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Mathews: If you want to see the future of California, look to Oregon

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

In this era of exodus, if you want to see the future of California, you have to leave the state.I got an unexpected glimpse of that future recently in Bend, a small city in east-central Oregon.I spent most of my time in Bend at the new high school on the city’s southeastern edge. CalderaHigh School, and its two pristine baseball fields, hosted the regional tournament for the best14-years-and-under all-star baseball teams in the West.My hometown team, from South Pasadena, had won the Southern California championship forthe first time our Little League’s history. In Bend, our children’s friends would compete againstthe champions of Northern California and nine other states — Arizona, Nevada, Oregon,Washington, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Alaska and Hawaii.That might sound like a diverse Western gathering. But the families of the other teams includedso many former Californians that the whole thing resembled a Golden State reunion. That wasno surprise. In recent years, departures from Califor...

Brooks: Surprise, surprise. The American renaissance is already at hand

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

Two megatrends have shaped American life since the 1980s: The rise of China and the hollowing out of U.S. industry.China’s economic boom prompted a thousand predictions — that it will soon surpass us as an economic power; that the 21st century is going to be a Chinese century; that America is an aging, decadent nation destined for second place.The hollowing out of U.S. industry fed the sense that capitalism is betraying the middle class. America has a parasitic financial sector, but we don’t make things anymore. Manufacturing jobs got outsourced to China and Mexico, and wages stagnated.These two trends contributed to the sense that America is in decline — to the angry, gloomy pall that has settled over political life.But it’s beginning to look as if those two megatrends are reversing.China does not look like a growing dynamic power, but a troubled, stagnating one. Growth rates are falling. The unemployment rate for those ages 16 to 24 in urban areas is at a demoralizing 21%. Private...

Older home sellers can send the home flippers away while reaping the rewards

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

Question: We are about to sell our Bay Area house of 50 years. It is an emotional event. It is time for us to move. We bought our house when it was new. We have kept it in pristine condition. Those sold neighborhood properties are remodeled homes. We did not engage in remodeling.   We cannot sell for a low price. We fear home flippers will buy our house. That is a terrible thought. The house needs work. We also fear homebuyers will not want our home. How can we compete with the beautifully remodeled homes on the market on a shoestring budget? Answer: You must take control of the situation. I always turned this situation into an opportunity. You can, too! Marketing must repeat the headline “First time on the market” and subheads should read “Original owners” and “Rare homebuyer opportunity.” Your home-selling plan must take the motto “Honesty is the best policy” to new heights. In other words, create an online presale home seller’s disclosure package that commands the respect and adm...

49ers at Steelers: 5 keys to win in Pittsburgh in Brock Purdy’s comeback

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

PITTSBURGH – Six months since Brock Purdy’s elbow surgery, he and the 49ers now begin an exhaustive march toward Super Bowl LVIII.“It was somewhat of a long six months,” Purdy said Thursday. “But at the same time, it’s like, ‘Man, I feel like that Eagles game was just yesterday.’ ”So much chaos has transpired since the 49ers’ Jan. 29 loss in the NFC Championship Game at Philadelphia. So much beyond Purdy’s elbow tendon getting torn on the offense’s opening drive to detonate title aspirations and a 12-game win streak.New players came aboard, such as a No. 2 quarterback in Sam Darnold and arguably the NFL’s No. 1 free agent in defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. Some teammates left, such as 2021 draft bust Trey Lance, for a 2024 fourth-round pick from Dallas.Completing the turbulence was Nick Bosa. The NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year sacked the NFL’s richest contract ever for a non-quarterback (five years, $170 million), after being a no-show through training camp and t...

There’s a tradition in Basketball World Cup play. Pregame handshakes often include gifts

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Not everybody who plays in the Basketball World Cup goes home with a medal. Most players don’t even come close to that level.But everybody goes home with something.It’s a tradition that goes back at least a half-century at most FIBA events. The pregame handshake between teams is a gift exchange. That ritual has continued at this World Cup, which ends with the medal games on Sunday.Players listen to their anthems, standing in unison on opposite foul lines, then approach midcourt for a handshake and each player and coach presents an opposing contemporary with a gift. For USA Basketball this summer, opponents received a blue baseball cap featuring the federation’s logo. The Americans brought about 300, just in case.“It’s obviously different,” U.S. guard Austin Reaves said. “The first time we did it, I thought it was different. But it’s cool. It’s a sign of respect before the game … mutual respect that kind of sets the...

Whole Foods Market opening larger, relocated store this fall in Springfield

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

This article was written by WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.Whole Foods Market will open a new 49,499-square-foot store in Springfield Plaza on Oct. 4.The store is a relocation of the existing Springfield store at 8402 Old Keene Mill Road, which has been serving the community for more than 25 years.The new location nearly doubles the size of the original store and offers a full-service meat department, additional prepared foods bars and an expanded product assortment which includes more than 600 local items sourced with the help of Daniela D’Ambrosio, a local forager for Whole Foods Market.During its grand opening, Whole Foods will present a refrigerated van to the Northern Virginia Food Rescue, donated through Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program.Features of the Springfield Plaza store include:Produce sourced from 14 regional farms, including apple t...

El secreto de una anciana para vivir 105 años, y el aterrador oso de tres patas: lo más insólito

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

Si crees que lo has visto todo, estás equivocado. Estas son algunas de las noticias más insólitas de esta semana.El secreto de Vivian, la anciana que cumplió 105 añosVivian tiene la salud que muchos envidiamos. Esta residente de Mesa, Arizona, celebró sus 105 años por lo alto: comiendo pastel y rodeada de las personas que más la quieren.¿Cuál ha sido su secreto? Todos los días camina, hace 20 minutos de ejercicios y usa las escaleras, nunca toma el ascensor.“No me duele nada. Me siento igual que cuando tenía 100!”, bromeó durante la celebración.Qué pasó con Baby Mary, la recién nacida abandonada en 1984El famoso caso sin resolver de “Baby Mary”, la recién nacida abandonada que murió hace casi cuatro décadas en NJ, finalmente se resolvió. La policía ahora sabe quiénes eran sus padres, y uno de ellos enfrenta cargos.El caso se remonta a la Nochebuena de 1984 en una remota zona boscosa cerca del municipio de Mendham. Dos niños encontraron el cuerpo de una niña recién nacida...

Analysis: For USA Basketball, the defense rested. And that means there’s no World Cup title

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A week ago, USA Basketball’s men’s senior national program held an all-time record of 97-0 when scoring 100 points in games at the Olympics or the World Cup.The record in the past week: 1-2.There’s the story. Win or lose the bronze-medal game against Canada on Sunday, this U.S. World Cup team will fly home in a couple days lamenting how it just couldn’t get stops when it needed them most. And there will be no defense for having no defense. If scoring 100 points in a 40-minute game isn’t enough to win, that’s a problem no matter which NBA players are or aren’t on the U.S. roster.“It means the game has been globalized over the last 30 years or so,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said. “These games are difficult. This is not 1992 anymore. Players are better, all over the world. Teams are better. It’s not easy to win a World Cup or Olympic Games.”He’s not wrong. Lithuania 110, U.S. 104 in the second round of this World Cup was supposed to be a wake-up call, and i...

Hallan y arrestan al prófugo sospechoso de terrorismo Daniel Khalife en Londres

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

(CNN) — La Policía Metropolitana de Londres encontró y arrestó a Daniel Khalife, anunció la fuerza este sábado, marcando el final de una búsqueda de tres días del prófugo sospechoso de terrorismo que escapó de prisión este miércoles.“Los agentes de la Policía Metropolitana arrestaron a Daniel Khalife, quien escapó del HMP Wandsworth el miércoles 6 de septiembre”, dice el comunicado.Khalife fue detenido poco antes de las 6 a. m. ET de este sábado en el área de Chiswick en el oeste de Londres, donde los esfuerzos de búsqueda se reorientaron ese mismo día, dijeron.“Nos gustaría agradecer al público y a los medios de comunicación por su apoyo a lo largo de nuestra investigación para localizar a Khalife y proporcionaremos más información actualizada sobre su arresto a su debido tiempo”.Noticia en desarrolloThe-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.Source

Doncic, Slovenia top Italy 89-85 for 7th place at Basketball World Cup

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:16:53 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Luka Doncic ended his summer schedule with a win.Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks star, finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Slovenia topped Italy 89-85 on Saturday in the seventh-place game at the Basketball World Cup.Mike Tobey scored 12 points and Zoran Dragic added 10 for Slovenia (5-3).Marco Spissu scored 22 points for Italy (4-4), which dropped its last three games in the tournament. Simone Fontecchio scored 16 and Achille Polonara added 13 for Italy.It was the final game before retirement for Italian veteran and former NBA player Gigi Datome. Italy’s captain had one point in 10 minutes on Saturday.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and AP sports: https://apnews.com/sportsSource