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Top campaign staff from Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential run have revealed that the popular YouTube show "Hot Ones," which often invites celebrities to be interviewed while eating wings that increase in spice level, refused to host Harris. Harris' staff retroactively evaluated her campaign in a Pod Save America podcast episode, in which they admitted that they attempted to get her onto "Hot Ones" as a guest, but the team behind the show declined their offer. The showrunners "didn't want to delve into politics," Stephanie Cutter, who ran messaging and media strategy for Harris, said on the podcast. "'Hot Ones,' which is a great show, they didn't wanna do any politics, so they weren't going to take us or [Trump]," Cutter said. "So that was the issue." Cutter further indicated that this was the response the Harris team received "across the board" when trying to get her onto similar non-partisan shows, despite some of these shows later welcoming then-presidential candidate Donald Trump onto their platforms. "I don't think he had the same problem," Jen O'Malley Dillon, a former Harris campaign manager, said. She noted that the Trump campaign "certainly was able to tap into some cultural elements in ways that we couldn't." Podcast host Dan Pfeiffer, a former communications director for Barack Obama, was shocked at "the idea that it would be more politically problematic to have on Kamala Harris, the sitting vice president of the United States, than Donald Trump, a man who's been convicted of a crime and tried to violently overthrow the election." Harris' campaign staff also reiterated their candidate's willingness to appear on the Joe Rogan podcast , noting that they attempted to get her on the podcast when she visited Austin, Texas, where Rogan lives, for her rally with Beyoncé . However, Trump was reportedly recording his episode on the podcast that same day, so they said scheduling issues prevented the episode from happening. Originally published by Latin Times."Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" is the most reprinted newspaper editorial in the English language. It was first published in 1897 in response to a query from an 8-year-old girl named Virginia O'Hanlon asking whether Saint Nick was real. Tony Wade: The Last Laugh I’m not being cynical, just going back to when I had the same skepticism when I lived in – wait for it – Virginia. I weighed the evidence and came to the conclusion that the whole Santa Claus thing was a crock. Presents: So I remember looking for our shoe shine kit and when I went into my dad’s closet, there in the corner, partially hidden by his hanging Navy uniforms, was a pile of wrapped presents. Now this was puzzling to me because I knew that the story went that Santa actually brought those on Christmas Eve. Did he drop some off early? They were later just put under the tree and the only thing that wasn’t put there were larger things like bicycles or Big Wheels or an Official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with which to shoot your eye out. Flying reindeer: I don’t think I ever saw an actual reindeer when I was a kid, but I had seen deer and they didn’t look particularly aerodynamic. Without flapping wings, which they didn’t have, could they somehow fly? How? Thought power? Then there was Rudolph. The other reindeer bullies hurled insults at him and wouldn’t let him play any of their reindeer games (UNO? Dominoes? Trivial Pursuit?) but then when he saves the day because of his “disability” they suddenly loved him? Oh hale no! At the very least Rudolph should have renegotiated his free agent contract to make sure he was being paid double what Blitzen and the rest of those punks made. Even if reindeer could fly, the enormity of the task that Santa had on Christmas eve would negate any time for bathroom breaks. There would have to be a sign on the bottom of the sled that read, “Watch for all the falling reindeer poop!” Entry: The Cape Hart Navy housing we lived in had flat roofs so there would be a nice landing strip for Santa, so that wasn’t a problem. But there was one huge and obvious one: we did not have a fireplace. For years my mom put out a cardboard one near the tree, but even with a brain that could never figure out how to correctly multiply and divide fractions, I knew it was not possible for that to work. Plus, even if it did so by magic like in “The Santa Clause,” it opens the door to another issue. While it is nowhere near what it is today, we were still warned about “stranger danger” back in the 1970s. I mean, we’re supposed to let a complete stranger just come into our house in the middle of the night? I know the response: but he’s bringing gifts! That’s exactly what we were told the bad guys do! Sheesh! It’s bad enough that we’re taught from a young age not to take candy from strangers ... except on a night when you can accept it from hundreds (we were trick-or-treating pros) of people! Now we’re just gonna let some jolly ol’ elf slither through our cardboard fireplace and into the house? How about some consistency! Privacy concerns: The lyrics to “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” were horrifying: He sees you when you're sleepin', He knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good, So be good for goodness sake. You better watch out, You better not cry, Better not pout, I'm telling you why: Santa Claus is comin' to town. People worry about smartphones being able to track them these days. Evidently that technology was nothing new. I’m not sure it was through transistor radios or 8-tracks or just how he did it, but that is some seriously disturbing surveillance. He knows if I’ve been bad or good? Isn’t that a bit rigid? I mean, yes I punched Tony Tobias in the face in second grade and was sent home by the vice-principal, but that’s because he was mocking me. I mean, it felt good when I did it. Is there some sort of formal appeals process? You better not cry? You better not pout? I’m a Raiders fan! I’ve elevated those two things to an art form and now Santa’s punishing me for it? Conclusion : There ain’t no Santa Claus. Buy your own stuff. Then you can punch who you want and cry and pout to your heart’s content. Fairfield freelance humor columnist and accidental local historian Tony Wade writes two weekly columns: “The Last Laugh” on Wednesdays and “Back in the Day” on Sundays. Wade is also the author of The History Press books “Growing Up In Fairfield, California,” “Lost Restaurants of Fairfield, California,” “Armijo High School: Fairfield, California,” and "Growing Up In Vacaville." Reach Tony at toekneeweighed@gmail.comWhat You Should Know About Trump's Surgeon General Pick

Wednesday, December 25, 2024 As the Christmas travel season began to intensify, American Airlines faced significant operational challenges, including a nationwide flight grounding due to a technical issue. The disruption, which occurred on a Tuesday, was exacerbated by winter weather conditions threatening travelers’ plans across the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a national ground stop, preventing planes from taking off for approximately one hour, affecting the flow of air traffic just as millions of travelers were on the move. Flight Cancellations and Delays Wreak Havoc on U.S. Air Travel In addition to the ground stop, major delays and cancellations were reported throughout the country. Flight-tracking services such as FlightAware indicated that 1,447 flights were delayed, while 28 flights were canceled due to the issues affecting American Airlines. The delays were concentrated in major hubs, particularly Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte, North Carolina, with Washington, New York, Chicago, and Miami experiencing fewer disruptions. The delays were part of broader travel challenges as the holiday season saw record numbers of people taking to the skies. Impact of Winter Weather on Travel Plans As the airline issues unfolded, winter weather compounded the challenges for both air and road travelers. The Pacific Northwest was hit with significant rain and snow, expected to continue into Christmas Day, while thunderstorms were forming in the South. Freezing rain affected the Mid-Atlantic region, including areas near Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and snow was reported in New York. These weather conditions added to the difficulties for travelers, many of whom were trying to reach their destinations during the busy holiday season. Travel Industry Vulnerabilities During Peak Seasons The Christmas holiday period tends to involve a prolonged wave of travel, lasting several weeks, unlike the short bursts of high traffic around Thanksgiving. However, the continuous grind of managing holiday flights over several days can place a strain on airline staff and flight crews. Even minor issues, such as a winter storm or a technical failure, can lead to significant disruptions, often snowballing into broader travel chaos. This situation was evident last December when Southwest Airlines’ operational breakdown stranded millions of passengers, and Delta faced a large-scale issue due to a technology glitch. The Challenge of Cancellations and Limited Rebooking Options During peak travel periods like Christmas, many flights are fully booked, which makes cancellations particularly disruptive. Airlines with smaller fleets or fewer routes, such as budget carriers, struggle to offer passengers alternate rebooking options. On the other hand, larger airlines like American, Delta, and United have interline agreements that allow them to place stranded passengers on other carriers’ flights. However, when cancellations occur at a larger scale, these rebooking options quickly become limited, particularly for those trying to book last-minute flights. The global nature of air travel exacerbates this issue, with international travelers facing even more hurdles as flights get canceled and rescheduled. New Refund Policies Add Complexity to the Situation This holiday season marked the first under a new rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation requiring airlines to provide automatic cash refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights. While most passengers were previously eligible for refunds, they often had to request them. The new rule means that travelers can expect automatic compensation, which could alleviate some of the frustrations caused by cancellations. However, it also introduced challenges for both airlines and passengers as the system adjusts to this policy. Many travelers prefer to be rebooked rather than refunded during peak periods, as last-minute flights are typically far more expensive. Travel Trends and Impact on Road Travel While airline travel has seen significant disruptions, a larger portion of American travelers, around 90%, are opting to drive during the holiday season. According to AAA, road travel is at its peak, with many families choosing cars over planes to reach their destinations. Despite the potential for long delays due to road conditions and congestion, driving remains the more popular option. Gas prices remain relatively stable compared to last year, with the national average at $3.04 per gallon, down slightly from $3.13 in 2023. For electric vehicle owners, charging costs vary by state, but remain a crucial factor in trip planning. Traffic Delays and Peak Travel Days Traffic analytics firm INRIX predicted that travel times on major highways could be up to 30% longer than usual over the holidays, especially on Sunday, which is expected to be the busiest day for road travel. Cities like Boston, New York City, Seattle, and Washington D.C. are expected to experience some of the heaviest traffic, further complicating travel plans for those trying to avoid flight cancellations. A Holiday Season Marked by Challenges for Travelers As the holiday season progresses, both air and road travel face substantial hurdles. Winter weather continues to disrupt plans for millions of people, while technical failures and cancellations add strain to an already difficult travel environment. For the travel industry, these challenges highlight the vulnerability of the system during peak travel periods. However, with the right preparation and knowledge, travelers can navigate these disruptions, especially if they remain flexible with their travel plans. Key Impacts for Travelers:Tulsi Gabbard’s Syria visit doesn’t faze GOP senators who also seem poised to confirm Ratcliffe as CIA director

Just about everyone dreams about cars they wish they could own, and there’s no better time than the holidays to make a list of vehicles you’d love to have in your driveway. The car pros at Edmunds rounded up five of their favorite dream-worthy vehicles. But rather than just list the most outlandish and expensive exotics, they focused on highlighting models that are expensive but not so pricey that it’d be completely unrealistic for you to own one one day. The vehicles are ordered in ascending order of price and include destination fees. Ford F-150 Raptor R Off-road trucks look fantastic and are extremely capable. What truck enthusiast wouldn’t have one topping their wish list? The king of the hill for 2025 is the F-150 Raptor R. The regular Raptor is already impressive, and the R takes it to the next level with a bonkers 720-horsepower supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine, upgraded Fox dual-value shock absorbers, and massive 37-inch all-terrain tires. An R-specific grille and hood are also part of the R’s upgrades. Thankfully, the Raptor R isn’t all bark and bite. It also has plenty of features to make it a livable truck for daily driving. Standard features include leather upholstery, cooling front seats, a premium sound system, and a surround-view camera to help make this big truck easier to park. Starting Price: $112,825 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Few sedans can match the Mercedes-Benz S-Class for opulence, luxury and prestige. This grand sedan showcases nearly every luxury, technology and performance innovation that Mercedes-Benz has concocted. Everything you touch inside is likely covered in leather, heated, or bathed in disco-worthy ambient light. A novel could be written about all of the S-Class’ luxury and comfort features, but one of the most notable is the E-Active Body Control system. It scans the road surface ahead and adjusts the suspension to deliver the best ride possible. The S-Class also boasts an extensive list of advanced safety features and has an augmented reality head-up display that projects images that appear to float in front of the car. For the ultimate S-Class, get the 791-horsepower AMG S 63 E Performance model. Starting Price: $118,900 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Who needs a European exotic car when the Corvette ZR1 is just as capable? A sports car fanatic’s wish list wouldn’t be right without the ZR1. The new Corvette hit a record-setting top speed of 233 mph, making it the fastest car ever built by an American automaker and the fastest current production car priced under $1 million, according to Chevrolet. The top speed record was possible thanks to the ZR1’s turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 engine that cranks out a staggering 1,064 horsepower. Its carbon-fiber aero package kept it glued to the track by generating over 1,200 pounds of downforce at top speed. Chevrolet also says the ZR1 can accelerate through the quarter mile in less than 10 seconds. We expect the Corvette ZR1 to go on sale in early 2025. Estimated starting price: $150,000 Cadillac Escalade-V Does your wish list include a big and powerful SUV? If it does, the Escalade-V should top it. The big Caddy roars like a muscle car thanks to its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that churns out 682 horsepower and helps it hit 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. The Escalade-V also boasts enormous 24-inch wheels and large Brembo brakes that help bring the three-ton SUV to a stop. But the Escalade-V isn’t only about brute power. It also has three rows of seating, plenty of cargo space and offers impressive tech like Super Cruise, a hands-free highway driving system, and an enormous 55-inch curved display that spans the dashboard. Starting Price: $161,990 Lucid Air Sapphire What if we told you there was a car that could outpace almost anything on a drag strip, keep up with high-end sports cars on a racetrack, and be comfortable enough for daily errands? Well, if that sounds amazing, add the Air Sapphire to your dream list. The Air Sapphire is a high-performance electric luxury sedan made by Lucid, an electric vehicle startup. It’s one of the most powerful production cars in the world, producing an astonishing 1,234 horsepower from its three electric motors. Lucid says it has a top speed of 205 mph and can rocket to 60 mph in a mind-numbing 1.9 seconds. You can adjust the vehicle’s setting for exceptional track performance or simply provide a comfortable ride around town. Starting price: $250,500 Edmunds says Even if you can’t afford any of these vehicles, you can still picture one sitting in your driveway or imagine yourself cruising around town in it. And who knows, maybe holiday magic will give you the opportunity to own one in the future. ____ This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds . Michael Cantu is a contributor at Edmunds.

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Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be differentJonah Goldberg: What if most Americans aren't bitterly divided?İlker Çekiç/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Hat Tip to Eddy Grant for inspiration on the title. In the recent past, we have stayed in the neutral zone on Disney ( NYSE: DIS ). In fact, our last bearish piece was in 2021, when Are you looking for Real Yields which reduce portfolio volatility? Conservative Income Portfolio targets the best value stocks with the highest margins of safety. The volatility of these investments is further lowered using the best priced options . Our Enhanced Equity Income Solutions Portfolio is designed to reduce volatility while generating 7-9% yields. Trapping Value is a team of analysts with over 40 years of combined experience generating options income while also focusing on capital preservation. They run the investing group Conservative Income Portfolio in partnership with Preferred Stock Trader. The investing group features two income-generating portfolios and a bond ladder. Trapping Value provides Covered Calls, and Preferred Stock Trader covers Fixed Income. The Covered Calls Portfolio is designed to provide lower volatility income investing with a focus on capital preservation. The fixed income portfolio focuses on buying securities with high income potential and heavy undervaluation relative to comparatives. Learn more . Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

From revisiting the political scandal that sparked a cultural reckoning in Canberra to a rich-lister’s unravelling, there were no shortage of court battles being waged — or defended — by the top end of town in 2024. We revisit some of the cases that dominated headlines and left us shocked, perplexed, and — at times — even entertained. Brittany Higgins defended a defamation action launched by Senator Linda Reynolds. Credit: Composite image/Holly Thompson Villain or victim? Reynolds v Higgins It was a story of an alleged rape in the halls of Parliament House and a covert political cover-up, and like all “fairytales”, it needed a villain. That was how WA Senator Linda Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett began the five-week-long trial in her defamation suit against former staffer Brittany Higgins and her husband David Sharaz, the most high-profile case to go before WA’s civil courts in 2024. The former defence minister sued Higgins over social media posts accusing her of mishandling the former staffer’s alleged rape by Bruce Lehrmann in March 2019 — a claim that was later aired by the media and created a storm that led to Reynolds’ political demise. Higgins fiercely defended the action on the basis her posts were true, but opted against taking the stand at the eleventh hour amid concerns for her health. The trial, which the pair mortgaged and sold their homes to pursue, pored over the events of 2019 in excruciating detail, dragged in high-profile figures — from former prime minister Scott Morrison to broadcaster Peta Credlin — and threw private texts into the public arena we imagine the parties would have preferred to remain private. It also spawned fresh evidence Reynolds now wants to use as a weapon in her bid to have Higgins’ $2.4 million compensation claim probed by the corruption watchdog. Lehrmann has maintained his innocence since his 2022 criminal trial was aborted due to juror misconduct, but a Federal Court judgment found, on the balance of probabilities, that he did rape Higgins. Lehrmann is now appealing that ruling. Justice Paul Tottle is expected to hand down a judgment in the court row in the New Year, but we suspect there won’t be any winners in this saga. Western Australia’s mining dynasty, of which the nation’s richest person Gina Rinehart is the most famous member, was embroiled in a court fight over the rights to the Hope Downs projects in the state’s iron-rich Pilbara region. Credit: Marija Ercegovac Gina Rinehart: 1, Bianca and John: 0 The high-stakes clash over the Hope Downs iron ore project , which pitted Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart against two mining dynasties and her eldest children, occupied two floors of the Supreme Court for more than six months in 2023. And yet still, there was unfinished business in the battle for the multibillion-dollar asset. The case made headlines again in April, when Rinehart’s eldest children lost an eleventh-hour bid for 82 top secret documents their billionaire mother claimed were protected by legal privilege. The pair, who have been locked in a bitter battle with their mother over mining assets left behind by their pioneer grandfather Lang Hancock, believed the files might aid their pursuit for ownership of Rinehart-led Hancock Prospecting’s sprawling mining tenements in the state’s north-west. But Justice Natalie Whitby ruled the pair had insufficient evidence, lashing the handling of the case and its burden on the public justice system after revealing the court book spanned 6000 pages. “To say that the resources dedicated to these privilege claims was grossly disproportionate to the issues in the dispute is an understatement,” she wrote. Ouch... We’re still awaiting a judgment from Justice Jennifer Smith on the broader row. We hope Justice Smith is not spending the whole festive season “in the area of or contiguous to” her desk and what we imagine is a very lengthy draft judgment. Beleaguered Mineral Resources boss takes on media to keep court row quiet He gained a reputation as the uninhibited billionaire mining boss behind Mineral Resources’ meteoric rise, but it would be what Chris Ellison kept hidden that would be his downfall. Depressed lithium prices, sweeping cost cuts and a debt-laden balance sheet saw Ellison declare it the “shittiest time” to be a managing director in one newspaper interview. Just a few months later, he would announce plans to vacate the top job, undone by an exposé in the Australian Financial Review detailing his involvement in an alleged decade-long tax evasion scheme. But as shareholders were demanding answers and the corporate regulator was beginning its own probe, Ellison’s lawyers were busy fighting to keep the media from undoing sweeping gag orders over documents filed in his now-settled row with a former contracts boss. The documents were central to the two-year court row MinRes, Ellison and self-proclaimed whistleblower Steven Pigozzo had been fighting on several fronts until inking a peace deal in July — which featured explosive allegations of misconduct. While a string of Pigozzo’s claims had been republished by the media, much of the case had been covered by suppression orders which were broadened when both parties asked that more than 16 legal documents be permanently removed from the case file. “The non-publication orders are sought to fortify matters raised previously about allegations that were not just irrelevant but scandalous,” Ellison’s lawyer told the court. WA Health, scientist ink top-secret stem cell patent peace deal She was the face of Royal Perth Hospital’s state-of-the-art cellular therapy facility, the Perth scientist behind a medical invention that saw her wheeled out by the health department’s publicity team to showcase its life-changing research. That was until the day of Dr Marian Sturm’s retirement in 2021, when the health service dragged her to court demanding compensation and that the licence agreement for the invention be torn up. The three-year medicine ownership battle came to an abrupt end in March after the East Metropolitan Health Service and Sturm’s company Isopogen inked a top-secret peace deal. The lawsuit centred around intellectual property rights to an improved method of manufacturing mesenchymal stromal cells used to treat inflammatory illnesses, which Sturm developed in 2007 and registered in her name and that of her capital-raising vehicle Isopogen. Sturm’s relationship with the EMHS soured amid claims she had breached her contract by asserting ownership over the medicine, which saw Isopogen, two former employees, the state’s own patents attorneys and its insurer embroiled in a bitter legal pursuit with the health service. The parties claimed they had reached a mutually acceptable, confidential settlement which provided a comprehensive framework for “an ongoing relationship”. A spokesperson for the health service told this masthead that gag order extended to how much this three-year sparring match cost the taxpayer. How convenient. Vegan activist Tash Peterson, partner cop $280k bill in defamation row She’s not quite the “top end of town”, but we couldn’t take a look back at the biggest civil cases of 2024 without referencing the whopping damages bill handed to Perth’s most prominent animal rights activist. In November, Tash Peterson and her partner were ordered to pay $280,000 in damages to the owners of a Perth veterinary clinic for defamation after a bizarre dispute in 2021. The dispute, which was later circulated on social media, was sparked after Peterson and Jack Higgs spotted two cockatiels in a large cage at the front of Dr Kay McIntosh and Andrew McIntosh’s Bicton Veterinary Clinic. What unfolded was a bizarre tirade in which Peterson accused the clinic of “advertising animal slavery” — despite neither of the birds being able to survive in the wild — and of eating their own patients. Peterson and Higgs had claimed their tirade was justified as honest opinion, defending the content on the basis it was substantially true and a matter of public interest. But the part of the trial that managed to capture the most attention were revelations about just how deep Peterson’s pockets were, with the V-Gan Booty Pty Ltd entity behind her burgeoning OnlyFans account generating more than $380,000 in earnings in 2022 alone. We suspect this won’t be the last we see of Peterson. Get alerts on breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert .