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TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Snoop Dogg has nearly as many ties to football as he does to rap music. The entertainer coached youth football for years and created the Snoop League, an after-school program for inner city Los Angeles youths. Snoop has been a guest analyst on football broadcasts and his son, Cordell Broadus, played Division I football. When Snoop took his latest step, becoming the sponsor of a bowl game, he had a demand: Find a way for all players in the game to receive name, image and likeness (NIL) money. “This was Snoop's idea,” said Kym Adair, executive director of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice. “He was having conversations with people he knows in the college football world and I got a call that said he wants us to be the first bowl to make this commitment and that's what we did.” The beneficiaries are Colorado State and Miami (Ohio), who will conclude their seasons Saturday at Arizona Stadium in the Arizona Bowl. The bowl is classified as a 501(c)(3), so all revenue goes to charity. And, being one of the few bowls not tied to ESPN, it opens the door for unique sponsorship opportunities. The bowl was previously sponsored by Barstool Sports and the digital media company used its own cast of characters on the broadcast, which was streamed on its digital platforms. Snoop Dogg takes over this year. The rapper/entertainer is the latest celebrity to sponsor a bowl, following the footsteps of Jimmy Kimmel and Rob Gronkowski at the LA Bowl. And, Snoop being Snoop, he wanted to put his own spin on his own bowl. “College football fans are exhausted by the constant talk around NIL, conference realignment, coach movement, transfer portal and super conferences,” Snoop said in a video posted on social media. “So it’s time that we get back to the roots of college football — when it was focused on the colleges, the players and the competition, the community, the fan experience and the pageantry.” With that will be an NIL component. The bowl can't pay players just for playing in the bowl, but both teams participated in football clinics on Friday and will get paid for their services. Other bowls have given single players NIL opportunities, but this is believed to be the first to offer it to every player on both teams. “I love the fact that the Arizona Bowl is unique and tries new things, and obviously having Snoop here is unique,” Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said. “The NIL component, it’s the future. It’s what football has become now. We think it’s fantastic for our kids and then the interaction with the kids is the hidden gem of the whole thing.” The NIL component of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl comes a month after a similar effort in The Players Era Festival basketball tournament in Las Vegas. The eight-team tournament said it paid out $9 million in NIL money to participating players for activities outside the competition. It also offered $50 million in NIL opportunities over the next three years for services and activities compliant with NCAA regulations. Are the Players Era Festival and Arizona Bowl the start of a new future? It is not out of the question in big-time college athletics, where schools are already preparing for the era of revenue sharing with players next year. “Revenue sharing between the players and the athletic departments is already on the horizon, so whether that takes the place of these types of arrangements or they're completely separate has yet to be determined," Adair said. "We're just trying to be flexible, ahead of the curve and make an impact any way we can.” Just the way Snoop wants it. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Dean Prediger is Kimberley's new Manager of Parks and FacilitiesThe Grok AI chatbot on Twitter/X can now take any image or meme and provide a detailed description. In 2023, Elon Musk debuted Grok, an AI chatbot used exclusively on Twitter/X. The feature is available for premium users who pay for their membership. With continued development, the AI chatbot is now able to describe any meme or image for premium X users, no matter how complicated. Its answers, though, can be somewhat satirical, especially when used in “fun” mode, and are meant to make the user laugh. Two variations of Grok have been released since its debut, with a third version currently in the works. In October, Musk announced the Grok initiative on X, saying the feature would “rapidly improve.” On December 10, the X owner gave further details about how Grok works. “You can also upload any image to Grok, including memes, and it will explain what they mean,” he said. You can also upload any image to Grok, including memes, and it will explain what they mean https://t.co/tfM8k63AJu Elon Musk intended to make Grok funny Social media users seem to like the new AI feature, as many agreed that it was a ‘winning’ idea, adding that AI was “getting scary good.” One X user also commented on how Grok is superior to other AI chatbots. “I love Grok and I have used about everything out there over the last 5 years,” they said. “Guys, don’t sleep on Grok Analysis, it is really good. It can break down memes and contextual understanding. It’s freaking awesome,” wrote popular X account ‘AutismCapital’ which included Grok’s analysis of a Barron Trump meme. Guys, don't sleep on Grok Analysis, it is *really* good. It can break down memes and contextual understanding. It's freaking awesome. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BTSVrWVTbi After developing Grok, Musk noted that if AI was going to take over the internet, or more, the least he could do was turn his AI chatbot into something comical. “We worked hard to ensure Grok was funny. If AI is going to take over, please let it at least make us laugh,” Musk tweeted. Related: We worked hard to ensure Grok was funny. If AI is going to take over, please let it at least make us laugh. In November, Musk announced his plans to extend his platform with groundbreaking AI technology. With a love for video games, the X owner said he wanted to start his own AI game studio to make video games “great again.” “I think if you apply AI to a video game, you could really make it just an incredible video game,” he said to a fan who proposed the idea at a convention.The Oregon women’s basketball team has multiple players sidelined due to injury for its final non-conference games, and one player taking time away from the team for personal reasons. Ducks coach Kelly Graves provided multiple updates to reporters Thursday morning. Sofia Bell, Salimatou Kourouma and Sammie Wagner are all expected to miss Oregon’s games against Air Force and UC Irvine next week due to injury. While specific details were sparse on the nature of their injuries, Graves noted that Kourouma is getting closer to her season debut for the Ducks, Wagner will be out “a few more weeks,” and Bell — injured against USC on Saturday — could be out “a while” as her timeline has yet to be determined. Freshman guard Katie Fiso is back home in Seattle and has been away from the team after the recent passing of her father, Graves said. “She’s taking a little bit of time off to be with her family right now, which I think is important. Especially around the holidays,” Graves said. “This is a tough time when you’ve lost a parent.” The Ducks (7-3, 0-1 Big Ten) host Air Force (9-1) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, and UC Irvine (6-3) at 6 p.m. on Dec. 19, both at Matthew Knight Arena. -- Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten Conference. Listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast or subscribe to the Ducks Roundup newsletter .
Fewer US grandparents are taking care of grandchildren, according to new dataNews Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News. It’s been a rough couple of years for the Territory. In fact, the past decade has been a bit of a battle. An economy stuck in neutral, spiralling public debt, rising crime and social dysfunction and a series of underwhelming governments have combined to leave the Territory on struggle street. There’s perhaps no better indicator of our plight than Darwin house prices. At its peak in May 2014, Darwin’s median house price was a tick over $645,000. More than 10 years on – and even with the benefit of an artificial spike driven by a temporarily shifting population and record low interests rates during Covid - that median house price has gone backwards by about 10 per cent. Today it sits at just over $580,000. For those who bought at or around the peak, it means they’ve spent a decade with little, no, or even negative equity in their most significant asset. Aerial view of Darwin's Waterfront Precinct. That factor alone can have a devastating impact on the local economy, drying up discretionary spending and in the process making it more difficult for businesses to turn a decent profit. Our net interstate migration, which has reached record lows in the past two years, would perhaps be worse if not for the fact so many people would be forced to sell their home at a loss if they wanted to up stumps and leave. But as we head into 2025, could there finally be cause for some optimism? Could this be the year we finally turn the corner? Real estate agents are not a traditionally reliable source of information when assessing the future prospects of a housing market, but many are quietly talking about a recent uptick that has the potential to continue. It’s being driven by many things, among them the fact that our housing market has fallen so far it now represents outstanding value to studious investors. You can buy an established home in Darwin for a price significantly less than what it costs to build a new one, and that’s before you add the cost of the land. But there are also signs the economy is turning. Gas from the Barossa field will be exported to Darwin LNG via a new export pipeline tied into the existing Bayu-Darwin Pipeline. Supplied Next year will see Santos process the first gas from its Barossa field at the Darwin LNG plant. After fighting off a series of legal challenges, Barossa will be full steam ahead in 2025, delivering 350 permanent jobs in the Top End for the next 20 years, with an estimated $2.5 billion worth of wages and contracts expected to flow for Territorians. Empire Energy and Tamboran Resources are expecting to produce their first gas from the Beetaloo Basin by the end of 2025. This will help keep out lights on in the short-term and has the potential to create thousands of jobs and provide much-needed royalties for the NT Government. Interestingly, Santos has had a recent change of heart on its position in relation to the Beetaloo. Tamboran Resources Shenandoah South Pilot Project site amid the vast Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory. Speaking at an Energy Club lunch in Darwin in February, Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher said the uncertain regulatory framework in Australia and the company’s bruising legal battles when trying to develop Barossa meant it was unlikely to pursue development in the Beetaloo any time soon. “Until we tighten up the (regulations) until approval means approval, it’s very difficult to see (investment),” he said. “Would I be throwing a lot of capital into the Beetaloo right now? Not on your Nellie because I don’t know when I’m ever going to get a return on it.” But a changing political landscape and a growing acceptance that there is no renewable energy future without gas playing a significant role has Santos singing from a different song sheet. “We’re looking to actually do some further appraisal in 2026 and we’re really excited about just how supportive the new Northern Territory government is to actually exploiting these opportunities,” Santos executive vice president Brett Darley said following the company’s Darwin board meeting earlier this month. “This is a fantastic resource for us.” Diggers on parade at Robertson Barracks. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL Darwin will also benefit from a shift in Defence resources. The Australian Army’s 7RAR has just returned to Darwin to rejoin 5RAR after a decade in Adelaide. Significant upgrades continue at Robertson Barracks and Tindal Air Base, and next year Japanese troops will join US Marines for training exercises in the Top End. All of this could mean the Territory’s economic prospects will finally show some improvement in 2025. This might be an overly optimistic view. But if your glass isn’t half full at the start of the year, when will it be? Here’s to better days ahead. More Coverage The Territory resource that’s driving a private investment boom Camden Smith Deploying the ADF domestically causes ‘tension’, report finds Harry Brill Originally published as Matt Cunningham analysis of major infrastructure impacts on NT economy Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories News Bill could top $35K after Katherine servo smash-and-grab: Police Katherine Police are investigating after a service station was targeted overnight , with tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes stolen, and damage caused. Read more News Deploying the ADF domestically causes ‘tension’, report finds While the tragedy of Cyclone Tracy provided the ADF a blueprint in how to deliver effective disaster relief, a new report notes a “perceived tension” lingers around the issue of deploying troops in a domestic context. Read moreRedefining motion capture with innovative flying action cameras and the award-winning HOVERAir Beacon LAS VEGAS , Dec. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Zero Zero Robotics , a pioneering tech company in intelligent devices, announced their participation at CES 2025, where the company will showcase its HOVERAir X1 series of self-flying cameras at booth # 56045 , Venetian, Level 2, Halls A-D. Designed to simplify aerial cinematography, the HOVERAir lineup includes the pocket-sized HOVERAir X1, the action-focused HOVERAir X1 PRO, and the Professional grade HOVERAir X1 PROMAX. Zero Zero will also celebrate its 2025 CES Innovation Awards Honoree title in Audio/Video Components & Accessories for the HOVERAir Beacon, an intelligent modular controller that redefines precision tracking and control. The introductory model in the HOVERAir lineup, HOVERAir X1 , weighs just 125g and delivers an effortless aerial photography experience with no controller or app required. With over five pre-programmed flight paths, including Hover, Follow, Zoom Out, Orbit, and Bird's Eye, it's perfect for capturing cinematic moments in everyday life. Its 2.7K video resolution, palm launch capabilities, and robust computer vision algorithms make it the ultimate everyday and travel companion. Building on the success of the X1, Zero Zero introduced the HOVERAir X1 PRO and HOVERAir X1 PROMAX in August 2024 to meet the demands of action enthusiasts and professional creators. The X1 PRO offers 4K/60fps video with a 104° field of view for versatile shooting conditions. The X1 PROMAX delivers stunning 8K /30fps video with 4K /120fps slow-motion capabilities, a 1/1.3" CMOS sensor, and 14 stops of dynamic range for cinematic footage. Both models feature advanced AI tracking, Level 5 wind resistance, and a lightweight, durable HEMTM frame. "Our vision has always been to create flying cameras that are effortless, intelligent, and fun to use," said MQ Wang, Founder & CEO of Zero Zero Robotics. "The HOVERAir series puts professional-grade aerial cinematography in the palm of your hand, whether you're capturing casual moments or pushing creative boundaries." Adding to these innovations, the HOVERAir Beacon enhances control and precision for the series. The Beacon features a patented Tri-state modular design with two detachable joysticks, enabling one-handed and full-featured two-handed controls. It activates HoverLinkTM for precise tracking with up to a 1 km transmission range, while the 1.78" OLED display allows real-time footage monitoring. Equipped with AI-powered noise cancellation, the Beacon sets a new standard for audio and video recording during aerial shoots. "We're excited to bring the HOVERAir X1 series and Beacon to CES 2025, where we're redefining how motion is captured, tracked, and controlled," continued Wang. "These tools empower creators and adventurers to document their journeys with breathtaking precision and ease." Zero Zero Robotics invites attendees to stop by Booth #56045 to experience the HOVERAir X1 series in action and witness its unparalleled performance. Media wishing to interview Zero Zero Robotics personnel should contact Borjana Slipicevic. About Zero Zero Robotics Zero Zero Robotics was co-founded in 2014 by Stanford PhDs MQ Wang and Tony Zhang , specializing in embedded AI technology for intelligent devices. Known for its innovative machine vision and high-precision control systems, ZeroZero has team members who are dreamers, engineers, inventors, and builders hailing from top universities and research institutions around the world. Zero Zero Robotics holds more than 140 core patents and has pioneered technologies like fully enclosed portable propeller designs and bi-copter designs, cementing its place as a leader in intelligent device development. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2587719/20241225_CES.jpg View original content: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/zero-zero-robotics-showcases-bestselling-hoverair-x1-series-at-ces-2025-302339226.htmlMeta shares hit record high after US appeals court upholds TikTok ban
LONDON, Ontario, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (“ ”) (TSXV: PRH) announced that, due to the ongoing Canada Post strike, it has decided to cancel the annual general and special shareholders meeting currently scheduled for January 31, 2025. Certain equity compensation matters will require disinterested shareholder approval and therefore Pearl River needs to ensure that it meets the delivery obligations under applicable securities legislation. Pearl River will set a new date for the shareholders meeting once the strike is over. Pearl River also announced that its current auditor, Crowe MacKay LLP, has indicated that it will need to resign due to compliance with Canadian Public Accountability Board rules, which require the current auditor’s engagement partner for an audit to be turned over every seven (7) years. Unfortunately, Crowe MacKay LLP does not have any other partners with sufficient capacity to complete Pearl River’s audit, and therefore it is unable to comply with this requirement. Pearl River is currently in the process of engaging a new auditor, and will make a further announcement once the new auditor has been appointed by the Pearl River Board of Directors. Through its subsidiaries, Pearl River’s principal business is the manufacturing and distribution of plastic products in China, Australia and the United States of America. For further information please contact: George Lunick CEO T: (519) 645-0267 E: This news release may contain certain forward-looking information. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information in respect of the date for the shareholders meeting and the appointment of a new auditor. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. This forward-looking information reflects Pearl River’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Pearl River and on assumptions Pearl River believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the ability of Pearl River to set up a new shareholders meeting in due course and the ability of Pearl River to engage a new auditor. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Pearl River to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; capital market conditions and market prices for securities; the actual results of current development or operational activities; competition; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting Pearl River; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. A description of other of other risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information may be found in Pearl River’s disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Pearl River does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
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JONATHAN BROCKLEBANK: I'm with Kirsty Young ... the forced jollity of Hogmanay is awful (and not just because it ruins my birthday) Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By JONATHAN BROCKLEBANK FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 20:10, 12 December 2024 | Updated: 20:33, 12 December 2024 e-mail View comments I have a colleague I used to greet every morning by asking how she was. ‘Awesome!’ she would say. And, though she really should have known better, she would fire the same question back at me. ‘Average,’ I would reply. Our conversation often went no further than that. She was feeling awesome and I was feeling average. What possible topic could bridge the chasm in our experiences of a weekday morning? I offer this as a small scene setter for what I am about to say about Hogmanay. You may decide - possibly rightly - that my reluctance to yield to the stupefying wonder of Scotland’s Biggest Night is more a ‘me’ problem than a New Year’s Eve problem. If you are already leaning that way, let me give you some more ammunition. Hogmanay also happens to be my birthday. For more than 50 years I’ve witnessed the annual overshadowing of my day by my nation’s night. At around 3pm on Hogmanay, to help me smile about it, I usually post a passive aggressive message on Facebook thanking people for their birthday wishes but pointing out that it’s time to clear the stage to make way for the main event. Yes, my birthday is a mere support act; Scotland’s Hogmanay - because, of course, no one does it like we do here - is the perennial headliner. I am aware of the potentially damning implications of this revelation for any objectivity I may have to bring on the question of whether the headline act is any good or not. But let me say anyway that it rarely lives up to its billing - and when Scottish broadcaster Kirsty Young suggested much the same thing this week, I almost whooped with joy that someone else gets it. The forced jollity of Hogmanay is not for everyone The issue is not so much with the observance - public or private - of the passing of the old year into the new one. It is with the mandatory mood of excitement that attaches to the minute hand on a clock face ticking towards midnight - with the obligatory release of euphoria as the bells sound. Is that a chime or a toll? Hard to discern in all the hysteria. Ms Young rightly points out that the pressure to party is most intense in Scotland because we have appearances to keep up. We are, after all, keepers of the Hogmanay flame. Temper our merrymaking just a smidgen and another land may snatch it away. Where would our national pride be then? ‘I think it’s because I’m a Scot,’ says Ms Young of her attitude to New Year, ‘You’re absolutely forced [to believe] it’s the biggest night of the year. And then when you go to the biggest party, it’s the worst party.’ It is the ‘forced jollity’ of it which makes a quiet whisky at home with her husband and bed by quarter past 12 so much more appealing. I too have all but given up on trying to ‘make a night’ of Hogmanay. There is always someone determined to make a bigger night of it than I want to. It becomes an arms race of indulgence - a poker game filled with lunatic stakes-raisers. ‘What’s the matter with you?’ they challenge as I decline the tumbler with three fingers of straight whisky. ‘It’s New [ITALS] Year [CLOSE]!’ Kirsty Young announced earlier this week New Year's celebrations were not for her Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Advertisement Their point is I am getting the night wrong. They are judging me and I, indignant at that, am judging them right back. These are the consequences of forced jollity for rebels who will decide for themselves - not have it decided for them - whether they are having a good time. And, if I may, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one is an occasion to which we rebels really must insist on the validity of our emotional response. Is it properly a cause for celebration or rather a certain thoughtfulness about our lives, where we have been, where we are going and, at the beginning of the new calendar chapter, how to get there? Are rooms awash with alcohol conducive to such personal reflections? Is the all-day hangover on January 1 really the best foot we can put forward for 2025? I do not say Hogmanay parties always disappoint, but I find the best ones creep up on those present. They work their charm; they do not command, as too many Scots are wont do, that fun will be had by all. At the last such party I was at, there was an impromptu performance of the Charleston by several guests as it dawned on them around 1am they were living in the twenties. It was a hoot - and it was the spontaneity which delighted. Had this been planned like some military campaign days in advance I suspect I may have found an excuse to miss it. But it is at home - as it usually is - that this Hogmanay veteran foresees bringing in the new year in two and a half weeks’ time. I’ll be in the company of one of those Charleston dancers from early 2020 who understands that bittersweet and complex emotions are OK too during the festive season. There will be no birthday party. My last one, my 50th, was the final social event my mother attended before she died the following April - a consideration far more pertinent for me than the fact it was really a New Year party with a birthday cake interlude. Hogmanay will bring reflections on the ones we used to know when she was in her pomp. We would wonder, after midnight, whether there would be first footers. Occasionally family friends did appear at the door. The first one across the threshold was supposed to be male, dark-haired and bearing a lump of coal. To bring luck, it used to sit on our hearth for the entirety of the year that followed. Our moods were invariably light at this hour, long past bedtime. Rikki Fulton’s annual Hogmanay sketch show Scotch and Wry had seen to that. It is this programme I think about every New Year’s Eve, no matter how many Jools Holland Hootenannies I have sat through in the intervening decades. We’ll switch over from Jools to the Beeb for the Bells a couple of minutes before midnight. We always do. And there’ll be pictures of Edinburgh Castle and, a moment or two later, fireworks over the city. There always are. Someone in the studio - it’s Amy Irons this year - will be laying it on thick about the brilliant party Scotland is having. The lady and I at home on the sofa will take that on advisement. Is it my imagination or have Scotland’s Hogmanay bashes become more crucial to our sense of selves in the present century? Have we always been so concerned about the rest of the world knowing we’re giving it laldy? I will raise a glass to you and yours at the appointed hour, Kirsty, if I remember. You told it like it is. And, if you’re partying this year, cheers to you too. You have every right to aspire to a night of awesomeness. I’ll happily settle for an average Hogmanay. If it turns out any better than that I’ll let you know. Chinese New Year Kirsty Young Share or comment on this article: JONATHAN BROCKLEBANK: I'm with Kirsty Young ... the forced jollity of Hogmanay is awful (and not just because it ruins my birthday) e-mail Add commentPercentages: FG .519, FT .868. 3-Point Goals: 2-14, .143 (Jones 1-1, Martindale 1-2, Barbee 0-1, Cain 0-1, Thibiant 0-1, Beard 0-2, Washington 0-2, Fuller 0-4). Team Rebounds: 3. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 5 (Jones 3, Martindale, Washington). Turnovers: 10 (Beard 3, Fuller 2, Lewis 2, Jones, Martindale, Washington). Steals: 6 (Jones 2, Brinson, Fofana, Lewis, Washington). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .339, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 10-30, .333 (Lee 2-2, Shogbonyo 2-4, Craig 2-5, Lopez-Sanvicente 1-1, Pickett 1-3, Addo-Ankrah 1-5, Akins 1-5, Bowen 0-1, Carney 0-2, Mani 0-2). Team Rebounds: 6. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 2 (Lopez-Sanvicente 2). Turnovers: 13 (Craig 4, Akins 3, Lopez-Sanvicente 3, Bowen, Lee, Shogbonyo). Steals: 4 (Craig 2, Lopez-Sanvicente, Mani). Technical Fouls: None. A_109 (7,321).Bath & Body Works Candle Day: How to Get the Discount
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