which ran for two seasons between 1964 and 1966.She went on to be the blueprint of the character who would be played generations later by the likes of Christina Ricci and most recently Jenna Ortega on the Netflix series "Wednesday."Following the Wednesday role, Loring starred opposite Phyllis Diller in the sitcom "The Pruitts of Southampton." She also starred in "As the World Turns," playing Cricket Montgomery.Her other credits include "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.," "Fantasy Island" and "Barnaby Jones."Loring died on January 28 following complications from a stroke caused by high blood pressure.Shane MacGowan, 65Shane MacGowan.Martyn Goodacre/GettyThe Irish singer and songwriter was the lead singer of the Celtic punk band The Pogues.The band released seven studio albums and scored a big hit in the late 1980 with the song "Fairytale of New York," which McGowan cowrote and featured singer Kristy MacColl.MacGowan was kicked out of the band in the early 1990s due to his heavy drinking, but came back in the early 2000s leading to The Pogues doing sold out tours for years.MacGowan was diagnosed with encephalitis last year, which is inflammation of the brain.He died on November 30. Mark Margolis, 83Mark Margolis.Alan Zenuk/USA NetworkMargolis found fame playing despicable villains in some of the most known movies and TV shows.Early in his career he found fame playing Alberto "The Shadow" in Brian De Palma's 1983 classic "Scarface." Fans of the movie will remember him as the henchman that Tony Montana (Al Pacino) kills at the end of the movie as Montana refused to let Alberto set off a car bomb because children were in the car.Then later in his career he found greater acclaim as the bell-ringing elderly drug kingpin Hector Salamanca in "Breaking Bad." He also reprised the role for "Better Call Saul." That role would lead to him getting an Emmy nomination in 2012.The Jewish-born Margolis was also known for playing the cranky landlord in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" opposite Jim Carrey and starring in numerous Darren Aronofsky movies ("Pi," "Requiem for a Dream," "The Fountain," "The Wrestler," "Black Swan," and "Noah").Margolis died on August 4. No cause was given.David McCallum, 90David McCallum.Bettmann/GettyThis Scottish actor is known best for playing the heartthrob secret agent Illya Kuryakin on the hit 1960s TV show "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," but David McCallum's career is a vast one.Before "U.N.C.L.E." found him global fame, he was embedded in the arts. His parents were both musicians and as a kid McCallum attended the Royal Music Academy to play to oboe. Once he realized he wasn't any good at it he moved to the theater and caught the acting bug.McCallum's first major dose of fame was when he was part of the A-list ensemble cast of the 1963 movie "The Great Escape." Being amongst the stars was a little too much for McCallum's then-wife actress Jill Ireland who fell in love with McCallum's costar Charles Bronson. McCallum and Ireland divorced in 1967. She and Bronson married in 1968.But by then McCallum had become a sex symbol thanks to "U.N.C.L.E.," which would go on to earn him two Emmy nominations. And he even went back to music. He recorded four orchestral albums through the 1960s. And his piece "The Edge" would go on to become legendary in the hip-hop genre as Dr. Dre sampled it for his 2000 single "The Next Episode."The actor would become a fixture on TV for the rest of his career starring in numerous series. he found a resurgence beginning in 2003 when he was cast as medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard on the TV series "NCIS."McCallum died of natural causes on September 25.Cormac McCarthy, 89Cormac McCarthy.Andrew H. Walker/WireImageThough McCarthy published his first novel in 1965, he would languish in obscurity for decades until adaptations of his novels "All the Pretty Horses" (1992) and "No Country for Old Men" (2005) were adapted into movies in 2000 and 2008, respectively, bringing his work to a wider audience and winning Oscars for the Coen brothers along the way.  He's also known for gritty classics like the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Road," which chronicles a father and son's post-apocalyptic road trip (made into a movie in 2009), and "Blood Meridian," a historical novel set in the American West. The famously reclusive author died June 13 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, of natural causes at 89, his publisher confirmed.Lola Chantrelle Mitchell (aka, Gangsta Boo), 43Gangsta Boo.Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/GettyThe Memphis rapper and former member of Three 6 Mafia was a beloved female figure in the "Dirty South" era of rap in the 1990s.After recording albums with Three 6 Mafia until the early 2000s, she went solo.Her 1998 album "Enquiring Minds" featured the hit single, "Where Dem Dollas At."Boo also showed up on songs with Eminem, Gucci Mane, Run the Jewels, OutKast, Lil Wayne, Blood Orange, Latto, and others.Boo was found dead at her home in Memphis on January 1. No official cause of death was given.Richard Moll, 80Richard Moll.Gary Null/NBC/GettyWith his 6'8" frame, Richard Moll was hard to miss on anything he starred in. But his most memorable role was playing the wacky bailiff Aristotle Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon on the 1980s hit TV series "Night Court."His talents led to him getting constant work through his career.He landed guest parts after "Night Court" on a wide range of shows: "Babylon 5," "Anger Management," "Cold Case," "Smallville," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," and "7th Heaven."And in the 1990s he got work on animated shows. He voiced Harvey Dent/Two-Face on "The Adventures of Batman & Robin" and Scorpion on "Spider-Man: The Animated Series."Moll also showed up in movies like "Scary Movie 2" the live-action feature of "The Flintstones," and "Jingle All the Way."Moll died on October 26, no cause was given.Sinéad O'Connor, 56Sinéad O'Connor.Michel Linssen/Referns/GettyThe Irish singer found worldwide acclaim thanks to her 1990 rendition of the Prince song "Nothing Compares 2 U" and become the number one single in the world that year.Over her career she released 10 albums, but over that time she also found attention due to controversies.In 1990, she said she would not perform her concert if a venue played the US national anthem beforehand. It led to Frank Sinatra saying he would "kick her in the ass."A year later, after receiving four Grammy nominations, she withdrew her name for consideration.Then in 1992, while performing on "Saturday Night Live," she took out a photo of Pope John Paul II and tore it up saying, "Fight the real enemy." She said the act was in protest of child abuse in the Catholic Church.The act would lead to an onslaught of criticism, however, years later O'Connor had zero regrets."I'm not sorry I did it. It was brilliant," O'Connor told The New York Times in 2021. "But it was very traumatizing."O'Connor's son, Shane, died by suicide on 2022. She was hospitalized days later following a series of Tweets saying that she planned to take her own life.The singer died on July 26. No cause was given.Matthew Perry, 54Matthew Perry.Reisig & Taylor/NBCU/GettyWith his comedic talents and matinee idol looks, Matthew Perry was destined for stardom.As a young teen, he had his hopes on being a tennis star. Living in Ottawa with his mother, he soared up the tennis rankes at one point being nationally ranked in Canada when he was 13. But by 15, when he moved to Los Angeles to live with his dad, he shifted his attention to acting.In the 1980s he landed guest spots on big sitcoms like "Charles in Charge" and "Silver Spoons." That followed with roles on "Growing Pains" and "Boys Will Be Boys."Then in 1994 his life changed forever.Being cast as Chandler Bing, the sarcastic member in a group of friends living in New York City, the NBC sitcom "Friends" over its 10 year run on the air became one of the biggest shows on television.Fame was a double-edged sword for Perry. Though it led to him being the star of movies like "Fools Rush In," "The Whole Nine Yards," and "17 Again," plus getting a $1 million per episode payday on "Friends" by the end of its run, he battled with alcoholism and drug addiction for years.On October 28, Perry died after a fatal drowning at his Los Angeles-area home.Lisa Marie Presley, 54Lisa Marie Presley.Michael Tran/FilmMagic/GettyThe beloved daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley was in the spotlight her entire life.She was 9 years old when her father died, but by then the world already knew her as the King's daughter from pictures of her with her dad. His massive plane was also named after her.As she grew into an adult, her fame grew too. She married Michael Jackson, making them the biggest couple in the world for a brief time. They divorced in 1996.She followed in her father's footsteps and made music. Presley released three albums, including singles where she performed duets with her late father.She married musician Danny Keough when she was 20. They had two children together: actor Riley Keough, who was born in 1989, and Benjamin Keough, who was born in 1992. Benjamin died by suicide at the age of 27 in 2020.Presley made her last public appearance on January 10 at the 80th Golden Globes where a biopic on her father, Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis," was nominated for three awards. Austin Butler's performance as Elvis Presley won best performance by an actor in a drama.Presley died on January 12 after experiencing cardiac arrest at her Calabasas home.Lance Reddick, 60Lance Reddick.Jeff Vespa/WireImage/GettyReddick was a respected character actor thanks to his well known performance as Cedric Daniels, the tough but fair lieutenant in the beloved HBO series "The Wire."Most recently he played Charon, the concierge of The Continental in the "John Wick" franchise.Reddick's ice-cold looks and super serious performances made him perfect for dramatic TV shows like "Fringe" and "Bosch" as well as action movies like "Angel Has Fallen" and "Godzilla vs. Kong."Reddick died of natural causes in his Los Angeles home on March 17.Paul Reubens, 70Paul Reubens.Michael Ochs Archives/GettyIn the 1980s and 1990s no other performer was more beloved by children than Paul Reubens — better known as Pee-wee Herman.With his grey suit and red bow tie — along with his weird voice and even weirder antics — Reubens crafted an alter ego for himself birthed first on stage but thanks to movies and TV became a household name.A big reason for that is starring in the Tim Burton 1985 hit movie "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" and then the TV show "Pee-wee's Playhouse," which ran on Saturday mornings from 1986 to 1990.While taking a break from the character he was arrested for indecent exposure in an adult theater in Sarasota, Florida in 1991. Instantly Reubens became a punchline on the late night shows and the Pee-wee character was forgotten.Reubens went on to land non-Pee-wee work in movies like 1999's "Mystery Men" and 2001's "Blow," and gradually as time past Pee-wee became appreciated again. Reubens reprised the character on Broadway for 2010's "The Pee-wee Herman Show" and the 2016 Netflix movie "Pee-wee's Big Holiday."Reubens died on July 30 after having battled cancer privately for years.  Robbie Robertson, 80Robbie Robertson.Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns/GettyWith his group The Band, guitarist Robbie Robertson helped create one of the most renowned groups of the 1970s.He was responsible for contributing to The Band's most known songs like, "The Weight," "Up on Cripple Creek," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "The Shape I'm In" and "It Makes No Difference."The Band broke up in 1976, which was chronicled in Martin Scorsese's acclaimed documentary "The Last Waltz."Off of that, Robertson and Scorsese forged a collaboration until the musician's death. Robertson did the score or was music supervisor on several of the filmmaker's movies: "Raging Bull," "The King of Comedy," "The Color of Money," "Gangs of New York," "The Departed," "Shutter Island," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Silence," "The Irishman" and Scorsese's upcoming release "Killers of the Flower Moon."Robertson died on August 9 following a long illness.Richard Roundtree, 81Richard Roundtree.Screen Archives/GettyRichard Roundtree became the face of the trailblazing blaxploitation movie genre when he starred as John Shaft in the 1971 Gordon Parks films "Shaft."Playing a stylish private detective who didn't take any crap from the mob or the cops, Roundtree's performance became a hero for Black America during a turbulent time in the country still dealing with racial equality following the Civil Rights movement of the late 1960s.Roundtree, though going on to star in numerous movies and TV shows over decades, would always be synonymous with Shaft, which to this day is still one of the most powerful Black characters ever put on the big screen.Roundtree died on October 24. He died at his home in Los Angeles of pancreatic cancer.Andy Rourke, 59Andy Rourke.Monica Schipper/FilmMagic/GettyAs the bassist for the groundbreaking British rock band The Smiths, Andy Rourke is a legend.His work can be heard in The Smiths hit songs like "This Charming Man" and "There is a Light That Never Goes Out."After the band broke up in 1987, Rourke worked on former bandmate Morrissey's solo tracks like "Piccadilly Palare," "Interesting Drug," and "November Spawned a Monster."Rourke died on May 19 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, according to Variety.Julian Sands, 65Julian Sands.Brian To/FilmMagic/GettyAn acclaimed actor, Sands' work spanned the stage and screen over a 40 year career.After finding attention on the stage in England in the early 1980s, he got his big break when he landed the lead male role opposite Helena Bonham Carter in the 1985 Oscar-winning James Ivory movie "A Room with a View."That launched him into Hollywood where he landed roles in the 1989 horror fantasy "Warlock" and its sequel. He also starred in the 1990 horror comedy "Arachnophobia," David Cronenberg's adaptation of the William Burroughs novel "Naked Lunch" in 1991, and the 1995 movie "Leaving Las Vegas," which earned Nicolas Cage an Oscar.Over his career Sands had recurring roles on TV series including "24," "Medici," "Smallville," "Dexter," "Gotham" and "Elementary."Sands, who was an avid hiker, was reported missing on January 13 after setting out to hike in southern California's San Gabriel Mountains. His remains were found on June 25 in wilderness near Mount Baldy. An investigation confirmed on June 27 that it was Sands.No cause of death was given. Suzanne Shepherd, 89Suzanne Shepherd.Patrick McMullan/GettyKnown best as playing the super concerned mother to Lorraine Bracco's Karen character in Martin Scorsese's classic "Goodfellas," Suzanne Shepherd had a slew of memorable roles over her career.She played the principal with the rather large mole on her face in the 1989 John Candy comedy "Uncle Buck," she also had memorable roles in 1988's "Mystic Pizza" and 2000's "Requiem for a Dream."Shepherd also appeared in 20 episodes on "The Sopranos" playing the mother of Edie Falco's character, Carmela Soprano.Shepherd died on November 17 after suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.The Iron Sheik, 81The Iron Sheik.Bobby Bank/WireImage/GettyIf there were no Iron Sheik there would be no Hulk Hogan.Professional wrestling became a global sensation thanks to not just the popularity of Hulk Hogan but because his nemesis was so despised. That was The Iron Sheik.With his "down with America" talk Sheik (whose real name is Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri) became one of the World Wrestling Federation's biggest bad guys, or heels, in the 1980s. He even had the world title.That all set the stage for the showdown between Sheik and Hogan in Madison Square Garden in 1984. Hogan won the belt and pro wrestling was never the same again.Sheik would later team with fellow heel Nikolai Volkoff to make a formidable tag team.Long after his wrestling days were done, Sheik found fame once more thanks to Twitter. With his foul-mouthed tweets about everything from politics to pop culture, he became a sensation and was introduced by a generation that never saw him wrestle. Sheik died on June 7. No cause was given.Tom Sizemore, 61Tom Sizemore.Chris Polk/FilmMagic/GettyIn the 1990s Tom Sizemore graced us with gritty and often twisted performances that made him unforgettable.From his bit parts early in his career like "Born on the Fourth of July," "Point Break," "Passenger 57" and "True Romance," to the peak of his career giving memorable roles in "Natural Born Killers," "Heat," 'Saving Private Ryan," and "Black Hawk Down," Sizemore could be charming in one scene then unleash his madness in the next, and that talent made him a major fixture in the biggest movies of the decade.Sadly, there was a dark troubling side to the actor that crippled his career. Due to drug addiction, by the 2000s he was no longer getting the kind of roles deserving of his talents. Tabloids and reality TV shows chronicled his struggles that ranged from jail time for domestic violence on his former girlfriend "Hollywood Madam" Heidi Fleiss to multiple arrests for drug possession.Sizemore died on March 3 following a brain aneurysm on February 18. Suzanne Somers, 76Suzanne Somers.ABC/GettyAn iconic actress and infomercial queen, Suzanne Somers is best known for playing Chrissy Snow in the hit 1970s TV series "Three's Company" opposite John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt, then in the 1990s being the face of the popular exercise machine the Thighmaster.However, she also was ahead of her time attempting to use her stardom and the popularity of the TV show she was on to leverage equal pay, and it led to a dramatic shift in her career.Nearing the fifth season of "Three's Company," Somers bargained with the show's network, ABC, for a restructured contract where she wanted more pay and a percentage of the show's profit, all of which would be on par with what Ritte was getting for the show.A deal was made Somers was iced out from the show, getting limited screen time and shooting her scenes by herself and never seeing her cast. Her contract was not renewed for season six.Somers never landed a TV or movie role as big as Chrissy Snow after that, but over the decades she kept celebrity status thanks to infomercials and authoring books.She died on October 15 due to a recurrence of breast cancer.Aaron Spears, 47Aaron Spears.Andrew Lepley/RedfernsSpears was a drummer who worked with the likes of Ariana Grande and Usher.In 2004, he was Grammy nominated for his work on Usher's album "Confessions."His list of touring and producing credits include: Lil Wayne, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, Chaka Khan, Adam Lambert, Mary Mary, The Backstreet Boys, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears.Spears died on October 30, no cause was given.Jerry Springer, 79Jerry Springer celebrating the 25th season of his show, "Jerry Springer."NBC/GettyJerry Springer will go down as one of the most controversial talk show hosts of all time.Thanks to his show, "Jerry Springer," he was a fixture on daytime TV in the late 1990s as his show featured people who didn't like each other — sometimes it was domestic reasons, sometimes it was friends at odds — leading to physical altercations right on stage.Starting out his career in politics, he was the mayor of Cincinnati from 1977 to 1978, by the 1990s he moved to entertainment as the show "Jerry Springer" launched in 1991 (it ran for 27 seasons). By the time the decade was over the show was a sensation and was even beating "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in the ratings thanks to it taboo topics, outlandish guests, and the audience's love for Springer, as they would often chant during the show: "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!"Springer died on April 27 peacefully in his home in suburban Chicago.Ray Stevenson, 58Ray Stevenson.Andrew Cowie/AFP/GettyThe Irish actor was known best for playing larger-than-life characters.Stevenson played one of the Knights of the Round Table in Antoine Fuqua's 2004 movie "King Arthur." A few years after that he landed the lead role playing Frank Castle in the Marvel movie "Punisher: War Zone."He also showed up in the "Thor" and "Divergent" franchises.Most recently, he played the villain Governor Scott Buxton in the global box office sensation "RRR," and will next be seen playing a Jedi who turns bad in the upcoming "Star Wars" series on Disney+, "Ahsoka."Stevenson died on May 21, no cause was given. Tina Turner, 83Tina Turner.Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferbs/GettyRegarded as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, for decades Tina Turner was a force in the music world thanks to her powerful singing and endless energy when she performed.From her start with ex-husband Ike Turner in the 1950s, to her historic comeback in the 1980s that made her one of the biggest performers in the world, to her starring in movies ("Tommy," "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome") and a hit movie made about her ("What's Love Got to So with it"), Turner was truly a legend in the entertainment world.Turner is one of the best-selling artists of all time with 12 Grammys, she is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and is the first black artist and first female to be on the cover of Rolling Stone.Her hits will be beloved forever: "Private Dancer," "Better Be Good to Me," "Proud Mary," "What's Love Got to Do with it," and, yes, she even did a James Bond song with "GoldenEye."Turner died on May 24, no cause was given.Raquel Welch, 82Raquel Welch.Herbert Dorfman/Corbis/GettyWith her striking looks and playing strong-willed characters on the big screen, Raquel Welch was more than just a sex symbol, she was a force to be reckoned with.It all started with a role in which she said only a few lines. Starring in the 1966 sci-fi movie "One Million Years B.C.," she instantly became a star as the poster of her in a furry bikini from the movie became a huge best-seller.That led to other roles through the decades like "Bedazzled," "Bandolero!" and "100 Rifles."She won the 1973 Best Actress Golden Globe for her role in "The Three Musketeers."Her career would span over 50 years on the big screen and small, as well as becoming a fashion trend-setter through the decades.Welch died on February 15 following a "brief illness," according to her manager.  Annie Wersching, 45Annie Wersching.Daniel Knighton/FilmMagic/GettyWersching recently played the Borg Queen in the second season of "Picard" and serial killer Rosalind Dyer on "The Rookie."She's also known for he roles in "Bosh," "Timeless" and opposite Kiefer Sutherland in "24" playing F.B.I. agent Renee Walker.Wersching died on January 29. The cause was cancer, which she was diagnosed with in 2020, according to The New York Times.Cindy Williams, 75Cindy Williams.ABC/GettyWilliams is one half of TV comedy royalty as she played Shirley opposite Penny Marshall's Laverne on the popular late 1970s sitcom "Laverne & Shirley."Williams also starred in some memorable movies. She was Ron Howard's love interest in George Lucas' classic 1973 movie "American Graffiti." And she played Gene Hackman's obsession in Francis Ford Coppola's acclaimed 1974 drama "The Conversation."But Williams will always be known best for her comedic chops, which opposite Marshall, who died in 2018, became an iconic duo in television history.Williams died on January 25, no cause was given.Treat Williams, 71Treat Williams.Jemal Countess/GettyWith his good looks and those unmistakable bushy eyebrows, Williams (no relation to Cindy Williams) was a fixture in movies and TV since his breakout role in 1979 as George Berger in the big screen adaptation of the hit musical "Hair."That followed with roles in the Sergio Leone classic "Once Upon a Time in America," Sidney Lumet's "Prince of the City," and a blink-and-you-missed-it role in "Empire Strikes Back."Since then he's known best for playing Dr. Andrew Brown in the early 2000s The WB series "Everwood."Regardless if it was on the big or small screen, Williams always brought the highest skill to a role, which is what made him dependable for years and years.Williams died on June 12 following a motorcycle crash in Vermont.Burt Young, 83Burt Young.Ron Galella/GettyBurt Young spent most of his early career getting small roles in acclaimed movies like 1974's "Chinatown" and "The Gambler," but then his life changed when he got cast as the down-and-out yet lovable brother-in-law in 1976's "Rocky."Playing the best friend of Rocky Balboa, Young earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination and starred in all the sequels often being the franchise's comic relief.Young also starred in 1984's "Once Upon a Time in America" and 1986's "Back to School."He died on October 8, no cause was given. Read the original article on Insider.....»»

Texas turns out to be the king of clean energy. But it may be about to lose the crown. Texas is leading the way in renewable energy. But the battle against oil and gas is far from over. Arantza Pena Popo/InsiderUS Highway 83, running between North Dakota and Texas, cuts America in half. The road runs mostly through rural, isolated parts of the country, which has earned it the nickname the "Road to Nowhere."John Davis, a roofer and rancher in Menard, Texas, is trying to make his little slice of US-83 a "somewhere" for road trippers, freight truckers, hunters, and a smattering of locals. Davis bought an old gas station about a year ago and has spent his free time turning it into a farmers market, rest stop, and gathering place. Menard Station opened in September and is gaining a fan base.On Saturdays, Davis' family heads down to the Station to serve customers Wagyu steak burgers from their ranch outside of town, where seven white wind turbines tower over the cattle, sheep, and goats that graze in the grassland. The giant turbines are also the reason that Davis was able to open up the Station: In 2018, he signed a deal with RES Americas, which was developing 43 wind turbines in central Texas. The Davis' 1,300 acres of windy prairie were an attractive site for some of the turbines, which now crank out 24 megawatts of power."Everybody else struck oil. I struck wind," Davis told me.John Davis' deal with RES Americas to install seven wind turbines on his ranch in Concho County, Texas, was a boon for his family.John DavisDeals like Davis' have made Texas — America's oil capital for more than a century — the top producer of renewable energy in the US. The state has long generated the most wind power and is second only to California as a solar-energy producer. While fossil fuel still reigns supreme in the state's energy mix, wind and solar account for a growing share of the total. As of October, wind and solar met between 25% and 41% of Texas' energy demand, depending on the month, according to data from the state's grid operator ERCOT. Add in nuclear power, which doesn't produce greenhouse-gas emissions, and green energy met upward of 50% of the state's demand in some months.The rapid rise of green energy in deep-red Texas couldn't come at a better time: The state's population is growing and the strain on the electrical grid is only getting more intense. But the boom has also triggered a Texas-size showdown: Gov. Greg Abbott and a group of his fellow Republicans in the state legislature launched a campaign to prop up fossil fuels and penalize renewables, arguing it would make the grid more reliable. Critics aren't convinced that subsidizing fossil fuels will solve the state's electricity crunch.The high-stakes battle for Texas' energy future is a microcosm of how tricky America's green transition is shaping up to be, especially when politics are involved. Slowing down renewable energy could cost Texas in the long term, both economically and socially. Billions of dollars of public and private investment are pouring into low-carbon industries. Meanwhile, the US is already losing billions to deadly climate-fueled disasters that scientists warn will get worse unless the world rapidly shifts away from fossil fuels. Yet there's still money and political points to be earned in oil and gas, indicating the fight is far from over.From black gold to green energyGiven the current battles, it's a bit ironic that Texas' ability to become America's green-energy leader was the result of two Republican governors and the state's conservative, pro-business bent. The runway was laid more than two decades ago when then Gov. George W. Bush pushed through a plan to deregulate the state's energy market. Instead of letting utilities control all the generation and transmission of power, the law created a competitive market that allows customers to choose their power provider. The goal was to lower the cost of turning on the lights for households and businesses. The plan also included a target for Texas to produce 2,000 megawatts of power from renewable-energy sources by 2009. The plan was so successful that in 2005, Republican Gov. Rick Perry raised the target to 10,000 megawatts by 2025 — a threshold Texas quickly surpassed. An energy market that prioritized the cheapest supply, combined with a quick process to approve and build new transmission lines, proved to be a winning formula in a state with vast swaths of open land, wind, and sunshine. Last year, the state generated about 30% of its power from wind and solar.Some Texans are profiting directly from this shift. While Davis said he signed a nondisclosure agreement with RES that prevents him from sharing how much he earned from his deal, the trade group Advanced Power Alliance said renewable-energy developers pay more than $70 million every year to Texas landowners who lease their property. Another $237 million is paid by these developers in state and local taxes, creating new revenue for rural areas like Menard, where Davis' ranch is, to use for education, infrastructure, and emergency services. This adds up to billions of dollars over the life span of these projects.John Davis raises cattle, sheep, and goats on his ranch in Concho County, Texas.John DavisTexans who don't have land to lease have benefited, as well. Since electricity from solar and wind farms is cheaper than coal and gas plants, renewable energy reduced wholesale electricity costs by $31.5 billion between 2010 and 2022, according to a study led by a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin. Divide that up, and residents have saved a couple thousand dollars on their utility bills during that period. And that doesn't include the tens of billions in healthcare costs that have been avoided thanks to a reduction in air pollution. A flurry of headlines this summer also noted that solar and wind power helped stabilize the Texas power grid as temperatures soared to the triple-digits for weeks on end and people jacked up their ACs. Battery storage and natural-gas plants were key when the sun wasn't shining and wind wasn't blowing, energy analysts said. Plus, the sector is bringing in jobs: As of last year, the renewable-energy sector employed 239,000 people in Texas, a 7% increase from 2021, according to an analysis by E2, an environmental business group.No green deed goes unpunishedDespite these wins, Texas' green transformation became a punching bag for Abbott and some fellow Republicans in the state legislature after Winter Storm Uri cut off power for millions of residents and caused 246 deaths in 2021. Temperatures plunged to as low as 6 degrees Fahrenheit, freezing gas production and power plants that supply the majority of the state's power. Wind turbines also froze, but that was the "least significant" factor in the blackouts, an official at ERCOT told Bloomberg at the time. These bills are actually a smokescreen for the laws' true purpose: protecting the Texas oil and gas barons who donate to Republicans lawmakers. That hasn't stopped Abbott and the GOP from using the crisis to attack renewable energy and push for adding more fossil fuels to the grid. Backed by groups like the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative nonprofit that lobbies against climate action and receives funding from the oil and gas industry, the state legislature this year introduced a flurry of legislation that either subsidized building gas-fired power plants or put renewables at a cost disadvantage. One law, which was approved by voters in November, set up the $10 billion Texas Energy Fund, which sets aside $7.2 billion for low-interest loans and grants for "dispatchable" power — gas, coal, and nuclear power that can be deployed regardless of weather conditions. Notably, Texas lawmakers exempted battery storage from the subsidies, even though it's also dispatchable. Another law requires renewable-energy developers to pick up a greater share of the cost of transmission infrastructure that connects projects to the grid and creates other programs to compensate dispatchable power for being available when demand is high."In Texas, we cut red tape and protect our energy industry from harsh job-killing restrictions and unnecessary regulations that burden energy producers in other parts of the country," Andrew Mahaleris, press secretary for Gov. Abbott, said in a statement. "We lead the nation in renewables because of this approach, and as our state grows it is crucial that we continue to invest in a wide variety of power generation sources, including rapidly deployable dispatchable power."Supporters of renewable energy told me that the premise behind these bills — improving the reliability of the grid in times of extreme stress — are actually a smokescreen for the laws' true purpose: protecting the Texas oil and gas barons who donate to Republicans lawmakers. Improving reliability is necessary, but slowing renewables only undermines that goal. It's better to have a mix of energy sources rather than tipping the scales in favor of one. Plus, investing in energy efficiency so homeowners and businesses use less power in the first place would also help."I think this is a small, but wealthy and powerful group of ultra-right conservatives who are protecting small and midsize oil and gas producers," Judd Messer, the vice president of Texas' Advance Power Alliance, said. His group lobbies on behalf of large-scale renewable-energy developers. "They are concerned about the wind and solar development coming down the pipeline and protecting their donors who sell natural gas. This is cloaked under the guise of reliability."Madeline Gould Laughlin, the senior manager of regulatory affairs in Texas for the renewable-energy developer Enel North America, said no single energy source is immune to outages."Adding diversity is how we'll build out a reliable grid," she said. "And the fastest-growing resources are essential during the extreme heat we experienced this summer, particularly solar."Even Davis, who described himself as conservative, said he doesn't understand the GOP attack, given the immense benefits the state has experienced."They're discouraging economic development in rural Texas," Davis said. "Why would you do that as a Republican?" There's no antagonism. We have to work together. Michael Looney, VP of economic development, San Angelo Chamber of Commerce Brent Bennett, the policy director of Life:Powered, an initiative of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, is the son of an oil and gas entrepreneur and grew up in Midland, Texas — the heart of the US fracking boom. Bennett said that even though wind and solar electricity is cheap to produce, customers are picking up the tab for expensive transmission projects that connect renewables in remote places to the grid. Wind and solar power also depend on the weather, he said, which can lead to unpredictable price spikes for backup power when supply is low — costs that are passed on to customers. He added that as federal subsidies for renewable energy outpaced those for fossil fuels over the past six years, Texas has underinvested in more reliable power."I can't say I'm unbiased," Bennett said. "But when it comes to the grid, our donors want my team to be studying the grid so we can fix it and do the best thing for ratepayers."Even though the renewable-energy industry took some losses during the last legislative session, the most egregious proposals were killed, Messer said. That's because his group joined forces with a coalition of strange bedfellows: more moderate rank-and-file Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives whose rural school districts benefit from property taxes from wind and solar projects, climate-conscious urban Democrats and environmental groups, and groups like the Chamber of Commerce that represent big energy users in the business sector. Messer said the coalition didn't face opposition from global oil majors, such as ExxonMobil and Chevron, either.The coalition seems to be growing stronger, even as Texas politicians shift further to the right on issues beyond renewable energy. That's because companies flocking to the state, from tech giants to manufacturers, want to keep their electricity costs down. Meanwhile, the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden's signature climate law, could inject an estimated $65 billion into Texas' economy by 2030 to help the state reduce emissions. Some oil and gas companies are also investing in renewable-energy projects, and Texas towns are diversifying their economies."Our approach to energy is all of the above," Michael Looney, the vice president of economic development at the Chamber of Commerce in San Angelo, said. "You'd think that the West Texas Chamber of Commerce is all in on oil and gas and we dislike renewables. That's not correct. There's no antagonism. We have to work together."The long arc of history bends toward greenTexas' transition is marching on: The state leads the US in planned wind and solar projects, and by 2035, their capacity is expected to double and account for 45% of total power generation in the state. This year, Texas is on track to surpass California in large-scale solar power. Several years ago, the state hardly had any battery storage, but by the end of this decade, there could be more than 30 gigawatts of storage — enough to power roughly 22.5 million homes.People in the renewable industry who I spoke to were optimistic about the future of Lone Star green energy. Enel's Laughlin said the company, which entered the state in 2006, isn't slowing down its expansion plans in Texas. Enel currently has about 1.8 gigawatts of solar capacity under construction and expects another four batteries to come online in 2024. EDP Renewables North America similarly told me that the company has nearly 1,000 megawatts of solar under construction."With the IRA, there is a significant amount of renewable energy that can be deployed in Texas," Sandhya Ganapathy, the CEO of EDP, said. She noted that in addition to tax credits, the company is eligible for "add-ons" if projects are sited in communities with high unemployment or where coal mines closed.That doesn't mean Texas is going to be totally green anytime soon. Even with all the new renewable development underway, the industry's supporters acknowledged that achieving 100% emissions-free power is unrealistic."If we were to completely get away from fossil fuels in Texas, I think we'd be close to economic catastrophe," Messer said. "It is still such a boom for our economy, and a lot of products are made from oil and gas like chemicals and plastics."Still, renewable-energy technology is evolving fast. Right now, it's not very cost-effective to develop pricey battery storage only for it to hold enough backup power for several hours. But in 20 years, those rates will improve and storage may be the answer to wind and solar intermittency, Messer said.The September opening of Davis' Menard Station, a farmer's market and future EV charging station.John DavisIn the meantime, Davis is doubling down on his burgeoning renewable-energy business. At Menard Station, he wants to install a suite of rapid electric-vehicle chargers and add it to all the apps showing travelers where to power up. Renewable energy may turn Davis' stretch of the "Road to Nowhere" into a destination after all.Catherine Boudreau is senior sustainability reporter at Insider. November 21, 2023: This story has been updated with a comment from Gov. Abbott's office.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Texas turns out to be the king of clean energy. But it may be about to lose the crown. Texas is leading the way in renewable energy. But the battle against oil and gas is far from over. Arantza Pena Popo/InsiderUS Highway 83, running between North Dakota and Texas, cuts America in half. The road runs mostly through rural, isolated parts of the country, which has earned it the nickname the "Road to Nowhere."John Davis, a roofer and rancher in Menard, Texas, is trying to make his little slice of US-83 a "somewhere" for road trippers, freight truckers, hunters, and a smattering of locals. Davis bought an old gas station about a year ago and has spent his free time turning it into a farmers market, rest stop, and gathering place. Menard Station opened in September and is gaining a fan base.On Saturdays, Davis' family heads down to the Station to serve customers Wagyu steak burgers from their ranch outside of town, where seven white wind turbines tower over the cattle, sheep, and goats that graze in the grassland. The giant turbines are also the reason that Davis was able to open up the Station: In 2018, he signed a deal with RES Americas, which was developing 43 wind turbines in central Texas. The Davis' 1,300 acres of windy prairie were an attractive site for some of the turbines, which now crank out 24 megawatts of power."Everybody else struck oil. I struck wind," Davis told me.John Davis' deal with RES Americas to install seven wind turbines on his ranch in Concho County, Texas, was a boon for his family.John DavisDeals like Davis' have made Texas — America's oil capital for more than a century — the top producer of renewable energy in the US. The state has long generated the most wind power and is second only to California as a solar-energy producer. While fossil fuel still reigns supreme in the state's energy mix, wind and solar account for a growing share of the total. As of October, wind and solar met between 25% and 41% of Texas' energy demand, depending on the month, according to data from the state's grid operator ERCOT. Add in nuclear power, which doesn't produce greenhouse-gas emissions, and green energy met upward of 50% of the state's demand in some months.The rapid rise of green energy in deep-red Texas couldn't come at a better time: The state's population is growing and the strain on the electrical grid is only getting more intense. But the boom has also triggered a Texas-size showdown: Gov. Greg Abbott and a group of his fellow Republicans in the state legislature launched a campaign to prop up fossil fuels and penalize renewables, arguing it would make the grid more reliable. Critics aren't convinced that subsidizing fossil fuels will solve the state's electricity crunch.The high-stakes battle for Texas' energy future is a microcosm of how tricky America's green transition is shaping up to be, especially when politics are involved. Slowing down renewable energy could cost Texas in the long term, both economically and socially. Billions of dollars of public and private investment are pouring into low-carbon industries. Meanwhile, the US is already losing billions to deadly climate-fueled disasters that scientists warn will get worse unless the world rapidly shifts away from fossil fuels. Yet there's still money and political points to be earned in oil and gas, indicating the fight is far from over.From black gold to green energyGiven the current battles, it's a bit ironic that Texas' ability to become America's green-energy leader was the result of two Republican governors and the state's conservative, pro-business bent. The runway was laid more than two decades ago when then Gov. George W. Bush pushed through a plan to deregulate the state's energy market. Instead of letting utilities control all the generation and transmission of power, the law created a competitive market that allows customers to choose their power provider. The goal was to lower the cost of turning on the lights for households and businesses. The plan also included a target for Texas to produce 2,000 megawatts of power from renewable-energy sources by 2009. The plan was so successful that in 2005, Republican Gov. Rick Perry raised the target to 10,000 megawatts by 2025 — a threshold Texas quickly surpassed. An energy market that prioritized the cheapest supply, combined with a quick process to approve and build new transmission lines, proved to be a winning formula in a state with vast swaths of open land, wind, and sunshine. Last year, the state generated about 30% of its power from wind and solar.Some Texans are profiting directly from this shift. While Davis said he signed a nondisclosure agreement with RES that prevents him from sharing how much he earned from his deal, the trade group Advanced Power Alliance said renewable-energy developers pay more than $70 million every year to Texas landowners who lease their property. Another $237 million is paid by these developers in state and local taxes, creating new revenue for rural areas like Menard, where Davis' ranch is, to use for education, infrastructure, and emergency services. This adds up to billions of dollars over the life span of these projects.John Davis raises cattle, sheep, and goats on his ranch in Concho County, Texas.John DavisTexans who don't have land to lease have benefited, as well. Since electricity from solar and wind farms is cheaper than coal and gas plants, renewable energy reduced wholesale electricity costs by $31.5 billion between 2010 and 2022, according to a study led by a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin. Divide that up, and residents have saved a couple thousand dollars on their utility bills during that period. And that doesn't include the tens of billions in healthcare costs that have been avoided thanks to a reduction in air pollution. A flurry of headlines this summer also noted that solar and wind power helped stabilize the Texas power grid as temperatures soared to the triple-digits for weeks on end and people jacked up their ACs. Battery storage and natural-gas plants were key when the sun wasn't shining and wind wasn't blowing, energy analysts said. Plus, the sector is bringing in jobs: As of last year, the renewable-energy sector employed 239,000 people in Texas, a 7% increase from 2021, according to an analysis by E2, an environmental business group.No green deed goes unpunishedDespite these wins, Texas' green transformation became a punching bag for Abbott and some fellow Republicans in the state legislature after Winter Storm Uri cut off power for millions of residents and caused 246 deaths in 2021. Temperatures plunged to as low as 6 degrees Fahrenheit, freezing gas production and power plants that supply the majority of the state's power. Wind turbines also froze, but that was the "least significant" factor in the blackouts, an official at ERCOT told Bloomberg at the time. These bills are actually a smokescreen for the laws' true purpose: protecting the Texas oil and gas barons who donate to Republicans lawmakers. That hasn't stopped Abbott and the GOP from using the crisis to attack renewable energy and push for adding more fossil fuels to the grid. Backed by groups like the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative nonprofit that lobbies against climate action and receives funding from the oil and gas industry, the state legislature this year introduced a flurry of legislation that either subsidized building gas-fired power plants or put renewables at a cost disadvantage. One law, which was approved by voters in November, set up the $10 billion Texas Energy Fund, which sets aside $7.2 billion for low-interest loans and grants for "dispatchable" power — gas, coal, and nuclear power that can be deployed regardless of weather conditions. Notably, Texas lawmakers exempted battery storage from the subsidies, even though it's also dispatchable. Another law requires renewable-energy developers to pick up a greater share of the cost of transmission infrastructure that connects projects to the grid and creates other programs to compensate dispatchable power for being available when demand is high. (Abbott did not respond to a request for comment.)Supporters of renewable energy told me that the premise behind these bills — improving the reliability of the grid in times of extreme stress — are actually a smokescreen for the laws' true purpose: protecting the Texas oil and gas barons who donate to Republicans lawmakers. Improving reliability is necessary, but slowing renewables only undermines that goal. It's better to have a mix of energy sources rather than tipping the scales in favor of one. Plus, investing in energy efficiency so homeowners and businesses use less power in the first place would also help."I think this is a small, but wealthy and powerful group of ultra-right conservatives who are protecting small and midsize oil and gas producers," Judd Messer, the vice president of Texas' Advance Power Alliance, said. His group lobbies on behalf of large-scale renewable-energy developers. "They are concerned about the wind and solar development coming down the pipeline and protecting their donors who sell natural gas. This is cloaked under the guise of reliability."Madeline Gould Laughlin, the senior manager of regulatory affairs in Texas for the renewable-energy developer Enel North America, said no single energy source is immune to outages."Adding diversity is how we'll build out a reliable grid," she said. "And the fastest-growing resources are essential during the extreme heat we experienced this summer, particularly solar."Even Davis, who described himself as conservative, said he doesn't understand the GOP attack, given the immense benefits the state has experienced."They're discouraging economic development in rural Texas," Davis said. "Why would you do that as a Republican?" There's no antagonism. We have to work together. Michael Looney, VP of economic development, San Angelo Chamber of Commerce Brent Bennett, the policy director of Life:Powered, an initiative of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, is the son of an oil and gas entrepreneur and grew up in Midland, Texas — the heart of the US fracking boom. Bennett said that even though wind and solar electricity is cheap to produce, customers are picking up the tab for expensive transmission projects that connect renewables in remote places to the grid. Wind and solar power also depend on the weather, he said, which can lead to unpredictable price spikes for backup power when supply is low — costs that are passed on to customers. He added that as federal subsidies for renewable energy outpaced those for fossil fuels over the past six years, Texas has underinvested in more reliable power."I can't say I'm unbiased," Bennett said. "But when it comes to the grid, our donors want my team to be studying the grid so we can fix it and do the best thing for ratepayers."Even though the renewable-energy industry took some losses during the last legislative session, the most egregious proposals were killed, Messer said. That's because his group joined forces with a coalition of strange bedfellows: more moderate rank-and-file Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives whose rural school districts benefit from property taxes from wind and solar projects, climate-conscious urban Democrats and environmental groups, and groups like the Chamber of Commerce that represent big energy users in the business sector. Messer said the coalition didn't face opposition from global oil majors, such as ExxonMobil and Chevron, either.The coalition seems to be growing stronger, even as Texas politicians shift further to the right on issues beyond renewable energy. That's because companies flocking to the state, from tech giants to manufacturers, want to keep their electricity costs down. Meanwhile, the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden's signature climate law, could inject an estimated $65 billion into Texas' economy by 2030 to help the state reduce emissions. Some oil and gas companies are also investing in renewable-energy projects, and Texas towns are diversifying their economies."Our approach to energy is all of the above," Michael Looney, the vice president of economic development at the Chamber of Commerce in San Angelo, said. "You'd think that the West Texas Chamber of Commerce is all in on oil and gas and we dislike renewables. That's not correct. There's no antagonism. We have to work together."The long arc of history bends toward greenTexas' transition is marching on: The state leads the US in planned wind and solar projects, and by 2035, their capacity is expected to double and account for 45% of total power generation in the state. This year, Texas is on track to surpass California in large-scale solar power. Several years ago, the state hardly had any battery storage, but by the end of this decade, there could be more than 30 gigawatts of storage — enough to power roughly 22.5 million homes.People in the renewable industry who I spoke to were optimistic about the future of Lone Star green energy. Enel's Laughlin said the company, which entered the state in 2006, isn't slowing down its expansion plans in Texas. Enel currently has about 1.8 gigawatts of solar capacity under construction and expects another four batteries to come online in 2024. EDP Renewables North America similarly told me that the company has nearly 1,000 megawatts of solar under construction."With the IRA, there is a significant amount of renewable energy that can be deployed in Texas," Sandhya Ganapathy, the CEO of EDP, said. She noted that in addition to tax credits, the company is eligible for "add-ons" if projects are sited in communities with high unemployment or where coal mines closed.That doesn't mean Texas is going to be totally green anytime soon. Even with all the new renewable development underway, the industry's supporters acknowledged that achieving 100% emissions-free power is unrealistic."If we were to completely get away from fossil fuels in Texas, I think we'd be close to economic catastrophe," Messer said. "It is still such a boom for our economy, and a lot of products are made from oil and gas like chemicals and plastics."Still, renewable-energy technology is evolving fast. Right now, it's not very cost-effective to develop pricey battery storage only for it to hold enough backup power for several hours. But in 20 years, those rates will improve and storage may be the answer to wind and solar intermittency, Messer said.The September opening of Davis' Menard Station, a farmer's market and future EV charging station.John DavisIn the meantime, Davis is doubling down on his burgeoning renewable-energy business. At Menard Station, he wants to install a suite of rapid electric-vehicle chargers and add it to all the apps showing travelers where to power up. Renewable energy may turn Davis' stretch of the "Road to Nowhere" into a destination after all.Catherine Boudreau is senior sustainability reporter at Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Is there anything better than curling up on the couch, watching a great comedy film, and laughing the night away? We don’t think so! But with so many funny flicks out there, which ones are worthy of your time? We compiled a list of the best comedy movies ever made, perfect for your next Netflix […] The post Discover the 19 Best Comedy Films of All Time! appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.. Is there anything better than curling up on the couch, watching a great comedy film, and laughing the night away? We don’t think so! But with so many funny flicks out there, which ones are worthy of your time? We compiled a list of the best comedy movies ever made, perfect for your next Netflix night. (Or, if you’re more in the mood for a suspenseful whodunit, click here to check out the 20 best mystery films of all time.) We are drawn to comedy films because we all love to laugh. Sadly, many of us don’t laugh nearly enough. The Mayo Clinic notes that, “Laughter can help lessen your stress, depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier. It can also improve your self-esteem.” Along with boosting your mental well-being, laughter has a positive impact on your physical health by releasing endorphins in the brain and increasing blood flow to major organs. Laughter may also boost the immune system and even relieve pain. Spending an evening watching one of the funniest movies of all time might be just what the doctor ordered, literally. These great comedy films are guaranteed to split your sides, raise your spirits, and maybe even boost your health. Let the chuckles, chortles, cackles, and cachinnations commence! To determine the best comedy movies of all time, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of October 2023, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes. Directorial credits are from IMDb. Most of the greatest comedy films of all time were created during Hollywood’s golden age (1910s-1960s). In fact, only four of these 19 films were produced after this golden age of motion pictures. Don’t let their age sour you on these movies, though. These great comedies still hold up after 60, 70, 80 years, or more. Like all great art, the performances by iconic actors such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Danny Kaye are timeless.  (Some of these actors are part of Hollywood’s most famous acting dynasties. Click here for the full list.) 19. His Girl Friday (1940) IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (56,106 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (24,333 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (67 reviews) Directed by: Howard Hawks This 1940 screwball comedy starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell was adapted from “The Front Page,” a 1928 play by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. In the film, Walter Burns, editor of a major Chicago newspaper, is about to lose his star reporter, Hildy Johnson. She is fed up with Walter, who is not only her editor but also her ex-husband. She is determined to quit journalism and marry her milquetoast fiancé, Bruce Baldwin. Walter refuses to let Hildy go without a fight. She is not only his ace reporter, but she remains the love of his life. He offers her the chance at the story of a lifetime, the impending execution of convicted murderer Earl Williams. Walter knows that Hildy’s journalistic passion will compel her to take the assignment. He also attempts to sabotage her engagement by arranging for her fiancé to be arrested multiple times. Walter pulls several other people into his diabolical and absurd scheme. The Library of Congress selected “His Girl Friday” for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry (NFR) in 1993. The comedy film is available for streaming on a myriad of platforms including Pluto TV, Crackle, Tubi, Sling TV, Prime Video, Redbox, Vudu, and many more. 18. Sullivan’s Travels (1941) IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (25,347 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (8,614 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (35 reviews) Directed by: Preston Sturges “Sullivan’s Travels” is an adventure comedy centered on a wealthy filmmaker named John Sullivan. He was a successful director, but he developed a disdain for his work. He believed all his movies were overly simplistic and shallow. John desperately wanted to produce a film with “social significance,” so he decided on a project that focused on the trials and struggles of those living in poverty. Studio executives scoffed at his idea, pointing out that John was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth and knew nothing of such hardships. They strongly encouraged him to keep making his standard lightweight comedy films, which meant big money for both him and the studio. John was determined to make his consequential film, so he decided to immerse himself in a world that he had never known. He went on the road posing as a homeless person. John set out on his journey with only a dime in his pocket. However, he soon found that he relied on the protection of his wealth and privilege more than he realized. When a struggling actress joined him in his quest to live an impoverished life, the foibles and shenanigans rose to a whole new level. “Sullivan’s Travels” was added to the NFR in 1990. It is available for streaming on Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video, Vudu, and other platforms. 17. Annie Hall (1977) IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (258,110 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (153,824 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (84 reviews) Directed by: Woody Allen “Annie Hall” is a self-described “nervous romance” starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. Allen plays a neurotic stand-up comedian who reflects on the downfall of his relationship with Annie Hall, played by Keaton. The movie features a series of flashbacks as the comic tries to figure out why his relationship with Annie failed. Could it be that she is as neurotic as he is? Some of the funniest and most memorable scenes in “Annie Hall” are when Allen’s character breaks the fourth wall. The so-called “fourth wall” is the imaginary wall that separates the fictional film from the real-life audience. Actors “break the fourth wall” when they look into the camera and speak directly to the audience. Allen masterfully employed this technique in the film. “Annie Hall” dominated the 1978 Academy Awards, taking home Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Keaton), Best Director (Allen), and Best Screenplay. Allen was also nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role. The comedy film was selected for inclusion in the NFR in 1992. It is available for streaming on Hulu, Prime Video, Redbox, YouTube, Apple TV, and other streaming platforms. 16. Paper Moon (1973) IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (44,587 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (11,421 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (41 reviews) Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich “Paper Moon” is an adaption of “Addie Pray,” a 1971 novel by Joe David Brown. The 1973 film was set in Kansas and Missouri during the Great Depression and was shot entirely in black-and-white. The plot centers on Moses Pray, an unscrupulous huckster who posed as a Bible salesman. Moses read the obituaries each day to find grieving families to scam. His M.O. was to falsely claim the deceased had ordered a Bible engraved with the name of the loved one. They could possess that Bible ordered by the dearly departed, as long as they paid Moses’ exorbitant fee. Moses was tasked with delivering a young girl named Addie Loggins to her aunt in Missouri, for a fee, of course. Moses and Addie soon realize that they may be biologically connected as father and daughter. Addie grew wise to the swindling nature of her potential father and joined him in his capers. Moses and Addie were played by real-life father and daughter, Ryan and Tatum O’Neal. “Paper Moon” was nominated for four Academy Awards. Tatum O’Neal won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. At 10 years old, O’Neal was the youngest actor to ever win an Oscar, a record that still stands today. (Click here for a list of other actors who won Oscars before the age of 30.) The comedy is available on Max, Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube, and other streaming services. 15. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (948,653 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (571,910 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (250 reviews) Directed by: Michel Gondry This 2004 film is the most recent on this list of the best comedy films of all time. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” tells the story of Clementine Kruczynski (played by Kate Winslet) and Joel Barish (played by Jim Carrey). The couple simply could not navigate a romantic relationship with one another. Clementine became so fed up with the drama and tumult that she underwent an experimental procedure to permanently erase Joel from her memory. Joel was so hurt and upset by this that he decided to undergo the very same procedure so he could forget all about Clementine. However, as his memories began to fade away, Joel discovered that he still loved Clementine and he set out to stop the effects of the procedure before his memories of her were completely eradicated. The film won an Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay. Winslet was also nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. The film also won Best Science Fiction Film at the Saturn Awards. These annual awards are presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. Fans of science fiction often hold the Saturn Awards in even higher esteem than the Oscars. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” can be streamed on Peacock, Google Play, Redbox, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. 14. Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (14,002 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (5,423 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (30 reviews) Directed by: Charles Reisner Buster Keaton stars in the 1928 silent film, “Steamboat Bill, Jr.” Keaton is famous for his physical comedy and sight gags. In the absence of dialogue, Keaton’s fast-paced slapstick antics keep the audience laughing and engaged. The film contains what is likely the most famous stunt Keaton ever performed. The entire front façade of a house crashed down around him, but Keaton remained untouched due to a fortuitously placed upstairs window. It was a full-weight wall rather than a lightweight movie prop. Half of the film’s crew chose to walk off the set rather than be part of filming the stunt that could have killed Keaton had he not been standing in the exact right spot. In this classic comedy film, Keaton plays William Canfield, Jr. His father, William “Steamboat Bill” Canfield, operated an old steamship. He was in danger of being run out of business by a new state-of-the-art paddlewheel steamer owned by J.J. King. The elder Canfield hadn’t seen his son for years and was quite underwhelmed by the boy’s thin build, pencil mustache, and ukulele. Bill, Jr.’s college acquaintance, Kitty King, also showed up. Kitty was J.J.’s daughter, and neither he nor Bill, Sr. was happy when a romantic relationship blossomed between Bill Jr. and Kitty. The Library of Congress selected “Steamboat Bill, Jr.” for preservation in the NFR in 2016. The film can be streamed on PLEX, Tubi, Pluto TV, MGM+, Prime Video, YouTube, Philo, and Sling TV. 13. The Court Jester (1955) IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (12,327 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (9,213 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (30 reviews) Directed by: Norman Panama & Melvin Frank Danny Kaye stars in the 1955 musical comedy, “The Court Jester.” The film is set in medieval England. The throne had been usurped by the evil King Roderick I when he ordered the massacre of the entire royal family. One rightful heir remained, though: a baby boy who bore the royal birthmark of the purple pimpernel. The Black Fox and his band of rebels (based loosely on Robin Hood and his Merry Men) sought to return the throne to its rightful heir. Hubert Hawkins, played by Kaye, was charged with caring for the infant king until Roderick could be deposed. When Hubert met Roderick’s jester, a man named Giacomo, a new scheme was hatched. Hubert subdued Giacomo and assumed his identity as the jester to Roderick. Hubert could infiltrate Roderick’s palace under this new guise, meaning the mission of deposing the false king seemed to be within reach. However, the plot would take unforeseen twists and turns with new characters, love interests, and plenty of slapstick antics. “The Court Jester” was added to the NFR in 2004. It is available for streaming on YouTube, Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. 12. The Apartment (1960) IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (172,183 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (38,259 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (72 reviews) Directed by: Billy Wilder “The Apartment” focuses on C.C. Baxter, a clerk at the Consolidated Life insurance company in Manhattan. With tens of thousands of employees in the company, Baxter finds it difficult to make inroads with the company’s leadership so he can move up the corporate ladder. That would all change when he hatched a new plan. C.C. began loaning out his bachelor pad apartment to some of the company’s senior leaders. These men would take turns using the apartment for their ongoing extramarital affairs. In return, they would sing C.C.’s praises to the company’s big boss, Jeff Sheldrake. When C.C. is called into Sheldrake’s office, he is hoping to receive his long-awaited promotion. Instead, Sheldrake wants to use C.C.’s apartment for a tryst of his own. This could solidify C.C.’s aspirations to move up in the company, but an unexpected problem surfaces. Can C.C. continue with his plan, rise through the corporate ranks, and also have a romantic relationship of his own? The subject matter in this 1960 romantic comedy film was controversial and denounced in some circles, but it made a big splash at the Academy Awards. The movie won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards overall. “The Apartment” was selected for NFR preservation in 1994. It can be streamed on The Roku Channel, Sling TV, MGM+, Philo, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, Apple TV, and Prime Video. 11. Safety Last! (1923) IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (19,650 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (3,761 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (35 reviews) Directed by: Fred C. Newmeyer & Sam Taylor This 100-year-old silent film starred Harold Lloyd, one of the giants of Hollywood’s silent era. He played a country boy named Harold Lloyd (the same name as the actor) who moved to the big city in search of a job. Harold wanted to earn enough money so he could marry his sweetheart, Mildred. However, life in the city was nothing like he had planned. Harold was only able to secure a low-wage job as a sales clerk at De Vore Department Store. In his letters to Mildred, though, Harold tells her that is making big money and will soon send for her. He even sends her expensive gifts, which he obviously cannot afford. When Mildred shows up unexpectedly, Harold has to keep up his ruse without arousing the suspicions of his boss. Lloyd performed many of his own stunts in the film, including one of the most famous scenes from the silent era. In an attempt to earn big money by drawing people to the department store through a daring stunt, Harold finds himself hanging from the hands of a clock high above the city. “Safety Last!” was added to the NFR in 1994. It is available on Max, Prime Video, and Apple TV. 10. Some Like It Hot (1959) IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (254,537 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (82,393 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (65 reviews) Directed by: Billy Wilder “Some Like It Hot” features a star-studded cast from Hollywood’s golden age, including Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and George Raft. The film is set in Chicago during the Prohibition era. Two musicians, played by Curtis and Lemmon, are employed at a speakeasy. When police raid the establishment on a tip from an informant, the two men narrowly escape. Later, the men unwittingly witnessed the owner of the speakeasy and his henchmen murder the informant. Knowing the gang members saw them, the two men ran for their lives. They desperately needed a place to hide from the murderers who were hot on their trail, so the two male musicians ended up dressing as women and joining an all-female band that was boarding a train for Miami. As if that wasn’t absurd enough, the men begin having romantic feelings for the band’s lead singer, but they cannot divulge their true identities since they are on the run from mobsters. This 1959 comedy film was controversial since it featured cross-dressing, a violation of the Hays Code. This code was a self-imposed set of guidelines that moviemakers used to censure content. The success of the movie contributed to the code’s eventual retirement. “Some Like It Hot” was nominated for six Oscars, winning one (Best Costume Design in a Black-and-White Film). The Library of Congress chose to add the film to the NFR in 1989. The movie is available on Hulu, Max, Google Play, Prime Video, YouTube, Redbox, Vudu, and Apple TV. 9. To Be or Not to Be (1942) IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (33,747 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (6,029 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (47 reviews) Directed by: Ernst Lubitsch This World War II-era comedy film is set in Poland. The movie centers on Joseph and Maria Tura, a married couple who operate a theater in Warsaw. When the Nazis invade Poland, the theater was forced to cancel its production of “Gestapo,” a satirical play about Adolf Hitler. Instead of focusing on their theatrical careers, the two actors are forced to employ their talents to support the war effort and stop the delivery of a list containing the secret identities of resistance fighters to the Nazis. “To Be or Not to Be” was released in the middle of World War II and some critics lambasted it for satirizing Nazis, potentially stoking the flames of the conflict even further. The film only received one Oscar nomination. However, the film’s legacy grew over time. It is now a beloved classic and was selected for inclusion in the NFR in 1996. The movie is available on Max and The Criterion Channel. A remake of “To Be or Not to Be” was produced in 1983 but was tepidly received by both critics and audiences. 8. The Great Dictator (1940) IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (213,266 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (43,757 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (45 reviews) Directed by: Charles Chaplin “The Great Dictator” is another World War II-era film. Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed, and starred in the film that satirized Adolf Hitler. Chaplin was told that the movie may be banned in the United States and the United Kingdom due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter. A satirical comedy film that directly poked fun at Hitler during World War II was sure to be a sensitive issue. Chaplin heard these warnings but pushed forward with the film anyway. While the movie was produced during World War II, the setting of the film was the fictional nation of Tomania during the final days of the First World War. Chaplin stars as a private serving in Tomania’s army. He rescued Commander Schultz when their plane crashed, but injuries from the crash left the private with amnesia. When the private, who was a barber by trade, returned to his shop 20 years later, he was unaware of how the world had changed. A dictator named Adenoid Hynkel, who is a doppelgänger of the barber, had taken control of Tomania and was ruling with an iron fist. Schultz, who the private had rescued two decades prior, was now a high-ranking officer in the regime. The private was Jewish, and Tomania was now under the control of an anti-Semitic regime. Through a wild turn of events, the private and Schultz were arrested by Tomanian forces, but the private was mistaken for Dictator Hynkel. He was afforded the opportunity to give a speech on the radio which was heard by millions. Chaplin’s radio speech is considered by many to be among the greatest speeches ever captured on film. There was uncertainty about the film upon its release, but it was a box office smash in both the U.S. and England. It became Chaplin’s biggest commercial success. The film was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Original Screenplay. It was added to the NFR in 1997. “The Great Dictator” is available on Prime Video, Max, and Apple TV. 7. It Happened One Night (1934) IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (98,815 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (33,748 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (97 reviews) Directed by: Frank Capra Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert star in the 1934 comedy film, “It Happened One Night.” Ellie Andrews, played by Colbert, is a spoiled socialite who married against her father’s wishes. Her father, Alexander Andrews, was a wealthy, powerful, and controlling man. He took control of his daughter and placed her on his yacht off the coast of Miami. However, she jumped overboard and swam to shore, planning to rendezvous with her new husband in New York. In her escape to New York, Ellie met an out-of-work newspaper reporter named Peter Warne, played by Gable. Peter recognized the high-profile socialite, but instead of returning her to her father and collecting a handsome reward, he offered to help her on the journey to New York. There was one caveat, though. Peter wanted exclusive rights to her story. Such a scoop would surely open the door for him to regain his old job. The two agreed to this arrangement, but things did not go as planned (to put it mildly). “It Happened One Night” dominated the Academy Awards, taking home five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Gable), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Colbert), and Best Director (Frank Capra). The film was selected for preservation in the NFR in 1993. This 1934 comedy is available on Vudu, YouTube, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play. 6. Monty Python & the Holy Grail (1975) IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (536,985 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (250,000 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (79 reviews) Directed by: Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones This 1975 comedy classic may be the most often-quoted movie on this list. Fans of “Monty Python & the Holy Grail” love to recite lines such as, “I’m not dead!” and “She turned me into a newt!” If you know, you know. The film is set in 10 century England. King Arthur mounts a horse and rides through the countryside, searching for men worthy of joining the famed Knights of the Roundtable. A number of men answer the call but then change their minds and plan to leave until a divine encounter stops them in their tracks. God speaks to them from heaven, instructing them to find the Holy Grail. With their new God-given charge, they set out in search of the Holy Grail. Along the way, they encounter a host of characters such as Tim the Enchanter and the evil Black Knight. The movie is chocked full of absurdities, following in the Monty Python tradition. “Monty Python & the Holy Grail” can be streamed on Netflix, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, and Prime Video. 5. The Cameraman (1928) IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (11,259 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (2,467 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (18 reviews) Directed by: Buster Keaton & Edward Sedgwick “The Cameraman” is the last Buster Keaton film where the actor maintained full creative control of the production. It is widely believed to be among the very best of his iconic comedy films. In this 1928 silent film, Keaton plays a photographer named Buster (the actor’s real first name) who fell in love with Sally, a secretary at MGM Newsreels. In an attempt to win her over, Buster abandoned photography and took a job as a news cameraman. The technology was very different from taking still photographs, and Buster clumsily learned how to operate the motion picture camera. Another cameraman named Stagg also took a shine to Sally. Buster was forced to quickly master the art of the motion picture before he lost both his job and the love of his life. As in virtually all of Keaton’s silent films, the slapstick action is fast-paced with nary a dull moment. “The Cameraman” was added to the NFR in 2005. It can be streamed on Google Play, Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video, and Vudu. 4. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (467,737 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (209,644 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (92 reviews) Directed by: Stanley Kubrick A nuclear apocalypse wouldn’t seem to be a source for comedic material, unless you are Stanley Kubrick. He turned potential atomic cataclysm into comedy gold in “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” (commonly known simply as “Dr. Strangelove”). It is widely regarded as Kubrick’s greatest cinematic achievement. This 1964 satirical comedy film centers on the fears of nuclear war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In the film, an insane U.S. Air Force General named Jack Ripper is convinced that the Soviets are contaminating the “precious bodily fluids” of Americans, so he unilaterally orders a B-52 bomber to attack the U.S.S.R. When U.S. politicians and commanders hear of this mission, they frantically try to stop it. The Soviets have promised that such an attack would prompt them to unleash their “Doomsday Machine” which would destroy all life on this planet as we know it. “Dr. Strangelove” was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Peter Sellers), and Best Director (Kubrick). The Library of Congress added the film to the NFR in 1989. It is available on Vudu, Prime Video, and Apple TV. 3. The Kid (1921) IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (120,168 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (15,470 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (48 reviews) Directed by: Charles Chaplin The top three greatest comedy films of all time were all directed by Charlie Chaplin and they all feature Chaplin’s most famous character: The Tramp. The character was a lovable vagabond with a good heart, but somehow he always managed to find himself in trouble with the authorities. The character is quite possibly the most iconic symbol of Hollywood’s silent era. “The Kid” is a silent movie released in 1921, making it the oldest entry on this list of the best comedy films of all time. In the movie, The Tramp finds an abandoned baby. The infant’s unwed mother could not care for him, so she left him in the backseat of a car with a note asking the finder to love and care for him. The car was stolen, but the thieves left the child in an alley where he was found by The Tramp. The Tramp was reluctant to get involved at first, but his big heart eventually won out. He could not ignore the helpless child. The Tramp comes to love the boy as his own son. As the boy grows up, he and The Tramp find themselves in one comedic exploit after another. “The Kid” was added to the NFR in 2011. It is available on Pluto TV, Max, The Roku Channel, MGM+, Prime Video, YouTube, Philo, and Sling TV. 2. Modern Times (1936) IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (228,754 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (40,314 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (108 reviews) Directed by: Charles Chaplin “Modern Times” marked the end of the long run for Charlie Chaplin’s character, The Tramp. The character had been a mainstay of the silent era. Fittingly, the last film featuring the character centered on the modernization of the world, which The Tramp found utterly confounding. Perhaps in a nod to this confusing modernization, “Modern Times” is a mostly silent film even though talkies had taken over by the early 1930s. In the movie, The Tramp is employed on a factory assembly line but has a nervous breakdown due to the stress and the never-ending frantic pace of the job. He is institutionalized after the episode. After his release, he picks up a red flag on the street and is arrested as a supposed Communist sympathizer. After his release from jail, he meets a homeless girl named Ellen. The two work together in one failed attempt after another, trying to navigate the perplexities of these “modern times.” The comedy film was added to the NFR in 1989. It can be streamed on The Criterion Channel, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Max. 1. City Lights (1931) IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (176,008 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (27,144 reviews) Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (54 reviews) Directed by: Charles Chaplin The top comedy of all time is another classic silent film from Charlie Chaplin. Although talkies had debuted four years earlier, Chaplin insisted on producing “City Lights” as a silent film. In the movie, The Tramp befriends a millionaire with quite a drinking problem. The Tramp saves him from a suicide attempt. The Tramp then falls in love with a young blind girl who sells flowers on the street. After offering the girl a ride in the millionaire’s car, she believes The Tramp to be a rich man. The girl falls in love with this kind and “wealthy” stranger. After hearing that a costly operation could restore the girl’s sight, The Tramp does whatever he can to raise the needed funds, including entering a boxing competition. However, if her sight is restored and she sees that he is nothing but a shabby vagrant, will her feelings for him change? We won’t spoil the ending of this iconic film. Suffice it to say that it is considered one of the greatest and most moving scenes ever filmed, comedy or otherwise. (Click here for are the 55 best movies ever made.) “City Lights” is widely seen as Charlie Chaplin’s crowning achievement. The film was selected for inclusion in the NFR in 1991. It is available on Prime Video, Max, Vudu, Apple TV, Google Play, and YouTube. Sponsored: Attention Savvy Investors: Speak to 3 Financial Experts – FREE Ever wanted an extra set of eyes on an investment you’re considering? Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help guide you through the financial decisions you’re making. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free. 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When I started out at Goldman, it was the most feared firm on Wall Street. Those days are gone for good. Jon Krause for InsiderMy first job after college was as an analyst at Goldman Sachs. The three years I spent there were very long — time plays tricks on you when you're working 100 hours a week — and very unhappy. But they were also very formative. I learned how to think about how a business makes money. I learned how to work really hard. I learned how not to be intimidated. And I acquired a deep and lasting paranoia of being even a minute late, a mindset that is familiar to anyone who has been a junior analyst at Goldman, and one that my friends today find equal parts baffling and amusing.As the years passed, my short stint at Goldman continued to give me a sneaky sense of pride. I say "sneaky" because after the global financial crisis of 2008, criticism of the bank — some of it even written by me — mounted dramatically, culminating in Matt Taibbi's famous piece likening the firm to a "vampire squid." But here's the thing: The criticism always contained a trace of awe. There was a mystique to Goldman. It was cool and competent. Even when it lost hundreds of millions on a trading bet gone awry, or intentionally screwed its own clients, well, that had a certain swagger to it. Being a partner at Goldman meant you were part of the greatest wealth-creation machine the world had ever known. You were one of Wall Street's kings. "Thank God I didn't go to Morgan Stanley," I'd think to myself as I watched Morgan transform itself from a firm that was once very much like Goldman — prestigious, brilliant, a bit mysterious — into yet another run-of-the-mill firm that catered mostly to retail investors.Which is why the past few years of bad press about Goldman, mainly focused on CEO David Solomon, have been shocking, and oddly painful — the way you feel when something you didn't realize mattered to you is being broken. It isn't just that the bitterness about Solomon's leadership has spilled outside the firm, prompting The Wall Street Journal to describe Goldman, in a headline, as "at war with itself." It's that the leaks are coming from very senior levels inside the firm — a development one longtime Goldman observer I spoke with called "unprecedented." While there was always plenty of internecine warfare at the firm — think CEO Jon Corzine being knifed by his partners — what happened at Goldman stayed at Goldman. As Solomon recently confessed to a former partner, "It's a very, very hard war, and I'm being fracked by my own troops."Those troops include none other than Solomon's predecessor, the man who chose him to run the firm, Lloyd Blankfein. Insiders differ about what Blankfein has actually said, but few close to the situation dispute that he has made disparaging remarks about Solomon. "Once Lloyd does that," says one Goldman partner, "it opens the door for other people to do that."Nor did Solomon do himself any favors with his disastrous attempt to imitate Morgan Stanley all these years later, catering to consumers, but in Goldman's case by offering everything from checking accounts to credit cards. Only after Goldman's fledgling retail business had lost $3.8 billion did Solomon finally agree to shut it down. The episode was a shocking failure on the part of a firm whose people pride themselves on being the smartest, and whose core business is telling other businesses how to be smart. "People always said: You guys are greedy," a former partner told me. "But they never thought we were incompetent."Insiders at Goldman say Lloyd Blankfein (left) has been disparaging his successor, David Solomon (right). "Once Lloyd does that," says one, "it opens the door for other people to do that."John TaggartBut the sniping, at heart, isn't just about Solomon. There's a deeper subtext to the angst swirling around Goldman, one that reflects an existential terror over how much the Wall Street ecosystem has changed. "People are romantic for a time gone by, which can't exist anymore," says Dan Dees, a fellow analyst in my class who now coheads the bank's global banking and markets division. In 2013, a few years after Goldman became a traditional bank instead of an investment house, I found myself at a reunion for former analysts, standing with two men who had been in my class. One worked at KKR; the other worked at Goldman. Where would you rather be now, the KKR guy asked with a laugh. At a heavily regulated bank like Goldman? Or at a private-equity firm, where you can do anything you'd like, and make multiples more money?The Goldman guy laughed too, but a little sourly. In 2020, as if to underscore Goldman's new situation, the bank was forced to sell an insurance company it had purchased, Global Atlantic, to none other than KKR. Because under the crazy rules of our current regulatory system, an unregulated private-equity firm is allowed to own an insurance company, but a bank is not.All of which makes me wonder: Has the age of America's last great investment bank finally come to an end? Is Goldman Sachs dead?The sense that Goldman was no longer invincible didn't start under David Solomon's watch, but it has clearly accelerated. Earlier this fall, when I meet with him in a conference room overlooking the bank's trading floor at its headquarters in Manhattan, Solomon is defensive. There has always been dissension at Goldman, he says, but he blames the press for serving as an "amplification system." Still, he acknowledges that the most threatening calls, like those in a slasher movie, are coming from inside the house."There are definitely people leaking at Goldman Sachs, including some senior people," he says. "They're damaging the firm. Clearly. Irreparably? I don't think so, but I'm not going to dispute that it's damaging to the firm. I worry about that."Solomon is not unwilling to admit error. "Look, I don't know that we've gotten everything exactly right," he says. "We definitely haven't." But he wants it known that he does not recognize himself in what's been written about him. He's been called, among other things, a "jerk," and a "prick," and a "dick." Solomon's defenders frequently use the word "tough" to explain why he isn't well-liked. "He's not a teddy bear," concedes someone close to him. Still, Solomon's predecessors, Blankfein and Hank Paulson, weren't exactly known for being soft and fuzzy. What's different about Solomon is that his toughness is unleavened by Blankfein's humor, or by Paulson's knack for being simultaneously ferocious and oddly endearing. Solomon has a habit of beginning an answer by questioning your premise, or by quibbling with something you said. During a recent interview in California, when the CNBC anchor David Faber made a gentle joke about how both he and Solomon had flown across the country just to talk to each other at a conference, Solomon said, "Well, I flew across the country to be at the conference and talk to a bunch of clients." He will point out a small mistake, rather than going straight to a larger agreement. He doesn't mean to be unpleasant — he's just extremely literal. But it's a style that even one passionate defender calls "suboptimal."Solomon doesn't mean to be unpleasant — he's just extremely literal. Even defenders call his style "suboptimal."AP Photo/Patrick SemanskyWithin the rarefied world of Goldman, Solomon is something of an outsider, simply by dint of his background. As the bank's first CEO who wasn't a partner back when it went public in 1999, he isn't seen as having a direct link to its storied past, and he wasn't able to cash in on the initial public offering the way partners did. The place has always been a study in contrasts: Goldman's offices, which were at 85 Broad Street when I joined, were sort of seedy. But everyone knew that becoming a partner at Goldman was the ultimate brass ring. Even as Wall Street changed — and it is always changing — Goldman seemed to stay one step ahead, as if by magic. When I was there, the firm made all its money advising on mergers and acquisitions; everything else was a sideshow. By the 2000s, Goldman was making its money in trading, and banking had become the sideshow. Once the firm went public, of course, everyone knew how much money Goldman was making, but they didn't know precisely how it was getting so rich. That was part of the mystique.To Solomon, part of the problem Goldman faces is people's tendency to view its previous eras through the pretty haze of nostalgia. "Fantasyland," he calls it. In our conversation, he's eager to point out all the problems he inherited. In the decade before he became CEO, the firm's stock had basically flatlined. By 2018, Goldman's revenues were less than they were in 2010. Even more alarming, the firm was losing market share in several key areas, because its customers were tired of feeling as if Goldman were out to get them. In the best-known episode, which served as inspiration for the film "Margin Call," Goldman dumped its most toxic holdings just before the financial crash of 2008, at the expense of some of its customers. After that, the firm's first business principle, "Our clients' interests always come first," introduced in the days of the legendary John Whitehead, became something of a punchline. When I wrote about the firm in 2009, a trader I spoke with likened Goldman to the mob. "You do business with them because you have to," he told me, "not because you want to." A friend who worked at the firm recalled that after the financial crisis, his mother, who lives in Palm Beach, was ashamed to say her son worked at Goldman.In the years after the financial crisis of 2008, Goldman's stock performance — and revenues — took a beating.Chris Hondros/Getty ImagesSolomon points to the aftermath of the financial crisis as evidence that the firm needed to change. "If you went up to someone at a dinner party and said, 'Where do you work?' the answer was: 'I work in finance. I work in New York.' People were embarrassed to say they worked at Goldman Sachs. Nobody's embarrassed to say they work at Goldman Sachs right now." In this telling of the story, Solomon, despite his flaws, or maybe in some ways because of them, was the right CEO for the moment. He was willing to do what was necessary. "He's impervious to what people think," says a former partner whose views of Solomon are mixed. "He has indomitable will." Russell Horwitz, Lloyd Blankfein's former chief of staff who made headlines for his return to Goldman in August, points to the book "Our Crowd," a history of great banking families, from Rothschild to Kuhn Loeb to Lehman, many of whose firms have disappeared. Solomon's mindset, Horowitz says, is that "Goldman doesn't have a preordained right to thrive, let alone exist."As CEO, Solomon moved quickly to return Goldman to its roots as a client-centered firm. On his first day in the job, he announced an initiative called One Goldman Sachs, in which employees across the firm are encouraged to refer business to other areas of the company. Satisfaction soared: In 2019, chief operating officer John Waldron told me, an internal survey of 100 of the most important firms worldwide showed that only 44 ranked Goldman as one of their top choices when they needed financial services. Today the number is 79. "We've made a lot of progress," Waldron says. Goldman has also accomplished the remarkable feat of remaining the No. 1 M&A firm in the world for 20 years running. "It remains the crown jewel of Wall Street," says Dees. In this way, at least, Goldman is still the Goldman of old.Still, even after the IPO, Goldman was widely perceived as running more for the benefit of its partners than its outside shareholders. "I felt it was not really acting like a public company in terms of lack of transparency, targets, investor days, or moves that are typical of a Fortune 50 company," says the longtime bank analyst Mike Mayo. Changing that culture, he says, was bound to rile things up. "If you're truly transforming a company that for two decades was run like its legacy self and you now want it to run like a Fortune 50 company, there's going to be a lot of bruised egos and upset people."One of the biggest cultural changes at Goldman since the IPO has involved the way partners are compensated. For most of the firm's history, partners were rewarded based largely on their share of the firm, rather than their own performance. That meant the money the firm made went mostly to the partners; at the time of the IPO, they owned about 60% of the firm. A large part of every partner's net worth had to stay in the firm until their retirement. It was socialism, of sorts, atop the world's most capitalistic enterprise. Everyone was in it together — and there was no place else on Wall Street you'd rather be.Goldman's reputation as a "vampire squid" sparked protests — but it also contained a trace of awe.Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesIt was Blankfein who first overhauled the compensation system for partners, placing a far greater emphasis on the discretionary part of their bonuses. That introduced greater inequality among those at the top. The share of the firm that partners own has also declined steadily to just a sliver today. As a result, the solidarity of the partnership is no longer created and reinforced by the firm's financial structure. At the same time, the total amount Goldman pays out in compensation has declined sharply over the years, from roughly 50% of the firm's revenues in the early 2000s to less than 30% today. To make matters worse, compensation plunged even further last year, thanks to losses in the consumer business and a slowdown in the markets. On Wall Street, getting paid down feels like an unbearable insult, even if the absolute number is still a king's ransom.Solomon, for his part, says he was told in no uncertain terms that broad change was needed. "I had a board who gave me a very, very clear message that they wanted the firm to operate more like a public company, with a mandate to perform for shareholders," he says. That required transforming the culture of Goldman — in ways that felt to some partners like Solomon was adding insult on top of the injury to their paychecks. "David has really tried to corporatize the firm," says one partner. "It's a big firm now, he feels, and it needs to have more of a corporate structure, and less of a partnership structure." Solomon has reorganized the firm not once, but three times, in part to deal with the fact that Goldman is now regulated as a bank.The old Goldman had a handful of businesses — fiefdoms really — that invested the firm's own money in everything from real estate to Thai baht. But that often placed Goldman at odds with the interests of those whose assets it managed. When the firm found a good investment, did it seize the opportunity for itself, or give it to its clients? What's more, the amount of capital the Federal Reserve began to require Goldman to hold to offset any losses in its deals made the returns negligible, and shareholders didn't like the unpredictability of the earnings. So Solomon sold off the firm's own investments — some $60 billion in total — and focused on managing money on behalf of outside investors, from high-net-worth individuals to pension funds.The move sparked a lot of internal disruption and dissent. "Not many would have had the guts to do it," says Horwitz, Blankfein's former chief of staff. "Because senior people, they liked their businesses, and they had great track records." Another former senior executive recalled that Blankfein recognized the need for Solomon's move. "He's probably doing the right thing," Blankfein told the executive at the time. "But it's not the stuff I could have done." Blankfein, the executive adds, "was too culturally embedded in the place" to kill the fiefdoms that his friends had spent their careers building.The old Goldman was dotted with fiefdoms whose deals sometimes placed the firm at odds with its own clients.Richard A. Brooks/AFP via Getty Image"I know people in those businesses viewed this as sacred, and I have no right to touch it and change it," Solomon says. "I've looked and I said, 'Could I have handled it differently?' I don't know. But at the end of the day, whoever did this was going to have resistance." In the end, he says, "We got the right result — and the benefit we're getting from the right result far outweighs every single slight or every single anger about it."But the strategic shift, necessary though it was, came at an unnecessarily steep price. During Solomon's tenure, more than 200 partners, including over 60 from asset management, have left Goldman — a significant talent drain at a time when it's trying to compete with private-equity firms that have a big head start in building relationships with large institutional investors. Goldman's asset-management clients, a former partner told Insider, "are frustrated with having the churn." I've heard rumblings that the turmoil isn't over — and these days, rumblings seem to have an uncomfortable way of becoming fact. Earlier this year, Goldman boosted the share of profits that investment teams can pocket for themselves, more closely aligning their compensation with that of the big private-equity firms. It's a tacit admission that Goldman cannot afford to keep losing so much talent in such a critical part of its business.Then there's Solomon's effort to build the consumer business, which virtually everyone I spoke with at Goldman agrees was a massive screwup. They all told me a version of the same thing: that Goldman didn't have the right people, nor the expertise, nor the DNA, to succeed as a retail bank. The basic idea, which began under Blankfein, wasn't wrong: It made sense to diversify Goldman's funding sources by seeking consumer deposits, and to boost the firm's stock by creating a reliable stream of earnings. But Solomon's emphasis on growing the business, and fast, required hiring way more people to meet the compliance requirements that the Federal Reserve places on retail banks. From the end of 2018 through 2022, Goldman's head count soared by 33%, to 48,500 employees. That meant there were more mouths to feed, which further cut into the compensation for partners. This year, the firm started laying people off — over 3,000 in the first quarter. The consumer business "was set up in a way that made it obvious it was costing us money," says a partner. "People wanted it to stop, so the criticism got personal."What is unclear is whether the move into consumer banking was doomed from the start, or whether it was doomed because of the way Solomon went about it — in a hurry, and without enough buy-in from partners. "It was never going to succeed during one CEO's tenure," a long-time investor says. "He made it too big too fast and in so doing lost the chance to build it at all. At the end of the day, if you're going to grow these businesses, you should grow them one step at a time, and you should make sure the losses aren't going to run away with themselves. Because if it goes wrong, then you damage the place."Critics sniped at Solomon for his side gig as a DJ — but he retains the support of Goldman's board.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Safe & SoundPartners both current and former worry that Solomon has already done a lot of damage to Goldman. "We've had strategic whiplash," says one. "It's hard for the organization." Another says, "There's been some real self-inflicted pain over the last year, which we didn't need, and which was so easily avoidable." Insiders complain that Solomon not only failed to include them in the firm's new direction, but also damaged the culture that made Goldman such a powerhouse on Wall Street. "I think the firm could definitely be more partnership-like," says one. "It's having a leadership group that really feels included, consulted, listened to, having a voice. It means reaching out more broadly across the partnership and making sure you've got proper buy-in." Another close colleague says Solomon has so far failed at one of the most fundamental requirements of leadership: "I don't think he did a good job bringing people along — and by people, I really mean the partners."When I ask whether it's fixable, the colleague hesitates. "I think it can be improved," he says. "Fixed, I don't know, fixed is a harder word. I think it can be improved."It's a truism that people can't change. But sometimes, when there's no alternative, they do. Solomon apparently tried out a kinder, gentler version of David Solomon when he became CEO, but it didn't work. "He couldn't maintain it," one insider told me, "because that's not who he is." But the relentless public criticism of his leadership has been enough to humble him. "How did it get to this point?" another insider recalls Solomon asking him earlier this year, in the midst of a particularly nasty media maelstrom. For the past several months, Solomon has been having dinners and retreats with small groups of current and former partners all over the world, to listen to their concerns and criticisms. "David knows there's a problem and is working very hard to address it," a top retired partner says.Despite all the criticism of Solomon, there's a key constituency that still supports him: Goldman's board of directors. The disaster with the consumer business actually seems to have enhanced his standing with his ultimate bosses. "David didn't start it, but his name was on it and he knew it," someone familiar with the board tells me. "The execution was not perfect. But he had the courage to come to the board and say: 'You know what? This isn't working. We have to do something different.' That's what leaders do." Solomon, several insiders tell me, is very, very good at managing up. Those to whom he answers haven't found him difficult in the way those who answer to him have. Solomon, several insiders tell me, is very, very good at managing up. Those to whom he answers apparently haven't found him difficult in the way those who answer to him have; Blankfein, I'm told, was shocked to hear that Solomon is disliked. And it doesn't hurt that, last year aside, Goldman's financial performance has been fantastic. "Just look just at the numbers since David has been the CEO," the person familiar with the board says. "Our stock price is up 50%. Our returns on equity are up. We've been the best- or second-best-performing firm on almost every metric since he's been the CEO." Mayo, the longtime analyst, reported in October that he'd had a conversation with Goldman's lead director, Adebayo Ogunlesi. "In that meeting I was really wondering, how long is David Solomon going to stay around?" Mayo recalled. "Is it weeks or months? But the answer was years. There's no question. In fact, the response was, why am I even asking the question?"Ultimately, it's the market that will determine how Solomon's legacy is viewed. "Winning cures all," Mayo says. "So if the capital market cycle turns and Goldman continues to gain share, then a lot of these stories will be in the rearview mirror." By virtue of its M&A business, Goldman is still very much at the center of the Wall Street universe. "You're not number one in advisory for 20 years in a row without having incredible relationships," says Mayo. "You're not gaining the most market share of anybody in capital markets without having a lot of mojo and sway and power." As Solomon puts it, "We're the middle of everything that matters in the world financially, and people like being a part of that."In the end, Solomon's argument — that Goldman had to change to survive — is both an explanation and an excuse. It's true. But if survival comes at the expense of the firm's partnership, then Goldman is no longer Goldman. Throughout the firm's many changes over the years, it's the power and stability of its partnership, ultimately, that made Goldman special. The real trick of leadership is not choosing between a partnership or a corporation, but finding a way to profit from the benefits of both. If Goldman transforms itself into just another financial-services firm, why would anyone choose to work there instead of at Blackstone or Citadel, or even JPMorgan or Bank of America? And if the firm is no longer the most desirable place to work on Wall Street, then Goldman Sachs as we've known it is truly dead.The Goldman Sachs that existed prior to its IPO is dead. "It's not the swashbuckling traders of old," concedes the firm's head of global banking, "and I do think there's some romance lost there."James Leynse/Corbis via Getty ImagesCompounding the internal issue is the external one: the meteoric rise of private equity and hedge funds, which are siphoning talent away from Goldman. Solomon points out that talented people have always left Goldman, and by some measures, now is no different. But it's clearly a major worry. "It's a big, big issue," says John Waldron, the firm's chief operating officer. "And we're spending a lot of time wrestling with how to navigate it. Because, with humility, we believe we have the best talent in our industry — and we can't not have the best talent in our industry."I'll confess I'm guilty of a certain nostalgia when I think about Goldman. It's hard, despite the firm's many flaws and misdeeds, not to look back with a degree of respect for the place that introduced me to the power, and the vagaries, of high finance. But I'm also guilty of a very dangerous, and very common, misperception: that the Wall Street of tomorrow will remain what it is today. It will not. The very first story I worked on when I started off in journalism in 1995 was about Lehman's comeback as a stand-alone firm, after its spinoff from American Express. At the time, no one could have guessed that in little over a decade, Lehman and so many other financial giants would vanish into the ether. Today, as we approach the 25th anniversary of Goldman's IPO, we're also passing the quarter-century mark since the hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management imploded over its $4.6 billion in high-risk investments. Yes, at the moment it's the big, market-moving hedge funds and private-equity firms, which now control vast swaths of American business, that are allowed to operate beyond the reach of regulators. But that financial ecosystem — like the ones that enabled Lehman and so many other failed institutions — will one day crash under the weight of its own excesses. And when it does, Goldman Sachs will still be here.Nor is reinvention anything new for Goldman. The firm almost collapsed in the mid-1970s when Penn Central, for which Goldman had sold commercial paper, went bankrupt. In 1994, huge trading losses resulted in a mass exodus of partners, many of whom didn't want to take the risk that their entire net worth would vanish if the firm failed. And there was the fight over the IPO, which helped lead to Corzine's ouster. The firm has always managed to emerge from its internal battles, and its external challenges, as powerful as ever. Maybe it's core DNA, in the end, is survival."It's not the swashbuckling traders of old, and I do think there's some lost romance there," says Dees, my fellow analyst who now heads global banking and markets for Goldman. "There's a lot of people who look and say, 'Ah, that period of yesteryear where someone could put a trade on distressed credits in Thailand and make a billion dollars and beat his chest' — I get it. But that's not realistic. They're nostalgic for a thing that can't exist today at any bank, under the current regulatory system. This place is still about excellence. It's just going to have to be in a different format."Goldman Sachs is dead. Long live Goldman Sachs.Bethany McLean is a special correspondent at Insider.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The Biden-Du Pont Nexus: From A Prestigious Golf Club To A Controversial Child Rape Plea Deal As the MSM turns on President Joe Biden heading into the 2024 election, the Washington Post had an interesting piece on Thursday exploring a little-known connection between the Bidens and the du Pont family, which revolves around a 2001 case in which then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) was voted in as a prominent new member of a prestigious Golf Club, in Wilmington, Delaware, founded by a du Pont heiress. That year, Biden, known for his "Middle-Class Joe" image and modest financial status, joined the exclusive Fieldstone Golf Club, a symbol of prestige and power. This move painted a contrasting picture: a politician aligned with working-class values, yet rubbing shoulders with the state's most affluent family, renowned for their chemical company empire. At the time, Biden walked a delicate line. On one hand, he campaigned as an Amtrak-riding “Middle-Class Joe” striving to make ends meet, and accurately described himself as “one of the poorest members of Congress” — reporting $221,000 in combined income with his wife that year and $360 in charitable contributions. -WaPo Biden's connection to the du Ponts extended beyond social interactions. His staffing choices, political allies, and personal real estate investments all reflected a deep integration with this influential family. His acquisition of a mansion built by a du Pont member further underscores this relationship. Yet, Biden's entry into the Fieldstone Golf Club raised eyebrows and led to a brief FBI investigation in 2007. The inquiry centered on how Biden obtained his club membership, especially as it involved an "unused" ticket from a company owned by the club's founder, potentially bypassing a substantial partnership fee. The FBI's probe, which included photographing Biden's personal locker at the club, eventually closed without any allegations of wrongdoing. It's unknown whether Biden was ever informed about the FBI investigation. The entrance to Fieldstone Golf Club in Greenville, Del. (Rachel Wisniewski for The Washington Post) In response to an inquiry, the White House told the Post: "These bizarre suggestions from more than 20 years ago are confusing given the fact that the Post is reporting that President Biden was fully responsible for membership dues at the golf club and all out-of-pocket costs associated with it. Frankly, the Post’s own reporting suggests this supposed matter was closed 15 years ago with no finding of wrongdoing. If you want to dig deep on who’s funding a president’s golf habits, we might have some suggestions." Yet, this story reveals the delicate balance Biden navigated between his public identity as a relatable politician and his private interactions with Delaware's elite. While maintaining his image as a defender of middle-class interests, Biden also sought inclusion in the state's upper echelons, epitomized by his association with the du Ponts and his membership at Fieldstone. For someone raised in Delaware with Biden’s blue-collar background, “it would be quite an accomplishment” to rise into the same social circles as the du Ponts, said Joseph Hurley, a Wilmington attorney who grew up with Biden and represented Moseley. “It’s like, ‘I’ve really arrived,’ because the du Ponts were the family, the king’s-family type thing,” he said. -WaPo Biden often cited the long role of the du Pont family in Delaware in his family story - writing in his memoir that his father moved the family from Scranton, PA to a suburb of Wilmington, which was made more economically stable thanks to so many well-paid DuPont employees. "DuPont meant security for today and better times for the future," Biden wrote. Years later, Biden recalled that his mother urged him to value his heritage with as much pride as the state’s best-known family. “Like I’m a du Pont or something,” Biden recalled. “You’re a Biden. Nobody is better than you, and everybody’s equal to you,” his mother told him. Still, he envied the position and power of those who founded the DuPont company. Elected to the Senate in 1972, he served in Congress alongside Rep. Pierre “Pete” du Pont IV, who later became Delaware’s governor and ran for president. Biden’s close adviser and Senate chief of staff, Ted Kaufman, had worked for DuPont as a plastics engineer. In 1974, Biden spent $185,000 to buy what he called a “gorgeous ... enormous” mansion built six decades earlier by a du Pont family member in Greenville, Del. The home, which he named “the Station,” served as a base for Biden’s unsuccessful 1988 presidential campaign; he sold it for $1.2 million in 1996 and then bought a four-acre lakefront property in Greenville. -WaPo Former du Pont mansion previously owned by the Bidens The Biden-du Pont connection, reinforced by this membership, raises questions about potential influences and reciprocal favors within these elite circles. In particular, it seems appropriate to revisit a controversial 2009 plea deal offered by then-Attorney General Beau Biden to a du Pont heir accused of raping his own daughter when she was a toddler. Richards was originally charged with two counts of second-degree rape, which carried a minimum of 20 years behind bars. Instead, he pleaded guilty in 2008 to fourth-degree rape, which carries no minimum prison time. Convicted rapist and du Pont heir Robert H. Richards IV (L), Beau Biden The deal was offered to du Pont heir Robert H. Richards IV, who had confessed to the fourth-degree rape of his 3-year-old daughter. He was spared prison time, a decision that sparked public outrage and scrutiny. Beau Biden defended the decision in 2014, citing the case's weaknesses and potential for loss at trial, but these justifications were met with skepticism, given the family's history with the du Ponts. The plea bargain's leniency towards a figure from a wealthy and powerful family contrasts sharply with the typically harsher sentences meted out to less privileged offenders. This disparity points to a potential bias within the judicial system, influenced by socio-economic status and connections. The link between the Bidens and the du Ponts, established years earlier through Joe Biden's golf club membership, suggests a narrative of mutual benefits and unwritten understandings among Delaware's elite. While there's no evidence of a link, the timing and context of these relationships paint a picture of intersecting interests and shared spaces between powerful families. Tyler Durden Sat, 11/11/2023 - 15:45.....»»

She was surprised when she was rejected from Delhi University since she'd always been a top student in high school. Now she's a successful freelancer. The author and Delhi University.Courtesy of Hazra Khatoon; Hindustan Times/Getty ImagesI was a top-ranking student in my high school and thought I would easily get into Delhi University.But I couldn't get the test scores I needed, so I was rejected from the school of my dreams.I was devastated and felt like a failure, but I went to college anyway and am now successful.I always had big dreams, like any starry-eyed student. I'd always been a high performer, often ranking as a top-three student.It wasn't just about getting good grades but also the sense of achievement that came with them. Each year, my journey through school felt like an exciting climb up a mountain, and I was determined to reach the summit.As I grew from a child into a teenager, my dreams grew, too. Just being a top student in my school wasn't enough for me. I aimed higher and wanted to get into what I considered the best college in India, Delhi University. It seemed like a stepping stone to a future full of opportunities, and I was determined to get in. But my dreams didn't come to fruition.I was a successful high-school student, but it wasn't enoughMy parents and teachers admired my dedication to my studies, and I took pride in it, too. All my hard work and sleepless nights seemed justified when I scored exceptionally well on my school exams. I was confident that I'd secure a seat at Delhi University. Life was good, and my future seemed bright.But it all took a turn during my senior year of high school. My top-choice school had high score requirements that, unfortunately, I couldn't meet in my final exams. Consequently, I didn't secure admission to my dream university.All my dreams seemed to shatter. It felt like the end of the world, and I found myself questioning my worth. How could someone who had always topped their class be denied entry to the university they had always hoped to attend? It was a bitter pill to swallow.The rejection hit me like a tidal wave, drowning me in doubt and uncertainty. I had always been the top achiever, and now, for the first time, I experienced failure.Questions swirled in my mind: What does my future hold now? Did my grades truly define my worth? Was my future doomed because of a few test scores? I felt lost, adrift in a sea of self-doubt. I spent weeks in self-pity.However, life had other plans for meI eventually went to a smaller, lesser-known college in India and had a fine education. I graduated as a top student, but I still worried I wouldn't achieve everything I hoped for because I didn't attend Delhi University.But one evening, while browsing the internet, I stumbled upon an article about freelancing. It grabbed my attention, and I decided to explore it further. I realized that freelancing offered a unique opportunity for people with valuable skills and a passion to succeed.I dove headfirst into the world of freelancing. I learned about various online platforms where I could offer my skills — from writing to graphic design. I spent countless hours honing my craft, building my writing portfolio, and bidding on projects.The journey was far from easy. I faced rejections and setbacks, but I refused to give up. With each rejection, I grew stronger and more determined to prove myself.Over time, my freelancing career began to take off. I started getting small projects, which eventually led to bigger ones. The more I worked, the more I realized that success was not solely determined by grades or the university I attended. It was about passion, perseverance, and the willingness to adapt and learn.As my freelancing income grew, I gained independence. I was no longer limited by the conventional career paths that society had expected me to follow. I had carved my niche, and it was liberating.Looking back, I realize that my rejection from my dream university was a blessing in disguiseThe rejection pushed me to explore new horizons, discover my potential, and embrace a career that I never had in my mind. I've learned that success is not confined to the traditional definition of achievement. It's a journey of self-discovery and resilience.Today, I stand proud as a successful entrepreneur, proving that grades do not define one's worth or future. My journey from school to freelancing has taught me that the path to success is not always a straight line. It's full of twists and turns, setbacks and triumphs, but it's a journey worth taking.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

FREYR Battery (NYSE:FREY) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript November 9, 2023 FREYR Battery beats earnings expectations. Reported EPS is $-0.07, expectations were $-0.4. Operator: Thank you for standing by. My name is Jessica and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the FREYR Battery Third […] FREYR Battery (NYSE:FREY) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript November 9, 2023 FREYR Battery beats earnings expectations. Reported EPS is $-0.07, expectations were $-0.4. Operator: Thank you for standing by. My name is Jessica and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the FREYR Battery Third Quarter 2023 Conference Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speaker’s remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions] I would now like to turn the call over to Jeff Spittel, VP of Investor Relations. Please go ahead. Jeffrey Spittel Hello and welcome to FREYR Battery’s third quarter 2023 earnings conference call. With me today on the call from are Birgir Steen, our Chief Executive Officer; Oscar Brown, our Chief Financial Officer; Jan Arve Haugan, our Chief Operating Officer; Jeremy Bezdek, Executive VP of Corporate Development and President FREYR Battery US. During today’s call, management may make forward-looking statements about our business. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. Most of these factors are outside FREYR’s control and are difficult to predict. Additional information about risk factors that could materially affect our business are available on FREYR’s S-1 and annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on the Investor Relations section of our website. With that, I’ll turn the call over to Birgir. Birgir Steen: Thanks Jeff and hello to everyone, for joining today’s call. We’ll start today with an overview of what we believe is FREYR compelling equity story where value propositions based on the premise that electrification is both inevitable and reliable mass deployment in batteries. But in today’s higher-for-longer cost of capital environment, the companies who will emerge as the next leaders of the energy transition, must balance growth aspirations with rigorous financial discipline. Our team at FREYR is unified in that vision of the business and we’re committed to build upon a unique competitive position with that approach. With that in mind, we’re excited about the opportunities we have to establish FREYR as a leading developer and scaler of battery technologies across the energy storage and electric mobility sectors. Tesla asserted earlier this year, the long-term growth potential in our core markets is profound and aligned with decarbonization initiatives. Western Energy Security that a plummeted public policy highlighted by the Inflation Reduction Act in the US. As stewards of your precious capital, our responsibility is to maintain the liquidity we need to convert these opportunities, which are punctuated by growing universe of real options into lasting shareholder value. We intend to do that by protecting our strong balance sheet and deploying capital selectively, while we advance our ongoing transformation initiatives. Diversifying on the technology spectrum and battery value chain, maximizing the IRA incentives and finally developing our highest return projects. Turning to slide four. Let’s review our key messages this quarter. As you saw on this morning’s release, we’re contending with the delay in our progress to fully automated reduction at the CQP and we have implemented a detailed plan to address the complex challenge of scaling the 24M semi solid platform. In light of the current CQP calendar, the US team has rescaled Giga America to pursue the full scale project on two parallel tracks. Track one is based on the 24M semi solid technology. Track two is to leverage conventional technology. As Jeremy will document shortly, these two tracks are not mutually exclusive options for the Giga America site and they’re aligned with our strategy of expanding on the battery technology spectrum. Turning to the Giga Arctic project. We have elected to minimize spending in 2024, while our work continues at the CQP, and while we engage with Norwegian and European government stakeholders to establish framework conditions that place the project on globally competitive economic terms. Moving to slide five. The playbook to navigate today’s high volatility environment as it follows. We’re initiating a cost rationalization program to reduce our total run rate cash spending by over 50% in 2024, which will extend our liquidity runway to two-plus years. Oscar will elaborate on it short. While we safeguard our balance sheet, we won’t be able to move as quickly as we’d like in the front, but I want the following point to be clear. FREYR is not going into hibernation. We’ll continue our important work at the CQP where we will hold our vendors and partners jointly accountable for our progress. We’re pursuing conventional technology partnerships which will mitigate the risk to the business and open new opportunities. We will continue to fund critical initiatives that we believe will generate value for our shareholders, and we will advance the key priorities while we maintain the strategic flexibility that the necessary to drive in today’s high volatility dynamic. To slide six. Here, the latest on the CQP. The timeline to achieve automated production of inspect cells has pushed beyond our previous goal of the fourth quarter 2023. Commissioning of the casting unit cell assembly equipment, which is highly complex proving to be more difficult and time consuming than we previously envisaged. We’re attempting to scale a new battery technology with intricate next-generation equipment, which has and will continue pose engineering challenges. Our response to these challenges to implement a plan to prevent further delays. We have implemented changes in project governance. We’re heightening coordination with our vendors and ecosystem partners, and we are elevating the involvement of our battery subject matter experts and other relevant partners inside and outside FREYR. This initiative is spared by the formation of the technology advisory board, comprised of some of the industry’s foremost minds, including Dr. Dan Steingard, FREYR Board member and co-director of the Columbia University Electric Chemical Energy Center. Dr. Steingard and his fellow advisory board members by drawing on their collective wealth of commercial operating experience to assist our team at the CQP. Let’s go to slide seven for a brief overview of technology strategy. Our strategy has always been to establish FREYR business across the technology spectrum and into value creative adjacencies within the battery technology chain. And we are working on that front. We’re pursuing conventional technology partnerships to complement 24M semi solid to unlock avenues to financing and commercial development and potentially accelerate project development timelines. Conversations we’re having are exciting and are a testament to the unique position we’re establishing in the marketplace as an industrial partner of choice. The pursuit of technology diversification is intended to be complementary and add to 24M semi solid and in no way diminishes our excitement about 24M’s potential as a fit-for-purpose solution across a variety of growing use cases. Although, scaling the 24M platform at the CQP is proving to more challenging and we anticipated, we believe we have the financial organizational resources to do it and we believe that it’s a worthwhile investment of our time. Now I’ll turn to slide eight in Giga Arctic. We announced this morning that we’re minimizing spending on Giga Arctic in 2024 because we need to prioritize the liquidity during the CQP scale-up and focus on capturing IRA incentives in the United States. We value our partners and supporters in Mo i Rana, where the CQP remains our first operating assets and the technological heart of the company. The higher-for-longer interest rate environment and introduction of the IRA have changed the business case for Giga Arctic. We must operate within reality. And today the project is no longer in competitive economic terms, but the opportunities that we have in the US. As stewards of your capital, we have a fiduciary obligation to invest in our highest return projects and we intend to fulfill that duty by making sensible business decisions. While we minimize spending on Giga Arctic in 2024, we’ll continue to work with stakeholders in the region European governments to develop framework conditions that are competitive with the IRA, with Canada’s variable cost offsets under capital spending initiatives in countries and in the rest of the world, all of which are required to counter China’s structural cost advantages and dominant market share across the battery supply chain. We look forward to engaging locally to promote the virtues of establishing decarbonized battery production here in Norway. In interim, we will spend the previously committed CapEx to Giga Arctic to secure the asset to serve the option value of the project. And with that, I’ll turn the call over to Jeremy. Jeremy Bezdek: Thank you, Birgir. Please take a look at slide nine for the Giga America update. As we highlighted in the second quarter earnings call in August, continued feedback from potential investors related to the Giga America financing has stressed the importance of technology validation at the customer qualification plan. The CQP delays that Birgir mentioned have impacted our ability to close the Phase 1A two-line fast track project financing within the previously discussed timelines. With that, the Giga America team has decided to take a refreshed look at the project and the business case. The value of the time advantage related to the fast track project has decreased significantly, leading us to make the decision to terminate the two-line project. We see significant value in adjusting our focus to the larger project, Phase 1B. That was the original plan for the site. We believe that with validation at the CQP to come, we have the right roster of potential investors to secure the equity financing for a 24M based production facility in Georgia. Additionally, the larger project aligns well with our DOE financing plan that Oscar will discuss. We are now working toward a potential FID of the larger 24M base project, along with potential DOE and equity financing, some point late in 2024. Additionally, we are pursuing a second track for Giga America as Birgir mentioned. We are currently in multiple conversations with potential conventional technology partners around advancing a project, utilizing that conventional technology at the Georgia site. Due to the lack of technology risk involved with that option, timing of both FID and startup production could provide us an earlier entry into the US market. Our plan involves making a technology and partner selection in the near-term, and we will announce that decision when that selection is made. We are excited about the opportunity to get into the US market with production assets sooner, and the site in Georgia is large enough to accommodate both a conventional and the 24M production facility with plenty of room to spare. We look forward to providing you more updates on both tracks as we progress through the end of the year and into 2024. I will now turn it over to Oscar to provide a general finance update as well as an update on the redomicile affiliation efforts. Oscar? Oscar Brown: Thank you, Jeremy. On slide 10, we provide an update regarding our announcement to redomicile from Luxembourg to the United States. This move dramatically expands our opportunity for equity index inclusion. Today, only an estimated 3% of our shares are held by index funds paired with a peer average of over 20%. Redomiciling has the potential to drive incremental holdings of up to 45% of our current market capitalization if we were held by all the index funds we would qualify for, as well as associated actively managed funds who benchmark against those indices. Moving our domicile to the US also has the added benefit of aligning flare with the country that has offered the highest bids for battery manufacturing at scale in the world, as well as the world’s largest market for our products. The US and Delaware have well understood corporate governance and disclosure requirements, and we will still be able to maintain our European strategies alongside our US efforts. The transaction to move from Luxembourg to the US requires an extraordinary shareholder meeting, which is now set for December 15th for shareholders of record as of October 25th. The transaction requires 50% of our outstanding shares to vote in order to ensure a forum and two-thirds of those shares voting must vote in favor of the transaction for it to close. It’s very important that all shareholders vote. Details of the transaction can be found in filings under FREYR Battery Inc. on the SEC’s website and through links on our own website. We expect to close the transaction by year-end. Moving on now to slide 11, the financial update slide of the earnings deck, I will review our recent financial results. The quarter ended September 30th, 2023, FREYR reported a net loss of $10 million or $0.07 per share and compared with a net loss of $94 million for the same period last year. Net income from last year’s period was impacted by a $70 million non-cash loss on our warrant liability fair value adjustment due to changes in our stock price. This line item reflects a gain when our stock price declines during any reporting period and a loss when our stock price increases. For the third quarter of this year, we recognized a $24 million non-cash gain on this item. For the nine months ended September 30th, 2023, the company reported a net loss of $48 million or $0.34 a share compared with a net loss of $124 million or $1.06 per share in the same period of last year. More importantly, the company reported higher general and administrative expenses as well as higher research and development costs for the third quarter in the nine months ended September 30th compared with the same periods last year. Logically, this is a function of our larger organization, which has been managing more projects around the world. Looking ahead to 2024, we have initiated a significant cost cutting and resource prioritization program focusing on the CQP and Giga America, which will significantly reduce our annual cash burn rate as we seek to extend our liquidity runway more than two years and into 2026 and focus on those two projects, all before we raise additional capital. We expect a material reduction in G&A and capital commitments in 2024 compared to 2023. Regarding our cash investment rate and liquidity, we spent net cash of $235 million during the first nine months of 2023, which included $169 million on capital expenditures. During the third quarter, FREYR spent $41 million on capital expenditures, of which $32 million was spent on Giga Arctic, and about $7.5 million was spent on the customer qualification plan and test center. Capital expenditures were partly offset by a receipt of a $3.5 million grant in the United States. We ended the third quarter of 2023 with $328 million of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and no debt. For the rest of the year, our remaining capital expenditures will focus on completing and securing the initial buildings of Giga Arctic, as well as completing and ramping up the customer qualification plan. Major additional capital expenditures in 2024 will be dependent on project level financing as we preserve ample burn rate and runway for the company. Our near term priorities, again, remain ramping up to CQP, securing the initial buildings of Giga Arctic as we continue to seek a globally competitive incentives package of scaling battery manufacturing from the government of Norway, as well as progressing Giga America. We provide additional guidance on capital expenditures only upon the success of Giga America initial capital raise, which we now expect in 2024 as it is tied directly to the successful automated production of batteries at the CQP and the testing of those batteries by our largest customer. While we continue to work with the Norwegian government on incentives programs, and we’ll do so throughout next year, we are not currently forecasting any capital expenditures for Giga Arctic in 2024. We expect capital expenditures in the fourth quarter of this year will be in the $40 million range and we expect that we’ll end the year with cash and cash equivalents of approximately $250 million when G&A, R&D and Giga America costs are included. Again, any significant capital expenditures in 2024 will only be sanctioned once new financing is secure. Given our cash balances expected spending through the year of 2023 now reduced cash requirements for 2024 pending any new financing, we’ve insured FREYR has a cash runway of more than two years. As a result, our total cash uses in 2024 will be less than half amount of 2023 at least until we secure project level financing. Slide 12 reemphasizes our key financial messages as we position the company for the current environment. Checking the balance sheet and taking actions within our control on costs and spending to extend our runway into 2026 are key focus areas, but the actions we are taking now, we are targeting an annual cash burn rate in 2024 less than half of that in 2023 with the priorities already mentioned. This enables us to invest in some additional R&D and related items to enhance our manufacturing projects and our products, but we will proceed with those with caution as incremental technology investment would, of course, reduce our cash runway modestly. Again, we will not spend any meaningful capital expenditures until incremental financing is secured. Our pursuit of non-dilutive capital remains in high gear in this currently challenging financing environment. Given our liquidity position and our lower burn rate, we do not have any intention to raise common equity from our shareholders in 2024. As Jeremy described, project level equity for Giga America is available. It’s clearly tied to getting the CQP up and running as designed with reducing testable batteries and receiving those acceptance of those batteries, which is now expected again in 2024. In parallel, we continue to progress the US Department of Energy Title 17 loan for the project and are awaiting invitations to part two of the process from the DOE. After receiving that invitation, we will file part two of the application, but then the effort becomes very similar to a project financing process, which will — we will anyway run in parallel to ensure timely access to funds. The DOE could in theory provide for all of our debt — capital ambitions, but more likely we’ll be part of an intricate capital stack. We will keep investors informed over the next several quarters as we make progress on these efforts. Section 45X of the IRA with its annual production tax credits spreads key underlying support to the financing of Giga America, unlike anywhere else in the world. In addition, we are staying vigilant for federal grant opportunities in the US that could be applicable to our businesses. We’ll continue to preserve the project financing option for Giga Arctic as well, and we recently announced that we were awarded €100 million grant for Giga Arctic by the European Innovation Fund, the EUIF, which is an outstanding validation of our business model. The review by the EUIF has been very intensive, covering hundreds of pages of documentation of the course of the last year. We continue to work with them extensively, finalize the terms of the grant and a relatively flexible timeline to continue the project when globally competitive scaling incentive programs is available. While we also have been grateful for the support and indications of interest expressed by all our expert credit agencies, including ECA and the Nordic Investment Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the EUIF Innovation Fund is important to note that FREYR has not received any cash from these entities so far and all progress on Giga Arctic and the CQP to date has been made without yet having received funding from any of these entities. With Giga America prioritized in large part due to its superior returns driven by eligibility for US IRA production tax credits will also evaluate partnership based upstream opportunities, address decarbonization of the supply chain, and leverage our growing — leveraging grow our Energy Transition Acceleration Coalition, the ETAC, another industrial partnerships where possible. With that, I’ll turn it back over to Birgir for additional comments. Birgir Steen: Thanks Oscar. Before we take your questions, let’s close with a look at FREYR path forward on slide 13. In today’s high discount rate environment, cash is king. We have a clean balance sheet with no debt, and we are reducing our cost to extend our liquidity runway to two plus years and beyond. We will not authorize any significant new CapEx in 2024 until new financing is committed. We are pursuing conventional technology partnerships, advancing the redomicile into the US, progressing through the commissioning and 24M scale up processes at the CQP. We will communicate news on all three fronts with the investment community as things develop. Our partnership approach to industrialization is generating dozens of interesting strategic conversations with our customers, with members of the Energy Transition Acceleration Coalition and other partners, all of which are focused on commercial opportunities and catalyzing FREYR’s next wave of capital formation. Norway in Europe, we’re working with key stakeholders to establish a globally competitive incentive center program while we preserve Giga Arctic’s option value. And finally, we’re executing our strategic plan with clear priorities. And as we have learned over the last two and a half years as a public company, adaptability is paramount to succeeding in a highly volatile environment. I’ll conclude by emphasizing our appreciation for the continued support of our investors and all our partners in our mission to decarbonize energy storage and transportation systems by producing the world’s cleanest batteries. The FREYR team is unified in our purpose, and we’re dedicated to rewarding your faith in us on this exciting journey. And with that, I’ll turn it call back to Jeff and we’ll take your questions. Jeffrey Spittel: Thanks Birgir. Operator, we’re ready to open the line for Q&A. Operator: Great. Thank you. [Operator Instructions] And your first question comes from the line of Adam Jonas with Morgan Stanley. Adam, go ahead. See also 15 Best African Countries To Find A Loyal Wife and 20 Most Stolen Vehicles in the US in 2023. Q&A Session Follow Freyr Battery Follow Freyr Battery We may use your email to send marketing emails about our services. Click here to read our privacy policy. Adam Jonas: Thanks everybody and appreciate the extra details on the cash outlook. That’s helpful. But so much of the story really does rely on the technology of 24M. So at a high level, Birgir, how much of FREYR’s success is tied to 24M? If this turns out to be a dud, and I’m curious at what — when will you — when would you potentially be in a position to understand whether 24M really is scalable as you originally anticipated or not? Because it does seem that everything else kind of triggers off of that and I appreciate the diversification strategy, but it’s important for shareholders to know how tied the entire story is to 24M specifically. So if you could realize it’s a qualitative question, but I would appreciate your impressions, please. Birgir Steen: Sure. Sure, Adam. The first, as you indicate, we think of two tracks. We’ve now indicated towards getting started in Giga America is one track where we have some technology risk, we’ll talk more about in a second. And even that’s geopolitical advantage and very low risk. Then pursue another track, which will be licensed in conventional technology with essentially the opposite characteristic. Some geopolitical risk, but very low technology risk. So two uncorrelated paths, if you will. And then inside of the 24M path, I think it’s fair to say that as we progress towards the last commission packages that we’re delivering in the CQP and getting ready for production, we’re also getting into some of the harder stuff. And it’s also fair to say that we are discovering aspects of our chosen solution that I might not have had the technology readiness level that we would’ve anticipated in making choice and until now, in fact. That’s just a part of getting the stages we’re at now, very difficult to foresee upfront. All of that said is we haven’t discovered anything that says this is not a viable way to get to a scalable automated cell reduction. And we think we see a path through to that. We’re making a few changes to make sure that we debottleneck and unblock that path. We continue to have, and I think we’ve spoken about before, the delivery of cells in an automated way at the CQP as company priority number one. And along with, selected members in my leadership team start every day 9:00 AM with a daily follow up call to make sure we remove all blocks from the path in front of that. We have all fair battery talent now engaged at the CQP. We might have been more diverse in terms of our priorities previously. We have key vendors like Mpac, 24 and others onsite. Mpac is running double shifts. And we have a lot of thresholds for getting more help on site when we discover that we need it. We’re aligning with other [technical difficulty] licensees. We have people on site with several of them and making sure we learn the most from our — or the maximum from the other people who’ve gone to forwards and that we share experiences with those who are traveling at the same rate of speed as we do. And we’ve also involved both the customers and vendors directly into our daily standup, follow up meeting here. So through all of this, we’ve created a lot more transparency. We have a better view of the runway ahead of us, and we are solving problems every day, but at the same time, we’re getting, as I said, closer to the more difficult part. And that’s what’s extent as it called the extension on the timeline here. If we had a conclusion here that said this is not going to be viable, we would, of course, have shared it, let’s say, based on the input of our technology advisory board, and some discussions that we’re now conducting continuously. If anything we’re strengthening our belief that there is a very interesting technology path ahead of us, both in the current configuration of the CQP and future generations of the semi solid. Adam Jonas: Thanks Birgir. And just to follow up on the runway discussion. I was going to ask whether the two-year-plus runway began at the end of the third quarter or the end of the fourth quarter, but I think Oscar, your comments about getting into 2026 answers that question, just confirming that the two-year-plus runway. Oscar Brown: That’s great. Adam Jonas: Oscar, also I want to know whether that two-year-plus bakes in a minimum cash level to run the business for payroll expenses, et cetera, or whether that was a mathematical, down to near zero cash flow. Sorry for the housekeeping there, but just wanted to assume whether you had a minimum cash in there, and if so, what that would be. And then what specific cost cuts are required? You alluded to in the release that you would take in addition to pausing the CapEx subject to project financing or funding, what OpEx cuts are being considered, and are there any upfront costs related to those cuts? What I’m trying to get at Oscar is, is the two-year-plus runway a really conservative base case, something you really have line of sight to, and that’s achievable? And is that base case or is it kind of more of a stretch goal? Thanks. Oscar Brown: Yeah. No, great questions, Adam. Thank you. So there a couple of things. So just reconfirming, yes, the runway 250 starts at the end of 2023. Now runway extends into 2026. The amount of cash you needed just to hold on the balance sheet to sort of run the business like a working capital is very low. So that’s not significant. Just responding to, and from a burn rate perspective, we’ll have the quarterly burn rate well under $30 million a quarter. Also keep in mind when you look at 2023 and our cash spending, the largest component of that was the Giga Arctic, that we’re pausing now until we get any kind of new financing related to that. So that’s a significant piece of the puzzle, but clearly that’s a more focused level of activity with the CQP. And then, Giga American development and the ones that Birgir mentioned, that requires a different organization. So we are looking at the organizational structure. We’ve made a lot of progress on that. So we’re going through that process there. So this is not an aspirational goal. This burn rate reduction is happening right now. And so we’re pretty confident or very confident in that. Birgir Steen: I think we’re not providing numbers on headcount today, Adam. But the priorities that the company was pursuing up until quite recently were more than what we have now. We’re very laser-focused now on delivering sales and expanding runway and keeping optionality around our operations. And that’s going to allow us to take down headcount quite dramatically without infecting our key priorities. So that’s what we’re doing. We’ve had all-hands meetings across the company today. There’s perhaps unfamiliar territory from somebody, but there’s a fairly straightforward process of running reduction-in-force processes in Norway where we have most of work staff to, we’re well advanced and executing on those in accordance regulation, and no barriers [technical difficulty]. So this is, as Oscar said, not aspirational. This is stuff that’s in the machine, the processor. Adam Jonas: Thanks Birgir and thanks Oscar. Just one last follow up, just to clarify, my second question, I’ll finish the questions here. The time to get to $30 million per quarter burn rate, would that be — is that something that would take a couple of quarters to settle on, given some — perhaps some adjustments to get there, including some one-time payments, or I didn’t know if you had an idea of when a $30 million burn rate would be achievable within — presumably sometime in 2024, but I didn’t know if it was the first half was achievable to get there. Thanks. Oscar Brown: Yeah. Thank you. And so reemphasizing — the burn rate will be below $30 million a quarter, and it will be as of January 3rd. We will take a small kind of single digit, one-time charge related to severance. But the fact you’ll see this out of the box in Q1. Adam Jonas: Right. Oscar Brown: Very clear, January 1, Q1. Adam Jonas: Thanks. Operator: All right. Great. Your next question comes from the line of Tyler DiMatteo with BTIG. Tyler, please go ahead......»»

The dictionary defines “strategy” as “a plan of action designed to achieve a major goal.” In military terms, of course, the goal is almost always victory over the enemy, or at least diminution of the enemy’s power or sphere of influence. Military strategy is nothing new. The Chinese general and philosopher Sun Tzu (544-496 B.C.) […] The post 12 Military Strategies That Changed the Course of History appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.. The dictionary defines “strategy” as “a plan of action designed to achieve a major goal.” In military terms, of course, the goal is almost always victory over the enemy, or at least diminution of the enemy’s power or sphere of influence. Military strategy is nothing new. The Chinese general and philosopher Sun Tzu (544-496 B.C.) wrote an early and highly influential classic devoted to military tactics, “The Art of War.” Far closer to our own era, the Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz outlined strategies that are still studied by Western armies to this day. (Here’s a roster of the greatest military geniuses in history.) Throughout history, brilliant generals and other leaders have employed ambush, brute force, surprise attack, and various kinds of deception to further their goals on the battlefield. In many cases, these actions have resulted in victories (and defeats) that can be said to have had significant historical impact, either immediately or eventually. To compile a list of 12 military strategies that changed the course of history, 24/7 Tempo consulted sources including Britannica, The Smithsonian Magazine, History, Holocaust Encyclopedia, and the National WWII Museum, using editorial discretion to select particularly famous and/or influential examples. The list is not comprehensive. Terrorist actions like the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. and the recent Hamas incursions into Israel, though they qualify as surprise attacks, are not included because they did not involve conventional military forces. Some of the events described here are famous, like the Greek ruse of the Trojan Horse (which may or may not be fictional), Sherman’s March to the Sea during our Civil War, and the devastating U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Others – for instance, the defeat of the Romans at Teutoburg Forest and the near-destruction of the Persian navy in the Straits of Salamis – may be less well-known, but are no less important. (These are the biggest surprise attacks in military history.) The Trojan Horse > Where and when: Troy (present-day Turkey), 1184 B.C. (?) Arguably the most famous example of military deception in history is the Trojan Horse – which may or may not have existed outside the chronicles of Virgil, Homer, and other bards of the ancient world. The story is that after failing to capture Troy despite a decade-long siege, the Greeks, an alliance of city-states under Odysseus, constructed a gigantic wooden horse, which they left outside the gates of the city as an apparent offering. The bulk of their forces then appeared to sail away – but some 30 soldiers remained behind, hidden inside the horse. When the Trojans brought it inside their walls, the Greeks emerged and opened the gates for the rest of their army, which had sailed back under cover of nightfall. Troy quickly fell. The event has inspired countless works of art and literature, was considered a metaphor for the triumph of the civilized (i.e., the Greeks) over supposed barbarians (the Trojans), and marked an early example of separate political entities (the city-states) banding together for a common purpose. (And “Trojan horse,” of course, has come to mean a deal or computer program that appears to be innocuous but turns out to be malicious.)   Sherman’s March to the Sea > Where and when: Georgia, Nov. 15-Dec. 21, 1864 An example not of ambush or other subterfuge but a strategy of “total war,” this march from Atlanta to Savannah by Union forces during the Civil War, led by Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman, swept across the Georgia countryside destroying bridges, tunnels, railroad tracks, cottonfields, factories, military installations, plantations, slave quarters, and more. Historians say that Sherman’s motivation was to cripple the Confederacy with a minimum loss of life. His actions economically and psychologically weakened the Southern states, eventually leading to the Confederate surrender. The march has also been studied by historians as a vivid example of psychological warfare, and has influenced more recent military tactics. Some even credit Sherman with having invented modern warfare.   The Blitzkrieg > Where and when: Spain, Poland, Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Soviet Union, 1936-1941 Rather than a single strategic act, the Blitzkrieg – literally “lightning war” – was a German military doctrine during World War II. The idea – echoed much later by the failed U.S. “shock and awe” attacks at the start of the Iraq War – was basically to hit the enemy with everything at once. In the case of the Germans, that meant their agile tank corps and other mechanized forces working in concert with artillery and air attacks. While the term – and the technique – came to public attention with the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, the Germans used some of the tactics associated with it to help their Fascist allies in Spain in 1936, during the Spanish Civil War. (The proto-Blitzkrieg bombing of a town in the Basque region inspired Picasso’s epic painting “Guernica.”) Though the Nazis were eventually ignominiously defeated, the Blitzkrieg enabled them to conquer and hold much of Europe for at least two years, and had a harrowing psychological effect even in areas they didn’t hold. It is considered a significant step in the evolution of warfare, and is said to have influenced American military doctrine even into modern times. Naval ambush at Salamis > Where and when: Straits of Salamis, Greece, Sept. 26 or 27, 480 B.C. Not only the most important battle of the Greco-Persian Wars, but arguably one of the most important in history, this naval engagement resulted in an unexpected victory by the vastly outnumbered Greek fleet, thanks to the strategies of its commander, Themistocles. He lured the Persians to the island of Salamis, and when they arrived and attempted to blockade the Greeks in the straits between the island and the mainland, Greek ships emerged from hidden coves and attacked. Crowded into the comparatively narrow waterway, where they could not efficiently maneuver, the Persian vessels were easy prey. The battle claimed about 300 of them, while the Greeks lost only 40 of their own ships. It has been said that Western history would have been very different had the Persians won, because they would have pressed on and conquered all of Greece, suppressing the culture that ultimately gave the world so much of our science, philosophy, and systems of government.   Surprise attack on Pearl Harbor > Where and when: Oahu, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941 The Japanese were intent on extending their empire into China, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific in the 1930s, and worried that the American navy might intervene. To forestall the possibility, they launched a devastating surprise attack on the Pearl Harbor headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet on Sunday morning, Dec. 7, 1941 – which President Roosevelt subsequently dubbed “a date which will live in infamy.” Japanese bombers and miniature submarines appeared seemingly out of nowhere, destroying four battleships and incapacitating countless other vessels, damaging or destroying more than 300 aircraft, and killing more that 2,400 people, including 68 civilians. How and why the Japanese were able to successfully mount the attack has never been fully explained, but a failure of military intelligence and the refusal of both military and political leaders to take the possibility of such an attack seriously were contributing factors. In any case, the day after the attack, the U.S. declared war against Japan, and a few days later, their allies Germany and Italy declared war in turn on the U.S. – and we were embroiled in one of the longest and deadliest conflicts in modern history.   George Washington crossing the Delaware River > Where and when: Somewhere north of Trenton, NJ, Dec. 25-26, 1776 Nobody would have expected George Washington to ferry 2,400 of his troops across a river clogged with ice floes in the middle of a raging snowstorm, and on Christmas night to boot – least of all the 1,500 Hessian mercenaries serving under the British who were garrisoned at Trenton. It was a gamble, but such a desperate measure was called for, as the Continental Army’s morale was low after defeats in Long Island and northern New Jersey. The Hessians felt secure in their encampment, certain that Washington was far away, but the crossing was successful, and his troops quickly marched nine miles south to Trenton where they attacked the oblivious Hessians. More than 100 of the mercenaries were killed and almost 1,000 captured. News of the triumph reinvigorated the Continental Army’s spirits, attracted new recruits, and reassured citizens of the newly declared United States of America, inspiring the nascent nation to continue battling the British until they achieved victory five years later.   Ambush at Teutoburg Forest > Where and when: Kalkriese (present-day Bramsche), Germany, 9-11 A.D. In the early years of the first millennium A.D., with motives that remain unclear, a Roman-educated German soldier of fortune named Arminius convinced the Romans that an uprising against Rome’s rule was brewing in a portion of the Germanic lands. The imperial legate Publius Quinctilius Varus led a force of some 15,000 crack soldiers into the region to put the rebellion down. As they marched along a narrow trail through the forest, barbarian forces came at them from all sides, all but annihilating them (Varus committed suicide as a result of the debacle). The defeat, one of the worst ever suffered by the Romans, had lasting effects on central Europe, creating a permanent cultural and linguistic barrier between Germanic and Latin civilizations and ultimately helping to create the conditions that resulted in both world wars.   Atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki > Where and when: Southwestern Japan, Aug. 6 and 9, 1945 Controversial to this day, the stealth bombing of two cities in southwestern Japan – with horrible weapons that had never before been employed in warfare – was justified in America’s corridors of power by the fact that Japan refused to surrender, even after the Germans had put down their arms in May of ’45. Between mid-April and mid-July of the year, Japanese forces in the Pacific inflicted a particularly large number of casualties on the Allies, fighting even more fiercely as they saw defeat looming. The Potsdam Declaration, issued by President Truman and other Allied leaders on July 26, demanded that Japan surrender and warned that if it didn’t, it could expect “prompt and utter destruction.” The Japanese refused to reply, and within a few days, American B-29 bombers jolted the world by dropping atomic bombs on the two cities. More than 200,000 Japanese citizens were probably killed between the two cities, either immediately or from the effects of radiation. On Aug. 15, Japan’s emperor, Hirohito, announced his country’s unconditional surrender. Besides ending the war and preventing further loss of life, the bombings set the stage for an escalation of the nuclear age, whose effects are still felt today. William the Conqueror’s fake retreat at the Battle of Hastings > Where and when: Hailesaltede, near Hastings (in present-day East Sussex, England, Oct. 14, 1066 William, the Duke of Normandy – who later earned the title of William the Conqueror – believed that the throne of England rightfully belonged to him and not to the recently installed Anglo-Saxon English king Harold Godwinson. About two weeks after successfully landing a large force of troops at Pevensey, near Hastings, William faced Harold in battle. The English army occupied high ground, behind an unbroken wall of shields. After William failed at an attempt to breach their defenses, he led his men into a feigned retreat. This tempted some of the English to pursue them, but once they had left their positions, they were vulnerable to William’s cavalry, and those who remained in the weakened shield wall were easy prey for his infantry. Harold was killed during the battle, and William, after further smaller battles, was crowned King of England on Christmas Day. William’s victory, according to the website Historic UK, meant that “England would henceforth be ruled by an oppressive foreign aristocracy, which in turn would influence the entire ecclesiastical and political institutions of Christendom.” Beyond that, under the Normans, the French language infiltrated English to an astonishing extent. It is estimated that by 1400, one in five English words derived from French, and the influx has given us a rich range of synonyms in which one derives from Anglo-Saxon and one from French – for instance “kingly” and “royal,” “lawyer” and “attorney,” “weird” and strange,” and “belly” and “stomach.”   Hannibal’s ambush of the Romans at Lake Trasimene > Where and when: Umbria (present-day Italy), June 21, 217 B.C. The celebrated Carthaginian general Hannibal, considered one of history’s greatest military figures, famously invaded Italy by leading his forces, including 80 “war elephants” from North Africa, over the Alps during the Second Punic War. Descending down the peninsula into Umbria, he met the Roman army around Lake Trasimene (now Lake Trasimeno). His strategy was to harass the Romans with small groups of soldiers, taunting them to follow their attackers down a narrow road between the lake and a dense forest. The Carthaginians then surged out of the forest, in what has been called “the greatest ambush in history,” reportedly killing half the Romans and taking the other half prisoner. Following another defeat by the Carthaginians at Cannae the following year, the Romans appointed Quintus Fabius Maximus as dictator for a six-month period in an attempt to avoid further defeats. Fabius pursued a unique strategy of his own, avoiding direct conflict with the enemy and instead harassing them in minor engagements and disrupting their supply lines. This became known as the Fabian Strategy, and the tactic was later employed by numerous military leaders, from George Washington to North Vietnamese generals during the Vietnam War.   Deception of the Germans before D-Day > Where and when: Various locations, July 14, 1943- June 6, 1944 In planning the invasion of Nazi-held France from the beaches of Normandy, the U.S., the U.K., and their allies conceived a broad strategy of deception, involving five separate operations, codenamed Operation Bodyguard. The intention was to make the Germans believe that the invasion would come later and in different locations. Meeting in Tehran, Cairo, London, and elsewhere, the Allies made plans to leak false information, hold phony exercises, and even employ parachuting dummies and inflatable tanks to suggest troop build-ups in areas far from Normandy. Though troops landing in Normandy on D-Day faced heavy fighting and a days-long battle, Operation Bodyguard was considered a success, delaying deployment of larger German forces to the area for weeks. The invasion led to Allied victory on the Western Front, an important step towards the defeat of the Nazis almost a year later.   Israel’s preemptive strike against the Arab world > Where and when: Portions of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, etc., June 5-10, 1967 As tensions grew between the 19-year-old state of Israel and Egypt and its neighbors over the closing of a shipping channel vital to Israeli interests, Palestinian guerrilla attacks, and other issues, Israel feared escalation of hostilities – so launched a preemptive bomber attack on Egyptian air force bases and other facilities and a simultaneous ground invasion of the Egyptian-occupied Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip. Other Arab nations, primarily Syria and Jordan, joined Egypt in fighting back, and hostilities raged for six days, ultimately claiming almost 20,000 lives, overwhelmingly on the Arab side. Israel emerged victorious, having established itself as a major military force in the region, as well as gaining territory that quadrupled it in size (at least temporarily), displacing about a third of the Palestinians who’d been living in Gaza and the West Bank, and redrawing the map of a portion of the Middle East, with consequences we see playing out so tragically today. Sponsored: Want to Retire Early? Here’s a Great First Step Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances? Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free. Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions. 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Throughout history, nations have enthroned monarchs before they’ve reached age 20. Though that may seem shocking to us in the 21st century, it’s understandable when we remember that life expectancies were much shorter in earlier times, and pragmatic decisions were often made by courts and royal families to extend dynasties.  To find the youngest rulers […] The post 20 Famous Rulers Who Ascended to the Throne Before 20 appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.. Throughout history, nations have enthroned monarchs before they’ve reached age 20. Though that may seem shocking to us in the 21st century, it’s understandable when we remember that life expectancies were much shorter in earlier times, and pragmatic decisions were often made by courts and royal families to extend dynasties.  To find the youngest rulers in history, 24/7 Tempo gathered information from a variety of sources such as Britannica, History, The European Middle Ages, and About History. Only rulers who started their reign before the age of 20 were considered. Given the youth of these monarchs, many were mostly symbolic leaders at the start of their reign. Important decisions were made through regents and courts until they were mature enough to rule. These situations could be exploited by ambitious advisors to direct the fate of their nations. Such was the case during the reigns of King Charles II of Spain and England’s Henry VI. Most of the tenures of these young monarchs were not very long – few lasted more than 10 years – as they were felled by disease or died in battle. For royals whose reigns extended more than two decades, such as those of Spanish monarchs Alfonso XIII and Isabella II, their time was filled with internal strife. Some of the young monarchs on this list died in battle, such as King Wladyslaw III of Poland and Hungary, or eventually succumbed to lifelong ailments, such as King Baldwin IV, felled by leprosy. Assassination was more than just a threat for youthful Roman emperors Elagabalus and Gordian III, who were killed by their own guards or troops.  The fate of some of these monarchs had consequences for their nations. The death of Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII while fighting Julius Caesar’s legions led to the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. King Charles II of Spain died without an heir, which led to the War of Spanish Succession and the beginning of the end of Spain’s empire. Pu Yi’s four-year reign ended in 1912, the final chapter of more than 2,000 years of Chinese imperial rule. (These were the last rulers of long gone empires.) Murad IV > Age at start of reign: 20 > Years ruled: 1632-1640 > Country: Ottoman Empire Murad IV was one of the cruelest rulers in the history of the Ottoman Empire. Physically strong and skilled in archery and wrestling, Murad took over as sultan in 1632 and quickly imposed his will. Those who used tobacco and alcohol were punished by death. He executed hundreds of military commanders he deemed incompetent. When the Ottoman Empire sacked Baghdad in 1638, 60,000 soldiers and civilians were put to death. Murad’s reign of terror ended with his death two years later. Pope Benedict IX > Age at start of reign: 20 > Years ruled: 1032-1044, 1045, 1047-1048 > Country: Papal States Benedict IX, nephew of two previous popes, was installed by the powerful Tusculani family. His reign was infamous for violence and immoral behavior that caused an insurrection. After he fled Rome, he and his brothers worked to undermine his successor, Sylvester III. They succeeded, but after a short time, Benedict sold the papacy to his godfather, Giovanni Graziano, a priest who became Pope Gregory VI. Benedict and Sylvester both returned to Rome to try to reclaim the papacy. The Council of Sutri, overseen by the powerful Holy Roman Emperor Henry III, invalidated all of their claims, and a Saxon bishop became Pope Clement II. When he passed away, Benedict briefly became pope for a third time, but German troops under Henry drove Benedict out of Rome for good. 24/7 Wall St. Countries With The Oldest Leaders Queen Christina > Age at start of reign: 18 > Years ruled: 1644-1654 > Country: Sweden Queen Christina ascended to the Swedish throne at age 6, upon the death of her father, King Gustav II Adolf, in battle, but officially became Sweden’s ruler when she came of age in 1644. Christina was tutored by philosopher René Descartes and was a patron of the arts and culture, helping Sweden become a cultural center. During her reign, Sweden started colonization efforts in North America and established a settlement in what is now Wilmington, Delaware. Christina converted to Catholicism from Lutheranism, the predominant religion in Sweden. That, and the fact that ruling as queen was too stressful, were possible reasons why she abdicated in favor of her cousin, Charles X. Gustav, in 1654. Alfonso XIII > Age at start of reign: 16 > Years ruled: 1902-1931 > Country: Spain The reign of Alfonso XIII in Spain was tumultuous. Upon his ascension to the throne, Alfonso continued the tradition of alternating conservative and liberal governments. But he became too intrusive in parliamentary decisions, contributing to political instability and later leading to attempts on his life. Alfonso was blamed for military setbacks in the Moroccan War in 1921 and a military coup followed the fiasco. He tried to restore constitutional government and in the elections in 1931, the victorious republican and socialist parties demanded that he abdicate. He never did, but with Spain teetering on the verge of civil war, he left Spain and died in Rome in 1941. Ivan the IV > Age at start of reign: 16 > Years ruled: 1547-1584 > Country: Russia History knows Ivan the IV as Ivan the Terrible. He ascended to the throne upon the death of his mother who had ruled in Ivan’s name. Her death set off a power struggle among the hereditary nobility known as the boyars that would affect Ivan for the rest of his life. Ivan began a series of reforms in government, the legal system, and the military. These actions also included limiting the power of the aristocracy and centralizing the government. Ivan also sought closer contact with Europe. During his reign, he fought long and mostly unsuccessful wars with Poland and Sweden. He had more success in the south and east, beating back the Tatars and extending the empire to the Volga River. In his later years, he conducted a reign of terror against the boyars and others that he believed opposed him. Mary, Queen of Scots > Age at start of reign: 16 > Years ruled: 1559-1567 > Country: France, Scotland Mary, Queen of Scots is one of Scotland’s most celebrated monarchs. Technically, she ascended to the throne upon the death of her father, James V, when she was only six days old. At the age of 6, she was betrothed to Francis, the future ruler of France, and sent to that country to be brought up. At 16, she married him, becoming queen consort of France. After his death two years later, she returned to Scotland to assume the throne there. She was forced to abdicate following a revolt in 1567 and fled to England. She became a pawn of the English who eventually imprisoned her for 19 years and then executed her, claiming she tried to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I. Shapur II > Age at start of reign: 16 > Years ruled: 325-379 > Country: Sasanian Empire Shapur II became the Sasanian emperor in Persia under violent circumstances. He was born after the death of his father, then one of his brothers was slain by nobles and the other was blinded. When Shapur II turned 16 in 325, he began a brutal campaign to subdue Arab tribes and gain security for the empire’s borders. Shapur drove the tribes to the Arabian Peninsula. He also conducted war against the Roman Empire in the West and eventually defeated Rome in Armenia. ALSO READ: The Most Famous Female Rulers in History Emperor Elagabalus > Age at start of reign: 15 > Years ruled: 218-222 > Country: Roman Empire Elagabalus ruled Rome for four years, and for many Romans, that was four years too many. Born in Syria, he made the Syrian sun god Elagabal the empire’s chief deity, antagonizing Romans. He also shocked Rome with his sexual excesses. Elagabalus flouted Roman convention by allowing his mother to enter the men-only senate, and married a member of the priestess class who was supposed to remain a virgin. Elagabalus’ behavior led to his assassination by Rome’s praetorian guard in 222. King Charles II > Age at start of reign: 14 > Years ruled: 1665-1700 > Country: Spain Charles II was an ineffectual king of Spain known for his physical disabilities that placed him near death at various times in his life. He was the last Habsburg to sit on the Spanish throne. Charles was confronted with the imperialistic ambitions of King Louis XIV of France, court intrigue, and later the issues of succession, since he was unable to produce an heir. This led to the War of the Spanish Succession that was disastrous for Spain and began the loss of its European possessions. Emperor Gordian III > Age at start of reign: 13 > Years ruled: 238-244 > Country: Rome Following the deaths of co-emperors Gordian I and Gordian II, the Roman Senate named two senators as joint emperors. That didn’t sit well with the people of Rome and the praetorian guard. They ousted the two rulers and made another Gordian, a 13-year-old, emperor. The government was ruled through Gordian’s mother and then his father-in-law, the praetorian prefect Timesitheus. After Timesitheus died from illness in 243, he was replaced by Philip the Arabian. The following year, Gordian was killed by mutinous troops and succeeded by Philip. King Baldwin IV > Age at start of reign: 13 > Years ruled: 1174-1185 > Country: Jerusalem King Baldwin IV was afflicted by leprosy during his brief life. Baldwin’s reign would be marked by his continuous efforts to defend his Christian kingdom against Saladin, the renowned Muslim military leader who was sultan of Egypt and Syria. Baldwin managed to forge a truce with Saladin, but as his health worsened, Saladin’s strength grew. Two years after the death of Baldwin in 1185, Saladin won a crucial victory that led to the collapse of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Isabella II > Age at start of reign: 13 > Years ruled: 1843-1868 > Country: Spain Isabella’s reign in Spain was troubled from the start. After the death of her father, Ferdinand VII, in 1833, Isabella’s right to ascend to the throne was challenged by supporters of her uncle, Don Carlos, triggering a civil war. Political instability continued during her reign. Isabella was not responsive to demands for her monarchy to be more progressive. She was unpopular in some circles because she lived apart from her husband and there were scandalous rumors about her behavior. After the deaths of trusted advisors, Isabella’s position weakened to the point where she was forced to flee to Paris in 1868. She officially abdicated in favor of her oldest son Alfonso XII in 1870. ALSO READ: The Rulers in Power When These 22 Empires Collapsed Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII > Age at start of reign: 11 > Years ruled: 51-47 B.C. > Country: Egypt Ptolemy XIII ascended to the throne as co-ruler of Egypt with sister, Cleopatra VII, at the wish of their father, Ptolemy XII. Cleopatra exerted the most influence early in their reign. Young Ptolemy’s regent and court-appointed officials decided to depose Cleopatra. She fled to Syria and planned to return at the head of an army. The Roman statesman Pompey, after losing a battle with Julius Caesar, came to Ptolemy for aid. Instead, the Egyptians killed Pompey to seek an alliance with Caesar. Caesar was appalled by the assassination of Pompey and backed off from an alliance with the pharaoh. Ptolemy went to war with Caesar and lost, drowning in the Nile while fleeing from the victorious Roman armies. King Wladyslaw III > Age at start of reign: 10 > Years ruled: 1434-1444 > Country: Poland, Hungary Wladyslaw III was king of Poland and Hungary, known for defending Eastern Europe against the expanding Ottoman Empire. In 1443 he led an army of 40,000 into the Balkans against the Turks, forcing them out of Serbia and Albania and concluding a peace with Sultan Murad II. Wladyslaw then broke the peace and pushed farther into the Balkans. He was killed during the ensuing Battle of Varna, and the Poles and Hungarians were defeated. Pharaoh Tutankhamun > Age at start of reign: 8-9 > Years ruled: 1333-1323 B.C. > Country: Egypt Tutankhamun – “King Tut” – became famous after his intact tomb that was found by English archeologist Howard Carter in 1922. During his lifetime, Tutankhamun restored the temples, images, and privileges of the former gods of Egypt and returned the country to polytheism. Tutankhamun died in his 19th year without designating an heir. Scientists speculate he most likely died from malaria or some kind of infection. Archeologists found 5,000 artifacts and well-preserved mummies found in the tomb. King Edward VI > Age at start of reign: 9 > Years ruled: 1547-1553 > Country: England King Edward VI was a sickly child during his brief life. He became king on the death of his father, Henry VIII. Edward was the first English monarch raised as a Protestant. He was better educated than previous kings, taught by tutors from Cambridge. Edward stayed away from court intrigue and infighting and instead focused on reforming the newly created Church of England. He caught tuberculosis at age 16 and died without an heir. King Henry VI > Age at start of reign: 8 > Years ruled: 1429-1471 > Country: England Weak-willed King Henry VI ruled during the Hundred Years’ War with France and then battled internal enemies during the War of the Roses. Henry was the only English monarch ever crowned king of France. During Henry’s reign, the king was more concerned about being a pious man and less about uniting England. With the Hundred Years’ going badly for England, friction grew between the royal houses of Lancaster and York. Tensions grew more intense because of the conflict between Henry’s forceful wife Margaret and Richard, the Duke of York. The ensuing War of the Roses went badly for the Lancaster branch of royals. Henry was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London where it is believed he was murdered. 24/7 Wall St. The Most Ruthless Leaders of All Time Emperor Kaliman Asen I > Age at start of reign: 7 > Years ruled: 1241-1246 > Country: Bulgarian Empire The reign of Kaliman Asen I is noteworthy for the decline in power by the Bulgarian Empire. While the country was ruled by a regency in the early years of his reign, Bulgaria was invaded by the Mongols of the Golden Horde under the famed Batu Khan. The empire’s influence over neighboring Thessalonica and Serbia diminished. The emperor’s power declined as well as in the provinces of the empire. Some scholars believe Kaliman was poisoned to death. Emperor Fulin > Age at start of reign: 5 > Years ruled: 1643-1661 > Country: China Fulin became the third emperor of China’s Qing Dynasty at 5 years of age following the death of his father. Over the next several years, Fulin ruled under the regency of his uncle until the man died seven years later. The boy emperor tried to fight corruption and consolidate imperial power. Fulin focused on studying science and astronomy and was tolerant of other religions, entertaining the Dalai Lama and taking counsel from Jesuit missionaries. He died from smallpox at age 22. King Oyo > Age at start of reign: 3 > Years ruled: 1995- > Country: Uganda (Tooro) Young monarchs still walk among us today. Oyo, the king of Tooro in Uganda, ascended to the throne in 1995 at age 3 following the death of his father King Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi VII in August 1995, at the age of 49. He officially took charge of the kingdom in 2010. He rules over 3% of Uganda’s 33 million people, though his influence is largely symbolic, because the country is governed by an elected president. Emperor Pu Yi > Age at start of reign: 2 > Years ruled: 1908-1912 > Country: China Pu Yi was the last emperor of China, ending more than 2,000 years of imperial rule. After becoming emperor at age 2, he reigned for just four years before revolution in China established a republic and forced him to abdicate. He lived in the Forbidden City and then fled to Japanese-controlled Manchuria where he was propped up as emperor of Manchukuo. He was captured by the Russians at the end of WWII, imprisoned by the communists, and eventually pardoned by Mao Zedong after he converted to communism. The former emperor became a mechanical repair shop worker and died at 61. Sponsored: Find a Qualified Financial Advisor Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. The post 20 Famous Rulers Who Ascended to the Throne Before 20 appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.......»»

Generations from now, the 2020s might be remembered as the Decade of Hydrogen. Indeed, America is already immersed in the ... Read more Generations from now, the 2020s might be remembered as the Decade of Hydrogen. Indeed, America is already immersed in the green hydrogen revolution, as the Inflation Reduction Act has allocated billions of dollars in incentives to support pro-hydrogen initiatives. There are even regional “hydrogen hubs” from California to Delaware that have been targeted for special federal funding. From fuel cells in electric vehicles to fertilizer production, and even within the aerospace industry, there's seemingly no end to the use cases for hydrogen nowadays. Thus, now is the time to position your portfolio for long-term returns as the American hydrogen build-out gains traction. Of course, you're free to pick and choose a diversified basket of hydrogen-focused names for your portfolio. Perhaps you might choose to conduct your due diligence on such businesses as FuelCell Energy (NASDAQ:FCEL) and Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE). However, one stock stands out for me as having the greatest potential for price appreciation in the hydrogen field. I recommend it for a full-decade buy-and-hold position if you truly believe in the long-term growth story for clean-burning hydrogen. Power up your portfolio with Plug Power stock If you've been following the progress of the clean-energy movement, you've probably heard about Tesla's (NASDAQ:TSLA) gigantic electric vehicle production facility, known as the Gigafactory. As it turns out, Tesla isn't the only American clean-energy company building a Gigafactory. New York-based Plug Power (NASDAQ:PLUG) is also building a production plant known as a Gigafactory. The company claims this giant factory will "produce electrolyzers and fuel cells and multiple green hydrogen production plants." If all goes according to plan, Plug Power's Gigafactory "will yield 500 tons of liquid green hydrogen daily by year end 2025." However, this doesn't mean Plug Power hasn't achieved anything prior to the commencement of its Gigafactory. Impressively, the company has "deployed more than 60,000 fuel cell systems and over 180 fueling stations" and asserts that it's the "largest buyer of liquid hydrogen." With all due respect to FuelCell Energy and Bloom Energy, an argument could be made that Plug Power is the emerging U.S. hydrogen king. Ambitiously, Plug Power "plans to build and operate a green hydrogen highway across North America and Europe." Yet, PLUG stock has been in free fall since 2021 and currently trades at the low price of $7 and change. Plug Power's "inflection point" While the market might not be in the mood to buy PLUG stock right now, at least one analyst group sees growth potential for the long term. Specifically, analysts with HSBC (NYSE:HSBC) initiated their coverage of Plug Power stock with a buy rating and an $11 price target, implying significant upside from the current share price. The HSBC analysts cited the industry-wide tailwind provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. “We estimate $8 billion in federal stimulus could be unlocked over the next three years (2024-26) to support the U.S. hydrogen industry,” they stated. Amid this encouraging backdrop, the expansion of U.S. clean-hydrogen production means Plug Power "could be at an inflection point," the HSBC analysts added. Since 61% of analysts who cover PLUG stock assigned it a buy or equivalent rating, it's fair to conclude that HSBC isn't the only firm projecting long-term value from Plug Power. Plug Power announces big sales and profit goals Not long ago at its Vista manufacturing facility in New York, Plug Power hosted its fifth annual Plug Symposium. At that event, the company announced long-term sales and profit objectives that surpassed experts' forecasts. Here's the lowdown. Wall Street's consensus estimate is for Plug Power to generate roughly $5.5 billion in sales and $1.6 billion in gross profit by 2027. However, at the Plug Symposium, the company disclosed its goal of generating around $6 billion in sales and approximately $1.9 billion in gross profit by 2027. Plug Power also set a goal of generating $20 billion in annual sales by 2030. Wall Street's estimates didn't go that far out, but it's reasonable to conclude that Plug Power's long-term revenue objective is quite ambitious. Traders pushed PLUG stock higher after the company revealed these objectives. Clearly, it's taking no prisoners in its quest to dominate the clean-hydrogen industry over the coming years. Still, it could take a while before investors fully embrace Plug Power's ambitions and push the share price back to where it was in 2022, not to mention its 2021 peak of more than $60. Hence, investors should conduct their due diligence on Plug Power and consider a patient, decade-long position in the stock as a wager on the gradual but ultimately unstoppable pro-hydrogen movement......»»

From the pricier Wellness rooms with Pelotons to luxurious amenities, I think millennial travelers will love the new upscale Tempo by Hilton brand. Tempo by Hilton's first location is in the heart of Times Square, New York. Despite my disdain for the neighborhood, this was one of the best hotel rooms I've ever stayed in.Brittany Chang/InsiderI spent a night at the first location of Hilton's new Tempo hotel brand in New York.My expensive Wellness Room with a Peloton and convenient amenities was one of the nicest I've stayed in.I think millennial travelers will love Hilton's latest venture upscale lifestyle brand.When I think of the perfect location for a comfortable and upscale hotel, I don't picture the heart of Times Square. But to my shock, Hilton has managed to pull this off with the first location of its new Tempo by Hilton lifestyle hotel brand.In late September, Insider paid a discounted media rate for me to spend one night in the new Tempo by Hilton Times Square, following its opening on August 8.I know what you're thinking: New York City definitely needed another premium hotel. Especially another Hilton. (The hospitality giant already has almost 60 locations in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan with the densest cluster in Midtown, Manhattan.)But this isn't an average hotel: Tempo is like the cooler cousin of Hilton’s other upper-middle level brands. The lobby of Hilton's Tempo in Times Square is hip and welcoming.Brittany Chang/InsiderThis is no Conrad Hotels. Nor is it an economy Spark by Hilton. Instead, it sits comfortably in the premium range.Its first location is a 661-room hotel in Times Square’s new 46-story TSX Broadway building. The bedroom in Hilton's new Tempo hotel concept in Times Square is roomy enough, but also cozy.Brittany Chang/InsiderWhen hotel brands say they have a Times Square location, there's a good chance the hotel isn't actually located in the "square."But for better or for worse, Tempo is right where it promises, across the street from Hershey's Chocolate World and the TKTS booth.The view from my window at Hilton's Tempo Hotel in Times Square. You can see ... right onto the square itself.Brittany Chang/InsiderFor families taking their first once-in-a-lifetime trip to New York, it's a prime location.Unusually, the lobby is an elevator ride up to the 11th floor. The Hilton Tempo on Times Square doesn't have its lobby on the first floor; instead, it's a "sky lobby," of sorts, on the hotel's 11th.Brittany Chang/InsiderThe first few floors are home to the iconic Palace Theatre and will soon host TSX Entertainment's full retail and entertainment complex in Times Square. Musician Post Malone recently held a surprise performance on its hidden stage that opens out onto Times Square.As Matthew Belsito, the hotel's director of marketing, put it on my tour of the hotel, this will be a Las Vegas-style building once everything is open — food, shopping, entertainment, and accommodations will all exist inside one building.Beside this sky lobby, there is one glaring difference between Tempo and other hotels I’ve been to: There’s only one communal space for guests. The communal space for guests is decked out in dark tones, creating a chill vibe. Brittany Chang/InsiderThe hotel lounge, restaurant, bar, and coffee shop all exist in one long room off of the lobby.The additional seating area behind the bar can be booked for private events in lieu of a meeting or conference room.In the morning, crowds swarmed this room for its coffee and breakfast counter created with Bluestone Lane. The Hilton Tempo at Times Square served coffee from Australia-inspired Bluestone Lane.Brittany Chang/InsiderDuring peak morning hours, guests can expect the line to be as long (if not longer) than a typical coffee shop. And after I ordered, I still had to wait an additional 30 minutes to pick up my food.It turns out they lost my order ticket.By the evening, travelers munching on these morning pastries and toasts are replaced by sit-down diners at Highball, the hotel’s restaurant. The restaurant at the Hilton Tempo in Times Square is modern in feel.Brittany Chang/InsiderIf you want to eat in the property, this is your only option: There is no room service.The menu has nods to its surroundings with New York style mini hot dogs and a Waldorf salad. The restaurant at the Hilton Tempo in Times Square is a modern take on the classics — but I'm not too sure it worked.Brittany Chang/InsiderUnfortunately, the restaurant did not do these classics any justice.To put it bluntly, the food was unappetizing. And the plating of the salad — I mean apple sandwich — was certainly a choice I wouldn't have made.On a positive note, all of Highball’s specialty cocktails have a spirit-free counterpart with the same name. The Highball at the Tempo, Hilton's new hotel on Times Square, offers spirit-free drinks.Brittany Chang/InsiderMore Americans (like myself) have been giving up alcohol. And as someone who has sometimes struggled to do so, I was overjoyed by this inclusive and trend-setting option. The drink pictured above is the non-alcoholic "Black is the New Pink" "mocktail."But back on a negative note, it also created a massive ordering complication. The spirit-free drinks on the menu at the Highball at New York's Hilton Tempo are great — but just double-check to make sure they're actually spirit-free. (This one wasn't.)Brittany Chang/InsiderWhen I ordered my spirit-free drink, I was served the version prepared with alcohol, pictured above. I didn't realize until I took a big sip — my first taste of liquor in months.Yes, they did replace my drink.Although Tempo’s restaurant was an unsatisfying point in my stay, my room — the most important part — was enough to make me forgive the crummy meal and unfortunate end to my sobriety. The Hilton Tempo at Times Square had plenty of bedside table space, and lots of light surrounding a well-appointed bed.Brittany Chang/InsiderI stayed in Tempo's Wellness Room, a toned-down version of Hilton's other Five Feet to Fitness wellness-based room category.In 2022, “wellness tourism” was an approximately $817 billion industry. By 2025, it could grow to $1.3 trillion, according to the Global Wellness Institute. My room had a Peloton bike, a big draw for wellness-focused guests and part of a broader trend in the hospitality industry.Brittany Chang/InsiderIt's obviously a big money-making opportunity for hospitality companies like Hilton.Enter: Peloton. With this one, I could bike and watch the world beneath me. My Peloton in my room at the Hilton Tempo was in front of a big window overlooking Times Square.Brittany Chang/InsiderSince 2022, the two industry giants have been expanding their global partnership. There is now at least one Peloton bike in all of the Hilton's approximately 5,400 US hotels.And they aren't just in the small hotel gyms. Hilton's Tempo hotel in Times Square came with a variety of workout equipment — not just the Peloton.Brittany Chang/InsiderMy Wellness Room, one of nine in the property, had a Peloton bike, Therabody Theragun and Wave Roller, and several resistance bands.At first I scoffed at the Peloton, which seemed like an easy way to upcharge a standard hotel room. Down below right outside my window was the hustle and bustle of Times Square. But I could exercise above it all withe the Peloton included in the room.Brittany Chang/InsiderBut it's hard to be mad when you're working out next to unobstructed views of Times Square and Midtown.The king Sealy mattress and desk with a Nespresso coffee maker were located next to this little workout station. The room at the Tempo by Hilton on Times Square was relatively snug, but well-appointed.Brittany Chang/InsiderThe bed had a wraparound headboard with convenient built-in wireless phone chargers and outlets.Across from the entry door and industrial chic coat hooks, a clothing rack with shelves took the place of a traditional closet. The clothing rack at the Tempo by Hilton was plenty big for anything for a short stay, and it also included a drawer and a place to sit luggage.Brittany Chang/InsiderThe incredibly spacious bathroom then rounded out the room.As far as hotel room bathrooms go, this was one of the best I’ve had. The gleaming bathroom at the Tempo was a highlight of the room. The brass fixtures added a luxurious touch.Brittany Chang/InsiderThe bright white bathroom was marked with chrome accents, a subway tiled-shower, and Apotheke toiletries. And, in a first for me, the mirror had a built-in Bluetooth speaker, perfect for people who can't shower in silence (like me).Overall, this room was one of the trendiest and most functional and comfortable I’ve ever stayed in. Next to the bed was a wireless charger — a super-convenient amenity, and one that a wired generation will appreciate.Brittany Chang/InsiderThere was no musty and dusty color scheme with ugly rugs and equally ugly accent pillows. Instead, design elements and amenities like the bedside wireless phone chargers and bluetooth mirror added a convenient and luxurious flair.When Belsito was showing me around the hotel’s rooms, he mentioned there were amenities in place to prevent millennial travelers from losing their daily routine. The Peloton and other amenities are supposed to keep people on their routine game.Brittany Chang/InsiderAnd as an observer of millennial culture, I couldn't agree more.My day feels less accomplished when I travel and miss out on parts of my morning routine, specifically working out and listening to my news podcasts. The shower at the Tempo has a rainfall head on the ceiling.Brittany Chang/InsiderBut at Tempo, I was able to do both without leaving my room. At 7 a.m., I rolled out of bed, worked out on the bike, and listened to the morning news on the bathroom mirror as I showered. Minus the Peloton, it's just like my routine at home.Sure, that isn’t technically millennial specific. Nespresso pods at the Tempo by Hilton on Times Square are convenient for keeping people on their morning routines.Brittany Chang/InsiderBut the modern decor and automation of the lights did feel like a friendly gesture to younger travelers. When someone enters the room, the lights automatically turn on. At sunset, they dim.The bedside walls and entry door had buttons that controlled the drapes, sheers, and lights. Controllers for nearly everything in the room were bedside at the Tempo by Hilton.Brittany Chang/InsiderWhile manually controlling individual lights isn't a time suck, the "work" and "relax" buttons — which turned on specific lights — made the room feel satisfyingly customizable.Even the neon sign in the hotel gym and rear dining room screamed “millennial.” If you need a little pick-me-up, the Tempo on Times Square has you covered with neon-written inspiration.Brittany Chang/InsiderIf you don't book a Wellness Room, there are three Pelotons — and surprisingly a squat rack — in the hotel gym.At the time of my visit, my Wellness Room was $610 a night. The Wellness Room welcomed me by name on the TV screen at the Tempo by Hilton.Brittany Chang/InsiderHowever, a stay in the hotel starts at $312 per night, Matthew Slippoy, the hotel's general manager, told Insider in an email statement.At over $600, I wouldn't book this room category again. But despite the dining flukes (and as picky as I am with accommodations) I would stay at a Tempo by Hilton again.With features like a full “mocktail” menu, convenient amenities, Apotheke toiletries, and an eye toward wellness, it’s clear this hotel could attract younger travelers as New York City cracks down on Airbnb and Vrbo. The welcoming bed at the Tempo by Hilton on Times Square. It's clear the brand's newest concept could become a category winner.Brittany Chang/InsiderHilton is now developing an additional 35 Tempo properties in cities like Nashville, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; and San Diego, California.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The Rise Of Unapologetically Partisan News Reporting Authored by Carl M. Cannon via RealClear Wire, The Huffington Post was envisioned from its inception as a progressive answer to conservative talk radio and various right-leaning voices being amplified by new technology. Most specifically, it was designed as a counterpoint to the Drudge Report, a widely read and highly profitable website with populist sensibilities. The players involved in planning the new venture belonged to a select clique of Hollywood liberals and political activists in Arianna Huffington’s orbit. Among the cast of characters were film mogul David Geffen, a prodigious Democratic Party donor, along with Democratic political consultants Peter Daou and James Boyce. Jonah Peretti, a 30-year-old marketing whiz kid (and future BuzzFeed founder), was present at HuffPo’s inception, as was Kenneth Lerer, a New York investor who secured most of the money for the new venture. The least likely member of the core group was Andrew Breitbart, a creative and energetic conservative blogger in his mid-30s who had worked on the Drudge Report himself. Although he passed muster with the group because he was relatively liberal on social issues, Breitbart’s real connection to the enterprise was that he had known Arianna Huffington since the 1990s — when she was still an outspoken conservative. The most charismatic collaborator, of course, was the eponymous founder herself. “Arianna,” as everyone called her, first attained prominence in California politics as the wife of one-term Republican Congressman Michael Huffington, heir to a family fortune made in oil and gas exploration. Michael Huffington lost his 1994 Senate campaign, and the couple divorced in 1997. By 1998, Arianna was rejecting party labels and asserting that conventional “left-right divisions are so outdated.” Her evolution was just beginning. In 2001 she joined forces with environmental activist Laurie David in an endeavor dubbed the Detroit Project, which sought to shame automakers (and the Bush administration) into phasing out gas-guzzling cars and trucks. By April 2004, Arianna was endorsing Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show.” In July of that year, when asked during an interview in her stylish Brentwood home what she wanted out of life, Arianna replied, “I want George Bush defeated.” Although this answer struck Los Angeles magazine writer Steve Oney as glib, it turned out to be sincere. When her wish didn’t come true — when Bush won reelection by defeating Kerry — Huffington pursued the online journalism venture that still bears her name. Meeting in that same house in the weeks after the 2004 presidential election, a new and overtly partisan outlet was fast-tracked. It launched on May 9, 2005. Many traditional reporters and editors were troubled by the new direction journalism seemed to be taking. It wasn’t only the creation of the Huffington Post. Veteran political writers at venerable news organizations complained privately how sneering at Republicans, President Bush in particular, had become commonplace in their newsrooms. The legacy media had been considered left-of-center for decades, but something was changing. Conservatives had long complained about their treatment in the press (while progressives simply denied the existence of “liberal bias”), but open partisanship in newsrooms had long been discouraged. The Huffington Post didn’t engage in any such charades. As it gained traction in the first decade of the new millennium, its editors made no pretense about which side of the ideological spectrum it occupied. Arianna certainly didn’t. “We are opposed to the war in Iraq,” she told Washington Post media reporter Howard Kurtz in 2007. “We think the troops should come home. [Huffington Post] headlines are going to reflect what is in the best interests of the country.” A handful of media critics considered this trend not just refreshing for its candor, but an improvement over the old journalism model. For starters, they found it more intellectually honest. Also, at a time when the old advertising foundation was cracking, Huffington Post’s ability to quickly attract a huge readership showed that the Fox News business model might translate to the Internet. “Attitude is a huge positive, not a negative,” Ken Lerer told Kurtz. “People don’t have to love you. Maybe people come to you because they don’t love you.” “Attitude” was only part of the Huffington Post formula. Initially, celebrity journalism was an ingredient of its secret sauce. Well-known Hollywood liberals such as Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Robert Redford and Julia Louis-Dreyfus graced its pages with their (typically liberal) takes. HuffPo gave space to prominent progressives ranging from Dennis Kucinich and Melinda Gates to Alec Baldwin and Bernie Sanders. Lefty activists Ralph Nader and Michael Moore were contributors, as were more traditional Democrats Gary Hart and John Conyers. Their work was supplemented by the hiring of respected journalists such as Thomas B. Edsall and Mickey Kaus. The success of the enterprise also depended on the sheer volume of the site’s content. This was accomplished by several additional strategies. One was aggressively appropriating other outlets’ work, a practice that gave way to the slightly more kosher ploy of doing quick rewrites of other journalists’ work. (“Lynn Sweet: Obama Reorganizing Campaign, Reinforcing Leadership Ranks”). Finally, traffic was also driven by an army of “citizen journalists” who reported and wrote for HuffPo without remuneration. All these efforts were overseen by a cadre of editors who carefully monitored readership traffic and changed headlines or swapped out stories that weren’t doing well. The site’s success inspired copycats, some of them on the right. Just as HuffPost was a response to Drudge, conservative properties such as the Daily Caller were launched as antidotes to what their founders considered a mostly liberal landscape, including Arianna Huffington’s new online powerhouse. (Once again, the ubiquitous Andrew Breitbart was in the middle of it.) For the most part, these imitators mimicked the ideological imbalance of HuffPo. This view of the press — as a weapon for political advocacy — has only gained traction in the ensuing years, among partisans on both sides of the political divide. “One reason conservatives hate the ‘mainstream media’ is that it pretends to be something it isn’t,” British columnist Nathan Robinson wrote in The Guardian. The editor of Current Affairs, an online socialist publication, Robinson suggested in his 2019 essay that readers are alienated by hypocrisy more than ideology. “The best course of action is to acknowledge where we’re coming from,” he wrote. “If we show an awareness of our own political leanings, it actually makes us more trustworthy than if we’re in denial about them.” Some conservatives arrived at the same conclusion. Amid the feeding frenzy accompanying the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation process, a headline in The Federalist gave voice to this view: “The Entire Media Is Biased: They Should Just Embrace It.” It’s a provocative point of view, but it raises other questions. Let’s start with one point raised by Nathan Robinson: “more trustworthy” to whom? Ideologues who agree with you already? Partisans who despise you, but give you credit for being honest? Perhaps. But what about moderates or political independents — or fair-minded partisans who crave a more fact-based diet of political news without the relentless spin? This cohort, which ranges from a significant minority to a plurality of the voting public depending on the issue, seems vastly underrepresented in the new landscape of political journalism. Yes, it’s true that Fox News’ regular viewers generally find the network credible. Ditto for devotees of MSNBC. But these audiences are, by design, self-selecting peer review panels. Fox News’ motto since 2017 has been “Most Watched. Most Trusted.” The logic here is circular. Fox is trusted by those who watch it precisely because they know they’ll see what they want, which is bashing of Democrats and liberal elites and reflexively defending conservative personalities, politicians, policies, and culture. MSNBC and an increasing bloc of legacy media companies are Fox’s mirror image. The original slogan at Fox News, coined by Roger Ailes when he and Rupert Murdoch launched the network in 1996, was “Fair and Balanced.” This claim, which has resurfaced recently, induced apoplexy among liberals, which was partly Ailes’ intent. But that’s not all it was meant to signify. Inside the network, the mantra was understood to represent an intention that wasn’t cynical at all. Operating in a predominately liberal media landscape, Fox was promising to be “fair” to Republicans and their voters by providing the “balance” conservatives found missing in the rest of the press. One prominent Fox News journalist told me that those who dismissed Fox programming as being targeted to “a niche” market revealed the problem — and the key to Fox’s success. “Quite a niche,” he quipped. “Half the country.” Profitability of a Partisan Press Modern journalism — or, at least, modern American journalism education — dates to 1908 at the founding of the journalism school at the University of Missouri. The “J-school” is situated in the heart of the sprawling campus, which is fitting because the program has long been a source of pride for Mizzou graduates as well as journalists who’ve never even visited the college. Walter Williams, the visionary who started the program and later became president of the university, wrote a “journalist’s creed” that has been etched in bronze at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., since 1958, the 50th anniversary of the founding of Missouri’s journalism school. Some of its language sounds stilted today, but the larger question is whether the values of the creed are considered outdated in the 21st century. Let’s consider three items memorialized by Williams’ creed: A media property is “a public trust … and acceptance of a lesser service than the public service is betrayal of this trust.” “Clear thinking and clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism.” “Suppression of the news, for any consideration other than the welfare of society, is indefensible.” Powerful forces in contemporary America are working to undermine those tenets. Financial considerations are one of them. In 2008, Fox News surpassed $500 million in annual profits. This was nearly as much as CNN ($410 million) and MSNBC ($148 million) netted combined — and a $200 million increase over 2007. What happened in the centennial year of America’s first journalism school that made a television network with a readily identifiable point of view so profitable? Here’s part of the answer: A national political campaign took place featuring two Democratic presidential candidates whom Bill O’Reilly and other Fox News commentators pilloried relentlessly. These attacks appealed to conservatives, who flocked to Fox for the nightly skewering of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Higher ratings translated into higher advertising revenues. Executives at rival networks noticed. Progressive commentators, too. One anchorman in particular had been seething over Fox’s influence for years. As Howard Kurtz noted, MSNBC anchorman Keith Olbermann had already consciously positioned his nightly program as “a liberal alternative” to O’Reilly’s show. Years before Donald Trump arrived on the political scene, Keith Olbermann conducted public discourse like a New York insult comic. Once, at a television award show, Olbermann gave O’Reilly a Nazi salute. When he wasn’t saying George W. Bush and Dick Cheney had committed impeachable offenses and should resign, Olbermann was accusing the president and vice president of being stupid, dishonest, cowardly, and hypocritical. Olbermann framed one segment on Bush thusly: “Pathological presidential liar or an idiot-in-chief?” On Valentine’s Day in 2008, he called Bush “a fascist,” and later that year urged John McCain to “suspend” his campaign. Most incongruously — and in an eerie foreshadowing of Trump’s own slurs against McCain — Olbermann declared that the acclaimed Vietnam War hero displayed a “disturbing lack of faith in America.” Periodically, the suits at NBC would give lip service to reining Olbermann in, but their hearts weren’t in it. For one thing, the feud he initiated with Bill O’Reilly led to skyrocketing ratings. Liberal audiences loved it, and his show was one of the few MSNBC ever aired that made money. And after his contract was not renewed in 2011, it was clear that MSNBC had found its own niche. Olbermann’s place was taken by Rachel Maddow, a colleague he had mentored. The new anchor was brainy and hard-working, but just as liberal in her commentary. MSNBC had moved on from Keith Olbermann’s style, but not his substance. By August 2012, New York Times media critic Alessandra Stanley wrote a story titled “How MSNBC Became Fox’s Liberal Evil Twin.” The context for Stanley’s essay was MSNBC’s coverage of the Republican National Convention that nominated Mitt Romney. Stanley wrote that the network’s “hyped up panelists” routinely dismissed Republican assertions as “lies,” while taking various cheap shots (Chris Matthews claimed that the GOP looks upon welfare recipients as “looters”). Stanley noted that in “recasting itself as a left-leaning riposte to Fox News,” MSNBC drew significantly more GOP convention viewers than CNN. “That’s because,” she added, “MSNBC offers counterprogramming, not coverage.” Four years later, Donald Trump’s victory pushed CNN into the MSNBC camp. The New York Times followed suit. What had once been known as the “mainstream media” began to feature entire platoons of Keith Olbermanns not only among commentators and anchors, but even among supposedly nonpartisan White House correspondents tasked with covering the news. In the runup to Trump’s reelection campaign, journalist Matt Taibbi wrote a book about this development called “Hate, Inc.” In it, Taibbi attributed much of the press partisanship to bottom-line concerns. I initially thought his book title was too strong and that what openly partisan journalists were selling was indignation and outrage — and fear, maybe — but not hate. The events of Jan. 6, 2021, and their aftermath revealed that this may be a distinction without a difference. Whatever one calls it, this much can be said: In contrast to New York Times owner Adolph Ochs’ 1896 vow that his newspaper would “give the news impartially without fear or favor, regardless of party, sect, or interest” (and unlike Walter Williams’ creed calling suppression of the news “indefensible”), 21st century media outlets have a habit of hyping and inventing negative information harmful to the political faction they disapprove of, while downplaying or censoring facts detrimental to the side they favor. For much of the 20th century, this wouldn’t have been considered journalism at all. Rationalizing Regression It’s not a cop-out to concede that the arrival of the digital age posed historic challenges to the economic model and cherished assumptions of traditional media. Amid the chaos, novel arguments were proffered. Many were simply acknowledgements of new realities. Some were conscious challenges to the status quo, while others sought to rationalize problematic behavior on the part of the media. Here are four such arguments: Defenders of the new free-wheeling style of journalism point out, not inaccurately, that for much of America’s history the press was unabashedly partisan. Objective, non-biased reporting aimed at a mass audience was a post-World War I development that is no longer relevant to modern audiences, or even economically viable. In an unfettered media landscape, news consumers can find a multitude of views and choose from among them. What could be more egalitarian? If you dislike Rachel Maddow, switch to Tucker Carlson. The old model was staid and boring, these advocates say — and elitist. If one disparages television or radio shows or podcasts with high ratings, isn’t one denigrating the American people? Reprising a theme from the 1960s, another critique of the traditional model comes from those who attack the very concept of objectivity. Arguing from the standpoint of identity politics, these critics dismiss the term as a standard “that was dictated by male editors in predominately white newsrooms and reinforced their own view of the world.” In this school of thought, the exigencies of covering race, sexual identity — and even climate change — necessitate going beyond what’s disparagingly called “bothsidesism.” The trend of conflating opinion and news was a defense mechanism to cope with a presidential candidate who arrived on the scene with no experience and no desire to tell the truth — and who used social media to circumvent the media’s traditional gatekeeper role. This point of view was notably offered in an influential August 2016 column by New York Times media critic Jim Rutenberg, who framed the dilemma this way: “If you’re a working journalist and you believe that Donald J. Trump is a demagogue playing to the nation’s worst racist and nationalistic tendencies, that he cozies up to anti-American dictators and that he would be dangerous with control of the United States nuclear codes, how the heck are you supposed to cover him?” Although he posed the dilemma as a question — and pointed out the pitfalls of appearing partisan — Rutenberg suggested that reporters who found the idea of a Trump presidency a danger would naturally “move closer than you’ve ever been to being oppositional.” Many did just that. For purposes of this essay, let’s stipulate that those reasons are offered in good faith by people who care about the civic life of this nation. That does not make them right. Back to the Future Whatever one thinks of partisan journalism, those who say that it’s not a new phenomenon are correct. The first newspaper to cover politics on these shores, the New York Weekly Journal, is not only the publication that inspired the name of this series. A partisan organ, it helped foster the idea of a free press on this continent in 1735. It’s also true that a partisan press helped bring America into existence. In 1776, the American Colonies had 50 newspapers, many of them agitating openly for revolution. By the time George Washington completed two terms as president, this number had quintupled. The Colonial-era press took sides in the nation’s most fractious disputes: The Federalist Party we associate with Alexander Hamilton and John Adams (and the Democrat-Republicans of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison) were identifiable by the newspapers that supported them. Six decades later, partisan newspapers stoked the passions that led to civil war. “Editors unabashedly shaped the news and their editorial comment to partisan purposes,” Harvard historian William E. Gienapp noted in a study of 1850s American newspapers. “They sought to convert the doubters, recover the wavering, and hold the committed.” “Partisanship was extreme on both sides,” Lincoln scholar Richard Allen Heckman wrote a century after the Civil War ended. In what seems like a contemporary description, Allen added, “Republican and Democratic papers often arrived at opposite conclusions after witnessing the same event.” Does this sound familiar? It should. After Hunter Biden’s business partner Devon Archer testified before the House Oversight Committee, most of the legacy media issued a verdict: Nothing to see here. Echoing Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman, The New Republic put this headline on its story: “New Transcript: Star Hunter Biden Witness Refuted Every GOP Talking Point. Hunter Biden’s former business partner, Devon Archer, undermined all of Republicans’ claims in his testimony.” Meanwhile, Fox News had an entirely different take: The headline of its online story was “Devon Archer Transcript Shows How Democrat Rep. Goldman Spun 'Illusion of Access' Narrative.” Mind you, these are competing stories reporting on the very same transcript. Not everyone sees this as a problem. But the events of Jan. 6, 2021, show what happens in a hyper-partisan political environment when “red” America and “blue” America have fundamental differences of opinion on something as basic as whether a presidential election was honest or a sham. Americans of different races, creeds, generations, religions, geography, and political affiliation have always differed in their perceptions of politics and culture. But having a baseline set of shared facts turns out to be important. Political parties deliberately skew those facts for their own purposes. However, when journalists repeat those partisan narratives word for word — or, worse, amplify them — they are interfering with the prime directive. Earlier this year, political scientists David Broockman and Joshua Kalla released a study showing how many Americans dwell in media “echo chambers” that not only bolster their existing political biases, but deepen their level of partisanship. “Most people who tune in to Fox News lean to the right, but Fox draws them further to the right,” Broockman explained. “Likewise, MSNBC is pulling those to the left further left. And neither side almost ever watches the other.” This is the succinct rebuttal to those with laissez-faire attitudes about partisan news coverage. Americans can get the other side of the story, if they try, but don’t often do so. Ken Lerer’s expressed hope that conservatives might read the Huffington Post to know what the other side is thinking is not how most people consume media. It was always thus. In “The Press Gang: Newspapers and Politics, 1865-1878,” scholar Mark Wahlgren Summers wrote how common it was for publishers to knowingly print lies or simply ignore newsworthy events that reflected poorly on their party. “The truth was not suppressed,” Summers wrote. “It was simply hard to get in any one place.” Readers who wanted to know what was really happening in local as well as national politics had to read several newspapers, not just one. The problem is that this is not how most citizens consume news, and it never was. My point here is that journalists in this country haven’t always even attempted to provide their readers, listeners, and viewers with the complete story. They haven’t always tried to tell the truth. But this elusive quest is the implied promise that helped create the idea of a free press in the first place. ‘The Best Cause’ Although rarely invoked today, the name John Peter Zenger still lingers in the recesses of American journalism’s institutional memory. The University of Arizona gives an annual award in his name. The National Press Club has a room named after him. A bronze plaque in New York City signifies the site of a local election, in 1733, covered by Zenger’s newspaper, The New York Weekly Journal. For the better part of three centuries, Zenger’s sacrifice was praised whenever freedom of the press was mentioned. Arrested in November 1734 on charges of “seditious libel” after his newspaper criticized the royal governor of New York, Zenger persisted in publishing from jail with help from his wife and sons — and the political provocateurs who wrote the offending material. Nine months later, Zenger was acquitted in a sensational jury trial. Fifty years after that, Gouverneur Morris, a signer of the U.S. Constitution, wrote: “The trial of Zenger in 1735 was the germ of American freedom, the morning star of that liberty which subsequently revolutionized America.” Although there is truth in this characterization, the story is not that tidy. Peter Zenger, as he preferred to be called, arrived in New York harbor in 1709 speaking little English and facing daunting prospects. The Zenger family — Peter, his parents and two younger siblings — were among the 2,200 German refugees from the Palatinate region who sailed in a 10-ship flotilla to America in search of religious freedom. The crossing was harrowing: Some 470 of the migrants perished, among them Peter’s father. At 13, the oldest Zenger child needed to find a trade to help support his family. The boy landed an apprenticeship with a publisher named William Bradford, a kindly Quaker who had followed his own father’s footsteps. In the early days of manual typesetting, publishing was an exacting, highly technical craft. There were other obstacles, too, including the scarcity of ink and paper. The biggest danger was running afoul of the authorities. “To understate the matter, the printing trade was not much encouraged in colonial America,” Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Kluger noted wryly in his authoritative 2016 book, “Indelible Ink: The Trials of John Peter Zenger and the Birth of America’s Free Press.” William Bradford knew this lesson well. He’d essentially been chased out of Pennsylvania for running afoul of William Penn and the Quaker elders who controlled every aspect of life in the colony. Bradford’s sins — for which he was fined, briefly imprisoned, and had his printing presses confiscated — included the mere mention of Penn’s name in an annual almanac and daring to reprint the colony’s official charter. But on both sides of the Atlantic, the most dreaded accusation was “seditious libel,” a felony. The American Colonies were ruled by Britain, where libel simply meant defaming or criticizing another person, especially someone associated with government. Under British common law dating to the notorious Star Chamber proceedings, truth was not a mitigating factor to the crime. “It is not material whether the libel be true or false,” the Star Chamber judges had ruled. That’s because the aim of libel law wasn’t to regulate civic discourse in a way that made it more honest. The law’s intent was to preserve order and prevent rabblerousers from riling up the populace. The controlling legal authority in British common law, and by extension in the Colonies, was titled “A Treatise of the Pleas of the Crown.” Written by an English barrister named William Hawkins, it held that printers and authors were guilty of defamation if they wrote or printed words that exposed any person, alive or dead, “to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule.” It did not matter if the defamed person already had a bad reputation. Taking Star Chamber logic to its ultimate, and ultimately perverse, conclusion, Hawkins explained “that it is far from being a justification of a libel that the contents thereof are true … since the greater the appearance of truth in any malicious invective, so much the more provoking it is.” Political factions were just getting started in New York, then a city of 10,000 souls. Newspapers were a rarity as well. The only two printers in the colony were Willam Bradford and his former apprentice, Zenger. Neither man was much interested in the news business. Mostly they reprinted religious tracts and government-approved legal notices and texts, much of Zenger’s in Dutch and German. Eight decades before the dawn of the great New York publishing houses, all books in New York were imported from London. This somnolent arrangement was disturbed by King George II’s 1732 appointment of a minor aristocrat and British military officer of little distinction named William Cosby to be the governor of New York and New Jersey. It was not an inspired appointment and Cosby’s preening nature and obvious greed immediately alienated the locals. His initial grift, which ignited the political fires in New York, was his insistence that the previous acting governor turn over the portion of his salary from the time Cosby was named to the job — even though he didn’t arrive in New York for many months. His predecessor, a well-connected Dutchman named Rip Van Dam, sued Cosby. When the colony’s chief justice, Lewis Morris, ruled against the new governor, Cosby simply replaced Judge Morris. A powerful and formidable lawyer with a habit of holding grudges, Morris used numerous machinations to fight back. One of them was teaming with his friend and ally James Alexander, another powerful lawyer, to persuade John Peter Zenger to publish a new newspaper. Appearing on Nov. 5, 1733 — 272 years before The Huffington Post — the first issue of the New York Weekly Journal carried the account of Lewis Morris’ political comeback: his election to the Assembly. For the next 10 months, in articles almost exclusively ghostwritten by James Alexander, the Journal published satire, limericks, and opinion pieces critical of Cosby, though never by name. Nobody was fooled, however, least of all Cosby, who variously ordered the newspapers burned, pressured the colony’s other printer to respond in kind, and finally had Zenger arrested and charged with a crime. In preparation for trial, Cosby tried to pack the jury with his allies and installed a crony named James De Lancey as chief justice in the colony. When lawyer William Smith and his co-counsel James Alexander (the anonymous author of the anti-Cosby material in Zenger’s broadsheet) made a pre-trial motion for De Lancey to recuse himself, the judge instead kicked them off the case — and disbarred them on the spot. This heavy-handed move backfired. Alexander sought the services of a Philadelphia lawyer named Andrew Hamilton. A native of Scotland, and not high-born, Hamilton had arrived in Virginia in his early 20s. He married into a Quaker family in Virginia, then moved to Maryland, where he helped write that colony’s laws and served in the legislature. After relocating to Pennsylvania in his 40s, Hamilton came to represent the family of William Penn, served as a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly, and supervised the construction of Philadelphia's Independence Hall. Hamilton’s career signified the possibility of upward mobility in the New World. He was also considered the best trial lawyer on these shores. He would need to be. As expected, the prosecutor argued that the libel laws of England were the de facto libel laws of New York and that any defamation against the crown — or its agents — was merely a matter of proving the identity of the author. In other words, insofar as the jury was concerned, there was no real defense at all. Without exactly explaining why, Hamilton challenged this logic. He posited that the laws of England should not necessarily apply to New York. Judge De Lancey was utterly unpersuaded. “The jury may find that Zenger printed and published those papers and leave to the Court to judge whether they are libelous,” he responded. But the defense strategy was to talk past the judge — straight to the jury and, by implication, the wider court of American public opinion. Addressing his argument to Zenger’s peers, Hamilton was going for jury nullification: “I know that [the jurors] have the right beyond all dispute to determine both the law and the fact,” he intoned. In his summation, Hamilton went further: “The question before the court and you, gentlemen of the jury, is not of small or private concern. It is not the cause of the poor printer, nor of New York alone,” he said. “No! It may in its consequence affect every free man that lives under a British government on the main of America. It is the best cause. It is the cause of liberty.” The jury agreed with defense counsel. It returned quickly from its deliberations, and foreman Thomas Hunt called out the verdict: “Not guilty!” Hurrahs rang out through the courtroom, drowning out the demands of the judge for order. Something had been started that would be hard to quell. Skeptics As early broadcaster Westbrook Van Voorhis liked to say, time marches on. In the 1960s, a questioning era like our own, a slew of revisionist historians tossed cold water on the John Peter Zenger legend. For starters, he didn’t even write the material he was jailed for, they noted. And Gouverneur Morris, the Founding Father who eulogized the Zenger trial as “the germ of American freedom” and “the morning star” of liberty on these shores, was hardly an impartial chronicler: Lewis Morris was his grandfather. Pulitzer Prize-winning constitutional scholar Leonard Levy characterized the image of Colonial America as a society that cherished freedom of expression as “a sentimental hallucination.” Stanley Katz, a star Princeton historian, wrote that libel laws were reformed, in due time, but not because of anything James Alexander wrote, Peter Zenger printed, or Andrew Hamilton argued to a New York jury in 1735. It was, Katz claimed, “as if Peter Zenger had never existed.” Today, a more subtle kind of rethinking is taking place. Richard Kluger, who persuasively debunks the 1960s-era Zenger debunkers, gets to the heart of the matter. “William Cosby was almost surely an ignoble character during his 3½-year tenure in New York, but if he was in fact half the villain his colonial critics claimed, they failed to marshal firm evidence of it.” Moreover, after its inaugural issue, the New York Weekly Journal never covered another election after Lewis Morris’ return to the Assembly. Instead, its pages were used to compare Cosby to Nero, refer to the governor as “our affliction from London,” and accuse him of cluelessly escorting a French naval officer around the town so he could see the city’s defenses. Consorting with the enemy was a serious charge then, as it is today, but Zenger’s paper wasn’t calling Cosby a traitor. It was accusing him of being “but one degree removed from an idiot.” It was this kind of thing that prompted veteran newsman Bill Keller, in his New York Times review of Kluger’s book, to compare the New York Weekly Journal to the now-defunct gossip website Gawker. It was not intended as a compliment. More generally, ideologues on both sides invoke the style of America’s earliest newspapers to question the legacy, and even the virtue, of nonpartisan journalism and the striving for objectively. In an interview with “Frontline” in the early days of online journalism, Scott Johnson, co-founder of the conservative online outlet Power Line, put it this way: “The fact that the press was partisan and wild and outrageous during the Revolutionary era, during the era in which the Constitution was ratified, was not only true then; it really is the tradition of the American press up until the Progressive Era, essentially yesterday. The press was always partisan.” He's not entirely wrong, but using this historic fact as an excuse to cover the news in a one-sided way today — trying to shape outcomes instead of merely to inform — misses the point of the jury’s verdict in the 1735 trial of Peter Zenger. His lawyer didn’t merely argue that government shouldn’t muzzle a free people. Andrew Hamilton compared a libel case in which a defendant couldn’t argue the truth of his statements to a murder trial in which the defendant couldn’t offer evidence that the victim was actually still alive. This gambit was a bluff. No witnesses could prove the truth of the contention that Gov. Cosby was “but one degree removed from an idiot” any more than Keith Olbermann could prove the same about George W. Bush. In the Zenger trial, Judge De Lancey didn’t buy it anyway. Nonetheless, Hamilton risked contempt of court by pivoting directly toward the jury and saying, “Then, gentlemen of the jury, it is to you we must now appeal for witnesses to the truth of the facts we have offered and are denied the liberty to prove.” Actually, neither side called any witnesses in that trial, but the jury took Hamilton’s point. Their verdict wasn’t an endorsement of defamation. It was a recognition that if a people are to be free, they have the right to pursue the truth and tell it as best they can — and that neither government nor any political faction has a monopoly on veracity. Pursuing truth, not partisanship, was the principle that carried the day in a New York City courtroom on Aug. 4, 1735. Citizen Journalists The Zenger saga has an instructive postscript. It occurred 273 years later, just three years after the launch of The Huffington Post. As it turned out, Arianna Huffington’s interests went far beyond creating an online media counterweight to George W. Bush’s presidency. Focusing on the future of journalism at a time when the old media’s business model was already under financial stress, Huffington joined forces with well-known New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen to create an army of “citizen journalists.” Launched in early 2007, the venture was named “OffTheBus,” a sly reference to Timothy Crouse’s classic 1973 book on presidential campaign reporting. This endeavor was a subversive response to the good-old-boy reporting network Crouse immortalized. OTB’s tag line was “Campaign coverage by people who are not in the club.” Ultimately, it engaged some 1,700 unpaid writers to cover the 2007-2008 presidential cycle. This all-volunteer army was overseen by a tiny staff of professionals. One was Marc Cooper, a progressive political writer and University of Southern California journalism professor. Another was Amanda Michel, who today is director of global engagement at The Guardian but in 2007 was a 29-year-old wunderkind with no formal journalism training. Her talent was harnessing online communities, which she’d learned while working on the Howard Dean and John Kerry presidential campaigns. Their team would produce thousands of stories and countless page views and attracted some 5 million unique visitors to Huffington Post’s website in October 2008 alone. Its best-remembered story, by far, was an account of an April 6, 2008, political fundraiser in Pacific Heights, a toney San Francisco neighborhood. The candidate was Barack Obama. The HuffPo citizen journalist in attendance was Mayhill Fowler, a 61-year-old native Tennessean who lived across the bay in Oakland. In the decades since she’d graduated from Vassar and moved to the Bay Area to study at the University of California at Berkeley, Fowler had wed and worked sporadically, by her own account, as “a teacher, editor and writer, but mostly raised two daughters.” An uncommonly thoughtful person, she had quickly emerged as a favorite among OTB’s editors — and readers. In an October 2007 piece on OTB, New York Times political writer Katharine Seelye singled Fowler out as one of the site’s “emerging star correspondents.” Fowler took a particular interest in Obama. She contributed the maximum $2,300 to his campaign, which was not only normal for OTB citizen journalists, but was encouraged, as it granted them increased access to campaigns they were covering. Fowler had previously traveled at her own expense to see Obama campaign in the Midwest and in Texas, but the San Francisco event was close to home so she wrangled an invite to the fundraiser, which was closed to the mainstream press. With Obama leading Hillary Clinton in pledged delegates, the conversation that night turned to the looming Pennsylvania primary. From the audience, some of whom were preparing to go east for the faceoff, came a question: What could they expect when they went to campaign in the Rust Belt? “You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them,” Obama replied. “And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are going to regenerate and they have not.” So far, so good. Then Obama added: “And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.” Fowler had covered Obama when he campaigned across Pennsylvania and that’s not what he had said to the faces of those voters, and she was “taken aback” by his judgmental tone. “I’m a religious person, and I grew up poor in a very wealthy family — sometimes we didn’t have enough to eat, but my larger family was rich,” she told Seelye in an April 2008 story, adding that her father was a hunter. “Immediately, the remarks just really bothered me,” Fowler added. “For the first time, I realized he is an elitist.” Fowler had a dilemma. She was smart enough to know the sneering remarks about rural Americans might hurt the candidate whom she still wanted to win. She confided in her husband, who didn’t see anything particularly wrong with what Obama had said. But it nagged at her and she called Amanda Michel. To Michel’s credit, she advised Fowler, “If you’re going to cover the campaign, you have to not be partial or your coverage isn’t worth as much as it could be.” So, following her gut feeling and her editor’s supportive advice, Fowler blogged about the incident. Hillary Clinton’s campaign pounced, and the mainstream media jumped on the story (often omitting Fowler’s name). Some Obama fanboys attacked her for being disloyal, but Team Huffington rallied behind her. Arianna defended her reporter in a blog post while vacationing on a yacht, lambasting Clinton’s campaign. Jay Rosen, one of the most level-headed advocates of the proposition that disclosure of bias is preferable to feigned objectivity, examined the ethical questions thoroughly on his blog. After the campaign was over, Michel did something similar for Columbia Journalism Review. Almost two years later, Fowler published an e-book on the election, “Notes From a Clueless Journalist: Media, Bias and the Great Election of 2008.” It’s a nuanced and informative book, as anyone who read Fowler’s blog would expect. In the preface, she explains her motives, not just for writing about the Pacific Heights fundraiser, but also chronicling the inspiring saga of Barack Obama himself. “All I cared about,” she wrote, “was getting the election story.” Notwithstanding the title of her book, traditional reporters who read it or followed her writing found Fowler anything but clueless. She came across as committed, empathetic, curious, intellectually honest, and highly ethical. It gave many of us hope for the future. But here’s the rub, the postscript to the postscript, if you will: If something like that happened today, would an online media outlet with a clear point of view deign to report it? For that matter, would the legacy media? The treatment of the Hunter Biden laptop story suggests an answer, and it is not an encouraging one. Tyler Durden Fri, 09/08/2023 - 17:40.....»»

Some nightmare subjects that are very common include failure, accidents, or being chased. Here are the possible meanings behind these themes. Daniel Kaluuya experiences hypnotic induced nightmares as Chris in "Get Out."Universal Pictures Despite all having unique lives and brains, many people have similar nightmares. Some of the most common nightmares include being chased, death, and physical fights. Though it's not a perfect science, there are ways to interpret these common themes. You're running, but you're not going anywhere. You're falling, but you never hit the ground. You're watching your loved one waste away, but there's nothing you can do about it.If you're like most people, then you might be covered in a cold sweat by now, recalling a nightmare.Though our dreams are highly personal, and often based on what happened to us over our lifetime and during our day, there are some themes that unite us all."These dreams are related to issues that every person has in their waking lives," Michael Schredl, head of the sleep lab at the Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany, told Insider. It's tough to make generalizations about nightmares, since science hasn't agreed on why we even dream in the first place.But there are basic patterns in nightmare themes that may help you translate what your brain is trying to express, Schredl said. Understanding these patterns could be a starting point to identify what emotions you're dealing with in your subconscious.In a 2018 study, Schredl and his colleague analyzed over 1,200 nightmares, from asking participants to recall their most recent distressing dream. They then categorized them into common themes.Here are the top 10 they found.10. InfestationThis surreal 1920's poster advocates for malaria prevention with bug repellent, but could also look a lot like your nightmares.Smith Collection/Gado/Getty ImagesHaving an infestation in your home makes reality feel like a nightmare. So dreaming about an invasion of creepy crawlers or fuzzy fiends could be a literal fear or a symbolic one.If it's symbolic, an infestation could represent a fear of disease or dirt, or any other things you personally associate with mice, roaches, or rats, Schredl said. Since there are many ways these dreams can unfold, there are many ways they can be interpreted.It could also be an example of feeling insecure or unsafe in your home, Schredl said.9. Evil presencePeople often dream of an evil entity standing near them while they sleep.David Wall/Getty ImagesIn the ninth spot, there's the eerie feeling of suspecting that there may be a ghost, demon, or alien nearby. This could mean that the dreamer sees the offending presence, or merely that they suspect one is near.These sorts of sleep hallucinations often plague people suffering from sleep paralysis, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This unsettling sleep disorder occurs when the parts of the brain that keep you still during sleep and the parts that keep you sleeping miscommunicate.In this state, people often report a ghoul standing over them as they struggle to move. Talk about not getting your beauty sleep.These horror-movie characters are likely your brain using familiar cultural symbols to depict your fear in the moment, Baland Jalal, a neuroscientist at Harvard, told the Guardian. Imagine, "you've grown up being told by your grandmother that spirits and demons inhabit your village after dark. You wake up during REM sleep, you see some kind of a shadow, and you starting panicking, creating more body image hallucinations which your mind interprets in this cultural narrative and so you perceive a demon coming towards you," he said. 8. CatastropheAn illustration of an atomic blast in the middle of a populated city. Disaster dreams are common to many sleepers.Mirifada / Getty ImagesFires, floods, nuclear fallout — a common subject of many people's dreams is anything that could be mistaken for the end of times. Disasters ranked at number eight in the survey, found in about 4.5% of the dream reports Shredl studied.These could signal general apprehension for the future, as a way for your brain to ruminate on something you're worried may occur, according to Stanford's Corelli. It depends on whether you view the changes coming into your life as positive or negative.Or, if you've experienced a natural disaster, it could be your mind working its way through the situation as a way of processing your trauma, according to researchers from the Univeristy of Buffalo. 7. Feeling worriedNightmares that feature apprehension and worry often don't give the dreamer a clear cause.studiostockart/Getty ImagesDo you know the feeling when you're sure you've forgotten something important, something big, but you're not sure what it is? Many people dream about this feeling, with apprehension and worry ranking as the seventh most common nightmare. People in Shredl's study reported feeling like they knew something was wrong, but they didn't know what, and that made them more uncomfortable. Fear of the unknown seems to be something that many of us share, even in our dreams.6. DisagreementsDreaming about disagreements could be a sign of social anxiety.Boris Zhitkov/ Getty ImagesInterpersonal conflicts come in as the sixth most common. In these scenarios, the dreamer has or witnesses a non-physical fight. These dreams could be emblematic of some social anxiety you have about a personal relationship, according to Psychology Today. You could be dreading a conversation you need to have or processing a conflict that has already happened. 5. Sickness and deathAn attending health car worker holds the hand of a patient, checking their pulse.Henry King/ Getty ImagesHealth-related concerns and death ranked right in the middle of the survey and was found in 11.6% of reports.In these types of nightmares, the dreamer reported watching themselves or a loved one become sick, suffer through a disease, or die. These dreams are complex, and could represent many things depending on what you're personally going through.They could be emblematic of a general fear of sickness and death or feeling out of control of your personal well-being, Insider previously reported. It might also be a way for you to process grief, according to a 2020 study. 4. Being chasedA stylized long exposure photograph showing four people running from an approaching car in a tunnel. Sometimes, in chase nightmares, you might not even know what it is that is pursuing you.Frank Herholdt/Getty ImagesIn these dreams, you might be being pursued by a human, an evil presence, or something you can't even see. Schredl explains how the basic patterns of a chase dream can tell you what it means. In a nightmare like this, you're afraid as you run from something that you feel is getting increasingly close to you.Experiencing fear and running away from what causes it is psychology 101. This is avoidance behavior, Schredl said. So generally, dreams about being chased usually mean you're anxious about something you may be avoiding.3. AccidentsA photo of a woman falling through a liminal, white space. You might've had a nightmare that feels just like this.Klaus Vedfelt/ Getty ImagesThis broad category of dreams includes themes like falling, car wrecks, drowning, and more. Shredl found this theme in 15% of reports.But when broken down by sex, males reported significantly more falling dreams than their female counterparts.These dreams might be more literal than you might think, representing a fear of heights, driving, or the ocean. But they could also represent feeling out of control, fearing death, or feeling helpless, Schredl told Insider.He explained these dreams by comparing our brains to a movie director."If you're a film director, and you have to depict the situation of the feeling of completely helpless, a falling dream, the falling situation, might be one of those. Because in the falling dream the only thing you know, you know, is that you will fall down and be dead," he said.So these sorts of accident dreams can be our brain's way of dramatically expressing how we're feeling about our own mortality, capability, or health. 2. Physical aggressionPhysical fights are the second most common nightmare.Hans Neleman/Getty ImagesTaking number six on the list — disagreements — a bit further, you arrive at the second most common dream, which is physical aggression.In these scenarios, the dreamer may be attacked, participate in a fight, or witness other people duking it out. This type of nightmare may reflect social anxiety, a literal fear of violence, or concerns about being vulnerable to other people's criticisms, Insider previously reported.1. FailureFears about how you're performing in your life can cause dreams about failure. This includes nightmares about taking a test in school.yokunen/Getty ImagesComing in at number one is the broad category of failure and helplessness, which Schredl documented in 18% of reports.This encompasses everything from failing to achieve a goal, to being late, lost, unable to speak, losing or forgetting something, or making a mistake. This includes the all too stereotypical dream of failing a test, which made up 3% of all nightmares reported in the study.Since this is a broad category, there are many different interpretations you could make. Exam dreams might mean you're insecure about your ability to perform at work or home, or remembering a certain troubling event, Schredl said. Looking back at the pattern of all these dreams gives us a clue. For example, in a nightmare about an exam, it goes something like this:"Someone else is looking, how do you perform? Do you know the stuff you have to know? And of course, this is a typical situation, for I think every person who is working," Schredl said. So if you're dreaming about these scenarios, you may be feeling a little insecure about your own abilities, or how other people think about your performance. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

He may be erratic and amoral, but he controls the most sensitive aspects of our lives (much to our peril). Peter Csathy writes that Musk's fingerprints are all over virtually every major aspect of our lives and no other captain of industry has ever come close to this kind of power, not even the great Steve Jobs.Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images Fearless Media is a newsletter about the future of entertainment, media, and tech by Creative Media chairman Peter Csathy. Elon Musk's wields immense influence that spans technology, space, communications, and transporation. His far-reching impact on our lives is extensive and raises concerns about unchecked power. The following article was originally published August 30, 2023 on Fearless Media.Elon Musk. The world's richest man. Also perhaps its most polarizing (check that, maybe the second after "The Indicted One"). Love him or hate him, we're all beholden to Musk.And I'm not just talking about global communications and Twitter/X's strategic importance to the worlds of media and entertainment, not to mention global leaders themselves. I'm talking about the most sensitive aspects of life on the planet period.Musk, in many ways, rules our lives, yet few of us — apparently including governments like our own — fully appreciate that. Nor do we fully appreciate the risks that come with so much control held in the hands of one person, especially as those hands seemingly become shakier and more erratic each day.Musk controls speech on Twitter/XWe all know the risks that flow from our long-time dependence on, and obsession with, Twitter/X. As I've written before, Musk champions himself as being the Great Libertarian and defender of the First Amendment.Yet, at the same time, he throttles down access to rival websites and suspends the Twitter/X accounts of journalists who challenge him. Musk is all for free speech, so long as that speech does not compete with his empire or bite his thin skin.But Musk's control over speech with which he disagrees can go much deeper than that, with profound implications for everyone on the planet.Musk also controls nearly 5,000 satellites with StarlinkMany forget that Musk also controls the skies well above us all around the globe. Literally. Over the past several years, Musk quietly has launched and deployed nearly 5,000 communications satellites that envelop the upper atmosphere to facilitate seamless broadband in every nook and cranny on the planet, many of which previously had none available.And that "Starlink" system (as he calls it) has played a crucial role in Ukraine's defense against Russia's brutal attacks. Without it, top Ukrainian military planners say they could not have achieved the type of success the underdog has had against a ruthless power with resources that dwarf their own.Musk provides this critical communications link now to Ukraine — a link that no other entity, including the US government — can offer.But what if Musk changes his mind tomorrow? Let's not forget that Musk holds some, shall we say, strong views about all things, including politics. And he also has massive business interests all around the world, including in Russia and especially in China.So if Musk finds it to be strategically beneficial to point his satellites one way rather than another, his singular decision has profound implications on our collective global security, including the potential deployment of nuclear weapons.Musk dominates space with SpaceXAnd Musk's Starlink satellite system is just part of his overall space dominance of course with SpaceX. Starlink is made possible by SpaceX, which revolutionized commercial space flight and exploration.Once again, Musk has done what once-mighty NASA could never do — develop truly reusable spacecraft to completely transform the economics of space activity.Now NASA turns to Musk too when it needs to launch its most sensitive satellite systems and more.Musk transformed the global auto industry with TeslaWait, we're not done yet. Tesla, of course, single-handedly brought electric cars into the mainstream, transforming the entire global auto industry in the process. But it goes deeper than that.Central to Musk's evil genius is his ability to get us all hooked (and dependent) on his technology, and that happens here too. Musk's Tesla charging stations have become the industry standard for other manufacturers as well (including Ford and General Motors), meaning that Musk's decisions about how and where to charge our cars drive the entire national transportation system.Oh yes, Musk also has The Boring Company to drill new underground pathways to ultimately get us from here to there.Musk is also "all in" on artificial intelligence with xAI and NeuralinkAre you exhausted and sufficiently stressed yet? Well then look out for this one. Musk, of course, is also now "all in" on artificial intelligence and is hunting down AI pioneers like OpenAI (which he cofounded) to achieve preeminence in that burgeoning and society transforming space.Demonstrating that he is either a space alien himself or simply can squeeze in a week in every single day, Musk just launched his new AI startup called xAI.As if that weren't enough, his stealthy Silicon Valley company Neuralink wants to connect our brains to the Internet. Literally, via electrodes. And he has been testing those connections with mice, rats and monkeys for years (much to the chagrin of animal rights activists) and plans to begin human trials in months. The FDA just recently caved and granted him his long-sought approvals.Musk got his start with PayPal and the global monetary systemLet's go back to Musk's "humble" origin story. Musk earned his initial fortune by co-creating PayPal and disrupting global payments in the process. So Musk has injected himself in the global monetary system for decades.His "hands in the cookie" jar approach is likely to take a substantial new turn as he integrates next generation payments, particularly largely-unregulated blockchain-enabled crypto, into his app formerly known as Twitter and now simply called X. X marks the spot for his aspirational Super App to become the center of the universe for every individual decision we make (and the deeply personal data that comes with it).Musk's fingerprints, in other words, are all over virtually every major aspect of our lives, not to mention society's and that of the entire world order itself.No other captain of industry has ever come close, not even the great Steve Jobs. With that immense power comes great responsibility and tremendous judgment and humility, of course.Sadly — and frighteningly — those are not Musk's strong suits.Peter Csathy is the founder and chairman of Creativie Media and an internationally recognized media, entertainment, and tech expert.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Wendy's vs. McDonald's breakfast: Reviews Wendy's new $3 breakfast value deal and compares it to McDonald's. The items in the Biggie Bundles breakfast deal.Nancy Luna/Insider Wendy's introduced a two-for-$3 Biggie Bundles meal on August 22. The breakfast value meal features four choices, including two types of biscuit sandwiches. I compared Wendy's biscuit meals to the same ones at McDonald's, and I was surprised at the results. Wendy's launched on August 22 the two-for-$3 Biggie Bundles breakfast deal — a solid inflation-busting value offer that should put McDonald's, the king of fast food breakfast, on notice. For $3, Wendy's customers can get two of the following items: a sausage biscuit, an egg and cheese biscuit, small seasoned potatoes, or a medium hot coffee. Essentially, each item is a $1.50 each. I've been covering the fast-food wars for 18 years as a business journalist based in Southern California. Every year, chains try to one-up each other with their specialty deals and wacky limited-item specials. And I wasn't sure if this was just another publicity stunt. But I set out to compare Wendy's to McDonald's, which has long been considered the king of fast-food breakfast. I bought the equivalent items and compared them on taste, price, and presentation. I admit I went into this exercise thinking McDonald's, which has been serving breakfast since 1977, would have the advantage of taste and presentation. But I also thought Wendy's, which launched breakfast in 2020, could win on price if the food was halfway edible. It turns out the contest wasn't even close.Here's what I discovered.Fast-food breakfast has long been dominated by McDonald's.A McDonald's Egg McMuffin is displayed at a McDonald's restaurant on July 23, 2015 in Fairfield, California.Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesIn 1975, McDonald's launched the Egg McMuffin nationally after testing the breakfast sandwich for a few years. The success of the Egg McMuffin led McDonald's to roll out its first breakfast line in US stores in 1977.The menu included the Egg McMuffin, hotcakes, toasted English muffins, scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, and a Danish.Along with Dunkin' and Starbucks, McDonald's continues to be a fan favorite, the market-research firm Technomic found in recent consumer data. Wendy's hasn't really gained much ground on McDonald's since introducing breakfast in 2020. "If Wendy's is enjoying growth during the breakfast daypart, I would argue that they are not taking breakfast share from McDonald's," Robert Byrne, the director of consumer and industry insights at Technomic, told Insider. "Our data suggests that they are growing more competitive with other options such as c-stores or at-home morning occasions. I would also suggest they may be chipping away at more expensive breakfast players, such as Panera."Source: McDonald's and Technomic.But in recent years, brands such as Wendy's, Burger King, and Taco Bell have tried to steal market share from the Golden Arches.The breakfast promotion at Wendy's.Mary Meisenzahl/InsiderWendy's is serious about beating McDonald's at breakfast. The chain came out fighting when it launched breakfast in 2020. Fans could "say goodbye to their tired, old, stale breakfast and instead get their hands on a selection of fresh, craveable, bold new morning options," the chain said in 2020.Items on the debut breakfast menu included the Breakfast Baconator, Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit, and Frosty-ccino.While the pandemic forced some restaurant chains such as Taco Bell to put breakfast on pause, three years later, Wendy's is still betting big on breakfast. They've added more items and have been pushing value deals to entice consumers.Today, breakfast sales at Wendy's account for 7% of gross sales, Technomic indicates, citing the chain's latest franchise disclosure document. And that's on the low end, data from the restaurant-consulting firm Foodservice IP suggests. Fast-food breakfast sales typically range between 5% to 20% of total sales, the firm says. Wendy's latest push is a two-for-$3 breakfast bundle. Wendy's two-for-$3 meal bundle includes these choices: a sausage biscuit, an egg and cheese biscuit, small seasoned potatoes, or a medium hot coffee.Nancy Luna/InsiderThe two-for-$3 Biggie Bundles meal launched August 22. Customers can create their own 2-item breakfast meal from the following four items: a sausage biscuit, an egg and cheese biscuit, small seasoned potatoes, or a medium hot coffee for $3. This breakfast value deal, available for a limited time, is a tweak from a similar promotion in March.Source: Wendy's.I started my morning grub taste test at a Wendy's in Southern California.Nancy Luna/InsiderGoing in, I felt like this was going to be a battle of the biscuit. My instinct was that Wendy's would serve up the better biscuit.I instantly had trouble ordering at the cash register. The employee didn't seem to understand when I asked about the Biggie Bundles deal. A note to Wendy's: Explain your marketing campaigns to restaurant-level workers.Nancy Luna/InsiderI wanted to order every item in the bundled meal deal that equaled $3, but the cashier didn't seem to understand my request.When I mentioned "Biggie Bundles," she was clueless. Finally, we settled on the following two-for-$3 orders: the sausage biscuit and the egg & cheese biscuit for $3; and the coffee and seasoned potatoes for $3.I didn't order any other combinations, but obviously, someone can also order a sausage biscuit and potatoes for $3 or a cheese biscuit and coffee for $3, etc. First up, the sausage biscuit. This is a no-nonsense, as-plain-as-it-gets breakfast sandwich.Nancy Luna/InsiderThis is a sausage stuffed in a flaky biscuit. I love how the sausage is square; a very on-brand move for Wendy's to mimic the shape of its famous beef patties.The sausage patty was flavorful. I could taste a mix of herbs and spices such as black pepper and sage, leaving a spicy aftertaste. The sausage worked well with the biscuit.It wasn't a golden-brown biscuit, but it had the right texture. It was flaky and buttery on the outside and moist on the inside.Wendy's told Insider that the "biscuits come from a trusted supplier, and are baked fresh throughout the morning in each restaurant. They are made with real buttermilk for a buttery and flaky bite."Hot take on value: The regular price of an à la carte sausage biscuit at the restaurant I visited in Orange, California was $2.99. So, at the current value deal, this sandwich was essentially marked down 50%. The egg and cheese biscuit came next. The most noticeable part of this sandwich was the paper-thin egg it was stuffed with.Nancy Luna/InsiderThe egg looked like a round Egg McMuffin-inspired egg if someone had stepped on it. It was super flat.The egg was topped with a bright orange slice of cheese that wasn't melted. The egg and the cheese flopped over the edges of the biscuit, which was visually appealing. It made me feel like I was getting a hefty sandwich despite the paper-thin egg. Hot take on value: The regular price of an à la carte egg and cheese biscuit at the restaurant I visited in Orange was $3.19. The bundle meal offers big savings as I saved about $1.69 by buying it as part of the deal. I'm not a fan of diced or wedge breakfast potatoes. But the Wendy's crispy seasoned potatoes did elevate the breakfast meal.Nancy Luna/InsiderI'd much rather have hash browns for breakfast. But the Wendy's seasoned potatoes were quite tasty and thankfully not very greasy. I love my potatoes crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.These didn't quite deliver this flavor profile, as the wedge potatoes were very thin.Hot take on value: The Wendy's potato sleeve contained 20 potato wedges for a cost of $1.99. By ordering the wedges as part of the two-for-$3 bundle, you save about 50 cents.   After drinking coffee for more than 30 years, I gave it up in December. So, tasting coffee for the first time in months probably skewed my reaction.Nancy Luna/InsiderI gave up coffee in early December 2022 after a bout with COVID-19. Even though it's been months since I've sipped on a hot cup of Joe, I know what good coffee should taste like.I used to drink about two to three cups of coffee or espresso in the morning. And we're talking the good stuff — Lavazza and Illycaffè. I found Wendy's coffee passable for fast-food java. But it had a slightly burned taste. It could be a brewing issue or a sourcing issue. Wendy's sources its beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms, according to its website. Hot take on value: A medium coffee cost $1.79 at the restaurant I visited. Of all four items on the bundle list, this one had the least savings at about 29 cents. Overall, I was surprisingly delighted with the Wendy's breakfast value options. The biscuits were flaky, and the crispy potatoes tasted like a side order you'd get at a full-service breakfast diner. It elevated the meal compared to a standard hash brown.Wendy'sThis is a solid fast-food value deal because you save a lot of money, and the food quality is decent.I recommend this menu hack: Buy the two biscuit sandwiches for $3 and add the sausage to the egg and cheese biscuit. There's a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit on the Wendy's menu for $3.99. So, you'll save about $1 if you do it this way.Then save the second biscuit for breakfast the next morning. Just add some jam and butter. I drove less than two miles to McDonald's to try and replicate the meal I had at Wendy's.Nancy Luna/InsiderI walked into a very modern McDonald's that had only two cash registers for taking orders. Only one worker was taking orders at 9 a.m. Unlike Wendy's, where I was the only customer, this McDonald's had about a handful of people in the dining room. I decided to order from one of three kiosks in the store, so I could take my time with my order.    The kiosks were easy to navigate, making for a frictionless ordering process compared to my Wendy's experience with the cashier who had trouble understanding my order.Nancy Luna/InsiderI filtered for biscuit sandwiches. I found a sausage biscuit menu item — the same as the one at Wendy's — and I ordered it.McDonald's doesn't have a biscuit cheese and egg sandwich. The only thing that came close was the bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit sandwich. So I ordered that and removed the bacon.The kiosk made this customization very easy, but please note the sandwich still cost the same, $4.19, even with the bacon removed. I then ordered a medium coffee and a hash brown. Hot take on value: Right away, it's obvious how cheap Wendy's new breakfast deal is. My McDonald's check was $12.24. For $6 plus tax, I got nearly the same four items by taking advantage of the two-for-$3 Biggie Bundles deal at Wendy's. To be fair, the McDonald's I visited was offering a two-for-$5.50 breakfast deal that included two Sausage McMuffins with egg. The first thing I tried was the sausage biscuit. In terms of presentation, it looked better than Wendy's as the biscuit had a beautiful golden crust. But, unfortunately, it was spongy and flavorless.Nancy Luna/insiderThe biscuit and sausage looked limp like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for hours.The biscuit was not flaky at all. When I bit into the sandwich, the biscuit felt rubbery and spongy. It was thick and absorbent. I probably could have used it to wipe up a coffee spill.The sausage was greasy and flavorless like it had just been thawed from frozen, heated up in a microwave, and slapped onto the biscuit. Overall, it was disappointing. Hot take on value: The sausage biscuit at the McDonald's in Orange cost $2.19. The same sandwich at Wendy's cost $2.99. But, if you order Wendy's sausage biscuit as part of the two-for-$3 value deal, it's essentially $1.50. The Egg and Cheese Biscuit came with a beautiful folded egg. Sadly, that was the best part of this sandwich.Nancy Luna/InsiderUnlike the Wendy's biscuit, the cheese on this sandwich was fully melted on the biscuit.Instead of being layered with a freshly cracked Egg McMuffin-style round egg, the biscuit came with a beautifully folded scrambled egg. It was quite delicious. It made me want to take a second bite.But the egg didn't make up for flaws in the rest of the sandwich. The cheese was so overly melted that it seeped into the spongy layers of the biscuit. Again, the biscuit should be flaky and it wasn't. Hot take on value: This is a pricey breakfast grub at $4.19. But this sandwich comes with two slices of bacon. I removed the bacon to duplicate the cheese and egg biscuit at Wendy's, but McDonald's didn't adjust the price. At Wendy's, this sandwich cost $1.50 when included in the new two-for-$3 deal. The à la carte price at the Wendy's in Orange was $3.19. I am a hash brown freak. So I was looking forward to savoring a classic McDonald's hash brown after the letdown experience of the biscuit sandwiches. But the hash brown was terrible.Nancy Luna/InsiderI don't know what went wrong here because McDonald's usually nails it when it comes to its hash browns and french fries. But, this pathetic little hash brown, which cost $2.79, was disgusting and super greasy.It made me think someone in the kitchen hadn't changed the oil in the fryer for days. It left a metallic taste in my mouth. Hot take on value: Wendy's seasoned potatoes are superior to the McDonald's hash browns in taste and price. Even if you don't take advantage of the Wendy's two-for-$3 value deal, the seasoned potatoes at Wendy's are 80 cents cheaper than the McDonald's hash browns. McDonald's coffee tasted the same as Wendy's — bitter and burned.Two medium coffees from Wendy's and McDonald's.Nancy Luna/InsiderEven though I stopped drinking coffee last December, I still consider myself a java aficionado. The best coffee comes from organic beans that are roasted in such a way that coffee is robust and full of flavor. Good coffee can be sipped without accouterments such as sugar and cream.Both Wendy's and McDonald's needed lots of sugar and cream to make it drinkable. Hot take on value: If you need to have coffee with your breakfast, Wendy's offers the better value. A medium McDonald's coffee cost $2.19. Wendy's à la carte coffee cost $1.79, but you'll save even more if you buy Wendy's coffee as part of the two-for-$3 breakfast deal.  Overall, Wendy's exceeded my expectations. I thought the more experienced breakfast player, McDonald's, would provide me with a higher quality meal. But I was wrong.The items in the Biggie Bundles breakfast deal.Nancy Luna/InsiderWendy's hands-down won on flavor, value, and presentation.McDonald's prices were expensive for delivering such poor-quality food. They really need to improve their biscuit game, especially if they want to compete with Wendy's and Chick-fil-A.The only good thing about the McDonald's meal was the folded egg. Wendy's inflation-busting two-for-$3 deal is a great value, and it should entice McDonald's breakfast fans to give them a shot.Tim Powell, a restaurant consultant in Chicago, agreed with me. "Wendy's has really enhanced its breakfast offerings and one could argue they are superior to McDonald's especially when you factor in price and wait times," Powell, a managing principal at the consulting and insights firm Foodservice IP, said. "I think McDonlad's might have slipped on the breakfast focus post-Covid."   Before I left McDonald's, I pulled up the Starbucks app and ordered a chai latte. I had to cleanse my palate after the awful McDonald's experience.Nancy Luna/InsiderThe Starbucks app is so easy to use compared to other fast-food apps. Within seconds, I was able to order a hot chai latte with oat milk before leaving the parking lot of McDonald's.I picked up my order at a local Starbucks less than five minutes later and drank it while writing this review. Are you a fast-food insider with insight to share? Got a tip? Contact this reporter via email at nluna@insider.com.  Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Is The Goliath In Autism Research About To Fall? Authored by Amy Denney via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Autism is increasing at rapid rates, and researchers may be looking in the wrong places for the answer as to why. A newborn baby receives oral antibiotics, one of many contributing factors to alterations in the gut microbiome that modulates immunity. (Shutterstock) An extensive meta-analysis of 25 autism studies could shift the focus of research into the cause of autism from genetics to environmental triggers. That shift could open up new, revolutionary avenues for potential treatments. The research ties the disorder to changes in the gut microbiome, a community of microbes that live in the colon and are responsible for creating metabolites and other compounds crucial to our health and wellness. Many influences outside of the human body are killing these beneficial microbes, which aren’t genetically part of us but live in symbiosis with humans. The new study, published June 26 in Nature Neuroscience, has linked autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to a distinct microbial signature that’s dysbiotic, or unnaturally out of balance. As in an ecosystem, too much of certain problematic species can destroy the overall ecology or lead to problematic consequences, such as too many of certain metabolites and not enough of others. Meanwhile, autism rates are increasing at a speed that defies improved screening and diagnostic practices, as well as genetic patterns. The Centers for Disease Control released statistics in April that show the latest autism rate was 1 in 36 children in 2020, up from 1 in 44 in 2018, and 1 in 150 in 2000. Taken together, the evidence suggests that it’s time to direct resources to pinpointing exactly what it is in our environment that appears to “turn on” autism development, according to doctors who are treating patients with ASD. “Genetic diseases aren’t responsible for epidemics,” Dr. Arthur Krigsman, a specialist who treats children with ASD around the world, told The Epoch Times. “There’s something in the environment that’s triggering a gene that otherwise would be silent. There is no gene responsible for an epidemic.” Our genes are wound up tightly in DNA spirals—many of them never being used—similar to blueprints that never make their way to the manufacturer. But cues in our environment can trigger epigenetic processes that trigger some genes to get turned on or others to get turned off, dramatically changing our likelihood of developing certain diseases or attributes. The new research suggests that autism is linked to epigenetic triggers, which are influenced by the microbiome and modifiable over the course of our lifetime. Researchers will undoubtedly keep trying to tease out some of the genetic links to the neurological disorder, which is largely diagnosed in childhood. Autism has been connected to more than 100 genes so far. But the puzzle has gotten more complex with environmental associations that seem to keep growing. And the heterogeneity of ASD makes it impossible to accuse one single factor as the cause. The Epigenetic Nature of Autism Many doctors believe that autism arises when “toxic” environmental pressures are applied and trigger epigenetic changes, Dr. Mark Cannon, a professor at Northwestern University, told The Epoch Times. Toxicities can be biological and chemical but also emotional and social, and they can interfere with physiology. Examples include air pollutants, artificial food ingredients, glyphosate, medications, viruses, and even stress, which causes a biochemical cascade of changes in the body. All exert influence by changing the microbiome. This community of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi is responsible for breaking down food into metabolites, especially short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that communicate vital information to the whole body to perform digestive, neurological, and other functions. The main roles of these gut bugs are metabolism, nutrient absorption, and immune function. Microbiomes are constantly in flux, and it’s becoming impossible to define exactly what a healthy microbiome looks like because our industrial world has already altered our microbiome in severe ways. We’re only learning how to study them in detail now. That said, patterns are emerging, and studies are offering powerful clues about how diseases are linked to certain microbiome patterns. Dr. Cannon pointed to an autism study published in 2012 in Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease that showed the epigenetic nature of autism. Rats were given SCFAs from a subject with autism. The rats displayed abnormal motor movements, repetitive behavior, cognitive deficits, impaired social interactions, and other traits common in autism. The brain tissue of treated rats also showed neurochemical changes—such as innate neuroinflammation, increased oxidative stress, and glutathione depletion—consistent in patients with ASD. “Conceptually, it is the author’s opinion that the pathophysiology of ASDs may be more completely understood as being similar to conditions such as ethanol intoxication, or diabetes, and the resultant complex interactions between diet, genetics, metabolism, host microbiome, and behavior, that are well known to exist in these treatable disorders throughout the life cycle,” Dr. Derrick F. MacFabe, the study’s author, wrote. He suggested that SCFAs are the trigger of ASD or ASD behavior. SCFAs are derived from the fermentation of nondigestible polysaccharides, such as resistant starches and dietary fibers. Among their physiological functions, SCFAs are important to intestinal epithelial cell growth, which protects the gut barrier, and to inflammation regulation. “Yes, you can turn autism on,” Dr. Cannon said. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat at a conference and heard, ‘I always thought that was genetic,’ when in fact the data has never supported that.” Disempowerment of Genetics Focusing too much on genetics as the cause of disease can be a detriment to important avenues of research and treatment, and can discourage families with autistic children. Wholeheartedly embracing genetics leaves them powerless, Dr. Armen Nikogosian told The Epoch Times. In that case, for people with autism and their families, the only option is to manage the symptoms with pharmaceuticals, he said. Dr. Nikogosian shifted his entire medical practice in 2010 after one of his sons was diagnosed with autism. “That’s the message I got. That’s the message a lot of parents get,” he said. “They’re entrenched in this idea that there’s this genetic cause involved in this.” Dr. Nikogosian’s goal is to help parents who want to address the root causes of the disorder with a more holistic model of care that doesn’t rely on drug management of symptoms. He said that the development of other treatments has stagnated because of the broad denial that environmental factors are involved. “There’s absolutely, positively, no question there’s a massive input from environmental exposures,” Dr. Nikogosian said. Some exposures that he explores with patients are heavy metal and mold exposures, multiple infections, and vaccines. Clarifying, quantifying, and understanding the contributions of environmental exposures are important, as it opens doors to novel treatments. Some Environmental Influences Are Known Autism researcher James Adams said that many hypothesized risk factors continue to be validated by research. In a recent study that he conducted on a small cohort of children with autism, he discovered that common themes were prevalent throughout research. “It turns out mothers of kids with autism consumed lower fiber, less fiber than moms of typical kids. That’s important because fiber is a very important food for some gut bacteria,” he said. “You inherit most of your microbiome from your mother.” A 2021 study in Frontiers in Immunology found that there’s an uptick of SCFA production in pregnant women associated with fetal immune system development. The study connected breastfed babies with more diverse and robust microbiome development. Mr. Adams said that his research and other studies have shown formula-fed babies and those with increased use of oral antibiotics are more likely to be diagnosed with autism. Early delivery is also a risk factor for autism; the Frontiers article noted that premature birth tends to impact microbiome development. Babies delivered vaginally also have more diverse microbes and lower rates of illness than those born via cesarean section. Other common, pregnancy-related factors for ASD include maternal obesity, maternal diabetes, and complications associated with trauma, ischemia, and hypoxia, according to data reported in Neuron in 2018. A study recently published in Psychological and Cognitive Sciences that included 450 mother-child pairs noted that at age 2, children whose moms had experienced adversity as children had altered microbiomes. Other issues that moms can experience that appear to impact their babies’ microbiomes are antibiotic use and infections. The pathway between the microbiome and autism has gained several validating findings, making it difficult to deny as a causal factor. In a perfect world, physicians say, it should lead to major changes in clinical settings. “You always want to know the cause, because if you know the cause, you can stop the disease,” Dr. Krigsman said. “Stop looking for a gene that probably doesn’t exist and won’t be found. Try to find the cause, and then remedy that, remove that.” Why Cause Matters Microbiologist Kiran Krishna told The Epoch Times that what appears to be coming is similar to the global realization that smoking was causing cancer. The tobacco industry eventually couldn’t stop the number of small, cumulative studies that clearly documented the link. Mr. Krishna said that the same thing is happening regarding the connection between the microbiome and autism, and the new meta-analysis is important because it can help other researchers attract grants and funding to look more intentionally at microbes and their environmental influences. “Before this, we had smoke indicating the microbiome was involved in autism, and now we have fire,” Rob Knight, the director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation at the University of California–San Diego and a study co-author, said in a statement. There’s still a debate about whether the disease is driving dysbiosis, or the other way around. A 2021 study published in Cell concluded that dietary preferences, or restrictive eating that’s common among children with autism, is what causes changes in the microbiome. “We caution against claims that the microbiome has a driving role in ASD,” the researchers wrote. Mr. Krishna suspects that the longitudinal data from the new study will help settle any lingering doubts as to whether the microbiome is a driver of ASD. “We’re getting there because there are so many researchers globally that are interested in the microbiome,” he said. “We’re hitting that wave. There are somewhere around 10,000 published papers per year on the microbiome. That’s a tsunami. This paper … really puts a stamp that this is where we need to look.” Keeping Genetics in Perspective Jamie Morton, a corresponding author of the Nature study, told The Epoch Times that while there’s great data on how the environment shapes the microbiome, genetics will always be valuable because they determine how we’re influenced by toxic exposures. He said that the study illustrates a cultural shift driving the marriage of researchers who tend to “camp out” in their own disciplines and are now uniting for the greater good of finding the cause of autism. “That was one of the key points in our paper,” Mr. Morton said. “We wanted to highlight that when we are thinking about autism and these complex systems, you need everyone sitting in the same room. You need not just one dataset. You need all of them. You need genetics. You need microbiome. You need diet. You need metabolites, behavioral data, everything you can get your hands on.” Tyler Durden Sun, 08/27/2023 - 23:30.....»»

In this article, we will be analyzing the fish industry while covering the most consumed fish in the country. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Most Consumed Fish in the US. The Global Fish Market According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the global fish market […] In this article, we will be analyzing the fish industry while covering the most consumed fish in the country. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Most Consumed Fish in the US. The Global Fish Market According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the global fish market is expected to grow from $1.04 trillion in 2023 to $1.19 trillion by 2028, at a compound annual growth rate of 2.60% over the forecast period. In 2022, FAO reported that the aquatic food production in the world will increase by 15% by 2030. The rapidly growing fish consumption around the world can be attributed to several factors. People nowadays tend to consume protein diets which are rich in vitamins and fish is a prime example of such a diet. Other than the health benefits, the distribution systems have improved so much that imports and exports of fish can be noticed all around the world. Governments have also been offering support in terms of exports. Fish has also entered into a luxury food category where restaurants serve it as an exotic offering and hence people worldwide dine in restaurants to have prawns, tuna sandwiches, and sushi. AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQB), Pingtan Marine Enterprise (NASDAQ:PME) Ltd., and Marine Harvest ASA (NYSE:MHG) are among the renowned players in the global fish market. AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQB) farms shellfish, fish, and crustaceans. It is also known for producing genetically modified fish such as hybrid salmon, trout, and tilapia. Pingtan Marine Enterprise (NASDAQ:PME) Ltd. does fishing through its self-owned vessels in the Arafura Sea of Indonesia and the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone. It is one of the largest US-listed marine companies. Marine Harvest ASA (NYSE:MHG) is a Dallas-based fish company that owns patented proprietary technology to produce shrimps without any chemicals or preservatives. Hence, it contributes to eco-friendly and sustainable fishing practices. The US Fish Industry According to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there were 8.6 billion pounds of commercial fish caught by fisheries in the United States in 2021. The regional insights for the fish market in the United States reflect interesting trends. The main states where fisheries catch fish are Alaska, the Gulf, New England, Hawaii, the South Atlantic, the Pacific Coast, and the Middle Atlantic. Out of these, the three areas dominating the fish market are Alaska, the Gulf, and the Pacific Coast. Alaska contributes to 61.5% of the total fish volume in the country. The gulf comes second, bearing 13.3% of the fish caught. Moreover, 11.23% of the fish volume comes from the Pacific Coast. The fish caught in the country is used for several purposes. 78% of this fish which is more than half of the total volume is consumed as fresh or frozen. A smaller 15% is converted into oils. The remaining minor portion is used either for preparing canned human food or animal food. Recent Trends and Challenges Recreational fishing has been on the rise in the United States. Opposite to commercial fishing which is done for profit, this kind of fishing activity is more of a hobby or a pastime for leisure. The most common form of recreational fishing is angling where the fish is caught through a hook and line. This trend has increased since the pandemic hit the world. On August 23, 2021, the United States Geological Survey reported that fishers regarded angling as something that relieved stress for them during the pandemic at a low cost. Although this low cost comprises many small expenditures like buying fishing essentials or traveling to a place to fish, the fishing activities boomed during the pandemic which is also evident from the increase in the fishing license issues during that period. There has been a lot of emphasis on sustainable fishing practices. Hence, there is increasing pressure on fishing firms to produce, process, and distribute seafood in a sustainable manner. The concept of Blue Economy comes into existence here. Blue Economy basically refers to all the activity regarding oceans, seas, and shores. Also inculcated in the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations under the heading ‘life under water’, this concept of striking a balance between earning profits and caring about concerns such as marine life and climate risks is growing more popular in this industry. In order to pursue sustainability, inter-industry partnerships have been a norm. The Shrimp Conference is one such example. Based in the Netherlands, the Global Shrimp Forum Foundation connects all stakeholders in the shrimp industry including fishers, brands, and retailers to network and discuss their concerns. However, fishers in countries like the Philippines and Ghana operate on a small scale. On this scale, they cannot afford to invest much capital in a responsibility as big as sustainability. They also don’t have the right training and awareness regarding environmental concerns. The US fish market is also subjected to issues in the supply chain. On February 20, the National Provisioner reported that 80 to 85% of the fish demand in the US is from imports. These imports cannot be as efficient in meeting the fluctuating demand due to longer lead times for products being transported across the globe. Furthermore, companies have to pay high holding costs to store seafood at the ports once their warehouses are fully occupied. Fish Imports For the US In June 2022, the University of Florida published the economic contribution of seafood imports for the US economy. It reported that the US imports large quantities of fish, each of which serves a different purpose and proceeds through its own journey. Among different fish species, shrimp imports topped the numbers. Most of the shrimp are imported in peeled form and some as shell. The processed shrimp imports are comparatively less. Salmon serves to be the second-highest fish import in the country. The majority of salmon is imported in the form of a fillet which could be both fresh or frozen. Following salmon imports are crab and lobsters which are mainly imported in more frozen than canned forms. These imports have a significant implication on the US economy. The sectors of the US economy benefitting most from these fish imports are retail, seafood packaging, and restaurants. These imports generate a revenue of $10 billion for food and beverage stores. Full-service restaurants receive $4.7 billion from the use of this imported fish. Moreover, $3.6 billion is earned by limited-service restaurants. The seafood preparation and packaging industry generates $4 billion from these imports. Major Players The major players in the US fish market include both international and domestic companies that are involved in fish production, processing, packaging, or retail. Some of the most notable names in this market include High Liners Food Inc. (TSE:HLF), Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY), Trident Seafood Corporation, Admiralty Island Fisheries Inc., and Thai Union Group PCL (BKK:TU). Let’s take a look at each of them. High Liners Food Inc. (TSE:HLF), is a leading North American processor of value-added frozen seafood. It sells its retail branded products in different grocery stores and supermarkets in the United States under four labels namely High Liner, Fisher Boy, Mirabel, Sea Cuisine, and Catch of the Day. With three processing plants located in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Newport News, and Virginia, it supplies frozen fish to restaurants. With the goal of ‘changing the way we see food’, the company strives to supply food that is easy to prepare and unique in taste as well. On July 1, the company reported that it earned $254.3 in revenue in the second quarter of 2023, as compared to last year’s $253.5. The limited growth was attributed to the cost of holding larger inventories to fulfill the shortages that had resulted during the pandemic. Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) sells and distributes food products to different food chains, retailers, restaurants, and educational facilities through 25 production facilities in the US. The company’s subsidiaries ‘Trinity Pride’ and ‘Incredible Fish’ help it source fish products to different parts of the world including the United States. On the contrary, Buckhead and Newport are the company’s brands that supply meat. On August 1, Reuters also reported that Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) has been struggling with cost pressures as consumers have begun to spend more on necessary products than on custom-cut seafood. In this regard, the company cannot even raise prices because the customers are price-sensitive and they can’t afford to lose more. Trident Seafoods is a family-owned seafood business that emerged from fishermen in Alaska catching fish to serve the US market. It currently has its facilities in 48 states of the US. Outside America, the company serves China, Germany, and Europe. On August 15, Morningstar reported that Trident Seafoods will be shifting its plant from Dakuten to Unalaska in 2025 rather than in the previously projected 2024 since they see better opportunities in Unalaska and can no longer bear the high cost of operations. Expressing the current vulnerability of Trident Seafoods to rising inflation, regulatory conditions, and low consumer demand, here’s what the CEO, Joe Bundrant, said: “I’ve been in the industry a long time and I’ve never seen markets like this. The rate and pace at which markets are collapsing across our key species is staggering. Not only are global inventories and operating costs high, but demand is low, and some are selling at or below cost just to generate cash.” Admiralty Island Fisheries Inc. is one of the top North American frozen seafood brands responsible for the processing and distribution of wild Alaskan seafood in the United States. It has also been certified by the Stewardship Council for engaging in fishing responsibly. Products offered include salmon, halibut, black cod, and crab. Selling under the trademark ‘AquaStar’, the company serves 17 countries. Another player dominating the US market, Thai Union Group PCL (BKK:TU), is a global seller of seafood. It has its facilities in countries such as the US, France, Germany, Ghana, Poland, Portugal, Norway, Scotland, Vietnam, and Thailand. The products offered include tuna, shrimp, sardines, mackerel, salmon, pet food, and prepared foods. Thai Union Group PCL (BKK:TU) has been ranked number 1 on the Dow Jones Indices for Sustainability. It has also been successful in earning the title of awarded ‘Environmental & Social Management (ESRM) Pioneer’ for being responsible in risk management practices. Now that we have reviewed the US fish industry and some global market players, let’s look at the 25 most consumed fish in the US. Methodology In order to rank the 25 most consumed fish in the US, we sourced data from the database of The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NAOO) Fisheries, a US government agency that reports on the marine situation in the country. For this purpose, we utilized the ‘Processed Foods’ on NAOO Fisheries which states that Processed Foods refer to “any fishery product or other food product which has been altered or preserved by any recognized commercial process, including, but not limited to, filleting, canning, freezing, dehydrating, drying, the addition of chemical substances, or by fermentation”. As reported by NOAA’s Seafood Inspection Program, it certifies all edible product forms ranging from whole fish to formulated products, as well as fish meal products used for animal foods. This implies that processed fish products are available for consumption. Hence, we have considered the processed weight of Processed Foods as our metric, measured in pounds, as of 2021. Finally, we have ranked the 25 most consumed fish in the US in ascending order of their processed weight as follows: 25 Most Consumed Fish in the US 25. American Lobster Processed Weight as of 2021: 11,407,093 Pounds American Lobster is one of the most consumed fish in the US, located on the Atlantic Coast of North America. It is used in dishes like New England clam chowder and lobster roll. It is mostly found on the rocky bottoms of oceans. 24. Dungeness Crab Processed Weight as of 2021: 17,897,820 Pounds Situated on the West coast of North America is another widely consumed US fish product, the Dungeness Crab. It is mostly found on the muddy and rocky bottoms of water bodies. In appearance, this species of Crab is reddish brown and shiny. 23. King crab Processed Weight as of 2021: 20,459,677 Pounds King Crabs are located in the North Pacific coastal waters. Some of its breeds include red king crab and golden king crab. They are mostly found in the depths of oceans. They are usually grilled, steamed, and baked for consumption. 22. Rockfishes Processed Weight as of 2021: 21,699,972 Pounds Rockfishes are mostly common in California and Maryland. They tend to hide behind rocks and grow really slowly. Their light and tender fillet is liked by most Americans, making it one of the most consumed fish in the country. 21. Sablefish Processed Weight as of 2021: 27,078,835 Pounds Also known as the Black Cod is this popular US fish, the Sablefish. It is commonly located in deep waters of the Northern Pacific. It also tends to consume other fish such as squid and jellyfish. Furthermore, it resides on the muddy ocean beds. 20. Eastern Oysters Processed Weight as of 2021: 28,480,457 Pounds Found along the Eastern coasts of North and South America are these Eastern Oysters. They have a greyish-white shell. They also tend to live in more shallow waters and are classified as one of the most consumed fish in the United States. 19. Rainbow Trout Processed Weight as of 2021: 31,403,078 Pounds Rainbow Trout is found along the Western coast of North America. They tend to live in moderately shallow waters. In appearance, Rainbow Trout contains a mix of colors including white, black, pink, blue, and yellow. 18. Ocean Quahog Processed Weight as of 2021: 31,403,078 Pounds Found on the Eastern coast of the United States is another famous fish choice, the Ocean Quahog, which can live up to 200 years as reported by NOAA Fisheries. It is normally used for consumption in chowders, stews, and soups. Ocean Quahogs belong to the family of Mollusks and are one of the most preferred fish in the US. Prominent players in the global fish market include AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQB), Pingtan Marine Enterprise (NASDAQ:PME) Ltd., and Marine Harvest ASA (NYSE:MHG). 17. Sockeye Salmon Processed Weight as of 2021: 41,794,627 Pounds Sold at a comparatively high cost in the US is this breed of anadromous fish, Sockeye Salmon. It is popular among fishermen as well as chefs. It is also called Red Salmon since it tends to be red during spawning and turns blue in water. 16. Shellfish Processed Weight as of 2021: 42,083,016 Pounds Another popular type of seafood in the US is the Shellfish. It is consumed in both fresh and frozen forms. It is located in both the Pacific and the Atlantic. The Salish Sea is known to contain the most shellfish in the country, attracting many fishers around. 15. Pacific Hake Processed Weight as of 2021: 58,976,532 Pounds Consumed as fish sticks and fish fillets in abundance is the Pacific Hake. It migrates once a day from deep waters to the ocean surface. It is greyish-white in color and found off the Western coast of the United States. 14. Sea Scallops Processed Weight as of 2021: 59,900,857 Pounds Mostly found in North West Atlantic are these sea scallops which are liked in the US fish market. They are mostly seen in deep sea waters and less shallow depths. This popular fish breed tends to live on ocean floors and is one of the most sought fish in the US. 13. Atlantic Salmon Processed Weight as of 2021: 60,443,102 Pounds Native to the Atlantic Ocean is this breed of salmon which is preferred by many Americans. Most of the Atlantic Salmon are caught by the commercial fish farms in Washington however recreational fishers tend to catch any of this salmon that escapes. They are mostly found in Maine, United States. 12. Squid Processed Weight as of 2021: 62,832,013 Pounds A known fish in the United States is the Squid which is one of the most wanted species in the country. It is preferred to be eaten as seafood salad or calamari. Squids can survive in both shallow and deep waters. They also have the ability to readily change their color to camouflage themselves in their habitat. 11. Cod Processed Weight as of 2021: 66,778,020 Pounds Cod is another popular fish in the US. It is mostly found in the Pacific or Atlantic water although the Pacific Cod is larger in numbers. Cod from the Pacific is also the second largest commercial groundfish in the US. 10. Pink Salmon Processed Weight as of 2021: 91,270,158 Pounds Pacific and Arctic waters hold this popular breed of Salmon known as the Pink or humpback Salmon. It is one of the most consumed fish in the US, typically used in salmon cakes and salmon burgers. 9. Red Hake Processed Weight as of 2021: 105,162,171 Pounds Native in the Atlantic Ocean is the Red Hake which is also known as the Squirrel Hake. Red Hakes are usually reddish brown in color. They are one of the most consumed fish in the US and are often overfished from the Atlantic. 8. Tuna Albacore Processed Weight as of 2021: 106,467,976 Pounds Mostly surviving in the tropical and temperate climates of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans is this breed of Tuna called Tuna Albacore which is one of the famous fish in the US. It migrates between oceans very frequently. It is baked, grilled, or seasoned with sesame seeds as a meal in the country. 7. Catfish (farmed) Processed Weight as of 2021: 118,635,010 Pounds This farmed catfish has mild flesh and half of its global population resides in the US waters. Found mostly in North America, this fish is known for its exotic taste among Americans. 6. Surf Clams Processed Weight: 130,630,716 Pounds Surf Clams are a breed of Bivalve Mollusks. Freshwater Clams live in freshwaters while Marine Clams tend to survive in salt waters. Americans enjoy Clams by adding them to their soups, pasta, and chowders. Hence, surf clams are one of the most preferred fish for consumption in the US. Investors who are looking to increase their exposure to the US fish market can look up stocks such as AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQB), Pingtan Marine Enterprise (NASDAQ:PME) Ltd. and Marine Harvest ASA (NYSE:MHG). Click to continue reading and see 5 Most Consumed Fish in the US. Suggested articles: Top 25 Countries with the Most Facebook Users 15 Countries That Watch the Most K-Dramas 20 Most Catholic Cities in the US Disclosure: None. 25 Most Consumed Fish in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey......»»

'Bidenomics' Fail: Food Stamp Bonanza Sends Grocery Bills Soaring 15%, Study Finds In a classic move by those on the left -- democrats, socialists, and everyone in between with seemingly no grasp of what sparks inflation -- championed the Biden administration's move in 2021 to increase food stamp spending by the most in history, hiking benefits by an average of 27%.  In 2022, the Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) spending hit a record high of $119 billion, a sixfold increase over the last two decades. In 2019, taxpayers were on the hook for $4.5 billion per month on food stamp benefits. By December 2022, monthly food stamp spending soared to $11 billion.  According to findings from the government watchdog Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA), previewed by Fox News, the administration's massive expansion of food stamp benefits could be responsible for a 15% spike in grocery store prices.  FGA called Biden's rush to increase SNAP benefits an "unlawful expansion—which bypassed Congress—will cost taxpayers $250 billion over the next decade and has heavily contributed to soaring grocery prices."   "Congress should repeal President Biden's unlawful food stamp expansion and ensure this type of executive overreach cannot happen again. In doing so, Congress could save taxpayers more than $193 billion over the next decade," it added.  The good news is the emergency allotments expired earlier this year, but food stamp spending remains $8.6 billion in March. The Congressional Budget Office estimates SNAP spending will cost taxpayers nearly $1.1 trillion over the next decade.  "USDA cooked their books to hike food stamp benefits by 27% — the largest permanent increase in program history. And they bypassed Congress to do it," said Jonathan Ingram, Vice President of Policy and Research at the Foundation for Government Accountability. Ingram noted, "Data show the Biden administration's overreach led to massive spikes in grocery prices. They're feeding inflation, not stopping hunger." The index for food at home (groceries) has skyrocketed ever since Biden increased SNAP benefits.  As food inflation soared, Biden's officials, seemingly detached from economic reality, pointed the finger at food companies for raging food inflation.  Remember this? If FGA is correct, this is another sign that 'Bidenomics' has been a disaster for low/mid-tier consumers drowning in inflation.  It's one giant EBT party... Tyler Durden Fri, 08/25/2023 - 21:30.....»»

The history of Costco: Founded in 1983 in Seattle, Washington, Costco now has 852 locations around the world and more than 124 million cardholders. Sales at Costco rocketed from zero to $3 billion in less than six years.STR New / Reuters Costco is a wholesale club that sells a wide range of products and services to fee-paying members. Founded in 1983 in Seattle, Washington, the company built off a concept pioneered by earlier stores. Costco made nearly $227 billion in revenue last year and is the third largest retailer in the world. Costco is a members-only wholesale club that offers a variety of products and services at extremely competitive prices.The company was founded in 1983 by Jim Sinegal and Jeff Brotman, who opened the first Costco warehouse in Seattle, Washington.Now, 40 years later, Costco is the third largest retailer in the world with 852 locations, over 124 million cardholders, and more than $227 billion in annual revenue.Here's how the wholesale club redefined retail.The story of Costco begins decades before the first store launched in 1983 with FedMart, a discount department store for government employees.Jim Sinegal got his start at FedMart.Costaricky/Wikimedia CommonsFedMart was founded by entrepreneur Sol Price. Jim Sinegal started his career at FedMart and thought of Price as a mentor.The pair developed and refined the wholesale club strategy together at FedMart, which was one of the first general merchandise retailers to expand into other categories like groceries, gasoline, and prescription drugs.Sam Walton liked what Price and Sinegal were doing with FedMart in California so much that he opened the first Walmart in Arkansas 1962.Sam Walton was inspired by FedMart.Associated Press"I guess I've stolen – I actually prefer the word 'borrowed' – as many ideas from Sol Price as from anybody else in the business," Walton later said.After an investor forced Price out of FedMart, he leaned more heavily into the membership model in 1976 with Price Club.Merchandise at a Price Club warehouseKeith Beaty/Toronto Star via Getty ImagesPrice wanted his store to be a wholesale supplier for small businesses, and he opened his first location in an old aircraft hangar that was once used by aviator Howard Hughes.In 1983, Sinegal and Walton each launched members-only warehouse clubs — Costco and Sam’s Club — that bore striking resemblance to Price Club.The first Sam's ClubWalmart MuseumThe basic concept across each company was the same: shoppers pay a fee in order to gain access to the bargain pricing. In each case, the business relies on membership fees more than product markups to earn a profit.Company sales in that first year reached $101 million, plus $1.3 million in membership fees, according to SEC filings.A Costco opening flyer.Courtesy of Costco WholesaleIn the beginning, non-members could shop as long as they paid a 5% surcharge on their purchases. There are still a few ways to shop at Costco without a membership. Sales at Costco rocketed from zero to $3 billion in less than six years — a first for any company in history, according to the company.Costco became a publicly traded company in 1985.Courtesy of Costco WholesaleCostco became a publicly traded company in 1985, initially offering shares for $10. Due to several stock splits, one initial Costco share would be six today, worth a total of more than $3,200.Despite their similarities, Costco, Price Club, and Sam's Club weren't direct competitors, as each had a sizable geographic territory in which to expand.A map comparing locations of Costco, Price Club, and Sam's Club.WalmartPrice Club was largely in the Southwest, centered in San Diego, while Arkansas-based Sam's Club had the Midwest and Southeast, and Costco took the Northwest, headquartered in the Seattle area.One way Costco found to keep prices low was to sharply limit the number of different products in its inventory.Costco only carries around 4,000 unique products.Courtesy of Costco WholesaleEven today, Costco only carries around 4,000 unique products in its assortment — referenced by stock-keeping-unit codes or SKUs — while typical supermarkets carry 30,000 or more.In 1993, Price Club and Costco joined forces and began operating as PriceCostco with 206 locations and $16 billion in annual sales.Price Club and Costco joined forces in 1993.Courtesy of Costco WholesaleMemberships from each brand were honored by the other.The company dropped the awkward PriceCostco branding in 1997 and reverted to Costco.Larry Downing/ReutersA few remaining Price Club locations were rebranded to Costco at this time as well.In its 20th anniversary year, Costco had 430 warehouses in North America, Asia, and the UK, over 40 million membership cardholders, and generated $42.5 billion in revenue.VCG/VCG via Getty ImagesThat year the company ranked ninth among the world's largest retailers.US warehouses that year generated an average of $112 million in annual sales, while 11 locations exceeded $200 million.A Costco warehouse in 2004.Jeff Zelevansky/ReutersCostco also opened its fifth Business Center that year, a concept that caters more to small business owners than to household shoppers.Sinegal retired as CEO on January 1, 2012, handing the leadership to the company's head of merchandising, Craig Jelinek.Jim Sinegal retired in 2012.SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty ImagesSinegal continued to serve as Company Advisor and Director, ultimately retiring from the Board in 2018.Jelinek had also previously worked for FedMart, and was one of Costco's early hires in the 1980s, rising to vice president in 2004 and currently CEO.Current CEO Craig Jelinek also began his career at FedMart.Nati Harnik/APJelinek was in charge of opening Costco's sixth location and helped the company expand in Nevada and California. As vice president of merchandising oversaw a range of priorities including e-commerce, foods, and pharmacy.Costco became the third largest retailer in the world in 2014, a ranking it still holds today behind Walmart and Amazon.Costco brought in $217 billion in sales in 2022.Scott Olson/Getty ImagesWalmart made more than $600 billion in worldwide retail sales in 2022, followed by Amazon at $343 billion, and Costco at $217 billion, per the National Retail Federation.Costco turns 40 this year with 852 locations around the world and more than 124 million membership cardholders.Costco has gained a loyal following byGene J. Puskar/APCostco has made more than $235 billion in revenue over the past four quarters.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»