None
Coastal Carolina 48, Georgia St. 27None
Michigan upsets No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 for Wolverines' 4th straight win over bitter rival COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dominic Zvada kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left and Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10, likely ending the Buckeyes’ hopes of returning to the Big Ten title game next week. Late in the game, Kalel Mullings broke away for a 27-yard run, setting up the Wolverines at Ohio State’s 17-yard line with two minutes remaining. The drive stalled at the 3, and Zvada came on for the chip shot. Ohio State got the ball back but couldn’t move it, with Will Howard throwing incomplete on fourth down to seal the Wolverines’ fourth straight win over their bitter rival. Sellers' 20-yard TD run with 1:08 to go lifts No. 16 South Carolina to 17-14 win over No. 12 Clemson CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — LaNorris Sellers' 20-yard TD run with 1:08 to play lifted No. 16 South Carolina to a 17-14 victory over No. 12 Clemson. The Gamecocks won their sixth straight game, including four over ranked opponents, and may have played themselves into the College Football Playoff's 12-team field. They wouldn't have done it without Sellers, who spun away from a defender in the backfield, broke through the line and cut left on his way to the winning score. Sellers rushed for 166 yards and threw for 164 in South Carolina's second straight win at Clemson. Mikaela Shiffrin is alert and being evaluated after crashing in final run of World Cup giant slalom KILLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — American ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin is alert and being evaluated for injuries after crashing in her second run of a World Cup giant slalom race. Shiffrin was going for her 100th World Cup win when she crashed, did a flip and slid into the protective fencing. She stayed down on the course for quite some time as the ski patrol attended to her. The 29-year-old was taken off the hill on a sled and waved to the cheering crowd. The U.S. Ski Team said she was taken to a medical clinic for evaluation. Shiffrin was leading after the first run of the GS. Reigning Olympic champion Sara Hector of Sweden won. Andrew Luck returns to Stanford as the GM of the football program STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Andrew Luck is returning to Stanford in hopes of turning around a struggling football program that he once helped become a national power. Athletic director Bernard Muir announced that Luck has been hired as the general manager of the Stanford football team and tasked with overseeing all aspects of the program that just finished its fourth straight 3-9 season. Luck will work with coach Troy Taylor on recruiting and roster management, and with athletic department and university leadership on fundraising, alumni relations, sponsorships, student-athlete support and stadium experience. Luck has kept a low profile since his surprise retirement from the NFL at age 29 in 2019. Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham as Van Nistelrooy watches new team Leicester lose Arsenal was inspired by Bukayo Saka in scoring five goals in a wild first half before settling for a 5-2 win over West Ham that lifted the team into second place in the Premier League. Arsenal is attempting to chase down Liverpool and is now six points behind the leader. Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium and also had a hand in three goals, by Gabriel, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard. Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep Leicester in the league. Leicester was beaten at Brentford 4-1 in front of Van Nistelrooy, who watched from the stands after being hired on Friday. US and England women draw 0-0 in Emma Hayes' homecoming LONDON (AP) — Emma Hayes witnessed a dominant display from her players at a packed Wembley stadium, but the U.S. coach could not taste victory on her return to England. Hayes, who led the U.S. women team to the Olympic gold medal this summer after winning 14 major trophies at Chelsea, came back to her home country on Saturday for a friendly against England. The U.S had the best chances but the game ended in a goalless draw. Jared Porter acknowledges he sent inappropriate text message to reporter, leading Mets to fire him Jared Porter acknowledged he sent an inappropriate text message to a reporter while he was a Chicago Cubs executive in 2016, which led to the New York Mets firing him as general manager in 2021 after just 38 days. Porter made his first public comments on his firing during an episode of the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast released Friday. Porter was hired by the Mets on Dec. 13, 2020, and fired on Jan. 19, 2021, about nine hours after an ESPN report detailing that he sent sexually explicit, uninvited text messages and images to a female reporter. Norris defies orders and gives Piastri the Qatar sprint while Verstappen takes pole LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lando Norris ignored team orders as he handed his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri the win the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix in a one-two finish for the team. Norris started on pole position and kept the lead at the start as Piastri squeezed past the Mercedes of George Russell for second. Norris gave the lead to Piastri with the finish line in sight, paying back Piastri for gifting him a win in a sprint race in Brazil when Norris was still fighting Max Verstappen for the drivers’ title. Champion Max Verstappen secured pole position for Sunday’s Grand Prix. Face facts: Statues of stars like Kane and Ronaldo don't always deliver. Sculptors offer advice LONDON (AP) — One art critic compared the new Harry Kane bronze statue to a bulging-jawed comic strip character. The infamous Cristiano Ronaldo bust in 2017 gave the chiseled soccer star a chubby face and goofy smile. Sculptors are offering tips to avoid pitfalls. London-based Hywel Pratley says sculptors must first get the subject's profile correct “and then you can go forward with more confidence.” Probably best to avoid smiles, Pratley adds because it's “really difficult to do teeth looking good in sculpture." London-based sculptural conservator Lucy Branch suggests an open vote because the public tends "to know whether the artist has hit the nail on the head.” Colorado State advances to MW volleyball final and will take the court against San Jose State LAS VEGAS (AP) — Colorado State coach Emily Kohan said her team will take the floor against San Jose State in the Mountain West volleyball championship rather than become the latest team to forfeit to the Spartans. The top-seeded Rams advanced to the tournament final on Friday by beating San Diego State 20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-23. An automatic bid to the 64-team NCAA Tournament is on the line in Saturday’s final. Several schools have forfeited to San Jose State this season. In a lawsuit recently filed by players from various schools against the conference and San Jose State officials, plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State team.Olight O’Pen Mini 2 Ballpoint Pen/Pencil REVIEW
Guardians avoid arbitration with injured left-hander on one-year dealAfter their marketplace platform utility token ($OL) announcement, Big Time Studios is thrilled to announce that the crypto industry’s most popular and successful NFT video game of 2024, , will release its (PvP) mode on December 2. After a Preseason Phase (closed beta) with record-breaking engagement and marketplace volume, players will be able to experience thrilling and competitive PvP battles and showcase their dominance in the Big Time universe. : “Big Time is a multiplayer action RPG for PC that combines fast-paced combat with the industry’s most successful and proven open-game economy. Humanity teeters on the edge of extinction as the walls of spacetime crumble. Eras of history clash and dark forces surge through temporal rifts. At the universe’s end, the player and their team are summoned for the greatest adventure in history. The fate of all time rests with them. Players can embark on a hero’s quest to the farthest reaches of space and time. Dive into treacherous dungeons, craft and discover rare collectibles, and unlock mysterious boxes. Players must harness epic abilities, uncover hidden mysteries, and brave countless dangers. Face off against familiar foes and rival teams in the ultimate adventure to save humanity. Players can create and exchange game items, enjoying a seamless experience with unobtrusive web3 elements. Whether adventuring solo or with friends, they will battle monsters across various historical periods, gather digital collectibles and $BIGTIME tokens, and craft unique items. The adventure is limitless in Big Time.” During its Early Access phase, Big Time achieved different milestones making it the most successful NFT game, outperforming all other 2024 released games: PvP in Big Time features thrilling PvEvP events where teams spend $BIGTIME to enter a PvP portal, march towards a central objective, battle both enemies and other teams to claim victory, and the winning team takes the $BIGTIME winning prize. Matches last between 30-45 minutes, offering intense and strategic gameplay. , founded by Ari Meilich, has a mission to revolutionize the NFT gaming experience. Big Time Studios integrates high-quality games with blockchain technology, offering players better gaming experiences. The curated Open Loot platform gives developers the opportunity to reach a wider audience and drive engagement through unique in-game rewards and events, while players can benefit from exclusive access to high-quality games, special NFT sales, in-game perks, and airdrops. Big Time Studios’ Open Loot platform has facilitated nearly half a billion dollars in total transaction volume, underscoring its commitment to creating a dynamic and engaging ecosystem for gamers worldwide. For more information, users visit Big Time Studios’ .
Mutual of America Capital Management LLC Decreases Stock Position in Louisiana-Pacific Co. (NYSE:LPX)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. Biden welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom” and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles. “It’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful,” Biden said, taking note of his impending departure on Jan. 20, 2025. That's when power will transfer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, the man Biden defeated four years ago and was battling again until he was pressured to bow out of the race amid concerns about his age and viability. Biden is 82. Until Inauguration Day, the president and first lady Jill Biden will continue a busy run of festivities that will double as their long goodbye. The White House schedule in December is replete with holiday parties for various constituencies, from West Wing staff to members of Congress and the White House press corps. Biden relished the brief ceremony with the pardoned turkeys, named for the official flower of the president's home state of Delaware. “The peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,” he said during remarks that were occasionally interrupted by Peach gobbling atop the table to Biden's right. “Peach is making a last-minute plea,” Biden said at one point, drawing laughter from an overflow crowd that included Cabinet members, White House staff and their families, and students from 4H programs and Future Farmers of America chapters. Biden introduced Peach as a bird who “lives by the motto, ‘Keep calm and gobble on.’” Blossom, the president said, has a different motto: “No fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.” Peach and Blossom came from the farm of John Zimmerman, near the southern Minnesota city of Northfield. Zimmerman, who has raised about 4 million turkeys, is president of the National Turkey Federation, the group that has gifted U.S. presidents Thanksgiving turkeys since the Truman administration after World War II. President Harry Truman, however, preferred to eat the birds. Official pardon ceremonies did not become an annual White House tradition until the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1989. With their presidential reprieve, Peach and Blossom will live out their days at Farmamerica, an agriculture interpretative center near Waseca in southern Minnesota. The center's aim is to promote agriculture and educate future farmers and others about agriculture in America. Separately Monday, first lady Jill Biden received the official White House Christmas tree that will be decorated and put on display in the Blue Room. The 18.5 foot (5.64 meters) Fraser fir came from a farm in an area of western North Carolina that recently was devastated by Hurricane Helene . Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm lost thousands of trees in the storm “but this one remained standing and they named it ‘Tremendous’ for the extraordinary hope that it represents,” Jill Biden said at the event. The Bidens were also traveling to New York City on Monday for an evening “Friendsgiving” event at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island. Biden began his valedictory calendar Friday night with a gala for hundreds of his friends, supporters and staff members who gathered in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn, with a view out to the Lincoln Memorial. Cabinet secretaries, Democratic donors and his longest-serving staff members came together to hear from the president and pay tribute, with no evidence that Biden was effectively forced from the Democratic ticket this summer and watched Vice President Kamala Harris suffer defeat on Nov. 5. “I’m so proud that we’ve done all of this with a deep belief in the core values of America,” said Biden, sporting a tuxedo for the black-tie event. Setting aside his criticisms of Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, Biden added his characteristic national cheerleading: “I fully believe that America is better positioned to lead the world today than at any point in my 50 years of public service.” The first lady toasted her husband with a nod to his 2020 campaign promise to “restore the soul of the nation,” in Trump’s aftermath. With the results on Election Day, however, Biden’s four years now become sandwiched in the middle of an era dominated by Trump's presence on the national stage and in the White House. Even as the first couple avoided the context surrounding the president's coming exit, those political realities were nonetheless apparent, as younger Democrats like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore , Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Biden's Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg not only raised their glasses to the president but held forth with many attendees who could remain in the party's power circles in the 2028 election cycle and beyond. ___ Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.1. An instant carpet spot remover spray, so when your bestie accidentally drips salsa off of their chip and onto your carpet you can say "no biggie" and actually mean it. Promising review: "I have a white couch and my dog loves to jump up after being outside. Sometimes she has mud on her paws and this product removes the stains COMPLETELY. We’ve had red wine and spaghetti sauce spilled on it and zero trace is left after using this. Best part, my couch fabric doesn’t get damaged by the chemicals either. I’ve ordered 12 of these and we have one in every room and in our cars. Hands-down nothing beats this spray. I’ve tried pet stain removers, DIY recommendations, stuff with vinegar... only this product works. Pay the cost for this! It’s totally worth it! 100 stars if I could." — Lauren R. Get it from Amazon for $6.65+ (available in two sizes and multipacks). 2. Shower door cleaner you can count on to make your door shine like the top of the Chrysler building — not that either of us have been up there, so we'll just have to take someone else's word for it. Promising review: "I recently moved into a new apartment that was very clean. Except my walk-in shower doors. They were in abysmal shape and made my entire bathroom look embarrassingly unkempt. The lime deposits were thick and stubborn; the doors had clearly not been thoroughly cleaned for a long time. After one application and touching up a couple of small but particularly encrusted areas, my doors looked like new ... the glass seemed to disappear entirely!" — SoundByte Get it from Amazon for $11.65 . 3. Rubbermaid's power scrubbing brush , for when you want to give your grout an all-inclusive spa treatment and bring it back to its squeaky-clean glory. These attachments get deep into the crevices that scrubbing by hand simply won't do. Promising review : "The Power Scrubber is life changing. I bought it several weeks ago with the intention of doing a deep clean 'sometime soon.' After an overflowing toilet incident, I had to make sure it got done right away. MY GROUT HAS NEVER BEEN CLEANER. I used some Comet and spray cleaner to get the job done, but this made short work for what typically requires 'a lot of elbow grease' and a spent toothbrush. With this tool, you really know you're getting in there and it's clean. I can't recommend this enough — I've already mentioned it to a neighbor, and a few friends, including one fanatical cleaner. We all agreed, it's such a necessary, perfect product." — Jojo Get it from Amazon for $19.98 . Check out our full Rubbermaid Power Scrubber review . 4. A scrubber brush you can attach to your drill (!!!) to help you clean your tub/shower like you've never cleaned it before but without the arm workout. You'll be singing "I've got the powerrrr" in no time! The white is a soft bristle, best for wheels, carpet, upholstery, glass, and leather; the yellow is a medium bristle, best for bathroom, bathtub, shower, tile, and porcelain; the green is a medium bristle, best for kitchen, stoves, cabinets, countertops, and linoleum; the blue is a medium bristle, best for boats, pools, canoe/kayaks, hot tubs, and plastics; the red is a stiff bristle, best for outdoors, siding, brick, garage, and gutter; and the black is a hard bristle, best for grills, loose paint, furnaces, ovens, and industrial use. Additionally, Drill Brush is a small business based in New York! Promising review: "I've been eyeing these for a few months and finally caved. Man do I regret not picking them up as soon as I saw them! They work GREAT! We rent an apartment that has a 30+ year old shower/tub. I've used everything from abrasive powders, gels that sit to most recently the bathroom Magic Erasers and nothing really got the grime out. These WORK and they work fast. Just 10 minutes with my handy drill and the shower has never been cleaner. I love that I don't have to throw money out on cleaning products anymore and that I can be a little more environmentally friendly with no waste and no chemical cleaners! Just a little dish soap, baking soda and a spin of the brush. If you're on the fence, just buy them!" — Becky Adie Get it from Amazon for $18.95 (available in six strength types). 5. A trio of Bar Keepers Friend products to help you clean any and every surface of your living space (bathroom included) — trust me on this. My husband and I moved into our first house a few years ago — when I tell you I have used some form of Bar Keepers Friend to tackle every crevice of this house please know that I'm not exaggerating. I've used it to revive the floor of our bathroom (see above), the shower, the tub, the entire kitchen sink, the outside of the washing machine and dryer....the list goes on. It's incredible how effective this product is in just a few moments! It really is a life changing product that'll help you clean every inch of your home. Additionally, Bar Keepers Friend is a small business! Promising review: "This is a good brand of cleaning products. I clean the bathroom with it, plus my cookware. I expect to buy this product again." — Carmen E. Leon Get it from Amazon for $30.45 . 6. An "Angry Mama" microwave cleaner you can count on to save your butt the next time you heat sauce and it explodes all over (oops). Fill her with vinegar and water and watch as she blows hot steam into your microwave oven to loosen up all the old food and stains. Wipe it clean and move on with your life! Check out a Tiktok of the "Angry Mama" microwave cleaner in action. Promising review: "This product is so amazing, I'm going to get one for all of my children. I am a teacher, and I let my students use my microwave. Usually it takes me half an hour of scrubbing after 31 students have made popcorn, and heated up lunches. This time I used the product, and I literally spent less than one minute just wiping down the microwave!!! I will now keep one in my classroom, and one at my home. A miracle product that actually does what it says, remarkable!!!" — Desiree Barlow Get it from Amazon for $11.88+ (available in four colors). 7. A putty-like cleaning gel that'll help you remove all the dust and debris from the hard-to-reach crevices in your car. Psh, and to think you were going to PAY someone to clean out your car. Promising review: "This product works just as intended. I was afraid it would become dirty and unusable quickly but it has held up well. I also found myself using it as a stress ball/fidget tool while driving too and from work." — Samantha Get it from Amazon for $5.99 . 8. A 100 percent natural oven scrub you can rely on to finally remove any grease or leftover sauces from inside your most used appliance. You're welcome. It also comes with a metallic scrubber! Everneat is a small business based in Fairfield, Connecticut that specializes in natural cleaning products. Promising review: "I am blown away by this product! There have been things I’ve tried to clean with other harsh chemicals and they never worked. Everneat combined with the scouring sponge has been a game changer. My sink and my oven look like new!" — Jessica Get it from from Amazon for $24.99 (available in three scents). 9. A cleaning brush that'll assist in removing dirt and scuffs from suede and Nubuck materials — you better believe Elvis could've used one of these bad boys for his beloved blue suede shoes 😉. Shacke is a small business! Promising review: "I rarely write reviews, but I just received this, and it's amazing. I had a grease stain on my new Uggs that I was so sad about. Corn starch almost ruined them. This brush minimized (if not totally removed) the stain. I love that no chemicals are involved, and it's pure magic. I'll use this on all of my suede shoes moving forward. Get it!" — Jennifer Get it from Amazon for $6.49 . 10. A dryer vent cleaner attachment that'll pull all of the hard-to-reach pieces of lint out of your dryer. I truly can't think of anything more satisfying, TBH. Not to mention, this should ABSOLUTELY be part of your cleaning routine — trapped lint is a fire hazard! This adapter is compatible with most vacuum cleaner pipes, so all you have to do is attach it to your vacuum and guide it around your dryer to suck up excess and hard-to-reach lint. Too much lint buildup not only slows down the drying process, it's also a fire hazard, so this handy device can actually be considered a safety tool! Promising review: "Yes, we had a sock in our dryer vent!! This past summer, the lint trap broke on our dryer. Our kids ran the dryer regardless! What a disaster. Received my vacuum kit today, and now my clothes are dry! I sucked up the sock, as well as a piece of lint roller tape. Great product!" — Laurel Enoch Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (originally $19.99; available in five colors) — don't forget to apply the coupon to save $2! 11. A giant lint roller on a stick you'll find yourself reaching for time and time again — especially before guests arrive. It'll let you remove all the pet hair and lint from your furniture without having to bend and struggle to get to hard-to-reach spots. Promising review: "I am truly amazed at this device! All the nasty dust that was on my popcorn ceiling (I own a mid-century home and haven’t gotten rid of the popcorn ceiling just yet). The amount of dust was getting out of control, and everything I tried didn’t work — paper towels just snagged on the ceiling, and a vacuum was way too heavy and awkward. This got my ceiling sparkling clean in about five minutes! I used it on my walls as well! I love it and highly recommend it if you have popcorn ceilings as well!" — Marea Celentano Get it from Amazon for $23.85 . Don't forget to apply the 22% off coupon at checkout! 12. A Little Green HydroSteam Cleaner you can use to tackle a whole slew of messes on a deeper level — it's portable and designed to clean upholstery, carpet, tile, and your car. Seriously, what *can't* this lil' gadget do? I tested this bad boy out on the white tile in my entryway (which gets super dirty from everyone walking in/out of that area all the time) and my husband and I were blown away! The Little Green HydroSteam did an awesome job making our tile look new again. My husband said it felt very therapeutic going over each tile and watching how fresh they looked after just one pass with this vacuum. One of our friends stopped by and even commented on how clean the tile looked — a win in my book. I feel very confident one of our kids will inevitably spill something terrible on one of our rugs or couches, but I don't have to stress knowing we'll have this tool on-hand to help clean it up. Promising review: "The Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Multipurpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner is a game-changer! I've been using it to clean my car, furniture, and carpets, and it's been amazing. I used it when my 6-year-old decided to squish his banana in the carpet and it made clean up so quick. I love that I can use both steam and cleaner at the same time, or just steam on its own. The powerful suction and quick heating time make cleaning a breeze. The sleek design and large capacity are also big pluses. It's perfect for anyone with kids, pets, or adults who are prone to spills!" — Allison Get it from Amazon for $179.95 . 13. A MudBuster paw cleaner to try and get ahead of the game — use it to wipe down your pup's lil' pads before they scamper throughout your house post-snowy walk. Promising review : "I’ve been using this for a few weeks, and I love it. It cleans the salt off my dogs’ paws so easily. When it’s super dirty, and the streets are covered in salt, I’ll refresh the water supply. I add a few drops of their doggie shampoo, and it works great. It is so easy to use. I have four dogs in NYC. I have to wash their feet after every walk because the streets are so filthy. It would take me about 10–15 minutes to clean their paws with a spray bottle and towel. Now, it takes about five minutes. And the towel doesn’t end up filthy. The dirt gets caught in the cup. Plus, the dogs seem to like it. The silicone bristles must feel good. A huge thumbs up!" — Sandra Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in sizes S–L and six colors). 14. A portable car vacuum that'll help you battle the seemingly endless amount of crumbs that somehow make their way in between your seats despite the fact you rarely eat in your car. Promising review: "I was a little skeptical at first seeing all the mixed reviews but I wish I had taken a pic of my driver side cause that was the worst of it but there was a lot of buildup from me just not having the time or energy to clean my car but this vacuum is AMAZING! You can see the clear difference between those two photos. 11/10 would HIGHLY recommend." — Kayla Get it from Amazon for $33.97 . 15. Miss Mouth's Messy Eater Stain Treater Spray you'll be very glad you bought after you let your kiddo eat spaghetti in public for the first time — trust me. Promising review: "My 1-year-old has taco meat stains ALL over the sleeves of his shirt. Stains were 2–3 days old too. I sprayed shirt, let it sit for about 15 mins and then washed shirt with regular laundry soap. Almost every bit of the stains came out. Definitely buying bulk in this product!" — Sloan Avery Get it from Amazon for $6.19+ (available in a variety of quantities) 16. A set of Bottle Bright tablets that'll bring your favorite thermos back to its original shiny state. Your go-to coffee mug will shine brighter than North Star. Promising review: "I seriously can't believe how well these little tablets work. I had the most disgusting Hydro Flask coffee mug; I tried everything — bottle brush, different kinds of soap, vinegar, EVERYTHING — and there was still a seemingly impenetrable layer of black sludge inside. I let a tablet sit in each of my mugs for an hour or two, and the black sludge rinsed out COMPLETELY, without even scrubbing. They look brand-new. What a magical product. No weird smell or taste afterward, either. I liked it so much that I used it on another Hydro Flask I use primarily to hold my Bloody Mary mix in the fridge. I couldn't put anything else in it because it would always taste like spicy tomato juice. Bottle Bright to the rescue! No residual smell or taste anymore. AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 17. A microfiber spin mop and bucket with over 150,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, which is kinda wild because it's a MOP. My husband asked for this mop for Father's Day and has been telling everyone in his life about it ever since. He adores it! It's so easy to use, it's lightweight, and he has no issue squeezing the water out with the spin tool. It's worked wonders on our wood floors! Promising review: "I never thought a mop could change my life! This mop cuts at least a half hour off my cleaning time and since I can ring it out so well it does a fabulous job on my hardwood floors without worrying about puddles of water which could do damage! The triangular design is great for corners too! I also like how I can toss the head in the washing machine to clean it. I would highly recommend this mop!" — kheiser67 Get it from Amazon for $34.97 . 18. Or washable microfiber mop pads you can use with your Swiffer WetJet , in case you don't want to invest in another mop and know you can easily make do with the one you've already got! One pad can last up to 100 washes and works on pretty much any surface, from wood to tile to stone. Turbo Mops is a small business! Promising review: "These are life changing. I used a Rubbermaid spray mop for years that I never really loved and when it broke I got a Swiffer and was using the old Rubbermaid mop cloth pads with it still. They didn't fit the Swiffer great and I decided to get new ones. These scrub so much better and pick up way more dirt than my other mop pad. I have two dogs and their dried water and drool is around the kitchen and I used to have to scrub to get that up each time. Not with these pads! I never thought I'd swoon over a cleaning product but...here we are :). " — JB Get a pack of two from Amazon for $18.99 . 19. A jar of internet-beloved The Pink Stuff , which is an all-purpose cleaning paste that'll help you tackle all of your messes but make it *~pretty in pink~* at the same time. After hearing what incredible things The Pink Stuff can do, I finally ordered it and tried it for myself. Honestly, wow! It really does work wonders. I tried it first on my Le Creuset cast iron pan (seen above, right) and really was amazed at how just one pass with The Pink Stuff (and a scouring brush ) took off almost every stain! I can't wait to try it on literally everything in my home that needs a deep cleaning. Promising review: "Honestly, I was very skeptical when I first purchased. Everyone on social media was talking about how amazing this product was for cleaning around the house, and I just thought they were all jumping on some kind of bandwagon. Of course, I caved and had to try it for myself. Needless to say, I’m very impressed! It removed stubborn mold and grime from my shower tile grout with the use of a hard bristle toothbrush. It removed hard water stains from my sinks and faucets . I noticed it really does remove mineral buildup, but it takes a lot of elbow grease and repetitive applications before you start seeing progress. The texture feels similar to when you mix honey with sugar to make a lip scrub, except it’s super fine grit and more pasty like putty or clay . It works amazing so far! No overpowering smell (barely any smell at all), easy to use, and a little product goes a long way. I haven’t tried it on rust yet, so we’ll see how that goes. Over all very pleased and impressed so far. Highly recommend!" — Marissa Get it from Amazon for $5.97 . 20. A garbage-disposal foaming cleaner to scrub away the stinky grime that builds up on the blades and in the pipes. Look at that foam go! Promising review: "We moved into a townhouse that had a garbage disposal in the kitchen. Never had one growing up and didn't think too much about it until the funky smell started. I researched ways to clean it and came across these. Decided to order a four-pack and try them. THEY ARE LIFE CHANGING. Just run some water, toss the packet in, and turn on the disposal. The little packet does all the hard work for you. I order a new set as soon as we start to run low." — lucas broshears Get it from Amazon for $3.78 . 21. A set of cleaning K-Cups that'll rinse away all the coffee grounds from your past beverages and ensure your next ones taste fresher than ever. Quick & Clean is a small business! Promising review: "I bought this product because the needle in my Keurig 2.0 keeps clogging, causing inconsistent brew and taste. These cleaning cups fixed both of my issues and I especially liked that it was really quick and easy to use... I put the cleaning pod in and ran one cycle, then took the pod out and ran a rinse cycle to clean out any leftover grinds. FAST, EASY, and GREAT results ...VERY HAPPY!!" — Corey West Get it from Amazon for $9.95 . 22. A pack of disposable shower hair catchers to place directly over your drain and toss in the trash when you're done with it — you won't have to to think about all the gunk and germs that might linger on a more permanent hair catcher. Aire Allure is a small business! Promising review: "I saw these on TikTok and bought them when I was visiting family. Tried them out and left a few behind for family and sent a few home with family — everyone is now ordering them and using them. They work great. Each one is on its own plastic shield. Just peel off and center onto your floor drain. I leave mine on for two to three weeks. I'm the only one using my shower, but if it's a shared shower probably wouldn't last that long. It's still a great way to catch hair before going down the drain, because we all know, people say they use the traps but they really don't. A must-have!!" — C. Crocker Get a pack of 25 from Amazon for $10.99 (also available in packs of 50 and and 100). 23. A bag of FryAway cooking oil solidifier — a seemingly magical substance you can sprinkle on top of your grease-coated pan and watch as it turns to a solid. No more waiting ages for it to cool, having to grossly scrape it out of your pan with a paper towel, or accidentally clogging your pipes. FryAway is a US-based small business specializing in planet-friendly cooking waste solutions. Promising review: "I will always keep this stocked in my house! My husband sent me a TikTok, I know I know, and I thought it couldn't hurt to try it out. I loved after the first night! I could easily remove the hardened oil and throw it out." — Roberta Get it from Amazon for $9.97 . 24. A pumice cleaning stone you can count on to make your toilet actually sparkle like a porcelain throne. Powerstone is a small business! Promising review: "This product has far exceeded my expectations. We have well water and often get water stains even with an advanced water filtration system. I clean the toilets with bleach-heavy toilet cleaners at least biweekly. I was always left with a ‘ring’ that I thought just came with well-water toilets. Well. This has changed my life, really. I scrubbed one toilet in less than 10 minutes, and it’s basically brand new. No more nasty toilet rings!! Just try it! BTW I never usually leave reviews, but this thing has made me so happy!! I will never be without this product!" — Nicole Get it from Amazon for $13.99 . 25. An automatic cleaning toilet bowl cartridge to pop into the top of your tank — it'll last up to three months and clean with every single flush. Now that's a cleaning product worth testing out. Promising review: "This works absolutely phenomenal. I would clean the bowl area every weekend like clockwork to remove mold or something...Our municipal water system may not inject enough chlorine to prohibit? But toilet cleaning is a breeze now!!! Works on the Koehler new low flush systems...amazing. No chlorine damage to rubber parts, either, like other devices! Pretty simple instructions to install." — CdrW Get it from Amazon for $10.59 . 26. Angry Orange pet odor eliminator for anyone with an adorable furry friend who is still learning how to control their bladder — this will help banish evidence of accidents (and the lingering smell that goes along with it). Promising review: "This product is amazing!!!! We have a Rottweiler pup and a bichon pup and our house was feeling the PAIN! I tried everything and used to tell my wife, 'With all the science and technology in the world, we still can’t come up with something that gets rid of the dog mark smell!' This product does everything and more. Just ordered another round. We were about to throw away some furniture due to the smell, and now after use, we can keep it. Saved me hundreds. Well worth the money. " — clayton s tonkin Get it from Amazon for $17.96 . 27. Affresh cleaning tablets you can toss into your dishwasher and easily get rid of that yucky smell that seems to appear after a few washes — it'll banish lime and mineral build-up and leave your dishes nice 'n' clean. I have these tablets and use them all the time! They work especially great after the bottom of my dishwasher has gotten stained with residue from detergent or rusty-looking liquid after I've run my baking sheets through the wash. I love knowing I can just pop one into the dishwasher 1, 2, 3, and end up with a clean machine. Promising review: "After using this product, I am happy to report that my $5 investment saved me over $500. I was ready to replace my dishwasher, due to super cloudy glasses, residue, and just not getting clean. Then I saw a product test review for Affresh in Good Housekeeping magazine. I was ordering some stuff from Amazon anyway, so I added that to my order. I did not expect the results I got! The glassware that I thought was permanently etched and ruined came out like new. Same with cutlery. The difference is unbelievable. I am amazed!" — Sheila Get it from Amazon for $8.98 . 28. A box of washing machine cleaning tablets that'll easily remove any odor-causing residue from inside your machine — you don't want your clothes to smell, do ya? Promising review: "This product works great. My clothes were starting to get the damp smell after washing them. I put a tablet in to clean my washer and it works great. The odor from my washer disappeared. Will definitely buy again and recommend to others" — maria phillips Get it from Amazon for $11.66 . 29. Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray , which smells so freakin' good you might just get distracted from how wonderfully it works! All you'll have to do is spray it onto caked-on food and grease, wait a lil', then rinse or wipe it away to reveal a perfectly clean pan. I'm actually obsessed with this product. I use it on my frying pans and the grill pans from my Griddler (which are ALWAYS a pain to clean). It loosens all the gunk and makes it much easier to clean burnt bits and pieces off. It also really does smell incredible — very fresh and delightful! I've even seen a friend use it to immediately remove a coffee stain from a white sweater. It's incredible. Promising review: "This is the best partner in the kitchen!! You need it now and always. Great for hard stains and even for a quick clean . I always have backups that never run out. RUN DON'T WALK TO ADD THIS PRODUCT TO YOUR CART RIGHT NOW." — Carlos G Get it from Amazon for $19.27 for a bundle. 30. A soap-dispensing brush that might just make you want to clean your dishes — it looks kinda fun, doesn't it? It'll help you clean off any gross bits of food, so even if you don't have time to toss your dishes into the dishwasher (or you simply don't own one!) the lingering leftovers won't cause a smell in your kitchen. Promising review: "I'm loving this little brush. I had purchased another dish brush a while back from the grocery store and the bristles were so stiff that it often splattered soap everywhere. This one isn't like that. The bristles are stiff, but soft enough that they tend to cling to what you're brushing, so they don't cause that splatter effect. I also like that you can open the whole thing up by taking its top off to refill it, giving you plenty of room to pour in the dish soap. The ability to easily remove and replace the brush is another very handy feature. Both are easy to do and it's well made, so they're not likely to come open or undone unexpectedly." — Elliria Get it from Amazon for $8.99 . 31. A handheld dog shower attachment you can use to host an at-home spa day for you and your pup and prevent your doggo from stinking up the whole place. Who says a day of pampering should only be for us humans? This easy-to-use pet wand will help you shower your dog with love (and water) from the comfort of your home. My dog used to hate the car, so taking all 80 pounds of him to the groomer was often a struggle (to say the least). By using this attachment we were able to clean up him up without feeling anxious. The unique wand is curved to provide full coverage while washing your pet. It also has an 8-foot-long flexible hose for extended reach and be used indoors or outdoors. Promising review: "Our dogs hate baths, so bathing them was always a time-consuming hassle. With this product, it’s quick and easy! Our dogs are working dogs that are out in public all day every day, so we have to keep them looking, smelling and feeling clean to the touch. This product makes that easy for us and our dogs. I would definitely buy it again (but it will probably last for decades) and have already recommended it to family and friends." — Jonah 1:3 Get it from Amazon for $39.99 . 32. A silicone toilet brush with a sturdy drain-cleaning tweezer hidden inside the handle, perfect for helping you keep your bowl clean and assist you in removing the inevitable clumps of gag-worthy, wet hair that always find its way into your drain and smells so bad. Promising review: "I needed a new toilet brush that would fit in a confined space and didn't tip over easily. The BOOMJOY toilet brush is stylish — if that is an adjective that can be used to describe a toilet brush — functional, and compact. The silicone bristles seem to do the job they were designed to do." — Snowlady Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in 10 colors). 33. Or a Clorox ToiletWand you can use and then toss away — say SEE YA' to that gross toilet brush hiding in the corner of your bathroom. It'll leave your toilet smelling fresh as a daisy, since there is Clorox literally built right into it. I own and cherish this product. It's a dream knowing the "brush" is fresh and hasn't been intimate with the inside of my toilet prior to my picking it up again. This set comes with the wand and 16 refills. Promising review: "The primary reason I decided to purchase the Clorox Toilet Wand was so I could clean under my toilet rims, which I noticed was definitely getting neglected via using the standard toilet brushes to clean. Initially, I was looking for a toilet brush that had the shape needed to actually GET under the rim, and that's how I found out about it. Now that I've used it... I can say without a doubt that'll I'll never go back to a regular brush. I like the cleanliness of the disposable brushes as opposed to a regular toilet brush. And I especially like that I don't have to purchase a second brush with a shape capable of cleaning under the rim, which not only takes up more space, but also would take more time given I'd have to switch back and forth and apply product. With this, I can just clean the entire pot in less than five minutes with the same tool." — Brittney Nelson Get it from Amazon for $18.61 . 34. And a magnificent toilet cleaning gel stamp from Scrubbing Bubbles, so when you finally get around to thoroughly cleaning your bowl it'll do the heavy lifting until the next time you think to yourself "when was the last time I cleaned this thing?" and release a fresh scent each time you flush. I have this product and it really does work! It took me a minute to figure out how to apply it, but after reading the enclosed directions it was a cinch! You quite literally stamp it into the inside of the toilet bowl and leave it be. It smells super refreshing for a long time — as if you've cleaned your toilet every time you flush. Promising review: "Okay I was so confused when I opened this but honestly it’s easy to use and after I completely deep cleaned my bathroom, I tried one of these stamps on my toilet. I was sooo skeptical and was confused how they’d work but the gel solidifies and with every flush, suds wash through with the water and it really makes a fresh difference. Also the scent is light but really nice and fresh! I recommend these 100%! They’re super interesting but they do the job." — Janet Get a set of six from Amazon for $4.74 . 35. A Door-Doc — an odor-preventing front load washer door prop that'll keep yours opened *just* enough to ensure it doesn't get a funky, mold-like smell inside. Door-Doc is a small business! You can see it in action on TikTok . Promising review: "This is amazing, a simple tool that has helped kill off the smell from my washer. My washer when not closed would swing all the way open, not just a crack. This bad boy leaves it open a few inches so it breathes. The magnet is sturdy enough to hold the door in place but easy enough to pop off if you gently pull the door open." — Sherry S. Get it from Amazon for $28.99 (available in two colors). 36. A pet hair remover with a unique patented brush design that'll let you invite guests to sit down without fear of them being covered head-to-toe in your dog's hair. ChomChom is a small business! You can also snag a mini version for on-the-go hair removal emergencies. Promising reviews: "The ChomChom Roller really works. I have two German Shepherds who shed SO much, so this was necessary. The ChomChom Roller picked up SO much fur the vacuum couldn’t." — Ezra Gordon "I've had it in my possession for like two hours, and I've cleaned everything. The couch, the blinds, the cat tree pad, the chair; I'm obsessed. I feel like this thing should win an award for being so awesome. I feel like it should be in raffle baskets and giveaways and silent auctions for every event that highlights 'things cat people need.' It's better than those sticky rollers. It's better than the one-directional velvet wand thing that I always use the wrong way. It's the best." — Meowser Get it from Amazon for $24.95 . 37. And a pet deshedding brush you can use to remove any matted fur and loose hair so it won't end up covering every square inch of your home. Promising review: "Bear is only 7lbs. He’s little. I got this much hair (pictured above, left) off of him in less than five minutes. It’s my first long haired dog and my first shedding season with him. I’m so happy with this tool. He likes it too! His coat feels great!" — Erin Kelly Get it from Amazon for $5.99+ (available in four colors). 38. A jetted-tub cleaner that'll pump out all of the gunk from inside your tub's jets, which always seem to leave the bathroom smelling a bit mildewed if you go too long without cleaning it. It's disgusting but oh-so-satisfying when its done! I personally can vouch for how amazing this product is. I watched with my own eyes as it magically cleared out the grossness from my previous apartment's jetted tub pipes. It's pretty disgusting and incredible. Reviewers, like this one , also love that the product doesn't have a chemical smell. Oh Yuk is a small business! Promising review: "This stuff is amazing! I’ve cleaned my jets recently with laundry detergent (something I saw to do on Pinterest), but it was no match for this life-changing cleaner!! Absolutely fabulous. Will be purchasing more and adding it to my cleaning routine! THANK YOU!!" — Stephie B Get it from Amazon for $18.73 . 39. An earth-friendly bathroom cleaner made with tea tree oil (which smells so good) — it'll prevent soap and scum stains on every surface. Simply spray it after your shower (no need to wipe it off) and let it get to work while you dry off and go about your day. I've tested this out in my own bathtub and was blown away by how much unseen gunk came off (seen above, right). I sprayed it and wiped it off like three times before I was satisfied with the cleanliness of my tub — I blame my toddler, who thrives on playing in the dirt. Anyways, it did a great job and I love that it doesn't have an intense chemical smell to it. Promising review: "This spray works! I only write a review if I’m really happy with something or really disappointed and I appreciate all whom write reviews. I have been using this spray for a week since cleaning my shower doors and there is NO SCUM. Still looks clean after a week. Usually by the third day my glass shower doors look dirty." — G. Guill Get a pack of two from Amazon for $12.82 . 40. A bottle of mold and mildew remover , so your bathroom's grout can resemble the likes of that fabulous resort you've been eyeing for your next tropical vacation. Your bathroom is going to smell incredibly clean once you've removed all that lingering gunk. There wasn't a lot of ventilation in my apartment bathroom, so the grout used to get gunky and gross-looking from the humidity. I had been battling this specific bathroom grime for weeks and tried a whole array of products to no avail. Finally, I purchased Skylarlife Home Mold and Mildew Remover Gel. The results were outstanding. It’s super simple: put on a pair of gloves and apply the clear gel around your grout. Let it sit for five to six hours (I suggest opening all your windows, it’s got a strong smell) then rinse it off with cold water. Promising review: "Wow! I would give this 10 stars if I could. We've had issues for a few years with the caulking behind the handle of our kitchen faucet turning black from mildew. We've scrubbed with what seems like a million different products, with no luck. We were actually just talking about ripping out the caulking and doing a total replacement. But my husband saw this online the other day and decided to order it. Almost immediately when he applied it, you could see it was starting to work. We left it on overnight and the black is COMPLETELY GONE! It's incredible. 1,000% worth the (small) investment. " — Nicole D. Get it from Amazon for $14.99 . 41. A pet stain and odor remover , so when your furry friend gets a little too excited that you just got home and decides to pee all over your shoes, it's sort of OK. Promising review: "This is one product that really delivers. It was put to the test when our pup had several bouts of diarrhea on the cream/gray woven wool rug in our bedroom. The stains had several hours to soak in before we discovered them. I’ve posted both before and after photos. Although I had to spray and blot with a towel multiple times, the stains are virtually gone. The scent of Rocco & Roxie is pleasant, and all traces of the nasty smell are gone. If you have an indoor pet, you NEED to buy this stuff. It cleans better than anything I’ve used before." — msgrafix Get it from Amazon for $19.31 . 42. And an absolutely incredible Samsung Bespoke Jet AI cordless stick vacuum that'll magically adjust each time you glide over a different floor type. Home filled with a mix of carpet, wood, and tile? No worries! This baby will beautifully clean 'em all. As a shopping editor, I have tried out A LOT of vacuums. This one is definitely at the top of my list. It's *very* lightweight, cleans beautifully, and holds a charge for up to 100 minutes. The "AI" feature makes it so when I move from one room to the next, the suction is immediately optimized for whichever flooring is in that room. It's quite incredible to experience IRL. I absolutely love that I only have to click one button to get it going instead of holding a trigger for the duration of my cleaning sesh — a game changer. However, the feature that has truly amazed me is the all-in-one cleaning station. Once I dock the vacuum back in its little home, it promptly empties out ALL of the dust/debris/dirt into a separate container, so I don't have to clean it out after each use. It's a splurge, but it's definitely worth it. Get it from Amazon for $816.92+ (available in midnight blue and white). Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
The cellular telephone or rather its modern incarnation – the smartphone – has become almost an extension of our body. It is 24/7 with us, giving us updates about our near and dear and also about the wider world. It enables us to do a thousand and one things in addition to the basic function of telephony. Even that has become so advanced that we can talk to another person on the other side of the world face to face free (save for the data charges). Smartphones enable us to go to any corner of the World Wide Web with a single touch. But for most people, this means easy access to social media or new media including Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Reddit, Telegram and BlueSky. In fact, this is how most people get their “news fix” in the morning – not the traditional newspaper, TV or radio. Just half an hour after waking up, they know what their friends and relatives are up to and also what world leaders are up to. Double-edged sword But like most things in life, the smartphone is like a double-edged sword. It is not only a treasure trove of information, but also a minefield of misinformation. For example, reliable sites on the Internet will give you the correct facts on vaccines and vaccination, but Facebook et al is full of misinformation on the same subject. Millions of people were misled by such false posts and did not take the Covid-19 vaccine and some of them did not survive the pandemic. What is even more worrying is the proliferation of smartphones among children, including even those still in the kindergarten. The Internet and the deep labyrinth known as the “dark web” is a dangerous place for children to be. Children can also access content that is unsuitable for them. Many children have been lured online by sexual predators. Many others are bullied online, a process termed cyber bullying. Unable to bear these taunts, some children, even in Sri Lanka, have taken the extreme step of taking their own lives. Educators also complain that smartphones are a major source of distraction, negatively impacting students’ ability to concentrate on lessons. Incoming notifications, or even the mere proximity of a mobile device, can be a distraction resulting in students losing their attention from the task at hand. Leaving all that aside, looking at a screen virtually all day long can harm the developing eyes of children and also inhibit their physical activities. The GEM Report’s gender edition highlighted how social media can negatively affect mental health while reinforcing harmful gender norms. It found that girls are twice as likely as boys to suffer from eating disorders exacerbated by social media use. Facebook’s own research revealed that 32 percent of teenage girls felt worse about their bodies after using Instagram. The report further noted alarming trends related to TikTok’s algorithm, which targets teenagers with body image content every 39 seconds and promotes content related to eating disorders every eight minutes. For the past several years, educationists around the world have been alarmed by these developments to the point where they began to call for a ban on mobiles for schoolchildren during school hours. Their call was based on everyday observations as well as scientific research. At home, of course, it is up to the parents or guardians to restrict smartphone usage or give the children free rein. In response, several countries have taken steps to ban phones in the classrooms, at least for children aged less than 16. Parents have also universally applauded the move while even the children have somewhat grudgingly warmed up to the idea. Overall, a new analysis from the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report team found that more than 60 countries now ban smartphones in classrooms by law or policy. Algeria, Cambodia, Chile, Egypt, Finland, Hungary, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Niue and the Russian Federation are some of the countries that have introduced bans. Getting rid of smartphones from schools in Belgium, Spain and the United Kingdom was found to improve learning outcomes, according to a study cited in the report, especially for students that were not performing as well as their peers. Sweden has implemented a ban on cell phones for students in Grades 1-9 during school hours, including breaks. In France, cell phones are completely banned in schools due to their potential to distract students, with exceptions made for people with disabilities. Bangladesh teachers and students have been banned from bringing mobile phones in classrooms, while Uzbekistan mandates that students turn off their devices before lessons commence and are only allowed to use their phones to communicate with parents or legal guardians in cases of justified and urgent need. In Scotland (United Kingdom) and the Netherlands, cell phone use is restricted to educational purposes only. In November 2023, the Dutch Government unveiled plans to extend the ban on mobile phones in classrooms to include primary and special schools, with exceptions being made for medical needs or educational purposes. Partial or total restrictions on cell phone use can also be found in Bulgaria, Greece, Latvia, Portugal, Switzerland, and Türkiye. These regulations are often accompanied by guidelines on screen time and policies aimed at limiting social media use within educational settings. In the morning before class starts, one by one, the students at the Würenloser Gesamtschule near Zürich in Switzerland turn off their smartphones and drop them into a simple wooden box at the front of their classroom. The devices will remain there until the gong rings at the end of their school day. “I don’t even take it to school anymore,” one 12th-Grader said. “It only distracts me.” His peers agree. “We talk more with each other instead of everybody staring at their screens,” his friend said. “Major problem” According to a recent Pew research, 70 percent of high school teachers believe phone distraction is a “major problem,” and a third of the students said they are distracted by digital devices during lessons. On average, US teenagers spend nearly five hours a day on social media, according to a recent Gallup survey. The social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who wrote the bestseller The Anxious Generation, has expressed concern about the “rewiring” of an entire generation and noticed clear links between rising phone addiction and declining mental health. But educationists say that the solution is not as simple as banning all digital devices. The problem is not the use of these devices per se, but excessive use and the kind of content that students access. Students who spend one to five hours per day on digital devices including tablets and laptops for learning at school and home score significantly higher in their mathematics lessons than those who spend no time on such devices, according to a recent OECD report: Studies have also shown that simply taking digital devices away is not an entirely successful strategy. Children need alternatives that can prove more enriching than digital and social media temptations. These can be group activities, sports, quiz programs, music and dance, school clubs, broadcasting and debating societies and foreign language classes. Some countries have gone even further, suggesting total social media bans for schoolchildren under 16, at school and home. Australia is the first country to take this extreme step, with its Parliament approving the measure last week. Under this proposal, Australia has passed a law to prevent children under 16 from creating (and accessing) accounts on social media platforms. This has attracted both plaudits (from parents and educationists) and criticism (from social media companies, human rights advocates and even social media experts). “This is about protecting young people — not punishing or isolating them,” said Australia’s Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. She cited exposure to content about drug abuse, eating disorders and violence as some of the harms children can encounter online. However, it is not exactly clear how the law could be implemented as it is difficult for the State to “police” online accounts. It has also raised privacy concerns. The law requires social media platforms to take “reasonable steps” to verify the age of users and prohibit those under 16 from opening accounts. However, it is rather easy to give false dates of birth and other information online, as the social media companies do not have tools to verify them. There is also a debate on which platforms could be subjected to the ban. The Australian Government has named TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) as sites it is likely to include. Three broad categories of platforms will be exempt: messaging apps (like WhatsApp and Facebook’s Messenger Kids); gaming platforms; and services that provide educational content, including YouTube, Vimeo and Khan Academy. Access platforms Those 15 and under will also still be able to access platforms that let users see some content without registering for an account, such as TikTok, Facebook and Reddit. However, some experts have suggested that the social media companies should devote more resources to content moderation and removal of harmful content, an argument that has its merits. Other countries are looking at the Aussie experiment before taking similar steps. This brings us to the question whether Sri Lanka should follow these examples. There have been several reports of children here causing self-harm to themselves over social media posts and comments. There is no doubt that parents should exercise some control over their children’s online habits. Many devices have parental control settings, but it is even better not to provide young children with digital devices of their own. If the parents give their devices to children, it is better to set a time limit. Quite apart from social media, some mobile games can be extremely violent and could have a corrosive influence on young minds. As we said earlier, it is a minefield out there on the Internet and parents and teachers have to guide young ones with care.With Easter Sunday falling on April 20 next year, customers shared their confusion on social media after finding chocolate eggs and hot cross buns already for sale in shops including Morrisons, Tesco and Asda. One user, @Jingle1991, shared an image of Malteser Bunnies in Sainsbury’s on Christmas Eve and pointed out: “Jesus hasn’t even been born yet.” Meanwhile, Gary Evans from Margate shared a shot of Creme Eggs on display in Morrisons in Margate on Boxing Day. “I just think its crazy that everything is so superficial and meaninglessly commercial... (there’s) something quite frantic about it,” the 66-year-old told the PA news agency. No Shame.Morrisons.Easter eggs.Boxing Day. December 26th.Peace on Earth pic.twitter.com/slGoIjOpRq — Gary Evans (@GaryEva04679693) December 26, 2024 Joseph Robinson found Easter confectionary including Cadbury Mini Eggs, and themed Kit-Kat and Kinder Surprise products at his local Morrisons in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday evening. “It’s funny, as they’ve not even managed to shift the Christmas chocolates off the shelves yet and they’re already stocking for Easter,” the 35-year-old admin support worker told PA. “I wish that Supermarkets weren’t so blatantly consumerist-driven and would actually allow customers and staff a time to decompress during the Christmas period.” @Morrisons It's not even a full 2025 and you're already stocking for easter.Kindly get in the bin pic.twitter.com/kLS7DGSRXt — Joseph (@stokegoblin) December 27, 2024 Asked if he was tempted to make a purchase, Mr Robinson added: “As a vegan it holds no appeal to me!” Mike Chalmers, a devout Christian from Chippenham, Wiltshire, was slightly less critical after spotting a display entitled: “Celebrate this Easter with Cadbury.” Easter is for life, not just for Christmas(Photo today in Morrisons!) pic.twitter.com/VmdJ31La9r — Mike Chalmers (@realMChalmers) December 27, 2024 “Christmas and Easter are the two centrepoints of the Christian good news story so it’s no bad thing to see the connections,” the 44-year-old said. “It’s about more than shapes of chocolate though!” Marketing consultant Andrew Wallis admitted he was surprised to see Easter eggs in the Co-op in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire, but added it also illustrates “forward-thinking” from big businesses. Christmas isn’t even over, and Easter eggs are already on the shelves. Say what you want about it—but big brands don’t wait. They plan ahead and act fast. Are you doing the same? Your future self will thank you pic.twitter.com/Sl9qd7sOGS — andrewwallis (@andrewwallis) December 27, 2024 “It made me reflect on how big brands are always thinking ahead and planning early,” the 54-year-old from the Isle of Man, who provides marketing advice to the fitness industry, told PA. “My message to retailers would be: while planning ahead is important, it’s also essential to be mindful of consumer sentiment. “Some might feel it’s too early for seasonal products like this but others might see it as a sign of forward-thinking. “Striking the right balance is key to keeping customers happy.”
Post Office Scheme: Investing 5 lakhs will give you a profit of more than 2 lakhs, know howTV’s Dr. Oz invested in businesses regulated by agency Trump wants him to lead
Melbourne Cup scratching chasing Zipping Classic consolationPARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Kailyn Gilbert scooped in a layup with 1.6 seconds remaining and then stole the ball on the last play of the game to give No. 7 LSU a 68-67 win over Washington in the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship first round on Monday. Flau’Jae Johnson had to save the ball from going into the backcourt during a scramble that ended in Gilbert's go-ahead basket. Gilbert corralled the loose ball over a diving Washington player, sliced through the defense and tossed up a shot that hung on the back of the rim before falling through. Gilbert's ensuing steal sealed it. Aneesah Morrow had her 80th career double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Tigers (7-0). Johnson also had 19 points and Sa'Myah Smith added 16 with a career-high 15 rebounds. Sayvia Sellers had a career-high 24 points for the Huskies (6-2). Ellie Ladine had 14 points and nine rebounds. Washington, 16-15 last year, 6-12 in its final Pac-12 season, showed a lot of grit. LSU also showed a lot of grit in pulling out a win despite shooting a season-low 33%, going 3 of 19 from 3-point range. Sellers hit a tough step-back 3-pointer to bump the Washington lead to 62-57 with 4:31 to play and 18 seconds later she fouled out. The Husky reserves played 27 minutes and didn't score. LSU was 15 of 21 from the foul line as two Husky starters had four fouls in addition to Sellers fouling out. Washington shot 7 of 10 from the line. The Tigers also had 26 second-chance points off of 27 offensive rebounds. LSU plays N.C. State or Southern on Wednesday in the tournament's championship game. Washington will play before that game against the loser of N.C. State-Southern. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: andTrump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to France
Natixis Advisors LLC Reduces Stock Holdings in T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW)TV’s Dr. Oz invested in businesses regulated by agency Trump wants him to lead(Reuters) – Girona’s rediscovered form is thanks to the return of players from injury which has given the side new energy, coach Michel said after they thrashed Espanyol 4-1 in La Liga on Saturday. Michel’s side had endured a shaky start to the season but moved up to fifth in the standings on 21 points after a superb home victory featuring a Bojan Miovski brace and goals by Bryan Gil and Ladislav Krejci. “Today’s victory, which is our third (in a row), it’s due to the fact we got people back, because we’ve rested, because we’ve had a very good week of training and because that energy today was noticeable,” Michel told a press conference. “The only thing I hope is that we continue to recover people, that we continue to have the necessary minutes for everyone and that, as we have very tough games coming up every three days, we need everyone to be at one hundred percent; we’ll see if we can achieve this without any problems.” Yaser Asprilla and Krejci, back from injury, combined for the fourth goal but it was the pairing of Miovski and Gil who made the night with lethal attacks for the second and third goals. “I am very happy for Miovski, he is a player who gives everything in training,” Michel added. “I was worried because he wasn’t scoring goals. He always tries to do his best for the team, he needs time. I am happy for him. “Bryan is a very important player for everyone, his best version is yet to come. Right now the process with him is what we all expect,” the manager said. Last season’s surprise package Girona face Austrian side Sturm Graz in the Champions League on Wednesday and the manager hopes they can repeat Saturday’s performance in the European game. “This is the Girona I want, one hundred per cent. We started the game very well, that’s the reality. The first half hour was spectacular, with and without the ball... We had a presence up front. The first half hour is what we want to do this season,” Michel said. (Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; editing by Clare Fallon) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Surv Essex: Offering Expert Planning Drawings Across Essex-Transforming Property Dreams into Reality 11-25-2024 08:34 PM CET | Industry, Real Estate & Construction Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Chris Palmer Marketing Image: https://www.getnews.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/1732486272.jpeg High-quality planning drawings produced by Surv Essex, ensuring projects meet council requirements with precision. Surv Essex provides comprehensive planning drawings to support homeowners, developers, and architects throughout Essex. 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Their reputation for accuracy, professionalism, and customer-first service has made them the go-to experts for planning services in the region. Location: https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2484.911307995196!2d0.4136696766183222!3d51.47814227180663!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x47d8c93538300f5b%3A0x33ed58dd81e04e7a!2sSurv%20Essex%20Architects%2C%20Party%20Wall%20Surveyors%20and%20Land%20Registry%20Plans!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1732281449447!5m2!1sen!2suk " width= Media Contact Company Name: Surv Essex Contact Person: Kev Miller Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=surv-essex-offering-expert-planning-drawings-across-essextransforming-property-dreams-into-reality ] Phone: 07398679844 Address:Building 13, Thames Enterprise Centre, Princess Margaret Road, East Tilbury City: Essex, RM18 8RH State: England Country: United Kingdom Website: http://www.survessex.co.uk/ This release was published on openPR.
Haiti's sexual violence survivors face dwindling support, report warnsMIAMI (AP) — Keyone Jenkins threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns and Florida International beat Middle Tennessee 35-24 on Saturday to end the regular season for both teams. Lexington Joseph had a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, Devonte Lyons had a 21-yard scoring run later in the frame and FIU (4-8, 3-5 Conference USA) led the entire way. Jenkins threw scoring passes of 38 and 19 yards to Dean Patterson and 50 yards to Eric Rivers. The touchdown pass to Rivers marked FIU's largest lead of the contest at 35-17 with 11:01 left in the fourth. Nicholas Vattiato threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns for the Blue Raiders (3-9, 2-6). He was intercepted once. 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
