Michael Reagan: Don’t let politics spoil Thanksgiving
New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns
Gavi blasts ‘stupid’ Barcelona after Celta Vigo drawHow five top CEOs described the AI boom in 2024Labour Government's welfare cuts branded ‘vile and out of touch’ by Scottish parties
A thrill ride manufacturer that has designed a 1,000-foot-tall roller coaster that would shatter all height and speed records is looking for a theme park willing and able to build the towering behemoth. The once-impossible dream of a 1,000-foot-tall coaster is now feasible and in top-secret development by an unnamed ridemaker, according to Dennis Speigel, an industry expert with International Theme Park Services. “The project is still under heavy wraps with the final international location yet to be announced,” Speigel wrote on the ITPS website. “But the progress is quite well along and so far is nothing short of breathtaking in every sense of the meaning.” The 1,000-footer would be twice as tall as any coaster ever built and smash a new record for world’s tallest coaster, about to be set in 2025. Six Flags announced in November that its 456-foot-tall Kingda Ka coaster in New Jersey would be removed and replaced by a new record-breaking launch coaster in 2026. The 2005 Kingda Ka held the title of world’s tallest coaster for two decades. The 415-foot-tall Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain now reigns as the tallest operating coaster in the world while the 420-foot-tall Top Thrill 2 coaster at Ohio’s Cedar Point remains closed for repairs. Falcon’s Flight will become the world’s tallest coaster at a skyscraping 640 feet when the new ride debuts in 2025 at Six Flags Quiddiya in Saudi Arabia. Speigel got a sneak preview of the 1,000-foot-tall coaster by the as-yet-unidentified ride manufacturer that swore him to secrecy. Technological advancements in computer- and AI-assisted design have made the pipe dream of a 1,000-foot-tall coaster a real possiblity, according to Speigel. “It’s only a matter of time and financial investment before this aspiration becomes a reality,” Speigel wrote on the ITPS website. The record-setting coaster will need to be built on a swath of land large enough to accommodate the amount of track needed for the launch and run out on either side of the 1,000-foot precipice. The structural engineering team behind the project has designed a coaster that can withstand immense vertical and lateral forces, according to Speigel. He added that an “ingenious” braking system will help control the incredible speeds of the coaster that will likely require riders to wear safety goggles. ___________ ©#YR@ MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Malik Nabers has extremely harsh criticism of GiantsWhy eggs have gotten so expensive
Italian journalist arrested in Iran: Rome
US House task force releases report on AI regulation with 66 key findings, 85 recommendations
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mark Few liked what he saw unfold at San Diego State's Viejas Arena when his No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs made their first foray outside of Spokane, Washington, this season. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mark Few liked what he saw unfold at San Diego State's Viejas Arena when his No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs made their first foray outside of Spokane, Washington, this season. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mark Few liked what he saw unfold at San Diego State’s Viejas Arena when his No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs made their first foray outside of Spokane, Washington, this season. A double-digit victory in a packed, loud arena. Toughness from a deep, experienced lineup that once again is driven to win an elusive national championship. And, peeking a few seasons ahead, he saw an SDSU team that he views more as a future Pac-12 partner than rival. Behind big man Graham Ike and guard Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga displayed its size, speed and strength in beating Brian Dutcher’s young, hobbled squad 80-67 on Monday night. The Bulldogs returned the favor after SDSU won 84-74 last December at The Kennel in Spokane, which ended their 59-game nonconference winning streak. Both teams reached the Sweet Sixteen last season. Gonzaga is the only team in the nation to reach the Sweet Sixteen the last nine seasons as the Bulldogs extended their streak of NCAA Tournament appearances to 25 straight. Back in Spokane on Wednesday night, the Zags improved to 5-0 by routing Long Beach State 84-41, no doubt firing up expectations in the Lilac City and beyond. In a college sports climate dominated by NIL and the transfer portal, the Zags are stacked. Of the 12 possible players who could return from last year, 10 did, including all four starters. They returned 81% of last season’s scoring and 71% of their rebounding. Six of its top seven scorers are back, along with 81.4% of minutes played. “We’re tougher,” Few said. “We’re physically tougher, we’re mentally tougher, at least so far in the season. A lot of the same guys from last year. That’s what happens when you stick around a couple of years. “You’ve got to have both to be able to go on the road in a place like this and dig out wins,” Few added. “That’s one thing San Diego State is going to bring. They’re going to bring physicality, they’re going to bring great athleticism, they’re going to challenge you in every facet of the game.” Hoops powerhouse Gonzaga announced on Oct. 1 that it will move from the West Coast Conference, where it has dominated for most of the last quarter-century, into a Pac-12 conference being rebuilt around football. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, Gonzaga will become the eighth member along with holdovers Washington State and Oregon State, and fellow newcomers Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Utah State and Colorado State from the Mountain West. While not as dominant as the Zags, the Aztecs have been one of the West Coast’s best programs for several years, first under Steve Fisher and then Dutcher, his longtime assistant who is in his eighth season as head coach. “They’re just going to be such a great partner, because they value basketball and they support basketball,” said Few, who’s in his 26th season as head coach. “They understand, when you have a national program like we both have, it pays unbelievable dividends to the university, to the community, to the city and the state, like the Northwest and down here. They get that. We’re looking for other like-minded places to partner with us.” Few said he would often chat with Fisher about the possibility of the Zags and Aztecs playing in the same conference. Fisher watches Aztecs games with his wife, Angie, from the second row above Steve Fisher Court. “We talked about it forever,” Few said. “I’m happy for Dutch. He’s doing a great job.” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. San Diego State reached its first Final Four in 2023, when Lamont Butler’s thrilling buzzer-beater against Florida Atlantic lifted the Aztecs into the national championship game, where they lost 76-59 to UConn. SDSU was routed again by UConn, 82-52, in last season’s Sweet Sixteen, while Gonzaga lost to Purdue. Gonzaga opened this season with a 101-63 win against then-No. 8 Baylor at the Spokane Arena. It was Gonzaga’s biggest victory margin over a top-10 opponent, over a team it lost to in the 2021 national title game in Indianapolis. Nembhard, who had 19 points and 10 assists against the Aztecs, said the Zags “did a really good job, actually,” of handling the pressure of playing at Viejas Arena. “Every time they went on a little run and the crowd got loud, we did a good job staying composed and trusting our offensive sets.” Nembhard will be gone when the Bulldogs and Aztecs are in the Pac-12 together, but thinks “the rivalry will be great. This is a great program. I played them a couple of times at Creighton, and they always gave us a tough game. They have a great fan base, a great coach over there, and they play really hard. I think it’ll be a great rivalry to come.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball Advertisement Advertisement
Mr Harris spoke to Charlotte Fallon, a disability worker with St Joseph’s Foundation, after a clip of an exchange between them on Friday went viral. RTE footage posted to the social media site X shows Mr Harris on a canvass in Kanturk when Ms Fallon tells the Taoiseach carers “were ignored” and the Government has “done nothing for us”. Mr Harris responds by saying: “No, not at all”, and “that’s not true”, several times before shaking her hand. When asked whether he thought the clip would overshadow the Fine Gael campaign, Mr Harris said people would vote for the best plan on offer. “I hope people like to see humility in politics and if you get something wrong, you come out and you own it,” he said. “I’m human, I make mistakes,” Simon Harris said. “But you know what I do when I make a mistake? I own it. “There’s been far too many occasions during general elections in this country and abroad where something goes wrong on the campaign trail and people dilly dally and debate for days. “You know what? I put my hands up. “I got it completely wrong. I was wrong, simple as. Spoke to Charlotte. “But much more importantly to me now, in my engagement with Charlotte and my engagement with people right across this country, it’s what I’m going to do for people with disabilities.” Asked about the encounter, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said that Ms Fallon had spoken “truth to power”. “The unfortunate thing is, in this case, power didn’t want to hear the truth, and that’s hugely, hugely problematic. “You hear all sorts of things out on the campaign trail, and I think a wise leader, a person who would wish to be taoiseach, listens and accepts that when somebody is telling you that your policies are hurting, hurting them, hurting the people that they represent and work for – you should hear that lesson. “If you’re not hearing that lesson, you’re not going to change your approach and in that meeting that happened in Kanturk, I think people just got a glimpse of actually what it would mean for Fine Gael to be back in government with Fianna Fail, because that’s their approach. “They don’t listen, they don’t respond, and they seem to think, astonishingly, that people ought to be grateful for their efforts, rather than hearing, reflecting and changing.”Taytay, Rizal Vice Mayor Sophia "Pia" Cabral wanted to become a doctor, but God has other plans for her — and that's to serve other people through public service. She now feels that her calling and the desire to help people have converged. Cabral, in an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE's digital show Straight Talk over the weekend, said that she never thought about ending up in public service despite being the chairperson of the Sangguniang Kabataan at 15 and a councilor at 18. "I started in 2010 as SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) chairman in our barangay," the 29-year-old vice mayor recalled. "My priority or goal is to become a doctor, not to go into politics full-time," she added. Cabral took examinations from several universities for pre-med courses but her parents convinced her to enter the University of the Philippines (UP) after passing the College Admission Test but for a different course. "My parents urged me to try UP since I am an SK chairman which made me eligible to become a scholar in a public or state university," Cabral said. "The family subjected it to a vote and UP was the pick of the majority but I was then intent on pursuing a medical degree, so I cried. What will I do at UP studying another course?" she added. Cabral said she took up an associate degree program at the University of the Philippines Open University and later she took up public administration. "I prayed that if public service is my destiny and I would not be a doctor, I would still be able to help people with their health needs through endorsement, which I am now providing through medical assistance programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development or the Department of Health," she said. Passion, fulfillment "So, there is a sense of fulfillment. So, I'm very passionate about what I am doing now," the talented politician added. Cabral said she enjoys serving other people, particularly her fellow Taytayeños. She said that pandering to her sense of empathy gives her satisfaction as a Vice Mayor. "Sometimes there is a lot of stress in my work but the relief that comes after, seeing tears of joy from people who received assistance encourages me to go on," she said. Cabral said that sometimes she is mistaken for being snobbish because of her natural attribute of having a thick eyebrow. “Sometimes there are certain angles when people look at me and think that I’m actually glaring at them. Thus, I always look in the mirror to give my best impression to other people. There should always be a smile that other people can see,” Cabral mused. During her first term as municipal councilor, Cabral said that she amended the ordinances on scholarship. "We included financial assistance not only for bright students but also the needy. We wanted to help those who depend on the government for education. What happens when they fail to meet academic requirements, should they be forced to discontinue their education?" she asked. She said that the ordinance on free education now states that once students are accepted as scholars, the local government must support them until they graduate. She also shared that Taytay now has a sports complex built on 13 hectares lot that was once a dump site. "Before the end of my term as a councilor, it was very timely that I was able to talk to President Duterte and then I asked for government’s help for Taytay to have a sports facility within 13 hectares of a former dump site," she said. Sports complex on a dump site "I came up with a resolution to convert the vacant lot to a sports complex. And then I eventually told Senator Bong Go and I even went to Davao City to hand over the proposal. I told myself then that it was a long shot, and many had ridiculed the proposal of a sports complex inside a dump site. Many have said that it will not happen," she added. She said a lot of work then followed. It was a huge site development. "The place needed to be rebuilt and chemicals will have to be applied to remove the foul smell." She said the first phase of the sports was completed, with a track and field oval. "We are opening the Palarong Panlalawigan. Before, we have to go to the nearby Marikina Sports Complex for our activities," she said. The sports complex was funded by the national government during the Duterte administration, Cabral said. "It's a project from the national government that was directly allotted to Taytay. No funds were shelled out from the local government. So, it's a blessing po for us," she said. "Next project hopefully would be a coliseum so that indoor sports like basketball and volleyball can be held there," the vice mayor added. Cabral is proud to help Taytay maintain its distinction as the garment capital of the Philippines. Cabral said that many investors, including Chinese, have been putting up textile warehouses and factories in the town. "All textiles now come from Taytay. Before, it was in Manila where these are sourced. When businesses require ready-to-wear clothes (RTWs), textiles and garments, they all go to Taytay," she said. Cabral added that the town's tiangge business boomed before the pandemic and provided jobs for local residents. "Well, before the pandemic the garments industry was booming. But we have this challenge every Christmas season when illegal vendors and used clothing converge in Taytay. So, those are our competitions," she said. "It's not allowed, but it depends on the local chief executive on the implementation as those people are hard to control," the vice mayor added. Cabral said that the tiangge business in their town was so strong before the pandemic. "Before the pandemic, the tiangge was so strong. With this challenge every Christmas season, vendors compete with ukay-ukay hawkers who are the real rival of the local textile industry," she said. "It's not allowed, but it depends on the local chief executive regarding the implementation of the ban since at times, they can't control those people who suddenly appear," the vice mayor added. Cabral said that the municipal council has passed resolutions or ordinances to prevent this and to help the local textile industry. Cabral also shared that there were clamors for her to run for a higher position in the 2025 local and national elections, instead, she just focused on her job as a vice mayor. Cabral said that traffic and flooding are two big problems that badly affect the local economy but help is on the way as the youthful energy of the official is boundless.