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Northwestern and Central Michigan are heading for a defensive showdown in GameAbove Sports Bowl
Jimmy Kimmel Delivers Scathing Christmas Day Message: ‘Tyranny Is Booming’
'We won, the President lost...'
Bet365 bonus code CBSBET365: Get $150 in bonus bets for NFL Christmas Day games, Chiefs-Broncos, Vikings-Lions
Bet365 offers a $150 bonus for Christmas Day NFL betting with the bet365 bonus code CBSBET365
Mexico’s year in review: The 10 biggest news and politics stories of 2025
As we did at the end of 2023 and 2024, Mexico News Daily looked back at the past 12 months and selected 10 news and politics stories that we believe were among the biggest of 2025.
Bears power rankings roundup: Where Chicago lands in Week 17
Week 17 is here and the Chicago Bears have clinched a playoff berth. Here's a glimpse at where they land among various power rankings.
Burglars steal ATM from North Center business, Chicago police say
Several burglars wearing ski masks stole an ATM from a business in the North Center neighborhood, Chicago police said.
Bet365 bonus code CBSBET365: Claim $150 in bonus bets for NFL Christmas Day games, Chiefs-Broncos
Bet365 offers a $150 bonus for Christmas Day NFL betting with the bet365 bonus code CBSBET365
Best Missouri sports betting apps: Top MO sportsbook apps to snag almost $3,000 in bonus offers, promos
Missouri betting apps are now accepting real-money bets, and this page will guide you through the best sports betting apps currently available in Missouri.
Samsung’s Exynos 2800 Reportedly Features The Company’s In-House GPU And Is Scheduled To Launch In 2027; SoC Can Be Found In Applications Beyond Smartphones Due
The Exynos 2800 is reported to be Samsung’s first chipset featuring the company’s in-house graphics processor and could launch in 2027
Northwestern vs. Central Michigan prediction, odds, spread: 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl picks from proven model
SportsLine's computer model reveals its CMU Chippewas vs. Northwestern Wildcats best bets
Chinese billionaire who has fathered more than 100 children hopes to have dozens of U.S.-born boys to one day take over his business
Xu Bo, the founder of one of China’s largest mobile gaming companies, is looking to have “50 high-quality sons” in the U.S. to take over his billion-dollar empire.
Mid-Michigan entertainment for the weekend of Dec. 26-28 and beyond
Check out what’s going on around the area.
Northwestern-Central Michigan GameAbove Sports Bowl picks, odds
USA TODAY's college football experts lock in their picks for the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl on Dec. 26.
The video games you may have missed in 2025
Date a vending machine, watch intergalactic television and make the most out of your short existence as a fly. Here are the best games you weren’t playing this year
The SpaceX Mafia is here
SpaceX mafia startups are raising billions in venture capital, with ex-employees launching companies across aerospace, AI, and health.
Christmas tradition: Business continues helping customers capture the holiday spirit
Snowline Acres owners Tom and Kristin Davis are approaching a decade of helping people celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.
Science history: James Webb Space Telescope launches — and promptly cracks our view of the universe
The James Webb Space Telescope blasted off from a launchpad in French Guiana in 2021, before reaching a spot in orbit a million miles away. It soon began breaking cosmology.
Belvidere business owner donates leftover toy drive gifts to children in need
A Belvidere business owner says seeing children smile is what motivates her to keep giving back.
New album releases from artists with East Tennessee ties
We start with the Sedonas. If there were ever any doubt that the band ranks among East Tennessee’s most potent and proficient acts, those questions are erased by its new
The Herald's weekly entertainment picks
Looking to be entertained from Thursday, Dec. 25, through Wednesday, Dec. 31? Check out the Skagit Valley Herald’s weekly recommendations.
Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky to be delisted on January 1, 2026 for PS4 in Japan, January 5 for PS Vita
Spike Chunsoft will delist the digital version of tri-Ace-developed RPG Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky for PlayStation 4 on January 1, 2026 at 00:00 JST in Japan, and for PS Vita on Janua…
Pediatrics group sues HHS for cutting funds for children's health programs
The suit alleges HHS made the cuts in retaliation for the doctors' group speaking out against the Trump administration's positions and actions.
Chinese team tackles a century-old physics puzzle: can we travel back in time?
Theoretical breakthrough shows that time’s arrow can emerge naturally from how quantum parts become interconnected.
How Will Chiefs Approach Quarterback Situation In Offseason?
Business: Oregon jobs projected to increase 6% by 2034
The Oregon Employment Department projects Oregon’s total employment to grow by 141,000 jobs between 2024 and 2034.
Patriots Clinching Scenarios For Week 17
The New England Patriots have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but they can clinch the AFC East in Week 17. Clinching the division would guarantee a home playoff game. The Patriots can clinch in two ways, but not with a loss. They can clinch the division with a win and a Buffalo Bills […]
In a new deal, Nvidia hires Groq's top engineering talent, including its founder, who built AI chips at Google
A new type of dealmaking is on the rise in Silicon Valley as Nvidia reaches a non-exclusive deal with a chip startup and hires its top engineers.
Scientists say evolution works differently than we thought
A major evolutionary theory says most genetic changes don’t really matter, but new evidence suggests that’s not true. Researchers found that helpful mutations happen surprisingly often. The twist is that changing environments prevent these mutations from spreading widely before they become useless or harmful. Evolution, it turns out, is less about reaching perfection and more about endlessly chasing a moving target.
Trump tells 10-year-old child he made sure ‘a bad Santa’ is not ‘infiltrating’ the US
The phone rings. Would your 10-year-old like to speak with the president? He’s tracking Santa Claus from his living room in Palm Beach.
Raiders vs. Giants Injury Report
See who's in and who's out for the Week 17 matchup between the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders on December 28, 2025.
Trump warns against infiltration by a 'bad Santa,' defends coal in jovial Christmas calls with kids
President Donald Trump marked Christmas Eve by chatting with children about their holiday wishes
Trump warns against infiltration by a 'bad Santa,' defends coal in jovial Christmas calls with kids
President Donald Trump marked Christmas Eve by chatting with children about their holiday wishes.
Pediatrics group sues U.S. agency for cutting funds for children's health programs
Earlier this month, the federal government 'abruptly terminated' grants to the group, the lawsuit says.
Lessenberry: A fateful year awaits in Michigan politics
LANSING — Well, it’s Christmas, and I hope everyone reading this, whatever your beliefs may be, is having a wonderful and relaxing day. While this isn’t ...
Resident shares concerns over possible entertainment district for downtown Oxford
OXFORD — There was a light agenda for the Oxford City Council meeting Tuesday night.
Bears merch flying off the shelves at sports collectible shops ahead of playoffs
Since the team’s victory against the Green Bay Packers, player jerseys and other Bears merchandise have been the top sellers for Chicago retailers.
Nvidia Buying AI Chip Startup Groq For $20 Billion: CNBC
This would be the Dow tech giant's largest-ever acquisition.
NFL players on IR: Raiders TE Brock Bowers, Chiefs WR Rashee Rice join list
Bowers (knee) and Rice (concussion) are done with their teams out of playoff contention
Pediatrics group sues HHS for cutting funds for children's health programs
The American Academy of Pediatrics sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, seeking to block nearly $12 million in cuts to the group.
Pediatrics group sues HHS for cutting funds for children's health programs
The American Academy of Pediatrics sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, seeking to block nearly $12 million in cuts to the group.
Pediatrics group sues HHS for cutting funds for children's health programs
The American Academy of Pediatrics sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, seeking to block nearly $12 million in cuts to the group
Belmont Lanterns: Depression-era business promotion unearthed after 90 years
Local history buffs attended a news conference held at The Archive on Kern last Friday for answers to the mystery of the Belmont Lanterns. A contractor on the high-speed rail project discovered 82 large painted
VA in 2026 looks to get EHR rollout back on track, embark on health care reorganization
VA is planning for its new EHR from Oracle-Cerner to go live at 13 sites in 2026 — starting with four sites in Michigan in April 2026.
Free rural business accelerator launches in Central Valley 2026
Fresno Pacific University’s Center for Community Transformation (CCT) is launching a new program aimed at spurring growth for rural entrepreneurs and small business owners starting in 2026.
Obama Foundation partner expands vendor network for small businesses
Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative said more than 75 Chicago area organizations have joined its network to collectively negotiate service contracts, which will help lower costs.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Hosts Annual Holiday Toy Giveaway for More than 1,000 Children and Families - NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan today announced its annual holiday toy giveaway has distributed gifts to over 1,000 children and families this holiday
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one report
By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding U.S. deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story.
Bill Chisholm’s first business venture was in journalism, and other anecdotes about the new Celtics owner
Feast on a few leftover tales that didn't quite make the cut in the Globe's recent profile of the team's lead governor.
‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans React to Contestant’s ’Tough’ $40,000 Loss
Did you solve this trick puzzle?
The Business of Watches Podcast: Audemars Piguet CEO Ilaria Resta Drives Double-Digit Sales Increase For Brand's 150th Anniversary Year
How AP managed to grow sales amid an industry downturn and how its Chief Executive is positioning the brand for the next century.
Apple Discontinued These 25 Products This Year
With the end of 2025 near, the time has come to look back at the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Most of the products that were discontinued this year were simply replaced by a new model with an updated chip. However, the iPhone SE line was entirely discontinued when the iPhone 16e launched, and the iPhone Plus line is being phased out. Below, we have listed 25 products that were discontinued by Apple this year.
The Year in Entertainment 2025: The TV that was top
The small screen took us everywhere from the shores of Cousins Beach to the emergency room at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center this year. Here's a look at the shows and limited series that defined 2025:It was the medical procedural drama The Pitt that scored the top prize at the Emmys this year. Led by Noah Wyle, who won the best actor in a drama Emmy for his portrayal of Dr. Robby in the new series, The Pitt's first season followed the challenges faced by health care workers on the front lines over the course of a single, 15-hour shift at the hospital. Other big winners at the ceremony included Seth Rogen's new comedy series The Studio, as well as the Netflix limited series Adolescence.Many prestige shows captured the cultural zeitgeist in 2025. Fans traveled to Thailand to check in for season 3 of The White Lotus, while the mystery at Lumon Industries continued to unfold as Severance season 2 rolled out. The Last of Us viewers mourned a fan-favorite character during its sophomore season, while Star Wars fans returned to a galaxy far, far away to bid farewell to Andor as it debuted its second and final season.Nobody could stop talking about The Summer I Turned Pretty. Whether you were team Conrad or team Jeremiah, fans couldn't keep their eyes off the dramatic third season of the teen romance series, which spanned from the U.S.'s East Coast all the way to Paris. While the series ended with Belly finally picking which brother she wanted to be with, the story isn't quite over. A feature film that will end the romantic saga has been greenlit by Prime Video.Finally, the year ended with the release of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. It turned Netflix's streaming records upside down, accumulating 59.6 million views in its first five days and becoming the best-ever premiere week viewing numbers for an English-language series on the streaming platform.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Advocates want bill to protect children during custody battles in state budget
Kyra's Law would be named for 2-year-old Kyra Franchetti.
Great Lakes Science Center to hold STEM programming; announced new board chair
The Great Lakes Science Center will host science, technology, engineering and mathematics programming in December and January.
Will you be watching Lions vs. Vikings on Christmas?
Will Detroit Lions fans be watching the team on Christmas or opt out because of poor play and the holiday?
LeBron James, Dak Prescott highlight a loaded slate of sports on Christmas
With five NBA games and three in the NFL, these are the matchups worth watching.
ICE crackdown chills sales at immigrant-owned businesses
Owners believe many customers are avoiding the businesses for fear of drawing unwanted scrutiny.
Northwestern Aims for Sixth Straight Bowl Win in GameAbove Sports Bowl
DETROIT — Northwestern football will play its second bowl game in three seasons as it takes on Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, hosted at Ford ...
Movies and TV shows casting across the US
Backstage compiled a list of movies and TV shows casting across the US.
Gemini will let you keep working in other apps as it processes your request
You should soon be able to resume using an app after activating Gemini, without having to start over with Gemini from scratch.
Serpent Lake Leak Reveals First Intel-Nvidia Chip after $5 Billion Partnership
Intel ($INTC) and Nvidia ($NVDA) are developing a new laptop chip called Serpent Lake that integrates their technologies, according to leaked information provided b...
BP to Sell Majority Stake in Castrol Business for $6 Billion
The UK oil giant will divest a 65% stake, retaining the remaining interest via a joint venture, it said Wednesday. BP is shedding assets to reduce debt and turn around years of lagging performance that put the company in the crosshairs of activist shareholder Elliott Investment Management. It kicked off the sale process for Castrol back in February, when then-Chief Executive Officer Murray Auchincloss unveiled a strategic reset, promising to refocus on oil and gas, slash costs and reduce debt.
Broncos-Chiefs Fantasy Football Week 17 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em
The Broncos and Chiefs meet on Christmas Day - find out which players we plan to start or sit ahead of a pivotal NFL Week 17.
Sports on TV today: What to watch on ESPN, Fox Sports and other channels for Christmas Eve
Here is everything you need to know about watching sporting events on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, including TV and streaming options for games.
19 states and D.C. sue HHS over effort to ban transgender care for minors
The declaration issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services called treatments like puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries unsafe and ineffective for children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria.
How to Watch Chiefs vs. Broncos: Time, TV Channel and Live Stream
Learn which TV channel or how to live stream the NFL Week 17 Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos game, Thursday, Dec. 25.
Broncos vs. Chiefs 2025 Prediction, Odds, Picks
Preview the Week 17 matchup between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs with predictions, odds, over/under, spread, betting lines and more.
Bears Over Beers: Playoffs Clinched! 49ers SNF Preview
The latest episode of @bearsoverbeers talks the Chicago Bears upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers and more!
Year in Review: A great year for entertainment in NH
It’s been a year of milestones, achievements and unforgettable moments in New Hampshire’s arts and entertainment scene.
MSU defensive back announces plan to enter transfer portal
A Michigan State football defensive back announces he'll be entering the transfer portal
This new 3D chip could break AI’s biggest bottleneck
Researchers have created a new kind of 3D computer chip that stacks memory and computing elements vertically, dramatically speeding up how data moves inside the chip. Unlike traditional flat designs, this approach avoids the traffic jams that limit today’s AI hardware. The prototype already beats comparable chips by several times, with future versions expected to go much further. Just as important, it was manufactured entirely in a U.S. foundry, showing the technology is ready for real-world production.
‘Silver tsunami’ of retiring business owners leaves Main Streets at a crossroads
(This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com.) ALPENA — Mary Rajasekhar had owned Olivet Book and Gift for 35 years when she decided last Christmas it was time to retire. But, with her children spread out across the country and into their own […]
What is the goal now?
Let’s start with the low bar to clear: as long as our coach doesn’t assault a small child with a projectile, this season will be mostly ok. Of course, Xavier could always schedule a throwaway game so they could sternly pretend to have disciplined the coach. That kind of behavior is usually saved for guys […]
Scientists from UChicago, other institutions discover bizarre lemon-shaped planet orbiting neutron star
Supreme Court rules against Trump, bars deploying National Guard in Chicago
The decision is the major defeat for Trump and his broad claim that he had the power to deploy military forces in U.S. cities.
Supreme Court won't let Trump deploy National Guard in Chicago
In a rare loss for Trump at the high court, the justices kept in place a temporary hold on the use of National Guard troops to quell protests in Chicago.
Hubble spots massive sandwich shaped blob in deep-space
Nicknamed Dracula’s Chivito, the disk is 1,000 light-years away from Earth.
In Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood, children's entertainment comes with strings
For more than 30 years, Puppetworks has delighted Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood with performances of The Tortoise and the Hare, Pinocchio, Aladdin and, during the holidays, retellings of stories like The Steadfast Tin Soldier.
In Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood, children's entertainment comes with strings
For more than 30 years, Puppetworks has delighted Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood with performances of The Tortoise and the Hare, Pinocchio, Aladdin and, during the holidays, retellings of stories like The Steadfast Tin Soldier.
Here's what's open for business in Wichita Falls over New Year's
Here's what hours to expect from retailers, grocers and restaurants on New Year's Day in Wichita Falls.
The battle for control of Warner Bros.: A timeline of key developments
Netflix wants to buy Warner Bros. and HBO, but Paramount refuses to go away, launching a hostile bid. Here's a timeline of key developments.
Boston reports 114% surge in flu cases; Children most affected
Flu-related emergency department visits also increased 44% in that same period of time.
New poll finds Americans in sour mood on economy and US leadership
A wide-reaching new poll finds Americans are approaching 2026 with negative opinions about the economy, the direction of the nation and its leaders.
Year in review: Trump's economy : The NPR Politics Podcast
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at President Trump's handling of the economy, including his tariff policy.This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
‘Wheel of Fortune’: Ryan Seacrest Hugs Firefighter After Agonizing $114,000 Loss
The contestant spoke out about the moment.
Vince Zampella, video game pioneer behind megahit Call of Duty, dies at 55
One of Vince Zampella's crowning achievements was the creation of the Call of Duty franchise, which has sold more than half a billion games worldwide.
Wisconsin judge sends Slender Man attacker back to mental health institution after group home escape
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin woman who almost killed her sixth-grade classmate to please the fictional horror villain known as Slender Man was ordered back to a state psychiatric hospital Tuesday after she escaped from her group home last month.
Why This Business Model Is Opening the Door to Entrepreneurship for People With Almost No Capital
Micro-franchising helps people with limited resources become business owners by offering low-cost and proven franchise models.
Michigan Matters: An anniversary at The Henry Ford, and looking back at politics in 2025
CDT Environmental Technology Reports 2025 Unaudited Interim Financial Results and Provides Business Updates
Revenue of $7.3 million and loss per share of $0.11 impacted by reduced project activity due to a slowdown in the PRC economySHENZHEN, China, Dec. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: CDTG) (“CDT”, the “Company”, or “we”), a leading provider of waste treatment systems and services throughout China, today reports its unaudited interim financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2025, and provides updates on key business development
Year in Review: A Look Back at Local Sports in 2025
Well, it's that time again. This will be my 35th Year in Review column, and 2025 gave me plenty to review.
Amazon's chief security officer says the tech giant blocked over 1,800 suspected North Korean agents from applying for jobs
Stephen Schmidt said AI and machine-learning roles have been increasingly targeted by fraudsters due to high demand.
Nine mental-health tips for a happier 2026
Regardless of any resolutions you may have for 2026, one thing is for sure: Everyone wants to have a happy new year.While losing weight or saving money may be great goals, the most straightforward path to happiness is caring for your mental and emotional health. A robust body of research shows that simple cognitive and behavioral strategies can reliably boost happiness and reduce stress – and they’re generally free and accessible to all.These strategies don’t have to be super time-consuming, but they do require intention: They only work if you do them.Here, psychologist Valentina Ogaryan, PhD, clinical director of the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, shares her top tips for cultivating more calm, centeredness and happiness in the new year (or anytime):Make time for playPlay isn’t just for kids, and it’s far from frivolous. The National Institute for Play says engaging in silliness, fun and just-for-pleasure activities reduces stress and increases optimism and resilience. A recent review also found that play improves mental health.“Adults can benefit from play as much as children,” Dr. Ogaryan says, “not just as a reward, but something that helps regulate.”So go ahead and dance with your dog, build something with Legos, tell a joke, sing karaoke or do anything else that feels like fun. Don’t worry about being productive, just enjoy yourself. And, if you can, opt for more analog play, Dr. Ogaryan suggests, as a respite from our ever-more-digital world. Move your bodyWhether you dance, ski, do yoga, play pickleball, ride a bike, roller-skate, hike or lift weights, physical movement benefits overall happiness and well-being. A 2018 review study of more than 1.2 million adults in the U.S. found that doing any kind of exercise was “significantly and meaningfully associated” with better self-reported mental health.The sweet spot was 45 minutes of movement three to five times a week, but even short bursts of physical activity can boost brain health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“Movement helps support mood and regulate the nervous system,” Dr. Ogaryan says.Plus: exercise can improve sleep quality, and sleep is essential for mental health.Prioritize sleep“Sleep plays a major role in managing stress,” Dr. Ogaryan says. Research shows that lack of sufficient sleep increases the risk of various diseases, including depression.While stress can interfere with sleep, practicing good sleep hygiene can make logging ZZ’s easier. That means maintaining a consistent bedtime; keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet; and avoiding social media, news and stimulating shows before bed.Consume lessWe live in a consumer culture, inundated by endless streams of content and advertising everywhere we go, which makes it easy to get overstimulated.“Something really helpful for stress reduction is to simply consume less,” Dr. Ogaryan says – less news, less social media, less information, less noise, less screen time. “It’s about reducing the input,” she says.Consider setting a maximum number of news articles per day, for example, or a time limit on scrolling. Maybe even go device free for an afternoon or a whole day.Practice present-moment awarenessWith so much coming at us all the time, focusing on the here and now can make life feel more manageable, Dr. Ogaryan says: “When everything feels super overwhelming, when everything feels larger than life, let’s make our world a little bit smaller for that moment in time.”She suggests taking things one day, or even one hour, at a time. Ask yourself: What’s my next right action? Release the need to know how everything turns out and liberate yourself from having to handle everything right now. Let the future take care of itself and just focus on the current moment. Then the next one. Have a daily anchorFrom work to the daily commute to family and life responsibilities, our days can feel jam-packed. Dr. Ogaryan recommends creating a centering daily anchor that can fit into even the busiest day.Maybe it’s a 10-minute walk during your lunch break or mindfully enjoying your coffee in the morning. Let your anchor adapt to your needs each day, she says, but be intentional about using that time to ground yourself and calm your nervous system. You might even say to yourself, “I choose this walk to help me become centered,” or “My day already feels stressful, so I’m going to take the next 10 minutes to enjoy this cup of coffee, feel the warm mug in my hand and just be present.” Having an anchor won’t erase the busy-ness from your day, but it will allow you to approach it more calmly.Be kind to yourselfMost of us have a harsh inner critic in our heads who works overtime. But that critical voice only increases our stress, triggering the same fight-or-flight response as caustic words from another person.To feel happier, we need to replace that inner critic with a kinder, more compassionate voice, Dr. Ogaryan says. Studies show that self-compassion is a source of eudaimonic happiness – the kind of happiness associated with purpose and meaning in life.While our knee-jerk reaction may be to self-criticize – “How could you let it get to this point? You didn’t manage your time well and now the project is going to be late. You’re so inept.” – we fare better mentally by treating ourselves with kindness, like we would a friend. That might sound like, “You’ve got a lot on your plate, but you are capable and you’ll get it done. I believe in you.”We may think that speaking kindly to ourselves means letting ourselves off the hook, so we end up becoming lazy do-nothings. But research shows the opposite: People who are self-compassionate are more likely to try harder in the face of failure and ultimately reach their goals.You can thank your inner critic for its good intentions, but resolve to talk to yourself in a kind, compassionate voice.Connect with othersHumans are social animals built for connection. Stress can be isolating and cause us to withdraw, but connecting with others is a salve for the psyche, Dr. Ogaryan says.“We know that not all relationships are always easy, but if we can think about intentional, nourishing connection – even in really small doses – it could really help center us,” she says.Take a moment to laugh with your colleagues, hug your pet, have a conversation with a friend or smile at the barista making your coffee. A study found that even tiny interactions with casual acquaintances and strangers decreases loneliness and improves happiness and well-being.Seek supportIf you try these practices and happiness remains elusive, or if you can’t access the wherewithal to follow these tips, seek support from your physician or a therapist. Mental health conditions are among the most common health issues in the U.S. and around the world – more prevalent than diabetes or heart disease. One in five people in the U.S. experiences a mental illness each year, with depression and anxiety the most common, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.“We can all think about these tips,” Dr. Ogaryan says. “But it’s important to recognize if you’ve done everything you can and you’re still really struggling, it’s really important to seek help.”
The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
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Gridlock dotted with bipartisan breakthroughs in divided Legislature
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