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wow8888 Dismiss Trump taunts, expert says after 'churlish' social media posts about CanadaTrump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelations DALLAS (AP) — The nation is set to mark 61 years since President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade passed through downtown Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. Even after over six decades, conspiracy theories about what happened that day still swirl and the desire to follow every thread of information hasn’t waned. President-elect Donald Trump made promises over the summer that if reelected he would declassify the remaining records. At this point, only a few thousand of millions of pages of governmental records related to the assassination have yet to be fully released. And those who have studied what's been released so far say that the public shouldn’t anticipate any earth-shattering revelations even if the remaining files are declassified. Bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000 as post-election rally rolls on NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin is jumping again, rising above $98,000 for the first time Thursday. The cryptocurrency has been shattering records almost daily since the U.S. presidential election, and has rocketed more than 40% higher in just two weeks. It's now at the doorstep of $100,000. Cryptocurrencies and related investments like crypto exchange-traded funds have rallied because the incoming Trump administration is expected to be more “crypto-friendly.” Still, as with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is hard to predict. And while some are bullish, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. NFL issues security alert to teams and the players' union following recent burglaries The NFL has issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union following recent burglaries involving the homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the league says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.” Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets. Penn State wins trademark case over retailer's use of vintage logos, images PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State has won a closely watched trademark fight over an online retailer’s use of its vintage logos and images. A Pennsylvania jury awarded Penn State $28,000 in damages earlier this week over products made and sold by the firms Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc. Penn State accused them of selling “counterfeit” clothing and accessories. The defendants said their website makes clear they are not affiliated with Penn State. At least a dozen other schools have sued the defendants on similar grounds, but the Pennsylvania case was the first to go to trial. Has a waltz written by composer Frederic Chopin been discovered in an NYC museum? NEW YORK (AP) — A previously unknown musical work written by composer Frederic Chopin appears to have been found in a library in New York City. The Morgan Library & Museum says the untitled and unsigned piece is the first new manuscript of the Romantic era virtuoso to be discovered in nearly a century. Robinson McClellan, the museum’s curator, says he stumbled across the work in May while going through a collection brought to the Manhattan museum years earlier. He worked with outside experts to verify the document's authenticity. But there’s debate whether the waltz is an original Chopin work or merely one written in his hand. Volcano on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland is spewing lava from a fissure in its seventh eruption since December. Iceland's seismic monitors said the eruption started with little warning late Wednesday and created a long fissure but looked to be smaller than eruptions in August and May. Around 50 houses were evacuated after the Civil Protection agency issued the alert, along with guests at the famous Blue Lagoon resort, according to the national broadcaster. The repeated eruptions over the past year have caused damage to the town of Grindavík and forced people to relocate. Australian teen and British woman who drank tainted alcohol in Laos have died, bringing toll to 5 VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — An Australian teenager and a British woman have died after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos in what Australia’s prime minister said was every parent’s nightmare. Officials earlier said an American and two Danish tourists also had died following reports that multiple people had been sickened in town popular with backpackers. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Parliament that 19-year-old Bianca Jones had died after being evacuated from Vang Vieng, Laos, for treatment in a Thai hospital. Her friend, also 19, remains hospitalized in Thailand. Later Thursday, Britain said a British woman also died and the media in the U.K. identified her as 28-year-old Simone White. US ahead in AI innovation, easily surpassing China in Stanford's new ranking The U.S. leads the world in developing artificial intelligence technology, surpassing China in research and other important measures of AI innovation, according to a newly released Stanford University index. There’s no surefire way to rank global AI leadership but Stanford researchers have made an attempt by measuring the “vibrancy” of the AI industry across a variety of dimensions, from how much research and investment is happening to how responsibly the technology is being pursued to prevent harm. Following the U.S. and China were the United Kingdom, India and the United Arab Emirates. Pop star Ed Sheeran helps favorite soccer team sign player before getting on stage with Taylor Swift It turns out British pop star Ed Sheeran is also good at recruiting soccer players. Sheeran is a minority shareholder at English soccer team Ipswich Town and it needed his help over the summer to get a player to join the club. Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton tells a Soccerex industry event in Miami: “Ed jumped on a Zoom call with him at the training ground, just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swift. Hopefully that was a key part in getting the player across the line.” Ashton didn’t disclose the player in question, saying only: “He’s certainly scoring a few goals.” Chris Stapleton wins 4 CMA Awards, but Morgan Wallen gets entertainer of the year It was mostly Chris Stapleton’s night at the Country Music Association Awards. Stapleton won four times and took the stage to perform three times Wednesday night at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. But an absent Morgan Wallen won the biggest award, entertainer of the year. Stapleton's wins included single of the year and song of the year for “White Horse,” and his eighth trophy as male vocalist of the year. Best female vocalist of the year went to Laney Johnson. An all-star ensemble including both Stapleton and Johnson performed in tribute to George Strait, who won the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Strictly Come Dancing fans were left 'crying' during the semi-final as they were surprised by two special guests. Wallace and Gromit made a cameo appearance during the latest live show, appearing via video to present the show’s terms and conditions. On Saturday evening (December 7), Strictly co-host Claudia Winkleman went "live" form her 'Clauditorium' to the duo’s home on West Wallaby Street where Wallace was still getting ready for his big moment on TV. The stop motion character could be heard humming along to the BBC One show’s theme tune, while having a wash, before peeking out from behind the shower curtain to tell Winkleman: "I’ll be two ticks." READ MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing's two favourites will 'battle it out' as both 'at risk' for final spot Covering for him in their home studio, complete with a disco ball, Gromit played a recording of Wallace reading out the conditions before the inventor entered the room to take over. Sitting down at a desk, wearing his usual outfit as well as a glittery red bow tie, Wallace wished all the couples the “best of luck”. It comes as a new new feature-length Wallace and Gromit film is coming to the BBC this Christmas and it will see the return of notorious villain Feathers McGraw, who was first seen in 1993’s Bafta and Oscar-winning short The Wrong Trousers. The evil penguin has returned to seek revenge on inventor Wallace and his trusty and loyal beagle Gromit. In the film, comedian Peter Kay returns as Pc Mackintosh, a character who was also in The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, while Everybody’s Talking About Jamie actress Lauren Patel joins the cast. And as the iconic duo appeared on Strictly, fans flocked to social media to comment. @flickersuggs said: "Wallace and gromit doing the t&c’s is actually iconic i fear they should do it every week #strictly." @jenstrenneman commented: "wallace + gromit doing the t&cs on strictly," alongside a crying face emoji. Wallace and Gromit made a cameo appearance during Strictly's semi-final @LukeThorne94 wrote: "How lovely to see Wallace and Gromit on #StrictlyComeDancing! #Strictly." @HareBrainedIdea posted: "Wallace & Gromit doing the T&C’s? Possibly the best thing I’ve ever seen #strictly." @alexr_241 shared: "I am obsessed with Wallace & Gromit doing the T&C’s. Roll on Christmas Day x #Strictly." @stemcqueenie added: "Wallace and Gromit on #StrictlyComeDancing #Strictly Is just legendary! Can't wait for Vengeance Most Foul on Christmas Day." Saturday’s exclusive minute-long animation was made by the Aardman Animations team at their studios in Bristol. Vengeance Most Fowl will be coming to BBC One at 6.10pm on Christmas Day and will also be available on BBC iPlayer.I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! was thrown into chaos as a mouse infiltrated the camp during the night, causing a stir in the Monday (December 2) episode. During the hit show, Maura couldn't hide her displeasure after noticing a mouse scurrying across kitchen equipment and crockery. The drama escalated when the rodent darted under her bed, prompting a startled response from the ex-Love Island contestant, now aged 34, who exclaimed: "I'm not really up for a Trial at this time of the night!" Upon realising some of the evening's fruit hadn't been packed away, Tulisa expressed her frustration, insisting: "Camp maintenance should be putting everything back in the trunk. They gotta step it up!" In contrast to the nocturnal excitement, Melvin seemingly had a restful night, waking up refreshed and declaring: "I feel like a new man to be honest!" Audiences at home took rapidly to social media to broadcast their thoughts on the incident. One fan posted: "if i saw those mice id be OUT of the jungle so fast #ImACeleb." (sic) Another humorously remarked: "I'm not up for a trial at this time of night #ImACeleb." (sic) One more voiced their horror, saying: "The mice? ? I'd actually break down, because what do you mean mice are running all over my things? #ImACeleb." (sic) An additional comment questioned the responsibility of camp duties: "How is a camp maintenance job to put dishes away. Surely you just do that after washing up #imaceleb." (sic) And another viewer admitted: "If I saw mice running around I would scream too." (sic) That morning, Dean became the second celebrity to exit I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! With his departure came a wave of emotions among the campmates. Oti expressed: "He just brought us all together, he was the life of the camp." Meanwhile, a stunned Danny commented: "I thought he was final four, final three!" Tulisa, feeling the void left by Dean's high spirits, remarked: "You can definitely feel that Dean has left the camp. It's almost a little bit too chilled out, dare I say. "Didn't think I'd ever see the day that I'd be waiting for some musical theatre in the morning! " And Richard light-heartedly added: "Who's going to not fetch our water now?!" The duo Ant and Dec delivered the news of the eviction, which was a toss-up between the Radio 1 DJ and the Irish retired boxer Barry McGuigan, on Sunday night's show, reports . After his eviction, the Northern Ireland DJ declared he was content to head home, having embraced the jungle experience fully. Come Monday morning, during an appearance on ITV's Good Morning Britain, he reflected: "I did it for my mum to make her proud." To remove this article -

India News | Madhya Pradesh CM Highlights Government Achievements at Yuva Udyami Manch SummitMIAMI, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InspireMD, Inc. NSPR , developer of the CGuardTM Embolic Prevention Stent System (EPS) for the prevention of stroke, today announced the appointment of accomplished medical technology executive Scott R. Ward to its Board of Directors. Mr. Ward most recently served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. prior to its acquisition by Abbott ABT in April 2023. Paul Stuka, Chairman of the Board of InspireMD, stated, "We are extremely fortunate to add Scott to what I consider to be a world-class Board of Directors. With his extensive operational experience and track record in the cardiovascular space, his insights will be invaluable as the Company rapidly approaches potential U.S. approval of CGuard Prime, the most significant value inflection point in its history. I look forward to Scott's contributions and believe he will have an immediate impact." Marvin Slosman, Chief Executive Officer of InspireMD and Board member, commented, "The addition of Scott to our Board adds tremendous experience in the cardiovascular field, with a track record of growth and innovation as an executive, a board member and investor. His experience and legacy in the space will help guide us through our next stages of advancing our novel carotid platform as part of a comprehensive approach to catalyzing on the market shift toward a stent first standard while also guiding our pipeline of innovation, including our CAS, TCAR and Neuro focus." "I am very excited to join the InspireMD Board at such a transformational time for the company," added Mr. Ward. "With an impressive body of data demonstrating the superior short- and long-term patient outcomes of its novel CGuard Prime carotid stent system, I believe that CGuard, when approved in the U.S., will quickly become a new standard-of-care for carotid intervention and stroke prevention. I look forward to working with my fellow Board members and the InspireMD leadership team to achieve this goal." Mr. Ward has over 40 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including nearly 30 years at Medtronic, Inc. where he served in various leadership roles including as Senior Vice President and President of the CardioVascular, Neurological and Diabetes businesses. Mr. Ward is the Founder of Raymond Holdings, a firm with activities in venture capital, strategy and transactional advisory services for medical technology and life science companies. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Cell Biology, his Master of Science in Toxicology, and his Master of Business Administration, all from the University of Minnesota. About InspireMD, Inc. InspireMD seeks to utilize its proprietary MicroNet ® technology to make its products the industry standard for carotid stenting by providing outstanding acute results and durable, stroke-free long-term outcomes. InspireMD's common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol NSPR. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website. For more information, please visit www.inspiremd.com . Forward-looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding InspireMD or its management team's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. Such statements may be preceded by the words "intends," "may," "will," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "projects," "predicts," "estimates," "aims," "believes," "hopes," "potential", "scheduled" or similar words. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding InspireMD or its management team's or directors' expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding future events, future financial performance, strategies, expectations, competitive environment and regulation, including potential U.S. commercial launch.. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently; actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with our history of recurring losses and negative cash flows from operating activities, significant future commitments and the uncertainty regarding the adequacy of our liquidity to pursue our complete business objectives, and substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern; our need to raise additional capital to meet our business requirements in the future and such capital raising may be costly or difficult to obtain and could dilute our stockholders' ownership interests; market acceptance of our products; an inability to secure and maintain regulatory approvals for the sale of our products; negative clinical trial results or lengthy product delays in key markets; our ability to maintain compliance with the Nasdaq listing standards; our ability to generate revenues from our products and obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our products; our ability to adequately protect our intellectual property; our dependence on a single manufacturing facility and our ability to comply with stringent manufacturing quality standards and to increase production as necessary; the risk that the data collected from our current and planned clinical trials may not be sufficient to demonstrate that our technology is an attractive alternative to other procedures and products; intense competition in our industry, with competitors having substantially greater financial, technological, research and development, regulatory and clinical, manufacturing, marketing and sales, distribution and personnel resources than we do; entry of new competitors and products and potential technological obsolescence of our products; inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans; loss of a key customer or supplier; technical problems with our research and products and potential product liability claims; product malfunctions; price increases for supplies and components; insufficient or inadequate reimbursement by governmental and other third-party payers for our products; our efforts to successfully obtain and maintain intellectual property protection covering our products, which may not be successful; adverse federal, state and local government regulation, in the United States, Europe or Israel and other foreign jurisdictions; the fact that we conduct business in multiple foreign jurisdictions, exposing us to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, logistical and communications challenges, burdens and costs of compliance with foreign laws and political and economic instability in each jurisdiction; the escalation of hostilities in Israel, which could impair our ability to manufacture our products; and current or future unfavorable economic and market conditions and adverse developments with respect to financial institutions and associated liquidity risk. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov . The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Investor Contacts: Craig Shore Chief Financial Officer InspireMD, Inc. 888-776-6804 craigs@inspiremd.com Chuck Padala, Managing Director LifeSci Advisors 646-627-8390 chuck@lifesciadvisors.com investor-relations@inspiremd.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Macerich Announces Commencement of Public Offering of Common StockTech companies led a broad rally for U.S. stocks Tuesday, a boost for the market in a holiday-shortened trading session. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% in midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 273 points, or 0.6%, as of 12:18 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite was up 1%. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, while semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 0.8%. Super Micro Computer jumped 5.8%. Tesla climbed 5.1%, one of the biggest gains among S&P 500 stocks. Amazon.com rose 1.6% American Airlines slipped 0.1% after the airline briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue. U.S. Steel rose 1.1% a day after an influential government panel failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of the nearly $15 billion proposed sale to Nippon Steel of Japan. NeueHealth surged 68.9% after the health care company agreed to be taken private in a deal valued at roughly $1.3 billion. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Monday. European markets were mostly higher. Markets in Asia mostly gained ground. U.S. markets will close at 1 p.m. Eastern and stay closed Wednesday for Christmas. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to this week, including a weekly update on unemployment benefits on Thursday. Tuesday’s rally comes as the stock market enters what’s historically been a very cheerful season. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. The so-called “Santa rally” also correlates closely with positive returns in January and the upcoming year. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the stock market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up about 26% so far this year and remains within roughly 1.3% of the all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year.

Liwan Library Forum second edition opens TuesdayWorld Madam 2024 International Culture Week Ended in New York - Chan Laifong from MACAO Won World Madam 2024 Global Overall ChampionLUQUE, Paraguay — Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It's brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan's culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday by UNESCO on its list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity." At a meeting in Luque, Paraguay, members of UNESCO’s committee for safeguarding humanity's cultural heritage voted to recognize 45 cultural practices and products around the world, including Brazilian white cheese, Caribbean cassava bread and Palestinian olive oil soap. Unlike UNESCO’s World Heritage List, which includes sites considered important to humanity like the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Intangible Cultural Heritage designation names products and practices of different cultures that are deserving of recognition. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts after the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was officially named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. A Japanese delegation welcomed the announcement in Luque. “Sake is considered a divine gift and is essential for social and cultural events in Japan,” Kano Takehiro, the Japanese ambassador to UNESCO, told The Associated Press. The basic ingredients of sake are few: rice, water, yeast and koji, a rice mold that breaks down the starches into fermentable sugars like malting does in beer production. The whole two-month process of steaming, stirring, fermenting and pressing can be grueling. The rice — which wields tremendous marketing power as part of Japan's broader cultural identity — is key to the alcoholic brew. For a product to be categorized Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. Japanese sake, a nominee for UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list, are displayed on Japan's delegation table, during a UNESCO World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Wednesday. The UNESCO recognition, the delegation said, captured more than the craft knowledge of making high-quality sake. It also honored a tradition dating back some 1,000 years — sake makes a cameo in Japan’s famous 11th century novel, “The Tale of Genji,” as the drink of choice in the refined Heian court. Now, officials hope to restore sake's image as Japan's premier alcoholic drink even as the younger drinkers in the country switch to imported wine or domestic beer and whiskey. Japanese breweries also expressed hope the listing could give a lift to the country's export economy as the popularity of sake booms around the world and in the United States amid heightened interest in Japanese cuisine. “I hope that this will also be an opportunity for Japanese people to take another look at sake, shochu and awamori, which are the essence of their culture," Hitoshi Utsunomiya, director of the trade group Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, said in Tokyo. "I would like them to try it even once and see what it tastes like,” he said. Sake exports, mostly to the U.S. and China, now rake in over $265 million a year, according to the association. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts as the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. Japan's delegation appeared ready to celebrate Wednesday — in classic Japanese style. After the announcement, Takehiro raised a cypress box full of sake to toast the alcoholic brew and cultural rite. “It means a lot to Japan and to the Japanese,” he said of the UNESCO designation. "This will help to renew interest in traditional sake elaboration.” In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was “delighted” by UNESCO's recognition of traditional sake-making techniques, and he congratulated those dedicated to preserving and promoting the tradition. The crisp autumn air ushers in more than just pumpkin spice latte season. Consider cozying up inside with friends for a wine tasting and sharing delicious food and drinks with more complex flavors than cinnamon and sugar. Perhaps once thought of as stuffy affairs only for wine connoisseurs, today a tasting can be as casual as pouring a few bottles while doing another activity—say, bar games like darts or art activities like painting. The tasting can also be more traditional, especially if held at a winery or local wine shop, which is a great way to learn about what wines you might like to later serve at home. To host the ultimate wine tasting, it pays to do some R&D. One of the best aspects of hosting a wine tasting at home is that you get to establish the mood, tone, and guest list for the gathering—you can't pick a playlist when you sample wines at a bar or wine shop or make the dress code loungewear. So whether the mood is serious or playful, sophisticated or laid-back, the key to a successful tasting is enjoying and appreciating the wine and having fun with friends and family. Of course, there are a few other things to figure out along the way. Peerspace put together a few tips for hosting your wine-tasting party. A tasting party is all about sampling different wines and evaluating and hopefully enjoying them—and there are a variety of ways to do that. Would you like to host a playful gathering where each guest brings a mystery bottle of wine within a certain price range—a BYOB affair? Or would it be better to have more control over which wines are featured by curating and supplying all the wines as a host? This decision sets the tone—a tasting where guests contribute wine can be a bit of a free-for-all, whereas one where you select wines you supply allows guests to sit back and simply enjoy. And you don't have to break the bank to buy excellent wines—there are lots of wine experts ready to share their affordable picks. How much folks know about wine differs—and that's a good thing. Tastings are group learning experiences. Expertise isn't necessary to host or attend a tasting, but it is helpful to think about what will keep guests comfortable and having fun. Decide whether the vibe will be relaxed and laid-back, like friends sipping wine fireside, or more upbeat and formal. Think about elements like the atmosphere and the location, and consider whether folks will be seated or standing. Will you have a spirited playlist (couldn't resist) or live music? Do you want an expert to introduce each wine, or will you be that expert? Consider how guests will share their thoughts on what they are tasting. Do you want to just talk about them or do something more organized, like take notes or give ratings? Then supply notebooks or notecards and pencils, with categories or questions established ahead of time—all of which can reflect your evening's tone as well. How many people to invite is a question largely informed by the answers to tip #1: Are you having a big, formal affair or an intimate catch-up with close friends? Or something in between? Whatever the case, an RSVP is essential because not only do you need to plan the setup of the space, but you must also make sure there's enough wine for everyone to taste, including each of the wines featured. There's nothing worse than a tasting that runs dry! The math to determine how much wine you need considers the size of the tasting pours—a full glass of wine at a restaurant is usually around 5 ounces, which yields around five glasses of wine from a standard bottle. For tastings, you'll want to do less, depending on how many wines you are featuring—say, 2 ounces if you'll be trying a lot of different wines. Experts agree, having more wine than you need is always a good idea—that way you can send guests home with a bottle should there be a prize at the end of the night. Picking a theme is essential to curating the selection of wines—it's the organizing principle behind your selections. Otherwise, your tasting might as well be just walking down the wine aisle at the grocery store and taking sips from random bottles. There's too much wine out there not to be strategic about this. Plus, a theme helps you to tell the story of each wine better—it's the plot line of the night, if you will. Common themes are types of wine, regions they are from, or even price points—really, one can get as creative as they wish. For inspiration, check out local wine shops and see what they do for tastings. Often, they will follow seasonality and group wines in novel ways for their own in-house tastings. Don't let food be an afterthought for the festivities—after all, food can enhance particular qualities of wine and vice versa. There are many rules around what foods to pair with which wines, but consider this simple advice from Alder Yarrow's Vinography : "Stick with eating good food and drinking good wine." Since the focus is on the wines, allow the drinks to determine what food makes sense, but don't overthink it. Food is a supporting character here—at the very least, guests will need something to soak up all the alcohol (unless you are spitting it out). Eating foods that contain a mixture of protein, fats, and carbs when drinking helps increase the rate of alcohol elimination . Whether it's a full meal or heavy hors d'oeuvres, thoughtful noshes are necessary. The bottom line is, however you do it, hosting the ultimate wine tasting should be fun. Wine can feel intimidating to many people, but most wine experts are passionate, inspired folks who want to share what they know and help you find wines you like. So visit your local wine store or winemaker and ask questions. There are good guides specifically concerning how to taste wine. Dig a little, taste a lot, and have fun. It's all research for your next ultimate wine tasting. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Peerspace and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!An Associate Professor of Human-Computer Interaction, Chris Harrison, has urged the Federal Government to invest in Artificial Intelligence Literacy to leverage its numerous advantages. The British-born American Computer Scientist, who made this known to Tribune Online on Friday, also advocated for the investment in curriculum development. He noted that people need to be exposed to what AI can do and its usage. Meanwhile, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University emphasized that the knowledge of Artificial Intelligence is important, but the application is a different ball game. This was just as he stated that Artificial Intelligence is applicable in different instances, noting that it could be effective in one but not in the other. “Nothing is quick and easy, unfortunately. It starts with education. Nigerians will need to invest in AI literacy, both for young students and also current professionals. “Knowing about AI is important, but harder yet is having the wisdom to know when AI is a good fit for a problem. “Many companies and countries are throwing AI at everything, but that isn’t an effective strategy (it just sounds good). “AI is really good at some things and terrible at others. In other words, its an amazing hammer, but carpenters have many tools for different tasks for a reason. “Many things, but one would be to invest in curriculum development. People need to be exposed to what AI can do, and how to use it. It is no different than knowing how to do spreadsheets and word processing. “These are all important skills in the modern age. I do not believe you need a computer science degree for AI to be useful to you. It will be just as important as math and writing. “Pushback on AI reminds me a lot of the history of calculators. Educators resisted calculators in the classroom and wanted all math instruction to be done manually on paper (so the students understood it). But the fact is calculators can make you better at math, not worse. “The simple fact is that AI has arrived, and it is available to everyone. You don’t need a supercomputer or even fast internet to tap into the power of AI. “As a regular (consumer) user, you can utilise it with an inexpensive laptop or smartphone. That’s perhaps the most level playing field that has existed in new computing technology in a while. Nigeria can and should take full advantage of this opportunity,” he said.

Aaron Rodgers insists there's nothing uncertain about his status for the New York Jets' game Sunday at Buffalo. “There's no way I'm not playing,” the quarterback said during a video call Tuesday. Rodgers acknowledged he has “a little MCL” issue in a knee, but added: “I've had a lot worse. I lucked out. I avoided major stretchage of the MCL.” Rodgers was hurt in the Jets’ 19-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday but remained in the game. “I’m gonna play,” Rodgers said of the game against the Bills. “It feels pretty good.” Rookie left tackle Olu Fashanu’s promising first season is over, though, as the first-round pick was placed on injured reserve with an injury to the plantar fascia in his left foot. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said earlier Tuesday that it was “just too early to tell” what Rodgers' availability might be, but he was optimistic about the 41-year-old quarterback's chances. “If I’m a betting man," Ulbrich said, “I’m betting on Aaron Rodgers to play.” Rodgers said he didn't need an MRI on the knee, the latest ailment in what has been an injury-filled season. He earlier dealt with knee, hamstring and ankle issues that hindered his play at times. One of the four-time MVP's goals entering the season was playing in all 17 games after being limited to four snaps in his debut last year because of a torn Achilles tendon. “I definitely felt like at midseason that was going to be difficult,” Rodgers said of playing in every game. “But right now, it looks like, for sure, 16. And hopefully get through this one and get to 17.” The Jets held a walkthrough Tuesday and their next full practice is Thursday, giving Rodgers some extra time to recover. Rodgers has 24 touchdown passes and eight interceptions this season, and he's one TD throw from becoming the fifth player in NFL history with 500 for his career in the regular season. While his plans for the final two games appear clear, his playing future beyond this season is uncertain. Rodgers has another year left on his deal with the Jets, but the team is looking for a new general manager and head coach. Whether the quarterback will be part of the new regime's plans will be a major storyline this offseason. During an appearance Monday on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers suggested he could be released the day after the regular season ends. He said there's also a chance he could be retained but acknowledged he's going to take some time to decide if he even wants to play in a 21st NFL season. “I think anything is truly possible,” Rodgers said Tuesday of potentially being released. "Whether it happens or not, I’m sure that there will be decisions that, I don’t think there will be surprises where there’s like, ‘Oh, I don’t know what we want to do with certain people.’ I think there’s going to be some decisions that want to be made the day after the season or a couple days after the season, so I don’t know. I’m just not naive. “There’s not zero percent in my mind. I don’t think it’s a high percentage. I think there’s probably a conversation to be had, but I’m just not naive to that being a zero percent chance. I think it’s more than a zero percent chance and less than a certainty, so somewhere in the middle.” Rodgers said he hasn't spoken recently to owner Woody Johnson and doesn't necessarily think the lack of any indication of whether he's wanted back means he won't be. “I would be surprised if there was a conversation now because there’s so many uncertainties,” he said. “There’s a GM that has to get hired, I would assume first, and then he’s going to be part of hiring the head coach, so I have to be in the plans of multiple people, starting with the ownership and then the GM and then the head coach." Rodgers added that if he's told the Jets want him back, it would mean they see him as an important part of trying to change the culture of a team that hasn't made the postseason in 14 years. “That’d be special to hear that,” he said, “but if they don’t, again, no offense at all will be taken.” Fashanu had a solid first NFL season after being the 11th overall draft pick in April out of Penn State. He began the year as veteran Tyron Smith's backup before filling in at right tackle for two games when Morgan Moses was injured. Fashanu, who played only left tackle in college, also stepped in at right guard for an injured Alijah Vera-Tucker against Houston. When Smith was lost for the season with a neck injury last month, Fashanu took over as the starter and excelled in five starts. He was hurt midway through the fourth quarter against the Rams and was seen on crutches in the locker room after the game. Ulbrich said he believed Fashanu would need surgery, but the team later clarified that a procedure won't be required. “It's unfortunate,” Ulbrich said. “He's having a great rookie season. But at the same time, these injuries sometimes give you an opportunity to step back and really start absorbing some of the information as you were kind of thrown into the fire. He'll use it as an opportunity to grow, I know that.” The Jets signed veteran kicker Greg Joseph to the practice squad and he'll compete with Anders Carlson for the job this week. Ulbrich said Greg Zuerlein, on IR since late October with a knee injury, also could be in the mix. Carlson, the fourth kicker used by the Jets this season, missed an extra point and a 49-yard field goal try late in the fourth quarter against the Rams. He is 8 of 10 on field goal tries and 9 for 11 on extra points in five games with New York. “We'll see how it goes and we'll put the best guy out there,” Ulbrich said. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl